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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[he_that_stands_it_now]

He quirked his head at that, curious but not particularly willing to wait until he got an answer to toss the tea down his gullet. Answer or not, the heat doesn't bother him much at all.

[godofbadideas]

"God of fire," Loki said, wiggling his fingers, setting off little sparks that were green because he wanted them to be.

[he_that_stands_it_now]

He swallowed a little more before he attempted to speak, and it came out croaky but it did come out.

"...that's good for you. Never stopped me getting burned on coffee before."

[godofbadideas]

"You were never bound to me before."

[he_that_stands_it_now]

He took another swallow.

"Thought that's.. the dagger."

[godofbadideas]

"The dagger you could have given up," Loki replied. "This is... different."

[he_that_stands_it_now]

He raises an eyebrow over at Loki.

"No exit?"

[godofbadideas]

Loki started to shake his head, and then paused, his head tilted thoughtfully.

"Not generally, no," he said. "There's no deal that can't be escaped. It just depends on how much you're willing to sacrifice to get out of it. This... would be neither easy, nor cheap."

Look at him, god of lies, being honest with his shiny.

[he_that_stands_it_now]

That gets a shrug of a shoulder. Meh. He'd had Loki as a part of his life for decades. Why the hell would he change that now? Especially considering... well, everything.

Shit he had a lot of work cut out for him.

"Wasn't planning on it. Never have."

[godofbadideas]

That made Loki smile, wide and warm.

"Good."

[he_that_stands_it_now]

That earns him a shove with his shoulder, unfortunately (or fortunately) the metal one.

"Smug," is his only comment.

[godofbadideas]

Loki shoved right back, not caring about the metal.

"Do you know who's the only god with a blood-bound follower right now? It's me."

Smug was an understatement.

[he_that_stands_it_now]

"And I'm a prize?" it doesn't even come out bitter. The guy'd picked him up way back when he was the only normal person in a team full of superheroes.

[godofbadideas]

"Yes." The word was emphatic and warm. "I'm very glad to have you."

[he_that_stands_it_now]

"So... that on purpose? Or..."

Or had it just kind of happened.

[godofbadideas]

"You're the one who grabbed my hand," he said. And after a moment, added, "It wasn't not on purpose, but it also wasn't what I had planned."

[he_that_stands_it_now]

He shrugs.

"Had to."

He doesn't know why, doesn't know what that strange feeling that'd made him do it was, but he'd done it and of the things he can remember he's done, it's not even on the list of things he regrets.

[godofbadideas]

"That happens, sometimes."

[he_that_stands_it_now]

He finishes off the tea and leans back a little.

"How many people you had... like this?"

Ever. He's fine with ever. He can extrapolate from yee old viking idiots.

[godofbadideas]

"Fewer than a hundred," Loki replied. "For some reason," he continued wryly, "most people who've followed my pantheon were more interested in pledging themselves to the likes of Thor, or Baldur."

[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."