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So, there was a bar closer to the place he crashes in Hell's Kitchen. It turns out it was a cop bar. Bucky hasn't had a shock like that since the last time he got popped out of the freezer….and it took a whole hell of a lot of willpower to just glance around, ask for Roger, get told Roger wasn't there, shrug, and depart. He's found somewhere far enough away from both the apartment and Lux he's not likely to run into a co-worker or someone he knows. At the moment, he's brooding over a jack and coke on ice - clad in a long sleeved blue workshirt over a white t-shirt, old jeans, a black leather glove on his hand, and those black jumpboots. Man must only have one pair of shoes.
Poor Bucky. No matter where he goes, it seems like Harper finds herself there as well. Just what's brought the same woman who was in Lux the other night to a dive like this is an excellent question, but just as she fit right in at Lux, she blends in here as well - hair half-down, in faded blue jeans and a cropped red shirt, white sneakers on her feet. Just a girl from down the block.
She pauses when she recognizes Bucky at the bar. The last time they met, he seemed unsettled. But leaving or hovering in the background would be more suspicious, so instead she just walks up to the bar next to him, flashing a smile. "Fancy meeting you here."
Tricksters get themselves into a lot of terrible places. And sure, Bucky wasn't expecting to find anyone he knows here, and Loki sure wasn't either. Honestly, it looks like Loki, for that one that knows him, is here having a laugh. He's gotten ahold of some illusion to dress himself like the patrons…short-sleeved flannel shirt…jeans that are tight against his long, muscular legs. His whippy, black hair is pulled into a short tail, and he's wearing cowboy boots. It all goes so well with his clean-shaven, pale, elegant-demeanor otherwise. He /saunters/ into the place…looking for Odin-knows-what. Maybe even a fight. Or to drink someone under the table. Then, dammit, he sees someone he knows. Welllll…that doesn't STOP him having his fun. Just…changes the angle.
Lobo was steering clear of the Central Park area, those fraggin' Kryptonians might still be around. They weren't much of a problem, but they didn't have bounties on their heads. So the Main Man found himself in Germany, South Africa, Mexico, and finally back in New York. Turns out he landed in the right spot after all.
And that's how it came to be that the door swings open soon after the Trickster and a muscular giant of a man walks in. From the look of him he's probably a mutant, probably. His particular outfit also won't be popular for a few more years. Dark blue jeans cling to his legs and a sleeveless vest does it's best to cover his bare chest. Pupiless crimson eyes scout out the place and a sharp canine digs into his bottom lip as a grin curls at the corners of his mouth. "Looks like the Main Man's home." Loki just may get that fight after all.
Once is chance, twice is coincidence, three times is enemy action. Not that Bucky's aware of the first one, so in Winter's little scale of escalation, this is still the kind of weird-ass coincidence that just happens in New York. Millions of people, but he keeps running into people he knows. He just lifts a brow at her, promptingly. "Hey," he says. He's had enough to drink already that witty replies are no longer on the table.
Then there's Loki, and Bucky raises a hand, lazily, but doesn't offer a name. Which is why he's looking at the door when Lobo comes in, and that's enough to make him stare a little. Of course his first assumption's that the newcomer's a mutant…and then there's the worry that this is someone from the Brotherhood. He's tensed without thinking.
"So, not that I expected to see you here or anything, but about the other night…" Harper trails off as she sees Bucky's expression change, turning to follow his gaze over to Lobo. "Huh." And yet, she sounds more curious than worried. Obviously the girl's sense of self-preservation is off. Or else overwhelmed by curiosity.
Loki moves a few paces in, towards the bar, when he's aware of the imposing thing behind him. He turns, to look, and totally stills, looking the pale man down, then back up, searching his mind-banks for /what/ he is, if not a mutant. Or at the least, figuring out if he's some sort of weird, assassin sent by…well, the list is long. Eventually, he continues to the bar, slides up into a seat beside Harper, turns on it to be able to look at Lobo again, and then winks at him. Cuz that's how you start shit while wearing flannel. "I'll have a whiskey. Can I get whiskey here?" He leans and asks of the bartender.
As he's winked at Lobo's nose curls slightly. "Sorry little man, Lobo likes to party, but not like that." He walks over and takes a free seat several places over from the trio. When his gaze finally falls on the bar, that sour look turns even worse. "What kind of shit are they serving here? Never heard of any of this. Fraggin' backwater planet."
