Stiles has long since become accustomed to waking up a certain way - drenched in sweat, shaking wildly, throat sore from screaming his way awake.
He can feel nightmare pulling him under so many layers where he forgets that it's an nightmare. But today was different. Before he could loose his own Power on his dream and was wrenched awake. his attention was diverted by a sound he can't describe. He started following it. Soon he realised it's ocean and jungle's sound. He tries to follow it, the voice gradually getting louder until he realises that it is coming from outside him, back in reality. With a deep breath and forces himself all the way out of his dream, blinking open his eyes to his dimly lit bedroom in Stark Tower. He slumps back against the pillows, focusing again on what brought him from from his dream. Closing his eyes, he feels his lips tilt up.
"Jarvis you are the one playing this music?"
The vents huff in what almost sounds like relief. "Good morning Stiles. Pardon my intrusion. You were beginning to appear alarmingly distressed. I did not mean to overstep, but thought maybe just a calming voice could help. It helps when I play it to Sir, and this is one of his favorites."
"It's one of mine too." Stiles remarks quietly. "My mom and I used to go on beach together" Stiles sinks into the memories for a moment, bittersweet as they are. "Hey JARVIS? Thank you. This is infinitely better than the way I normally wake up."
"You are most welcome Stiles. If you like I can add this to your care subroutine for future reference."
"You have a care subroutine for me?" Stiles asks, intrigued.
"I have a care subroutine for all the residents in the tower. It is my job to ensure the well being of the people inside the tower. I may have... adapted that guideline to include emotional well being in addition to physical."
"I think it is nice that you care about everyone JARVIS. Go ahead and add that to my list or whatever. I'll give you some of my books to add as well... wouldn't want you to get bored playing same music all the time. Oh, and JARVIS?"
"Yes, Stiles?"
"What Clint said yesterday? About the judgement call? That applies to me too. You actually do care, and you are smart enough to make good calls. I trust you to make them for me when you feel it's important."
"Thank you for your trust Stiles. I'll do my best to remain worthy of it." JARVIS responds solemnly.
"You know, I am actually starting to believe you guys are..." Stiles says slowly. Then, knowing better than to attempt to go back to sleep, Stiles sits up and swings his legs out of bed. "What time is it JARVIS?"
"4:37 am."
"Huh, that's more than I normally get." Stiles says, standing and stretching. He heads into the bathroom and rinses off quickly before he throws on some of his new clothes and heads in search of coffee.
Stiles stares at the temperamental looking Mr. Coffee in the kitchen for a long moment. The thing looks older than Stiles and he would bet there were at least a couple of tricks required in order to get a standard cup of coffee out of it.
Deciding that discretion is the better part of valor, Stiles concedes defeat and decides to try his luck on the common floor. He freezes just outside the elevator when he realises the floor is not empty like he imagined.
"Come in stiles I won't bite"
Stiles snorts at the irony in that sentence, unintended though it was, and unglues his feet from the floor. "I don't think you're gonna bite me." He counters. "I just didn't want to bother you."
Bucky treats Stiles to an eyebrow that would put Derek to shame. "You don't come to the common floor if you are looking for privacy. You come for company."
"I came for coffee." Stiles points to the pot Bucky must have started.
"Fair enough."
Stiles fills a mug for himself before cautiously lowering himself into the chair next to Bucky that the soldier had kicked out for him. He hums in pleasure at the high-quality coffee. A moment later Stiles squawks in protest as Bucky reaches over and steal the mug from him.
Bucky silences him with another eyebrow and Stiles gets distracted wondering if there is like a school for eyebrows. Is it some sort of underground thing? Only those with impressive eyebrows get invited for a chance to strengthen their eyebrow game?
Stiles blinks back to reality when Bucky starts talking. "I understand food issues. I had my fair share. But Jesus, kid, you look like a stiff breeze will knock you right on your ass. If you can't eat for whatever reason you should try getting your calories another way."
He remamber stiles Father telling phil that someone was giving him something. To make him physically and mentally weak. And even if he know kid from barely two days he wanted nothing more then squeezing that person's neck by his hand for doing something like this to Stiles to a kid. Now it was personal for him.
Bucky completes decorating stiles cup by vanilla and heavy cream. Bucky passes the cup to stiles. Stiles eyes the mug dubiously and then looks at Bucky.
