Bucky Barnes (itwasstillme) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2018-06-09 01:19:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, bucky barnes (winter soldier), jemma simmons |
Who: Jemma and Bucky
What: Two friends meeting for drinks and discussing perfectly normal things, like Hydra.
When: Late May (After Jemma’s dreams started up again)
Where: A bar
Warnings: Mentions of Hydra assholery, mass graves, lost limbs, otherwise pretty tame
When Bucky had first Jemma after picking her up on the side of the road, he hadn’t imagined that they’d be where they were right now. He definitely felt at ease around her, and it was a relief that they dreamt of the same universe. It made dealing with the Hydra crap from the dreams easier to handle. Of course, he’d rather not have had the Hydra stuff happen, mostly his arm and the brainwashing, but it was what it was.
Today instead of meeting at the Agency or somewhere a little more formal, it was meeting for drinks at a bar and just talking. No need to run any tests or exams. Today it was just meeting as friends. Despite the weather, Bucky was wearing a long sleeved shirt and a glove on his left hand to hide the metal arm.
Maybe he should ask someone for a better disguise for the metal arm so he didn’t have to wear nothing but long sleeves when he was out and about. Bucky was fairly certain that he’d die in the summer if he was to wear long sleeves. That was probably one thing to ask Jemma if she knew anyone, or anything, that could help with that.
He arrived and grabbed a table for them. He had his long hair pulled into a ponytail. The stubble on his face was only a couple days old. That was a good sign that he put effort into his appearance like shaving. When his facial hair got thicker and more like a beard, it was good indicator that he was having a string of bad times.
Sometimes life had a strange way of working out. And contrary to popular belief, she was capable of leaving the lab. Especially when drinks were involved. She wasn’t a lush by any stretch of the imagination but sometimes drinks were needed. Like recently. She may not be able to vote in this country but she saw what was going on. An anti-Semite who thought Jews should leave the country was poised to be the Republican contender for California senator. There were swastikas being burned in yards in the year 2018. She had her constant bouts of facing anti-Semitism regularly.
Really, who needed Hydra?
But that wasn’t the point right now. Right now she was getting drinks with Bucky and they would just hang out since in their own way, they were friends as well. Arriving at the bar, Jemma quickly spotted him and headed over with a smile.
“Hello.”
More often than not, Bucky wondered what this world was coming to with the current state of affairs. Though given personal experience from his dreams, and from what he’d seen here, he had to wonder if Hydra was behind a lot of the turmoil. After all, the UK was unstable thanks to Brexit. The U.S. was also unstable with the current President undermining everything left and right. Everything happening in the Middle East. Europe in general.
Bucky would be surprised if Hydra didn’t have a hand in creating any of this chaos.
Seeing Jemma, he smiled at her. “Hello. It’s good to see you.”
With what Jemma knew about Hydra in this world? It certainly wouldn’t surprise her if they had their hands in all the unrest that was going on. They probably weren’t necessarily the cause but instead just aiding it, fueling the flames and acting on already held bigotries and hatred. But it was definitely their thing.
Still, for now it was drinks with Bucky and see how the conversation went.
“It’s good to see you as well and not in a lab setting.”
Because while she did love her lab, it was nice to see friends outside of it and just get drinks and hang out as well.
That wasn’t something that Bucky felt like delving too much into. After all, doing so would only make him angry and upset, he felt. Some days, Bucky just wanted to be a one man army and take down the whole of Hydra. Others, he liked to try and pretend they didn’t exist in this world.
“I very much agree. It’s good to meet as friends, and not as doctor and patient. As much as I love you making sure I’m fine and doing well, I’d much rather do it in a setting like this.” Bucky said with a chuckle.
With Jemma there now, the waitress came to take their order. Being a gentleman, Bucky let Jemma order first.
“No one said such check ins had to be strictly doctor and patient.” Smiling some, Jemma turned her attention to the waitress and put her order in for a bramble. A good gin drink. Yes, she was a bit stressed and wanted a gin drink but if they were meeting at a bar, why not get a drink?
