It's the two men who are the least able to express themselves...

[honeyibrokeharlem]

Who | Bruce Banner and Bucky Barnes
What | They're the first of their group to find each other.
Where | One of the first floor restrooms.
When | Early evening on the first day of the arena
Warnings/Notes | Mentions of violence and torture, descriptions of first aid.

Bruce's arms needed re-wrapping. He was leaned up against one of the bathroom sinks, one of his scorched and blistered arms unwrapped and sudsy with soap and water. It was hard to wash and re-wrap himself when his hands were so compromised, but he had worked in worse conditions. He could work with this.

Comments

[honeyibrokeharlem]

"Don't worry about it."

While Bruce is far from a trusting man, he has never been a callous one. There's a reason why he has tried so hard to be good and to do good things. He has hurt so many people; he has to do everything in his power to balance out the scales even a little.

"Then we should look around for rope while we're looking for Steve. Maybe we can make one for ourselves if we find suitable clothing or linens." He glances down at his hands again, skeptical of their use for anything much. "How are your knotting skills?"

[tookthewheel]

"Good." he informs him. Tying knots was part of his Winter Soldier arsenal, necessary in a range of situations such as accessing a difficult target location and... and... he thinks of orders, the words to make a kill look like a suicide ring in his head for a moment.

Bucky doesn't chase that memory, let's it go as he focuses on the now, "We need to--"

That's when something changes. There's a metallic rattling at the entrance of the store and Bucky starts to run forward at once but he's too slow now to stop the store shutters from rolling down and slotting into place. He skids to a halt just before them with a noise of frustration and then immediately looks around the interior for any following danger.

[honeyibrokeharlem]

"Shit."

They's trapped. That's not good.

Bruce glances into the store, squinting in the dim light from the exit signs. It looks like they're in a bookstore. He hears the familiar sound of the roombas he had seen crawling around the mall. Hopefully, they're not about to get aggressive.

He takes his knife out just in case, even if it hurts his palm. "Can you see anything?"

His eyes will adjust, but if they're about to be attacked, they don't have time for that.

[tookthewheel]

The lights go dark and Bucky retreats back from the door, jaw clenched. He could try and pry open the door, break the lock... he glances back at Bruce when he speaks, "Not much."

While his eyes adjust he turns to a more trustworthy sense in the darkness. He can him the dim electronic whirring of the little robots, Bruce breathing close by. "I don't hear anyone else." the assassin announces after a moment.

But he has a knife ready just in case.

[honeyibrokeharlem]

All the papers Bruce had left behind when destroying his biography that day are gone. Probably swept away by roombas.

"Let's hope it stays that way."

Bruce turns his attention to the doors. It's hard in the dark, but as his eyes adjust, he lightly runs his fingers along the steel, examining how it's put together.

"How likely is it that something terrible will happen if we try breaking this?"

Maybe the roombas will band together and start eating their feet.

[tookthewheel]

"Likely."

It takes him less than five seconds to decide that. It's the arena, tricks and traps should be suspected at all turns. It was better to be cautious first than recklessly destroy and suffer for it after.

Bucky feels frustrated though, angry for being trapped. They can't reach Steve now.

"Nothing is safe."

[honeyibrokeharlem]

"That's reassuring."

But it's good to think before acting. Bruce paces along the display, looking through any gaps in the metal gate. Gaps are narrow and difficult to see through, but eventually... "It looks like other stores have been locked down, too. It might be on a timer. If it is, it will probably open back up in the morning."

He isn't too fond of the idea of just making camp in a bookstore, but he's not sure he wants to risk tampering with the gate either.

[tookthewheel]

At that news Bucky shakes his head, the rest of him stood stock still and slightly bowed in the dim light.

"We wait then." he doesn't want to risk springing a trap. Bucky has to reach Steve and he has to reach him whole, ready to fight and protect the other man. The bizarre urge to attack the door anyone is forcibly suppressed with a shudder.

At least they know that they're alone in here. He takes off the backpack he'd swiped from the sports store and sets it to the ground, showing little interest in the books around them.

[honeyibrokeharlem]

"Do you have any camping gear?"

Bruce shoves some books from the shelf, letting them fall to the ground so he can put his backpack out of the reach of roombas. "I have a knife, water, food, and clothes. I don't think it's safe to try lighting a fire in here. Ventilation probably isn't good enough and we could set this whole place on fire."

[tookthewheel]

He didn't pick any of that up. Didn't think he would need it.

Bucky opens his pack regardless, food and water he pulls out. A flashlight is next and after a moments thought he offers it to Bruce, in case the other man wants it. He himself is quite comfortable in the dark, it occurs to him others might not be. "The rest is clothes and weapons."

A lot of knives.

[honeyibrokeharlem]

"Thanks." Bruce accepts the flashlight, then covers up one eye with his palm before turning it on. He has to preserve his night vision in one eye, just in case something goes wrong and he has to act quickly in the dark.

He sweeps the flashlight around. There are a couple roombas doing their job, but otherwise, nothing seems out of the ordinary.

He clicks the flashlight off. No need to draw attention to themselves. "Seems safe enough."

He still sits on the window display, away from the roombas. He doesn't trust anything. "Are you hungry? Thirsty? What I have should last us the night."

[tookthewheel]

As soon as he see's Bruce is going to turn it on Bucky simply closes his eyes and waits, letting his hearing guard him as Bruce checks the room with the light. When he hears the click of it being switched off he opens them again, vision unaffected.

The store deemed safe he chooses to kneel down on the floor, setting his hands on his thighs after putting the backpack down. A resting position easily risen from.

"Thirsty." he decides after a moment. His hunger is bearable for now. "You should be careful with food."

It had been limited in the last arena, safe food, that was.