The Pen is Mightier! (penismightier) wrote in chaotic_library, @ 2016-07-06 14:42:00 |
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Entry tags: | bruce banner, bucky barnes, maria hill, marvel, novel, r-rated, sharon carter, steve rogers, tony stark, yuuo, yuuo: marvel |
[Bucky Barnes; R] Uncivil War: Chapter 6
Character/Series: Bucky Barnes; Marvel Cinematic Universe
Rating: R
Notes: GODDAMNIT, TONY. (Yes, again.)
Title: Uncivil War- Chapter 6: Of Our Own Device
Author: yuuo
Word Count: 5084
Summary: The lounge was where most of Steve and Bucky's things ended up, sketchbooks and the Dresden Files books on one of the bookcases.
last thing i remember
i was running for the door
'relax' said the night man
'we are programmed to receive
you can check out any time you like
but you can never leave'
-The Eagles
The lounge was where most of Steve and Bucky's things ended up, sketchbooks and the Dresden Files books on one of the bookcases. Steve kept a couple of the sketchbooks back in their room, to no surprise on Bucky's part, and Bucky kept his primary notebook to himself. He left some that hadn't seen the light of day in ages, and weren't likely to be snooped into if they weren't in his room, on the bottom shelf, next to Steve's sketchbooks. His tools went up to the work room.
The boxes with the rest of Steve's art supplies found its way to the cafeteria, where he'd have better lighting and tables to work at with this table easel. It was an odd place for art supplies, but there was more than enough room, and the supplies would be repacked into a cat-proof bin once Sharon went out to see what was in town or in the next biggest city.
For now, they sat in boxes stacked in the nearest corner that didn't lead to the kitchen.
Bruce's text books took up the entire second book case in the lounge, and he apologized profusely for it and got told repeatedly not to worry about it. Maria's mysteries and Sharon's romances fit just fine on the book case with Bucky's books, with room to spare for them to continue collecting.
"And if more space is needed, we can get another book case," Maria pointed out. "It's fine."
"Okay, while I have everyone in one room," Tony said after helping Bruce with the last of the text books, more meant for the medlab or work room than the lounge, "we have some locks to program."
Steve put the last of his own handful of books away and looked over at Tony. "Which room should we start with?"
"The one across the hall," Tony said, standing. "That's the easiest one, it's just codes. I have to reprogram the ones on the uniform storages to be yours instead of the others, and I think I'm gonna have to figure out how to expand that." He glanced down the hall. "There's more Avengers now." He was quiet a moment, then shook himself out of that thought. "Anyway, come on."
The code to get in was easy, and Bucky immediately memorized it. He had a feeling none of them would be forgetting it any day soon, not with their collective good memories. (Steve's amnesia problems aside.)
Inside were five displays with code pads underneath them. "One for all the original Avengers except Bruce." Tony glanced back at Bruce, "Sorry, but you don't have a uniform."
Bruce shrugged it off. "I know."
Tony pointed to the far one. "Cap, that's yours. I figured since you were the one to make the strategy calls in New York, I'd be nice and count you as Avenger Prime. There's one for Thor to store his hammer and armor in so he can wear some normal clothes around the place. That one's for my case and some tools to repair damage, nobody gets that one." He pointed to the two closest to the door. "Clint and Natasha. Since they're not here, theirs gets repossessed for your uniforms. Just leave mine for me, the rest belong to you guys. Save some room in your closets for regular clothes."
"And the codes for those?" Maria asked.
"Resetting them now," Tony said, walking up to the first display and fiddling around with the key pad. "I know it's not the most secure, but I'm using the last four of your social security numbers. That can be changed." He plugged in his computer stick to a tab under the key pad. "Sharon, you're taking Natasha's. Maria, I'll give you Clint's. Bucky, you've got Thor's."
Bucky blinked, looking up at Steve. "I don't even remember my social security number."
Tony slowly turned his head to look at Bucky. "You are young enough to have one, right?"
Bucky frowned. "Yes. The system went into effect the year I graduated college. I got one when I came back home to Brooklyn. It was just never really used for anything but military registration and that was once. I never had to memorize it. I only know it's still active because Sharon's CIA team went in and reactivated all my identifying information."
