to keep me warm at night

[sizeofyourbaggage]

Who| Sam Wilson, Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers / OPEN to anyone staying in the caves or dropping by
What| it’s freaking cold, Sam’s done with sleeping alone. Also, making use of Valentine’s Day sponsor gifts by making dinner and potentially giving out fuel to be weaponized
When| Valentine’s Day and the week after
Where| the caves
Warnings/Notes| mostly platonic cuddling, likely mentions of PTSD and violence


Valentine’s Day (for Bucky -> Steve)
With the way he’d lost Steve in the last arena, Sam’ll admit to keeping a little bit of an eye on him. Not all the time, of course, but when they’re together, even if it’s just in the cage, he keeps Steve on his radar. So he’s noticed, the fact that Steve’s barely sleeping, that he spends most nights up on watch. Sam hasn’t commented, aside from occasionally staying up with him and being there, just in case - but it’s starting to get a little ridiculous.

Especially because he’s been kind of keeping a similar eye on Bucky, and more often than not, he’s sitting right up there with him.

It’s late, and it’s freezing, and someone else is on watch, but yet, there Steve is. When Sam spots Bucky probably moving over to join him, Sam heads over to intercept him.

“Hey, Bucky. Can I talk to you a minute?”



It’s freezing okay
Honestly, Sam’s kicking himself for not doing this sooner. It’s not like it’s the first time he’s ever used body heat to stay warm while trying to get some sleep, and he knows it’s only going to get colder.

Part of him knows what his hesitancy was. He’s avoided sleeping with people, for the most part, since coming back from Afghanistan, after a couple of pretty spectacular nightmares. And the couple of weeks they’d had between arenas had brought a lot of that back up. But he’d talked it out a little, and he’s actually been functioning better here, probably out of necessity. Curling up with Steve and Bucky had gone fine - fine and really warm - and Sam isn’t planning on going back to trying not to freeze while he sleeps.

He’s also not above broaching the topic with the rest of his allies in the cave. He’s not saying they have to warm up with him, necessarily, but there’s enough of them here that doing it with someone isn’t a bad idea. Especially if the gamemakers keep amping up the cold.

So when there’s time, he’ll head over to strike up a conversation.



It’s got actual flavor
He's actually a little pleased, that the sponsors listened to him and sent him a stove and a good assortment of seasonings. Not only because it makes cooking easier, but because it's an extra source of warmth - and because he's betting someone can come up with an alternate use for the fuel, in a pinch.

But he's definitely going to use it for its intended purpose at least once. Might as well have a decent dinner, since he's got the supplies, and he'll ask anyone who wants in what kind of meat they prefer. He'll also take anyone who might want to help.

He can also be found later in the week, seasoning the thin strips of meat he's slicing up for jerky, or rationing out the amount of fuel he has left in the stove or his kerosene lantern, trying to decide if it'd be better off being used for its original purpose or if he should hand it over to someone who might be able to weaponize it.

Comments

Cooking please!

[a_minute_younger]

That's a new smell. Well, maybe not new in that Gary's never smelt it before--it's not like he's gone his entire life without spices--but it is new in the sense that it feels like he would never get to smell it again. Three weeks scrounging off of fire-cooked meat and berries has felt like an eternity for him. The distinctive, unusual scent drifting out from the flickering light of a cave promises some kind of relief.

That is, if Gary can get inside without being killed. He was already being cautious on instinct before one of the cats took a chunk out of him a few days ago, and at this point he feels like he's standing on so many pins and needles that the slightest gust of wind makes him jump. Or maybe he's just really cold. It's that thought that convinces Gary to risk the caves a third time, to at least see if there's an empty one he can take shelter in for the night while the smell of food tempts him.

...No, he can't pass that up, can he? Better judgement can't overcome that gnawing hunger, even if Gary was in possession of some form of 'judgement' to begin with. He slides up to the entrance of the cave and pokes his head around the corner.

His response is immediate. "That's a stove," Gary gasps, dropping all attempts at stealth so Sam can see just how amazed and incredulous this visitor looks. "What--no way. How long have they been giving those out?"

[sizeofyourbaggage]

Sam looks up when he hears someone approaching the cave - it's automatic, at this point, even if it's not quite the paranoia he'd had about it last arena. Either the sponsor gifts and lack of powers make a huge difference or most of Sam's allies are just much more well equipped to handle this kind of arena, because even a couple of weeks into this arena, there's still a lot of them left.

