6907/It's all Okay at the Corral

It's all Okay at the Corral
Date of Scene:	12 July 2021
Location:	The Corral, a Honky Tonk in Yonkers.
Synopsis:	In the after math of Logan nearly gutting Bucky, Cael gets tipsy, line dances, rides a mechanical bull and she finally gets a little insight into the Winter Soldier.
Cast of Characters:	James Barnes, Logan Howlett, Cael Becker, Opal Moirai

---

James Barnes has posed:
    When Bucky first started off toward the woods in front of the others, that familiar urge to run was creeping in. That overpowering *need* to get away from it all, from his past, from killing Itsu and the pain it caused Logan; to get way from himself. ...of course that effort is always futile, but it doesn't mean he doesn't still want to try.

    With each step he takes that urge grows. By the time he's halfway to the treeline, he's at a jog. By the time he makes it to the woods, he's at a dead fucking run. Dead run, Super Soldier dead run. Blood loss be damned, stitches be damned... that boy is gone.

    With that much of a head start and through the trees, even Steve would have trouble catching him.

    There's really only one person here that could stop the potential train wreck that is Bucky Barnes, injured and in 'flight mode' alone out there in the woods and that's Logan; just so happens he's also maybe the one person that can *truly* understand Bucky rabbiting in the first place - really understand it, likely through personal experience.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan had begun to follow Bucky as they supposedly headed to a restaurant or something to get some food and, you know, talk about all of this. But as they walk, Logan recognizes the signs. The steadying heartbeat, the scent of -fear- in Bucky's body, the adrenaline flowing in his veins as his body initiates the 'flight' rather than 'fight'.

When Bucky runs, Logan sighs. "Ah, damn." and watches as Bucky breaks off into a dead run as they reach the first. "Bucky!" He calls after him, before he shakes his head. He wasn't Steve Rogers, but Logan starts to move at breakneck pace. He has his healing factor to recover the stamina he expends, which means he is most likely the one able to catch up to Bucky, at least eventually.

He has his scent. He could track Bucky for -miles-, and god as his witness, Logan is not going to let Bucky get away. "Bucky, stop!" He howls in a voice of some kind of beast, even as his feet stop and step through grass and crack sticks that stand in his way.

James Barnes has posed:
    It actually doesn't take too terribly long for Logan to catch up, not considering he wouldn't lose sight of the stealthy little shit through the trees, or... he would but he wouldn't lose scent.

    He finds Bucky with his back against a literal wall, a sheer cliff of rock. The top would normally be a relatively easy leap for the Super Soldier, especially with the trees around as potential assistance. But A: Bucky's not quite at his physical peak at the moment and the dash through the trees didn't help and B: He's just not thinking all that straight.

    He's pacing back and forth in front of that barrier to escape. "Fuck... fuckfuckfuck..." muttered under his breath. He reaches up with his right hand to run it back through his hair, probably to get it out of his eyes. Wait... what the hell... that hair was short before Morrigan did her thing. "...fuck."

    He hears Logan's approach through the trees, it's not like the little tank of a murder machine is quiet about it.

    "Jimmy! Just... fucking don't! I... just... FUCK!"

    Man's not the best at expressing himself and... he's even been trying to work on it.

Cael Becker has posed:
    Having finished with the cops, Cael finally retreats out of view of the parking lot to join the others - looking around with a faint frown as it becomes clear that Barnes and Logan are both missing. Well, shit. She takes one of the bottles of beer, and puts it against the edge of a picnic table - slamming it with her hand and causing the cap to flip off. Then she takes a long, slow drink from the bottle.
    "We're sure they're not killing each other?" she asks.
    The consensus seems to be that they're not - so what option does she really have but to sit, and wait, and enjoy her beer and pretzels? And steal some more time with Lili. "You're a good pup. Aren't you, Lili?" she asks - joining Sam in tossing the dog some of the jerky. A small piece, anyways. She's pretty sure that too much salt isn't good for the dog.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan catches up quickly.

