if it makes you feel any better, i don't think you're an asshole.
[ because he could use to have steve on his six when he goes out on these trips, on these little sidequests. they're a great team, the two of them, always has been before and during war. even after, so long after their perception of time stopped making sense.
but these doctors know what they're doing, and sam knows what he's doing, so maybe they just have to put elbow grease on things and just work on it. ]
[ steve is not unaware that he's being more than a little unreasonable and it's pretty much a dick move that he keeps complaining even when he understands why bucky's doing this. that bucky doesn't begrudge him his complaining really does make him feel better. ]
I'll be there whenever you need me. I'll be okay if you don't, though.
[ just gotta let him be annoyed about it for a little while, is all. ]
hey, come on. i need my best guy out there too, you know.
[ there are a few hydra cells left that bucky understands he can't take on alone. one to ten or one to fifty, he can push the odds closer in his favor, but even with the supersoldier serum he knows he's testing fate taking on more than that on his own. and hydra's not just his cross to bear, or even solely his enemy.
steve deserves his pound of flesh, too. (great bonding exercise, if there ever was any.) ]
so, you and romanoff. how long's that been going on?
[ okay, steve would absolutely be preening about that first text, except what, and i cannot state this enough, the fuck. ]
What
[ it takes a full five minutes for that text to ping bucky's phone, because steve is so confused he's spent that whole time trying to figure out what on god's green earth bucky is talking about. ]
i can't be supportive? i've been waiting to get your ass skirt-chasing, it's my turn to get judgmental.
[ it's not like steve was rude about bucky being that way for every girl he met who gave him the time of day. steve was very gentlemanly, actually, probably had better manners than bucky ever did when it came to the ladies. so maybe this is karma. all that flossing and now he gets a dose of his own medicine. except— ]
[ the only reason steve does not actually run out to the fire escape is because if he does he will be tempted by the very juvenile impulse to actually bite bucky. he's being mature, he's an adult who's in control of his impulses and who can delay gratification!!!
when he finally sticks his head out the window to see bucky, the impulse to bite is mostly gone. mostly. ]
You know we keep an industrial vacuum in the apartment for exactly this? Get in here, I'm getting cold just looking at you.
the shriek of the hose, the hiss of the cryochamber, water being siphoned from the tube in great volumes at a time; a large room with holes in the wall, shooting air and gasses and other things; tubes running down the length of metal poles, needles; shrieking, machines, shrieking people; metal bends, skin tears, someone is shouting in a language he doesn't understand—
You just wanna see me strip in the fire exit, be honest.
[ there's no heat to his saying it, but there is a hint of a smile, some playfulness as he does exactly that. risking their apartment to an indecency complaint, and it's barnes of all people; their folks would've gotten a heart attack.
he leaves his shoes, socks, gloves, jacket, trousers, and one layer of shirt outside. it's not that hard to crawl back in, but it does take a moment to get steve to back up and step aside so he can roll onto the floor like a big house cat. ]
We should probably put a rug under the windows. More comfy to land on.
I wanna see you warm and dry in the apartment, is what I want to see, [ with even less heat than bucky, but he's not denying the desire to see bucky strip, either. look, if anyone is looking at their fire escape, they have to expect to see some wild fucking shit. they're superheroes, it comes with the territory. that's just logic.
steve tries to help pull bucky through the window, but the truth is he's more hindrance than help in the end. he gets out of the way long enough to allow bucky to flop onto the hardwood, though, and smiles down at him. it's an absolutely ridiculously gooey, saccharine smile. if he could see his own face even he'd be disgusted. he's completely forgotten about biting bucky at all. ]
We could get a cushion, if you think this is going to be a regular thing.
Edited 2024-02-15 13:10 (UTC)
i forget if they were banging in the thread but ig they are now
We're definitely getting a cushion, because I'm gonna be using the window a lot.
[ it's a good ingress point: the window leads directly to the fire escape, which in turn leads directly into the open street, with alternate routes via the building's parking lot and the alley that cuts through the block. even without the fire escape, it's a survivable drop from the window to the pavement; he wouldn't even break anything.
bucky nods, then gets to the task of stripping down to his underwear then and there. he did say he didn't want to track dirt in the apartment; if anyone's watching him through the window, it's their fault for having eyes and looking. ]
I'm in the apartment, [ he points out, per steve's current list of wants, ] and I'm— not dry yet, but getting warmer. You got a towel for me, or are you joining me in the shower?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[ because he could use to have steve on his six when he goes out on these trips, on these little sidequests. they're a great team, the two of them, always has been before and during war. even after, so long after their perception of time stopped making sense.
but these doctors know what they're doing, and sam knows what he's doing, so maybe they just have to put elbow grease on things and just work on it. ]
maybe the next one you could come with me?
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[ steve is not unaware that he's being more than a little unreasonable and it's pretty much a dick move that he keeps complaining even when he understands why bucky's doing this. that bucky doesn't begrudge him his complaining really does make him feel better. ]
I'll be there whenever you need me. I'll be okay if you don't, though.
