forum Marvel AU OxO?

Started November 29, 2019 by @ElderGod-Icefire

tune

"Okay, I'll admit that suffering is the wrong word. I'm just saying. Like…you've done a lot because of him." he shrugged his shoulders. "Not that that's a bad thing! Just saying."

"You're right, I have done a lot," Steve agreed, smiling at Bucky, "And I'll probably do more, see more, and smile more. With him. If that's still the plan?"

Bucky sighed softly, shrugging his shoulders. "I…guess." he replied.

Tony shrugged as well. "Ah, maybe so." He replied.

Steve smiled, stepping into the elevator. A melancholic thought crept into his mind as he was met with his blurry reflection staring back at him through the sliding metallic doors, Bucky really has no idea how close we were.

Tony leaned against the wall, looking vaguely tired. "Oh, by the way. There's gonna be some sort of party in a few days? Yeah. So you two need to have suits and good manners."

Bucky frowned a little bit, but didn't speak as he stood in the elevator.

"Hm– party?" Steve piped, searching through his memories for any previous mention of it, "What party? Was I supposed to know about this beforehand?" He wondered why the two of them were needed, and if Bucky would want actually attend.

"It's…well. It's technically some sort of publicity thing. I had Pep arrange it. After that whole debacle in Washington DC, well…we Avengers need to do some damage control. Most of us were out of town, and now we gotta talk about that. Your friend here," he jerked a thumb at Bucky, "isn't going to be very popular, seeing as how most see it all as his fault, at least indirectly."

Steve quietly winced at the statement, even though it was partially true. They'd seen him wreak havoc in broad daylight, and this would be the first step towards explaining what had really happened. "But…it'll be a good thing, right? It's to clear everything up, set things straight; give 'em the facts?"

Tony shrugged a little. "Look, even I can't predict that, Steve. I've had…so many press issues myself. But they forgive me because I'm young, smart, and handsome. And rich. Your buddy here? I don't know." He shook his head slightly. "It'll all depend on him and what he says."

"–But he's a war hero," Steve said, glancing at Bucky for any signs opposition. People knew that he was a good man, and now their perception had most likely changed. "But if he doesn't wanna talk, can we get someone to speak on his behalf?"

Bucky was silent, not looking at either Steve or Tony.

"Steve…it doesn't matter what he was. If some other veteran snapped and killed a bunch of people, he'd be put away for life. You're goddamn lucky that he's not behind bars." Tony stressed.

"But it wasn't his fault, they have to know that," Steve argued, keeping his tired gaze on the growing numbers displayed as they ascended floor after floor, "They know that he wouldn't do this. The museums– they know that he was PKIA. And..he's still trying to work through what he remembers– HYDRA hurt him too, and that's what they need to recognize."

Tony sighed. "Some of them know, some of them don't. A lot of them don't care, Steve." He said, shaking his head. "A lot of people just want someone punished for this, and…he makes a good scapegoat, even if none of it is his fault."

Bucky clenched his jaw, looking away.

Steve let out a slow exhale, rubbing his eyes and wondering if this ordeal would ever end. I'm tired, he thought to himself, tired of fighting and losing people, again and again. Just moments before, they'd been joking around about getting drunk and him and Bucky– "But what can we do?" Steve asked, "An explanation is all we have to offer."

Tony sighed. "I don't know." He admitted. "I really don't know, Steve." He shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "It's a tricky situation."

"You're damn right," Steve said a little passive-aggressively. He took a long breath, his eyes searching the wall for an answer because right now, he didn't feel like relying on luck. "Bucky?" He said, turning to face him, "What do you think of all this?"

Bucky looked at Steve and shrugged slightly. "I don't know." he replied. "It…it kind of is my fault. I'm the one that did all that…"

"And that is exactly what you don't say at the party." Tony grumbled.

"But you didn't want to," Steve argued, hearing the little chime signifying they were on the right floor and seriously wondering if Bucky was willing to take the fall for this. He'd lose him again if he did. "They forced your hand. You can't be blamed for this."

"Right, but…" Bucky trailed off, shaking his head a little bit. "I don't know. I still…" he shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know." he repeated, stepping out of the elevator, not meeting Steve's eyes.

I don’t know. The words had haunted him his whole life; the quiet unsettlement of the unknown. His own survival was a game of uncertainty, and all he wanted now was stability. “So…what do we do?” Steve asked Tony as they stepped out, “—Besides hope for the best.”

Tony sighed. "Prepare a few statements. Make sure Bucky acknowledges that he carried out the deeds, yes, but stress that he wasn't in control." He replied as he exited the elevator. "You really have to lean on that factor, that he wasn't in control and didn't really know what he was doing."

"Right," Steve nodded, taking in what Tony was saying, making a mental note as a reference for later. "Yeah, we'll be thorough," He said, resisting the urge to fiddle with his sleeves out of nervousness.

Tony nodded. "Yeah. Just…I don't know. Try to get the sympathy of as many of the crowd as possible, because that's what'll really decide everything. How people feel about him and what happened."

Steve nodded, glancing at Bucky. "Sympathy, understanding, compassion…we can get that, right?" He took a long breath, wondering what would happen if they didn't. "We can make them understand what happened."

Bucky shrugged a little bit. "Do I remember enough for that?" He asked, shaking his head slightly. He had no idea if he did. If he could do this.

Did he? "You remember enough to know that you had no choice," Steve shrugged lightly as they made their way to the living room, "And I know enough to know that you had no choice. But if you're open to sharing more…"

Bucky shrugged a little bit, then shook his head, crossing his arms. "I'll share what I'm comfortable sharing, and no more." He replied firmly, shaking his head.

"Of course," Steve said with a slow nod, praying that it would be enough. "And..we'll talk about it more, later on?" He suggested, glancing between the two of them, trying to hold on to his hope: his crumbling certainty.

Tony nodded. "Yeah, yeah. I have to go now. Text me if you need something." he headed back towards the elevator.

Bucky nodded, taking a deep breath. He closed his eyes for a moment.

"Mhm, will do." Steve nodded, though Tony was already out of the room. He just smiled and rolled his eyes, sighing as he ran a hand through his hair.