a_musingly | [CLOSED TO disassembling

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[CLOSED TO disassembling - Not really a vacation

Las Vegas had changed quite a bit in the last 70 years. The last time he was here this was only a back water town, a pit stop on the USO tour on their way west. Now it was an entire city that catered to tourists. Steve wandered around among the flashy buildings and (mostly) gaudily dressed tourists in the strip, looking for signs that matched the descriptions in the report he was given for HYDRA.

Nothing. Nothing that stood out to him of course.

Usually something like this was best assigned to Natasha or Clint, but Clint was on medical leave, and he'd been outvoted when it came to another mission that Bucky and Natasha had left on a day before he'd left. Thor and Bruce wasn't even considered and Tony had meetings Ms. Potts had said he was not allowed to get out of unless it was a global emergency. Tony had clapped on on the back and told him to go wild, which Steve had rolled his eyes at. He shook his head at a poster advertising spa and massages and decided to find somewhere quieter for lunch away from the main strip.

Of course, it was on his way out that he spotted a familiar face, a HYDRA agent they'd been on the lookout for the last few months. Of course Steve will put off his lunch to follow. And of course, something will go wrong and the last Steve remembered was feeling a pinch at the back of his neck and then blacking out

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His lips moved as he repeated this phrase about three pigs, and he would admit that from what he knew of pigs, it was likely to be applicable to Steve. There had been mistakes made on missions, but they were easily corrected in a team situation where one covered for the other, though he suspected that Steve considered other things a mistake. It wasn't like they spoke on such matters much, preferring to work forward rather than look back at this point with his memory slowly filling in. "I don't care if people know or not," he pointed out softly. "It's just the media has been very fixated on your love life more so lately." Obviously nothing exciting was happening, since the media tended to do that he noted.

He pushed himself up from his seat, though everything that he had brought with him fit into a backpack by the door. There was nothing more for him to bring. It wasn't his vacation to start with, though it had turned into one. "I'll wait for you here," he said, since he didn't think Steve needed the distraction of him helping to pack.

He hadn't been offended by the comparison to three pigs; Steve is well aware that he's stubborn. Being such has had it's advantages from the time when he was a small sickly thing to even now as a healthy, well-built adult fighting things he couldn't even have dreamed of years passed. "I only care about what you think. And the impact on you. You might not find it so easy to slip away when people find out about us...they'll be more people then ever...there cameras and such...trained on you when they know. It won't be pleasant to say the least." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "And I know they've been far too interested lately...I'm hoping something else distracts them soon."

He leaned forward to kiss the corner of Bucky's mouth. "I won't be long." Steve promised. He was as eager as Bucky to leave, as pleasant this suite of rooms has been for the last day. And as promised, he was fast in packing up. He had more than Bucky but not much more. His time in the army had taught him how to pack quickly and light. Even if he could lift more than other people didn't mean he wanted to.

He hoisted his duffle back over one shoulder and the shield was held loosely in his other arm. "Ready to go?"

He raised an eyebrow at Steve's notion that he couldn't disappear easily even in the face of flashing cameras and interested civilians. Besides, he generally only appeared in any sort of public setting with Steve or one of the Avengers. That meant he was fully willing to abandon them to deal with the clicking cameras and questions. "I think I can manage, but when I do, you'll be facing the questions by yourself. Slipping away is one of my many skills," he said with a faint flicker of a smirk. "Our disappearance might do that."

He prowled through the suite only to make certain that no item of theirs were left behind, but everything was gathered and stowed away. He returned to stand by the door of the room quietly as he waited for Steve who wasn't very long at all. He reached down to grab his own small backpack and slung it over his shoulder as he pulled open the door and stepped out as a way of an answer.

He padded down the hallway to the stairs rather than the elevator, taking them two at a time without appearing to be in any manner of a hurry. He paused at the lobby area and looked back at Steve. "Do you need to check out or are we just leaving?"

