(no subject)

[controlledvariable]

audio | video | action

Comments

audio; breaking this in

[bokator]

Hey, it's me. There's a Batman in town.

audio; thank

[controlledvariable]

[Literally the worst thing she could've picked up the phone to hear.]

Fuck. Which one? Does he know us?

audio;

[bokator]

Red bat, long ears, no cape. [ Damian gave her the description, she has no desire to go out looking for a Batman, even one that might not be Bruce. ] It's definitely not our acrobat.

audio;

[controlledvariable]

[There's a shaky sigh relief at that. She could have dealt with Dick, but Bruce would've been a disaster.]

He doesn't sound familiar. What other info have we got on him?

audio;

[bokator]

[ Rose gives her a few moments to breathe before continuing, ]

Apart from the crazy costume? Nada. I haven't seen him, because I'm not staying out.

audio;

[enshields]

Stephanie. Do you have time to talk?

audio;

[controlledvariable]

For you? Always.

[It's a light answer, but she means it, she just doesn't like making a big deal out of things like that. Steve doesn't need to worry about bothering her.]

audio;

[enshields]

[That's quite the proclamation, there, and for a moment he is honestly taken aback. He toys with his phone briefly before replying,]

I'd like to know what you know about Bucky. The other one, the one you met in Exsilium. Please.

audio;

[controlledvariable]

[That's an odd question, but she can answer it easily.]

Not a whole lot, really. I knew he fought in World War Two, and the Cold War. I know he's an Avenger, but I don't think he was from the same world that Tony was from, since I never saw them together.

[And even if people might not have gotten along well before they came to another world, being from the same place tends to draw people together.]

A lot of people who'd come from the past, you could tell, you know? But he never seemed like that.

[Which was a bit odd.]

audio;

[enshields]

[... An Avenger. Yet fought in the Cold War. Excuse him, Steph, you just shorted out his brain in a manner most spectacular.

Because that means somewhere out there there's a version of Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, who comes home.

After a slightly strangled silence,]

I-- see. Thank you. I know it's a lot to ask, but would you-- mind not telling him much about it? He doesn't... know certain aspects of his future, and I'm waiting for the right time to tell him. It needs to come from me.

audio;

[redactions]

Mornin'.

[ he sounds cheery, if a little tired. ]

Y'mind if we skip training for a coupla days? I'm taking up knitting.

[ No he isn't, but he's sure he doesn't want to exorcise the ghost of the Winter Soldier with violence, and he doesn't want to show that to someone else until he's ready. ]

audio;

[controlledvariable]

Sure thing.

[She won't push it; he didn't push when she asked the same of him.]

We can go for a run or something if knitting gets too boring.

[Whatever's going on - she has a feeling Steve told him about this future, all things considered - sometimes moving helps, even if it isn't fighting.]

audio;

[redactions]

You kiddin'? I have my hands full with socks here.

[ And the knitting needles, he still hasn't really figured out how to hold one without bending it horribly out of shape. ]

Maybe this evening? You have any dinner plans?

audio;

[controlledvariable]

Does that mean you aren't taking requests?

[It's mostly a joke, though she'd totally take knitted socks if he actually makes them.]

And I was planning to eat half a can of peaches alone, but I guess I can make some room in my schedule.

audio;

[redactions]

A sweater will take a while.

[ If she wants to. He doesn't mind: it's not like he's got something else to do around here, though he thinks he might just kip over to North and get her one instead. ]

Well, if you're so busy...

action;

[enshields]

[He happened to find a shirt in her size over in Haven East that is coincidentally purple and yellow and in pretty decent shape.

So here it is, neatly folded and wrapped in brown butcher's paper at her door one morning.]

action;

[controlledvariable]

[Steph can't help but smile when she finds the gift, but as soon as she's actually put the shirt on, her next move is to start thinking about who it could be from.

She... doesn't really have a whole lot of friends; there's the Bats, but this isn't really their style, nor is it Rose's or Kon's, so she's mostly left with Bucky or Steve as the responsibility party.

Which is why she heads to their house and knocks on the window of their bedroom, because doors are for suckers.

Or for people who want to deal with Steve and Bucky's other roommates, and Steph isn't one of those people.]

action;

[enshields]

[And Steve is definitely there, sitting at the kitchen table and buffing out his shield which is not a euphemism for anything g o s h. He glances up at her grand entrance, but doesn't look at all alarmed. She and Cass have probably made a habit of it by now.

Oh, but she does get a smile when he sees her wearing the shirt.]

Hey. Glad to see it fit.

perma that

[controlledvariable]

[Cass also knows that doors are for nerds.

Steph's going scramble in and join Steve at the table.]

Well that was the quickest mystery solving I've ever done.

[thx steve]

[enshields]

Well, it wasn't really meant to be a mystery...

[BUT YOU'RE... WELCOME...?]

Next time I'll do a scavenger hunt, how's that?

audio; backdated to nov. arrivals

[redactions]

We still on for today?

audio

[controlledvariable]

I am if you are?

audio

[redactions]

I'll see you there.

[ he's already there when she reaches, having called her from their usual spot, practicing a few moves. Rumlow's arrival hasn't made him angrier, but more pensive. He's seventy years behind and that's not going to fix itself unless he does some uncomfortable things. He nods to Steph. ]

I'm going to hit back today.

action

[controlledvariable]

[She isn't surprised to see him already there, just jogs over so that she doesn't keep him waiting too long.

And then he says that, and she has to frown a little.]

Everything okay?

[She isn't worried about herself, just him.]

action

[redactions]

[ He gives her a wan smile. ]

All good. Just been givin' it some thought: ain't doing myself any favours by not hitting a dame.

[ it'll never sit right with him, but he'll do more than fight defensively ]