"You could lie to me, but I'll see right through it. Food will be good for you then. You can't just keep going on being fueled by alcohol. I know you keep trying your damnedest."

The smile flashed across his face again. This one bigger than the last and closer to the old roguish one that he used on her. James stood up and wandered into the kitchen. He pulled the pizza from the freezer and set the oven to preheat. "The movie collection is to your left. See if anything from the rack suits your fancy." He poured three large glasses of water and brought them over to the table, knocking things off it to make room.

"Hey, it doesn't look that bad in here. I mean maybe like an extinction level event happened, but I was raising dinosaurs. Can't be helped." James said, dropping onto the couch and pointing to the glasses on the table. "I expect you to drink at least two of those. One's mine. But you're probably dehydrated too. You're on an all the water you can drink tonight kind of plan. Can't let you self-destruct, Gin. You're too important. And before you object, I'm going to take care of you. If the roles were reversed, you would too. If you don't like it, too bad. You should have traded me off to the Justice League for Blue Bat or Nightwing."

I'm dying and I'm trying but believe me I'm fine

"I've got it on terrible authority that you're wrong about that. It's not a healthy lifestyle, won't live as long as you should, but you can definitely keep yourself fueled by alcohol." The retort was somewhat sarcastic, not serious, but it was better that than outright saying he was right. Being nice, sweet, giving into things she should have a long time ago was one thing, but that wasn't going to change that stubborn soul of hers. She knew he was right, and a part of her hoped her tone would elude to that fact, but she wasn't going to say it.

Her eyes rolled as she saw that smile. At least he was doing better. That had been the goal after all, hadn't it? A smile of her own was starting to spread along her lips, pulling at the corners, more genuine than it had been in quite some time. That was also an odd feeling, having a genuine smile. She'd never thought she would miss something like that. As he left, she got up herself to look through his movies, her finger lightly trailing along their sides as she knelt down in front of them. It was always nice to see a good variety, though she couldn't help but notice a favored genre among the selection.

Ginnie threw him a quick glance as he spoke again. "Poor dinosaurs didn't deserve this sort of end, Jimmy," she teased. She eyed the glasses of water, letting out a soft sigh. Really, she was fine... Mostly... Maybe. No not, really, and she knew that, she'd even admitted it, but she didn't need to be put on a diet of water, water, and more water. Did she? She looked back to the movies for a moment, mindlessly grabbing 'The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly' before heading back to the couch, taking her seat right beside him again. She lightly dropped the movie onto his lap before reaching for the water. "I'm only doing this because I'm actually kind of thirsty, not because you're asking me to," she clarified as she drank from the glass. What she had meant to be a sip, though, turned out to be about half of the glass. Water was good for her anyway. "Besides, I'd sell Natalie before I traded you for the Justice League."

389	James Barnes Jr
hope this is alright~

But I'm lying, I just don't wanna fall away

✿

"I've got it on great authority that you're wrong. Maybe I want you around for awhile."

He leaned down and gave her a small kiss on the lips. James was well aware that Ginnie seemed to be on some kind of alcohol induced binge lately and he was not thrilled about it. If she wasn't going to protect herself, James had nominated himself to watch over Ginnie. James shrugged while he got water.

"Going to be honest, Iron Princess, the dinosaurs weren't very good house guests and they didn't pay rent. They're gone now. They brought the apocalypse on themselves."

James looked down at the movie and went over, slipping it into the dvd player. He turned around and sighed. He kept his tone light, but serious. "Quit arguing with everything I say. We get it. You're a strong, independent woman with a billion dollar metal suit that don't need no super soldier." James rolled his eyes.

"You want to keep me on the team, Oh, fearless leader, then let me take care of you. That's my job as your second in command. I'm supposed to keep you alive long enough to lead. Now, shut up and drink your water. You're grumpy when you're tired and don't think I won't take you to bed and make you go to sleep."

I'm dying and I'm trying but believe me I'm fine

Ginnie glanced away at that. Maybe he wanted her around? Well... maybe, but she wasn't always sure if that was the actual case. Besides, the past heaven knows how long since her party of what was efficient radio silence certainly said another story. Then again, what did she know? She wasn't actually sure what might have been going on inside his head during that time. What he could have actually been thinking. Not that she could have really talked much with him to find out anyway. Before she could even attempt to defend her point, however, she felt another small kiss touch her lips and, well, that effectively shut her up. Even her thoughts stopped for a moment. Well played, Barnes. Well played.