Her order in, Jemma waited for Bucky to put in his own order before turning her attention back to him.
Jemma’s choice of drink caught Bucky’s attention. But he just smiled and then ordered a gin and tonic. Might as well get an actual drink and not just settle for a beer. Once their orders were in and the waitress headed off, Bucky turned his attention back to Jemma.
“So. A bramble? Might as well just drink sugar.” He teased. Teasing was definitely good sign, showing that he was in good spirits today. At least Hydra hadn’t broken him enough that he couldn’t enjoy life again. Of course, it wasn’t easy, but he was doing it.
Teasing was definitely a good thing and so Jemma took it in stride, simply shrugging as he ordered a gin and tonic.
“What can I say, gin and tonic is obvious when someone wants a gin drink.”
Smirking some, she took a drink of water as they waited for their drinks.
“And contrary to popular belief, it’s not all health food with me.” Just mostly. But she could have something sugary once and a while and not care. It was all about pacing. Or something like that. Mostly she just wanted a gin drink and wasn’t feeling a gin and tonic.
“True, though what can I say? I can be a bit old fashioned,” he said with a smile. It was a joke, playing on the fact he’d been born in the early 20th Century and had gone to fight in World War II. He could be old fashioned in some respects.
“Is that so? Well, that’s good to know. Sometimes one must indulge in the things that aren’t so healthy for us, like sugar.” Bucky didn’t really keep to any special diet. He tended to go for whatever he felt like at the time. Though one days when he’d be working out, lifting weights and such he’d go a bit more protein heavy given that was good for helping to build muscle. Other days he’d eat more healthy.
Everything in moderation, that tended to be his approach to things.
“Well that’s obvious.” Oh, Jemma well knew that he was referencing. “I just wasn’t going to say anything.”
Because sometimes teasing and just having fun was important and contrary to other popular belief, Jemma could and did get out of the lab for such things.
“Precisely. It’s all about moderation.”
And there were the drinks they had ordered. Smiling in thanks to the waitress, Jemma picked up her bramble and took a sip.
“That’s because you’re polite,” Bucky responded with a smile. He did enjoy the teasing. Clara was generally the same way with her teasing. Clearly he kept good company.
“Exactly. Moderation is the key.” Thanking the waitress, he picked up his drink and took a sip.
“So, how are wedding preparations going?” He asked. Might as well check in with that. Weddings tended to be a large undertaking, and that was without Orange County going crazy every now and then.
“Perhaps just a bit.” Jemma grinned. Because well, she was polite. She liked doing what was expected of her. Yes, she also would bend the rules and had gotten much more adept at ‘bad girl shenanigans’ and the like - she had to. But at her core, she was still Jemma Simmons, biochemist who just wanted to do all she could to help people, even though sometimes she was required to make the difficult choices others didn’t want to.
As for the wedding? Jemma smiled brightly.
“They’re going well. You and Clara are obviously going to be invited. But they’re going to be up north. Easier for family to fly in and well…” Orange County. That went without saying.
“I’m glad to hear it,” he said with a warm smile. Weddings could be stressful to plan, not that he knew from his own experience because he didn’t, but he had younger siblings, a couple of which were married. Bucky had watched them stress out over wedding planning and he hoped that Jemma and Cosima would be able to keep their wits about them and not go bridezillas on everyone.
“That’s definitely a wise choice given how this place can be. At least up there your wedding won’t be interrupted by anything this place can come up with.” He thought it was a very smart move given there was no telling just when all hell would break loose here. And best to not expose their families to that sort of stuff when they didn’t have to. “And thank you, I’ll ensure to let Clara so she has enough time to shop for the perfect dress. And I suppose I’ll just have to buy a nice suit or a tux to wear myself.”
Given how meticulous and how much of a perfectionist she was, it really was better that Felix handle the wedding planning. Goodness knew Jemma had enough on her plate that she would probably go insane trying to plan a wedding on top of it. Leaving it to someone who did such things for a living? Definitely the right call. Delegation. It was a good thing.
“We thought so. And obviously we’d be able to get back if necessary but why risk it?” Especially with her family coming from England. God she wouldn’t know how to explain it all. “As if you two wouldn’t be? But it’s going to be October 6th, so plenty of time for you two to shop and look absolutely brilliant.”
It generally did seem to be a good idea to delegate the work and let someone else take the reigns of planning things. Bucky himself would be hopeless when it came to planning a wedding. It was not his area of expertise, exactly, so he’d prefer to leave the fine details to the expert planner and just give his input for what he wanted.
“Exactly. No need to risk it. There are plenty of other people here who could handle any fighting or something if it happened. And besides, I’m pretty sure you and Cosima would be under orders to not go back there under any circumstances and go enjoy your honeymoon.” That was actually the best way to handle marrying someone in the midst of Orange County craziness, have the wedding elsewhere. “I’ll make sure that we both look wonderful, but not so much so that we outshine the brides. I hear that’s not a good thing to do.” He grinned.
She laughed some and nodded.
“Honestly it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if Natasha ended up giving that order once we get closer to the actual wedding date.” It definitely seemed like something Natasha would do. Jemma herself wasn’t quite sure how feasible that was. She at least often found it impossible to sit back while knowing something was going on. “You’re too kind, but yes that does tend to be frowned upon from what I’ve heard.”
Taking a sip of her drink, Jemma leaned back against her chair.
“So how about you, anything new and exciting?”
“She probably would. Besides, you don’t get married every day, so might as well enjoy it.” And with the way both dreams and Orange County could be, people should take their happiness where they could. One never knew what was lurking just around the corner. Invasions, plagues, and whatever anyone’s dreams threw at them.
“Oh, not really? Cap is taking to his training well enough. Obviously there are times he’s not interested, but we’re working on it. And he’s adjusted to Clara as well, so they both get along.” Bucky said with a smile. He was grateful for that. He wanted his dog and his girlfriend to be on good terms with each other.
“Though I was going to ask you, since you might know. Is there any way that we could disguise this so I don’t have to suffer wearing long sleeves all summer?” He asked, gesturing to his metal arm. “Something to make it look more flesh-toned and all. Because I’m going to sweat to death if I have to wear long sleeves.” Which he was wearing long sleeves currently, and he was a little warm.
“This is very true.” Jemma was all about finding happiness where she could. She was a generally hopeful and optimistic person but she knew well how stressful things could be. Especially with the Dreams. Besides, she was marrying the woman she loved, why would she not want to make the most of the day, one without all the stress and drama that came with Orange County.
“That’s good to hear.” Both about Cap taking to his training, as well as him getting used to Clara. As for the question? Well, that was a valid point. Summer in California was hot and she couldn’t imagine having to wear jackets all the time.
“It should be. Coulson has a robotic hand that looks real, I should have the technical aspects in my research.” She would need an engineer…. “And it pains me to say… but there are magic users who can create illusions to can make it look like your arm is your normal arm instead of the metal one. I mean.”
Bucky was a supporter of enjoying happiness when someone found it. Especially in a place like this, and with the craziness that came with the Dreams. People could easily wake up dead just as much as the county could be overrun by aliens or demons. Literally anything could happen in any given moment, so best to make the most of the present.
And he definitely did so where Clara was concerned. The past while had been difficult, given the crap from his dreams and then dealing with Hydra here, but he was feeling like he was getting somewhere, navigating out of the fog and pain that he’d been in and moving towards a more positive mindset. It wasn’t complete, he still had his bad days, but he was finding he was having more good days of late.
“Magic?” Bucky said. He knew it existed, he’d seen enough here to know such things existed. But he wasn’t quite ready to go that route. “I think I’d rather take whatever Coulson had. No offense to magic, but I’ve always been more of a science guy myself.”
