Who: Leonard and Bucky What: Meeting up for lunch (MU from last month) When: June sometime Where: Hinkles Status: Closed; Completed Gdoc; Matchup Rating: PG-13 at most
Leonard was out grabbing lunch at Hinkles. He had a soft spot for their french fries and milkshakes. Currently he was seated at a stool at the counter, a basket of fries and chocolate shake in front of him. He reached for the salt and added a dash to the steaming fries. Then, he grabbed a few, dipped them in ketchup, and popped them in his mouth. He nodded to himself. It was delicious. He washed them down with a taste of milkshake.
Allowing his attention to briefly shift from the meal, he noticed a man seated at the counter beside him. He recognized him from a brief run-in the two had at Verdant three months ago. Wiping his mouth on a napkin, Leonard turned to face him and spoke up over the murmur of the lunch crowd.
“I see I’m not the only one that enjoys the fries here,” he said.
Bucky was resting against the counter enjoying his fries when a man came over and spoke to him. Though they hadn’t had many run-ins, Bucky would recognize that drawl anywhere. He broke into something of a smirk and turned to Leonard, gently sliding the basket of fries over a little so the other man could have some, too.
“Best fries in Madison Valley,” Bucky said, grinning softly. “Care to join me?”
Leonard quickly recalled their conversation from the Verdant. He’d found Bucky amusing and, since Leonard was always up for chatting, he wasn’t about to pass up this opportunity. “Sure.” The thief shifted over his food to claim the seat beside Bucky, careful not to upset his milkshake. From the amount of fries Leonard ordered, it was clear he also agreed that the fries were the best in Madison Valley.
“So, how’s life under the Dome?” Leonard asked. He dipped a few fries into his tub of ketchup and popped them into his mouth.
Bucky was glad to have a friendly face in this place. Not that he didn’t have people around to turn to--Steve and Darcy were here, and Natasha, and Shuri--but making new friends was a good thing. He hadn’t done that on his own for a very long time.
Together they could shoot the shit, eat french fries, and drink beer. Bucky couldn’t think of a better way to spend the evening. “Life’s good. Slow, but that’s just the way I like it.” Bucky thought maybe he deserved a little slow. “How about you?”
To anyone that actually knew Leonard, it was obvious how much he missed Mick. They were close friends for most of Snart’s life and being without the pyromaniac left a hole in Leonard’s heart that he wasn’t sure how to fill. Perhaps Bucky was the friendly face capable of doing so.
Especially if it involved french fries. It was no secret how much the thief enjoyed the salty, greasy food.
Leonard chuckled. “I can’t say I’m a fan of slow, but considering what this place is capable of? Well, I can’t say I’m complaining.” Leonard usually preferred a little more excitement in his life. As a criminal, he usually had plenty of it. Being a security guard certainly provided some entertainment too, but not nearly on the same level as a high-speed chase.
“I’m good though. Mostly working and bothering people at the club.” Leonard shrugged. “It’s more of a domestic existence than I ever thought I would have.”
Bucky gulped from his beer and then nodded with a slight chuckle. He swallowed again before chiming in, “true, true. This place is capable of making our lives a living hell.” --quite literally, with the nightmares and whatever else. “I’d take slow over alternate timelines or hellscapes or nightmares. Or even falling in love with the wrong person.” Bucky didn’t want his head messed with like that. He’d spent too much time with other people messing around in his noggin. Bucky Barnes had had enough brainwashing for several lifetimes.
“I should probably find some permanent employment,” Bucky mused. He glanced around the room, then shrugged. He had no idea what he would do with his time now. “How’d you decide where to work?”
Leonard smirked to himself. The Dome had decided to make him a victim; for a week, he’d thought he was in love with Mal. Afterwards, it had been loads of awkward and he was still unsure if he would ever be able to speak to the other man again. At least Sara seemed to take it all in stride. Then again, she’d been here for years so the strangeness didn’t seem to phase her anymore.
“I’ll drink to that.” Leonard raised his cup and then took a sip. Perhaps with that last bit of weirdness they’d earned themselves a reprieve. Probably not.
Employment was tricky. If Leonard didn’t know Sara, he would be in the same boat as Bucky. “I got lucky. I knew the owner of Verdant and she was able to give me a job. Ironically, it was the same job the other version of me had here.” The thief was still grappling with the fact that there was three versions of him here before.
Bucky didn’t like thinking about how many other versions there were of him in this place. He didn’t like the idea that there were other copies of him running around anywhere. He was planning on ignoring any mentions of the multiverse.
But the idea of getting a job was certainly something that sat in his mind. He couldn’t get around it forever. Taking on part-time things here and there was well and good, but it seemed like he was going to be in this place for a bit longer. Something more permanent was due.
“You like it? Working at Verdant?” He asked.
Leonard didn’t like thinking about the other versions of himself. The versions that had the opportunity to be with Sara in ways he potentially never would. To have shared experiences he would never have. Like Sara, the others he’d befriended seemed to take the revolving door of Leonards in stride and, for the most part, they still wanted to be his friend. It didn’t make Leonard anymore comfortable with the idea.
