“ Are you psychologically impaired? I'm not omniscient. ”
PRAYERS & SUMMONINGS
Despite complaints to the contrary, Loki can in fact canonly hear prayers and be summoned like any other Asgardian god. This requires very little more than actually praying to him and no real accoutrements are needed (see: Tony Stark kicking his feet for Odin's attention) but it may be considered wise to have an offering waiting for the Hipster Viking upon arrival, as summonings are quite rude. He isn't fond of being called up this way! WARNING: text his Starkphone if you would like to receive a less than grumpy godling.
COMMENT HEADER: Please put the time/date/location in these. Have fun describing where Loki will be arriving!
[ he waits a full day for the dust to settle... though not entirely by choice. when all the wounded are healed and the revivable bodies are recovered, josh calls it a goddamn night.
and sleeps two days straight.
balthier's accusations heavily in his mind, though. he stalls on actually texting david - it'd be smart to wait until his head is completely cool and he's not likely to say anything shitty about his bf. he's been disconnected from... whatever the hell is going on in the new x-men/new mutants venn diagram and a little research is needed before he starts firing off any advice.
so when he finally rolls out of bed and makes his way to the construction space that's soon to be his new medical practice. still heavily under construction but with the promise of being some modern and trendy, the metahuman clinic is starting to look promising. the only space that's finished is his office and so he slurps his coffee and draws a circle on the office floor with the whitener, preparing a second cup of something froofy and sweet. there's a crisp hundred dollar bill in the center, along with a sufficiently fancy handbag and whatever expensive cologne the guild gave him for exemplary service. ]
Uh... [ god wait how did Loki say this works. ] Great God of Lies, I'm in need of all the hot goss! Help?
[ Loki is quite suddenly sitting on the desk, legs hanging off it as he leans back on his hands. He's fresh out the shower, damp hair dripping on his shoulders where he shakes it out and wet spots on his tshirt.
The scent of apples and ozone fills the office as he looks down at the circle and smiles. ]
I appreciate the gifts but this place looks like you need that cash.
If you say so. I'll look in when it's all spruced-up, I'd like to see the difference.
[ The sight and scent of the coffee perks him up, accepting it with a nod of thanks. The gifts in the circle vanish in a shimmer of green magic but the bill remains.
Time was, people would call up and ask for help with trolls eating the heads of their family. This is far more preferable.
From what I gleaned when talking to Tommy, David has been keeping secrets by omission. Tommy knew nothing of Balthier's name or appearance and he still seems to hold a torch for David. To paraphrase as he put it, they weren't dating but they were something. David didn't mention he and I had a moment of intimacy as a result of an enchantment or that he also courted me and took me on a date ...
David has kept Tommy in the dark as to every person he has pursued. Tommy is pissed.
[ Sip! ]
Oh! David texted me last night to ask me why I was ruining his life by bringing up things to Tommy. I pointed out none of them were secrets, as far as I knew, and his mess was his own.
[ Loki spreads his hands, coffee bobbing. ]
I think that suffices for your summons' answer. Has it helped?
[ there's a beat. Josh slowly lowers the coffee cup from his lips and stares at Loki, trying to figure out if he's fucking with him or not.
And then he sighs, tilting his head back. ]
I cannot believe David has picked up all my bad habits. [ he closes his eyes and scratches his head, trilling lips as he absorbs this mess. ]
He used to be mister honesty and full disclosure and all actions have consequences. He can be a manipulative dick but this is usually the area he's all about transparency.
[ Loki, on a roll where honesty is concerned right now, takes his phone out and opens the text conversation to prove his side of it, letting Josh read. ]
The rest is on Twitter, if you follow Tommy's account.
[ other than insta which is entirely thirst traps.
his brow furrows as he reads, sucking his teeth. ]
... So okay. Wait. David didn't tell his ex that they're broken up and he's moved on. And didn't tell his new boyfriend that he has an ex that showed up? And didn't tell either of them that he screwed around with you? And now everybody's pissed at him.
