bakerstreet | picture prompt

How do you feel about motorcycles?

Big fan actually.

That's great. I'm gonna pick you up on one. Half an hour?

I'll be ready for you. Can't wait to see what you're working with.

Just look out for the black Harley Davidson out front. I'll text you when I get there, though.

A black Harley, huh? Think I'll hear you before I see you.

Yeah, it sounds real good. See you soon.

[It's not long after that he pulls up, shooting her a quick text that he's downstairs. Is he nervous? Yes. Absolutely. He's been on one date since....well- 1943, and it was absolutely terrible. He's not really sure why he agreed to this one, but here he is. ]

[ Sure enough, Jessica hears him. She's already heading downstairs when he texts her. She doesn't really date-- hasn't really dated since everything. She's just kind of a mess all around, but Bucky doesn't seem to mind. Maybe his mess goes well with hers. She comes out of her building and comes to meet him. There's a quirked smile to her lips as she looks at him appreciatively. ]

Nice bike.

[ Yeah, dates have been a disaster all around, but it's cause he's a mess too. He's not sure how much she actually knows about him and his past, but something about her feels like he doesn't have to start from square one.

He climbs off the bike as she approaches, to greet her. ]

Hey. Thanks. It's an older model. I got all nostalgic. You look nice.

Retro. I'm into it. Better than the too sleek new shit. [ Her eyes looks over the bike appreciatively then rakes over him. A smile slowly tugs at her lips at the sight of him. ]

Thanks. You're not so bad yourself. [ She moves closer and runs her fingers along the bike. ] Where are we going?

Retro, right- I forgot that's what they're calling it these days.

[He pulls the extra helmet he has off the back of his bike and holds it up to her.]

May I?

I found this really nice sushi place by the seaport. It's got a beautiful view. Figured we could walk around afterwards. I haven't really been down that way lately, but I hear it looks really nice now.

Of vintage.

[ She smirks up at him. It's definitely said with a side of cheekiness. He offers her the helmet, but instead of giving it to her, he offers to put it on. She surprises herself by now in acceptance. ]

That-- that sounds really nice. [ Low key but lovely. Right up her alley if she's doing this dating thing. ]

one, two, three four

[ They're about half way to the cabin when they have to pull over for gas. The trip has been real nice so far. It's been comfortable, and somewhat of a relief to get out of the city. He likes it there, of course- but sometimes he just really needs to get away. He never thought he'd be doing that with Natasha.

While she deals with the gas situation, he meanders over to the small store to look at what they've got. It's almost a bigger selection than the bodega on his corner back in Brooklyn. ]

I'm standing here staring at about a hundred snacks. What are you in the mood for?

[Taking little holidays wasn't anything new for Nat. She got away every now and then to keep her sanity, away from the death, away from the killing and constantly needing to live her life as someone else, always wearing walls and different faces-- the life of a spy fit her like a glove, but ever since she'd gained her freedom she'd come to enjoy being able to slip out of it occasionally.

Never did she think she'd bring someone with her on one of these trips though. It was daunting, and yet she felt completely at ease with Bucky, strangely enough. James understood what it was to be a part of her world, and he understood the darkness in her life, and her need to always wear a mask. That was the one reason why she could take hers off when they talked.

Putting gas in the car now, she smiled to herself as she thought about the warmth in her heart he created. Feeling her pocket buzzing she took it out and glanced at it. A swish of lip and a few taps back sent him an answer. ]

Hot tamales, Twizzlers, and chips, your pick. Coke Zero to drink. Let's go wild. Car trip snacks never have calories and can be eaten at any time of the day.

They surprisingly have all of those things. If I come back with two bags, that's totally on you.

[ He laughs to himself as he sends the text, then proceeds to start piling things into his arms. He still forgets to eat all the damn time, but he's come to discover that he does love snacks.

After he's got about two grocery bags full in his hands, he goes to the register to pay. The lady behind the counter raises her eyebrows, but at least it's about the food and not who he is. Like Natasha, he's grateful for the freedom he's gained, but it's nice to slip out of himself every once in a while. This trip is promising for exactly that, because Natasha knows what it's like. She understands the feeling better than anyone.

He heads back to the car with his bag of snacks, holding them up at his sides when he sees her.]

I warned you.

