heart and soul

[soldieronwards]

The ground falls out beneath you. You're in midair, you're surrounded by swirling clouds, and there's nowhere stable to put your feet. The space between your body and the turbulence around you feels poorly defined as well; where do you end and your surroundings begin? Is there a stable you in the first place?

But eventually--

[ Join channel #nobodystaysdeadincomics on IRC. ]

Comments

Re: THEATER EAST

[soldieronwards]

"It's nothing," he says, but he sounds too uneasy about it. "I just have to put on this show, right? I just gotta play the lead role."

Re: THEATER EAST

[dicktionary]

[ohhh]

Hey, it'll be okay.

[goes to look at the photos]

What're you worried about?

Re: THEATER EAST

[soldieronwards]

They're pictures of camaraderie and friendship--some from his time in Aather, some apparently from the world he comes from, if the appearance of the ticket-taker and the manager of the theater from earlier are any indication.

"Well," Bucky says slowly, "you know I mostly do action movies, right? This isn't one."

Re: THEATER EAST

[dicktionary]

Sure isn't. But you've done it before, right? Like--actually. You don't have to act to do it, just be yourself. You are a supportive friend.

Re: THEATER EAST

[soldieronwards]

That gets him a skeptical look. "I'm an actor, kid. This is all--it's fake. You know that's how it works, right?"

Re: THEATER EAST

[dicktionary]

Actors draw on their lives to bring reality to a role. That's how you convince an audience that you're genuine.

Re: THEATER EAST

[soldieronwards]

"I'm screwed, then," he says. "My life is just acting."

Re: THEATER EAST

[dicktionary]

Nah.

[leans up against]

You're more than just a role.

Re: THEATER EAST

[soldieronwards]

You get a skeptical look.

Re: THEATER EAST

[dicktionary]

Seriously. You don't think you're faking your friendships, do you?

Re: THEATER EAST

[soldieronwards]

"I don't have a lot of--" He catches himself. "I didn't have a lot of friends, before--"

(Aather)

"You know, recently."

Re: THEATER EAST

[dicktionary]

You still did, though, right? And more friends now means more to draw from. You don't always have to act.

[leans against, still looking at the photos]

Re: THEATER EAST

[soldieronwards]

"You're embarrassing me, kid." But he gives a quick smile.

Re: THEATER EAST

[dicktionary]

[small laugh]

Acting doesn't mean things are fake, right? Sometime, it's an expression of true emotion.

Re: THEATER EAST

[soldieronwards]

"Yeah, I get it. You don't have to lay it on so thick." But he sounds lighthearted now, or at least...more so.

Re: THEATER EAST

[dicktionary]

Hey, it's part of my charm.

Re: THEATER EAST

[soldieronwards]

"Don't flatter yourself too much." He laughs--

--and with that, Bucky suddenly isn't there anymore. In his place on the chair is a scrap of paper--and around you, the props somehow look a bit more real.

Re: THEATER EAST

[dicktionary]

Bucky!?

[looks around wildly, and then picks up the paper...?]

Re: THEATER EAST

[soldieronwards]

It has plain writing on it and a simple drawing of an open hand.

PASSWORD #3

✋

Re: THEATER EAST

[dicktionary]

[looks at the words, then at his own palm

...?]

Re: THEATER EAST

[soldieronwards]

Remember, the guy with Bucky's voice at the very beginning of this mess was talking about passwords...

Re: THEATER EAST

[dicktionary]

[bites his lip, then turns to the others]

Hey guys? I think we should go back to the bomb.

Re: THEATER EAST

[ofmyth]

What have you found?

Re: THEATER EAST

[dicktionary]

A password.

[shows him the scrap of paper with "password #3" and a drawing of an open hand]

Re: THEATER EAST

[defenceservice]

We need a device too.