[ well, at least it's charming and not pathetic. it could so easily have been the latter—and had been, when he was smaller, less handsome, had more sharp edges. girls hadn't been as willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, back then. ]
Quite simple, huh. [ #doubt. but steve doesn't voice his disbelief, he just watches their feet with a furrowed brow, trying to step when and where navia telegraphs that he should. it's... not not simple. compared to some of the hand-to-hand forms he's had to memorize, it really is easy.
it's just that he has no rhythm, is the thing. he's either too late or too early, and he can't find the timing for any of the steps. he can see himself getting it wrong, moving too early, his foot sweeping into the space navia's is currently occupying.
he manages, by grace of his enhanced reflexes, to avoid stepping on her toes, but he stumbles a little to do it. it's a close call, and his nose scrunches up with an annoyed purse of his lips. ]
Sorry, are you alright? I promise I'm trying.
[ this is why none of the girls bucky had set him up with had ever been interested in a second date. ]
[ If she'd known him back then, when he was smaller and less hale, Navia would hope she'd treat him with the same kindness and respect as she does now that he's the man standing before her. The Spina di Rosula accepts all, no matter their size or shape, as long as they have goodness in their hearts, and a desire to help those around them.
But she didn't know him then, so she can only help him as he is now--a complete disaster on the dance floor, apparently.
She laughs off the stumble, leaping nimbly over his foot and trying to brace him a little in spite of him being more than capable of catching himself. ]
Hey now, don't you worry about me. I'm tougher than I look. Now... why don't we try a two-step style dance instead? Something a little more back-and-forth?
[ And yeah, the girls Bucky set him up with were cowards. Change my mind. ]
[ steve blinks at ereshkigal for a moment, surprised, before his expression melts into something a little softer. you know, he wasn't sad, but he appreciates the attempt at comfort all the same. there aren't many people who realize that he can be sad, even if they get it wrong. ]
It is old for a human, yeah. Technically I guess you could say I'm younger than that, too, but that's complicated.
[ one good thing about being a celebrity back home is never having to figure out how to explain 67 years frozen in the arctic making him simultaneously 95 and 28. don't have to explain anything if everyone already knows the story!
steve begins to lead them over to the dance floor, only for his steps to stutter a little at that last. sorry, the goddess of what? ]
Well. Yeah, I can see how that would be kind of embarrassing, for a goddess. We'll have to make sure no one else is in the bathroom.
He must not have heard that correctly, because that makes it sound like this guy is a time traveler, and that's just. I mean. There's what happened to Steve and then there's insanity, right?
Not that we're going to gloss over that last part, because what?
"Sorry, you're friends with Tony?"
Why is Tony friends with children, this guy can't be more than a year or two out of high school, if that.
That's what he was afraid of. "Timeline. You know what, don't worry about it." He can do explaining later.
He nods. "I am." Friends with back home, but also slept with in the weird sex city he just came from. And not just Tony - the city apparently had a thing for pushing Peter toward all of his Avenger friends.
Needless to say, Peter is not a child. And he, maybe, hasn't actually finished high school. He had a two year stint in the weird sex city. It gets very complicated.
"Does the tone of your question mean that you're not?"
[ hey, steve isn't against helping, he's against getting roped into helping against his will. that's pretty understandable, in his opinion! not weird to want to have a say in whose back you're scratching! ]
Had a couple run-ins, yeah. It wasn't fun.
[ thankfully steve isn't too easy to unbalance, even though he wobbles for a moment before he plants his feet more sturdily on the ground, shifts his stance so he's got surer footing. he looks down at the cat... person... currently aggressively rubbing itself against his legs and huffs, hands on his hips. ]
Can I pick you up? I'll scratch wherever you want.
[ Kai pauses in the middle of his next rotation to peer up at Steve with something almost like suspicion on his feline face. And then he stretches upwards to plant his front paws on Steve's knee, so that's presumably a yes. More contact is better right now. ]
What did you do about it, then?
[ If he has so against Kai's extremely dignified human attempts at solving the problem. Surely he was already aware of the itching? Just thinking about it makes him paw restlessly at Steve's leg. ]
[ steve sits with that for a moment, considering how inconvenient that would be—how limiting, to never see in anything but red. how frightening, to have to be afraid of an unfiltered world. to have only two thin lenses between you and pain and blindness.
raw fucking deal, man. ]
I know a little of what that's like, [ he offers. ] I used to be, uh... A lot different than I am now. I got sick a lot, had asthma. There was a lot I couldn't do, because my body just couldn't take it. People weren't always kind about it.
[ try never, but that was the 30s for you. asthma was a mental condition, the disabled were a burden on the rest of society, and 20,000 nazis marched through the streets of new york like they had a place there. when people ask if he misses the good old days, steve feels compelled to remind them that they were only ever good for people with a lot more advantages than he ever had.
he hated when people pitied him, though, and hated even more when they treated him like he was fragile, or different than they were, so he's certainly not going to turn around and do anything of the sort to scott. ]
As for this, [ he turns back to the costume, a deliberate subject change. ] I kind of want to buy it, just so I can destroy it. What do you think?
[A little hard to imagine that this man next to him used to be sick a lot, but puberty's a game changer. He gets it. Sometimes you start beefing up and sometimes you start shooting lasers out of your eyes, these things happen. Still, there's one thing that stands out to Scott in his sentence, a questioning glance passing his features before deciding to ask.]
You really look healthy now. [He compliments lightly, first.] I didn't even know you could grow out of asthma, but... many people are often judgmental for the smallest and most baseless of reasons. Sometimes you want to fight them, but can't always go about blasting our way through.
[Scott feels like he doesn't need to point out his sunglasses as the reason why some people weren't kind to him either. Despite himself, even though he's sure that Steve isn't a mutant like him, he feels a small sense of camaraderie. It's a nice feeling, one that he grasps because feeling alone in this place is draining.]
