infligere: (To carry on)
Brock Rumlow ([personal profile] infligere) wrote in [community profile] spaces_between2015-01-12 11:50 am

Whoa, big guy. (For assembles)

Who: Steve Rogers & Brock Rumlow
When: Pre-TWS
What: Because some sleeping dogs just need to be called 'big guy' with a wink and lewd suggestion. It may as well be Rumlow to do so.
Warnings: Rumlow being Rumlow. Shameless flirting. Maybe dirty sweaty man sex.


Rumlow was still flicking slugs off of his armour when they disembarked from the quinjet. If he ever had to go back to Loreta, Columbia, he was sleeping in the trees with the damn jaguars rather than in the tent with the slugs. Damn things made a mess of everything.

Of course, the next mess was juggling twenty-four guys in a confined locker room who all were intent on getting out of their disgusting body armour and uniforms and leaving after a quick shower. He was one of the last ones in the cramped quarters, but really, compared to the quinjet they just disembarked from, it was pretty much home sweet home. At least there was less chance of getting slugs up the trousers or leeches in ones boots. Actually... as he looked around, there was plenty of opportunity for both. Home sweet home, indeed.

He pushed members of STRIKE Echo out of his way, but he simply wiggled passed members of his own team. People were making their way to the showers, which thankfully left him room to get to his locker. Captains were on the far end, including Rogers apparently, and he had a clean line of sight as he jostled his way to his locker to start stripping off his gear. Of course, he had to go passed Captain Rogers, which was always a goddamn treat. Only man who looked that good in underwear.

"Out of the way, Jenkins," he ordered, elbowing the lesser from loitering too close to Rogers. Kid just wanted a picture every single time. "Showers because you stink," he added, sending the youngest member of his team off but without a playful shove from the other guy. Just as planned.

He stepped backwards and bumped into Steve, his right hand going backwards as if to catch himself but really, it was so he could set it right on Rogers' right ass cheek. Damn fine. He pushed off as if correcting his balance and pretended to glare at Jenkins who was now hurrying off, leaving this area relatively alone.

"Sorry about that," he said, though he didn't mean it one bit. "Nice ass, big guy," he said with a wink as he reached out to open his locker and started to shrug out of his gear.
assembles: (a good face)

[personal profile] assembles 2015-02-05 10:28 pm (UTC)(link)
If Steve were to be honest, he didn't always sleep that well in his bed, but if he explained that, then he had to get into the reasons behind it. Rumlow would probably understand, he was also a soldier, but Steve didn't have the words for it. He didn't know how to explain that sometimes the mattress was just too soft, the sheets too clean, and he ended up parked up on the living room floor in front of the television instead.

Apparently his trust only went so far, because all he did was smile and shrug. "It's a talent of mine," he said, but the joke wasn't delivered with as much ease as usual. He'd gotten good at withholding the parts of himself that didn't fit in with everyone's ideal of who Steve Rogers was, but it did get tiring.

He took the notebook back from Rumlow and tossed it into his backpack, which he then pulled out of his locker and slung over his shoulder. Steve was a little surprised that Rumlow was that concerned with his eating preferences. Then again, he did what he could to not make his voracious appetite quite so obvious to his teammates. The Avengers teased him enough about it already, he didn't need to add the STRIKE team to that too.

"I'm not picky," he said. "I'll eat whatever you have on hand." And clean out Rumlow's entire fridge, if he wasn't careful. Steve made a mental note to eat a large meal before he headed over, to prevent that from happening.

He closed his locker and then leaned his side against it, turning toward Rumlow to look him over. "So, what time?"
assembles: (a pretty dark time)

[personal profile] assembles 2015-02-07 12:51 am (UTC)(link)
It's the offer to talk that throws Steve off-balance for a moment, though he hides it well. Soldiers and spies aren't usually the talking types, that's just a general rule that he learned a long time ago. Then again, it's not like they need to talk about anything too personal. Granted, one thing usually needs to another, and Steve likes to think that he's got enough of an outlet with Natasha. Although it never really feels balanced between them, as Natasha often plays it closer to the chest that Steve does, as much as she puts on the front of being open.

That may be something they share in common.

Steve doesn't have to immediately reply to the offer, at least, since Rumlow keeps talking, looping back around to the logistics of their plans. Before seven, that's easy enough. "Sure. Is there anywhere to park my bike around there?" At least it's easier to find a place to park a motorcycle compared to a car, but Steve's protective enough of his bike that he wants to be sure that there's a safe spot to leave it.