"Well, once I get to your spot, I'll have the computer tell me what that is for you." He fiddled around a moment longer with Sharon's case before detaching his programming stick. "There you go, one display for your lovely uniform, Miss Carter."
Charming, Tony.
Sharon looked at Maria. "We should go get our uniforms unpacked and put away, just to get it out of the way while we're up here."
"Agreed," Maria said. She looked back at Steve. "Since Bucky has to stay here and find out his social security number, why don't you go get your uniform to put away? And grab Bucky's while you're at it?"
"I would anyway," Steve said, following the girls out.
That left the Three Science Stooges in the room. Tony was busy plugging in new numbers and Bruce was examining the displays. That left Bucky with nothing to do but stand around awkwardly and wait.
"These look like what we saw on the helicarrier," Bruce said. "Steve's uniform was in one."
"That's what inspired me, my geeky friend," Tony said. He moved on from Maria's new storage unit to Thor's. "Okay, Bucky, come over here. As soon as the program's in, I'm going to give you your code." He looked at Bucky. "You really don't know your social security number?"
Bucky shook his head. "Like I said, I had to use it all of once after the program started. That was a damn long time ago."
"Not at all since coming back into the public light?"
Bucky's gaze rolled off to the side as he ran through his memory. He had a good memory, now that things were back, but this one just wasn't in there. "If I did, I don't remember it. I don't have any credit cards, the car's in Steve's name, the bank account's in Steve's- wait." There it was. "Yeah, I did have to use it to put my name on our account." He frowned. "I think the last four were four zero one three?"
"Bingo," Tony said. "At least according to this computer. I don't make a point of memorizing other people's social security numbers, but your records are at the Tower, since you're an employee. Pepper and I bypassed the application process for you, so yeah, I guess you didn't use it to start earning a paycheck from us." He tapped his finger on the computer stick a couple times. "Aaaand done." He removed the stick from the slot under the keypad. "Once Cap gets up here with your uniform, you can put it away."
"Then the computers?" Bruce asked. "I think we'd all like access to that more than this room."
Tony gave him a look. "Oh sure, now that I've done the work of reprogramming things in here, this room isn't good enough."
Bruce gave Tony a benign smile. "Yes, well, we're likely to have little reason to use our uniforms. But the computers might be nice."
"Fine, you win this round, Banner." He glanced at Bucky. "Mind if I talk to him about earlier?"
Bucky stared at him blankly, mind racing to figure out what it was that Tony was even asking before his wheel hamster clicked on the light for him. "Oh. Why?"
"Your blood pressure, mostly," Tony said. "And I won't be here to help, he will."
Bruce looked between them. "I'd ask what this is, but it sounds like it's confidential until otherwise said."
Bucky huffed in frustration. "Fine, tell him, I don't care. It's not like it won't become obvious if it doesn't stop."
"You think it won't?" Tony said, raising an eyebrow.
"You think it will?" Bucky replied, then looked at the very confused Bruce. "Steve and I have had a couple arguments over Hydra. We're brothers, it happens. I don't think you need to worry about our blood pressures, but I guess you should know when it's best to hide in the bunker instead of getting in between us."
"Oh, is that all?" Bruce asked and Bucky's jaw dropped and he came perilously close to hitting him. "We expect that, Bucky. Hydra didn't exactly fill you two with bunnies and butterflies. That's why you have us."
"Told you," Tony said.
"Shut up, Tony," Bucky said, rubbing his forehead. "Look, the others will be back soon, can we please drop this? Steve doesn't need to know we're having this conversation."
"Conversation?" Bruce said, looking just as confused as before. "What conversation? We're just discussing the mechanics of this computer program stick of Tony's."
"Good man," Tony said. "But it's just a copy of JARVIS. No secret."
Bucky was grateful to his friends for dropping the subject and really, Tony? Letting JARVIS do all the work? Lazy bastard.
After the others had returned with uniforms, Steve simply bringing their bag up and letting Bucky put his own uniform and weapons away- Bucky wanted to keep one of his Yari IIs, but he was told no, so he put them both with the uniform -Tony directed them up the circular stairs to the watch tower.
Reprogramming that lock was a bit more involved, having to program in new handprint records. Bucky's metal hand proved most difficult, as JARVIS had to override the lock's programming to recognize the specifics of the metal over the arrangement of the metal plates themselves.
"Here we go, ladies and gentlemen," Tony said, leading them on once the handprint recognitions were done. "The Avengers central computer hub."
The room had computer stations circling the entire room, only the door and a small space of wall on either side of the door way left uncovered with technology.
"Meant to keep surveillance on the grounds, which I will unlock that station for you," Tony continued. "Also holds old school and town records, though all of the town records are out of date and you don't get updates."
"Why not?" Steve asked.
"No outside contact," Tony said. "But the old stuff's still here, should give you an idea of what all is around the area. Over there-" he motioned to computers are the far side of the room from the door, "-is the communications computer. Only Junior can be contacted by it, but it'll be easier to get to than her onboard computers on the quinjet. Good for coordinating efforts, not that I think you'll need to. The school's quiet, except these cats apparently."
"We're already used to them," Maria said.
"It's only been four days."
"You get used to strange things quickly, or you go mad. We chose to get used to the cats."
Tony looked skyward as he thought about that. "Okay, good point. Anyway, Junior's going to keep you guys from getting messages out except through her, but other than that, you can get into anything in here that you want. I'll make a quick stop at the quinjet to add in programming for her to unlock everything up here. Now, the outside building, yes?"
The back building was the same routine with the handprint identification. Inside was a training area, just like they were told. It was better than the one at the Tower, bigger and had room for weapons ranges, for Clint's archery, and anyone's guns, Steve's shield, Bucky's knives, things the Tower couldn't have due to size and location restrictions.
Good. Bucky liked that set up.
The locked areas open, everyone went back to their own unpacking. Bruce dragged Tony down to the medlab, although he still had a couple boxes of personal things in the atrium when he did so. Bucky offered to take them up to his room, and was given a thank you with a relieved look.
They weren't done until after nine at night and everyone- particularly Tony -was exhausted. Retreating to the lounge to unwind before showers and bed was an unspoken agreement as one by one, they trickled in. Sharon and Maria had beaten the men there, although Steve wasn't far behind. Bucky and Bruce dragged themselves not long afterwards.
Bucky stared down at Sharon, who was stretched out on the couch and staring at the TV blankly. The TV wasn't on. "Care to sit up so we can sit down?" he asked.
She looked up at him. "Bruce can sit down. You can go sit with Maria."
Maria was in a chair not big enough for two people. Bucky pointed this out and got met with a "make her sit on your lap, I'm not sitting all the way up. I'm tired."
"We all are," Bucky grumbled at her, but he went over to Maria. "So I'm told I get to be a new chair for you."
Maria gave him a weary smile, then stood and motioned to the seat. "You're lucky you have a comfortable lap."
Bucky settled himself in the chair, then let Maria get settled on his lap. She rested her head on his shoulder, and she was so limp in his arms that he thought she might fall asleep there. There were worse ways to nap, but his legs would go numb sooner or later.
Steve was watching them with a distant sort of look, and Bucky directed that gaze towards Sharon. "You know, the Wii U is hooked up, you two could entertain us mindlessly for a little while."
"No dice," Tony said, finally joining them. He was carrying a serving tray with bottles and glasses. "I knew we'd all want a drink after a hard day's work, so lucky for everyone, I came prepared." He set the tray on the table. "A bottle of apple ale for Bruce, a wine cooler- low proof and very fruity -for Sharon, seltzer water for Maria, and seriously, one of these days you're gonna have a day worthy of even you having a drink." He passed out the individual bottles, then grabbed three glasses out of the crate and set them on the table. "And vanilla vodka for the rest of us. I'd make screwdrivers, but that'd mean taking the OJ up here, then back down to the kitchen so it doesn't get warm. That sounded like it'd be a lot of work."
Bucky took his glass. "It's too bad this doesn't actually do anything for me," he said, taking a drink that was grateful nonetheless. "I think passing out sounds good right now."