I think. [He starts almost seriously, before his mouth twitches upward, showing his approval of his idea.] You should. We'll at least spare everyone else's eyes.
[Maybe not the most productive use of chips and everything, but sometimes, you need this.]
Oh, you can't grow out of asthma. Symptoms can lessen, but it never really goes away, just... lies in wait.
[ and yet steve has no more asthma! no, he won't be explaining. not immediately, anyway.
he huffs a chuckle, corner of his mouth turned up in a not-quite smile. ]
You sound like my friend. He didn't think I should be trying to fight everybody either.
[ it could easily have come out annoyed, but the fond warmth in steve's voice is unmistakable—this is a very favorable comparison. everyone should be like bucky, bucky's great!!!
anyway, what's money for if not to use? they're steve's chips, he can do what he wants with them, and what he wants is to burn this monstrosity. ]
Well, if you're not going to tell me no...
[ this time steve's smile is wider, more mischievous, as he looks around for an employee. it's not hard to find one, despite how he'd been sure there was no one else around just a second ago; as soon as steve turns his head there's an employee at his elbow asking if they can help him with anything. he just wants to buy the costume, but— ]
No, I don't need to try it on, I just want to buy—no, really, I don't need to try it on!
[ the employee is very insistent. someone needs to try this costume on before they can sell it. ]
Did he mishear, earlier? Maybe. The slight inconsistency slots to the back of his mind, as it's not something he really wants to prod about. Just, perhaps something in his thoughts for later if needed. Besides, being pretty nosy about someone's asthma is pretty rude... and they're having a nice conversation! So, why ruin that. Being compared to his friend is kind of nice too, especially since there's that blatant warmth in his tone, a look of someone that truly values that friendship.
It's nice seeing, enough for Scott to smile.]
We're doing the world a favor.
[He encourages further, his smile increasing as they land in agreement. Honestly, it's been a while since he's blown something up-- not that he's going to use his optic blasts on something like this, but... the thought is a little fun. Sometimes that old recklessness from his youth calls to him and it's not like him and Steve are going to hurt anyone, quite the opposite.
So, he watches as Steve talks to the employee and hm. Maybe he can help save his new... friend? Or acquaintance, at least. He's not sure if this will work, but he'll try at least.]
...Would you make an exception for me? [His smile turns slightly lopsided, maybe a little helpless.] As a king rank here.
[ you said the magic words, scott. as soon as the employee realizes who they're talking to, their eyes get almost comically big, and they splutter and stutter over of course, i'm so sorry, i didn't know! we'll get that checked out for you tight away, sir, right away!
as the employer scurries away to get a bag for the costume, steve turns back to scott with an arched eyebrow. ]
They really weren't kidding about how much pull the royal ranks get, were they?
Scott feels just slightly bad for making the employee run off like that, because it's not like he wants people to feel intimidated around him. He's glad that Steve doesn't have try on that ridiculous outfit though, so maybe he'll just be extra appreciative and everything when they return. Maybe throw in a tip?? Scott reaches a hand up to ruffle some of his hair, before turning to Steve with a smile that's almost a grimace.]
Yeah, they... really do the best to make sure that the high ranks are treated differently. Like we're somehow more important.
[It's made it hard to blend in too, which annoying. But there's certainly some benefits, and Scott doesn't want to complain to others, especially since hearing about the poorer conditions on the lower floors. He just has to make the best of what he has and use his rank that will be helpful for others as well.]
That's not right, [ steve says immediately, because of course he does. it is not, notably, that's not fair, because while that is true, the world isn't fair, and steve knows that as well as anyone. right is more important than fair, and steve has lived his life trying to will and bend and demand the world around him to be right. it's kind of his thing. ] What does that even accomplish? Aren't all ranks integral to the game, there's no point treating any of them better than the others.
[ not that he thinks scott has the answers to these questions, or can do anything to change things. he's a king, sure, but he's not a hotel employee, or anyone with the ability to really change things within the system. he's a—he's a card in the deck, just like the rest of them, not the dealer. ]
[It's not fair, Steve's right, and Scott has zero intentions to argue against him. He may be benefiting from the system, but he's not blind to it. He's seen how lower ranks are treated by staff here and no matter how many times he tells them to stop, they only really do so temporarily.
It's not enough to cut the stem, they need to reach the root and yank it out.]
Probably meant as an incentive.
[But that's all he has to offer, Scott's own deposition taking on a more serious note because this conversation, with one of his arms crossing against his chest. He's more than willing to answer Steve's questions, they're just unfortunately quite unhelpful.]
For what we know, it's all random. If the higherups are using a guideline, no one seems to know it. [He's not exactly apologetic, but he's not totally unaffected either.]
Wouldn't being treated well be enough incentive to stay and play?
[ it's not that steve is naïve, or stupid, or even willfully obtuse. he can understand the idea that some people might be motivated to play in order to achieve a higher rank in a way they might not be motivated if they had that rank to begin with. it just seems like the vast majority of people would take the break from the real world if it came with guaranteed pleasure and comfort.
that's something he's noticed in the future: everyone's tired, these days. everyone wants an escape from their lives, even if it's just for a little while. they all want the world to just stop, so they can have time to catch up on things they want to do, not just what they need to do. no bills, no jobs, nothing and nobody to fight, all needs catered to... sure, that wouldn't motivate steve, but steve's a bit of a special case. most other people, you'd think they'd jump at the opportunity to take a break like this. ]
Well, then we have a goal: figure out the guideline.
[ not to rope this guy into a revolution that maybe he has no interest in, or anything, whoops. in the distance, steve can see the employee who'd run off to bag the costume making their way back over to him and—aw, hell. ]
I'm so sorry, I never introduced myself. Steve Rogers, [ he holds his hand out, smiling, ] nice to meet you.
[He figures that he doesn't really have to get into a whole spiel about motivation with Steve; it seems like he's figured that out well on his own. Still an unfortunate thing that every guest has to deal with, maybe it's a motivator in a different way-- a push to break down the system itself. Scott's always for something like that, especially if it's unfair. If it treats people worse.]