Was it wrong of Jemma to feel relieved and even slightly smug that Bucky would prefer science to magic? Probably just a bit. Still, Jemma’s world was based in science and while she had accepted that magic was real to the best of her abilities, there was always going to be that part of her that also clung to science. When she had nothing else, she had science.
“Believe me, you are preaching to the choir with that. But I’ll look into that and see if it’s something I can do or if I need to find an engineer. The skin is synthetic so I should be able to do it on my own but with the mechanical elements of the hand, or in your case, arm. I’ll have to make sure.” Not for the first time Jemma wished that Fitz were there. He had made the hand after all, and despite all the weirdness of them being a couple in the Dreams, he was also her best friend and while she didn’t want him to suffer through what the Dreams would throw at him, she missed him in the lab. And he was an engineer, something they were sorely lacking at the Agency. Though she supposed she could ask Tony for help on that if it came down to it.
It definitely wasn’t wrong for Jemma to have that reaction. Bucky just tended to trust science way more than he trusted magic. If people trusted magic, that was all well and fine with him, but he just preferred to have his arm be altered with science. Especially since it was built by science. Who knew how magic could affect his metal arm?
“Thank you, I appreciate it. And obviously if you need to take measurements or a cast of my arm or something, you definitely can. I suppose I should be grateful that this arm doesn’t have a hidden gun function in it or something.” He would’ve expected Hydra to have hidden some sort of weapon inside the arm. But it really did seem to be just a highly sophisticated metal arm. At least now he could start to appreciate the craftsmanship that went into making it, he just wished that it didn’t have the red star or the whole ‘made by Hydra’ connotation to it. But he was making do with it.
“What, you don’t want a hand that can also be a blow torch?” Smirking some, Jemma took a sip of her drink. Yes, she did know the history of Bucky’s arm so it made sense. But given all the gadgets of Coulson’s hand? It was hard not to poke some fun at the comment. Vaguely she did have to wonder if all the gadgets Fitz had added to Coulson’s hand were in the notes and schematics she had.
“But yes. Measurements and a cast would be beneficial.”
“Well when you put it like that, it could be handy. But I’ll have a hard enough time getting through metal detectors as it is. I don’t need weapons hidden in my arm.” Though he wasn’t exactly sure if his arm would set off metal detectors. Yes it was made of metal, but it wasn’t a metal that existed in this world. Perhaps that was something that they needed to test in a lab setting first.
“Then we can do that. And also maybe test if this metal actually would trip metal detectors in this world.” He glanced at his metal arm. “And if it does, well, we might need a work around in the event I need to take a plane anywhere or go to some sporting event or concert.” Since stadiums these days tended to have metal detectors, that might be something to prepare for.
“I can be quite persuasive. But I suppose that’s true.” After all, Coulson had his ‘civvie’ hand for such situations. It was also a valid point. It would be hard enough to explain the arm even if it was right there. Anywhere that used metal detectors would be complicated.
“We can definitely do both of those.”
Bucky was lucky that he hadn’t yet been anywhere that had metal detectors. And he could usually avoid planes given Clara had a TARDIS and everything. That made traveling simpler. He sipped his drink and glanced at his metal arm for a moment, turning the wrist over and back.
“So, here’s a question for you, oh scientist friend of mine. Does having this arm make me a cyborg?” He definitely fit the textbook definition of cyborg, but he would like Jemma’s official ruling on that.
Hearing the question, Jemma tilted her head to the side some as she contemplated it.
“I suppose in theory, yes. I mean, those with artificial cardiac pacemakers or implantable cardioverter defibrillators could be considered cyborgs. In current prosthetic cases, there is the C-Leg system which replaces a leg that has been amputated to recreate a more natural gait through use of sensors, which your arm is probably more similar to.”
Yes Jemma kept up to date on current medical technologies even if she wasn’t technically a medical doctor.
