( manhattan's a shitshow these days, and the defenders probably have bigger fish to fry. which just leaves these two to clean up this particular mess: when the woman approaches and her gun goes up, bucky raises his hands as if to gesture that he's harmless (even though the painted scene around him shows quite the opposite).
but then there's the new russian arrival and she moves the muzzle of the gun. just a couple inches over, but it's enough level it at the HYDRA agent instead.
bucky takes advantage of the distraction to end the confrontation, again, and this time he purposefully aims for the gut. it drops the other man like a stone anyway. a few moments later the woman is hurrying over to bucky and he tries to straighten himself, shoving up against the wall to get back to his full six-foot height, although it mostly just leads to the scrape of brick against his leather jacket. )
No. It's fine.
( it is very much not fine, but there's also a sudden clarion realisation rippling its way through his thoughts, like a roiling earthquake. don't do anything illegal. no one gets hurt. 'i am no longer the winter soldier; i am james "bucky" barnes and you are part of my efforts to make amends.' except these guys absolutely were not part of it, and so he's pretty sure he's broken the rules.
he scrabbles against the wall some more and then finally shoves himself up. he's not on parole, exactly, but whatever he's on, this battle is probably a violation of it. the pardon's in jeopardy if he's found out. he just hurt a lot of people, even if he aimed for nonlethal damage. because he might have missed. these hands were built for murder; hardwired for it; he's not entirely sure he walked that balance successfully.
and then his gaze clears as he looks closer at the woman beside him. he literally just shot a man in front of her, and yet she isn't running screaming from him. she very easily could've left him behind, but instead she seems to have decided he's the one in need of help. (a good judge of character, or a terrible one?) his gloved hand catches at her sleeve, bracing himself, startled blue eyes meeting hers. )
This probably isn't gonna sound believable. But they came after me first. I'm not—
( i'm not that man anymore. )
You're in no danger. You should keep going. I can take care of it.
no subject
but then there's the new russian arrival and she moves the muzzle of the gun. just a couple inches over, but it's enough level it at the HYDRA agent instead.
bucky takes advantage of the distraction to end the confrontation, again, and this time he purposefully aims for the gut. it drops the other man like a stone anyway. a few moments later the woman is hurrying over to bucky and he tries to straighten himself, shoving up against the wall to get back to his full six-foot height, although it mostly just leads to the scrape of brick against his leather jacket. )
No. It's fine.
( it is very much not fine, but there's also a sudden clarion realisation rippling its way through his thoughts, like a roiling earthquake. don't do anything illegal. no one gets hurt. 'i am no longer the winter soldier; i am james "bucky" barnes and you are part of my efforts to make amends.' except these guys absolutely were not part of it, and so he's pretty sure he's broken the rules.
he scrabbles against the wall some more and then finally shoves himself up. he's not on parole, exactly, but whatever he's on, this battle is probably a violation of it. the pardon's in jeopardy if he's found out. he just hurt a lot of people, even if he aimed for nonlethal damage. because he might have missed. these hands were built for murder; hardwired for it; he's not entirely sure he walked that balance successfully.
and then his gaze clears as he looks closer at the woman beside him. he literally just shot a man in front of her, and yet she isn't running screaming from him. she very easily could've left him behind, but instead she seems to have decided he's the one in need of help. (a good judge of character, or a terrible one?) his gloved hand catches at her sleeve, bracing himself, startled blue eyes meeting hers. )
This probably isn't gonna sound believable. But they came after me first. I'm not—
( i'm not that man anymore. )
You're in no danger. You should keep going. I can take care of it.