[Casually leaning against the small sized SUV they've rented for the trip, Nat can see Bucky wandering through the store window. She starts to laugh quietly to herself when he begins to fill his arms with snacks. Nat asked for three small things. She didn't even need a full sized bag of chips, but they would work for when they got to the cabin. Nat already had a bunch of groceries packed away, but more snacks never hurt.

When he came out with two full bags swinging in the New York breeze, Nat's laughter became palpable. Her hands landed on her hips as she watched him approach. ]

We're going to have to toss out some of the luggage to make room for all those snacks, mister.

[There was obviously plenty of room, but she had to pick on him somehow.]

I couldn't decide!

[He's glad she's amused, and he laughs with her. Decision making is hard, but he's glad he gets the chance to make them these days. Coming on this trip with Nat is probably the best one he's made so far, and it's barely just begun.

Of course she's only joking, and he stashes the bags in the back seat, grabbing one of the ones she wanted and a weird bag of ketchup flavored chips for himself.]

Want me to drive for a while?

[Dark eyes sparkle and gleam in the sunlight, sunglasses left behind on the dashboard for now. When Bucky gets near, Nat takes one of the bags and moves to help him put them in the back. Snatching up the hot tamales, she offers him a side hug for his efforts. It's nice to have him around. It's been different having someone to banter with during the drive-- a very good kind of different. ]

Sure, if you're up for it. I don't mind being a passenger for the last bit of the trip. I can munch on this stuff and toss sweets at you. Quiz you on modern history. You know, make your life a living hell.

[laughing, she grabs her pillow from the back and flops down in the passenger side, folding it up against the door for her to lean against as they get started. Her drink goes in the cup holder, and candy gets stored in a little compartment that seems made for exactly this type of thing that's directly above the glove box.]

Onward, and upward.

[ He smiles when she side hugs him. It's a good kind of different in ways Bucky didn't even know he needed. This feels normal, and god knows they both need some of that. ]

Yeah, I'm up for it- the driving. Not so sure about the quiz though- we might end up running off the road.

[He snorts softly, climbing into the drivers side. He opens his bag of chips and puts it in his lap, then pulls out of the gas station and heads for the cabin.]

I don't know a thing about modern music so don't even bother.

[Laughing, she bumps him with her hip before climbing into the other side]

Wait, you mean you can't tell me how many peanuts can fill an empty football stadium. I thought that was common knowledge. Modern History.

[Pulling up the navigation system and putting it on the dash, she lets it tell them where to go as she settles to watch the world go by. Grabbing her phone, she types in roadtrip trivia facts and pulls up a quiz. Grinning, she nods.]

Okay, we'll start with an easy trivia question. You can get this one. This is a road trip quiz by the way, so it's a mix of things. Question one. In which national park can you find the famous Old Faithful geyser?

...That is not modern history! Don't confuse me.

[He laughs, shaking his head at her. It's okay, Sam does it to him too. He winces a little when she grabs her phone to ask questions though. He's going to bomb this for sure... but it might be amusing. And it's Natasha, so he'll roll with it.

Just like he'll roll with this wild navigation system on the dash- which he actually likes. It makes life so much simpler on the road.]

Oh!! I do know this one! Yellowstone National Park!

[He looks so proud of himself, it's ridiculous.]

[Small snickers erupted from her side of the car as small red candies began to disappear in Nat's mouth. She knew fun was the name of the game for the ride they had ahead of them. Anything else was going to kill them. That or it meant her reading, while he listened to some weird music on the radio she figured.

This was the better of two evils. By far! ]

You are coooorrect, sir. You have won yourself One single point. Alright on to question number two. Sticking with the category of traveling. What is the TGV in France?

[ He pops some chips into his mouth, his eyebrows shooting up at the second question. Now he feels a little stuck. ]

Is it... something to do with technology?

[He's gonna fail this game so badly.]

[Tapping her feet on the dash, Nat glances over knowing that this one is difficult. She didn't even know the answer until looking at it, which is funny because she's used the trains constantly while she was in France. There are things that people pay attention to, and things that fall to the wayside when concentrating on a mission. ]

In a way, but not really. It's more about transportation in France.

Oh... is it like the subway?

[He never rode public transportation when he went on missions in France. Hell, he's not even sure what years he was actually there. Faces are etched in his memories forever. Places, not so much.]

Close. Except it's above ground. It's their high speed train service. They go like mega fast. Gimme a second...

[Nat picks up her phone and does the googling thing, because she knows it's the train but she can't remember how fast it is actually. She knows it gets a person where they're going faster than most things. There's a finger she has holding up that she lowers to her lip to tap until she finds her answer.]

Hot damn. 350 mph top speed, but normal 320mph traveling speed. That's so fast. I know it was really fast, but I couldn't remember. The wine was nice...

The subway goes above ground in Brooklyn, you know. But it sure doesn't go that fast. Wish it did.

[Although, he'd glad at least that much had barely changed. He enjoys the medium speed of the Subway.]

New Yorkers would be very into that. Maybe they'd rush around a lot less if that was the case. Ok- ask me something none travel related, that I'll surely fail, but at least you can teach me about.

I know, but I'm talking about the trains, not the underground. The trains in Brooklyn are not like this at all. That's why I specified France.

[She's losing track of what they are talking about as she reads. It's all incredibly interesting, which trains travel which speeds and where they travel to. It's mind-boggling. For the next question, she scrolls through her phone and comes up with a new question. ]

Okay, okay. Which one of these Australian animals is known for its smile? Kangaroo, Koala, Tasmanian Devil or the Quokka

Well, that was one of the qualifiers you were using, so that's why I mentioned the ones in Brooklyn going above ground.

[He's amused by how awfully specific she's being as she reads. Her next one has him laughing a bit too.]

I don't even know what a Quokka is. Is it the Tasmanian Devil?

I imagine that makes sense now. I'd love to see a train go that fast around here. It would really save time on the commutes.

[Reaching out she takes her fingers and rubs the back of his neck while he drives. It's a thing she always saw in movies and thought it was the nice thing that moms did to dads. ]

... The Quokka is the one that smiles.

[Natasha holds up her phone and flashes Bucky a picture of the cutest, little smiling chipmunk looking thing that makes her giggle everytime she looks.]

I think we both need one

Honestly... I like the slower commutes. I don't mind the view at all either. Like this? This is great.

[He's surprised by the way her fingers settle at the back of his neck, but he likes it. It's soothing, and it fits the mood of the trip. It keeps him smiling as he looks over at her phone, his mouth falling open a little.]

Oh wow... wow, look at that thing. It really is smiling. I can't believe it exists.

I like driving through the mountains the best. It's fun, all those long, winding roads. Get a sports car and really work her around the bends and curves. It's beautiful. There's not a thing quite like it.

[It's been a while since Nat has taken a vacation like that. She and Bucky enjoyed their time away, but to go over to say the Rockies or even the Alps. It's been ages. It would be nice to do that again sometime in the future if time opens up. Maybe visit Yellowstone before it ices over. ]

I know, right? He's the cutest. All of them are like that. I need one.

[She giggles, because little fellows like that are made to poke at the hearts of women everywhere and make them giggle even when they normally do not.]

Maybe we'll have to try that sometimes as well. I do like fast cars.

[He's not a huge fan of mountains, but Natasha has a way of helping him look past his trauma, and not think about every last detail of what he went through. Mountains can be fun and beautiful, instead of something he plunged off of.]

I don't think they'd be into city life. They seem more like forest fairies, or something.

I'll put it on our bucket list of things to do together one day. It's getting longer. You have to promise me that we'll actually do some of the things. That's the only way it's fun to have a list.

[Making a mental note to get a tiny book for this, Nat decides it will be fun to have a Bucky and Nat book of things to do one day, and maybe even a place to record what they have done. She's never done anything like that, never celebrated little milestones. ]

They're Australian, so it makes sense. They get all the best animals there.

Are there any things on the list we can check off during this trip? We gotta keep track somehow. Maybe write it all down.

[It's like he can read her mind- but lists are a thing Bucky is used to. He hasn't really had a list for good things yet, though. This feels like the start of something new, something good.

They drive along the almost empty roads for a while longer, with more questions and facts. Bucky does terribly for most of it, but at least he's learning a thing or two.]

Alright, bonus round. We're almost at the cabin so this one's gotta be good.

I don't know. I've forgotten half of it by now. That's why I'm putting the actual list somewhere we can find it now—-maybe on my fridge.

[She laughs and sticks the first item on a tiny sticky note on the book she'd been flipping through. The trivia is fun, and while they both miss some of the questions, she's always proud of Bucky for getting certain ones right.

