Bucky Barnes (thebuckyclause) wrote in angellogs, @ 2021-04-11 01:33:00 |
|
|||
Current mood: | contemplative |
Entry tags: | !complete, bucky barnes, tony stark (iron man) |
Who: Bucky Barnes (Pre-Winter Soldier), Tony Stark
When: Current
Where: Tony Stark's Thrift Store
What: Lunch is afoot.
Rating/Warnings:
Status: Complete
Tony had music on in the shop, and he was up on a stepladder popping off the vents on the ducted heating system to clean them up. He'd just replanted the second floor window beds, since while he wasn't an amazing cook or anything, the herbs were fun to watch and pleasant smelling on nights when it was fine to open the window. His little pack of rundown half off flowers had thrived and rambled all over, so he was planning on trying that again. Maybe pick some that'd be more set up for vases, but that'd not be super likely. The front of the shop had a bunch of stacked up amber glass dishes and a tiny mosaic souvenir painting thing that Tony was inclined to buy for the house if Steve liked it.
“Hey” Bucky’s poking his head around. “It feels like it’s been a WHILE on my part hasn’t it?” Sure, they established that, but, well. Reconnecting now is a good idea too. “I wasn’t sure what you wanted to do, so I figured we could do an order somewhere. I pulled up a couple menus for the places around here. I’ve got one of those delivery driver website accounts.”
"Hey. There's lemonade and tea in the fridge. I'm also up for walking over and bringing a bag back." Tony waved. "Give me a minute. This'll shed dust likely, but it's something nice to do. What are you leaning toward?"
“I could handle that part.” Bucky nods. “And let’s see. Deli could work, but I’d be up for chinese too, depending. Or the greek place you mention a lot. I’ve had one of their gyro things but I”d try something new. And hey, take all the time you need. I’m not in any kind of rush.” he nodded back toward Tony.
“So, how have things been around the shop? Anything interesting come in?”
"Greek place does really good guac and chips as well as burgers." Tony looked thoughtful. "How would some deli sandwiches and an assortment platter and dessert sound? I didn't have much breakfast, and I don't know how your appetite goes. I've got a coupon for the Greek place."
“Sounds good to me.” Bucky grins. “And I got enough super soldier in me that we probably won’t have leftovers but not enough that I’ll totally demolish things. I noticed that with Steve the last time we did breakfast. Then again, he’d also dragged me running that day so that could have to do with it. Maybe I’m too much of a cat to appreciate the virtues of running around at five am, but...he had to bribe me with pancakes.”
"Hey, nothing wrong with that. How were the pancakes?" Tony sneezed as he got the vent cover off and brought it down to work on. "Just make sure we have enough. Want to call in to the deli, and I'll do the Greek place since they know me?"
“Pretty good, considering it was super early.” Bucky grinned. “That was over at that little cafe by my place. And I’ll definitely do that. And, sure. Sounds like a good way to go about it.”
"And new stuff is - uh - I can show you? There's a pile of classic sci fi, which I don't know if you'd like but the covers are goofy." Tony snapped the covers back on and moved to flip his sign over to closed for lunch. "Let me clean up a bit and we'll see about getting food here. There's a really gorgeous flowering bougainvillea on the way to the Greek place. Might make it worth the walk."
“Ooh fantastic.” Bucky grins. “And I wonder if...I don’t know if you saw the internet, but there’s, you know, another Bucky running around now. He might be into it, too. I might pass it on to him, if it’s something he’d like, after. And yeah? Should get Steve interested in painting it. He’s doing prom stuff right NOW, sure...but…”
"I promised to snap him some photos if they fizzle out before he's out of it. Last I heard, I made some kid's days with an assortment of paper cranes and paper flowers. Since - uh - cancer patients. If they can sterilize everything going in, it's safer."
“Hey, yeah the cranes.” Bucky smiled at that. “I saw the book about the school girl who folded them to try to make her wish to get better come true. Well, a kids’ biography version anyway. And how she has a statue in that park now. It’s a sad story, but it’s good that people can recognize, you know, how to make peace a priority in the world.” He can’t imagine what the end of the war must have been like, other than that he was horrified to read about Hiroshima. “I see why you stand where you do,with weapons. I mean, it’s not something I’d thought about much before.”
