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[sinne]

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[bionicstaringmachine]

It's the universe's way of giving you a taste of your own medicine for being a pain in the ass all the time. When you were gonna fall over 'cause someone so much as breathed near you wrong and wouldn't back down when you should, it probably decided it needed you to be as frustrated as you make some of the other people in your life.

The ones that know you, not the symbol anyway.

[ Even with all that said, there's a fondness in it - of course there is, he's been in love with her for as long as he can remember, even when there were other women in the mix there - and a lot of his grousing when it comes to her is an exaggeration at best most of the time. ]

[dysmorphics]

So people like... you?

[ Who else is left who knows her from Before? ]

I'd apologize, but you're a bigger pain in the ass. Does that mean you're a masochist too?

[ ... should she even be broaching this topic 🫣 ]

[bionicstaringmachine]

Or people who know you underneath everything the rest of the world's seeing. Away from the shield, the outfit and the speeches.

[ He knows there's a few from her team who fit the bill, but he is the only one from before the serum or even before either of them ended up in deep freeze, who's left from back then. Carter, the Howling Commandos, Stark, they're not around anymore to weigh in and he's to blame for one of them. ]

But mostly me. I'm the one who's gotten the most of it over the years. Wilson and Romanoff might disagree but don't let 'em fool you.

Looking at the people I let into my life? Yeah, I guess I must be.

[dysmorphics]

Must be a generational thing. We did grow up during the Great Depression.

[ So... he's attracted to frustrating people too? Huh. ]

[bionicstaringmachine]

You think growing up like we did is why we're attracted to people who frustrate us? We like things being difficult and causing us a lot of grief?

[ A beat, like he's going to let it lie there and then: ]

Yeah, that makes sense.

[dysmorphics]

Guess that explains our shitty luck with dating.

[bionicstaringmachine]

And here I thought it was because we're old fashioned and no one knows how to deal with us.

[dysmorphics]

Same difference?

I'd date you, but I know I'm not your type.

[ ..................... text is harmless, this is fine! ]

[bionicstaringmachine]

What do you know about my type, Rogers? It’s been a long time since I thought about what my type is.

[ Maybe it’s changed over the decades, but the one thing that hasn’t would be his interest in her. ]

[dysmorphics]

[ He knows she's rolling her eyes, right? ]

Redheads in skirts who fawn over you.

[bionicstaringmachine]

I can't say I've looked at a redhead in a long while.

[ Well. There's a history with Romanoff, but that was back when he was under Hydra's control and it's not something any of them talk about. ]

I've been noticing blondes more lately.

[dysmorphics]

So... Walker or Yelena?

[bionicstaringmachine]

Walker? What makes you think I'd ever look at Walker?

[dysmorphics]

I don't know, maybe your tastes are more progressive than we thought.

[ Says the closeted bisexual. Ha. ]

[bionicstaringmachine]

I'd sooner punch the guy than think about asking him on a date.

I might be looking at a different hair color, but I'm still only looking at women.

[dysmorphics]

So blonde women... of a certain age?

Look, I'm just trying to be helpful.

[bionicstaringmachine]

Yeah, of a certain age. We might not look as old as we are, but I'm not gonna date someone I feel like I oughta be paid for keeping an eye on 'em and tucked into bed by a certain time instead.

[dysmorphics]

That's kind of what most people our age need though.

So are you gonna ask me out or what?

[ Listen, it's easy to be brave via text. She can always take things back and say she was just kidding and they can move on as if nothing happened. ]

[bionicstaringmachine]

I wasn't talking about me needing it, I was talking about them needing it. If they're too young, I feel like I'd be looking after someone's kid.

I don't think it counts now, not with it sounding like you're asking me out instead.

[ She put him on the spot, but he does think even if he'd been beating around the bush it might not have been too difficult to figure out who he had his eyes on.

Jury's out on if he'll regret letting that out or not, knowing how he will always feel like she deserves better than him. ]

[dysmorphics]

You are deeply frustrating, you know that, right?

[ Just circling back to the original point of this conversation. ]

[bionicstaringmachine]

That's the pot calling the kettle black, Rogers.

[ Beat. ]

That means you wanna go on a date?

[dysmorphics]

You're making it sound like it's a bad thing.

[bionicstaringmachine]

I'm trying to figure out if that's what you want or if you're settling, because it's me.

[dysmorphics]

You're the world's most eligible bachelor in the over 90 category. How is that settling?

[bionicstaringmachine]

Because you know me and that I'm not gonna be a goddamn creep who makes you wanna leave in the middle of a date.