Thought about toppling the whole system myself, honestly. Best to start at the top, right?
[Convince those in charge. It's going to be a very different 'game' from what he normally does, however. It's not like he can really throw his weight as a X-Man around, go around saving people from certain dangers and then throw on a plastered smile in front of a camera because they're the 'good representation.' Hope that Congress doesn't pass a bill that suddenly strips their rights--
Can't say he misses that too much.]
Scott Summers. [His smile is actually genuine, shaking the offered hand in a firm grip.] It's nice to meet you, Steve.
[ it's nice to have someone around who seems to be as immediately down to fuck shit up as steve is—bucky generally is, has been, in the past, but he's also determined to be smart about it. do their due diligence, make sure they're not causing more problems than they're solving, make sure their use of force is necessary and judicious. all important stuff! he's a valuable check on steve's inclination to be a human battering ram!
but sometimes you see a poorly built tower and you want to topple it, nuts to the consequences. ]
You wouldn't hear me complaining, [ steve smiles, ] but I figure if we want to make sure nothing worse pops up in its place, we should probably figure out what we're toppling first.
[ "convince" those in charge, "remove"... whatever works, you know? steve's got ideas, but he's always open to improvising.
the employee with the costume comes up to scott and holds out the bag, talking about so sorry for the inconvenience mr. summers, i didn't recognize you, we've included some free samples for your trouble, please don't hesitate to let me know if there's anything more we can do for you—
steve meets scott's eye over the employee's head, one eyebrow raised incredulously. ]
[ oh, god, steve is so not qualified to assist with whatever is going on here. superhero pep talks, he's got those covered. motivational calls to arms, he has one of those in his back pocket right now! advice for insecure teenagers in need of reassurance that they're worth sticking around for, the right person will come along, and life isn't always this horrible and hostile? shockingly, he hasn't had a lot of experience with this kind of thing.
alien invasions are less scary than a crying teenager, you heard it here first. ]
I think you're a little young to be looking for a husband. [ that's a fine place to start, right, and accurate, at least for the current time period. it wouldn't have been too weird for her to at least be thinking about marriage in his time, but that's one of the things steve thinks the modern era has going for it. he hovers next to her pew, torn between his innate desire to Help and his intense discomfort with this whole situation. ] Going straight to marriage is a bad idea anyway, the best relationships start out as friendships.
Me and my husband, for example. [ you know, it's a real shame this is an absolute lie, because it illustrates his point better than anything else could. ] We've been best friends since we were kids. There's nobody who knows me better. The depth of relationship we have, it can only come from knowing somebody for years. Decades, in our case.
[ video game? main love interest??? boy, kids these days sure do talk funny. at another time, steve might ask after these unfamiliar references, but it hardly seems important when he's trying to impart Adult Wisdom. ]
If you've got all those things going for you, then making friends should be easy. You can worry about love later.
[ Her sobs and sniffles stop so abruptly, it's almost creepy, especially with how her head slowly turns to glare at him. This is no longer the time for tears, since someone said something asinine. ]
I'm eighteen! How is that too young? [ Which proves just how not ready she is for marriage. ] Besides...
[ She grumbles, wiping at her face as she pouts down at her lap. ] The person I actually love? We are friends. We came together at the lowest point of my life, and we gradually got to know each other until, well...ahaha, maybe I shouldn't even use the word "friends." We're something more now. But I haven't found them here yet...
[ Something in her expression shifts to sadness. They were something. Without them here, she had nothing. That's why she's been trying to scratch the incessant itch the Player's absence has left behind. If she can just find them, everything will finally be perfect.
Maybe she can live through this guy for a while? Yeah, sounds good. ]
Could you tell me about the moment you two fell in love, when you really knew he was the one...er, what's your name?
[ Go on, Cap. You can handle talking about your very real marriage, can't you? ]
[ part of being a legendary strategist and the leader of multiple elite combat teams is knowing a lost cause even you see one, and the signs are clear: this cause is not just lost, it's chasing its own tail in the bermuda triangle. note to self: don't ever try to tell a teenage girl her business.
(why did that show head turn remind him of the red skull??)
steve puts his hands up, palms out, in a show of surrender. ]
Sorry, guess I was mistaken.
[ as soon as it seems like the apology is accepted, he drops his hands and stuffs them into his pockets instead, brows intensely furrowed—if she's already in love, why do any of this?—but he doesn't risk commenting again until—oh dear. ]
Ah, my name's Steve. The moment I fell in love...
[ steve looks away from her, squinting like he's thinking, trying to buy himself time to think of an answer. it takes what may be a suspiciously long time, but eventually he shrugs sort of helplessly. ]
I don't think there was one specific moment, to be honest. Or relationship happened slowly, over time. Years. And one day, I just looked at him and I realized... that's my best guy. I don't want to do anything if it's not with him.
[ no word of that is a lie, and the soft attention in his voice isn't even slightly manufactured, even if he doesn't mean it in the romantic way this girl could assume. it took years for steve to realize that not only was bucky his best friend, but he was bucky's, too. they were inseparable after that.
or, well. they wanted to be. life had other plans. ]
[ At least he's got the smarts to realize he's wrong. She appreciates that in a guy! He gets a small shrug, then she moves on from it. No need to make a big deal of it, since he hasn't upset her that much.
Curious, though, how he looks. Why's it taking so long to think of something? She can pinpoint the exact moment she fell in love with the Player in excruciating detail! See, it all began when during the first club meeting, their mouse pointer almost hovered over her name first when it was time to share poems, a sign of just how much they really wanted her--
Er. What did he say? She was too busy being in true love, sorry. ]
Oh.
[ She doesn't mean to sound disappointed, but she expected something more epic! Like, who knows, some sweet love story of one of them always looking out for the other, saving them, encouraging them, until one day something magical happened and their love truly hit like a train...!
