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It would've got me too.

[They were in pretty close proximity, after all. He's fairly sure any chemical agent in the air would have been much more generalised, not just targeted at Manabu.]

I think it might have something to do with the way the 'locals' are acting.

[...okay, fair. damn. it might be better if it's more isolated, anyway; not good to have more people wrapped up in problems.

but mention of the townsfolk makes Manabu's eyes wince. the glitching and twitching and general...nothingness they seem to be caught up in? he wants no part of that, not a bit.]

I try to stay out of their way...as long as they're not hurting themselves too much. Then I, you know. Move them a bit. But maybe if it's a matter of too much contact with them...?

I don't know.

[He avoids the townsfolk as much as possible, they stir up uncomfortably familiar feelings with their dead-eyed stares and general blank faces.]

Have you heard anyone else mention anything like this on the-- Fluid?

[That was what it was called, right?]

Y'know-- [the pained look grows more weary than anything.] The way people use that thing...it's more like...diary stuff than...useful broadcasts. I mean--some are useful. Like, maybe way more information than anyone could use in a situation, but still good. But a lot of it is...weird...

[he looks askance, troubled.]

I think this place has...a lot of the people stuck here kind of...messed up. Like they're just used to it.

I don't want that to happen to anyone else.

I don't think it's something you can stop.

[It's probably not what Manabu wants to hear, but Bucky doesn't sugar coat what he thinks the truth is. His tone is gentle, though, he knows what it is to want to help.]

People have to find a way to cope, I've seen it before.

They shouldn't...have to, is the thing. [but that's his idealism showing. he unfolds his arms, ruffling his hair with a hand out of exasperation.] But jus saying that doesn't change anything, I know. Still.

This is...way more than anyone should have to handle...or figure out how to fix. But it's not like I can just shrug and let things remain as they are...!

Nobody's asking you to.

[Why does he feel like he's had this conversation about a million times throughout his life? He sighs, though there's no real ire behind it.]

But you gotta learn to look out for yourself too. You can't save everybody, and you won't save anybody if you burn yourself out trying to fix everything at once.

[he makes a soft, reluctant sound at that. he can't argue the logic, even if he doesn't like it. anything more is just petty complaining, isn't it?

jeez. he can easily imagine Bruce ribbing on him for this right now, same as he did when the whole platoon went to the Murase Inn for shore leave.

some shore leave this is, though...

before he can get to lost in that recollection, he blinks back to the present, giving James a fleeting glance and a nod.]

...I won't go anywhere. At least, for the day.

[At least Manabu isn't arguing back, though he has severe doubts as to how long the other man will actually be able to listen to advice like this.]

Good.

[He'll take that as the victory it is, and not push it. For a moment, he looks as if he might just up and leave now that he has what he wants, but...]

I guess I oughta make sure you don't.

[Which is his way of offering to stay and be a distraction. It's the first time he's ever offered his company in a purely social sense since before the Soldier, it feels odd. Wrong. Like he should take it back and leave anyway. He wouldn't blame Manabu for refusing his company, it's not like he's any good at conversation.]

[Manabu blinks. come to think, the fact James didn't just shove him through the door, slam it, and promptly vanish is actually...something, isn't it?]

Uh, mm-- [he hesitates, tilting his head slightly, as if he could get a better read on the guy. if it's a matter of not being trusted to sit still, then it's a matter come from wanting to trust in the first place...right?

something like that.]

Hanging around here isn't going to hold up anything you're up to out there, is it?

[It's his turn to hesitate.

He's not sure if Manabu is asking that because he's genuinely worried about Bucky having something important to do, or if he's trying to give him an out without being rude enough to tell him to leave.]

Nothing that can't wait.

[This is so awkward.]

[ah, the cultural and emotional dissonance between a defrosted shock trooper and a legacy space cop. perhaps it's fortunate that Manabu was never too invested in the deeper fibers of nuance and subtext that much of the culture he grew up in; no amount of silent judgment ever stopped him from following his own path -- he needs that kind of stuff spoken up-front from people he actually respects. likewise, no amount of unspoken unease keeps Manabu's trap shut.

so while James tries to accommodate awkwardness like a man trying to put on a boot while wearing too many layers of socks, Manabu is more just genuinely curious. after all, this guy is more back and forth than Louis is, and perhaps even less likely to explain why to boot.

and so, curiously:] What kind of things? I mean-- did you start coming up with plans or stuff to figure out?

Nothing concrete to do with the town.

[The things he's been taking care of recently have been of a more personal nature, and the next main thing on his agenda is to track down this girl that Martin claimed had been the one to erase his memory. Not something he wants to bring up now.]

Quit talking plans and information, you're meant to be takin' it easy.

[Jeez, this guy doesn't get how to relax, does he?]

[he makes a face, slouching against the cabinets, keeping himself propped up by his hands on the edges.]

I can talk about doing things without actually doing them, you know... But if that's not allowed either, then what is?

[He frowns as the conversational onus is passed to him once more, floundering.]

Poker.

[It sort of comes from nowhere, deep in the recesses of the foggy bits of his mind. He thinks he remembers how to play poker.]

Do you have cards?

Eh-?

[nowhere, indeed. Manabu stares at him for a beat, then blinks.] Uh, I...I don't actually know. I mean, I don't, but somewhere in the house? Maybe? I can look...

[Bucky shifts and, although his expression remains in his usual neutral stoicism, he's practically radiating awkwardness.]

Unless you have a better plan? I'm not-- I've not done this before.

[Just socialised. No real plan in mind.]

No, no, it's fine. [Manabu pushes away from the counter, glancing around the kitchen. he rubs at the back of his neck, gaze trailing off to another room.

while nodding:] I'll have a look around. I may as well get a better sense of what's in stock here anyway, if I'm really stuck here for a while, huh?

It's for less than twenty four hours, you're not in jail.

[He snorts, a tiny crack of humour finally showing through the awkwardness. Seriously, it's not like he's stuck here, this is his house and he has to relax for less than a day.]

I meant the town in general! [it's called from a room over, as Manabu's already on the move. seriously, he can't really sit still in a place like this! it goes against everything his brain keeps telling him to do or try! at least rummaging can help satisfy some of those anxious, nagging voices for a bit...he just has to not listen to the ones decrying this as a horrible waste of time and resources.

maybe...just focus on instead that someone's actually going out of their way to make sure he's fine? like, needlessly so? it's weird. James doesn't even come from the same place, so there's really no homeland obligation to look out for him, and considering how much he protested so much as basic conversation at the onset...

Manabu pokes around the shared living spaces, his focus on deck of cards to keep from getting distracted by some of the weirder knick-knacks.

...like the really weird, lumpy hat near one of the doors. Amara doesn't strike him as a hat-person, so it must be this elusive other tenant's? who knows.

books, miscellaneous office supplies, a bucket of old gardening gear...some funky board game, he thinks? oh--no. it's a jigsaw puzzle, apparently. eh.]

Here.

[Manabu returns after a while, putting the boxed deck on the kitchen table, sliding it in James' direction as he moves around to plop down in the seat opposite.]

I'm not really good at this one, [shocking.] but I know the basic rules.

[He has enough time while waiting to really feel how weird this situation is.

He's spent the last few months, both at home and here, hiding from everyone. Keeping his interactions with people purely superficial, being the ghost that he was trained to be. He's forgotten what it was like to have a friend, if this can even be classified as that, and social interaction just for relaxation sake is alien to him. He's probably the worst person to be trying to help keep Manabu distracted at home.

When the cards are put in front of him, he slides the deck out into his metal hand slowly.]

I think I remember the rules. It's been a long time.

[That's an understatement if ever there was one.]

I think-- I remember betting for cubes of sugar.

[oh, right. bets. this is way more David's thing than Manabu's. he makes a soft, thoughtful sound at that, looking around at some of the upper cabinets in the kitchen. he could maybe find something to that effect? or grab that box of colored paper clips he saw while he was rummaging. or--]

Oh, hang on. I think I still got something... [he sits up in his seat, digging around in a couple of his pockets, before producing a small handful of metallic coins, about eight or nine, embossed on one side with a woman's face.

he lets them slide out of his hand and onto the table.]

Ables. Will these work?

[He reaches over and picks one up, turning it over in his fingers to look at the image of the woman. She looks sad...]

This is currency from your home?

[He pulls four of the coins towards himself and pushes the other four towards Manabu, and if there's a spare one then it'll get set to one side, in an implicit agreement that they'll do fine for betting with.]

Aa, yeah. Well-- [he puts his share in a little stack.] More like, from most everywhere. It's like a universal currency, so you don't have to keep changing money planet to planet. Most places that want outsiders will take it. And if not...[he shrugs.] At least the stations will, so if you have a few, you at least won't starve until your next train.

Who's she?

[He nods down towards the woman embossed on the coin. She must be someone important if she's on the currency for multiple different worlds, after all.

He starts to shuffle, slowly at first and then faster as the muscle memory catches up with him. His left hand is bulkier than his right, but it doesn't seem any less dextrous even for more delicate movements like card shuffling.]

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