four; video (backdated a few days)

[glaived]

[ The video takes a moment to adjust to what is clearly a beautiful night sky - if anyone thought the milky way was pretty just multiply it by ten and that's the general idea of what it is. There's the clamor of feasting and fighting in the background, but it's distant.

Instead there's Sif, lit by firelight in full armor - her own winged helm and all. ]

Friends of Steven Rogers - Thor [ Pan down, and there's Thor with his own helmed head in her lap, sleeping, before panning back up again. ] and I have waited for him at Valhalla for some time. And it is with mixed emotions that I say we have not yet seen him.

So there is hope yet that somehow, he still lives.

[ There's an oddly warm smile, and then the camera pans up to the stars again before cutting out. ]

Comments

[glaived]

If he was, he simply invited himself.

[trickstering]

And it is that simple?

[glaived]

Of course. [ pause ] Why?

[trickstering]

I have no particular reason. Though I've another question, if you are willing.

[glaived]

Alright.

[trickstering]

You lost a friend of your own, did you not? I had gotten the impression the two of you were closer than you and this Steve.

[glaived]

[ oh that wasn't the question she was expecting. ]

Loki was lost to me, yes. And we were-- much closer.

[ what harm is going to come to admitting it to a stranger? the answer is clearly none. ]

[trickstering]

How fickle your closeness must have been, that you let another be invited so easily.

This is the best you can think to honor his memory? Share with all your joy over your fallen comrade Steve, as if he matters so much to you whilst you let another man sleep in your lap?

[glaived]

Do not speak of something you know nothing of! He died a traitor to the realm - what is there to honor in that memory? The halls of Valhalla do not wait for him, no songs will be sung, nothing.

[ it's a strange mixture of anger and hurt, and she can't believe she's actually having this conversation. ]

And I have not invited anyone.

[trickstering]

And thus he means nothing to you? You are bound to agree with the decisions of your realm despite being close? Would that I lived by your customs, and that it were so easy to cast aside the emotions I had for another simply because we parted on terms that were deemed not honorable.

[oh yes, they are totally having this conversation.]

You certainly don't seem to be protesting.

[glaived]

He meant more to me than I even knew - do not simply presume to know my feelings when you will not even reveal yourself. Oh, if only it could be that simple would not all the realms rejoice? But it isn't, and I would know.

[ this is a stupid conversation to have with someone anonly why is she even doing this. ]

Because he is a friend! Lovers are not the only ones that can lay claim to gestures of closeness.

[video; locked]

[trickstering]

I think I know damned well enough.

[ permavideo; permalocked]

[glaived]

[ It sounds like Loki, and Sif is worked up enough to answer instinctively. ]

No, you have always presumed and---

[ Oh. Oh. And that takes a significant amount of wind out of her, because he's dead she saw him fall. Thor always held on hope, of course, but that was because he was Thor; Sif had never been able to cling to it as he did.

But now, now she looks as if someone had punched her in the gut. ]

Loki?

[ Gods, she probably sounds like she's going to cry. Except she doesn't do that. She can't do that. ]

[trickstering]

Apparently, it's a good thing you didn't waste the effort to try and find me.

[glaived]

We tried, Loki. Asked all the network and searched the worlds when they were merging in on one another.

[ augh her heart this is the worst. ]

[trickstering]

I saw the pictures. Bravo, by the way, for you oh-so-accurate rending of them.

[glaived]

Yes, because we all make the best decisions when we're angry.

[trickstering]

And that's, what? Supposed to render you blameless?

[glaived]

[ a very long pause, and it's clear she's getting up and wandering away from the campfire and Thor because fuck that. ]

No. [ which normally she would never admit to, but seeing one's boyfriend suddenly back from the dead does a number on a person. ] It was a foolish thing to do.

But if you are going to consider yourself completely blameless in this matter--

[trickstering]

Then you'll be angry with me? Funny, it sounds as if I've nothing to lose.

[glaived]

You are incredibly frustrating, Loki. That much, at least, has not changed.

[trickstering]

I am sorry that my aim is not to be friendly.

[glaived]

Then what is it? Why bother showing yourself now?

[trickstering]

Perhaps it was merely to upset you.

[glaived]

Job well done. Is there anything else you wanted?