Loki and Shinobi | Backdated to 18/05
May. 23rd, 2019 06:02 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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ax_mainA Prince of Asgard and the heir to the Shaw fortune laze about on a couch. That's pretty much all. Except one of them is a cat
Loki slipped through the hallway on quiet paws, debating where he wanted to lurk this afternoon. As he passed by the common area he paused and then crept inside. Loki jumping onto the arm of the couch. He looked down at Shinobi Shaw, taking in his glorious apparel for the day.
"Do you dress this dapper even when you have nowhere to go?" Loki commented idly. "Honestly. I feel like I should be offended by the barrage of color, but instead I'm in love with whatever you're doing here."
In a bottle-green suit and brilliant canary-yellow silk dress shirt, Shinobi was looking particularly vibrant that afternoon, even by his own standards. He reclined with his socks propped up on the opposite arm of the couch, hands behind his head, and one dark eye popped open beneath the ludicrous fringe of his artfully-disordered hair. "I find it's especially important to look my best when I've nowhere to go, neko-chan," he singsonged back. A talking cat would probably have startled him, before Xavier's. Now, that sort of thing was to be expected--and, even if not, to outwardly betray shock would cost him points in the game. "Keeps me from getting lazy when there actually is an event of some kind."
Loki wandered down the couch and curled up next to Shinobi. “You’re a work of art.”
"And you are an extremely perceptive cat," he replied amiably. One hand moved from behind his head and, hesitating only briefly, proceeded to scratch between the feline's ears. Shinobi was not usually much of an animal-person, in general, but he certainly preferred cats to dogs. And cats who flattered him probably warranted a greater-than-normal show of affection from him.
Even it it was getting fur all over his suit.
Loki shut his eyes and snuggled into the touch. “I am an extremely perceptive something,” he murmured.
"Cat, presently," Shinobi supplied with an amused chuckle. "But I think ... you're not green, and I believe one of the Asgardian princes has shapeshifting listed somewhere in their powerset? The non-Viking-chic one." He traced his fingertips down the cat's spine, enjoying despite himself the silky softness of the black fur. "This is better. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Loki-ojisama."
Loki rumbled happily. “Fashionable and clever. The pleasure is all mine, Shinobi-san.”
"Just Shinobi is fine," he said, still somewhat bemused to be having such a conversation with a cat, of all improbable things. "I find honorifics terribly cumbersome, most of the time. And what need is there for such conceits amongst friends? And I do hope we will be friends--if nothing else, I'd hate for you to think I massage every random individual who shares my couch space."
Loki chuffed a soft sound of amusement. “Nor do I climb into the lap of every boy in dapper apparel. Yes, I think we’ll be friends. I have a good feeling about you.”
"I do have a talent for making people feel good," Shinobi laughed, scratching under the cat's chin companionably. "This is the first time I've ever exhibited a similar facility with anything possessing more than two legs. Who would have imagined it were possible?"
Loki nuzzled Shinobi’s hand. People were always so much nicer to cats. And those that weren’t were highly suspect. “I’m curious and concerned for your past times.”
"Then you are in good company," he reassured the small feline pressing its face into his hand. This was, Shinobi reflected, strangely relaxing, and the feeling of luxuriant black fur beneath his fingertips was a welcome sensual improvement of an otherwise rather humdrum afternoon. "I arouse curiosity and concern in most of those around me, though the exact ratio tends to depend on just how deep in my own affection they are. The scale I use currently ranks from 'Nolan' to 'broke paparazzo'."
“Ah, yes. You are part of the Nolan fan club.” Loki wasn’t sure why he hadn’t befriended Shinobi at Shaun’s birthday gathering last year. He was preoccupied… with something. The impending trip home? He couldn’t remember. Clearly it was a missed opportunity.