But at the same time, Bucky looks so terrified or at least in a state of complete and total inconsolable fear. Logan's claws arn't out, but his shirt is partially soaked in Bucky's blood. OF course, that might just make Bucky significantly more resistant to Logan's attempt to talk to him, but...well, who knows.

"Listen, kid..." Logan slows to a stop, stepping closer slowly but surely. "Don't what, kid? Ask you what hapened? Do you not even know, bub?" Logan questions him. "Hnnh...look, I've been there." Logan tells Barnes with a slight plead to his voice. "I know it don't look it, but I've been there.

"But ain't nothin' gonna change if you're still backed into that corner."

James Barnes has posed:
    "No, I know, Jimmy. I remember every bit of it," Bucky shoots back, his voice a little ... heated, but the heat isn't aimed at Logan. Not really. His go to? Any negative emotion turns to anger, anger's just easier. "They found me right after I fell, man. Steve just found me again three years ago. The rest of it... the in between... Fucking HYDRA..."

    His hands clench into fists at his sides and then relax again, one more time and a deep breath in before, "But that's all... I have... right now, it's all... I can't talk about it, okay? I need a drink, one that actually works." And perhaps, the company of a pretty blonde cowgirl?" "I know a place. You in? It's in Yonkers. There'll be clothes there that'll fit you and the owner won't mind us showing up bloody." Just what kinda bar is this, Buck?

    If Logan's in or out, doesn't seem to matter in this moment to Bucky, outside the softly murmured, "Wish you'd come, man.." as he walks past.

    ...and so, the trip to Yonkers and the Corral begins! Opal, batten down the hatches, here comes trouble.

Opal Moirai has posed:
Sitting back off of a side street near the Yonkers Historic District is a bar. From the outside it could be a Cracker Barrel, complete with front porch and railing, if it wasn't for the pink and blue neon sign running the full length of the building. 'The Corral' There's even a shifting, 3-color neon image of a cowgirl riding a bull to complete the picture.

The sounds of steel guitar and harmonica assault the senses even before opening the front door, where the music just *blasts* new customers. The bouncer looks like he probably has a collection of wrestling championship belts at home, and is wearing a t-shirt with the bar logo that shows he has no definable neck.

The lighting in the bar is a bit low, but good enough to give a clear view of the place. There's a long bar on the right side with tall, swivel stools that are bolted down. A good assortment of four-top tables occupy the center before giving way to a hardwood dance floor. The stage is centered against the back wall with three steps leading up. On the back left side is a mechanical bull in its own 'pen' filled with sawdust.

The place isn't packed, but it's hopping. No live band tonight, so the jukebox does all the work instead. And there are even a few couples on the dance floor. Leaning against the bar is the blonde cowgirl from the park. Same boots, same jeans, same vest, and same red-trimmed western blouse. The aviators are hooked into her cleavage and the Stetson is pulled down a bit low to obscure her features. Even with that, when she turns her head just right there's no doubt that the woman's left eye is a perfectly sized, pearlescent opal gemstone.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan seems to ponder a moment as Bucky seems to talk about his time with HYDRA. The very -term- makes Logan's skin crawl, fucking fanatical nazis always trying to get involved in screwing up the world, people should be no exception to their rules and games. He shakes his head then. "I...was surprised it was you, Buck. I heard when you were reported K.I.A." Logan kept tabs on Bucky as best he could, just like he did with Cap.

And just like when he heard that Cap was frozen under, he lifted a bottle in honor of them. He was certain they were dead, but...well, Fate has a different plan, it seems. Logan shakes his head, but seems understanding as Bucky requests more time to contemplate everything about this.

"Sure, I'm in. They got food?" Logan questions Buck as he begins to follow past alongside Bucky, though his eyes are looking around...especially if Karen shows up or something to finish what she started. Here's hoping this Yonkers place is worth it.

James Barnes has posed:
    It's probably a pretty damned quiet, maybe even tense, ride to the bar. There's one stop along the way to drop off Sam - who might have been the source of the tension with the side-eye he was giving Logan - and Lili and Steve.

