snowblindrpg | [log] It's a Wednesday night, there sure is gonna be a fight! [closed to Bucky and John]

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[log] It's a Wednesday night, there sure is gonna be a fight! [closed to Bucky and John]

Characters: Peter Quill, Bucky Barnes, and John Watson
Location: Building 53
Date: Day 277
Summary: One night only, LIVE from Norfinbury, Peter "Star-Lord" Quill versus John "What is my life even" Watson! Bucky Barnes starring as referee! You may have bought your whole seat but you're only gonna need THE EDGE.
Warnings: Potential for violence, references to character death, further applicable warnings will be noted if they come up

53: The walls of this single-story house are quite intact, although it seems pretty empty inside. There is a fireplace, but it doesn't seem to have been a wood-burning fireplace, and whatever mechanisms were used to work it have been removed, leaving only holes where devices might have once been. The kitchen and living room are entirely empty, but the bathroom is functional. There is one bedroom with a mattress on a bedframe, but it lacks bedding or even a pillow. "ALPHONSE ELRIC, MAMI TOMOE, FREYA CRESCENT, GREED, EDWARD ELRIC, STEPHANIE BROWN, DAY FORTY TWO, TRAVELLING NORTH." has been carved into one of the walls.

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[Bucky has made sure to get to this house as fast as is humanly possible, pushing himself from the moment the doors open in the morning until as close to lockdown as he can safely manage. But he's made it.

He doesn't cut a particularly comforting figure, all in black with one sleeve empty and a hard expression, looking around at once to see if either of the others are there.]

[By this point, it's been long enough that Peter's cooled off considerably from the disaster that happened after the obituaries went out. The thing with House, though, he wasn't over that at all. It stung, though, going off alone.

God, he missed his friends so much. Rocket would probably help him kick John's ass, Gamora would try to stop him, Drax would be making really a weird and obvious commentary, and Groot would be saying "I am Groot."

It was enough to make a grown man cry.

Peter hadn't trusted Bucky entirely, but there was nothing to do to figure out what he truly had in mind until after they arrived. So all there was to do really was wait. He wasn't sure if he hated waiting, or if it was kinda comforting to hole up in this place for a little bit. Yeah, he was impatient, but he was also terrified that he'd suddenly just start...getting up and walking around like he did that one night with Stephen. Not being able to control yourself was horrifying enough. Not being able to stop yourself if you suddenly went on a murder spree was unfathomable. He really was just taking out his fear and frustrations on John, and felt guilty with the number of people trying to stop him, but he still felt that John deserved it for not fighting back.

He had to believe that John was secretly a horrible person. Because if it wasn't his weakness of character that led to this, if it had nothing to do with the strength of will...then what hope did he have left for himself in this place? Where a kid like Quark could be killed with your own hands?

Peter was confident though, because he'd held an infinity stone in his bare hands and not died out of the sheer will of his friends and himself. And he'd broken free of a Celestial's grasp and control with his sheer will. Surely this place wasn't as powerful as his dad, who literally nearly took over the galaxy!

Right now though, Peter's leaning against a wall near the front door, listening to the 1969 B-side to the Fleetwood Mac Single "Man of the World," also known as "Somebody's gonna get their head kicked in tonight." He immediately tenses when the door opens, but it's just Bucky.]

Welcome to the party, dude.

[John's the last to arrive. He doesn't have that far to go, but he can't physically bring himself to rush, to be anything but methodical and steady. He knocks on the door before entering and closing the door behind him.]

Evening.

[His expression is blank as he glances over at Bucky, then at Peter. Nothing has changed in the intervening days since he woke up. At the moment, he feels more like a passenger in his body as he stomps the snow off his boots and moves further inside.]

[Good, he's not too late.

He's wary around Peter, the conversation they had about the Infinity Stones has only been compounded by John affirming that he has seen a movie about the man, pretty concrete evidence they're from the same world and that always itches under his skin. But he's not here for his own questions right now, he's here to make sure that John doesn't do anything stupid in his guilt and that Peter doesn't do anything stupid in the name of revenge.

He's not quite sure why he's the one stopping this, God knows he's not the best equipped, but he's here.]

Evening, John.

[He just moves a half step to put himself between Peter and John.]

Why don't we all sit down and talk?

[Peter bristles when John enters. He's been going over this moment in his head for awhile. Honestly it wasn't anything like he expected.

John was...smaller than he expected. Diminished, somehow, like he wasn't the big bad figure Peter had built him up in his mind to be. He certainly didn't look like a murderer, he looked like some random neighbor that mowed your lawn sometimes and watched your mail when you were out.

Damn.

But then he thought of Quark and how that neighborly face was probably the last frightening thing that he saw--

--and then Bucky--oh right, of course. Talk. Look how he stands between them. So that's why he was here!

Nope.

Peter immediately tried to feint around Bucky and leap on John. If he wasn't stopped at this point, he'd try punching John in the face--]

[John sees what Peter is doing, and he steps to the side that Peter leaps toward to make it easier for the other man to get at him. His expression doesn't change. He just watches and waits for something to pull him back. Maybe it will be Peter's fists.]

