5281/Coney Island Escape

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Coney Island Escape
Date of Scene: 20 February 2021
Location: Coney Island
Synopsis: Peg and Buck go for a lovely walk on Coney Island. Nostalgia, therapy, and fighting HYDRA take up most of the afternoon's discussion. Lili gets french fries, of course.
Cast of Characters: James Barnes, Peggy Carter




James Barnes has posed:
It's chilly, the very tag end of winter before spring really makes itself felt. But whispers of that coming spring are there: buds starting to swell on the trees, early bulbs pushing up green spears of leaves in parks and window boxes, a softness on the air. It's enough to pry James out of his near hibernation, make him return to one of his favorite places in the city.

He lured Peggy along with him, through the streets of Little Odessa where half the signs are in Cyrillic to the boardwalk. Lili's along, of course, in her dog coat with the service dog patches and leash wrap. "I can't believe that of all the places in New York to still be like I remember, this is one of 'em," he says to her, as he leads the way towards the hot dog stand.

Peggy Carter has posed:
It's a far cry from the desert where she was just yesterday, slightly overbaked in in the Saudia Arabian sun. She's not as freckled as she was the last time, but there's still a bit of sunburn on her cheeks and nose. British as they come, Peggy was not built for the heat. She's now happily bundled in an old fashioned wool swing coat, long enough to fall below her knees, a dark navy color and trimmed in brown fur. She looks like she really could fit in this place 50 years ago, but that's not a rarity.

"You know...all these years I lived in New York and I never actually came out here? I think... I remembered you and Steve talking about it... probably too much. Probably was just pleasant memories to escape into when we were stuck out in Russia but... It didn't feel right coming without you both. Just... never had my heart up for it."

James Barnes has posed:
He's pale, as he always is. Tanning is a form of damage, of scarring, and like Steve, his metabolism refuses to permit it. Even the proud flesh around the arm graft is eternally new and tender. But there's a pleased flush on his cheeks as he raises his face to the sea breeze. "I can imagine," he says. "If Steve weren't alive and well, I don't know that I'd be able to come here, either," No hesitation....and his human hand doesn't dive for Lili's ruff the way it does when he's trying to fend off a bad memory. He cocks his head at her. "Stuck out in Russia?"

Peggy Carter has posed:
Watching him turn his face to the sea draws a gently earnest smile to Peggy's features. It's so rare to see him in a simply happy moment that that warms something in her chest, just to watch. "We'll have to drag him out properly once the summer comes. He can take *one* day off. If I can, he certainly can." Even if it was a bit of a struggle to steal her away. She's been on a quin jet more days than not this month and things do not appear to be calming down. Not to mention her off the books work.

"Mm... yes. At least, I think that was still over the Russian border at the time. The lines kept changing depending on whose map you looked at. But the HYDRA facility when it was... well below freezing? And we were on recon for days... you both kept talking about summer out here like that would warm us up. Made summer in the states sound like some... dream vacation. England never got that warm or sunny. You'd have to escape to the coast to get anywhere near like what you all had, and it was right in your city."

James Barnes has posed:
Buck turns to her, that funny little smile still curling the corner of his mouth. "Steve and I used to talk about going to Florida all the time," he notes, voice raspy, as Lili sniffs the sea air and wags her tail. "I've still never been. It only started to be a big thing when he and I were kids. Sounded like paradise....but yeah. I remember summer leave in England. The rain was *freezing*. Here, though, it's nice. We used to swim in the ocean - they thought sea air would help Steve's lungs...." Voice a little rambly, as if it were a pleasant novelty to wander in memories that contain no sting.

Peggy Carter has posed:
And she's happy to let him ramble. Possibly the happiest she's been in weeks, though that pinch of exhaustion is still around the edges of her eyes, she's not stopped smiling. This chilly little jaunt was looking like a better idea with every passing moment. The Florida matter gets a little laugh, though. "Florida? Of all places... full of snow birds and people with too much money and not enough sense. The resorts, at least. Not that LA was much better when I took that assignment. But... it did end up bringing Daniel back into my life, so... I suppose that trip was worth it." It seems he's not the only one content to take a ramble through old memories.

"And did it help? With his lungs? Or was it just a nice excuse to get out from under your mother's thumb?" She gives him a bit of a wry grin there. "I cannot imagine the nightmares you two were as children... Barely able to keep you in check in the field and that's when you were in uniform." Peggy winks at him. She always appreciated their special brand of trouble making in the field.

