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Please tell me you didn't get eaten by a vampire.
It really sucks.
It really sucks.
[Well, shit.] Did she die?
I'm fine, yeah. Missed the whole thing, because I'm helpful like that.
I'm fine, yeah. Missed the whole thing, because I'm helpful like that.
No, but he injured her pretty badly. And that makes the two of us.
Do you know anything about him except what this Godric put out on the network?
Do you know anything about him except what this Godric put out on the network?
Not really, no.
But I do know Godric well enough to trust that he's going to take responsibility.
But I do know Godric well enough to trust that he's going to take responsibility.
Do you really think so? Being his maker?
You've been in his shoes before.
[ she hates pointing out the obvious with him. ]
You've been in his shoes before.
[ she hates pointing out the obvious with him. ]
[Yes, okay, sometimes you are so close to a situation that you can't be objective. He gets that.
Even so,] I do think so. At least, where it counts.
Besides, he's not Eric's warden.
[Nevermind that as a new inmate, Eric doesn't even have one yet.
Then his lips twitch.] Did you know, there was a month where Bucky was my temp warden. Not B - the Bucky here before him.
Even so,] I do think so. At least, where it counts.
Besides, he's not Eric's warden.
[Nevermind that as a new inmate, Eric doesn't even have one yet.
Then his lips twitch.] Did you know, there was a month where Bucky was my temp warden. Not B - the Bucky here before him.
[ she would be the same if Yelena came in hot as a Widow still. but she's willing to trust her friend if he thinks things will be taken care of.
interested, nat tilts her head curiously. ]
How ironic. How much different was he to the B that's here now?
interested, nat tilts her head curiously. ]
How ironic. How much different was he to the B that's here now?
It was probably the easiest month he ever had, given his decades of experience.
[But oh, that's sure a question, Nat. He's quiet for a moment, not because it's hard to answer, exactly, but it's hard to put into the right words.]
Pretty different, in a lot of ways. Not different at all, in some. There's a part of that man that will always be the same, no matter the universe, but... they're not the same person. They haven't been for a long time.
[But oh, that's sure a question, Nat. He's quiet for a moment, not because it's hard to answer, exactly, but it's hard to put into the right words.]
Pretty different, in a lot of ways. Not different at all, in some. There's a part of that man that will always be the same, no matter the universe, but... they're not the same person. They haven't been for a long time.
Edited 2024-06-20 18:07 (UTC)
[ she's aware there's some differences, given the shortened name to a single letter. or it could very well be to distinguish between the two. may even be both. natasha wouldn't assume. ]
I guess it doesn't matter too much now. You seem happy and content and that's what's important.
I guess it doesn't matter too much now. You seem happy and content and that's what's important.
[He makes a noise that's not a sigh, not a laugh, not a scoff... maybe some mix of all three, maybe something else.
Then he spends a minute debating saying the first thing that comes to mind.
Then he does:] I am.
[He hesitates again, after that, like he expects that admitting it will cause something terrible to happen.
It might, but at least it doesn't happen immediately.
So, then he says the second thing that comes to mind.] He's - I think he understands me better. B, I mean. More than Bucky did.
[He kind of cringes as he says it, and is glad he can hide it behind the audio. It feels like speaking ill of the dead, like going back on vows he made, even though it is neither of those things.]
Then he spends a minute debating saying the first thing that comes to mind.
Then he does:] I am.
[He hesitates again, after that, like he expects that admitting it will cause something terrible to happen.
It might, but at least it doesn't happen immediately.
So, then he says the second thing that comes to mind.] He's - I think he understands me better. B, I mean. More than Bucky did.
[He kind of cringes as he says it, and is glad he can hide it behind the audio. It feels like speaking ill of the dead, like going back on vows he made, even though it is neither of those things.]
[ she's known her steve long enough to know what all that quiet on his end is him carefully trying not to jinx himself and the worry lines are starting to show on his forehead. but she stops herself from cracking a joke about it because this is one time that she wants to be the supporting friend when he's done it for her enough times she's lost count.
still, it's hard to fathom how two of the same people could be different and she wonders about the other versions of herself that came before her. ]
Good.
[ there's a hint of envy in her voice, though it's gone when she continues. ]
You deserve that. For as long as you've been here, I'm sorry you had to wait so long.
still, it's hard to fathom how two of the same people could be different and she wonders about the other versions of herself that came before her. ]
Good.
[ there's a hint of envy in her voice, though it's gone when she continues. ]
You deserve that. For as long as you've been here, I'm sorry you had to wait so long.
[Now he huffs out something approximating a laugh. Because if he doesn't laugh about it...]
Well, to be fair, it's probably because I've been here so long.
[Part of him wonders if he's even recognizable at all, anymore. And all of him doesn't like the envy in her voice, though maybe not for the obvious reasons.]
Which is also why I would advise dying as few times as you can, [he adds, because he would like a subject change, please.]
Well, to be fair, it's probably because I've been here so long.
