7/31, Duo and Loki
Jul. 31st, 2018 12:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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ax_mainAdventures in Asgard Part 1: Loki steals his boyfriend away to another continent.
The benefit of leaving for Asgard straight from Shaun's birthday bash was that both Loki and Duo were exhausted, so it was a blink between arrival at the airport and climbing onto the private jet. Loki waved Duo along, assuring that everything was handled, from someone carrying their bags, to Loki's PA coordinating their departure with quiet efficiency. This was also the first time Duo was witnessing the level of security detail that went into international travel.
If they were more awake, Duo might have thought to ask questions such as, why so much security right now, when you've been running wild in New York ? Or maybe, hey, I don't have a passport, exactly how legal is it for me to be flying to your country ?
There was no need to worry about these details. It was all taken care of. Some with a certain level of suggestion.
The interior of the jet was resplendent in the royal colors of Asgard. There was a full size bed waiting for them. It wasn't long before they were ten thousand meters in the air, fast asleep.
When Loki blinked his eyes open the monitor on the wall showed the time and their position on the map. They were approaching Asgard, only a couple of hours left on the flight. He stretched and realized that there was much more space on this bed than the one in the dorm. Despite that, he was tangled around Duo, taking up their usual postage stamp of space. Loki nuzzled Duo's shoulder. He made no move to untangle.
It was the noise that finally dragged Duo out of sleep. It wasn't loud, but it was different and when everything else, including Loki tucked into them, seemed so normal the noise kept bothering them even in their sleep. They finally opened their eyes and it was the curved walls that tipped them off. A plane, they were on a plane, and not just any plane, but a private jet. Oh.
When they'd boarded the plane, exhaustion had muted most of their reaction, but now their stomach dropped and Duo laid there for only another moment before wiggling out from under Loki and bouncing up on their knees to look out the window. It was all blue skies, except for the clouds below them. They stared out, trying to figure out if this was a good thing or not.
Loki curled up lazily, watching Duo's reaction with muted amusement. He let Duo soak in the view for a long moment before quietly starting to humming the opening bars of a Whole New World to himself.
Duo turned but couldn't bring themself to smile. "We're up above the clouds, Loki, and I've never ever flown before."
That stirred Loki upright. He scooted closer, wrapping his arms around Duo. “When we’re home I could take you up in something smaller, where you can see a bit more. It’ll be nicer when we descend and you can see the land below.”
"I'm sorry. This is silly." They relaxed a little in Loki's arms, but kept an eye on the window. "I just didn't know what to expect I suppose."
Loki kissed the back of Duo's shoulder and snuggled around him. "Not silly. I love that you aren't jaded and unimpressed already."
This was better. Duo leaned their head back onto his shoulder and let his warmth settle them. "And what could have made me jaded and unimpressed, hmmm? I went from one neighbourhood in San Salvador to a small town in the US so I haven't exactly seen the world."
“You will soon,” Loki murmured. “I will show you some of the most beautiful places on earth. We’ll sneak into the ancient archive, and I’ll show you wonders most mortals thought lost to myth. And then you might be less impressed by my everyday efforts.”
"That's ridiculous. You'll be the one introducing me to all of that. How then could I be less impressed by you?" But Duo's mind was already wandering into that archive, wondering what they might see there. What a clever way to get their mind off the fact that they were hurtling through the air high above the earth.
Loki pressed a kiss against Duo’s hair. “You’re really very wonderful. My ego will be the size of the universe by the time you’re done with me.”
Duo sank a little further into Loki’s embrace. “Then I’ll have done what I’m supposed to do. Didn’t we agree there had to be a good deal of worshipping that first day we met?”
Loki’s lips found Duo’s neck, dragging a lingering kiss against their skin. “You’re a gift.”
Duo slipped out of Loki's grasp and laid on the bed then raised a hand to brush it against the leather headboard. It got the view of the window out of their sight and all the associated worries, but it made them feel distinctly odd to be staring at that leather, dyed the Asgardian colours and gracing a private plane. Maybe the worries about flying higher than they thought they should were a little more metaphorical in nature than they had first supposed. "Maybe an offering, or a sacrifice." They tapped the headboard with a finger. "I think I'm a little outclassed in terms of gifts I can give."
Loki’s gaze raked over Duo. There was something powerful in the way his worlds were colliding. Duo was no longer separate from Asgard. They would be home with Loki. So much that he loved in one place.