"I'm just kind of - I guess scared how easy it is? That I could get back into it. I don't feel like I'm peaceful as much as trying to do good. The weapons thing is - I know I could do it. If we needed it. I'm fixing some stuff for folks on a - it's for them to keep a sentimental thing working, not to make a newer bigger gun." Tony sighed. "Addictive personality isn't the right way to put it." He dug out his phone. "Give me a little here." The bellowing, "Anthony!" on the other end clearly said Tony was recognized.
A little later, they were heading down with a bag of sandwiches and past the big arches of vibrant pink leafy bits that acted like flowers. Talking was cool and all, but they were both hungry.
Bucky balanced a bag of his own and some drinks too as they made their way back around. “This really IS nice.” He said, nodding to the arches. “I could see it making fantastic scenery for a LOT of stuff.”
As they walked, he found himself considering anything else for them to catch up on lately. He’d been...boring, really. Dating aside.
"They're pretty easy to grow, other than the thorns, but I don't really have room in the shop for something like that," Tony said cheerfully. "Promise me you'll try the stuffed zucchini? They look like grenades but they're lovely, and really nice cold. I've been trying stuff in case if summer's sticky again. I'm too used to New York, I fear, and I get whiny as soon as it gets muggy."
“Looks interesting.” Bucky said, honestly. “I’ll definitely take the recommendation. You know, I don’t think I’ve ever eaten straight zucchini before. Mostly in breads, I think. MAYBE it was part of some kind of stew or something. I do like squash though. And ah summer. It seems so far off, even though it really isn’t, is it? Being prepped is a good idea. Just like a boyscout. Though, my Steve and me, we didn’t join. He couldn’t do it, so…”
"Was it expensive, then? For the pins and all that? I know Steve's health was a mess then, but dad always complained about the prices." Tony looked thoughtful. "Never really thought about it."
“Oh it was more about Steve’s health than anything. I mean.” Bucky looked thoughtful too. “It was the depression so most of us were in about the same boat. Aunt Sarah...uh Steve’s Mom.” he grinned at that, “was pretty good at making things happen, and so was my ma. They got creative when they had to, but with Steve not really able to do a lot of the stuff and being too sick for school most of the time… It didn’t seem fair to join without him.” He grinned a little. “By the time we were older, I don’t think we were completely boy scout material. His fighting thing, my finishing fights thing…”
"I mean, I do the same thing. Kind of more bantering at people." Tony shrugged. "And I heard enough about what I do wrong." He opened up the door so they could head in. "It's kind of overrated, I think? People aren't perfect. It matters that you try to be the best you can. Feels kind of suspect when someone sits there and acts like everything they do is always right, or came out good in the end because it was okay. If you can't handle making a mistake, it's a bad system, I think? Not that boy scouts did that, from my limited experience."
He set down the food and nudged a box toward Bucky. "You might have fun looking through this."
“I mean that was, you know. Kid stuff mostly.” Bucky frowned. “Well, the dumb stuff was. It turned into the bantery stuff. But when Steve actually got mad it was, you know, things he really cared about or was genuinely offended by. I d bet it happened to the Steve here too, but...right before I left for Europe, my last night in New York, I was wandering around looking for him and...I found Stevie in an alley, fighting these two guys with a trashcan lid. Because they’d made fun of the newsreel. THAT sort of thing.”
And that seemed fair. He nodded. “Yeah I think it’s less about not handling making a mistake completely as much as...tiny Steve picked a LOT of fights. He was mad about a ton of things. Most of them he had a point, but, you know how kids are who haven’t learned about tact yet. It might’ve caused some problems all the way around.”
He smiled at the box. “Oh thanks. Let’s see here.”
"Makes sense to me. Steve here seems like he's - “
“The one here’s...surer of himself than my Steve was the last time I saw him. I mean after the war that probably changed too.” Bucky said, “But there’s a different...thing with him. It’s like he’s done, this one, with taking crap from people. Like, he doesn’t assume anyone’s going to have nothing of value or anything like that but...he’s more willing to stand up for himself and firmer about it than mine was before the war years. I think one too many people pushed him to stand up for himself. Or Miss Carter helped him gain that too. Probably both.”
