Open RP / PSL Post

[vintagecaptain]

OPEN RP POST
Director Rogers AU | Civil War AU

Looking to RP something with Steve Rogers?

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code bases by tricklet

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Director AU

[bracchium]

[After visiting the Grand Canyon and Wakanda, it's nice to be back on familiar soil. Bucky tells Steve he just wants to stop by Brooklyn before moving to DC before they are meant to only part ways for a few days.

That's before Bucky gets pulled over in New York and the officer cites a warrant for the Winter Soldier for a few years back.

He's arrested on the spot and taken to jail for processing. After being given a court date and a pair of shiny silver bracelets, Bucky's given one phone call and there's only one person he wants to reach out to.

And so, Steve is getting a phone call late in the evening a day after Bucky should've shown up in DC.]

Do you accept a collect call from the Manhattan Detention Complex?

[vintagecaptain]

Yes?

[ Detention complex? Steve has no idea why anyone would be calling him from there but he's curious enough to say yes. It doesn't seem like one of those spam calls that everyone warned him about back in the day.

He waits while the call is connected, tapping a finger against his desk. ]

This is Steve Rogers. Who, may I ask, is calling? [ Because he has nothing but old fashioned phone manners and will not be changing them. ]

[bracchium]

Steve. [Bucky sounds exhausted and it shows in the heavy vocal fry. He's had a miserable day and all he wants is to hear Steve's voice. He presses the handheld to his ear as he thinks through everything that has gone wrong since he got up this morning.

He should have expected that there would still be a warrant out for his arrest over five years later.]

[vintagecaptain]

Bucky.

[ He knows that voice and he's immediately ready to jump into action. ]

You're in Manhattan? I can be there in two hours. [ Because if Bucky's calling him from a detention center and sounds that exhausted there's trouble. Steve's not going to let him face it alone. ] Do you need me to call anyone else?

[bracchium]

Yeah. Manhattan.

[Bucky sighs into the phone.] There's still a warrant out for the Winter Soldier.

[Bucky doesn't know who else to call at this point. Maybe a lawyer?]

Know a good lawyer?

[vintagecaptain]

I think there's a guy in Hell's Kitchen that took down a big mobster a few years ago. I'll look.

[ Steve vaguely remembers that case. He'll find the guy's name and make sure he gets to Bucky. ]

Well, you're not the Winter Soldier anymore so we'll get this cleared up. Seriously, be there in two hours. I'll get you out. You just be patient, okay?

[bracchium]

Okay. [Bucky rubs a hand down his face.] Two hours.

My court date is tomorrow morning.

[Which doesn't give him much time to scramble up any cash for a lawyer.]

[vintagecaptain]

Don't worry. I'll handle it.

[ If there's one thing Steve's really good at it's rallying the troops. He'll make sure Bucky's got the legal help he needs for this. ]

I'm hanging up but call my cell if things change. And if anyone gives you trouble tell them I'm coming. [ And he does mean that as a threat. Everyone should remember what happened the last time people came after Bucky. ] I'll see you soon, pal.

[ And he means that. Steve's getting on a bike and breaking every speed limit to get to New York as fast as he can. He's also calling that lawyer from Hell's Kitchen to hire him to represent Bucky. ]

[bracchium]

Okay. [There's a note of uncertainty in Bucky's voice as he waits for the line to go dead.] Two hours.

[And then his time is up and Bucky is escorted back into his cell. He's guided by a couple officers, with handcuffs around his ankles and wrists. He could break out if he wanted, but that's not the point here.]

[vintagecaptain]

[ The lawyer gets there first. He introduces himself as Matt Murdock and asks to speak with his client.

Steve shows up exactly at the two hour mark and demands to speak to the person in charge. He's using his Captain America voice, full of authority and a slight demand that his orders will be followed. In general no one wants to piss off Captain America.

It takes hours for Steve to get any sort of visitation with Bucky and they don't have privacy. There are two guards and the lawyer with them. Steve's posture is stiff with controlled anger. He softens a little seeing Bucky. ]

Hey, pal. Sorry about the trouble.

[bracchium]

[Bucky is dressed in prison blues, handcuffed and chained as he sits across from Steve and this new guy. The guards linger and Bucky hates all of this. It's so much like HYDRA that his brain itches. Seeing Steve helps, reminds him that there's a way out.]

Got pulled over in Alphabet City. There's still a warrant for the Winter Soldier.

[And while Bucky is technically not the Winter Soldier, the police don't care.]

They want to charge me with murder one. Several murder one charges. And terrorism.

[vintagecaptain]

[ Steve frowns and bites his tongue on what he wants to say. Bucky and the Winter Soldier aren't the same person but they sure as hell share the same body. ]

That's why you've got a lawyer. He'll handle the charges and help you out. I've got a lot of Hydra's files on the Winter Soldier too. They'll show how much they had to change you to do that stuff.

[ The argument being that it wasn't Bucky who did those things and never would have if Hydra hadn't tampered with his mind. ]

They'll arraign you tomorrow and we'll try to get you bail, okay?

[ The lawyer chimes in that bail might be extremely difficult to get and Steve tenses again. He knows prison isn't good for Bucky's mind. ]

Don't worry, we'll think of something.

[bracchium]

[Bucky nods. It all sounds good on paper, but paper might not be enough in this case. His hair hangs down in his face as he looks down at the table, at the space between them. Maybe he deserves this.]

Steve. [He sighs, before considering not bringing down Steve's hope.] Thanks for coming.

[vintagecaptain]

You know I'm going to do everything I can to get you free.

[ Steve reaches across the table and puts his hand over Bucky's, squeezing tightly. ]

You don't deserve this.