    He parks around back and takes the steps there, on the outside two at a time. He punches in a code, presses his thumb to a pad and, "Grab a quick shower, Jimmy, check the smaller closet for clothes. Quick shower, 'cause I'm next."

    Back down the steps, he does the same with a pad on the another door, shoves it open and gestures for Cael to go in front of him. The kitchen help? They don't even blink at the sight of the blood soaked Winter Soldier coming in through the back door.

    Once through the kitchen and into the bar proper, it takes him only a beat to spot Opal. ...and all eyes are on him, if only that beat before gazes are averted quickly. Nobody seems willing to actually make *eye contact* with a blood soaked Winter Soldier.

    All the tension he's carrying in his shoulders, in his expression? It fucking melts away when he makes himself right at home and walks behind the bar. "Hey darlin'," he murmurs after a quick kiss, that might want to be more, but he's... covered in blood. "I got a friend upstairs getting cleaned up, then it's my turn. Fix me a drink, please?"

    Then he's back the way he came, twenty maybe thirty minutes later and he's back down again to rejoin the party, clean and dressed in what appear to be his clothes, his style, his fit... someone has a 'go-bag' here or something.

    This time? Well, Opal does get a right and proper kiss from Bucky. His right hand strays to the back of her head, fingers curling into her hair just a little bit while that unyielding left one finds the small of her back. When the kiss finally breaks, he takes a second to rock his forehead against hers and murmur, "It's been a shit night and I am so glad to see your face." ...yeah, he has no clue she was there, how would he?

Cael Becker has posed:
    "...Grease and honky tonk, huh?" Cael remarks under her breath as she steps into the bar proper. She'd been largely quiet during the ride - enjoying the time with Lili as much as she could while she had it. Cael was awfully and instantly fond of the pup, that much was clear. She turns a full circle as she studies the bar and its clientelle, not commenting on the kiss between Opal and Bucky, and making her way over to the bar as soon as he disappears to the back.
    With mischief in her gaze she remarks, "That boy - and the fella with him - put some folks through hell today. Can I get away with charging my drinks to their tabs tonight?" she asks, before requesting a double of whiskey. She is very much planning on //not// being a designated driver tonight.

Opal Moirai has posed:
Opal Moirai's head turns along with the others when James enters the bar looking freshly bloodied. Only her gaze doesn't shift away. She smiles, resting one hand comfortably on his shoulder to receive the kiss. And give as good as she gets. Watching as he heads into the back again, Opal steps around behind the bar to fix his drink. Personally.

It starts with a bottle of Jack Daniels, but from the pass of her hand there's something else sprinkled in. And it's not ice.

"You're all on *my* tab tonight." Opal declares. If she's not the owner, she must be on pretty good terms. "Besides, James never pays for drinks in here." James? She splashes a generous double of JD into a glass for Cael, without doing anything funny to it, and pushes it across the bar.

The blonde is waiting for Bucky's return, and she tips the Stetson back at his approach. It's a full-body, both arm embrace, foot-lifting kiss. And she's not the one to break it. Opal smiles at his declaration, wiping a bit of stray lipstick before she replies casually. "I'm so glad you didn't bleed out in the park. Here's your drink, James."

James Barnes has posed:
    Opal's words have him narrowing his eyes just a little, not angrily or anything even close, just contemplative. He's learned to roll with shit like that from the blonde after what? seven freakin' decades of it on and off? "Yeah, you'd have missed me," is his final reply along with a wink. Is that a smile? A REAL one? He should do that more often, it's a good look on him.

    That whiskey? ...and whatever else is in it? Bucky slams it back with one smooth bend of his elbow, *all of it*. But it's all good right, the serum in his veins won't even let him get all tipsy? He'll drive them all home, right?

    "Cael, this is Opal, Opal, Cael. I met her awhile back, she's a hella of a driver." There's something pointed to that statement, like he's trying to relay something to Opal.

    With an openly appraising look at Opal, up and down, a little pass of his tongue over his lips and a double tap on the bar along with a plaintive, "One more?" Pleeeaaaaase... He's up and heading for the jukebox.

