bakerstreet | level the playing field

"But now you'd miss it, right? At least feeling it, even if you don't use it." He pauses, thoughtfully. "There's this-- feeling when there are others around who can use magic. I miss that too."

"That feeling of... kinship?" she suggests. "That sense that we are just alike, in some deep, fundamental way?"

"Exactly." He tips his head back a bit. "By the way, it's really not fair you grew so much. You were tall enough before."

"I wasn't fully grown then. Now I am. I would always have gotten this tall, it just would have taken longer."

"Maybe it's not too late... maybe I can still wish myself a little taller when I get my magic back..."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Loki arches an eyebrow, before tugging him off toward the noodle place across the street.

"I was just joking... but it's a nice thought anyway." He lets out a snort when she tugs at him, letting himself be led to the noodle place. "How long before I get my magic back anyway? Or do you still want to hear how my day went?"

"Time is an illusion, Billy. Now tell me about your day."

Once inside, she orders for both of them - Billy is a growing boy, and hungry whether he realises it or not, and nobody here speaks more than three words of English - and then leads him over to a booth.

"Why is time an illusion when I want my magic..." He shakes his head and-- okay. She's ordering, apparently, and he's paying.

Settling across from her, he thinks that over. "It hasn't been a good one. I woke up feeling wrong. Like I was a helpless fifteen year old all over again... only now? It's less school bullies and more actual villains that want to beat me up."

Obviously, because his magic was never actually gone, he only thinks it is; as soon as he realises the truth, well. Loki hopes she doesn't have to spell it out for him, she has high hopes for him.

"And not only you, hm?"

"No. The rest of the team, innocent people... I couldn't do anything. I couldn't make a difference."

"So do you think it's worth all of the trouble it brings?"

The noodles arrive, and Loki starts slurping them up.

He sighs, leaning an elbow on the table as he starts to eat as well.

"I never thought I'd actually say it, but yeah. Even with the possibility of altering reality or undoing it entirely."

"That, I think, is why knowing yourself is so important," he observes, hair shorter, but still messy as he looks up from the noodles.

Billy startles a bit when he happens to look back over and-- yeah.

Wow.

"Did you just change in the middle of lunch?"

He blinks.

"Sure. Why not?"

He shakes his head, a wry smile twisting at his lips. "I just wasn't expecting it, that's all."

"Nobody ever does, which is why I like to do it."

"So it's basically because you get a kick out of it?" He gives a short, amused huff. "Do you have a preference or do you like jumping back and forth?"

"No preference; it's funny, this time, nothing much is different between the two."

"Was there before the whole--" He motions to Loki. "Change happened?"

"Oh yes. Differences in height, build... I had much bigger tits as a chick. A lot more hair..." He gestures descriptively.

"Um... wow. Thanks for the visual?" He shakes his head. "You still have a lot more hair as a girl."

Reaching up, he tries to give his hair a ruffle.

He laughs, and allows the gesture, even ducking his head a little so Billy can more easily reach.

"You're welcome. The difference is far less this time though."

"Do you get to choose what you look like between shifting or is that just something your body sort of decides anyway?"

THE NO POWERS MEME

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