“In theory,” he repeated. “That does sound similar to my arm. Though I’m curious, what are your standards for someone being a cyborg?” Now, Bucky wasn’t actually viewing himself as more than or less than being human with this line of inquiry. He was actually just highly curious about it. There were plenty of sci-fi movies, TV shows, books and comics that had cyborgs in them.
“That’s...a really good question. I mean, I’ve had experience with them in the Dreams. Became one in my secondary set even….” Which wasn’t something Jemma ever really discussed. While she made the comment here and there about her Dreams (usually when she was just so exasperated by them or something came through or Cosima caught her after a particularly emotional one), making a fly away comment like that? Not something she usually did.
Perhaps the gin was loosening her up. That and it did fall into the conversation.
“I guess… I don’t know, really. The Death-lok program from my Dreams, there were more cyber parts involved, the relationship was more symbiotic. Your arm doesn’t keep you alive but it’s part of you, has sensors to react like a non-cyber limb would. But the relationship that I suppose I more associate with a cyborg would be similar to the Death-lok program.”
There was a good psychological and scientific conversation to be had here. Bucky knew he was human, and finally felt human again now that he was more removed from the mind-wiping and programing that Hydra had put him through. But he was interested on where the line was drawn between human and cyborg, at least as far as Jemma went.
“So you’d put the line for a cyborg more towards someone who has a symbiotic relationship with cybernetics, someone who needs cyber parts in order to continue living, or live a fuller life. What about someone who is paralyzed, say they have cybernetic implants that help them to walk. Would you say they qualify as a cyborg?” It was actually fascinating to him. Bucky had always been smart, even though he looked like a jock, and had been a jock, but he’d always gotten good grades.
Feeling human was definitely a good thing in Jemma’s book and she was always happy to have theoretical talks about science with people. Just like she was the type to randomly write theoretical papers. Yes, she did also need to be published and that gave her reason to. But she just enjoyed them.
“I think the symbiotic nature is definitely a requirement, yes. And I would say that would be getting closer to a cyborg if they think so as well. It can be quite hairy trying to figure it out completely because part of it is what the person feels as well. In the Dreams, I had to rely on the Death-lok program to stay alive. But I think each person also has their own definition as well. Would it be good to have a more universal definition? Definitely. But I think it’s a bit too much for some people to think about because then we get into the concern on the cyborgs or robots trying to take over the world and that becomes a whole different mess.”
“True enough, part of it does have to do with a person’s mindset and not just going by textbook definition.” After all, if they just went by the textbook definition, there was quite a sizeable portion of the population that would be considered cyborgs.
“Well yes, there is that. While I don’t consider myself a cyborg, I have to say that I don’t feel the need to try and take over the world. And I don’t think I’m in danger of any Dr. Strangelove episodes either.” By which he meant his arm having a mind of its own and such. It was an oddly fitting reference given that Dr. Strangelove was a former Nazi and such. But Bucky was just going to skirt by that and hope that Jemma understood the reference.
“Exactly, I mean, I’m pretty resolute on the fact that the symbiotic nature exists and helps keep the person alive. But there are specifics that should be ironed out.”
Taking a sip of her drink, Jemma blinked at the comment about Dr. Strangelove episodes. Of course she understood the reference. How could she not?
“That’s certainly a relief. I’m fairly certain Clara would have something to say about that. So would I.”
“There should be, yeah. Some sort of baseline to judge things off of.” Especially since thanks to popular culture, there were different definitions of what a cyborg was. Though it also went for other states of being as well.
Bucky had to laugh. “Believe me, if my arm had a mind of its own, I’d rather have it removed and not have an arm, or go with a far less sophisticated prosthetic.” Or at the very least have an arm that wasn’t made by a group like Hydra.
The world of pop culture really did oversaturate the idea of cyborgs and all the differences they could entail. So from a purely scientific point of view as technologies continued to advance, a baseline would be necessary.
