[log] A Matter of Trust [closed]

[jumpthegun]

Characters: John Watson and Bucky Barnes
Location Building 235 (the Aquarium)
Date: Day 160 - Night
Summary: John's come to try to help Bucky with his frostbitten arm. Bucky was using that as a lure for a trap to interrogate Watson about what he knows. It's not going to end well for anyone.
Warnings: Excessive violence, blood, gangrene grossness

[The aquarium has the feel of a small-town tourist attraction, the sort built to give people just stopping to fuel up on petrol a reason to stay for an hour or two. As John makes it into the place, it's early evening. There are various aquariums inside that, according to plaques beside them, once showcased various Alaskan fish; they're empty now. He checks in the bathroom and finds that the water does, indeed run hot, and that's a relief. The whole atmosphere is kind of eerie, with the water casting rippling patterns on the walls, ceilings, and floors, but there's warm water, and John's just going to have to wait for Bucky since a look around tells him he's alone.

After washing up, himself in the sink, and taking the moment to shave and wash his hair, John goes looking in the gift shop. He finds a stuffed dolphin that he decides to keep for Ecks. As that leaves him still with no Bucky and time to occupy himself, the doctor sends a brief message out:]

@jwatson > @username
I'm here.

[When Bucky arrives, John is entirely preoccupied using his tablet light to read some of the plaques. His ears are tuned for the sounds of others, but someone making the effort could probably sneak up on him.]

Comments

[jumpthegun]

[And they're back around to this. John's grip on the scalpel had been loosening, but it tightens once more.]

If they want to know what I know, they can come asking for themselves. I'm sorry, but I've broken enough confidences. I don't know what you know about them. I won't be telling you anything unless you're asking after the Joker. Him, I'll tell you about.

[Because the Joker is an evil psychopath.]

[advanced]

[He really doesn't want this to turn into a fight.

He's trying so hard to be a better man, to live up to the Bucky that Steve knew. But Steve isn't here any more, god only knows if he's been programmed again while here, and everything seems like it's spiralling out of control.]

I don't want to hurt you.

[It's quieter on repeat, almost a plea for Watson to understand. Tony shared some things in confidence with him, terrible things, that he needs to know if Watson knows. He promised to find out.]

[jumpthegun]

Then don't.

[It's as simple as that.]

You're the one in control of your actions here, Sergeant Barnes.

[advanced]

I know.

[His expression twists, half regret and half resolve.]

I need that information. If I have to make you tell me, I will.

[jumpthegun]

[There's a long pause.]

That's not gonna happen, son.

[John moves, not toward Bucky, but to the side, trying to put the tank between the two of them while he figures out... what the hell he's going to do. Get to the bathroom and call Clint? He can't run from Bucky all night, certainly.

That's what he'll aim for. He just needs to keep ahold of his tablet.]

[advanced]

[He knew it would come to a fight in the end. It always did.

He's prepared for the movement, though not the exact direction Watson chooses to go for. He's only a split second behind in his own movements, the die has been cast now and the course has been set, he only has one recourse.

Instead of going for a dash around the tank, he chooses the path least resistance and literally vaults it, landing hard and immediately running to try and tackle Watson to the ground.]

[jumpthegun]

[There's a loud thud and... what the hell? Did he just vault the tank? There are times when John very much envies taller people. This is one of them. Well, and Bucky's just got the enhancements for it. John is very aware that he's shorter and slower and never going to outrun the other man on a flat-out race.

The aquarium isn't very big, but it's big enough. The fact that it's dark doesn't help much, either. He zigzags around tanks, heading in the general direction for where he remembers the bathrooms. Right over by the gift shop. Yes.

If Bucky manages to get close enough for a good lunging tackle, he'll find John goes down relatively easy, and then attempts to roll them so that he's on top. Getting put under the larger man is going to end poorly for the doctor, and he's very aware of it.]

[advanced]

[Bucky has no enhancements here, but he has the benefit of decades of specialised and intensive training. If there's one thing he knows how to do well, it's fight and make the most of his surroundings doing it.

But he's also at a disadvantage, which he finds when he gets Watson down onto the ground. He jars his shoulder just at the wrong angle so that pain lances through him, distraction more than enough to get rolled and pinned underneath Watson. It's probably obvious from the hiss through his teeth and the way his left arm hangs awkwardly, that he can't use it currently.

He doesn't take it well, lashing out with his flesh fist to try and punch Watson clean in the temple.]

[jumpthegun]

Bloody-!

[Well, he's lost his tablet, and he's about to bring his scalpel to bear, but John sees Bucky's fist coming and has to jerk to the side. The fist connects hard below his temple and knocks him to the side. His own free arm comes up on that side, though, and tries to wrap around Bucky's arm. It's rather aggressive, but he's going to try to yank Bucky's arm out of the socket, if he can. It's clear his other one is useless right now.