    He makes his way back to the bar and settles in again. It'll be a few before the songs he chose come up in the rotation.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan arrives with Bucky at this seemingly...bar? Club? Whatever one may wish to call it, and Logan seems to grumble when Bucky points him to the upstairs to get a quick shower. "Sure, kid." and so, Logan begrudgingly heads up to clean himself. He removes his shirt and pants, and seems to indulge himself in the shower a little bit. It's been a long day, and he's forced to face many a horrible memory....like the rest of the memories he's been able to regain, they have all been briefly happy, but always have ended with a horrible vengeance.

By the time Logan is coming downstairs, the only thing he was wearing previously that carried with him to the new attire was his dog tags. Aside, he wears the classic look: a white tanktop, blue jeans, a simple belt about the waist, and some boots. "Shower's all yours, Buck." He states as he walks over to the bar, noticing Opal and Cael. "Hnnh. I see you wanted to stop by, huh? Watch the drama unfold?" He questions.

Yes, Logan was still not a very nice guy, but when you're the best there is at what you do, you can't really afford to be the nice guy at the party.

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael studies Opal for a while - the eye was noted already, and she'd chosen not to comment on it. Three of them and counting. She's just not sure how high the number goes. "Thanks for the drinks," she offers, as she sips at the whiskey - keeping her gaze ahead of her at the pair enjoy their lingering kiss. Once they part, she turns back towards them again. "Well. I've been driving since before it was legal for me to do so," she admits in a wry tone. "Oops? It just always called to me, you know?" She looks between the pair at the exchange, though, a questioning look directed at Bucky for a moment. She doesn't press it.
    "You were in the parking lot - yeah? You yelled something at Sam. I was... distracted," she notes. I mean, they all were.
    Her attention shifts next to Logan as she takes a moment to study him as well. "Those... knives. They weren't knives, right?" she asks. That much she'd been able to piece together. They'd appeared, and disappeared - without dropping, or being sheathed...

Opal Moirai has posed:
Opal Moirai smiles and is already reaching for a pocket in her vest when Bucky slams down the drink. More JD, and the pass of her other hand is a bit quicker over the drink this time. She watches him closely, either checking out his walk or watching to see if he's swaying.

"Driver..." she repeats, shifting her gaze to Cael and adding a slow nod. "Just one more."

To Logan and Cael, she adds. "This is my place, actually. James is here because I asked him to be. And because Ruby thought I could help."

James Barnes has posed:
    Bucky doesn't down the next one, he takes it a little slower. He's not even finished with it when the bar is filled with the sound of rain falling. He pushes his glass back, way back... on the bar and tells Cael, "Don't let anyone drink that... don't drink that.." To both her and Logan, "I'll be right back."

    He slides back off his bar stool and holds a hand out to Opal. "May I?" Have this dance?

    The first notes of Like the Rain by Clint Black replace the sounds of... well rain. "I know you're about to get slammed here, so just the one before you're too busy?" Please?

    Once he gets that girl's booty on the floor, it becomes really evident, really fast that James Buchanan Barnes knows his way around a dance floor. Really, they both do. It's like watching a Honky Tonk version of dancing with the stars up in this bar. Except maybe that last dip, when he pulls his cowgirl back up again and in close? Maybe, ... just maybe, the kiss he lays on her lasts a little too long, is a little too deep and a lot too provocative for Dancing with the Stars.

Opal Moirai has posed:
"I thought you'd never ask." Opal replies, flashing a smile. Slipping a hand into Bucky's, she lets him lead her to the dance floor. The blonde definitely knows how to move, and she moves with Bucky like they've done this before. Shifting and twirling, he leads and she follows.

The dance floor clears around them a bit, partially to watch and also to clear the way. Opal arches when she's dipped, and with the last one the Stetson eases slowly back to drop onto the floor. The kiss definitely isn't family-friendly, but the bar never made any claim to be.

Reaching up and back as the kiss parts, Opal finds her hat by feel but doesn't put it back on yet. Pulling herself back up, she whispers something into Bucky's ear. <I know Jade sent you, but we'll talk later.>

Flashing another smile, the hat finds her head again as her boots find the floor. "Okay, I've got a bar to run. We'll catch up later."

