forum Marvel AU OxO?

Started November 29, 2019 by @ElderGod-Icefire

tune

"Yeah, don't worry about it." Steve said with another nod, waving his hand dismissively, "–It's not really important."

Tony nodded. "Right. I gotta talk to some more people, and then we can talk." he replied with a quick smile.

"Yes. Do that. I will be–" Steve sighed, eyeing those candied figs from earlier, "–I'll mingle."

"Good. I'll see you in a few minutes." Tony replied. The shorter male then vanished into the crowd to talk to people.

Steve casually strode through the crowd of people, making small talk here and there about upcoming projects and painstaking politics. At a free moment, he managed to sneak two candied figs off a waiter's tray as he spotted Bucky.

Bucky was waiting by the window, trapped by a reporter who was busily asking questions about…well. Lots of things.

Steve approached the two, smiling innocently as he interrupted them. "Hiya, I hope I'm not interrupting anything," He chuckled, handing Bucky a fig.

Bucky looked up with relief in his eyes, and took the fig. "No, you're good. Thanks, Steve." he said with a quick smile.

Steve smiled as the reporter awkwardly retreated from their conversation. "No problem." He nodded, noticing his whole demeanour soften a bit, "Was he givin' you trouble?"

"Ehh. Not too much. Asked a shitton of questions about HYDRA, though. So that was….not pleasant." Bucky's mouth tightened into something unpleasant for a moment, and then he took a bite of the fig.

"Oh," Steve nodded thoughtfully, looking down. Bucky didn't like discussing HYDRA with him, so talking about it with a stranger might have been twice as hard. "Well– I'm glad I jumped in when I did." He said with a faint smile, "Hopefully we can forget about this whole thing once it's over."

(lmao not possible: some reporter's got that photo)

Bucky nodded. "Mm. Hopefully." he agreed, looking out the window for a moment, then over at Steve again.

(oof true tho)

Steve shrugged lightly, taking a bite of the sweet fig, "…But this kind of a good thing, right? It's to clear things up and put in a good word."

He snorted softly. "Maybe. As long as I don't fucking snap or something." He replied, shaking his head.

"What d'you mean?" Steve asked cautiously, "Do you think they'll say something that upsetting? –Have they said something that upsetting?"

He shrugged a little bit. "Not yet. But they probably will." his smile was tight, forced. He glanced away for a moment, shaking his head.

"Well…don't let them get to ya," Steve said with his sympathetic smile, gingerly touching his arm, "You're tough. You never let anybody trip you up."

Bucky shrugged his shoulders just a little bit. "Mm. Maybe so." he replied, shaking his head and letting out a slow breath.

Steve could feel the uncertainty radiating off of him. "Hey," He said, "Don't worry, okay? Things will work out."

Bucky shrugged again. "Maybe. But it might not." He replied slowly, looking over at Steve. "I guess…I don't know."

"–The whole team's in your corner," Steve said, trying to be reassuring in the only way he could think of. Before, they were more affectionate with each other, with arms looped over shoulders, playful shoves, and hugs. Steve knew that he was still in a bit of a fragile state, but it hurt him to see his Bucky unnerved like this and not know what affection he could show. "We're all gonna back you up, no matter what."

Bucky shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, but…there's seven of you. Versus how many billions of people in the world? How many millions in the United States, and all it would take for them to hate me is a few newspaper publications condemning me."

Steve pressed his lips into a hard line, taking a thoughtful breath. "This type of thing…hasn't really happened before," Steve said slowly, sighing at how baffling the situation truly was, "We don't know how people are gonna react, and their reaction might even be good! They might see things the way we do– since the truth is coming out."

Bucky shrugged. "Or they'll see a psychopath who destroyed SHIELD." he replied, looking out the window for a moment, then at Steve again, chewing on his lip.

"Or they'll see a good man: someone who served– a veteran, God," Steve said with a tired smile, "–Someone who went through…years of pain and…is still standing."

"No, that's what they see you as." Bucky replied calmly. "Possibly minus the years of pain." he shrugged again, lip still caught between his teeth.

"Well…it's what I see you as," Steve said with his own faint shrug, "Don't you see the same?"

Bucky shook his head slightly, but didn't elaborate on what exactly he did see himself as. His blue eyes were darting around the party again, frowning a little bit.

Steve let out a short sigh. It hurt him to know that Bucky couldn't think of himself to be anything as simple as a good person. "Whatever you think you are, right now–" He said, kicking at an invisible spot on the ground, "You're not…that. Your brain's playin' tricks on you or somethin'."

Bucky shrugged. "But I remember doing…all these awful things…and that's not…" He trailed off, eyebrows drawing together as he shook his head.