It wasn't that Steve thought Bucky couldn't do it, just that all that attention determinedly trained on him would make it harder. "At least my experience selling war bonds won't go to waste." He said dryly and shrugged. It wouldn't be the first time he had to perform for an audience anyway and he often went to bat for some of the other Avengers when it came to press meetings. He shrugged again at the idea that both of them disappearing would gather more media attention. "If it happens, it happens and we'll deal with it. Otherwise I'm not going to borrow trouble when there's none to be had right now."

He followed Bucky down the stairs at a more sedate pace, taking the stairs one at a time. "Yeah I do. Gotta pick up the keys to our rental car too at the same time." He held out the shield to Bucky. "Hold on for this for a minute while I deal with it?"

And deal with it he did. The hotel staff was as courteous and efficient as before, though Steve thought he caught a more interested look than he used to get. Well, the cleaning staff won't find anything too incriminating in the suite they left behind, or so he thought. "Done!" He said cheerfully when he returned to Bucky, holding up the keys to the car. "Car's waiting for us in the parking lot. And Bruce sent me something interesting while I was checking out. A link called most perfect road trip according to scientists. I thought we can follow it for a while...it hits some of the places I've been wanting to look at, like the Grand Canyon."

He nodded his head and took the shield, tucking it under his arm where he deemed it to be safest, and he lingered on the edge of a shadow even in the well-lit lobby. Most people only glanced slightly at him, accepting that he was there but passing him off as something that was not worth taking more notice of, like a statue or other art that could be acknowledged but otherwise ignored. It was exactly the way that he wanted it while he waited for Steve to finish up with the hotel.

He nodded his head in acknowledgement before peering at the link that Bruce had provided and examined the rather extensive map that had been provided. The route would take them a long time to complete, let along even from where they started to getting back to New York. "This map seems like it will take us a long time to even get a quarter way through," he said as he walked with Steve to where they were apparently picking up a car.

"Are we going to follow it until New York?"

It was still surprising to Steve that people could just overlook Bucky like that even when he was out in broad daylight and holding his actual shield in plain sight. He knows that they saw him but it was like his presence didn't register in their minds at all at something to take note of. It was something he could never manage and probably why Natasha nad Bucky were so sucessful at their specialities.

"It's not like we don't have time or funds." Steve said with a cheerful grin. Something like this would be such a foreign thing when they'd been both younger. The idea of not having to hold down a job or the freedom to go where he pleased, do what he wished, with whoever he liked. He wouldn't have been able to even imagine it back then. "Unless an emergency happens and we have to assemble. We can follow it as long as we like, or don't as long as we like." They reached the car and Steve stowed his luggage and the seat in the backseat. He was glad to note the car wasn't anything fancy like the ones Tony liked to collect, but looked fairly like any other car in the parking lot.

That was very true, as they had both time and funds, so long as the world didn't decide to have a major crisis that required Steve's immediate attention. He peered at the car when the arrived at the lot, pleased that it was nondescript and easily blended into the surroundings. He still walked around it, getting down to peer under the carriage to examine for signs of tampering. He then forced the hood open to examine the engine carefully before he determined that it was safe enough to drive.

"And we can stop anywhere we want," he agreed as he dropped the hood back down so that it would latch properly. Then he prowled to the passenger's side of the vehicle and climbed inside to get comfortable. "This car is acceptable."

Steve waited patiently as he watched Bucky check the car for tempering and bugs. He had to admit it didn't occur to him to do this, even though he's seen Natasha and even Barton do this several times. Bucky was clearly the more paranoid of the two of them when it came to their safety and Steve really didn't mind the few minutes of extra wait to that would make them feel more comfortable. "I'm glad you approve." He laughed as he got into the driver's side and readjusted the seat and mirrors for his height.

He's always had a good memory for streets and maps and it wasn't long before they've left the city proper. "I've been talking about what I've been wanting to see...what about you? Anything you want to see?" It occurred to him as he turned onto the highway that maybe he's been a bit selfish and he remembered Bucky talked about seeing California once many years ago but was a lifetime ago for both of them.

