justakidfrombrklyn | At the door of Stark Tower

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

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

"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?"

Loki tilts his head slightly.

"Are you serious about that?"

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.

"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 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.

"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.~~

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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--"

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."

Oh for Turing's sake.

"Yeah, yeah, little asshole's probably due for an upgrade, anyway."

Geeze, the things he does for friends. Friends with positively infectious happiness, and yeah, okay, he saw that look on Loki's face.

"Please tell me you're not a giant fucking idiot. You keep backups, right?" he adds, at Loki's kind of blank look.

"Of course. Even my idiot brother knows that."

It's not the point, of course, but the point isn't something he wants to discuss with... anyone, anyone at all. A little telekinesis, and the pieces of his phone deposit themselves on Stark's bartop.

There was a scene going on on the other side of the room that didn't really involve too many words for the moment. For the most part, the only inclusion of the room's other inhabitants was that Barnes kept glaring over at Loki and Steve occasionally smiled over at Loki. It was a bit odd.

The glaring is fine; Loki's used to glaring. Everyone glares at him, even people who like him. It's the smiling that's unnerving, especially coming from someone like Steve Rogers. He kind of. Sidles over to the bar, and raises an eyebrow at Stark.

He gets a little nod and shrug of 'go for it', and so helps himself to a drink.

...his poor phone. :( :( :(

Steve turns his attention from Loki up to Bucky and there's a tense moment before he tries to reach out to him. Bucky pulls away, though.

"I've got stuff I've got to do, Steve."

"Then we'll do it together. It's not the first time you and I have gone up against HYDRA."

"This isn't your fight, Steve."

"Of course it is! It's... pretty much the only fight I've ever known."

"This is different. This is... dirtier. Harder."

"Then you need someone there to help."

"I need someone to be there when I get back."

"Buck--"

"Steve. This is non-negotiable. You got work to do and I got work to do."

"What do you mean by that? I--"

"I told Stark that you needed the doctor, Steve. And no matter what you think, you and me playing old times isn't going to fix what's broken in there. That's not how it works."

"Bucky."

"No. I've got a hell of a lot on my plate, but at least I have the questionable benefit of knowing they had to fuck me up six ways to sunday before I'd do any of it. You've got something else. And you need to take care of yourself better."

Tony is decidedly Not Listening. The shattered pieces of Loki's Starkphone (and if AU him doesn't use that as some kind of marketing gimmick, he's very disappointed in him; 'phone of the gods!' it's fucking easy) are interesting enough to--

Oh, who's he kidding? He's totally eavesdropping.

"I'll take that endorsement now." Until Loki's voice cuts into his attention, and distracts him, anyway.

There's some more quiet arguing before finally, Steve's standing up and getting in Bucky's face. There's danger in both of their eyes, hissing and whispered arguments, and finally Steve ducks forward and takes Barnes's mouth in a kiss.

The other man looks mildly flabbergasted.

Loki is... completely unsurprised, honestly, and also unsurprised by Stark's eavesdropping.

"Let them have their moment, Stark," he says quietly, when the mortal tries to wave off his request from a moment ago.

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