"Oh, well if they didn't pay their rent then surely Armageddon was what they deserved," she chuckled. Of course they had deserved it. It was almost more amusing just how seriously they were discussing the end of the dinosaurs in his apartment. Still, that light laughter didn't stay for long as she shook her head. It wasn't because she didn't want to laugh, it was because she was trying not to now. She opted for finishing her first cup of water instead of saying anything. She didn't need a super soldier. But it was certainly nice having the one at her side. Not that she was going to say that out loud.

Putting her glass down, she nestled into the couch. A soft sigh escaping her at his words. "I don't need you to take care of me," she muttered. "I just need your help. That's all." She hated being ordered like that but she listened none the less, leaning forward to grab the other glass before getting herself cozy in the couch again. She took a sip from the second glass before glancing over to James. "God, Aileen must be rubbing off on me because I almost wanted to make a lewd comment there." She opted to say that rather than make the comment itself. Well, she supposed it wouldn't have been much of a comment, more of a question in a certain tone of voice, but close enough, right? Or maybe it wasn't Aileen's influence at all. Maybe it was still the slight effects from the alcohol from earlier... Aileen was certainly easier to blame.

390	James Barnes Jr
hope this is alright~

But I'm lying, I just don't wanna fall away

✿

"Well, we don't tolerate freeloaders in this here building." His accent took on a slight southern drawl. "And this here apartment wasn't big enough for all of us. It was them or me, I reckon. I chose me." He gave Ginnie a wink.

James came over and stood by the couch. He stared at her for a minute and then laughed softly. "Then take care of yourself, so I don't have to. You don't need me to take care of you? Then show me. Actions speak louder than words. Besides, I'm very bad at following orders. You know that. You scold me enough for it. You're getting my help and more. Because I care for you." He stuck his tongue out at her.

Now that Ginnie was here in his apartment, he was starting to realize how used to having her around he'd been. How used to having an entire team to watch his back he'd been. But the team was broken now and he'd tried to quit. But Ginnie wasn't having that at all. That made James feel wanted in a way that he hadn't felt for awhile. After a moment of watching her and thinking, he sat back down next to Ginnie, making himself cozy again. James chuckled at Ginnie and looked over at her, stroking the light beard that he had going. The comment joke made him grin. He looked at her with a soft smile. "If you want, Princess. Whatever helps you sleep more than four hours. Not like I'm ever going to object to that. I'm free for the next 48 hours, baring an alien invasion." James kept his tone deliberately light to make sure that Ginnie couldn't tell if he was kidding or not.

He was not going to make this that easy for her. There was an order to things that had to be maintained.

I'm dying and I'm trying but believe me I'm fine

Ginnie chuckled again, but she didn't say anything. The addition of the accent made it but a bit more amusing, especially coming from James. She supposed it was just different from what she was used to from him that made it more amuse. If she hadn't already been smiling from her own laughter, she probably would have grinned at it. She wanted to say something back about his lack of following orders but the tongue being stuck out at her made her just laugh more. It took her a moment to get herself to stop laughing so she could ask her question. "Your help and more? And what more is there?"

She took another few sips from her water before leaning forward to put it beside the empty glass. Her eyes followed James as he went to sit down. "Although, as much as you might want to help take care of me, perhaps try taking care of yourself a bit first, yeah?" she cooed softly. She'd say she would help him back but, like he said, actions spoke louder than words and she was pretty much determined to show him that instead. She knew he probably wouldn't protest nearly as much as her. Then again, she might be wrong. However, she reached over to poke lightly at the scruff as if to indicate what she meant. Not that it was a bad look. Just, again, to her it seemed weird for him.

Even if she didn't say it, it was pretty obvious, wasn't it? There was a part of her that just wanted to keep laughing it off, say it was just a joke anyway. That hanging around Aileen had that effect, made her think of what she would say in situations or something stupid like that. Or that obviously the movie should be more important. Or the pizza in the oven. Yet wants to say things and actually saying them was always two different things. And what she wanted to say, or thought she wanted to say, didn't seem to always match up with the words that passed her lips. "Then let's hope no aliens think we look like good targets." She tried to sit up a bit straighter, her hand moving up to try and keep his face towards her so she could lean up and try to kiss him again.

