-- to voicemail. [ He makes an exasperated gesture, short and sharp, but clear none the less. Not only did it go to voicemail before it could process any of the buttons he's been pushing, it's defaulted to video. If it keeps this up, he's replacing it with a potato.
He leans back with a soft exhale.
He's sitting in a window alcove overlooking the mansion grounds, but he tilts the phone away from the window automatically. ]
Ms. O'Connell, this is Bucky Barnes. [ It's still strange to say it aloud, but it's the name that he gave her. ] I don't know if you remember me, but we spoke a couple of weeks before the Jabberwocky attacked.
[He doesn't have to wait long; Cami's pretty good about listening to her messages, particularly when she's not working a shift at the bar. All the better, since this is someone she's been waiting to hear from for some time. She's quick to find a bit of privacy so she can return the call shortly after she gets it.]
Hey! Of course I remember. [She's not likely to forget someone so desperately searching for a way to unlock his own memory.] I'm glad you called--and you can call me Cami, for the record. [Ms. O'Connell is better than Camille, but she still prefers the nickname.] How are you?
Cami, then. [ He gives her a small nod. The question is a simple one, and he recognizes it as a courtesy, but he still has to search a moment for words that aren't a status report. ]
I'm getting by. [ He touches the back of his neck and tries to tell himself that he's doing fine, and he knows how to exchange courtesies. ] You?
[More than a courtesy; Cami's honestly interested to hear how Bucky's been doing since they spoke last. She'd been worried about what lengths he would go to, and more specifically, who might try to take advantage of him in the process.]
...You know, I'd say the same, but it doesn't feel entirely honest now that I think about it. [Given that she'd died and all, not to mention the whole thing going on with Klaus, the fact that Kaleb is truthfully Kol Mikaelson--no, getting by doesn't feel right at all.
But focus on where it should be; Cami leaves her answer at that in favor of pressing for the answer she'd been hoping to hear.]
Yeah. It's getting better. There are still a lot of gaps, but I can kinda tell where they are now so... There's that. I wanted to ask you about the offer you made -- for therapy.
[He seems different than he had before; less hesitant to talk about a difficult subject. Whatever he's done the progress is clear; Cami just hopes the cost doesn't turn out to be too high.
She may have a chance to find out, however. He's calling not just to exchange pleasantries, but to take her up on her earlier offer. It's surprising after all this time, but her reply is a quick one.]
No, not at all. I've got a free day. [Which admittedly is common in Wonderland, but Cami does pull shifts at the bar.] Do you want to meet somewhere?
[ He nods, and opens his mouth to suggest one of the empty rooms he's been using as a safehouse, but he catches himself a second before he does. He doesn't actually know a whole lot about Cami, but she's a woman meeting a relatively unknown man on her own.
It's something he's had to account for with targets, knowing they would be more cautious, and not without precedent. ]
Where do you prefer? I don't really care too much as long as it's away from the 7th floor.
[So of course Cami has to wonder just what’s on the 7th floor, or maybe who, but she’s tactful enough not to ask just yet. It’s something to file away for later, in case Bucky might need some prompting to open up to her.]
I’m on the third; we could find an empty room there? [She’s sure a few down the hall are open.] I’ll go ahead and look while you head down, then send you the number?
[And since they’ll be on the third, they won’t be so far from people Cami can call on should things suddenly go sour. But she doesn’t think she’ll need to, not given the broadcast that had prompted her offer.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
video
He leans back with a soft exhale.
He's sitting in a window alcove overlooking the mansion grounds, but he tilts the phone away from the window automatically. ]
Ms. O'Connell, this is Bucky Barnes. [ It's still strange to say it aloud, but it's the name that he gave her. ] I don't know if you remember me, but we spoke a couple of weeks before the Jabberwocky attacked.
Re: video
Hey! Of course I remember. [She's not likely to forget someone so desperately searching for a way to unlock his own memory.] I'm glad you called--and you can call me Cami, for the record. [Ms. O'Connell is better than Camille, but she still prefers the nickname.] How are you?
Re: video
I'm getting by. [ He touches the back of his neck and tries to tell himself that he's doing fine, and he knows how to exchange courtesies. ] You?
Re: video
...You know, I'd say the same, but it doesn't feel entirely honest now that I think about it. [Given that she'd died and all, not to mention the whole thing going on with Klaus, the fact that Kaleb is truthfully Kol Mikaelson--no, getting by doesn't feel right at all.
But focus on where it should be; Cami leaves her answer at that in favor of pressing for the answer she'd been hoping to hear.]
Did you have any luck with your memories?
Re: video
Yeah. It's getting better. There are still a lot of gaps, but I can kinda tell where they are now so... There's that. I wanted to ask you about the offer you made -- for therapy.
[ He inclines his head a little, frowning. ]
Of course, I understand if this is a bad time.
Re: video
She may have a chance to find out, however. He's calling not just to exchange pleasantries, but to take her up on her earlier offer. It's surprising after all this time, but her reply is a quick one.]
No, not at all. I've got a free day. [Which admittedly is common in Wonderland, but Cami does pull shifts at the bar.] Do you want to meet somewhere?
video
It's something he's had to account for with targets, knowing they would be more cautious, and not without precedent. ]
Where do you prefer? I don't really care too much as long as it's away from the 7th floor.
Re: video
I’m on the third; we could find an empty room there? [She’s sure a few down the hall are open.] I’ll go ahead and look while you head down, then send you the number?
[And since they’ll be on the third, they won’t be so far from people Cami can call on should things suddenly go sour. But she doesn’t think she’ll need to, not given the broadcast that had prompted her offer.]