planning stages!

[st_ratagem]

Loki had decided to solve a problem. It wasn't an active problem yet, but with Thor and Valkyrie both in residence, it was entirely possible that at some point alcohol would end up in short supply. Thor alone had managed to drink most of the alcohol in the Inn, and Loki thought that Valkyrie's tolerance was probably somewhat higher. That being the case, it seemed like a good long-term idea to start making booze. Specifically, Asgardian spirits strong enough to ensure that the king and his lieutenant had more efficient options than 'drink two whole bars'.

The only problem was that Loki didn't exactly know how the brewing and distillation process had worked. He'd never paid much attention to distilleries back home. Stills themselves were simple enough, according to a few books he'd collected from the library, but how the versions on Asgard differed... was it a matter of material? Ingredients? Something else?

It was almost certainly an area where Thor knew more than he did, so Loki sent a message inviting his brother to come up and help with a project. He made no particular effort to sound like he wasn't up to something, because it would be fun to see what conclusions Thor jumped to regarding the invitation.

Comments

[st_ratagem]

“Which time are you talking about this time?” If Thor had been speaking generally, he’d have sounded less singular, Loki thought.

[st_ormbreaker]

"On The Statesman," Thor says vaguely. Usually, Thor has no problems saying anything, but he can't bring himself to be more specific than that.

[st_ratagem]

“Ah. Well, I’m not there yet. What I have is inference and assumption.” Loki shrugged. “Based on what I know now, that’s the best path for me, so I’ll take it.”

[st_ormbreaker]

"You saw it, though," he says. "You don't have an opinion?"

[st_ratagem]

“That is my opinion. I took - or will take, I suppose - the best path. The one most likely to result in a general win.” Loki looked seriously at his brother. “Everything has a price, brother. If you want the result, you pay it. My biggest assumption is that the result will ultimately be worth it.”

[st_ormbreaker]

"It's too high of a price," Thor says. "But it's your choice to make." Thor had already accepted that there was nothing he could do to stop Loki, much as he wanted to.

[st_ratagem]

“It’s really not. You just think so because you refuse to use your brain.”

[st_ormbreaker]

"Watching it is different from being there," Thor says. "You refuse to accept any possibility other than the one you've invented for yourself."

[st_ratagem]

“I actually have some evidence for my position. Yours just has your unshakable belief that you’re the center and ruler of the universe.” Loki paused to mock-think. “I think I’ll stick with my evidence and not your refusal to do math.”

[st_ormbreaker]

"You weren't there," Thor repeats stubbornly. He thinks about the Power Stone, his brother grabbing for him after the Hulk launched himself at Thanos, his brother's vague and cryptic words to Thanos as if trying to communicate something to him that he was -- and still is -- unable to understand.

Thor wordlessly looks down at the open book sitting in his lap and closes it, then sets it back down on the ground in front of them.

[st_ratagem]

“I was and I will be.” It was an odd position to be in, being the optimistic one of the two of them. Also odd that optimism included gratitude for a quick death, somehow, but apparently that was just how disjointed timeframes worked. “So find a different excuse to cling to your narcissistic fatalism, brother.”

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor looks over at his brother and has to bite back the considerable urge to respond. Instead, he stands, readied to leave.

"Let me know when you need me."

[st_ratagem]

“Of course.” Loki waved with her s fingertips, more than ready to get back into his planning. “Or show up whenever you feel like, the two end up much the same.”

[st_ormbreaker]

"I will." Thor rests his hand on Loki's head, giving his hair an affectionate tousle as he heads for the door.

Whenever you feel like, he thinks. He's not sure that the Loki he knew when he returned to Asgard would extend such an invitation to him.

But now, this one has.