He's still there. Oops. She has to remember she's not, you know, eternally alone with her own thoughts anymore. ]
Ahaha, sorry! I just expected something more with you. I mean, look at you. Anyone would go nuts over you. I figured your hubby would have to beat people off with a bat to get to you!
But... [ Her expression softens. ] I'm not judging. When you know, you know, right? Even the less exciting love stories are beautiful. And it's so cute how you call him you best guy...
[ She holds her cheeks at the cuteness and giggles. ] What a shame he got to you before I could, though...I might have to give him a piece of my mind~
[ oh, thank goodness, crisis averted, the teenager has been appeased. the barnes girls were too well-mannered to have prepared him for what to do if that didn't work.
against all reason, steve finds himself frowning at monika, bristling with offense—where does she get off, sounding disappointed by his fake love story? it's very fake-moving, he'll have you know! ]
The excitement came later. You asked about the moment we fell in love, not the most exciting moment we've had. [ if you wanted to know about looking out for each other and trains, be more specific with your questions!! their love story, romantic or otherwise, is a damn tearjerker!!!
oh, but—the idea of her trying to give bucky a piece of her mind about steve... trying to intimidate the winter soldier about his non-existent husband......
[ Jeez, what's with the frown? She's just telling it like it is! He makes it too easy to do that, really.
Her mouth opens to ask what their most exciting moment is--in a rude way, knowing her--but it snaps shut when he laughs like that. Now she's the one bristling with indignation, even rising from the pew to give an immature little stomp. How very dare, sir! ]
What are you laughing for?! I can do what I want!
[ As you know, teenagers are invincible, and she is no exception. As if she needs to fear a piddly metal arm! So now, she definitely has to do this to prove a petty point. ]
Call him up! I'll do it right now! [ Suddenly, she smirks. She's got a brilliant idea, and she crosses her arms in satisfaction. ] Maybe he can tell me more about you two, and just what the most exciting time was for you~
[ After she blathers on about how lucky Bucky is, anyway. ]
[ and now she's stomping her foot like a toddler, oh, god, monika is not making it easy to stop laughing. it's like looking at a much taller, much less endearing judy barnes. ]
You can do whatever you want, I never said you couldn't.
[ is that a serious enough expression? well, it's as good as it's going to get, anyway. bucky wouldn't kill a teenager just for being annoying, it's fine. steve doesn't have to do anything to prevent this from happening.
...though he probably should explain the marriage thing before expecting bucky to go along with the bit. ]
I'm not calling my husband just so you can bother him.
[ steve cares about bucky too much to put him through that. ]
[ The flat expression she makes is probably amusing, too. If she had a family, she imagines this is how an annoying big brother would be like. Or maybe a total square of a dad. He's got options. Whatever he'd be, she'd be doing her best to be a total pain in the ass as revenge. Just like right now!
Regardless, being met with "lol do whatever" isn't what she was looking for. Mischief isn't fun when it's just handed over freely! It's not fun when it's denied so quickly, either! Why can't he do exactly what she wants!!! ]
Wow, okay! I was giving you both an opportunity [ (to let her pry) ] to share what real love should look like, but fine! I see how it is!
[ Pouting harder than before, she loudly drops back onto the pew, arms crossed tightly over her chest. Nothing to see here, folks, just someone throwing another tantrum because she can't modify some files and fix this issue to go in her favor. ]
Just go already if you're so tired of me! I'll find someone else who wants to talk to me! Maybe even marry me!
[ loki sure does like to make a lot of assumptions—assumes steve wouldn't have listened while his teammate was talking about not just his family member but their current enemy, assumes that steve's behavior on his second week out of the ice is in any way indicative of his actual personality, assumes steve never swears despite "fuck" being every soldier's favourite crutch word since the dawn of time.
well, that's fine. a lot of people make assumptions about him that have no bearing on reality; steve's not going to worry when loki of all people does it. he has more important things to worry about.
things which have him eyeing loki's hand, weighing his options. he recognizes an olive branch when he sees one, but one only has to look to thor to see how often loki's olive branches turn out to be knives in disguise. but if he is sincere, if he even knows how to be, steve would be stupid to discount his knowledge out of hand.
it takes a moment, but steve eventually firms up his expression and looks loki in the eye. ]
I'll take the explanation, but I don't need the help. I don't think we need to get any closer to each other.
[ certainly not close enough to touch, to dance. not fighting loki outright doesn't have to mean getting close to him, at least not until he proves that he hasn't found a way to smuggle daggers around. ]
[It’s true, Loki is as guilty of assumptions as everyone else. Most of his about Steve come from a time when his mind was in less than optimal working order. The rest was from the tidbits Thor had shared when over explaining what he was up to with his Avengers friends.
More recently, Loki has come to realize he’s made incorrect assumptions about people, but he’s been so disconnected from that part of his life that the thought doesn’t occur to him, at least not right away. More than anything, he’s just surprised that Steve isn’t really doing anything, other than maybe looking a little wary. Not that Loki could blame him for that.
There is a brief moment when Loki thinks maybe Steve will actually take him up on his offer, as stupid as that may sound. He forces his own expression to stay neutral and lowers his hand at the expected decline. Then his defence mechanism kicks in like it hasn’t in sometime. Loki smirks and crosses his arms over his chest.]
Oh, I see. Afraid you might actually like it then? How could you live with yourself, dancing with a villain.
[ at least steve doesn't rise to the bait. he doesn't give much more than a raised eyebrow, crossing his arms in a mirror of loki's stance. he looks every inch the "dad whose kid just sassed him in an unapproved way", never mind that he doesn't have kids.
(lbr, all of america is his kid, and he's had ample opportunity to practice his disappointed dad faces with the whole country.) ]
You want to try that again?
