Bucky stared at the human. The human stared back, meeting his eyes easily, not a hint of fear to be found.

Standing before him in the usual accoutrements of a knight, the large man attempted to glare him down. Arms crossed over a broad chest, feet set apart, sunlight glinting off actually impressive armor (were those gears whining when he moved?). He'd removed his helmet to look up at Bucky, revealing a close-shaved head and dark skin. Equally dark eyes give him what felt like a judging once-over, and how could a human make him feel like he needed to explain himself?

"So you're the Winter Dragon."

Never had Bucky heard someone sound less impressed.

"Tones gave it all up to come here. To live with you."

Once, in a distant, vague memory, Bucky had stolen meat directly from another, smaller, hatchling's paws. He was certain the lecture he'd received from his mother afterwards hadn't made him feel half as small as the tone this human was using.

"Um." He wondered if there was anyone to witness it if he were to back up and retreat inside the castle.

"I'm Sir James Rhodes," the man said. "Toni - my little sister - can make up her own mind, I know that, and she makes her own mistakes. She can handle herself, mostly. But if I ever find out that you laid one single, unwanted, claw-"

Shrieking voices ripped through the air, followed closely by a massive thumping Bucky could feel through the ground, and a sound like multiple, horrifically sentient, wires being drawn raw through acid. He cringed and ducked his head low, shaking it to try and stop the ringing in his ears.

"Huh. Toni finally got her music system to work." Sir Rhodes was nodding approvingly - no, not nodding, more like banging his head along to what Bucky was coming to the terrible realization, was a beat.

He whined in distress, a sound he hadn't made since he was newly hatched.

"She's just settling in," he said, having to pitch his voice louder to overcome the cacophony. "Once she has everything the way she wants it, things'll get better. Quieter." He'd get to sleep.

He pulled his gaze from the castle (the lightning rod on the tower roof was strobing in time to the noise) down to Sir Rhodes - who was staring at him with a wide-eyed, absolutely appalled look.

"Oh, hell no."

Suddenly he was striding away (those were definitely gears), over the drawbridge and into the castle.

"Rhodey!"

Bucky could hear Toni's delighted scream even over the wailing and banging.

"It's my Rhodey-bear! You came!"

"Princess Antonia Edwina Stark!" Sir Rhodes sounded more stern than he had with Bucky. "You are gonna break that poor, innocent dragon out there! If I hear about you so much as-"

Bucky let his chin thump to the ground, closing his eyes and wondering when his life went so off the rails.