IC Inbox

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This is the IC inbox for Bucky Barnes at Riverview.

Network name: user.name

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

Note: As of the end of December 2017, Bucky has no phone, he has destroyed it. Consequently, this inbox can only be used for in person interaction. You are still more than welcome to post here without plotting with me first.

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[There's no reply for about ten minutes, and (if he's listening), Clark might be able to pick up the sound of Bucky's heart going faster in fear. But it calms relatively quickly, and only after it's back to normal does he respond.]

Я не знал, что вы говорили по-русски.

[signifies]

[ He's always listening.

Clark's reply is still in Russian, with no misspellings or grammatical mistakes. ]

I'm a fast learner. We can use this as code, too.

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[There's another hesitation, but the response is still in Russian.]

Pick a different language, not this one.

[signifies]

You pick. I'll learn it.

I speak some Spanish already, but we might not want to use something common.

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You learned Russian for this?

[He's not sure if that's creepy or adorable.]

[signifies]

I was going to anyway. For work. [ He can't be Earth's guardian if he only speaks one language. ] Russian just has the advantage of understanding what you're saying.

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It's the language of the Soldier.

[Most of the languages he knows are because of the Soldier, but that one is the Soldier.]

Pick another language, I probably know it.

[signifies]

[ The Soldier is a part of James too, isn't he? Clark doesn't think it's fair to lock him out. ]

I don't know any others.

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[He is, but Bucky isn't even close to being ready to accept that yet.]

Then which one do you want to learn most?

[signifies]

[ His own. He can barely manage a few sentences of Kryptonian. ]

Mandarin or Arabic?

[ Both have been described as the most difficult languages for an English speaker to learn. Clark can think of no better discouragement. ]

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[Bucky switches smoothly to Mandarin. His accent is flawless, the Soldier had to be able to blend in.]

Mandarin. You don't understand, but I'll teach you.

[He switches back to English, finally.]

How long did it take you to get that good at Russian?

[signifies]

[ The reply takes a while. Clark is in the library with a dictionary.

He answers in English. ]

Six hours. [ A self-conscious pause. ] I had to pretend to throw my roommate off the scent. He doesn't know.

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[There's a long pause, before Bucky just snorts in disbelieving laughter.]

Is there anything that you're not super at?

[signifies]

[ He doesn't know how to be a superhero. He can't understand how other people look at him like an ideal of hope. Clark has had to work hard for every scrap that he has. Even as he likes humans, he can't trust humanity. Proof of that is how Jon's had to grow up.

Bucky's amused, and Clark can't bring himself to answer very honestly and bring down the mood. He replies with quiet amusement. ]

I don't think you want to hear me yodel.

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I don't think I want to hear anyone yodel.

[That's not exactly good music as far as he's concerned, though it is better than some of the absolute noise that people listen to these days.]

Fine, learn Mandarin, then.

[signifies]

I'll text you for practice.

[ He'll learn this more quickly than Russian. With Lois and Kara both gone, Clark copes by throwing himself into work. ]

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Sure.

[He doesn't know that anyone has gone, so after a moment he responds again.]

Won't your housemates think it's strange you're learning all these new languages?

[signifies]

[ Clark replies after a short period of silence. ]

It's just me and Jon.

[ Illya already knows there's something weird about him, and isn't going to think anything is off. Clark has promised to tell him when Illya is ready to share his own true identity. ]

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[The phone line goes dead.

Bucky may not have Clark's super hearing to track someone down, but he does have decades of experience in hunting specific targets, so it shouldn't take him too long to locate Clark and drop in on him. Probably literally, depending where he is.]

You didn't tell me.

[The underlying 'why not' is pretty clear.]

What happened?

[signifies]

[ Clark's not hiding from him. It'd be hard for a master assassin to chase him if he was in the sky.

He's sitting in one of the discussion rooms in the library, with his notebooks and some audio tapes, and looks up in surprise, clearly not expecting Bucky to drop in on him like this. ]

You have other things on your mind. [ Clark has a lifetime of only having his parents to talk to. He's not used to having friends. ] I think the Portal sent Lois and Kara back. If they were anywhere here, I'd be able to track them.

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[Bucky's eyes narrow slightly, but his tone of voice is completely level and without judgement when he speaks, as if he's curious rather than accusing.]

Am I a charity case to you, or a friend?

[He already knows the answer, or thinks he does, but he's making a point before they get into whatever has truly happened to Lois and Kara.]

[signifies]

[ He answers quietly. ]

I remember telling you I don't really know how to have friends.

[ Bucky would never be a charity case. Clark has no pity for anyone except Zod. ]

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Friends rely on each other, it's about trust and mutual respect.

[It's why he doesn't really have any, he finds it very hard to lean on anyone or trust them, even if he wants to help them in return.]

Tell me next time.

[That out of the way, he slides into the seat opposite Clark.]

When did they go? Have you asked the authorities about it?

[signifies]

[ It's hard to trust someone when he's an alien and has always desperately tried to hide it.

Pete was the closest he got in school other than Lana. ]

There's a list of people who've been sent home. They're on it.

[ He's not sure what else he should add. If Clark can't hear their heartbeats, they're gone. Tearing up the city looking for them is pointless. ]

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[He hadn't even known about this list, he'll have to pay better attention in the future. But at least they know.]

Then they're safe.

[It's probably not much of a comfort for Clark, left behind as he is.]