[ just gotta let him be annoyed about it for a little while, is all. ]
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[ there are a few hydra cells left that bucky understands he can't take on alone. one to ten or one to fifty, he can push the odds closer in his favor, but even with the supersoldier serum he knows he's testing fate taking on more than that on his own. and hydra's not just his cross to bear, or even solely his enemy.
steve deserves his pound of flesh, too. (great bonding exercise, if there ever was any.) ]
so, you and romanoff. how long's that been going on?
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What
[ it takes a full five minutes for that text to ping bucky's phone, because steve is so confused he's spent that whole time trying to figure out what on god's green earth bucky is talking about. ]
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[ did he misread things? ]
are you not?
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We're not, for the record.
[ steve loves nat and he knows she loves him but he also knows that if she had to deal with him on a 24/7 basis she'd throw herself into the ocean. ]
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this isn't mr. brightside, buddy.]body language. you're not shy about her.
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[ you kiss a girl to avoid hydra ONE TIME and all of a sudden your best guy is singing brandon flowers and drawing on guyliner. ]
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i can't be supportive? i've been waiting to get your ass skirt-chasing, it's my turn to get judgmental.
[ it's not like steve was rude about bucky being that way for every girl he met who gave him the time of day. steve was very gentlemanly, actually, probably had better manners than bucky ever did when it came to the ladies. so maybe this is karma. all that flossing and now he gets a dose of his own medicine. except— ]
is it still peggy, even now?
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I'm not really interested in dating, Buck. Figure I have bigger things to worry about than who I'm coming home to.
[ if it's not you, that is. these two are so dense it's criminal. ]
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[ well, he feels bad about this line of questioning now. ]
you never thought about settling down, though? if you got the chance to, wouldn't it be nice?
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[ this had been a wild diversion from steve's salt about being left behind when bucky goes on missions, i tell you what. ]
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just getting your mind off things, is all. worked though, didn't it?
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[ he was getting not-upset just fine on his own without you being a weirdo about his nonexistent wife and kids, thanks!!! ]
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[ see, this is almost like normal. and anyway, now he knows to set you up with someone sometime. hmm. first he has to socialize though.
mission acquired: recon; develop social circle for potential pool of captain america dates. ]
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[ for the love of god and everything holy please do not under any circumstances do that ]
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[ he's waiting for his vest and boots to dry, he's not tracking blood into the apartment. it's a bitch to clean!!! ]
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when he finally sticks his head out the window to see bucky, the impulse to bite is mostly gone. mostly. ]
You know we keep an industrial vacuum in the apartment for exactly this? Get in here, I'm getting cold just looking at you.
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the shriek of the hose, the hiss of the cryochamber, water being siphoned from the tube in great volumes at a time; a large room with holes in the wall, shooting air and gasses and other things; tubes running down the length of metal poles, needles; shrieking, machines, shrieking people; metal bends, skin tears, someone is shouting in a language he doesn't understand—
he can feel himself start to pale. ]
—I think I'll stick to air-dying.
You bought an industrial vacuum?
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[ but steve is not stupid, he can see the way the idea of it bothers bucky, so we're just not going to suggest that again and call it a day. ]
You can just take off your boots and vest and leave 'em out here, you don't have to wait with 'em. Come inside, I'm serious, you're breakin my heart.
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[ there's no heat to his saying it, but there is a hint of a smile, some playfulness as he does exactly that. risking their apartment to an indecency complaint, and it's barnes of all people; their folks would've gotten a heart attack.
he leaves his shoes, socks, gloves, jacket, trousers, and one layer of shirt outside. it's not that hard to crawl back in, but it does take a moment to get steve to back up and step aside so he can roll onto the floor like a big house cat. ]
We should probably put a rug under the windows. More comfy to land on.
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steve tries to help pull bucky through the window, but the truth is he's more hindrance than help in the end. he gets out of the way long enough to allow bucky to flop onto the hardwood, though, and smiles down at him. it's an absolutely ridiculously gooey, saccharine smile. if he could see his own face even he'd be disgusted. he's completely forgotten about biting bucky at all. ]
We could get a cushion, if you think this is going to be a regular thing.
i forget if they were banging in the thread but ig they are now
[ it's a good ingress point: the window leads directly to the fire escape, which in turn leads directly into the open street, with alternate routes via the building's parking lot and the alley that cuts through the block. even without the fire escape, it's a survivable drop from the window to the pavement; he wouldn't even break anything.
bucky nods, then gets to the task of stripping down to his underwear then and there. he did say he didn't want to track dirt in the apartment; if anyone's watching him through the window, it's their fault for having eyes and looking. ]
I'm in the apartment, [ he points out, per steve's current list of wants, ] and I'm— not dry yet, but getting warmer. You got a towel for me, or are you joining me in the shower?
stucky: banging bucky: so what's up with you and nat? steve: ?????
siri is my enemy