"Well, sorry to disappoint, then," Loki responds, sounding a bit put off, as though he's tired of hearing about it. Which in a sense he is, and not because he's tired of being valuable solely for what he can do (though he is also that, on some abstract and unimportant level), but because he's really not keen on talking about it any longer, particularly in public
( ... )
"You've no idea," Loki responds drily as she turns to replace the dress. Big, blonde, stupid, and royalty; a perfect storm of entitlement and ignorance. Of course, Kenzi would probably like him if she knew him. Nearly everyone does.
The words that follow make him smile and huff in amusement. "Well, see, now I can't," he says, reaching out to tap her gently on the nose. "Now it'd seem like I'd only be doing it because I'm worried about curses, and then perhaps you'd think that I mind, and that would be really awful."
Absolutely unforgivable. Loki isn't frightened of any such thing. Besides, if either of them here are cursed, it's him. "I'd much rather there be absolutely no doubt that I want to."
He's probably being unfair, he realises. A bit too good, and some of it in ways he actually isn't. On the other hand, most of it is entirely honest. Perhaps that's the problem. "Which... I do want to, mind, but you've put me in a bit of a tight spot
( ... )
She squeezes her eyes shut when he taps her nose, smiling. Is he serious? Is that seriously why he won't do it? She can't tell if he's joking or just trying to wind her up. If it's the latter, he's doing a damn good job of it. Tease indeed. There's a soft hum of consideration as she cracks an eye open to peer at him before blinking them both open and tilting her head
( ... )
Of course she would doubt him; to say otherwise is laughable and he wouldn't be here if that weren't the case. She's a curious and welcome break from the vast and gullible horde that pushes past his doorstep and meanders through the parts of the city he frequents and has come to call his own.
So really, really, the most honest, the most immediate reaction would be a lamentation, a throwing up of hands, a please, please don't say that; you were doing so well and now it's not a game anymore, just pretending, and so on.
Except, well, that would be rather telling, wouldn't it? Besides, he doesn't trust her for a minute, and that, at least, is all well and good.
"Well," he says thoughtfully, "in that case, what can I possibly do but as the lady wishes
( ... )
Woah. Just-- holy hell... what-- Okay. She was not prepared for that. Not just the minty coolness that was either some peppermint chapstick or really low blood pressure, but the tenderness. Not expected. Not deserved. Just given. Half of her mind was just shouting 'WHY' while the other half drifted through a fog of contentment that showed in the blissful expression on her face as he pulled away. Her eyes opened slowly and that cheshire grin returned with full force
( ... )
If Loki has his way they'll definitely be ruining a rich guy's night (and, though neither he nor Stark are likely to admit it, perhaps making it as well). There will be moments of truth, broken things, a bit of a fight and in the end no real harm done, which means everybody can go on about their business in the morning
( ... )
With that he's on his feet, tall, straight-backed, all confidence, all arrogance as he takes the steps to the stage two at a time in easy, loping strides. And the room is silent when he steps up to the microphone and lets the glamour fall, lets them see, silent save for a soft profanity whose source he needn't see to guess. From his pocket he produces a set of index cards, flicking through them with a faint frown before tossing them over his shoulder and turning his attention back to the crowd.
“Well,” he says cheerfully, grinning wide and mad, “what can I possibly say about Tony Stark that hasn't been said already this evening? You lot at the bar were particularly good-- no, no, I know you didn't speak in front of us all tonight, but I assure you I was listeningHe presses one elegant hand to his chest and gives a stiff, shallow bow in their direction. “I'm terribly sorry; where are my manners? It seems I've forgotten to introduce myself. Some of you know me already. More of you, I expect, than you realise, but these--” he tugs at
( ... )
A game? Kenzi didn't know what she was expecting. Likely more cleverly hidden insults and subtly venomous comments that they could laugh about later. Why would she be frightened of that
( ... )
Two heads turn in Kenzi's direction and silence reigns for a few seconds. Interesting.
“Well, technically--” Loki starts, but he's cut off by a blast from the flight stabilisers in Tony's gauntlets cuts him off, sending him stumbling back with a soft noise of annoyance.