If not, he could take public transit, but that's always something of a mixed bag.
assembles: profile, casual clothes, neutral, glance (you caught a shiny? really?)

[personal profile] assembles 2015-02-09 04:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Steve could have walked out with Rumlow, but the guy took off quick enough that it would probably be awkward if he tried to jog over and catch up with him. Not that he really had much more to do in the locker room, but he lingered for another minute or two and then headed down to the Triskelion's garage so that he could drive home.

First things first was a nap, since it'd been well over twenty-four hours since he'd last slept. Steve got about two hours in before he woke up and cooked himself a healthy portion of pasta, which he wolfed down as he looked up the directions to Rumlow's apartment. It wasn't too far, and Steve didn't have any trouble getting there. He found the visitor exit into the parking garage and then took the elevator up to the floor Rumlow had scribbled down.

As Steve approached the door, he felt oddly nervous. Should he have brought something with him? That would have been the polite thing, but he hadn't even thought about it. He did have his overnight bag over his shoulder, though, packed with his uniform and some other emergency supplies.

One, two, three more seconds to steel himself, and then he rapped on the door with his knuckles.
assembles: profile, neutral, sitting, uniform (what a dramatic shot)

[personal profile] assembles 2015-02-11 06:00 pm (UTC)(link)
The first thing that Steve notices about Rumlow's apartment is how clean it is. It satisfies a part of him that has always enjoyed keeping things neat and tidy, something that existed even before the military drilled those habits in. Most soldiers know enough to at least keep their professional space in order, but that doesn't always extend to their personal life. Steve's relieved to see that it does with Rumlow. It's not like it would have been a dealbreaker, exactly, but it would have made him less likely to make any return trips.

Right on time is more or less the norm for Steve. He doesn't like to be late, even for something as casual as this. He smiles in greeting, nods, and then kicks off his shoes, arranging them near the door before he turns his attention to the rest of the apartment.

At the mention of room temperature beer, Steve laughs and shakes his head. "That's usually all we could hope to get during the war, but I can't say I miss that," he explains. Cold beer sounds great. Even if Steve isn't able to get drunk off of any alcohol, he still appreciates drinking as a social activity, and he won't turn down the offer.

Then there's all the food. Steve moves toward the coffee table in front of the television where it's all set out. As someone who has to eat four times as much as anyone else, even the drive over here was enough to work up his appetite. He doesn't go for it immediately, though, taking a seat instead. "Thanks for having me over," he says. "How long have you been staying here, anyway?" Since they're hanging out off the clock, maybe it's about time that Steve learns a little more about who Rumlow is as a person.
assembles: (a balanced breakfast)

[personal profile] assembles 2015-02-12 04:44 pm (UTC)(link)
It's not that Rumlow's daring move back in the shower room has been forgotten, but Steve still doesn't know what to make of it. It may have been nothing more than a friendly gesture, because for some reason that's how some men show platonic affection for each other, and Steve doesn't want to jump to any conclusions. It's a lot easier to just set it to the back of his mind for now.

"Not on the front, no, but sometimes we had leave in one of the liberated cities, so then we'd get alcohol," Steve explains. Depending on where they were, they had been pretty well-received, especially when word got around that Captain America was with their garrison. Then they got all the beer they could ask for, even if it wasn't usually chilled. "Anyway, a lager sounds good, thanks."

Steve can hear Rumlow rooting around in the fridge but he doesn't think too much of it. He lasts maybe a few more seconds before he reaches out to have some of that chip and dip. Even then, he remembers his manners, making sure that he's done chewing before he responds to Rumlow again. "Home, huh? And where's that, originally?" Steve's sure he must have read that detail in Rumlow's file when they STRIKE team had first been assigned to him, but he would rather hear it directly from the man himself.
assembles: (i'm running out of keyword ideas)

[personal profile] assembles 2015-02-13 03:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Steve grabbed for the beer when it was handed over. The bottle might have a cap that actually needed an opener to get off, but Steve still managed to twist it off with his hand. Sometimes the super-strength really did come in handy. Beating up bad guys, saving himself a trip to the kitchen to grab a bottle-opener -- he could hardly complain.

