#6-Candles

[blue_sniper]

[Bucky's not in the ballroom with everybody else, or whoever decided to go to the ballroom. He's actually sitting in the lobby, with a bunch of candles around him. There's a book of matches next to him, too, since there seems to be a magical draft in here. Thanks, Castle. There also seems to be a wished-up bottle of the worst tasting whiskey in the world and a shot glass.]

Hey, are all of you guys all right? You aren't stuck anywhere, are you? If you want some company [or to keep him company] I'm in the lobby. Can't miss me. There's a ton of candles.

(OOC: You probably know if you're Bucky's friend or not. This is also open to anybody who wants to walk by and see him there.)

Comments

[blue_sniper]

It's whiskey. Type of alcohol. The stuff the Castle gives you is awful. But if you want to try... [He wishes up another shotglass and pours her a shot.]

[heloise]

Whiskey. [ She picks up the glass and admires the way the liquid glows from the candlelight before she takes a sip and winces from the burn. ] Like drinking fire.

[blue_sniper]

It does burn going down. But I wouldn't drink too much of it, Lucrezia. I'm used to it, and you're not. The last thing I need is you drunk.

[heloise]

[ She sets down her glass obediently and smiles at him. ]

Are you afraid, Bucky?

[blue_sniper]

Afraid? [You're going to have to be more specific for him.]

[heloise]

Yes. [ She leans closer to mutter in his ear. ] Are you afraid of the dark?

[blue_sniper]

No. [He looks over at her.] I'm afraid of the things in it.

[heloise]

[ She pauses and watches him, trying to read between the lines, before she turns to a dark corner in the lobby. ]

What are they, these things that wait in the dark?

[blue_sniper]

Noises. A flash of something out there. I don't know if it's the Castle screwing with me, but I keep seeing things. The men I couldn't save. Awful things that I know are just my imagination.

[heloise]

[ She turns to search his eyes, remembering poisoned chalices, spilled blood, and drops her gaze when she could bear to see no more. So she tries to reach for his hand to hold it firmly. ]

Don't look, Bucky. There is nothing in the dark.

[blue_sniper]

[He lets her take his hand, holding it loosely.] It's hard not to when it's all around you.

[heloise]

Look here. [ She tries to flip his hand palm up. ] I would read your fortune. My mother taught me.

[blue_sniper]

[He lets her, with a smile.] Okay then. Read my palm.

[heloise]

[ She bites back a smile, pointing out the mounts under his four fingers. ] Here are Jupiter, Saturn, Apollo and Mercury. And your Jupiter, here, it says you have ambition, a sense of great purpose.

[blue_sniper]

Really? [He thinks about his purpose, and how he'll protect Steve first before anything else.] ...That sounds about right. Tell me more.

[heloise]

[ She grins with accomplishment, now tracing a short line from his ring finger to the middle of his palm. ] The Apollo line. It means--to have a fortunate life.

[blue_sniper]

[He looks down on it.] So, am I fortunate? It looks short...

[heloise]

[ Her smile doesn't falter when she looks up to his face. ] You will not tell me of your ambitions, Bucky?

[blue_sniper]

I don't have any, not really. Just...The only thing I can think of that is my purpose is protecting my best friend. And maybe surviving the war to go back to Brooklyn. [Which he knows won't happen already.]

[heloise]

[ So maybe this palm-reading is a bad idea. ]

You must love him so, to dedicate your life to his protection.

[blue_sniper]

I do. We've been friends since we were little. He's smaller than me, and yet...he likes to defend people from people three times his size. [He laughs.] I always have to bail him out.

[heloise]

How wonderful. [ She grins, because she doubts even her brothers would bail each other out willingly. ] You are his steadfast hero.

[blue_sniper]

I used to be, at least. Now he's the one who saves me. Says he has to pay me back. Doesn't mean I still don't try to save him.

[heloise]

You should let him save you. I think--it would please him.

[blue_sniper]

To help me out now that he can? I think it would too. I've been saving him from bullies since we met. It's actually how we met, if you can believe that. [He laughs.]