@matches.malone

[reneger]

yo

looking for some information on the lower bits of the cities and other shit

1: who has a decent amount of experience dealing with their bullcrap?
2: the "underground crimelords". anyone got names? physical descriptions? rumors? weird bits of tmi no one ever wanted to hear?
3. four shadiest bars/"gathering locations". you know exactly what i mean
4. narcotics. heard a lot of whispers about high death rates. anyone tested substances for an idea of what's in them? what bits of brain they effect? what's causing those deaths, or is it the standard respiratory issues?

5. where the hell did all the dogs go?

Comments

[reneger]

I'm not a big enough idiot to burn all my bridges this early. ( he understands the need for proof, though. to confirm that jason isn't just a shit who's out for some immediate sense of gratification in the form of a nice new set of clothes. he's not that stupid. but loki doesn't know that yet.

since they're already going further away from crowds, jason assumes loki already has an idea of how to test him. )

Get me in somewhere, I'll hand over eighty-percent. As a gesture of my goodwill.

( proof he has no intention of fucking over loki's schemes or taking off with any of his whatever percentage they go with. jason's not desperately in need right now, he's--caused some mischief already. but. )

[selfimage]

[ that's definitely a little sweet talk coupled with a nice cut. regardless, Loki considers him, bright eyes drawing up and down like they're looking for something else.

then he pauses in where he's taking him, turns halfway on his heels, and offers Jason a dark nailed hand with full understanding of what the exchange would entail. it's a soft challenge, a sort of little test. it's also a good way to ensure they're on the same page. ]

That's far too sweet a deal for me to say no. Consider me in.

[ he can't say that there's not a tad bit of curiousity in seeing where this goes. ]

[reneger]

( no, jason doesn't really feel like playing emotion games again, but--gaining loki's trust is step one of getting himself where he wants to go, isn't it? loki has those connections he's looking for and is willing to share. eighty percent of one fight isn't bad, considering how fast jason's sure they'll build up.

his own hand reaches out. fingers gripping onto loki's own. he's not lying, or tricking loki. or playing games, that much is obvious enough. jason's curious to see where they can push this to, but dicking over a god isn't in his game plan just yet. )

Where're we headed?

[selfimage]

[ Loki is stronger than he looks, and his fingers tighten in a firm grip. it's not so much of a shake as a clasp of the hands. there's enough that Loki gets the gist of what he wants: bare honesty and a healthy curiosity. there are some other things there, but they're familiar enough to ignore, for now. ]

Into the lower levels. [ his hand lingers for just another moment. it's enough for Jason to get a gist of other things: some kind of hollow feeling like something's missing, and some deep rage. before there's too much, he lets go. ] Better company, better parties, and better drinks.

[ he rolls his shoulders back. ]

Plus, we have a fight we can't miss. Unless you'd like to take a big, long leap into the unknown.

[reneger]

( the strength surprises him, momentarily. loki is a god, however depowered here though--so jason doesn't let it bleed into his face. still bleeds into the emotions shared between them however. he said he's denser, right? only makes sense that he'd also be as good at using that density to overpower others.

which only brings even more questions. )

If you're a god, why waste time making deals for muscle?

( jason's strong, for a human. capable for one, too. but he still gets his ass kicked by amazons and kryptonians almost every time he decides to be reckless enough to fight one. )

[selfimage]

[ there's a pause and a curiously wide, innocent face at that. (like he does innocent well.) ]

I thought it was obvious—I do deals better than muscle. Hitting things in the face with a hammer has never been my strong point.

[ he has more elegant solutions.

it doesn't mean that he won't pull out the punches every now and then, wield a weapon or stab a guy, but he means he knows where his strengths lie.

also, it's better if he doesn't announce to the world what he can do. ]

[reneger]

Sneaky. ( his tone doesn't show any issue with that. jason's fine being the muscle. it's easier than being the brains--when all else fails and they fuck up, it won't be on him. and it's always easier to have someone else to blame.

no offense. )

I do better muscle than deals. ( he's smart. clever and intelligent, earned numerous degrees without ever attending college because that's just how life is under bruce, but there's no need to advertise he has a good head on his shoulders. ) Guess that makes us the perfect pair.

[selfimage]

[ it's so very easy to blame things on Loki. ]

Mm-hm. [ there's a tilt of his head that says he only partially believes him. Jason had hungrily devoured the information that he had dropped during their time at the safehouse, he only half believes it.

he leans in just a little, until a clothed forearm meets clothed forearm. ]

But I like people who can deal, too, Butch Cassidy.

[reneger]

Before here, I played it as a lowlife thug.

