12545/Owed drink

Owed drink
Date of Scene:	12 December 2020
Location:	Harry's Hideaway (Bar), Salem Centre
Synopsis:	Two warriors stopped long enough to have a beer together.
Cast of Characters:	Warpath, Winter Soldier

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Warpath has posed:
While not the most social of people, Jimmy is always good as hiis word so when he gets a chance to places a call to meet for that promised drink. He sits near the back, but it is nearly impossible to miss the man mountain in any setting. He has a file folder open and he is thumbing through a few papers within it.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    While the sound of a motorbike pulling up to the bar isn't that unusual, the connoisseurs may notice that this particular engine note has only been heard once before at Harry's. After a few short moments, Bucky enters the bar, nods to the bartender and orders two beers in a short, economical gesture that appears to be understood by all bar staff as well now as it was a century ago.

    Luckily he doesn't have to look at all for the person he's meeting, carrying both beers by the neck to the table, and setting one in front of James before sitting down in the chair opposite. "Long overdue, but delivered as promised."

    A keen glance takes in the man, and then he nods again. "How've you been, James?"

Warpath has posed:
     Watching the other arrive he waits for him to enter. As he approaches he offers a trace of a smile and indicates him to take a seat as he does,"It's been a while, but somehow I just get the feeling you've been busier than I have and that's saying something." Once he settles into the seat, Jimmy rests his hand on the beer placed before him.

     "As for how have I been? I'm glad it is Christmas break." he admits and closes the file folder for now,"Preparing curriculum for next semester." There might be something almost comical about the idea that he is a teacher,"Over all I have been well. Yourself?"

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "Busy, as you guessed. Some things never wait, and when they do it's only so they can try to hit harder." A swig of his bear and a shake of the head. This is Bucky at his most human... but then, he's having a post-battle drink with a comrade in arms. It's one of those rituals that's sacred enough for him to drop almost every pretence.

    "You said you were a teacher." Bucky nods to the folder. "Ororo confirmed it a little while ago. Told me a few other things as well, which on the whole I have handily forgotten several times since. What do you teach, PE? Art? Music?"

Warpath has posed:
     Raising the bottle for a drink as well, Jimmy nods as he listens to Bucky's comments,"It never ends. What would we do if it did? I would hate to be bored." Setting the bottle down on the table again he adds,"I teach social studies. The sort of history that happened as opposed to what so many people want to say happened these days."

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "That what they're calling that these days?" With a creak of his leather jacket, Bucky leans back, beer in hand, eyes far away for a moment. "Used to just call that getting schooling. Y'know, to not be some kind of ignorant bumpkin that thinks doing the Great War all over again would be a damned good idea, because it's easier than trying to argue with a dangerous movement on the other side of the world. And despite all that, still getting blind sided in the Pacific." With a sigh, he shakes his head and tastes the beer again. Just an old warrior griping about the folly of war.

    "And what we'd do? Pretty much anything we want, I suppose, long as it's far away from guns, explosions and sudden loud noises. Or people who say the wrong thing too often in too short a time. So, farming I'd guess."

Warpath has posed:
     He raises the bottle towards you in a salute and sighs,"The problem being these damn books are not telling the whole story." He lets that settle for a second,"When I read in a history book that the Cherokee moved to make room for the new white neighbors..." He shakes his head again and takes a drink. After that he agrees,"I have a large farming operation. The temptation is high to just go back there and stay there. Let the wars go as they will and so long as they don't come my way..." He shrugs and leaves it at that.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    The salute is returned, and another swig of beer is used to marshal a response. How can one man, a man who has lived a life longer than should be possible in the pursuit of war, tell another warrior that there are still things worth fighting for? The bottle thumps on the table, and Bucky leans forwards, elbows on the table.

    "Moved to make way... Around the other side of the world, they said a certain group were 'allowed to leave India'. Or 'chose to leave'. We both know what happens when you let things like that rest on paper for posterity to read."

    "And hiding away, in a remote corner of the world? That just means that when the war comes your way... not if, but when... when the war comes your way, you'll be alone, outnumbered, and short of allies. Sometimes you gotta farm patience and plant truth, sometimes you need to take that plough and forge it into a sword."

Warpath has posed:

     "When we looked at the paper, the Cherokee were driven down the Trail of Tears and abused all the way." he agrees with a nod,"Apparently that was on the paper too long so it had to evolve." He takes another drink and admits,"My entire tribe was killed in the past, so if I went back to the farm I'd have no allies close when trouble came calling. That's probably why I am back to teaching and other...." he considers the words,"...unsavory pursuits when called upon. Speaking of, I am glad you came along when you did, we gother back on the healed side and she left again so I hope that doesn't make all our effort a waste of time."

     There is a smirk as he considers the last, a play on scriptural statment,"There are a great deal of swords needed of late sadly. No matter where you look, be it mutant or something else. There's always someone coming down on someone just trying to help out."

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "Feels like you're always fighting something or other, doesn't it? You save one person, you stop one attack, next one is just around the corner." Bucky agrees, not commenting on the unsavory pursuits. He knows what they are. Someone in his profession makes it a point to know, and especially, when it's important to have a sudden attack of highly focused memory failure.

    "Glad to hear she turned out okay. As for it being a waste of time, look at it this way... there's people who were there who ain't never gonna forget they got their asses handed to them even when they had the guns, the prepared position and the most bad ass backup they could have hoped for. We didn't just rescue your friend that night, we broke the back of a whole new future terrorist group. But, and this is probably even more important, your friend lived to make mistakes again. That's the point of life anyway. If we all did it perfectly, it'd be no fun."

    Not quite bargain bin wisdom, but it's all he has right now.

    "Look, I ain't gonna ask you questions you won't wanna answer. But if you ever need some kind of speaker for your class, give me a call. I can tell them things about the sequel to the Great War and the actual experience of the Blitz they don't write down somewhere."

Warpath has posed:
     "Always fighting." he agrees and takes a drink of the beer. His phone buzzes something and he sigh, glancing at it,"School phone. I have to watch that one. Too many kids making dumb decisions in life on their best days." He studies it and shakes his head.

     He takes another drink and nods,"We all have a right to make dumb mistakes I suppose." he agrees,"It was a good time to kick that lot in the teeth and a great pleasure to see Marko get tossed around like a toy." Taking another drink he sighs and makes to get ready to go,"Apparently I have a group of students that got themselves into a scrape and I'm on call to go check on them." He considers the offer and he nods,"I would appreciate that yes. I had considered asking you that since last we saw each other. Maybe I could take the kids on the field trip somewhere pertinent and get a surprise cameo from a living link to the Great War."

Winter Soldier has posed:
    By the time that phone rings, Bucky's beer is near enough empty, so he's not too unhappy that this post battle ritual is coming to an end. Things always do, somehow, and in all things the end is important.

    "You've got my number. Call if you need to, call if you want to. If I can, I'll answer. And whatever I can do, I will do."

    There's a slightly out of place smile, all of a sudden. "We gotta stick together. Some people will always fight the fight that needs fighting. Might as well fight it together."

Warpath has posed:
     He pauses and sends to numbers in a text to him,"The first one is my numer. The second is a student who would like to speak with you. You met her. One of the winged girls from the other night." The last part barely audible,"She'd like to talk with you. Call me if you need as well."

     He smirks a little too, his own smile doesn't seem to fit too well either,"Two old war horses ready to charge into the next one without question." He stands up and nods,"Thanks for the beer. Thanks for the offer for help as well. Watch your back out there Soldier."