thecapitol | We’re all scared of trenches. [semi-closed]

Entry tags:

We’re all scared of trenches. [semi-closed]

Who| Thor and [closed] to close CR/people who have arranged to meet him. Mostly Avengers/Vikings but if you have a burning need just message me!
What| Thor returns from the glorious finale and is understandably ruffled by how it went down.
Where| D2, the commons/particularly the bar area/training center
When| After Thor dies.
Warnings/Notes| Talk of a vicious death, drinking to cope

If there's any good Thor can take from this, it's that his legs don't hurt anymore. He awakes and returns to his dwellings in silence, the weight of the past few months sitting heavily on his shoulders. Self care comes first. He eats, he drinks, he showers and he tries to make himself rest in silence for at least a while. He soaks in all that he has gone without in the Arena, but he can't stay idle for long. Being alone makes him repeat everything, every mistake he made and every chance he should have used. It will be much better to be around people, his people. He hadn't expected Bro's words to stick and resound for so long, but it gives him something to strive for. To be, as he put it, selfless or whatever and someone to lean on just as Thor should be.

And so he sets off to find them, and he'll poke his head around many places in the tower. He's dressed casually in a flannel shirt over a white shirt and jeans with his hair pulled back, he definitely looks as unimpressive as he feels, but he won't dwell on that. He'll wander through the training center first in the hopes of approaching his friends, then he'll move to the commons in the hopes of catching them as they pass before moving to treat himself to a drink at the lobby bar. Eventually, he'll find himself back up in District Two and acquaints himself with the couch, knowing people will seek him out there.

Even with his friendly intentions, he can't help the fact that he's glowering for the most part. He tries to look approachable, but the stern annoyance is apparent in his expression.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Bucky sits but doesn't order a drink.

He does stare at the bar tender when the man focuses on his brand with a glare, long enough the man soon looks away uncomfortably and quickly turns to cleaning glasses to avoid those cold eyes.

Satisfied by this Bucky looks back at Thor. He doesn't remember what Thor did for him at the end, he remembers the man was there though, that's what this is about. "You're back. Are you well?" it's a normal question to ask under these circumstances.

Thor looks between Bucky and the bartender coldly, but he knows better than to start a battle in a bar when they're all skating on thin ice. He's in a terrible temper already, so he needs to keep that under control.

The moment passes soon enough and he can move on to being a little surprised at the question, though it doesn't show too much in his face. "As well as can be expected." He answers with a small shrug. "And yourself?"

Stranger things have happened.

It's a change in Bucky to ask after the wellfare of others outside of a combat situation where he needs to know how effective a squad mate can be. That had been all that the Winter Soldier had cared about, the successful completion of a mission and whether one of the people assigned to him was capable of playing their part. Out here in the Capitol they are safe and without an immediate goal to complete so it is noticeable different for him to make the inquiry.

"I am functioning normally." he says, nodding to Thor's assessment of himself. Bucky expected no different but it seemed appropriate that he should ask rather than assume.

His eyes shift to Thor's glass, wondering if it is more gin he is drinking or something different, then back to the man's face. Bucky's mouth opens, closes as he clearly is thinking something over in his head.

The impersonal nature of the answer sets them right back to what Thor expected. Something colder and more cut off, something that both asked to be left alone and begged to be bothered.

"I would be concerned if you weren't." He quips back with a raised brow, as if questioning why that response in particular had been deemed important enough to share.

He drinks mead, and he's glad for it. The gin had been harsh and cheap and it burned, mead is warm and rich and comforting. It reminds him a little of home, even if it isn't quite right. "Say your piece, Barnes." He says in a stern tone, even if he doesn't quite mean to.

"Hm." he grunts in acknowledgement, taking the response for what it is but not bantering back.

Thor is someone growing in the Soldier's esteem but still, progress is slow. Both in helping him during his panic attack earlier in the arena and for he now means to say. The blunt encouragement helps him in that matter.

"You stayed with me when I was dying," Bucky says, meeting the taller man's gaze steadily. "when it have been more prudent to leave." his gaze flickers, dim memories of voices above him, confusion as the hours dragged on. "I am grateful for it."

For all that Thor feels certain there's something to be concerned about as far as Bucky goes, he also feels a certain protectiveness of him. It isn't a strong feeling by any means, it comes as a result of what he knows Steve feels. Bucky has been adopted into their team just as Sif and others have, he sees no need to treat him differently even if there are restrictions to how the other can think and feel. He hopes, one day, people can extend the same respect to Loki. Deep down, he knows his brother will never deserve it as much as Bucky does.

"That I did." He says casually, with an even tone to match the steady gaze. The way he acts flippantly about it implies well enough that this is standard for Thor. "You are, as I know it, a member of our team. I do not know you well, but I should like to." He offers him a small smile. "There are few I would see suffer in such a manner."

