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Tweak says, ""Oh, Chris Evans," said Rhia"

James (lt_america) wrote in somerealityrpg,
@ 2020-08-15 20:30:00

Entry tags:

active: james rogers, active: steve rogers

Who: Steve and James Rogers
What: Meeting for the first time (in James’ case)
Where: Lunch time
When: Lunch time.

James had spent a better part of his morning trying to make sense of what was around him. One moment, they had been celebrating the destruction of Ultron while waiting for his sister to return (each moment she was away, he could see Tony growing more tense, and he couldn’t help but feel the same way). It was one of the reasons that he was so relieved to see his sister… even when the sight of her… being about a year younger than he was used to, was an odd one for him. Still, it was unmistakably his sister. She even passed all the tests, questions she would only know if she grew up in the compound with him.

Things felt a little calmer when he realized it wasn’t a trap. He listened to her talk about her family here, and how her dad wasn’t a jerk here. He was glad that she was finally getting what she wanted, and couldn’t suppress the bubble of giddiness in his stomach when he realized that it meant that he too could have what he wanted. Tony was great, Tony would always be his mentor and his father figure… but to know his parents… the one thing that he’d always longed for.

After exploring the sleeping arrangements, James decided to split a tent with his sister. He had never seen so many people in one place… well, maybe the scavengers, but this felt like a lot more and they were all sleeping literally on top of each other. It was overwhelming. Torunn showed him where most things were, and split off to give James some time.

He used it by setting up the tent. James wasn’t… good at not keeping himself busy and this place was a lot. When the bell came for lunch, James strapped the shield on his back, even though he trusted what his sister was saying, he wasn’t about to leave the only artifact of his fathers just laying around in a random place.

The food hall was too loud for him, and he saw people watching him. Everyone seemed to know who he was and that wasn’t something he was used to. He quickly got his tray full of food, and he got a lot of food, and sped his way outside to sit by himself away from the noise.

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_onyourleft_
2020-08-16 04:07 am UTC (link)

He looked a lot younger when he smiled like that, like a weight was lifted off his shoulders. Steve knew he’d have to try for that with him more often. “A house to yourself must have been nice. It’s good to have space, sometimes. We do have our own rooms, of course. And it’s not exactly cramped.” He laughed a bit when he said Tony was a bit over the top. “Something that doesn’t change across realities, apparently. He does it because he cares, though.” Or at least, that was the Tony he knew now. The one who just wanted to keep his family safe at all costs.

“No, not with Nat. I’m in an apartment with Diana. Buck was with us too. Uh, Bucky. My friend.” He tilted his head for a second. “The one you’re named after, actually.” He liked that. It felt right. “You’ll like Diana, though. She’s a good friend.” Had almost, for a while, been on the verge of being something more than that. But in the end he just didn’t feel like it was meant to be. Maybe they were too similar. “There’s a whole kids floor as well. Though if you’ve been living alone so long that might be a bit much. Room next to mine’s always an option.” Since it was free, now. He didn’t want to push, but then he liked the idea of him being close, too.

There was no way he was going to let it get the best of him now. Especially not in front of James. “You’re right. I’ve been back at least four times, apparently. Entity’s a big fan I guess.” He gave him what he hoped passed as an appreciative smile, even if it might have been a bit weak. “I’d love for you to meet him."

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lt_america
2020-08-16 04:27 am UTC (link)

“I liked having a lot of space,” James agreed with him, he liked spreading out and he tended to be a lot messier than the other kids. “Right now, I’ve got a tent set up,” James gestured out to a bright colored blue tent that sat just at the edge of the woods, it was still within sight of the rest of the camp but far enough away for him to have all the space he desired. “I know he does though, Tony, that is. We don’t always… see eye to eye, but he does the best he can for us.” James was not unlike every other teen who rebels against a parent. He was certainly rude to Tony, he’d butted heads with him and he’d begun to push away to find himself, but he knew that Tony loved them all and just wanted them safe.

James nodded when he mentioned that he was named after Bucky. “Tony’s told me… I uh… I was the oldest and so I sort of remembered everyone. I asked a lot of questions about the fragments of memories I had. Probably annoyed him. But I know about the Winter Soldier, the Soldier and the Falcon.” He smiled. “Tony said I’m named for them-- The Winter Soldier and the Falcon. James Samuel.”

He made a face at the idea of being on the kids floor, if nothing else because of the implication that he would be put away with the rest of the children when he was plenty old enough to make his own decisions. “You would want me there? In your apartment? I’m messy.” He told him with a small smirk. “If your roommate doesn’t mind… I mean, that could be” Brilliant. Fantastic. Amazing. Everything He’d Ever Hoped For. “Okay.”

“Who doesn’t love Captain America, right?” He chuckled a little. “I’d like to meet him too. When he comes back.”

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_onyourleft_
2020-08-16 04:44 am UTC (link)

“Not a bad idea.” Sure, it was a tent, but it was a space of his own. That was important. He laughed when James said he and Tony didn’t always see eye to eye. “Now that sounds familiar.” Though it wasn’t always as serious as it had become, he and Tony would always butt heads about things, he was sure. It was just who they were. Didn’t mean he didn’t respect the other man and consider him family.

“James Samuel.” That made sense. He could see himself making that choice. “The Sam here isn’t the one from my home, either. You probably figured that out already. He’s still a good friend, though.” He was different in lots of ways. Had obviously been through a hell of a lot to have the world view he did. But Steve would always have his back.

“Sure, why not? We’ve got the space, and we both know you’d hate living with the other kids.” He didn’t need to know him any more than he did to know that. Why put him under any additional stress? He did laugh a little again though, when he said he was messy. “I used to be, too. Army broke me of that habit quick smart.” He set aside his now empty tray. “Besides, you and I’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”

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lt_america
2020-08-16 04:56 am UTC (link)

“Tony says I’m a lot like you.” James admitted. It was something that had always made him feel proud, but he wasn’t sure how Steve would take it. For all he knew, it was something that Tony could have been telling him just to keep him motivated, but that didn’t seem likely.

“He told me his Universe was destroyed,” James said with a sigh. Things at home weren’t great, but to think that whole universes could be destroyed or deleted, he couldn’t fathom the idea of it happening at home, not if he and his siblings could do anything about it. “He was helpful this morning, even if I’m not entirely sure that I understand everything that he told me. He highlighted the important parts anyway.”

James beamed at the idea of living with his dad. He was sure that he would get used to living with the woman too, especially if she was a friend of his fathers. “My siblings used to tease me for it. I got a little unmotivated for a while, without having anything to do until I accidentally started things with Ultron.”

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_onyourleft_
2020-08-16 05:48 am UTC (link)

“If Tony said it, I believe it.” He liked the thought of it, honestly. And he was sure he’d be seeing more of it soon enough. There’d been things about him the last time he’d been here that Steve had recognised as being traits of his own.

“I know,” he agreed with a little somberly, at the sigh. “I can’t imagine. Thanos? I don’t know if you know who that is. We fought him. He took out half the population, just like that.” He snapped his fingers to demonstrate. “Was five years before we undid it and got them all back.” But to lose everyone? Everything? How could you make your peace with that? “He was helpful when I first got here, too. Brought me up to speed. By that stage I was giving everyone whiplash, I think.”

“Don’t worry,” he teased with a little smirk which was pretty similar to the one James’ had worn earlier. “We’ll find you something to keep you out of trouble.”

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lt_america
2020-08-16 11:53 am UTC (link)

James beamed when Steve admitted that they were similar. He had always wanted to live up to his fathers name, to be the type of person who had made his parents proud, even if he had only ever remembered bits and pieces of his time with them, only if he’d only ever heard stories about them. “Tony is the smartest dude I know.” James agreed.

James had no idea who Thanos was, but he listened intently as his dad spoke. He couldn’t imagine losing half the world in an instant, but they had, hadn’t they? It had just happened in a different way, long before he had been born. “I cursed at him… I usually don’t but I should probably apologize for that.” James said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “Have I been here a lot?”

He couldn’t help but give a short laugh, looking around them. “Hikes and runs I guess, since I don’t imagine it’ll be very comfortable sleeping till noon in that tent.”