Which means he doesn't instantly go on the defense when he doesn't recognize the person who peeks into the cave, though his guard does go up a little.

He can't help but smile slightly at the incredulity, though.

"Since yesterday," he replies, tone the tiniest bit amused. "But I asked for it specifically, so I don't know how willing they're going to be to do a repeat."

[a_minute_younger]

Amusement is a definite improvement over the wary hostility of most strangers Gary encounters in Arenas, so needless to say, he's relieved. His shoulders slump and he ducks just within the mouth of the cave, away from the wind biting through his parka. Gary's a healthy-looking kid, all things considered--the layers are helping somewhat, and there's nothing he can do about the black roots growing into his matted hair--but he does guard his side, ever so slightly.

"Ah, man," he pouts, shooting a hopeful, open-mouthed grin over his shoulder. If he just continues being friendly and pretends that they aren't in an environment where they're supposed to be murdering each other, then everything will turn out perfectly fine. "I guess I didn't dance enough for the cameras. They give you any food to go with that stove?"

This is Gary's not-at-all subtle way of asking for some to share.

[sizeofyourbaggage]

That pout makes him chuckle a little, and his smile widens. "I didn't dance either, but I did wrestle around a bunch in the snow. Guess they liked it. And I had to catch my own meat, but they did send along a ton of spices."

Sam considers for a moment, then tilts his head in a 'come on in' gesture. The kid seems friendly, and even if that might just be a cover - Sam's willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He's got plenty of weapons here, there's traps set up throughout the cave, and he has allies to back him up, in case he's accidentally letting in a sociopath or something.

"Grab a seat by the fire, man, cooking isn't half as fun if I'm not making it for someone." Which is true, even if he technically already was making it for the rest of his friends.

[a_minute_younger]

Success! Gary only just manages to rein in a victorious pump of his fist, although the toothy grin is much harder to hide. Good food! What an excellent development! Surely Sam understands Gary's excitement, and won't be too put-off when the teen trots into the cave like the world's been lifted off his shoulders. At least, Gary hopes he does. He's in Sam's territory now--things could get very ugly very fast if Sam doesn't share his optimistic point of view.

But Gary tries not to think about that.

"Don't mind if I do," he murmurs, delicately settling into a crouch by the fire. There's something odd about how Gary holds his left side, like his hip is locked and he's trying not to bend anything too much, but the movement is subtle, enough that Gary doesn't realize he's doing anything strange. "Wrestling, dancing, same thing! Did they send the other guy anything, you think? You know, 'A for effort' kind of deal."

[sizeofyourbaggage]

Honestly, Sam knows better than to assume that just because he's a kid it automatically means he's less dangerous - but he kind of does, anyway. He can't really help it, he has an automatic soft spot for kids.

"They did send him some alcohol. Maybe they were trying to tell him something," he jokes. Although actually, it wouldn't surprise him if the sponsors were trying to make a point.

After a moment's consideration, he gives a nod towards the kid's side. He's not sure how well he'll take Sam drawing attention to it, but he can't just ignore it. "You injured? Don't worry, I'm not asking because I'm looking to take advantage or anything. I got a kick ass med kit in here and I was pararescue back home."

[a_minute_younger]

Gary laughs back because, yes, alcohol is funny, and the more he laughs at it the less embarrassed he'll feel about the last Crowning. Entertainment, he thinks. It's all just entertainment. And if he's laughing with them, they're not laughing at him.

Interestingly, what was a somewhat uncertain smile becomes more genuine when the subject is changed. Discussion of physical injury is preferable to discussion of social injury--Gary's priorities are definitely in the right place. "Ah, don't worry about it!" he insists with a dismissive wave of his hand. "It's already patched up. See?"

Without further provocation, Gary rolls up the bottom rim of his parka to show off the damage underneath. It seems that his one-piece snowsuit has been torn into two pieces, the top removed and the bottom tied for easier access to the bandages wrapped around his waist. There's a clump of sterilized cloth secured to the left. The wrappings are old, dirty and wet and torn in places, but there's no visible signs of bleeding.

This seems like a perfect time to continue casual conversation. "Pararescue, huh?" Gary whistles. "Military?"

Body heat and cooking at once

[honeyibrokeharlem]

Bruce is an asset to have in the arena because he knows how to use every resource at his disposal to the best degree. He is always working on something, from butchering meat to trapping animals to tanning hides to making fish hooks. He always works, but it's always silent. He carries conversations if he's spoken to, but he doesn't start conversations on his own.

