The headaches began after he came out of the ice...

[justakidfrombrklyn]

To say that a lot of things had changed once he'd come out of the ice wasn't just an understatement; it was practically cruel. The worst part in a lot of ways, though, was the way people treated him: as if the ice had preserved him, kept him exactly as he'd been when he'd sent the plane crash landing into the Atlantic.

It couldn't be further from the truth, though.

He'd died. The water had rushed in, the cold had soaked into his bones, the ice had taken over and he'd died and he'd felt it as he'd died. He'd felt the cold, woken up a dozen times stuck in the ice, unable to move and let it consume him, again and again. He still had nightmares about it, nightmares he didn't share because they were so ridiculous in some ways, debilitating in others.

And then there were the headaches.

He only got them occasionally, a strange buzz beginning behind his eyes and around, his eyes shifting unbidden as if he could find the cause for something that was going on inside his own head. And yet, sometimes it really felt like he could. He'd look around, the feeling exploding inside his skull, and he'd suddenly meet eyes with someone and the feeling would suddenly vanish. Usually, the person in question would blink at him and rush off, which was fair since one of the cardinal rules of walking around a large city was to avoid eye contact unless necessary. He didn't think too much about it until he went back to Europe, back at war again in his search for his lost... friend...

Which was when the buzzing headaches started to get far more frequent.

Sam, the finest companion a man could ask for, had decided to follow a lead in Madrid that Natasha had sent their way (one that would have been set off badly had Captain America's well-known mug shown up) which had left Steve enjoying the sights and snooping around Paris for the time being. Thankfully, there was a lot to see, a lot to investigate, but also... a lot to draw.

Beautiful things to draw.

He was halfway through sketching out a panel of the Arc De Triomph when he felt it there, head lifting from the paper to try and find the 'cause'. This was getting mildly ridiculous...

Comments

[im_just_a_guy]

"Well... You seem to be doing a good job, so far. So keep it up. See that door, right over there? That's the place."

Well, it was the back entrance, anyway, which, all things considered was the way Methos wanted to go in. It was also the door he had a key to, for emergencies. It warmed his shriveled old heart that after everything, Joe trusted him with that.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Well, go on and lead the way in. The owner is your friend, after all," Steve pointed out with an impish little smile.

[im_just_a_guy]

"Yeah, yeah, come on." Methos lead the way, fishing his keys out as he went. The nicely modern lock on the solid old door turned almost soundlessly, though there was a faint squeak of the hinges as he pushed it open.

"Hey Joe! It's me, and I've brought a new friend!" he called.

"Adam? Isn't it a little early even for you?" his old friend called back.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Good day, sir," and Steve made a point of throwing off a very familiar salute as he came up behind Adam. "A pleasure to meet you. Steve."

[im_just_a_guy]

The look on Joe's face when he saw just who the 'new friend' was, was something that Methos would treasure for all of eternity. His eyes wide, jaw starting to drop, before he caught himself, and stood as straight as he could to return the salute.

"Believe me, Captain Rogers - Steve - the pleasure's all mine. Joe Dawson," he continued, stepping forward, and extending his free hand. "Come on in, have a drink, on the house. Not you, Adam," he added sternly, when Methos started to perk up.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Steve gave Joe a warm smile, taking the hand in a firm shake.

"Good to meet you, Joe. Though I'll cover a couple of drinks for Adam here if you don't mind. I'm taking up his time, after all."

[im_just_a_guy]

"Oh no, don't let this conman trick you," Joe said. "He'll mooch forever, if you let him."

"Joe!" Methos protested. "I would not!"

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Steve looked from Joe to Adam and rubbed at his jaw thoughtfully.

"Forever, huh?"

[im_just_a_guy]

Joe isn't stupid; he's very good at his job, and Methos can see the wheels turn into place and click in his head in very quickly.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me," Joe says, and Methos can't help the grin.

"Nope."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Steve shrugged and gave Joe a hopeful smile.

"If it helps anything, I don't intend to make any waves about it."

[im_just_a_guy]

Joe just pinches the bridge of his nose, and shakes his head. Methos takes this as a point for him in the odd little game of mutual annoyance he and Joe play.

"All right, come on, both of you. I need a drink after that little revelation." Without another word, Joe turns, and heads up front toward the bar, and Methos follows, a grin on his face, and a little bounce in his step.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

He looked back at Adam with a bit of a sigh.

"Why do I have a feeling this is going to be everyone's reaction?"

[im_just_a_guy]

"Because you're famous, and not an idiot?" Methos offered, eyebrows quirking up. "Come on, it's not that bad."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Oh,I got used to being a spectacle in the 40s," he pointed out with a tired little smile, "but I don't love it."

He started looking around the bar as they walked through, taking in the decore. It was nice, quiet and a little dark at the moment but he could see it being very comfortable to hang out in with some jazz music and a few drinks.

[im_just_a_guy]

"Good," Methos said quietly. "You'll last longer that way."

Joe went behind the bar, and got Methos a bottle of his usual, and another one for himself; he needed a drink, but he didn't need to get drunk.

"All right Steve, what can I get you?"

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Just coke," he said with a little smile as he took a seat at the bar. He leaned against the counter and kept looking around.

"So how do you know Adam? Long time friend?"

He'd figured the man wasn't an Immortal from the lack of a buzz, but he was curious.

[im_just_a_guy]

"We used to work together, actually," Joe replied, freeing Methos to take a deep, appreciative sip of his beer. One of the three signs of true civilisation, in addition to plumbing, and books.

"Circumstances forced me to find other work, though, unfortunately," Methos added. "We still keep in touch, obviously, and share one or two particularly exasperating friends. Did you know Joe," he continued, grinning again, "Steve here bumped into Mac in the Resistance?"

It was Joe's turn to grin then.

"Yeah actually, I did."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Though I actually spent more time with him while he was working in British Intelligence," he said absently as he accepted his coke. "I didn't think about it too much at the time, but a photographic memory can be helpful once you know to put the pieces together."

"I'll have to ask him if he ever kept up with Peggy afterwards."

[im_just_a_guy]

"He did," Joe said quietly. "As long as he could."

Methos just sipped his beert, and shook his head. He wondered if MacLeod would ever learn moderation. He thought not, but then again, who knew? MacLeod the Slightly Elder had managed to.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Steve's smile got a little sad then before he started sipping his soda.

"Then I'm looking forward to meeting him. I... missed a bit."

[im_just_a_guy]

"Stick around then, he'll probably be by later tonight," Joe replied. "Now, you guys make yourselves comfortable, if you like, but I have to finish getting ready to open."

"Let me know if I can help." Methos was a shameless moocher, in the finest philosophical tradition, but he liked Joe, and appreciated his hard work. The barmop that came flying at his head was no surprise then, and he caught it easily.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Steve chuckled at the display before glancing around the bar.

"So do you work here part time?" Steve asked curiously, "or... what do you do, if you don't mind me asking?"

[im_just_a_guy]

"Right now," Methos said, moving easily to start wiping down the bar. "I'm a professional mooch. And I do a bit of translation work, here and there. Though yeah, sometimes I pick up a shift for Joe. I mean, what are friends for, right?"

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"I'm in between jobs at the moment myself," Steve admitted as he took another sip of his drink, "though I have a feeling I'm going to get roped into heading to New York soon."

[im_just_a_guy]

"Tony Stark?" Methos guessed. He moved down the bar, polishing it neatly and quickly.