Cruelty is in waking [Open]

[tookthewheel]

Who| Bucky Barnes (MCU) and Steve Rogers, Bucky and OTA
What| Bucky arrives back in the Capitol and luckily runs into Steve first, later in the week he's exploring the training centre
Where| Various locations in the training centre
When| Through week six after Bucky comes back from the dead
Warnings/Notes| Amnesia, references to trauma/violence, angst everywhere. Reply in your chosen format and I shall reciprocate!

Arrival:

He has to get out.

That thought is what is driving him forwards, has driven him forwards since he woke up and stared at two mismatched hands and thought, I've been here before. Even an asset like him knows that there are some things you aren't supposed to wake up from.

He crashed out of the too large and too soft bed soon after, hit the floor and then stumbled up, disturbed more by the sight of luxury than he would have been to find an ice-encrusted chamber and a cruel metal chair waiting for him. Somehow he'd been able to focus enough to rip open the wardrobe, snapping the hinges on the door as he rifled through, found jeans and boots that fit, a shirt and then a jacket with a hood he yanked up and tugged as far over his face as it would go. A glove was yanked unceremoniously over his metal hand.

If anyone had been in the District 1 suite to witness they would have seen the Soldier emerge from his room and barrel towards the door and out into the hallway beyond...

Prompt A: District 1 suite

There is a space here that is his. The one he woke up in.

Somewhat in better mind Bucky decides it's something he should get used to, though he's unsure if it will mean anything. It's his in name only, just like the cryo-chamber was his, like the chair was -- only by merit that no one else was put ever in there. Two days and he's shaved and somewhat more presentable than he has been for weeks and looking a damn sight better than the ghost of a man who haunted the arena for two weeks, though still trying to hide underneath a hood as he paces through the door.

Promt B: The Training Center

He finds the highest of the climbing platforms and sequesters himself there. Coming here he had no intention of fighting, distrustful of his own ability to hold back, he's come to observe. The arena is going to happen again, he's learned, and with little else to occupy him than follow Steve around on the other man's business while hoping to learn something about himself he's decided to try and do something useful instead.

Up here he can sit and watch, gauge how the other tributes fight, what they know and try to gain an estimate of their weaknesses. Few seem to use the climbing platforms and up above he can tuck himself away into the shadows, intending to be undisturbed as he conducts his reconnaissance.

Prompt C: The rooftop

Of all the places he's explored in the training centre (the city still waits to be seen) he decides he likes this one the best. It's quiet. Big enough with secluded spots where he can avoid others. At this time of year it's also warm with the sun beating down, the heat unimpeded by the barely visible glimmer of the force fields.

He finds a secluded spot and sits on the ground with his back to a wooden wall that has plants crawling up it, ensuring no one can come at him from behind and giving him a clear view of anything approaching from the front.

Comments

Closed to Steve

[tookthewheel]

The elevator door opens to the ground floor and the Soldier forces himself to walk out, not run. Running is more suspicious than walking.

Everything here is alien and unknown as he ducks his head down and hunches his shoulders, peering out under locks of hair for an exit. There's no thought as to where he's going, Out is the only priority, escaping somewhere where he can breath and collect himself before trying to make sense of his reality again.

There are other people here and guards, at least he identifies them as guards. They wear white suits and helmets, he thinks he could kill them if he needed to. The Soldier feels as strong as he did when they first put him into the arena with that unexplained weakened state they somehow enforced. It wouldn't be enough to stop him making a break for it.

Up ahead the exit to the city looms, spurring him onwards.

Re: Closed to Steve

[aboveangrybees]

It's funny how things can work out. How you can be debating if they should go find someone or give them space and then there the person in question appears, like something is giving you the answer you need. And why pass it up.

Especially, since Bucky looks like he stole the good china and is making his getaway.

Steve is on his feet and swiftly making his way over to the man. It's not about catching Bucky - not really - but he can't just sit here and watch him disappear into the city like it doesn't matter. It's Bucky, he always matters. And maybe it's about just needing to really see the man and know if he's okay. To see if Bucky needs him at all.

And maybe that's selfish because it's Steve who needs him.

