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]

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?

[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.]