[ loki, you know as well as steve does that the last time you saw each other you were trying very determinedly to kill each other. if you're going to try to convince steve you're not a threat here in the hotel, you're going to have to accept a few boundaries. ]
[It’s in that moment, as Steve stares him down that Loki realizes at least one of the reasons why they don’t get along and surprise surprise, it actually has nothing to do with Steve being uptight or Loki being a villain. No, the real surprising part is that Steve suddenly reminds him of a dad, of the few occasions when Odin tried to actually be a father to him. More than even that, it reminds him a bit of Mobius when he first met him. How he had managed to reign him in so easily.
This both disturbs and humbles Loki is ways he doesn’t know how to handle.
Loki frowns, though it’s really more at himself than at Steve. As if he can’t control himself suddenly, he turns into a bit of a petulant teenager that the Captain would very much recognize. Something Loki will very much beat himself up over later.]
Try what again? Is there something I said that wasn’t true?
[Really, Loki knows exactly what the Captain is getting at. Part of him knew and completely understood why he would react in such a way. It just feels like it’s been forever since he’s been put in his place like this and he’s terrified by the part that likes it as much as he hates how much it makes him miss his friend at the TVA.]
[ alright, well, if loki's going to be a brat, steve doesn't have to sit here and take it. he is not, in fact, loki's dad, and holds no responsibility for him and his petulant antics one way or another. ]
Let me know when you decide you want to talk, [ he says, not unkind but absolutely brooking no nonsense, either. he maintains eye contact with loki just long enough to add a little extra "are you proud of yourself, young man?" flavor to his paternalistic judgment before turning to walk away.
the worst part is, he's not even doing this on purpose. he's just Like This. ]
[It really is the worst part, though Loki isn’t fully aware of that. He doesn’t even pretend to know the Captain that well. All he really knows right now is that he feels like he put himself out there, tried to do something nice for someone he knows doesn’t like him and only to be brutally rebuked.]
Fine. See if I care. Good luck finding anyone that fits the bill with your little problem.
[Loki huffs in annoyance before turning away in a flourish deciding it was better to pretend Steve isn’t even here.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
for @macaronage
[ well, at least it's charming and not pathetic. it could so easily have been the latter—and had been, when he was smaller, less handsome, had more sharp edges. girls hadn't been as willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, back then. ]
Quite simple, huh. [ #doubt. but steve doesn't voice his disbelief, he just watches their feet with a furrowed brow, trying to step when and where navia telegraphs that he should. it's... not not simple. compared to some of the hand-to-hand forms he's had to memorize, it really is easy.
it's just that he has no rhythm, is the thing. he's either too late or too early, and he can't find the timing for any of the steps. he can see himself getting it wrong, moving too early, his foot sweeping into the space navia's is currently occupying.
he manages, by grace of his enhanced reflexes, to avoid stepping on her toes, but he stumbles a little to do it. it's a close call, and his nose scrunches up with an annoyed purse of his lips. ]
Sorry, are you alright? I promise I'm trying.
[ this is why none of the girls bucky had set him up with had ever been interested in a second date. ]
no subject
But she didn't know him then, so she can only help him as he is now--a complete disaster on the dance floor, apparently.
She laughs off the stumble, leaping nimbly over his foot and trying to brace him a little in spite of him being more than capable of catching himself. ]
Hey now, don't you worry about me. I'm tougher than I look. Now... why don't we try a two-step style dance instead? Something a little more back-and-forth?
[ And yeah, the girls Bucky set him up with were cowards. Change my mind. ]
for @queenofkur
[ steve blinks at ereshkigal for a moment, surprised, before his expression melts into something a little softer. you know, he wasn't sad, but he appreciates the attempt at comfort all the same. there aren't many people who realize that he can be sad, even if they get it wrong. ]
It is old for a human, yeah. Technically I guess you could say I'm younger than that, too, but that's complicated.
[ one good thing about being a celebrity back home is never having to figure out how to explain 67 years frozen in the arctic making him simultaneously 95 and 28. don't have to explain anything if everyone already knows the story!
steve begins to lead them over to the dance floor, only for his steps to stutter a little at that last. sorry, the goddess of what? ]
Well. Yeah, I can see how that would be kind of embarrassing, for a goddess. We'll have to make sure no one else is in the bathroom.
[ why can he never meet anyone normal??? ]
for @canttrickmeanymore
"That part of the what, sorry?"
He must not have heard that correctly, because that makes it sound like this guy is a time traveler, and that's just. I mean. There's what happened to Steve and then there's insanity, right?
Not that we're going to gloss over that last part, because what?
"Sorry, you're friends with Tony?"
Why is Tony friends with children, this guy can't be more than a year or two out of high school, if that.
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He nods. "I am." Friends with back home, but also slept with in the weird sex city he just came from. And not just Tony - the city apparently had a thing for pushing Peter toward all of his Avenger friends.
Needless to say, Peter is not a child. And he, maybe, hasn't actually finished high school. He had a two year stint in the weird sex city. It gets very complicated.
"Does the tone of your question mean that you're not?"
for @catmemes
[ hey, steve isn't against helping, he's against getting roped into helping against his will. that's pretty understandable, in his opinion! not weird to want to have a say in whose back you're scratching! ]
Had a couple run-ins, yeah. It wasn't fun.
[ thankfully steve isn't too easy to unbalance, even though he wobbles for a moment before he plants his feet more sturdily on the ground, shifts his stance so he's got surer footing. he looks down at the cat... person... currently aggressively rubbing itself against his legs and huffs, hands on his hips. ]
Can I pick you up? I'll scratch wherever you want.
[ ...hang on, rewording. ]
Almost anywhere you want.
also apologies for the lateness
What did you do about it, then?
[ If he has so against Kai's extremely dignified human attempts at solving the problem. Surely he was already aware of the itching? Just thinking about it makes him paw restlessly at Steve's leg. ]
for @laserguy
[ steve sits with that for a moment, considering how inconvenient that would be—how limiting, to never see in anything but red. how frightening, to have to be afraid of an unfiltered world. to have only two thin lenses between you and pain and blindness.
raw fucking deal, man. ]
I know a little of what that's like, [ he offers. ] I used to be, uh... A lot different than I am now. I got sick a lot, had asthma. There was a lot I couldn't do, because my body just couldn't take it. People weren't always kind about it.
