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ysabetwordsmith"Coming in from the Cold" is the next big piece in its series, dealing with Bucky and his continued issues with that piece-of-crap prosthesis. I'm posting each day within the story as a section unto itself, broken down into post-sized parts.
This story belongs to the series Love Is For Children which includes "Love Is for Children," "Hairpins," "Blended," "Am I Not," "Eggshells," "Dolls and Guys,""Saudades," "Querencia," "Turnabout Is Fair Play," "Touching Moments," "Splash," "Coming Around," "Birthday Girl," "No Winter Lasts Forever," "Hide and Seek," "Kernel Error," "Happy Hour," "Green Eggs and Hulk,""kintsukuroi," "Little and Broken, but Still Good," "Up the Water Spout," "The Life of the Dead," "If They Could Just Stay Little," "Anahata," "Coming in from the Cold: Saturday: Building Towers," and "Coming in from the Cold: Sunday: Shaking Foundations."
Fandom: The Avengers
Characters: Phil Coulson, Bruce Banner, Betty Ross, Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanova, Tony Stark, Clint Barton, Happy Hogan, Peggy Carter, Sam Wilson, DUM-E, U, Butterfingers.
Medium: Fiction
Warnings: Mention of past trauma with lingering symptoms of PTSD. Kitchen fail. Tony being a brat. Description of past deaths and self-destructive behavior. Current environment is supportive.
Summary: The Avengers celebrate Memorial Day by going to Washington, D.C. for the festivities. Emotional roller-coasters ensue.
Notes: Hurt/comfort. Family. Fluff and angst. Emotional overload. Coping skills. Healthy touch. Asking for help and getting it. Cooking. Comfort food. Holidays. Medals. Veteran issues. Nonsexual intimacy. Caregiving. Competence. Gentleness. Trust. Emotional confusion. Hope. Crowds. Memorials. Mourning. Letting go. Moving on. Photography. Parades. Storytelling. War stories. Nostalgia. Hand-feeding. Heroism. Public speaking. Flashbacks. Friendship. Counseling. Leaving early. Bots. Tony and his bots. Tony Stark loves his bots. The bots are Tony's kids. Bot feels. Bots being cute. Protective bots. Boundary issues. Territoriality. Making friends. Bucky's arm. Tony Stark & Bucky's arm. Watching television. Cuddling. Hand cramps. Massage. #coulsonlives
I also have a list of photogenic scenes from the whole series for fanartists to consider, a series landing page, and anarchive of images. The perk story "Brotherlove, Brotherlust" Part 3 is still open for participation.
A note on feedback: While it's not necessary to comment on every post I make, remember that I don't know who reads/likes things if nobody says anything. Particularly on long stories, I've discovered that I get antsy if there's nothing but crickets chirping for several posts. So it helps to give me feedback at least once, even if it's just "I like this" or "This one doesn't grab me." First and last episodes are ideal if you rarely feel inspired to comment in the middle.
Anonymous commenters: You don't have to specify exactly who you are, but it helps to have a first name or a username from some other service, so I have some idea of who's saying which and how many different "Anonymous" folks there are. You can just type some kind of identifier at the end of your comment.
Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9.
"Coming in from the Cold: Monday: Memorial Day" Part 1
The next morning, Phil's alarm woke him early. It was Memorial Day, and they had plans. He dressed and went down for breakfast.
In the common kitchen he found Bruce trying to make French toast. Bruce swore over a skillet as he scraped a spatula frantically against the bottom. Betty fanned the air to disperse a faint cloud of smoke.
"Phil, hi -- oh -- breakfast isn't -- fuck! -- quite ready yet," Bruce said. A corner of toast sailed out of the pan to splat at Phil's feet.
"Not a problem," Phil said mildly. He picked up the toast and tossed it into the kitchen compost bin.
"I do not understand why this is so difficult," Bruce muttered. "It's a simple recipe ..."
"French toast is easy to mess up, if you haven't made it before," Phil said. He looked over Bruce's shoulder. "I think you're using bread that's too thin and fresh; that's why it won't hold together."
"Would you like to take over?" Bruce snapped.
Betty nodded encouragement behind Bruce's back.
"If you wish," Phil said. "I've made French toast plenty of times. I could show you how it works."
Bruce sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Yes, please," he said. "I thought I could do this, but it's not really my cuisine, and today is just not my day."
"Okay, then," Phil said. He took out a fresh pan and started it preheating. Then he mixed up a fresh batch of batter. "Betty, please see if we have some day-old bread that's either whole loaf or thick slices."
"There's half a loaf of heavy sandwich bread, and a stick of actual French bread," she reported, coming back with both.
"Perfect," Phil said. "Give me the sandwich bread first. Then slice the loaf to the same thickness." He soaked the first few slices, explaining the process as he went along. Bruce and Betty watched intently. Soon they had a platter covered in golden-brown slabs.
"What should we set out to put on these?" Betty asked. "The recipe said all kinds of things ..."
"Powdered sugar, maple syrup, fruit preserves or fresh fruit," Phil suggested. Betty nodded and went to the pantry for preserves.
"Oh, hey, French toast!" Bucky said happily as he came into the kitchen.
