c o n t a c t

[bracchium]

желание I know you are the answer, but I forgot the question.	печь There will always be a lie in believe.
один Whatever is static is dead.	рассвет The world is too quiet.

( CODE BY WHAMBAM )

Comments

before the Briefing Mission Start

[shiro2hero]

[He's never forgotten the coin. It's come in handy a few times. Especially in the dark, when he wakes up and his brain won't settle down. But he's never forgotten where it needs to go. Who needs it more than he does.]

[At some point, during the station's "day" cycle, he'll "knock".]

[A quiet request to talk to Bucky. If he's not busy.]

[bracchium]

[Bucky's been keeping mostly to the gardens when possible and when he hears that mental knock, he offers the image of a willow grove with purple bark. He also moves, lights up his side of the mental connection like a torch in the dark as he strides away from the campsite; Bucky would rather not bother Steve or Sam if they're sleeping, since rest is so difficult to find these days.]

[shiro2hero]

[It's a nice mental image. Good imagery. He's a little impressed. And follows along -- to follow the offered picture. Willow trees. Alien willow trees. Who'd have thought.]

[The coin is in his hand as he approaches, on the lookout for Bucky. Careful to keep his own mental projection as neutral as possible, if only because of all the new minds around here.]

I've got something that belongs to you. [It comes out a little wry as he approaches. He remembers their last conversation clear enough -- how the other had reacted to too much gratitude.]

[bracchium]

[Bucky's not too far from the border of the grove, leaning against another purple willow on the perimeter. When he hears footsteps, he straightens, but the sight of Shiro sets him to relative ease.

While he doesn't verbally answer, he does at least raise his eyebrows and offer a light hum. He's too tired to form proper words right now.]

[shiro2hero]

[No offense at the silence. After all, part of him doesn't mind the quiet. Instead, he just steps forward, offering up the coin in the palm of his hand. Flesh and bone fingers half-curled to keep it stable.]

Thank you, for this.

You were right -- it helped a lot. [And it's high time he brought it back.]

[bracchium]

[When Shiro produces he coin--- when Bucky's gaze falls on his most sacred of possessions--- a rush of emotion fills his side of the link. For all of the mentions of trust in Shiro, he held onto doubts that Sam's coin would return to him. Yet here it is, in one piece and here and offered freely.

Bucky nods stiffly, carefully reaching out, as if afraid Shiro would snatch it away at the last moment.]

[shiro2hero]

[He holds his hand steady, waiting. Like trying to offer something to a frightened animal.]

I thought you should have it back, before we went on mission.

[His hand won't move until Bucky takes the coin back. Projecting nothing but a steady gratitude.]

[bracchium]

[Only once his fingers close around the coin does relief fully root itself in him. Shiro's gratitude mixes with his own and cascades into something much larger. He struggles to form words, but manages to get one out,] Thanks.

[shiro2hero]

[Bucky lifts the coin away. He pulls his hand back, and can't hide the smile. It feels real, for once. Not strained or forced.]

It was always yours. I'm just glad you trusted me enough to let me use it.

[His weight shifts, back a bit. If Bucky needs space, he'll let him be. The important thing here is the coin is back where it belongs.]

[bracchium]

[That earns a quirk of Bucky's lips, though tentative. There's a little too much emotion digging into his chest to fuel the smile with much more than a dim light. Running his fingers along the ridges, though, provides an instant calm that he missed in the past few days.]

'll keep that in mind. [Both that Shiro reaffirms Bucky's ownership over such a precious possession and that Bucky can trust Shiro to return it.]

[shiro2hero]

[The short, almost-smile is something like a reward, honestly. All he'd done was the "right thing", in his mind. But it's good to see it had a positive effect.]

[It always is.]

Hey, glad to make a good impression. [Something light, something easy. For both of them.] It really meant a lot. Being able to use it.

[bracchium]

[A light chuckle slips past Bucky's lips at Shiro's reply. He's glad they can move to something lighter, easier to swallow down.]

Next mission, I'll keep an eye out for coins. [It's an offer, really. The mental image of the coin he gave Sam on Concordia to replace the one he'd given Bucky burning quietly behind his words. Everyone needs something to call theirs, especially in the foreign environment of the Station.]

[shiro2hero]

Maybe we can start a collection. Just in case.

[Offer accepted, in other words. And one given in return -- he'll look out for some too. That way, if either of them manage to make good on the search, Bucky won't have to worry about his coin missing.]

[Just in case.]

[bracchium]

Yeah. A collection. [Bucky smiles wider and his eyes brighten for a moment.] Maybe one for the whole Nest. Like dogtags.

[shiro2hero]

Hah. Welcome to the Station, here's your complimentary coping mechanism.

[He grins, though. Amused and sincere.] I like it.

[bracchium]

[Bucky chuckles again. He'd meant it as a means of identification, like a military patch, but he likes Shiro's idea better. Giving new hosts something to help ground themselves outside of the mental, to drown out the noise upon arrival.] That works.

[shiro2hero]

[That kind of laugh suits him, he thinks. Briefly, the thought there and gone in a moment. Laughing suits him. And it brings his own grin out a little more.]

Then it's a deal. You and me on coin duty.

[bracchium]

[Bucky continues to grin for a moment longer before looking back down at the coin in his hand. Time to go get packed.]

Yeah.

[shiro2hero]

[He'll nod, and take a step back.]

I'll see you soon, right? Mission upcoming and all?