He is smaller and off balance, though. Bucky might well be able to throw John off before he gets the proper leverage. The doctor aims to be very quick about it.]

[advanced]

[It's clear that Watson has more hand to hand fighting experience than expected. Bucky knew he would have some, he was in the armed forces, but the move and the strategy behind it are excellent.

Lucky for him and his sole remaining working arm, he's used to people trying to damage him. He jerks away enough that the move only wrenches the arm, not dislocating it. It hurts a lot, but he doesn't stop, fighting through pain is a norm.

Now that John is off him, he scrambles back to his feet, pivoting once he reaches his knees to kick out. He's aiming for the ribs. A man fights far less well with broken ribs.]

[jumpthegun]

[John doesn't recover fast enough to avoid the kick, but he goes with the motion of the impact, rather than trying to resist it to minimize the chance that his ribs will break. Down on the ground with a larger person is not a winning strategy unless he can get back on top of Bucky and bring his scalpel into the fray.

Or he could go after the injured arm. The doctor in him is resistant to that because it means further injury that he's going to have to deal with. But. Well. Options are limited here. John rolls out of Bucky's immediate kicking range, fighting through his own pain. That kick might well have fractured something. If nothing else, his right side is going to be very bruised and tender. What's worse is the kick has knocked some of the air out of him.

John makes it up to his hands and knees, pulls out his keys, and chucks them at Bucky's face for a distraction. If that works, he'll lunge forward, aiming specifically for Bucky's useless arm, trying to grab and wrench that.

God, he hates having to use this tactic. It's his fault Bucky's frostbite has gotten this bad.]

[advanced]

[He sees the small projectile coming for his face, but he doesn't realise it's keys right away. Only that he needs to move. He closes his eyes momentarily in order to keep them safe and jerks to the side, enough that the keys just hit him in the earlobe as they pass by. A sharp stinging pain that disappears at once, engulfed in something much larger.

His eyes closed cost him precious seconds, and before he knows it, Watson is on his arm. The metal under the fabric doesn't feel like a real arm, not as yielding as flesh, and when it's wrenched, Bucky screams.

Sweat pouring down his face, blood oozing through his shirt at the shoulder, he moves anyway. Instinct takes over, like a switch flipped, and he slams himself forwards with the aim of headbutting Watson to break his nose and his grip.]

[jumpthegun]

[The scream half-startles him and that's more than enough room for Bucky. The man's head cracks against John's nose, and the world explodes in stars and pain. He lets go of the arm and falls back, momentarily stunned as blood starts to pour from his nose and his world is engulfed in that particular agony of the moment.

It's only a few seconds, but it's far too long. And when John comes out of it, eyes watering and gasping for breath, he does the first thing he can think of, which is to throw a wild punch at Bucky's... whatever is in reach.]

[advanced]

[The punch hits him in the knee and nearly buckles it, but he just about manages to retain his balance, he might be limping for a little while after this though.

He's on his feet, taken advantage of the few seconds that Watson was incapacitated, and his aim now is to plant a booted foot on Watson's throat and press until he blacks out.]

[jumpthegun]

[Okay. Punching another person's knee? John's fairly certain that did as much damage to his own knuckles as the other man's body. He makes a pained, choked noise that's short-lived. That sure is a boot kicking him in the chest to knock him fully down. John grapples with Bucky's boot, not bothering to try to push him back, but wrench and twisting to the side.

If Bucky can actually maintain his balance in this, though, the choking on his own blood thing as it slides down the back of John's throat will only help in forcing him into unconscious.]

[advanced]

[Under normal circumstances, Bucky wouldn't even be phased by someone struggling with his boot. But this isn't a normal circumstance, and he's already off balance from the pain in his own body and the chaotic violence of the situation.

He stumbles off to the side, hitting one of the tanks hard with his shoulder.

Instead of diving right back in, he reaches back into the waistband of his pants and pulls out the scalpel he collected only a couple of days back. He needs to be careful, he doesn't want to cause a fatality.

He goes for a swift attack, aiming to grapple Watson's arm and drive the scalpel right through the palm and into the ground.]

[jumpthegun]

[John tries to use the momentary reprieve to roll over and drag himself up. He makes it, only to have Bucky grab his arm and-

No. Hell no. It's half a moment to see the flash of the blade in the ambient light and figure out, more or less, what the other man is about to attempt. A surgeon whose hands don't work is useless. A soldier who can't hold his weapon steady can't fight. His entire military career had ended because of an issue with his hands. He's not letting them actually get hurt. No. That's not happening.

John balls his hand into a fist and uses Bucky's grip on him to jerk back toward the other man, swinging his aching fist up and around toward his shoulder. If Bucky's shoulder was the thing to throw him into panic mode, it's the doctor's hands that give him a sudden boost of adrenaline and strength.]