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan arrives at the bar and he's already being questioned! It makes sense, so Logan doesn't seem to mind it. Cael's question is taken in some measure of stride as he requests the strongest drink the place has and keep it on the roll, taking a deep swig before he answers the question. "They arn't knives. They come out of my hands, part of my skeleton." Logan replies with a huff, before he shakes his head.

Opal, on the other hand, gets a small nod in return. "Nice place." then to Bucky. "Sure, kid." on the fact of the drink, he swirls the liquid around in his drink for a moment, taking long swigs before already asking for the refill. He raises a brow at Bucky's dancing antics, but he smiles. "Didn't figure you for a dancer, bub." The question seemingly to the pair of them.

The kiss given wasn't family friendly, and Logan definitely turns his attention away from the pair. That, he figured was Bucky's business to attend to.

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Huh," Cael remarks with a thoughtful tone. "Well. That explains that." ...they definitely looked metal, though. "I guess you don't pass through a lot of metal detectors, then," she adds dryly. She takes another sip of her drink before adding, "I don't think I ever took the chance to introduce myself with all the... fuss." Yes. 'Fuss.' "Cael Becker," she offers simply, before turning her attention to the dance moves.
    Like Logan, her gaze goes back to the bar in response to the kiss, though. "You know, he likes Grease, too," she offers. "Not sure if there's any other musicals that tickle his fancy. I don't keep up on Broadway hits." She continues to drink her way through her double of whiskey with determination, leaning against the bar as she does so.

James Barnes has posed:
    Bucky watches her walk away a moment or two before falling in behind Opal to head back to the bar. He settles onto his bar stool after snagging his drink again. He sits with his back to the bar, elbows on it, watching the crowd just in time to answer, "I hate musicals, I just like the music. Sam's been on me to go see Hamilton with him."

     He's still grinning just a little bit. But it fades and he stares down into his glass. That newly reappeared hair of his falls a little into his face, hiding it.

    The thing about actually being able to *get intoxicated*, it lowers the inhibitions and not just in the typically thought of sense.

    His voice is probably barely audible over the music, but maybe more so to Logan's sensitive ears. "The reason I don't like to talk about isn't just because of what they made me do. It's how they made me do it and what that left behind." He glances over his shoulder at Opal hustling it around the bar as the place fills up. "Everyone always tries to separate it, The Winter Solider and Bucky Barnes, like we're two different things. It wasn't 'you', Buck... it's what they say, but it was, it was my hands, they're my memories. She's not like that though, she takes the whole package for what it is."

    He downs the rest of his drink and doesn't ask for another. He knows Opal won't give in - well she might if he really pleaded - but the two's enough to keep him going for a the night truth be told.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan nods. "No. I haven't gone through a lie detector test without saying something fucking stupid like 'hip replacement'." Logan uses his military veteran status and probably abuses it an unhealthy amount. That's one of the -many- prices he has to pay for essentially carrying the additional weight of a metallic skeleton. The name offered by Cael gets a grunt in response. "Logan."

One word, to the point. No last name.

"I don't get the shit about musicals. Just play the damn radio." Logan huffs, bad-tempered as always, before he moves on.

Bucky finishes his dance and returns to the bar. Good. Means now they can talk about it. Logan's gone through his second bottle by now, and he doesn't even look buzzed. That's the thing about healing factors: they prevent you from getting drunk by eliminating the alcohol content before it even hits the stomach. Doesn't stop the throat-burning goodness of it all though, so that's a plus.

"They are -always- going to seperate it, Buck." Logan speaks it like it is. "You are gonna have to live with it, the killing and that you were what they made you, with or without your fuckin' permission." Logan's eyes lower to his drink for a second.

