Tension release valve

[st_ratagem]

The branch, oddly lumpy as a branch, with its bark stripped off and some shaping was definitely interesting. At some point in the tree’s life, honeysuckle had grown on it and choked the branches, and even though the flowers had clearly not been part of the tree for a long time, the twisting looked very much like a snake wrapped around the top.

Loki hadn’t budged from his room in days, wrapped up as he was in crafting something that wasn’t gong to be particularly useful as a walking stick or a weapon. At some point he’d propped his door open just so he didn’t have to split focus between what he wanted to do and dealing with knocking. Mostly the only people who came by were people he didn’t mind, anyway.

Comments

[st_allionofdoom]

“Perhaps.” That drew another little smile, indulging him with a controlled chop to his shoulder aimed right at a ball of tension she’d found. “But I chose you.”

[st_ratagem]

The sharp blow helped, both on the ball of tension and Loki’s overall relaxation level; he kept his reaction almost subtle, closed eyes and a little exhale, not that Valkyrie would miss it. She knew his reactions and her hands meant she’d be able to feel it anyway. “You like starting with the tough crowds, then.”

[st_allionofdoom]

“Nowhere to go but up.” Valkyrie leaned Loki forward, giving the rest of his upper back the same treatment, and none too shyly. The harsher touches often felt the best. “If you fancy me sticking you that much, I could move onto needles. I hear it works wonders.”

[st_ratagem]

“Piercing isn’t as good as slicing.” And it almost certainly wouldn’t be as good as what Valkyrie was currently doing to his back. Whether that same series of sharp blows would work for anyone else, who knew? “But do what you want. I imagine I’d fight back at some point.”

[st_allionofdoom]

Valkyrie planted her palms against his back, leaning in ever so slowly. “A blade drawn along your skin.” She squeezed. It was a little too firm, drawing his muscle away from his spine. “Would that truly be relaxing...?”

[st_ratagem]

“Yes.” Loki wasn’t entirely sure whether that was intended to the pull on his back muscle or as an answer to the question, and didn’t examine it too closely even if he rallied a little bit to hold up his end of the conversation. “Under certain circumstances, anyway. It’s more on the surface than a puncture, you feel it more.” Which was the method of her needle therapy, probably: stab them deeper than nerves.

[st_allionofdoom]

That little affirmation—it was intriguing. There were many ways she’d found to make the prince submit, and all of them thus far involved violence. Apparently rubbing the right way did the trick...she’d heard he was a cat at some point, after all.

“Who am I to disappoint?” She murmured, one hand trailing back around to his neck and holding a blade against his Adam’s Apple. Her other hand kept up its rough ministrations.

[st_ratagem]

Loki tilted his head back slightly, a little uncomfortable since she still had him leaned forward, but worth it to appreciate the blade. It was just there, not cutting - yet - but it did indeed seem to be relaxing. “I wouldn’t recommend trying the blade on anyone else, but I’m no longer inclined to use the word weird.”

[st_allionofdoom]

“You’re a special one.” With a bit of pressure from the metal on skin, she brought Loki back into a proper and upright sit.

The parts of her that took her burgeoning craft seriously, the part of her that enjoyed her rapport with the trickster, and the part of her that delighted in doling out some punishment were all being satisfied at once.

A squeeze here, a thin slice there, and he reacted so very appreciatively.

[st_ratagem]

"So I've been told." It wasn't generally complimentary and might not have been here, but Loki couldn't make himself care one way or another. There was a decided limit to how insulting anyone could be when they so clearly knew what they were doing. Her hand pushing and squeezing was good, but he felt they'd established that he was not the best baseline for judging general massage skill. The thin slices of knife were more impressive - enough for hot lines of pain, even a few drops of blood, but no real damage. Nothing that he wouldn't heal in minutes or less, but carefully judged to ensure that he wasn't stringing thoughts together without serious effort.