Just as Bucky's decision to rely on the others comes from Steve, so too does he know much of their initial choice to accept him also comes from Captain America. Since then the team has proven themselves more by their own merit to Bucky and he finds himself hoping he has done the same in return to them.

It feels good to be part of a team, to feel like he belongs -- that there are people he could trust to have his back in combat. Like the Howling Commando's. He can't remember them clearly but he had had a team before and it is good to have one now. The Winter Soldier had almost always worked alone, any teams he worked with were disposable, often at his own hand when they turned to liabilities and knew better than to treat the Asset as anything more than a feared weapon.

It was nothing like this.

"Yes." he confirms. Bucky rubs his metal thumb against his fingers and nods, he does not say thank you again as it has already been said but considers the statement that Thor would like to know him better. He is wary of people knowing his past, wary of what they may think of him after learning it.

"What would you like to know about me?"

It isn't hard to see the complications that stir under the surface of Bucky, making themselves apparent in his eyes and in his words and actions. It troubles Thor, but it brings about that need to help that exists in him. He isn't so much a problem to fix as he's becoming a friend to help, but there are few who fights alongside that he's so cold as to see as an ally and nothing more.

He's surprised when Bucky directs that question in such a forward manner, it almost makes him feel invasive. As if he's mining for information rather than getting to know him, but he's begun to understand that Bucky doesn't do things so casually. It's Thor who will have to extend that warmth to the conversation.

"I had wondered how you came to know Steve." He explains. "I'd not been on Earth long enough to know much about anyone, his history is not known to me."

Direct is about the only way Bucky knows how to effectively communicate. If someone wishes to get to know him better it means an exchange of information must take place.

"We met when we were children."

This question is easy and one that Bucky doesn't find hard to answer. It's not invasive, yet, and it's certainly not the worst subject he could think of Thor choosing to ask him about. He's willing to provide in this case.

After a moment he adds a sliver of embellishment, "He'd gotten into a fight. I stepped in to help him."

It's not an answer Thor expected, so the surprise shows on his face. The sadness he keeps to himself, now knowing Steve's situation is not too unlike his at all. His face is a little grim, but he forces himself to lighten up when Bucky embellishes the story.

"Some things never change, do they?" And some things change too much. This hits a little close to home, but at least they aren't brothers as he understands it. "And you've known him since then?" He asks innocently enough, trying to be casual enough that the round of questions don't demand answers.

"No." he could almost smile at that without quite knowing why.

Bucky nods slowly. "We grew up together. Then we went to war together." he continues onward's with the story, with an air of a man reciting from something he read or had been told more than from his own memory. "After that..." after falling, after being frozen and used while Steve slumbered under the arctic ice, "we didn't see each other again until shortly before I was brought here."

In time, Thor smiles for him. There's a strange sort of ease he gets from having a conversation like this with the ever elusive man. It's not as if he'd never thought of him as some sort of ally, but there's something a little more human about him now, having seen more sides of him than he'd imagined he would.

"And he is glad to have you, I'm sure. Though I imagine he'd not say." He's uncovered more vulnerability than he imagined he would, but he won't abuse it. He keeps his responses measured, taking care not to tread where he doesn't belong.

"It seems there is much I am not privy to amongst my teammates." He scoffs. "I've not spoken like this with many of them, you know?"

About that Bucky is not so sure. No, he knows Steve is glad to have him because Steve has in fact said so, he's just not so sure Steve is glad to have him as he is instead of how he was.

"No?" small surprise shows up on Bucky's face and he wonders if he might have overstepped his bounds telling Thor this. As far as he is aware though Steve has never indicated he would not like this information shared, at least among his teammate's. Some, like Stark, had already known as Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes friendship was remembered in history by the present world.

"Why not?"

Speaking as a man who believes he has lost his Loki entirely, he is steadfast in his belief that Steve would be glad for Bucky no matter what state he's in.

"No, but for no good reason beyond lack of time." He puts Bucky's uncertainty to rest, though he isn't quite aware that it's cropping up there. "My world is far removed from Earth. I had no time to linger. Then we arrived here and, needless to say, there was little chance to discuss the past when there is so much in the future." He offers Bucky a wry smile.

The explanation does indeed put his doubts to rest as well as confirm the scant information he has regarding Thor's origins. Bucky relaxes a little, more certain that he probably hasn't stepped over any unspoken boundaries.

It's not that he fears punishment, he knows Steve wouldn't do that, but he fears disappointing his friend all the same.

"You should ask them," he suggests, advocating the straightforward approach. "if you want to know." Bucky, in his current worldview, see's no harm in doing so. If they do not want to share they will say 'no', it's as simple as that. "There will be a lot of time before the next arena."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

We’re all scared of trenches. [semi-closed]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject