Monday, 10:50pm

Bucky: any news on Karli?

Sam: are you actually asking about Karli, or are you asking how training is going?

Bucky: I'm not good at words or emotions
Bucky: give me a break, I'm only 106

Sam: still weird to me that you're actually capable of jokes
Sam: I thought all you had in you was moody glares and arguing with people

Bucky: technically, I think I can call that arguing
Bucky: but it's true that I'm not glaring at my phone right now, so call it progress

Sam: okay, it's progress
Sam: but I'm not answering unless you actually ask me a question

Tuesday, 10:42pm

Bucky: any news on Karli?

Sam: funny. still gonna need you to ask me a question if you want an answer

Bucky: technically, I think I can call that asking a question

Sam: nothing yet

Bucky: okay
Bucky: tell me if something comes up

Sam: well, I was just planning to take her on alone
Sam: I thought it would be fun

Bucky: just let me know

Sam: already told you I would

Thursday, 10:38pm

Bucky: any news on Karli?

Sam: no

Friday, 4:02pm

Bucky: how is training going?

Sam: see, that wasn't so hard

Bucky: yes it was
Bucky: I told you, I'm not good at words or emotions

Sam: not something that I've ever noticed

Bucky: you really need to draw this out, don't you?

Sam: yes
Sam: but training is fine

Bucky: actually fine, or stoic bullshit fine?

4:51pm

Bucky: who's not answering questions now?

Sam: hard to answer questions when my nephews just got home from school

Bucky: oh

Sam: but I still probably deserved that, they went upstairs 15 minutes ago
Sam: half actually fine, half stoic bullshit fine
Sam: if the shield breaks another branch because I threw it wrong, Sarah's going to kill me. as it is, moving all the branches I've already broken might

Bucky: it can't be that bad

Sam: no, it is
Sam: I pointed out that they were useful as obstacles for training, and she told me that if I left my obstacles behind for her to deal with when I was done, no shield or superhero name was going to stop her from killing me
Sam: and also to find different obstacles because she was tired of having her trees destroyed

Bucky: oh
Bucky: well, are you still destroying them?

Sam: less than I was
Sam: otherwise, though, training is fine

Bucky: what does "less than I was" mean?

6:01pm

Bucky: nephews again?

Sam: no, now I'm just avoiding the question
Sam: let's not talk about it

Bucky: okay
Bucky: I want to say something sympathetic but I'm not really good at words or emotions

Sam: I'll just pretend you said it
Sam: thanks

Bucky: yeah

Sunday, 3:01pm

Bucky: are you still killing trees?

Sam: damaging trees
Sam: none have fallen over, it's just the branches

Bucky: fine, are you still damaging trees?

Sam: not in the last couple days
Sam: but now I don't have any excuse to not move the branches, so I'm tempted to maim one tomorrow just to put it off

Bucky: I know I don't know your sister well but I feel like she'd see through that and call you on it

Sam: main reason I haven't done it yet

Monday, 11:11am

Bucky: I'm bad at words and emotions

Sam: hadn't noticed

1:06pm

Sam: were you just inspired to share that, or was it a lead up to something?

Bucky: lead up to something

Sam: Bucky, just spit it out

3:59pm

Bucky: do you want help clearing branches
Bucky: if you did I could just fly in and out, I'm not trying to invite myself over and impose on you and your family
Bucky: just offering help if you want it

Sam: give me a sec, nephews just got home

Bucky: okay
Bucky: it's also fine if you don't, I'm sure you can handle them

4:28pm

Sam: sorry, they got home just as you sent that and I didn't want you to think I was ignoring you
Sam: since I'm not someone who's bad at words and emotions

Bucky: really nice, thanks Sam

Sam: sure, if you want to. send me your flight details and I'll pick you up at the airport

Bucky: literally or in a car?

Sam: still weird to me that you're actually capable of jokes

Bucky: you have new wings, I think it's a fair question

Sam: funny. book your flights so that you're here for at least 36 hours

Bucky: that's oddly specific

Sam: if I say "not the same day" you'll fly in at 9:30pm, start clearing branches before anyone wakes up, and then be gone by 10am

4:45pm

Bucky: technically I was looking at 8:43pm and 11:36am

Sam: this is why I used hours

5:17pm

Bucky: I'm going to book for 35 hours because the next option is 41 hours

Sam: last time I checked, 35 is less than 36

5:32pm

Bucky: I get in at 5:01pm tomorrow

Sam: will pick you up at the airport, text me if the flight is running late
Sam: thanks for the help

6:46pm

Bucky: sure
Bucky: not like I have anything better to do

Sam: you really are terrible at words and emotions

Bucky: tell me something I don't know

a/n: I don't know, I just saw the training montage right on the heels of Bucky magically showing up just as they were starting to fix the boat and being excessively awkward about not knowing how to just say "hey want help" and this was like "take a break from work and write this," so then I did. I love them.

I've written a few of these now and I'm jumping all over the place chronologically, so updating this might get a little confusing because it could turn out that chapter 1 is the new chapter. if there's anything I can to do make it easier to follow, please let me know!

- branwen