"Trust me?" Bucky requests quietly, voice and expression telling Stiles that Bucky is well aware of the momentous thing he is asking of Stiles. Stiles searches Bucky's face for a minute before slowly nodding. Bucky inclines his head in acknowledgement and then breaks the moment before it can get too heavy.
"Then drink the damn coffee."
Stiles rolls his eyes before obediently taking a sip. "Whoa."
"Told ya." Bucky mutters into his own mug. Stiles ignores him in favor of drinking more. The drink is creamy and just sweet enough, the vanilla enough to compliment the rich coffee without being overwhelming.
They drink their coffee silently for awhile. It is surprisingly nice to not be alone. Bucky seems content to sit there with him in silence, but eventually Stiles's natural inclination to talk makes itself known.
"Why are you up this early? Not that you have to tell me or anything."
One side of Bucky's lips tilt up. "Same reason you are I bet."
"Oh... do you want to talk about it?" Stiles asks hesitantly.
A real smile now stretches Bucky's lips. "Nah, I'm alright kid. It's ground I have already covered." At Stiles's confused look he continues. "Therapy. I have learned now to deal with most of my issues. Doesn't keep the nightmares away, but I'm impacted less once I wake up." Bucky pauses as if considering his next words. "You should consider it. It works if you can find the right help. A lot of the team has benefitted from it."
Stiles Lough humeresly. "If I told even two persent of my problems to therepist, they will send me to an asylum before you could say oops." Stiles freezes when he realises what he has just revealed.
But Bucky just tilts his head to the side as he considers Stiles. He know after call from his dad that whatever happened to him is going to be unbelievable. "You'd be surprised by the types of people we have access to." He finally says cryptically. "Drink your coffee, kid."
They drink the remainder of their coffee in friendly silence. Stiles refills his mug and Bucky's before passing them both to Bucky with a hopeful expression. Bucky snorts and begins fixing both mugs. Stiles takes a sip of his and hums happily before glancing at the clock.
"What time do people usually get up?" He asks Bucky.
"What, bored of me already?" Bucky replies with a disgruntled expression. The glint of humor in his eyes gives Stiles the courage to retort instead of apologize needlessly.
"Well you are not exactly a shining example of exceptional conversation skills, dude."
"Whatever you say, bro." Bucky returns, deadpan.
"No. Just no. Please never say bro again." Stiles protests.
"Then don't call me dude."
"Fine. What time do people usually get up, Mr. Barnes?"
Bucky chokes on his coffee, spluttering and spraying the counter, as Stiles looks on wide-eyed. The choking quickly transforms into full laughter as Bucky turns to him. "You are a little shit, aren't you? You'll fit in just fine here, kid." Bucky grins and accepts the towel Stiles hands him. Stiles shyly smiles back. "And for the record," Bucky adds, wiping down the counter. "Just call me Bucky. To answer your question - it depends. Sam works at the VA nearby and has to leave about 8:00 on the days he works. Pepper is usually off to run the world around 7:30 or so. Stevie, Nat, Phil and Clint all go to SHIELD fairly regularly but when they leave depends on their schedule. I think all four of them have a meeting at 9:00 today, but who knows if any of them will actually go. Bruce and Tony don't keep normal hours - they tend to wander in and out when they remember or someone forces them."
Stiles blinks, processing that. "That's the most I have heard you talk." He admits.
Bucky snorts. "And you are a paradigm of words yourself."
"I - I used to be." Stiles admits quietly. "Used to be you couldn't shut me up." Bucky slowly reaches out and lays a hand on Stiles's. Stiles shudders and squeezes the hand in thanks before releasing it and clearing his throat. "What about you?"
"What about me?" Bucky replies, easily accepting the subject change.
"You told me what everyone else does, but not you. What do you do?"
"Oh, I'm still in recovery technically." Bucky says with a shrug. "So I'll help out if they need it in the field, but otherwise I just hang out. I go to therapy, sometimes work on Tony's cars, whatever I find."
"Huh, cool."
"I'm living large alright." Bucky remarks dryly. "Why'd you want to know about times anyway?"
"Oh, well I just thought I would make breakfast for everyone or something."
Bucky gently grips Stiles's chin and turns him to face Bucky. "You don't have to earn your keep, you know that?" He asks, gruff voice serious.
"I wouldn't feel right, just accepting you hospitality and not doing anything in return. Besides, I am already up and I like to cook." Stiles pleads.
"Alright." Bucky yields and Stiles slumps in relief. Then he think about stiles being physically weak not wanting to put him in much pressure of work he offers. "Do you want some help? Cooking isn't my forte, but I can follow directions well."
"Sure. We can do a build your own omelette thing. Lay out the options, people select what they want, and then we make the omelette? That way everyone is happy and everyone gets fresh, warm food. Unless people don't like omelettes. Not everyone-"
"Don't overthink it, kid. Omelettes are good. JARVIS will let everyone know once they are up, right JARVIS?"
"Certainly, Sergeant Barnes. Sir is already up. He will be down shortly."
Stiles quickly starts to stand and knocks his remaining coffee on Bucky.
"Oh my god I'm sorry...." Stiles starts to say, quickly.
"Hey... it's ok. I'll clean it."Bucky said , smiling. Stiles studies him for a second and when he sees he's not angry he nods.
Bucky starts walking towerd sink in kitchen Stiles behind him. He removes his short and washed a little corner stained by coffee in Water.
But stiles was focusing on metal arm connected on Bucky's Soldier and Scars where metal arm and soldier meet. He was pulled out of his thoughts by Bucky who was trying to reach something in same area behind his soldier.
"What's the matter?" Stiles ask, walking towerd Bucky.
"There would be a little wire poking out....can you pull it? I can't reach it"
"Yah, there is... should I just pull it out?" Stiles question, extending his hand up.
"Please"
Stiles pulled the small wire out... in process his fingers brushed against some of Bucky's scars. Stiles realised too late what It can couse and he was pulled into a memory.
Sorry for video but I was too lazy to write whole scene.
He came back to reality and let go of Bucky's Soldier with gasp and loses his balance. But before he could hit the floor Tony caches him. And Bucky turn around with a panicked look on his face.
"What the hell heppend to him?" Tony ask, looking at Bucky concerned and almost carrying stiles towerd sofa. Stiles is shaking and breathing violently after what he just saw.
"I don't know, he just touched my soldier and freezed....he was gripping my soldier so hard I wasn't able to turn. Then Jarvis said his heart rate was getting alarmingly high. I try to get his attention but he wasn't reacting.... then he gasp and lost his balance you catch him." Bucky told, Tony in details. Howaring over stiles to see what heppend.
Suddenly stiles pulled his hand from Tony's and start rubbing his face and hair.
"Stiles?"
Stiles looked up at Bucky, who is looking at him with concern. Stiles ask before thinking.
"How do you survive after falling from train?"
Bucky's concern turn into shock. He know what stiles is talking about, but no one knew aside from Avengers not even SHIELD. Everyone just know that he died in attack on Dr. Zola.
"How do you know?" Tony ask, also shocked.
Stiles sobered and tried to fix the damege he have done in his shock.
"N -Nothing, it J -just slipped" he try to lie, but he know they don't believe him.
"Stiles, I know it wasn't a slip, but tell me first - are you ok?" Bucky ask, again looking worried. And stiles feel guilty for lying. after saying something that bad to Bucky about his past.
"I'm fine. Sorry for... saying that." Stiles said slowly. Bucky sits on his right side and Tony in front of him on table leaning forward.
"Don't be sorry. - Do you want to tell us what heppend right now to you and....how you know about... train. You don't have to?" Bucky ask choosing his words wisely.
Stiles consider it. can he tell them about it without telling them everything. Maybe. But he surely trust them. He trusted Bruce with his wrists tomorrow without being judged. Maybe they will also let him tell them his secret without looking at him like a freak.
"Don't tell anyone now, I will tell them myself" stiles request, looking at them.
"We promise" Tony said. Considering, after looking at Bucky who nod. Intrigued.
"When...um... I touch your scar...." He looked at Bucky, who nod at him to continue. "I got your memory of how it heppend" Stiles said fidgeting with his hands. Tony's mouth falls open and Bucky looked more shocked then before.
"H -How is this p -possible" Tony menage to ask.
"You live with a demigod" Stiles remark.
Tony cough a Lough but Bucky looked still same. "What else you can do?" Tony ask, one of thousand questions in his mind.
"...Can we please not talk about it now?" Stiles pleads.
"It's fine Stiles." Bucky siad placing a hand on his knee "you can tell us when you're ready"
"Are you ok?" Stiles ask, hesitant.
"I told you kid, I have my ground covered" Bucky asure, Stiles.
"But I'm still trying to digest that you have some cool powers" Tony said with fake Envy maybe real.
"You think they're cool" Stiles ask, shyly.
"Yes they are" Tony and Bucky said at same time. And then look at each other.
"Can we go back to cooking" Stiles tried to change topic. They seems to sence stiles discomfort and nod.
"Bytheway what were you going to cook. I'm still trying to get over from yesterday's Biryani" Tony said as they enter kitchen. Pushing back all the questions back in his mind.
"You like that?" Stiles ask, scratching his neck.
"I loved it. And I think I said it like hundred times last night kid" Tony said, not realising how he turn stiles allmost red.
"Tony how about you wait on dining table when me and stiles work" Bucky suggest, and stiles nod at him greatfully.
"But you didn't tell me what you're making" Tony point.
"Oh... We are making omelettes. What you like in yours?" Stiles ask turning towerd fridge.
Tony told his favourite ingredients like an excited kid. And left floor saying he needs to grab something from his lab.
Stiles begins to sort through the fridge. He pulls out anything he thinks people might like - vegetables, meats, cheeses - and passes them to Bucky without looking. He falters when Bucky casually comments, "You're good at this. Providing for and accommodating large groups of people."
As if. If only that were true. Stiles shrugs and continues sorting through the fridge. "Not really."
"Yes you are." Bucky counters, voice surprised. "You take into account people's varying tastes and preferences and now you are planning for their varying schedules as well. I would not know where to begin thinking like that."
Stiles pauses to consider. He can brush this off, get Bucky to back off, or he can take the leap and trust Bucky with this piece of him, just like he did with his ability. Taking a fortifying breath, Stiles jumps. "I have practice. I used to do this back... uh, before."
"Yeah?" Bucky asks, encouraging but not pressing.
"That's how I know it's no big deal - was never enough for any of them."
"Then they were ungrateful and undeserving." Bucky says matter of fact. Then his voice softens. "Stiles, if they reacted like that - why did you keep doing it?"
Stiles turns to look at Bucky in surprise. "Because I had to. I needed to be useful somehow. I wasn't in any other way, they made that clear, so I thought I could feed them, you know? I've known how to cook for a long time but it was just simple stuff for me and... and dad. So I can see how that wasn't great at first. But I started working at it. I looked up recipes and asked different people to teach me. I thought I was starting to get better, but no one seemed to notice so I guess I wasn't. Maybe eventually I would have... but I left before that. So you guys are kinda stuck with my skills. I will get better I promise."
"Can I hug you?" Bucky asks, face carefully neutral.
Stiles frowns in confusion. "Uh, yeah, sure I guess."
He has barely finished speaking before Bucky is wrapping him up in a firm hug. The Avengers are all really good huggers. Maybe Stiles will get lucky and get hugs from the rest in order to double check that theory. Then Bucky speaks. "Stiles, those people did not deserve you. You are extraordinary, incredible - brave, tenacious, selfless, determined, loyal, kind, smart... and if you were any better as a chef I think Steve would explode from overeating."
Stiles swallows back tears and tries to ignore how he is now clinging to Bucky. "You don't know me. You can't say those things are true."
"I don't know you well yet, you're right. But I want to. All of those thing are traits you have proven just in the time you have been here. It's what makes me want to get to know you, to be your friend."
"You won't. Once you get to know me you won't want to be my friend." Stiles whispers. He can feel Bucky's shrug.
"You can't know for sure until you tell me, but I doubt it. We all have our demons, kid. I would know. But we can't pick our pasts. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
Stiles snorts and ends up laughing helplessly. "Did you just quote Lord of the Rings to me?" He asks, finally releasing Bucky.
"Gandalf is a genius." Bucky argues. "Why waste perfectly good words?"
"Whatever you say, Aragorn." Stiles says, swiping at his face. And turning beck to his work.
I don't know why but chapters are not showing in order so I have chapter no. you can read by them.
This chapter was like twice long so I divided it in half. Issac will be there in next chapter.
And give if you have any ideas or review.