"Bucky, wait," Steve is close, he wants to reach out and grab him, but he feels like that might spook him, make him run or lash out, which would only catch the peacekeepers' attention.

It bothers him how much it feels like dealing with a frightened wild animal when he's with Bucky.

[tookthewheel]

Bucky.

He stops, or is it more like he freezes in place? Like a deer in headlights.

The Soldier turns his head and then his whole body, twisting to face Steve with disbelief and a clear shock of expression on his face. It's almost like he's seeing a ghost -- and he may as well have after believing the other man dead for over a week.

What happens next is completely unexpected, a reflex action with no thought behind it, just impulse.

"Steve...?" and it's not the Soldier's voice, it's someone else's, bursting forth like some alien thing from inside him. He flinches from the revelation of it as much as the upending of what he thought he knew.

Is this a trick? Did they lie about all the deaths? But no, he'd killed a man and seen his face appear the same way in the sky. Except... he was here and he was sure he had died too. Was it all a trick? Everything?

His hands clench tight inside his pockets, determinedly kept there to try and ground himself as his mind reels from the sudden influx of information and feeling.

Because he does feel, he feels relieved to see Steve alive.

[aboveangrybees]

When he hears Bucky say his name, this tight, painful twist in his chest starts to loosen and unravel; it's relieving, but it feels just as much like taking pressure off a wound, especially when the man flinches. Like all his hurt from losing Bucky and hope when he found him alive was in a choke hold and finally it's been released. Suffocated gasps of emotion.

It's an overwhelming, consuming mash of feelings.

"Bucky- you-" Steve stops himself, recognizing that he's almost losing himself to the moment and not focusing on the fact of what the Capitol has done to his friend. He can't do that, he needs to be stable ground for his friend to stand on, someone he can rely on. So, he forces it all down, refocusing.

“They didn't even tell you we get revived, did they? Shit," he keeps his tone mostly level, but a little bit of heat gets through - too much too push down too fast. It makes him furious with the Capitol for not telling any of the newest arrivals anything of their situation. Just threw them in with a good luck and a goodbye. More bodies to add to the count. More drama.

Steve takes a deep breath, gets it back under his skin, where it can continue to push him to make change.

“How about we get some fresh air?” Steve nods towards the doors. It's as much a distraction for him as needed information for Bucky.

[baaarbie]

With Jessica's improved health, Barbie had finally made it back down for some proper sleep and a nice long shower. He'd been neglecting just about everything else in favor of the woman currently still recovering in D3's suite, including his own tributes.

He felt a little bad for that one, but other than sending them some things while they were in the arena, there wasn't much he could do for them. Even the ones that had returned needed some rest and recuperation before he could really offer them anything. Except maybe a drink.

However, he'd also just gotten the list of the new assignments to his district. Three new people he would need to watch over and try to train. Although, one of them needed his training abilities less and his ability to earn him admirers more. And that particular tribute had just walked in, dressed in something he was sure Victory would disapprove of.

Luckily that wasn't his job.

"James." Barbie walked over to meet the other man and offered his hand to shake once he was close enough. "I was hoping to catch you at some point. I'm Dale Barbara, your mentor."

[tookthewheel]

Bucky stills at the man's approach. Being called 'James' is new, he knows it's also his name but Steve calls him Bucky only, it feels less familiar. His eyes flicked to the offered hand and then back up to Barbie's face, there's no sign he's going to reach out his own to accept the handshake.

"Mentor." he repeats the word, almost thoughtfully. "Why?"

After all, he's already a proficient killer.

[baaarbie]

Barbie didn't seemed phased by the lack of handshake. Based on what he'd seen of this man in the arena, it didn't really surprise him. He didn't know what James Barnes had been through before coming here, but whatever it was had clearly made him less than social. It was also probably the reason he was so good at what he did.

"Because, you need more than just an ability to fight to survive in these games. I watched some of what you did in the arena, I know you're good at combat, but I also noticed how much better you would have done with some supplies. Maybe a first aid kit, some real weapons, even some food and water. That's where I come in. I'm here to help you."

C

[silberfuchs]

Fresh air.

Albert supposes he could get the same in the park, but in the park he's more likely to run into people talking about the Games and Cecil and District 3. At least on the roof of the training center no one usually wants to talk about much of anything, just idle up there in their own thoughts and breathe.

Of course, spotting a familiar face is also fairly regular up here and even though his arm is covered, Albert recognizes Bucky's readily. (How could he know there are two Bucky Barnes'?)

"Gave up on punching statues, I take it?"

[tookthewheel]

He hears the footsteps coming and lifts his head, watching for whoever's coming with an automatic tensing of his body that he doesn't even think about. The Soldier had only ever been awakened for combat and it's going to take some time for Bucky to get used to the idea of being awake with confrontation being imminent.

"I don't understand." is the reply to the question because he doesn't. Punching statues? Why would he do that to start is a good question, that he ever did is not an implausible one given his current relationship with memory.

This man talks like they should be familiar with each other.

[silberfuchs]

That response pulls a frown from Albert, his mind jumping to all kinds of conclusions of what the Capitol could have done to the poor man, or that the arena took its toll and left him addled, but he tries to keep the same friendly air as he started speaking with.

"Last time I met you up here you were trying to fight statues." He gestures to the very one that Bucky had been wailing on, though there's no record of it in chips or dents. "Albert, from District 3? You told me your name was Bucky Barnes."

C

[aintyourdad]

The roof is one of those places that Joel especially likes - away from the prying eyes of the Capitol, one of the few spots that he can actually feel free - unlike the rest of this godforsaken place. He's not forced to watch recaps from the arena, not forced to deal with the stares of people in the Capitol.

It's almost calming, taking a turn or three on the roof. He can almost, if he tries hard enough, imagine that this is his world, twenty years ago, before everything went to hell.

That is, right up until he spots a familiar - and rage-inducing - face.

"You."

[tookthewheel]

His eyes open from where he'd had his head tilted back against the wall, face soaking up the suns rays. Bucky moves his head and looks right back at Joel, his expression in no way mirrors the anger the older man is displaying. If there's an expression to be found there it might be called light puzzlement.

It takes a moment for the memory to kickstart. He killed this man, attacked him and the girl with him, killed him right before Bucky had felt something puncture through his flesh and collapsed into blackness himself.

Coming back from the dead himself had been troubling, knowing Steve had come back relieving; seeing one of his own victims in his long history of murder back for the first time? His eyes widen in his face.

Then he nods in acknowledgement, unsure what he's supposed to say, if anything.

[aintyourdad]

Joel, on the other hand, knows exactly who he's looking at - even if the guy looks weirdly like that other guy who he also killed - the one who tried to kill the false Sarah.

At least, they both have metal arms, which is weird.

But that doesn't matter. All that matters is Joel telling this guy off.

"Don't you ever come near me or my kid again, you hear me?" he growls.

Let's go with le roof

[arrogantalloy]

With a scotch tumbler in hand Tony makes his way out to the ledge of the roof. Like a lot of people he comes to the roof for moments alone, but also because he really does miss flying in his suit and being up here is the closest he can get to that freedom again.

He walks past Bucky, giving him nothing more than a passing glance before he keeps walking, he starts to lift the drink to his lips before he stops. Then turns around and raises an eyebrow at the guy. It looked like Bucky, even though he wasn't exactly looking like he was waiting for Tony to be sarcastic towards him. So he kept staring.

"Was your hair that long before? I don't remember it being that long."

roof party!

[tookthewheel]

It's starting to look like his attempts to find solitude here are falling flat. Bucky's considering whether he ought to retreat back to the space designated his own, or to Steve's, no matter how good the feeling of sun on his face is.

Also people continue to speak to him like they know him and it's frustrating because he doesn't know any of them. Not one.

At Tony's words he reaches up with his right hand, examining a lock of brown hair with a twist of his fingers. "Yes." he answers finally. It's been that way for as long as he can honestly remember, which is little over a month now. It feels like it's been this way for a while though.

[arrogantalloy]

Tony knows something is different. He looks at him a little more, the Bucky he knows would have not been so contemplative and monosyllabic to him. Last time he commented on Bucky, Bucky tried to inform him where to go.

So time for a test.

"Who am I?"

He never said it would be a hard test.

(A) kind of thinking after he returns for the day if that's okay?