Thea will step in from off the street. It's handy, and she's in the mood for a drink after her shift. It's been that kind of a day. Blonde hair is down in a mass of waves, over the shoulders of a white summer blouse paired with a deep blue skirt and heels that will click over the cracked tile floor. If she looks like she doesn't belong, she doesn't much care. She'll look for a stool, and survey the options for booze.
Cheap Booze was a siren that called many blue collar folks looking to forget a lifetime of /things/. A whole life time, cleaning up some drunk's vomit and hour and a half ago not excepted. Dressed for summer, left with a second-hand bowling shirt, brown leather shoes, and a pair of khaki colored work pants, Gary slips into the bar, surprssing a cough as he peers about for a free barstol, claiming one if he can find it without much fanfare, even as he reaches into a pocket for a pack of cigerettes to add to the miserable haze, producing a crumpled pack of Lucky Strikes.
Thea looks like a million dollars, and even the presence of….whatever Lobo might be isn't enough to keep Bucky from giving her a looking-over. Classy, classy. But his focus is really on Harper. "About that other night," he prompts her, tone just faintly skeptical. Then he's narrowing his eyes at her a little. The change in her own eyes can be dismissed by contacts, but…Buck's still trying to focus on too many things.
Harper quirks a brow at Lobo's words, but she clears her throat as she turns back to Bucky. "I wanted to say I was sorry for calling you out in front of the boss," she says, folding her arms over the edge of the bar. "I got a little ahead of myself. I'm…really bad at just letting things lie, and whatever your story is, it's your story, and it wasn't really my place to question it. Especially in front of someone you obviously admire. So." She tries a faint smile, slightly awkward. "Buy you a drink?"
Thea is too confiedent and female to not notice that looking over.. and she will return the looking over. The arch of her brow may be a touch higher than mere passing over, edging into curiousity. She knows something is …different about him, and her perverse need to know moves to stand as close as she can at the bar. A hand will lift, signalling the bartender before she will politely ask for a whiskey, neat.
Loki is seated beside Harper, totally eavesdropping on her and Bucky, while his plan to start shit with Lobo fails in a sweeping gesture of restraint from the other man. He grins crookedly with a little pang of regret across his features, though its not for what Lobo probably thinks it is. Despite the man being several chairs down, he addresses him anyway, "I agree…about the drinks here, but…I am not certain mortals would survive long if they had full access to the treasures of the cosmos, where drinks are concerned. Surely they would descend into a comical stupor and fail to breed, excepting those staunch few who refuse the stuff."
"See, there we go." Lobo says as he catches sight of Thea, his former irritation forgotten as the woman walks in. Without much though he reaches a pale hand up to smooth out his raven locks, another grin creeping across his face. Clearly he isn't aware that his lewd behavior is frowned upon even more than usual on this planet.
He starts to order a drink, but Loki's words catch his attention. "Yeah, I noticed most of these humans seem pretty weak. It's a shame really, was hopin' to have a little fun while I was here. Did run into a few Kryptonians, tried to get me to leave without my bounty." A low laugh rings out, and clearly they didn't have any luck running him off. From within his vest he produces a cigar and sets it between his teeth, pulling out a torch to light it.
Whatever he was about to say is lost as an insult aimed at him reaches his ears. A growl rumbles in his chest and he snags a beer bottle from off the bar and hurls it at the man. Glass and blood explode everywhere and the loudmouth in question finds himself taking a good ol' fashioned bar nap. "See what I mean? Fall right over."
Kai whips the door open and looks inside the bar, his gaze skimming the patrons. When he sees Loki, he says, "There you are." He comes over to the dark-haired man and smiles when he sees Bucky as well. "He ditched me," he tells the latter. "Can you believe it?" His accent is English, cheery despite himself.
Gary tried to sit down at least, if it wasn't for the spray of bear, blood, and maybe a tooth that splashes back from the afflicted man. Whatever pool of beer collects on the bar is enough to soak the one remaining cigerette in the abused softpack left on the bar. Its a comedy of unfortunates. "Jesus /Christ/!" Gary exclaims standing up. Drink blinders be damned, his eyes search wildly for the perspective arc of the makeshift missile, spotting Lobo before his hand lays on his wet cigerette pack. Gary winces turning his head and peering at the ruined, final cigerette, "Gosh, someone didn't learn to use /words/!" He notes, tossing the packet down with frustrating as he slips off the stool, throwing a sour glance at the origin of the bottle as he tries to whipe himself off, before leaning over to check the conked out fellow, "Hey, you alright, pal?"
