Closed RP with [Punched-Hitler]

[make_it_hurt]

He woke up slowly. It was an unusual feeling, to wake to nothing more than his body's own sleep cycle, instead of being woken up by harsh hands and pain. He honestly hadn't been expecting to wake up, sure that he was dead, sure that the bullet they had put in his chest should have killed him.

Instead, Bucky Barnes woke up in a hospital bed, oxygen line hooked over his ears, the steady beeping and whirring of machinery all around him. Everything hurt - his broken ankle, the bruises on his legs from beatings, the lash marks over his back. It is nearly torture to breathe, his chest wrapped tightly in bandages. This wasn't the dark, dank cellar he had spent (as close as he could figure ) six or seven months in. He looked around, head tilting from side to side listlessly, looking for family or a nurse or something.

His attention was caught by his left arm - or, rather, what was left of it, which wasn't much.

Days into his capture they'd started cutting off his fingers, one at a time, and sending him to his mother - to the President - in an attempt to get her to give in to their demands.

Then they'd started working their way up his arm, more as punishment than anything, before infection had set in and they had kept cutting back and back and back in an attempt to keep their bargaining chip from dying.

The stump of his left arm was wrapped in neat cotton bandages and Bucky swallowed hard, lifting his other hand to his lips, feeling them quiver against his fingers.

He finally asked, voice trembling, "Mom?"

She had to be here. She had been there for him his entire life growing up, there every time he got sick, even when she was on the election trail. If she couldn't get to him, they would talk over the internet for as long as it took until he fell asleep.

Bucky looked around, digging his ragged nails into his lower lip. "Mom?" He shifted, trying to sit up, and was instantly caught by the mess of wires and tubing around him. He laid back, blinking back tears.

She came almost at a run, heels clacking, the door swinging shut behind her. "Bucky!" She nearly collapsed onto Bucky's bed, grabbing his hand in both of her own. "You're awake, thank god." She reached forward and ran her fingers through his hair and he was suddenly aware that it was long enough to touch his chin.

He smiled up at her, feeling the knot in his chest ease. Bucky sagged back against his pillows and sighed slightly, letting her rub her thumb over the back of his hand. "I missed you, Mom."

"I missed you, too. Here, are you comfortable? Do you need another pillow?" She let go of his hand and started to fuss with his blankets and pillows, adjusting them around him nervously.

"I'm fine. Tired, but fine." He closed his eyes for a long moment then asked, opening them again, "I'm really here, right?"

She nodded. "You're really here, Bucky." She folded her hand over his. "Get some rest, I'll be right here, okay?" She smiled and watched Bucky drift off again, body falling limp. But it wasn't the same sort of boneless as before, the unconsciousness after being brought in, after all the surgeries. It was the unconsciousness of somebody asleep of their own volition.

She looked up once she was sure Bucky was asleep and stood back up, placing his hand on his stomach. President Barnes crossed back over to the door and pulled it open. "I'm sorry, Captain. Maybe you should come in and we can continue our discussion?" She stepped back.

Bucky drifted awake for just a moment, long enough to see his mother across the room talking to somebody that looked vaguely familiar. Before Bucky could place the face, he was asleep again.

Comments

[make_it_hurt]

"Yes!" Bucky grinned. He could stick close to Steve, that would be pretty easy. He left the room and told the agents outside his room, "Just me and Steve today, sorry boys." He headed for the garage, unable to keep the swagger out of his steps.

He was more like the Bucky he had been before being kidnapped - a teenager.

[punched_hitler]

Before Steve could even finish saying, "Okay," Bucky had practically bounded out of the room. Steve couldn't help but grin, tossing a half-salute at the guards as they passed, smiling helplessly. "Just keep your radios on," he advised them, before following Bucky through the halls to their destination of the garage. Bucky seemed to really be enjoying the idea of going out, even on a small adventure like this one, and Steve honestly couldn't blame him. He'd been feeling a little bit of cabin fever, himself, even if he'd never let it affect his performance at his job.

"I hope you know where we're going," he teased gently.

[make_it_hurt]

"Yeah, I do!" He grinned back at Steve. "Can I drive?" He paused at the garage, looking out at all the cars that were available. Steve would probably want one of the drivers to drive an armored car, but it didn't hurt to ask. He hadn't driven in nine months, and certainly never with only one arm.

[punched_hitler]

Steve did have to pause and look at Bucky with a wry smile on his face. "I don't know. Can you?" He wanted Bucky to stop and think for a minute - as far as he was aware, Bucky was already out of practice. Then there was the fact that he didn't know how to maneuver a steering wheel with one hand. After a beat, he added, "I think we should probably avoid you crashing us into a lightpole the first time out, huh?" He'd be happy to let Bucky drive a short distance, slowly, in an unoccupied area. But just now? It probably wasn't a good idea, pal.

