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un; thunderer | VIDEO

[When Thor switches the camera on, it's momentarily engulfed by his face before he sits himself back. Now that the frame isn't obscured, it's apparent that he's not the only one there. Both Lokis, Angela and Sif sit either side of him, all situated around a booth at some sort of diner.

Thor, naturally, is the first to start talking.]

It has come to light in one way or another that we could be considered Gods. [He's keeping it vague on purpose.] It is true, in a sense, that we are are not unlike higher beings. We are not mortals and we have powers and abilities beyond what many would be considered normal. The myths and the legends, however, are not precisely true.

[He just wanted to clear that up.] As such, we thought it would be prudent to offer our services in times of need. For missions or protections, we can be of use in many situations. You need only ask.

[He says we, but he largely means I.

Angela, for her part, doesn't look as opposed to the idea as she probably could.]

I will add that I will require payment for my services, but that can be negotiated at a later time.

[ She glances around the table at her siblings as if daring them to counter her.

The younger Loki leans into shot, finger raised. ]

Should you require an actual god, we come in that flavour too.

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You sound unsure. Is it so bad a thing when people aren't what you expect?

[ Jim doesn't mean to pry or poke at his defenses, but he can't help being a little curious. ]

[ Loki frowns. The answer is a clear yes on his end. When people aren't what he expects, that makes them dangerous. And while to some degree, he does not mind that unpredictability, Loki knows better than to loosen his guard. ]

Bad is far too strong a word. I am not easy to surprise, that's all.

Well, that's bound to happen when you're a few thousand years old. But humans have this pesky habit of changing and aiming to be unpredictable.

[ He does, at least. Bones might not do it quite as often but he still manages to be unusual and surprising plenty of times, too. ]

Yes.

[ He can't deny that. Instead he sips the coffee on his table, his expression a mixture of contemplation and frustration. ]

Burning through your lives with your chaos.

[ That gets a look from Jim, though it's more curious than anything else. ]

Gonna take a wild guess and say your prior experiences with humans haven't been all that great.

No. But that's no fault of theirs, I suppose.

[ Yet, there'll always be a part of Loki that is bitter towards mankind. The people who swayed Thor, who taught him restraint and compassion. All the things Loki had tried to teach him once.

Loki isn't a sore loser, but when it came to Thor, sore is the best way to describe his personality. ]

I'm sorry to hear nonetheless.

[ Not that Jim was personally involved, obviously. ]

Do you feel like this place offers a second chance of sorts in that regard, or are you just... done with humanity as a whole?

I've heard that sentiment frequently.

[ Certainly many people have echoed it. His other self wishes to remain here. Loki can see the appeal but . . .

He cradles his cup, long fingers rubbing at the porcelain before giving Jim a searching look. ]

This place offers many things. I'm careful about what I pick.

We're a sentimental folk. You get used to it.

[ Of course getting used to it isn't the same as liking it, but at some point Loki will probably stop being baffled or surprised by it. If he stays here long enough, that is. ]

Suppose we all are, in one way or another. But it's nice to get those opportunities, anyway.

[ Loki makes a face. He can't say he understands it or likes it. Though he is getting used to it. ]

For whom, precisely?

For us, mostly. Or do you think that having different options and opportunities is a bad thing?

That is a luxury for mortals.

[ Not for Asgardians. Older than time, set in their ways. Loki changed but in a way, he hadn't changed at all. He simply became a more twisted reflection of Asgard. ]

I cannot say I have ever had them.

Well, now you do. Never too late for a change.

[ He tilts his head. Loki's a curious guy, he finds. The other one too, granted, but he tends to be far more lighthearted, less... reticent. Pensive. Makes Jim wonder just how their experiences differ. What sort of worlds they come from. ]

I'd have thought immortal people would change, too. Doesn't it get boring, over time? Always staying the same?

[ It's far too late for Loki. Or maybe it isn't. Hope isn't a sentiment Loki entertains anymore. The quiet heat from his mug seeps into his fingers, making them ache. ]

Certainly. But the passage of time is different for us. Every move is measured in breath, in aching muscle. You can feel how thin the line is between life and death.

[ Taking a sip, Loki finds himself thinking of Jane. Thor's brief foray of love and loss. ]

We do not.

[ Jim hums, nodding. ]

I can't say I know what it feels like to you, obviously, but I understand what you mean. Different perspectives. Although to be fair, we don't count our every breath— nor do we generally feel that short distance between life and death. We wouldn't really live at all if we thought about it constantly.

Are you sure?

[ Loki leans forward, a glean in his eyes. ]

You may not count it or you may not be aware. That is what the threshold is for. When you dangle at the edge — that's when it hits you. But the body never forgets.

Trust me, I know it doesn't. Been there— multiple times.

[ He debates on sharing more, but honestly, it feels to him like it was such a long time ago. (Even if it was only three years ago; less than that, even. Again, a matter of perspective.) ]

I died once, actually.

[ Loki blinks. He will never quite understand the need to share personal information. Intimacy is a weapon and Loki remembers its sting. Still . . . this man hails from the same universe as the Doctor. Perhaps attitudes are simply different. More open.

It does not lessen the danger, but Loki restrains from balking and closing off. ]

What did you let go of?

[ Jim lets out a chuckle at the question, unexpected enough to catch him off-guard. He started on the topic, though, so he won't run from it, even if it takes him a moment to even consider how to answer, or how broad Loki means that question to be. ]

Everything, [ He says truthfully at first, then adds just as truthfully, even if it's contradictory. ] Not enough. But I guess that's a good thing, or I might not have made it back.

[ He nods, a hum on his lips. Would it have been a good thing if he came back? Loki will never know now. Pride before the fall. His dreams seemed to tell him that Loki considered it. Willed a perfect scenario where he came home and all was forgiven. Like Thor.

But Odin's face stops him every time. ]

Perhaps. Or you were loved strongly enough for people to pull you out.

[ Did you mourn? Loki asked Thor with a twisted smile on his face. What he meant to ask was Did you think me dead and give up on me?

But Loki knew better than to ask for the truth. ]

[ Jim is, of course, unaware of the background here. He doesn't think twice about what sort of effect his answers might have, but in any case, he's truthful about them. When Loki speaks again, he can't help a warm smile from taking over his features, his gaze dropping as he nods. ]

I was— I am. Of that I have no doubt, and I'll always be immensely grateful for it.

[ For his crew, his friends, his loved ones... his family. He knows all too well he would never be here today if not for each and every one of them. ]

Guess I'm also lucky to be surrounded by people who can be just as stubborn as I am, with a tendency to not believe in the impossible.

[ He purses his lips tightly, a white thin line. It does not matter how long it has been. The void remains ever present and Loki knew he still hung from it. Everything he does is on the tightrope. Someday he'll fall once more. Still he can't hold back the sharpness in his voice. ]

Charming. Like the end of a story.

[ He catches the slight shift in the tone, but he's not put off by it. There's a beat, a flicker of a second where Jim debates on what to do or say, then he purses his lips, lifting a single shoulder in a vague shrug. ]

Or the beginning of one.

Of yours.

[ His tone is flat. Loki's story ended. Right now, he's going through the motions. ]

This one specifically, yes.

[ He watches Loki quietly for a moment, then adds. ]

But all stories can have new beginnings.

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