If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks...

[coldsong]

It's customary to have a Wake after the subject thereof dies. Even Loki knows that. But this is a special occasion. Ego-death is coming to his alternate, and the idea of letting him go off to perish alone, uncertain he will even be mourned, is too dark a proposition even for a flawed and callous person to contemplate.

That, and this Loki has been in a melancholy mood since speaking to the spirit of Frigga. He anticipates a dark choice of his own, sooner or later, and where the fates will send him after that, he can't know. Maybe oblivion, although even at that rate there may be worse places.

What's important right now is that no one dies unremembered. And honestly, any excuse for mischief a party. The first text rolls out to Harley, an innocent enough invitation to join them for milkshakes. Cricket is next, because it occurs to him that Cricket has plenty of liquor, which is good for a reckless celebration.

Things snowball from there.

As long as they don't destroy too much property, they'll call the night a success.

Comments

[sweetcandygirl]

"Just use the words... I like you." She reaches down to take his hand. "I know it is scary. And seems impossible..."

"But treat it like... you might never see him again."

"I mean … you already know what it is like to not have that chance with one person. Since you can't go back to your world. Treat tonight like that last moment you have with Loki."

[alittlehinky]

Cricket holds onto Harley's hand kind of tight. Reminding him of Jack goes right to his heart and it's a good way of making him think hard about things. It's a different situation, though. (He doesn't know how different, but still.)

"Well. I reckon there was no point to sayin' anything to Jackie, though. He was pretty far gone for Bertha Minnix, and I think he won her over." And she was a nice girl. Smart enough to poke holes in Jack's ego when he needed it. Cricket sort of approved, as much as he could.

"What's a god want with a crippled, dead, bootlegger?" He smiles weakly. "But I guess it can't hurt none to say something. Not while we're all this drunk, anyway."

[sweetcandygirl]

"He won't see you as any of that Cricket..." Harley tells him softly.

"Don't think like that... Let him tell you how he sees you. You might be surprised."

[alittlehinky]

"What makes you so sure?" He gives her a quizzical look. The thing is, he doesn't mean that as an insult to Loki or to anyone who might actually see him as lesser. He's been looked down on all his life. It just seems normal to him now, and not necessarily something he takes personally.

But Harley doesn't think like other people, so he really wants to know her opinion.

[sweetcandygirl]

"Well they might be different... but a Loki is a Loki in a way. And just like the one who is sort-a dating me right now accepts me for who I am... the one you like will accept you for who you are."

Harley beams. "He just needs someone in his life who accepts him too!"

[alittlehinky]

Cricket's blushing again, but he nods, accepting her rationale, even if he'll probably have to see it demonstrated to really internalize it. At least he believes, from what he's seen of Harley's Loki (which is how he's going to think of him no matter what either of them says), that he truly accepts and cares about her.

Cricket still doesn't trust the man, but that's okay. He doesn't have to, to be on civil terms with him.

The other Loki, though... "He's a little flashy, and a charmer," he says with a small smile. "And he's got trouble written all over him, and that's a lot like Jack. But Jack didn't have sad hiding under all that. Loki does, and I...wanna help."

"Does that sound stupid? Never mind, I'm kinda drunk anyway, don't matter if it's stupid."

No one's going to hold anything he says while he's drunk against him, after all.

[sweetcandygirl]

Very few people accept Harley's rationale... for good reason. But it is nice to have someone like Cricket who has faith in her.

"I am sure you could help him, Cricket." Harley grins. "I think it is sweet... that you want to help him be less sad."

[alittlehinky]

Cricket is very loyal once you win him over. And it...actually doesn't take a whole lot to win him over. If Hermione ever meets him, she'll probably know he's a Hufflepuff at heart even without the Sorting Hat around to confirm that.

"Hope he thinks so, too," he tells her with a tipsy little laugh, and gives her a hug.