Bruce glanced up -- and then scrambled away in panic, whacking his back against the counter.
Phil caught him, wondering what had gone wrong. Then he realized that Bucky was already in his dress uniform. Phil hadn't put his on yet.
"Bruce, are you -- oh, shucks, it's the uniform, isn't it?" Bucky said, his voice shifting from alarm to concern. Swiftly he skinned out of his coat, leaving only the plain undershirt. "See, it's just me. Everything's okay."
"Bucky, what's wrong?" Steve called, footsteps hurrying in the common room.
"Don't come in here yet!" Bucky said sharply. "I spooked Bruce. Give him a minute to calm down first." The footsteps stopped.
Bruce shivered against Phil's side. "Let me see your back," Phil said. He tugged the shirt loose. Underneath it, the bruises were already coming up where Bruce had hit the edge of the counter. "We should put an ice pack on that."
Betty hustled back from the pantry, chucking two jars of preserves on the counter. She wrapped herself around Bruce. "It's all right, you're safe," she said.
Then Bruce reached out a hand for Bucky.
"You sure you want me here?" Bucky asked, easing forward.
"Need to know it's you," Bruce said. He buried his face in the crook of Bucky's shoulder, snuffling against the skin. "Kitchen smelled smoky, and then I saw the uniform and -- well."
"I'm here," Bucky murmured. "I'll protect you."
"Thanks," Bruce said. He pulled away then, and straightened himself. "Sorry for the fuss."
"We understand," Phil said. He fetched an ice pack for Bruce to tuck against the bruises.
"Uh, I hate to break the moment, but your toast is burning," Bucky said.
Phil hastened to rescue the French toast currently in the skillet. "Nice catch," he said.
Bucky went to the kitchen door. "Steve, take off your uniform coat and you can come in now."
Steve came in, ignoring the food, and went straight to Bruce. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, just -- a little shaken," Bruce said. "I think maybe I should stay home today. I'm not really good with uniforms."
"I'll stay with you," Betty offered at once.
"No, you've been looking forward to this for days," Bruce protested. "I don't want to take away anything from you guys either." He lifted a hand to forestall Bucky, Steve, and Phil from volunteering. "I may not be a soldier but I still know what the day means to you."
Natasha slipped through the door. "I will stay with you, if my company is acceptable," she said. "This holiday is not important to me. I have always been an assassin, not a soldier."
"Okay," Bruce said softly.
"Come, fill your plate," Natasha said. "We may eat in my room. JARVIS has found a dance video which is said to mimic zero-gravity motion. Perhaps you would enjoy the physics of it." Bruce obeyed, and she herded him out of the room, snagging the jar of mixed-berry preserves on the way.
"Sometimes the patriotic holidays are hard on him," Betty said after Bruce left. "He doesn't have many good memories of soldiers. I mean, before the team."
"It's harder when triggers stack up," Steve said. "First the holiday, then the smoke in the kitchen, and the uniform. It was like that for me when I was sick. A wet day or a beating I could take, but not both together, and even worse if it was cold too."
"Well, now Bruce has people to look after him," Phil said. "Natasha will stay with him, and the rest of us can still go out as planned."
Tony and Clint arrived just as breakfast went onto the table. "Hey, who made French toast?" Clint asked.
"Bruce and Betty started it, then I joined in when I got here," Phil said.
"I want bacon. Is there bacon? There should be bacon," Tony said as he forked a single slice of French toast onto his plate and drowned it in maple syrup.
"Tony, be careful," Steve said, rescuing the bottle just as Tony's plate started to overflow.
"Sorry, not enough caffeine yet," Tony said. He took a long pull from his enormous red-and-gold thermos. "Where's my bacon?"
"I'll make some," Phil said as he got up. He'd meant to make some kind of breakfast meat before the morning went to hell. He kept an eye on his team as he covered the griddle with bacon strips.
"By the way, Bucky, a package came for you," Steve said, sliding it over to him.
Bucky opened the box and then just sat there staring at it for a long minute.
"I'm really glad the army got your updated medals to you in time for the holiday," Steve continued. He burbled on about it for a while.
"I don't ... I can't wear these," Bucky said, pushing the package away. Phil could see the distinctive glint of the Purple Heart and POW medals among others.
Tony swept them off the table into his hand. "That's okay. I'll just go put them away for you."
Phil wondered about that for a moment. How would Tony know where to put them? Phil thought. Then he realized, Of course. There are basically two places that medals go: in a display case, or in the back of the sock drawer. Someone who just pushed them away wouldn't put them on display, so that leaves the sock drawer. Tony's rich-geek presentation made it easy to forget just how deeply steeped in military culture he was.
Steve looked a little lost. "I was only trying to be helpful ..."
"I know, runt. Not your fault I'm a little touchy," Bucky said.
"Do you want the first batch of bacon, Steve?" asked Phil.
"I guess so," Steve said. "Thanks for making breakfast. It's good."
"Remember Jacques?" Bucky said, elbowing him.
"Yeah," Steve said with a blush. "I tried to make French toast over a campfire once. After I dropped the first slice in the fire by accident, Jacques never let me try again." Steve and Bucky were both smiling though.
