testing phase

[st_ratagem]

It had been no surprise that Valkyrie was eager to try the first attempt at Asgardian liquor. There wasn't a huge amount - four reused whiskey bottles, two of which had already gone to Thor - but if he'd done it right, two would be more than enough for the moment. Even if it wasn't, it was still likely to score solid points.

The door was unlocked as he'd said, and he'd hauled the little patio table into the room and set both bottles along with a few shot glasses on it.

Then, to amuse himself, he started counting down from twenty.

Comments

[st_ratagem]

"You may be referring to context I don't have yet." He didn't need it filled in, much. She was a Valkyrie, the only one alive. To bring back bad memories in her wouldn't require any particular skill, just some knowledge of history and an understanding of what her sisters had meant to her.

Still, she didn't appear to be holding a grudge for his future action. Loki slid a hand around the back of her neck to pull her close enough for a quick kiss.

[st_allionofdoom]

'I would say it's in the past, but...' The thought wasn't even worth continuing. The flare of exasperation with the twisted laws of reality was settled with the brief contact, and she sunk down to rest her chin on his shoulder. "Unbelievable."

[st_ratagem]

He stroked her back, not-entirely-mock comforting. “I’d catch up if I could.”

[st_allionofdoom]

"In this case, don't worry about it." She returned the gesture, stroking the crown of his head in a not-entirely-mock-comforting gesture. "You'll have your hands full with the Valkyrie you're due to crash into." 'And her, likewise.'

[st_ratagem]

“Do I not have my hands full with this one?” In the literal sense, if no other, which he demonstrated with a quick pinch just below her ribcage.

[st_allionofdoom]

Valkyrie's leg jerked forward in a kick, taking one leg of the chair clean out, sending them tipping over. She landed on top of Loki unceremoniously, but shrugged as if she hadn't felt a thing (and very likely hadn't.) "You have no idea."

[st_ratagem]

Loki, of course, took the brunt of the fall by landing and providing some cushion for Valkyrie. His only reaction, though, was a half-laughed, “Ow.” No real injury, startlement rather than pain, ending in a position he was rather familiar with. “At this point I think I have some idea.”

[st_allionofdoom]

"You really don't." She insisted lazily, knocking foreheads with him with a breathy laugh of her own. "Start steeling yourself now."

[st_ratagem]

"Delightful. I'll do that." He stole another kiss, slow and lazy. Why not? Her mouth was right there! And whether or not she was entirely serious about having not yet begun to be a handful, fighting with her in any way never got boring.

[st_allionofdoom]

Curling her legs over, the much smaller form of Valkyrie was now nested atop Loki on the ruins of the once-nice piece of furniture, finishing the kiss off with a nibble and a yawn. "Shall I give you a taste of what's to come?"

[st_ratagem]

"Do. It may be only fair to warn me." Not that he didn't ignore warnings, perhaps especially when they were delivered by beautiful women currently using him as a mattress.

[st_allionofdoom]

"Remind me." Valkyrie was murmuring by this point, her muscles relaxed to the point it was clear she had no intention of exercising them in her state.

[st_ratagem]

"We'll see." Valkyrie was well on her way to unconsciousness, it seemed. Well, that was fine, or would be with a few slight alterations in circumstance.

Primarily, the floor wasn't especially comfortable, which was easily fixed. Valkyrie, despite being heavier than she looked due to muscle mass, wasn't any heavier than a solid human, which meant that lifting her was no trouble. Shifting and twisting to put himself upright with her gathered close was more difficult, but it was effort Loki was pleased to make since it took only a few steps to deposit them both in the large bed on the lower level. Much more comfortable than a furniture-shard strewn floor.

[st_allionofdoom]

By the time her body hit the bed, Valkyrie was out. She wasn’t usually lacking for energy, but the drink mixed with the memories of the past and thoughts of the future combined into a cocktail of exhaustion.

Also, there was a soothing, lilting quality to Loki’s voice, though she’d never admit that.

[st_ratagem]

Under some circumstances, Loki might have simply ensured she was comfortable and gone about his business. However, nightmares still ensured that he didn't sleep well in general, and since Frigga's visit one exception had been constant: if Valkyrie was there, his sleep was dreamless. That meant that under this circumstance, he settled into bed alongside her, pulled her close, and drifted off as well.