driftfleet | Action | Who needs a gosh dang drink??

Who: Steve and everyone else who just needs to get drunk. One closed to existing CR
Broadcast: No
Action: The Iskaulit/Space Bar
When: Post Calibrations/Bombing the eff out of Marsiva

[OPEN]

Tony would probably be proud of Steve, if he were able to see him right now. He'd slap his back and welcome him back to the world of inebriation while ordering shots for everyone in the bar to commemorate the day. As it is, though, Tony isn't here and, without him, there's not a damn person who would feel proud in this entire bar. That's part of it's charm.

Steve sighs and swallows his fourth drink. It's strong and alien and somehow enough to give him a strong buzz but not enough to really get him drunk. Not yet, at least. But he's not a quitter, so bottom's up! He hisses a little at the burn of it and feels, not for the first time, like he was being a coward. He saw some stuff in those rooms, sure. But other people had it so much worse. Saw so much more. He should really be thankful, actually.

But he's not. And this is a 30's approved way of getting over trauma. There were worse ways of coping, he was sure. So for now he's just going to stay in his seat and keep ordering drinks until that elusive drunken state hits him once more.

Should only take another hour or three.

[CLOSED TO EXISTING CR]

No one could blame Steve for starting. He'd messaged his friends about fifteen minutes ago, telling them to meet him at the bar for some drinks. But just sitting here, waiting? It was done better with a drink in hand to look social, at least. And it's not like that one is going to be his last. No, after Calibrations he can imagine himself coming over here quite often. He can imagine all of them coming here quite often, in fact. But maybe tonight (today? Space was hard to judge) would help take some of the sting off. Or at least some of the awkwardness.

But it wasn't as though they <i>chose</i> to share all of that. Loki, Steve is sure, would have preferred to keep his death to himself. And Thor? I am sure half of those memories were things he'd rather not have replayed over and over again. And <i>Hux</i>. God... That was just what Steve knew of. Who knew what other people had put his friends through? What they'd been through themselves?

Steve preemptively orders another drink for whoever shows up first. Whoever it was, he's sure they won't say no. Not now.

First round is on him.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"It's fine. I don't mind." She leans toward him enough to nudge him back, driving home the point. "I wouldn't say he's turning to me though. More like I'm getting him used to my presence so hopefully he'll accept help in the future. Luckily, I know his captain."

"That is good," he agrees, distant for the second as he rethinks the last time they spoke. The first and last time, for now. It hadn't been great but no one had bled. "It's weird...him having best friends that aren't me. Me having best friends who aren't him. Well. Not my-universe him, at least." He shrugs lightly. "Just strange."

"That's something you have in common." In a some ways, Steve and that Barnes, the other one, probably understood each other's position better than anyone else could. Not just because they'd lived such similar lives, but because in some strange way they still knew each other so well."Not that it makes it normal. Just.. you're not going through it alone."

"It's helped," he admits. "We can talk about what it feels like. Being forgotten like we have." It's strange still seeing someone as the most important thing you have left and the other looking past you. Steve wishes he were better at compartmentalizing his own feelings but that's never been in the cards for him. He is who he is.

"I wish I had better advice for him on how to deal with it. All I have is 'wait'."

"It's good advice, though. And it works." There's a pause as she considers what she ought to tell him, how much to reveal of their future back home considering it ends how it does. On the other hand, the fact there's room for some hope isn't nothing. "You know back in Wakanda, he does okay. I think he finds some peace there."

Steve looks up at Nat, hopeful at that. Sure, he knows how it ends. But on a long enough timeline, everyone dies. Maybe he should take comfort in that small thing. Bucky, alive and at peace for however long he was able to keep it.

"That's good. Neither of us really had a lot of time to relax or just...live. So, it's good he had even a little."

"And if he can have that home, maybe he can have some of it here with time and support." And that's what Steve can do. Steve, the alternate Bucky, any of their friends... Natasha herself. "And patience. A lot of patience."

It's a good thought. A real good thought. Steve puts a hand on Nat's shoulder and squeezes it tight. "Yeah. Yeah, that would be...real good. Now, just to get some of that patience people keep talking so much about."

"Not really your greatest strength, is it?" The touch is comforting. Natasha leans into it, rocking a little sit to side. "But by your age, I figure you ought to have picked up something."

"You would think." He shrugs because they should both know by now that he should have learned and if anything had gotten worse. It's just not in his nature to sit back and wait. Probably never would be.

"At least I have you to anchor me down."

"Maybe that means you're not quite as much of a grumpy old man as you pretend to be" She teases him gently. "But either way, being patient happens to be part of my skill set."

"Why we're such a good team." He nudges her again and looks over at the shield, sighing. "I should get outta your hair. But thanks, Nat. Really. For everything."

"I should thank you too." She says. For listening to her and for letting her work through her emotions for a moment. She knows she's not always that good at it. "Nice to get that off my hands."

"Anytime, Nat. Really. You can always talk to me about this." He nudges her again once before standing and grabbing the shield. Just like a glove sliding back on.

"See ya soon."

Action | Who needs a gosh dang drink??

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