Nat takes the ride to massage Bucky's neck and shoulders. It makes it easier to get out on the other end, plus it feels good to make Bucky smile. Flipping through the pages, she mumbles and swishes her lips from side to side in thought. ]

Okay, I've got two. One that could be easy if you think about it, and one that is for all the gold. Number one. Name the one food that you could have tucked away in a cupboard at your old home and still go get today that would not have gone bad.

Then, for all the gold, James Barnes, What! is the first animal to be cloned? We're not talking about Star Wars here, but real-life cloning!

[ image attached ]

[ It's early. Like 4:30am early on what looks like is gonna be a rainy, dreary day. Maybe Kate should be used to his early morning communications by now. Either that, or she must be fully annoyed. ]

Hey.
You know how people do the whole early morning run thing?
You wanna do that, but walk instead?

As long as an iced coffee run is on the agenda, I'm down.

I'm good with that. You wanna meet at the coffee place?

yeah, just give me twenty minutes to change out of fuzzy pj pants.

Fuzzy pj pants sound nice. You sure you wanna change?

of course I don't want to change out of them! they're incredible. but I think it's a social faux pas or the boomers are going to post some 1950s meme on Facebook about it

[But guess who is going to get like six pair of them for Christmas?]

Even at a coffee shop? Are you sure? Cause I see a lot of people in PJs at coffee shops.

were they actual pajamas or work cas clothing?

I'm not really sure what work cas is, so I can't say.

[She has forgotten. You ARE a walking Boomer meme, Bucky.]

loose, flowy pants, breezy tops. Comfy but like enough zippers and buttons that you can legitimately tell your boss it's not pajamas.

but you can easily take a nap on your lunch break in them.

[ The funny thing is, he'd have no idea what a walking Boomer meme is either. ]

Sounds like fancy pajamas to me.

there's totally buttons and zippers so it doesn't count.

also you're the one totally advocating for me showing up in fuzzy pj pants

Truth is- you can show up in whatever you want, as long as we can hang out.

yeah, of course. though i did throw on leggings, and I'm like three blocks away.

man, if we're this early they'll still have warm croissants. score.

I'm dressed and ready too. I'll meet you downstairs.

Warm croissants, you're very tempting. Let's do that, too.

perks of being up this early and like actually leaving the building.

see you in a couple minutes then :)

It's kinda nice when no one else is around.

See you soon :)

[She doesn't return the text back, but she does understand what he means. She ends up at his building and steps onto the corner before seeing him. Kate offers a smile before stifling a yawn. It's an early morning, but clearly she's been up anyway. Might as well take a walk with him down to one of her favorite cafes.]

Morning, Bucky.

[Yeah, she's still this cheery at this time in the morning. People kind of just learn to deal with it.]

[ He smiles when he sees her stifle a yawn, pushing away from his building to meet her half way down the block. He doesn't mind her cheeriness. It's nice. ]

Morning. Thanks for coming to hang out.

[He's halfway to meet her which is a plus, because they have to cross the street and head down the other way to get to the cafe she was talking about.]

You don't have to thank me for that. [A very nonchalant shrug as she looks up at him.]

It's what friends do.

Yeah, but it's real early. That's like, above and beyond.

[He heads to the cafe with her, glad he has such a good one near him.]

I just needed to get out.

Yeah, but I'm usually either already working out or stressing and like doomscrolling Tiktok. Okay, and sometimes asleep, but that's not as often as it should be at this time.

[The birds are like just starting to chirp. It's that early. She knows, but it's not really that big of a deal to her.]

You're just lucky I like you enough to change out of fuzzy pajama pants. [She jokes, recalling their last text message.]

Doomscrolling, huh? That does sound stressful. Hope you weren't doing that this morning.

[He hasn't gotten into Tiktok yet. Don't even get him started.]

So is this the other look, then? Do you have enough zippers and pockets to make it not PJs?

Mm, maybe like an hour before you texted me. Then I made some mac and cheese and gave some to Lucky, took him outside for like three minutes, and then went back in and contemplated my life some more.

[Look, at least she's getting... somewhere? She offers him small, hopeful smile.]

These are leggings. Which you can get away with at some jobs. With a nice, frilly top or something. I currently look like a gym rat. [Messy bun, large crop top with the straps of a sports bra under it.]

Wow- you've already had a real busy morning.

[He mostly did some contemplating, then had to force himself to function.

He eyes her outfit, eyebrows shooting up.]

A gym rat... I'll have to keep that in mind. Expressions these days are wild. I like it, though. The outfit, I mean. I don't know what it has to do with rats.

Some mornings I get up early. [Some mornings she definitely sleeps in. Depends on how things are going, how much doom scrolling might have gone on the night before.]

Gym rat-- someone who goes to the gym a lot. I like training. [She shrugs. Her physique might not be the most important thing to her, but she's always had goals and achieved them. She's still an archer after all, and she likes to keep busy.]

I think it's just like they're quick, fast, know what they want and how to get it. Not sure how derogatory that's supposed to be? But I guess it fits?

Guess I got you on a good day.

[Most of his days are like this, though. Today he was just feeling more on the edge about it.]

Oh.

[He doesn't like training. But his training was different. He'd rather not think about it if he doesn't have to. The gym is different, though, he supposes, but he hasn't ever gone.]

I guess it fits. I'd rather be the kinda person who gets up early for a coffee and a croissant, though.

Why not both? [She gives him a shrug as they get to the cafe, and she opens the door for him. She can tell he might be feeling some type of way already, but she's totally willing to scapegoat her own bad decisions like lack of sleep, doomscrolling and going to the gym an obsessive amount.]

It's called everything in moderation.

[Except she totally has to keep up with the mac and cheese and pizza she eats by also training at the gym though it's not like her metabolism isn't good for a girl in her younger 20s.]

I haven't actually checked out the gyms here.

[Modern gyms and all. Nothing like the boxing gym he used to go to before the war. He's not sure he can get himself to walk through those doors and figure it all out.]

No? I mean some are way better than others. And I know I have my own gym, but like the vibes are different in person. Sometimes it's just nice to also go to like a specific gym. Like I'll go for archery practice.

[She gives a shrug as they step into line.]

If you ever want to go though, I'll go with you. There's a couple a little more... low key. More your style. Less... gym rats, but people just wanting to work out, blow some steam off. Like old school gyms.

This is probably going to be bad. As a warning.

[ The neon sign for Josie's is absolutely off center and out of focus. ]

If you'd like to grab a beer I'll be here for an hour at least.

Hey, it's my favorite kind of invitation. "This is gonna be bad, please join me."

I'll be there soon.

I actually just meant the picture I sent. Hopefully it's not a bad night.

I'll be at the bar.

[ It doesn't take him too long to get there. He heads inside and spots Matt, going over to the bar. ]

Hey, man. It's Bucky.

[ Matt picks him up when he's a block away. The mechanical arm has a very distinctive sound. He turns towards the sound of his voice as if he didn't hear him coming and offers him a hand in greeting. ]

Hi. You didn't have any trouble finding the place did you?

[ He taps a finger on the bar. ]

Josie, a beer for my friend please.

No, no problem at all. I used to come around this way a lot.

[He shakes Matt's hand, sliding onto the stool next to him, glancing at the bartender- Josie- and giving her a nod in greeting.]

Thanks. So is this your usual hangout?

Yeah, I've been coming here for years. It's where we come to celebrate big cases and blow off steam.

[ Which is easy to see in his body language. Matt's comfortable here. ]

We're some of your best customers, right? [ He flashes a smile at Josie who snorts in response. Matt turns his attention to Bucky. ] You come through Hell's Kitchen a lot?

It's a good place. Lively crowd.

[Dive bar through and through, but Bucky likes that sort of thing. It's easier to hide out in places like this. Easier to get comfortable.]

My therapist is close to here, so... yeah. Twice a week.

Maybe you should suggest having a session here. It might make them easier on her and you.

[ He has to laugh a little at that. ]

If only. She's as uptight as they get. Once she pulls out her little notebook, I'm pretty much doomed.

Well, maybe I can help. If I'm not busy I could meet you here for a drink and venting.

[ Like a good lawyer does. ]

That gives me something to look forward to. Thanks.

[He doesn't know many people around here. Basically none. To find someone he can actually talk to and who already knows who he is, it's kind of a wonderful thing. Maybe that's why he jumped at the chance, even if he's been terrible at keeping in touch with people.

Josie brings his beer over and he gives her a thanks, taking a long sip. It does nothing for him, but it's the thought that counts.]

Is your office around here too, or do you just live here?

[ It's an honest offer to someone who must feel lost in the world. Matt feels like Bucky could use a friend. ]

My office is here too. I don't leave Hell's Kitchen very often.

