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!

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[godofbadideas]

"Willingly discard the knife, and state that you are doing so," Loki said;

[he_that_stands_it_now]

"Fair enough."

And without a second thought after that, he reaches over to take the knife in hand.

[godofbadideas]

There was a feeling not at all unlike a joint snapping back into place, and Loki grinned.

[he_that_stands_it_now]

He slipped his finger around the loop at the end and gave it a thoughtful spin.

"Aren't you pretty?" he asked the knife quietly.

[godofbadideas]

The knife pulsed warmly in reply, the runework glimmering briefly.

Loki's grin ticked wider; it was always nice to see one's work appreciated.

[he_that_stands_it_now]

He looked over at Loki.

"Any reason she's a throwing knife? Only... I don't wanna lose her."

[godofbadideas]

"I like throwing knives. And you needn't fear losing her; she will always return to your hand. You need only want her to."

[he_that_stands_it_now]

The grin on his face was razor sharp.

"Sounds just about perfect."

[godofbadideas]

That was a very good grin, and Loki liked it rather a lot.

"She also doesn't need to be sharpened, and never rusts."

[he_that_stands_it_now]

"Not surprised the lady can take care of herself, classy dame like her."

He let his fingers wrap around the grip with a warm grin.

[godofbadideas]

"I'm glad you like her." He really was.

"...do you have a map?" he asked suddenly, as the thought hey self, you're in northern Europe popped into his head.

[he_that_stands_it_now]

He looked up and pointed over to the map pinned up in Cap's corner of the tent.

[godofbadideas]

Loki hopped to his feet, and stepped over to the map. He studied it for a minute, and then tapped three spots which glowed faintly green, and then frowned deeply, as he tapped a fourth, that last one marked with a HYDRA symbol.

"Oh the nerve..."

[he_that_stands_it_now]

"You're tellin' me. Damn nazi @%#ers."

[godofbadideas]

"They set up a base on one of my sacred sites." Loki was not pleased with that. At all. First, they were Nazis, and second, they hadn't made any offerings or even asked permission, and there was a protocol for these things.

Also, Nazis.

[he_that_stands_it_now]

That had him bouncing on his heels.

"Should I see if I can get them to handle that spot ASAP? Maybe make sure I'm on that mission personally?"

[godofbadideas]

"Yes. And I would very much like it if you burned it to the ground."

[he_that_stands_it_now]

That was a look.

"Think that can be arranged."

[godofbadideas]

Loki grinned. It wasn't a pleasant grin.

"I rather thought that might be the case."

[he_that_stands_it_now]

Then there was a noise and he shooed his god with one hand.

"You gotta get outta here. Cap's on the way back!"

[godofbadideas]

"The others are also sacred sites. If you have need of shelter, you and yours will be safe there," Loki said quickly, before he faded from sight with a wink.

[he_that_stands_it_now]

He breathed out a sigh as Steve made his way into the tent to head to bed.

A few days later, Loki might feel the rush of quite a few sacrifices on a particular site, as well as be made aware of the fact that there was a massive fiery explosion that destroyed the HYDRA installation there.

[godofbadideas]

Yes. He very definitely felt that.

Sacrifice in blood and fire - very definitely the best and most delicious kind.

And having a reactivated sacred site didn't hurt at all.

[he_that_stands_it_now]

The other sites were cleaned.

The years went on.

There weren't any prayers after a certain point, except perhaps a hollow, confused question or two. The knife, however. The knife ate well.

Until one day, one day long after that first meeting when a soft voice spoke out into the darkness.

You still there? I've got a second shake on the way.

[godofbadideas]

He really hadn't been expecting any, after a certain point. After all, he knew what waiting in the future for Bucky Barnes, and none of it was pretty.

It was once Loki was back to his proper place in the timeline, when things were on the path they ought to be, that he started wondering. Until he didn't, anymore.

Of course I'm still here. I've always been here.

And then Loki appeared in the seat opposite.