voice

[deadthenred]

Alright, lemme make sure I got this exact. We've been rounded up to fight in some dad-blamed future battle, and in the meantime we're supposed to sit around and twiddle our thumbs. Guess some things never change, huh?

Look, I got sympathy, I really do. You have terrific taste, bringing me here. I'm all aces. And hang, I hate to say no to a lady. Some of you have to be ladies, right?

[ Cough cough. Ahem. ]

But I'm all booked up. I got a date with Hitler and his Nazi crum-bums. I can't stick around for this.

Comments

[notbeth]

I'm Kate.

[deadthenred]

It's nice to meet you, Kate. Even if this is a real rotten circumstance.

[notbeth]

[ She forces a smile to be polite. ]

Same to you... uh, is it really okay to call you Bucky?

[deadthenred]

Why wouldn't it be?

[notbeth]

'Cause everyone would say it's impolite. [ But he hasn't given his rank and she doesn't want to pry even if she's really curious. ]

... You're really fighting in World War Two right now? Like you're not from some planet where there's dragons or elves fighting are you?

[deadthenred]

No, miss. No dragons, just the lousy Krauts.

And don't worry about it. I'm not an officer, my name isn't sir.

[notbeth]

Okay... Bucky, then. You don't hafta call me miss either. That's more like... for older ladies! [ And it makes her feel like she's in trouble. ]

[deadthenred]

I thought older ladies was ma'am.

[notbeth]

Just call me Kate! That's what everyone calls me.

[deadthenred]

Miss Kate, I'm not everyone else.

[notbeth]

[ She tries to hold back a giggle. ]

Well, then as long as you don't call me Katie or Katherine.

[deadthenred]

My given name's James. But don't tell anyone that.

[notbeth]

James is a cool name. [ She doesn't see anything wrong with it. ]

But I won't!

[deadthenred]

It was my dad's name.

[notbeth]

[ Her heart sinks. ]

I know duty always comes first... but it stinks when you can't see your family for so long.

[deadthenred]

Stinks is a word for it, sure.

I bet we'll get back.

[notbeth]

You will.

[ Should she say?? This is not one of those weird scenarios where she tells him the future and then he goes back and SURPRISE BUTTERFLY EFFECT and suddenly Nazis win is it? ]

And I bet your parents will be really happy when you do.

[deadthenred]

Heh. Yeah. [ It's forced, but he smiles. He doesn't want to bring the girl down. ] You're right.

[notbeth]

Even though this place is st-- dumb-- [ she has to watch herself ] I bet Dad would have liked to meet a World War Two veteran.

Uh... veteran in the future?

[deadthenred]

Heck if I know.

[...]

I bet I'd like to meet your dad, too.

[notbeth]

You said your dad's a soldier, too?

[deadthenred]

He was.

[notbeth]

How come he's not anymore? [ Discharged?? What are boundaries right now. Bucky's the first person to really capture her attention here. ]

[deadthenred]

He died. [ Wow you made him the opposite of talkative. ]

S'alright.

[notbeth]

[ Well

fuck. ]

Oh. [ And she realizes her mistake. ] I'm really sorry. I mean it.