| open | Throw your dreams into space like a kite

[readytocomply]

Who: Bucky and anyone
Where: In space
When: Backdated to the event
Rating: Will update as needed
Summary: All things space.
The Story:

one: the silversun strip

[He’s allowed himself to fall into a bit of a rut. The same routine. The same two people, one of them being a cat, for company. He likes it, makes him happy, but he knows he can’t rely on that forever. He needs to get out there and the events, even when they’re bad, can be a way for him to meet other people. So Bucky finds the most touristy place he can and walks around for a while.

First the arcade, where he challenges someone to one of the shooting games; it almost feels like cheating, but he admits from the start that he’s okay with a gun. After a few hours there, he ends up in the casino, playing a game of roulette before he gets bored with that and heads towards the arena. He hovers around the viewing areas, not really wanting to compete, but hoping someone familiar will come by soon.]

two: flying cars

[Bucky’s no stranger to the concept, but the successful application of a vehicle that can fly - yeah, Howard Stark never quite pulled that one off. It leaves him a little nostalgic, remembering that night. When the car had hovered off the ground, it was as if he’d been thrown into the future. He didn’t even mind when smoke had billowed up and it’d stopped working. Stark left that particular invention fall to the wayside for others, but knowing what he had helped with, Bucky can’t complain.

So he rents one. He’s about to start it up and take it for a spin, when he sees someone he knows.]

Wanna ride?

[He’s a good pilot. No experience with this particular craft, but part of the fun is learning.]

three: wildcard

[Bucky is available for any of the event shenanigans. If either of the options above don’t fit with your character, feel free to pick something. I’m super flexible and would love to get Bucky out and about. I can be messaged through my journal or through barebone.]

Comments

[mettatonvevo]

Oh Bucky, you never have to worry about me not thinking about myself. I'm constantly on my mind.

[He laughs, relaxing a bit more.]

Besides, Sans had my back. He's a good friend and he would've done his best to make sure I didn't get hurt.

[No matter how strange things between them have gotten, he's confident that Sans will be there for as long as Mettaton is there for him. Which honestly will probably only be to the end of this event, since Mettaton will need to pull away after this delightful vacation, but that's for a few days from now.

Mettaton's mouth turns up in delight at Bucky's playful joke and he nods.]

You are absolutely right! I'll have to find you something wonderful for your birthday. It could never match your caliber but it can come close!

[Mettaton's smile falls just a little, his eyes softening to a gentle bitter sweetness. Would he have even been able to see him if he knew when his birthday was? Probably not. As much as he would have loved to, he's needed to pull away for awhile now. Perhaps it's for the best he missed it.]

...Well, I suppose we're making up for that now, hm? Here you have me all to yourself.

[...that came out a little more flirty than he intended. Mettaton has enough shame to at least look slightly contrite at letting that slip out.]

[readytocomply]

[Bucky almost makes a joke about how vanity isn't the same as actually caring, but he just rolls a shoulder and lets it go. This time. Baby steps, that's where they are right now.]

Wouldn't matter what it was. If you gave it, I'd like it.

[The truth, too much maybe, but he's got a weak spot for Mettaton and he can't seem to help himself. He supposes that's part of the problem. He wants the things Mettaton had given him before, the way they talked and flirted, held each other. He still wants all of that. Bucky realizes that it means there's something wrong with him, deep down, if he would let that all happen again while still being with Steve. He just doesn't see it as being dishonest or stepping out on his guy. Bucky'd never let it go too far, but he can see why Mettaton doesn't want it to continue. It hurts him, Bucky hurts him.

He's a selfish man. He's selfish and doesn't deserve the love that he gets from either of them. Bucky certainly doesn't deserve to have two people like them having feelings for him. He doesn't but he wants it, needs it. He doesn't trust people to touch him, but he likes it when Mettaton does. That they could curl up next to each other and it doesn't have to mean anything but it means a lot to Bucky.]

Do I?

[His mouth curves up into a flirty smirk, brow raised.]

How about we go a little faster?

[He shifts the car forward.]

[mettatonvevo]

[It's a suddenly sweet and sincere answer, and Mettaton finds himself blushing a little at it, smiling in spite of himself. Bucky has always been more tender than he initially seems and Mettaton knows what a privilege it is to be able to see this side of him at all.]

That's sweet, Bucky, but don't let me off the hook. You deserve the very best in presents. Though one could certainly argue my presence is the best gift of all.

[It feels so good to do this again. To slip back into this banter, to fluff up his own ego and know that Bucky will give as good as he gets. It's so easy to pretend that they'll be in the car for forever and never have to go back to Wonderland. Maybe then he'll never have to let this friendship wither again.

He wants to reach out and take his hand. That could crash the car though, wouldn't it? Maybe a hand on an arm. A casual touch. That can be casual, can't it?

...Perhaps not as casual as it should be.]

Do you see any other handsome robots sitting in this car?

[Oh, but how he missed that smirk of his...

