-- oh dear diary, we fell apart.

[yourbestguysgun]

"... What do you mean record a message? Ain't the whole point it bein' the other way round. Stupid piece o' --."

☎ Call
☏ Text
✔ Voicemail

[ ooc: action is also a-okay, if you know where to find him. :) ]

Comments

[punchedhitler]

[He takes a huff of a breath in when he sees Bucky and reaches out for the little girl.]

Hey, sweetheart, hush, come on.

[He holds her close]

Are you okay?

[That's to Bucky.[

[yourbestguysgun]

I'm fine.

[ His gaze sweeps over Steve, worry finally breaking free on his face. ]

It's hell out here, Steve. People are just --. [ Gaze slipping to the girl. ] There's room in there for her, right?

[punchedhitler]

[It's the last one, there are still people fighting for a chance to get on, and Steve suddenly is struck by an idea.]

Bucky, Bucky, come here.

[He kneels and steadies the little girl on the tilted surface of the deck.]

Listen, sweetheart, you have to go with Uncle James, okay? He'll take care of you and help you find your mom, all right?

[Steve is absolutely irresistible to children.]

[yourbestguysgun]

Steve.

[ Because that feeling in his stomach is certain dread, he knows what Steve's doing here and he won't. He can't. ]

No. Okay, someone else can help her.

[punchedhitler]

[She looks up at Bucky and latches onto his trouser leg]

No, no, it has to be you. Here, hold onto her.

[yourbestguysgun]

[ He bends to pick her up, hold her in his arms, because he's not a bad person, never intended to be. ]

Then come with us, we can't do anything else, okay, just -.

[punchedhitler]

[And Steve picks them both up and puts them in the last spot.]

It only works because she's on your lap, Bucky.

[Steve knows, okay? He knows.]

[yourbestguysgun]

I -. [ She's crying again, and Bucky shushes her, hand against the back of her head, but his eyes locked on Steve's. ] I can't leave you.

[punchedhitler]

[Steve's getting jostled but he doesn't seem to notice as he leans over the edge]

It's all right.

[He slips his coat off and puts it around her]

Listen. There's fifteen dollars in the lining of that coat, you use it and get a good apartment back home. There's a painting, Mrs. Schwartz is holding it for me, I painted it, it might be worth something.

[He takes a moment]

Don't lose my sketchbook.

[yourbestguysgun]

[ He wants to start shouting, to rage against everything because he can't leave Steve behind and this isn't fair, this isn't, but there's a child crying in his arms and he can't do anything about it. ]

You jerk. [ They should have stayed where they were. ] Jesus, Steve.

[ But there are people lowering the lifeboat now and he can't say what needs to be said and he hates it. ]

[punchedhitler]

[Steve leans over the side of the ship and yells.]

Promise me you'll remember!

[Promise me you'll remember me.]

[yourbestguysgun]

[ Bucky just nods, feels like scaling the boat with his own damn hands, but he keeps the girl tight in his arms, and watches until the lifeboat hits the water and he can't anymore.

He can't cry, he can't scream, he can't do anything but try and soothe her. ] It's okay, it's okay, we'll be okay.

[punchedhitler]

[They'll be all right. Steve pries his hands off the cold metal of the railing.

There's ease, in knowing they'll be all right.]