ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴀ ᴋɪᴅ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴅᴏᴍɪɴᴏ ᴍᴀꜱᴋ

“ yes. “ the answer is quick, blunt. the idea ‘better them than me‘ has been imbedded deep in the soldier's conscience for the better part of a century. a survival tactic he wears like a second skin.

he points the rifle down and to the side away from the man, all the while his face adopts something akin to amusement. “ it's what your generation calls protecting my peace, i think. “ james's head tilts, brows raised.

Queenie studies him for a moment, watching the familiar way his expression shutters whenever a conversation gets too close to something tangible. She huffs a laugh through her nose and shakes her head. Brows perk among her seemingly irritated expression as she glances away. "Tell me something true. Just once." She urges...A beat. "Not the version you give strangers," She continues, daring, eyes flashing to greet him once more, this time with a bit of fire. "Not the one you tell yourself so you can sleep at night. Something real."

always feels like a dance when he's with queenie ... more so than with other people. easier to lie, easier to pretend. it takes a certain amount of power for the winter soldier to stop lying to himself too ——— there comes a point where he himself can't tell which part is reality or a well fabricated disguise.

james fights the initial instinct to make a smart remark — a sly little comment that eases him away from the accusation. [ this is a lot to ask. choose carefully. ] his father — even his own brothers in arms — had regarded james's quick mouth. he scrunches his nose, turning silver-blue eyes away from the woman, but not completely such that she escapes in his peripheral.

“ ... i'm tired, i'm. beat. “ he'd spent decades avoiding death, running from the day he'll be deemed obsolete on either side. death chased him and he feared the exact moment, perhaps the same as any other man, when that'll happen. how it'll happen, he expects, will be just as terrible as the dread of waiting. “ but i don't think i can quit, ... all this. “ thus came part of his confession that he has come to terms with most. he almost swallows it down. “ if i'm not the one cleaning it up, when i can help, “ his hands close to fists. “ then who will? “

starting over - are you a little overwhelmed with where our thread is going? let me know, and i'd be happy to start a new one with you!

pausing - if you're feeling one thread more than another we have going on, that's perfectly fine! you're welcome to let me know if you'd like, but it's not a necessity.

multiples - if we have a ship that you love and you have many ideas for them, always feel welcome to throw them at me no matter what! while it may affect my reply speed due to having more, it doesn't affect my interest at all!

regrouping - maybe we initially had an idea that didn't pan out but you don't know how to say it? just shoot me a message and let me know you'd like to plot further/something else.