[Closed] O Christmas Tree

[darksmokerising]

WHO: Merlan O'Keefe ( darksmokerising ) and Bucky Barnes ( ostavil )
WHEN: [Backdated to December 2021]
WHAT: Bucky Gets A Christmas Present
WHERE: Gazin, The Forge
WARNINGS: Fluff?


The Catfe had a little white kitten that would visit Merlan every time she came in to get some ground coffee. She thought of Bucky every time she saw the little puffball and eventually, close to Christmastime, she decided a kitten was the perfect gift. There were other things she'd stockpiled for gift, too, but this was perfect. So, when she was relatively sure it was close to the right date, she adopted the cat, then named Winter, and rode back to the Forge with it in her coat, snuggled down and quietly purring away. She'd tied a blue ribbon loosely around its neck and it had seemed quite proud of it, didn't even fuss or try to take it off. Winter was a good sport the whole way back to the Forge and she even had a little wrapped cage for him that would become kindling after it served its purpose.

The snow was coming down thickly as she put Thunder's saddle and tack away, then brushed him down before making sure he and the other horses were set for the night. Then, gently getting the kitten into its rather spacious cage, and covering it with a soft grey and blue blanket, she carried it into the house. Leaving her wet and snowy boots at the door, she set present on the bare kitchen table. The kitten, as if playing its part in all of this, kept quiet.

"I'm back," she called, working to shed her coat and gloves, which took their customary place near the door on the coat stand. "And it's snowing again rather badly. I'm going to make some tea, if you want some."

Comments

[darksmokerising]

She pours the boiling water onto the tea bags she's made. The tea is nothing but straight black tea, nothing fancy, but it's hot and good after the ride in the snow. She hums softly, smiling as she puts the mugs down to steep, twisting her hair over a shoulder and half braiding it so it'd stay put.

"Happy Christmas to you, that's why," she says, practically glowing with happiness. "It's about that time of year, so, I got you something extra special. Might as well unwrap that now. It can't stay like that much longer, I don't think."

[ostavil]

"Christmas? I don't think I've gotten a Christmas present since I was a kid and my Ma was knitting me socks," Bucky says. He pulls the blanket off the crate and there's a little kitten in the crate, a little white one. It mews softly and Bucky can't stand it, he's already reaching in to pull him out. God. He's never had a pet before and he already is in love with this one.

"You got me a cat? Really? You know, I've never had a pet before. Don't even know what I'm gonna name this little guy. Gonna have to be something to do with snow, I think."

[darksmokerising]

Good. That was the look she'd been aiming for, that joy. Merlan just smiles for a while and life is good. For a guy who's never had a pet, he's doing just fine.

"Really, all yours. He needed a home and I thought we could use the company. He's a very easy-going cat. Not a peep out of him when we were riding back." The smile turns into a grin. "You name him what feels right and he'll get used to it. He was called Winter before so snow names are definitely on the right track."

[ostavil]

"Winter. Well, I expect we're gonna get along perfect, then, since I'm a little wintry myself. I think I'll keep it."

It's a perfect name for the little white cat who is headbutting his palm and trying to get more and more pets. He's insistent, that's for sure, and Bucky sure doesn't mind giving him the attention he's seeking.

"Gonna have to fatten you up, though. You're looking skinny, Winter. Gotta make sure you pull through this winter."

[darksmokerising]

She watches them and sinks into one of the chairs, unable to stop smiling. Winter truly was the best gift for Bucky, she can definitely see that. Better than anything she could have thought of, that's for sure, and she had a list of possibilities, too. Winter had just been so lovely at the little cafe, purring on her lap, trying to get at her tea bag, that she couldn't have helped herself if she'd wanted to — she'd had to take him home for Bucky.

"He does need feeding but I'm sure we can work something out. I've seen some pretty fat looking rabbits out there that he should find pretty tasty and adding an extra chicken into my basket when I go to market shouldn't be difficult." She rose to go change into something a little less bulky and came out a few minutes later in a soft blue sweater and a pair of worn jeans, divested of her heavier riding clothes.

"That's better." Merlan gently hugs Bucky from behind. "I can see you two are going to get along well already. I'm pretty sure he adores you. I got him some toys, too, and some other supplies. I just got him what they had him using at the cafe."

