| 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

[assembles]

Could be worse.

[ So long as his famous last words aren't something like "oops" or "I've totally got this," Steve thinks he'll be fine. Either way, he knows that Bucky is only teasing him and that the danger presented by their current irresponsibility isn't much. Not compared to some of the other pickles they've gotten themselves into, anyway.

Steve doesn't mind when they slow down to appreciate the scenery above a quieter part of the Citadel. Heck, some might even call it romantic, if they want to go that route.

Apparently Bucky does, with the way that he motions for Steve's hand. They might as well be making out in the back seat of the car at the drive-in or something cheesy like that. Except this is way better, and Steve reaches out for them to intertwine fingers, palm against palm.

He speaks out as he looks up toward the sky, swirling sunset colors and not-so-distant stars making it a spectacular view. ] You know, as far as dates go, I think this one is pretty good.

[ It might even count as their first "official" one, given that everything they've done at the mansion has been fairly lowkey. ]

[readytocomply]

[If the car they're in was setup a little differently, Bucky could've pulled Steve closer and thrown an arm around his shoulder. Maybe even gone the fake yawn and stretch route, played it real casual to see if it'd make Steve laugh. He used to like dating, wooing the other person and indulging in some of the sappier romantic stuff. Bucky hasn't had the time for or anyone he's wanted to do that with until now, so he's gonna use any opportunity given him to do it now that he does.

Besides, Bucky likes holding Steve's hand. It's intimate in a newer way and the contact reminds him of all the good times before that they've done it. The sweetness of it.]

I've been thinking about that, Steve.

[Their 'dates'. There are some questions that have laid heavily on his mind but he hasn't found a good time to ask them. His eyes are out towards the horizon, thumb running across the side of Steve's hand.]

Would you wanna go on one? [Not just in their room.] I know we've been going slow, but Wonderland's been alright.

[He's not sure how to say that he's ready to do it. He'd held back before because paranoia was winning the internal battle he's always fighting with himself. It was still a contender, but he could manage it now.]

Figured if we went out, together, nothin' would happen and if it did, we'd make it through and try again. [They couldn't control events or the people around them, but still.] Be nice to do something. Unless you don't want to do that.

[assembles]

[ As someone who had always been the one watching from a distance as Bucky sweet-talked some girl (sometimes it felt like there was a different one every month -- they never lasted long), it's strange to be on the receiving end of it now, though Steve can see that Bucky's still holding back. He needs to feel everything out like he's doing it for the first time. Given that it's been something like seventy years, Steve hardly blames him.

What's a little more amusing is how Bucky works up to asking Steve out on a date like he's worried that Steve's going to reject him. Especially given what they're doing. ]

I mean, as far as I can tell we're on one right now. [ Steve speaks the words casually as shrugs one shoulder, leaning further toward Bucky's side of the car, though the center console between them means they can't get as close as either of them would like. He squeezes his hand instead. ]

If you're talking about back at the mansion too, I'm sure that can also be arranged.

[ This seems more special given where they are, but Steve can see the importance of normalizing it back in more familiar surroundings too. Whatever Bucky wants to try, he's all for it. ]

[readytocomply]

Yeah, you're right.

[Bucky leans in and he can almost prop himself up against Steve's side, but the car's not really made for that, so they make do. He's also feeling particularly relaxed, given their current situation.]

I'd like that. [Oddly enough, he's beginning to think of Wonderland as home. He knows it's not the place, it's the people. It's the guy sitting right beside him.] Can I be real honest with you, Steve?

[He pauses, but it's brief. Not much time between words for his friend to say no, not that Bucky thinks he'd do that.]

I don't wanna go back. Not to Wonderland, but where we're from. [He keeps his gaze locked on the horizon, not focused but not looking at Steve either.] We didn't have this back there. And if leaving means forgetting, then I don't want that.

[It's romantic, right? Telling someone that they're something special while on an impromptu date in space.]

[assembles]

[ It's not often that Bucky is honest or open with Steve, so he's hardly going to reject the opportunity to hear what he's really feeling. And frankly, he isn't surprised by what Bucky has to say either. He wouldn't be the first person who's decided they prefer Wonderland over their own home.

Because the thing is, "home" doesn't really exist for them anymore. It's something they can only find in their past, a place that's impossible for them to reach. The only thing that really makes them feel at home is being in each other's company, and if that's only possible in Wonderland, then Steve understand Bucky's view.

Back home, he has to be frozen away until they can fix whatever's been scrambled in his head. Steve's not in the best place either; there's nothing approaching the stability they have here. ]

I get what you're saying, I do. [ His grip on Bucky's hand remains firm. ] The world hasn't really been that kind to you back home anyway. Not that Wonderland is either, but... we're dealing with it together.

[ He sighs and leans back, shaking his head. ] It's not like we get to decide, though. [ And while Steve doesn't want to say it now, if he was given the choice to return home, he would do it. Wonderland is only a holding pattern. They can't enact any kind of difference here, and there's still plenty of work to be done back home. Living without any purpose beyond existing just doesn't suit him. ]