Phil brought the bacon to the table. "Well, we have better resources now," he said. "If you want to learn how to make French toast, I'll be happy to teach you."
"I'd like that," Steve said. He looked down at his bacon, then back up at Phil. "You remind me of him, you know. Jacques was our infiltrator. He was a real subtle fella."
"He had this ... what did Gabe call it, Steve?" said Bucky, waffling a hand.
"Je ne sais quoi," Steve said softly. "Most of the team, we were these big loud guys. We would've been lost without him. I don't know how many times he kept us from getting captured. He faked the best papers you ever saw. God, I miss him."
"So do I," Bucky said as he squeezed Steve's shoulder. "You're right, though, Phil's every bit as good a spook as Jacques was."
Phil's throat tightened, but he managed to say, "I'm honored by the comparison."
By the time Tony came back, the next batch of bacon was ready for him. Happily he grabbed a strip of it to eat with his fingers. Steve and Clint were arguing quietly about appropriate ways to celebrate Memorial Day, which had changed a lot since Steve's time. "What's the fuss?" Tony asked around a mouthful of bacon.
"I like the fireworks," Clint said.
"I don't," Steve said. "I mean, I do like fireworks, but not today. It's disrespectful of the dead -- okay, maybe not Dum Dum, he'd love it, but most people, no."
"I prefer the parades and the bands to the fireworks," Betty said.
"I just don't think it's right to turn this into a three-day weekend with parties and all," Steve grumbled.
Bucky gave a morose nod. "It's supposed to be a day of mourning."
"Yeah, I hear you," Tony said, showing his teeth. He pulled out his Starkphone and made a call. "Hi, Daniel, it's Tony. I found you a new backer," Tony said, then turned to Steve. "Heads up, Cap!" He tossed the phone to Steve.
"Uh ... hello?" Steve said. "I don't even know who I'm talking to, Tony just threw his phone at me." He straightened abruptly. "I'm very sorry to bother you, Senator. Oh, my name? I, uh, I'm Steve Rogers yes really. No, I don't know why Tony did that. We were just talking about Memorial Day." Steve gave Tony a dirty look.
"That was mean, Tony," said Phil.
"Nah, just ornery," Tony said with an irrepressable grin. "They'll love each other, watch, they've got a lot in common."
Steve brightened. "Yes, I'd be honored to lend my support to moving Memorial Day back to May 30. We're flying into D.C. for the day. I'm sure I could come say a few words." They chatted for a few more minutes, making plans.
"Was I right or what?" Tony asked as Steve handed the phone back.
"Yeah, you were right," Steve admitted. "Next time, give a fella some warning, though."
"I'll think about it," Tony said, digging into his French toast.
"You know, Senator Inouye has a memorable history," Phil said. "When ordered to capture a German outpost on the Colle Musatello Ridge, he got shot through the abdomen. That didn't even slow him down. He carried a bunch of grenades up the slope and used them to take out the machine gun nests. Then he got hit by a rifle-mounted grenade which tore up his right arm."
"Shit. Did he stop for medical attention?" Bucky said.
Phil shook his head. "Oh no. He pried the grenade out of his right hand and used it to kill the man who shot him. Then he used a tommy gun in his off hand to go charging around the battlefield, until he got shot again, this time in the leg. That one took him off his feet, so he propped himself against a tree and kept shooting until the Germans went down. Only after his unit moved in to set up defenses would he let the medics evaluate him. Single-handed, he killed twenty-five Germans that day, and wounded eight more."
"Golly," Steve said. "That guy's a hero. Was he okay after that?"
"Well, obviously he lived to become a Senator, but he did lose his arm," Phil said.
Steve looked at Bucky. "Yeah, that happened a lot."
"He's like you, Steve, if you'd been born that way instead of made," said Bucky.
"Nah. He's like us, if we were both mashed together," Steve said.
* * *
Notes:
French toast is a simple recipe in concept, but it is trickier than it looks.
PTSD causes flashbacks and other miserable symptoms. Know how to cope if you have a flashback. Family members can also help someone through a flashback. In this case, all the Avengers have experience with such challenges, and they know each other's triggers, so it's not hard for Bucky to figure out what triggered Bruce. Since Bruce-and-Hulk relate most strongly to smell/taste and touch, that's part of what causes the problem, but also part of what allows Bruce to reassure himself that this is his friend Bucky and not a random soldier sent to capture him.
Pilobolus is a dance troupe known for geometrics.
See Tony's red and gold thermos.
The POW Medal and the Purple Heart Medal are among the more salient that Bucky has earned. However, some veterans feel unworthy or ashamed of their medals, and may store them in the sock drawer or even throw them away.
Memorial Day has a long history in American culture. Senator Daniel Inouye was among the people who sought to restore its original date. He was also a total BAMF.
Jacques Dernier was one of the Howling Commandos, a Frenchman.
Je ne sais quoi literally means "I don't know what" in French, but the connotation is more "something special."
Memorial Day fireworks are traditional, but can cause stress for veterans.
Dum Dum Dugan was another of the Howling Commandos, known for his interest in explosives.
[To be continued in Part 2 ...]
This story belongs to the series Love Is For Children which includes "Love Is for Children," "Hairpins," "Blended," "Am I Not," "Eggshells," "Dolls and Guys,""Saudades," "Querencia," "Turnabout Is Fair Play," "Touching Moments," "Splash," "Coming Around," "Birthday Girl," "No Winter Lasts Forever," "Hide and Seek," "Kernel Error," "Happy Hour," "Green Eggs and Hulk,""kintsukuroi," "Little and Broken, but Still Good," "Up the Water Spout," "The Life of the Dead," "If They Could Just Stay Little," "Anahata," "Coming in from the Cold: Saturday: Building Towers," and "Coming in from the Cold: Sunday: Shaking Foundations."
Fandom: The Avengers
Characters: Phil Coulson, Bruce Banner, Betty Ross, Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanova, Tony Stark, Clint Barton, Happy Hogan, Peggy Carter, Sam Wilson, DUM-E, U, Butterfingers.
Medium: Fiction
Warnings: Mention of past trauma with lingering symptoms of PTSD. Kitchen fail. Tony being a brat. Description of past deaths and self-destructive behavior. Current environment is supportive.
Summary: The Avengers celebrate Memorial Day by going to Washington, D.C. for the festivities. Emotional roller-coasters ensue.
Notes: Hurt/comfort. Family. Fluff and angst. Emotional overload. Coping skills. Healthy touch. Asking for help and getting it. Cooking. Comfort food. Holidays. Medals. Veteran issues. Nonsexual intimacy. Caregiving. Competence. Gentleness. Trust. Emotional confusion. Hope. Crowds. Memorials. Mourning. Letting go. Moving on. Photography. Parades. Storytelling. War stories. Nostalgia. Hand-feeding. Heroism. Public speaking. Flashbacks. Friendship. Counseling. Leaving early. Bots. Tony and his bots. Tony Stark loves his bots. The bots are Tony's kids. Bot feels. Bots being cute. Protective bots. Boundary issues. Territoriality. Making friends. Bucky's arm. Tony Stark & Bucky's arm. Watching television. Cuddling. Hand cramps. Massage. #coulsonlives
I also have a list of photogenic scenes from the whole series for fanartists to consider, a series landing page, and anarchive of images. The perk story "Brotherlove, Brotherlust" Part 3 is still open for participation.
A note on feedback: While it's not necessary to comment on every post I make, remember that I don't know who reads/likes things if nobody says anything. Particularly on long stories, I've discovered that I get antsy if there's nothing but crickets chirping for several posts. So it helps to give me feedback at least once, even if it's just "I like this" or "This one doesn't grab me." First and last episodes are ideal if you rarely feel inspired to comment in the middle.
Anonymous commenters: You don't have to specify exactly who you are, but it helps to have a first name or a username from some other service, so I have some idea of who's saying which and how many different "Anonymous" folks there are. You can just type some kind of identifier at the end of your comment.
Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9.
"Coming in from the Cold: Monday: Memorial Day" Part 1
The next morning, Phil's alarm woke him early. It was Memorial Day, and they had plans. He dressed and went down for breakfast.
In the common kitchen he found Bruce trying to make French toast. Bruce swore over a skillet as he scraped a spatula frantically against the bottom. Betty fanned the air to disperse a faint cloud of smoke.
"Phil, hi -- oh -- breakfast isn't -- fuck! -- quite ready yet," Bruce said. A corner of toast sailed out of the pan to splat at Phil's feet.
"Not a problem," Phil said mildly. He picked up the toast and tossed it into the kitchen compost bin.
"I do not understand why this is so difficult," Bruce muttered. "It's a simple recipe ..."
"French toast is easy to mess up, if you haven't made it before," Phil said. He looked over Bruce's shoulder. "I think you're using bread that's too thin and fresh; that's why it won't hold together."
"Would you like to take over?" Bruce snapped.
Betty nodded encouragement behind Bruce's back.
"If you wish," Phil said. "I've made French toast plenty of times. I could show you how it works."
Bruce sighed, his shoulders slumping. "Yes, please," he said. "I thought I could do this, but it's not really my cuisine, and today is just not my day."
"Okay, then," Phil said. He took out a fresh pan and started it preheating. Then he mixed up a fresh batch of batter. "Betty, please see if we have some day-old bread that's either whole loaf or thick slices."
"There's half a loaf of heavy sandwich bread, and a stick of actual French bread," she reported, coming back with both.
"Perfect," Phil said. "Give me the sandwich bread first. Then slice the loaf to the same thickness." He soaked the first few slices, explaining the process as he went along. Bruce and Betty watched intently. Soon they had a platter covered in golden-brown slabs.
"What should we set out to put on these?" Betty asked. "The recipe said all kinds of things ..."
"Powdered sugar, maple syrup, fruit preserves or fresh fruit," Phil suggested. Betty nodded and went to the pantry for preserves.
"Oh, hey, French toast!" Bucky said happily as he came into the kitchen.
Bruce glanced up -- and then scrambled away in panic, whacking his back against the counter.
Phil caught him, wondering what had gone wrong. Then he realized that Bucky was already in his dress uniform. Phil hadn't put his on yet.