393	James Barnes Jr
okay, so... like... i might have been still waking up when i was writing this... and undertale was a slight distraction... but hopefully it's alright enough ^^;

But I'm lying, I just don't wanna fall away

✿

"Lots more."

It was a quiet implication. James made it as vague as possible. He sipped his water and raised an eyebrow at Ginnie. "I take care of myself just fine. This is just my playoff beard. I'm just growing it until the Wild win the cup." James paused, his voice still warm.

"You don't like it? I'm rather attached to it." Besides, oh, hypocritical one, you came here to take care of me. Whether you want to admit it or not,that's why you came by." He leaned against Ginnie. "I don't mind. If you want to take care of me, then just let me take care of you. That's what people do. And let's face it. You and I have been trying to figure out how to be more for awhile."

When Ginnie's hand touched James' face, he leaned in. "I'm sure that the Nova Corps and Justice League have it handled." James noticed Ginnie sit up straighter and he smiled at her. His lips touched hers softly, before delving into a full on passionate kiss.

"Let's be lovers tonight and figure it out later."

I'm dying and I'm trying but believe me I'm fine

The way he said that seemed to speak volumes to her. Though perhaps, at the moment, that was because of a more wishful or hopeful sort of thinking. She wanted to push, see if she could get more than just that vague answer, but she decided against it, focusing on his other words instead. "Oh, of course, that's it. And not that you've been so busy running yourself just as ragged as i'd been," she muttered. She wasn't exactly trying to be heard this time, not per say though there was no doubt she would be. She'd had to have been thinking it for it not to be heard.

What he said next was far more true than she'd like to admit. She wanted to argue it, she wanted to say that wasn't why but, for once, she couldn't bring herself to even try to lie, no matter how poorly it would be done. She'd come here to make sure he was okay, make sure he would stay okay, hope to bring him back properly to the team. The admission of actually needing him had already been hard enough to put out in the open. Needing his help in anyway, needing him there. And she knew she needed the help, needed someone that wasn't some computer program to keep her from doing something stupid. But she knew just as well that he needed her, too. "Well... I guess we'll just have to take care of each other," she said softly.

When her attempt to kiss him worked, she melted into it a but, returning the passion, letting the rest of her thoughts melt away melt away as she did. If it wasn't for the fact that she didn't want to break away, she probably would have said something about the Novas or the Justice League. She'd just have to assume he knew she'd agree. For once, the other guys could handle that sort of problem. Though she knew it wasn't likely aliens would attack. It'd be just her luck, though, wouldn't it? When he broke it himself to speak, the usual urge for protesting was gone. Actions spoke louder than words, right? A small smirk touched her lips before she leaned over to kiss his cheek before standing up. Lovers for the night... what could go wrong?

She turned away from him, trying to make an obvious switch of her hips. Her fingers played lightly with the edge of her shirt, pulling it up as she moved away from the couch and toward where... well, where she was his room might be. She knew it might be a bit of trial and error in finding it, but it should be that hard in an apartment. "Just make sure the apartment doesn't burn down first," she called over to him.

469	James Barnes Jr
;lkajrgfadaafaer was my exact response when i initially read this, jsyk. and again, hoping the post is alright xD

But I'm lying, I just don't wanna fall away

✿

"I have been. And we both know it. Both of us have. I won't lie to you there."

The situation between them was changing faster than even James thought it could. He grabbed the remote and shut the off the movie. James pulled out his phone and set it on silent. "I suppose that's what we'll have to do." His lips touched her neck softly and James sighed softly. He didn't really expect Ginnie to go along with the idea, but they both needed someone now and it made sense. Sense. Logic. None of them really applied here. James didn't know why he felt a need to try to use those here.

James shut his brain off for a minute. He needed to stop focusing on that and think with his heart for a change. He spent too much time dwelling on the what-ifs and the what might bes. James had a plan for everything, that was why he always distanced himself from people. The time to do that was past now. James shrugged. It was time to do something for him. For the two of them.

"Right. Fires. We don't want to start one of those. Don't want to be interrupted." A grin played across James face as he followed the motion of her hips. He stood up and moved over to the oven, turning it off. He stood there a moment and let his brain take in the situation. There was about 30 seconds of contemplation and then he ran down the hallway after Ginnie.