[No.

Bucky might be terrible at a lot of things - social skills, manners, memory - but he's pretty good at fighting and reading an opponent. Even though John makes it a lot harder for him, something that they're going to have words about, Bucky still makes a swift grab for the back of Peter's clothes.

He's aiming to swing him around and pin him to the wall, voice still neutral and deceptively calm.]

I said let's talk. Trust me when I say that I'll win if you force this into a fight, both of you, so stand down.

[Peter's been fighting his whole life, having his butt handed to him was nothing new. He was more of a brawler and a gadget guy, and he had none of his toys here. He's beaten an assassin before, but that was with his guns and tech. He grunts when he's suddenly dragged 'round and pinned to the wall--]

Hey! Get off me, man!

[He tries to aim a knee at Bucky's stomach, hoping it would be enough to cause him to let go.]

I don't have beef with you, and I'm done talking!

[At this point it was half out of sheer stubbornness he was still trying to fight back. John was right here, he was so close!]

[John watches what happens without moving or flinching. His gaze does flicker over to the man only he can see standing nearby. Major Sholto is watching the other two man, as well, standing at attention.

John wants to go and pull Bucky off, shout at him that this is his decision. But all of that is locked inside of him. The yelling, the gesticulating, the sobs. There's just the tin soldier, raging within and frozen without.

'You're going to have to sit down, Watson,' Sholto points out.]

He's not going to let you fight with me until we talk, Peter. [Said dispassionately.] If we talk and he still wants to hit me, will you let him, Bucky?

Edited (let's just add in this before I forget that John started hallucinating again) 2017-08-30 20:05 (UTC)

[The knee hits him full in the stomach, he doesn't have time to twist away, but he barely reacts. He's been trained on how to handle pain and not let it stand in the way of what he has to do, the Asset wouldn't be much good if it could be neutralised so easily.

He glances over his shoulder at John, irritated by the way he's behaving. It's almost insulting.]

Sure.

[It's low and not at all impressed.]

If you both listen to everything I have to say and still want to behave like children, I'll let you.

Okay, fine!

[Peter was frustrated, Bucky was annoyingly strong, and this looked to be a better chance than fighting his way out.

He held up his hands in a guesture of surrender.]

I'll listen, okay?

['Hot-headed,' Sholto says, nodding to Peter. 'We saw a lot of men like him at the start, Watson.'

A lot of them left looking like they'd aged several years in the course of a six-month deployment. Some of them left in flag-draped coffins.]

Where d'you want to do this? Is here all right?

[If and when Bucky turns around, he might be more likely to notice that John is distracted, glancing to the side and cocking his head slightly, as if listening to something. It's subtle, but it's there.]

[Having got his agreement, he releases his hold on Peter and steps back a pace, though he's ready to intervene again if either man decide that they want to go for it anyway.]

Sit down.

[Which means that yes, here is fine.

He hesitates a second, this is where he struggles more. He's not a natural peacekeeper any more, manages to put his foot in it more often than not when engaging in social or emotional situations, and doesn't trust Peter at all. But it's with Peter he decides to start, as John is the much more complex issue from his point of view.]

Who are you gonna beat on after you're done with John?

Fine!

[Peter immediately sits cross-legged on the floor, being stubborn and defiant for the sake of it.]

No one. Unless they go around killing kids, I mean.

I talked to Quark...he's still terrified. He watched Luna die. He shouldn't have to be...and it's all cause'a him!

[He points at John angrily.]

[John sits down where he is, as well, after removing his pack. It's not like there's any furniture in here. Peter's words are an echo of Magenta and they're a stab to the doctor's gut. He opens his mouth to start to apologize.

Sholto cuts him off, 'Let Barnes handle it for now, Watson. Quill won't care what you have to say.'

Probably true. John's the monster that Peter's here to slay. There's not much defense he can offer that won't exacerbate the situation. He nods slightly to the Major and just remains quiet to let Bucky speak.]

[He notices the way John keeps glancing off to one side subtly, it's definitely not a good sign, but he'll just have to add it to the ever-growing list of things that need addressing and it'll have to wait its turn.

His attention is for Peter right now.

He doesn't sit himself, because he knows it gives him more of a perceived position of power to be stood while the others are sat. His voice is level rather than angry.]

Yeah, I bet he is. Anyone would be scared of someone that hurt them like that, but did he tell you that he supported you going off and taking revenge on his behalf? And you're not going for any of the folks who were torturing people not so long since, children involved there too? It's just this specific mind control you have an issue with, is it?

[A scowl. Of course Quark didn't, but he side-stepped that for now.]

Yeah, I heard this argument before. The torture was sick and awful. I get it. But they didn't kill anybody. They didn't kill any kids, there was still hope, however small. With Quark dead? A kid who's like, traumatized now, he might not have come back. He could have been dead for good. And for what!? John should have fought it! I know everyone's like, it's impossible to fight it. There's always a way to fight these things, you can't just--he probably hates them secretly, I don't know. Or he just let it happen. You can't just let it happen!

[Peter shoots him a look.]