"Yeah. He mentioned that he still has some issues with medical stuff. I think the serum thing was miserable and he's kind of not talking about it." Tony munched thoughtfully. "Not that he has to, just - I'm glad he did tell me that much?"
Bucky nodded. “That makes sense from what all I’ve heard about things. He’s had more stuff forge him BEFORE the war, you know? And it’s good he has.”
"I think you had things forge you too," Tony pointed out. "I mean, that's therapist talking to try to get through my thick head talk, but still - you had good loyal friends and you didn't just follow what you were told when it came to who you liked. There's worse people than that in the world. But yeah. I just - it seems like Steve would be happier if someone went with him if he needed to do medical stuff, or talking to governmental types, and I'm not sure how to bring it up with him about asking other folks."
“Oh I know I have.” Bucky nodded. “It’s more the big stuff, those happened in the war. The significant parts, I think. Or I’m stuck there still. I think it mostly felt...average, so I didn’t think much about the early stuff. And oh, that’d make a lot of sense. I’d say it’s probably okay to just come out and ask. He’s pretty direct, you know?”
"I guess so? It's hard sometimes, because I leap ahead and sort of plan my moves for another chess game instead of establishing that it's what we're doing. But I can talk to him. It's a good point that even if he's wondering why I'm thinking on it, it's still good to get it out there."
“Probably a good plan. Talking usually helps. About most stuff.” Bucky added. “And hey, it’s definitely a good point. And probably something to think about way ahead of time. Give him time to decide, and all.”
"Exactly. So how's things with you? Anything on your mind? I could bore you with the minutia of running the shop, but a lot of that is -" Tony trailed off. "I guess I love the challenge. So many things can get reused by people who love them, and why not make the work of that pleasant? I'm just one shop, in one city, but I'm doing a little good without overburning myself."
“I mean,” Bucky shrugged. “Things are things. Let’s see. There’s a newer version of me around now. The one who’s been through...everything. I feel sorry for the poor bastard, let me tell you. He seems nice though. I think I’ve talked him into bugging Steve at work someday.”
"I hope that goes well for him. I think I talked to him once, but that was when my arc reactor went missing and I was - uh - not okay." Tony frowned. "Pretty sure I was shot up with Extremis, but never set anything on fire just - the nightmares were a lot."
“That was a weird week.” Bucky nodded. “Steve was old. I was Cap...Raven was evil. I’m pretty sure other stuff was going on too. Didn’t Strange’s sister turn up and his apprentice vanished? He shook his head. “I’m glad that didn’t last. Sounds like no one had much fun with it. Well, I mean, being Cap wasn’t BAD. I’d do it if Steve needed some help. Like a shared title. But other than THAT…”
"Steve was pretty amazing, you know? Old fiery guy with a passion for his stuff and a massive pile of medications, but still -" Tony trailed off. "Still him, you know?"
“Oh definitely. He seemed cool that way.” Bucky grinned. “Like himself but an old version. Force to be reckoned with sort of thing. Seems like it’d fit him. Was it weird, getting back to normal after all that happened?”
"It was, but not -" Tony trailed off. "I didn't see him having a life I couldn't imagine us having? Us being the two weird old farts in a nursing home, if you know what I mean? What about you and Raven?"
“That sounds good, really.” Bucky laughed. “And so far? Pretty good I think. It’s early days and she’s been through kind of a lot of things that have made her shy away from a lot of people. The whole mutant thing. No one was OUT when I was around, but people got a lot of crap for it back when she was doing her thing. It’s made things move a little slow. But maybe that’s a good thing too. Taking our time.”
"So the evil thing was more of a - surviving versus full blown being a creep?" Tony guessed.
“I mean, I think in that reality, probably.” Bucky nodded. “One of those things where you do what you have to do to protect yourself, and then probably eventually get sunk into it. I get the impression it’s like that for a lot of mutants.”
"Trust me, if I was back at home, I'd totally be trying to help out." Tony sighed. "My era was more governments being shady, as far as I know, but I know it was awful earlier and in my time."