“Which is fair.” Jemma would probably want the same were she in Bucky’s shoes and had an arm with a mind of its own. “Luckily we don’t have to worry about that though.”
It did oversaturate, but it also tended to paint cyborgs in a largely negative light. Part of the whole machines destroying mankind and so forth. There were exceptions, of course, but still it wouldn’t hurt to have a baseline identified. And pop culture showing more positive depictions of cyborgs.
“Exactly so. As much as I’d prefer not having the giant red star on this arm reminding me of where it came from, I’d also rather not live through the trauma of losing it again.” Provided he could help it, of course.
Cyborgs did make for very easy enemies. Jemma herself knew that there were often situations beyond one’s control. Like Mike Peterson once he’d become Deathlok. There was the kill switch in the eye, but also the fact that Hydra was holding his son captive and if he didn’t do what they said, Ace would be killed and that the second they had gotten Ace to safety, Mike turned on them.
“No, I’d imagine not. Then again… Hydra, they’re synonymous with trauma.” Jemma had way too much history with them. Though perhaps that just came with the dreams they shared. Her voice had taken a harder edge to it but it usually did whenever Hydra was involved.
Bucky noticed the harder edge to her voice, but it did seem fitting considering the mention of Hydra. “Yeah, they really are. Seeing their hand in the events of World War II was bad enough. But then falling into their hands and becoming a weapon for them? They strip all humanity out of you.”
That’s what they had done with Bucky. They’d wiped his mind to ensure he’d be their dutiful slave, never questioning and never fighting back against them. He was their tool to use, killing potential problems or to cause problems and destabilize things. He’d killed so many over the decades he’d been under their thumb. It tended to weigh on him, but he was at least working through it.
“That’s what they do. Hide in the shadows. Sacrifice people to Monoliths. Decide that the bloody Nazis didn’t go far enough for their aims. Then return to the shadows while infiltrating all levels of government and SHIELD.”
It was the reveal of the Winter Soldier and all of that which had led to them coming out. To the betrayals. The drop into the ocean.
“They weaponise everything. Compartmentalise it….” Really, Jemma going under cover probably was one of the more suspect decisions Coulson made but she had done it. It was for the team get information. Besides she was just making things worse for Fitz and so she had felt it was better that way.
“They always find a way to come back whenever you think they’ve been defeated.” Let alone what they did here. The mass grave she’d found herself in. The experiments on Clara and others.
“That’s the part that scares me, that they felt the Nazis didn’t go far enough.” Bucky hadn’t seen a lot of the atrocities the Nazis had committed, but he had seen what lengths Hydra was willing to go to achieve their goals. He’d been experimented on, then they turned him into the Winter Soldier.
“I suppose they live up to their name. Cut off one head of the hydra, two more grow in its place. The only thing that can kill a hydra is fire.” And Bucky did wonder how well a cleansing fire could work on the Hydra of this world, of his dream world. There were sleeper agents everywhere and it was impossible to tell who was one and who wasn’t. So burning Hydra from the inside out wouldn’t be all that good of an idea.
“Me too….” It was personal for her. Not just because of the Dreams, but for who she was as a person. Her history. It wasn’t just history or theory for her. Absently, Jemma reached up and rubbed the back of her neck.
“They do. Both the Dreams and here…..”
Tilting her head to the side some, she figured she might as well fill Bucky in somewhat.
“When we met, you actually were saving me from them.”
“They really seem to,” he agreed, taking a sip of his drink. Bucky had some run-ins with them here, both when they’d taken Clara and when they’d gotten their hands on him when he’d woken up in Winter Soldier mode. But he didn’t doubt that the Hydra here was every bit as ruthless and had infiltrated everywhere, the same as they had in the dreams.
Bucky looked at Jemma, then reflected back onto when he’d found her by the side of the road. “Those guys were Hydra? Well, I’m even more glad that I helped you get away from them.” After all, they would’ve had quite the plans for Jemma had they gotten their hands on a scientist like her.
