breakout

[ostavil]

( Bucky actually hasn't had his own mind in decades and now he does. It's a secret - a huge one - but he can think for himself. The words aren't gone so if anyone knows he's not just a blank slate waiting to be commanded, he'd be completely wiped and put on ice again, but if he's careful no one will notice. He's quiet and taciturn as the soldier and he's quiet and taciturn as Bucky.

He owes it to an unlikely source. It's Loki, of all people, and from what he understands, Loki had just tried to take over the entire world and then gone in with HYDRA to see if he could still get control and cause mayhem that way. In spite of all that, Loki had chosen to bring him along when he left and Bucky still isn't really sure why. Loki hasn't made that explicitly clear. Bucky's not naïve enough to think a mischief god has done this out of the goodwill of his own heart but it's a better option than staying where he's used and abused so going with him is no question. Where they're going is a bigger problem. )

You know that they know how to track me, right? Did you think this through?

( His whole life has been nothing but rigid commands and structure between the Army and being the Soldier and he doesn't know what to do with someone who simply broke him out of the hell he's been living in without informing him of what the plan is. Bucky knows how to hide and stay off the radar because his work as the Winter Soldier had been more or less covert but he also knows that HYDRA had provided for him in those instances and given the directions as part of his orders. They'd find him very quickly if he went to any of those safe houses. He knows how to survive on the street, too, but Loki doesn't carry himself like someone who is used to being on the street or wants to be on the street. He carries himself like, well, a god, and he's going to be noticed. )

Is there a plan?

Comments

[ostavil]

You look the same. Some kinda outward reflection, then? Or did you turn me into a caveman?

( That's paired with a smile, though, because the idea of Loki not changing his looks while making Bucky look ugly and worn down is pretty damn funny to him. Then again, he's probably not looking his best anyway. )

Probably want a cabin or something. We stay in a hotel too long, it'll get weird. Hope you don't mind the woods.

[dothelokimotion]

[ his nose wrinkles in an act of maturity. ]

Don't tempt me. But you look fine the way you are.

[ though bucky could certainly use some improvements. ]

And I can make do with a cabin. I have some experience with the wilderness.

[ostavil]

Good. I think it's for the best. I don't think the snow will come until we get settled in, anyway, and I can deal with a little snow. I bet you walk on top of it like an elf or something but I have to sludge through it and don't look so ethereal and god-like.

( Bucky frowns a little, thinking. )

I need to steal a car. Or, more importantly, I need you to get someone to give us a car that's legitimate. A truck, actually. If we're holing up, we need to have something to get back and forth. Other than, you know. Magic. I don't wanna put that pressure on you.

[dothelokimotion]

[ ethereal? elf? loki's brow furrows for a moment. sometimes, humans are just . . . strange. ]

Are you asking me to . . . "magic" you a vehicle? Because I cannot do that.

[ostavil]

Not asking you to make me one. Asking you to persuade someone to give us one without going through the process of buying it. Just impressing on them that they really want us to have it? Otherwise, I'll just steal one.

( Loki seems to be frowning and Bucky doesn't want to hit on something he can't or won't do. )

I can handle it if I have to.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki can't help but smile faintly, the corners of his eyes crinkling in humour. ]

I can persuade someone to hand over a vehicle.

[ostavil]

( So he is amused. Good. It's also good that it's a possibility because he definitely doesn't want to commit any crimes to get them set up to hide. )

Good. Just...persuade in the way you persuade and we can do that. I'm not going to think about how you do that because it's going to make me think about how I've been persuaded to do things but it's what we have to do right now.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki hums. ]

Fair enough. Just wait here. It won't take long.

[ostavil]

( Bucky isn't one who can idly wait anywhere so while he waits, he's checking all around him to make sure no one is looking for them. It looks like they're unmemorable though and whatever Loki did has people's eyes sliding right over him like he's blending into the wallpaper. When he sees Loki walking back in his long-legged stride, he tips his head. )

Got us a ride, I'm assuming? Freely given?

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki preens, combing his fingers through his hair. ]

Of course. A few promises, some silver-laced words and men give way easily enough.

[ostavil]

Really? That's all it takes for men to give way? Normally I would say I'm immune to that but we know my brain's broken. Whatever it is, I'm grateful. Let's get out of here.

( Bucky pauses for a moment and tilts his head. )

Have you ever driven before? Just...out of curiosity?

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki seems bemused. ]

All men want to hear is what suits them. And they're always willing to give something away to have that.

[ a beat as he considers bucky's question. ]

I know a little of it, but I've never driven a machine like this personally.

[ostavil]

I would ask what I want to hear but I'm afraid you'll actually have an answer for that when I don't even have an answer for it.

( It's easier to think about Loki driving a car than Loki figuring out what makes him tick inside and then getting leverage over him. )

You ever wanna learn? I mean not now, I'm driving now, but later? We're gonna have a lot of time and nothing to do.