Something like that, yes. I like to mess with people when it's harmless but I wouldn't intentionally throw David under the bus, I'm sorry he thinks that I would.
[ Loki rubs at the circle on the floor with his sneaker. ]
[ Tim’s resigned himself to feeling foolish. After a several marathon rounds of texting, he’s already feeling confused and exposed, but he can’t correct that. He’s just going to have to live with David, and subsequently Bart , Kon, and eventually the entire Batchat, knowing that he has a crush on a Norse god.
His hand twitches as it drops another rock into the circle that he’s making. He’s absolutely getting another lecture from Bruce over this.
It’s fine. He’ll just say Selina Kyle and mic drop. It won’t be any worse to try to act on the feelings than it is to have them in the first place. If Loki’s already dismissed his interest, then no one will find out that Tim set up a picnic in a summoning circle in the woods of Michigan. Maybe Loki would take mercy on him and not set off the gossip chain that would complete the humiliation.
Maybe he does think about things too much, to the point of undermining himself. Tim’s trying to not do that here. By thinking, yes, and planning this out as best he could, but it’s still an imperfect snap plan made when he isn’t even sure of what he was being offered. Affection, yes, but Loki’s grandiose vocabulary isn’t exactly precise.
It sounds good, though, and would’ve sounded better aloud. Tim might not have botched asking for time to think, if they’d been having the discussion in person. He has a hard time thinking straight with Loki. Or thinking bi. Thinking in general gets a bit muddy when faced with a sexy someone who makes everything sound flirtatious.
And it’s been so long since Tim got to flirt. Six months, when he doesn’t like being single. As hard as it is to balance dating with the rest of his life, he misses the thrill that comes with it. It’s the same thrill he’s gotten from Loki since he waltzed with him at the gala.
That’s why he’s following through with this ridiculous, overblown idea. Even if it’s a bad idea - and he’s not convinced it isn’t - he… likes how it feels when Loki’s sweet to him. Likes that shock of hands touching. It’s why he picked up dinner from a bistro, espresso and pastry from a coffee shop, and shoved it all in a thrifted basket with a pair of blankets. He wants that nervous dopamine and adrenaline cocktail.
Tim kneels in the center of the circle, with the bouquet balanced on his jeans. There’s a flash of panic that it’s too much, that guys don’t like flowers, he didn’t take Bernard flowers on their date - but he squashes it. He’d wracked his brain for another gift, but had come up empty. Made meek with a renewed sense of foolishness, Tim does his best to get Loki’s attention. ]
Loki. God of Mischief and Stories. I wanted to apologize for upsetting you. I believe you said you prefer gifts, gestures, and flattery to just “showing up”, but I need you to show up for those. Some things can’t be sent by text.
[ Loki groans as he opens his eyes, waking from a nap with the construct. He rubs his head as Tim's prayer bounces around between his ears and grumbles, not meeting Billy's knowing, patient gaze. ]
He's calling to you.
I'm not going.
You should. He isn't just texting, it might be important. And you need some air, Loki.
Ugh. [ In no mood to suffer more emotional battering rams, he swings his legs off the couch and pulls on his seven-league boots, tugging his jeans down on top. Billy sits up and combs his fingers through Loki's hair to try and smooth it down, make it look less like Loki arose from a nap, and it half-works. When Loki takes his hand, he stares at it for a moment and decides, ] You'll have to send me to him.
[ The construct looks surprised, charmingly so as it wears Billy's face. ]
You don't want your magic back now?
No, I want you here when I get home.
How will you get home?
I don't know, the bus. A train. I want you here, to come back to.
... Alright.
[ So it is with a flash of blue light, not green, that Loki appears at the inner edge of the summoning circle; he squints against the sunshine and shields his eyes, other hand buried in a pocket of his green hoodie, minus a helm or any other fancy clothes. He doesn't look like a god answering a prayer as much as a college student wandering into a communal kitchen.
The picnic confuses him, then the sight of Tim on his knees holding flowers utterly baffles him. Birds tweet in the trees of the park all around, filling his astonished silence before he finds his voice. ]
[ Tim blinks rapidly at the sudden flash and appearance. Teleporters. Even when he knows they’re coming, it’s hard to not startle.
Loki looks - really good in a hoodie. Tim wonders if he knew that this was an outdoor prayer, or if he just happened to be in appropriate attire. But he’s too quiet, and Tim can only wait it out, feeling increasingly judged.
And then - yeah, that’s not a good take. Tim doesn’t get up and hesitates before repeating himself. ]
Like I said, I… wanted to apologize. I thought this would be better than a text or DM. I was thinking about how you were trying to give me dating lessons - grand gestures, gifts, flattery.
[ Tim picks up the flowers, unsure if he should offer them or throw them in the basket, but it busies his hands and gives him something else to look at.
He had already swallowed his pride. This is fine. Loki will port off, and Tim won’t have to be confused by him anymore. ]
I think I misread the situation. I’m sorry, again. Next time, I’ll just text the apology.
[ Loki listens, staring, and then frowns as he tries to make sense of what he's seeing and what Tim is saying because it seems at odds with itself. He can't just teleport away in a flourish anymore though, so he stands his ground and ploughs the proverbial muck muddying his mood. ]
You're apologising with flowers for ... turning me down? [ But there's a picnic in that basket. ] I don't understand.
[ He stands and dusts the leaves and grass off with one hand, the other presses the flowers at Loki’s chest. ]
You might as well keep these.
[ What’s Tim going to do with them, after all? He moves the basket aside, intending on picking up the blanket to fold it. ]
I didn’t reject you. Needing time to think isn’t rejection. It’s not a decision at all, and it’s not a game. If it was, you threw an entire labyrinth at me, and I’m a level 2 human fighter. I thought we already established that I’m bad at dating.
[ Why do the flowers feel so reluctant a gesture? He takes them, eyes on Tim (who talks a lot, David was right). Loki sloughs off the need to comment on all of it, getting to the core. ]
Why did you need to think about whether you liked me or not?
I didn’t need time to decide that I liked you. You’re charming when you want to be, hot, tall, you drive me crazy - I like you. That’s not what I needed to think about.
I had to give myself permission to break up with someone in absentia without a text. I had to think about if I wanted to go out with someone who could get flung out of this particular universe during a Confluence. I wanted to consider if I could keep up with you - which I see now that I can’t, because between sorting out my head and the picnic, I took too long.
[ Oh. It never occurred to Loki, self-obsessed as he can be, that Tim would have anything of worth or honour to consider instead of straight-up saying Yes, take me! in a flurry of excitement. He doesn't feel guilty, exactly, but a drip of patience softens the dry ache in his gut, and he does feel a lot older than Tim. Wiser, maybe.
He crouches down to open the basket, idly sorting through the contents as an excuse not to look at Tim. ]
You didn't take too long, you just made me feel foolish. Like I had ... Like I had misread the signs.
[ He freezes at that. Closes his eyes and tries to breathe normally. Tim’s gone from trying to keep his hopes down to trying to stamp out any remaining embers, but Loki just reignited the pyre. ]
You didn’t misread anything. I think you read me better than I did.
[ Why is it so much harder when there’s hope? It was easy to say “I like you” when it was a tool to prove he was right. Without the argument, Tim has to gear himself up for this. ]
If I didn’t take too long, do you - want to have dinner with me?
[ Loki can hear the hope in that stuttering question. He can't dredge up the same excitement that he felt when he was admitting his crush and it's all been exhausting since then, the loss of his magic taking a toll on his body in a very real way.
But, effort went into this summoning-come-date-come-ambush, and Tim really did gather a picnic at the very least. He doesn't know how vulnerable Loki feels. ]
If that's what you want, this time.
[ Instead of tacking "friend" in front of "date" like Loki did at the cinema because Tim felt too inexperienced and needed reassuring Loki wasn't into him, this can be a real one: he wanted one. Now his pride and mind and body all ache as one, and Loki isn't sure he has the energy to argue.
He is curious as to wherever Tim is going with this, above all else, so he nods and stays. ]
[ The blanket gets smoothed back out on the grass, and Tim gets the coffee cups out of the basket. He sets one down next to Loki before sipping his own. ]
It’s not an obligation. I get that I screwed up when I didn’t immediately respond, but I want you to want to call it a date. If you’re not in the mood for a date, you can still have dinner with me. Or take the dinner and enjoy squab and roast squash salad in peace while you judge me for how pretentious the menu is.
[ It's a mumbled observation now that he isn't trying to flirt, sinking down on a bent knee to pick at the food. After a sip of coffee he sits down properly, legs folded. ]
I'm tired; I lost my magic. I don't know that I'm date-material right now.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
PRAYERS & SUMMONINGS
06/12/2022
and sleeps two days straight.
balthier's accusations heavily in his mind, though. he stalls on actually texting david - it'd be smart to wait until his head is completely cool and he's not likely to say anything shitty about his bf. he's been disconnected from... whatever the hell is going on in the new x-men/new mutants venn diagram and a little research is needed before he starts firing off any advice.
so when he finally rolls out of bed and makes his way to the construction space that's soon to be his new medical practice. still heavily under construction but with the promise of being some modern and trendy, the metahuman clinic is starting to look promising. the only space that's finished is his office and so he slurps his coffee and draws a circle on the office floor with the whitener, preparing a second cup of something froofy and sweet. there's a crisp hundred dollar bill in the center, along with a sufficiently fancy handbag and whatever expensive cologne the guild gave him for exemplary service. ]
Uh... [ god wait how did Loki say this works. ] Great God of Lies, I'm in need of all the hot goss! Help?
no subject
[ Loki is quite suddenly sitting on the desk, legs hanging off it as he leans back on his hands. He's fresh out the shower, damp hair dripping on his shoulders where he shakes it out and wet spots on his tshirt.
The scent of apples and ozone fills the office as he looks down at the circle and smiles. ]
I appreciate the gifts but this place looks like you need that cash.
no subject
[ he offers the cappuccino out. ]
The contractors are taking a break to help rebuild some of the costal towns that got hit. But like give a week and this'll be the shit.
no subject
[ The sight and scent of the coffee perks him up, accepting it with a nod of thanks. The gifts in the circle vanish in a shimmer of green magic but the bill remains.
Siiiip. ]
So! Which hot goss do you want to know about?
no subject
[ sluuuuuuurp. ]
So I need to know before I talk to him because he'll just blow me off.
no subject
From what I gleaned when talking to Tommy, David has been keeping secrets by omission. Tommy knew nothing of Balthier's name or appearance and he still seems to hold a torch for David. To paraphrase as he put it, they weren't dating but they were something. David didn't mention he and I had a moment of intimacy as a result of an enchantment or that he also courted me and took me on a date ...
David has kept Tommy in the dark as to every person he has pursued. Tommy is pissed.
[ Sip! ]
Oh! David texted me last night to ask me why I was ruining his life by bringing up things to Tommy. I pointed out none of them were secrets, as far as I knew, and his mess was his own.
[ Loki spreads his hands, coffee bobbing. ]
I think that suffices for your summons' answer. Has it helped?
no subject
And then he sighs, tilting his head back. ]
I cannot believe David has picked up all my bad habits. [ he closes his eyes and scratches his head, trilling lips as he absorbs this mess. ]
He used to be mister honesty and full disclosure and all actions have consequences. He can be a manipulative dick but this is usually the area he's all about transparency.
This... isn't like him.
no subject
[ Loki, on a roll where honesty is concerned right now, takes his phone out and opens the text conversation to prove his side of it, letting Josh read. ]
The rest is on Twitter, if you follow Tommy's account.
no subject
[ other than insta which is entirely thirst traps.
his brow furrows as he reads, sucking his teeth. ]
... So okay. Wait. David didn't tell his ex that they're broken up and he's moved on. And didn't tell his new boyfriend that he has an ex that showed up? And didn't tell either of them that he screwed around with you? And now everybody's pissed at him.
[ ... ]
Yikes>
no subject
[ Loki rubs at the circle on the floor with his sneaker. ]
Tommy certainly sounds hung up on him.
no subject
[ a heavy sigh. ]
I have seen him do that before.
no subject
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[ its what makes him so good at being in charge. ]
And I know romance drama can be a whole... thing.
no subject
His hand twitches as it drops another rock into the circle that he’s making. He’s absolutely getting another lecture from Bruce over this.
It’s fine. He’ll just say Selina Kyle and mic drop. It won’t be any worse to try to act on the feelings than it is to have them in the first place. If Loki’s already dismissed his interest, then no one will find out that Tim set up a picnic in a summoning circle in the woods of Michigan. Maybe Loki would take mercy on him and not set off the gossip chain that would complete the humiliation.
Maybe he does think about things too much, to the point of undermining himself. Tim’s trying to not do that here. By thinking, yes, and planning this out as best he could, but it’s still an imperfect snap plan made when he isn’t even sure of what he was being offered. Affection, yes, but Loki’s grandiose vocabulary isn’t exactly precise.
It sounds good, though, and would’ve sounded better aloud. Tim might not have botched asking for time to think, if they’d been having the discussion in person. He has a hard time thinking straight with Loki. Or thinking bi. Thinking in general gets a bit muddy when faced with a sexy someone who makes everything sound flirtatious.
And it’s been so long since Tim got to flirt. Six months, when he doesn’t like being single. As hard as it is to balance dating with the rest of his life, he misses the thrill that comes with it. It’s the same thrill he’s gotten from Loki since he waltzed with him at the gala.
That’s why he’s following through with this ridiculous, overblown idea. Even if it’s a bad idea - and he’s not convinced it isn’t - he… likes how it feels when Loki’s sweet to him. Likes that shock of hands touching. It’s why he picked up dinner from a bistro, espresso and pastry from a coffee shop, and shoved it all in a thrifted basket with a pair of blankets. He wants that nervous dopamine and adrenaline cocktail.
Tim kneels in the center of the circle, with the bouquet balanced on his jeans. There’s a flash of panic that it’s too much, that guys don’t like flowers, he didn’t take Bernard flowers on their date - but he squashes it. He’d wracked his brain for another gift, but had come up empty. Made meek with a renewed sense of foolishness, Tim does his best to get Loki’s attention. ]
Loki. God of Mischief and Stories. I wanted to apologize for upsetting you. I believe you said you prefer gifts, gestures, and flattery to just “showing up”, but I need you to show up for those. Some things can’t be sent by text.
[ Loki’s going to leave his prayer on read. ]
no subject
He's calling to you.
I'm not going.
You should. He isn't just texting, it might be important. And you need some air, Loki.
Ugh. [ In no mood to suffer more emotional battering rams, he swings his legs off the couch and pulls on his seven-league boots, tugging his jeans down on top. Billy sits up and combs his fingers through Loki's hair to try and smooth it down, make it look less like Loki arose from a nap, and it half-works. When Loki takes his hand, he stares at it for a moment and decides, ] You'll have to send me to him.
[ The construct looks surprised, charmingly so as it wears Billy's face. ]
You don't want your magic back now?
No, I want you here when I get home.
How will you get home?
I don't know, the bus. A train. I want you here, to come back to.
... Alright.
[ So it is with a flash of blue light, not green, that Loki appears at the inner edge of the summoning circle; he squints against the sunshine and shields his eyes, other hand buried in a pocket of his green hoodie, minus a helm or any other fancy clothes. He doesn't look like a god answering a prayer as much as a college student wandering into a communal kitchen.
The picnic confuses him, then the sight of Tim on his knees holding flowers utterly baffles him. Birds tweet in the trees of the park all around, filling his astonished silence before he finds his voice. ]
Ummm, what is going on?
no subject
Loki looks - really good in a hoodie. Tim wonders if he knew that this was an outdoor prayer, or if he just happened to be in appropriate attire. But he’s too quiet, and Tim can only wait it out, feeling increasingly judged.
And then - yeah, that’s not a good take. Tim doesn’t get up and hesitates before repeating himself. ]
Like I said, I… wanted to apologize. I thought this would be better than a text or DM. I was thinking about how you were trying to give me dating lessons - grand gestures, gifts, flattery.
[ Tim picks up the flowers, unsure if he should offer them or throw them in the basket, but it busies his hands and gives him something else to look at.
He had already swallowed his pride. This is fine. Loki will port off, and Tim won’t have to be confused by him anymore. ]
I think I misread the situation. I’m sorry, again. Next time, I’ll just text the apology.
no subject
You're apologising with flowers for ... turning me down? [ But there's a picnic in that basket. ] I don't understand.
no subject
[ He stands and dusts the leaves and grass off with one hand, the other presses the flowers at Loki’s chest. ]
You might as well keep these.
[ What’s Tim going to do with them, after all? He moves the basket aside, intending on picking up the blanket to fold it. ]
I didn’t reject you. Needing time to think isn’t rejection. It’s not a decision at all, and it’s not a game. If it was, you threw an entire labyrinth at me, and I’m a level 2 human fighter. I thought we already established that I’m bad at dating.
no subject
Why did you need to think about whether you liked me or not?
no subject
Tim sighs and glances over at Loki. ]
I didn’t need time to decide that I liked you. You’re charming when you want to be, hot, tall, you drive me crazy - I like you. That’s not what I needed to think about.
I had to give myself permission to break up with someone in absentia without a text. I had to think about if I wanted to go out with someone who could get flung out of this particular universe during a Confluence. I wanted to consider if I could keep up with you - which I see now that I can’t, because between sorting out my head and the picnic, I took too long.
no subject
He crouches down to open the basket, idly sorting through the contents as an excuse not to look at Tim. ]
You didn't take too long, you just made me feel foolish. Like I had ... Like I had misread the signs.
no subject
You didn’t misread anything. I think you read me better than I did.
[ Why is it so much harder when there’s hope? It was easy to say “I like you” when it was a tool to prove he was right. Without the argument, Tim has to gear himself up for this. ]
If I didn’t take too long, do you - want to have dinner with me?
[ Tim lets the blanket fall back to the ground. ]
As a date, and not a friend-date.
no subject
But, effort went into this summoning-come-date-come-ambush, and Tim really did gather a picnic at the very least. He doesn't know how vulnerable Loki feels. ]
If that's what you want, this time.
[ Instead of tacking "friend" in front of "date" like Loki did at the cinema because Tim felt too inexperienced and needed reassuring Loki wasn't into him, this can be a real one: he wanted one. Now his pride and mind and body all ache as one, and Loki isn't sure he has the energy to argue.
He is curious as to wherever Tim is going with this, above all else, so he nods and stays. ]
no subject
[ The blanket gets smoothed back out on the grass, and Tim gets the coffee cups out of the basket. He sets one down next to Loki before sipping his own. ]
It’s not an obligation. I get that I screwed up when I didn’t immediately respond, but I want you to want to call it a date. If you’re not in the mood for a date, you can still have dinner with me. Or take the dinner and enjoy squab and roast squash salad in peace while you judge me for how pretentious the menu is.
[ It seemed the best way to not disappoint. ]
Next time, I’ll try things my way.
no subject
[ It's a mumbled observation now that he isn't trying to flirt, sinking down on a bent knee to pick at the food. After a sip of coffee he sits down properly, legs folded. ]
I'm tired; I lost my magic. I don't know that I'm date-material right now.
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