006 || Video

[usavatar]

[He considered making this a voice or a text entry on the network for the sake of avoiding... well, people - but ultimately that would raise more questions with those who know him. Civilian clothes, calm demeanor, utterly meaningless political smile.]

I hope you're all faring all right with the changes in our environment and the requirements that puts on its population. I'm used to rationing, but I understand that it's probably and adjustment for those of you that are not.

Peggy and I had an idea about that - we wanted to see if there was any interest in a communal pot luck, periodic until things normalize.

Additionally, we wanted to see what people thought of a resource pool of food and nonperishables held in the... should I just call it a community center? That's how we'd like the space to serve during peacetime.

Um. [A small laugh.] Sorry, I lost my train of thought. As I was saying, we'd like to work on what amounts to a food bank for the duration of the rationing and possibly longer, if it proves useful and necessary. Donations are of course encouraged, particularly from those whose enterprises are not as effected by the restrictions currently in place.

[The empty warmth briefly dissipates, leaving Steve militant all out of proportion to what he says next.] To pre-empt those who think it's naive, ill-advised, et cetera, we would be monitoring the intake and distribution of goods to ensure that no single party exploits the generosity of contributors. I think as a charitable model it's a good one.

[He clears his throat and settles back in his chair.]

I'm not much good with plants, but if we could get space on the roof of the building, it might do some good to have a garden up there as well.


[100% JARVIS-assisted encryption to Evandau]

Sir. I would like to discuss, in person and at your earliest convenience, a potential threat to the safety of the Foreigner population. And also inquire after the well-being of Miss Namorita Prentiss, who you have in custody.


[ACTION FOR PEGGY]

[Done. He switches off the console and tilts his head back, inspecting the ceiling of the apartment with one of those vague and pointless realizations regarding how few people ever look up.

He scrubs his face with both hands and gets up, going to the kitchen to wet a cloth and press it against his face, then neck, mentally reciting passages from the books he'd read before Keeliai and snatches of songs to try and keep his thoughts from going back to the lab Natasha described and its contents. It doesn't work especially well.]

Comments

video; 30% encryption - never said that I'm not

[depicted]

[A pause, a faltering smile, and then a scowl.]

God, you're a monster. Fine, fine, I'll keep my word for once in my damned life. I hope you're happy.

So, will you tell me what has you in a mood like this? You're playing in a different key, and I can't ignore my ears forever.

[He isn't sure it's the rationing any longer.]

video; 30% encryption - entirely true

[usavatar]

[The start of a smile dies at Dorian's question.]

Nothing I'm comfortable discussing over the network.

video; 30% encryption

[depicted]

If there is somewhere you're comfortable talking about—well, apparently I like you enough to let you twist my arm about how I live my life. I guess I can afford to listen to you for a bit.

[The words are selfish and self-interested, but Dorian means the soul of it. What concerns Steve Rogers concerns Dorian Gray.]

video; 30% encryption

[usavatar]

[He hesitates. Peggy knows everything, of course. Natasha doesn't know that Steve's heard about Bucky, and Bucky... He hasn't had the heart to say anything about Clint, about this new disaster, not with everything the man's already under. And as flippant as Dorian is capable of being, there's a certain solidity of experience there, too, that's... it's comforting. It's like talking to a commanding officer in a way.]

There's a park a few blocks down from my suite. If you ask, it's the only one in the area.

video; 30% encryption

[depicted]

{Though Dorian doesn't know the comparison (he would laugh if Steve told him) Dorian responds with practical efficiency.] Half an hour?

video; 30% encryption >>> action

[usavatar]

[He nods, ends the feed, and proceeds to pace the room a few times before resolving to actually go.

Even if it's just to say he doesn't want to talk after all. He can't leave Dorian standing there waiting for him.]

action

[depicted]

[Which is why, sitting there with his hands clasped before him, Dorian comes out of the gates with a joke when he sees Steve.]

I was wondering if you were going to stand me up. You'd be one of, I think, three? Four at most. [Toby doesn't count, Toby was playing him. That is Dorian's argument and he is sticking to it.]

[Dorian holds up a small portion of bread from Peeta's bakery.] Come on, sit down and split this with me. I'm pretty sure it's still better than what we got out of those bloody British Restaurants.

action

[usavatar]

[He ducks his head to hide a smile, wondering how many times he's been stood up by girls who got wind of who he was before the day - most of those dates set up by Bucky. Again, the thought of his friend takes the humor out of him, and he sits down next to Dorian wordlessly.]

action

[depicted]

[Dorian splits the food in half and starts eating his portion of it. He doesn't say anything else. Steve Rogers is clearly weighed down.]

[usavatar]

[He ends up picking his to pieces before he starts eating it. He does eat it, though, hungry or not. A promise is a promise.]

I told you about my friend being here. Bucky Barnes. There was someone else I'd gotten close to, from... the future? The present? Both, I guess. Agent Clint Barton. Worked with him while I was back in the world, and he ended up here too. Disappeared before you came, but they told us over and over that if someone vanished it meant they'd gone home.

[He dusts his fingers off and leans forward to scrub at his face with both hands.] I knew better - I know better - than to trust something like that. I should have looked harder. I never should have stopped looking.

[depicted]

[Dorian presses a palm against Steve's shoulder. The distress is obvious. The exact cause isn't.] It's a comforting idea. A nice one to believe.

[He says that without judgement or forgiveness. Dorian had accepted the idea at face value, right up until the moment Steve said those words. Now he is waiting for the ugly truth to come out.]

