losthunter | Helping a Friend In Need

"I am going to touch your mind... and then slowly bring you into his mindscape. I would like you to think of a place where you and Bucky would feel safe. Where he would feel comfortable." April explains.

"I will keep watch over you both." Hunter notes softly.

April focuses her powers on Bucky's mind. First she reaches out to Steve's mind, slowly merging his image of a peaceful mindscape into Bucky's mind. Then she brings a mental projection of herself and Steve in that mindscape.

Finally, she reaches out to Bucky's conscious thought. Waking him up, but keeping a focus on keeping the mind control and their influence shielded away from the mindscape. She just wants this to be as calm as possible for Bucky.

"Thanks, Hunter. Thank you." Steve reaches out with one hand and touches the glass of Bucky's cryotube. Leans forward and rests his forehead against it and breathes deep. The glass fogs with his breath but Steve can still see Bucky sleeping behind the glass.

"If something happens, bring me back out of it, please." He shuts his eyes. Tries to do what April instructed. His first instinct is Home, their tiny Brooklyn apartment and their old bodies the way everything should have been. But he knows it will only upset Bucky. He's not that man anymore. He doesn't even remember being that man most of the time.

Instead Steve focuses on the dirty apartment he'd rescued Bucky from when everything went to shit. Bucky's safe house with the books and magazines and newspaper clippings of Steve. The dirty windows and tiny bed with only a mattress covering bare springs. Floorboards that creak with every step. The crisp breeze blowing through the apartment and the paper bag of plums perfectly ripe Bucky's brought back from the market.

Steve sees April first; she's standing in the doorway and nodding to him. When he looks down he sighs in relief that he's been able to imagine himself in his new body. It's harder to think of this as His, even after all this time. Bucky's asleep on the mattress, curled up and laying on his metal arm. He sits up when Steve moves and with the help of April's magic doesn't immediately engage fight or flight mode when he sees where he is. This isn't right. Where? How?

"Easy, Buck. You're still in Cryo. You didn't hurt anyone. I...I had to come see you, is all."

"Steve...? What's going on. Where--who is that."

April can sense Steve change his mind from his first instinct, to a different mindscape. It is his thoughts that she uses to create the psychic reality. One could hear the floorboards creak or feel the crisp breeze, but it is only because of the strength of the psychic reality.

"Hello Bucky. I am April Kent. A friend of Steve."

"He asked me to help. But I wanted to talk to you first. Share with you what I have learned and see what direction you want to take."

Bucky's clenching his jaw, pale face regarding April with suspicion. His eyes are more alive than they used to be. Than April would have seen in Steve's memories. But he's still a broken man. He turns to Steve again but says nothing.

Steve nods ever so slowly and only then does Bucky relax ever so slightly. He looks down at his arm and closes it into a fist. Opens it again.

"Is this real?"

"Sort of? April's a magic user. Like Wanda, sort of. She was able to let me talk to you while you're sleeping. Wanted me to imagine us somewhere safe, but I knew if I imagined us back home you'd be afraid something was up so.." Steve gestures around them. "At least this place you know."

"Damn it, Stevie...I told you I can't trust myself." He looks positively despondent when he looks up again. "You have to let me stay gone."

"That's why we're here, Buck. April might be able to help with the.." Steve gestures to his own head. "With all that."

Dark eyes turn and regard April again. Take in what she's said to him.

"Talk."

"With the use of my powers, I have located ten words that were ingrained in your mind, so that they could control your actions."

"I have contained the words right now, so even if one of them are said right now, it would just be a word. Nothing more."

"And with time... I could completely remove the power the word has over you." April continues to explain. "I could give you your control back."

This time Bucky does move but Steve's ready for him. Catches the soldier before he can throw himself at April, shushing him even as he bares his teeth at her. Like a frightened wild animal would.

"How do you know that?!"

"Bucky! It's okay. I promise. I'm not gonna let her hurt you." Steve holds onto his childhood friend tight, despite the discomfort of that metal hand whirring and squeezing tight on his wrist. It's not real, he reminds himself. Bucky doesn't even have that arm right now.

