"The way they sounded, I doubt you did," Gemma replied, shaking her head a bit. "You're probably fine."

"Good." Kenzie relaxed a little and went back to cuddling a bit. Because there was definitely a clear hierarchy in her mind of her hoard, and Gemma was still at the top.

Gemma settled in with a small sigh. She waved a couple fingers absently, and some crystals hanging from the rafters began to glow, brightening the room as it got dark outside.

Kenzie smiled at that and ordered food in for them, content to spend the evening however Gemma liked.

A week and a half later, visitors arrived at the shop again. Instead of it being just Sam and Steve again, though, Bucky was with them. He looked at the shop, curious, and was almost eager to explore some.

Kenzie was downstairs manning the till while Gemma did a few things. Here meaning she was sitting behind the counter playing with a few gemstones she'd fetched from her room to keep herself amused. She did look up though when the door opened.

"Welcome back, gentlemen."

Bucky was the first one in the door, and he looked around the shop curiously. When he set eyes on Kenzie, though, he paused. It felt like something inside him clicked neatly into place, and somehow he felt steadier than he had in weeks.

"What can I help you with?" Kenzie asked, keeping his gaze. He looked better, his color better, a little livelier. Excellent.

Steve and Sam both paused when Bucky did, waiting to see how he reacted.

"What's going on?" Bucky asked after a moment. "All of... this? What is this?"

"The shop is Gemma's, it's a variety of things that are of us to a group of people," Kenzie said with a shrug. "I don't understand all of it, but magic is odd to me in most forms."

All three of them blinked.

"Magic?" Bucky repeated, a bit skeptical. Sam nudged Steve.

"Guess there's our answer," he murmured.

Kenzie smiled. "All you've seen and magic is what makes you pause?" she asked, amused.

"Guess so," Steve murmured, looking around with new interest.

"At a certain point, there has to be a limit," Bucky pointed out.

"What do you think?" Sam asked quietly, looking around as well.

"I suppose so," Kenzie ceded. "But that's not my area to explain."

Steve shrugged. "Not sure yet," he said, taking his time looking around and keeping some of his attention on Bucky.

Bucky raised an eyebrow, but let that subject drop for the moment.

"Alright," he said. "So then what about... this?" He gestured between them. "What's this all about?"

Kenzie held out a hand to him, giving him the option to take it or not.

"This is special," she murmured. "This is a bond between us. I have a bond with Gemma, I have ever since I added her to my hoard. It helps us both adjust."

Almost before he knew what he was doing, Bucky reached out and touched her hand. He could feel... something... thrumming between them, but he couldn't identify what it was. What he did know, however, was that it felt safe, somehow.

"What does it mean?" he asked. "For me. For us."

"Nothing extraordinary," Kenzie said. "It means that I will always be pleased to spend time with you, you will always be welcome here, and bonding time will strengthen this between us. As the bond develops, I will have an idea of your location and your mood, even when you're not here. You will be able to tell with me as well, I believe."

Bucky's gaze sharpened a bit.

"It'll get into my head?" he asked. "What happens if I don't want that to happen?"

Kenzie shrugged. "It doesn't have to," she soothed, rubbing the back of his hand. "I speak from general experience. Each bond differs, based on the people. My bond with Gemma allows me to tell how she feels. Other bonds I have had in the past allow me no more than a direction and the strongest of emotions."

"There were others?" Bucky wasn't sure if that was comforting or if it made him uneasy. He settled on both; comfort still sometimes made him uneasy anyways. "What made you choose me?"

"Oh, I have had others before you, or Gemma. I have been here a long time, and I have had several in my hoard at different times." Kenzie shrugged, looking down at their hands and rubbing her thumb across his skin. "I chose you because I needed to, in a way. When I need someone, it comes across as a need, to me. A physical and mental itch that I cannot scratch. I am not always entirely certain why certain people need to be mine, at least not until later." She shot him a smile. "You so far are one of my mysteries."

Bucky snorted a bit at that.

"Yeah, no kidding," he muttered, looking away for a moment. Hell, he was still kind of a mystery to himself, he couldn't imagine what other people saw.

"Don't worry. We'll find out eventually." Kenzie smiled, clearly not bothered by this. Then she paused and actually looked troubled for a moment. "But if you are uncomfortable, or prefer not to be part of my hoard, I can release you."

Bucky considered that for a moment. Somehow, the idea of being released wasn't as appealing as it seemed like it should be.

"No," he ventured after a second or two of silence. "I want to see what happens for now."