"My dear Neko-ojisama, I founded the Nolan fan club," was Shinobi's wholly immodest reply. "I was inflating the dear boy's ego back when no one else in the world realized there was anything more to him than a brilliantly inventive mind and some colorful polo shirts. We've been friends since before I realized how enjoyable having any of those could be."
Loki’s ears perked at that last statement. And intriguing comment. One might expect such a showy individual to be the center of many relationships. Interesting to think Nolan might be his first friend. “Blinding polo shirts,” Loki commented softly. “His style contrasts Shaun’s very effectively.”
"Perfectly, I would say," Shinobi said. "And where they do not contrast to perfection, the compliment each other beautifully. Really, I had always thought that the concept of vicarious joy was a myth taught to the middle class to keep them at ease with their limitations. I never expected it could be an actual thing." It was odd for him to be happy for other people. He rarely wished others ill--with one notable exception--but ... it was also unusual for Shinobi to have any sort of investment in the feelings of others, for good or bad. He was much more typically indifferent, with an eye always toward his own enjoyment to the exclusion of all other considerations.
Loki snorted softly. "I see where you're coming from, and I'm reminded of the many levels of social bullshit waiting outside these walls. With great financial success comes an interesting disregard for your fellow man. Meanwhile, being born in a palace comes with generations of obligation and the expectation to do right for the people. No one enjoys being beheaded. What an interesting social commentary."
"Society itself is a ludicrous and arbitrary construct of human needs and impulses," Shinobi observed breezily. "It deserves to have holes poked into it at every opportunity, lest as a species we begin taking our own bullshit too seriously."
Loki purred softly.
That reaction had Shinobi scrubbing with absent affection at the cat's cheeks, before catching himself with a rueful smirk. "Am I really having an idle socio-philosophical conversation with a cat? Whatever else I might think of it, it's never been a boring day since arriving at Xavier's."
"A cat and a prince," Loki confirmed. "And sometimes a dragon. Life is strange, embrace it."
"Ryu-ojisama, neh?" Shinobi smirked. "That sounds terribly impressive. Please do remind me to follow up on that, some time--it sounds utterly fascinating."
“It was more exciting in Yorkland where I got to be a dragon all the time. Ahhh the fine balance between grandeur and scaring the masses.“
"To be fair, there's nothing really stopping you from being a dragon here, all the time," Shinobi offered. "Other than all the awful Godzilla references that will doubtless emerge. I'm afraid I don't have any similar stories to offer of Yorkland--as far as I can tell, I didn't exist at all. An extremely distressing notion, for someone as solipsistic as me."
Loki looked up curiously. “That’s very unfortunate.”
"Unsettling," Shinobi agreed, scrubbing his fingers between the cat's ears again. "It seems practically everybody else has these stories--vague memories--of some sort of high-fantasy adventure interpretation of New York City ... and I just have this blank space. I know the time passed, but I don't have any memories or even a vague sense of self tied to it. Like a long, dreamless sleep." He shuddered. "I don't really like to think about it."
Loki nuzzled against his hand. “Then no more thoughts of it. That is a nerve we won’t press.”
"Much appreciated, neko-ojisama," Shinobi sighed. He hesitated a beat, then a more typically upbeat expression appeared on his face. "Tell me," he went on, clearly pleased to change the subject, "how's your golden Adonis of a brother settling in? Has he driven you to drink as yet?"
Loki rolled to snatch Shinobi's hand between two paws, nipping softly at his skin. “Adonis,” he said with a scoff. “There isn’t enough drink.”
His immediate response was to scrub lightly at the silky fur at Loki's chest with the tips of his fingers, laughing at the almost-gentle press of sharp feline teeth into the skin of his palm. "If that's what you think, then you simply aren't drinking the right sorts of things. Stop by my room, some time; I've a whole closet full of the good stuff." He paused a beat, and added, "Preferably as the knavish teen we know and love. I'm fairly certain I shouldn't be serving alcohol to cats."
Loki preened at the ‘know and love’. “Alright. I’ll visit some time. Will I get to lounge on you even if I’m not so fluffy?”