He shifted in the seat, getting comfortable before he belted himself in, aware that the best thing for them to do was not to draw attention to themselves on the road. He looked around the vehicle from all angles before sneaking a sidearm into the glovebox just in case one was necessary. The rest of his weapons were still hidden on his person otherwise.

He looked out the passenger's side window and the windshield as they left town, experiencing a sensation of being too exposed for his liking. It was interesting to people watch from this angle. "No, I just want to be with you," he said with a small shrug. "I don't remember most of the places that I've been before, though I doubt any of it was ever sight-seeing."

Steve was more used to driving on his bike than in a proper car. He really did prefer feeling the wind in his face and going light and fast. The car was more secure though and he didn't think Bucky would enjoy long rides in a sidecar or even behind him on a motorbike. He didn't even see the sidearm Bucky snuck into the globebox though he was aware Bucky kept many weapons on himself. After the last day or so in HYDRA's care, he was inclined towards safety first. At least for the next week or so if it remained HYDRA-free.

"No, you're right." He grimaced at the acknowledgement that most of the places Bucky's been to was for 'work', either for HYDRA or in the army. And he hasn't been many places himself, before the ice. Economically not feasible and his poor health made it hard to travel otherwise. "You...you talked about seeing the ocean from California once. That was a long time ago though." Unsaid was the offer to turn the car around and head towards California instead of their planned route to go east.

He could settle himself on a motorcycle, but he doubted either of them would be content with that arrangement long term. It was very vulnerable on a motorcycle after all, and he would constantly be checking for observation and danger rather than looking at whatever sights they decided they were goings. He was, in his own way, perfectly content to be on guard, but he thought it would also grate on Steve who wanted to relax with him and they could lounge about and enjoy themselves on this once in a lifetime opportunity.

"California, hmm?" He looked out the window, examining the desert that stretched out before them and shook his head. "Let's see the ocean in Florida," he said instead. When had he ever seen the ocean just to enjoy it? When had he had an opportunity to pick Steve up and throw his friend into the ocean? "I hear it's nice this time of year, but it's not yet full of flocking tourists."

Steve understood in a way, Bucky's need to watch for threats but Steve could never rest easy knowing that Bucky wasn't taking his rest as well. It was one thing to keep watch for one another, it was reciprocal and that was fine; it was another for him to be resting day after day while another person guarded him. He'll feel doubly awful because this is supposed to be their vacation together.

Seeing the sea from Florida was just fine with him; he had never been himself. They could see California another time and no doubt would, since Tony occasionally talked about taking them all there to his Malibu place. And the sea, the beaches in Florida would be very different from the seemingly endless desert that stretched out before them. He had taken dives into the sea for work, it'll be interesting maybe even fun to jump into one for play instead. Maybe he could even persuade Bucky to join him (or pull him in unsuspectingly). "That'll be nice...less people to stare and gossip. Any other places?"

It was difficult to just think and name places, since the memories or place names that he knew had often involved either a safe-house or a mission of some kind. It didn't seem like a good reason to revisit such things except perhaps to see if he would remember more while he was there. His missions were not particularly aspects that he wanted to relive unless there was pertinent information involved in doing so.

"We won't have to strip down or anything at the beach, yes?" He figured that he would stay fully clothed for the entire trip outside of his time with Steve because his arm was a dead giveaway of what and who he was. He did not want to risk their vacation because of the glaring light reflecting off the metal plates. "I don't know. None of the places in my mind seem like the kind we should go to."

"It's fine. You're tell me whenever you want to stop or think of something you want to see, okay?" He might be pushing it a bit but he wants Bucky to be absolutely comfortable telling him he wants to stop or go. There was plenty of time after all and it wasn't even that they were confined to this one trip. They could always come out again, on another vacation, to anywhere that Bucky wanted to go and see.

"No, not if you don't want to." Steve replied immediately in response to the question about stripping down. "Whatever you're comfortable with." He could tell immediately what Bucky's concern was, that Bucky's arm would draw them attention they don't want or need. He doesn't even have a swimming trunks with him anyway and he has a feeling stripping down to even just that would get them more attention than he'd be comfortable with.

