[network] @PetertheGreat; Video; Night 287 [open] [CW: Character death/suicidal themes]

[zunesareawesome]

[Peter didn't meant to turn on video, but his hands are so frozen even with his makeshift baby-blanket-mittens that he just smashes his fingers numbly on the tablet until something happened. He also meant to send this only to John, but again, frozen finger-smashing.

He looks terrible, he's shivering, his face isn't as swollen anymore but there's still evidence of faded bruising on his cheek and nose that look just slightly off from being broken, as well as a frozen nosebleed, but there's also frosted reddish patches here and there, and on his ears, where his makeshift scarf from cloth scraps didn't quite shield his face and head from crawling frantically through the snow. He's obviously not been shaving, either.]

Bucky's dead.

[He's still catching his breath, wincing as he repositions his hurt leg on his seated position, as he leans his head against the wall. Trying to fight the stupid anomaly and then make it back here had been absolute hell on it. Bucky had been carrying him the whole time since he couldn't walk, which had been helping, but whatever progress he'd made over the past week was completely trashed. He had no painkillers on him, so gritting his teeth and trying not to completely lose his cool or whimper out loud would be all he could do.

Wherever he is, at least it's indoors. Once he catches his breath, he continues. His voice hitches, and he wipes clumsily at his nose. He hates this. He hates this, he feels so damn useless. He is useless.]

Just barely made lockdown, I couldn't...damn it, I couldn't krutacking save him. One of those things got him. Some creepy thing with a shield, I don't...

He saved my life.

He didn't fight it...why didn't he fight it?

[Was it because there was no way they could have ran away from it? He knew that thing, though. He said "Steve-- pal, you're stronger than this. Til the end of the line, right? Steve?"

He can't really work his fingers on his Zune all that well, which is very low on battery, and he's been compelled to hoard his songs lately, but he doesn't care. This is the least he could do. His voice shakes.]

This one's for you, Bucky.

[He plays the following song.]

Comments

@featherydouche; text

[mrcreamsicles]

[That's a hell of a way to open the video. He'd be concerned just seeing Peter in the condition he's in, but an announcement of death is harder, especially with all those details and it's Bucky. Didn't fight it. That doesn't sound much like him, but...]

what the hell happened to you
and what did the anomaly look like
beyond the shield

perma-video

[zunesareawesome]

A lot happened.

[A pause.]

He was this tall, skinny blond dude in a military uniform of some kind. I think...Bucky called him Steve?

private;

[mrcreamsicles]

[Yeah. Yeah, that would do it. He takes a second, then swaps to private.]

steve was a friend from his life
hes been here before
i met him once
nice person
if bucky would stop for anyone it would be him

perma-private 2

[zunesareawesome]

Oh, dude...well, yeah, that makes sense. He seemed to know him. Think he called him pal.

...is that what happens to people when they die here and don't come back? Become those things?

[mrcreamsicles]

no
theyre people brought in wrong
from different timelines or whatever else
one that looked like my friend came after me once
her body is still on its shelf in one of the morgues

@librarian, video

[cahooted]

[Listening to Bonnie Tyler and upbeat 80s drums never felt so wrong.

Flynn waits for the song to finish before he replies because maybe it will help him come up with a response to all... this. An idea what to say or where to even start. It doesn't.]

We have to stop meeting this way.

[Really, Peter, at this rate he's going to run out of philosophers he can distract you with. But the quip isn't really one, carrying all of his horrified concern instead.]

Where are you? Is anyone with you? Is anyone coming to get you?

Perma-video

[zunesareawesome]

Hey, Flynn.

[He sounds and looks like hell, and he uncharacteristically doesn't answer the quip with a joke.]

I'm somewhere in the area with the skyscrapers, on the west side. I'm alone, and maybe John's coming here. I don't know how far he is. [He hoped.]

perma-video

[cahooted]

[Fretting intensifies!]

Let me know. If he can't make it, I can ask around if anyone else is in the area! [Which... Peter can do himself, they are on the same network but that is not the point right now.]

I'll come get you. If nobody else can make it I'll come and get you. [From the top of his head he really has no clue how far away the area is but that, too, is so unimportant right now.]

[zunesareawesome]

[Despite everything, that brings a faint smile to his face.]

Thanks, man.

[He tries to get more comfortable, and work the wet pseudo-mittens off his frozen hands. He gives up after fumbling and just tries to bite the icy, soaked things off. He doesn't want to think about how screwed he is at the moment especially if nobody comes, and he's tired of not being able to handle things on his own.]

Where are you at right now?

@wiccandoit, video

[fanboyascended]

Good... song choice.

[ That's about all he has in him to say at the moment. ]

A shield, huh?

perma-video

[zunesareawesome]

Yeah? Glad to hear it.

[He's still up to talk about music when he's on the cusp of exhaustion and in emotional turmoil! Maybe.]

Uh-huh. The shield was kinda like...like it was his arm.

[fanboyascended]

That's just wrong.

[ Definitely makes sense as to why Bucky wouldn't fight it, though. Billy decides he doesn't really want to think about it. ]

Did it get you too? Your, um - your face?

[zunesareawesome]

It was creepy, man. But uh...no, the face, that was actually from Bucky.

But it wasn't like--it wasn't a bad thing, he was trying to stop me from killin' someone else. [He quickly adds.]

@thebigc; text

[onlytwothings]

[ The saying about kicking a dog when it's down definitely applies here. Wilson feels like Peter's been through a lot in too short a period of time. ]

I'm sorry.

[ That phrase is really beginning to lose its meaning, but it's all he has. ]

I think he'll appreciate that song when he comes back.

[ Or be annoyed by it. He doesn't know Bucky very well, but something tells him he might not view music in the most positive of lights. ]

Perma-video

[zunesareawesome]

[Peter did appreciate the sentiment, and how Wilson said when he comes back.]

...I'm sure he will.

[Or he wouldn't appreciate it, but Bucky would have to be alive to even have an opinion about it. If he did hate it, Peter'd be happy because that meant he was back.]

[onlytwothings]

Are you okay right now? I mean, physically, at least.

[ Because he's going to guess he's not mentally okay by a long shot. ]

[zunesareawesome]

Well, I'm alive. And that's pretty much all I got.

[He wasn't sure if he should go into great detail, or just stick with the simple, 'Everything is pain.']

[sleight_of_fate]

Shit. I'm sorry, man.

[Deep breath. He's worried.]

Has anyone been able to look at your injuries at all? How are you on supplies till someone can get to you?

[zunesareawesome]

[He gives a nod at that. Thanks, Rhys, it does mean a lot, even if he can't exactly articulate it at the moment.]

Well, not directly. John's coming though, so... [A slight shrug.] I'll survive.

[He's completely out of food.]

[sleight_of_fate]

[He considers Peter a friend, and not being able to do more right at this moment sucks. But that's small relief, that someone else will be there for him soon.]

That's good that someone is coming. In the meantime, any of your clothes that are wet, get them off and let them dry off, and try and get your hands warmed up by tucking them next to your body. Your crotch, your armpits, whatever's warm, okay? Real gentle. No rubbing.

[zunesareawesome]

It's too cold, man.

[It's a half-hearted, slightly disoriented whine. He knows what he has to do, though, and he fumbles with his red jacket and his Norfinbury coat, laying them out to dry faster. He can't move his hands very much at all, so it takes some finagling, before putting them back under his pits. He shivers violently, using a shower curtain and some scraps as a makeshift blanket right now.]

This place sucks. Just putting that out th-there.

@jwatson; video; private

[jumpthegun]

Christ, Peter. [Christ, indeed.] I'm on my way. I... don't move from wherever you are and try to get anything wet on your dried out.

[He'll spare a few quiet sobs and nightmares for Bucky tonight and pray to whatever god might be listening that his friend comes back. Peter's physical health and prevent his death along with the excessive loss of skin and fingers to frostbite are top of his priorities right now. It's a gift and a curse that he has the ability to compartmentalize. Peter and his safety are the new goal, though. He needs to focus on that.]

Perma-private

[zunesareawesome]

Man, it's too cold for that.

[He sounds relieved, though. John was coming, he could hang onto that. Everything'll be all right when John gets here.

That's what Bucky was trying to do, get him there. He'd died getting him there. Peter couldn't give up, not now. Norfinbury might have other ideas, but he wasn't going to let it win.

He did try to shrug off his red jacket more, though, and fumble with his boots, trying to get the buckles off. At least his boots did an excellent job at protecting his feet.]

[jumpthegun]

I know it's gonna be miserable any way, mate, but the wet is worse. You'll be more likely to catch frostbite. If the building you're in has anything with stuffing, pull all of it out and cover yourself with that, if you can. Pay the most attention to your extremities. You hands, your face, and possibly your toes. Use every scrap of fabric in your pack and the pack itself if you have to remove gloves and trousers and anything else.

[zunesareawesome]

Did I ever mention that I hate this town?

[It's a beleaguered sigh, he squints as he tries to see if there's anything he can use for stuffing. It was an office building...maybe if he crawled upstairs or into that other room. But he was exhausted, his arms felt like jelly from hauling himself around. The Norfinbury diet would probably take care of that problem eventually, and he had lost a little weight, but he was still heavy right now. Maybe...he'd try for it later, if he summoned up the energy. But that was a maybe.]

I have a shower curtain...thing.

[Stupid pants were snow-caked and wet, though. He slowly undid his belt with fumbling from frozen hands and wiggled out of his trousers, laying them out and doing as John said, using his scraps and pack, and putting the child's backpack he had on his head like a hat.]

Y'know, my friend Groot hates hats. He'd be freaked out if he saw this.