[ it is the favor, but for Loki as much as it is for Fitz—he doesn't like thinking that he owes people, and holds himself to a particular standard of moral ambiguity. it means that he can wipe his hands of this, even if it's less wipe his hands off and more pass the buck to Strange.
there are still other things hanging: Loki's mention of the Celestials, the conception of the Gems themselves and how Loki knows all of this. well, questions for another time. ]
However poweful you believe these Infinity Gems to be- multiple that 100x. Now, tell me, aside from mind control Clint Barton, what exactly did my other self do with those maybe-very-possibly-could-be Infinity Gems?
[ the other queries are indexed and tabled, likely to be flung in Strange's face during a strop and pursued with Loki at a later time, if the doctor finds himself unable to offer intelligence.
Loki asked first, so Fitz focuses on answering him. ]
He killed my team's leader. A good man. The best, actually.
[ said not to guilt Loki but to forewarn him of how this universe triangulates around the other Loki (not just as a grand danger but as the perpetrator of an intimate tragedy). Even if Stark and Strange gave him a neutral welcome, others would be less inclined to professionalism. Coulson may have been resurrected, but his life is a costly and fragile thing. Damaged. ]
Loki also opened a wormhole to bring a Chitauri army down on New York. The city still hasn't recovered, five years later. Altogether, he forced SHIELD to activate the Avengers Initiative for the first time, and I'm sure you can imagine how it panned out for him from there.
[ killed a SHIELD agent, not surprising. there were many he was certain that Loki would've gone through to see the end of his own ambitions. and the Chitauri is new, nothing that he's outright familiar with, yet the universe is a big place, and there was more than one hungry alien race. ]
He meant to be a catalyst for one thing, and he turned into a catalyst for another.
[ funny the way that those things work. ]
Then he became a supervillain for it. Not so different from my own universe's story, sparing the details, of course.
[ it gives him an idea of what expectations he has to work against, and those perceived by anyone coming from that particular corner of the multiverse. ]
[ the short answer is that yes, it bothers him. it's more personal than Fitz could imagine. Loki had done a lot of things to keep his new reputation, including the erasure of certain crimes that were recorded in Asgard's tomes, loosening those damning bonds of expectation and allow him room to breathe, to change.
that hadn't turned out so well. instead, he had recklessly left gaps where there should have been words, and an old Loki from the future, one already damned, had written other things in their place. ]
It disturbs me. [ but maybe not for the reason that Fitz thinks. ] Yet I guarantee my past-life counterpart has done far worse. But I am who I am- I am Loki. I don't want to and can't be anyone else but Loki. That Loki is Loki as well.
It can't be avoided in this situation, but perhaps things can change.
[ Fitz finds himself glad he kept this as a text exchange, anticipating his biased investment in the topic (well, regarding Coulson; he hadn't thought to worry about projecting on Loki). Wouldn't want his emotions playing across his face or exposed by a brush of skin, in this moment, regardless.
His calm is always edged with control. ]
I hope you're right.
[ If this were five years ago, he'd say they can without hesitation and with all the warmth of someone who refused to believe the HYDRA threat was beside him the whole damn time — or that it might come from inside himself, one day. Now, he thinks some things are inevitable. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
there are still other things hanging: Loki's mention of the Celestials, the conception of the Gems themselves and how Loki knows all of this. well, questions for another time. ]
However poweful you believe these Infinity Gems to be- multiple that 100x.
Now, tell me, aside from mind control Clint Barton, what exactly did my other self do with those maybe-very-possibly-could-be Infinity Gems?
no subject
Loki asked first, so Fitz focuses on answering him. ]
He killed my team's leader. A good man.
The best, actually.
[ said not to guilt Loki but to forewarn him of how this universe triangulates around the other Loki (not just as a grand danger but as the perpetrator of an intimate tragedy). Even if Stark and Strange gave him a neutral welcome, others would be less inclined to professionalism. Coulson may have been resurrected, but his life is a costly and fragile thing. Damaged. ]
Loki also opened a wormhole to bring a Chitauri army down on New York. The city still hasn't recovered, five years later.
Altogether, he forced SHIELD to activate the Avengers Initiative for the first time, and I'm sure you can imagine how it panned out for him from there.
no subject
He meant to be a catalyst for one thing, and he turned into a catalyst for another.
[ funny the way that those things work. ]
Then he became a supervillain for it.
Not so different from my own universe's story, sparing the details, of course.
[ it gives him an idea of what expectations he has to work against, and those perceived by anyone coming from that particular corner of the multiverse. ]
You have my thanks.
no subject
You had a right to know.
[ a distinct sentiment from you’re welcome. ]
Does it bother you?
[ that there are infinite parallel universes, and Loki’s role often turns villainous in the lot of them. ]
no subject
that hadn't turned out so well. instead, he had recklessly left gaps where there should have been words, and an old Loki from the future, one already damned, had written other things in their place. ]
It disturbs me. [ but maybe not for the reason that Fitz thinks. ] Yet I guarantee my past-life counterpart has done far worse.
But I am who I am- I am Loki. I don't want to and can't be anyone else but Loki.
That Loki is Loki as well.
It can't be avoided in this situation, but perhaps things can change.
no subject
His calm is always edged with control. ]
I hope you're right.
[ If this were five years ago, he'd say they can without hesitation and with all the warmth of someone who refused to believe the HYDRA threat was beside him the whole damn time — or that it might come from inside himself, one day. Now, he thinks some things are inevitable. ]
You know where to find me, Loki.