Nobody lets it happen.

[This is something he's struggled with for a long time, the feeling that he should have fought harder, found something inside himself to rebel.]

Nobody wants to be turned into a tool for someone else's rage or someone else's ideals, but it happens. It can happen to anyone, it doesn't matter how strong you think you are. Next time it could be you, maybe it's already been you and you just got lucky that you didn't kill anyone, but it doesn't mean that you won't. Don't take your fear of not being strong enough and use it as an excuse for revenge.

[Peter scowls and looks away for a second--it had been him, sort of. His dad used him as a tool to hurt people.]

I broke free. Before.

There's no way this place is more powerful than the dude who had me. There's gotta be a way to fight it!

[Peter didn't mean it as an admission of arrogance, he didn't think he was any better than anyone else--he knew he was an idiot, but if he, an idiot, could bust free of a Celestial, then surely it was possible here too!

It had to be. Because he couldn't accept the alternative.]

There is.

[He glares down at Peter as if the man is an errant child that's been caught up a tree and is now blaming the tree for the stains on his clothes.]

It's by supporting everyone who's been hurt by these things, and not turning on each other like animals. I'm sorry about what happened to Quark and Luna, and all the other people who have been killed or hurt here, but it's whatever is behind the town that deserves the payment for all that hurt. You might get caught in it one day and not be able to break free, you want everyone else to look at you and say that you didn't fight hard enough?

[He doesn't usually speak all this much in one go, even now, but this is kind of a personal issue for him.]

Quark's traumatised, Luna probably will be if she comes back, but you're forgetting that so's John. He has to live with the memory of watching his body hurt people, he'll always see that blood on his hands. You really want to add to that because you're so arrogant to think that you, and only you, are strong enough to break free? Because if you're gonna blame John, then you need to blame everyone else too, I don't doubt that over half this place have hurt or even killed someone they didn't want to, this case isn't unique.

I know--I mean, I understand that this place does that to people. I get it! I really do! But--

--there's gotta be something he could have done, man. [He sounds more upset than angry now.] Quark...he's just a kid, no kid deserves to see what it's like to watch someone die!

To have the light go out of their eyes!

[His voice breaks. He's yelling now. I had to watch her die. His mom. He had to watch Yondu die. His dad disintegrated in his arms.]

He's going to see that over and over again! He's going to see John's face when he's afraid! He's gonna remember what it's like to die! This isn't okay--this isn't--

If you understand, then you know there wasn't. It's not okay, none of this is okay, but that's how it is.

[He can see that Peter's just bluster now, just pain and fear and some issues that he has no idea about. But it's whether he's a big enough man to admit it and back down, or if he's still going to fight this.]

If you get it, like you say you do, and you still want to beat up a guy forced to do that, then go right ahead. I hope you feel that you've avenged Quark and helped that kid when you do.

[He tilts his face towards John again, expression still schooled in neutrality.]

And you. If you stand there and let him hit you because you think you deserve it, you better be prepared to punch me right after for all the people I've hurt because it's the same damn thing.

Edited 2017-08-30 22:55 (UTC)

I don't...

[He chews on his lip, looking away.]

He killed a kid, man. A kid who trusted him.

[The (possibly) trillions of kids that Ego killed. Who were probably super excited to meet their dad. Only to find out he was disappointed in them and then he just killed them.

He didn't even care. Just like John looked so blank and whatever. He scowls and turns to John.]

Did he even matter to you!? Huh!?

He was my patient and someone I've watched out for for months. Luna was my friend. [It's delivered in a monotone, John's expression unchanging.

John turns his attention back to Bucky.]

This isn't about what I think, Bucky. He's in pain. If hurting me will take some of that away, I'd like to let him. He can also let people know he's done what he needed to, balanced the scales a little bit. Probably fewer people will want to hurt me after that.

[One of the benefits of having no affect or tone is that it's easier to lie. Or at least be somewhat disingenuous. Those things are true, but mostly John just wants to be hurt and see if it will fix something, let him control his body again instead of still feeling like he's following half a step behind it. He'd do it, himself, if he could, but he can't right now.

'He'll see through that,' Sholto points out. John glances over at him, but doesn't reply. He's stood next to Bucky at attention.

John will just have to hope that his friend won't see through it.]

[Bucky raises an eyebrow at John that says he thinks every word of that is total crap, and he's not being taken in by it for a second.]

Sure, that'll make fewer people want to hurt you, because I saw from the obituary that they were just lining up and nobody was telling him not to.

[Idiot.]

You're doing this because you feel like you should be punished, and you-- you're doing it because you're scared. Grow up. We're all scared of losing ourselves here, we've all done things we should be punished for, but this isn't the way to handle it.

[He can't fold his arms, still only having one, but his posture still conveys how exasperated he is.]

You have my terms. Peter, you can hit him if you can look him in the eye and still blame him for being controlled. John, you can invite him to hit you if you punish me equally for those same crimes.

bucky, peter, john?

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You guys can skip me for a couple of rounds unless one of them is addressing John directly.

Righto

Gotcha!

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cw: thoughts of self-harm

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