[ Sylar takes that for the swipe it is. But it doesn't sting as hard as he expected- Al had been traveling with the Avengers anyway. And now his transgressions were out there on the network for all to see. He still couldn't lie, and any attempt at deception just seemed sort of laughable at this point. This might've happened anyway, he didn't know. ]
If you keep thinking I'm such a vicious animal, why do you keep trying to corner me?
But sure. Fine. I already asked Al if he wanted to tell them. Clint was helping him get around. I like Clint all right.
[ It doesn't even bother him, John. It'll be fine. ]
I think you're a man who needs to be locked up, Mr. Gray. Nothing more and nothing less. In lieu of that, I'd like people I trust you won't be able to manipulate watching you. Natasha will be with Clint.
It might well do. Please let me know if the symptoms worsen, Mr. Undertaker. The good news is that there are available donors for your blood type. At the moment, I don't know of any viable donors for Kid. I'll have to ask around.
Thank you for bringing it to my attention. Are you traveling with him right now? He does have cough medicine along with some pain medication. Please make sure he's taking that.
It means a lot that you're doing this, by the way. I really can't... Kid hasn't been in a good way since a long while now, and Claire dying in front of him didn't help. He has trouble with eating, too. If you can see he does that. I'll ask around for more donors. I appreciate this so much, sir. You didn't have to go out on a limb here for him.
[And the fact that Undertaker has, has ratcheted him up several notches in John's estimation.]
I only take being locked up as a challenge, John. Trust me, there are a lot less deaths doing things this way.
Regardless, this sounds all right. Maybe I'll get along with Natasha better than I did with you. I'll try to keep working on getting us out of here, along with everyone else. The less distracted we are, the better.
[He doesn't bother telling John that he already took the morphine with the intent of holding onto it, he just pockets the pills again. He's ready to hang up, reason for calling dealt with, when John just keeps going.
He tamps down any of the fear, anger, and distress that threaten to bubble up inside him. Why doesn't anyone understand that when he says he doesn't want to talk about it, that doesn't mean ask again in a short while? There are some things better left unsaid. So he doesn't say them, he moves right along.]
You held your own ground, don't need to thank me for that.
[An understanding doesn't sound quite like a full make up of friendship, but it's probably the best that can be hoped for.]
Wear the hat. You've been needing one since you got here and that one's specifically for this sort of weather. I don't want to have to cut off pieces of your ears for the frostbite.
[So that's a 'poorly' on the how are you doing front. John might have expected it, and he sighs to himself. Maybe Natasha will be able to get through to him. John doesn't want to push it.]
You helped remind me why I should.
[And as Bucky's avoiding talking about feelings, John's going to avoid talking about injuries.]
[Excuse you, that's not how this works. He frowns at the tablet at his end, ignoring the twisting feeling those words cause in his gut. Maybe John won't push, but Bucky will.]
He'll be coming after you now that he knows for sure that you know, and now that he knows we're friends.
[And they are, even if he's so angry that John was stupid enough to confirm how deep their friendship went in front of that man. Angry for other reasons, selfish reasons. It's why he can't talk about it, he knows on some level that it's not really John's fault.]
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