HE KNEW SAYING THESE THINGS WOULD fall on deaf ears, but ross felt better for saying them. however, the finger that poked him squarely in the chest was gripped and twisted away from his person. the man didn’t let up. “fully human or not, there is more than one species in this galaxy. i’d say ask the guardians but they’re pretty much all gone. whether you’re human or not, you reside in this universe therefore you are effected. it’s your war.” with the utterance of his last word, ross releases ky’s hand and straights himself out. “fuck off for all i care. but if you come crawling back, needed help, you won’t find it with me.”
ROSS WAS RIGHT. this war was his own – far more than he realized and it was a chance to do some good for once. though, ky wasn’t in the mood to actually attempt it or even do so. why make anything right when the world – no universe just needed to be tipped a bit further down into chaos. part of him knew it was wrong to do so, but at the same time? he just didn’t care – not when he firmly believed that his involvement wasn’t needed one way or another. “not my war,” he affirmed bluntly. “i didn’t start it and i wasn’t involved. ” it was like he was a broken record – either way? he was done trying to justify himself or his actions. at least to him. “human or otherwise? i’m not going to pick up the pieces when i never was wanted in this universe to begin with.”
A small frown formed on Loki’s face as he listened to the other. Could it be that he was who the god of mischief through he was? It all added more confusion to the whole situation, making Loki, if anything, raise his guard even more, but at the same time he remained in his spot, deciding to engage a fight only if needed.
“I have to admit, I imagined Lady Death to look a lot different than you.” He finally spoke. Naturally, he could have been wrong, but in every tale Frigga would tell his brother and him, it was Lady Death who came to the surviving warriors and offer them to bring one of their loved ones back in exchange for their own life. “What makes you think people here are desperate enough to do so while the Avengers still stand and there is hope that all of this can be reversed?”
“Humans are… complicated, but if you wave an offer in their face that is good enough? They will be begging for the chance.” He’d seen it first hand – even in history, when the idea of Absolution was so grand a thing… people took it in droves.
In this case, Ky was making deals – not a lot of them, but just enough so he could head back home with something more than begging to be forgiven for leaving. Something that hopefully would state his family’s anger. “I don’t know about Lady Death, but I know how people will beg for second chances, and will even trade their lives for others.” A deep sigh escaped his lips. “It may be reversed, but for now? Giving people some sort of…hope is better than nothing.”
He felt a visceral hatred growing in his gut and knew himself well enough to recognise it for what it was: fear. The brand of alarm that sees steady hands quake, that softens the hardest of resolves with its panic-inducing effects. Thor was jittery, and knew not why such was the case– he only knew that he needed to act, and soon at that. Be it by taking part in a bout of training or using Stormbreaker’s Bifrost properties to teleport himself to a far region of space.
Someplace where, with luck, an aggrieved lightningslinger may muster the full wrath of his element without consequence.
“You know not of that which you claim to speak of, demon.” A rebuttal that could be condensed into far fewer terms; drop the subject. Caught in an uncharacteristically negative mood, the god’s jaws were parted enough to afford him a near constant scowl, ill at ease until he has the opportunity to give vent to the apprehension that has claimed him so strongly. “And on the very same matter, I wish to hear no more of it.” Least they repeat what he’d heard a thousand times since the battle for Wakanda took place; he bungled a prime opportunity, and in his failure, allowed for trillions throughout the known universe to be erased from existence.
Ky knew fully well what Thor meant. Everything had gone downhill since Thanos and now? Whoever was left ended up picking up the peaces. Ky should have just turned tail and gone home – maybe then he could go back to some sense of reasonability. He may have hated his family, but at least they were… predictable.
“Then let’s go somewhere.” Ky knew that he’d have to elaborate to the extent of what exactly he meant, but he wasn’t going to. It would call become clear soon enough. “Somewhere far away from here,” he said, taking a step closer. “It will do us both some good.” Or, in other words, it would get both them away from everyone. True, it might not have been much, but maybe training, fighting, or just being away from earth would do the both of them better than just sticking around here.
