middleofsomewhere | Day 5 Domino: Let it Snow: Preperations

Day 5 Domino: Let it Snow: Preperations

Early Evening

Due to some of the passengers having strange dreams those on the Voidtrecker Express should be expecting something soon and so it is around dinner time on the evening of the fifth day of Domino that everyone's SCA glows with the colour of the void, a holographic message appears with their next mission.

Those going to the dressing car will find the drawers and wardrobes open. Inside are a variety of warm weather clothes, all in team colours. Thick padded winter jackets, waterproof trousers. Hats, gloves, scarves. Thick boots and also a variety of ice skates. There are waterproof covers for a variety of sizes of bags and even some coils of rope.

It seems they are not arriving until the next morning and so they have time to plan as best they can.

Morning: Day Six

No matter if they stayed up late preparing or went to bed early to get some rest before the mission they will wake up the next morning to the morning announcement. "Good morning passengers. Today is day six of the month of Domino. A moment later the voice speaks again. "Our next stop is world#58291. Drop order: Purple, Blue, Red, Orange. Conditions are adverse and so all passengers must be ready to alite swiftly."

There is time for some final preparation.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"No, I, uh. Gave that one a wide berth," he replies. He's not sure he wants to be friends with spider-anythings, though he hardly has a choice in Peter's case.

He holds still, letting Tony wrangle the web out of his hair. "Thanks," he says when it's out, and goes back to trying on the skates. "They have a lot of allergies, don't they? I saw the sheet, in the kitchen." When he'd inadvertently poisoned Peter.

Tony hummed understanding that reaction. "I don't want to tell all of her secrets, but she's not what she appears to be. She's an eleven year old girl underneath all that who just likes sweets and gets scared. The kids call her Charlotte." He tone was affectionate as he spoke of the spider. Although truth be told, he wasn't sure he wanted Charlotte spending time with Bucky.

He noticed the skates and frowned. Ugh they were going to have to use skates? Well, most of them were. He wouldn't be needing them. "Oh right. Peter told me you tried to kill him." Tony shot him a hard over his shoulder. However, it was brief and he went right back to calmly explaining things like he had been about Charlotte. "I didn't realize till I got here how many issues he had with food and everything. This room was toxic to Peter, Myles, and Gwen when we first got here. The fragrance you smell? It used to be lavender. They still call it the 'Lavender Room of Death' or something like that."

The way Tony speaks of Charlotte, it's almost easy for Bucky to forget they'd come to blows so recently, and he even manages a smile.

Until the Ginger Incident is brought up, and he jerks his head up at that description, holding up a finger. "That, is an exaggeration," he says firmly. "I checked the allergen list. Twice, before I gave him the tea. Ginger wasn't on it," and it was now, in Bucky's handwriting.

Though it did bring up an interesting question, his brow furrowing. "If it's got so many bad memories in it, why do they like playing in it so much?"

Tony's lip curled just slightly at one end. Was it possible he had been teasing? No, that couldn't be something he'd do to the guy who murdered his family but.. they were both stuck here. It was odd too, the two of them being from the same world. It made them connected even if Steve wasn't in the mix- but he was.

He shrugged at the other question, pulling a particular thin jacket that still looked warm and tried it on. "Where else are they supposed to hang out and be lazy teenagers? It's either here or the game room or in my lab. If you can ignore the web, this isn't a bad spot for a date either. You only have the one door to barricade so long as you make sure no one is in the luggage carriage."

Bucky was on such unsteady footing here, especially with Tony, that he didn't really know what to make of it. Except what else could it be?

He shrugs in solidarity about the webbed up dressing car. "Yeah? You go on many dates lately?" He'd seen Tony with some blond guy the day he arrived, but he also knew Tony had dated a lot of women. If there was anyone he needed to avoid hitting on... well, better to find out about it now. "I wouldn't want to overstep anywhere," he adds, glancing over. "On either side of that particular fence."

He tugs off the pair he'd been trying and pulls on another.

Tony frowned as he realized his mistake. The last thing he'd been planning on doing was talk about his love life with Bucky F-$%&# Barnes. At least he wasn't having this conversation with that idiot book. What had his life become?

"Just about every night. Though mostly just dinner dates, not like.. picnics in here or something." He was surprised though that he was even being asked who to stay away from. It was almost.. respectful? "Ignis Scentia, the leader of the Blue team... We're together." He shrugged like it didn't matter, even if it did in a painfully big way. "It's not like I can go home to my wife." Why was he even telling Bucky something like this? He didn't know. Clearing his throat, he mentally distanced himself from that comment. "Do you really care about that 'fence' there Bucky? I know how you look at Rogers."

Look, he's just trying to not piss Tony off. He needs to know who and what to avoid, that's all.

He was going to say something sensitive and thoughtful, but then Tony mentions Steve and he barks out a laugh. "That fence might as well be a goddamn mountain," he replies, even though he can feel heat rushing to his cheeks. "I never even tried. In the 40's it was dangerous, and now I'm dangerous," he shrugs. He wants to ask what kind of woman Tony would've ever settled down with, but he knows better than to pry. Instead...

"Your boyfriend's pretty cute, though."

What the hell? And now Bucky was making him laugh? There was some understanding in the glance he gave Bucky about Steve and the fence. Perhaps there was something satisfying about making the man blush, confirming what he'd suspected anyway.

"You're not that dangerous," he remarked with an eyeroll. He certainly wasn't dangerous enough to Thanos- none of them were. Well, except Carol.

The remark on Ignis had Tony shooting his rival a grin. "Damn right, he is." There was more than a little pride in that tone. "But I'm not too worried about you with the ladies or with Ignis. You're too much of a prick for any of them to be too interested in you." He pulled down another coat, tossing the one he'd just tried on in a pile on the floor. "But maybe take it easy around May Parker."

He snorts softly. "I am if the wrong person gets their hands on that damn notebook again," he replies dryly, but he doesn't press the subject -- he doesn't really want to talk about that with Tony.

The reaction to Ignis' name makes him smile though, and he chuckles at the reply. "Yeah, I hear I'm a real piece of work these days... but if she's any relation to Peter, I'll make sure to steer clear," honestly the kid is enough trouble on his own. There are plenty of other skirts he can spend his time chasing.

Tony's eyebrows rose in surprise at the mention of the notebook. "Why don't you just destroy it then? You have it locked up, right?"

What was happening here? This could easily be misconstrued as the two of them getting along. They were only sort of insulting each other and for the most part just talking like regular people who didn't hate each other's guts. It was an odd notion. Had he really changed so much from when they went toe to toe in that missile silo.

"Oh, the other woman you probably want to be careful around is Sari. She's cute and very sweet, but her husband is a beast and he's on board. So.. just fyi on that one. That also goes with Nerdanel. She's the beautiful, red headed elf on board? Her husband is here, plus five sons and nephews. They're all great individuals but I've seen them fight. I don't think the Hulk would survive that. And Ash, she's the Easter Bunny's daughter. She's not taken or anything, she's just too good for you."

"I don't have it," Bucky replies with a sigh. "The fucking Nazi they sent in to talk to me did. Despite what happened in the kitchen, I don't actually want to shoot you. Most of the time," he sighs.

And takes a few seconds to memorize the women he'd be better off avoiding... and wrinkles his nose. "Easter... bunny?" What. The actual. Fuck.

Tony frown and thinks that over a moment. "We didn't- oh right. Yeah, we didn't have it yet. We get it from them. Well not 'we'. Rogers." He was a little unclear on the exact timeline that all happened. It was a mix of it being a long time ago, being about Bucky, and he had a lot of other things on his mind.

He realizes if he wanted Bucky dead all he had to do was tell Feanor and his boys some lie about him being inappropriate to their mother. It was strange how little interest he had in doing that though.

Tony had to laugh at that reaction. "No, trust me, she's hot. She's just got these long lop bunny ears and about ten pounds of hair.." This description wasn't doing her justice, but maybe that was a good thing if he was trying to discourage this idiot from hitting on her. "You should definitely go after Eva, Light, and Renee though." Just please let him be there when you do. He couldn't wait for Renee's response to that!

"Well, that's a small relief," he replies with a sigh, yanking off his skate and trying the third pair he had set out for himself.

When Tony suggests who Bucky should hit on, he snorts again. "Guessing from the inclusion of Renee, I'm going to guess that all three of those really aren't going to be all that receptive," he replies with a shake of his head. "How hard would she punch me if I did, though?"

He looked down at those skates. "It's.. never mind. Having trouble finding your size? I think I see another box over there if none of those are working for you." He went over to one of the other cabinets and pulled down a box with another cluster of skates. "It would make things easier if we had any idea what kind of sizing system the train uses."

The remark had him laughing and he brought over the box. "I don't know but I would love to be there if you ever test that theory. Have you seen the little weird animal around here with the bat wings? That's Princess and he belongs to Eva."

"Yeah," Bucky sighs. "I haven't worn skates since... well, since before you were born," he smirks a little, yanking the third skate off. "I should just get some oversized one and stuff paper in them or something, it'd be easier," he grumbles under his breath, standing up to put away the skates he'd been trying on.

And promptly getting another clump of webbing in his hair.

He lifts an eyebrow at the description of Princess. "Huh. So I shouldn't hit on her? Why? Will Princess turn on me?" he chuckles. He had gotten trapped with the Pokemon in his lap on his first day.

Edited 2020-01-13 04:36 (UTC)

Tony rolled his eyes at that remark. "And yet everyone harasses me for being old.." He muttered. "Bet that will feel comfortable in a subzero tundra. Oh, but I guess you're used to that climate, aren't you?"

He saw the web and snickered. He was so not helping him this time.

"Oh no, you should. You two would be great. You even have an immediate fur-kid." God, better you than Tony. He might admit in some circles he didn't mind the animal, but in most cases he was happy the critter found other people to bother. "I have to admit, I'm surprised you're going along with this mission as well as you are. I thought with Mr.I-Don't-Like-Orders, you'd resist it. Did I miss the tantrum or are you really okay with this?"

Bucky got a look at himself in the mirror and sighed, waiting until the skates were put up before fussing with the webbing. "You'd be surprised. Paper's pretty decent insulation in a pinch. Fur or something would be better, but," he shrugs, managing to get the webbing out pretty quickly this time.

He rolls his eyes at the kid comment. "I get any more kids, I'll have to turn one of these cars into an orphanage. I don't know why but almost all of them found me, day one." It was weird. "And after everything I've been through, being handed a mission is pretty much the only thing that doesn't make me uncomfortable," especially when it didn't involve killing anyone. "The only thing I'm worried about is the ice giving me nightmares." He doesn't even know why he says it, but there it is, out in the open.

"Well, I have a heated suit of armor, so I won't have to learn about your barbaric ways of insulation." He'd need to stick some web in the back of his hair where he can't see it immediately in a mirror.

"What do you mean, you get any more kids?" Tony asked, his tone taking on an edge. "Just because you meet them doesn't make them yours. Some of these kids have been through a lot." They don't need yet another mess of a guy trying to be their dad.

Tony looked at him hard for a moment, inwardly debating. "Is that a legitimate worry you have or is that you whining?"

He absolutely did. It was a perfect alternative to a 'kick me' sign.

"It's not like I went looking," he huffs. "And believe me, I know. One of them does murder investigations," he shakes his head. "And I'm pretty sure another one was a slave," and if that didn't make him want to punch things, nothing did.

The question, though, that gets tension in Bucky's shoulders, and a heavy sigh in response. "It's legitimate," he replies quietly. "Most of my life is memories of murder, bookended by electrocution and ice," he swallows hard. "The good news is I don't scream in my sleep," he forces a smile that doesn't get anywhere near his eyes.

"From what I've heard two of them actually do that, but I've only met Conan." His frown deepened hearing the remark about someone was a slave. He wanted to ask more about that, but it wouldn't be right. Whoever told him that had done so in confidence. Besides, he could probably figure it out with enough time.

His eyes narrow slightly, at that last comment. Lucky bastard. He sighed and left the room, putting down the coat he was about to put on. Fortunately, it wasn't that long of a walk between the dressing carriage and his cabin. Snagging the pills from under his bunk, he shook some out onto a clean washcloth and tied it. Coming back, he tossed it at Bucky. "Small ones are for immediate need and big ones are to help you sleep. Normally two is the dosage but I recommend only one just in case you have to wake up."

Of course there were two of them. Bucky just sighs.

When Tony walks out, Bucky pauses in his search for skates, watching him go and wondering what, exactly, he'd said... but soon enough Tony is back and he catches the cloth easily, carefully pulling it open. It was maybe the last thing he'd expected, and while he wasn't entirely sure they'd actually work with his enhanced metabolism, he still smiles. "Thanks. So one's cyanide and the other's arsenic?" he teases, closing the cloth back up and tucking it into his pocket. Best to keep up pretenses, right?

Edited 2020-01-13 06:14 (UTC)

He hadn't thought of the enhanced metabolism. He'd heard someone speaking about a problem he was all too familiar with and gave the tool he used to cope. He'd.. been taken more of that particular coping mechanism even more this week than he had in a while. The nightmares just never stopped.

Bucky's joke snapped him out of his thoughts and he looked at the man blankly for a brief moment before he snorted a laugh and nodded. "Thought the detective kids were getting bored and needed a murder to solve."

He was quiet for a few moments before looking back. "I have to say, I'm really surprised you aren't on my team. I would've thought going after a target like this would've been right up your alley."

Bucky even cracks an easy grin at that reply, though it fades when Tony talks about the target. "Yeah, but you've only known me as Hydra's assassin, right?"

He starts going through skates, looking for something better suited to his feet. If they had single-sleeve shirts for him surely one pair of skates must fit, right? "The truth is, I'm not much of a fighter. I've always followed Steve when it comes to that kind of thing, except when it came to the Army -- that was the draft," he shrugs. "After Steve rescued me the first time, he asked me to stay, help him take on Hydra, so I did. I spent my time after Hydra hunting down anyone who knew what had happened to me, to make sure no one would be able to bring out the Winter Soldier again." He'd clearly been successful. "I haven't killed anyone since the Triskelion, and I'm not particularly interested in doing it again."

"I know you for a lot of different things, Bucky." Okay, so mainly as Hydra's assassin.

He listened as he rummaged through different pants to wear than their cargo pants. These, thankfully, were lined with fleece and thermal wear. He hadn't really thought of Bucky as not a fighter. He knew him as.. well, he supposed it was just as the assassin. He certainly hadn't known he could be personable like this.

Although everything just felt wrong as he heard that bit about hunting down anyone connected to the Winter Soldier. A spike of pain hit his stomach and he turned and looked at Bucky with a mix of confusion and wariness. "When was this hunt you were on?" He asked, his voice straining just a bit. He was sure it wasn't connected. Bucky had to be talking about more recently. His mind completely rejected the notion, stubbornly settling in denial. The more he tried to think about the timeline, the more eschewed his memories became. That was the opposite of how it was supposed to work, he thought angrily at himself. "Never mind, I've.. I've got to go." He took a staggering step before finding his balance and headed for the door, not looking back. He needed to get out of there.

Bucky looks up, confusion furrowing his brow. He was about to reply, but just as fast Tony was leaving and... well, he's already learned not to give chase when Tony wants some space, so he just lets Tony go. But back in his sleeper cabin, he writes down a few notes about the conversation, a reminder to circle back to it after they return from the mission.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Day 5 Domino: Let it Snow: Preperations

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject