[log] not a babysitter [closed]

[advanced]

Characters: Bucky and Flynn
Location: Building 273
Date: Night 370
Summary: Two awkward men have a meet up
Warnings: None yet, any that crop up will be in the subject lines

[Bucky has almost forgotten that he agreed to meet Flynn, with everything that's been happening with John and the people that now know a secret that shouldn't have been talked about, he's had other things on his mind than a slightly too awkward librarian.

But somehow he's ended up in the rendezvous building anyway, brooding to himself as lockdown gets closer.

He frowns when the door opens, looking forbiddingly at the doorway.]

Comments

[cahooted]

[Flynn arrives fashionably late, covered in snow and ice, as usual. It seems to stick to him in impossible places, giveaways that he probably stumbled and fell more than once. Shoving the door close with his heel he shakes himself like a dog, blowing a freezing raspberry, before he notices the other and his stare.

Ah.

Well.

That is one hell of a greeting and he raises his hand in return, doing the only thing he can think of which is giving him a friendly smile.]

Bucky, hi. Wow, you're early! Have you been here long? My foot got stuck in a crevice, I'm so glad I have this crowbar, really, I mean, what is up with these snow slopes lately. [He puts his gear down.] You know, the other day I fell and almost got trapped under my bag? I mean, I did, but someone pulled me out.

[Sorry, Bucky. He babbles when things get awkward. Clearly you're gonna have a nice, quiet evening ahead of you.]

[advanced]

[Somehow, when he's not talking to Flynn, he forgets just how exhausting he can be to be around. He remembers that in an abrupt rush as Flynn talks... and talks... and then talks some more.]

You might as well sit down.

[It's far too late for either of them to be out and about in the snow, even if he doesn't want company any more.]

Before you fall down.

[cahooted]

Sitting. Sounds like a plan!

[Flynn flops down overly enthusiastic and starts digging through his bag for some food.]

It's good to see you. How have you been? Have you eaten? Man, I'm starving.

[advanced]

[He pushes his pack at Flynn in a wordless invitation to get some food out if he's really that hungry. The food is on the top, just beside a large shard of glass with dried blood on, and his tablet. Everything more personal is buried deep.]

I'm fine.

[Just ignore the tense set to his shoulders and the unhappy look on his face.]

So you can report to John that you did your duty and saw that I'm okay.

[There's just the tiniest hardness when he says John's name, the betrayal still fresh near the surface.]

[cahooted]

Come on, you're still mad about that? He was just worried about you. Besides, I don't report to him.

[He puts his rations next to Bucky's in case there's something the other likes in return and starts munching. But the tone isn't lost on him and he glances over at him as he chews.]

You sure you're okay?

[advanced]

[His scowl becomes forbidding with a warning edge to it, eyes hard and blank.]

We fell out.

[Let's just leave it at that.]

It's fine.

[cahooted]

You what?

[That's... news. And surprising. And not good? He knows these two were close, sharing problems, talking...]

Why? ... Not because of me, this thing here?

[advanced]

[It's definitely not good, and just talking about it has him scowling fiercely at Flynn.]

None of your damn business why.

[cahooted]

[Eep. Flynn blinks and holds up a hand because that is one hell of a scowl. Not because of him then? Or at least that's what he hopes.]

Okay. Okay, I'm sorry.

[But it's done. He's definitely worried now.]

... It's just, you guys seemed to be so, you know.

[advanced]

Yeah.

[There's still that edge of anger there, but it's accompanied by an undercurrent of sadness. They were close, John was the one person here that he'd swear blind that he could trust.

He's learned his lesson now.]

Things change.

[cahooted]

I'm sorry.

[Again, and a little more heartfelt this time. Not about Flynn asking but about the situation.]

That's never easy.

[advanced]

[The sympathy is harder to deal with, it's difficult to stay aggressive at a man who's clearly being kind. His expression softens a little.]

Doesn't matter, just means I know better now.

[cahooted]

[That's a particular choice of words. Knowing better, that's disappointment, hurt... betrayal? It's kind of hard to imagine.]

Sounds like it was quite a big deal.

[He almost follows up with the impulse question of What happened? or Do you want to talk about it? but he isn't sure if the push would be welcome. If Bucky wants to talk about it he probably will.]

[advanced]

[It was, and the slight slumping of Bucky's shoulders says that for him loud and clear without him having to vocalise it. He kind of wants to talk, and at the same time he really doesn't.]

Forget it, there's nothing else to discuss about Dr. Watson. He'll go his way, and I'll go mine.

[cahooted]

You seem very adamant about that.

[That's actually something he hasn't come across too often, despite all the difference people seem to be having.]

So it wasn't anything the city did?

[advanced]

No.

[Short and to the point, but after a moment he relents and adds a little more.]

He knew something private, he told other people about it.

[cahooted]

Oh. What, like a secret?