Cael Becker has posed:
    "But sometimes Jimmy," Cael remarks in amusement. "I mean. Or so I gathered from all the shouting, and yelling, and cursing..." She shakes her head. Then she sobers up enough to add, "Hey - I'm sorry for your loss, Logan." Because really, you don't stab the Winter Soldier unless there was a loss.
    As Bucky returns - and speaks - she falls into a brief silence, turning the man's words over in her head. Trying to understand what it's like to live with that burden. She takes a long sip from her glass of whiskey, then glances aside at James once more.
    "Your hands, your memory... But was it your decision?" she asks. Her tone is quiet, her expression concerned - but also curious. It was a genuine question, even if she thought she knew the answer already.

James Barnes has posed:
    Bucky's gaze shifts away from watching Opal bustle around the bar and down to his empty glass. He reaches back and settles it on the bar to be collected. Hell, he might even end up being the one to wash it later. He does that sometimes, helps with end of night clean-up.

    Pale blue eyes drift over toward Cael and then back away again. His brow creases, the way it does when he's uncertain about something, unsteady even. It always precedes the thousand yard stare that comes next. "No, but it doesn't make it any of it any less *mine*," he replies once his eyes refocus.

    "It's still up there, in my brain, the shit the ... I... the triggers, the conditioning. Three years later and I'm still living my life looking over my shoulder, waiting for the day that they come for me again. Twice in the past month it's almost happened." He has to pause, it's a little bit lengthy and a lot heavy that pause, but he has to take it before he continues. "I feel like... why even try to have a normal life when they're just going to rip away again."

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael nods - and doesn't argue the point. Well. Not entirely, anyways. "It's yours," she agrees. "But... it's not //yours alone//. Yeah?" Again - there seems to be a real question in her gaze, as she waits for Bucky to confirm, or deny her hypothesis.
    "And - well. I'd argue it's because you're not alone anymore. Cap was on ice, and he thought you were gone, anyways. But he's back, and he knows better. Sam know. I know." She knows her head towards Opal. "The three weird rock sisters know." Yes. 'The three weird rock sisters.' Deal with it.
    "I hope they don't take you, but if they did... You really think it'd stay that way for very long?"

James Barnes has posed:
    Bucky shakes his head a little before he lifts it and lets his hair fall back from his face. That just leaves the pain in his eyes, in his expression, in his damned soul, visible for everyone to see. "Still doesn't make it *less* mine, Cael."

    "I almost killed Peggy, *twice*." Cael may not know who Peggy is... or maybe she'll figure it out? It's not like Margaret Carter isn't in files and history books, but Logan knows her. He didn't though and the Winter Soldier had a pretty good reputation for never failing to kill his mark, that's why he's a damned boogeyman. "...and Steve."

    "So, what the fuck happens? They get me again, people I love," significant glance in Opal's direction that he's probably not even aware of there, "...come after me and fucking die? Yeah, that makes me wanna stick around and plant roots." Only not so much.

Cael Becker has posed:
    "But that's //our// fucking choice, isn't it?" Cael counters. "Don't we get to make it for ourselves?"
    She lets out a heavy sigh. "I'm not going to pretend the whole thing ain't shit, because it sure as hell stinks. If I got grabbed somehow, and you got killed coming after me... I'd hate it. But that would be your call to make. We each of us risk our lives for other things. Why the hell shouldn't we do it for each other, too?"
    She stares at her glass before remarking quietly, "I don't have a death wish. I want to live, Barnes. But some stuff's worth risking my life for, and I make that trade everytime I go out - with the agency. With you guys. Hell, the way I see things, I'm already on borrowed time //thanks// to you. So I might as well make all of it count for something."
    She finishes off her whiskey, then holds it up while giving Opal a nod. Another one - //please//. "I don't know what you've been through. I can't know. But I swear to God, Barnes, I would fight like hell to keep you from going through again." There's a brief pause before she adds, "I'm glad your Peggy's alright. And Steve." Because, hell, if nothing else? She doesn't know how //Barnes// would survive that.

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan hums. "To friends, I'm Jimmy. That was the alias I was runnin with back during the war. I don't know what my real name is, or if I ever even had one. All I know is that my name's Logan, and as it stands, that's what I'm fuckin' running with." Logan replies to Cael, though his steely gaze finds Bucky again.