[ try never, but that was the 30s for you. asthma was a mental condition, the disabled were a burden on the rest of society, and 20,000 nazis marched through the streets of new york like they had a place there. when people ask if he misses the good old days, steve feels compelled to remind them that they were only ever good for people with a lot more advantages than he ever had.
he hated when people pitied him, though, and hated even more when they treated him like he was fragile, or different than they were, so he's certainly not going to turn around and do anything of the sort to scott. ]
As for this, [ he turns back to the costume, a deliberate subject change. ] I kind of want to buy it, just so I can destroy it. What do you think?
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You really look healthy now. [He compliments lightly, first.] I didn't even know you could grow out of asthma, but... many people are often judgmental for the smallest and most baseless of reasons. Sometimes you want to fight them, but can't always go about blasting our way through.
[Scott feels like he doesn't need to point out his sunglasses as the reason why some people weren't kind to him either. Despite himself, even though he's sure that Steve isn't a mutant like him, he feels a small sense of camaraderie. It's a nice feeling, one that he grasps because feeling alone in this place is draining.]
I think. [He starts almost seriously, before his mouth twitches upward, showing his approval of his idea.] You should. We'll at least spare everyone else's eyes.
[Maybe not the most productive use of chips and everything, but sometimes, you need this.]
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Oh, you can't grow out of asthma. Symptoms can lessen, but it never really goes away, just... lies in wait.
[ and yet steve has no more asthma! no, he won't be explaining. not immediately, anyway.
he huffs a chuckle, corner of his mouth turned up in a not-quite smile. ]
You sound like my friend. He didn't think I should be trying to fight everybody either.
[ it could easily have come out annoyed, but the fond warmth in steve's voice is unmistakable—this is a very favorable comparison. everyone should be like bucky, bucky's great!!!
anyway, what's money for if not to use? they're steve's chips, he can do what he wants with them, and what he wants is to burn this monstrosity. ]
Well, if you're not going to tell me no...
[ this time steve's smile is wider, more mischievous, as he looks around for an employee. it's not hard to find one, despite how he'd been sure there was no one else around just a second ago; as soon as steve turns his head there's an employee at his elbow asking if they can help him with anything. he just wants to buy the costume, but— ]
No, I don't need to try it on, I just want to buy—no, really, I don't need to try it on!
[ the employee is very insistent. someone needs to try this costume on before they can sell it. ]
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Did he mishear, earlier? Maybe. The slight inconsistency slots to the back of his mind, as it's not something he really wants to prod about. Just, perhaps something in his thoughts for later if needed. Besides, being pretty nosy about someone's asthma is pretty rude... and they're having a nice conversation! So, why ruin that. Being compared to his friend is kind of nice too, especially since there's that blatant warmth in his tone, a look of someone that truly values that friendship.
It's nice seeing, enough for Scott to smile.]
We're doing the world a favor.
[He encourages further, his smile increasing as they land in agreement. Honestly, it's been a while since he's blown something up-- not that he's going to use his optic blasts on something like this, but... the thought is a little fun. Sometimes that old recklessness from his youth calls to him and it's not like him and Steve are going to hurt anyone, quite the opposite.
So, he watches as Steve talks to the employee and hm. Maybe he can help save his new... friend? Or acquaintance, at least. He's not sure if this will work, but he'll try at least.]
...Would you make an exception for me? [His smile turns slightly lopsided, maybe a little helpless.] As a king rank here.
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as the employer scurries away to get a bag for the costume, steve turns back to scott with an arched eyebrow. ]
They really weren't kidding about how much pull the royal ranks get, were they?
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Scott feels just slightly bad for making the employee run off like that, because it's not like he wants people to feel intimidated around him. He's glad that Steve doesn't have try on that ridiculous outfit though, so maybe he'll just be extra appreciative and everything when they return. Maybe throw in a tip?? Scott reaches a hand up to ruffle some of his hair, before turning to Steve with a smile that's almost a grimace.]
Yeah, they... really do the best to make sure that the high ranks are treated differently. Like we're somehow more important.
[It's made it hard to blend in too, which annoying. But there's certainly some benefits, and Scott doesn't want to complain to others, especially since hearing about the poorer conditions on the lower floors. He just has to make the best of what he has and use his rank that will be helpful for others as well.]
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[ not that he thinks scott has the answers to these questions, or can do anything to change things. he's a king, sure, but he's not a hotel employee, or anyone with the ability to really change things within the system. he's a—he's a card in the deck, just like the rest of them, not the dealer. ]
How are ranks determined, do we know?
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It's not enough to cut the stem, they need to reach the root and yank it out.]
Probably meant as an incentive.
[But that's all he has to offer, Scott's own deposition taking on a more serious note because this conversation, with one of his arms crossing against his chest. He's more than willing to answer Steve's questions, they're just unfortunately quite unhelpful.]
For what we know, it's all random. If the higherups are using a guideline, no one seems to know it. [He's not exactly apologetic, but he's not totally unaffected either.]
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[ it's not that steve is naïve, or stupid, or even willfully obtuse. he can understand the idea that some people might be motivated to play in order to achieve a higher rank in a way they might not be motivated if they had that rank to begin with. it just seems like the vast majority of people would take the break from the real world if it came with guaranteed pleasure and comfort.
that's something he's noticed in the future: everyone's tired, these days. everyone wants an escape from their lives, even if it's just for a little while. they all want the world to just stop, so they can have time to catch up on things they want to do, not just what they need to do. no bills, no jobs, nothing and nobody to fight, all needs catered to... sure, that wouldn't motivate steve, but steve's a bit of a special case. most other people, you'd think they'd jump at the opportunity to take a break like this. ]
Well, then we have a goal: figure out the guideline.