As they chatted while they drove, it wasn't long before the desert they were passing by started filling up with green of grass and trees and farmland. Steve figured they could drive until they were hungry then look for a likely town or even gas station for food.

He had to nod his head because even looking at the map that they were following wasn't exact on the types of things that he might actually be curious of seeing. He simply thought that it would be random where they stopped, a point of interest or something that caught their eye as they drove. He was also prepared to drive if Steve wanted a break, though for the time being, he was quite content to just look out the passenger's side window and watch the scenery pass them by. He normally was always looking for points of attack or escape, not admiring the landscape like he was actually trying to do now.

So they drove on the road and chatted about either nothing in particular or commenting on something in the world beyond their car. Within a few hours, he was content enough to toe off his boots and settle his socked feet on the dash of the car, the window rolled down so that he could feel the breeze on his face and moving his hair, arms laid contently across his own belly.

"We should do this across Europe at some point," he finally mentioned. Avoid the big cities and just see the countryside over there."

Steve smiled to see Bucky so relaxed that the other man actually took off his boots and put his feet up on the dash, even though that was normally a behaviour he'd be chiding others for. And at least Bucky took off the boots so no damage could be done to the dash. He's never seen his friend so relaxed outside of their apartment in Brooklyn. It drove home the idea that this road trip was the best idea he's had and his face lit up at the proposal of another one in Europe. "Yeah...that'll be really nice. I don't think either of us go to see anything other than war in Europe. It'll be nice to take in the local sights without people trying to kill us." He wouldn't mind even dropping by the big cities like Paris, if only to take a tour of the art museums there.

They'd driven all day, only to stop briefly a little after lunch for a short food and restroom break. Steve glanced at the map on his phone and judged they were only and hour or two away from Phoenix, Arizona. The sun was already setting however. "Want to stop at the next town or drive on to the big city about two hours away?" He asked. Either was fine with him though he thought Bucky might prefer the town as there was less people. Or they could even drive all night though Steve would like some time to stretch his legs a bit.

There were places that he had never remembered seeing or if he had, they were places he hadn't appreciated much at all. Before it had all been about the mission, but he continually reminded himself that it was about them and the places they were traveling through. "There are probably a lot of war museums and honorariums over there," he said softly, turning his head on the head rest to look at Steve. "We should... go and see those too, pay our respects to our fallen comrades or at least the brave men who fought the same war as us regardless of the side they were on."

True to his word, he hadn't decided to urinate in the bushes on pit stops, though he still wasn't so certain why it required an actual bathroom. "Stop at the next town. I need to stretch my legs, maybe go for a run," he said, his socked feet against up on the dash, but his ankles were crossed this time. He was alright with big cities, but he preferred the outskirt towns because it was less likely that they would be outright recognized. "Besides, you're probably tired of driving."

It was novel, the way they could stop and go as they please, to pass by things that didn't interest them and to linger over those that did. There was no mission or deadline driving them save their own enthusiasm. He returned the look Bucky gave him with a slightly surprised look of his own. Steve had never thought Bucky would want to visit those places. "Yes...yes, we should." He was a little ashamed that he'd never considered it himself. But his friend was right, they should pay their respects; it was only right of them to do so.

Steve hasn't forgotten Bucky's previous idea of urinating out in the open instead of a proper washroom so he'd been watching closely every time they stopped. "Alright. And yeah, you're right, I could stretch my legs. Missed my usual run this morning." He gave Bucky a boyish grin. "We could make a race out of it?" A little healthy competition never hurt anyone and it was less destructive than a full out spar. After a day in a car, both of them had plenty of energy to burn.

Given how many years that he had missed out on, it seemed fitting to return to the places that had, in part, made him who he was today. There were many who sacrificed their freedom and after his stint serving the ideals he had once fought against, it felt important to return to what he he known for so long. "Next trip. This trip is for us; the next trip will be for them, our comrades-in-arms who fell to give us the freedom that we know now."