Loki’s mind flickered on the thought. He blinked and shook the shocking observation away. They didn’t have much time left. Once they landed, it would be a while before they’d find time alone. If Duo was overwhelmed by the flight, just wait for the spectacle of the next few days.
Loki crept over Duo, moving with the effortless fluidity usually reserved for craftier shapes. He brushed a kiss along Duo’s jaw, then caught the hand braced against the headboard. Loki pinned Duo’s wrist above him as he captured his lips in a slow kiss. As their lips brushed, never quite pulling away, Loki murmured, “You are mine.”
And there was that pleasant warmth again, from the kiss and the words. Maybe they didn't have much else to offer Loki but themself, but that seemed to be enough or now. They pulled him close to force another kiss. This was a much better way to spend their remaining time in the air.
After some fun, after breakfast, after a descent where Duo kept an unwavering watch on the land beneath them out the window, and after they finally unbuckled with enormous relief and shaky hands, they were in Asgard. Duo grabbed Loki's hand. "There. First plane ride over. Now what?"
“Now we go home.” Loki squeezed Duo’s hand. “We’re early enough, we should have a few hours before festival prep kicks off. We’ll get settled in.” He made a face. “You’ll want for nothing, but you can either hang low while the pomp and circumstance happens tonight, or you can come watch?”
The same assistant that helped them board in New York popped in at this point, looking more flustered than before they’d taken off. He pushed his glasses up his nose and ran a hand through thick, blond hair that was sticking up on one side. “The car’s ready,” he reported. He glanced at Loki and Duo’s intertwined hands. “Ah, need anything before we go? Coffee?”
“Thank you, Eldir. Coffee sounds great.” Now that they’d landed, Loki wondered what waited for them at the palace. While he’d arranged travel for Duo, he hadn’t given his parents warning before they’d taken off. By now they must know that he was traveling with an extra person. That might explain why Eldir looked like he was the one in need of more caffeine.
"If you're going to the pomp and circumstance, I'll go too." Which was what Duo desperately didn't want to do, but if Loki had to attend, it hardly seemed fair to duck out of that when he'd just flown them over an ocean.
Eldir ducked out to manifest coffee. Loki took his cue to stand. The car to a thousand questions awaited. Before he let go of Duo’shand he raised it to his lips, brushing a kiss against his knuckles. “I’ll make sure someone’s there to guide you, and if you get tired early you can always come back and crash or hide in the library. It’s… well. Ah. How much have you googled Asgardian holidays?”
It dawned on Loki that he wasn’t sure if Duo would appreciate or be offended that he’d brought his boyfriend home in the holiday where they shared bread and the harvest bounty with the realm. In so much as there would be orphans and families getting back on their feet at the dinner banquet. Fuck. Loki hadn’t considered the context. This was just the first summer holiday… hopefully Duo would be distracted by the magical tapestry of history?
Duo opened their hand just a little, enough to let their fingers touch Loki's jaw before their hand dropped again. The kiss was more reassuring than his words. "Not much at all, sorry."
Loki's lips curved in a wry smile. "Honestly, I am often convinced the only reason you still like me is you haven't watched YouTube videos of me performing embarrassing pageantry. That you take me serious at all..."
“Is entirely due to the fact that pageantry is something you do, not something you are.” Duo pulled their hands down into a light hold so that Loki could lead them out. A moment later it occurred to them that they were stepping off a plane with royalty, and they gently released his hand and stepped back. There had to be some sort of protocol, didn’t there?
Loki glanced down as Duo released his hand and then bumped his shoulder against Duo’s. “I’ll give you the holiday crash course while we drive. Fortunately, Freyrfest is only the two days, and we’ll have a short break before Thor’s birthday. I promise anytime I have obligations you will have free run of Asgard with a guide or you can explore the library if you want a quiet place to hole up. If you like Xavier’s library, I have a lifetime of distraction prepared here.”
As they exited the plane and descended the stairway it was clearer that they were still on a runway. Stretched out beyond the airfield was the arch of gleaming buildings and mountains looming taller still in the distance. A stately black limousine parked near the plane. In addition to the security team they’d met in New York there were a couple more faces. The one that stood out the most was a tall woman with an honest to gods sword strapped at her hip. Despite the sunny summer day she wore a long leather duster, her uniform the stylized aesthetic Asgard was known well for. Her dark hair was up in complicated pleats, and her grey eyes settled sharply on Loki.
“Welcome home, Prince of Asgard. Your parents look forward to your arrival.” For such friendly words, Loki could hear the reprimand in the last statement. Hrist was part of his mother’s guard, and her presence could only be an intentional message from Frigga. When Hrist’s gaze shifted to Duo her expression softened minutely. “And welcome, Duo Maxwell.”
That didn't work at all. That was a borrowed and made-up name that for someone who had no business stepping off a plane into the trappings of royalty. They pretended they'd heard Shinigami and pushed their chin out slightly before meeting the woman's gaze.
"Thank you!" Someone as self-assured as a god would say something more, wouldn't they? "It's quite a summer vacation." But they probably wouldn't say that. Duo opened their mouth again, shut it, and then moved their gaze off to the side while their cheeks heated up. They were much too out of practice with the Shinigami thing.
“An unexpected one at that.” Hrist was using a warm tone for Duo, quite possibly concerned that Loki had kidnapped his friend. All details of Duo’s arrival were conveniently sent minutes before the flight took off. This gave the welcoming retinue the length of the journey to prepare and no way of contacting Loki for an explanation. The best they could do was reach out to the school to make sure Duo had permission to travel. On one hand, the idea that Loki was bringing home a friend was a positive change. On the other, with Loki’s most recent behavior in Asgard, it was difficult to know if the friend was here willingly or wittingly. Whatever Hrist observed now, she seemed satisfied that this was poor communication in Loki’s part, but not a safety concern.
“Ready to go?” she asked.
Loki keenly felt the shift in her gaze. There was welcome and warmth, but also an underlying ‘what have you done this time?’ when she glanced at him. Despite the entourage Loki reclaimed Duo’s hand. Loki’s regal posture was same he displayed on a daily basis. The languid elegance he embodied as a cat, the air of indifference that cloaked him the more eyes were on him. But Duo knew him in other shapes, other circumstance. The hand wrapped through his was a tell as obvious as a flicking tail. Loki was nearly impervious on the surface, but nerves were jumping underneath.
Loki cleared his throat. “Yes. Absolutely. No time like the present.” He started to lead Duo toward the open car door.
Duo gave the woman a weak wave, another thing a god would absolutely not do, and followed Loki into the car. As soon as the door was closed they slid over to Loki and pulled his hand into their lap. His grip was a little too tight, a little too reluctant to release, so they reached up with their free hand to brush his cheek with the back of their fingers.
"If the drive is long enough, you should be a cat. Then you can curl up and let me pet you; relax a little before you've got big women with swords to confront again."
Loki smiled at the bolstering. “Shed my skin one last time before I’m on. That sounds… very wise.”
He was surprised they were alone, but drilling the schedule was probably slated for after Loki spoke to his parents. The privacy screen was up, giving them the illusion that they were alone a few minutes longer. Loki took the offer, changing shape and climbing into Duo’s lap.
“Before we left… I told you this trip might be exciting, but I don’t know how to warn you for what to expect. This is a first in so many ways.” He rubbed his head against Duo’s palm. “Try to roll with it? If you have questions, please ask. We’ll improvise as we go along. When you’re with me, there will be eyes on us, but you don’t need to act. If I’m weird... it won’t be towards you. I promise.”
"And if it is, I'll forgive you." Duo scratched behind Loki's ears, moving his fingers down to reach under his neck. Where a cat liked attention it seemed Loki generally did as well. That never fooled them into thinking he actually was a cat in any way, rather that a cat was just a perfect expression of some key part of Loki. "But I honestly don't even know enough to know what to ask. I'm a little afraid I'll step over some etiquette line and poof, everyone will be giving me dirty looks for the rest of the visit."
“That’s what assistants are for. You’ll get plenty of warning if there’s anything that's a strong do not. Otherwise, don’t worry.” Loki snuggled close, pressing into Duo’s touch. “When the big event kicks off tonight we might not get to spend much time together until it’s over. There’s publicity to start with, and then at the feast I’ll need to circulate. It’s a big dinner, but it also includes citizens from all over Asgard. The spirit is similar to the American Thanksgiving. It’s a Harvest holiday where we share bread and the summer’s bounty with those that need it. Uh, and in the lower districts, I hear the nightlife celebrates Freyr in other ways, but that’s not something I’ve experienced.”
Duo smiled and trailed a hand over Loki's back to his tail. "And if I decided I wanted to experience it?"
“Next year,” Loki said. He shot a glance toward the privacy divider then climbed up Duo’s chest, settling around his neck like a scarf. Now perched closer to Duo’s ear he was able to say quietly, “Or we’d have to sneak out, and I’d need to pick a different shape. Maybe not tonight. But one year, yes.” He rumbled.
Next year. One year. Duo was tempted to say something about the danger of promises like that, but the moment felt a little too good to risk ruining it by saying that out loud. "Fine. I'll do as you say. No mixing with the lower districts."
He received a light ear nip. “No sordid underage club hopping. Not tonight.”
Duo laughed. “No biting either! I’ll find a very quiet corner and behave respectfully. If it gets a little crazy, maybe I’ll hunt down your library and spend a few days there. That’s better than club hopping anyway.”
“It really is.” Loki nuzzled the offended ear and starting purring softly.
"Then can I expect your company at some point? Not during the festivities, and I'm sure your parents will want some time with you but maybe... maybe something like this? You curled up on my lap, letting me read to you?"
“Of course. It’ll be hectic sometimes, but I wouldn’t have brought you if we couldn’t spend time together.” Loki slid off Duo’s shoulder, settling back into his lap for more petting. “I want to take you places. And there are very important books to read.”
"You want to take me places." Duo raised an eyebrow at Loki. "This is beginning to sound like a book itself, or maybe a play. 'The Education of Duo Maxwell', a modern retelling of Pygmalion."
“Let’s not loathe each other, and I’ll be cross if you leave me for a boring sycophant.” Loki gave Duo’s hand a forceful nuzzle. “I want to share with you. I don’t want you to change. I like us.”
Duo stalled their answer with a hand under Loki's chin. After all, they liked 'us' too, but it was hard to imagine flying to Europe to spend their summer vacation amongst royalty being something that wouldn't leave some sort of mark on them.
"Sharing then. Sounds a little safer than change."
“Keep petting me,” Loki demanded softly. This was dangerously close to a heart to heart.
Shut up, in other words. Duo smiled and rested his head back against the seat, turning their head to watch the scenery pass by as they drove. A little bit of companionable quiet was probably exactly what they needed before this ‘vacation’ began.
The benefit of leaving for Asgard straight from Shaun's birthday bash was that both Loki and Duo were exhausted, so it was a blink between arrival at the airport and climbing onto the private jet. Loki waved Duo along, assuring that everything was handled, from someone carrying their bags, to Loki's PA coordinating their departure with quiet efficiency. This was also the first time Duo was witnessing the level of security detail that went into international travel.
If they were more awake, Duo might have thought to ask questions such as, why so much security right now, when you've been running wild in New York ? Or maybe, hey, I don't have a passport, exactly how legal is it for me to be flying to your country ?
There was no need to worry about these details. It was all taken care of. Some with a certain level of suggestion.
The interior of the jet was resplendent in the royal colors of Asgard. There was a full size bed waiting for them. It wasn't long before they were ten thousand meters in the air, fast asleep.
When Loki blinked his eyes open the monitor on the wall showed the time and their position on the map. They were approaching Asgard, only a couple of hours left on the flight. He stretched and realized that there was much more space on this bed than the one in the dorm. Despite that, he was tangled around Duo, taking up their usual postage stamp of space. Loki nuzzled Duo's shoulder. He made no move to untangle.
It was the noise that finally dragged Duo out of sleep. It wasn't loud, but it was different and when everything else, including Loki tucked into them, seemed so normal the noise kept bothering them even in their sleep. They finally opened their eyes and it was the curved walls that tipped them off. A plane, they were on a plane, and not just any plane, but a private jet. Oh.
When they'd boarded the plane, exhaustion had muted most of their reaction, but now their stomach dropped and Duo laid there for only another moment before wiggling out from under Loki and bouncing up on their knees to look out the window. It was all blue skies, except for the clouds below them. They stared out, trying to figure out if this was a good thing or not.
Loki curled up lazily, watching Duo's reaction with muted amusement. He let Duo soak in the view for a long moment before quietly starting to humming the opening bars of a Whole New World to himself.
Duo turned but couldn't bring themself to smile. "We're up above the clouds, Loki, and I've never ever flown before."
That stirred Loki upright. He scooted closer, wrapping his arms around Duo. “When we’re home I could take you up in something smaller, where you can see a bit more. It’ll be nicer when we descend and you can see the land below.”