Those were in a bag she'd parked near the door and she left Bucky to dig through it. A bag of cedar and hardwood woodchips and shavings that were safe for cats, a pan for him to relieve himself in (where the woodchips would go), a stuffed bunny that already showed some love, and a few more items that Winter could play with if he wanted. The one mouse she got for him was clockwork and ran around when he was wound up tight and released. Once she'd set up the box, she brushed her hands off and moved to drink some tea to ward off a chill she felt creeping into her bones from the weather outside.

"I'm glad I got in before the weather got any worse," she murmured around her mug. "It's probably going to be a few inches of snow out there by tomorrow."

[ostavil]

"Yeah, I feel it in my shoulder," Bucky agrees. He's currently dangling a little ball and feather on a string just out of Winter's reach so he can bat at it and it's endlessly entertaining. He has no idea why he hadn't adopted a pet before - he'd lived by himself for a while before he went off to war, he could have - but now is as good a time as any.

"It always aches when it gets cold like this. I'm better than a weatherman at predicting what the snow forecast is gonna be. One day, I hope it doesn't hurt so much but I guess today isn't the day."

The arm he'd gotten from the Wakandans isn't as heavy as the original titanium one he'd been fitted with long ago but the damage had been done to him for years and even though he heals, there's scar tissue there that will never go away.

[darksmokerising]

"Let me help, then?" she asks quietly, already moving to place her hands on his shoulders. "That good thing able angels, we can do this stuff all day. We're built to heal and to pull pain away. That and I'm very good at massage these days."

[ostavil]

"It would mean the world to me, doll," Bucky says, giving her a smile. "Because God, it hurts. All the time."

There's the emotional scarring of how he lost his arm, sure, but the physical pain is always a nagging reminder of how he'll never be truly whole again. It reminds him that he'll never be that man who went off to war and thought he was invincible.

[darksmokerising]

"I wish it didn't hurt all the time. There must be something I can do," she murmurs. "As an angel, I should be able to fix it permanently but I'm not sure I can. But I've pulled pain away before. Let's see if I can fix it."

Healing is instinctive, she reaches for it and the power is there, pooling through her hands instantly, finding the hurts in his body and drawing the pain away while she repairs some of the tissue damage. It's an old injury and she's not sure if her healing will completely mend it but she tries. It doesn't hurt to try. She didn't have the benefit of another angel to show her how to do this, not since Castiel had left. She lets out a little sigh and hopes it works, envisioning him free of the pain for as long as possible.

If it takes, even for a little while, it's worth it and it costs her nothing to heal him again if he needs it. She buries her lips against his hair for a moment as she releases the power. Her hands are warm and tingle from the energy, her touch light against his shoulders.

"Better?" she asks hopefully.

[ostavil]

Weirdly enough, it had gotten warm for a moment and tingled a bit and now his shoulder feels oddly relaxed, as if a hundred years of tension have suddenly been released all at the same time.

"You know what? That actually worked," Bucky says, his voice bright. "I can't believe we never thought of that before."

[darksmokerising]

"Me either," she murmurs, "I should have reached deeper a long time ago to see if that would solve the issue. But then again, I'm new at this. I'm not sure about the rules and limits of what can and can't be done. But if it worked—"

Her voice is delighted as she cuts herself off in realisation that he feels better, actually healed, that somehow she'd fixed it. No books to be read or instruction videos, no demonstration. But she'd done it.

"Oh!" she says softly, the tone of her voice all joy.

[ostavil]

"It feels just like it did...before," Bucky says, unable to keep from smiling. "I don't know what's the better Christmas gift - a new shoulder or a new kitten."

Said kitten meows, again, and Bucky pulls away to go and rustle up some food for him. They have kibble back in his world but here there's no such option so kitty gets raw fish instead.

"This cat is gonna be eating better than us, Merlan."

[darksmokerising]

"You deserve them both, I'm so pleased I can barely contain it," she says softly and then laughs. "He'll be a king in this house as he should be." She moved to scratch the cat under his chin and got a rumbling purr going.

If she's glowing, it's in triumph because both her presents are successes. With his shoulder no longer a thing of pain and misery he can focus on the good things and not have to worry over it anymore. They have plenty of food, their cabin is warm, and all is right with the world for the moment. The cat butts her face with his head, letting out a rusty meow of pleasure and she smiles. He's a good boy and he knows it. He also knows he's home.