IC Inbox

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This is the IC inbox for Bucky Barnes at Snowblind.

Network name: @bucky; formerly @j, @username, and @robertsmith

This is the place to contact Bucky over the Network. Contact by voice, text, or video is all perfectly acceptable, and there is no need to plot with me prior to posting in this inbox.

Any contact for @j following day 125, @username following day 190, or @robertsmith following day 224 will be met with the following message: USER NOT FOUND.

Comments

@Mnemosyne; text; Day 297

[bookofnope]

[Two days pass before he sends out this message, but Beckett isn't concerned by that; he's sure all of them are processing, in their own time. It's the message itself that he's unsure about. And yet there it is.]

What was it? What you remembered when we were in the tunnels together.

[Curiosity will kill the vampire, one day.]

[advanced]

[He'd almost thought that whole thing had been a fever dream, but apparently not.]

Does it matter? It's not relevant now.

[bookofnope]

Nonetheless, I'd like to know. Most of the memories are fading at a pace, but this has been staying with me.

[Most instances of having his humanity forcefully reawakens have. He's trying to work through them.]

[advanced]

And if I refused to tell you?

[These things are personal and he doesn't like or trust Beckett.]

[bookofnope]

[The sentiment is the same on Beckett's end, but it wouldn't be the first or hundredth time he'd let curiosity, or something like it, overrule it.]

Then I'd be a pain until you change your mind. That's my usual modus operandi.

Though I could also offer to explain my own words at the time. If you'd prefer that.

[advanced]

Fine, you explain first.

[He's not saying that he's definitely going to tell what he had realised, but he doesn't mind learning about what Beckett had been going through. Information is power, after all.]

[bookofnope]

[Whatever else Beckett is, he's a man of his word, especially when it comes to such trades. He regrets making the suggestion for about a minute, which is a long pause in a conversation, but he doesn't think Bucky would resent that. If anything it might convey that he is not doing this lightly.]

When it seemed like I'd been here for decades, I'd given myself over to an irrational hope I used to have. Probably irrational. I can't entirely say. But I had let myself believe that my first and greatest friend would come to my aid. Anatole. He was no ordinary man. Not even an ordinary vampire. If anyone could - I know I wasn't thinking straight, but I needed a reason to go on. An end point to look to.

[advanced]

[That's interesting and he files it away for future reference, in case he ever comes across Beckett again.]

I just remembered someone I used to know, that's all.

[A far more vague answer, but not precisely a lie.]

[bookofnope]

[It's not a lie, but it gets Beckett's hackles up nonetheless. He has a very strong sense of fairness in deals - the bedrock of vampire society - and he's obviously just given more than he got.]

Who do you think you're hiding from, Barnes?

[advanced]

I don't owe you answers just because you're curious.

[Not when they're far too personal.]

[bookofnope]

You owe me quid pro quo, if nothing else. I was honest with you.

Or else I might start doing my own speculation. Is it about Rogers?

[advanced]

[Of course it's about Rogers, it's always about Rogers.]

Speculate all you want, I don't care and I still don't owe you anything.

[bookofnope]

Do you think I'll use the information against you? Trade it for favours? Endanger your tender feelings?

[You've tripped over a very particular button here, Bucky. He won't make this easy.]

I knew him, you know. The first time he was here, before you. He was a good man.

[advanced]

[Yeah. No.

He's not going to be discussing Steve with Beckett, not like this. There's a moment of nothing and then Bucky just hangs up without replying, which is probably a telling enough response by itself.]