driftfleet | Red Fish Mingle!

[ Ah yes, food and beverage, the natural watering hole of the ship. Carl glances up from his book and nods. ]

Yeah, there's a coffee pot somewhere in here, and there are coffee grounds in the food dispenser.

[ He's quiet for a beat or two. ]

You're new, right? [ Has anyone explained the face twin thing to him yet? Is it too soon? He already kind of broke it to the other Bucky the wrong way. ]

Thank God, [he murmurs, and sets to hunting around for said coffee pot and grounds.]

I am. [And he has at least had the face twin thing explained, because the next thing he says is,] I'm not the only one of me, I hear, which is weird as shit but so is everything else, I guess. You can call me Barnes. Or Bucky, whichever you want.

How about you?

This place doesn't really pull punches. I'll call you whatever you want me to call you.

My name's Carl, I've been here a few years now.

It sure doesn't. Good thing I don't, either, huh?

Then Bucky's fine. [As long as no one's going to mix anyone up, but at least on board separate ships, that doesn't seem likely.]

Hey, [he says, by way of formal greeting, just as he comes up with what he needs, looking pleased. He starts setting the components up to make coffee, saying,] Where're you from? Originally.

Hey, Bucky. I'm from King County, Georgia. It's just outside of Atlanta.

[Bucky nods.] Never been there, but I have heard of it - so that's a good sign, right? I'm from New York - the city. Originally, at least.

[He frowns a little, and it's probably rude, but you never get anywhere if you're too polite to ask. He waves at the side of his face that Carl has bandaged, asking,] That recent?

[ Since it happened, it's not a question that has come up in the fleet, so it catches him off guard. His shoulders tense and that one eye narrows. ]

Does it matter?

[ His tone is immediately defensive, standing abruptly. Bucky may have only been curious, because yeah, a kid with bandages covering half his face is a little alarming, but it's the disability holding him back, the thing keeping him from being better, and a kid with a screwed up face doesn't really have much to offer, right?

His thoughts immediately go to a time not long ago when he was stuck with their enemy and put in a spot of vulnerability- eye exposed and told just how disgusting and gross it was. As if he didn't already know. ]

[Bucky definitely picks up on the fact that maybe that was a bad move. Everything about the kid screams at him to back off. It reminds him of Steve, way back when - just a kid refusing to let something bother him.

But the thing is, Bucky wasn't trying to bully or bother. His posture stays casual, relaxed, and he stays where he is, even as Carl stands up.]

It matters if you need someone to look at it or put a fist through whoever did it, [he says steadily.] That's why I was asking.

[ The anger dissipates when Bucky's stance remains relaxed, his shoulders slumping, but still looking at him with a guarded expression. ]

It's a nice thought, but somebody already ran him through with a sword.

[ Distractedly: ]

It's fine.

Huh. Well, sounds like about what they probably deserved.

[He makes a soft sound at I'm fine that isn't quite a laugh, but could, possibly, almost be construed as one. It's just, he's heard that before. A lot. From a certain guy who was pretty much never fine.

But it's not really his business, and it's clearly at least not recent enough that it hasn't been dealt with.] Still shitty, [he says, by way of saying I'm sorry it happened. But that's all he can say, and there's nothing he can do, so,] Didn't mean to get your hackles up. I fought with guys probably about your age, but that doesn't mean I liked it when they took a hit. [Or worse.]

He tried to kill my dad, so yeah. He got what he deserved.

[ Carl offers a shrug. It's something that happened and life is shitty, so he gets over it, or at least tries to. ]

..Yeah?

I hope so, [Bucky says - and means it, because that? Is extra shitty, even if he doesn't know the reason.]

Yeah, [he says, finally pouring the finished coffee and coming over to sit down, whether Carl wants to join him again or not.] Lotta kids lied about their age to join up, but the thing is... just 'cause you're young, doesn't mean you can't fight. Trust me, I know that.

What do you do, on board?

Sometimes you don't have a choice- it's what you have to do.

[ That's a different conversation entirely, though. ]

Engineer. I used to be maintenance, but we didn't have one, so I changed it. That way we wouldn't be fucked if we were attacked.

Yeah, [Bucky agrees.] I get that.

Huh. [He didn't realize you could change it, but - hey. That's handy.

But,] Do we get attacked a lot?

Not a lot, no. We haven't in a while, thankfully.

[He nods, not looking exactly relieved, but at least not more concerned.] And I heard stuff like the calibrations only happens once a year.

[That's not really a question, but confirmation is always nice.]

So the rest of the time is just... hurry up and wait? Between star systems, I mean.

Yeah, basically.

Must be why we're on a bunch of different ships. Beats being stacked six bunks high. That's a recipe for disaster.

Guess the best way to learn my way around the ship is just to walk it, huh? I've seen a little of it. Are all the smaller ships the same?

Yeah, they're about the same. Ours looks a little different on the inside. Older, I guess?

[Bucky nods.] Lucky us, I guess.

At least the kitchen works. [He raises his cup of coffee in an informal toast.] Think I'm gonna take a self-tour; but thanks. I guess I'll be around, if you need me?

[And very likely to run into him again soon, with a ship so small.]

Red Fish Mingle!

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