This time he (sort of) does.

"Do you need an extra pair of hands with that?" He asks, barely looking up from hollowing out a new needle made of bone but clearly paying attention to the way Sam cooks.

[sizeofyourbaggage]

All of that is another reason why Sam's not as on edge this arena. Bruce is clearly an expert at survival techniques, and so is Sam, considering just how much training he's had in it. Hell, it seems like a lot of the people they've got using the cave as a base are pretty well versed it in. Which is another reason he's not afraid to bring up the body heat thing - it's practical, all of their potential issues aside.

He's struck up a conversation with Bruce a few times as he worked on things, mostly idle conversation, never pushing too deep. Sam's still finding his footing with Bruce - the guy's a private man for good reason, and as much as Sam'd like to be his friend, he doesn't want to push him away.

So when Bruce speaks up, Sam looks over at him with an easy smile, pleased. "Hell yeah, man, I know how good you are at this."

Plus, it saves him having to approach Bruce later, if he can figure out how to work his suggestion into the conversation.

[honeyibrokeharlem]

Bruce nods, putting his half-finished needle aside before standing up and going to the stove. "Then just tell me what you'd like me to do." Sam gets to be head chef this time. Bruce doesn't mind being the sous chef. He likes having things to do with his hands.

As he speaks, he picks up a knife, cleaning it as well as he can.

[sizeofyourbaggage]

Sam tilts his head a little, considering. “What’re you in the mood for, goose or deer?”

The deer’s already butchered and just needs cutting up into pieces that won’t take forever to cook on a camp stove, but he hadn’t had a chance to get to the goose yet.

[honeyibrokeharlem]

"The deer will be easier, and we have enough to feed everyone." Not even they could eat through a whole deer and still feel hungry. Hopefully. "I know a good venison recipe that I could adapt to the wilderness, if you want it."

[sizeofyourbaggage]

That’s one of the few things about some of them being without their normal abilities, as far as Sam’s concerned. Lack of the full super soldier metabolism definitely makes feeding them a little easier.

And he does his best not to think about Thor’s absence contributing to that.

“Yeah, man, that sounds great. All my recipes I got from my grandparents or my mom, not a lot of venison there.” He pauses, smiling a little wryly. “Or adapted them out in Afghanistan, but still kind of lacking in deer.”

Valentine's Day~

[tookthewheel]

It only make sense to Bucky, who doesn't sleep much himself anyway, that if Steve is going to stubbornly keep depriving himself of sleep and wearing himself out by keeping watch to not let him do it alone. Watch is a duty that could be shared by many but his friend insists on shouldering the majority of the burden himself, something that Bucky has even brought himself to make an argument about.

In turn Steve had tried to insist Bucky get some rest and sleep and leave Bucky to it, he hadn't listened though, he'd stuck to Steve like glue. He's kind of proud of himself about it.

Bucky stops on his way out to join Steve tonight when Sam hails him, he looks curious and nods to the request, wondering what's going on. "Yes, Sam?"

[sizeofyourbaggage]

Sam's taking a little bit of a chance here - not about getting Bucky on his side that Steve needs to actually get some sleep and stop freezing his ass off, he's pretty sure Bucky will agree to that - but about including Bucky in it. Because, well, Sam wants Bucky to get some sleep, too, or at least stop freezing his ass off, but he's not sure what Bucky's going to make of his proposal.

Still, he jumps right in, nodding his head over at Steve.

"I know I don't gotta tell you he's been doing that every night, and he's wearing himself out. I'm worried." He says it with a casual, one-shouldered shrug, but he is, and he's okay with admitting that to Bucky. "I'm kind of hoping that if we both team up on him, we can get him to come in."

[tookthewheel]

"You've got a mi-- a plan?" he says. Bucky, as Sam predicted, is not opposed to any help in convincing Steve to give up his nightly watch and get some shuteye instead. He rolls right on past his near slip up in terminology. "I've tried to tell him that, he keeps saying he's fine. He's not though."

They don't have the serum on their side here, they're as bad off as any normal person, pretty much. Steve seems to think he can get by on sheer stubborn willpower though, which gives Bucky a severe sense of deja vu whenever he thinks about it. Punk he thinks, the word fitting as comfortably as an older and well worn shoe would.