He nodded his head, gazing out the window again before tilting his head to regard the grin that Steve wore. He felt the surge of challenge and huffed noisily in reply, all gusto. "It won't be much of a race considering how badly I would beat you. Save your pride, Rogers, but if you really want to get beat, I'll race you."

Steve felt a warm glow inside of him as Bucky spoke of future! trips. That they could plan out a future together, even if it was something as small as a short vacation for just the two of them. It gave him hope that there could be even more than that for the two of them. He smiled again as he responded, eyes far away for a moment as he drove. "As you wish. And after that...we could go to Europe like you want, explore the countryside there."

His grin turned broader at Bucky's positive, almost enthusiastic reply to his challenge of a race. "Well, we shall see, won't we, which one of us has any pride left at the end." Steve took the next exit off the highway and before long they were driving through a quiet little town. He consulted his phone and manoeuvred towards a motel with what he hoped free beds. "Let's get settled in and we can find a suitable spot for a little foot race."

"We can disappear into the countryside and just take our time doing whatever we want," he said a little wistfully. It wasn't that he didn't mind this, but he still chaffed on the idea that they could be tracked and called in at any time. He was so used to just disappearing and reappearing as it suited him that he sometimes liked to forget that Steve wasn't under the same obligation load as he was. "We won't even go to all the tourist places. Just wherever we want that's quiet. You can sketch to your heart's content."

He growled low in his throat, all ramping up pride to the challenge. It didn't matter who won in the end because they were together and he had never particularly measured himself against Steve often unless it was just play wrestling. "Very well. Do you want me to get the room so there is less chance you'll be asked for an autograph?"

He had to admit that when he volunteered for Project Rebirth that no one warned him (neither did he think of it himself) that there would be a near constant demand for his presence, not just for his fighting prowess in battle. Steve had gotten used to it eventually, and was able to carve out some private time for himself but it was part and parcel of Captain America that he may be called back any time. He'd made his piece with it some time ago. "There are some art galleries and museums I'm hoping to see. But quiet sounds lovely." And it was a reminder he hasn't touched his sketch books in a while. He didn't even bring them with him this trip.

The sound of Bucky growling made heat coil up inside him. They'd never really competed seriously against each other (not even their spars inside the Tower's training rooms counted, and their play wrestling definitely didn't) and Steve has never considered any need for it. "Yes please. I'll take a look around in the meantime...this is a quiet area and maybe we can race here." He parked the car in the motel's parking lot neatly.

"You should practice a German accent to fit with a disguise that you can wear over there," he pointed out helpfully. He needed no particular assistance as he could speak fluent Russian and have an appropriate non-American accent.

Once they were parked, he eased out of the vehicle and stretched, working the blood back into his limbs before he prowled around to the trunk where he could get out their luggage while Steve got them a room. It would be good to leave the car here near the office regardless of where their room was for both safety and to avoid people watching them figure out their room too easily.

"Why German?" Steve asked curiously. "Why no French or even British?" Steve had picked up some German during the war, they all had but he was by no means completely fluent in it. "And what kind of disguise do you have in mind for me?" He'd already decided on growing a beard this trip to see how it worked out as a disguise and a baseball cap was universal, right?

The person manning the front desk was more interested in their phone than the supersoldier asking for a room. Steve was back out in a minute with an key number. They didn't have much luggage; a backpack for Bucky and a slightly bigger one for Steve. He retrieved his shield from the back of the car, seeing that Bucky had the rest. "The town's not too big. We could do a lap around the perimeter in less than an hour...or I could at least." He said casually as he led the way to their room.

"Because no one will expect it," he said simply. People overlooked or missed details that were not within their scope of expectations and who would think Captain America would slide under the radar as a German? "A tourist of some kind. Sunglasses, a different hair style, maybe a fake visible scar."

They generally packed light, unless it was a complicated mission. He didn't have to wait long for Steve to come with a room key and hefted their two rather light bags. "And since I'm going to leave you in my dust, I'll be done in three-quarters of an hour," he replied simply, smirking. "We'll drop our stuff off and stretch and then go, yes?"

[CLOSED TO disassembling - Not really a vacation

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