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

Comments

[vintagecaptain]

Too late, pal. I've been caught up in this from the beginning.

[ He gets two mugs down from a cabinet. ]

I know what I'm doing. I know what I'm risking. Only reason I'm not on trial for what I did in Berlin and everything after is because I helped save the world and because I'm Captain fucking America.

[bracchium]

[Bucky moves to lean on the counter. He’s quiet for a beat or two before he sighs.]

Captain fucking America, huh?

[He taps the counter with his finger]

[vintagecaptain]

It holds a lot of weight.

[ He fills a mug and holds it out to Bucky. ]

Even if I don't have the shield right now, people still see me as that first. They forget about Steve who's a punk and a pain in the ass.

[bracchium]

[Bucky accepts the mug and takes a few sips before he sets it back down.]

That little guy from Brooklyn who didn’t know how to run from a fight.

[vintagecaptain]

And I'm not going to run from this one. Even if the pressure comes from you. I fight for what I believe in.

[ And he believes that Bucky doesn't belong in prison for the rest of his life. ]

[bracchium]

[Bucky bites his lip before he nods. Maybr trying to talk Steve out of fighting is the wrong call.]

Yeah. Okay.

[vintagecaptain]

[ He sighs heavily. ]

We'll get through this. The both of us.

[ Steve pours himself some hot chocolate. ]

We got through the war and waking up in the future. We can get through this.

scoots them along!

[bracchium]

[Bucky takes another sip of his hot chocolate and nods again. They can survive this.

Most days leading up to the trial are like this. Mornings are spent with Murdock preparing Bucky’s defense. There’s some considerable arguing, but lunch breaks mean hanging out with Steve in his office, in a chair far out of view of anyone important. Nights are interrupted by more and more nightmares as Bucky and Murdock cover more cases. Each brings a surge of something Bucky remembers far too well.

When the first day of the trial arrives, Bucky is dressed in a navy blue suit as he sits next to Murdock. The judge reads out the charges and Bucky looks down at the defendant’s table.]

How do you plea, James Buchanan Barnes?

[Bucky bites his lip and all the preparation with Murdock goes right out the window. Murdock carefully nudges his side.]

Not… not guilty.

[It physically pains Bucky to say it.]

[vintagecaptain]

[ Steve's there, of course, seated right behind the defense. Sam's with him as well. There are plenty of people who believe in Bucky even though the press has been ruthless.

It's been hard on Steve's temper. Luckily the punching bags in the Tower gym are reinforced because he hits like a goddamn truck when he's furious. He's never mad at Bucky but at all the assumptions made about his friend.

Murdock is steady and calm even though this might be the biggest case of the decade. Steve's been impressed by his patience and work ethic. The man sends emails at 2 am. A lot.

There's nothing he can do now but sit and wait and watch. It's deeply frustrating. ]

pretend rumlow didn’t die oops

[bracchium]

[The judge nods.]

Let the record show the defendent pleads not guilty. Prosecution, your witness.

[The lawyers at the other table raise their first witness and Bucky pales. He tries to get up but Murdock pulls him down as Rumlow takes the stand. Scars cover most of his face, but his eyes are firmly set on Bucky.

The lawyers move through the formalities of introducing Rumlow as their witness and then start asking questions. Can he identify the defendant? How does he know the defendant? And then finally, in what capacity did he witness violence from the defendant. ]

Any day he was working, Bucky was killing. He’d take down anyone in sight.

no one stays dead in Marvel except Uncle Ben

[vintagecaptain]

[ Sam has to stop Steve from getting up.

Where the hell did they dig this piece of shit up from? Steve was pretty sure he was locked down after what happened. Rumlow should've died. That he lived is a crime.

Well, Steve will get his new SHIELD agents to investigate that. If the prosecution has done anything shady he's going to find out and let Murdock know. Maybe it's a little too much but he's not going to sit idly by and let Rumlow, a member of Hydra, an international terrorist, get Bucky put away.