"Listen, kid..." Logan turns in his chair to him. "It does not matter if you are alive or dead. Its gonna keep coming, Barnes. You have what I don't: friends." Sure, Logan had the X-Men, but he wasn't quite sure where he stood with them too much these days.

"Be happy. You don't know what time is gonna be the last. I can heal, I'll come back, fuck everything about it....but you still have a life to live, kid. I'm gonna tell you something a friend of mine named Chuck used to say-" clearly he's talking about Charles Xavier.

"you still have time."

James Barnes has posed:
    "I'm not worth all that, Cael." He says it so casually, a testament to just how much Bucky's come to believe that to be true. It might be a good thing Opal isn't there with that drink order to hear him say it, lest he get a Gibb's slap to the back of the head or something.

    "Steve, Sam... those are the kind of people worth risking your life for... you... Not me. I haven't done anything but go from one kill to another for ... seventy ... seven years. First the war, then..." The time in between. ... and even now.

    "There's enough blood on my hands..."

    "To do what?" he asks pointedly of Logan. "I don't know how to do anything but fight and run."

    "Anyway, I like this song," he announces. Maybe it's true, maybe he's just done with painful conversations. Maybe both? Either way, Bucky pushes away from the bar and ... hits the dance floor.

    'God Bless Texas by Little Texas is playing and damned hillbillies can make up a line dance to *anything*. Once he's out there, he falls right into line. He's done this before, might be a slightly disconcerting thought, Bionic Cyborg Staring Murder Machine... knows his line dances? He claps at the right times, spins at the right times, foot stomps at the right time...

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Nothing?" Cael calls after him. "You saved me, didn't you? You ass!" But she doesn't follow him. She stays right at the bar - letting out a heavy sigh, and giving Logan a heavy sigh that says 'This guy. Am I right?' "Well. Logan it is, then? And honestly - who gives a shit about names? You go by what you go by, and that's good enough."
    Opal is given a grateful look as she pours more whiskey in Cael's glass, and then the agent turns her attention towards finding the bottom of her glass once more.

James Barnes has posed:
    Maybe it'll be noticed, maybe it won't, but one of the other bar employees heads for the jukebox as soon as Bucky's out there. For the next ten, fifteen songs? Every single one of them is a 'line dance' song.

    A few slow songs follow and Bucky still doesn't come in off the dance floor. He goes through a few different girls, leading them as well as he led Opal, but not a one of them is led as well as she was, those two just *fit*. Of course not a one of those dance sessions ends in a kiss either.

    Finally, he makes his way back to the bar, a little sweaty, a little pale - he *did* just get run through by Logan what? Four, five hours earlier after all? ...but he looks a little less up in his own head, a little more relaxed.

    There's a bottle of water waiting for him at the bar, just appeared there right before that last slow song. He screws off the top, downs half of it and settles back down onto his stool. "So, tonight was a little messed up." Understatement of the century. "I think it fucked with Sam hard, really hard." ...and Steve and probably Cael, but Sam... "I'm not sure he's okay and I'm not sure I'm right enough to help."

Cael Becker has posed:
    Cael's considerably more relaxed by the time Bucky returns. She took a try at the bull - and got tossed. She even let one of the gents at the bar coax her out onto the floor for a line dance. It took her a while to learn the steps - but hey! She did! Before deciding that one of those was apparently enough. She'd spent part of the time fending off a particularly sloppy drunk with a look that said 'I don't need the ability to pop claws to ruin your fucking night.'
    And she drank whiskey.
    With Bucky's return, however, she turns her gaze towards him, watching him in silence for a few moments while she sips her own water. "...you asking me to check in on your besties?" she asks simply. "I mean, I can. Don't know that either of 'em would open up to me, but I can ask. Because that was some heavy shit, you know? I just- I couldn't help think-" Nope. Not going there. She knocks back some of the water in a way that might imply she forgot it wasn't still whiskey in her hand.
    Hell.
    "Yeah, I can check in on them, if you want."

James Barnes has posed:
    "Steve'll be all right, he doesn't know how to be anything but..." So, no, he's not worried there. "But Sam maybe, yeah." Bucky looks down and starts peeling the label off his water bottle. "I mean... he's seen a lot of shit with me lately, so have you..." Maybe he's trying to toss them both at each other?