[ not to rope this guy into a revolution that maybe he has no interest in, or anything, whoops. in the distance, steve can see the employee who'd run off to bag the costume making their way back over to him and—aw, hell. ]
I'm so sorry, I never introduced myself. Steve Rogers, [ he holds his hand out, smiling, ] nice to meet you.
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[He figures that he doesn't really have to get into a whole spiel about motivation with Steve; it seems like he's figured that out well on his own. Still an unfortunate thing that every guest has to deal with, maybe it's a motivator in a different way-- a push to break down the system itself. Scott's always for something like that, especially if it's unfair. If it treats people worse.]
Thought about toppling the whole system myself, honestly. Best to start at the top, right?
[Convince those in charge. It's going to be a very different 'game' from what he normally does, however. It's not like he can really throw his weight as a X-Man around, go around saving people from certain dangers and then throw on a plastered smile in front of a camera because they're the 'good representation.' Hope that Congress doesn't pass a bill that suddenly strips their rights--
Can't say he misses that too much.]
Scott Summers. [His smile is actually genuine, shaking the offered hand in a firm grip.] It's nice to meet you, Steve.
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but sometimes you see a poorly built tower and you want to topple it, nuts to the consequences. ]
You wouldn't hear me complaining, [ steve smiles, ] but I figure if we want to make sure nothing worse pops up in its place, we should probably figure out what we're toppling first.
[ "convince" those in charge, "remove"... whatever works, you know? steve's got ideas, but he's always open to improvising.
the employee with the costume comes up to scott and holds out the bag, talking about so sorry for the inconvenience mr. summers, i didn't recognize you, we've included some free samples for your trouble, please don't hesitate to let me know if there's anything more we can do for you—
steve meets scott's eye over the employee's head, one eyebrow raised incredulously. ]
for @holeinwall
[ oh, god, steve is so not qualified to assist with whatever is going on here. superhero pep talks, he's got those covered. motivational calls to arms, he has one of those in his back pocket right now! advice for insecure teenagers in need of reassurance that they're worth sticking around for, the right person will come along, and life isn't always this horrible and hostile? shockingly, he hasn't had a lot of experience with this kind of thing.
alien invasions are less scary than a crying teenager, you heard it here first. ]
I think you're a little young to be looking for a husband. [ that's a fine place to start, right, and accurate, at least for the current time period. it wouldn't have been too weird for her to at least be thinking about marriage in his time, but that's one of the things steve thinks the modern era has going for it. he hovers next to her pew, torn between his innate desire to Help and his intense discomfort with this whole situation. ] Going straight to marriage is a bad idea anyway, the best relationships start out as friendships.
Me and my husband, for example. [ you know, it's a real shame this is an absolute lie, because it illustrates his point better than anything else could. ] We've been best friends since we were kids. There's nobody who knows me better. The depth of relationship we have, it can only come from knowing somebody for years. Decades, in our case.
[ video game? main love interest??? boy, kids these days sure do talk funny. at another time, steve might ask after these unfamiliar references, but it hardly seems important when he's trying to impart Adult Wisdom. ]
If you've got all those things going for you, then making friends should be easy. You can worry about love later.
[ help...ing...? ]
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I'm eighteen! How is that too young? [ Which proves just how not ready she is for marriage. ] Besides...
[ She grumbles, wiping at her face as she pouts down at her lap. ] The person I actually love? We are friends. We came together at the lowest point of my life, and we gradually got to know each other until, well...ahaha, maybe I shouldn't even use the word "friends." We're something more now. But I haven't found them here yet...
[ Something in her expression shifts to sadness. They were something. Without them here, she had nothing. That's why she's been trying to scratch the incessant itch the Player's absence has left behind. If she can just find them, everything will finally be perfect.
Maybe she can live through this guy for a while? Yeah, sounds good. ]
Could you tell me about the moment you two fell in love, when you really knew he was the one...er, what's your name?
[ Go on, Cap. You can handle talking about your very real marriage, can't you? ]
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(why did that show head turn remind him of the red skull??)
steve puts his hands up, palms out, in a show of surrender. ]
Sorry, guess I was mistaken.
[ as soon as it seems like the apology is accepted, he drops his hands and stuffs them into his pockets instead, brows intensely furrowed—if she's already in love, why do any of this?—but he doesn't risk commenting again until—oh dear. ]
Ah, my name's Steve. The moment I fell in love...
[ steve looks away from her, squinting like he's thinking, trying to buy himself time to think of an answer. it takes what may be a suspiciously long time, but eventually he shrugs sort of helplessly. ]
I don't think there was one specific moment, to be honest. Or relationship happened slowly, over time. Years. And one day, I just looked at him and I realized... that's my best guy. I don't want to do anything if it's not with him.
[ no word of that is a lie, and the soft attention in his voice isn't even slightly manufactured, even if he doesn't mean it in the romantic way this girl could assume. it took years for steve to realize that not only was bucky his best friend, but he was bucky's, too. they were inseparable after that.
or, well. they wanted to be. life had other plans. ]
no subject
Curious, though, how he looks. Why's it taking so long to think of something? She can pinpoint the exact moment she fell in love with the Player in excruciating detail! See, it all began when during the first club meeting, their mouse pointer almost hovered over her name first when it was time to share poems, a sign of just how much they really wanted her--
Er. What did he say? She was too busy being in true love, sorry. ]
Oh.
[ She doesn't mean to sound disappointed, but she expected something more epic! Like, who knows, some sweet love story of one of them always looking out for the other, saving them, encouraging them, until one day something magical happened and their love truly hit like a train...!
He's still there. Oops. She has to remember she's not, you know, eternally alone with her own thoughts anymore. ]
Ahaha, sorry! I just expected something more with you. I mean, look at you. Anyone would go nuts over you. I figured your hubby would have to beat people off with a bat to get to you!
