Oh, I'm the miscreant? That's rich. [And you might not want to shove him, Steve, but Bucky is definitely thumping you on the arm in retaliation for the insult.] You're just lucky I keep my mouth shut about what a little shit "Captain America" was before he put on the mask and tights. I'm sure the reporters'd love that.
[Which is all true, of course, but the thing is? Bucky's always known Steve's the better man of the two of them. That's only gotten clearer after the war, because Bucky's felt pieces of his humanity chip and fray, and he'd like to think he's not a monster, but there's still something fractured, there.
Steve fights bullies. Bucky kills people, and he'd do it forever if it'd keep Steve (and the free world, and innocent people, but mostly Steve) safe, and he'd stopped feeling sorry for the bodies he's left behind a long time ago.
(People keep reassuring him about killing Zane, and they don't need to. He's sorry, sure, because the guy hadn't been in his right mind, but he'd do it again. No question. Hadn't been when it'd happened, either.)
And that's why it's harder still to know that his friend still can't seem to catch a break. It's not fair. Steve deserves so much more than that, and Bucky wishes he could just give it to him, the same way he'd been able to hand over an extra apple or a warmer jacket, but he can't, and it's not fair.
So maybe that train of thought makes his answering smile a little slow, maybe a little faded, but he manages one anyway.]
At least I was good looking. [He's thought about what happens to them too, the people who get brought here because of a flood. There's already at least one other Barge out there, maybe, and Jean had known him as a teenager in tights and a domino mask, so the idea that there are other universes out there probably isn't too hard to wrap your mind around.
But Steve's right, there's nothing they can really do but sit around and wait. Bucky's definitely not complaining (yet) about having some downtime to recover from the last catastrophe.]
This might come as a surprise, [Considering what you'd probably be doing if their positions were reversed, you know it, Bucky knows it.] But I'm not really planning on running a marathon any time soon.
[Because he's not an idiot, unlike certain other people.
Bucky gets quiet for a moment, letting out a soft breath, expression getting a little distant and pensive before all of that vanishes behind another small smile.]
Spam
[Which is all true, of course, but the thing is? Bucky's always known Steve's the better man of the two of them. That's only gotten clearer after the war, because Bucky's felt pieces of his humanity chip and fray, and he'd like to think he's not a monster, but there's still something fractured, there.
Steve fights bullies. Bucky kills people, and he'd do it forever if it'd keep Steve (and the free world, and innocent people, but mostly Steve) safe, and he'd stopped feeling sorry for the bodies he's left behind a long time ago.
(People keep reassuring him about killing Zane, and they don't need to. He's sorry, sure, because the guy hadn't been in his right mind, but he'd do it again. No question. Hadn't been when it'd happened, either.)
And that's why it's harder still to know that his friend still can't seem to catch a break. It's not fair. Steve deserves so much more than that, and Bucky wishes he could just give it to him, the same way he'd been able to hand over an extra apple or a warmer jacket, but he can't, and it's not fair.
So maybe that train of thought makes his answering smile a little slow, maybe a little faded, but he manages one anyway.]
At least I was good looking. [He's thought about what happens to them too, the people who get brought here because of a flood. There's already at least one other Barge out there, maybe, and Jean had known him as a teenager in tights and a domino mask, so the idea that there are other universes out there probably isn't too hard to wrap your mind around.
But Steve's right, there's nothing they can really do but sit around and wait. Bucky's definitely not complaining (yet) about having some downtime to recover from the last catastrophe.]
This might come as a surprise, [Considering what you'd probably be doing if their positions were reversed, you know it, Bucky knows it.] But I'm not really planning on running a marathon any time soon.
[Because he's not an idiot, unlike certain other people.
Bucky gets quiet for a moment, letting out a soft breath, expression getting a little distant and pensive before all of that vanishes behind another small smile.]
I'm really glad you're here, pal.