[Video | Open to Both Courts]

[wipedclean]

[He looks slightly nervous. He still... doesn't do this talking thing well, and he doesn't really see the point of introducing himself to everyone. Making himself known to the entire network... showing his face on a recorded device... he's not supposed to, and it's just a bad idea for an assassin but...

But Steve said he should, so... well. He is.]

...hello.

[He swallows, his gaze flickering off to the side, where, unseen to the camera, Steve is nodding and giving him a thumbs up.]

I'm... Bucky.

[He hesitates when he says it, because... it's the first time he's said it. That he can remember.]

I was told I've been here before, but I don't remember.

[He frowns.]

So I'm sorry. If you knew me before. I don't remember you.

[He glances over to the side again, shifts, shakes his head. He's done, he doesn't want to do this anymore.]

That's it.

Comments

video;

[boutant]

[ He doesn't remember. That's fine. She can do this -- she doesn't know all the details but she knows enough, and her smile is gentle, kind. ]

Hi Bucky. I'm Ariadne. I knew you when you were here last, but it's fine that you don't remember. That happens sometimes here.

video;

[wipedclean]

[Oh that's Ariadne. He blinks.]

Steve told me about you.

[A little. Not a lot.]

We're at your house.

video;

[boutant]

Right. [ Good to know they're still there; she should be back soon. ]

You hadn't been there before -- how do you like it?

[wipedclean]

[He nods.]

It's fine.

[...that's probably not enough is it. It's a house, what's he supposed to say about it?]

It's... comfortable.

video;

[desperate_times]

Bucky? Really?

I wouldn't have guessed.

[He didn't have a name when they last spoke, and now the one he has is so... well, it doesn't really match the exterior.]

video;

[wipedclean]

[He does his one-shouldered shrug.]

James Buchanan Barnes.

Bucky.

[It feels unfamiliar in his mouth. He's still not sure he likes it.]

video;

[desperate_times]

James is a handsome name.

Bucky is... cute.

[She's not sure cute fits him, but maybe sometimes when he's got that lost look on his face.]

But you say both of them like they taste funny. Are you not convinced it's who you are?

[wipedclean]

It's who I was.

[But there's such a disconnect from who he is and who he was that he's still not sure he can bridge the gap.]

action

[starspangled]

[BELIEVE IN CAPTAIN AMERICA WHO BELIEVES IN YOU.

Steve's just leaning in the doorway, wondering how many times Bucky wanted to just do things for him when he was skinnier, sicker. Because that's how he's feeling right now.]

action

[wipedclean]

[He sits silently for a moment, taking deep breaths. Finally he looks up at Steve.]

Was that enough?

action

[starspangled]

It was fine.

[He smiles at him before coming into the room to sit down.]

More importantly, how's it feel?

visual;

[snipers]

[ so people come back — and apparently there's a chance they won't remember. yukari's logging that information away for later in case she'll need it. ]

Hey, I'd say you did a pretty good job, Bucky. [ she offers him a smile. ] Looking to make friends?

visual;

[wipedclean]

[It's her again. He tilts his head at her question.]

I suppose.

visual;

[snipers]

Then you've made a good start.

[ she doesn't lose that smile, though it becomes more relaxed. ]

Still, I don't think you should feel responsible for not remembering people. That's not your fault - that's on the people who brought you here.

video;

[bolincredible]

I didn't know you before or anything, but I don't think anyone's gonna take that personally, if it helps? Believe me, memory stuff is always hard to figure out around here. Pretty much everything's hard to figure out. [ Now that he thinks about it. ]

The people are like the nicest part of the deal, though! I mean, they're about as helpful as a world full of people from other worlds can get. So you'll at least have that going for you.

video;

[wipedclean]

[Well... that's nice and all, but... it doesn't make much sense.]

But there's a war.

[Apart from Steve, who's... well, Steve, he's not sure why people would just be so nice and helpful unless they're from the same court, and he hasn't disclosed his.]

video;

[bolincredible]

Yyyyeah, but it's a pretty complicated setup. Apparently there can just be jerks on either side here? [ That's been a pretty recent revelation to him, because he's a moron who never really thought about it. ] And then some people didn't want to get into all this in the first place, so they're kinda... kinda stuck. So sometimes you have to do a little digging for the bright side. And everyone's probably been confused about what's going on at least once, so.

video;

[burping]

Welcome Bucky. [ pause.] Forgive me for asking but when you spoke, did you mean to say that you have been here before without memories of it?

video;

[wipedclean]

[He hesitates, then nods once.]

That's what he says.

video;

[burping]

Do you know how long you were here before?

video;

[cerebral]

If it helps, you're not the only one. When I first arrived, I met a few people who remembered me and I have absolutely no recollection of being here before.

[Which is disorienting, to say the least.]

Charles.

video;

[wipedclean]

[He startles a little, because that's the first he's heard of someone else having the same thing happen to them.

But he reminds himself that he's got more than a few memory issues going on, and just because Charles here can't remember his time here doesn't mean it's much else like what he's going through.]

You... [He swallows.] You're the first who's said that.

video;

[cerebral]

Likewise. [It was something of a relief, to be honest.] I'm just hoping I didn't owe anyone any money. [j/k - he can't help but notice the other man doesn't seem to be at ease.]

{Video}

[rangerandking]

Welcome, Bucky. {Aragorn's smile is easy, There is a book before him and he is studying it.} I pray there are those who remember you. If not, you shall find helpful company nonetheless.

{Video}

[wipedclean]

[He nods.]

I have... a friend from home.