“Sorry, sweetheart,” Stark intones, voice muffled and processed strangely by the suit, “time for the boys to play.”
“I told you he was rude,” Loki says with a sigh, firing a blast of his own from the end of his staff before taking a running leap. Stark staggers but manages to dodge, and then it's on, then things get broken, then it's magic and mayhem, and most of the explosions aren't even Loki's. That's the fun with Stark, but it's also the danger with him, the reason Loki stays on the offensive to push him further away from Kenzi.
It's short, it's nasty, by the end Loki's lip is split and bleeding from a blow of a gauntlet to his mouth and Stark's suit has been dented in a dozen places. And in the end all it takes is the worming of Loki's fingers into the joint
( ... )
There's definitely stomping as she closes the distance between them, and she lifts her hand with enough speed that it totally looks like he's going to get a beatdown, but no. No slapping. Her palm rests gently against his cool cheek as her thumb pulls his lip down to examine the cut. Idiot. Did he leave himself open like that on purpose
( ... )
Loki lets her toy with his lip, pointless as it is. Once they're away from here he'll put more effort into healing it. Best they go soon, though, before the cavalry arrives, and so-
“I'm afraid this isn't going to be terribly pleasant,” he says, and tugs her with him into places nothing was ever really meant to go, the gap between things real and fake, a place where the laws of physics and dimensionality are more like suggestions - but only for the space of a few moments before they pop out the other end and his hands come to her shoulders to steady her. A darkened flat, nice but nondescript. His.
“I apologise. I can't say I was keen on sticking around until the rest of his pals showed up. Quite enough for one night, I think. Please, have a seat. Anywhere you like. I'll see what I've got on hand to drink, since you were keen on it.” A wave of his hand and the lights flick on as he stalks off to the kitchen, armour already melting away. He certainly doesn't need it now“As for why I didn't tell you, well. That would've been terribly
( ... )
Sitting was an incredible idea, seeing as whatever the hell he just did made her want to throw up. That would not have ended well for her dress. Oh god, the dress. Elegant satin in the middle of an epic fight and now in a semi-magical apartment? It was like some terrible soap opera with a really huge budget. Thank god he held her up, or she would have crumpled to the ground and ruined it
( ... )
“Scotch it is.” Something nice and smoky and not too strong, and two glasses, all of which he carries with him as he makes his way back to Kenzi.
“This is the only place I could think of where we could safely pop out of thin air without attracting too much attention. If you'd prefer someplace more public, say so,” he says, pouring her a few fingers of scotch all the same and pushing the tumbler across the table to her. The bottle stays with him, thanks
( ... )
Loki quirks an eyebrow. “Oh, near enough my idea, I'm sorry to say.”
Near enough. Not entirely, though. “I wasn't coerced. Not to start, in any case. Arrangements were made, though, yes. I was to retrieve and deliver an object and in return, the consolation prize. All he had to do was convince me that I truly did want a throne, which under the circumstances wasn't a particularly difficult task.”
He shrugs. “It's entirely possible I wasn't in my right mind, but it's entirely possible I'm not most days. Only marginally better. Really, though, what would I do with a kingdom?”
A question he probably ought to have asked himself sooner, in retrospect, before it became more about the statement and less about the reality of the thing. There were other ways, surely. “I already have one, technically, or could have if I bothered to go and claim it, but frankly I can't say I am. This is better. No pretending to be something other than I am, unless I want to.”
Which, clearly, he sometimes does. “As for you, I told you, I find you interesting.
( ... )
Reply
The words that follow make him smile and huff in amusement. "Well, see, now I can't," he says, reaching out to tap her gently on the nose. "Now it'd seem like I'd only be doing it because I'm worried about curses, and then perhaps you'd think that I mind, and that would be really awful."
Absolutely unforgivable. Loki isn't frightened of any such thing. Besides, if either of them here are cursed, it's him. "I'd much rather there be absolutely no doubt that I want to."