Mettaton goes to say something else but instead gasps a little as the car picks up speed and Mettaton's eyes widen in delight as his mouth forms a perfect 'o'.]

Do you have an plans for a destination, or are we going to cruise around the station?

[He's fine either way. As long as he's with Bucky, he's fine with anything.]

[readytocomply]

[Bucky's smirks goes a little soft, and super fond. He likes this, always has. The easy banter, the playful side of things.]

No, just the one.

[He winks, pleased with Mettaton's reaction. There wasn't much he could do with the car to make things more exciting, except for speeding everything up.]

Not really. Somewhere specific you wanna go?

[Not knowing the area meant Bucky was winging it. Which he'd usually do anyways, so that wasn't anything special.]

Anythin' you wanna do, I'm in.

[He trusted Mettaton and the robot knew his story, his background. He wouldn't put Bucky into a situation that hurt or triggered him, not on purpose.]

[mettatonvevo]

[Mettaton laughs, bright and carefree. He can't fight it anymore, how easy this all is. He just hopes he doesn't do something he'll regret by being so relaxed.]

The one and only! How absolutely scandalous, to be with a celebrity alone like this.

[The robot looks out the window and considers the options. The first thing that comes to mind is the top of the Presidium Tower like he went with Sans, but he thinks that if he attempts that again it'll only cause trouble for them both, so he shelves that thought pretty quickly. No, he doesn't really want to leave the car yet but he does want a pretty sight to match the pretty sight of Bucky driving.]

Mmm, I'm fine with going anywhere, but I know the Silversun Strip is particularly beautiful. That might be a scenic place to cruise.

[readytocomply]

[Bucky knows they're skirting along dangerous territory. The easy banter, how sweet and carefree it is. He was too loose with his affections before and he only ended up hurting Mettaton in the end.

The problem is, though, that he doesn't want to stop. He wants their friendship back. He doesn't have many people he's close to. Bucky just has to remind himself that he doesn't have to stop, only be more responsible about what he says and does.]

Yeah? Then we'll head there.

[They aren't too far away, he doesn't think, so he aims the car in that general direction.]

How've you been?

[mettatonvevo]

[Bucky handles this car with ease and Mettaton can't help but admire him for it. Mettaton's own disastrous attempt at driving one of these things aside, it really speaks to how smart the man is to be able to pick up this skill so quickly.

He even has a working knowledge of the traffic laws of the Citadel and it's quite astounding.

Then he asks a question that Mettaton... probably shouldn't answer honestly.]

I've been well. What about you?

[A gentle volley back into his court.]

[readytocomply]

Really, how've you been?

[After a few seconds, he hits some buttons and the car goes to auto pilot, hovering in a traffic free area with a pretty view. If Mettaton asked, he'd have to admit that he was winging it. He'd played around with the buttons to see what they did and then he guessed at how to make it through the city.

It worked for him.]

You tell me and I'll tell you.

[mettatonvevo]

[Bucky turns this into a game of "Show me yours and I'll show you mine" and Mettaton knows he shouldn't say anything truthful but... this is like a vacation, isn't it? When this event is over he'll go back to what he was doing before and he'll distance himself again so he can be a bit indulgent right?]

It's been... it's been hard. There's so much for me to do and yet I refuse to do pretty much any of it and it is taking its toll. I'm unsure of where I stand with many of my friends and I know I need to do right by them but I still cling to them as much as I can because I don't have the strength to be better yet.

[Bucky is one of the friends who suffers the most from this. Mettaton tries to push him away but keeps coming back and he knows he needs to stop this but he really, really does not want to.]

I'll have been here for almost a year now in the next few months. I didn't think I would be trapped here this long.

[He's silent for a moment then smiles ruefully and looks at Bucky.]

Your turn.

[readytocomply]

What's holding you back?

[Briefly, he wonders if it's some form of shyness, but that doesn't sit right. Mettaton has always been flirty and charming and outgoing. So if it wasn't social anxiety that kept him from doing the things he wants to do and keeps him from doing right by his friends.

Bucky wants to be more involved in Mettaton's life, but he doesn't want to push. He doesn't know if the robot is ready for any of that, so he stays away.]

I didn't think I would be either, but I don't mind. I've got a life here I wouldn't have had back home.

[He'd still be in T'Challa's cryochambers, asleep.]

I'm trying to let people in. [Like he did Mettaton.] I don't talk to very many people in Wonderland.

[mettatonvevo]

It's... a lot of things.

[But all of it comes to his mirror. It all comes to his mirror and trying to be more detached like him.

He leaves it at that, vague and in the air. He can't tell Bucky. He already tried once to get it out of him and he can't let him get so close again.]

Yes... there are some aspects of Wonderland that are appealing... there are people here that I wouldn't know back home and would dearly miss.

[It's a roundabout way of saying he'd miss Bucky if he was gone, but it's the only way he can say it without breaking more of his "rules."]

I'm glad you're trying. You need more friends. More friendly people who see you and care about you. You deserve that.