Sharon was forced to sit up to drink her wine cooler and let Tony have a seat. "So why can't we play our game? Not that I'm awake enough to."
"Because it's almost time for the news, and Pepper's supposed to be on, covering for your absence. I thought you might appreciate seeing what she has to say."
"Are you sure she'll be on the local news?" Bucky asked, not really believing that.
Tony shook his head. "Junior's your antenna. Nobody's gonna pick up her receiving TV signals anymore than any other antenna. But she's more powerful and right now, she's sneaking in information from satellites, so for the moment, you're getting more channels, including more news channels." He glanced at Bucky. "You're going to have to just deal that you can't get this after I leave."
"I'll live," Bucky said. "But I expect updates on the situation in Israel if you guys deploy."
"Oh, we will be, and you'll probably see us in the news often enough, even the local news," Tony said. "And Pepper can contact Junior if any major development happens that the news doesn't hear about." Tony set his drink on the table and and stretched, then grabbed the TV remote and turned on the TV, flipping around until he found a proper news station. "And now, we sit back and wait."
The talking heads were already discussing Pepper's upcoming press release regarding Israel and the dumped information. Bucky couldn't really pay attention, his legs starting to go numb. He patted Maria's hip. "Up, you. I can't feel my feet anymore."
She gave him a properly unamused look. "'Up you'? I don't even get a name?" But she got up anyway, freeing his legs to that tingly feeling of blood starting to rush through his veins again.
"I'm leaving you a warm chair," he said, setting his drink down and going to the opposite side of the room to rescue another chair.
"Acceptable." She took her spot back, slouching and stretching her legs out. She didn't look like she was going to be able to stay curled up on his lap much longer either.
Once settled in his own chair- cold chair, Maria was lucky he gave the warm one back to her -he actually tuned in to the babbling idiots- oh, no, sorry, news anchors -on the TV.
"-second time there has been a major reveal regarding Hydra's continued existence," a woman who the news bytes scrolling on the screen named as Jamie said. "The first time was in SHIELD, America's primary intelligence and security operation. This was done by Captain America and a handful of cohorts, largely unknown at the time, except perhaps Natasha Romanov, known better as Black Widow. There are questions now about if Captain America or any of the others responsible for the SHIELD reveal are connected to this latest uncovering in Israel's government."
The man sitting next to her, identified as Bill, took over the monologue. Bucky was sure after that, they'd start speculating at each other or bring in some outside 'expert' to discuss the subject until it was time for Pepper to field questions. "The Avengers have remained a team, backed by Stark Industries, since their first formation in the attack on New York City by an unidentified alien race. Another Avengers member was seen as part of the attack on Greenwich in Britain three years ago. People are starting to wonder how safe the world is with the Avengers around."
Jamie took over. "Agent Romanov, in an inquiry on Capitol Hill, agreed that the Avengers help make the world, as she put it, a 'scary place', but contended that they were the group best equipped to protect it. Now, whether this is true or not remains to be seen."
Finally, the monologues of history that everyone watching the channel should've already known ended, the two news anchors turning to each other to make it a conversation. Up in the corner was a small image of a podium with the Avengers emblem on it- when the hell did she and Tony make that?
"That must be at Stark Tower?" Bucky said, looking at Tony. "I didn't realize we had an official Avengers news room."
Tony glanced at him. "Well, we haven't found too much trouble as a group, bits and pieces on our own, although you two are the worst offenders, but yeah, we saw the fallout from New York, and SHIELD, and realized the Avengers were going to have to send out official statements on our business now and again. That logo is removable. We have a Stark Industries logo that can get switched out. It's not the most high tech set up in the world, but it was better than having two different rooms for issuing statements about one or the other."
"-it looks like Pepper Potts has become the Avengers spokeswoman," Jamie said.
"It seems that way," Bill agreed with the complete obvious. "With Tony Stark retired from the company and Miss Potts as the new CEO, she seems the best choice to be their mouthpiece. Her company is the one backing them, her company should answer for them. The Avengers themselves seem scattered. Captain America off with the Winter Soldier on mercenary jobs, a profession that I don't think anyone saw Captain America in, Thor seems busy with London, and the others seem off the radar somewhere. To some, that's worrisome."
