futurology | VIDEO. UN: LOKI

VIDEO. UN: LOKI

[ the sound of the wind storm hollows dully against the cave walls. Loki's squidge, Bacon, can half be seen crawling in the confines of his tacky green jacket and over his knee from where he sits, sometimes ducking and squeaking when a particularly large gust hits. to keep it from screaming, Loki offers his fingers absently, which the little squidge pulls on with its pudgy arms before ducking low again. ]

Hello there, it seems like we'll be waiting this out for some time considering the weather-type circumstances. While we're all rotting away, etcetera etcetera, I thought we could amuse ourselves with a game. A little bit of team bonding funtimes, so to say. [ he twists a dark nailed hand in the air, gesturing. ]

Soo—oo ... it's called Two Truths and a Lie. How do you play? Glad you asked, it's simple! Give two true statements about yourself and add a lie to the mix, shake it up then toss it out there and see if your team members know you well enough to spot the lie.

Usually this is done with copious amounts of alcohol, but we're lacking at the moment. [ pause. ] But—ah—you could always enjoy the satisfaction of being right. It's not like we're doing much else.

NOTE | Feel free to threadjack if that's your thing!! :****

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[Is that supposed to make her feel better.]

I can't imagine your parents being very pleased about that type of behavior.

[ He raises an eyebrow, grinning lopsided. ]

They weren't really around to object.

[She cocks her head to one side, curious.]

Too busy doing other things?

[ He shrugs. He could make something up, tell her they were both dead, but the idea of this thing was to know each other better, right? ]

Can't say as I rightly know. Pop ran out before I was yea high [ he makes a gesture, indicating not very tall at all ] and my ma--well. I guess that's so, in her case.

[—Ah. Her face sobers at the actual answer.]

I'm sorry. Children should have parents around that care about them.

Lot of folks ought to have a lot of things, I reckon. Some of us just got to make do without.

[ Basically the story of his life up to this point. ]

[Amen to that.]

You seem to have 'made do' better than most.

Aw, well, that's real sweet of you to say.

[ He does grin again, but it's not so much flirtatious as sincere, warm with a particular set of memories. ]

But I did have a little help in the matter, eventually.

[He doesn't seem like that terrible of a person, overly confident demeanor and endearments aside.]

Is that so? From who, if you don't mind me asking.

[This seems like a story she'd like to hear, if he's amenable to telling it.]

[ He makes a 'hmnh' noise in his throat. It's a long one. ]

You did pick out the lie. I got into my first firefight when I was nearabouts fifteen years old. I was in with a bad group of folks, called themselves the Deadlock Rebels. We did gunrunnin', mostly, though it weren't just guns. We hijacked weapons of all kinds. Some a lot worse'n others.

Not somethin' you could do out the public eye forever.

[She's got time a plenty to listen to stories.]

I take it you were caught at some point?

Yeah. Organization called Overwatch, a peacekeepin' group. Their black ops people ran a sting on my gang, and they brought me in. I was seventeen, then.

[ Hence the tiny lie in his statement. ]

Fella named Gabriel Reyes lead the Blackwatch team. He told me I had two choices: life in max security lockup, or life as one of them.

[ He smiles wistfully at the memory. That had been a rough year, a year of transition, of transformation. But those first few weeks were the worst.]

Now, I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed. But I know a good spread of cards when I see'em, so I took that deal.

[Overwatch...sounds a bit sketchy if she's going solely by the name, like some hidden higher organization watching over them constantly. McCree seems fond enough as he speaks though that she foesn't question the name.]

And that's how you ended up the rugged hero you are now?

[Paraphrasing a bit there.]

[ Well, they did recruit a minor for black ops missions BUT THAT'S ALL IN THE PAST THAT'S OLD STUFF ...

McCree chuckles. ]

Ain't no hero. But they taught me how to be a damn sight better'n I was, sure enough.

Are you still with them now? —Or were, before ALASTAIR?

[She's still not sure how to reconcile the two lives.]

Naw. It's been a dog's age since I seen any of'em.

[ Because Jack and Gabe took their relationship problems to the world stage, blew up headquarters, and destroyed everything they and the rest had built. But that's neither here nor there. A beat, and he goes on. ]

But I'd just gotten a call about some kinda reunion before that rift opened up and swallowed me. Was on my way down to see what was what.

["A dog's age." Truly, she'll never understand half the men in this team.]

ALASTAIR does have excellent timing like that.

[A bit acerbically, because by excellent she really means god-awful. But her tone's quick to ease up.]

I do hope you're able to return sooner rather than later.

Turns out, ALASTAIR plucked up a few of us, so I ain't too much out of the loop.

[ He grins. ]

Besides, I've met so many nice people since comin' here.

[Despite the internal jealousy that pierces through her briefly at that statement, Riza is genuinely happy for McCree, a sentiment reflected in the small upward quirk of her lips.]

That's very kind of you to say, Mr. McCree.

[Maybe a bit too kind; she's pretty sure half of them here aren't deserving of that label.]

Aw, it's just a true observation. There's been that sweet kid, Luffy--seems like he can befriend just about anybody. Then Olivia and the fella with the ears patchin' me up. Meallan, I think his name was.

[ He grins, a little sly, but no less cheerful. ]

An' you, of course, keepin' me warm.

[Wow. Her smile stays on her face, but there's a strained element to it now.]

A repeat of that could be arranged, I'm sure.

[Of the setting him on fire bit, not the being alone together in a cave bit.]

[ Long years in Blackwatch taught him how to read facial expressions like a profiler, so he can tell his joke didn't land even before she says anything.

His expression turns hangdog, and he rubs the back of his neck. ]

Aw, I didn't mean nothin' by it, Riza.

[It's like she's speaking to a giant puppy crammed into a human form. How fascinating. Puppy eyes, literal or figurative, have never worked on her but she does ease up a bit, if only because she doesn't actually dislike him as much as she occasionally pretends to.]

I know. You're not a bad man, even if some of your behaviors are overly excessive sometimes.

[ Those pupper eyes turn right back to genuine delight at her response. He grins, big and warm. ]

Why, I reckon that's the sweetest thing you ever said to me.

[ 'Not a bad man'. Sure, he'll take it. As for excessive behavior, well. He tips his hat, clicks his tongue. ]

And hey. We all gotta be who we are, right?

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VIDEO. UN: LOKI

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