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]

Do you like eating? Maybe that's a better question. Or does it make you feel human? Cause we wouldn't want you to feel human.

( Bucky isn't exactly laughing at him but he is generally amused and it's fun to poke a little bit. )

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki rolls his eyes. ]

I'm not some sort of automaton. I eat as much as anyone else.

[ostavil]

Look, I'm just trying to see what you like. If we're gonna spend time together, we might as well try to get along, you know? Like I said, everyone needs a friend. Even you.

( Bucky gives him a smile. )

You're not a bad guy, Loki, even if you played at being one.

[dothelokimotion]

[ dryly. ]

I think I did more than simply "play" at one.

[ostavil]

But you're not a completely bad person. Why rescue me? Not exactly efficient unless you want to use me as the Winter Soldier but you haven't. So I've decided that you're...neutral. You work for yourself.

( Bucky pauses for a moment before saying anything else. )

Looking out for yourself is a good way to make sure others can't hurt you until they do.

[dothelokimotion]

[ he frowns. being disseminated unnerves him every time. has he become so easy to read? ]

Good, bad . . . those binaries give you all clarity. But I'm not interested in them.

[ostavil]

So what do you want to be, then? Something in between on a long spectrum? Because then you're just like me.

( Bucky never thought he'd have something in common with a literal god but here they are. )

[dothelokimotion]

[ first of all, how dare you. ]

Why is it necessary to be something?

[ostavil]

I wanna know who I am because I haven't been able to be anything for decades. I don't know about you. You have a chance to be anyone you want right now. We're off the grid, you know?

( It's a completely blank slate, at least in his eyes, and he wants to take advantage of it. )

You get the chance to decide who and what you're gonna be right now and if that's different than what you were. It's a big thing.

[dothelokimotion]

It is a big thing for you. I find myself less invested in it. I still intend to be Loki and to return to Asgard someday.

[ostavil]

How you planning on getting back there, exactly? Do you think they're just gonna let you walk back in? Or do crimes on Earth not count?

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki waves a flippant hand. ]

I doubt the All-Father cares all that much about what happens on Earth.

But I will find a way.

[ostavil]

I guess the other question is going to be how you intend to actually travel there but you use the Bifrost, don't you? I don't know if that's real or not but what I remember of Norse mythology says that's how you get around.

( If that's how it works, Bucky has a whole lot more follow up questions to that. )

[dothelokimotion]

[ hm. ]

You're well educated for a human. Yes, we use the Bifrost, but I know secret paths across the universe. We'll be using one of those to travel across your planet as well.

[ostavil]

I should have known you were smarter than to take the major highway out of here. I guess there's nothing to do but wait for a little while, though, so...you know how to conjure some cards? Because I could teach you poker.

( Bucky is reasonably sure they don't have that on Asgard and if they do, it'll be more of a game. )

[dothelokimotion]

You want to play a card game. With me.

[ isn't that. a terrible idea on multiple levels. ]

[ostavil]

Yeah. Figure you'd be good at it if you actually know the rules. Aren't you supposed to be a good liar? Half of being good at cards is being able to lie.

( Or at least being able to hide your tells, which Bucky thinks he's decent at after spending decades with no emotions. )

[dothelokimotion]

I'm an incredibly good liar. So I hope you know what you're getting into.

[ostavil]

Oh yeah? You think you can beat the Winter Soldier at lying? I wanna take you up on that.

( Bucky grins at him, a genuine one, and tilts his head. )

How old are you? How long have you been lying?

[dothelokimotion]

[ he narrows his eyes. ]

Longer than your people have had houses and indoor plumbing.

[ostavil]

Yeah? Then I bet you can beat me. So if you'll do the honors and make us some playing cards, I can teach you how we do it as puny humans.

( Bucky is just so thrilled to be free that anything is novel and interesting to him, even if it's teaching a god how to bluff at poker. )

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki huffs lightly. ]

Very well.

[ it's not a difficult thing to conjure and he's passingly familiar with the cards people use. he lays his hand on the table. his palm glows green and once he lifts it, a deck of playing cards appears. ]

[ostavil]

( Bucky will never get tired of seeing Loki's magic, even if it makes Loki roll his eyes and call him a simple mortal. It's something he'd never thought possible and it fascinates him. )

Jesus, I wish I could do that. It looks so effortless when you do it.

( He picks up the cards and shuffles them, fingertips brushing against Loki's briefly as he does. He remembers the rules to all sorts of card games even if he's been locked inside his body for decades and that, in itself is amazing. He deals Loki his cards and then deals his own. )

All right, so. If you get Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten in the same suit, that's a Royal flush. That's the best hand possible. Next best is five numbers in numerical order of the same suit. That's a straight flush. You get four of a kind - four of the same card, doesn't matter what suit, that's the next best. Then you can have a full house which is three cards the same and then two cards the same. A straight's just five numbers in a row, doesn't matter the suit. Then you have three of a kind, two pairs, and a pair. That's it. Now if you've got jack shit to work with, you can always lie and try to bluff me into folding by just saying "hold" and not showing your cards.

It's a little complicated but you're a smart guy. You'll get it.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki twitches. he hasn't been touched in — a long time. not since new york. for some reason, this piece of knowledge disconcerts him and he pushes it down ruthlessly. ]

It seems rudimentary enough.

[ he picks up his cards, holding them close. ]

[ostavil]

Normally you bet something but I guess we don't have anything to bet with. Damn shame. It'd be hilarious when I beat you.

( Gods don't care about things like money though, do they? )