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_onyourleft_
2020-08-16 12:14 pm UTC (link)

Steve laughed at that phrasing. "He's the smartest dude I know too. Well, Bruce might give him a run for his money." Steve knew he was smart. The serum had helped with that. But he fell far short of Tony or Bruce smart. "He drives me crazy sometimes. A lot of the time. But he's a good man. And was there for you, as I understand it. Gives him a few extra points."

It was amazing, how much he already thought of this kid. "I'm sure he'll understand. Given the circumstances." Shrugging, he leaned back on his elbows. "I don't know, kid. You were already here when I showed up. No one really mentioned it." Or how long James had already been there. Just that he'd come and gone so often himself, Steve should expect him to be wary.

"I run every morning at five. Been dragging Darcy along with me lately. She's a friend," he explained. "You're welcome to join us." Because he was right about that tent. "I'd be up for a hike or two." Anything to keep his mind off his friend worked for him.

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lt_america
2020-08-16 01:24 pm UTC (link)

“Him and Pym, they made my gauntlet.” Instinctively, James raised his arm as if to show him before realizing he’d taken the broken piece of technology off and stashed it away. Instead, he just shrugged. “It’s real cool, it makes Force Shields. Tony programmed them to operate a lot like your shield did, but I can make them smaller and bigger at will… and they’re made out of energy.”

“Tony is a pretty good da--” James stopped mid-word and looked at Steve nervously. He couldn’t even count how many times that he’d reminded Tony that he wasn’t his real dad, but he couldn’t help but think of him in that roll, even with his real dad in front of him. “He’s a good guy. Still can’t believe he’s the Knight and he never told us.”

James nodded, it was weird thinking that he’d been here, that he’d had friends and a life that he didn’t even know about. It was strange to think how many people knew him, and had expectations of him, that he was determined to live up to. “You have a lot of lady friends.” James pointed out, his eyebrows raised with a mischievous smirk.

“I’d like to go on a run with you though. Or hikes. Or really, whatever you want to do. If you uh… want.”

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_onyourleft_
2020-08-16 01:36 pm UTC (link)

"It sounds pretty great. I'm looking forward to seeing it once Tony gets it going again." Even if this Tony hadn't seen it before, he had total confidence he'd be able to get it working again. That was what he did. Though Steve had never been interested in anything too fancy where his shield was concerned.

"It's okay, James." His tone was reassuring in the face of that anxious look. "Tony's been a big part of your life. Even if it wasn't this Tony. And no matter what they tell you, family is about far more than just blood." He returned the same gesture from earlier, placing a hand on James' shoulder and squeezing lightly before lowering it again. "I'll be a here as much as you want me to be, okay?" He would never push.

That made him chuckle, surprised. "Well, you said it yourself. Who doesn't love Captain America?" Two or three probably did seem like a lot to a kid who'd known so few people in his life.

"I'd like that a lot. And a few things you like doing too, okay?"

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lt_america
2020-08-16 01:51 pm UTC (link)

James nodded, “Tony said he doesn’t have a lab here right now, but that he’ll look at it when he does. I’m surprised he doesn’t have one underground like he does at home. I’m not as patient with technology.” James knew enough about it to get around, to make things work and use JACOSTA but he wasn’t as savvy as someone might expect him to be given where he grew up.

He smiled at his dad, the slight touch on his shoulder. “I want you to be around a lot.” He said honestly, chuckling as his dad reminded him of what he said earlier, “And now there's two Captain America’s.”

“I’ve never really done… a lot of this stuff.” James gestured around. “Might be cool to try some of the things.”

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_onyourleft_
2020-08-16 11:50 pm UTC (link)

"Neither am I," he laughed. Dealing with new phones, or tablets, or looking at any of the stuff in Tony's lab was one of the times he really did feel his age. "Give him time, we've only been here a day. If we're here long enough I'd put money on him managing something."

The amused expression softened at his words. "I'm glad. I want that too." His tone turned a bit more conspiratorial as he spoke again. "Don't let word get out. Some people might just think two is too many."

"Neither have I. We'll give it a go together."

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