[ Can he read Bucky's mind? Not exactly but he does know him incredibly well. ]

[bracchium]

[The moment Steve's hand touches his, one of the guards steps forward and attempts to separate them. Bucky leans back in his chair, his eyes dropping away from Steve to instead study the edge of the table.]

You don't have to do this.

[vintagecaptain]

[ Steve hesitates for a second before he backs down. He doesn't want to make more trouble for Bucky. Okay, he absolutely wants to make trouble but not for Bucky. ]

The hell I don't. No better use of my time if you ask me.

[bracchium]

[Bucky looks up at Steve and watches him for a long moment, but he doesn't get a chance to reply before the guards are interfering again.]

That's time.

[Fear rushes through Bucky's system as the guards come to help him up. He looks back to Steve and that same raw panic surges through his gaze.]

His arraignment is at 8:30 tomorrow morning. [The officers say as they pull the terrified Bucky away.]

[vintagecaptain]

I find out anything happened to him in there and it'll make what I did to Thanos look like an accident.

[ The lawyer puts a hand on Steve's shoulder and apologizes for him acting out in a highly emotional moment. Steve is ready to simply rip Bucky away from the guards but doesn't just by a hair.

He stays right where he is until Bucky's out of sight.

Then he doesn't get to see him again until the next morning. Steve's in a very sharp suit and standing with perfect military straight spine. He's still ready for a fight but he spent the night talking strategy and getting all the files he has together. Something, anything, to prove Bucky's not to blame for what he was forced to do. ]

[bracchium]

[A fight breaks out overnight and despite Bucky not being involved, he's put in solitary. He spends most of the night in isolation, feeling too much like he's back in HYDRA. The nightmares keep him awake and when he's brought in for arraignment, he looks rough. There's no fight in him as he's sat beside Murdock. His face is hidden by his hair as he slouches in his seat.

The judge looks down on him and then the papers in his hands.]

James Buchanan Barnes. You are charged with 15 1st-degree murder charges across several states. You have also been charged with terrorism. You are being denied bail at this time due to your flight risk.

[vintagecaptain]

[ Steve clenches his fists and fights really hard not to get to his feet and call bullshit. He's furious. He's powerless.

Luckily, Bucky has a lawyer who can speak for him. ]

Your honor, if the court is worried about Mr. Barnes being a flight risk we are willing to agree to a tracking device and a limited location much like Scott Lang and Clint Barton were put under after the indecent at the air port. I will remind the court they were also charged with several crimes and terrorism.

[ Murdock holds up a paper that his law partner hands him. ]

I have a sworn statement here from Miss Pepper Potts, agreeing to let Mr. Barnes live in Stark Tower right here in New York until the federal courthouse where he will be tried has been decided. If that doesn't satisfy the court I also have a sworn statement from King T'Challa of Wakanda agreeing to provide two members of his personal guard, the Dora Milaje, to watch Mr. Barnes at all times. Oh, and one more. A sworn statement from Thor Odinson, King of Asgard, that he would host Mr. Barnes in New Asgard if Stark Tower is not an acceptable option.

[ Yeah, they were definitely busy last night. Steve is pushing hard for Bucky to have his freedom even if Murdock doesn't think it'll be possible. The government is feeling vengeful. ]

Mr. Murdock, how is sending Mr. Barnes to another country not the very definition of flight?

Mr. Odinson is not very familiar with our laws, your honor, but he does want to help.

[bracchium]

[The judge looks down at the papers, then to the clearly defeated Bucky and sighs.]

Due to the multiple offers from members of the superhero community, James Buchanan Barnes will be under house arrest at Stark Tower until the federal court where he can be tried is decided.

Should he leave the perimeter of the tower, he will be remanded back into custody and jailed until his trial.

[Bucky finally looks up from the table, turning his gaze to Murdock and then the judge.]

The monitor will be fitted and Barnes will be handed over to his lawyer. He will have one hour to enter the perimeter of Stark Tower.

[The gavel comes down and Bucky is being removed from the court room again. It takes about thirty minutes to give him back his clothes and fit him with the ankle monitor. Then, he's being escorted to the front doors of the jail where he and and guards wait for Murdock.]

[vintagecaptain]

[ There's a madhouse swarm of press trying to rush Murdock and Bucky and Steve.

Of course he's there but he does keep a little distance. Murdock has told him repeatedly that being seen with Bucky could be a problem. He does have a record of helping Bucky flee authorities.

He still comes up to Bucky before he gets into the cab to take him to Stark Tower and grips his arm tightly. The press shouting questions is entirely ignored. ]

I'll be right there behind you, okay? Don't worry.

[ He has to take his own bike to the Tower a place he hasn't been since the compound was made. The compound that is rubble right now. ]

[bracchium]

[Bucky doesn't field any of the questions. They vary from talking about his charges to his life as the Winter Soldier. Thankfully, Murdock has him moving into a cab and Steve is briefly there. The cab trip is short and at the doors of Stark Tower, they're met with more press but Murdock helps him through the front door and it takes everything in Bucky to not crawl into the darkest corner of the tower and lose his mind entirely.

Murdock seems to have been warned about this because he's at Bucky's side.]

Wait for Steve.

[vintagecaptain]

[ Steve is not far behind and the press tried to crowd him too, shouting the same questions as before. He grits his teeth and keeps his mouth shut only because anything he might say could damage Bucky's case.

Once he's through the door Stark security takes over making sure the press stays outside the building. He breathes a little easier when he sees Bucky. ]

Come on, pal, we're penthouse these days. You and Mr. Murdock can talk there about your case.

[bracchium]

[Bucky breathes out a shuddering sigh as he hears Steve's voice. He turns and the defeat on his face is readily apparent. He's had a miserable past twenty-four hours and it weighs him down.]

Penthouse?

[He doubts he deserves that, but he'll go along with Steve for now.]