tushanshu | video;

[His first though is of course for his turtle. Steve was her father as well, after all- and a pretty good one from what Frank had seen.

But then he remembers Bucky telling him about their past together, about Steve's health problems before things Got Complicated (tm). They had to have been close.]

You need to... talk, or something?

[ Bucky can always at least help with the turtle? Not the same as actual parent, but better than nothing until another parent is found by the young creature once again. ]

I...

[ He considers the offer for a moment, then gives a small, sad smile. ]

Thanks, but I think it's probably not gonna be... the best idea. It's happened before. I'll get through it.

The thing about helping instead of him still stands, though.

[He nods. Considering his own reaction when he'd lost Percy and the others, he can't say he was expecting anything else. And he definitely doesn't blame him.]

Well, I'll miss giving Steve telepathy classes but there isn't much to do about that since it was me giving them. And then there's Penelope... I think she's alone with me now. She's probably scared, so visiting her every now and then couldn't hurt if you're up to it?

... Steve has telepathy?

[ ... color one Bucky Barnes actually pretty surprised. There's not much he doesn't know about Steve Rogers, and, well. He swallows, and tries to shake it. ]

Yeah, I'll come over now and again. And, sorry, don't think I'm exactly the best option for telepathy lessons. But i'm sure there'll be other volunteers? It seems like something a lot of people might find useful.

[ Who've got little to hide. ]

[He shakes his head.] No, it's nothing like that. I mean it is, but not really.

The bond we share with the turtles is very, very close to a telepathic link someone who had been here before showed me. For a while it was almost the only way I had to communicate.

So when I became a turtle father it was really really easy to focus the bond and use it to know where my turtle is, what it's feeling even when she doesn't want to show me... things like that. I mentioned it to Steve and he was interested in learning so I had been giving him classes.

Ah.

[ Bucky takes that in, and nods, relaxing almost imperceptibly. ]

Right. That makes... more sense. 'm sorry that - well, that you were stuck with having to learn that in the first place.

But at least it was helpful in a better context. Is helpful, I mean. I'll - do my best. Without the classes, though I'm sure there may be other turtle parents who might be interested.

[He shrugs. He was pissed when he lost his voice, and delighted when he got it back... but he has to admit having that kind of experience changed him. Not all of it that bad. He wouldn't go so far as saying he would go through it again, but he doesn't look back at it in anger either.]

I just wanted to help. And Steve... he's a cool guy, and it was obvious, while he was here, that he was doing his best to help.

[There's only one thing to do, so far as Enjolras is concerned, only one thing that's DECENT to do, really, given everything.]

Christ. Anywhere you would prefer for me to buy the drinks?

[ Bucky almost refuses that, too. He thinks that, this time, he should do better than to sink inside a bottle over it. (This time, he thought Steve would stay. Why did he?) But, after a moment, he shrugs to himself. One night won't drown him. ]

Same place where we met last time?

[With Enjolras, one drink usually means a glass of wine that he sloshes around, occasionally sipping, so he can certainly keep an eye on Bucky if it comes to that. And, while he won't press Bucky to talk, he does feel something of a kinship with him now, and could certainly listen too. Perhaps the change of scenery may help as well, though he understands that nothing really ever fades in such a way as that.]

That seems like a good idea, yes.

[ Small nod. ]

I'll be there in a coupla hours. Wanna pack some of Steve's stuff up...

[ At least this time, he'll have more to remember it all by than just the shield. Which was Rikki's idea to secure in the first place... augh. ]

You don't have to come.

[Enjolras remembers the feeling too well himself to really consider trying to change Bucky's mind on that. He had actually preferred being there alone with the books, and sketches and all of the other little trinkets that made up a life.

It had been difficult enough alone. Doing it with anyone else around would have been actual torture. All the same, everyone was not him, so he'll offer all the same.]

I could, of course. If that would help. [Not an insistence, but an actual offer. He hopes that's coming through anyway.]

Oh! No, I meant later. Don't have to indulge me for the drinking and moping.

[ No, Steve's things, he'll take care of. It's not even hard, Steve's never had all that much, and some habits are hard to change. ]

You are the one who indulged my version of the same. It is the least thing I could do.

[ Bucky takes a breath to argue that it doesn't obligate Enjorlas at all, but instead he just shakes his head. ]

Thanks. See you there, then.

You are more than welcome. I shall be there.

[Consider it a gesture of goodwill, and thanks, and the feeling that no one should be left entirely alone when something of this nature happens. At any rate, after giving Bucky some time to take care of Steve's uh...effects, Enjolras is making his way to the bar they'd gone to last time, a little early, true, but better that than late of all days, today.

As he waits, it occurs to him, depressing as it is, that there ought to something of a record in the paper, of those who leave here as well as entering. Perhaps offer the ability to place ads for such a thing. It does seem as if it might prove helpful. Not obituaries, exactly, just a notice that these people have gone home, and maybe a few words about the loved one.

He'll be scrawling things away on bits of paper, a ballpoint pen in his teeth as Bucky arrives.]

[ Bucky nods, and disconnects. ]

[ If his eyes are red, when he makes it to the bar, it's not well-lit enough to be noticeable, anyway. And, well. There are lists, with Jack Frost, if few of the others who'd made them are still here. Bruce Wayne, if Bucky recalls correctly, but he's been months gone, now. But, after that, Bucky's changed, and is trying to put up a good front. ]

[ He swings into a chair by Enjorlas. ]

Evening. Busy?

