In the Race Against Time, I'll Come Out a Winner [Open]

[pimpcanes]

WHO| Black Tom Cassidy, Molotov Cocktease and you!
WHAT| Joint log for the power couple, come one, come all.
WHEN| First week.
WHERE| A science lab for the joint prompt, anywhere else for the second.
WARNINGS/NOTES| Death and violence in the subthreads. Please let us know in the header if you want Tom or Molotov in specific!

Tom isn't particularly good at hiding his frustration with their current predicament. He'd entertained the fantasy of dominating this Arena, taking a rightful revenge over the people who chose to punish him both inside and out of the ring for playing the game the way the Capitol had so requested. He's in a sour mood for the most part, loath to leave Molotov and yet made irascible by her impediment, no matter how understandable it is (she does have a burn the size of a bread-load across her abdomen).

The twice-an-hour slamming certainly isn't helping matters. Even finding ways to strap themselves in hasn't prevented them from getting roughed up, and Tom has only just managed to keep from complaining. Molotov's worse off than he is, after all. He can only bemoan his bruised face and twisted ankle so much.

They trade off shifts sleeping with limited success. Molotov's injury doesn't seem to be getting infected, which is fortunate, and the Arena is sprawling enough that they've found a science lab to hole up in that hasn't seen much traffic lately. Tom's certain that the relative peace won't last, but he has a theory that the first nasty things the Gamemakers will send at them will be through the ominous abandoned zones in the lower floors.

The one thing he can take great delight in is knowing that he and he alone has the pleasure of resting next to Molotov, even if it is in this terrible environment. For all the troubles of adjusting to a partnership where they're both calling shots, rather than him being the de facto brains of the operation, he appreciates the company. It's worth the irritation of having to consult another person who can't be easily swayed.

The science lab, thankfully, has a window of one-way glass, and he and Molotov spend their time behind that, watching as people come through. He's sure that once upon a time, scientists were supposed to stand behind this, watching their test subjects. They have no friends, but some of the people they'd rather not pick a fight with they let pass unharmed.

As for the others, Tom's quite fond of wandering out from behind the pane of glass with a bit of a swagger to his limp to add some drama to the impending conflict.

-/-

Tom's not afraid when he scouts out the empty corridors, but he is wary. The limitations of his powers have become painfully obvious in this Arena, and with his reputation very well ruined by the events of the last one, he can't afford many chance encounters. He has faith that he and Molotov can win, one or the other, but not that their luck will make it happen.

There's a fine line between arrogance and overconfidence.

He has Molotov's switchblade tucked against his wrist, ready to emerge at a moment's notice. This time, he doesn't bother with pleasantries with anyone who's seen footage of him in the last Arena; he either avoids them entirely or he engages them with militaristic efficiency. He pauses at corners and listens at each one to make sure he doesn't just stumble across someone, and he keeps to shadows when he can, never entering a room with too many places for someone to catch him unawares.

Comments

[tookthewheel]

He can feel the strain of it. The pulls where the metal melds into flesh and deeper still, where the supportive housing for the arm bolts onto his ribcage A sharp bolt of panic flashes through the Soldier, prompting an immediate change of tactics.

Instead of pulling backwards to rip himself free Bucky instead hurls himself forwards into Thor, using his legs to brace against the ground and apply greater force. If Thor is surprised by the move it might be enough to break out of the hold so he can roll forwards and free. Then he can bring the metal arm into combat.

The Soldier's focus has narrowed down to the fight, though he can hear Carlos talking he doesn't pay him much heed, not so long as Thor remains a threat.

[worldsaway]

Unlike Bucky, there's a small part of Thor that still heeds Carlos when he speaks. His gaze shifts to him briefly, enough so that Bucky's hurling roll breaks his hold as planned. His moment of hesitation is over, though. He snaps back into action without much acknowledgement toward Carlos.

The truth is, he feels like an incredible fool right now. His fight isn't with Bucky, it's with Tom. He needs to get him out of the way so he can continue his pursuit. He's fast on his feet, lurching forward to grab at the fabric of Bucky's costume near his stomach and shoulder.

