Summary: David can't stop worrying about what will happen when Luke will have to join the final battle. Luke reassures him in a way that's nearly good enough.
Notes: slash ... ish ... maybe. I can't decide.
"I don't think you'd be around, really," Luke said. "Too much trouble, I expect."
David rested his elbow on one knee and said nothing. He picked a stalk of grass to poke at a line of ants with, and watched them mill around and make new paths.
Luke continued, sounding thoughtful. "It won't really be for people like you. Who knows if you'll even notice?" He laughed as if the thought struck him as genuinely funny.
"It'd be impossible not to notice. Ragnarok is supposed to be the end of the world." David's voice came out a dry whisper, and he swallowed in embarrassment to try and clear it.
He thought of the long-haired young warriors he'd seen in the arcade on the island; Mr. Wedding and his peculiar power of conviction; laughing Thor, throwing his hammer; Luke and his flames. There had been hundreds more of those beings at that time when Luke had been caught, each with a might peculiar to them, and David could well believe what all the books said would happen when all that power broke out.
David started when Luke's arm landed across his shoulders. "You sound so worried! You didn't notice all of us before, did you?"
"I can't stop seeing that kind of thing now," David pointed out. "It's the same with Alan, and I think his little sisters, too."
"Oh, Alan," Luke said dismissively. "He only notices anything because you're around. The girls are still very young, so I don't think they'll be much bothered by anything once they get set in normal human ways. Anyway," he said, and squeezed David's shoulder, "It's easy enough for us to go somewhere you can't find us."
"How do you mean?" David looked at him for the first time in the conversation, unnerved and indignant. Luke seemed surprised.
"Outside of time. You know. Like when you went to get the hammer."
"I wish I never did that!" David exclaimed. "Mr Wedding said it would give power for the final battle - if I hadn't got it, then you wouldn't be able to have this battle, would you?"
"Oh, you shouldn't count on that." Luke shook his head. "It's coming whether we like it or not. To tell the truth, David, we do rather like the idea. It's our way to enjoy a fight."
He gave commiserating pats to David's shoulder, then lay down on the hillside, stretching his arms and legs out like a starfish before relaxing. "Anyway, I said you wouldn't have to worry. I'll make sure you don't get caught up in it. There are a lot of ways to keep you safe. Astrid, too," he added. "And Alan. Whoever you like."
"You'll have to go. You'll probably be fighting against Woden, won't you, and maybe even Thor." David pulled at tufts of grass, tearing them up and strewing the pieces about.
"Worried? There's no need! The whole thing will take a while yet to come about."
"When will it happen?" David shifted, shifting where he sat to remind himself of how normal it was to sit on a hill in the park, playing with the grass stalks. There was something awful about how airily unconcerned Luke sounded, and he needed to feel grounded.
"Sometime, surely," Luke said. "Who knows?"
"Are you sure that you don't?" David stared hard at him, and the trickster laughed.
"I can't answer you. I'm sure every mortal would like to know when Ragnarok will be, but it's not meant to be known. Come on now, can't we go play cricket? The others are finally arriving."
For Luke to suggest going down to play with the others was worse than any argument he might have made - Luke barely paid attention to them or cricket. Anger welled in David and he shouted, "I just wish I could help!" Luke didn't seem to care and didn't seem at all ready, and it only made David more afraid of what might be coming even at that minute. "I helped before, so can I help you again? Can I fetch something that will make you stronger, too?"
Luke sat up, his eyes wide. "Help? What do you want to help for?"
"I can't very well let you disappear, can I? We need a plan of some sort so that you can beat that Heimdall person you're supposed to fight, and come back."
Luke smiled, but though the look seemed be out of place - too affectionate and far too soft-looking for their conversation - at last he didn't look as if he wanted to talk about something else.
"You do like being a hero. I think you are one already, a bit at least," Luke said with a laugh, though he still seemed more serious than before. "And-"
David interrupted, indignant. "It's not about that! I don't want to see you - in trouble, that's all."
"You're a good friend, too." Luke seemed troubled, looking away from David and searchingly over the park. He seemed vivid somehow, even sitting still and doing nothing much. David heard the other boys as if they were far away, though they were only at the bottom of the small hill, and he thought that it had something to do with Luke taking up too much attention, just through existing. He hated the thought of all of Luke vanishing; it seemed as if the gap that it would leave would suck too many other things with it.
Luke caught his eye. "The only thing I can tell you is that I won't go until then."
"But after that?" David remembered the things he'd read, as if in answer to his own question. "It's dangerous. I don't think you should go and do it alone."
Luke looked at him so hard that David thought he might set him on fire by accident. "David, you can't take part in it. I couldn't let you." Luke spoke faster as David opened his mouth to interrupt. "And there's nothing that can change about that! I know more about this than you do, and I know what I have to do!"
David might have got up and walked away in sheer frustration. Luke caught his arm by the elbow before he could move. "I'll be here with you. Promise."
"Until some day when you're not," David pointed out, mutinous.
"Until some day that's ages away, still," Luke said, giving an encouraging smile. "From your point of view, it's practically like I'll be around forever."
David nodded, and then sighed. They sat on the hilltop for a while more, then he dragged Luke to his feet to go down and play cricket.
He didn't speak of Ragnarok again. When he thought of it, he told himself that Luke had promised that he would always come when called and would stay David's friend. Perhaps Luke would seem to be around for good, forever, always ready to be with him...
It made him feel a bit better.