video | un: jbarnes

[sidecars]

Heya, the good and kind-hearted among you—All eyes here! It's time to help a guy in love!

[ Okay, so that's an over-exaggeration, but sometimes you gotta make a big production to get attention. ]

I've got a beautiful girl to take out for lunch, and there sure're a lot more options here than I'm used to back home. So what do you recommend, huh?

It's a first date. I don't wanna come on too strong, ya know?

[ Ha ha. ]

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video | un: pandemonium

[coyandcryptic]

[Good and kind-hearted reporting for duty. Let it never be said that Magnus Bane would allow someone to go on a bad date when he'd had a chance to prevent such a travesty. So here he is, in all his eyelinered glory, phone hovering in front of him so he can fold his hands and give this response the seriousness it deserves.]

Well. First of all, good. Second, don't go for anything too messy. Or too unfamiliar. I happen to love Bruschetta, the pizza there isn't bad, it's not Brooklyn but what is? Any clues you've picked up about what she might like?

[sidecars]

Oh god, are you from Brooklyn?

[ THIS'LL BE A PROBLEM. Jersey 4 Lyfe, ya mook! ]

Not... exactly. It's the guy's job to figure that all out, right? Ain't asking a little...

[ You know! ]

[coyandcryptic]

At least for the last few decades.

[But he flicks that way with a dismissive gesture, never mind that now, they can throw down later.]

All right, the new first of all, it's gentlemanly to figure that out but it isn't your job in this day and age. You're allowed to ask, they're allowed to tell, it's a whole thing. But if you weren't here, if you were back home, where would you go?

[sidecars]

Eh, I dunno. One of the local diners, or a dance hall if she's into swinging. Good food, nice public atmosphere.

[ Sounds nice to Bucky. ]

[coyandcryptic]

Well then, I don't see a thing wrong with doing the same thing here. Familiar for you, but maybe a new experience for her, it might just be that everybody wins. I think...

[Pardon the sudden jostling of the phone, Magnus needs it to look something up in the directory.]

Aha! I haven't been there, but there is a dance hall, Doo-Wops. Maybe I should look into it, I do miss those days sometimes. When are you from?

[It sounds like such a casual question, with the same inflection as where are you from.]

[sidecars]

[ Doo-Wop. Cute. ]

March, 1945.

[coyandcryptic]

Oh, look at that, you're nearly there.

[...just gonna move smoothly past that cryptic comment.]

I really think you've answered your own question: Take her on a date the way you would have before the war, or on leave. Dinner and dancing, nothing too fancy, just fun. And tell me how it goes, I'm invested now.

[sidecars]

Just what do you have to be invested in, pal?

[ ARE YOU A CREEPER?? ]

video; un: steel

[istoriografos]

[ Ooooh yeah, time to get useful. Not that he knows any of the restaurants around here yet, but look, Nate is not one to leave another guy in the lurch. ]

My first advice would be - don't go for anything you're not comfortable with. Like, I don't know, if you've never had sushi, I'd recommend not to go for that on a first date.

Do you know what she likes? Is she vegetarian, or vegan?

[ People are that, nowadays. ]

[sidecars]

[ SNORT. Dude, he's had sushi. Years touring the Pacific, you're gonna wind up eating some sushi. Psh psh! ]

The hell is vegan?

[ He knows what a vegetarian is, but... ]

[istoriografos]

[ Nate's been through enough time periods where it would be a complete novelty, so he wouldn't assume.

Damn, but he misses Japan. ]

Oh, they're like, hardcore vegetarians. Don't eat anything produced by animals, so like. No dairy, no eggs, no animal fat, all that stuff.

[ It's tough, and Nate would never, ever do it. With a grin, he continues - ]

Speaking from experience, having someone watch you eat while they drink water is not the best time.

[ At least this guy is already bothering more than Nate did that time. Good thing he learned his lesson since then. ]

[sidecars]

[ Buck wishes he could say the same, but nah. Good riddance as far as he's concerned. ]

Wh—How do you survive like that? You need protein! And animals are so good! And what about ice cream? Ice cream!

[ God he is so offended right now!! ]

[istoriografos]

[ Nate has to chuckle - he feels you, Bucky, he does. ]

They get their protein other ways. I don't think it replaces how good a steak is, but don't go telling a vegan that...

Pretty sure they make everything vegan, when I'm from. Even ice cream, with, like, soy or almond milk.

[ Which leads him to - ]

What year are you from?

[sidecars]

1945.

[ Got a problem with that, sucka??? Cuz Bucky will FITE U!!! ]

[istoriografos]

[ !!!!!

Nate's face lights up. ]

Do you know Captain Steel? The Justice Society of America?

[ Damn, but Nate loves this place. ]

You're a soldier, aren't you?

[sidecars]

Uhhh, I know—I mean, I met Captain America and the Invaders?

[ But Captain Steel doesn't sound familiar, and Bucky has fought with practically every masked man and woman all around the world. Perhaps Captain Steel is more a marketing ploy than a real field agent. ]

Yeah, that's right. US Infantry.

[istoriografos]

[ Damn it. Sure, the fronts were pretty spread out, but still. Nate is always looking for more firsthand info on his grandfather. ]

Different Captain. He was stationed in Europe, did a lot of undercover work. Ah well, it was worth a shot.

[ Nate nods, a little more solemn. ]

Thank you for your service.

[ A pause, and then he can't help but add. ] I've always wanted to be a soldier.

[sidecars]

Well, don't thank me yet. We've still got a ways to go when I'm from.

[ But he does appreciate the shout out, though. While much of what Bucky has done for his country will never be acknowledged publicly, he's more than satisfied by the ultimate outcome. ]

What stopped you?

[istoriografos]

Still, you're fighting, and that's - that matters.

[ Nate nods. he gets what Bucky's saying, but in his day and age, veterans are suffering so much that he can't help himself. It feels important, just to say these things.

But then. ]

Oh, um. I was a hemophiliac. [ Which is not technically curable, and yet look at him now. Hemophilia-free since 2016. Putting it in Bucky's words: ] I would always be a 4F.

[sidecars]

Oh. Shit, yeah that'd... that'd do it alright.

[ At least this poor shmuck didn't kill himself when he was rejected like a lot of boys back home. The war takes plenty of them, they don't need to waste more life on their own soil. ]

Well, at least you don't have to be bossed around for the rest of your life. Silver lining, right? [ ha ha ] What do you do now?

[istoriografos]

[ Nate shrugs - it's hard to explain that he's been cured of his incurable medical condition, so half the time, he doesn't really try. Instead, he grins, bouncing a little as he looks into the camera. ]

I'm a historian! So meeting a WWII soldier is pretty amazing to me! These days I've got a team and all that and we do... well.

[ Let's see if Bucky even believes him. ]

We time-travel? So I have a Captain, and she totally does boss me around, actually.