1115/No, We're Out of Rocky Road

No, We're Out of Rocky Road
Date of Scene:	12 April 2020
Location:	Avengers Mansion - First Floor
Synopsis:	As always, Steve and Bucky remain touchstones of sanity in the midst of the present. Lili tries to mooch an eggroll.
Cast of Characters:	Steve Rogers, James Barnes

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Steve Rogers has posed:
After getting Janet settled and being certain she was comfortable, Steve sought out his own after-skirmish care. No doubt the fracas was seen on some news channels, more than likely social new feeds, and he's had the moderately-deep knife wound to his bicep dealt with. A few butterfly-bandaids and a padding of gauze beneath wrapping of wound-tape means he can comfortably wear a plain Army-green t-shirt while his body knits up the gash. He's currently walking to the front door and opening it, glad to see the familiar face beyond.

"Just a scratch," the Captain says before anything else can leave his oldest friend's mouth about the white bandaging obvious on Steve's upper arm. Wearing running sneakers and jeans, he steps aside to let the man enter. "Good to see you, 's'been long enough."

James Barnes has posed:
So, they say that humans and their pets grow to look ever more like each other. Which means that Steve is greeted by the identical skeptical expression, from brown eyes and blue. Lili even pins her ears back. Steven, how can you lie to me?

Buck's lips twist in that oh so familiar rueful grin. "Steven Rogers, if your nose grew every time you told that fib, you'd be able to sniff the plants on the observation deck of the Empire State. We've talked about this. The only HYDRA agent allowed to hurt you is me."

Steve Rogers has posed:
Bucky's blunt comment is enough to entice a bark of a laugh from Steve. "Barnes," he chides, shaking his head even as he shuts the front door. "It was an example of a well-laid plan not surviving the field of battle. They thought they were gonna isolate Janet 'nd keep her from reacting with some form of mace. They blinded me 'nd everyone else around briefly. Not for long; underestimated the wattage needed, probably to spare their own agents."

He then offers his knuckles for Lili to sniff at. Must not interrupt dog at work unless absolutely necessary. "Cut'll heal over in a day or two. Didn't get shot this time. That always stings something fierce," he says in a theatrically dry manner with a sharp click of his tongue to follow.

James Barnes has posed:
Dog at work sniffs obligingly. And once they're in, Buck's stooping to undo her vest. If Bucky isn't going to be stable in the presence of Emotional Support Superpowered Meatball, he won't ever be. "You know, if they were smarter, you and I would be dead for real," he says, voice dry. But he doesn't really sound that upset. "It's clear I need to consider getting a place down here so I can keep an eye on your dumb ass," He slings her vest over his arm, and she promptly rolls over. The belly, Steven. Attend to the fuzzy belly.

Steve Rogers has posed:
It is underwrit that one Steve Rogers has the duties of attending to all possible belly scritchies when applicable. The superlative sucker in the face of those soft brown eyes which watch out for his friend when he cannot, he kneels down and immediately attends upon the fuzzy belly.

"'ve got a lot of eyes on my dumb ass all of the time around here, much less on the streets," complains Steve wryly, making a double entendre about his widely-known social name. He glances up and still lifts his brows at Barnes. "'s'not quiet around here. Somebody's always bustling around. There's no going to do reps in privacy or anything." Still, there's a curious light in his true-blue eyes. Bucky hasn't brought up moving out of the Triskelion in...some time.

James Barnes has posed:
"I'm not proposing moving into your closet, Steven," Buck finally understands what the metaphorical closet is. It took him a while. "Yeah, but the eyes down here aren't mine. They're not doing much of a job," he says, placidly. "I know, I know. I'm just visiting for now. I'll think about it.....and it'd be a part-time thing." Answering the unspoken musings. "I think it lowers Fury's blood pressure a point or two to be able to pinpoint where I am at a given time."

Lili's sprawled out ridiculously, tongue lolling, delighted.

Steve Rogers has posed:
Barnes knows him well. Even as he demurs about visiting, Steve closes his mouth on the retort intended to argue that he's perfectly safe within the confines of the mansion -- outside is another matter entirely. His blunt nails continue working lightly at the Shepherd's ribs and work their way down to her tummy proper now.

"Can't speak for Fury on that one. Maybe he'll feel better if we're in relative distance to one another. Regardless, we're a democracy around here. I'd have to speak with the team first before moving another body into the place. Part-time?" He's still curious by the quirk of his golden brows. "Seems more efficient to see about getting you the ability to visit at any time, have JARVIS recognize you 'nd let you enter."

James Barnes has posed:
Now Buck's giving him that bemused look. "No, no," he protests. "I don't mean living here..." A finger upraised and circled takes in the Mansion. "I mean in New York City, as opposed to Westchester. And I dunno about that. I bet your team-mates'd be a lot happier if I needed a passcode every time. That's okay." He wipes his human hand down his face.

Lili begins to pedal a hindpaw in ecstasy, making a ridiculous face. "You know those dogs are supposed to look dignified and noble," he informs Steve, deadpan.

Steve Rogers has posed:
"Lots of things're supposed to look dignified 'nd noble, but you 'nd this dog are clearly outliers," quips Steve blandly as he continues to make Lili's foot circle all the faster. He knows The Spot well enough.

Still, Bucky gets a small smile. "C'mon, Buck, they'd be fine with passcodes. I'll bring it up at the next meeting. You want help finding a place in Brooklyn? Or d'you want to be nearer to the mansion? Rent's hell depending on where you look."

James Barnes has posed:
Winter Soldier jerks a thumb at Steve, as if pointing him out to some invisible passer-by. "This from the guy who is clearly a human Golden Retriever," he says.

Then he's looking a hair sly. "Steve, I already gotta place. Not much, but it's there." Of course he's got some attic safehouse where 'home' consists of a cot, a hot plate, and a footlocker full of ammunition. Nothing says comfort like spare grenades.

Steve Rogers has posed:
Steve squints right back at the insinuation of a safehouse -- of course. "Figured you might." Finally rising from indulging Lili and her peddling back foot, he brushes dog hair off on the leg of his jeans before tilting his head towards the kitchen.

"C'mon, I'd be a terrible host if I didn't offer you some sort of food or drink." His steps are relaxed in the presence of the Soldier, leading the way from the entry way to the expanse of gleaming chrome and marble counters. "What's your fancy?" Going to the fridge, the Captain opens both wide doors and squints at the contents. His eyes rove up and down, left and right, assessing options. "Think that's my Chinese food from two days back, not sure though. There's beer. Cheest sticks, dunno when those showed up. Freezer probably has a few types of ice cream, nobody can make up their mind on one flavor around here." He glances over at Bucky with a wry grin.

James Barnes has posed:
Realizing that Steve has paid his dues, she rolls to her feet, gets up, shakes, and pads after him. I belong to big human now, Bucky, sorry.

"Ice cream," he says, serenely. Booze and nicotine can't really reach him, anymore, but sugar is forever. "What's the weirdest flavor in there? And don't try to foist me off with Neapolitan, you big lug. You got somethin' with chocolate?"

Steve Rogers has posed:
Since Lili is lingering within reach of the now-open chest-like freezer pulled open, Steve again reaches to gently rustle his fingertips through her head-fur.

"You're in luck, no Neopolitan," reports the Captain, his voice slightly muffled and echoing in the misty depths of the freezer. He turns over container after container and frowns at them. "Matcha green tea...vanilla...dulche de leche...oh, the peppermint, can't believe that's still there. Hmm." A few more things go clunk in the manner of the solidly-frozen, perhaps some large servings of frozen beef for summer gatherings. "Got cayenne chocolate or...bourgeois and Ghirardelli," Steve finally says, appearing with two small containers held in one hand. He eyes them and then eyes Bucky, clearly amused at the only offerings containing chocolate.

James Barnes has posed:
Buck's already settled himself at the table. "Ghirardelli," he approves. He's comfortable, at ease, as much as he ever is. Compression sleeve over the metal arm, t-shirt, jeans. Hair tied back in a neat tail; he doesn't *often* descend to the man bun, though Steve has caught him with his hair pinned up by a pencil now and again. "Please," he adds. Lili bunts her head against Steve's knee, and sighs.

Steve Rogers has posed:
"Fancy this evening, Barnes. You about need a bowtie to eat this." The cayenne chocolate pint is dropped back into the freezer and he straightens after toeing the freezer drawer closed. Not once does he lose track of massaging the backs of those large Shepherd ears, even as he turns the pint of Ghirardelli blend to see the ingredient list. "Wow. 's'got red wine in it. Here, I'll get you a spoon, but you gotta keep your pinkie out while you eat it," he razzes.

Sorry, miss Lili, but head-scrithies must temporarily cease while Steve rustles up a spoon. Ice cream container and spoon are delivered to the table. He returns to the fridge to fish out his leftover Chinese food. Of course, he patpats his thigh to entice Lili back over for more head-smooshes because he's picking out the eggrolls in particular and those only require one hand's worth of attention.

James Barnes has posed:
"......wine?" Buck looks intensely suspicious of this. "'re you kidding?" he wonders. "And sure, pinkie out it is. I'm a classy guy, after all." And he lays his hand on his chest, assumes a snobbish expression.

"What kinna Chinese'd you get?" he asks, as Lili does her best to get underfoot.

Steve Rogers has posed:
At Lili's size, underfoot is more than easy enough to accomplish. Inserting herself between the island counter and Steve's knees, she makes it that he has to hunch slightly in order to continue plucking out the eggrolls. He licks off his fingers before glancing over at Barnes.

"Bit of everything, mostly the usual order. Three of each appetizer item, a few dinner platings, 'nd enough sweet 'nd sour sauce to paint a canvas." On a salad plate is four eggrolls and now a small container of the sauce in question. Very, very sneakily, Lili is offered a flake of the eggroll's crispy covering. "But yeah, really, red wine. Read the ingredient label. They've managed to do things like that with ice cream now. Ever had //whiskey// 'nd caramel ice cream?" Steve pops his lips. "That's something good."

James Barnes has posed:
By the way Buck's lip has curled, he's certain this is a Steve Rogers whopper. He even cants his head to eye Steve from under his brows. ".....you're serious. Whiskey and caramel? No. Where the heck d'you even *get* that?" Doesn't it feel good, being the one who isn't lost out of time when it comes to at least some aspect of modern culture? Buck takes a mouthful, sighs contentedly. "This is so much better'n the kind we had as a kid...."

Lili licks the flake off, with a flick of her pink tongue.

Steve Rogers has posed:
"Cross my heart," and Steve draws an X over it with one finger. "Whiskey 'nd caramel. Found it out at a boutique ice cream store somewhere in the Upper West Side when I was running errands with Janet. I'll take you there one time so you can try it. Best thing I've had in a long time when it comes to ice cream, though you can't go wrong with peppermint."

Lili is fed a small sliver of the pork packed into the eggroll very underhandedly given she's still inserted between Steve's thighs and the island counter.

"Ice cream, at least, has vastly improved since we were kids. Y'know what hasn't?" He gestures at Buck with a cold eggroll. "Bananas."

James Barnes has posed:
"Right? They don't taste like anything now. And apples are the same! Most of the fruit is like that, it's weird!" Buck is totally in line for this particular rant. "It's like....it looks nice but....it tastes like nothing. So many things...." He shakes his head. "I mean, I'm glad to know what Thai food tastes like, and Mexican, but not if it means that simple stuff tastes like cardboard." He whistles, and Lili looksover, ears coming up. Was that a summons?

Steve Rogers has posed:
Lili is freed from her duties as Sneaker of Tidbits when Steve turns to put away the rest of the Chinese food back into the fridge. "Right? The bananas used to have a depth of taste to 'em. Now's'like..." He wrinkles his nose, his action of picking up the salad plate to be moved to the microwave slowed in thought. "Like somebody sprayed essence of banana on a piece of paper 'nd gave it some consistency. The apples're mealy...well, except the honeycrisp? Tried those? They're sweet, been around since the...1960s, I think."

The microwave beeps and then kicks on, quietly reheating the eggrolls. Steve leans on the counter next to it now, arms loosely crossed. He winces around the corners of his eyes at the laceration twinging beneath the bandaging. "I can't believe Pez candy's still around. 'nd Oreos. Who would've thought //those// would survive?"

James Barnes has posed:
"Ritz crackers. Remember when I used to make fake apple pies with those, back when?" Buck looks musing, between bites of ice cream. "The stuff you find that has survived....I found Kirk's soap the other day. Bon Ami cleaner, Ma used to use it..." He shakes his head. "Yeah, those pink apples are good, but mostly by comparison. Somebody still makes Sky Bars, though they don't taste as good as I remember." He looks down into the bowl, scrapes at it idly with the spoon. "I'm just glad to eat real food." God only knows what HYDRA fed him.

Steve Rogers has posed:
"Kirk's soap, wow," echoes Steve with a laugh as the list then goes on. He remembers the soap well enough, what small ball of it the family had to make last as long as possible -- it really only came out for formal affairs and holidays in the end. He grins, ignoring the beeping of the microve for the moment.

"Y'know what else I found that'll knock your socks off?" Okay, now the beeping is getting annoying. Steve turns and pulls the eggrolls out. "Speaking of 'real food'," he continues, now walking back over to sit at the table. The sweet and sour sauce, not microwaved, is set back on his plate. Now the kitchen smells of Chinese food in earnest. "Remember that Italian restaurant we used to stake out because the baseball players 'nd the famous used to eat there? Barbetta over in Manhattan? Used to take the trolley to eat peanuts 'nd watch? It's still there."

Yes, still there and still serving food since 1906.

James Barnes has posed:
"Really?" He doesn't sound so much incredulous as a little blank. "Wow," he says....and then there's that rueful smile. "Amazing. I might even be able to afford to eat there, now. I should....should make an effort to try?" What does he eat in Westchester? He seems well enough, but then, he's so finely tuned he always does unless he's literally starving to death.

Steve Rogers has posed:
"We'll plan on it. You let me know when there's time 'nd we'll make time on my end to make it happen. Food's the same recipes as back when, but with heartier ingredients -- 'least, that's what the owner told me when he came out to speak to me," Steve reveals. "Been there with Janet a few times."

He doesn't mention there's a table with his name on it whenever he calls in because that seems a little overdone, even to the Captain himself.

"The garlic bread's to die for. That 'nd the spaghetti 'nd meatballs. Simple dish, so easy to mess up, but they get it right every time. They don't have any Ghirardelli ice cream though," the man notes with a laugh. He gets to eating his eggrolls in the companionable silence that follows, this only interrupted by the various sounds of the living in the mansion and Lili's panting.

Somebody is making cute eyes for eggrolls, after all.