[sizeofyourbaggage]

He notices the slip, but he rolls right on past it, too. Bucky’d corrected himself, there’s no point in drawing attention to it. “Yeah, of course that’s what he says, but you’re right, he’s not. He needs to get some damn sleep, and he needs to stop freezing his ass off.”

Sam pauses, tilting his head a little before he adds, “So do you. And so do I. So I figure I’ll take one side and you’ll take the other, and… and this is the part of the plan I needed to run by you first, because it could be awkward enough without involving both of our sleep issues.”

Though granted, not quite as much Sam’s, since he’s already fallen asleep around Steve and Bucky, and he’s willing to do it again. He rubs a hand over the back of his neck.

“I guess I’ll start with asking you - you remember anything about sharing body heat?”

[tookthewheel]

Bucky's grateful that the mistake is passed over. It's not something he wants to be reminded of, those little pieces of HYDRA's Asset still digging themselves into his head.

"He's not a good liar." he adds with further agreement, nodding as Sam talks and paying attention as the details of the plan of attack are laid out. Two of them might make a better impression than one alone, though Bucky knows that Steve's stubbornness could potentially outdo them all. He's not sure anything short of throwing Steve over his shoulder and dragging him back inside will work but he's still willing to give it a try.

The question has Bucky standing quiet for a moment before finally venturing, "It's the most effective way to combat cold temperatures."

[sizeofyourbaggage]

That's another reason that Sam passes it over, especially in the arena. Even if he was going to comment on it, he wouldn't draw attention to it where everyone might be watching them.

There's a little bit of relief there, that Bucky already knows that. It's not a surprise, considering how well versed in survival he seems to be, but at least it saves one potentially awkward explanation.

"Exactly. And with the level of cold we got now, and what's probably coming? It's the most practical option. And if we have to go with plan B of dragging him in here and sitting on him until he sleeps, we got an excuse." Sam's mostly joking, there, but he's not too sure that isn't going to be plan B.

"But I don't want to sign you up for anything without asking you first."

Cooking

[metalicarus]

The smells that first night were what caught his attention initially. It smelled pretty damn good off in the direction of one of the other caves and he could only guess someone was cooking something up. He decided to more thoroughly explore the next night.

Armed with a couple fish as offering, Jet headed over to what he'd discovered was Sam, Steve and Bucky's cave and paused at the entrance. In the middle of a death arena, it likely wasn't wise to just wander into someone's base, if it was anything like Jet and Albert's, it might have snares and traps just inside.

"Knock knock. Smells like a freakin' gourmet kitchen in there."

[sizeofyourbaggage]

Sam'd paused in his cooking when he heard someone approaching, wary, but he smiles when he hears who it is. He's got his stove set up pretty close to the entrance, mostly so he can still keep an eye out, just in case, but he pauses to pick his way up to Jet, sidestepping traps and bundles of supplies alike.

"Pretty awesome, right?" he asks with a grin. "I always forget how much I miss spices until they're gone, but the sponsors decided to listen to my Valentine's Day request. Come on in, man."

[metalicarus]

"Oh, right, that thing." He and Albert had gotten the message that they should make some kind of request, but they'd ignored it entirely. Call them cynical, but they figured any request filled by the Capitol would come with some unwanted price tag. However, this time, it seemed they might be wrong.

He entered the cave, picking carefully through the traps so he didn't upset them, before handing over the fish. "A house warming present of your own. I thought you might be able to do more with this than I can, how bout it?"

[sizeofyourbaggage]

"Yeah. I didn't expect them to actually do it, but." He shrugs. He might as well take advantage of it while he can.

He grins a little when Jet holds up the fish, clapping him affectionately on the shoulder before he takes it. "Oh hell yeah, I can make us something great with these." Sam gets to work setting things up, glancing back up at his friend. "How've you guys been doing?"

[metalicarus]

Jet smiles back and settles down nearby Sam while his friend works, lazily watching whatever was done to those fish.

"Pretty good. Nearly got burned to death in that forest fire, but now we're shacked up here in the caves with you guys." He smirks. "We're practically neighbors. What about you guys?"

[sizeofyourbaggage]

His eyebrows raise a little when Jet mentions nearly getting burned alive. He’s smirking, so Sam’s guessing neither of them were seriously injured, but that doesn’t stop him from asking anyway.

“Oh, come on, man, you know you can’t just tell me something like that and expect me not to follow up. Are you okay, neither of you got hurt too bad?”