With Steve holding him back, Bucky has no choice but to listen to April's explanation. He jerks and pulls every so often before finally going limp in Steve's grip and staring up at April with empty dead eyes.

"It's never that simple."

April holds her ground when Bucky moves towards her. There is a flash of something primal in her eyes in that moment. But she keeps control of her vampiric instincts to fight.

Mostly thanks to Steve's interference.

But she is alert to his whole mind right now.

"This is your mind, Bucky. You should have your control back. And I am someone who not only can give you that control back... but can do it without expecting anything in return. Without leaving behind anything else."

"I won't touch your memories. But I can make those words... into just words."

"My...mind? We're in, Steve what the fuck--?"

"I told you. You're still in Cryo, Buck. We're right outside. This isn't real. Well, I mean it is really me and April here but this place--everything around us--none of that is real. We're in Wakanda." Steve slowly, gently, lets go of Bucky and sinks down with him to the floor. Keeps a reassuring hand on his back no matter how much it pains him to see Bucky so defeated like this.

"How. How can you do that? What's the catch?"

"Bucky..." Steve sucks in a breath. Sighs deeply. He wishes it wasn't so difficult to get Bucky to open up. But he knows all to well why he doesn't.

"I will show you..." April focuses her mind. She gives Steve a slight nod, alerting him that he might have to act as the one thing that Bucky can count on.

She brings one of the words slightly to the mindscape. The word is not enough of a presence to trigger his mind control. But enough that he is aware of the word. Zhelaniye. Longing.

April gives the word some substance, so both Steve and Bucky can 'watch' her work. Even though in reality there is nothing there. It is still all part of her established psychic reality.

Slowly, letter by letter, strand by strand, April disconnects the word to the mind control that takes command of Bucky. She delicately unweaves the many mental strands that are connecting this word to Bucky's mind.

It takes her time. But in the psychic reality, it might seem like only minutes, when in truth it is a lot longer.

April continues to concentrate and focus, until all the strands connecting the word to the mind control are gone. And the word is nothing but a word.

"Like that."

Edited 2018-01-16 03:13 (UTC)

For Hunter, outside this meeting of the minds, there is not much to see for some time. Steve stands with his forehead pressed gently against the glass of his companion's cryo tube with April Kent standing next to him. Both of their eyes are shut.

Hours pass.

The light of day begins to fade, leaving the artificial lights more pronounced when the light from outside the window dims. The room has been still for all this time, but soon Steve's knees begin to buckle and he drops down onto them on the floor, still unconscious as far as anyone can see.

Inside the mindscape, it doesn't feel as though it's been very long at all. Steve sits on his knees next to his friend and rubs at his back reassuringly while April works. The constant tremors of Bucky's shoulders ease the longer she works. He's still shaking but so much less when she finishes with her work.

Zhelaniye.

Nothing reverberates, his only reaction Bucky knows is one of trauma. The seizing isn't there. It's not there. His breath rushes out of him in a broken sob. If this isn't real. If this is a dream--

"I got you Buck. I'm here for you. Till the end of the line." Steve holds onto him. His own hands are shaking now as though he's run himself ragged though Steve doesn't know why. His breathing comes just as shakily. "Always."

As hours pass for Hunter, he starts to be a little concerned. And then Steve's knees buckle, and suddenly the man has drop down to the floor. Hunter goes to his side, checking his pulse. Making sure the man is still okay.

April's true physical appearance is more vampiric by this point too. Her fangs have elongated. And she is breathing heavily. She leans over the cyro tube to support herself, from the exhaustion of the psychic work.

Inside of the psychic reality, April finds a place to sit. "The others will take time. I can not do them all at once. It would be too much for me. For you. For Steve."

"But I want to help you get your mind back, Bucky."

Edited 2018-01-16 18:32 (UTC)

Bucky nods and he shakes. Steve coaxes him into a seated position and all three of them rest a moment. He brushes dark locks out of Bucky's face and smiles at his friend.

"I'll be with you every step of the way, alright?"

"Y...Yeah. Okay." The Asset does not feel fear but James Buchanen Barnes is no longer just a tool. And he is afraid. But for the first time in decades, there's hope too. A small sliver of it.

"I won't do anymore right now. You should rest." April studies the both of them for a moment. "I will let you two have a moment alone."

She leaves the psychic reality, but keeps the mental mindscape alive so that Bucky and Steve can talk in private.

"Steve..."

"It's gonna be okay this time, Bucky." Steve's voice shakes but he holds his friend to his chest tightly and repeats the promise over and over. He won't let Bucky disappear again. Not again. He's with Buck for good this time. Till the end of the line.

"Go on. Get outta here for now. This place ain't good for you. You're shaking like a leaf." Bucky smiles up at Steve then.

Maybe they will be okay.

Steve gasps deep when he opens his eyes. Dazed and unsure why he's on the floor. He looks around the room in Wakanda.

Hunter is right in front of Steve, when he opens his eyes. "Hey. You are back."

His voice is full of concern.

April has walked away from the cyro tube, so she can face away from the two men, taking deep breaths to calm herself. And refocus herself.

"H-hunter."

Steve grips the artist's hand, shaking slightly when he does so. Too much. It's too much in that place. Or too long. Either way Steve feels rattled now, and more than a little weirded out.

"I saw him. I talked to him..."

Hunter gently pulls Steve into a comforting hug. It seems like the other man needs that support right now.

"Good. I am so glad."

April is shaking a little herself. She feels very thirsty right now. And is trying to keep calm. "What time is it?"

"It has been hours since you guys went into the mindscape," Hunter answers.

"Thank you for being here." Steve sucks in a deep breath and tries to relax into the embrace. Get his bearings about him again. Hours? That doesn't sound right. Steve looks up again.

"We were only in there a few minutes though." Still, when he looks around, he can tell a lot of time has passed. It's alarming but no one seems to be hurt.

"I'm sorry Hunter. Leaving you here for that long."

"Time passes differently in the mindscape." April explains. Her voice sounds a little deeper. Huskier. She does not look hurt, but she is paler. And her teeth seem more pronounced. Her fangs show when she speaks.

"But that time was needed to successfully break free that word, so it would no longer have any power over your friend."

"I was just worried about you both." Hunter explains. "You must be exhausted."

Steve's had nothing but positive evidence that April is a good person looking to help others, but his stomach still clenches slightly when he sees her fangs. The red eyes. He nods toward April.

"Are you okay?"

He looks back at Hunter and gives a small nod.

"I'm way more tired than I expected to be."

"I just feel drained. I will be fine, once I can go home." April reassures him.

Hunter offers Steve some assistance to get back to his feet.

"I still want to help remove the rest of the words. We should make a schedule of when we can come back. If you are willing," April suggests.

Edited 2018-01-21 00:10 (UTC)

Steve gets to his feet with a soft sincere 'thanks' murmured to Hunter for giving him help. The other has been incredibly supportive during this and Steve doesn't know if he'd have been able to do this without him.

"Yes. We need--whatever it takes. If you can free Bucky from that, I'll do whatever it takes."

"I will be more prepared next time." April is good at making plans.

"I am here for you both, if you want me here." Hunter offers.

"I think...after making you sit here for hours worrying over me I owe you a meal and a nice stress free evening." Steve gives Hunter's shoulder a gentle squeeze before turning to April.

"I know you said you weren't going to ask for anything in return but...this is an awful lot to do for a stranger. Is...there anything I can offer you in return?"

"We can definitely do that." Hunter smiles. He is glad that April was able to help Bucky. And he is hopeful for a complete recovery for Steve's friend.

April tilts her head. Smiles softly, her fangs still showing. "You seem like the kind of person who protects others. You deserve a little of kindness in return. Without expecting anything back."

"In a way, you remind me a lot of Clark. My husband."

Helping a Friend In Need

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