If he can, he'll lift him off the floor over his head abruptly. He lets out little more than a strained grunt before he hurls the Soldier toward the vacant space that Tom once preoccupied.

[youbarium]

Carlos's golden retriever is completely out of control, off the leash and mauling the raccoon. He buries his face in one hand and sighs. At this point, Carlos isn't sure if he should step in further or just wait until Thor is done.

He'll wait another couple of seconds and only speak up again if it looks like they're about to do each other serious harm.

[tookthewheel]

Once free of Thor's grip the Soldier starts to back up, wanting to give himself a little more space and time to assess the situation but his opponent isn't about to let him. He finds himself seized and lifted, in the moment of which he attempts to lash out downwards with his left arm at Thor, trying to strike anywhere he can reach with the power of the cybernetic behind the blow.

Then Thor throws him.

Bucky does his best on landing to relax and go with the momentum of his fall, rolling across the ground but wincing when his arm catches on the metal floor with a resounding clang that he hopes won't be a dinner bell to anything nearby. He pulls his legs up and brings them forward with enough force to flip his body up off the ground and back onto his feet.

Then he charges forwards, bringing up both hands to launch a quick succession of blows at Thor's face, neck and chest if he's able.

[worldsaway]

The clang of Bucky's arm against the floor is immensely satisfying, but it's also somewhat of a wake up call. He considers what he's doing, considers the fact that Tom is gone and considers the fact that Bucky is now charging at him again.

His reflexes are fast, so he's quick to use his arms as shields against the tide of hits aimed at him. He manages to land a hit once or twice and eventually Thor loses patience and gives him a rough shove backward to get him out of range.

"He is gone!" He exclaims finally, gesturing at the place his Tom would be if he had one. He looks about wildly from Bucky, to the space and to Carlos and takes another step back so he can freely let out a growl of frustration.

[tookthewheel]

Bucky backpedals, working to keep his balance and not go tumbling at the shove. At this point he's breathing more heavily, staring back at Thor through a curtain of dark tangled hair before the words that are being spoken trickle through the battle haze and he realises that Thor isn't fighting anymore.

Flicking his eyes to the place where Tom, where his target, should be makes him feel another bolt of irritation. He failed and that feeling cuts deep, worse than anything thanks to careful cultivation and conditioning by his HYDRA handlers.

"Which way?" the question is growled in Carlos' direction, who was watching the whole thing. He has to correct this.

[youbarium]

Carlos's frustration had turned to genuine fear for a moment there -- for a second, he had been unsure of whether he could break them apart. But thank Goddard they're both seeing reason. He rubs his forehead with one hand.

"That way," he says, pointing down the hall with the other. "Thor, don't even think about going after him. Tom Cassidy is not the most important thing here."

It's an innocuous enough statement, but it's meant to remind Thor that this is an opportunity they can't afford to throw away on grudgewank.

[worldsaway]

Thor tenses, shifting on his feet as if prepared to race Bucky when Carlos points him in the right direction. He lets out a loud breath, almost exactly like a petulant huff, when Carlos chides him. It's partly because he wants to fight him on it and partly because it's true and he knows it.

He squares his shoulders defiantly, not letting them slump whatsoever so he doesn't look half as petulant as he feels. He steps toward Carlos, but he moves past him and keeps walking. He says nothing to either of them, he just assumes Carlos is going to follow him.

[tookthewheel]

Bucky says nothing either. He only nods once at Carlos before taking off at a run in the direction he pointed. Between him and Thor the target had been moderately injured, he shouldn't have got far by this point, Bucky can still kill him.

He's relieved when Thor doesn't follow, still full of anger at the Asgardian for his interference in the first place (and uncertain of his ability to stop him should they come to trading blows again). It doesn't matter though because despite his best efforts he won't find Tom again this arena, the chance has passed him by, leaving only frustration in its wake.

[youbarium]

And Carlos, of course, trails after Thor, relieved that that hadn't gone wore. More than anything else, he looks like a hapless owner being dragged along by a great big sulky dog.

He'll find out later, he supposes, if Bucky actually finds Tom. Right now, though, on Carlos's List of Worrying Things, Tom Cassidy is a minor annoyance. He has bigger fish to electrocute.