IC Inbox

[advanced]

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

[redrooms]

That isn't what I'm asking. Something is bothering you.

[advanced]

Why are you calling me, Natasha? What about Dr. Watson's information do you want to discuss?

[redrooms]

[Natasha sighs.]

I'm wondering what you'd like to do about it. I'm looking for your opinion.

[advanced]

[He sighs right back, a soft hiss of static. He still sounds tense and almost hurt when he replies.]

Find out what else he knows and if any of it is dangerous.

[redrooms]

[She catches that, but she's not going to push. Not yet, at least.]

He isn't very pleased with me at the moment, so I doubt I'll have much luck. What do you think about Royce, Ecks and Estinien?

[advanced]

Even if they're a threat, you have no way of keeping them contained and killing them would be a temporary measure.

[Not that he thinks Natasha will kill them, nor would he sanction it himself, but he's just covering the bases.]

They're not the only murderers here, Natasha.

[redrooms]

Yes, I know. I spoke to Royce and Luna. It sounds like getting involved would only escalate things, and to be honest with you, I don't want to play police.

[advanced]

Then don't get involved, there's no reason to.

[Sorry, Nat, he's much more short than he was the last time they spoke. He doesn't know why he's being involved in this as though he's an Avenger.]

[redrooms]

[He gets another sigh!]

I was looking for your insight, Jay. Tony wanted to discuss it as a team, and I thought you deserved some input, too.

[advanced]

I'm not an Avenger, Natasha, I'm not part of your team.

[He hesitates, before his voice softens to something nearly inaudible.]

And my name is Bucky.

[You can thank Steve for that.]

[redrooms]

Bucky.

[It still feels strange to call him anything but "James", but she'll roll with it. But then, he isn't James, not the one she knows, so maybe that separation is good.]

You might not be part of our team, but I still value your opinion. You've been here longer than all of us.

[advanced]

[He feels a slight twinge of guilt, and forces himself to try and push the rawness of today's revelations away.]

I think you already made the right decisions. To keep anyone prisoner here is impractical, the best you can do is keep watch from a distance.

[redrooms]

Good to know.

[And, because did you really think she was going to drop this, Bucky?]

Why did you sound so upset before? Did something happen?

[advanced]

[There's a pause as Bucky considers what, if anything, to tell her. His trust has taken a huge hit today, but he doesn't want to regress. He checks the privacy filter twice before replying, though.]

I told Watson about HYDRA and the Soldier, he was my friend. He lied to me, he used the knowledge he already had to manipulate me into telling him.

[redrooms]

[Oh, Bucky. Natasha lets out a quiet, sympathetic sound. That just knocked Watson down about a million points in her mind.]

I'm sorry, Bucky. How much did you tell him?

[advanced]

Enough.

[More than enough. His voice is rough. It's embarrassing that it hurts this much, but Watson was pretty much the first person he trusted with this in seventy years.]

[redrooms]

[Her heart aches for him. She knows how difficult it is to trust people, especially with secrets like that, and having them manipulated out of you... Natasha has never taken to it well.]

Do you think he'll use any of it against you?

[advanced]

[He already has in Bucky's mind. And he doesn't want to talk about this any more.]

I don't know. I'll handle it.

[It has a ring of finality about it. He's trusted her thus far, but she needs to drop it now.]

[redrooms]

[She won't push much, but she can't just let it drop completely.]

We're here for you if you need us.

[advanced]

[He's reached the end of his limit for the day, and he just hangs up.

What happened with Watson was his mistake, he'll deal with it alone, and he'll be damn sure to be warier about who to trust in the future.]