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]

“Groups can be fun,” he murmured, “but I find I appreciate being able to focus. And you’re worth appreciating.”

[st_allionofdoom]

Shrugging lightly, Valkyrie let Loki's head rest on her shoulder. The strength of the drink lingered, though she had reached a point of contended stillness with its effects. "The focus is both noted and appreciated." She admitted readily.

[st_ratagem]

“And you’ll let me know when it’s not.” Loki didn’t pull back or look up, so the not-question was addressed to her throat. Valkyrie was very nearly unique in allowing him this sort of... affectionate latitude, and he didn’t want to waste it. “Preferably before you’re inclined to cut my throat.”

[st_allionofdoom]

“You’ve not given me a reason.” Once again carding her fingers through his hair, Valkyrie was gentler about it. “Should this trend continue, your throat will remain intact.”

[st_ratagem]

“I’ll bear that in mind.” He pressed a quick kiss to her throat. It was there, and he did love hands in his hair. “I do prefer an intact throat, so I’ll have to at least try to avoid giving you reasons.”

[st_allionofdoom]

"At the very least, your hair will be spared any trauma." Though she never said it in words, she'd grown quite fond of Loki's tresses. The soft waviness of them ran totally counter to his affect. Valkyrie give a little tug near the base of his scalp, twirling a chunk around her finger.

[st_ratagem]

“Oh, yes, blood washes out of hair fairly easily.” It was mostly a joke, punctuated with a nip to her collarbone. “And if I want to change it, I just change it.” Another side-benefit of shapeshifting: it wouldn’t matter if a creepy old man cut it off, Loki could just restore it.

[st_allionofdoom]

"Mmm." Valkyrie articulately hummed, releasing her grip to trace an idle long across his throat with her forefinger, returning the leisurely physicality. "Yes, I recall...Halloween. Keep it long."

[st_ratagem]

“Not a fan of short and ginger, are you? Don’t worry. I prefer as-is myself.” He was used to long hair, and of course longer hair could be tugged and played with more easily. “And my brother might weep if both of us had short hair.”

[st_allionofdoom]

“Then he truly would have no one to rely on but me and his other lady friends for...hair playtime.” Better words to describe her King’s fixation, surely, but she’s experienced his admiration/need for hair handling on several occasions now. Compliments turning to suggestions turning to outright asks.

[st_ratagem]

"I'm a difficult mark for him. Sometimes he likes a challenge and an excuse to pout." Loki shifted slightly, resettling more comfortably and also sliding his arm more firmly around her waist. "And he gets to do it twice. Once to let him braid it and again when I immediately undo his work."

[st_allionofdoom]

"I'll believe it." More and more, Valkyrie saw glimpses of that relationship the two brothers shared that kept them as cohesive as they were, for all the headbutting.

If that would keep once their prison spat them back out...time would tell.

"Letting the King play with my hair would make me feel like some sort of consort in the making, but it's the least I can do with the whole selling him business."

[st_ratagem]

“If he fetched a good price, I doubt he holds a grudge.” A low price, somehow, would just drive Thor to prove himself worth more than a paltry sum. “But you’re not interested in consort status, I take it?”

[st_allionofdoom]

“Marrying into royalty for its own sake would do nothing for me.” Valkyrie shook her head, her arm settling around Loki’s shoulders. “I’m already positioned to fulfill my reclaimed duties.”

[st_ratagem]

"And Thor has nothing to recommend him other than being king?" That was an amusing, but somehow unbelievable, thought.

[st_allionofdoom]

Somewhat oblivious to the prying tone, Valkyrie simply chuckled. “His qualities as a man don’t interest me in that regard.”

[st_ratagem]

"No?" Really? It was an unbelievable statement on the face of it, but Valkyrie had no real reason to lie, and seemed to have no conception that it could be taken as flattery that Thor didn't interest her as a man, but Loki clearly did. At least to some extent. "Then I agree, there's no real reason to let him at your hair."

[st_allionofdoom]

“Besides a tiny guilty conscience.” Valkyrie sheepishly admitted, leaning towards the table to pour herself another shot.

[st_ratagem]

"Besides that." A quick curl of fingers and twist of magic shifted the bottle closer to Valkyrie's questing hand, mostly to make certain that she didn't overbalance and somehow fall off his lap. Holding her was warm and comfortable, a pleasure not to be cut short by accident. "Don't let him know, though. He'll hold it over you forever even if he doesn't hold a grudge."

[st_allionofdoom]

“Noted.” Valkyrie tousled his hair appreciatively and made the liquor splash into the glass, pressing her hips down in a slow rotation to find that magic nook.

[st_ratagem]

"Unfair." It wasn't a complaint, far from it! Loki appreciated unfairness at times even when it wasn't a beautiful woman squirming in his lap. Valkyrie, even tipsy, was deliberate enough that teasing him was probably an aim even if she actually was just trying to find the most comfortable place to sit. "And after I gave you advice, too."

[st_allionofdoom]

“Shall I move?” Valkyrie asked in a voice smooth as butter, licking her bottom lip free of any traces of spirit.

[st_ratagem]

"That depends entirely on how you'd intend to move." Loki stroked her back, lightly scraping her spine with fingernails, not at all accidentally. "Far be it for me to order you one way or another."

[st_allionofdoom]

Repeating her rough grind, Valkyrie maintained the appearance of it being entirely offhand. “I’m very particular.”

[st_ratagem]

As usual 'who breaks first' was the game. It was a good game, not least because it worked out well no matter which of them actually won. Loki rested his chin on her shoulder, schooling his expression to polite helpfulness, while he shifted one hand blue and ran now-icy fingertips along the base of her spine. "Particular indeed. What options are you considering?"