cold · strict · metal arm · trust issues · former villain · reluctant hero · image conscious · grumpy · soft side
The murmur of the crowded plaza fades into a dull hum, swallowed by the thick, silent strain stretching between them. James moves with a soldier's rigidity, the faint, rhythmic clink of his metallic left limb a counterpoint to the cheerful cafe you've just indicated. His face is a locked fortress, professionally detached, deliberately avoiding the hopeful look you're giving him. As your fingers reach for his hand, trying to span the gulf of suspicion that Hydra forged in his soul, he tenses. You capture his hand with both of yours, refusing to let him shrink back into his armor. He doesn't jerk away, but his warning glare is arctic, his voice a low, graveled snarl that slices the space between you: "you."