There's a welcoming grin for Kai - Bucky can't help himself. It changes his face utterly. No longer brooding, but immensely good-natured. He clicks his tongue in sympathy. "All right," he says to Harper. "I fully admit it's a weak story. I guess I just need to be ruder about it and tell people to mind their own business." He shrugs, spreads his hands. "Next one'll be a rum and coke." He turns that smile on Thea, gives her a flash of brows. No harm in idle flirting, right? Then Lobo's unleashing on the guy, and Buck's grin slips. This was supposed to be a peaceful night out.
Harper smiles crookedly back at Bucky, nodding once. "Rum and coke on me," she agrees, half-turning to gesture to the bartender. "And I'll have a-" She cuts herself off when the beer bottle goes flying, stiffening in a way that's less nervous young woman in a seedy bar and more someone who knows how to get in and out of a seedy bar fight. It's only then that she starts to actually register the conversation between Loki and Lobo, along with a curious glance toward Kai. "I mean, I was going drink the beer, but, you know, maybe I need a bottle for a weapon anyhow."
Thea would not appreciate the lewd approach, and thankfully there's some beer bottle brawling that keep it away from her.. at least for now. She will accept her glass of bourbon quietly, a glance sidelong at the man with the.. unusual biosigns. Then he's flashing that smile at her, and she'll flash that smile right back. There's even a wink at him, as that beer bottle busting up mess leaves her completely unruffled. "Hi." She'll even speak to him.
Loki looks up when Kai busts him in here and there is indeed a seat near to him, and he is seated next to Harper, who is by Bucky. "So you did, so you did. And I was not even able to stir up trouble on my own. Trouble started…in its own way." He gestures towards the passed-out man near to Lobo and Gary. "I ordered a whiskey. Will I like that, do you think? And I found our pet." No, he didn't. That was coincidence, but he seems amused by it anyway.
"Vlash, keezy homme." Lobo growls in Gary's direction. Apparently in the few days he'd been on earth he picked up English, because when he slips into Interlac his belt doesn't translate for him. Without worrying about the man's friend he turns around and orders himself a bourbon.
In case people at the bar needed a reason not to start a fight and turn around, the other man runs up and plunges a knife into Lobo's back. Well, tried. He manages to rip the Main Man's vest and break his blade. "Ka ree?" Turning around he grabs the man and lifts him into the air, not even bothering to leave his stool.
"You know you messed up, right?" he asks the man, annoyance clearly written on his face. "Oh, don't worry babe. This bastich and his friends aren't gonna cause the Main Man any more problems, are they?"
The answer to his question comes in the form of the suspended man losing control of his bladder, soaking his jeans. Without giving it another thought Lobo tosses the man onto his concussed friend. One annoyed grunt later he's fishing out a wad of bills that were probably earned honestly and buying an entire bottle for himself.
"My reputation usually precedes me, but this part of tha universe is ah little behind. Nothin' to be ashamed of though, lots ah backwater dirt balls out there."
Kai perks up as he looks to Gary and Lobo. "Ooh," he murmurs as he slides into the seat beside Loki. Then the guy comes up to knife Lobo, and his eyes widen. "Hey! Look o— oh. Oh, you got him. Never mind." He grimaces when the wouldbe attacker pisses himself. "This is why I stopped fighting in bars," he tells Loki. He waves to Bucky and Harper by association. "H'lo."
Gary just squints confusingly at the unintelligable growl, shaking his head a little in bewilderment, "W-what?" There's enough going on that he doesn't spot the knife-wielding man until its too late to do much more then start to issue a warning. Only to see the blade break, and the tattooed guy giving off some otherwordly strength. Its as much as he can do to duck out of the way, nearly hitting the floor, just barely missing the casually tossed body. He straightens up, and if there's annoyance at petty criminality, there's more at whatever Lobo is, "Mostly water, actually. Maybe you'd find it a little fairer someplace a little more cosmopolitan…" He notes, an edge to his tone. Aliens.
James just looks wry. "Same here," he says, on a sigh. Of course he's armed, but….he's not going to get into it. Soon enough it'll be time to skate - this kind of thing might well get cops called in,and he's still in the NYPD's bad books. "Hey there," he says to Thea, all amiability again. "Hey, Kai, Serrure…..this is Miss Harper. Met her the other night when I was at work." Where I am 'Jack' is implied. He gives Loki a look for a moment, but lets it right. He's sort of their mascot as it is. Because every Asgardian needs a purse assassin, instead of a purse chihuahua. "Serrure, you know this guy?" He jerks a thumb at Lobo.
Harper looks between Bucky, Loki, and Kai, still piecing together bits of conversation with a curious look. "Nice to meet you," she nods, leaning over to get a look at Lobo, and then back at the other trio. Who are oddly (at least to her) unconcerned about the creepy guy who just avoided getting stabbed. "So…where are you all from?" Like she expects the answer to be Kansas. (She does not.)
Thea winks at Bucky as she sips her bourbon, taking it all in. The foreign words from Lobo, the way he tosses the guy aside. She's already pegged him as something more, and it doesn't take her …powers. She takes in the young woman talking to the flirtation of the evening, the young man that comes up and greets them. She's just hanging out at the bar, flirting. Completely unruffled by the odd goings on.
"No, and now he's…gotten piss all over the place." Loki frowns deeply as he answers Bucky. He honestly seems annoyed at now being /concerned/ for any of the other mortal patrons being harassed by this big lout that turned down scuffling with him. He notices that Gary is way too close and way too nice-and-law-abiding-ish for his own good, so he lifts a hand towards the man and addresses him, "Come over here…I'll buy you a drink." With an exhale he says quieter to Kai, "This is what you feel like when I make you be the responsible one, isn't it?" And to Harper? "I am Serrure…and I'm from…" his eyes squint, "England."
"Might be mostly water, but most of the intelligent races live on the land from what I've seen." Lobo calls back, puffing on his cigar as those crimson eyes of his settle on Gary once again. Also, did he say most? A cloud of surprisingly pleasant smelling smoke is released from his lungs and his glass of bourbon is finished off before the bottle arrives.
"Czarnia, ifin you're talking to me." He says over to Harper, actually looking at the woman now that he has a chance. "Used to be ah nice place, before the Psions poisoned it. Fragged everyone but me. Funny thing about that? We were a pacifist planet. Didn't even have any words to describe violence." It's a far cry from the way Lobo's acted, but planet wide genocide tends to change people.
Turning to look at Loki he just sort of shrugs. "Didn't tell him ta go out like ah bitch. But if you've got ah problem with it, I'm currently accepting complaints. Once I finish my drink." The grin on his face makes it clear that it's an invitation to brawl, as bad of an idea that fighting inside may be.
"I'm Kai," the curly-haired blond says to Harper, "and I'm from London, luv." Technically, he's not wrong. Then, to Loki, he says with utmost solemnity, "Yes. Yes it is." He pats Loki on the back. There there, dear. He then glances to Lobo, and he says, "Aw, let's just have our drinks and be groovy, mate."
Gary isn't looking any happier, as he reaches down to help the poor, soiled man off the ground, "Com'n, get your friend's arm there." He tries to direct, as he moves to the otherside of the unconscious man, aiming to carry the guy outside and hopefully to a cab, "And get your story straight for the ER. You don't want the cops in on this, do ya?" With a grunt, and doing at least half the work, Gary drags the unconscious man towards the door. His head turns to Loki as he passes, "How about paying this guy's cab fare instead." He comments, in passing, before out the door they go. It'll be a few moments before Gary returns.
"Brooklyn," Bucky says, simply. He shows no sign of wanting to get involved with those foolish enough to attack Lobo. Look at the guy. …..but for whatever reason, he takes care of the tab for the drink he already had. "'scuse me," he says, in the tones of a man who knows he's acting against his better instincts, and slips out the door to go do just that. But he, unlike Gary, doesn't return.
"And how did you guys meet…" And then Bucky is wandering off, leaving Harper pointing in his direction with a perplexed look. "Off he goes. Well. I'll have to make good on that drink promise another time." When she certainly wouldn't be tracking him, of course. Lobo's answer gets another long look, peering around Kai and Loki. "Cool," she says, before leaning back and finally accepting a bottle of beer from the bartender. "New York," she muses, a distinct New Orleans drawl settling into her voice with a glance to Thea, "Is weird."
