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[zen_en_vert]

My friend has vanished.

[Says Bruce, shortly, into the camera.]

I heard a rumour we were all supposed to come back from the dead here, but he hasn't. Either he's found a way home- and there is a way out of here. [And he didn't come back to tell them, which he doesn't like to think is like Tony, but honestly might be.] Or something killed him and we haven't found the body.

I know we don't know one another well yet, and it'll be hard to guess, but has anyone else noticed disappearances?

I for one am not done trying to break out of here.

Comments

[casperdisaster]

People aren't property. I'm pretty sure we had like, whole wars about that one.

[Noah died at seventeen, the world was much simpler then.]

Was that what you were doing before this whole place? The running?

[Noah normally just lets people talk as they choose to, but Bruce has led a pretty fascinating life, so if he's going to be here painting he wants a story if Bruce is willing to tell it.]

[zen_en_vert]

I was working with Steve Rogers. Have you met him?

[He wonders, as he continues daubing paint on.]

Tall man? Also known as 'Captain America?'

[casperdisaster]

[Noah laughs softly, a bit of a grin on his face.]

Captain America? Really? That sounds like a cartoon. No, I haven't met him. I'm kinda shy around new people, so.

[He's unusually outgoing here, mainly for lack of other options. Gansey's usually their go-to for introductions, but he's had his own problems lately and someone needs to be someone that talks to people for the team.

It's completely terrifying.]

[zen_en_vert]

Well, my codename is 'the Hulk-' so I guess it is a little comic-book-y, isn't it?

It's like that, though. We're on a team of people with comparable abilities, and we just- stop things from going wrong, where we can.

[casperdisaster]

You really don't look like a Hulk. [Noah laughs softly, but he hasn't seen Bruce all hulked out, so that's probably why he has the opinion.] We try and stop things from going wrong too, me and my friends, but... I think we kinda make things worse sometimes.

[zen_en_vert]

You know, us too. It goes wrong sometimes.

[He agrees, with a small nod.]

I was getting out of the heroing business before I came here.

[casperdisaster]

[Noah clearly feels a bit relieved that actual superheroes also make things worse sometimes and it isn't just a problem with being a teenager.]

Just tired of it, or... did something happen?

[zen_en_vert]

I'd like you to keep this to yourself, since the woman involved is here, and is already apologetic- I don't want it getting out to her that I'm still concerned.

[Says Bruce, moving closer.]

[casperdisaster]

[Noah's eyes go wide and he drops into a conspiratorial whisper.] It's about a woman? [Oh my gosh this just got 200% more interesting tell him everything.] I'm great with secrets.

[Noah is conditionally great with secrets as long as telling the secret won't ultimately help all those involved.]

[zen_en_vert]

Well- not like that. Just, I was hit by a psychic attack that provoked a lot of anger and fear.

I lost control.

[casperdisaster]

Oh. [The first one is a bit disappointment, Noah was hoping for a torrid love affair because that's where his priorities are. After the explanation, his eyes go wide, his tone softening.] Oh.

... Were - were you hurt?

[zen_en_vert]

When I'm in that body, I physically can't be hurt. But when I came back to myself, I discovered that I had caused mass casualties. Which was-

[Which is still enough to make his normally assured voice quaver, and go very quiet.]

[casperdisaster]

[Noah's not entirely certain what to do for a moment. There's the platitudes, 'I'm sure you didn't mean it', but it doesn't seem like that would exactly help right now? No guarantee of helping anyway. After all, whether or not he meant to, it still happened.

... So Noah hugs Bruce instead.]

[zen_en_vert]

[Bruce starts, and admittedly, gets a little paint on them both, but after a surprised moment he puts his arms around him and returns the hug.

That's the absolute right way to handle this.]