“Unless… you’d rather stick ‘round here forever.”
Steve was aware of what was at stake here. He knew how others would react, especially those who had seen Bucky vanish before their very eyes. People would make questions. Suspicious would arise and the veteran knew that the backlash for what he had just done would be… no short of monumental. What would Thor say? Or Natasha? What would Bucky say if he knew what he had done for the sake of saving him? How badly would his best friend react after learning why he had come back and no one else had? It was a price that Steve was willing to pay. It was something that only he could do. Maybe there was a way. Maybe later down the line, they would find some way to undo what Thanos had done.
MAYBE.
But how was he supposed to focus when he was blinded by grief and pain? To see Bucky die before his very eyes not once – but twice? That was far too much. He would even give his own life in exchange for Bucky’s if that was what it took for him to have the other man back. The one who didn’t want to fight. The one who wanted nothing more than to live his own life and put his past of war and conflict behind his back. It was his fault that Bucky had vanished. It was his fault that things had… been the way they were now. But it was not too late to make amends. They would stop Thanos and they would find a way to bring the ones who died back. They would find a way to right their wrongs. But for him to do that… he needed Bucky. He needed that ONE person that would make everything so much better and bearable.
Blue eyes turned to the demon and even though he knew sooner or later, he would have to pay the price for this – Steve was oddly at peace. Whatever the demon wanted, he would do. It was his end of the bargain. Whatever it took to bring Bucky back. To bring the one person he cared about the most back to the world of the living. It was not his time. Not yet. “Thank you.” Lips curled in a half smile and Steve offered his demonic contractor a short nod. If the blond could truly bring Bucky back – he would pay the price. It was worth it. “How do I know it is my time to fill my end of the bargain?”
He didn’t expect thanks. Nor did he expect true gratitude for what he was about to do. Tinkering with fate always came with a price – usually, he had something to weigh it out with properly, but words held their own power. A favor for a favor – something he did out of pure necessity than actual want.
Bringing one man back wouldn’t tip the scales one way or another – the scales were already destroyed. That was what happened when the Titan decided to snap their fingers and throw the entire universe. Whatever balance there was… it was torn asunder.
All that was left was the fragments of what was once known as reality. Dust littering every room, street, and corner of not just the world, but the universe at large. A price to pay for someone who decided that most of all life needed to be eradicated.
Maybe in another time Ky would have done the same thing, but not like this – never like this. Though, he doubted he’d ever get ahold of an infinity stone. Especially now… that they were all currently held by a very mad Titan.
“You’ll know.” It was a lie, but also a truth in all reality. Ky didn’t know when he’d call either one or a majority of his deals in. However, he knew fully well that when the time came? He’d be calling it in no matter what they were doing or what was on the line.
“Until then,” he said, hands slipping into the pockets of his pants, “I’ll be watching and I might even show up now and again.” Of course, the final words from his mouth were doubtful, but they held some sort of truth all the same.
A LOW AND MIRTHLESS laugh falls from bitter tongue . “ you’re a real piece of work ky , you know that . ” cobalt hues dance with a fierce passion , looking up at the other . “ unlike you , i don’t take the coward’s way out . unlike you , i have a sense of morality and duty . unlike you , i have a conscious . ” words flow from ross’ lips without his permission . but he’s on a roll know . “ you don’t think i don’t know that ? thano’s reach extended far beyond the planet and system . but correct me if i’m wrong , this became the epicenter when thanos took the first of his final stands here . we held the most infinity stones . we became the roadblock or the problem in thano’s way . so yeah , for right now , this does revolve around earth and her people . ”
“FAIRLY PUT,” he said. “however, i remain unconvinced.” ross’ words rang true, but ky… as much as he tried wouldn’t see it that way. thanos may have ended half of all life. could have even ended everything, but he chose to leave some alive. maybe, if things were different, ky could have attempted to see it his way, but it didn’t look like it. not anytime soon in-fact either. “you have your morality an’ duty. i DON’T have any of that – i go home now an’ maybe i won’t get SKINNED alive.” a pause. “i do mean skinned – not the metaphorical version either.” in truth, he could have said much more, but instead, he moved to poke a finger right into ross’s chest – something he knew he’d regret, but done all the same. “this isn’t my war… it’s humanities very own.”