[ He chuckles a little. ]

I went to LA and it was nice but I missed home.

[ Matt is very right, even if Bucky is hard pressed to admit it. Friends are a tricky thing these days. ]

It's hard to leave. I was thinkin' about it, but- I can't.

What's LA like?

Sunny. I felt the sun on my face a lot. And warmer than here even in summer. Um, I'm sure it was beautiful though it smelled like hot smog.

[ He wrinkles his nose at the memory. ]

I was there for work though and didn't do much more beyond that.

Doesn't smell like hot smog here?

[It smells like a lot of other things in this city. Bucky wonders how heightened that sense of smell must be for Matt.]

That tends to be the case for me too. They really have to tack on an extra day for sight seeing.

It's not the same. I know it doesn't make any sense but it's different. Maybe because people are crowded together more here.

[ More heightened than anyone really realizes. ]

You probably don't get as much freedom to plan your trips. I focus on work too much. Though the city of visual entertainment is not really built for me to enjoy.

Yeah, that could be it. Or maybe it's just all the competing smells we've got here. There are a lot of 'em.

[He's not complaining though. Not by a long shot. The 1930's were pretty smelly too- there are just so many different ones these days.]

I'm sure you can sight see in your own way? Although- you probably call it something else, huh.

It's, uh, mostly making sense of sounds. And I have a cane to guide myself but unless I'm touching something I really can't say I 'see'.

[ It's a well practiced lie. Matt is not talking about his radar sense and the world on fire around him. Even Bucky is burning in his senses, the arm especially bright from the mechanics in it. ]

Every blind person describes it differently.

That's interesting.

[The way that honing senses is for a spy, or an assassin. Bucky tries not to think about it that way, though.]

Must be even more intense in the city, then. Do you find the noise of it all to be more of an advantage or a disadvantage?

[He takes a sip of his beer, then hesitates.]

Sorry- are these questions weird and invasive? I don't mean to be.

[ He's closer to the truth than he knows. ]

It's nothing I haven't been asked before. Usually people want to know how it happened and if I remember colors.

[ Matt shrugs, unbothered. ]

I prefer people ask instead of make assumptions about my disability. And the noise is distracting is the best way to say it. I've gotten good at blocking out what I don't need to listen to.

[ Bucky's not really sure why, but he has an inkling that all is not as it seems. He also wonders if that's just in his head, though. ]

I hate it when people ask me questions, so if I ever ask too many or get on your last nerve, just tell me to shut up.

[He kinda feels like a hypocrite, but if it helps any, he'd probably answer some questions too, just so fair's fair.]

Yeah, I know what you mean. [About assumptions.] Must've been rough. But hey- if you're good here, you can be good anywhere. Kinda like what they say about driving in the city. If you learn here, you can drive anywhere.

It's alright. You're not treating me like glass. I prefer that.

[ He flashes a brief but genuine smile in Bucky's direction. Really, it's not a problem to answer questions. And he can tell Bucky's genuine. This is not morbid curiosity. ]

I'm pretty sure it's illegal to drive under the influence of blindness but I don't think a quiet life in the country is for me. I like the city. I like the work I do here.

You don't seem anything like glass.

[Maybe Matt can's see Bucky's smile, but he can probably hear it in his tone. ]

Public transportation is a breeze these days. There are a lot more cars on the road, sure, but I gotta say, the subway system has improved drastically. And yeah, I bet it would be harder to get things done out in the country side. I'm sure people in the city appreciate the work you do. Well- most of the time.

I'm too stubborn for that.

[ He can hear it and smiles in response. ]

The people who matter appreciate what I do. And I love my work. I get to help the people who are often overlooked.

Apparently that's the most important thing these days.

[Steve must've done well in this day and age. But that's not a topic Bucky wants to bring up.]

You know- it's great that you've found something like that.

It helps.

[ He hesitates a moment before saying anything. ]

You said you don't like questions but I feel like I should ask, what is it you'd like to be doing? Instead of what you are doing which you don't sound very happy about.

[ He finishes his beer, then orders them another round. Might as well, if they're gonna get into questions. Bucky doesn't mind so much when it comes to people who already know his background. There's a lot less he has to hide. ]

It's alright, you can ask. I don't have to figure out a whole less pathetic story to tell.

[Still feels pathetic either way, though.]

Truthfully though, I'm not really sure what I'd like to be doing. Right now it's working for what's left of SHIELD, and government contracts. When they need someone like me, they call me.

[ He can't help but roll his eyes slightly at the mention of SHIELD. What a disaster that turned out to be. The legal fallout for that will be happening for a long time. ]

That's a fair answer. I suppose you're still catching up to the times and there's a lot to choose from when it comes to doing things.

[ He's not going to press too hard. Hearing when people are uncomfortable or unhappy does help him know when to push and when to stop. ]

I guess just wondered if you were... itching to write the next American novel or learn small engine repair. Maybe take up stained glass? Oh, maybe glass blowing.

[ He's teasing a little on the last one. ]

[ Yeah, he often has that same reaction as well- except for him it's complicated. ]

Yeah. I haven't really had a chance to do things.

[Well that's not quite it either, but he's definitely been stalling with life. He's mostly unhappy with himself, though, and the truth is, he has no one to talk to. Not really. His therapist sure as hell doesn't count.]

Like- normal people things?

Yeah, normal people things. Or just hobbies.

[ There is a note of unhappiness in the tone. Subtle that others might take as sarcasm or just disinterest. ]

Something besides work and whatever your probation mandates. I like collecting records.

Bio-. A man from a world where once a month, somewhere in the world is struck by a reality-altering event. He has recently joined the organisation that combats paranormal events and supernatural criminals, using his transmogrification powers.

Happy with in person or text threads, ask if you'd like a reverse prompt.

[ img396.jpg ]

Tag yourself. I'm the old lady at the piano.

( canon or au! m/m but open to misfires. please link images. )

((will definitely send something dumb like this without provocation))

one
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or bring your own.

Edited 2024-08-15 12:52 (UTC)

1; 2; 3

Edited 2024-08-15 18:48 (UTC)

Question for you, Childe.

If I put my hand in your mouth, would you bite it?

are you looking to tempt me, partner?
hmm

a little bite wouldn't hurt, right?
i wouldn't do it hard.

Bad Tartaglia! No biting!

[ he's joking. ]

Why a gentle bite?

hey! you'd want to bite yourself if you put your hand in your mouth!

[ way too tempting, Aether!! ]

well, i don't want to hurt you, but i can't deny the opportunity of having your fingers in my mouth.

Edited 2024-08-15 19:25 (UTC)

That's true, I would bite your hand if you put it in my mouth... but that's more of an instinctive reaction than anything...

So you just want to hold my fingers in your mouth? That's why?

it's not that strange.
i've put other parts and been good enough not to bite.

[ but then he's also gotten bitey so that's a bad argument, Childe ]

The other parts are different.

Stop being cute.

[ important clue: he thinks this behavior is cute...?! ]

[ cute, huh? ]

you want that bite?

Stop.

[ cute cute cute cute CUTE ]

...Next time we see each other. You can bite a little bit.

not now?
i'll give you something to remember until then.

Are you free now?

And is your mouth free now?

[ sometimes it's full of hydro fish. ]

[ he's probably busy, but he's sending all of his Fatui underlings home Right Now.

look, Aether can even put a stop to Fatui plots without lifting a ... finger. ]

so eager to shut me up?
what can i say?
it might be a while before we get to try this again.

[ why is he suddenly so excited about hands in his mouth? ]

[ why is he so excited about this? why are either of them excited about this? they are such a weird fucking couple.

cute af tho. ]

Yes. You're cute when you have something in your mouth.

And when you shut up. But I like you when you're burbling, too.

you'll have to decide when you get here.
i can't go on talking to you with my mouth full.
maybe i'll start at your fingers, then down your arm.
ever had your elbow nibbled on?

I don't think I have. But just so you know, I'm going to nibble back.

I'll let you finish first, though. Because i'm such a gentleman.

From my elbow... up to my shoulder, I suppose? And then?

you want to know all the details, huh?
hm, i don't know where I'd go next, i'll think about it when i get there.
your neck maybe, or under your arm?
the chaos will guide me.

[ he's literally. the only guy. who can say "the chaos will guide me" in all earnestness. and still have aether want to fuck him.

one day childe will say something so corny he can't turn back. but today. he is still getting laid. ]

I like getting a little something to work with while I wait for you.

You are very handsome when you get in your little predatory moods. I do enjoy that.

picture prompt

Bucky Barnes | MCU l ota

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You knew this was coming.

<3

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