"Oji-sama, I'd be positively offended if you didn't."
Loki slipped through the hallway on quiet paws, debating where he wanted to lurk this afternoon. As he passed by the common area he paused and then crept inside. Loki jumping onto the arm of the couch. He looked down at Shinobi Shaw, taking in his glorious apparel for the day.
"Do you dress this dapper even when you have nowhere to go?" Loki commented idly. "Honestly. I feel like I should be offended by the barrage of color, but instead I'm in love with whatever you're doing here."
In a bottle-green suit and brilliant canary-yellow silk dress shirt, Shinobi was looking particularly vibrant that afternoon, even by his own standards. He reclined with his socks propped up on the opposite arm of the couch, hands behind his head, and one dark eye popped open beneath the ludicrous fringe of his artfully-disordered hair. "I find it's especially important to look my best when I've nowhere to go, neko-chan," he singsonged back. A talking cat would probably have startled him, before Xavier's. Now, that sort of thing was to be expected--and, even if not, to outwardly betray shock would cost him points in the game. "Keeps me from getting lazy when there actually is an event of some kind."
Loki wandered down the couch and curled up next to Shinobi. “You’re a work of art.”
"And you are an extremely perceptive cat," he replied amiably. One hand moved from behind his head and, hesitating only briefly, proceeded to scratch between the feline's ears. Shinobi was not usually much of an animal-person, in general, but he certainly preferred cats to dogs. And cats who flattered him probably warranted a greater-than-normal show of affection from him.
Even it it was getting fur all over his suit.
Loki shut his eyes and snuggled into the touch. “I am an extremely perceptive something,” he murmured.
"Cat, presently," Shinobi supplied with an amused chuckle. "But I think ... you're not green, and I believe one of the Asgardian princes has shapeshifting listed somewhere in their powerset? The non-Viking-chic one." He traced his fingertips down the cat's spine, enjoying despite himself the silky softness of the black fur. "This is better. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Loki-ojisama."
Loki rumbled happily. “Fashionable and clever. The pleasure is all mine, Shinobi-san.”
"Just Shinobi is fine," he said, still somewhat bemused to be having such a conversation with a cat, of all improbable things. "I find honorifics terribly cumbersome, most of the time. And what need is there for such conceits amongst friends? And I do hope we will be friends--if nothing else, I'd hate for you to think I massage every random individual who shares my couch space."
Loki chuffed a soft sound of amusement. “Nor do I climb into the lap of every boy in dapper apparel. Yes, I think we’ll be friends. I have a good feeling about you.”
"I do have a talent for making people feel good," Shinobi laughed, scratching under the cat's chin companionably. "This is the first time I've ever exhibited a similar facility with anything possessing more than two legs. Who would have imagined it were possible?"
Loki nuzzled Shinobi’s hand. People were always so much nicer to cats. And those that weren’t were highly suspect. “I’m curious and concerned for your past times.”
"Then you are in good company," he reassured the small feline pressing its face into his hand. This was, Shinobi reflected, strangely relaxing, and the feeling of luxuriant black fur beneath his fingertips was a welcome sensual improvement of an otherwise rather humdrum afternoon. "I arouse curiosity and concern in most of those around me, though the exact ratio tends to depend on just how deep in my own affection they are. The scale I use currently ranks from 'Nolan' to 'broke paparazzo'."
“Ah, yes. You are part of the Nolan fan club.” Loki wasn’t sure why he hadn’t befriended Shinobi at Shaun’s birthday gathering last year. He was preoccupied… with something. The impending trip home? He couldn’t remember. Clearly it was a missed opportunity.
"My dear Neko-ojisama, I founded the Nolan fan club," was Shinobi's wholly immodest reply. "I was inflating the dear boy's ego back when no one else in the world realized there was anything more to him than a brilliantly inventive mind and some colorful polo shirts. We've been friends since before I realized how enjoyable having any of those could be."