James Barnes has posed:
"Both," Buck allows, tone companionable. He's got both hands thrust into the pockets of his parka; Lili's on a leash attached to his belt, and thus nominally always under his control. "I mean, it did help, because it was fresh air. And it was outdoor exercise he was willing to do," He eyes her. "What was LA like? And what do you mean, brought Daniel back?" He's shouldering open the door to the hot dog stand, and the room's filled with the scent of frying.

Peggy Carter has posed:
The question of LA gets a smile from her that nearly mirrors his -- lost a little in nostalgia and things that she hasn't thought about in ages. She follows him into the hotdog stand, stomach quitely growling in repsonse to the scents around them. "Oh... I am generally not one for 'street meat', as it were, but this smells... Excellent." She settles into line with him, pulling hands out of her pockets now that they're out of the late winter cold.

"LA was... very bright. Lovely but in a... false... Sort of way? Like a show girl who has put on just a bit too much make up. If you don't look too close, it's art, but when you look harder... Needless to say, it was not my favourite place. I was so thankful when Howard gave up that damn film company and we got him to focus a BIT more on getting SHIELD off the ground." Then there's a little laugh, sweet and sad, as she considers Daniel. "Ah... Daniel, the man I ended up marrying... he went to the LA office of the SSR to head it up after our first real... Falling out. I mean, it was a promotion as well. But things were complicated. When we started up SHIELD, I managed to sweet talk him back to the east coast."

James Barnes has posed:
"Oh, this is the best hot dog in the world. Been here for decades," Buck assures her, blithely. Lili behaves as befits a service dog, heeling at her human's side....but she is licking her whiskers and looking wistful. "I got this. Fries are great, too."

There's enough of a line to let them keep talking. "That's what I've always heard. Never been there except to pass through the airport. They didn't have me doing a lot of work in America. It made the programming fray, made the memories bubble up." He pauses, takes a breath. "What was he like?"

Peggy Carter has posed:
As Lili's licking her chops in anticipation, Peggy cannot help but chuckle just slightly. She knows not to pet the dog when she's working, well respecting service hours, but the fondness in her eyes is clear. "Someone is quite hopeful for lunch, it seems." She mutters without actually saying her name, as to not draw the pup's attention. Then the thought of the fraying programming catches her eye. Peg's lips open to say something but she catches herself and instead swallows it back. No reason to dwell on harder memories.

Fortunately, he gives her a fairly easy out, asking after Daniel. "Ah... he was among the best sort. Just a truly *good* man... Funny, caring... As dedicated to the job as I was and that's the only reason it ever worked. We'd take case files home to work on them over dinner... Hell, he's the sort of man who was, apparently, writing letters to me every week so he could send them onto the future, once he realized I was here and alone. I... still haven't gone through the whole box."

James Barnes has posed:
That beat of pause doesn't go unnoted, and Buck looks wry for a moment. But not sad, and he says, as if in answer to that unspoken thought, "Exactly. They gave up after a while on that, especially because of it. After the last time I failed with you, there was discussion if they were going to scrap the whole Winter project, but they settled on restricting my operatingt theater." Scrap the project - one of those ugly euphemisms they were so familiar with from the war.

He listens as she describes Daniel, expression thoughtful. "Oh, god," he says, softly. "Wow." He blows out a breath.

Peggy Carter has posed:
As he actually brings up the project, and that one moment they've never really talked about, though she's never blamed him at all, that much is clear. Her nose wrinkles in a moment of anger, however, as 'scrap the project' is mentioned. Nothing in the world gets her temper up like HYDRA, even in these relaxed, lovely moments. She tries to shake it off and even gives a little laugh, "For...what it is worth, your 'failure' with me is the reason I'm still here, you know? Got close enough that they had to shoot me up with something experimental just to keep me alive and it... worked... Rather too well. So, thank you?" She offers with a weird little smile.

His reaction to Daniel softens her expression. "Yes. He... well, there aren't many men in the world that could live up to Steve, but he did. The six years we had were some of the happiest of my life. And now..." Peg's chuckle is a little embarrassed, "I'm slumming it with one night stands and half infernals."

James Barnes has posed:
Peggy Carter is actually having sex. He knew that - that's what you do with a husband, when you've got one, among other things. But to hear her *admit* it out loud, that's enough to make the color come flaming up into his face, far beyond the flush whipped in by the winter wind. Lili looks up at him quizzically, then glances at Peggy, like 'Am I supposed to do something here? Fear and upset I know, but mortification wasn't listed in my training manual.' Buck coughs, and says, "I'm as glad as I can be that I screwed that one up."

