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(no subject)

who: Clark and Bucky
what: Making friends and influencing people.
when: Today.
where: The abandoned part of the city.
warnings: None.

[ There are a lot of areas in the abandoned city impassable for humans. Clark's been exploring them when he can: most often he's out here for short periods of time, or with Ellie.

The past week he's been here on his own, hard at work clearing the rubble and securing the area. It's a distance from the outer fence, but that won't stop any of the bigger monsters. Clark is more worried about others with abilities coming across it when it's being used, but he plans to be here with its intended occupant during that time. Looking after him is the same as promising to be there when it's needed.

He tracks the whir of Bucky's arm, and waits until Bucky's alone. Clark lands slowly a few metres away, speaking with concern. ]

How've you been?

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[He took a shower a few days back at Ellie's place, but that was before he even broke his leg, so he doesn't smell so good. All stale sweat and the faint hint of garbage.]

Why?

[He takes a half step back instinctively, wary.]

[ Clark speaks carefully. ]

Just to check.

[ He won't if Bucky doesn't want him to. ]

[He knows that Clark could pin him down and check without any issues whatsoever, so it's being asked at all that just helps foster that tiny spark of trust. It's why he eventually nods and pulls his trouser leg up enough to show the splint that Taako made for him.

The bone is still broken, but it's healing. It would heal faster if he didn't keep using his leg without care for the break. His wrist, however, is already fine.]

I didn't tell anyone what happened.

[ He keeps it quick, just a blink and a nod, looking Bucky in the eye. ]

It's healing. You should be okay.

[ He still shouldn't be putting weight on it.

What he says surprises Clark, but he's grateful. Bucky kept his promise. ]

Thank you.

I told them that I did it to myself, I wasn't exactly lying.

[He just hadn't quite expected Clark to be that dense when he was hit, he's never struck something that literally broke bone before.]

Were you following me?

[ Well.

Yeah, not a lie. Clark hadn't warned him, not wanting to scare him by being someone he couldn't hurt back at all. ]

No. I was listening to you, like I promised.

[ Keeping an eye on him. The patterns of his heart took some getting used to. It ratchets up often.

He's trying not to be angry about whoever did this to him. ]

[He knows that he's being listened to in order to make sure he doesn't become a danger to anyone else, but it doesn't stop it from disturbing him all the same. He subconsciously rolls his shoulder, the arm that Clark said lets him identify Bucky from all the other noises.]

So why did you choose to come out today?

[Nothing is different, as far as he knows, except the rolling blackouts.]

[ Clark can identify him by his voice, or the sound of his body. The arm is really convenient.

No use emphasising that. ]

I have something I wanted to talk to you about. I've built a place deep in the city. No one can get there without being noticed. [ If they were, Clark would stop them easily. ] Would you like to see it?

[He's not sure if Clark is trying to tell him that he's built a place specifically to contain Bucky should it be needed, or just that he's built a place for himself and it can coincidentally hold Bucky too.

Either way, it seems a bit too convenient.]

Why would you build a place like that? You have an apartment and you live in it, I've seen you.

Not all the time.

[ Bucky followed him for a while. Clark 'sleeps' there maybe once a week. He prefers being out here. ]

I try not to be around other people.

[ It helps him be less afraid, and stop needing to pretend he's ordinary. Clark's practiced at looking unremarkable, but he doesn't always wear it well. Someone might notice.

They might not be as charitable to him as Bucky has been. ]

Why not?

[He knows the man can be dangerous, but he seems like the sort that can be dangerous in the same way that Steve can be dangerous... he possesses the ability to, but he's unlikely to ever make use of it in the wrong way.]

I'm not sure if you noticed: I'm an alien.

[ He smiles, faintly wry.

People are afraid of what's different. Clark can't be hurt by anything on Earth. It doesn't make for a good combination.

That's before getting into the question of experimentation. ]

So?

[He can understand being perhaps a little wary if he thinks he might be dangerous, but being an alien in itself doesn't seem that bad.]

In case you haven't noticed, there's a lot of people here who aren't average humans.

[ Bucky's bluntness takes him aback. Having people who are different is a novelty, true, but it won't mean kinship.

He's the only one of his kind. ]

Where I'm from, it's rare. It's best to be careful.

[That's a sentiment he can understand, even if he still doesn't quite understand why Clark does it when he seems to perfectly pass as human and isn't in the habit of hurting other people.

So he nods, wariness dissipating a little.]

You're going to show me in case you have to imprison me there?

[ Clark shakes his head. ]

You can leave there anytime. I wanted to know if you'd feel comfortable staying there for a few days if you ever had to.

[ If Bucky says no then Clark will use it for himself alone. ]

[For once, the usual neutral set of his expression is cracked by naked surprise. That wasn't an offer he was expecting.]

I'm not good being around people.

[It's not a no, though. Having somewhere to go sometimes where he knows the only other resident can take him out might not be a bad thing.]

Neither am I.

[ Clark gives him a small smile. ]

We're not ordinary people, either.

[He thinks about denying that, but what's the point when he knows Clark can hear the evidence of how he's not ordinary?]

Alright. Show me.

[He's not promising that he'll use it, but he's willing to look.]

[ Clark takes this as his cue to approach. Slowly. ]

It's faster if we fly. You don't get airsick, do you?

Edited (tweaked) 2017-03-23 22:51 (UTC)

[He doesn't move back, but he doesn't look entirely welcoming either.]

Is it possible to get there on foot?

[He doesn't get airsick, but he's not sure how much he trusts being so dependent on someone else for any length of time.]

It's very difficult but not impossible.

[ It's only impossible for a human. ]

[Bucky is still human, just pushed to the upper limits of what a human body should ever be capable of.]

Then I'll go on foot. You can fly overhead to show the way, if you want.

All right.

[ He'll have to be careful, flying low enough for Bucky to see him and make sure no one else does. People aren't in the habit of looking up, but things are different here. ]

This way.

[It's probably a really stupid idea, deciding to go for a difficult journey on foot when he's still wearing a splint over a broken leg, but Bucky is nothing if not determinedly stubborn.

So he sets off at a jogging pace, refusing to favour one leg more than the other even if Clark might hear the soft rub of bone, following wherever Clark leads.]