( a little bit of information. giving loki some leeway won't hurt, and it helps garner trust. kills two birds with one stone, which helps jason's cause a little. )

Played being the keyword. I worked my way in, made pals with one of the higherups in a warped organization. Got every spec of information I needed off of him, then, ( a low whistle between his lips, slowly descending in tone until he claps his hands loud in front of himself. ) no more mister baddie. They're all shitty assholes digging their own graves, I just like to give 'em the final push.

[selfimage]

[ a mortal thug with a conscience, go fig.

there's a curious pause as they keep walking, and then he says: ]

You knew something needed to change. When things don't change, the pressure builds behind the resistance. [ he says with a partial shrug. ] If prolonged, it doesn't stop it from coming, it only gets more violent.

[ the smirk from his face tugs down at the edges as he looks forward. ]

You can feel it here too, can't you? Someone is starving off the change that needs to happen.

[reneger]

Like an itch. ( confirmation. jason hates the way the streets look here almot as much as he hated gotham's back home. there's a stench that lingers on the nose, a bad taste in his mouth. the women and children lingering on the streets, the amount of homes destroyed but all the ones still left, not quite full but occupied by those who don't want to share.

he's about ready to start his own revolution, thank you very much. but that's nothing new. )

I don't like the festering cesspit below any more than I like the one up top. Guess we'll just have to take 'em both down.

( """we""", loki. )

[selfimage]

[ jason you fool ]

What do you like, then?

[ the dislike was about as important as the like in this case. Loki knew when something was teetering on the edge of revolution, and he knew how to be a catalyst to push it over the edge.

chaos was not foreign to him. ]

[reneger]

( a good question. one good enough to have him pausing for thought, humming between his lips. )

Hamburgers.

( definitely on jason's top ten list of things he likes. )

[selfimage]

Ah.

[ there's the briefest of pauses between the little intake of air and what he says next: ]

Then I suppose you'll have to brace yourself for disappointment.

[reneger]

My baby brother's a vegetarian. He'd have a cow anyway.

( hahaha get it loki, do you get it. )

[selfimage]

[ wanna know how much of a nerd he is? that's so terrible that actually there's an airy chuckle that comes from his chest.

it's so bad, so bad, Jason. ]

The luxuries of burgers, bacon and coffee are lost upon us. [ there's an exaggerated woe is me tone to his voice. ] Alas, we're left with vegetables and alternatives. How is this any way to live?

[reneger]

No one likes vegetables.

( or maybe jason is just six. whichever. )

Least we still have greasy fries.

[selfimage]

And pancakes. We have pancakes.

[ he says it again like he's assuring himself that they're real.

a dark nailed finger lifts!! ]

But breakfast will never be the same.

[ rip, bacon. ]

[reneger]

I'll have to remember: the god of Chaos loves breakfast.

( that'll be useful sometime, he's sure. )

[selfimage]

Well, tell me—what else are you supposed to do after you party all night?

[ the god of chaos also likes partying. ]

[reneger]

( eat breakfast, obviously. and he'd expect nothing less from the god of chaos: partying does sound like a chaos god thing. )

Buy me a beer, let me punch someone, and I'll take you out on a real nice breakfast date.

[selfimage]

A man of simple pleasures.

[ he'd fit right in with the Asgardians, tbh. most of their day included beer and punching each other. ]

But I can't say that watching you punch someone isn't going to be entertainment in its own right. Are you sure you're getting something out of this?

[ because it seems like Loki's gonna have all the fun here and end it with breakfast. ]

[reneger]

I said I'd give you eighty percent the first fight. Next few? We're switching percentages. And I've got enough to go for at least a few fights.

( he's got plenty of stamina, thank you. and that'll give jason plenty of pocket cash--enough to fix up his and damian's place, maybe help steph get settled in. the important, big brotherly like things he has to get to. )

Not to mention spending time with you.

( gives him good leverage on loki too. )

[selfimage]

[ that earns a little exasperated shrug. eight percent to pay the rent while Thor's gone until Loki gets everything in order.

after that, twenty percent is more than enough; he'll make more on Jason through gambling, especially before he's shown anyone what he can do. a newcomer always has high stakes associated with them, and it's as good of a time as any to make some bank. ]

How do I know you're not just buttering me up?

[ to some extent, they're both in the same boat. losing the other meant losing resources, and Loki's made it clear that even in just a month of being in this place that he's far more than useful.

not far ahead there's signs for a trainstation. ]

[reneger]

You'll just have to trust me.

( ""trust"". enough that they can get through today anyway. jason won't fuck loki over. not this soon. he's not the smartest in the bunch but jason is far from being an idiot. )

Just like I'm trusting you not to lead me into a gunfight unarmed.