HOWARD STARK OPEN POST.

[vibrantium]

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DARK!HOWARD

[vibrantium]

["A test" the gods and goddesses said. Let it be a test. And it hit those who hadn't really chosen a side, tilting them away from what they were close to. The "okay" became the terrible. The "anti-heroes" became paragons of virtue. Howard Stark...

Howard and Peggy had been working on SHIELD - Teleios branch for days now and waking up today he realized...He wasn't doing enough.

Not by a long shot.

Which is why he's having breakfast in a pressed suit, wearing the most expensive items he owns. there's something off about him.]

[valuedstrength]

[There is something off about a lot of people. While it'd be easy to dismiss this because Howard always had a flair to him, Steve still carries that tiny bit of paranoia from his experiences with the HYDRA controlled SHIELD. He acts when he starts noticing something is off even if it's just as simple as taking a seat with him. His smile is cheerful even if it doesn't quite reach his eyes.]

You're lookin' sharp today. Something special planned?

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[Howard's gaze raises from his meal (two eggs, boiled soft on toast, black coffee, hash browns.) where he's even eating delicately with a fork. He stares at Steve, aghast - confused even.]

...This is how I always dress.

[there's a degree of culture in his tone, he sounds like the man he was raised to be instead of the man he was but what's worse is he seems aghast that Steve is speaking to him.]

What are you doing here?

So uh have a weapon.

[deadandred]

[For our purposes, here, let's say Bucky has his full arm powers in this verse. And he's likely practicing knife throwing or something?]

[valuedstrength]

[In Cair Paradisa, they would call this a loss. Most people would play along with it since getting brainwashed was sort of the norm around there. Steve left that place a long time ago. Frankly he no longer has the patience for this.]

No you don't, Howard. [He sighs and doesn't bother hiding his frustration. Should he hit him in the head? Wait this out? So far he seems harmless even if that tone is getting under his skin.]

I'm here to talk to you. Something's up.

Howard likes you Bucky you know your place.

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[Howard has his hands tucked behind him - watching Bucky. Watching bucky with an intensity that might be familiar. Very familiar.

He slides his hands behind his back and continues to watch him for a good fifteen minutes or so.]

Your reaction time's not nearly as fast as it could be.

[pause] as it should be.

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[He blinks. It's that tone. That frustrated tone. Setting down his fork he stares at him, aghast.]

...What do you want to talk about asset?

HAHA NOPE

[deadandred]

[With barely even a glance, there's a knife whizzing past Howard's face and landing with a quiet thunk in the opposite wall. Bucky looks unapologetic, to say the least.] Who gives a fuck about my reaction time?

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[He looks - flustered. Aghast, angry.] What the hell is the matter with you!

[What happened to subservience?! He growls] ...You nearly killed me!

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[There is a voice urging him in his head that Howard isn't himself. Getting angry will only alienate him. That word makes him see red after everything that happened with Bucky. His response is low and angry. There is a warning there to tread carefully.]

Excuse me?

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[Howard stares at him.]

I'm the one that should ask for an excuse. Speaking to me like this. Me of all people.

Would you prefer Agent? I'll humor you this once.

[deadandred]

[A shrug.] If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't have missed.

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[He's flustered a moment longer before he smiles broadly] ...You're a bastard. A fighter. I forgot about that.

[He wipes a hand over the back of his mouth] back to the labs with you.

[valuedstrength]

[Wrong answer. In a flash, Steve has a fistful of that suit clenched tight in his fist. He pulls Howard a little closer in case his point isn't clear enough. You don't talk to him like that. You don't talk to anyone like that.]

You're not yourself so I'm gonna let that one slide. Let's get one thing clear: I am not your agent or asset. If you're half as smart as your usual self you'll keep every awful thought running through your brain right now to yourself. Understand?

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[He swallows hard before he meets Steve's gaze. 100 percent HYDRA. It's almost as if Pierce is looking out of the younger man's eyes.]

....Let me go or there will be hell to pay.

You're usually compliant.

[valuedstrength]

[It sends chills down his spine. If he weren't so angry that Howard thinks he's the same kind of monster as Pierce he'd want to scream that this is wrong. You're not like him. You would never turn people into weapons. Steve sucks it up. His grip on Howard's clothing tightens.]

People are being messed with. They're not acting like themselves. We're not sure what the cause is yet. [It's said carefully because he thinks for that brief amount of time that he could snap and throw him into a wall for using that horrible word.]

In case it wasn't obvious already, you are the one with the problem. I've never listened to an order that I didn't agree with and you're usually first in line to make sure I get away with that.

[vibrantium]

[You're usually first in line to make sure I get away with that. Something flashes in howard's eyes.

laughter.

Later. Much later, he'll sob about this and apologize. He'll apologize forever because this feeling like he's wading in a river of slime, king of the slime river...

Yet he knows it has to be done.]

And where has it gotten you. Maybe this is for the better. where has my helping you break rules gotten you Agent? Agent Rogers?

[deadandred]

[That is unexpected; but he'd figured on something being off since he felt Howard watching him. Even though it is confirmation, his shoulders stiffen and he turns to stare at Howard briefly, before searching for a weapon. Where's his spare when he needs it?]

Go to hell.