[Part of him wonders if he's even recognizable at all, anymore. And all of him doesn't like the envy in her voice, though maybe not for the obvious reasons.]
Which is also why I would advise dying as few times as you can, [he adds, because he would like a subject change, please.]
Well, I have zero plans to die.
[ especially if it's death by falling.
thoughtful pause. ]
I suppose here is better than back there anyway.
[ that's not true. she misses her adopted family - Clint, Laura and the kids, Bruce, among others. but she also misses those people who were lost along the way. ]
[ especially if it's death by falling.
thoughtful pause. ]
I suppose here is better than back there anyway.
[ that's not true. she misses her adopted family - Clint, Laura and the kids, Bruce, among others. but she also misses those people who were lost along the way. ]
Steve lets Natasha have some time, after he breaks up the situation in the mess hall.
But not too much time, before there's a knock at her cabin door, because he'd rather talk to her in person any day of the week, and about something like this, most especially.
But not too much time, before there's a knock at her cabin door, because he'd rather talk to her in person any day of the week, and about something like this, most especially.
Is it?
[It's a soft, honest question, tinged with no small amount of sadness to hear it, honestly.
He wants to say more, but it's not his to say. So he just adds, nonspecifically,] You wouldn't be the first person who showed up here thinking that, if you mean it. Not by far.
[It's a soft, honest question, tinged with no small amount of sadness to hear it, honestly.
He wants to say more, but it's not his to say. So he just adds, nonspecifically,] You wouldn't be the first person who showed up here thinking that, if you mean it. Not by far.
She's been hiding, though Natasha would adamantly refuse admitting that's what she's been doing, disguising it more as reflecting. The truth of it was, she was back in the Red Room when she was eleven years old , playing a part for Dreykov because she ended up being a favourite of his. It makes her skin crawl now thinking of how happy that made him.
Natasha doesn't realize someone is at the door until the knock registers and she's pulled out of her head. When she sees it's Steve, she knows why he's come by and without saying anything, she widens the door to let him in.
Natasha doesn't realize someone is at the door until the knock registers and she's pulled out of her head. When she sees it's Steve, she knows why he's come by and without saying anything, she widens the door to let him in.
You tell me.
[ natasha shoots back but it's more of a friendly return than a confrontational one. he's a warden who's been there for longer than most there. ]
My purpose is done there, we both know that. If me being brought back here is to see Yelena graduate then that's why I'm here.
[ natasha shoots back but it's more of a friendly return than a confrontational one. he's a warden who's been there for longer than most there. ]
My purpose is done there, we both know that. If me being brought back here is to see Yelena graduate then that's why I'm here.
Steve's smile is tight but apologetic as he slips into Natasha's cabin. He picks a spot near the door but very obviously not blocking it - not even in her own cabin - and leans against the wall for now, because Natasha, at least, isn't the type to be threatened by his height and bulk. She knows him, and he hopes that means she'll talk to him.
She had let him in; that's a good start, at least.
"So. That was something," he says - and trusts her to tell that the lack of judgement in his voice is genuine. Because it very much is. If Natasha was responding to a situation like that, then he suspects it was very much warranted.
At least, to a point.
She had let him in; that's a good start, at least.
"So. That was something," he says - and trusts her to tell that the lack of judgement in his voice is genuine. Because it very much is. If Natasha was responding to a situation like that, then he suspects it was very much warranted.
At least, to a point.
Natasha closes the door gently, looking at her hand on the door knob for a moment before turning and looking up at him. There is no guilt in her face; no embarrassment or shame, though if there's anything he can read in her features it's likely the residual anger that she had a minute longer to finish him off.
And she knows what would have followed if she did.
With a nod, she crosses her arms loosely and leans up against the wall beside the door, diagonally opposite to where Steve stands with ten or so feet between them. "Yeah, it was. Probably a good thing you stopped it."
And she knows what would have followed if she did.
With a nod, she crosses her arms loosely and leans up against the wall beside the door, diagonally opposite to where Steve stands with ten or so feet between them. "Yeah, it was. Probably a good thing you stopped it."
"Probably," Steve agrees, although he kind of wants to be clear: "For your sake. Not for his."
Given what he does know about the man now... he is not feeling particularly magnanimous toward him. But he cares about Natasha, and above all else, he does not want to see her trapped here. Not like he was.
"That's how this place is. It's gonna - get to you. It's gonna send shit your way to get in your head and - " He pauses, because he doesn't want this to sound like an insult. In fact, he means it as a compliment. "I don't think you're used to being vulnerable to that kind of thing."
At least, not for some time now.
Given what he does know about the man now... he is not feeling particularly magnanimous toward him. But he cares about Natasha, and above all else, he does not want to see her trapped here. Not like he was.
"That's how this place is. It's gonna - get to you. It's gonna send shit your way to get in your head and - " He pauses, because he doesn't want this to sound like an insult. In fact, he means it as a compliment. "I don't think you're used to being vulnerable to that kind of thing."
At least, not for some time now.
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