Then it's their turn to order. Two dogs for him, one with mustard, one plain. An order of fries and a drink, then he's looking to Peg for her order. Once they've paid and stepped aside to wait, he asks, low, "....what's a half infernal?"

Peggy Carter has posed:
As she sees that blush on his cheeks, Peg cannot help but grin a little more. She mutters as they step forward in line, "Yes, I do that, you know. Grown woman and all. A shag is a perfectly natural part of life." She's teasing him now and the only thing that's saving him is the fact that it IS there turn and she's starving. She orders one hot dog for herself and the follows suit with the fries, instead of stealing his own. Chances are Lili would be stealing anyway.

Once they are away from more prying ears, especially when he asks that, Peggy gives a half laugh, "Uh... I have been learning an *uncomfortable* amount about the realm that is commonly called Hell. There are... demons there... and hell lords, in some sort of awful Faustian structure. And a half infernal is someone who has one hell-lord parent and one... Normal human one. Generally trouble makers of the worst sort but then it seems I have a fondness for troublemakers."

James Barnes has posed:
Buck's still utterly red, but he's got his head up, determined not to hide his face like an embarrassed teenager. "Oh, sure," he says, trying to be casual. Except that the color keeps coming and going.

HE finds them a table, pulls out her chair and then seats himself. Lili scoots under the table and faces out, looking expectant. "I....usually leave that kinna thing to the people in WAND," he admits. "That reminds me. You ever meet Red? Big red demon guy, sawed-off horns, right hand made out of what looks like stone? He's good people, even though he was apparently born to be a lord of hell himself."

Peggy Carter has posed:
She follows him to the table, still quietly grinning at that blush on his cheeks. "Nice to see you with some color, Buck. I should bring up highly awkward poor choices in my sex life more often." One last poke and she's done. Surely.

Peg comes to settle across from him at the small table, tilting her head in thanks to him pulling out the chair, "Still a gentleman. After all these years." And then she's diving into the hot dog. The sound from her lips after the first bite might actually be called carnal, but then she's never been a shy eater. "...yes. You're right. Maybe I should have gotten two." She offers after swallowing, melted back in her chair. "And no, I haven't met that one yet... Been working off and on with John Constantine on some matters, he's a headache. And... I just met another, a certain Daimon Hellstrom... he's been *incredibly* helpful in hunting down an artifact a cell of HYDRA has. So... I might have work for us soon." And now Peggy is blushing. Just a bit. In the way of someone who might be interested in this man beyond artifact hunting.

James Barnes has posed:
Buck opens his mouth, closes it again, and then decides that the best decision for the moment is to eat his hot dog as slowly as he can. For Peggy was right, the other is for Lili. He reaches down and slips it under the table in its little paper boat. "I'm tellin' ya, these are the best. Remember how I used to whine about how much I missed 'em, back when?"

A mouthful of soda, and he says, "Yeah? Hey, I got no room to criticize. The way I acted during Liberation, HYDRA shoulda found me riddled with half a dozen kinds of VD. Just lucky that they didn't. Guess Zola did me a favor."

Peggy Carter has posed:
That makes her laugh deeply at the simple thought, "Mm... if I remember a few of those French girls, they were more than happy to be contributing to your...Corruption. And we were all simply happy to be alive. You had plenty of excuses for celebrating. I'm just... well, if you shag the awful ones, then you're not tempted to keep them around. Safer that way, you know." It's meant to be a joke but there's probably a bit too much uncomfortable truth for it to totally come off. Even after all these years, Peggy's still a laugh and walk off the trauma instead of go to therapy. Even after seeing the good it's done him.

Before he catches her on it, though, she hops back subjects, talking neatly around bites of her hot dog which is quickly disappearing. "But...if we do track down this artifact, are you up for going out again? I suspect this cell will be a bit more than goons with guns..."

James Barnes has posed:
"You know I am," he says, with that easy bravado. "Doesn't matter if it's magical weirdness. The Nazis had plenty of that, and we dealt with it." For a moment, despite the long hair and broader shoulders, he's the insouciant sergeant from Brooklyn again. Confident that there's nothing in this realm he can't handle. The grin is even the old James.

Peggy Carter has posed:
Seeing that grin makes her stop eating a moment. Peggy sets down the last bit of her hotdog, it was worth savoring anyway, and just looks him over for a few silent, pleasantly surprised heartbeats. "You... really are doing better, aren't you? I know... I *know* there will still be challenges, but James, you... You look like *you*. And I still feel the need to lecture you about going out there and NOT taking stupid risks and how we'll handle this assignment according to the *plans*... But that's because you have that bravado smile on and... God. I don't know if I want to hug you or tell you to cut that hair before Phillips sees it." But she's grinning herself. Some tension she was holding around her heart, in her chest and shoulders, the aching sort of misery that the last few months have been? It's just gone, seeing him like this.