[dothelokimotion]

[ his lips curve into a smile. ]

Perhaps there is hope for you, James.

And later, when we are not pressed for time and distance.

[ostavil]

Hope. That's funny. I don't think anyone's been putting me and hope in sentences since the 1940s. Come on, let's get out of here.

( Bucky is a careful driver because he knows he's a fugitive even if Loki has changed their appearances; while he wants to think Loki has a plan for them getting stopped, he doesn't want to have to invite trouble.

Roads in Europe are different than American ones but since he's had plenty of experience on both kinds, it doesn't take him long to adjust to the roads just being a little narrower than he's used to. The more they get out of the city, the quieter the roads get and they pass fewer and fewer cars. It doesn't take him long to find what he's looking for once he gets out of the touristy areas and while these cabins won't be cozy like a ski lodge, they'll be isolated because they're for hunters. He finds one that isn't occupied and chooses it because it's deeper back than the others. )

New home, new us. Let's hope there's wood already chopped or we're gonna be freezing until I get it done. Too much to hope there's utilities turned on.

[dothelokimotion]

[ interesting how a word like hope would unbalance him so. loki had only meant to tease. hope is not something he barters with or considers to hold a lot of sway. it can be a useful tool like anything else. but it seemed to unnerve james completely. he files it away for now.

the mention of freezing makes him frown, gaze askance. ]

I'm sure we'll manage. Are you worried?

[ostavil]

About freezing? Yeah, I'd like to spend my new free life alive. I know I can handle the cold, I've been a popsicle for HYDRA for a while now, but it doesn't mean I don't like to be comfortable.

( Bucky squints his eyes at Loki, giving him a quick look-over. )

You got something in your bag of tricks to keep me warm? Because I'm listening. I don't mind doing the labor for a fire but if there's an easier way, I'll take it.

[dothelokimotion]

[ his lips curls derisively at the mention of tricks, but for once he doesn't lose his temper. not yet anyway. ]

We'll still need wood, but yes. I have something in my "bag of tricks". You need not fret. It would be a poor end to a partnership to let you freeze.

[ostavil]

( Bucky laughs softly. He imagines Loki can just light it on fire by magic or something so he looks around for a hatchet and finds one but there's no wood in the woodpile. )

Force that door open and I'll get wood. I'm pretty fast so I won't take that long.

( Chopping wood is probably the least strenuous thing his body is capable of these days. )

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki huffs. ]

Brute force is not something I enjoy.

[ all the door needs is a little telekinetic energy and voila, the door opens with a creak. ]

I will tidy the place up.

[ostavil]

( Bucky thinks it's amusing as hell that the idea of brute forcing something is distasteful to Loki but he goes to see about the firewood situation before worrying about anything else. There's plenty of good trees around and it doesn't take him long to chop new wood; he doesn't know how magical fire works so he gets enough to last a few days before he comes back inside, skin a little flushed from the cold. He has the firewood in his arms. )

Let me get this into the fireplace and we can see about warming up. Then we can take assessment of the rest of this place and finally get some rest. Don't know about you but I need it.

( Bucky puts the kindling into the fireplace and steps back, gesturing at Loki. )

All right, your turn. Magic it up.

[dothelokimotion]

[ the cabin is all but transformed. it looks warmly lit, despite the lack of fire. all the dust and cobwebs are studiously swept away. loki has settled himself on a comfy couch, looking relaxed for once even if the furrow between the brows remains there. it'll be a while before it goes away.

with a wave of his hand, the fire is lit and he leans back, admiring the glow. for a brief, heartsick moment, he pretends he's back on asgard.

but the illusion fades. as always. ]

There. Satisfied?

[ostavil]

( Bucky looks around and what Loki's done to the cabin isn't what he could have done with three solid days of work. There's an otherness to it that he thinks has to be magic and it feels cozy and lived in without being out of order. )

That's...impressive. I wish I could do things like that.

( Bucky sits beside him but keeps a bit of distance so they're not touching. He's comfortable but he's not that comfortable. )

Might have made my life a lot different if I had power like that. Might not have lost my mind to HYDRA.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki shakes his head slowly. ]

Or they would have found you all that much sooner. And my impression of this planet tells me they do not care much for what is different and what is powerful. For what is power that you cannot control?

[ostavil]

That's true. It would have just made me better at what I did. I didn't want to do any of it, though. I'm a good person. Well, I used to be. I sort of have to be less of a good person now because I want to be free and that requires a little bit of crime.

( Loki doesn't seem to care about that and honestly, that tracks. He's a trickster god by trade and if he didn't approve of some manner of crime it would be highly unusual. Besides, Bucky isn't stupid. He knows about New York. )

Good people die a lot faster than morally grey people.