in the midnight hour I can feel your power

[notreadytocomply]

(Prompt: 02 • HUNGER. Your stomach is growling and it just won't stop. Or perhaps your throat is so dry you could cough up a tumbleweed? Well, you've gone to the kitchen to remedy this and hey, that was a pan that just dropped on the floor. It was loud enough to wake the dead! Oops.)

---

If Bucky were being honest with himself, the reason he's still awake would be the memories come to gather at the window of his mind in dark, foggy silhouettes against a backdrop of screams. Luckily he's lying to himself and blaming his rumbling stomach -- which is true, but not the real reason for the season.

Sleeping never comes easily for him when not induced behind glass sparkling with cryogenic mist, and tonight is no exception.

So Bucky shuffles off to the kitchen at 2:14 a.m. in pursuit of a midnight snack. The shitty apartment is eerily quiet, no sirens in the distance for once. For a moment it feels too out of place, as if Bucky were looking at the scene from afar--

But then he comes back to himself just as his hip bumps the handle of a pan sitting on the edge of the sink -- of all places, why couldn't the culprit (Bucky) just put it two inches farther into the sink? -- and

CLANG!

Bucky sets his jaw, ready for the inevitable oncoming reaction waiting to burst through the door in a flurry of fifteen-year-old spunk.

Comments

[witchplz]

Her eyes find him and for the first time in who knows when, Rahzel stops. Stops moving, talking, forever moving, never sitting still, always Doing something-- (always to feel useful)

She smiles gently.

"That's true. And that's why I'll prove it to them. Anyone who doubts me. I'll make them eat dirt."

[notreadytocomply]

There goes that genuine smile again, and he elbows her. So...even if they control him, as long as he owns himself, nobody can truly control him.

Even if they make him do the things they will inevitably...but he wants to be so much better than that.

"I wanna watch when you kick their ass. Might be able to learn something from ya."

[witchplz]

She offers him a wink and braids the last strands of hair together at the ends; its just a simple messy little ponytail. It's nothing much. Next time she'll pin it up, if she can get a hold of him.

"I might have to charge you-- at discounted price, of course."

[notreadytocomply]

"Only if it's discounted. I don't have a lotta money. For some reason, someone keeps sending me out on pointless errands."

He knows it's a way to keep his mind on something, and it helps some.

"She's real demanding, this someone of mine."

[witchplz]

One dainty huff later, she's grabbed a mirror to show him. Rahzel offers it to him.

"Well this wonderful, beautiful and kick ass young lady must send you of because you keep forgetting things on the list. Not to mention all the crappy bran cereal you insist on getting."

[notreadytocomply]

He laughs, truly carefree, at his image of beauty. She's talented, it's a cute 'do, for sure. How Steve would've laughed and never let him live it down --

The thought startles him and he puts the mirror down but with a wide grin.

"Look, I'm getting better with remembering." Or he's just got a very selective memory. "Whatever. Fiber's good for you. Just load it down with brown sugar, that's the secret."

[witchplz]

Rahzel doesn't look convinced, to no one's surprised. She cocks a hand on her hip.

"You definitely ignore the list. I'm going to staple it to your head one of these days-- that does nothing to enrich it! It's just so artificial!"

[notreadytocomply]

"And Lucky Charms isn't artificial?!"

Bucky shakes his head and shrugs. Men, am I right?

"And putting it up with magnets didn't work last time anyway. I just ignore the stuff I don't care about."

[witchplz]

"It is-- but it's not added. You already got what you paid for. I didn't pay for extra grime."

Not all men. Again. Dumb boys.

"I'm going to magnet it to your arm then."

[notreadytocomply]

"You're too damn stubborn. This living arrangement's gotta go - but maybe not if you earn your keep with the brownies."

He sighs again, quickly flips to another channel when news of a bombing in east Sudan pops up in between changing TV stations again.

"Won't do any good. Why do you always ask for weird crap anyway?"

[witchplz]

She huffs and crosses her arms tightly over her chest. Wiggles in next to Bucky and sticks one foot up over his leg.

"It isn't weird crap, either. It's things I like. I'll just have to get a very big magnet."

[notreadytocomply]

"Just don't spell things out on it this time," Bucky grumbles. "Besides, I told you, I'll just ignore it anyway."

He wraps his arm around her. It's nice to have someone on his side, even if even he's not on his own side sometimes.

[witchplz]

"No promises," said with a dainty sniff. She lays her head on his shoulder, totally trusting and believing in him.

"Not if I put all the bad words I know on the list and the magnets too."

[notreadytocomply]

"Then Vani will just kick me out for obscenity like last time."

Bucky is nothing if not startled at having someone trust him so closely, first making brownies and now just chilling? Not expecting anything of him, nothing but pure kindness.

"I think you just like embarrassing me."

[witchplz]

She turns to give him a stern look.

"That was because you had stern words with an old man! He's lucky he didn't get his head squashed like that watermelon."

A huff. She doesn't appreciate rudeness and won't stand for it towards her friends.

"I don't like it--" an innocent smile. "I love it."

i read his dialogue in the lucille bluth 'i won't respond to it' way

[notreadytocomply]

He thumps her on the head gently.

"He was being unreasonable, and it's not my fault, and I resent the insinuation. Old men need to calm down."

(Says the oldest man.)

FUCK

[witchplz]

And in turn she flicks him on the nose with a finger.

"Aren't you an old soul yourself? You should be more understanding." Cheeky, cheeky.

[notreadytocomply]

He leans his head back against the back of the couch, counting the holes and water stains in the ceiling.

"Doesn't count if I was asleep during most of it," he blinks, still not feeling the drag of sleepy eyes. "I understand that life is too short for his kind of disrespect. Hmph."

He sits back up, arm secure around her.

"Got anymore of those brownies?"

[witchplz]

"Maybe its time to live it up," is what she says gently instead. Isn't that what she's been saying this entire time? Way to repeat yourself, Rahzel.

She hums.

"Yeah, but I'm too comfortable to be an agreeable host. And besides, we're already roomies."

[notreadytocomply]

"Living it up...yeah."

He laughs, a little bitterly.

"Much easier said than done, especially for a squirt like you. Yeah, roomies. What an honor." He grins.

[witchplz]

She grins right back at him, fingers pulling at his cheek.

"That's why I'm going to make you regret in your bones how miserable you're stuck on being."

[notreadytocomply]

"Pfft, me, miserable?"

Bucky stands suddenly, bringing her to plop onto his shoulders, as if she were a two-year-old.

"You're gonna make me regret it by making the greatest brownies ever? Ooh. Super effective. Not."

[witchplz]

Giggling, she pats him atop the head, settles her fingers in soft locks.

"The most miserable. But you won't stay that way for long, not with Rahzel-sama on the case. You'll be dust before that happens."

A harrumph.

"Obviously that and an asskicking or five."

[notreadytocomply]

"I'm sure you'll have me seeing rainbows and singing songs by the end of your case."

He laughs, then walks them into the kitchen.

"We have another box, right? Why don't you let Bucky try to make the brownies this time, Rahzel-sama?"

[witchplz]

A harrumph, then. A gently sifting of hair.

"Just because I don't want you miserable doesn't mean I want you miserably cheerful."

Which doesn't make sense but shut up, it's early. Late. Whatever. Rahzel screws up that button nose of hers, hums.

"We do....and I trust you. Have you ever baked before?"