James Barnes has posed:
"Some of it is that spring is coming," he explains, as he finishes off his hot dog in a neat snap, and then starts in on the fries. "Some of it is that I'm medicated to the gills. They've managed to jigger some of the current mental health drugs to beat my metabolism - apparently I'm on something powerful enough to cheer up a downhearted elephant. It feels weird, but good." He's blase about it.

Buck glances up from his fries and says, grin broadening, "Oh, c'mon. I was always the voice of reason when Steve wanted to do something hare-brained. You remember that."

Peggy Carter has posed:
Peggy's hotdog disappears a moment later as well, though she's now only slowly picking at the fries. Eyes larger than her stomach, but she's happy to be warm, full, and lazy for the day. A glint of slight concern crosses her eyes as he mentions just how strong the drugs are, but she's searching his gaze for any hint of someone truly being drugged out. And he doesn't look drugged. He just looks like *himself*. "...Fascinating. I knew they'd found various things to help... brain chemistry, but... it's... I just keep thinking of the awful things they were doing in the 60s with this sort of drug. But it's... working for you. Truly working."

And then she coughs out a good laugh, staring *hard* at him as he mentions being the voice of reason. "I suspect the amount of planes you all jumped out of slightly skewed what you consider 'reason', my dear. And, frankly, it's a miracle any of us are alive, considering the closest thing to a voice of reason was Chester Phillips and on the other side of that you had Howard Stark. Or... maybe it was Morita. He was always almost reasonable. ONE of you had to be."

James Barnes has posed:
"Gabe and Jack were good at being reasonable. Sensible. Normal," Buck says, as he slips a fry to Lili. She snaps it out of his hand, and then licks grains of salt from his fingertips. That searching look makes him raise his brows. "No. Not like that. They used some of that stuff on me in Siberia, and it was bad. I'd lose time, be unable to walk or read. Get dizzy....this isn't like the antipsychotics or sedatives. I don't feel different. I do feel more like me. Only....insulated. Like it's a bandage over a raw wound. Even if it doesn't totally heal, it's protected and it doesn't hurt so much. It took me a long time for my therapist to talk me into it," he admits. Still oh so casual, like he really has come to accept the idea.

Peggy Carter has posed:
While most people probably wouldn't know Peggy well enough to see the slight changes in her face, she is quite good at concealing most emotions, Bucky can probably pick them up. They're an old soldier's response, someone still a bit too stuck in her ways and a bit too stubborn but trying to keep an open mind. She's skeptical, if curious, but there's a lot of understanding behind her eyes as he mentions how long it took the therapist to talk him into it. "I..." She exhales slowly, considering how to phrase this. "I'm glad your therapist did. Anything that gets that smile back is... good. Even if I... I don't think I could bring myself to do it. But then, I wasn't trapped and tortured for decades."

She stretches her hand over the table, reaching for the one that isn't being a fry vessel for Lili right now. She wraps her sligtly cooler than normal fingertips across the back of his palm and gives a gentle squeeze. "It's good to have you back. And it'll be better to get you into the field. Fury...knows, about HYDRA. He agrees they are somewhere in SHIELD and... he's made this a priority for me. So. Us. If you are up for it. We just need a better place to work than the Triskelion."

James Barnes has posed:
There's a doggy sigh from under the table, and Buck laughs. "When we're done here, let's go walk her along the sand," he urges. "She loves it. If she's off-leash, she tries to catch seagulls." He pauses, visibly mulling. "You don't have to be a torture victim to benefit from therapy," he points out. "It's a good way of having someone help you review how you think."

A squeeze back, just as gentle. "Yeah," he says, quietly. "Got to root 'em out."

Peggy Carter has posed:
That stubborn streak in her is bad as ever, and her eyes just slightly drop as he mentions the benefits of therapy. Peggy isn't wincing, but she's clearly wary. "Mm. I'll...consider it. Maybe when there's some breathing room down the line. Right now, SHIELD keeps me... well, I'm trying not to feel guilty for taking today off, and I'm STILL talking to you about work." Always excuses. Maybe convenient excuses.

She squeezes his hand one last time and then pulls away, moving to stand. Lili is snuck two more fries from her tray before she goes to toss it. "Well, come on. Let's get this girl some exercise and fresh air." Her eyes flicker around the room to anyone sitting near them, always a touch paranoid, "Easier to talk shop out there anyway..." Not close to ANY other ears.