[Loki and Val] beach time!

[st_ratagem]

The increasing frequency of sunshine and warmth meant Loki spent slightly more time at the beach than he had before. It was true that he could make (or repair) nets anywhere, and the only one other than himself who was inclined to use them was the girl Moana, but it seemed... appropriate, at times, to work on nets near where they would be used.

Besides, he'd always found the ocean peaceful. Somehow solitude never seemed to turn into loneliness by the sea... or perhaps it did, but the loneliness didn't cut.

Regardless, it was far from unheard of for Loki to disappear from the immediate Inn grounds to go sit on the sandy beach with his projects. Despite the sunny near-summer weather and the increasing heat on the beach, he dressed more or less as he normally did; a long-sleeved buttoned shirt and slacks. His sole concession to the sunny beach was bare feet rather than shoes.

Comments

[st_ratagem]

Loki laughed. "If the sun does somehow kill me, please feel free to make up a more impressive story. I hate the possible future mythology involved with, as you put it, such a pitiful death. They're forming cults, they deserve a better story for their fanatical belief."

[st_allionofdoom]

“You were bested by a lion on a chariot of fire.” Reaching into her large blue companion bag, Valkyrie plucked out a papaya spear and aimed it at Loki’s lips. “You will be reborn in six generations to a fish with golden eyes.”

[st_ratagem]

"Much better!" And, it didn't have to be said, fairly good incentive not to die by sunlight. Loki had very little interest in being reincarnated as a goldfish, after all. "But make it eight generations, that's a better number."

He accepted being fed the fruit without a fight; Valkyrie had odd turns where she seemed to enjoy feeding him despite knowing that he honestly didn't care what he ate. Possibly it was an expression of worry that he wasn't eating enough, possibly it was an effort to annoy him. Possibly it was just entertainment for her. Regardless, it was a more than good enough excuse to keep practically no distance between them, and that was always worthwhile.

[st_allionofdoom]

“It will be a truly proud day when I can match the insanity of the tales you’ve fed humans.” She balanced a banana chip on the bridge of his sharp nose, bearing absolutely no shame about playing with her food in such a way.

“I’ve been asked if I’m related to the creature that carries her own head as she rides.” A type of fairy?

[st_ratagem]

Loki removed the chip immediately and ate it, just to make sure it didn't get placed anywhere else. (Likely part of the point of balancing it.)

"The Dullahan, maybe?" He looked her over, as if speculating instead of appreciating. "While I could see you using a human spine as a whip, I don't think throwing gold at you would necessarily make you go away."

[st_allionofdoom]

“You’re familiar?” The more Loki spoke, the more Valkyrie couldn’t help but feel out of step with the trends, though she grinned at the descriptor. “Beheadings weren’t uncommon on Sakaar. Spine whips are new.” She tapped his lips with another chip and placed it between her own.

[st_ratagem]

"I've heard of them. Midgardian raiders brought back stories, and sometimes I preferred to listen rather than speak." He did take the banana chip from her mouth with his own, but that was purely incidental to kissing her. Likely as intended, and he was more than happy to fall in line with it. "The stories were that whenever they paused, someone died. They would seek out their target, rein in right in front of them, and pull out their soul." It actually did sound like a twisted story of Valkyries, now that he came to tell it to someone.

[st_allionofdoom]

“Huh. Rude.” Valkyrie made a face as she slowly chewed on a chip of her own, the crunch giving way to a creamy finish. “They should at least get the chance to form a pact of some kind first.” Again, like Sakaar, now that she thought of it.

[st_ratagem]

"I believe that's where the gold comes in. Toss gold at a dullahan, and it will dissipate." That seemed like a rational way to conduct the thing: pay it to go away. "Should you ever find yourself with your head in one hand and a spine whip in the other, i have no doubt you'll be able to make any pacts you like."

[st_allionofdoom]

A single haughty huff of laughter and Valkyrie was on her feet and shedding her jacket to the sands. “Swim much?”

[st_ratagem]

"No, not much." He could, obviously, either in his own shape or another. You didn't live on Asgard or spend any time fishing without learning how to swim. And when he'd been very young, it had been a favorite way to stay cool in the heat. But later.... "Blame my youth. My brother and his friends were... let's just say that when one's near-constant companions are three who hate you and the last thoroughly oblivious, one learns to avoid the water unless a boat is involved."

[st_allionofdoom]

“I could haul one out.” She winked, wholly sincere about the offer. The water looked more and more tempting by the second, and a quick excursion sounded right before they returned to their handiwork.

[st_ratagem]

“After you attempt to drown me?” Both words and tone were light, because Loki was fairly sure that she wasn’t going to genuinely try to drown him. If she made any effort, it would be playful. He surprised himself, though, by actually considering it. “I think I have to pass. I’m not dressed for it, and nudity seems not the thing in public.”

[st_allionofdoom]

"I'll fish you out after." She edged towards the direction of the inn, her dark and airy hair bobbing with each playful step.

[st_ratagem]

Loki stood up, stretching slightly on the way, then moved to her and tipped her chin up slightly so their eye met. “How important is this to you?”

[st_allionofdoom]

Giving it a bit of thought, Valkyrie let her chin settle into Loki's hand. Satisfaction bloomed in her chest and little else mattered more than the fact that the glib man had bothered to ask earnestly at all.

"You could join me in the water or watch me from the shore. Distance doesn't matter much." She replied in kind.

[st_ratagem]

He leaned down to kiss her briefly. "Then I'll watch from shore this time, and join you another time." With time to adjust... yes. And no doubt the sun would get worse. This was still late spring. Deeper in summer he'd appreciate the option of being in the water once in a while.

[st_allionofdoom]

She returned the kiss with another one of her own, brushing a hand over his shoulder as she sauntered towards the water. “Perhaps I’ll catch another member for the Fish Order.” She called over her shoulder.

[st_ratagem]

“Perhaps you will!” Loki settled himself right at the shoreline, so the waves lapped up on his feet, just to make it clear the he did intend to watch her. “Should you catch a predator, we’ll have half an hour of horrified entertainment, several days of fish funerals, and a drastically reduced Fish Order.”

[st_allionofdoom]

Tossing one last grin over her shoulder, Valkyrie was soon swallowed by a wave that rose to meet her as she submersed herself into the lively waters. It carried her out and she made its energy hers, rising and and falling and cutting through the tides with all her strength. She dove down far into the dark depths, hands and feet brushing the seaweed and schools of fish and other creatures that dwelled there.

Did Asgardian waters look like this? She couldn't remember. Somehow, though, she knew they didn't smell at all the same.

Before she knew it, she was back at the shore, gravity's weight settling back down on her and her hair clung to her shoulders and back. She peeled the dark curtain back to see Loki. "There was an animal that looked like a dog crossed with an egg. Too big to fit into the tank."

[st_ratagem]

Watching Valkyrie was always pleasure enough that Loki often had to put effort into being discreet (something he was sure he did only for his comfort, as she didn’t seem the type to mind) but at the moment he’d all but promised to watch. It had to be noted that watching her so clearly enjoying herself added to that pleasure, but not as much as having her back, when she slid out of the water nearby and reordered her hair so she could see.

He laughed and raised a hand, calling a ridiculous illusion of a Thor-like golden retriever dog, but egg-shaped, with no neck, and fins for feet into it. “What, like this?”

[st_allionofdoom]

"Oh Norns." A long-forgotten phrase she'd picked up from exposure to the king himself and she was reeling back with a baffled mixture of amusement and horror. "This one was blue. Looked a little bit less like an abomination."

[st_allionofdoom]

Valkyrie kept a bead on it as she went for the hefty bottle of water still nestled in the sand. “Spotted. White underbelly. Little flippers for its front feet.” She never had much of an appreciation, but she would have considered the original beast rather charming.

[st_ratagem]

A very small effort of will turned the horrifying dog-egg-fish sky blue for a second before Loki adjusted that to the more sensible dark blue that an ocean might breed into its predators. After some more consideration, he also merged the back legs with the dog tail to be more like a large thick fin, better for swimming.

It... looked like a different abomination. “You might need to be more descriptive, dearest.”