st_arkravinghazelnut: (drinking)
st_arkravinghazelnut ([personal profile] st_arkravinghazelnut) wrote2018-08-24 02:20 am
Entry tags:

Lunch Date With Disaster

"Did you partake? When you were in New York." Tony spoke up from across the infirmary desk, having been mostly occupied with his own journal. "Food, that is. Not wanton mayhem."

True to his cavalier word, Tony had been consistent with his follow ups for part-medical/part-cosmetic/entirely-snoopy visits with Loki, who was still repaying his debts to society. They ended up settling on lunchtime (or breakfast in Tony's case, depending on what he got up to the night before) to do the "procedure" and "enjoy" an "amiable" back and forth. Today had been rather unremarkable--a few jabs, but a lot of quiet time in between.

Maybe it was desensitization to Loki's presence, but Tony's countenance was unremarkable. Vigilant, but passively so. In an odd way, the trickster's focus on his work had a mirroring effect that prompted Tony to focus on his own. None of that excepted some "polite" conversation, however, especially over food. Pleasing Thor had become a priority, whether he wanted to put it that way or not. Consuming genuine sustenance and playing nice with the little brother simultaneously was just efficiently used time.
st_ratagem: (Default)

[personal profile] st_ratagem 2018-08-24 07:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Hah. Got him. Loki smiled his sweetest smile. "Of course not. Why would I?"
st_ratagem: (everything is fine)

[personal profile] st_ratagem 2018-08-24 08:32 pm (UTC)(link)
"It's called a smile. I do it a lot, normally." Smiles were useful expressions. Confusing, reassuring, threatening: it was all about context.
st_ratagem: (:-D)

[personal profile] st_ratagem 2018-08-25 12:25 am (UTC)(link)
“That’s the very general idea.” One of them, anyway. Pleasant expressions made nearly anything he said more believable, even when speaking to someone who knew better.

Sometimes especially when, depending what the words were. “Though in this case I’m just practicing, not attempting a sale.”
st_ratagem: (everything is fine)

[personal profile] st_ratagem 2018-08-25 12:57 am (UTC)(link)
“Of course not.” Loki’s tone was almost pure amusement, as from a ridiculous idea. ‘Someone special’, ha! “Practicing maintains the skill, that’s all.”
st_ratagem: (Default)

[personal profile] st_ratagem 2018-08-25 04:21 pm (UTC)(link)
“I do practice laughing.” That wasn’t what the man had meant and Loki knew it. But a little willful density was more interesting than a real response. “Not as often, though. It’s not as useful.”
st_ratagem: (Default)

[personal profile] st_ratagem 2018-08-25 04:43 pm (UTC)(link)
The smile turned somewhat pitying for a moment, behind Stark’s back, then Loki took the seat next to him. “So easy! Sadly, I don’t do ‘friends’. I never have.”
st_ratagem: (what?)

[personal profile] st_ratagem 2018-08-25 05:08 pm (UTC)(link)
“People generally believe what they see.” Loki shrugged slightly, then offered, “I wanted to keep an eye on my brother, but he’d have spotted me.” And had, instantly. “You were a good vantage point. I put in the effort.”
st_ratagem: (what?)

[personal profile] st_ratagem 2018-08-25 05:36 pm (UTC)(link)
“I’d have thought that would be a relief.” Surely being a means to an end was better than having to deal with fondness from someone you loathed?
st_ratagem: (everything is fine)

[personal profile] st_ratagem 2018-08-25 06:40 pm (UTC)(link)
“A relief? You’d know better than me.” More willful obtuseness, but explaining would take longer.

Loki looked at the menu, willing enough. “It seems like the kind of thing someone looking for a hangover cure would create, yes.”
st_ratagem: (nope nope nope)

[personal profile] st_ratagem 2018-08-25 07:12 pm (UTC)(link)
“You’d honestly rather I was fond of you?” Loki didn’t bother to hide the note of incredulity in his voice. It was nonsense.
st_ratagem: (nope nope nope)

[personal profile] st_ratagem 2018-08-25 08:31 pm (UTC)(link)
"He is enthusiastic." The best response to Stark, along the lines of ask my brother how well having my affection has worked for him was a non-starter on several levels.

But the spine-cracking hugs were a constant, at least whenever Thor forgot that was how thunder gods ended up stabbed. "No worry required. I'm just surprised."
st_ratagem: (Default)

[personal profile] st_ratagem 2018-08-25 09:35 pm (UTC)(link)
"If you figure it out, do tell me." Stark's animosity made much more sense than Thor's endless flow of affection and second-and-on chances. Loki loved his brother and always had; Thor might have been the only person he'd be able to say that about without hedging.

But that didn't mean he understood it or knew what Thor saw. At all.
st_ratagem: (what?)

[personal profile] st_ratagem 2018-08-25 09:56 pm (UTC)(link)
"I thank you." It wasn't worth pointing out that potions and such were rarely part of Loki's modus operandi, that part felt more like internal consistency to other remarks from Stark. Which had not been complimentary, so much. That was fine, Loki was at home with barbs. "I am in fact one for two on world domination, so I wouldn't say the phase is over so much as advanced."

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