When Rumlow took a seat, Steve shifted over just slightly to make sure he had enough space, then had a swig of the beer. He grabbed for another chip, which he drenched in cream cheese before shoving in his mouth in one bite. Even then, he wasn't messy in the way he ate, managing to not get any crumbs on the floor or food particles on his face.

So Rumlow was from Queens, huh? Steve raised both eyebrows and then shrugged when a rivalry was brought up. "Is there really even a contest here? I mean, come on. When someone thinks of New York, they don't think of Queens." Steve smirked, the lightness in his tone signaling that he didn't really intend on getting into a fist fight over something like this. In all seriousness, he had never spent enough time in Queens, not in 1941 or 2014. He still had to put more time into relearning his own city, but the relocation to DC had made that tough.
assembles: listening, unsure, suspicious, casual clothes (don't be jealous of my hunkiness)

[personal profile] assembles 2015-02-13 05:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Steve didn't have much interest in the pre-show either. It was different when there was commentary over the game. He found something like that a lot more soothing, somehow, maybe because it could still take him to a different time and place if he closed his eyes. But all of this speculation and discussion of different player stats was more likely to make his eyes glaze over.

When Rumlow decided to call him a "little bitch," Steve pulled a face. It had less to do with Rumlow overstepping his rank (that didn't matter much when they were off the clock) and a lot more with the choice of insult. Steve didn't like the idea of using bitch as a pejorative, as if being a woman was a bad thing. He considered saying something, but then Rumlow asked a question and he reluctantly decided to let it go. For now.

"I've tried to, yeah. I mean, I lived there for a while, back when I first woke up." So he'd gotten the chance to relearn at least parts of his neighborhood, to see just how much everything had changed, and to find the few pockets that had remained more or less the same. Then the Battle of New York had come along, and while Steve had been there for a few months to help with rebuilding efforts, he'd been transferred to the Triskelion not too soon after that.

"I'd go visit, if I had the time. It's not like it's that far." It was as close to home as Steve could ever get these days, and there was a wistful hint in his voice as he talked about it.
assembles: arms crossed, neutral, listening, casual clothes (i'll give it a 5 out of 10)

[personal profile] assembles 2015-02-13 09:38 pm (UTC)(link)
"It's not like he had to try that hard," Steve said in regards to Fury, shaking his head as he reached forward for yet another chip. He was barely thinking about it, which was the dangerous part. If he wasn't careful, he'd end up going through the entire bowl that Rumlow had set out. But it was true, what Steve said. The future had been pretty daunting at first, and working with SHIELD was the one familiar thing, a piece of structure in his life that he had desperately needed.

Rumlow had a pretty good profile on him now, which wasn't difficult since there were countless biographies that had been published in the time when Steve had been thought dead. Just about anyone could read all about him, and that alone was pretty frustrating sometimes. Compared to that, this was nice, because it meant that Rumlow could get to know him for who he really was, rather than who he'd read about. It was just hard sometimes, to open up enough to let that happen.

Steve was going to ask Rumlow for his story, but he managed to beat him to it. The mention of vacation caused him to shrug his shoulders as he turned his gaze back to the TV. "Well, even if I have the time to take, that doesn't mean I actually have the time to take. If that makes sense." It did to him.

He did have interests, though. Hobbies. "I still sketch sometimes, yeah. I also spend a lot of time with my bike." Riding it around, tuning it up, he always wanted it to be in perfect condition. "And I'm still catching up on all of the history and pop culture, so I try to work that in too. How about you?"

This all felt so normal, it almost looped all the way back around into abnormal.
assembles: (that's gross)

[personal profile] assembles 2015-02-16 07:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Honestly, Steve could probably get more than three weeks if he really wanted it. SHIELD wasn't going to fire him just because he took more than the allotted vacation time, and he knew that. Not that he ever planned to abuse his rank and his fame to get what he wanted. Granted, he didn't think he really wanted a vacation to begin with. He wouldn't know what to do with himself. Working with SHIELD kept him busy, and being busy meant there wasn't usually a spare moment to think.

"There's always something going on here. Some emergency, some mission to pick up, some training course to help out with," he explained, his eyes set on the TV rather than anywhere near Rumlow's face. "Even if I technically get those three weeks, it's not like I ever have the chance to get away from the job." A lot of that was self-imposed, he knew, but maybe he liked it that way.

