ax_main | Loki and Molly (June 17.)

Loki has a drama attack when he realizes he needs to have a conversation with Cal. Instead of attempting said conversation, he hides in Molly’s room.

Loki assumed that as long as Molly kept leaving his window open he was open to visitors. In raven form he landed on the windowsill and hopped inside. He jumped from there to Molly's lap, transforming into a cat as he landed. "Hello," he said from his new vantage point. "Busy?"

"Never too busy for you, dear," Molly said easily, already running a hand over the cat's back. "Something you need?"

“Someone capable of discussing emotions without withering to a husk.” Loki nuzzled against him.

"Well I can certainly try," he said, amusement threaded through his voice. "Any particular emotions you have in mind?"

“The kind entangled with making out with your friends and then realizing that you haven’t mentioned you’re making out with other people...” As much as Loki wanted to be pet, this seemed a conversation better fitting a person. He shifted back into human shape, still mostly curled up on Molly’s lap.

"Ah. That does sound a bit complicated." And far be it from Molly to leave off the petting just because the shape had changed. He kept running his hand absently up and down Loki's back, almost like he wasn't aware he was doing it. "So who's the upset one? You don't need to name names, I'm just trying to keep track."

“Oh, I’ve said nothing yet. I just realized that I never really discussed before acting on it.” Loki snuggled against Molly, relaxing under his touch. “For the purposes of anonymity we’ll call the one friend Person A, also known as please don’t speculate they might not want anyone to know we’ve been emotionally intimate and that in itself is a whole different conversation to have. The other person we’ll call Dorian Pavus because I don’t know him well enough to worry about his feelings on privacy. And the first time we did anything was in the library and anyone could have walked by.”

Molly made a sound that wasn't quite a laugh. "I'm guessing Person A is the one upset by you snogging Person Dorian Pavus, then?"

“I am speculating they may not be thrilled? Pure speculation.”

"You'll forgive me if I doubt that," Molly said fondly. Loki was much too good at playing with people not to have a firm idea. "So what's the issue? That you'd like them to be less un-thrilled, or?"

Loki buried his face against Molly’s shoulder, hiding there. “No, no. The issue is I’m not sure how to bring up the subject ‘is it fine that I’m snogging other people?’ The whole point of the exercise was originally to make it easier to kiss other people... but feelings are weird?” That last statement gave Loki something to hold onto, that summed up his current frustration. “Feelings are so weird, Molly. I don’t want to lose friends to handsy urges.”

"They are indeed terribly strange." From what Molly could tell, anyway. It wasn't as if he had any personal experience to back it up (that he knew of), but Loki seemed genuinely upset and that was more than enough evidence for him. "I don't suppose a frank discussion is off the table?"

Loki sighed. He bumped his forehead against Molly's collarbone. "No. No, that's very reasonable suggestion.." He sounded resigned. "I could talk to the person I'm worried about instead of flailing. I'm being dramatic. Tolerate me. It's pure cowardice and yes I should absolutely suck it up."

"I'll do more than tolerate you," Molly promised, not that he was particularly trying to hide his amusement. "I just don't want you to wind yourself into knots over this whole nonsense."

“Maybe I’m complete nonsense,” Loki said petulantly. He shut his eyes for a moment, soaking in the sensation of Molly’s fingers stroking through his hair. Then he sat up and pressed a kiss to his friend’s lips. It was brief, as long as a gasp for breath, and Loki went back to hiding against him almost immediately.

Molly blinked once, then found himself smiling fondly. "Being ridiculous isn't the worst thing in the world," he said, fingers pressing gently against Loki's scalp. "So long as you're enjoying it."

Why was Molly such a wonderful creature? He humored Loki. It was brilliant. Thank the gods for that dragon/cave incident, or Loki would have never realized how utterly chill Mollymauk was.

"I probably am. I don't know how to be anything else. Being serious feels like an ill-fitting suit. Weighed down with dignity and obligation. I have enough of that thank you." Loki snuggled close. "This school is so weird. It isn't the right place to be in the long run, but I don't think I'll ever have a time like this again. Where my biggest responsibility for the day is attending some classes. And no one is going post pictures all over the internet if I step outside with someone. This... Is dangerous and beautiful."

"I'm not an expert, mind," Molly said with a laugh in his voice, "but I'm under the impression that childhood is largely supposed to work that way." The fact that it didn't for a good amount of them was depressing, but perhaps not surprising. "Enjoy it all you like, dear."

“How could Shaun possibly leave you here unattended? You are perfection,” Loki said fondly.

"Oh he'll be terribly busy with his lovely boytoy, I'm sure," Molly said with a snort. "Perhaps you'll have to look after me instead, hm?"

Loki sat up and peered at Molly quizzically. “How would you like to be looked after?”

"Well you seem to think I'm in need of it. You tell me."

Loki looked at his friend for a moment before shaking his head. “Given the nature of my complaints, all my best suggestions are wildly inappropriate. Lay down. We’re snuggling. I’ve got no snark left in me.”

Molly laughed, but didn't hesitate to stretch out as instructed. He was hardly going to argue with that particular order. "I mean, I am all in favor of the inappropriate. But I'd hate to make the situation harder on you."

Loki sprawled across Mollymauk, a mirror to their days as mortal and dragon. “That's an incentive for me to person-up and have that conversation.”

His hand slipped back into Loki's hair, scratching gently at his scalp. "Whatever makes you happy, dear."

Loki shut his eyes. “Treasure,” he murmured softly. “You are the best one.”