st_ormbreaker | (no subject)

(no subject)

Thor started off by knocking. When Loki didn't answer, he let himself in.

It doesn't take him long to find him. The first floor is easy enough to survey, and he saw from outside that Loki wasn't on the roof or the balcony, which left only the upper floor of Loki's room. As gifted as an illusionist as Loki was, it was easy enough for him to see through the alcove, particularly since he was already intimately familiar with the layout of the room.

Thor passes through it easily and drops the journal on the edge of the bed with a little thump.

"We're going to talk about this," he says in a tone that broaches no argument. It is simply a fact. Thor has no interest in wallowing in his own misery, and he has even less interest in allowing his brother to wallow in his own because of him.

It's time to talk.

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“Why, because you do?” Loki shook his head. “I can get along when I need to, I can reach ‘tolerated’ when no one has a choice in the matter. But I am and have always been fundamentally not likable.” What other reason could there be? People had never needed reasons to hate him, even before he’d started providing good reasons; he had been reason enough by himself. “It’s just the way things are.”

"If people tolerated you, do you think they'd actively seek out your company?" If Thor had noticed anything, Loki had a few people who spoke to him on the regular. Even if Loki believed those people weren't his friends, Thor was certain of it.

“They don’t. You do. And Stark does, because he enjoys testing his ability to avoid trying to kill me.” Thor’s regard wasn’t in question. He was a distinct oddity in the universe, but there had to be one exception to prove the rule.

Thor knows better at this point than to argue about it. Loki is determined to believe he's unlikable, and no amount of arguing will change that.

"Did you want romantic companionship with her?" he asks instead.

“Her? Oh, Sigyn. I suppose so, that’s how idiot crushes work, I imagine.”

"I never considered that you might actually be romantically interested in someone before," he says. It's weird.

“It’s only happened the once. I’ve been careful.” Even after understanding and accepting, letting go of fantasy had been... difficult. Enough that he’d never wanted to do it again.

"We should see about finding you a partner while we're here," Thor says, giving his brother a pat on the back. His hand stays on his back, even after the patting is done, and he gives it a little rub before he withdraws it.

“Highly unlikely.” Thor was trying, though, so Loki flashed him a quick smile. “I have some possibility of ending my current dry spell, but we’ll see.”

"Oh?" That piques Thor's interest. "With who?"

“Bo. I understand you and she are acquainted.” Well enough at least for her to have asked Thor to kill her in the event she needed to die.

Thor stiffens at Bo's name.

"Are you sure about that?"

“She’s attractive, we’ve agreed no emotions involved. It seems ideal.” Loki didn’t miss his brother’s reaction and had a shrewd guess about where it came from. “Why?”

"She has..." Thor stops there and tries to find a kind way of putting it. "...issues."

Loki laughed. Just like Thor to get strange about these things. He didn’t want to risk being cruel. “You mean her inhibition control or the way she drains life force through sexual contact? I’m aware of both.”

Thor blinks. "And you're okay with that?"

“Why would I not be?” He shrugged. “I’m a deeper well than any human and less likely to be harmed by her appetite, and she can’t control me unless I allow it. I’m a good solution to her current difficulties, and for my part I’ll enjoy helping. Assuming we can come to an agreement.”

Thor has mixed feelings about Loki not being able to be controlled by her.

"Oh-kay. Just take care of yourself. Use protection." Thor claps a hand on Loki's shoulder. "I have condoms should you need them."

“I’m as old as you are, brother. I can handle my own affairs.” There was no real venom there despite an eye roll. Thor was nervous about Bo, it was understandable. Thor liked being in charge or at least in control, and Bo’s nature all but ensured he wouldn’t be.

"I will not have you siring children," he says, directing a finger at him. "At least not here. When you left, we'd have no idea where your child would go."

With him? Would they stay here? Or would they go home with Bo?

“Do you realize how much more likely it is that you have bastards roaming the universe than me? I am a shapeshifter, brother, my entire body does what I tell it to.” Which meant he was as sterile as he wanted to be. Which was, in general, very.

"I am a very careful individual," Thor says. "Very diligent when it comes to sex."

“That hardly negates my point. You’re still a more likely candidate, diligence or no.”

It seems absolutely bizarre, somehow, that they're having this conversation after how everything began this evening, yet here they are, discussing sex.

"So you have not had many partners over our 1500 years?"

Loki made a balancing motion with one hand. Yes, it was more than a little strange that the conversation had ranged here, but... it was bizarrely pleasant to have a conversation where neither of them was trying to get a rise out of the other.

Not pleasant enough to make a constant habit of it - where would be the fun in that? - but pleasant. “I do well enough, on and off. It’s not like I keep a running count.”