[make_it_hurt]

Bucky made a farting noise with his mouth then sighed. "Alright, fine. Are you driving? Can I pick the car?" He was already heading towards one but didn't get in, just waited by the door. It was good that he wasn't driving. He knew it was a bad idea to try and drive in traffic with only one hand.

[punched_hitler]

Steve just shook his head, trying not to laugh - but at least Bucky was backing down (relatively) graciously. He nodded at the question, though; "Yeah, I can drive," and at least followed Bucky to the car, looking it over. He'd learned how to drive using a manual, of course, but he'd also learned how to handle an automatic transmission since waking up in the 21st century. "You'll just have to direct me."

[make_it_hurt]

"Sure." Bucky clambered into the car, dragging the door shut behind him. This was his car - not really flashy enough for him, but someday he would have a better, nicer car. Something fast and sleek. He reached forward, poking the address to the shelter into the GPS.

Truthfully, he wasn't going to the shelter to just look at dogs. He'd been wanting one for a long time, and had done a lot of reading up on the effects of pets on trauma survivors.

But he never would have been allowed. But if he got a dog and was seen in public with it, his mother would never be able to tell him he couldn't keep it.

[punched_hitler]

The car seemed plenty nice to Steve, but then, he'd never actually owned a car. Okay, he could have, but the motorcycle worked just fine and it got him where he needed to go. He kind of liked it - but he liked this car, too, making sure Bucky was secure in the seat before getting them moving in the right direction. They had to get through a couple of guard stations to even get off the property, but once they saw who Bucky was with, it wasn't a problem. Pretty soon, they were on the road, and he couldn't help but glance over at Bucky wryly. "So... why a dog?"

[make_it_hurt]

"I just want to get out, and since none of my friends have bothered to call me, or even try to call me, maybe they're not my friends anymore." Bucky looked over at Steve. "I'm used to being used. I just thought they would make an attempt." He bit his bottom lip. "And why not a dog? I've wanted a dog since I was a kid. Wanted a cat, before that, but Mom's allergic." He sighed and looked out the window, resting his head on the glass. Unlike his last car trip, when he'd been on the verge of a panic attack, the world still too fresh and too close after all he had been through, he now felt like he was in a bubble, insulated against the outside world. It was just him and Steve in here and nobody else. There was nobody outside clamoring for his attention or a photo.

"Dogs don't ask questions, either. They don't expect anything of you, don't have any plans for the future for you. You know, I totally forgot I was applying to colleges? I come back and there's all these emails... I missed my senior year of high school, so I'm going to have to take that over again."

Bucky looked over at Steve. "Not that I'm getting a dog. We're just going to look." But if Steve could infer that Bucky was planning on adopting a dog, then Bucky wasn't going to tell him otherwise.

[punched_hitler]

Steve frowned, glancing at Bucky briefly before looking back to the road. "Maybe they're not sure how to talk to you, after what you've been through. They might be trying to give you distance, not push you away." Of course, he didn't know for sure, and he didn't know anything about Bucky's friends, either. But was it really fair to write all of them off, just like that? "It might be worth being the person who reaches out first." Not that he'd push, but he'd just suggest it. That was all.

"Well, maybe retaking that year will give you a chance to figure things out," Steve suggested, trying to smile a bit. "No one expects you to have a plan overnight. And if they're smart, no one will expect the plan you have to still apply now." Because things like this could change a person, and that was just the way it worked.

He was, though, starting to suspect that Bucky wanted to actually get a dog. "Uh-huh," he said, not sounding convinced, as they turned onto the street where the shelter was. "Okay. We're just going to look."

[make_it_hurt]

Bucky shrugged. He'd been on Facebook since he'd been back, and apart from a few messages of the generic type - glad you're back, saw what happened on the news - there was nothing else. No indication that any of them wanted to see him, or talk to him, just blankness. He'd unfriended most all of them, though had found Steve's page and sent a request.

When they stopped in front of the shelter, Bucky clambered out of the car. "Yeah, we're just looking." He smiled and tucked his hand in his pocket.

He headed for the front door and paused, waiting for Steve to catch up.

[punched_hitler]

Steve was one of those guys that had a Facebook page, but wasn't attached to it. Though when he did actually log onto a computer, he'd certainly return the friend request. Honestly, if he was ever bored, Bucky might be able to help Steve keep track of all these online accounts, because sometimes they felt overwhelming. Even after a year or two out of the ice, it was still hard to process being able to reach essentially anyone, from anywhere, at any time.

