bakerstreet | fell asleep on

If you're not, I'm telling Pepper.

[ It's a common threat between the two of them. She's scary, okay? ]

[Gene winces, and actually does look serious.]

Is this the face of a man who would lie to you about something so important?

[Tony? Run.]

[ Tony doesn't know how to run. It's a fatal flaw of his. ]

Good. Then I'll get the suit done and we'll go do something fun. Maybe go out on the town and give the scandal mags something to talk about?

[ Now he's being mean. ]

[Gene frowns at him.] I don't know why you want to keep those vultures fed, honestly.

[And if they ever found out Gene's true identity...they'd both be ruined.]

But I can deal with something fun...as long as I get veto power.

I keep them fed because if I give them something sometimes, then they leave me alone to do the real work. They see me out of the suit, they leave me alone when I'm in the suit.

[ It's all strategy, really. and let them find out. Tony doesn't care. ]

And of course you get veto power.

[Okay, Gene has to admit that makes a certain amount of sense.]

Good, [he says, and kisses Tony on the cheek.] Then maybe we can really give them something to talk about.

[ Tony likes cheek kisses! Do that again! ]

I'm willing to let them speculate and talk all they want. You have something specific in mind?

Oh, I'm sure I'll think of something, [Gene says, that faux innocense suffusing his tone again.] I'll get creative.

[ Tony grins. He knows that Gene won't go too far. But they can push the boundaries. ]

We could go dancing.

[ Dirty dancing that is. ]

[Push all dem boundaries!]

Now there's an idea. One problem: I don't know how to dance.

[But he knows how to fight. Close enough, yes?]

Who said you had to know how to dance?

[ Tony sure as heck doesn't know how to dance. ]

I'm told that's a prerequisite for going dancing, [he says dryly.]

Maybe, but you've never been to a club. No one knows how to dance.

[ He takes a bite of his gyro. ]

At Loki's movement, Thor glanced down. Not noticing his brother's eye opening and closing, Thor only noticed the shifting and the frown. A nightmare, then? After all they had been through, especially of late, Thor would not be surprised.

Frigga would not wish her youngest to endure such pain as this. Yet Thor did not wish to awaken his little brother, for Loki had seemed to need the rest. So, thinking his gentleness would escape Loki's notice, Thor gently ran a hand through the long black locks, framing Loki's face. It was the Thunderer's hope that the gesture might soothe Loki, showing him he was loved, and shifting the Trickster's nightmares to more pleasant dreams.

...point taken, [Gene notes.]

I don't have anything to wear to a club.

I'll call Pepper. She'll pick you up something.

[ No, Tony's not thinking straight, he's off in calculation land. ]

I am not letting Pepper shop for me again.

[The Banana Hammock Incident is best not repeated.]

Loki had to struggle not to react when he felt gentle, strong fingers in his hair. Seriously was he... was Thor petting him?

A laugh bubbled up in Loki's throat, which he repressed ruthlessly, equal parts amusement and slight hysteria. Had he done this before? This wasn't the first time that Loki could recall falling asleep near Thor, though it was a rare enough occurrence. Was this a thing?

He'd have asked, or put an end to it, but he didn't want Thor to know he was awake, was the main thing. At least, that was what he told himself at first.

But as the stroking went on, he had to admit - even to himself - that it just felt nice. He had been so starved of any kind of physical contact for so long, that it was almost overwhelming just enduring such a pleasing touch for so long.

And after a while, he began to wonder just how far this could go.

Shifting softly, as if in sleep, Loki scooted a bit closer, reaching an arm around and laying it across Thor's lap as if hugging a pillow - or a lover - to his chest. He let out a gentle, contented sigh, and waited for Thor to awkwardly move him aside.

Nnnnope. Nope-nope-nope, Thor was not okay with such attentions from his little brother. Rolling his eyes, he gently lifted that hand to put it a little higher, near to his belly and waist, rather than his lap. Which admittedly, was close to the place where Loki had once stabbed him.

He didn't want to wake Loki, so he made sure to remain silent.

Glad that Loki appeared to have been pulled from his nightmares at least, Thor placed a protective hand upon one lithe shoulder. He'd be there for Loki. Loki didn't have to know it, and Thor didn't trust him enough to know it, but the Trickster would always be Thor's little brother. And now, in this time of pain and sorrow, Thor wanted to be strong for him.

Edited (Whoops; I hit enter to go to the next paragraph, and it posted too early. ;;;) 2015-04-13 03:18 (UTC)

Loki didn't resist as Thor moved his hand. For a few moments, he held still, wondering if Thor was going to start stroking his hair again, but all he did was rest a hand on his shoulder.

So after a little while, as Loki's attention began to wane, he prodded Thor in the side, right where he had once stuck a small knife.

"It really is amazing," he murmured, his head still buried firmly against Thor's thigh.

Jerking his hand away from Loki's shoulder, Thor went rigid in response. "What?" he queried in a tone of tense caution. The question was phrased as to mean 'What is amazing?', rather than asking Loki to repeat himself.

What a shame that the moment was shattered, but Loki was very good at doing things like that to himself. He remained just where he was, his fingers softening to a gentle stroking over the spot. He doubted Thor even bore a scar from the little blade.

Not a physical one, anyway.

He drew his fingers away after a moment and sat up, turning to look at his brother. "You really do still love me, after everything I've done."

'Then am I not your mother?'

'You are not.'

Thor had heard it, lurking near the doorway to hear how his brother was doing. It was difficult, to care for Loki and yet realize that Thor's presence would only incite him to rage. While the older brother had stopped visiting the dungeons, even before Odin's decree, he hadn't stopped checking in. Their mother had ways around actual visitation in person, and Thor had needed to know how his little brother was doing. Of course, he wouldn't admit that, especially to himself. Loki was supposed to be a lost cause. An enemy. He was supposed to be. But sometimes he didn't feel as one.

Yet now, when Loki mentioned everything he'd done, Thor thought first of their mother's tears. The stabbing had hurt, yes, and the Destroyer. Both planets that Loki had wreaked havoc on. There was hardly a lack of reasons to blame him; the list was long and troublesome. Yet right now, so soon after her death, their mother's tears somehow stood out to Thor, more painful than any crime.

"Willingly?" Okay, Thor knew he was being childish about this. At one point, he would have given almost anything, for Loki to know the truth of those words. It was only the pain of the many betrayals, that had caused Thor to lose sight of his goal.

Was it even a plausible goal, anymore? Loki seemed fairly far gone.

Their mother had thought he could be helped.

Setting his jaw, Thor swallowed awkwardly, and watched the horizon line.

Why. That was a very good question, to be quite honest, and he sniffed almost nervously in response to it, shrugging one shoulder. "It's complicated. But it's somewhat near Diagon Alley. About a fifteen minute walk, I suppose. It could be worse. Nice-ish neighbourhood."

It could be nicer, but he was making do, really. And he wanted to lay low. Lower, at least, than he had been. And he skipped names because he wasn't really that knowledgeable about the area. He probably ought to be, but he wasn't.

"Where are you looking?"

Loki had no idea that Thor had ever come anywhere near his cell at any point in the months that he'd been there. His mother had come to visit, and he had believed she was the only one who had cared about his welfare.

As Thor gritted out a response and looked away, that pricked Loki's pride as well. "Willing or not," he sneered. "You betray your weaknesses."

fell asleep on

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RL hit hard; I didn't forget the thread, but I'm just now getting back to it. I'm sorry. ;;;

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I'm so glad you came back to it!

<3

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