"Bruce, are you -- oh, shucks, it's the uniform, isn't it?" Bucky said, his voice shifting from alarm to concern. Swiftly he skinned out of his coat, leaving only the plain undershirt. "See, it's just me. Everything's okay."
"Bucky, what's wrong?" Steve called, footsteps hurrying in the common room.
"Don't come in here yet!" Bucky said sharply. "I spooked Bruce. Give him a minute to calm down first." The footsteps stopped.
Bruce shivered against Phil's side. "Let me see your back," Phil said. He tugged the shirt loose. Underneath it, the bruises were already coming up where Bruce had hit the edge of the counter. "We should put an ice pack on that."
Betty hustled back from the pantry, chucking two jars of preserves on the counter. She wrapped herself around Bruce. "It's all right, you're safe," she said.
Then Bruce reached out a hand for Bucky.
"You sure you want me here?" Bucky asked, easing forward.
"Need to know it's you," Bruce said. He buried his face in the crook of Bucky's shoulder, snuffling against the skin. "Kitchen smelled smoky, and then I saw the uniform and -- well."
"I'm here," Bucky murmured. "I'll protect you."
"Thanks," Bruce said. He pulled away then, and straightened himself. "Sorry for the fuss."
"We understand," Phil said. He fetched an ice pack for Bruce to tuck against the bruises.
"Uh, I hate to break the moment, but your toast is burning," Bucky said.
Phil hastened to rescue the French toast currently in the skillet. "Nice catch," he said.
Bucky went to the kitchen door. "Steve, take off your uniform coat and you can come in now."
Steve came in, ignoring the food, and went straight to Bruce. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yeah, just -- a little shaken," Bruce said. "I think maybe I should stay home today. I'm not really good with uniforms."
"I'll stay with you," Betty offered at once.
"No, you've been looking forward to this for days," Bruce protested. "I don't want to take away anything from you guys either." He lifted a hand to forestall Bucky, Steve, and Phil from volunteering. "I may not be a soldier but I still know what the day means to you."
Natasha slipped through the door. "I will stay with you, if my company is acceptable," she said. "This holiday is not important to me. I have always been an assassin, not a soldier."
"Okay," Bruce said softly.
"Come, fill your plate," Natasha said. "We may eat in my room. JARVIS has found a dance video which is said to mimic zero-gravity motion. Perhaps you would enjoy the physics of it." Bruce obeyed, and she herded him out of the room, snagging the jar of mixed-berry preserves on the way.
"Sometimes the patriotic holidays are hard on him," Betty said after Bruce left. "He doesn't have many good memories of soldiers. I mean, before the team."
"It's harder when triggers stack up," Steve said. "First the holiday, then the smoke in the kitchen, and the uniform. It was like that for me when I was sick. A wet day or a beating I could take, but not both together, and even worse if it was cold too."
"Well, now Bruce has people to look after him," Phil said. "Natasha will stay with him, and the rest of us can still go out as planned."
Tony and Clint arrived just as breakfast went onto the table. "Hey, who made French toast?" Clint asked.
"Bruce and Betty started it, then I joined in when I got here," Phil said.
"I want bacon. Is there bacon? There should be bacon," Tony said as he forked a single slice of French toast onto his plate and drowned it in maple syrup.
"Tony, be careful," Steve said, rescuing the bottle just as Tony's plate started to overflow.
"Sorry, not enough caffeine yet," Tony said. He took a long pull from his enormous red-and-gold thermos. "Where's my bacon?"
"I'll make some," Phil said as he got up. He'd meant to make some kind of breakfast meat before the morning went to hell. He kept an eye on his team as he covered the griddle with bacon strips.
"By the way, Bucky, a package came for you," Steve said, sliding it over to him.
Bucky opened the box and then just sat there staring at it for a long minute.
"I'm really glad the army got your updated medals to you in time for the holiday," Steve continued. He burbled on about it for a while.
"I don't ... I can't wear these," Bucky said, pushing the package away. Phil could see the distinctive glint of the Purple Heart and POW medals among others.
Tony swept them off the table into his hand. "That's okay. I'll just go put them away for you."
Phil wondered about that for a moment. How would Tony know where to put them? Phil thought. Then he realized, Of course. There are basically two places that medals go: in a display case, or in the back of the sock drawer. Someone who just pushed them away wouldn't put them on display, so that leaves the sock drawer. Tony's rich-geek presentation made it easy to forget just how deeply steeped in military culture he was.
Steve looked a little lost. "I was only trying to be helpful ..."
"I know, runt. Not your fault I'm a little touchy," Bucky said.
"Do you want the first batch of bacon, Steve?" asked Phil.
"I guess so," Steve said. "Thanks for making breakfast. It's good."
"Remember Jacques?" Bucky said, elbowing him.
"Yeah," Steve said with a blush. "I tried to make French toast over a campfire once. After I dropped the first slice in the fire by accident, Jacques never let me try again." Steve and Bucky were both smiling though.
Phil brought the bacon to the table. "Well, we have better resources now," he said. "If you want to learn how to make French toast, I'll be happy to teach you."
"I'd like that," Steve said. He looked down at his bacon, then back up at Phil. "You remind me of him, you know. Jacques was our infiltrator. He was a real subtle fella."