"Okay," Steve said knowingly, making sure the car was parked and locked up. He was glad he wasn't in uniform - okay, sure, the uniform was good for publicity, but it was also pretty obvious. He wanted people looking at Bucky - for the right reasons - and not at Steve, if Bucky was going to pull what he thought he was going to pull. He jogged the few steps up to the door, and pulled open the door. "Have at, boss."

[make_it_hurt]

Bucky grinned and stepped into the lobby of the shelter. The place was almost deserted, with only a couple of people behind the desk. The door at the other side of the room was closed, but the barking behind it obviously led to the kennels.

Bucky headed through that door and was instantly diving down one of the rows of cages. He'd been on the shelter's website looking at the dogs already and had a couple in mind.

He most mostly after a puppy, so he wouldn't have to worry about any bad habits, but wasn't opposed to an older dog.

He headed down the row, pausing every few kennels to speak to one of the dogs or read their little biography on the door of the kennel. "See anybody you like, Steve?"

[punched_hitler]

Bucky seemed to head into that place with a goal in mind; Steve couldn't help but smile, greeting the staff members at the desk with a wave and following Bucky through the door to the kennels.

He, too, glanced through the dogs and their biographies, squatting down to give a couple of them some scratches behind the ears as they pressed their noses to the bars, clearly seeking attention. "Oh, one or two of these fellas look like good candidates. It depends on how large a dog you're planning to - ah, take for a walk," he teased, because it was so very clear by now that Bucky planned on taking one of these dogs for a walk, all the way back to the White House. "We should probably find someone who's not likely to cause too much trouble."

[make_it_hurt]

Bucky grinned at Steve then continued down the row. He paused at one cage, a bit stunned. The dog inside was obviously still a puppy, but it was already massive, with paws of a size close to Bucky's own hand.

It was laying in the back of its cage, painting heavily. The shelter was hot and its thick, long black coat probably wasn't helping matters.

The puppy got up with a hopeful whine when Bucky approached, walking to the front of the cage and sniffing Bucky's hand hopefully.

"Oh my god, Steve, look." He wasn't surprised to see "mastiff" on the sign. "Mom would kill me."

The puppy, according to her sign, was only 12 weeks old, a surrender.

Bucky reached between the bars and started to scratch her behind the ears. He was already in love.

[punched_hitler]

When Bucky paused, Steve already suspected he'd found something - someone - he liked. So when he exclaimed a moment later, Steve gave the dog he was petting one last scratch behind the ears and shuffled over to where Buck was petting...

Either a large dog, or a small buffalo. "Holy cow, Bucky," he laughed a little squatting down to read the sign. "I think your mom might kill you." But he didn't sound discouraging. Just... all the more bemused. "I think she'd walk you, not the other way around."

[make_it_hurt]

Bucky looked up at Steve. "I think I'd be okay with her walking me. Do you think anybody would fuck with me? It'd be like walking a bear on a leash, I wouldn't need you anymore."

He looked around for one of the workers or a volunteer or something, but didn't want to leave the puppy alone - she was smushed up against the front of the kennel whining, obviously just as much in love with Bucky as Bucky was in love with her. "She might just be all fluff."

Bucky stood after another few moments of petting the puppy. "I need her, Steve."

He finally caught sight of one of the workers and grabbed the chart off the door, jogging over. "Hey, can I get this dog out, I really want to adopt her."

The volunteer looked up, stared Bucky in the face for a moment, glanced over at Steve, then back. "Yeah, come with me, we can get the paperwork going."

Bucky started to be led away then turned, grin wide enough to hurt. "Come on, Steve!"

[punched_hitler]

"Okay, point," Steve had to observe. If Bucky were walking down the street with that monster (who was acting like Bucky was her new best friend, already), it might just give someone pause, all fluff or not.

And practically before he knew what was happening, Bucky was already sprinting toward one of the staff members, saying he wanted to adopt the dog. Steve couldn't help but grin, a little - Bucky looked happier than he had since Steve had met him, and he was going to use that to his advantage to keep the president from court marshaling him, when they got back. Because he had a feeling he'dbe the one in trouble. But somehow, it seemed pretty worth it, just at the moment. He'd never been happier, even at the idea of being "replaced" (though he was sure the president wasn't going to dismiss him just because Bucky had brought home a monster of a dog).

He followed at a more sedate pace when Bucky called for him, sticking his hands in his pockets and unable to keep from smiling, still. "You're gonna need a name. And a leash. I hope there's room in your backseat for her. She can't sit on your lap, pal."

[make_it_hurt]

Bucky grinned. "I'll figure something out." He followed the worker out of the kennel area and to the front desk, where he was handed a clipboard full of forms in exchange for the information from the door.