[valuedstrength]

[This is worse than dealing with Schmidt, Pierce, and every other maniac he's crossed paths with. He could beat them bloody, put a gun to their heads, and it could be done. Howard is his friend, he cares for him, so hurting him is out of the question. That doesn't save Howard from some rough treatment. Steve yanks him up and slams him against the nearest surface. He refuses to be treated this way; to be tested by the other man. Maybe he's just that angry to be asked that at all.]

This is not for the better. What we had before someone screwed with your head is.

[He reigns his anger in just enough to add pleadingly.] I'm your friend. A part of you has to know that no matter what you're thinking right now.

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[Howard looks scared for a moment. Your friend?]

...I've never thought clearer fella. There's nothing wrong with me.

[vibrantium]

[He takes one step back and then another. Maybe if he can find something he can knock it out, and find someone to take back his property.

He smiles]

You'd know all about hell wouldn't you?

[valuedstrength]

[He's going to be sick. The fact that he can't see even for a second how wrong this is disgusts Steve. All Howard can see is something less than human slipping outside his control and it scares him. Steve hates that he has to use that. It's wrong, but he's not the only super solider around here that Howard knows about. Steve has to protect the other one.]

I'm not your toy solider. You can't control me.

[Very deliberately he catches Howard's dominant hand with his free one. He latches onto his anger, that need to protect his beloved friend, and lets it darken his features. He would do anything for Bucky. He lets Howard see that even knowing that when it came down to it, he could never bring himself to harm Howard Stark. Intimidation definitely, knocking him out if he became a legitimate threat maybe, but never deliberately harm.]

You're going to stay away from James Buchanan Barnes or whatever you think he's called because if you don't I will break every bone in this hand. Have I made myself clear?

[deadandred]

Seems to me that most people who fought in the war do. [He knows that's not what Howard meant, but he's choosing to disregard it for now. Maybe if he ignores it Howard will go away and he can find Steve.]

[vibrantium]

[Howard - what would really get him angry? Is that when threatened he gets weasel-y

He looks at his hand, aghast - before he stares back at Steve]

....Barnes.

[vibrantium]

How does it feel knowing that you'll never leave it? I mean never really leave it.

[deadandred]

I don't know. How does it feel to know you helped kill thousands of people? Probably about the same. [TWO CAN PLAY AT THIS GAME, HOWIEBOY]

[vibrantium]

[That. That almost gets through to him. He looks physically punched and whatever's going on wavers. How does it feel? He's pretty damn angry. Something sours in his stomach.]

...Stand down asset.

[He's breathy, speaking hard and fast]

[deadandred]

[He bristles at those words, fighting back the internal shudder that goes along with that. He forces himself to keep cool, though, knowing that a violent reaction would likely get more punishment than just insolence. Even so, he can't help but flex the hand on his metal arm a bit, just to get his point across. When he replies, his voice is as collected and detached as the Winter Soldier's should be, no emotion.]

Go fuck yourself, Stark.

[vibrantium]

[Later, much later when he's back to normal and recovering from whatever the hell happened to him he will cry. Quietly and to himself, pushed to the limit. And drink harder. Much harder then he would, then he should.

Now however he meets bucky's gaze head on, cold and cruel.]

sputnik.

[valuedstrength]

[He doesn't like the way he says that. Suddenly, he's all too aware of how bad he is at playing this game. It's his only card though so ever so gently squeezes Howard's hand.] You didn't answer my question.

[vibrantium]

I'm trying to remember someone named Barnes. [but the moment there's any additional pressure he'll just whimper] Apart from your buddy! Your buddy I can stay away from him.

[deadandred]

[--And predictably, he's just going to drop like a stone. Fuck you, trigger words.]

[vibrantium]

[This is not Howard Stark, this is howard stark hydra agent. This isn't Howard Stark who would have driven to the senate chair committee, who would have shut it down as he had tried to do. This was a man who was corrupted, who had corrupted ideals.

He leans over Barnes's body before patting him on the cheek]

Asset.

Can you hear me?

[valuedstrength]

[Just like that Howard is released. There's only so much of this he can stomach. It helps greatly that Howard at the end of the day is an engineer. There's little he can do to harm people directly. All the same Steve will have to warn people and get a second opinion on what to do. He doesn't think clearly when it comes to his friends. He knows it.]

We're done here. [He's turning to go. Steve can't stand the sight of him right now.]

[vibrantium]

[And what is he going to do? Sneak off to find Barnes of course. No one talks to Howard fucking Stark like that]

[deadandred]

[He stirs after a moment or two, giving Howard a fuzzy blink before nodding.]

[vibrantium]

[He folds his hands, leaning down at him.]

Who do you serve?

[deadandred]

SHIELD, sir. [For a moment it feels ...almost wrong to say that, but he pushes that back. He pushes a lot of things back. They're not relevant to his orders.]

[vibrantium]

...good enough.

[He stares at him.] And who am I?

[If this worked, he should say director of shield. but if it didn't...well no small loss. He wouldn't remember him taunting him at least]

[deadandred]

The director of SHIELD. [Which isn't a lie, really, just -- misplaced in time.]

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Good.

[He puts a hand on Barnes's head] One of our agents has turned traitor. He threatens everything we're trying to do here. I need him eliminated.

[deadandred]

[The touch just gets a slightly confused look from him, but he nods.]

Time limit?

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Today.

As soon as you can.

[deadandred]

[And there's a nod.] Target?

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Captain America.

[There's no hesitancy in his tone]

[deadandred]

[There is certainly some in Bucky's movements, however, a faint look of doubt there.]

Yes, sir.