You can bring the guns. I know I've always got mine on me.
[Laughing to herself, Nat takes her bike to the small bar that she tends to frequent because it's out of the way and no one bothers her there. Slipping into one of the last booths, she orders up a round of vodka shots and a beer for herself while she waits for Bucky to arrive.]
I'm trying not to do that while being casual anymore. This is just casual, right?
[ He makes his way over that way as well, wondering if he's making good choices by being here, but-- it's Natasha, and she's still part of the life he leads now. Thankfully. He knows there are probably universes where she didn't make it back.
When he gets to the bar, he spots her right away, heading over to slide into the booth across from her. ]
Look at that. We found each other without violence.
[It was hard being around James. She knew that they shared so many things and that for as long as she'd been a part of the Avenger's initiative, she'd had no one that completely understood her. No one that knew what it was like to be programmed, to have memories taken and replaced, and even new memories that weren't hers set in. Clint did his best to comfort her through her pain. He might know the stories, but couldn't understand them.
Steve, no matter how much she cared about him-- he had no idea. He didn't know what it was like, couldn't feel the pain. No one but Bucky could identify. That was a huge part of the reason why she'd helped save him that day. She'd also recognized him from not only the shooting, but another time. It was back in her life before. She was much younger, but she knew him. It wasn't a proper time, and she didn't want to bring it up between them now, or ever.
Seeing him in the bar makes her face soften a little. Whatever she's feeling is still carefully concealed by a smile and a welcome, making her nothing but friendly but it's all there. ]
As if I'd ever actually stick you. Come have a beer or some hard liquor with me. Trying to decide now.
Maybe a little bit of both? Start with the hard liquor then move to the beer. Never the other way around.
[He doesn't know how hard it is for her to be around him. Of course he figures there's something. How can there not be when they have the pasts they have. Especially ones that have intertwined in more ways than one. If they'd ever take the time to really talk to each other, they'd understand each other in ways no one else could, but- that's never been their thing.
It's better just to have the here and now, it seems they've decided. Bucky doesn't want to go digging around in half formed memories anyway. It only frustrates him when he finds himself grasping at straws.]
But don't listen to me. I can't get drunk anyway, so it wouldn't be very fair.
Yes, yes. I know how to drink my good friend. I've been doing it since I was a kid in Russia. I was even taught the little rhyme when I got here. I was speaking in general terms. That's why I used an or in there as well. I tend to prefer one or the other most times.
[Sitting back in the booth, she enjoys his company. He's always been kind and she really does want to get to know him better as the person he is today. She figures they should get along given the uniqueness of their pasts even if he doesn't care to delve into his own.
Knowing that she'd been off earlier, and emotions had been high due to another matter that she didn't want to bring up, otherwise she might apologize-- which was something she wasn't fond of doing. Nat tended to move forward and not backward. If they ever decided to discuss it again it would be on both of them. James had his own memories, and if they crossed somewhere down the line then maybe they could discuss it. It wasn't necessary for friendship.
Smiling with a short curl of lip when the waiter came over, Natasha tapped her lip as she asked what the drink special of the day was. Like that she got them both free drinks. ]
It helps to work undercover for a living. You know, it takes a lot to get me drunk too. I think I was raised on vodka in the bottle.
[ He shrugs at the semantics of it all. He's just trying to make conversation- clearly he's not very good at it, but he'll just follow her lead. He's happy to do so.
The waiter comes and goes, and she watches her do her thing. It's not hard to see why she gets what she wants when she wants it. He just hopes people respect her for it too.]
I try not to use what I've learned for a living.
[But he's not really interested in talking about it. At least not when it comes to the things he's done. But they're not here to delve into the past, as Natasha made clear.]
[There's a soft smile when Bucky states that he tries not to use what he's learned for a living. It's a tough spot to be in, and she'd say something gentle in return -- but they've agreed to stay off the topic for now, since she knows he's not very open about it and she doesn't want them to have any more misunderstandings.
