(no subject)

[st_ratagem]

It had been a while since the brothers had spent time together; it was possible that Loki had been avoiding Thor somewhat since their message conversation about his... involvement with Valkyrie. Further conversation was something he both did and didn’t want to have, which was a good sign of an unintended fight ab It to happen. But things had been quiet enough for long enough that it didn’t seem like something worth worrying about.

So Loki sent a quick message to Thor, inviting him up to see the fish tank and mostly-Valkyrie’s collection of goldfish swimming around inside it.

Comments

[st_ormbreaker]

"It's not ugly," Thor insists, sulking. He turns and looks back at the fish. They probably don't have little brothers that make fun of their fins.

[st_ratagem]

“Give it your few weeks, and even you will see it.” Loki shrugged as if he was giving up. “Well, I’ll remind you of this next time you get insecure and try to get me to rate your attractiveness.”

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor sullenly presses a finger against the cool glass of the aquarium and doesn't say anything.

[st_ratagem]

That felt like progress, wearing the idiot down. “You’ll feel better when it’s fixed, brother. I swear.”

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor strokes his finger against the glass. "You can't know that."

[st_ratagem]

“I know you. You’ll feel better if you look better.”

[st_ormbreaker]

"I look fine, you know."

[st_ratagem]

“And if you look better, you’ll feel better.” Loki suspected the actual process would be more relaxing than Thor thought. “Look, I’ll do it. A trim to even it up, nothing more.”

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor turns and looks over at Loki. There's a long pause before he finally opens his mouth.

"Just a trim," he acquiesces.

[st_ratagem]

Loki nodded and gestured to a chair, then pulled a bowl (the same one he’d bled into while finishing his staff) and a pair of clearly-sharp scissors from over there. “Have a seat, brother.”

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor walks over and sits under the chair, his palms pressed against his knees. Loki was no maniacal old man trying to forcibly trim his hair, but he was both his brother and a trickster, so it was difficult for him not to feel guarded.

[st_ratagem]

Thor’s tension honestly seemed to translate to a compliment (he knew better than to take Loki at his word) so Loki neither commented nor took offense. Instead he moved to stand more or less behind his brother, and an almost casual twist of fingers caused tiny ice crystals to swirl and melt quickly enough to feel like cool water dampening hair. It was the most he could do without staff or blue skin; it was nice to find a use for a previously useless ‘skill’.

Trapping some hair in his fingers, lining it up such that the shortest (still a fair amount longer than Thor’s hair had been months ago) was hidden and in no danger of being cut was easy, then, and snipping the rest to match equally simple. Another minimal gesture sent the hair into the bowl. Trimming Thor’s head would consist of repeating that until everything matched, and Loki intended to be meticulous about it in every sense.

[st_ormbreaker]

This is visibly tense at first, but as Loki carefully runs his fingers through his hair, he makes the conscious decision to trust Loki and his body slackens ever-so-slightly in response.

"Is it done yet?" he asks when Loki is midway through.

[st_ratagem]

"About halfway." Thor was nervous, still, despite the slight physical relaxation. Due to that and also the fact that he'd gotten his way, Loki opted out of ratcheting up his brother's tension any more. He didn't speed up or slow down, either, but maintained the deliberate and careful snip-snip he'd established. "If you think it would help you to talk, feel free."

[st_ormbreaker]

A moment passes before he takes his brother's suggestion to heart.

"Do you cut your own hair?"

[st_ratagem]

“I do. I only enjoy sharp things near my throat in specific situations.” Or from specific people. Loki tousled Thor’s hair to shake out any loose cut hairs before continuing. “Random idiots with scissors and a grudge aren’t as fun as you’d think.”

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor resists the urge to look over at Loki. "So you've had bad haircut experiences as well?"

[st_ratagem]

“No, brother, I’m avoiding being ‘accidentally’ stabbed or throat cut.” Loki shook his head. “I’m avoiding bad haircut experiences.”

[st_ormbreaker]

"It was just a question," Thor grumbles.

[st_ratagem]

“And it was just an answer.” Under other circumstances, Loki might have pinched or tugged out of slight annoyance, but Thor was still tense enough that that kind of thing would push too far. “I don’t think I’ll ever understand why you ask questions when you don’t want answers.”

[st_ormbreaker]

"You always have to be smart about it."

[st_ratagem]

“I answered the question you asked! You’d prefer I made up a lie?” He shook his head. “I could, but I was under the impression you preferred not to be lied to.”

[st_ormbreaker]

"I didn't say that." A beat, and then: "I don't want to fight with you." Even if Loki weren't cutting his hair, he still wouldn't want to fight with him.

[st_ratagem]

“I don’t either, but I also don’t know what to...” Loki sighed, continuing to steadily trim hair. “Never mind. I just prefer handlings things myself, and that includes haircuts. Better?”

[st_ormbreaker]

For the second time that conversation, Thor has to resist the urge to turn his head to look at his brother.

"Would you let me cut your hair?"

It's not so much about the hair (Thor wouldn't feel comfortable cutting Loki's hair -- braiding it, yes, cutting it? no), so much as it is about the question behind it: do you trust me? Thor resolves himself not to get upset at the answer; he's pretty sure he knows what it will be.