un: barnes | text

[counterstep]

how many people need a primer on survivalism for this mission?
general headcount and identifications would be useful, so others can keep an eye out for you also, once we're in.

( to be helped, of course. )

gathering some info on this already, so I'll edit a bit later to add a basic guide below.

Comments

[westcoasts]

Steve's here?

( hol' up, how did he not know this? WHAT THE FUCK—. )

What do you mean 'that doesn't sound like the Clint I know'?

Cause you sound like you.

[counterstep]

( ...huh. so they haven't run into each other yet. )

yeah

and it means exactly what it says on the tin
that doesn't sound like the Clint I know
who's considered one of SHIELD's greatest assets, before and after

I'd remember if annoying shit appeared in any of those reports

so you know me then?

[westcoasts]

( that's—. hmm. )

Still an asset, Barnes.
Hawkeye and Hawkeye are still the two greatest marksmen alive.

Pretty sure that's not the approved phrasing, by the way.

( "none of the reports on you say how much of a dick you are." )

I've read SHIELD reports. I know what they say.

[counterstep]

yeah
cause people who use guns definitely don't exist

it's what they called you in the other reports
the HYDRA ones
you gonna be mad if they called you a comrade of Cap's instead of an ally?

if we're from different worlds, I doubt they read the same
especially with SHIELD being defunct now

[westcoasts]

Don't need a gun to be the best, Barnes. You should know that. No-one pals around with the Avengers on a hope and a dream.

Are you
( wait. )
Are you asking me if I'm gonna be mad that I'm an enemy of HYDRA?

Are you okay?
What's going on over there?

[counterstep]

must be why I'm not an Avenger

no
you seemed really hung up about the verbiage so I was checking to see if you'd get mad about 'comrade'

is anyone on Earth ever really okay if a group like the Avengers exists??
it's been all kinds of shitty world ending fun lately, but people mostly made it out okay

( ... )

we lost Stark.

[westcoasts]

Not presently, or never have been? Cause the roster changes.

I don't know what verbiage means.

( he does. )

They're more okay than they would be if they didn't.
But with a question like that, you ever thought of going into politics? You'd get along with some of the assholes running the show.

( ...huh. kind of interested by that 'we' from the not-an-avenger. )

I'm not trying to be dismissive, but it's not very often people like Stark stay dead.

( still— )

Sorry, though.

[counterstep]

never have been
I have no interest in associating my moniker with the Avengers

the context clues should have been enough to tell you what it means, so I'm guessing you're just trying to be annoying again

and no thanks
not interested in being the government's dancing monkey
saw enough of that happen with Steve and I don't care for it

( it's not about being an avenger. the world can lose someone important. )

is that how it works where you're from?
cause dead means dead where I'm from
we lost a lot of people even before the blip and none of them have come back

[westcoasts]

( it sounds like there's a lot — a lot — of differences going on between their worlds. it's not like bucky's stuck around with the avengers, not like he hasn't done the lone wolf thing, not like he hasn't done the t-bolt thing—.

but "I have no interest in associating my moniker" just sounds needlessly dramatic. )

Yeah, and what's your moniker in your world, buddy?

No, just that I get what you were going for and I don't especially care what HYDRA calls me.

( a moment, and then— )

No.
It doesn't.
Not always.

[counterstep]

( so that means at least one thing is on brand, then. being naturally aggravating is still a hell of a similarity. )

it's the same as what's in yours
but I've never carried the shield

( he doesn't care to invoke it here either, so barton is free to think what he will. )

I think
that even if it did work that way sometimes in mine, it would just cheapen what it cost to get us where we needed to go

so it's probably better that it doesn't, regardless of the people who deserved better

[westcoasts]

You and Kate spoke about that?

( or is there someone else here he should know about that he hasn't met yet. )

Doesn't cheapen anything.
It's still dying.

[counterstep]

it came up because of certain circumstances

( that he apparently isn't going to detail either. )

what if they return to become someone completely different?

we don't have to agree, but I do know what I'm talking about

[westcoasts]

Yeah, you don't get to ask me that question, Barnes.

[counterstep]

( ... )

I have 0 context for why you'd say or think that

but fine

[westcoasts]

You don't need context to know it's a terrible question.

[counterstep]

it's realistic

people change

that's not some big mystery

[westcoasts]

People changing is normally called growth.

[counterstep]

gee
didn't realize being turned into what I am was actually growth all along

wow this changes my whole world view

thanks, Barton
you're a real pal

no-one look at me

[westcoasts]

( cont'd )