[Yeah, that would explain the disappointment and underlying hurt. It's still hard for him to imagine that John would do anything like that but surely Bucky's reaction doesn't come out of nowhere.]

I'm sorry. That's... It's hard when that happens. [He hesitates, wondering if he wants to go there himself but if Bucky is opening up, so should he.] Especially with someone you trusted.

Why did he do it?

[advanced]

[Not a secret, not exactly.

But there's no way in hell that he's admitting to Flynn that there even were trigger words, command words, let alone that John possessed some. That's what this whole mess was about to begin with.]

He was using me to try and win an argument.

[Told three people, none of who could be trusted.]

[cahooted]

Oh.

[Nobody has ever used him to win an argument but he tries to put himself into Bucky's position.

Unfortunately it's not something he'd put past Peter and in a way it had already happened, Peter flooding the network with feats of his adventures whenever he gets the chance even when Flynn explicitly asked him NOT to. It's not comparable to what seems to be a massive breach of trust between Bucky and John but the irritation he regularly feels over Peter being... Peter makes it a bit easier to empathize.]

Yeah, I think I'd be very angry about that, too. Knowing John I'm sure he didn't mean it but... I know that doesn't help.

[advanced]

It doesn't matter if he meant to do it or not, it's not something that I can ever forgive him for.

[Despite attempting to appear as though this was no big deal, his words were still weighted with regret. John had been good to him, he had trusted him more than anyone else here, but this-- He's given the means for people to destroy Bucky away, to wipe his choice away and obey.

How can he forgive that?]

[cahooted]

Yeah, some things are like that.

[He leans back, drawing a leg in to his chest and resting his arms on top.]

... But forever is also a very long time. I mean, nobody's saying you have to forgive him right away or at all. But maybe you two can at least talk about it, eventually.

[advanced]

Some things shouldn't be forgiven.

[It's said forbiddingly, and he half turns from Flynn to walk deeper into the room of the house they've got to share.]

It's not your business, so drop it.

[cahooted]

Alright, I'm sorry.

[He takes some more food, trying to muster up some appetite.] You have any plans where you wanna go?

[advanced]

[He shrugs, though the images of Sherlock, Mycroft, and Hannibal flash in his mind.]

Not really, just a few people I need to talk to if I run into them.

[cahooted]

[Flynn nods. He hasn't given much thought where to go to next, so that sounds like a plan?]

Okay. Do you want to call them up, see where they are?

[advanced]

No.

[He doesn't want to give them pre-warning about his appearance, that might give them chance to defend themselves.]

It's not that urgent.

[cahooted]

Alright.

We could maybe try and come up with some experiments, things to try if you want?

[advanced]

How about we just stick to moving for now? We might not be together that long.

[No making plans, like they're forever travel partners!]

Now shut up, maybe go to sleep.

[cahooted]

[Well. That was hammered home.]

Works for me. Do you mind if I try some things along the way, though?

[Things for which he might or might not ask Bucky's opinion. That's not making plans, right, if it's spontaneous...?]

I'm not tired. [But okay, he grabs his tablet to type a little. Maybe he'll actually shut up?] ... So have you come across anything interesting lately?

[advanced]

[Really?

REALLY?!

It's like being with a toddler, and Bucky actually groans aloud when Flynn lasts all of three seconds being quiet before starting up again.]

Yeah, I found a new type of monster, it tortures you through sleep deprivation.

[You, Flynn, he's talking about you.]

[cahooted]

Really? [He looks genuinely disturbed by that.] That sounds terrible! What did it do? Was it like an anomaly?

[Catching up in 3... 2... 1...]

Wait.

[advanced]

[Bucky just watches him with the flattest of expressions until the meaning finally catches up to him.]

Yeah, it's a real pain.

[cahooted]

Right. Hah! New type of monster, I get it, that's.

[Wagging his finger. Hilarious.

He'll just.

He'll be over here, on his tablet.

The longest beat.]

... So have you come across anything interesting lately?

[advanced]

[...

Don't kill Flynn with his own tablet, don't kill Flynn with his own tablet, don't kill--]

You really want to be quiet now.

[cahooted]

[Oh, he knows that tone.

Flynn holds up his hand in a placating manner.]

Okay, okay. I won't ask you anymore questions.

[advanced]

[He better not.

Bucky gives him one last forbidding look and turns back to his own pack, falling into silence, and hoping against hope that Flynn will let it go and get some rest.]

[cahooted]

[Type type type.

Type type type.

...]

... well, that doesn't make any sense, hmm... maybe it's... no, no, that cannot... what if the...

[Hope you don't mind him talking to himself, Bucky, because that is A Thing.]

[advanced]

[You know what, he can deal with that. As long as Flynn keeps to himself and doesn't ask Bucky anything else, then he can ignore what's going on in the enthusiastic typing corner.

Is that what travelling together is going to be like?

It's going to be a long few days.]