[st_allionofdoom]

"I've done stranger things." Valkyrie assured, drawing the blade up to his ear. Being caught in a position like this wasn't the norm for any Valkyrie, though you simply didn't forget a few lifetimes of scrapper work. She was never one to participate in the Grandmaster's parties so much as entertain on her own. Much like she was doing now.

"How is it...?"

[st_ratagem]

“If anyone asks, I will wholeheartedly recommend you. Being touched isn’t normally relaxing for me, outside of specific situations.” Valkyrie, no doubt, had quite a good idea of what said situations were, even if he had yet to mind being touched by her. “What made you think of it? In general, that is.”

[st_allionofdoom]

Valkyrie gave a light shrug, nicking the curve of Loki's sharp jaw. Her other hand slid down the space between his back and the chair, rolling her palm over one edge of his spine with some force.

"Watching you, I suppose. Keeping one's hands busy is a gift."

[st_ratagem]

Loki groaned, a thoroughly appreciative sound he might ordinarily have suppressed. “I’m flattered.”

[st_allionofdoom]

"Right there?" Valkyrie asked softly, the way one might expect of a genuine masseuse, the sharp edge only serving to emphasize his cheekbone even further in the way it dug in.

"Or there?" Meanwhile, her descending hand worked another knot open sitting lower on his back. "Much lower and I'll need to reposition face-down you on the bed."

[st_ratagem]

The blade was truly delightful, but, “Mostly the spine.” The knots coming loose was felt similar to that odd crack after turning one’s head too fast while stiff: a pop of radiating pain that turned into warmth almost immediately. A solution to a problem he hadn’t even known was there. “As to the rest, I don’t think I’ve ever turned down someone trying to get me into bed. Even for entirely innocent purposes.”

[st_allionofdoom]

“Yes. Entirely innocent.” Valkyrie drew her hands back and patted his head to prompt him to rise. “Come on. I don’t care to leave a job unfinished.”

[st_ratagem]

Loki chuckled, mostly to give himself a moment to reorder if not exactly re-armor before standing up and moving to the bed as not-exactly directed. “That would bother you, would it?”

[st_allionofdoom]

“It would.” Valkyrie pushed her palm to his chest with not quite enough force to tip him back, but enough to make her intent to do so known. She tilted her head up and gave him a professional (mostly) sort of smile. “Will you allow me?”

[st_ratagem]

"I can't think of a good reason to annoy you at the moment." Annoying people was generally fun, but at the moment Loki thought that letting Valkyrie complete her self-appointed task to her satisfaction would be more fun. Or pleasurable, if not exactly fun. He let himself be pushed back even though the force hadn't been there. "Face-down, you said?"

[st_allionofdoom]

"I can't reach your back otherwise. Unless we hug the entire time." Valkyrie cracked her knuckles. 'If he didn't like a normal massage, I doubt hugging will be much better.'

[st_ratagem]

"That seems like it would be amazingly awkward for you." For him as well, honestly. It was rare that he didn't start feeling the need to escape most hugs either before they began or shortly afterward. It was probably more mistrust than dislike, all things considered, but the effect was the same: tension.

Loki shifted and put himself face-down. There was no real need to undo all of her work up to the moment by fighting both Valkyrie and his habits.

[st_allionofdoom]

"Quite." Valkyrie approached the side of the bed, her gaze running up and down the length of Loki's prone form. Her fingers followed, palms warming a tightness sitting heavily in his lower back. Digging in with her thumbs, she opened the knot up in short, circular movements towards his chest. Every movement of her fingers was done with authority.

"I used to do this sort of thing--" She shoved her body weight down onto his trapezius, relishing in the way it pushed back, "with my Valkyrior sisters. Even the most skilled rider of us got stiff on the saddle. Usually it involved oil sans clothing…"

[st_ratagem]

Loki laughed. “Which of us is the shy one, in your mind? If you’d rather not work through clothing that’s easily arranged.”

[st_allionofdoom]

"Would you have rather I started this favor off with the command to strip?" Valkyrie brought her hands up for him to shed the cloth covering his upper half. "I considered it."