"Fill these all out and I'll go get her ready to go."

Bucky nodded and tucked the clipboard under his right arm, took a pen, and retreated to one of the couches in the lobby area, no doubt put there for just this reason. "I'm gonna need a bigger car." He got to work on the forms, balancing the clipboard on his knees as he started to write.

"I'm not stuck with the name I choose now, though. I can always name her something later. And we'll have to go to the pet store, get her everything she needs. She should fit in the cart, we'll just have to have two."

[punched_hitler]

"You do that," Steve said, coming over to sit down beside Bucky, in case he needed help balancing the clipboard, though he seemed to be doing just fine on his own.

"Okay. Adoption first, name later," Steve agreed. "And a stop at the pet store on the way back gives me time to come up with a convincing speech for your mom, before she boxes my ears over this and not yours. I'm supposed to be in charge, you know."

He smiled and tilted his head - it was clear he didn't mind what Bucky was doing at all.

[make_it_hurt]

Bucky bit his lip then said, "I don't want you getting blamed for this, Steve... It was my idea. I'll tell her that." He didn't want Steve to get in trouble and possibly have to leave because of this.

He finished filling out the form and stared down at the empty "name" line. Finally he wrote 'Rose' and stood, crossing to the counter. "Here..." He pulled out his wallet, opening it to pay the adoption fee.

He could see the puppy behind the counter, looking around, her tail curled over her back. When she caught sight of Bucky her tail started to wag.

Bucky took all the information handed to him in a bag, including all the samples of dog food and treats, as well as a little stuffed toy for her. "Great, thanks." He tucked his wallet back into his pocket, grabbed the bag and turned to Steve. "Ready to go?" The worker was coming through a side door with the puppy and Bucky crouched, taking the leash and managing to scratch her behind the ears and not get knocked over all at the same time.

[punched_hitler]

Steve reached out, knuckling Bucky's right shoulder gently. "I'm kidding. It's fine. We're probably both going to get in trouble for this, but... I think it's worth it." His genuine smile should tell Bucky that. Maybe he wasn't being very professional, but... he'd like to think that over the course of the past few weeks, they'd sort of become friends. To say they were acquaintances just didn't seem to cover it. Definitely not with the way he was pleased to see Bucky so utterly happy.

And that dog - Rose, apparently - was just as happy. Her tail was seriously in danger of knocking someone over, and the staff member that handed over the leash quickly got out of the way of the flailing appendage. Steve nodded, pulling out the keys, then reaching over to scratch the puppy behind the ears, if she'd let him. "Next stop, pet store?"

[make_it_hurt]

[The puppy is actually a tibetan mastiff (idegaf anymore lol) so her tail would be up over her back]

The puppy looked up at Steve, instantly suspicious, but let Steve scratch her behind the ears.

Bucky stood and nodded. "Yeah." He looked up. "Thank you." He started to back up, hoping she would follow. She did, bounding happily at Bucky's side. She insisted on sniffing the car thoroughly before clambering into the backseat and Bucky got in as well.

She was almost instantly trying to climb into the front seat with him, whining loudly. "No, you have to stay back there!" Bucky buckled himself in and turned, trying to push her back. "She's definitely going to need obedience lessons. And a stronger leash."

[punched_hitler]

[WHOOPS shows what I know about dogs. /o\ NOTED FOR FUTURE REFERENCE o7]

Steve just moved slow, trying to show the puppy that he didn't mean her any harm. Hopefully, given that he was supposed to be sticking to Bucky like glue she'd at least tolerate him, if not like him.

He followed the two out the door of the shelter, smiling to himself at the sight. They waited while the dog made a thorough check of the car (smart dog) before the excitement began.

Steve figured he'd wait until everybody was settled - and likely to stay here - before he thought about starting the car. "I'll say. Well, obedience lessons'll give you both something to do," he grinned. "Although if you think she's gonna be persistent, you can sit in the back on the way to the pet store."

[make_it_hurt]

Bucky hummed and nodded, but the puppy seemed content to stay in the backseat. "I might have to..." But they were setting off, then, and if she whined, at least she didn't try to get into Bucky's lap again.

After a few minutes of driving, Bucky dug in his wallet again and came up with a list, written on a piece of paper. "I made a list of everything she'll need." He had been prepared. He didn't want to forget anything, since it was a huge thing for him to go anywhere. Even before he'd been kidnapped it had been.

The drive to the pet store was short and Bucky hopped out almost immediately after they parked, going around to get the puppy out.

She was pulling on the leash instantly, trying to check out everything around her.

"C'mon, girl, let's get inside and get you some stuff."