The Absent Prayer (Comics Canon: The Past)

[he_that_stands_it_now]

It's been a bad day.

Honestly, it's been a bad week.

Between the mess on the beach the other day and the hulking monstrosity of Nazi engineering making it's way towards him with massive flailing flaming limbs, Bucky Barnes has started to wonder if his bad temper, his foul mouth, and his flippant treatment of authority hasn't gone all the way up the line to the Big Guy Himself and gotten him attention he really didn't want.

Nonetheless, if He got him into this mess than maybe He can get him out, so he spends a couple of precious seconds in between when he lands and when he jumps again to get off a silent prayer.

Dear Whoever Is Listening, I promise I'll never talk at the movies again if you just get my backside out of the frying pan here!

Comments

[he_that_stands_it_now]

"Idiots," he says with an offhanded wave before he puts the mug down.

"What's it mean... me and you?"

Is he gonna start belching fire? Get a pyro kick (or more of one than he already has)? Feel the need to take up law?

[godofbadideas]

"You get faster, tougher - yes, more than you already are - heal cleaner. Immunity to harm from fire or heat, unless it's me doing it specifically to hurt you," Loki started. "As long as you manage not to die in bed, you have a guaranteed ticket to Valhalla. Beyond that..."

Loki shrugged.

"It's different for everyone. At least for my followers. Everyone else seems to just get a standard package."

[he_that_stands_it_now]

"You make it a habit of hurting your people?" he asked, though he had a feeling it was a pointless question. It hadn't been so far.

[godofbadideas]

"No," Loki said, shaking his head. "I don't."

Other people, sure, but not his people.

[he_that_stands_it_now]

"Didn't figure so. And it's not like I can't remember everything now."

He rubbed at his face.

"...I feel like I ought to be more fucked up."

[godofbadideas]

"You probably ought to be. You almost certainly would be, if you weren't tied to me, somehow."

[he_that_stands_it_now]

He looked over at Loki.

"I think you burned somethin' out of me. But I don't know what it is now."

[godofbadideas]

"It might be guilt," Loki said. "I seldom feel it myself; almost never, in fact."

Once. One thing. It was a big thing, but it was the only thing.

[he_that_stands_it_now]

"Nope," he said with a shake of his head, "still feel like shit on that. But it's like... shit I can deal with."

[godofbadideas]

"Well, I'm sure you'll figure it out. Or I will."

[he_that_stands_it_now]

"...I think you broke my ability to be broken," he said thoughtfully.

"Like... I should be like a twitchy freakin' mess, but I'm not."

[godofbadideas]

"Well now that's interesting..."

[he_that_stands_it_now]

He looked sideways at him.

"Interesting?"

[godofbadideas]

"A man that cannot be broken is all kinds of interesting," Loki said.

[he_that_stands_it_now]

"Don't get the kinda curious that involves experimenting," he said warily. It's hollow, though. For some reason, he doesn't think Loki would do that. He feels... oddly valued.

[godofbadideas]

"I wouldn't," Loki said. Paused. "Well, okay, I would. But not with you."

His. His his his.

[he_that_stands_it_now]

He gave the god a crooked smirk.

"Careful, Milkshake. I'm starting to feel special."

[godofbadideas]

"You are," Loki said, smirking right back.

[he_that_stands_it_now]

"So of course you wanted a piece of this," he said with a chuckle. "My life makes sense now."

[godofbadideas]

"In what universe does the madness of your life make sense?" Loki teased.

[he_that_stands_it_now]

"Apparently, this one. The one where I belong to a god whose purview is fire and all night diners and being as much of a jackass as possible to people for kicks. That one."

[godofbadideas]

"Chaos, don't forget chaos." Loki grinned at him, and gave into the mounting urge to flop over and use his follower as a pillow. "Mischief, magic, agriculture, a number of sex acts, invention..."

[he_that_stands_it_now]

Shit.

He's not sure if he thought that because Loki was flopped on him or because--

"Which sex acts?"

[godofbadideas]

"Mostly the sort that mortals judge deviant," he replied, grinning wider, teeth showing.

[he_that_stands_it_now]

"God, you're an asshole."

Which, of course, is why he leans down and kisses him. And he's like if it was sweet and reverent, but it's a hell of a lot closer to hot and a little rough and it might involve some biting.