His senses were on alert, he didn’t want the other catch him off guard. Loki didn’t trust him an inch and there was something very suspicious about him. He was with Thanos, but seemed to be against the mad titan at the same time. In many ways that conflict reminded him of himself back in the day when he served Thanos as well.
“You’re forgetting hope. Hope is a powerful tool if a lot of people have it. It fuels heroes to do good deeds, telling them that their people need them to keep them safe. Perhaps it might sound foolish, but things can very much be turned back.”
“Hope is foolish. It can make a man or break a man.” By man, Ky’lar meant people in general, but he didn’t think that needed clarification at the moment. “Hope is needed at times – it makes people press on, but it also can hinder them.”
“Everyone has their breaking point, everyone has what they will fold for, and everyone has a price.” Even Ky if he was being completely honest with himself. “They are even willing to trade the one thing they care about for family.” A pause. “That is why i’m here.”
ross can’t really argue with that fact . he doesn’t have a retort or a rebuttal. but then something sparks. “it became your war the moment you stepped foot on this planet. it’s no secret what was coming or WHO was coming. whether you like it or not, you’re apart of this.” maybe the attempt is futile, but the agent is hurt and grieving. he wants to lash out at someone for his anger and sorrow.
HE WAS RIGHT. the moment he stepped back on the planet, this war, this was his war. it wasn’t just about him anymore, but since when did ky’lar care about anyone besides himself? he didn’t! he’d been trapped in his grandfather’s realm for far too long and now? as much as he wanted to never head back there? it was starting to look like a good choice! “unlike you, i know when to stand aside,” he said, voice turning angrier by the second. “you think that the entirety of creation revolves around this planet? news flash – it doesn’t!”
by this time, his hands were formed into tight fists. “we all lost someone in this,” more than likely even himself. he just wouldn’t admit it. “i’m just taking the higher ground and leaving. maybe that way… i don’t have to deal with this. or you.” not that he meant the words in all reality, but he hoped his point was understood.
Send ‘I don’t feel so good’ for my muse’s reaction to yours suddenly fading away in front of them. Send ‘What’s happening?!’ For the reverse.
this couldn’t be happening. no, this wouldn’t be happening – not if he had a chance to stop it. truth be told, he wanted to save her. the only problem was he couldn’t. it was too late – even as she slipped through his fingers… he couldn’t save her. couldn’t save the one human he cared about. “fuck.”
THE AGENT WANTS TO RETORT, to say how rude the man’s comment is, but what’s the point? yes. they died. they all had died. and there is nothing to show for it? how are they to mourn their dead when no body exists? god, he’s already thinking of funeral preparation.
eyes snap up and look at the other. “what? you’re just gonna leave? just like that? where were you during this fight?” ross can’t tamper the anger that bursts forth.
HE COULD HAVE ARGUED WITH ROSS. he could have ESTABLISHED his stance on why he SHOULDN’T have been involved in the first place. instead, he chose the much HARSHER route by stating the TRUTH ( from a certain point of view ).
“it’s not my fight.” nor would it ever be in his mind, but there was more to it. ky didn’t want to get INVOLVED when he cared for close to no one on this planet. maybe ONCE he did, but now? it was EASIER to let whoever was left to SORT things out. “last i checked,” he said, arms folding calmly behind his back, “the world was in the hands of the avengers, military superpowers, and what have you.” he could have said that they all FAILED, but he held his tongue in-check – at least for the moment. “they are the one’s who should CLEAN UP the mess – not someone like me.”
for once, ky was speaking truthfully; there would be literal hell to pay when he got back home – not just for leaving, but for being here. a reason to why he had said his former statement. maybe then he wouldn’t have to deal with the shit that was no doubt going to face later on down the line. still, he sucked in a deep breath, and tried to act calmer than he was – anything so maybe he could get his point across. “you don’t get to make that decision! not for me!”
Hellfirebound 