    "I don't do so good with... I dunno, just my own head's too fucked up to help unfuck someone else's." At least he's aware of his own limitations?

    He glances back over his shoulder at Opal again, "She has the intel on Nagel." Not that he ever doubted she'd come through. "So, I'm gonna stick here and talk to her after close." Because that's the *only* reason he's staying, right?

    "You can stay and sleep it off here or she'll get someone to take you home."

Cael Becker has posed:
    "Okay. Repeat this after me. 'Hey Sam. I know my shit keeps putting you through the wringer, and I'm sorry I don't have the bandwidth to help you process that shit.' I mean, it sure as hell won't fix everything, but I bet you it'll help." She takes another drink of her water before adding, "I'll talk to him, though. We'll go get one of those bougie-ass beers he was pushing for earlier. ...they're actually pretty good."
    She turns the cup of water in her hands before adding, "And I'd rather sleep at my own place - all things being equal. You know?"

James Barnes has posed:
    "Nah, it's not exactly like that. I mean, me and Sam, we talk. He knows..." Things and stuff. "... he wouldn't let me try anyway, 'cause he knows my shit's fucked. He'd just tell me he's fine and then try to turn it around on me."

    Bucky finishes off his bottle of water and then hops over the bar, using one hand to just vault over it. "She's gettin' swamped, I'm gonna help out of a bit." He nods toward the pro-wrestler looking bouncer. "When you're ready to go, let him know if we're both caught up, yeah?" Now he's tending bar?

    Other than... well, the fact that most of the clientele are wanted for one reason or another and the owner of the place is was chosen by the Infernal Powers, this might be what the 'normal life' Bucky's so afraid to reach for looks a little like.

    He's also said more words to Cael in one night than he has since they met back up. Weird.

Cael Becker has posed:
    "And yet - I'm telling you, write it down. 'Sam, I know my shit's fucked up, I'm sorry I can't help you deal.' I bet you anything it would help him to hear you say that. Or put it in a fucking greeting card that has a bottle of beer on the front - or, or that has like... a german shepherd on it, yeah? A fucking german shepherd. And you give him a six pack of one of those craft beers, and hand it to him, and run. Then he can look at the damn card whenever shit gets real. Yeah? It'll fucking help."
    Drunken Cael wisdom - but is she wrong? Will she even remember this part of the evening in the morning? Who knows.
    She finishes off her water before adding, "Yeah, yeah. I'll let you know. Fill this back up, huh?"
    It's not until she catches herself starting to doze that she pushes herself up from the stool, and waves Bucky over to let him know she's taking off. Complete with a clap to his arm. "I'm glad you're not dead, asshole. Yeah? Fuck that sucked."

James Barnes has posed:
    He's been busy back there. Bucky's not an expert bartender by any means, but this crowd is mostly straight up or beer, so it's not like it's rocket science. He even has a towel tossed over one shoulder when Cael calls him over.

    "Yeah, well, I didn't feel a thing." It's the truth, which likely makes it all that much worse. He didn't feel a thing because he was that close to *death*. "It sucked though," he agrees.

    ...right before he puts two fingers to his lips and lets out a LOUD whistle. ... every fucking eye in the bar turns toward him, but most of them look away quick again. Seems they still don't want to make eye contact with the Winter Soldier.

    "Get her home safe," he calls out during the lull in conversation caused by that whistle. Big dude at the door offers a thumbs up and actually heads that way to help Cael safely to a car that'll be waiting outside by the time they get outside.

    "If you puke in the car, Opal'll be sending you a bill and you don't wanna owe Opal." ... seriously, that is a BAD debt to have.

Cael Becker has posed:
    "I'll forward to bill to you or Logan! Your choice who's to blame for this... mess," Cael counters. She's not the steadiest - but she makes her way to the door on her own - offering a vague wave over her shoulder towards James.
    She does not, for the record, puke all over the car. She's //fine//.
    Thankfully.