☆ 33 ☆ (TEXT; Private to Bucky | SPAM; OTA)

[punched_hitler]

[TEXT: Private to Bucky]
Hey, I need you to hang on to something for me for a little while, if you don't mind.

[SPAM; OTA]
[It's not that there's a new guy on the Barge - there's not. But anyone used to seeing Captain America around might notice that he's conspicuously missing as of Saturday - or, at least, he's not six-foot two and two hundred twenty pounds anymore. He's five-foot four and about a hundred pounds soaking wet, and he's not apologetic about it in the least. Same haircut, same voice, same style of dress (at least he asked for some civilian clothes that would fit), same attitude.

Steve goes about his day the same as he ever has - he goes for a run through the Barge early in the morning, and he shows up for his lunch shift in the kitchens and his shifts in the infirmary on time. He shows up at T'Pol's cabin for meditation, and he's even in the gym sometimes, working out against the bags. It's just that his mile has gone from two minutes to twenty, and he's got an inhaler in his pocket for those times when running or climbing the stairs - he's not taking the elevator, he refuses - gets to be a little too much.

Of course, he knows people are going to notice, but unless someone says something to him first, they're not going to hear a word about it from him. Actions speak louder than words, after all.]


[ooc: If anyone needs a reference, 1, 2, & 3, just with this haircut, still. Feel free to recognize him or not!]

Comments

private, text

[imfollowinghim]

where are you?

private, text

[punched_hitler]

In my cabin, but I can meet you somewhere if you want.

private, text -> spam

[imfollowinghim]

that's fine.

[Bucky doesn't mind being there these days. He even sleeps there more often than he doesn't now, and so it's not difficult for him to head down there and step into the room without knocking.

What he finds there stops him dead in his tracks, and he stares in blank incomprehension.]

spam

[withtheoldbreed]

[Gene runs into him when he's on his run, and does an actual double take when he sees who it is. He remembers what Steve had been like before the serum - of course he does - but why is he like this, now?]

Cap?

spam

[punched_hitler]

[Steve hears his name, but it takes a second (or... a lot of seconds, sorry) to come to a stop and get his breathing under control enough to actually answer.]

Private.

[Okay, it feels weird to be addressing him like a superior officer from down here, but that's just because he was never anyone's superior officer until the serum had worked.]

Hey. Actually, I meant to - if you wanna patrol with someone else, that's fine.

[Steve plans to keep patrolling, but he's not stupid enough to think that Sledge might be comfortable with it.]

spam

[withtheoldbreed]

[Gene doesn't want another partner, but he does really want to know what happened to his current one. When they'd been kids, Steve had still been a little bit taller than him just because Gene had been a couple years younger than him, but now-

Jesus.]

What happened?

[infirmary]

[tucky]

[Tiffany's shifts don't often overlap with Steve's, but sometimes she sees him coming in as she's going out, or vice-versa. Today is one of those days - she's getting ready to leave when he walks in.

He looks like Steve, but in the way that Gene looks like Dillon or Ben looked like Dean. Her first assumption is that this is another one of those cases - that this isn't Steve himself, but rather some new guy who happens to just share some uncanny similarities with him.]

Uh... hey. You need anything?

[infirmary]

[punched_hitler]

Huh? Oh - no. [Which is kind of a first, really, but.] No, I'm here for my shift.

[He actually isn't sure if she doesn't recognize him, or if she just assumes he needs something, since he looks like... well. After a second, though, he figures he'll clarify - ] It's Steve. Steve Rogers.

[infirmary]

[tucky]

Oh. I thought you was, like... I don't know.

What happened to you? You look different.

[Spam]

[whatthewrackspurt]

[Luna's always been unnervingly good at spotting people out. She keeps her eyes wide, pays attention, notices things beyond the physical. It doesn't take her long to connect the dots, but only because she leaves room for possibilities.

When she comes in early to prepare for the dinner shift, she passes Steve on his way out and nods politely]

Hello, Mr. Rogers. You're looking interesting today. Is that a new body?

[Spam]

[punched_hitler]

[Somehow, he's not surprised she doesn't make a big deal out of it. It's nice, actually, and she gets an honest (maybe even a little grateful) smile.] Nah - old one, technically. I mean. It's mine.

[leavetreadmarks]

[Letty may or may not have recognized Steve on her own had she not been working on maneuvering her way into her own cabin when he leaves his; the context, though, combined with the familiarity of his features make her stop cold, staring for a full five count before she says anything, the massive gearshaft pieces in her hand balanced against her ribs.