"He had this ... what did Gabe call it, Steve?" said Bucky, waffling a hand.
"Je ne sais quoi," Steve said softly. "Most of the team, we were these big loud guys. We would've been lost without him. I don't know how many times he kept us from getting captured. He faked the best papers you ever saw. God, I miss him."
"So do I," Bucky said as he squeezed Steve's shoulder. "You're right, though, Phil's every bit as good a spook as Jacques was."
Phil's throat tightened, but he managed to say, "I'm honored by the comparison."
By the time Tony came back, the next batch of bacon was ready for him. Happily he grabbed a strip of it to eat with his fingers. Steve and Clint were arguing quietly about appropriate ways to celebrate Memorial Day, which had changed a lot since Steve's time. "What's the fuss?" Tony asked around a mouthful of bacon.
"I like the fireworks," Clint said.
"I don't," Steve said. "I mean, I do like fireworks, but not today. It's disrespectful of the dead -- okay, maybe not Dum Dum, he'd love it, but most people, no."
"I prefer the parades and the bands to the fireworks," Betty said.
"I just don't think it's right to turn this into a three-day weekend with parties and all," Steve grumbled.
Bucky gave a morose nod. "It's supposed to be a day of mourning."
"Yeah, I hear you," Tony said, showing his teeth. He pulled out his Starkphone and made a call. "Hi, Daniel, it's Tony. I found you a new backer," Tony said, then turned to Steve. "Heads up, Cap!" He tossed the phone to Steve.
"Uh ... hello?" Steve said. "I don't even know who I'm talking to, Tony just threw his phone at me." He straightened abruptly. "I'm very sorry to bother you, Senator. Oh, my name? I, uh, I'm Steve Rogers yes really. No, I don't know why Tony did that. We were just talking about Memorial Day." Steve gave Tony a dirty look.
"That was mean, Tony," said Phil.
"Nah, just ornery," Tony said with an irrepressable grin. "They'll love each other, watch, they've got a lot in common."
Steve brightened. "Yes, I'd be honored to lend my support to moving Memorial Day back to May 30. We're flying into D.C. for the day. I'm sure I could come say a few words." They chatted for a few more minutes, making plans.
"Was I right or what?" Tony asked as Steve handed the phone back.
"Yeah, you were right," Steve admitted. "Next time, give a fella some warning, though."
"I'll think about it," Tony said, digging into his French toast.
"You know, Senator Inouye has a memorable history," Phil said. "When ordered to capture a German outpost on the Colle Musatello Ridge, he got shot through the abdomen. That didn't even slow him down. He carried a bunch of grenades up the slope and used them to take out the machine gun nests. Then he got hit by a rifle-mounted grenade which tore up his right arm."
"Shit. Did he stop for medical attention?" Bucky said.
Phil shook his head. "Oh no. He pried the grenade out of his right hand and used it to kill the man who shot him. Then he used a tommy gun in his off hand to go charging around the battlefield, until he got shot again, this time in the leg. That one took him off his feet, so he propped himself against a tree and kept shooting until the Germans went down. Only after his unit moved in to set up defenses would he let the medics evaluate him. Single-handed, he killed twenty-five Germans that day, and wounded eight more."
"Golly," Steve said. "That guy's a hero. Was he okay after that?"
"Well, obviously he lived to become a Senator, but he did lose his arm," Phil said.
Steve looked at Bucky. "Yeah, that happened a lot."
"He's like you, Steve, if you'd been born that way instead of made," said Bucky.
"Nah. He's like us, if we were both mashed together," Steve said.
* * *
Notes:
French toast is a simple recipe in concept, but it is trickier than it looks.
PTSD causes flashbacks and other miserable symptoms. Know how to cope if you have a flashback. Family members can also help someone through a flashback. In this case, all the Avengers have experience with such challenges, and they know each other's triggers, so it's not hard for Bucky to figure out what triggered Bruce. Since Bruce-and-Hulk relate most strongly to smell/taste and touch, that's part of what causes the problem, but also part of what allows Bruce to reassure himself that this is his friend Bucky and not a random soldier sent to capture him.
Pilobolus is a dance troupe known for geometrics.
See Tony's red and gold thermos.
The POW Medal and the Purple Heart Medal are among the more salient that Bucky has earned. However, some veterans feel unworthy or ashamed of their medals, and may store them in the sock drawer or even throw them away.
Memorial Day has a long history in American culture. Senator Daniel Inouye was among the people who sought to restore its original date. He was also a total BAMF.
Jacques Dernier was one of the Howling Commandos, a Frenchman.
Je ne sais quoi literally means "I don't know what" in French, but the connotation is more "something special."
Memorial Day fireworks are traditional, but can cause stress for veterans.
Dum Dum Dugan was another of the Howling Commandos, known for his interest in explosives.
[To be continued in Part 2 ...]
(no subject)
Date: 2015-06-29 08:58 am (UTC)... Huh. I wondered if, and how many, of the Howling Commandos might get mentioned. I've never read the actual comics (darn my lack of sight) but from what little I know, it's Jones and Dernier who catch my attention. Go figure, eh? I latch on to the musician and the one who's French Resistance.