At the question, the thief smirked. “I get to work with my girlfriend. The other staff are okay. I occasionally get to engage in a little violence when someone decides to be a dick. What’s not to like?”
Thankfully, Bucky hadn’t talked all that much with other people about the Buckys that were here in Madison Valley before he was. He knew they were around, but he didn’t have a lot of details about what they did while they were here. Perhaps it was because Bucky was a bit more reserved, or a little more closed off? Whatever it was, he was thankful that no one thought it was a good idea to come and confront him with information or accusations based on previous Buckys.
“It sounds like a great place to work,” Bucky mused. He wondered if that was something he should consider. He’d make solid private security. Then again, maybe he should consider doing something else with his life here. Push himself out of his comfort zone?
“How long does it take to go to bartending school?” Bucky could mix drinks. That might be a good job for him.
Unfortunately, it was a situation Leonard could not avoid. Upon posting his first network, he’d received more than a few responses saying how he’d been here three times already. Obviously, Sara had come right out and just said it. He always appreciated her honesty, her bluntness. She didn’t like to skirt the truth and neither did he. Well, mostly. He didn’t mind manipulating it to fit his needs when the moment came for it. Still, it was one reason they worked well together. However, in being with Sara, he had to accept she’d been with the other versions too. There was simply no escaping it.
“It has its moments,” Leonard replied, popping another fry saturated in ketchup in his mouth. The biggest reason he enjoyed working there was because of Sara. Despite his sketchy past and sticky fingers, Sara trusted him. Her faith in him meant everything even if he didn’t often voice it outloud. While he hadn’t hesitated to stick his cold gun in her face more than a few times back home, it was moments like that where such trust was born. It was a trust he would never betray.
Leonard had absolutely no idea how long it took to go to bartending school. Mixing drinks was something he’d taught himself in order to pull off jobs. “I have no idea. I’m self-taught,” Leonard admitted. He lifted his glass to take a sip. “You might be able to learn on the job though.”
Bucky nodded. He was considering different jobs now, something he hadn’t really had to do back home. Thankfully, the government took pretty good care of him, after his experience being the Winter Soldier… he wasn’t sure what he was really qualified to do. He was actually quite good at manual labor, though it meant that he was stuck in his head a lot. Serving people would be good. It might help him make up for the years of his life that he spent hurting people.
“Maybe I’ll start applying.” He could wander around and see what establishments needed help. He finished his beer and motioned to the bartender for another.
Leonard preferred a career with far more thought and strategy than being a security guard afforded him. However, given he was trapped under a Dome, the thief knew he couldn’t be picky. He was lucky to have Sara who was willing to give him an honest job despite the fact that they both knew he was a dishonest man.
“It doesn’t hurt. This place doesn’t have a whole lot of options, but there are some good people here who are willing to give you a chance,” Leonard replied. Another fry and Leonard reached for his beer as well, taking another sip. Bucky seemed like a decent kind of guy for the most part. Leonard didn’t doubt he would be able to find something here.
“Maybe I should put something out there on the Network,” Bucky mused. Having a job with regular hours would give him some stability in his life. It sounded like a pretty good idea. There was likely to be someone out there who needed an extra set of hands.
He turned the beer glass around once on the bar, examining it, then lifted it again to sip from it.
Leonard nodded. “It can’t hurt.” Most people were willing to give someone a chance here. If it wasn’t for Sara, Leonard didn’t know if people would be so willing to accept him. He was a criminal and knowing himself, he knew other versions of himself had hardly kept it a secret. Yet, people liked him for the most part despite knowing this about him.
“If you need someone to vouch for you, you can reach out to me.” Leonard didn’t know how much weight his word would hold, but Bucky was starting to become a friend and Leonard wanted to help him out.
Bucky broke into a rare smile. He reached over and clapped his friend on the shoulder. “Thanks, man. It means a lot.” He was glad to add another friend to his fairly short list. “And if there’s ever anything I can do in return? Feel free to reach out.” Granted, Bucky didn’t have the sorts of connections that might warrant reaching out… though he was pretty good when it came to moving couches or carpentry work.
“And next time we’ll have to plan where and when to meet, rather than letting it happen by chance.” They could watch a game together, or … whatever it was people did in these times when they hung out. Bucky was used to dance halls and ball games for entertainment. Everything in 2023 was new to him.
The clap on the back actually managed to warm Leonard’s rumored cold heart. The gesture, while far from something Mick would have done, reminded Leonard of his friend all the same. And how much he missed him. Even so, he found himself grateful for Bucky’s friendship; the more people he had on his side in this place, the better. “Will do,” he replied. While he wasn’t sure what he might reach out for, it still meant something to have Bucky offer all the same.
Leonard smirked. “That can certainly be arranged.” He wasn’t sure what they would do, but grabbing a meal and drinks seemed to be doing them both just fine. “Why don’t you enlighten me on some things you like to do?” Maybe they could come up with something from that list.