Summary:Steve informs Bucky of the thunderclouds in the distance, sure to break rain on their parade. Damnit, Darque and Plokta! Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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Buck actually does have a desk. It's kind off off in a corner in a tiny room, because when is he ever there? Turns out now. He's reviewing reports, looking for patterns with his patient, skeptical eye…..even as his free hand doodles lazily on a sketch pad. Steve, of course, in a cartoon - in his old ridiculous spangly outfit, lifting a whole bevy of chorus girls on his upheld shield like a circus strong man.
Knuckles on the door announce an arrival:
Shave-and-a-haircut — two bits.
"Lookit you, actually reading reports. Who are you 'nd what have you done with my Buck?" It's Steve, of course, smiling fondly at his fellow Senior Agent. Very Senior Agent. He's in a plain button-down and white t-shirt beneath, slacks and Oxfords, and while he doesn't have any manila file folders on him, he appears to have news.
"Thought I'd let you know that the dragon tattoo, Glydril? She's back to Miss Kurita now. No more babysitting the little harridan." Rueful amusement flavors his mild words as he saunters into the office, sure to look at the sketch pad on the desk. "…technically, you could add two more gals on there. I could lift the weight," he notes blandly.
Buck's in SHIELD fatigues, as the most comfy thing possible for this job, as well as a subtle middle finger to those who are still dubious about HYDRA's former servant being part of the organization. He looks up with that heavy-lidded, insinuating smile that Steve knows so well. They're in private, after all.
"Good," he says, gently. "I figure we got enough pets with the goldfish, right?" A glance down at the sketch. "I know. I just liked the pyramid look. Man, even in that goofy outfit, you're so hot," he sighs.
"Oh god." Good-naturedly, the Captain laughs even as he gives that spangly cartoon a dubious squint. "Really couldn't pay me to get back into that again unless it was for a really good cause. Maybe charity. Children's charity," he emphasizes, " — given I looked like a clown's cousin." He then seats himself on the edge of the desk, arms loosely crossed, giving Barnes one of those half-smiles.
"Would you believe me if I said things're going to get more complicated too in a little bit?" Boy, that half-smile is rueful now.
Now that has Buck looking up, laying down his pencil and pausing the report scroll on his screen. "I'd believe you. Things always do get more complicated here with us. What's going on, Stevie?" Still smiling, though there's a rueful edge to match Steve's own, now. A last look for the cartoon, and he pushes it away. "Not your best look," he agrees.
A brief glance towards the office door from the Captain precedes him hipping off the desk's edge to go and shut it. Then, returning to his previous leaning spot, he lets down his professional facade. From the depths of his lungs, his sigh.
"When I was with Agent Turner 'nd Miss Kurita returning the tattoo, there was a moment where we went Astral. You heard that term before? WAND uses it sometimes, means to separate your…energy-soul-self from your body briefly. 'm fine, by the way," he adds to soothe any worries in his other half. "Heard somebody talking in that weird…other place, that dimension. They wanted to target the Avengers 'nd Stark Industries both, tear 'em down from the inside. We're ahead of the curve now having heard it, 'nd yes, 'm dubious about the information, but Miss Potts 'nd Agent Turner both agree we're gonna have to do some sigil-shielding. It includes anything manufactured by Stark Industries." Now comes the span of his hand across his eyes, the better to rub his temples.
Surely the sheer volume of Stark Industry-related items can be imagined.
There's that familiar furrow between his brows, but there's no hint of the 'Steve you're being an idiot' stormclouds gathering. He looks dubious, but not irritated. Not right now. "That's a lotta stuff," he says, quietly. "Even if you build it in at the assembly lines. This person….this somebody. Any idea who they are, what they want?"
"Heard a name like…Darque? And Plokta." By the resigned way he reports the names, Steve has more research to do on these two names. That, or a sit-down to have with Koa and Keiko both over a cup of coffee to hear about their own experiences in matters. "Agent Turner 'nd Miss Kurita knew the names. 's'in their ballpark being part of WAND — not that their stuff doesn't bleed over into SHIELD. If I had to hazard a guess, one of 'em a caster 'nd the other's got some…dark powers. Pun not intended," he adds tiredly.
"Just glad we got word of the off-chance of somebody attempting to infiltrate the Avengers. Not gonna have us broken apart because somebody thinks they can take advantage of us."
Bucky's lips purse, and he's idly flipping a SHIELD-issue pen around one metal finger. "Can we call on the wizard with the magic floating towel?" he wonders, after a beat. "Or is he too head-in-the-clouds to be bothered with this kind of stuff. Yeah, it's good to have warning. You guys are best as a team, let's face it."
"Strange is out of reach right now. Already tried." The high cheekbones become more pronounced as he grits his teeth back and forth minutely. Recrossing ankles is a fidget of discontent and energy kept in check; Barnes know his other half would take on the world if it meant keeping others from harm and to be checked is to get frustrated.
"Pepper'll warn Stark, so he'll be prepared if something funny begins happening with his work. God, Buck, it's…" Steve shakes his head and looks towards the man. "We'll weather it, but this isn't going to be easy."