"I'm sorry. This is silly." They relaxed a little in Loki's arms, but kept an eye on the window. "I just didn't know what to expect I suppose."
Loki kissed the back of Duo's shoulder and snuggled around him. "Not silly. I love that you aren't jaded and unimpressed already."
This was better. Duo leaned their head back onto his shoulder and let his warmth settle them. "And what could have made me jaded and unimpressed, hmmm? I went from one neighbourhood in San Salvador to a small town in the US so I haven't exactly seen the world."
“You will soon,” Loki murmured. “I will show you some of the most beautiful places on earth. We’ll sneak into the ancient archive, and I’ll show you wonders most mortals thought lost to myth. And then you might be less impressed by my everyday efforts.”
"That's ridiculous. You'll be the one introducing me to all of that. How then could I be less impressed by you?" But Duo's mind was already wandering into that archive, wondering what they might see there. What a clever way to get their mind off the fact that they were hurtling through the air high above the earth.
Loki pressed a kiss against Duo’s hair. “You’re really very wonderful. My ego will be the size of the universe by the time you’re done with me.”
Duo sank a little further into Loki’s embrace. “Then I’ll have done what I’m supposed to do. Didn’t we agree there had to be a good deal of worshipping that first day we met?”
Loki’s lips found Duo’s neck, dragging a lingering kiss against their skin. “You’re a gift.”
Duo slipped out of Loki's grasp and laid on the bed then raised a hand to brush it against the leather headboard. It got the view of the window out of their sight and all the associated worries, but it made them feel distinctly odd to be staring at that leather, dyed the Asgardian colours and gracing a private plane. Maybe the worries about flying higher than they thought they should were a little more metaphorical in nature than they had first supposed. "Maybe an offering, or a sacrifice." They tapped the headboard with a finger. "I think I'm a little outclassed in terms of gifts I can give."
Loki’s gaze raked over Duo. There was something powerful in the way his worlds were colliding. Duo was no longer separate from Asgard. They would be home with Loki. So much that he loved in one place.
Loki’s mind flickered on the thought. He blinked and shook the shocking observation away. They didn’t have much time left. Once they landed, it would be a while before they’d find time alone. If Duo was overwhelmed by the flight, just wait for the spectacle of the next few days.
Loki crept over Duo, moving with the effortless fluidity usually reserved for craftier shapes. He brushed a kiss along Duo’s jaw, then caught the hand braced against the headboard. Loki pinned Duo’s wrist above him as he captured his lips in a slow kiss. As their lips brushed, never quite pulling away, Loki murmured, “You are mine.”
And there was that pleasant warmth again, from the kiss and the words. Maybe they didn't have much else to offer Loki but themself, but that seemed to be enough or now. They pulled him close to force another kiss. This was a much better way to spend their remaining time in the air.
After some fun, after breakfast, after a descent where Duo kept an unwavering watch on the land beneath them out the window, and after they finally unbuckled with enormous relief and shaky hands, they were in Asgard. Duo grabbed Loki's hand. "There. First plane ride over. Now what?"
“Now we go home.” Loki squeezed Duo’s hand. “We’re early enough, we should have a few hours before festival prep kicks off. We’ll get settled in.” He made a face. “You’ll want for nothing, but you can either hang low while the pomp and circumstance happens tonight, or you can come watch?”
The same assistant that helped them board in New York popped in at this point, looking more flustered than before they’d taken off. He pushed his glasses up his nose and ran a hand through thick, blond hair that was sticking up on one side. “The car’s ready,” he reported. He glanced at Loki and Duo’s intertwined hands. “Ah, need anything before we go? Coffee?”
“Thank you, Eldir. Coffee sounds great.” Now that they’d landed, Loki wondered what waited for them at the palace. While he’d arranged travel for Duo, he hadn’t given his parents warning before they’d taken off. By now they must know that he was traveling with an extra person. That might explain why Eldir looked like he was the one in need of more caffeine.
"If you're going to the pomp and circumstance, I'll go too." Which was what Duo desperately didn't want to do, but if Loki had to attend, it hardly seemed fair to duck out of that when he'd just flown them over an ocean.
Eldir ducked out to manifest coffee. Loki took his cue to stand. The car to a thousand questions awaited. Before he let go of Duo’shand he raised it to his lips, brushing a kiss against his knuckles. “I’ll make sure someone’s there to guide you, and if you get tired early you can always come back and crash or hide in the library. It’s… well. Ah. How much have you googled Asgardian holidays?”
It dawned on Loki that he wasn’t sure if Duo would appreciate or be offended that he’d brought his boyfriend home in the holiday where they shared bread and the harvest bounty with the realm. In so much as there would be orphans and families getting back on their feet at the dinner banquet. Fuck. Loki hadn’t considered the context. This was just the first summer holiday… hopefully Duo would be distracted by the magical tapestry of history?
Duo opened their hand just a little, enough to let their fingers touch Loki's jaw before their hand dropped again. The kiss was more reassuring than his words. "Not much at all, sorry."
Loki's lips curved in a wry smile. "Honestly, I am often convinced the only reason you still like me is you haven't watched YouTube videos of me performing embarrassing pageantry. That you take me serious at all..."
“Is entirely due to the fact that pageantry is something you do, not something you are.” Duo pulled their hands down into a light hold so that Loki could lead them out. A moment later it occurred to them that they were stepping off a plane with royalty, and they gently released his hand and stepped back. There had to be some sort of protocol, didn’t there?
Loki glanced down as Duo released his hand and then bumped his shoulder against Duo’s. “I’ll give you the holiday crash course while we drive. Fortunately, Freyrfest is only the two days, and we’ll have a short break before Thor’s birthday. I promise anytime I have obligations you will have free run of Asgard with a guide or you can explore the library if you want a quiet place to hole up. If you like Xavier’s library, I have a lifetime of distraction prepared here.”
As they exited the plane and descended the stairway it was clearer that they were still on a runway. Stretched out beyond the airfield was the arch of gleaming buildings and mountains looming taller still in the distance. A stately black limousine parked near the plane. In addition to the security team they’d met in New York there were a couple more faces. The one that stood out the most was a tall woman with an honest to gods sword strapped at her hip. Despite the sunny summer day she wore a long leather duster, her uniform the stylized aesthetic Asgard was known well for. Her dark hair was up in complicated pleats, and her grey eyes settled sharply on Loki.
“Welcome home, Prince of Asgard. Your parents look forward to your arrival.” For such friendly words, Loki could hear the reprimand in the last statement. Hrist was part of his mother’s guard, and her presence could only be an intentional message from Frigga. When Hrist’s gaze shifted to Duo her expression softened minutely. “And welcome, Duo Maxwell.”
That didn't work at all. That was a borrowed and made-up name that for someone who had no business stepping off a plane into the trappings of royalty. They pretended they'd heard Shinigami and pushed their chin out slightly before meeting the woman's gaze.
"Thank you!" Someone as self-assured as a god would say something more, wouldn't they? "It's quite a summer vacation." But they probably wouldn't say that. Duo opened their mouth again, shut it, and then moved their gaze off to the side while their cheeks heated up. They were much too out of practice with the Shinigami thing.
“An unexpected one at that.” Hrist was using a warm tone for Duo, quite possibly concerned that Loki had kidnapped his friend. All details of Duo’s arrival were conveniently sent minutes before the flight took off. This gave the welcoming retinue the length of the journey to prepare and no way of contacting Loki for an explanation. The best they could do was reach out to the school to make sure Duo had permission to travel. On one hand, the idea that Loki was bringing home a friend was a positive change. On the other, with Loki’s most recent behavior in Asgard, it was difficult to know if the friend was here willingly or wittingly. Whatever Hrist observed now, she seemed satisfied that this was poor communication in Loki’s part, but not a safety concern.
“Ready to go?” she asked.
Loki keenly felt the shift in her gaze. There was welcome and warmth, but also an underlying ‘what have you done this time?’ when she glanced at him. Despite the entourage Loki reclaimed Duo’s hand. Loki’s regal posture was same he displayed on a daily basis. The languid elegance he embodied as a cat, the air of indifference that cloaked him the more eyes were on him. But Duo knew him in other shapes, other circumstance. The hand wrapped through his was a tell as obvious as a flicking tail. Loki was nearly impervious on the surface, but nerves were jumping underneath.
Loki cleared his throat. “Yes. Absolutely. No time like the present.” He started to lead Duo toward the open car door.
Duo gave the woman a weak wave, another thing a god would absolutely not do, and followed Loki into the car. As soon as the door was closed they slid over to Loki and pulled his hand into their lap. His grip was a little too tight, a little too reluctant to release, so they reached up with their free hand to brush his cheek with the back of their fingers.
"If the drive is long enough, you should be a cat. Then you can curl up and let me pet you; relax a little before you've got big women with swords to confront again."
Loki smiled at the bolstering. “Shed my skin one last time before I’m on. That sounds… very wise.”
He was surprised they were alone, but drilling the schedule was probably slated for after Loki spoke to his parents. The privacy screen was up, giving them the illusion that they were alone a few minutes longer. Loki took the offer, changing shape and climbing into Duo’s lap.
“Before we left… I told you this trip might be exciting, but I don’t know how to warn you for what to expect. This is a first in so many ways.” He rubbed his head against Duo’s palm. “Try to roll with it? If you have questions, please ask. We’ll improvise as we go along. When you’re with me, there will be eyes on us, but you don’t need to act. If I’m weird... it won’t be towards you. I promise.”
"And if it is, I'll forgive you." Duo scratched behind Loki's ears, moving his fingers down to reach under his neck. Where a cat liked attention it seemed Loki generally did as well. That never fooled them into thinking he actually was a cat in any way, rather that a cat was just a perfect expression of some key part of Loki. "But I honestly don't even know enough to know what to ask. I'm a little afraid I'll step over some etiquette line and poof, everyone will be giving me dirty looks for the rest of the visit."
“That’s what assistants are for. You’ll get plenty of warning if there’s anything that's a strong do not. Otherwise, don’t worry.” Loki snuggled close, pressing into Duo’s touch. “When the big event kicks off tonight we might not get to spend much time together until it’s over. There’s publicity to start with, and then at the feast I’ll need to circulate. It’s a big dinner, but it also includes citizens from all over Asgard. The spirit is similar to the American Thanksgiving. It’s a Harvest holiday where we share bread and the summer’s bounty with those that need it. Uh, and in the lower districts, I hear the nightlife celebrates Freyr in other ways, but that’s not something I’ve experienced.”
Duo smiled and trailed a hand over Loki's back to his tail. "And if I decided I wanted to experience it?"
“Next year,” Loki said. He shot a glance toward the privacy divider then climbed up Duo’s chest, settling around his neck like a scarf. Now perched closer to Duo’s ear he was able to say quietly, “Or we’d have to sneak out, and I’d need to pick a different shape. Maybe not tonight. But one year, yes.” He rumbled.
Next year. One year. Duo was tempted to say something about the danger of promises like that, but the moment felt a little too good to risk ruining it by saying that out loud. "Fine. I'll do as you say. No mixing with the lower districts."
He received a light ear nip. “No sordid underage club hopping. Not tonight.”
Duo laughed. “No biting either! I’ll find a very quiet corner and behave respectfully. If it gets a little crazy, maybe I’ll hunt down your library and spend a few days there. That’s better than club hopping anyway.”
“It really is.” Loki nuzzled the offended ear and starting purring softly.
"Then can I expect your company at some point? Not during the festivities, and I'm sure your parents will want some time with you but maybe... maybe something like this? You curled up on my lap, letting me read to you?"
“Of course. It’ll be hectic sometimes, but I wouldn’t have brought you if we couldn’t spend time together.” Loki slid off Duo’s shoulder, settling back into his lap for more petting. “I want to take you places. And there are very important books to read.”
"You want to take me places." Duo raised an eyebrow at Loki. "This is beginning to sound like a book itself, or maybe a play. 'The Education of Duo Maxwell', a modern retelling of Pygmalion."
“Let’s not loathe each other, and I’ll be cross if you leave me for a boring sycophant.” Loki gave Duo’s hand a forceful nuzzle. “I want to share with you. I don’t want you to change. I like us.”
Duo stalled their answer with a hand under Loki's chin. After all, they liked 'us' too, but it was hard to imagine flying to Europe to spend their summer vacation amongst royalty being something that wouldn't leave some sort of mark on them.
"Sharing then. Sounds a little safer than change."
“Keep petting me,” Loki demanded softly. This was dangerously close to a heart to heart.
Shut up, in other words. Duo smiled and rested his head back against the seat, turning their head to watch the scenery pass by as they drove. A little bit of companionable quiet was probably exactly what they needed before this ‘vacation’ began.
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Date: 2018-08-25 04:59 pm (UTC)<3 <3 <3
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Date: 2018-08-26 05:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-08-28 12:32 am (UTC)