tushanshu_logs | [SEMI-OPEN] It's a merry 616 Christmas

Characters: Bucky Barnes (616), Toro Raymond, Tony Stark (616), Nita Prentiss, Avengers, and anybody who might have gotten an invitation from anyone else in attendance (it's easy to finangle, Nita knows half the turtle)
Date: Probably New Year's Eve
Location: Bucky's and Toro's tree house in Wood Sector
Situation: A combination holidays party for some old and new friends (because the mood around the turtle has been weird since the Emperor's death), including small presents, spiked egg nog, and all that good old Earthy holiday cheer.
Warnings/Rating: None atm, will change if something comes up.

[No one is really sure whose idea the little get-together was, but somehow, there's a party going on at the wood sector treehouse that Bucky and Toro (sometimes) live in. It's a pretty casual party, with some market-bought snacks laid out, and some holiday type drinks. The front door is left open to anyone who might want to come by (getting an invitation is no doubt easy, walking in to see what the fuss is about is even easier), and Bucky has found some hideous tribble-fur kedan approximation of a Santa hat to wear.

Also on the table is a small bush decorated with a string of popcorn and other Depression-era type ornamentation. Shouldn't have let the 40s boys take care of the tree.

And finally, it's a good time to give those slightly belated gifts. Bucky's gotten a few things for his friends, and when they come in, he'll shove a hastily wrapped box at them with a grin.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I'm pretty sure you can't do that now. Unless Asti is bringing in obscure pieces of history to defend himself. And if we end up defeating the grand universal evil using Winston Churchill's old habit, then I'm going to retire. Because clearly there's nothing in life to make sense of anymore.

[He almost says "that's why we've got you." It's on his lips, but something holds Tony back. Maybe because it hits a chord a little too close to home, and he doesn't want to do Bucky the disservice of bringing that baggage to him. No one would want that. Maybe it's just because he doesn't want to put any weird pressure on his friend. Whatever the reason, Tony decides to let that one go unsaid.]

What's the fun in giving wrapped gifts if I tell you what they are? I don't want to spoil the surprise. That takes the magic right out of Christmas.

Hey, don't doubt my skills. You know what I mean. And for the record, if my bike and my gun can show up, you never know what else we'll get. Those're probably obscure pieces of history to you all now. [Shush Tony, he can totally get whatever there is that needs getting.]

Magic my ass. Fine, I'll open it later. [But he's still smiling, because hey, it is the holidays, and he didn't think he'd ever get another holiday.] Y'know, this is the first present I've had in years that didn't involve shooting Nazis at some point during the day I got it.

I got it. All I'm saying is there's a difference between your personal effects and tobacco, even if it did belong to Churchill. And if you really want to tell me that it had some hidden power, I'm going to question our ability to win this one even more.

[Hey, he trusts Bucky's skills. He's seen enough to know better than to doubt that he's well-trained in sneaking into anywhere. But some things have their limits.]

Thank you. And... just keep it between us, okay?

[The smile falters just a bit. He's not entirely comfortable with what he's doing, but it's Bucky. He knows that if anyone knows how to handle himself, it's Cap's partner. And Tony is selfish enough to want to ensure Bucky won't disappear on him. But in a way he's trying to keep him safe. That has to count for something, right?]

Well, we've got crazy evil entities lurking in our dreams to make up for it. But for now let's just enjoy the celebration. Merry New Christmas, little Bucky.

[And a dash of humor never hurts.]

Hey, I don't think anybody's proven the rhyme or reason behind stuff showing up here. Maybe other people's stuff is here too but no one knows 'cause they ain't here to claim it. [How's that for deep, Tony?

This just makes him smile, a little softer, a little more genuine.] Yeah, you got that right. Merry New Christmas, Tony. And if you call me little again I'll sock you, friend or no.

[It actually makes a lot of sense. That's one of the things Tony appreciates about Bucky. Even when he plays around, he does make sense. And that is what Tony needs.]

Well, with any luck, we'll find something to bring us all home. Although, considering our luck so far I'm not going to bet money on that.

[He grins at the threat. Because that is just like Bucky.]

You hit me and I'll swing right back. Then everyone else will be cleaning up the mess.

[He'd be making Planet of the Apes theories too, if he weren't way too early for that movie.] Wise idea. I dunno if I'm real eager to leave yet though, blowing up kinda does away with the rose-tinted glasses.

What mess? I'd have you pinned in five seconds flat.

You would try.

[Okay, so Tony isn't exactly a trained soldier. He has improved a lot over the years, but he's far from the level of Bucky or Steve or Natasha, who are professional fighters. He can still posture as well as anyone, though.]

And we don't really have to go home. It'd probably mess up our time anyway.

I would win. [If there's one area where Bucky is full of unbridled, macho confidence, it's here.

But then he looks more thoughtful, maybe even a little younger and more unsure. Not by much, but a little.] Then where would we go? Cause I'm not sure if we're gonna remember this if we do go back home. No memories, no screwed up timeline.

Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that.

[He knows he's most likely outmatched, even if Bucky is younger than him. Some people are just better prepared than others, and as much as Tony likes to stroke his own ego, reality demands that he accept her. He knows better.

The question, however, is more his in his territory.]

Maybe nowhere. Who says we have to go back? Maybe we don't really have something to go back to.

You know, as far as the timeline goes, we've already deviated from it pretty badly. If we erase everything by winning, none of this will have happened.

[Should he really be voicing this in front of Bucky? Well, it's probably too late now.]

Maybe we never go home.

Then what happens? If we win here, if everything this was gets erased, then what happens to us? We just keep on like it never happened? [He never professed to be a genius. He doesn't get timelines and paradoxes, any of that scientific crap. He knows a lot, but he doesn't know this.]

If everything gets erased after this, then there's no guarantee we won't end up the same way. [He says that like it's not really a big deal.]

If we don't disappear from existence, well, we can decide from that point. But there's always the possibility that we're just another alternate stream in the timeline. It won't make sense if we go back.

Erased for the greater good. Guess it's not such a bad way to go. Better than gettin' blown up.

[A light shrug.] Say we're an alternate timeline. Is there any home to go back to or are we stuck in turtle town?

[SEMI-OPEN] It's a merry 616 Christmas

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject