station72 | semi-open;

CHARACTERS: Bucky, Sam, Steve, and guests
WHERE: The Gardens
WHEN: Backdated to D040-idk 45ish?
SUMMARY: After another death in the nest, Bucky feels the need to run.
WARNINGS: Nightmares, talk of violence, etc.

[Death in the Nest never comes easy. Anakin's had been so violent and sudden and now Aoba's seemingly the opposite. Something planned and slow and when the pain of the loss surges through the Nest, Bucky's left shuddering in its wake. He can't stay here, that's all he knows in the moment as he surges from his quarters. His backpack is heavier than he remembers as he hefts it over his shoulder. However, he's only a dozen feet down the hall before a conversation with Sam springs to his mind. Over shared drinks, he agreed to think about not running, about camping, about seeking offered help when this urge rises.

But he can't bring himself to search for help directly. Not when all he can focus on is the pain of a purposeful death rocking through his nerves.

And yet his feet bring him to the Gardens, to dirt crunching under his boots instead of the darkness of the farthest corners of the Station. He's reminded again of Sam, of their talk of camping, and he quietly sends up a ping of his location to both his broodmate and Steve. The impression of his panic colors the leaves of the trees around him, burning incandescent over the link.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Every breath that passes from Bucky's lips is shared with Sam, every pulse of his heart sends blood through both of them, the sweat that sticks their foreheads together belongs to them both. Here is where he belongs, where he was meant to be all along. And now waiting doesn't seem so tough. In fact, it feels right to wait here with Sam until the programming blows over.]

[ It doesn't seem to take as long this time - or maybe Sam isn't as conscious of the passage of time when he's not carrying Bucky across a crowd or curled up on the floor next to his couch. Maybe it's just that he doesn't care how long it's been, when he's happy to be like this. But eventually he notices that the programming isn't actively attempting to hurt them anymore, eventually he notices that things are more or less quiet, except the intermingling of his and Bucky's thoughts.

He means to say something, but the intent behind it makes across before he can - a wordless question, checking in on Bucky's mind, love-support-contentment-determination. He makes no move to untangle himself either physically or mentally, and it's obvious that this is the most comfortable he's been in a while. ]

[Bucky is half-asleep from exhaustion once the programming finally quiets down. His body is drenched with sweat, his limbs heavy as Sam's presence pings in his mind. The frozen wings unfold from around them to reveal the scorched landscape, a sure sign that the programming has been through. Bucky lets his head sag onto Sam's shoulder, allowing the lead in his bones speak for itself. Nuzzling in closer to Sam's throat, Bucky silently asks to stay like this, to let him sleep.]

[ Sam shifts, just enough that he can prop himself up against the nearest tree and lean back a little. Yeah, yeah, he's good here, and there's a soft mental hum of contentment in response. He holds Bucky close, hand stroking soothingly - and breathes out, stretching his wings over that scorched landscape. Sam's not sure what part of it is Bucky and what's from the programming bleeding over into him and trying to leave scars - but he can shape his own mind enough, try to let its vibrancy pour out and linger.

Try to encourage growth in its wake, to give Bucky something lasting to hold onto. But Sam himself is exhausted, and he falls asleep with their minds still just as interconnected as they are. ]

[Bucky is quietly happy that Sam obliges him, that he doesn't have to move when his head feels like one gaping, raw wound. Growth will return in due time, the ground will re-freeze--- perhaps faster with Sam's presence--- but for now the necessary sleep rules over fostering that rebuilding.

Moments after Sam gives permission, Bucky falls into a deep slumber right then and there, not bothering to untangle them mentally or physically. That would take far too much effort that Bucky simply doesn't have the energy for.]

[ For all that Sam can't sleep without someone watching his back, he's still used to the military method of being able to drop down and catch some shut eye where ever and whenever you can. Which means he's out, and he stays out for a good long while, back against a tree and head pillowed on Bucky's.

The changing lights that is the Station's version of "day" is what finally pulls Sam out of sleep, although it's reluctant. Just like on Waypoint, his mind is so tangled up with Bucky's that it takes him a little bit to figure out anything. Sleepy confusion mills about their link until he settles, looking out over the landscape of their minds.

The programming hums, quiet and distant and lurking, and Sam wonders how much more active it is when they're not sharing the same space like this. Thinks about never leaving, about growing their connection so wide that it snuffs the programming out completely - but maybe that's just the sleep talking.

His fingers comb through Bucky's hair, gently untangling braids that have come half loose, sends a half formed question: Sam can redo them all, if he wants. It's followed up immediately with something closer to hey, you awake, how you feeling? ]

[Bucky's much the same as Sam in terms of his ability to sleep just about anywhere. It was useful for a weapon to be able to rest almost on command. His senses remain open and awake, a facet of the programming that will never go away, and when the lights come up, he drowses into a state of half-wakefulness. Oh. Just the lights. No danger. He settles back under as best he can even as Sam wakes more. With Sam here, in his mind, in close physical contact, the programming is so distant Bucky can hardly hear it. In the void, though, is not silence, but Sam, warm and vibrant like a summer day. He surprises himself in the gratitude that briefly eases some of his usual guilt; when he's alone, the programming is much, much worse.

The snowstorm that usually surrounds Bucky's mental guards still has yet to pick up. Over what should be frozen tundra are angry scorch marks that will take time to heal.

As Sam runs his fingers through Bucky's hair, the latter groans quietly. He's not ready to wake up yet; he's so comfortable. Braids can wait. Everything can wait. ]

[ It doesn't escape Sam that Bucky's able to able to wake up, assess for danger, and then relax again. That's where Sam's at, on his good days, and even as he scans over the landscape of Bucky's mind - the programming stays distant. It's quiet, just the two of them, and when he feels the way Bucky's guilt lessens...

Sam's eyes slide shut again, settling his hand in Bucky's hair and fingers scratching soothingly at his scalp. It can wait.

They can stay here as long as Bucky wants, any time Bucky wants, and that thought flows across their connection.

Sam feels better when he's not alone, too. ]

[Bucky presses his face further into Sam's shoulder and curls his arm about his broodmate's waist. The increased contact soothes him further, allows their minds to wind tighter together and hold the programming at bay. It's not always like this, his mind provides without Bucky needing to form the thought into words. When he's alone it's worse, much worse, but when he's with others, especially Sam and his broodmates, the programming quiets to a hum.

For now, he doesn't see anything wrong with wanting something, with being selfish in his desire to sleep. He's exhausted and exhausted weapons don't work as well.]

[ There a soft, appreciative hum - both out loud and mentally - as Bucky presses closer and wraps his arm around his waist. They've touched a lot before, slept with Sam curled around him, but they haven't gotten to linger like this. And Sam - he wants it, to stay this close, to have as much physical contact as possible, to get to keep touching him. Their broodbond pulses strong like this, but even aside from that...

It's Bucky. Sam's so far beyond pretending like he doesn't care a whole lot about him.

He doesn't need to form that into words. Sam will be here; he'll always be here, whenever the programming starts to be too much. He lets himself sink into their shared mind space as they drift in sleep, not quite intentionally, anchoring down into the scorched landscape like the roots of a tree, the seeds of a thousand different plants, the echo of a songbird. Something that could be, a foundation to work with, somewhere down the line. Maybe the next time they fight off the programming together.

Just needs a little sunshine, and he doesn't put that to words, either, but it's there anyway. ]

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