But... [ Her expression softens. ] I'm not judging. When you know, you know, right? Even the less exciting love stories are beautiful. And it's so cute how you call him you best guy...
[ She holds her cheeks at the cuteness and giggles. ] What a shame he got to you before I could, though...I might have to give him a piece of my mind~
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against all reason, steve finds himself frowning at monika, bristling with offense—where does she get off, sounding disappointed by his fake love story? it's very fake-moving, he'll have you know! ]
The excitement came later. You asked about the moment we fell in love, not the most exciting moment we've had. [ if you wanted to know about looking out for each other and trains, be more specific with your questions!! their love story, romantic or otherwise, is a damn tearjerker!!!
oh, but—the idea of her trying to give bucky a piece of her mind about steve... trying to intimidate the winter soldier about his non-existent husband......
sorry, monika. steve laughs in her face. ]
no subject
Her mouth opens to ask what their most exciting moment is--in a rude way, knowing her--but it snaps shut when he laughs like that. Now she's the one bristling with indignation, even rising from the pew to give an immature little stomp. How very dare, sir! ]
What are you laughing for?! I can do what I want!
[ As you know, teenagers are invincible, and she is no exception. As if she needs to fear a piddly metal arm! So now, she definitely has to do this to prove a petty point. ]
Call him up! I'll do it right now! [ Suddenly, she smirks. She's got a brilliant idea, and she crosses her arms in satisfaction. ] Maybe he can tell me more about you two, and just what the most exciting time was for you~
[ After she blathers on about how lucky Bucky is, anyway. ]
no subject
You can do whatever you want, I never said you couldn't.
[ is that a serious enough expression? well, it's as good as it's going to get, anyway. bucky wouldn't kill a teenager just for being annoying, it's fine. steve doesn't have to do anything to prevent this from happening.
...though he probably should explain the marriage thing before expecting bucky to go along with the bit. ]
I'm not calling my husband just so you can bother him.
[ steve cares about bucky too much to put him through that. ]
Are you feeling better, now? I really have to go.
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Regardless, being met with "lol do whatever" isn't what she was looking for. Mischief isn't fun when it's just handed over freely! It's not fun when it's denied so quickly, either! Why can't he do exactly what she wants!!! ]
Wow, okay! I was giving you both an opportunity [ (to let her pry) ] to share what real love should look like, but fine! I see how it is!
[ Pouting harder than before, she loudly drops back onto the pew, arms crossed tightly over her chest. Nothing to see here, folks, just someone throwing another tantrum because she can't modify some files and fix this issue to go in her favor. ]
Just go already if you're so tired of me! I'll find someone else who wants to talk to me! Maybe even marry me!
[ Run, Steve, runnnn. ]
[thread complete awyis]
for @abit_ofboth
[ loki sure does like to make a lot of assumptions—assumes steve wouldn't have listened while his teammate was talking about not just his family member but their current enemy, assumes that steve's behavior on his second week out of the ice is in any way indicative of his actual personality, assumes steve never swears despite "fuck" being every soldier's favourite crutch word since the dawn of time.
well, that's fine. a lot of people make assumptions about him that have no bearing on reality; steve's not going to worry when loki of all people does it. he has more important things to worry about.
things which have him eyeing loki's hand, weighing his options. he recognizes an olive branch when he sees one, but one only has to look to thor to see how often loki's olive branches turn out to be knives in disguise. but if he is sincere, if he even knows how to be, steve would be stupid to discount his knowledge out of hand.
it takes a moment, but steve eventually firms up his expression and looks loki in the eye. ]
I'll take the explanation, but I don't need the help. I don't think we need to get any closer to each other.
[ certainly not close enough to touch, to dance. not fighting loki outright doesn't have to mean getting close to him, at least not until he proves that he hasn't found a way to smuggle daggers around. ]
no subject
More recently, Loki has come to realize he’s made incorrect assumptions about people, but he’s been so disconnected from that part of his life that the thought doesn’t occur to him, at least not right away. More than anything, he’s just surprised that Steve isn’t really doing anything, other than maybe looking a little wary. Not that Loki could blame him for that.
There is a brief moment when Loki thinks maybe Steve will actually take him up on his offer, as stupid as that may sound. He forces his own expression to stay neutral and lowers his hand at the expected decline. Then his defence mechanism kicks in like it hasn’t in sometime. Loki smirks and crosses his arms over his chest.]
Oh, I see. Afraid you might actually like it then? How could you live with yourself, dancing with a villain.
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(lbr, all of america is his kid, and he's had ample opportunity to practice his disappointed dad faces with the whole country.) ]
You want to try that again?
[ loki, you know as well as steve does that the last time you saw each other you were trying very determinedly to kill each other. if you're going to try to convince steve you're not a threat here in the hotel, you're going to have to accept a few boundaries. ]
no subject
This both disturbs and humbles Loki is ways he doesn’t know how to handle.
Loki frowns, though it’s really more at himself than at Steve. As if he can’t control himself suddenly, he turns into a bit of a petulant teenager that the Captain would very much recognize. Something Loki will very much beat himself up over later.]
Try what again? Is there something I said that wasn’t true?
[Really, Loki knows exactly what the Captain is getting at. Part of him knew and completely understood why he would react in such a way. It just feels like it’s been forever since he’s been put in his place like this and he’s terrified by the part that likes it as much as he hates how much it makes him miss his friend at the TVA.]
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Let me know when you decide you want to talk, [ he says, not unkind but absolutely brooking no nonsense, either. he maintains eye contact with loki just long enough to add a little extra "are you proud of yourself, young man?" flavor to his paternalistic judgment before turning to walk away.
the worst part is, he's not even doing this on purpose. he's just Like This. ]
no subject
Fine. See if I care. Good luck finding anyone that fits the bill with your little problem.
[Loki huffs in annoyance before turning away in a flourish deciding it was better to pretend Steve isn’t even here.]