[usavatar]

I should have verified it, found some way- [Exhale.] When the turtle's shell got cracked, I sent an associate to investigate. She found him. Him and two others who disappeared, but the other two - they were alive, they wouldn't leave with her, they said - it doesn't matter what they said. Something had been done to them. And she found Clint on a table being taken apart.

[Steve wipes his palms against the thighs of his pants, thinking it all over again, anger billowing again, redoubling at the fact that he can't act, not without more information.] I keep wanting to think maybe it wasn't him, maybe it has something to do with those clones, but then how were the other two able to answer questions? And even if it was a clone, does that make it... It doesn't change anything. It was still him. Someone still did that to him while I walked around over his head and lived like nothing was wrong.

[depicted]

[Dissection.

It echoes in Dorian's memories with a dozen awful connotations. Horrors of from the war, the reports from camps that sickened even him. Knowledge of what would be done if anyone found out what he was.

Selfish fear and righteous anger make a powerful mix.

Dorian hand becomes a stronger grip. He makes certain that Steve is meeting his eyes.]

But we know now. And we are going to end it. We protect who we have left.

[It's in the low fury in his voice, the hard anger in his jaw. Dorian means what he says, and he knows Steve's resolve is the same.]

Is there a way back there?

[usavatar]

[That simple question runs through Steve like an electric shock. He still has to speak with Evandau before he'll be comfortable taking real action, but there it is - step two. Getting through the patch over the spot Natasha went in and getting back to where she found the victims.

How could he not have thought of it already?

Quietly:] We'd have to make one. If we got caught, it could be... bad, to say the least. The repercussions for the other Foreigners would likely be severe.

[But all of that said - ] Yes. Probably, yes.

[depicted]

[He presses his forehead to Steve's, runs his fingers through his hair. Reassuring.] Then we just have to not get caught, don't we? [Dorian gives a quick, confident smile.]

[usavatar]

[The sudden closeness is startling, as is the touch. It's not the kind of affection Steve is used to.

At all.

Particularly in a context like this - the context of violence, espionage, potential conflict. He stumbles over how to react, the circuit of rage broken by surprise.]

I- Logistics. [Right, focus.] We have to find out how to get through - if it's going to need a charge, how heavily guarded it is - pick a team, possibly provide a distraction.

[It is kind of bizarre to say all this while forehead-to-forehead.]

[depicted]

[Dorian can't help himself. He starts laughing. He releases Steve and covers his face in his hand until he can stop the laughter.]

Sorry, sorry. I should have given you a friendly punch on the shoulder.

[usavatar]

[He ducks his head, smiling a bit in spite of himself. Steve likes making Dorian laugh, even if it is at him. He coughs and itches his nose.] Maybe add an 'atta boy' in there or something.

[Deep breath, scrubbing his face again.] Thank you.

[depicted]

Mm, wait, let me see if I've got this right. 'You're welcome' isn't it. [He gives Steve a friendly punch to the shoulder.] There you go, chap—

—no, wait, still too British. Sorry, my American accent isn't at its best.

[He gives just a moment before saying,] We see what it'll take to get in, sure. Then we'll see if there's any way to cover our tracks, yeah? It's best if no one knows we were even there. Maybe if there's someone who'd be able to take it apart and put it back together quickly . . .

[usavatar]

[Stark, is Steve's first thought. Maybe that boy, Leo Valdez, though he's not keen on the idea of getting someone so young involved.

They'll need Natasha. The thought rankles a little, even as he can't really manage to be really angry at her, not right now. Not when she's in her own kind of mourning for someone she cares about maybe as much as Steve cares about Bucky.

And it occurs to him suddenly that he keeps thinking they and including Dorian in the equation.]

You don't have to go in. To do any of this. It's risky - and it's a sewer.

[The last bit is half a joke.]

[depicted]

[Dorian only acknowledges the joke with a smile.]

I'm immortal, remember? [He pauses a moment—the implication, of course, is that he can't be hurt as others can. But then he elaborates.] So I have all the more reason to want to stop them from dissecting us when they're done.

[He's immortal. If they decide that they are through with him, he won't get to die as Clint has. There will be no release from his pain.]

[usavatar]

[He wants to say I won't let that happen. But he can't. He's already let it happen - not even once, but twice, to those close to him.

More, if the others who disappeared suffered the same fate.

The sudden thought of Howard responding lifelessly to questions or being pulled to pieces by a lab assistant drives Steve to his feet. He can't keep still, and several of the local fauna claiming the crumbs from his bread bolt back into the wilting undergrowth when he starts to pace.]

I'll take this place apart before I let that happen. [That, at least, is true.]

[depicted]

[Dorian grabs Steve's arm.]

I appreciate the sentiment, but I plan on doing my own part in protecting myself and those I care for. [He tries to get Steve to look him in the eyes again, to focus him on the immediate present, not the injustices of the past and the wrongs of the future.] So unless you want to help me practice my street brawling to work off that anger, we need to keep planning.

[usavatar]

[He does look Dorian in the face, briefly, before he can't, dropping his gaze the same way he did when Peggy found him in the bombed-out bar where the Commandos became the Commandos, drinking the liquor of a dead man's home city.

There's a knot tightening in his throat that words have to navigate around before he can manage to say them.]

I'm not good at this. [This. Losing people, failing people, waiting on justice.]

[depicted]

[He should probably go for a punch to the shoulder. Instead, it is the stroke of a reassuring thumb where Dorian holds Steve's arm.]

In my experience, you've lost something important when you get good at it.