Thoughts
Date: 2015-06-29 09:07 am (UTC)I love fireworks, but I prefer them for festive occasions rather than solemn ones.
>> ... Huh. I wondered if, and how many, of the Howling Commandos might get mentioned. <<
It took a while for Steve and Bucky to revive enough to start really talking about their shared past. That's what brings up the Howling Commandos the most. So there may be more of that later.
>> I've never read the actual comics (darn my lack of sight) but from what little I know, it's Jones and Dernier who catch my attention. Go figure, eh? I latch on to the musician and the one who's French Resistance.<<
Heh, yeah. *hugs*
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Date: 2015-06-29 10:36 am (UTC)Re: sidetracked by the French toast problem
Date: 2015-06-29 07:04 pm (UTC)That would have worked, yes.
>> And I'm really surprised that NYC food-lovers don't have a regular supply of challah, nor that those in the know don't bicker over favorite bakeries. <<
Huh.
I love challah. We made challah bread pudding once. That was epic. (My favorite recipe makes 2 loaves.)
Re: sidetracked by the French toast problem
Date: 2015-06-30 03:21 am (UTC)Re: sidetracked by the French toast problem
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Date: 2015-07-01 05:53 am (UTC)Re: sidetracked by the French toast problem
From:(no subject)
Date: 2015-06-29 11:00 am (UTC)That said... having read some of the original Captain America comics, I agree, Dum Dum would've loved it! [and it's kind of nice seeing the Howling Commando's get mentioned.]
Thoughts
Date: 2015-06-29 08:21 pm (UTC)Okay, what is the British version like? I have explored holiday celebrations across different cultures, but more input is welcome.
>> but it always struck me as particularly crass that the way Memorial day is 'celebrated' could be deliberately designed to be triggering for those it supposedly respects! <<
Yeah, that is not cool.
>> That said... having read some of the original Captain America comics, I agree, Dum Dum would've loved it! <<
It just goes to show that no group is truly homogenous. Some veterans are into fireworks, some aren't.
>> [and it's kind of nice seeing the Howling Commando's get mentioned.] <<
Yay! Now that Steve and Bucky are recovering from their respective damage, and have each other to reminisce with, there are likely to be more glimpses of the Howling Commandos.
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From: (Anonymous) - Date: 2015-11-11 09:20 am (UTC) - ExpandRe: Thoughts
From:Re: Thoughts (Ace-fan)
From: (Anonymous) - Date: 2015-07-05 05:06 am (UTC) - Expand(no subject)
Date: 2015-06-29 11:06 am (UTC)"I don't even know who I'm talking to, Tony just threw his phone at me."
I have this glorious mental image of the good Senator, mid-facepalm, muttering, "GDI, Stark!"
Because Tony has almost certainly pulled this before.
--Laura G
(no subject)
Date: 2015-06-29 03:14 pm (UTC)He gets something he really really wants, it's just tied up in that cranky Tony Stark bow.
Thoughts
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Date: 2015-06-29 06:35 pm (UTC)Yay! Thank you for sharing.
>> "I don't even know who I'm talking to, Tony just threw his phone at me."
I have this glorious mental image of the good Senator, mid-facepalm, muttering, "GDI, Stark!"
Because Tony has almost certainly pulled this before. <<
LOL yes. :D Tony is a terrific contact, a generous donor, sympathetic to veterans ... but also a raging pain in the ass. He gets away with things like this because people who know him well enough to see the good parts will put up with his shenanigans.
But a darker side of this is simply that it's how people treat Tony -- you can do the thing, so you must do the thing. Here, go help this guy out. The style is all Tony, but it's a bad habit of highhanding that he learned from Howard and Obie. >_< Tony, like Natasha, needs to hear a lot of "ask first" to wear off that tendency.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-06-29 05:47 pm (UTC)Thoughts
Date: 2015-06-29 07:13 pm (UTC)Yeah, the Avengers have a lot of baggage.
>> I really want to see where this goes.. <<
To Washington, D.C.! :D
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Date: 2015-06-29 07:02 pm (UTC)And I really, really have to agree with Steve/Bucky/the senator. Fireworks are tacky for this holiday. Even more so considering how many living vets have PTSD that can be triggered by them. I don't know why America wants to turn every single holiday into identical drunken fire works parties. We have about a million of those already, we can leave this one day for quite mourning of the dead who died so we can HAVE the freedom to do that.
Oh!
Date: 2015-06-29 10:01 pm (UTC)That's a super good point. It seems very wrong when framed in that light.
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Date: 2015-06-29 09:39 pm (UTC)You're welcome!
Date: 2015-06-29 11:21 pm (UTC)Hm...
Date: 2015-06-29 09:59 pm (UTC)Re: Hm...
Date: 2015-06-29 10:46 pm (UTC)That happens a lot.
>> I can see how the way people choose to celebrate it would be disrespectful though. <<
It depends a lot on locale. Some places are relatively quiet. Others turn it into a gigantic party. 0_o
>> When I was in school, they never actually explained why we got the day off, so it was just a three day weekend... <<
I don't think that's a good idea either. Sure the kids love getting a day off, but without the explanation it's meaningless.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-06-30 12:24 am (UTC)I love that part! I mean, frankly, I love basically everything that you write in the Avengers universe, but that was my favorite line of this part.
