A serious conversation

[st_ratagem]

Nerves were pointless. Realistically there was only one way this conversation was ultimately going to go, it was just a matter of getting there. Which would be awkward and embarrassing at least, but it had to be done.

Rather than go through the knock-on-door-then-enter thing, which would have been minor sandpaper on nerves that wanted to be frayed, Loki opened the door to the room as an invitation to enter. (Thor was the only one he was expecting, anyway.) After that, he took a seat at the little table on the balcony, since the only other choice was pacing like a ninny.

The room was much less tidy and impersonal since Valkyrie had moved in. She hadn’t been exaggerating when she’d said she wasn’t organized, so her things were scattered around, and Loki had relaxed his own tight rein on his things, so a few piles of books and other things had joined the clutter. It looked lived-in, now.

Comments

[st_ormbreaker]

"Humans are more fragile," Thor points out, "and they don't live nearly as long as we do."

Thor, on the other hand, was made of considerably more durable stuff.

[st_ratagem]

“Still, it’s hardly ever personal.” Once in a while, yes, but in general when something was personal, Loki aimed at suffering, not death.

It seemed like a topic that could start a fight, so Loki shifted to one likely to be more entertaining. “... it just now occurs to me to be glad I had a pair of knives from Mother.”

[st_ormbreaker]

Loki's attempt to shift the conversation works.

"Why's that?"

[st_ratagem]

“You have one for your wedding, I have one for mine.” He’d be left with no blade from Frigga... but a blade in Brunnhilde’s possession was hardly gone at all.

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor's grin resurfaces at Loki's explanation.

"I wish I had something I could give you to give to your betrothed," he says, but he arrived with scarcely more than the armor he was wearing.

[st_ratagem]

“It’s no matter.” A nice sentiment, though. At the risk of assuming an answer I don’t have yet, we’ll also need to find or make rings. I assume you’ve not handled that for yourself yet.”

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor lifts his hand, revealing the nanotech ring that Tony conjured for the both of them.

"Tony took care of that."

[st_ratagem]

“Damn.” Loki looked over the ring, then half-shrugged. “Ah well. I’m sure I’ll manage, then.”

[st_ormbreaker]

"Don't worry, I'll still help you figure something out," Thor says, giving his brother a pat on the side of the arm. "Just let me know what you need me to do."

[st_ratagem]

“I need gold or a way to get at a jeweler.” Ideally the latter, but if the former was called for.... “If I need to make the thing myself, I may need you to take my lady out hunting for a day or three.”

[st_ormbreaker]

My lady. Thor grins so hard that his face might actually break.

"I think that can be arranged," he says. Thor was nothing if good at attracting attention.

[st_ratagem]

“Without telling her the reason why?” Loki arched an eyebrow and decided to ignore the dopey smile. Eventually Thor’s face would stick that way, and who would really notice? “I remember you’re a shit liar even after I tried to teach you.”

[st_ormbreaker]

"Would anyone question my want of fresh meat?" Thor counters. He did like fresh game.

[st_ratagem]

"No, but your ability to keep secrets is often roughly on par with your ability to lie." Thor himself had to admit as much, didn't he? "I seem to recall you insisting on putting up signs labeled 'secret base SSSHHHH' when we were children."

[st_ormbreaker]

"It's different now," Thor huffs. "I'm much better at these things."

[st_ratagem]

“You think so?” Loki kept his tone one of moderate skepticism, just for fun, since winding Thor up was almost never not fun. “Do you think any of the costume junk in the boutique is ever actual gold?” If it was, well... that seemed like it might be decisive. The ring should more properly be part of the wedding, but it seemed a good idea to have physical proof that this wasn’t a whim... and really, the wedding was only the price one paid to be married, wasn’t it?

[st_ormbreaker]

"Maybe," Thor says. "I'll keep checking for it. I've seen some pretty strange stuff show up in the shop before." Like a wiffle ball and bat.

[st_ratagem]

“I can manage, I think.” Loki considered. Even a small and adulterated amount of gold could work, if he was willing to use more magic in the crafting than he generally liked. And since he’d have to in any case, not being a goldsmith. “Yes. I think do invite Valkyrie hunting for a day or two. Three, if you can stretch it, but I’ll want at least a full twenty-four hours.”

[st_ormbreaker]

"Consider it done," Thor says, giving his brother a thumbs up. "It's been awhile since I've gone camping. Might be good for me to get out of the inn for a change."

The inn was a pretty small place.

[st_ratagem]

“Thank you, brother.” Fro those three words, Loki let his tone be warm and genuine, then returned to a more usual glib cheerfulness. “And do your best to keep the reason for it to yourself, yes? No guessing games. Or signs.”

[st_ormbreaker]

"Brother's honor," Thor says, raising two fingers in solemn promise. "She won't know a thing."

[st_ratagem]

Loki thought she probably would - Brunnhilde was an observant and intelligent woman. Thor wouldn’t let the actual facts escape him, though, so she might be edgy or suspicious but return home no more than anxious or annoyed.

Which was fine. Anxiety could be soothed, annoyance likewise.

After a moment, though, he pulled a bottle from over there and passed it to Thor. “Share that, if you get desperate. I think it’s fairly good, I’m getting much better at magical aging.” No sense not offering backup when it was available.

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor accepts the bottle and looks down at it.

"Just this?" he asks, incredulous.

[st_ratagem]

Loki laughed. “How many do ya think you need?”

[st_ormbreaker]

"More than one, definitely."