[advanced]

[He hadn't even been thinking about the strategic benefit or cruelty of going for a doctor's hands, he just wanted to pin Watson to the ground so he couldn't move.

The sudden speed and ferocity startles him and he's unprepared, unable to stop it before a fist is connecting with his shoulder and pain swamps him completely. Where the metal connects to the flesh is already so damaged, full of gangrene with the skin sloughing off and possible sepsis setting in. With a blow to the already painful area, he doesn't stand a chance.

He reels backwards, face contorting in agony.

There's a full two seconds where he can't do anything but gasp. If Watson doesn't try and take him down in that time, he'll surge forwards when he recovers, scalpel slashing for a hamstring shot.]

[jumpthegun]

[John doesn't attack because he sees his tablet right there, his arm is free, and he's going to try to make another mad dash for the bathrooms. It's scooping up his tablet that probably gives Bucky the best chance to aim that he could ask for.

There's a sudden weight at his backside, and then the scalpel is slicing through his jeans, and John cries out in pain as his leg gives out and he goes down to the floor. Not good. Very not good.

If Bucky comes down on top of the doctor, he'll find some part of him, likely his chest or stomach, getting elbowed sharply as John struggles to turn over and get his good leg up so that he can kick. His efforts are hampered somewhat by a coughing fit, the blood from his nosebleed becoming too much to handle.]

[advanced]

[This is getting out of hand.

He just wants to get Watson under control, and somehow he's ended up half crippling him. He'll feel guilt for it later, there's no time now, not when he finally has the upper hand. He pushes his advantage for all its worth, grunting with the effort of ignoring the blows to his chest and stomach and the kicking of the man underneath him.

He's going for the throat again, this time using his hand to try and clasp around his airways and squeeze until he's out cold so he can finally tie him up and wait for him to come around again.]

[jumpthegun]

[The problem with getting that close is that it brings Bucky very effectively into John's range. He doesn't bother to punch, just grasping hold of the hand around his throat and trying to pry that off. His leg is still there, though, and if Bucky is in any position for it, the good doctor will be aiming to knee or kick him right between the legs.

It's not fighting fair, but John doesn't much care about what's fair at the moment. He's got maybe a minute of consciousness left.

Black begins edging at his vision because apparently Bucky knows where to grip to cut off blood flow, not just air.

Strike that, he has about 20 seconds left, and he plans to make use of them to prevent this, if he can.]

[advanced]

[He has to make use of this advantage now, because he can feel himself flagging.

That knee strikes true and he exhales with a grunt of pain, vision whiting out for a moment as he half curls over Watson. But he doesn't let up with his hand, instinct and training hammered into him to complete a mission as the top priority allows him to do that even while the rest of him is cringing from the blow.

He resists the urge to squeeze harder or try and knock Watson's head against the ground, he doesn't want to accidentally kill him or give him a concussion so that he can't answer questions. He just needs him out cold. So he hangs on as best he can, a battle of stamina.]

[jumpthegun]

[That last attack was his final line of defense, and unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be working. John struggles harder, strangulation and choking both taking their toll.

It's a tense ten seconds later that his eyes flutter closed, and his body goes slack.]

[advanced]

[He holds on for a further five seconds to make absolutely certain, his hand pressed to Watson's pulse point so he can feel if he goes too far and it starts to slow. Only when he's certain the other man is unconscious does he slide off him.

He'll do his best to get finished in his preparations before Watson wakes up, but he's slow because of his own injuries and limitations. He'll pull a chair over from behind the gift shop counter and try and sit Watson in it. He doesn't have any rope, but he'll take off his shirt and use it to bind Watson's legs, and then use his spare shirt to bind his arms. Tight and well knotted.

If he manages to get all that done before Watson comes around, then the poor man will wake up to a shirtless Bucky sitting opposite him on the floor. His metal arm is exposed now, and the shoulder looks in dreadful condition. It smells foul as though it's begun to rot, large parts of the skin black, and most of it drenched in blood where the pull to the shoulder just sloughed off more skin.]

[jumpthegun]

[John wakes hacking up blood a minute or two after Bucky finishes tying him up. His entire face hurts, his throat is raw, the back of his thigh is on fire and... probably going to leave a lovely stain on his jeans for the blood, and there's a stench of rotting flesh. The doctor takes a second or two to gasp and get his coughing under control before looking up at Bucky.

That arm earns a sympathetic wince, but it doesn't last long as John's eyes slide to the other man's face. John's expression hardens, and then he just drops his eyes to Bucky's midsection, not saying a word. Silence. It's the first tactic in resisting interrogation. John's used to sitting in silence. He'd done it enough with Sherlock.]