At the door of Stark Tower

[justakidfrombrklyn]

He doesn't really have a phone anymore, at least not one that isn't a burner on the end of it's life, and that phone never had the number he needed in it, so he didn't call ahead. Instead, he's just there, heading for the front desk to see if perhaps, just maybe, he has a friend here. Or at least an ally.

"Steve Rogers for Tony Stark, please?"

Comments

[he_that_stands_it_now]

"Do you want to get shot again? I get less polite the more aggravated I get."

Translation: try again.

[godofbadideas]

"Oh yes, I forgot, I'm Loki, I must be here for some nefarious purpose, I couldn't just be, I don't know, having fun, everything I do is twisted up under seven different layers of conniving machinations."

Eyeroll.

[he_that_stands_it_now]

It takes a second, two really, and Barnes is watching him the entire time...

But the guns drop.

"You don't get to bitch when you made the reputation all on your own, buddy."

[godofbadideas]

And he sighs.

"Once, just once, I'd like to find a universe somewhere, where my local iteration isn't a villain."

It would be nice. It would give him hope that maybe he can actually be different.

[he_that_stands_it_now]

"You ever wonder if maybe the problem's you then? If that's the only thing in common between them?"

[godofbadideas]

"Yes. Of course I have. But I'm not a villain-" anymore "-and the multiverse is vast; it stands to reason that at least one other of me would at least be not-a-villain as well."

...okay, so he still robs banks, and hacks things he shouldn't, and conspires with unsavoury types, but that's hardly villainy. Compared to the old Loki, he's an upright an honest citizen!

[he_that_stands_it_now]

He actually got a smirk for that, even if it was a rather dark one.

"Probably the same number where the Winter Soldier never existed."

[godofbadideas]

"You might be surprised," Loki says blandly.

[he_that_stands_it_now]

"I don't really like surprises," he says, just as bland.

[godofbadideas]

"That's a shame," Loki says, and he means it.

[he_that_stands_it_now]

"Lots of things are a shame. So is the fact that I'm not getting distracted.

"What do you want and how can I help you to get it done as quickly and quietly as possible?"

[godofbadideas]

Loki tilts his head slightly.

"Are you serious about that?"

[he_that_stands_it_now]

He holds up a hand.

"I want to hear what it is before I agree. But yeah, I'm serious."

He has shit to do, but he's not leaving Steve at the mercy of a Loki, whichever one it happens to be.

[godofbadideas]

"Then we should carry on this conversation elsewhere," Loki says. The doubles vanish, as he holds out a hand. "Take my hand, and I swear I will ask nothing of you that Captain America would not."

[he_that_stands_it_now]

He looks at Loki for a moment before looking around the rooftop. It takes him a minute to pack and stow his various supplies, but soon enough, he's got a pack on his back and he's holding out his hand.

"You doublecross me and I promise you'll regret it."

But the god had SWORN and he knows enough to know that that's fair. And swearing on Steve Rogers was about the only way TO get him to trust you at this point.

[godofbadideas]

"That's what they all say."

His hand closes firmly around Barnes', and the world vanishes in a wash of green, as his magic carries them... into Stark's penthouse, where Rogers is making him eat real food.

"Rogers, catch!"

And then the Winter Soldier is being tossed to Captain America. Because Loki is a little shit.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Captain America drops his phone like it'd burned him and holds up his hands to catch a bulkier, heavier, metal-armed Bucky Barnes who looks like a spooked cat in all the worst ways. When he actually DOES catch him, it very quickly turns into the tightest, most loving hug Barnes has ever gotten in his life and that does not change the fact that he's glaring over at Loki like he could kill him purely with his mind.

[he_that_stands_it_now]

"You son of a bitch!" and he's trying to escape the hug but since he won't actually hurt Steve, it's not going so well. He might be the superior fighter, but he's not the stronger of the two, even with his arm.

[godofbadideas]

Loki's laughing his ass off, and dancing away well out of arm's reach. Also snapping a photo on his Starkphone, because, well. Yes.

He is the winner, the winner is him.

[actuallyhasaheart]

On the list of things Tony Stark ever expected ever-- This is not one.

"Jesus fucking Christ that was fast," is what he manages to say, when his brain stops returning segfaults.

[he_that_stands_it_now]

Barnes is struggling against the arms of Captain America, possibly to find a g-- DEFINITELY to find a gun and it's the normal one and it's fired right at his phone because he's not trying to hurt the little asshole, but he is going to wreck his shiny toy.

Steve is trying to think around the smell-feel-sound of Bucky in his arms to something a lot more reasonable and thoughtful but he's having a damn hard time of it.

[godofbadideas]

The phone takes the hit, and Loki yelps--

And there's something hurt and lost and dark in his eyes for a moment, but it's gone in a flash, unless you're paying attention.

Sorry, little me.

[actuallyhasaheart]

"Hey! Watch it with the firearms!" Tony snaps. "I just got this place fixed."

[he_that_stands_it_now]

Bucky sees it... and something in him is satisfied. Loki's not the only one who can be a little shit sometimes, and he's not the only one who can take a dark pleasure in taking something from others.

Besides, for as much 'fun' as Loki's having, Barnes is NOT happy.

"Steve--lemme up. Let go. I swear to Christ I'm gonna deck you--"

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Steve breathes out and let's go because he's never been one to put other people before himself and some part of him needs to let go anyway because this is so unreal. He looks over at Loki, notices the phone, and winces.

"Tony, I don't suppose there's anything you could do about that?"

Barnes is looking at him incredulously and Steve isn't sure what to actually SAY now, because this is the Bucky from the video, the one who was tired and hurting and yet, very much His Bucky and instead of being on a video (there's just so much video and so much of it made his heart hurt because it's Not The Same) he's right here, standing in front of him, a bruise forming and slowly healing on his arm where the metal collided with him.

"Hey, Buck."