That dig about social interaction caused Steve to sigh and roll his eyes. "You sound as bad as Natasha," he grumbled as he leaned forward for a carrot and drenched it in ranch. Which more or less ruined the health factor, but Steve wasn't too worried about that right now. All the running he did usually made up for the food he ate. "Stained glass, though, really? Or are you just pulling my leg?" It didn't at all fit Steve's image of Rumlow and what kind of person he was off the clock, but that was the whole point of this, wasn't it? To learn something new, to be surprised by how little he actually knew about his coworkers.
assembles: natasha (spy friend)

[personal profile] assembles 2015-02-18 03:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Rumlow made a good point, and Steve found that he couldn't argue with his logic there. The world could get by without him, but that didn't help any with the guilt he felt when he wasn't working as hard as he could to help make it better. He'd already slacked off for those seventy years, so it felt like he had to do double time now. Whether or not he actually planned to take Rumlow's advice, though, he needed to get him off his back. "I'll think about it. What do you usually do with your time?"

It helped that the game would be coming on soon, as it would give them something to comment on in between their conversation, a way to fill in the lulls and prevent any of it from getting awkward. It was going a lot better than Steve had expected, though, and he had to wonder what he had been so scared of.

A lot of rumors got passed around about Natasha, and Steve only shook his head in mock dismay. She didn't eat anyone for breakfast, although he could understand why people got intimidated by her. She wasn't the easiest person to approach, but Steve felt pretty comfortable around her by now. When Rumlow mentioned the other room, though, Steve glanced over his shoulder as if he might be able to see it from here. "Maybe you can show me later? I mean, you don't have to." Art was a tricky thing that way. Sometimes people didn't want to share, and Steve respected that. He really hadn't pegged Rumlow for the type, though, which was what made him so curious.
assembles: body, casual clothes (gurl look at that body)

[personal profile] assembles 2015-02-19 03:45 pm (UTC)(link)
It was pretty obvious just from Rumlow's tone when he said those words that he was just joking, although in this case Steve didn't catch the reference. He hadn't exactly prioritized children's shows during his catch-up (except for Disney, that is). "Pinky and the Brain?" he echoed. What a strange name. "A kid's show about world domination?" Not exactly an encouraging thought, but it probably wasn't as bad as it sounded.

At this point, the game was finally starting, with someone Steve didn't recognize taking the stand to sing the National Anthem. Tempting as it was to put his hand over his heart, he was pretty sure that Rumlow would laugh him right out of his apartment if he did that.

So instead he focused on Rumlow's request to see his art sometime. It seemed like a fair trade, and Steve wasn't as nervous about showing off his work as he had once been. He nodded. "Sure, I think that can be arranged. I don't have anything on me right now, but I can bring my sketchbook to HQ sometime so you can have a look."
assembles: (cutie patootie x2)

[personal profile] assembles 2015-02-23 12:26 am (UTC)(link)
Small and unassuming, huh? Steve knew plenty about what an underdog could be capable of. Not that he'd won many of the fights that he'd gotten into before the serum, but that didn't necessarily mean that he'd lost them either. There were times when his message had gotten through the thick heads of the bullies he challenged. Not always, not even frequently, but sometimes. "I guess I'll have to look it up," he said, somewhat distracted. YouTube would probably have a few clips so he could get an idea, at least.

Steve switched over to eat some of the veggies, carrots and celery alike, and watched as the two teams took their places on the field. The game was about to start, and that meant that if they were going to bet, they needed to get that settled here and now.

Just a friendly thing didn't strike him as harmful. Hell, Steve had played poker with the Commandos back in the day, and he had a poker face that had won him plenty of rations. "Sure, we can bet. Who're you gonna take?"
assembles: (a serious boy)

[personal profile] assembles 2015-02-24 09:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Of course Rumlow would take New York. Steve had given him first choice, though, which meant that he should have expected this. It was still a little rude to be forced to side with a team not from his home state, but that would have happened either way, given that they're both from NYC.

"Fine, fine, I'll take San Francisco." The Giants were a strong team, so he shouldn't complain too much. He'd had to relearn which teams were worth watching and which were struggling after his defrosting, and by now he had a pretty good hold on it, though he wasn't fanatic enough to know player names and stats beyond the really popular few.

"Wager? I thought it was a friendly bet." Doesn't that mean that they don't wager anything at all? Apparently that wasn't interesting enough, and after a pause Steve shrugged his shoulders. "I think I have five bucks in my wallet." It seemed like a small enough amount for what was supposed to be low-stress.

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