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

[selfimage]

[ he spreads out his fingers coupled with a look of disbelief. that wasn't even convincing, Jesse. ]

I've several degrees in lying, so if you want to get rid of me you could at least offer a creative anecdote.

[ as in, the longer Jesse keeps that up, the longer he's going to linger. ]

One that's at least worthy of the trip.

[hostage]

[The fuck's an anecdote?

Whatever. He takes another drag from his cigarette, and he manages not to cough this time.

He's not just going to start talking.]

[selfimage]

[ there's an easy way and a hard way. there's a moment where Loki shrugs, and digs something out of his pocket as he heads for the door. he walks right through Jesse's smoke, waving his hand in an overly-dramatic display to part it. it doesn't bother him, of course, but it does smell terrible.

between his fingers is a charcoal pencil. he studies the door before beginning to draw what looks like points of concentric circles. he hums softly beneath his breath. ]

[hostage]

[It's going to be some magic thing, Jesse knows that. He watches Loki work for a second before turning a glance to the window. He should open it. Not to let the smoke out, but to let Vinr in. He should be calling for Kara to come save him by now.

He doesn't. He's not going to ask her to forsake her god a second time, especially not after the first attempt to persuade Loki failed so miserably.]

[selfimage]

Ah—good. You have a friend.

[ Loki wipes his hands of the charcoal, rubbing his fingers together with an over-exaggerated frown when it doesn't wipe away. he mutters something beneath his breath and the runes scribbled on the door flash brightly with green light. ]

And now that that's done, we can have a little chat.

[hostage]

[Jesse taps the ashes of his cigarette into a day-old cup of coffee sitting on top of the dresser.]

What is that thing?

[selfimage]

Oh, this? It's a trap.

[ Loki says with all the mock innocence he can muster, as if he hadn't been scribbling all over the door barely a moment before. ]

Partially. It keeps you in here.

[ he waves his hands around to indicate Jesse's current residence. ]

[hostage]

Do I look like a pussy to you?

[Honestly, he's not going to run.]

[selfimage]

[ there's a slightly wide-eyed response to that. ]

Oh no, I mean more like house arrest.

[hostage]

[The fuck?]

Why?

[selfimage]

I have a business to run, and the imPorts have their lives to continue, and unfortunately you seem very much intent on your own self-destruction. [ not that he doesn't understand on a level, ofc. ] But unfortunately burning yourself usually ends in burning other people.

Since you don't seem to want to listen ... [ there's a little bit of a shrug. ] Well, drastic measures, I suppose.

[hostage]

[This is stupid.]

Why don't you just kill me?

[selfimage]

That's stupid. Why would I want to kill you?

[ he'd given that up. well, to a point. there were circumstances that called for it, but desperate times were different than trying to make a deal with someone who he knew already had given up. ]

[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?