All she wants for tonight is for them to start fresh in getting to know one another the best they can. There's always been a kinship for her, a respect since the moment she laid eyes on him. That's why she went to bat for him, and why she'd do it again.
Licking over her bottom lip, she leans back and laughs.]
Maybe now, but you have a very unfair advantage sir. If I knew how to handicap you, I'd totally do it and then we'd have a fair drinking contest.
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no subject
Date: 2024-06-10 08:56 pm (UTC)Okay, I guess I deserved that one.
Meet you there. I'll leave my guns at home.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-11 12:05 pm (UTC)[Laughing to herself, Nat takes her bike to the small bar that she tends to frequent because it's out of the way and no one bothers her there. Slipping into one of the last booths, she orders up a round of vodka shots and a beer for herself while she waits for Bucky to arrive.]
no subject
Date: 2024-06-11 08:47 pm (UTC)[ He makes his way over that way as well, wondering if he's making good choices by being here, but-- it's Natasha, and she's still part of the life he leads now. Thankfully. He knows there are probably universes where she didn't make it back.
When he gets to the bar, he spots her right away, heading over to slide into the booth across from her. ]
Look at that. We found each other without violence.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-13 03:06 pm (UTC)Steve, no matter how much she cared about him-- he had no idea. He didn't know what it was like, couldn't feel the pain. No one but Bucky could identify. That was a huge part of the reason why she'd helped save him that day. She'd also recognized him from not only the shooting, but another time. It was back in her life before. She was much younger, but she knew him. It wasn't a proper time, and she didn't want to bring it up between them now, or ever.
Seeing him in the bar makes her face soften a little. Whatever she's feeling is still carefully concealed by a smile and a welcome, making her nothing but friendly but it's all there. ]
As if I'd ever actually stick you. Come have a beer or some hard liquor with me. Trying to decide now.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-21 06:27 pm (UTC)[He doesn't know how hard it is for her to be around him. Of course he figures there's something. How can there not be when they have the pasts they have. Especially ones that have intertwined in more ways than one. If they'd ever take the time to really talk to each other, they'd understand each other in ways no one else could, but- that's never been their thing.
It's better just to have the here and now, it seems they've decided. Bucky doesn't want to go digging around in half formed memories anyway. It only frustrates him when he finds himself grasping at straws.]
But don't listen to me. I can't get drunk anyway, so it wouldn't be very fair.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-22 05:23 pm (UTC)[Sitting back in the booth, she enjoys his company. He's always been kind and she really does want to get to know him better as the person he is today. She figures they should get along given the uniqueness of their pasts even if he doesn't care to delve into his own.
Knowing that she'd been off earlier, and emotions had been high due to another matter that she didn't want to bring up, otherwise she might apologize-- which was something she wasn't fond of doing. Nat tended to move forward and not backward. If they ever decided to discuss it again it would be on both of them. James had his own memories, and if they crossed somewhere down the line then maybe they could discuss it. It wasn't necessary for friendship.
Smiling with a short curl of lip when the waiter came over, Natasha tapped her lip as she asked what the drink special of the day was. Like that she got them both free drinks. ]
It helps to work undercover for a living. You know, it takes a lot to get me drunk too. I think I was raised on vodka in the bottle.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-28 06:57 pm (UTC)The waiter comes and goes, and she watches her do her thing. It's not hard to see why she gets what she wants when she wants it. He just hopes people respect her for it too.]
I try not to use what I've learned for a living.
[But he's not really interested in talking about it. At least not when it comes to the things he's done. But they're not here to delve into the past, as Natasha made clear.]
I could still drink you under the table.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-29 04:16 pm (UTC)All she wants for tonight is for them to start fresh in getting to know one another the best they can. There's always been a kinship for her, a respect since the moment she laid eyes on him. That's why she went to bat for him, and why she'd do it again.
Licking over her bottom lip, she leans back and laughs.]
Maybe now, but you have a very unfair advantage sir. If I knew how to handicap you, I'd totally do it and then we'd have a fair drinking contest.