Thea will tip back her bourbon, and set the empty glass down. Then she'll flash a smile at the girl with the drawl. "Oh, this isn't even close to as weird as it can be." There's a warmth to her voice even as she steps back from the bar. She will come around and head down the bar. A hand will reach out to grip the edge of the bar, taking up a bit of a lean as she looks at Lobo. "You really looking for trouble?"
"Mmm." Loki comments with a press of his thin lips. He looks to Harper, resisting taking the pale man up on his offer of trouble. "We met? I met Jack when I found him in Kai's house, eating his sandwiches." He grins faintly at the memory. "And I met Kai whilst standing in line for coffee, before Central Park became infested with zombies. Is that over yet, by the way? I really do miss that coffee shop."
"Why, you looking ta show me a good time?" Lobo asks of Thea, reaching up to push the hair from his face behind his ear. "Got some tricks up your sleeve like those Kryptonians?" He doesn't seem as enthusiastic about the idea of hitting her. He'd fought a few females in the past, but he wasn't given an option.
"It's a good coffee shop," Kai says. He shrugs and shakes his head as he adds, "I don't know what the situation is, except that park is a perpetual mess, man." He relaxes visibly now that Loki has passed on the fight. "Hey, do you want to get out of here?" he asks. Some people are closeted. Some people? Just aren't all that subtle.
Loki answers softly, "Yes…"
"Nice meeting you both," Harper smiles faintly to Loki and Kai, slipping from her stool and taking her beer to another corner where the conversation might be…safer.
There's a lift of her chin, a cool staredown. "Depends on your idea of fun." There's a shake of her head, a toss of her hair. "I don't know any Kryptonians. Just if you really want to hurt.." Her head will tip, and she will focus on the arm he had tucked his hair back with. Soon it will start to twitch and cramp.
As Lobo's arm starts to cramp up he gives a growl and slams a fist onto the bar, worrying the duct tape and prayers that hold it together but not actually smashing it. "I like fiesty women." he can't help but grin, sharp canines worrying at his bottom lip. "Though ah muscle cramp ain't much. Ever had your intestines pulled out? Now that hurts."
Thea will reroute his 'blood' from that arm, rendering it all but useless. "Trust me, I am not your kind of feisty. As for my intestines? Intact, thanks. Why, would you like yours removed?" There's a hint of a smile. "Behave yourself. Or I will see how much pain you can stand. "
|ROLL| Lobo +rolls 1d2 for: 1
"I dunno about that, you're speakin' my language right now." That grin doesn't fade any, not even as Lobo grips his now useless arm and tug. He begins to pull on it, but apparently changes his mind and leaves the thing intact for now. "Though I wouldn't suggest tryin' it."
Slipping back inside, Gary whipes his hands off on his shirt, a little sourly at that, as dim as the night's gotten. He looks up, and spots the two squaring off. There's an initial instinct to leap to a ladies defense, of course, but… slipping around to the side of the room, he warily keeps an eye on it.
"If your language is neanderthalic moron." Thea drawls dryly, a brow arching. "Don't try to intimidate me, honey. You may not breathe, but that doesn't mean I can't put you down." She will stand up straight, a brush of hair over her shoulder. "I wouldn't suggest trying me. Be a good boy, now." She'll toss his way as she heads for the door.
"Alright." Lobo clenches his fist as the blood rushes back into his arm, a low growl rumbling in his chest. "I'm gettin' about tired of bein' disrespected." Hands coming together he cracks his knuckles, looking around the building. "Next bastich that says somethin' out of the way is gettin' fragged."
As Thea leaves, Gary shakes his head, giving an apologetic look to the bartender as he loses even more business, stepping towards the door, "Welcome to New York. Grow a thicker skin." He says in passing, making his way to leave himself. "Or pick another planet. We won't miss you." He calls over his shoulder, before stepping into the summer night.
"What's that?" Lobo pushes up onto his feet. He takes that bottle in his hand and starts towards the door as well. Maybe he's thinking about pitching it. He did crush a nose and cheekbone with a beer bottle after all. The alien lets out a sharp whistle and outside the dive his bike touches down, answering his summons.
There's no response from the man with the dark hair, and outside, its not hard to slip into the crowd. Especially if one was trained to do so. It was a foolish thing to say, but someone had to say it. Gary wasn't stupid though, and he's out like a light, vanished into sea of humanity.