Loki’s ears perked at that last statement. And intriguing comment. One might expect such a showy individual to be the center of many relationships. Interesting to think Nolan might be his first friend. “Blinding polo shirts,” Loki commented softly. “His style contrasts Shaun’s very effectively.”
"Perfectly, I would say," Shinobi said. "And where they do not contrast to perfection, the compliment each other beautifully. Really, I had always thought that the concept of vicarious joy was a myth taught to the middle class to keep them at ease with their limitations. I never expected it could be an actual thing." It was odd for him to be happy for other people. He rarely wished others ill--with one notable exception--but ... it was also unusual for Shinobi to have any sort of investment in the feelings of others, for good or bad. He was much more typically indifferent, with an eye always toward his own enjoyment to the exclusion of all other considerations.
Loki snorted softly. "I see where you're coming from, and I'm reminded of the many levels of social bullshit waiting outside these walls. With great financial success comes an interesting disregard for your fellow man. Meanwhile, being born in a palace comes with generations of obligation and the expectation to do right for the people. No one enjoys being beheaded. What an interesting social commentary."
"Society itself is a ludicrous and arbitrary construct of human needs and impulses," Shinobi observed breezily. "It deserves to have holes poked into it at every opportunity, lest as a species we begin taking our own bullshit too seriously."
Loki purred softly.
That reaction had Shinobi scrubbing with absent affection at the cat's cheeks, before catching himself with a rueful smirk. "Am I really having an idle socio-philosophical conversation with a cat? Whatever else I might think of it, it's never been a boring day since arriving at Xavier's."
"A cat and a prince," Loki confirmed. "And sometimes a dragon. Life is strange, embrace it."
"Ryu-ojisama, neh?" Shinobi smirked. "That sounds terribly impressive. Please do remind me to follow up on that, some time--it sounds utterly fascinating."
“It was more exciting in Yorkland where I got to be a dragon all the time. Ahhh the fine balance between grandeur and scaring the masses.“
"To be fair, there's nothing really stopping you from being a dragon here, all the time," Shinobi offered. "Other than all the awful Godzilla references that will doubtless emerge. I'm afraid I don't have any similar stories to offer of Yorkland--as far as I can tell, I didn't exist at all. An extremely distressing notion, for someone as solipsistic as me."
Loki looked up curiously. “That’s very unfortunate.”
"Unsettling," Shinobi agreed, scrubbing his fingers between the cat's ears again. "It seems practically everybody else has these stories--vague memories--of some sort of high-fantasy adventure interpretation of New York City ... and I just have this blank space. I know the time passed, but I don't have any memories or even a vague sense of self tied to it. Like a long, dreamless sleep." He shuddered. "I don't really like to think about it."
Loki nuzzled against his hand. “Then no more thoughts of it. That is a nerve we won’t press.”
"Much appreciated, neko-ojisama," Shinobi sighed. He hesitated a beat, then a more typically upbeat expression appeared on his face. "Tell me," he went on, clearly pleased to change the subject, "how's your golden Adonis of a brother settling in? Has he driven you to drink as yet?"
Loki rolled to snatch Shinobi's hand between two paws, nipping softly at his skin. “Adonis,” he said with a scoff. “There isn’t enough drink.”
His immediate response was to scrub lightly at the silky fur at Loki's chest with the tips of his fingers, laughing at the almost-gentle press of sharp feline teeth into the skin of his palm. "If that's what you think, then you simply aren't drinking the right sorts of things. Stop by my room, some time; I've a whole closet full of the good stuff." He paused a beat, and added, "Preferably as the knavish teen we know and love. I'm fairly certain I shouldn't be serving alcohol to cats."
Loki preened at the ‘know and love’. “Alright. I’ll visit some time. Will I get to lounge on you even if I’m not so fluffy?”
"Oji-sama, I'd be positively offended if you didn't."
