Great. Gathering information. That was always such a bore. Catherine almost yawned at the thought. Almost. She kept herself in check as she followed him to his desk, her pale eyes skimming over the sheer amount of files and papers there. No, she didn't envy him at all.
"Wait, wait," she said as he explained further. "Seduction? I have a nice resume, but that is definitely not on it."
Was he kidding? Even if she'd had the skills, Catherine didn't consider herself attractive enough for such things. That, and she really didn't want to do it.
"Don't you have someone else for this kind of thing?"
Loki arched an eyebrow at her, his eyes unkind. "That was not a request," he stated, his tone measured but with underlying steel. Loki did not ask, did not offer missions. He ordered, commanded, and would brook no denial.
He steepled his fingers in front of his mouth, watching her coolly. "Seduction is the easiest form of manipulation. You have proved yourself efficient at manipulating your target into doing your bidding. This will be no different."
He gave her a flat look as she asked whether someone else could do this instead of her. "Do you want me to have someone else for this kind of thing?" he challenged, clearly implying that she could lose her position, if she refused, her secure status in the new hierarchy of her realm.
She hummed in thought, clasping her hands behind her back as she glanced up at the ceiling. Not that the issue required much thought.
"Yes. Yes, I do," she replied as she returned her gaze to his. Challenge met. Did he really want to get rid of someone who had been of so much use to him? Even if he did, she felt confident that she could get by on her own. A bit arrogant, maybe, but she wasn't going to cower and beg.
"Like I said, seduction's not on my resume."
He needed someone a bit more feminine and a lot more attractive for this.
Loki arched an eyebrow at her, his eyes narrowing minutely. He did not truly wish to dispose of her but his pride would not allow for such insubordination. After all, if he couldn't even have the respect of those who had sworn allegiance to him, how could he hope to conquer the others'? He would have to remind her, then, and unpleasantly so, that she was, along with her entire realm, in his power.
“I think you'll regret that,” he answered coolly, an unmasked threat. His lips stretched into a thin grin and he leaned up on his chair, the glint in his eyes between contemptuous and malevolent. Loki would have to disagree. Being feminine or even attractive had very little to do with seduction. “Well, let's put it there, then.”
To be perfectly honest, Catherine hadn't minded serving Loki thus far. He could always find interesting uses for her skill set, and it was nice having the opportunity to be what she was. He didn't seem to care as long as she got the job done.
His threat was met with casual indifference. At least until he suggested - no, demanded - that seduction be added to her list of skills. This couldn't lead anywhere good.
"I'd rather not," she replied, maintaining a cool facade. "But for the sake of argument, how would you suggest I do that?"
“That's assuming I would give you a choice,” Loki pointed out, his magic flaring a little around them, a cool, metallic hum. He was beginning to suspect that he would not, indeed, give her a choice. She was too rash, too insolent, and he it would be too fun to put her back in her place for him to miss the opportunity to exert his power.
“I rather think I shall have you start with me, for practice,” he taunted, the glint in his eyes growing wicked. “I am a master of lies. If you can lie to me, you can lie to anyone.”
Catherine huffed indignantly, but the feel of his magic surrounding them was enough to raise goosebumps all over her. Loki was powerful. If he wanted to end her right now he wouldn't even break a sweat. It was probably a good time to kneel, but she found his suggestion ridiculous.
"You've been with gods, and you expect me to seduce you?" Still a bit defiant, but her tone was softer. "I'm pretty sure I can't live up to those standards."
Though it wouldn't necessarily be a lie. Catherine found Loki very attractive, and not just due to his power. He was intelligent, articulate, handsome... what wasn't to like? Except maybe that abusive tendency. Fine if taken out on someone else, but not her.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
no subject
"Wait, wait," she said as he explained further. "Seduction? I have a nice resume, but that is definitely not on it."
Was he kidding? Even if she'd had the skills, Catherine didn't consider herself attractive enough for such things. That, and she really didn't want to do it.
"Don't you have someone else for this kind of thing?"
no subject
He steepled his fingers in front of his mouth, watching her coolly. "Seduction is the easiest form of manipulation. You have proved yourself efficient at manipulating your target into doing your bidding. This will be no different."
He gave her a flat look as she asked whether someone else could do this instead of her. "Do you want me to have someone else for this kind of thing?" he challenged, clearly implying that she could lose her position, if she refused, her secure status in the new hierarchy of her realm.
no subject
"Yes. Yes, I do," she replied as she returned her gaze to his. Challenge met. Did he really want to get rid of someone who had been of so much use to him? Even if he did, she felt confident that she could get by on her own. A bit arrogant, maybe, but she wasn't going to cower and beg.
"Like I said, seduction's not on my resume."
He needed someone a bit more feminine and a lot more attractive for this.
no subject
“I think you'll regret that,” he answered coolly, an unmasked threat. His lips stretched into a thin grin and he leaned up on his chair, the glint in his eyes between contemptuous and malevolent. Loki would have to disagree. Being feminine or even attractive had very little to do with seduction. “Well, let's put it there, then.”
no subject
His threat was met with casual indifference. At least until he suggested - no, demanded - that seduction be added to her list of skills. This couldn't lead anywhere good.
"I'd rather not," she replied, maintaining a cool facade. "But for the sake of argument, how would you suggest I do that?"
no subject
“I rather think I shall have you start with me, for practice,” he taunted, the glint in his eyes growing wicked. “I am a master of lies. If you can lie to me, you can lie to anyone.”
no subject
"You've been with gods, and you expect me to seduce you?" Still a bit defiant, but her tone was softer. "I'm pretty sure I can't live up to those standards."
Though it wouldn't necessarily be a lie. Catherine found Loki very attractive, and not just due to his power. He was intelligent, articulate, handsome... what wasn't to like? Except maybe that abusive tendency. Fine if taken out on someone else, but not her.