He's probably being unfair, he realises. A bit too good, and some of it in ways he actually isn't. On the other hand, most of it is entirely honest. Perhaps that's the problem. "Which... I do want to, mind, but you've put me in a bit of a tight spot ( ... )
Reply
Reply
So really, really, the most honest, the most immediate reaction would be a lamentation, a throwing up of hands, a please, please don't say that; you were doing so well and now it's not a game anymore, just pretending, and so on.
Except, well, that would be rather telling, wouldn't it? Besides, he doesn't trust her for a minute, and that, at least, is all well and good.
"Well," he says thoughtfully, "in that case, what can I possibly do but as the lady wishes ( ... )
Reply
Reply
Reply
With that he's on his feet, tall, straight-backed, all confidence, all arrogance as he takes the steps to the stage two at a time in easy, loping strides. And the room is silent when he steps up to the microphone and lets the glamour fall, lets them see, silent save for a soft profanity whose source he needn't see to guess. From his pocket he produces a set of index cards, flicking through them with a faint frown before tossing them over his shoulder and turning his attention back to the crowd.
“Well,” he says cheerfully, grinning wide and mad, “what can I possibly say about Tony Stark that hasn't been said already this evening? You lot at the bar were particularly good-- no, no, I know you didn't speak in front of us all tonight, but I assure you I was listeningHe presses one elegant hand to his chest and gives a stiff, shallow bow in their direction. “I'm terribly sorry; where are my manners? It seems I've forgotten to introduce myself. Some of you know me already. More of you, I expect, than you realise, but these--” he tugs at ( ... )
Reply
Reply
“Well, technically--” Loki starts, but he's cut off by a blast from the flight stabilisers in Tony's gauntlets cuts him off, sending him stumbling back with a soft noise of annoyance.
“Sorry, sweetheart,” Stark intones, voice muffled and processed strangely by the suit, “time for the boys to play.”
“I told you he was rude,” Loki says with a sigh, firing a blast of his own from the end of his staff before taking a running leap. Stark staggers but manages to dodge, and then it's on, then things get broken, then it's magic and mayhem, and most of the explosions aren't even Loki's. That's the fun with Stark, but it's also the danger with him, the reason Loki stays on the offensive to push him further away from Kenzi.
It's short, it's nasty, by the end Loki's lip is split and bleeding from a blow of a gauntlet to his mouth and Stark's suit has been dented in a dozen places. And in the end all it takes is the worming of Loki's fingers into the joint ( ... )
Reply
Reply
“I'm afraid this isn't going to be terribly pleasant,” he says, and tugs her with him into places nothing was ever really meant to go, the gap between things real and fake, a place where the laws of physics and dimensionality are more like suggestions - but only for the space of a few moments before they pop out the other end and his hands come to her shoulders to steady her. A darkened flat, nice but nondescript. His.
“I apologise. I can't say I was keen on sticking around until the rest of his pals showed up. Quite enough for one night, I think. Please, have a seat. Anywhere you like. I'll see what I've got on hand to drink, since you were keen on it.” A wave of his hand and the lights flick on as he stalks off to the kitchen, armour already melting away. He certainly doesn't need it now“As for why I didn't tell you, well. That would've been terribly ( ... )
Reply
Reply
“This is the only place I could think of where we could safely pop out of thin air without attracting too much attention. If you'd prefer someplace more public, say so,” he says, pouring her a few fingers of scotch all the same and pushing the tumbler across the table to her. The bottle stays with him, thanks ( ... )
Reply
Reply
Near enough. Not entirely, though. “I wasn't coerced. Not to start, in any case. Arrangements were made, though, yes. I was to retrieve and deliver an object and in return, the consolation prize. All he had to do was convince me that I truly did want a throne, which under the circumstances wasn't a particularly difficult task.”
He shrugs. “It's entirely possible I wasn't in my right mind, but it's entirely possible I'm not most days. Only marginally better. Really, though, what would I do with a kingdom?”
A question he probably ought to have asked himself sooner, in retrospect, before it became more about the statement and less about the reality of the thing. There were other ways, surely. “I already have one, technically, or could have if I bothered to go and claim it, but frankly I can't say I am. This is better. No pretending to be something other than I am, unless I want to.”
Which, clearly, he sometimes does. “As for you, I told you, I find you interesting. ( ... )
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment