[Loki and Thor] Take two

[st_ratagem]

Twenty minutes had proved to be more than enough time to raid the café's bar area, taking several (eight? ten? Loki didn't count) bottles of various liquors. The God of Mischief was generally an occasional drinker or social drinker at best, but Thor was another matter. His brother had prodigious tolerance even for an Asgardian.

He wasn't used to a cryptic, secretive Thor, or a Thor with a bizarre tendency to follow him around like a puppy, or a Thor that wept on him for no apparent reason. It was strange, it was worrying, it had to stop. The solution had to be somewhere in what had happened between Loki's 'now' and Thor's, and if Thor needed to be drunk to give him those facts, his brother was more than happy to take that request seriously.

The acquired bottles went into the little nook under the stairs - not to stay there long, almost certainly. After due consideration, Loki also hauled the trash can out of the bathroom and placed it by the large bed on the lower level, for empties. It was the only decent place to sit that wasn't in the upper-level area that was for sleeping or the outdoor balcony.

At that point, all there was to do was wait.

Comments

[st_ratagem]

"Of course, brother. I already know the rules. I don't ruin your hair or intimate relationships." If there were any other absolutes on the list, Loki didn't elaborate. "I never have. Well, almost never." The almost was why there were rules.

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor is quickly finishing up. It's strange how he's had a few months without the hair, but his hands still know naturally how to put everything together.

"So you're going to be nice to Tony, then."

[st_ratagem]

"That's unlikely. I expect we'll ignore each other's existences as thoroughly as possible." Stark had already proven to himself that he could exist in proximity without murder, and Loki hadn't been lying when he said he had nothing against the man. "I meant more that I don't interfere with these things, as a rule."

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor makes a little noise at that. Ignoring is probably the best he can hope for. But then, he finishes Loki's braid and realizes --

"Do you have a hair tie?"

Thor carried them around enough when had longer hair, but now, he had no reason to.

[st_ratagem]

Without a word or opening his eyes, Loki reached up and yanked a loose hair that had escaped the braiding process out of his own head. A quick flash of green later and it was a thin black band, which he offered back to Thor.

Somehow, that was easier than saying 'no'.

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor smiles lightly as he takes the hair tie from Loki, then binds his brother's hair. He assesses his handiwork with a smile. It looks nice.

"There," he pronounces happily.

Thor doesn't shift to move back into his previous place immediately; instead, he drapes himself over his brother's back and pulls him in for a hug.

Despite all the father talk earlier, he really is happy. He never imagined he'd be able to see his brother again, let alone have an entire conversation with him that'd end well enough for him to be able to braid his hair afterwards.

[st_ratagem]

Loki stiffened and almost flung himself away, as he had earlier... but instead, he relaxed again and let Thor hug him. Even leaned back, very slightly, to force back any lingering urge to resist. There was, after all, glass on the floor.

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor yawns, then closes his eyes as he leans back into his brother's solid, warm, living form.

"I think I'm going to go to sleep now," he says.

[st_ratagem]

"I am not your pillow, brother." But his words had no real bite, and Loki didn't move. The alcohol, drunk too quickly to take full effect right away, now ensured that sleep sounded like a much, much better idea than ridding himself of company.

[st_ormbreaker]

Before Loki can get all his words out, Thor's already asleep on his brother's back.

[st_ratagem]

"Sentimental ass." Apparently he was Thor's pillow. Loki privately promised himself he'd draw on Thor's face if he woke up first, then squirmed enough to put them both on their sides before going to sleep himself.