Murdock is on it when it his turn to cross-examin the witness. ]

Mr. Rumlow, just to clarify here, you worked with Mr. Barnes as the Winter Soldier because you were part of Hydra, correct? An organization with close ties to the Nazi party...

[ The prosecution shouts an objection but Murdock has made his point.

But he also keeps going, asking Rumlow how they got Bucky ready for missions, the conditions he was kept in, what happened when Bucky asked questions. He does not shy away from the ugly truth and makes Rumlow look like the insane bastard he is. ]

it's true!

[bracchium]

[The cross-examination is almost worse than the direct. When Rumlow talks about the conditions Bucky was kept in, how he would be struck as many times as it took to get him to cooperate. Bucky feels small, feels like he's back in Siberia. Murdock continues the volley until Bucky would rather go to jail than continue to listen to all of this.

Re-direct is somehow the worst of it all. Rumlow talks about how Bucky obeyed, how many he killed, and when the court is done for the day it doesn't take long until Bucky sees the court sketch artist's rendition of him in the paper. He looks withered, small, helpless.

He hates it. He hates this entire process and that night he can't find it in him to even lay down for sleep. He's parked on a couch outside of Steve's office, the paper sitting next to him.]

[vintagecaptain]

[ It's a mixed first day. Steve can't read the jury and the press is..

It's an exhausting day.

He has work to catch up on, including dealing with Rumlow. Steve can be forgiving but there are some people don't get it. There are some people who can't be forgiven.

Eventually he drops onto the couch next to Bucky with a heavy sigh. ]

You just want to order a pizza or something?

[bracchium]

[Bucky has his head bowed and he’s clearly exhausted. He looks more a ghost of himself than ever. He looks over at Steve.]

Yeah. Yeah, that sounds nice.

[vintagecaptain]

It does.

[ Steve gets out his phone and orders four pizzas, which should be enough to feed two super soldiers. He also calls the front desk of the Tower to warn them pizzas coming. ]

You held on really well today.

[bracchium]

Newspaper says different. [Bucky pick up the paper and holds it out for Steve. Bucky’s miserable countenance is the headlining story.]

I didn’t know they’d have him.

[’Him’ being Rumlow.]

[vintagecaptain]

The Daily Bugle is run by a hack. [ He takes it and tosses it away. ]

Yeah, they're not going to have him much longer. I'm looking into it.

[bracchium]

You don’t have to do that.

[Bucky feels entirely dejected from the day. To think that Steve is doing anything for him sounds unnecessary.]

[vintagecaptain]

Yes, I do. I'm the Director. Rumlow's just the sort of guy I'm supposed to put away.

[bracchium]

[Bucky looks over at Steve, his shoulders slumped.]

Do you know where they found him?

[vintagecaptain]

No, but I will. Give me a few days.

[ Steve's tone hardens. ]

Whatever pit they dug him out of, I'm going to put him back.

[bracchium]

[Bucky breathes out a sigh of relief before he nods.]

And hopefully no more surprises.

[Bucky knows there will be character witnesses on his side: Steve, Sam Wilson, Wanda, Pepper Potts. However there could be similar issues from the other side, nevermind that Bucky himself will be testifying.]

[vintagecaptain]

I think we can expect nothing but surprises. The prosecution is doing the best they can.

[ And their best is pretty good. ]

But Murdock and his team have this. They're really good too.

[bracchium]

[Bucky nods. The prosecution is doing their damndest, if he's honest. Murdock is good too, but Bucky doesn't know how they'll stand up to other witnesses, especially those who watched Bucky murder someone in person.

Before Bucky can reply, there's a chime and Friday says,] Your pizza is here Director Rogers.

[vintagecaptain]

Just call me Steve.

[ He grips Bucky's shoulder for a second. ]

I'll be right back.

[ He gets onto the elevator, rides down, and the security guards inform him they were kind enough to give him a tip. And only two reporters tried to sneak in to be the delivery person.

He comes back up and brings the pizzas right to the couch. This is not an eat in the kitchen off plates kind of day. ]

What do you want to drink?