chrysalism. n.
the amniotic tranquility of being indoors during a thunderstorm, listening to waves of rain pattering against the roof like an argument upstairs, whose muffled words are unintelligible but whose crackling release of built-up tension...
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Undisclosed Location. June 16th, 2017. 4:37 AM.
Cole was once again strapped to the metal chair, electricity burning both sides of his face. Dr. Filak paced in front of him, reading from a clipboard.
"Несчастный случай (Accident), девяносто два (Ninety-Two), дефибриллятор (Defibrillator)," he spoke in a rhythmic manner. Cole grunted as the electricity coursed through him. "павлин (Peacock), тысячи (Two Thousand), лодка (Boat), девятнадцать (Nineteen)," Cole's grunts turned to full-blown screams. "красный (Red), матриарх (Matriarch)." Suddenly, Cole's screaming and the electricity stopped, as if on cue. Cole sat up as the machine released him, a stone-cold look on his face.
"Готовы соблюдать (Ready to comply)," he replied.
_
New York, New York. June 16th, 2017. Malone's Bedroom. 7:39 PM.
"Okay," Malone chirped as she bounced onto the bed next to Bucky. "Do you wanna see the coolest thing Loki has taught me?" She smiled widely at him, and he looked up from his book, waiting to see her new trick. She hid her left hand behind her back and scrunched her face in concentration, before pulling a hot cup of tea from behind her back. He laughed in amazement and took the tea from her hand. He took a sip and grinned at her.
"You make a good cup of tea, Malone," he said as he took another sip. "Everything is still going well with that?"
"Yeah, Sam's pretty good at keeping an eye out for me. He catches Loki's flirty remarks that don't even register in my head," she said as she nuzzled into Bucky's arms. He sighed, annoyed that Loki was still flirting with Malone. He had been trying to get inside Malone's head since starting lessons with her. But Stark and Banner had warned her, and she made sure to always be outwardly thinking complicated music theory, to build a wall around her thoughts. Loki was known for reading minds, and Malone wanted to learn. But she wasn't going to risk being brainwashed again just so she could probe Bucky's nightmares. "But I've gotten better at controlling it. Maybe we can try to go to another baseball game someday," she joked.
"I'd love that, doll. But I'm still trying to find a reason as to why you would want to read thoughts," Bucky replied. Malone had voiced her desire to learn telepathy to him, but no real reason behind it. She just wanted to, that's what she had told Bucky. He had no idea she wanted so badly to figure out what plagued him at night alone in his bedroom. She had realized shortly after Bucky moved onto their floor how many nightmares he actually had, and usually ran in during the wee hours of the mornings to comfort him. They promised Kenny and Ryan that they would take things slow, and give the entire family a chance to get to know Bucky, and love him as much as Malone did.
"What? You've never seen someone stare at you for just a little too long and wonder what they were thinking about?" She asked as she sat on Bucky's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. An alarm rang on her phone, telling her it was time to get ready for the show tonight. She was finally healed enough to play guitar, and the three-piece band was going to play their first electric show since Malone's injury. "Oh, saved by the bell," she smiled as she leaned into him for a kiss. He obliged, running his hands up her back. "As much as I would love to stay here and kiss you all night long, I have to get ready for the show," she ran a hand through his hair and smiled. She stood and walked towards her closet, feeling Bucky's eyes on her back. "Don't get creepy, Barnes," she teased.
