But one time out of ten everything goes perfect for us all.

[hostage]

WHO: Loki & Jesse Pinkman
WHERE: Xavier's #202
WHEN: Tuesday, February 10 (after this)
WHAT: Loki corners Jesse for a heart-to-heart in this Very Special Episode.
WARNINGS: Drugs, cancer, death, and stuff. I don't know.

[As soon as the car's parked, Jesse pulls out his burner to check for messages. Nothing from Mr. White yet, which means he's got some time to himself. Jesse's only glad for that because his encounter with Skye has left him exhausted. He could use a few minutes to recuperate before he has to go back to pretending he's fine.

The walk up to his room is difficult in his current state. He's gotten used to perfect health, so moments like these feel even worse than they would have if, say, he had lung cancer all along. He's coughing by the time he reaches his door, and still coughing when he stumbles inside.]

Comments

[hostage]

Uhhh... Because it makes more sense than keeping me in a box forever? Yo, this was seriously your plan?

[selfimage]

No one said it was forever. I'm sure you'll have a variety of people come try and check up on you, nice, stand-up fellows with a penchant for the mortal drug industry. You know, Emmy material.

[ he looks a little bit more sympathetic. ] If I kill you, there will be more than your death to contend with. I'd rather not see Kara that angry, anyway. I'm sure the help that you've acquired won't like that too much, either. Besides, it's a little bit more than simply suspicious.

And dying sounds unpleasant. Then you come back and it gets complicated ...

How many steps ahead do you think, anyway?

[hostage]

More than you, looks like.

[Considering he decided to quit yesterday. But okay, he'll entertain this for a while. This is a rare opportunity to hear what the hell Loki wants, after all this bullshit. Jesse leans up against the wall and takes another puff from his cigarette.]

Did the whole team decide on this or is it just you?

[selfimage]

[ there's a little bit of a half-hearted shrug at that. ]

This? This is me. I was starting to get worried about you, actually. If you could consider second-hand concern a thing, anyway.

[hostage]

You're worried about me.

[There's a laugh.]

Just say you're worried about what I'll do, worried the cops'll pick me up, something like that. It sounds less like bullshit that way, seriously.

[selfimage]

Well, the political ramifications would suck, as I've already stated. But no, actually. I'd rather not see you dead, not by anyone else's hand, either. Aside from the obvious "won't stay dead" thing.

[ there's a raise of a brow from there. ]

Should I be concerned with what Kara's been telling you about me?

[hostage]

Kara never talks about you.

[He's not throwing her under the bus.]

[selfimage]

Yes, she does. But that was a joke, you don't have to answer it.

[ but it's a curious reaction, nonetheless. ]

How about we start the "what do you know about Loki" game?

[hostage]

I know you sent Skye after me with a sword.

[selfimage]

[ there's a brief moment where he stares at him like he's been struck with something out of left field. it's followed by a squint. ]

I—what?

[ and then, mostly to himself: ]

The only things more unbelievable than the things I do do, are the things I don't, apparently.

[hostage]

The Asgardian sword. The one she carries in her gym bag. You telling me she stole it? Maybe she just got lucky and found it?

[selfimage]

I loaned her the sword, but I didn't send her after you. The whole you thing came later. We converged at a point, she wanted to go further. Actually, I think she went with intent of clearing your name. Which—[ he's just gonna wave that one off for the time being. ]

Do you normally believe everyone's after you?

[hostage]

[Jesse gives Loki an incredulous look, and instead of answering, he looks pointedly at the magical rune that is meant to keep him trapped against his will for an undisclosed amount of time.]

[selfimage]

By Ymir's frozen testicle—!

[ Loki tries very hard not to roll his eyes. ]

Circumstantial, just because I did something now doesn't mean that whatever I did before was under the same pretense.

[hostage]

Oh, yeah. Crazy me. Thinking you'd do something you'd totally do, just not when I thought you'd do it. Totally paranoid.

[selfimage]

When you're using current circumstances to justify your paranoia, I'd certainly say so.

[ but that's not entirely unexpected, he has to admit. ]

I suppose that shows how well you know me. At least it's not another myth about mistletoe or how I ruined everything or so on and so forth.

[hostage]

Maybe people would like you more if you didn't keep them prisoner. I mean, seriously - You did come after me. This is literally you coming after me. You giving my girlfriend a sword to chase me with is you coming after me. I didn't start any of this shit with you.

[selfimage]

Ex-girlfriend.

[ he says pointedly. ]

[hostage]

[Jesse twitches at that and brings the cigarette to his lips. He finishes it off and immediately sets about lighting another one.]

[selfimage]

[ Loki pauses and then his expression lingers and softens somewhat after he lets out a long breath. ]

As much of an irony as it may be, I'll give you the truth from the mouth of the god of mischief.

[ he examines him briefly before starting. ]

Skye wanted to clear your name, believing desperately that you wanted to change. The sword was a loan. And this? It spawned from ill-created concern, I suppose. [ he points at him again. ] Before we got off track, I thought you'd at least get it in two. The god of chaos is also the god of change.

There are old patterns in the universe, Jesse, old cycles that govern—threaten—us. [ that threaten him. ] I came to tell you I believe you can change, because if the god of chaos doesn't believe it, then there may be no hope at all.

[hostage]

[Jesse stifles a cough into his fist before inhaling a lungful of smoke. He's not looking at Loki now, but somewhere far off.]

...I know I can change. I know I'm gonna. I'm gonna change so much it won't even feel like I'm me anymore.

It just won't be for good.

[selfimage]

And on what scale have you already determined that?

[hostage]

I know my future.

[selfimage]

You know a future.

[ it reminds him of him. when the All-Mother had enlisted the help of his very literal future self, all to make sure that Asgard had a safeguarded future and Loki? well, it doomed him to fall back right into place with what the universe wanted—an evil Loki. a villainous, vile, selfish creature bent on nothing but personal victory at the expense of everyone.

and even though he was there, in front of him, he refused to give in. no, not yet. ]

There's a difference.

[hostage]

There's somebody walking around here with a bullet hole in his gut and I'm gonna be the one who put it there. How'm I gonna change something that already happened to him?