Sipping her drink, she nodded.
“I woke up in a mass grave thanks to the Dreams where…. Alternate reality where Hydra was in control and apparently my avatar I think Daisy called them...well, I’d died in that reality and had been buried in a mass grave. It just so happens there was one here as well.”
Sighing, Jemma dropped her hand.
“It’s hard to say just how far they’ve infiltrated organizations here as opposed to the Dreams. If they were tied to the Nazis or are a more current organization as opposed to seemingly having their hands going back centuries like the Dreams.”
Bucky winced a little. Waking up in a mass grave wasn’t exactly a good thing, to make an understatement. “I’m sorry that you went through that.” And it explained why Jemma had had dirt on her when he’d picked her up. But he wasn’t going to dwell on that specific detail, it obviously wasn’t one that sat well with Jemma.
“At least not without a lot of our own spies planted in their networks.” He sipped his drink again. “Though given how this world tends to parallel the dreams, it wouldn’t surprise me if this version of Hydra was tied to the Nazis, among other similar groups throughout history.”
Jemma’s only response to Bucky saying he was sorry she’d gone through what she had was to shrug. She tended not to dwell on the more traumatizing aspects of her dreams. It could be argued that was bad in the long run but with so much going on, there rarely was time even if she were inclined to do so.
“Precisely. And I’m not looking to go undercover here.” That had been bad enough. “No, I suppose it wouldn’t be so surprising… just without super soldiers and the like. We would have heard about that.” She would have heard about.
“Yeah super soldiers would definitely be noticed here.” Bucky agreed. He himself was a super soldier on top of having the metal arm. Being a super soldier was the only reason he’d even survived the fall from the train at all. Sure he’d been half-dead when he’d been found, but he was still alive.
“It’s probably a damn good thing that Steve isn’t here. He wouldn’t take kindly to Hydra being here as well. Or maybe we could use him being here. Another person to help fight Hydra couldn’t hurt.”
“Just a bit.” Nearly done with her drink, Jemma focused on conserving it. In some ways it was good that Captain Rogers wasn’t there. She could only imagine how tired he must feel, constantly fighting the same enemy plus more. On the other though…..
“Well, I mean it could be argued that he’s a Golem so him fighting them here wouldn’t be so far a stretch. Still, another person to help would be nice.”
Bucky sipped at his drink, though he looked at Jemma, tilting his head a bit. “A golem? What do you mean by that?” He didn’t know what golem reference Jemma was going on because there were a few different ones. And Steve definitely wasn’t made of rock. So it was asking about the reference and what she meant by it.
Right. Not the most common of references.
“Well if you look at the classic narrative, the golem was created by Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel to protect the Jewish ghetto of Prague from anti-Semitic attacks and pogroms. There are different legends on what was to happen to the community, expelled or killed and that was the reason behind Rabbi Loew creating the Golem. In regards to Captain Rogers, scientists involved with the Super Serum were Jewish and he was meant to fight the Nazis. And while they used science instead of magic, well… the general principle remains.”
Bucky listened to the explanation, and, well, it was a fitting reference. And if Steve ever showed up, he would definitely call him a golem. Because Bucky was a good, loving friend like that. “That definitely fits. I’d agree that Steve is a golem. Too bad he’s not here because I’d totally start calling him a golem.” He said with a smile.
Sometimes he really missed the fact that Steve wasn’t here for sentimental reasons. Right now? He missed him because he couldn’t poke fun at him to his face.
“I’d love to see his expression to that. And I suppose it’s possible he could show up.” Anything was possible. Though she had a feeling that Bucky’s feelings on Steve showing up would be similar to Jemma with both Fitz and Daisy, and the rest of the team. While she missed them and would love them there for sentimental reasons (and for someone who understood the specifics of her dreams since she was removed from the others who dreamt of the same place) there was also all the stuff that happened in the dreams that she didn’t want them to go through.
Raising her near empty glass in toast.
“To friends and golems.”