[assassinat]

Most men wouldn't turn away from the thought of finding a beautiful Russian babe in their bedroom waiting for them; in fact, the prospect of it is often a desire that went unfulfilled. Natasha's spent a couple hours waiting for his return and while she could have sought him out physically, there's just something about approaching someone in their personal space that made these meetups worth it.

...but most men wouldn't want to find the Black Widow in their bedroom if they knew what she was capable of. There's a good chance that the Winter Soldier knows what she can do and then there's an even better chance that he doesn't know what she's capable of. Steve Rogers said it himself: "Where I'm from, you and Bucky don't share a history." Words that will haunt her, but not define her. No, she won't let her first time meeting this man face-to-face be determined by something unknown.

So she waits. Men like him are programmed and Natasha knows how to work them; he's bound to return out of a lack of having anywhere else to go.

[tookthewheel]

He opens the door, he stops.

There's a clear line of readiness that flows up Bucky's body as he lays eyes on her, his gaze sharp from underneath the hood that still covers his head. Combat was not allowed outside the arena he understands, so why is the Black Widow here in his room? He knows her, a picture from a file given prior to his final mission for Hydra; identified as a possible threat to the success of Project Insight, to be eliminated on sight. She was highly trained and highly dangerous, though known at that time to have been injured (it was not said by who).

"Natasha Romanoff." he identifies her, fingers of his left hand twitching beneath their glove as the echoes of the command run through his head.

[assassinat]

"Bucky Barnes." The name that her allies knew her by. Means he hasn't had the opportunity to see her proper name, one privy to all Tributes and Capitol citizens. Interesting, she must look similar enough to her counterpart for him to make the connection.

No, it's more likely that he hasn't "lived" long enough of his own accord to differentiate red hair with another woman. If what she's been told rings true, then this man should only know her by name and as an operative for S.H.I.E.L.D., nothing more.

"Have something to say to me?" Tilting her head in a mocking gesture. "You seem a little antsy there."

B

[soldieronwards]

And yet--

There is the softest thump on the platform behind him. One that another man might easily dismiss or simply not hear at all. But not this one.

A strangely familiar face waits there--a few years older, a few inches shorter, with eyes of a different color.

"I thought you might be up around here."

[tookthewheel]

He's starting to get used to the idea of those who should be dead being alive. The night after they had fought this man's almost but not quite identical to his face had appeared in the night sky, now here he is alive, just like everyone else.

Wariness shifts into his posture, remembering the details of their last disastrous encounter from the first shock of seeing each others faces to the final stinging parting words. This man had almost killed him in the arena. "It's the best vantage point."

And Bucky keeps looking at him uncertainly and asks because he has to know, to try and understand who he's looking at. "Who are you?"

[soldieronwards]

"You don't need a vantage point," the other man says, but it's with a wry twist of his mouth that says he knows it's not really true. Even now that he's himself, now that he's been himself for years, he still easily finds himself slipping into that kind of thinking. Evaluating everything for its combat potential. So how can he expect this man to do anything but that?

He crouches a bit, trying to be ready, but with as little threat to his posture as possible. "That's complicated," he finally says. "I'm...another version of you. From a world where some things were different. My name is the same as yours."

A

[retrieverchef]

Eliot's busy cleaning when he notices the door open. He doesn't recognize the man since he'd been in "training" when he'd been introduced to the Arena but there's no mistaking him for anything but a Tribute. More specifically, a new one. He mentally winces in sympathy, even as he backs out of the way.

[tookthewheel]

Bucky's walks in and he immediately stills to take scope of the suite. It's instinct, training; look for all possible exits, the weaknesses, the best vantage points... he looks and he catalogues in a quick sweep of his eyes. Then he takes note of the sole occupant, backing away from him.

Another sweep of his eyes is conducted, this time checking body language, looking for hidden weapons as he determines whether or not this man is a threat. It's probably eerie to be looked at in such a way.

[retrieverchef]

What he finds truly eerie is seeing someone else doing what had once been second nature to him. Old instinct tells him to lift his hands, show he's not a threat but the thought of communicating even that much makes him feel ill. And that makes him want to punch something. He should be stronger than this. He's survived torture before without breaking like this.