Which is, then:] Steve? What the hell happened?

[punched_hitler]

[If her door's not open yet (or all the way), then he's going to help her by getting it and holding it open.]

Nothing. [Pause.] I mean, literally. I told the Admiral I didn't need the serum. So it's like I never got it.

spam

[rickitikitarr]

[Ricki gets it. Right away, he gets it. He knows Steve, there aren't too many people aboard who he sees on the heavy bags often, so when he shows up there and spots the difference.

Well. Ricki is biting down hard on an approving grin, as he gets his gloves on, and quite willingly catches his eyes at the first chance.]

Took guts, I'd imagine.

spam

[punched_hitler]

[It's a lot harder working against a bag that absolutely doesn't give at all - it feels like punching vibranium, but that doesn't mean he's going to just stop working out. Still, he's breathing a lot harder and it takes a minute to catch his breath before he can answer, with a little bit of a wry smile.]

Funny, that's what people said about taking the serum, actually.

[Decades after the fact, anyway, when the truth came out.] Guess I have to make up for my lack of brains somehow.

[He thinks he might see the corners of Ricki's mouth trying to twitch up, it's a little hard to tell, but it's a little gratifying, if he's right. He grins for real, now.] I'd say it took more guts to assume the Admiral gave me clothes that match.

[Fortunately, they do.]

[rhapsody_in]

[When Bleu turns up for lunch she glances at Steve once before registering the change. Physical transformations aren't unusual in her life so it surprises her rather than stuns her, and after collecting her tray she nears him with a small smile.]

I don't have to crane my neck to meet your eyes now.

[punched_hitler]

[She is more petite than most of the girls Bucky'd ever tried to set him up with, or maybe it just because she doesn't wear the same shoes. Either way, Steve can't say he's unhappy when she doesn't act unhappy right off the bat, because it wouldn't change things, but it would make them harder.

So instead, he smiles back, hefting the few trays and plates he's been collecting.] I guess not, huh?

It's kinda nice, actually. [Being closer in height, anyway.] Although I guess I got used to being taller more than I'd thought, because I'm still reaching for things all wrong.

hall!

[150th]

[?]

[The Barge is an odd place, where the strangest things Mewtwo has ever seen happen to people casually - but this is new.

His mental "voice," as ever, is level.]

{Rogers. Are you affected by a flood?}

hall!

[punched_hitler]

[It is true - this place is pretty weird, but this time, for once,] No, this was intentional.

[SPAM]

[maytakecenturies]

[Oh, what the fuck.

It's not quite what T'Pol thinks when she opens the door for him, but it's close. She stares at him when he enters, closes the door almost without her usual glance up and down the hall. She doesn't head for the meditation candle, though.]

What is this?

[SPAM]

[punched_hitler]

[Just like with Bucky, Steve is completely unapologetic and despite the fact that she's staring, he just steps inside like nothing has changed. Obviously, though, they're going to have to talk about it, and while he's not really trying to beat around the bush, the first thing he says is,] I'd think logic would dictate that just because a person looks different, they haven't really changed on the inside.

Or am I wrong on that one?

[whatthefoxsay]

[Let's be honest, Kira is not a consistent early morning riser. But it just so happens that on this occasion she's made it up before her alarm, and decides she's going to go join Steve on his daily run. She likes the view. On the deck.

The first time Kira sees him, she literally does a double take. Of course she recognizes him - his face is still the same, and she knows his history well enough to understand that this is his pre-serum form.

She doesn't bother to hide her immediate shock and concern when she takes his diminutive stature in.]

OhmygodSteve! [Said just like that.] What happened? Are you okay?

[She wants to hug him but she's a little afraid he'll break if she does. Seeing it in comic book panels and really seeing it are indeed two different things and seeing it live and in person makes it more alarming.]

[punched_hitler]

[He usually doesn't have company, so he wasn't expecting any, although it's nice to have.

He is kind of expecting the reaction, by now, so he just stands his ground and lets her get a little closer before he explains, so he doesn't have to do it halfway across the deck. He at least doesn't look concerned, he's even smiling just a little, reassuring.]

I'm fine, Kira. I asked the Admiral to do it. I figured I'd better ante up if I was going to have an opinion on the matter.

[fireincarnate]

[Jean smiles at Steve reflexively, when she sees him in the infirmary, before the wide-eyed double take.]

...Steve?

[punched_hitler]

[Steve may be unapologetic, but he does smile a little. Sorry, the giant eyes are a little funny?] Hey, Jean.