"I don't blame anybody," Jamie said. "There's usually something terrible happening when one of them shows up in the news, and a fight ensues that leaves hundreds of thousands- if not millions -of dollars in property damage."
"You know, I gotta give them credit though," Bill said, "any damage they do, they always manage to avoid civilian casualties."
Sharon rested her head on the back of the couch. "Oh god, when is Pepper coming on? I am sick of these two already. Who doesn't know this by now?"
Tony reached over and patted Sharon's shoulder. "They have to fill the time somehow. Relax, Pepper should be on any time now."
Bucky closed his eyes and tuned Jamie and Bill out, sipping the last of his drink.
"-and it looks like Miss Potts has finally appeared to to give her statement and hopefully answer some questions," Jamie's voice said. Bucky cracked an eye open to make sure they weren't lying to him, and seeing the small screen of the conference room grow to take over the screen and Pepper appearing from behind a curtain, he sat up a bit and opened his other eye.
Pepper looked good, wearing a white dress suit with a pin of the Avengers logo on her left jacket lapel. Wow, she and Tony had practically franchised the Avengers. As if being on merchandise wasn't weird enough.
While cameras flashed and the murmurs of the news reporters talking to their camera men died off, Pepper tapped some cards on the podium, realigning them into a nice stack. She finally looked up at the various cameras. "We at Stark Industries, as backers of the Avengers, have been asked to issue a statement regarding the revelation of Hydra in Israel's government. We have been asked if any of our people were involved in this acquisition of information and subsequent release. To answer simply, yes, the Avengers take responsibility for both."
She slid a card to to the back, studying the second before looking up. "Hydra is a mission that has belonged to the Avengers since the first of us began to fight them during World War II. We continue in that mission today. Captain America and his partner, the Winter Soldier, have hunted them down largely in our stead, but this time involved more of us. They were first called to Palestine by Hydra agents within the Israeli government as a trap. Captain Rogers and Mister Barnes responded, backed up by three members of the Avengers that were here at the time. While the mission to Palestine was a trap, our people were successful in gathering intelligence and retreating before major harm could be done to more potential victims. The information we have released to the public reveals that the Hydra base in Palestine was a laboratory where human experimentation was done. Countless innocent lives have been saved from these experiments."
Another card flip. "Most of this should not be news, as nearly all of this information is now readily available on the internet. My job today is to confirm our involvement. Hydra was and remains a threat to the Israeli government, and we will put all our available forces into helping find this threat and eliminating it before it can endanger Israel's borders and its leadership. We are committed to assisting in the fight against Hydra in whatever capacity we can."
She set the cards down and folded her hands on the podium. "I will take questions now."
There was a massive clamoring as several reporters tried to ask questions at once, but Pepper singled out one and the din quieted for the woman reporter. "Jessica Soll from the Daily Globe," she said and Bucky nearly had an aneurysm. "Will we be seeing Captain America and the Winter Soldier at all? The dumped information didn't include details of the mission in Palestine."
"Hey, isn't that the reporter that did that article on you two?" Tony asked.
"Yes, now shut up." Bucky said, trying to listen to Pepper's answer.
Fortunately, Pepper had hesitated, not noticeably, but she'd paused before answering, so Bucky hadn't missed anything. "Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes received some injuries in the field," she said. "They are currently on medical watch. I'm certain they will return to work before this is done As for details of the mission, those remain classified."
More clamoring, and Pepper pointed out another reporter. "Why are these details remaining classified? What does a public superhero group need classified information for? Aren't they supposed to be for the people?"
Pepper took what amounted to an accusation with stunning grace. "We don't give out specifics of our tactics where our enemies might find them for the safety of our team members, just like any other security force that keeps details quiet."
"So we're on medical watch?" Steve asked, sounding derisive of that explanation. "Is that what this is?"
"Would you rather she have said that we're in hiding because Hydra fucked us up in the head?" Bucky said. "She did fine. She's right, we're on medical watch. Our brains got screwed with by drugs, tell me how that's not a medical condition."
Steve didn't answer, just took a drink of his vodka and held it in Tony's direction. "Tell me there's more of that."
Tony stared at the out held glass like it was insulting his mother. "There is, but you can get it yourself. I already was nice once this evening."
Steve made a grumbly noise that might've been trying to be words, but he got up and poured his own drink, being careful to not get in between Bruce or Tony and their view of the TV. Pepper was still answering some questions, but they were far more general, whether the American government had contracted them for the info dump, or if the Israeli government had. If there was there some third party country wanting to take over the investigation to avoid American bias or remaining Hydra presence in the American government making things more difficult. There were others, and Pepper handled each one smoothly and with class.
"Gotta admit," Bucky said, "Tony, you picked a good one."
Tony puffed out his chest. "I did, didn't I?"
"Are you saying she didn't pick you?" Sharon said, setting down her empty bottle on the table in front of her.
Tony unpuffed a bit. "There was some mutual picking. So we both have good taste."
"Humility is not your strong suit."
Tony gave her a sidelong look. "You have clearly not been part of the Avengers long enough to get to know me if you have to say that."
"I can't be restating for the record?" she said with a grin best suited on the little sister she was rapidly becoming to the group. Even though Bucky was pretty sure she wasn't the youngest of the Avengers. She was a couple physical years older than him, he thought. Not that that mattered, given how much of a smartass old man he sometimes was.
Damn kids, get off my lawn.
Once Pepper had decided she'd answered enough questions and disappeared back behind the curtain, the talking heads known as Jamie and Bill went back to taking up the screen, discussing what Pepper just said as if talking for people who hadn't just sat there and listened. News channels could be so tedious. Bucky vastly preferred being able to read articles online. They weren't as redundant.
"Okay." Tony managed to get up off the low sitting couch that looked like it ate the butt of anyone who sat in it, much like the rest of the lounge furniture. The cat that had been sitting behind his head on the back of the couch stretched and yawned, then hopped down into his abandoned spot. Tony didn't pay it any mind. "You guys can keep the vodka, I need to get home. I have a lady that's going to be waiting for me, and I am officially tired. You guys gave me a long day."
"Don't you blame us," Bucky said, getting up. "You're the one that told us we didn't get to stay at the Tower."
"And you know why."
"Still your decision."
Tony scowled at him. "So I'm going to be blamed now?"
"Bucky, your mouth is making noises again," Maria said. "You're tired, let's see Tony off safely, and make Steve drag you to bed."
"Wouldn't take much," Steve said, getting up at stretching. "When he gets tired, you just gotta grab him by the wrist and he'll follow like a dog on a leash."
"Can it, Rogers."
Tony patted his shoulder. "You're a grumpy old fart when you're tired," he said, Tony's unique way of offering subtle forgiveness for a slight. Bucky really shouldn't have gotten snippy with him.
"I am a grumpy old fart," Bucky protested, rubbing his face with his hand. "Come on, you need to get home. Pepper's gonna worry."
Glasses and bottles abandoned for the moment, the group escorted Tony back down to the atrium where his Iron Man suit was already assembled and waiting for him. The front opened up like some odd sarcophagus and Tony stepped back into it. It wrapped around him like a sleeping bag zipping up before the face panel slammed down.
Tony stopped once they were outside, waiting for him to fly off. He looked back at them. "Seriously, are you guys going to be all right? I can have more stuff sent in."
"We'll be fine," Bucky said. "Go on, before JARVIS has to pilot for you because you've fallen asleep at the wheel."
Tony tapped the side of his helmet. "Best designated driver I could ask for. Have Junior contact me if there's an emergency."
With that, his boosters powered up and he took off into the night sky.
They watched him go until he was a tiny dot that could've been a star in the distant sky. Bucky glanced down at the ground, then over at his team. "That's it. We're stuck here now."
"We'll survive," Maria said, wrapping an arm around his. "And you should go to bed. Steve, come grab his wrist."
Steve stepped over and put a hand on Bucky's back. "Come on, let's get some sleep."
Bucky didn't argue, turning back towards the mansion. He looked up at it for a moment, then let himself be led inside.