entrancelogs | | closed | life moves very fast

Entry tags:

| closed | life moves very fast

Who: Bucky and various
Where: Hell
When: During the event
Rating: Will update as needed
Summary: Fighting and general event shenanigans
The Story:

Closed to Steve:
[Waking up in a strange place was disorienting, no more so than waking up in the orchard had been, but that's because he was getting used to all these events. All he had to do was make it through them and everything would go back to normal. He blinks awake that first morning, tense at the unfamiliar surroundings, only to roll right over into Steve.

He's immediately more calm, not relaxed, but better.]

Wake up, Steve.

[His hand on Steve's shoulder, he gently shakes.]

There's an event.

[Everything had been good the night before. No nightmares, falling asleep with Steve curled around him, but the longer he's awake, the more pissed he is about it all. He's frustrated with how often the events come around.]

Closed to Mettaton:
[After finding out where they are and what's going on, to the best of his ability, Bucky goes looking for his people. Those he cares about and wants to make sure are okay. It's methodical, how he crosses them off the list one by one, no real way to find anyone other than search each hut until he does.

Relief washes over him when he sees the robot.]

Mettaton.

[Sure, he's just busted in on a hut that wasn't his without asking if he could come in first, but they're in Hell and certain allowances have to be made.]

Is everything okay? [He glances around them.] Are you okay?

[After checking, then he'd tell Mettaton that he's feeling differently down here. He has the right to know.]

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[ That's the thing about sleeping next to someone almost every night. When events like these happen, changing everything around them overnight, you at least get to react to the sudden shift with someone else at your side.

Steve's eyes open slowly and he twists his body away from Bucky's touch, part of him still wanting to sleep more until he realizes that the hard surface underneath him isn't his mattress. No, it's cracked rock with bits of brown weeds sticking out, and as he lifts his head he realizes just how far from Wonderland they've gone this time.

Except, in a strange way, they're still right where they've always been. Wonderland is weird that way. ]

... Well, this is new.

[ Every event is new, technically, but this change is more drastic than most. The heat is the next thing that Steve registers as he pushes himself to his feet and realizes that the air is thick around him because it's so hot.

He looks back to Bucky. ] You all right?

[Bucky mimics Steve, rolling to his feet and glancing around them. It's hot and dry, and knowing how events usually go, this wouldn't even be the worst part of it.]

No.

[He rolls his eyes, at himself. His voice is gruff, annoyed, and it has nothing to do with the man standing nearby.]

Yeah, I'm fine.

[Shrugging, he makes a mental note of what he's wearing. Hardly nothing. As he'd grown more comfortable, and bold, with Steve, he'd started wearing less and less to bed. Partly because it meant less to take off if things went that way again and he trusted Steve to see him that vulnerable. Now, though, boxers and a sleeveless shirt weren't going to protect him from anything wherever they had ended up.

His expression softens, and he reaches out to brush his fingers down Steve's arm to his hand.]

Are you?

[ Well, Bucky has a point. Nothing is really "all right" when they keep getting tossed into situations like this one. Steve isn't much better off when it comes to what he's wearing, either; he's got some sweatpants and a tank-top on. It doesn't look like they'll be able to find any other clothing around here, either. On the bright side, they won't be burning up due to over-dressing.

When Bucky draws closer and reaches out for him, Steve grips his hand and squeezes back. It's just a small reassurance, but it can mean a great deal.

After that, though, he pulls away while nodding, taking in their surroundings with a put-out sigh. At least there look to be some basic structures around them, although the landscape stretches out much further, hinting that there's lots of exploration to be done. ]

Guess we'd better get a lay of the land.

[ He shrugs and makes for the closest building. ]

[It's the smallest touch, a simple grip, but it means a lot to him.]

Alright.

[Bucky understands they've got to figure out where they are, or at the very least, what's going on around them. He remembers himself and he remembers Steve, so it's not one of those events. There is unfamiliar terrain, but no immediate threat - that's enough to concern him. Nothing that happens in Wonderland is ever that simple.

He keeps pace with Steve, scanning the area around them as they get closer to the building.]

Any idea what's going on here?

No, I think this is a little above my pay grade.

[ The words come out of Steve's mouth more curtly than he means for them to, and he frowns as he tries to examine why. It's not like Bucky had asked anything offensive, so there's no reason for Steve to get snappy now. Maybe it's because he just woke up, and it's hot, and he's sick of these events.

He makes it inside the building, which at least shields them from the heat for a short time. It's nothing more than a basic living area, but there's no one there. The only noticeable decoration is the painting of a human-like figure that's up on the wall.

It doesn't give them much to go on, and Steve sighs to himself as he reaches for his phone in his sweatpants pocket. It's probably too early to expect any sort of explanatory announcement, but he checks all the same. ]

[That's great. Bucky rolls his eyes and makes a sound in the back of his throat. He wants to say something smart, give it right back, but they need to get somewhere safe before he wastes any energy giving Steve a hard time.]

Okay, Steve.

[He's just as curt, elongating the way he says his name, expression blank as they make it inside the building. Bucky checks the room for weak spots, circling back and folding his arms over his chest.]

Anything?

[That frustration he'd felt earlier is building, settling low in his gut and making him want to be an ass. He knows it and he's not so sure he wants to do anything to stop it.]

[ Steve shifts his weight restlessly and shakes his head as he gets further and further back on the log. No one has anything to say about their situation, and as he looks at the icon on the corner of the phone screen, he notices that they service isn't great here either.

Makes sense.

Shoving his phone back into his pocket, Steve makes for the door they'd just come through, leading them out into the heat once more. ]

Guess we're just gonna have to figure this out for ourselves.

[ Even if he's agitated, Steve knows that it's good that he has Bucky at his side during this newest event. ]

[Bucky follows Steve out into the heat, eyes narrowed, body tense. If he were alone, he'd find cover in the best vantage point, scope out his surroundings, and wait until nightfall to make any big movements. There's a couple of problems with any of that now though - he doesn't know the area, it might never get dark and Steve's here.

Where Bucky feels safer acclimating to the situation from a place of relative secrecy, Steve charges right out into it, not that that's necessarily the worst choice.]

We shouldn't be out here. There's no cover and we don't know what kind of event this is.

[He jogs up beside Steve, reaching out to grip his shoulder and slow him down.]

It's not safe.

[ It's not like Bucky's wrong, exactly, but Steve's never been one to take a cautious approach. Strapping a giant target to his back and roaring into a battlefield on a motorcycle is more his style. Bucky, though -- Bucky's a sniper, used to finding a point of cover and surveying an area, picking off threats as he spots them.

Normally Steve would try to find a way for both of them to play to their strengths, but he isn't thinking straight right now. Must be the heat getting to his head, but he isn't aware enough to stop himself. ]

If we just stay here, we're never going to figure out what's going on. Whatever's out there could just come to us.

[ In other words, he's going to be difficult about this and dig his heels in until he gets his way. ]

You can stay if you want, but I'm going. [ Nothing's going to change his mind on that, apparently. ]

Would you just stop for one goddamn second.

[Bucky's grip tightens and he uses that leverage to force Steve to stop, pushing his shoulder hard in an attempt to get him to turn back around.]

All I'm asking is we find higher ground, look things over.

[Playing it safe might not be the best option either, and he may not be as stubborn as Steve, but he sure as hell will be right now. He's a good soldier, knows when to fall into line, but if Steve gets hurt and Bucky couldn't help him, he'd never forgive himself.]

So that's it? [Now that frustration is tinged with hurt and he's pissed.] We don't agree and you leave?

[ It's one thing for Bucky to grab for his shoulder, it's another for him to start shoving at him like that. Steve turns around, but he isn't happy about it. Right now, he feels like Bucky is the one who's overreacting, not him.

He should have been able to fight off these kinds of feelings, but since they've only just woken up, he hasn't gotten a handle on the situation yet.

Hate magic is what Faith had called it, but Steve doesn't have the presence of mind to realize that right now.

Steve narrows his eyes at Bucky, jaw set. ] You're turning a mountain into a molehill. I don't care what you do, but I explained my part of it. You have to decide whether or want to go or stay.

[ It doesn't need to be anything more personal than that, as far as he's concerned. ]

[Bucky's mouth pinches at the corners, briefly, and if this were anyone other than Steve, he'd let the mask come back down. He folds his arms over his chest, leveling Steve a look.]

Is that how this is supposed to work?

[He knows this is some kind of event, that normally he'd take all of this a little better, but it's eating him up and he doesn't like the way either of them are acting.]

You tell me what to do and I do it or you leave without me? [His eyes flick to Steve's jaw, the stubborn set of it, back to his eyes.] Well, fine, Steve. Go.

You've made your choice.

[ Hearing it phrased like that actually snaps Steve out of it for a moment, infusing him with some self-awareness as he stares at Bucky, unclear on what even came over him. Bucky is right, he shouldn't simply expect him to fall in line just because he's always been there before. It's not supposed to work like that.

Unfortunately, it looks like the damage is already done, and Steve's not sure if apologizing would fix anything now. Not with that steely look in Bucky's eyes.

Steve sighs and drags a hand up the back of his neck and then through his hair. ]

I didn't... [ He trails off and shakes his head. ] Fine. Then I'll come find you later.

[Bucky makes a sound, a low, angry noise, and turns away to head back into the building. He says fine, too, but it might have been in Russian. His head isn't on straight right now, and he's got an ache in his chest from the sting of Steve's words.

He goes up a few floors and then finds a good vantage point to watch where Steve's going. Bucky only manages to maintain that position for a few minutes before Steve gets out of his line of sight and a small wave of panic hits him.

After that, he follows Steve. Close enough that the man knows he's there without actually getting near enough that they can talk to one another. Bucky doesn't mean to track him, but he can't shake that he's supposed to stick by his side no matter what.]

[ Almost as soon as Steve is on his own, he regrets what he did. There was no reason to turn that discussion into an argument in the first place, and now he's out in unfamiliar territory alone, and who knows what's even out here in this wasteland?

He's too stubborn to actually turn back, though, and so he convinces himself that he can handle things alone, at least up until he hears movement behind him and realizes he's being followed.

Steve turns toward the noise, and it isn't long before he spots Bucky behind a grouping of rocks. He could have remained silent if he'd chosen to, which means that he wanted Steve to notice. ]

What do you want? [ The words come out more harshly than Steve means to, and he sighs in frustration. What's wrong with him, that he can't seem to control his own mood? ]

[Bucky frowns, standing up and taking a quick look around them. They're alone, as far as he can tell. Doesn't seem like things are going to be any better between them, so he'll have to tough it out.]

I don't want anything, Steve.

[He crosses the space between them and points at Steve's chest.]

You're an ass, but I'm not leaving you out here alone. [He's being one, too, but he's not going to point that out.] So suck it up.

[If Steve tells Bucky to leave again, it'll be too much, but he'll do what he asks.]

[ Bucky has never shied away from being blunt with Steve about when he's being an idiot, but it still isn't very often that he'd call him an ass. That alone is enough to snap Steve out of whatever hold this place has on him for a moment, his mouth twitching with amusement.

Really, it's good to see Bucky assert himself like this, and it's true that there's no point in them continuing this argument when there had really been little point to it in the first place. ]

Sorry. [ He shakes his head and sighs. ] Don't know what's come over me, but I'll try not to snap at you anymore. You didn't do anything wrong.

[ There, at least he's smoothed things over a little. Steve glances over his shoulder when he hears a distant roar. ] Anyway, probably not much time for fighting right now anyway... sounds like we've got work to do.

[Bucky deflates. It's as much his fault as it is Steve's.

There's no reason that he couldn't have followed his lead, he's good at that, he trusts Steve to make the right call, but he hadn't. He'd lashed out and only made things worse.]

I'm sorry, too.

[He opens his mouth to say something else when he hears that sound, eyes snapping up as he shifts to put himself between Steve and whatever the hell that sound was.] Let's go.

[This time, though, he steps to the side so that Steve can take point while he watches their backs.]

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| closed | life moves very fast

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cw for a grumpy bucky lmao

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