Thank you!
Date: 2015-06-30 01:03 am (UTC)Among the most fascinating things about writing my original superhero series Polychrome Heroics is how many examples I've found of people who do things in the super range -- we just don't think of them as superheroes here. But some of them really are. One of my favorites is the Mighty Atom, a petite strongman who once beat the stuffing out of 20 Nazis. (That was a stage name, not a cape name.)
Memorial Day
Date: 2015-06-30 12:54 am (UTC)At first I was like "wait, why isn't Hulk coming out", but I'm guessing that's an effect of the improved level of trust? Hulk deserves a really big cookie or something for not coming out when Bruce was having a panic attack!
I'm confused. That thermos isn't red and gold, it's red and yellow and black and Mickey Mouse. Do you just mean that shape but Iron Man themed?
I was impressed that Bucky was able to put together his uniform and Bruce's distress. With the amount of stuff he's dealing with himself right now, that seems like it would be extraordinarily difficult.
Re: Memorial Day
Date: 2015-06-30 03:42 am (UTC)The Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which took effect at the start of 1971, moved it from May 30 to the last Monday in May.
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Date: 2015-06-30 03:27 am (UTC)And that he used to tan on his office's balcony when he was in the House, because if he went back to Hawai'i without a tan, his constituents would know he'd been in DC.
Also a useful reference point when talking about internment camps and the Civil Rights Movements. (The difference between an internment camp and a concentration camp? In the former, the deaths are unintentional, and the latter begins with a consonant, not a vowel.)
Thoughts
Date: 2015-06-30 08:06 am (UTC)Brilliant idea!
>> And that he used to tan on his office's balcony when he was in the House, because if he went back to Hawai'i without a tan, his constituents would know he'd been in DC. <<
Wow, I didn't know that.
>> Also a useful reference point when talking about internment camps and the Civil Rights Movements. (The difference between an internment camp and a concentration camp? In the former, the deaths are unintentional, and the latter begins with a consonant, not a vowel.) <<
Actually it's a pyramid. The main category is concentration camps. The subcategories are internment camps (where you put people you just don't want underfoot, but can't be arsed to do anything else with), work camps (where you put your slave labor), and death camps (where you put people you plan to kill).
And let's not forget how much inspiration the Nazis got from America's treatment of indigenous peoples. Hitler didn't manage to wipe out a single one of his target groups. The European Invasion killed well over 90% of the population of Turtle Island, and only a few of its hundreds of tribes survive today.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-06-30 05:58 am (UTC)Whoa...
Date: 2015-07-12 06:07 pm (UTC)Re: Whoa...
Date: 2015-07-12 06:07 pm (UTC)Re: Whoa...
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Date: 2015-08-10 09:04 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2015-10-16 04:17 am (UTC)I feel like some of the writing here is kind of clunky, but eh.
Also, really liked the nuance in the Memorial Day discussion-- Dum Dum would have liked the fireworks, but Steve really doesn't. It's one of those things that you could do the tumblr SJ thing with and appoint One Correct Opinion Held By All Real Members Of The Affected Group, which is generally an oversimplification. I like how you let Steve make his case, and persuasively, without pretending it's The One True Way All Soldiers Feel About This Issue No Exceptions Ever.
Thank you!
Date: 2015-10-16 05:13 am (UTC)Yay! There are more opportunities for that as the series progresses, and Memorial Day has a ton of it.
>> Let's see, first we have Bruce annoyed (later turns out he's on edge and nervous/upset, not just annoyed), but no Hulk. Then Bruce freaks out, and still no Hulk!<<
Hulk has learned a lot about how, in this team, he can usually just sit back and let other folks handle the hassles. He isn't perfect at distinguishing threats yet, but he's getting a lot better.
>> Bucky understands what's going on and acts accordingly, while staying calm. Then Natasha offers to spend time with Bruce. Very efficient way of recapping lots of character development; none of that could have happened at the beginning of the series.<<
:D That's good to hear.
>> I feel like some of the writing here is kind of clunky, but eh. <<
Sorry about that.
>> Also, really liked the nuance in the Memorial Day discussion-- Dum Dum would have liked the fireworks, but Steve really doesn't.<<
Different people have different feelings. Steve is quiet in some ways, especially after the ice. Dum Dum always liked to blow shit up.
>> It's one of those things that you could do the tumblr SJ thing with and appoint One Correct Opinion Held By All Real Members Of The Affected Group, which is generally an oversimplification. <<
>_< It bugs me when people do that.
>>I like how you let Steve make his case, and persuasively, without pretending it's The One True Way All Soldiers Feel About This Issue No Exceptions Ever.<<
There is more on this at the parade later, with regard to balloons.
(no subject)
Date: 2016-03-21 11:37 pm (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2016-03-22 06:48 am (UTC)Yay! I'm glad you like that.
>>I need to update my writing prompt file; I'd like to do something similar with Tammy Duckworth.<<
That would be so awesome. I think she and Steve would love each other.
(no subject)
Date: 2024-01-12 01:47 am (UTC)Jeannie Robinson / Dancing Wisdom?