T R I C K S T E R / R E B O R N

“Yeah—- because your music is really loud–” Peter plugged one ear with his finger to try to get the point across. Sometimes having overly sensitive senses was a pain in the ass.

“Is there something else on your mind, Peter?” Loki removed an earbud, but music continued to leak out from the small plastic speaker. Although acknowledging how much distress it must have caused the boy’s enhanced senses, Loki acquiesced and turned down the volume with his free hand.

Teddy found himself staring blankly and unfocused at Loki until he let out a sigh. “Damn, you’re never gonna change are you?”

Realizing Teddy was never actually going to leave, Loki removed his headphones and gazed at the boy quizzically, “Why change what’s already perfect?”

“Mhm, yeah great. Okay. So you’re the same Loki we’ve been dealing with for years or are you some.. alternate reality transfer? This is important.”

“You ask if I’m the same Loki who tore through your mind years ago? Perhaps I am? What would you choose to do in that case?”

At first, he was taken back by the aloof nature his brother was choosing to show. Odinson remained silent, thinking of the best thing to say with a few shakes of his head. “I should not be surprised that you do not have much to say, and yet– I am. I watched my brother die at the will of Thanos and now I am expected to casual about this conversation.”

“What more do you wish to hear from me then, brother? I am not that same man, and yet I am. It is an inherently complex issue we face,” His own eyes directed at the sky, Loki continued, avoiding his brother’s gaze, “Let us instead choose to simply ignore it.”

“Thanks….” She let her sentence trail off in an invitation for him to give his name. “I’m Gwen Stacy, for further reference. The not interesting person with döpplegangers.” Her tone was teasing.

“Loki, for further reference,” he joked. “And döpplegangers?” Loki replied, genuinely intrigued, “Do tell.”

“I have not heard anything like that.” The Queen to be stopped and placed her hands on her hips. “It’s so loud. Does it not hurt your head?”

Loki refused to turn the music down, head swaying with the nearly unrecognizable beat, “On the contrary, I find it quite soothing.”

“Not as of late. The Young Avengers dissolved, remember? We’re barely heroes anymore.”

“Oh, nonsense. You idiots won’t last without each other-- let alone, me.”

One hand shoved a fistful of lopsided blonde hair away from Ripley’s face as she looked at the teen sitting before her. From under her sweater there was a faint hum from the Stone that seemed to recognize the boy. “Who the hell are you?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Loki inquired, taking to his feet as he tucked away his listening device. Golden circlet glinted in the sunlight from behind dark locks as the Asgardian eyed the girl with curiosity.

“How do you think with that kind of noise? I understand sometimes needing an audible distraction, but even I would find that too much.”

“A valid point, Dr. Richards,” Loki acknowledged, removing one earbud to speak, “What do you suggest instead?”

“Is that what you call music? It is just noise.”

Loki shrugged, refusing to pause his music but choosing instead to speak over it, “To each his own. I like to think it drowns out useless chatter.”

“What, you done be angsty now?”

“I’m sorry, do I know you?” Loki didn’t wait for an answer, “Oh, no? Then why should I care about what you have to say?”

Gwen’s feet had just hit the ground. The white of her suit vanished as the symbiote ate up her body, form suddenly clothed in a hoodie and ripped jeans. “You’re at my landing spot.” The multiverse portal she had was just winding down. “I tend to come in and out of here.”

Loki removed one headphone before glancing around for a moment, then turning back to the blonde, tone dry, “I don’t see a sign with your name on it.”

“Only recently. Before that people knew who I was – not in a stuck-up way or anything. I just never got confused with anyone.” She paused at his words. “Like, the multiverse? They’ve talked about that a little at the science class I’m taking at Empire. If there is someone running around with my face I can’t imagine they’d be doing anything crazy.”

“Judging by our conversation thus far, I can’t imagine it either,” Loki responded warmly, feeling oddly drawn to the girl. Something about her was mystifying and he wanted to know more.

“Yeah, you can stop blaring your trash so loudly. Some of us are trying to enjoy the evening.” It was cold but Cassie wore no coat. She didn’t need to. Instead she crossed one bare arm over the other. “Who’re you supposed to be?”

Loki removed his headphones after the girl’s remarks continued, eyeing her in annoyance as he thought about his answer, “--Luke. And you are?”

“As opposed to what — teaming up with you?”

“Absolutely. We are a team are we not?”

“Sorry– your music was just, distracting me for a second. Didn’t mean to stare.”

“And yet you continue to do so--”

“Nope. You and your shitty headphones can continue on with your day.”

Loki shrugged and resumed listening to his music before glancing back at the pink-haired man in annoyance, “And you’re still here. Wonderful.”