Mystery Sign Theater 3000, Saturday

[shapethecentury]

Two weeks in a row wasn't enough to make anything a habit.

That said, here was Bucky, at the movie theater. For the second week in a row. The young woman - Ingrid - who'd apparenly been acting leader of this business during his absence this year seemed to think this meant he was back for good. She also seemed to think that meant today was the perfect time to talk about maybe changing up and upgrading some of their selection of concessions.

And for whatever reason, Bucky was indulging her. Maybe it was because she talked so much. It was easier to pretend when he could get away with just the occasional nod and a well-timed 'hmm' as she went over her ideas and opinions.

Almost made him feel some fleeting semblance of normal.

NOW PLAYING
Something Occurred One Evening

MST3000 was open, and going with another classic.

Comments

Lobby/Concessions [08/08]

[shapethecentury]

Where you may catch Bucky listening to Ingrid as she points at each item they're selling and goes over their pros and cons.

Or you can just mod your waiting/buying!

Re: Lobby/Concessions [08/08]

[weirderthanthou]

Going to the movies right now feels wrong.

Jesse stepped into the lobby, feeling a faint sense of paranoia bubble up inside of her. A familiar old friend, though usually not as acute (hadn't there been a movie camera AO at one point?).

...but I don't have anything else to do right now.

That felt wrong, too.

And as she dithered in the lobby about just that, her attention was pulled to a familiar stranger. Didn't take him for a cinema guy.

Re: Lobby/Concessions [08/08]

[shapethecentury]

The habit of positioning himself in rooms so that the exit was always in his peripheral vision was not one Bucky had any intention of breaking anytime soon.

So, even though he looked like he was fully engrossed in whatever Ingrid was telling him about when Jesse entered... He noticed. Just didn't let on before Ingrid did, waving her hand with a cheery greeting before making her way over to the counter to tidy up the brochures from various companies that shipped candy and snacks from across the multiverse.

"Mayor," Bucky said, with a little dip of his chin.

But then, seemed to reconsider. "Jesse."

Re: Lobby/Concessions [08/08]

[weirderthanthou]

"James," Jesse said, and her mouth quirked both at the correction, and at the faint amusement of the way their names almost seemed to rhyme, a little offering to history. "Don't let me bug you too much, you looked busy."

Re: Lobby/Concessions [08/08]

[shapethecentury]

'James' still sounded odd to him. But at least it was a choice he'd made himself, and something he was choosing to cling to for the time being.

Even now, he was wearing thin gloves, a thin hoodie.

He used one of those gloved hands to make a vague gesture at the concessions. "We're just... thinking about maybe changing things up a bit, 's all," he said. "So, if you don't see something you'd like, maybe Ingrid'll see about getting it in the future."

Re: Lobby/Concessions [08/08]

[weirderthanthou]

Jesse almost crossed her arms in place, then realized it'd be awkward if she didn't at least take a few steps towards the guy before she did it.

So she took them. "I didn't take you for the owner of this place."

Re: Lobby/Concessions [08/08]

[shapethecentury]

Bucky's smile was small and faint, but he really was getting good at making them look natural. (Feel natural? Was there a difference?)

"I'm not," he said. "Just managing it. That's all."

Re: Lobby/Concessions [08/08]

[weirderthanthou]

"You're putting on some pretty old movies," Jesse ventured. "Big fan?"

Re: Lobby/Concessions [08/08]

[shapethecentury]

"I didn't choose last week's."

Not an answer.

Re: Lobby/Concessions [08/08]

[weirderthanthou]

Jesse gave him a reflexive smile. "And this week?"

Re: Lobby/Concessions [08/08]

[shapethecentury]

Bucky shrugged.

"Think it got an Oscar or something, back in the day," he said. "So gotta be at least a little bit good, right?"

Re: Lobby/Concessions [08/08]

[heroic_jawline]

And in through the door shot a short, hyperactive corgi with an Iron Man bandana, on the hunt for the elusive stale floor popcorn.

"Patriot, get back here!"

Re: Lobby/Concessions [08/08]

[shapethecentury]

Ingrid immediately yelped. "Out! Out, no dogs allowed!"

Bucky took a more proactive approach, stepping up to corral Patriot away from the fresh popcorn, at least.

(And pretending he hadn't already recognized Steve's voice.)

Re: Lobby/Concessions [08/08]

[heroic_jawline]

"Patriot, heel!" Steve called in his full Cap voice, causing the pup to sit so hard his feet skittered out from under him.

"I'm so sorry," he said, coming into the theater and apologizing to Ingrid. "He's entirely guided by his stomach."

Re: Lobby/Concessions [08/08]

[shapethecentury]

Ingrid was still making kind of an affronted face even as she said it was fine, really.

Bucky just looked... faintly resigned.

"Hey, Steve."

Re: Lobby/Concessions [08/08]

[heroic_jawline]

"Hey, Buck," Steve said, scooping the dog up. Patriot starting whimpering. "You're not getting popcorn," Steve scolded him. "Um. Meet Patriot. He's a menace."

Re: Lobby/Concessions [08/08]

[shapethecentury]

"Can see that," Bucky noted mildly, looking more at the adorable pooch in question than at Steve himself. "Patriot, huh?"

He couldn't muster up a 'really, Steve?' In fact, he was surprised to feel it even faintly bubbling up.

Re: Lobby/Concessions [08/08]

[heroic_jawline]

Steve laughed, cheeks going pink. "We thought he'd get nicknamed Paddy, but the full name just stuck. He likes napping in my shield."

Patriot was serving an excellent purpose as a fuzzy shield right now, too.

Re: Lobby/Concessions [08/08]

[shapethecentury]

Bucky had been gone for most the year. And unlike before he'd taken off again, he had not taken his old habit of stalking Steve back up again in the couple of weeks he'd been back.

So this was genuinely his first time seeing Steve since he'd returned.

It felt even odder than he'd expected it to. "Cute," he said, then failed to come up with anything else. It was hard enough pretending to be a functional person in front of everyone else; his reserves turned out just... entirely empty, when it came to Steve.

Re: Lobby/Concessions [08/08]

[heroic_jawline]

"We think so," Steve said with another little smile. "So...this is where you work now? Breaking up any fights out back yet?"

Re: Lobby/Concessions [08/08]

[shapethecentury]

"None so far."

Come on, Bucky, dig up something.

He turned to straighten a stack of Junior Mints. With his good hand. "But it's early days."

NOW SHOWING: Something Occurred One Evening

[shapethecentury]

A spoiled heiress running away from her family is helped by a man who is actually a reporter in need of a story.

OOC [MST3000 08/08]

[shapethecentury]

Re: OOC [MST3000 08/08]

[long_memory]

Clark Gable in this movie A++++++ would swoon over again.

Re: OOC [MST3000 08/08]

[okteiviakom]

HARD SAME.