[ Casual. He can. He can keep it together, this time. He thinks. Hopes. ]

[The best approach to all of this, to someone who obviously is in need of some relief, when Enjolras is not good with most people, even those he cares about like Bucky, now, is to think of what any of the others would have done, and to think of their examples now.

That said, he is already looking (and feeling) rather sympathetic on his own, right as Bucky arrives, but he wishes that he was better with expressing things in person as it is. Remembering what his friends would do does help a little more.]

Not so busy, yet, at that. I..it would be stupid to ask how you are just now, but, please, if speaking of it helps, I am here to listen. And I am sorry this sort of disappearance is so common.

[Anything else, obligatory commentaries that people make when someone has died had never actually helped, so much as Enjolras had seen. They rather seemed to make things worse, what with ridiculous ideas of losses being a part of God's plan, or of someone going to a better place, or... no, he's not about to toss those into this now. ]

I did not manage to really meet your Steve. Would you like to tell me more about him? Or do you prefer a distraction, just now?

I'm sorry. [ from his tone it's clear that he means it, and not in a pitying way. while he may not have anyone from home here, or even friends he's made here that have left, he knows what it's like to lose someone. ]

I, um... Have a question for you - about the mission we went on?

[ Bucky nods. ]

Thanks. And. Wanna meet in a cafe or somethin' to talk about it?

[ Not a very busy one. But it's better than over the consoles. ]

Tell me when and where and I'll be there.

Tomorrow, early afternoon?

[ And insert an address of a nice but quiet cafe. At least quiet since the explosions. ]

[ he pauses to confirm this with Quintus. ]

That works!

All righty. Stay safe, until then.

ooc: To action, or move to a log?

Un! You too.

[ on to ACTION because what is time for setting up logs:

Akito arrives at the agreed-upon spot fifteen minutes prior to the agreed-upon time and wastes no time ordering himself a drink because holy crap it's way too hot and he knows he's bordering on dehydrated already. ]

[ Bucky probably shouldn't do this to people... but the itch to practice the skills Natasha's taught him is always too strong. Especially now that she's no longer here to praise or criticize him. So he just does it for her. Even in the heat. ]

[ He doesn't walk in through the normal cafe door. He doesn't even walk to the table to greet the youth. Instead, between one of Akito's looks around and the next, he's just sitting there on the chair beside him. ]

Hey.

[ Like nothing big's happened. ]

[ it's hard to catch Akito off guard when it comes to someone's presence - his naturally heightened senses of scent and hearing make sure of it, and the additional boost to his hearing thanks to some exploration during landfall doesn't hurt either. So while he might have missed the arrival with his sight, he isn't surprised by a person's presence next to him.

what does catch him off guard is that it's him that's being spoken to, given that he doesn't know Bucky well enough to have an idea of what he smells or sounds like (and probably never will - he may have a heightened sense of smell but it's not nearly as good as an animal's. he can't track something from only a weak whiff of an unfamiliar scent).

in any case, he startles; peers at Bucky with his one visible eye wide and curious until recognition settles in. ]

Bucky, right?

[ In contrast with his sneaking in, his voice and body language are relaxed, almost bright. Easy. ]

Yeah, still me.

[ They have met, after all. ]

What's troubling you?

Edited (wording, sorry) 2014-08-24 08:58 (UTC)

[ you can never be too careful. and maybe he might have a little bit of trouble recognizing people's faces if he doesn't really know them. only maybe!! just a little. ]

I know that you have the same eye problems as me, and was wondering if you noticed anything that I haven't. I haven't been able to find anything to indicate the source of the problem, when I was hoping to try and fix it.

[ he thinks that makes sense. at least, he hopes that it does. he isn't about to talk about this sort of thing directly in public, no way. ]

[ If this had been directed at him two years ago, Bucky would have stared in complete confusion. Now, though, a corner of his mouth twitches up, and he nods, slightly. ]

[ His answer is delayed by the kedan waitperson coming to take his order, and he asks for a strong, black coffee - okay, that might be a part of the answer. ]

[ When she's gone, he turns to the boy again, his hand 'randomly' waving in the direction of the Palace. ]

Gotta say, nothing wrong with your eyes, but the source ain't good. 'specially considering where it can be seen.

[ Bucky's eyes grow hard, tight, at that. Evandau... Evandau is somebody he used to respect. Somebody he's worked with, in the past. Knowing that he's working for the enemy, might have worked for him for a long time, now... that's not good. It feels like a betrayal, though Bucky knows it's nothing to what that means for Keeliai, and the people he's been responsible to for centuries. Let alone the former Emperor. ]

So there is a source to it? I thought maybe my eyesight is just bad since it all looks the same to me. [ everything just looks ... equally bad to him. ;_; ]

Of everything? [ He shakes his head; he'd thought Akito meant something more particular - well, someone more particular. ] Haven't seen any. And that's probably pretty much not good.

[ Then his face darkens, a little. ]

With specific people... well, there's a familiarity with how it feels. And it's from - when I took a detour, back in that ritual.

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video; (I'm sorry. /o\)

video; (<3)

Video: Private

Video: Private

Video: Private

Video: Private

Video: Private

Video: Private

Video: Private

Video: Private -> possibly to action

Video: Private -> TO ACTION!

ACTION! (So late. I'm sorry.)

ACTION! (<3! No worries!)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

ACTION PACKED

All of the action! Quiet, heat-subdued action.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject