[ He chuckles, turning his head enough to brush a kiss to Loki's temple, letting himself be swayed in and out of the water stream, making the conscious decision to just enjoy the luxury of it while he has it available to him. ]
What, are you going to disguise yourself as an old crone so nobody pays attention to you?
[ He's read his fairy tales, thank you. He's up to date on some aspects of history.
The smack to his ass makes him laugh, the sound incredibly loud in the echoing chamber of the bathroom. ]
I really don't think my crew has that strong an opinion about my hair, but alright.
The rest of their time in the shower is passed with lots of kisses and bubbles, more touching than washing but they smell a world better by the time some fluffy towels are involved. Loki magics his armour onto the bed and takes his time dressing, leathers and gleaming scalemaille, greaves and gloves; far more godly than a dusty cloak. His helm slides on and stays in place when he looks to Chris (whose clothes he may have cleaned with a wave of his hand). ]
You never even told me what your ship is called, you know. It would be very romantic for me to scour the universe for it, but I'd rather not.
[ Because he knows he's in a bit of a time crunch, Chris restrains himself from doing anything more than a perhaps slightly-more-thorough-than-necessary clean of both his body and Loki's, their hands getting in each other's way more often than not, wet kisses under the spray that just taste like water, and then suddenly they're done and stepping out to dry off.
Getting dressed seems to be a much less involved process for him than it does for Loki, who's wearing what looks to be a mix of comfortable clothing and full armor, and Chris is fully dressed and running his fingers through his hair by the time Loki is just getting to his greaves. It allows him an excellent opportunity to watch him dress, admiring the striking look that he favors, sharp and dangerous but still somehow earthy and appealing.
He steps in close, reaching up to tuck an errant lock of Loki's hair back behind the horns of his crown, and arches an eyebrow at him. ]
I don't think I've ever had anyone scour the universe for me before, it might be kinda nice.
[ As he pulls his coat on and adjusts the fox-fur at his collar he leans down to steal a chaste, lingering kiss, the brush of Chris's fingers through his hair an alluring temptation to stay right where they are for another two hours. ]
Don't underestimate the lengths I would go to for you.
[ He wraps the edges of his coat around Chris, the inside of it silky-warm. Good excuse to get his arms around him again. ]
What are you going to do when you get back? Paint me a picture. All I have is a throne of ice to look forward to.
Chris can't help smiling as he's drawn into Loki's arms so he can fold his coat around them both, vaguely marveling at the soft warmth of the garment while also busy slipping his arms around Loki's waist and letting them cuddle. It was nicer, admittedly, when neither of them were clothed, but this is pretty nice, too.
He sighs softly, his gaze going a little far-away like he's consulting a mental checklist. ]
Review damage reports. Tour the areas of the ship that require maintenance, speak to the heads of each department to see what needs to be requisitioned from Starfleet. Write up an incident report and send it back to Federation HQ. Visit sickbay to speak to the crew that are in recovery. Arrange for the burial rites of deceased crewmembers according to their cultural customs. Write letters of condolences to be sent to their loved ones.
I don't think that needs to go in the official ship's logs. [ He lets one hand slide down to playfully grope Loki's ass, partially to make him smile but also because he likes the feel of it and wants one last touch. ] Maybe just my personal log.
[ He smiles again, a little sad, a little weary, and nods. ]
This isn't my first rodeo. It's no fun, but. It's my job as captain to take care of my crew.
She's a scientific research vessel first and foremost, not some sort of battle cruiser. Why would she need a name like that?
[ He's not offended, but he's more than willing to accept the kiss that's offered to him, especially when it's delivered on the tail end of such a delighted laugh. ]
My last captaincy was on The Discovery. I don't know if you'd consider that better or worse.
Neither here nor there, very nobly intentioned I'm sure.
[ He cocks his head. ]
Do I qualify as research? Because I don't feel as thoroughly discovered as I could, I have to say. Might need a few enterprising nights together for that.
[ He'll have to get Frösti the snowman to guard his throne while he's away for longer, next time. ]
I feel compelled to also point out that I was not consulted on the naming of any ship in the fleet. I just get assigned to them as they come.
[ Lifting a hand, he brushes his fingers over Loki's cheek and jawline, marveling yet again at how perfectly smooth his skin is. He's not human, obviously, but he looks so much like one that Chris expects to feel the start of stubble cropping up beneath the skin; by the end of day, his own chin is quite sandpapery. Even when he was whatever age Loki appears to be now, he had to shave every day. ]
Those were terrible puns and I should not reward them.
[ And yet he does, kissing him again with a smile curling his lips. If there's one thing Chris loves, it's really bad jokes. ]
[ He closes his eyes and tilts his cheek into Chris's touch, unwilling to let him go back to his stuffy ship just yet. When kissed he hums approvingly and winds an arm around his captain's waist, sliding a hand up the fade of darker hair at a nape to support the indulgence, thumb gliding under Chris's ear.
Losing himself a little in the taste of him, he takes a step back toward the bed and gives him a little tug to follow. He doesn't stop kissing him, however, merely changes the angle. ]
[ Letting himself be tugged, thoroughly distracted by the kisses being bestowed upon him as Loki slides his hand up into Chris's hair, he hums as they shuffle back towards the bed. ]
Loki...
[ It's half a sigh and half a warning; they really shouldn't let themselves get distracted. He needs to check back in with his ship, and Loki should probably go do whatever it is Loki's got to go do, and as much as Chris would love to play hooky even more and skive off from his duties and responsibilities, he just can't. ]
[ With a petulant groan, he takes his kisses along a jaw to the lovely little warm patch behind Chris's ear. ]
Worth a try, you can't blame me.
[ His hands slide to a waistband where he plays nice and hooks his thumbs in. ]
It's likely those two hours are crawling to their end, you're right. [ As if Loki doesn't care and wouldn't have found them more time somehow. ] Go on, check in. I won't say a word.
[ He'll just be here, nuzzling at Chris's temple. ]
[ Reluctantly, already feeling the dreamlike ease of this afternoon slipping through his fingers, Chris reaches into his pocket for his communicator and brings it out, flipping it open to hear it chirp. ]
Pike to Enterprise.
[ There's a brief crackle of static before he hears Chief Kyle's voice come through, his transporter chief's tone as cheerful as ever. "Glad to hear your voice, Captain, Number One was about to send out a search and rescue party for you."
Despite the fact he currently has a very amorous and slightly petulant godling wrapped around him, Chris's tone as he checks in with his crew is as calm and steady as ever, laughing in all the right places and reassuring them that he's fine, he's had an uneventful afternoon, and there shouldn't be any issues with locating him to beam him back up, right?
Any half-formed hopes he might have refused to look at about them not being able to get a lock on him fade instantly with Kyle's, "Stand by for transport, sir." ]
Actually, Mister Kyle, give me another five minutes. I've got one last thing I need to do.
[ It sounds like Chris is every bit as needed as he alluded to, a competent and reliable sort. Kind of grossly, he reminds Loki of his brother Balder who was always there for Asgard (until Loki killed him). He raises his head once the call is done. ]
It's not too late, you know. I can take you on a roadtrip across the universe, show you realms you'll never find if you return to your people. [ As if Chris wouldn't eventually resent him. ] Or we could go back to the market, try some of those weird spicy skewers for real this time ...
[ He can tell by the tone of Loki's voice that he knows just as well as Chris does that there's no way he could take him up on the offer, no matter how tempting it sounds. Service and sacrifice are the first two pillars of the tenets of Starfleet, at least as Chris believes in them, and there's no way he'd be who he is if he was able or willing to turn his back on people who rely on him. ]
That sounds really nice, it does. [ He leans in to kiss Loki gently, chaste and soft. ] But I can't abandon my crew, not when they need me most. I made a promise to them and I'm going to keep it.
[ Prince and king, having to do things grates on his very nature but he understands. He rests his forehead on Chris's for the kiss, taking his hands. ]
I will find you again, Christopher Pike. Universes will bend to me when I wish for you to be by my side again, that I swear.
[ Which is a somewhat dramatic oath but it means he isn't lying, engraving the words into reality with a sombre, small pout. ]
[ Such is the burden of leadership. It's not all fun and games and ordering people around. Chris gives of himself every single day, chipping parts of who he is away so that they can be handed out to those who look up to him, those who rely on him, those who see him as a mentor and friend.
He's happy to do it. He is.
He just wishes sometimes there was room in his life for him to be a little selfish. ]
I don't doubt you for a second. [ Loki pouting at him like that makes Chris feel terribly indulgent, and he doesn't stop himself from squeezing Loki's hands and kissing that little moue of disappointment like he can erase it with his lips. ] My beautiful boy. Don't pout, sweet thing, give me a smile. I know you'll find me again.
[ That one last kiss is all he allows himself before hitching up a smile, just for Chris. It feels like parts of him are being woven into the man's story with every kind word, making it harder to leave him behind. ]
It's true, I am pretty great.
[ He steps back and his hands slip free, one rising to open a green portal on the wall to their left. After a moment's hesitation Loki flicks a gesture at the rumpled bed and it spruces itself up immediately as if no fluids ever touched it. Now that deepens his grin, shooting Chris a wink. ]
... Can't forget about that.
[ The tundra behind him blows through snow and ice which will likely melt on the carpet and confuse the owners when they return but that's nothing that can be traced back to either Loki or Chris. He stands in front of the portal with a hand on a hip. ]
[ The smile that creases his face is approving and appreciative when Loki fixes up the bedroom they thoroughly rumpled with little more than a flick of his fingers, Chris's nagging sense of propriety reassured by that little gesture, the guilt of breaking into someone else's house and defiling their property thoroughly assuaged.
Honestly, Chris has even more questions now than he did before, watching Loki flick open a doorway through to another world in the wall off to the side, a blast of freezing air blowing through the room and making the hairs on the back of Chris's neck stand up. Is that where he's from?
Vaguely, that comment about him freezing to the throne drifts back up from the recesses of his mind. He has a lot of considering to do at some point, though for right now, he's busy letting himself stare as much as he likes, imprinting this moment in his mind.
What he'd really like to do is go kiss him again, or just touch him, because the longing look that's being leveled his way feels almost physically painful, but he restrains himself and instead gives Loki as fond and affectionate a smile as he can. ]
Behave.
[ And, with a wink of his own, he can start to feel that strange little tug of the transporter activating, the golden shimmer of the beam coalescing around him until he's lost sight of everything in front of him and knows nothing but the brief vacuum of space. ]
[ Never going to admit the way his breath catches when Chris literally vanishes before his eyes in a shimmer of light, he breathes, Always with only a hint of wryness about it.
The bittersweet goodbye is ruined a moment later when he glances through the portal and has to double-take what he sees. ]
Drrf! What in the ten Hels are you doing napping on the throne?!
[ And he stomps through with a curse in Asgardian, already losing all the warmth he gained from Chris. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
What, are you going to disguise yourself as an old crone so nobody pays attention to you?
[ He's read his fairy tales, thank you. He's up to date on some aspects of history.
The smack to his ass makes him laugh, the sound incredibly loud in the echoing chamber of the bathroom. ]
I really don't think my crew has that strong an opinion about my hair, but alright.
no subject
[ Maybe not an old crone, but ...
The rest of their time in the shower is passed with lots of kisses and bubbles, more touching than washing but they smell a world better by the time some fluffy towels are involved. Loki magics his armour onto the bed and takes his time dressing, leathers and gleaming scalemaille, greaves and gloves; far more godly than a dusty cloak. His helm slides on and stays in place when he looks to Chris (whose clothes he may have cleaned with a wave of his hand). ]
You never even told me what your ship is called, you know. It would be very romantic for me to scour the universe for it, but I'd rather not.
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Getting dressed seems to be a much less involved process for him than it does for Loki, who's wearing what looks to be a mix of comfortable clothing and full armor, and Chris is fully dressed and running his fingers through his hair by the time Loki is just getting to his greaves. It allows him an excellent opportunity to watch him dress, admiring the striking look that he favors, sharp and dangerous but still somehow earthy and appealing.
He steps in close, reaching up to tuck an errant lock of Loki's hair back behind the horns of his crown, and arches an eyebrow at him. ]
I don't think I've ever had anyone scour the universe for me before, it might be kinda nice.
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Don't underestimate the lengths I would go to for you.
[ He wraps the edges of his coat around Chris, the inside of it silky-warm. Good excuse to get his arms around him again. ]
What are you going to do when you get back? Paint me a picture. All I have is a throne of ice to look forward to.
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Chris can't help smiling as he's drawn into Loki's arms so he can fold his coat around them both, vaguely marveling at the soft warmth of the garment while also busy slipping his arms around Loki's waist and letting them cuddle. It was nicer, admittedly, when neither of them were clothed, but this is pretty nice, too.
He sighs softly, his gaze going a little far-away like he's consulting a mental checklist. ]
Review damage reports. Tour the areas of the ship that require maintenance, speak to the heads of each department to see what needs to be requisitioned from Starfleet. Write up an incident report and send it back to Federation HQ. Visit sickbay to speak to the crew that are in recovery. Arrange for the burial rites of deceased crewmembers according to their cultural customs. Write letters of condolences to be sent to their loved ones.
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[ He wishes he wasn't wearing armour, it's annoying not to feel his chest against Chris's. Every minute feels stolen, just one more, one more. ]
That sounds like a lot. Will you be okay?
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[ He smiles again, a little sad, a little weary, and nods. ]
This isn't my first rodeo. It's no fun, but. It's my job as captain to take care of my crew.
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I'll come by and take care of you sometime, but only if you tell me the name of your ship.
[ Mister avoidance! ]
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The Enterprise.
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[ He tosses his head back on a laugh and tries to sneak a kiss out of Chris by way of an apology for the teasing. ]
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[ He's not offended, but he's more than willing to accept the kiss that's offered to him, especially when it's delivered on the tail end of such a delighted laugh. ]
My last captaincy was on The Discovery. I don't know if you'd consider that better or worse.
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[ He cocks his head. ]
Do I qualify as research? Because I don't feel as thoroughly discovered as I could, I have to say. Might need a few enterprising nights together for that.
[ He'll have to get Frösti the snowman to guard his throne while he's away for longer, next time. ]
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[ Lifting a hand, he brushes his fingers over Loki's cheek and jawline, marveling yet again at how perfectly smooth his skin is. He's not human, obviously, but he looks so much like one that Chris expects to feel the start of stubble cropping up beneath the skin; by the end of day, his own chin is quite sandpapery. Even when he was whatever age Loki appears to be now, he had to shave every day. ]
Those were terrible puns and I should not reward them.
[ And yet he does, kissing him again with a smile curling his lips. If there's one thing Chris loves, it's really bad jokes. ]
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Losing himself a little in the taste of him, he takes a step back toward the bed and gives him a little tug to follow. He doesn't stop kissing him, however, merely changes the angle. ]
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Loki...
[ It's half a sigh and half a warning; they really shouldn't let themselves get distracted. He needs to check back in with his ship, and Loki should probably go do whatever it is Loki's got to go do, and as much as Chris would love to play hooky even more and skive off from his duties and responsibilities, he just can't. ]
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Worth a try, you can't blame me.
[ His hands slide to a waistband where he plays nice and hooks his thumbs in. ]
It's likely those two hours are crawling to their end, you're right. [ As if Loki doesn't care and wouldn't have found them more time somehow. ] Go on, check in. I won't say a word.
[ He'll just be here, nuzzling at Chris's temple. ]
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[ Reluctantly, already feeling the dreamlike ease of this afternoon slipping through his fingers, Chris reaches into his pocket for his communicator and brings it out, flipping it open to hear it chirp. ]
Pike to Enterprise.
[ There's a brief crackle of static before he hears Chief Kyle's voice come through, his transporter chief's tone as cheerful as ever. "Glad to hear your voice, Captain, Number One was about to send out a search and rescue party for you."
Despite the fact he currently has a very amorous and slightly petulant godling wrapped around him, Chris's tone as he checks in with his crew is as calm and steady as ever, laughing in all the right places and reassuring them that he's fine, he's had an uneventful afternoon, and there shouldn't be any issues with locating him to beam him back up, right?
Any half-formed hopes he might have refused to look at about them not being able to get a lock on him fade instantly with Kyle's, "Stand by for transport, sir." ]
Actually, Mister Kyle, give me another five minutes. I've got one last thing I need to do.
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It's not too late, you know. I can take you on a roadtrip across the universe, show you realms you'll never find if you return to your people. [ As if Chris wouldn't eventually resent him. ] Or we could go back to the market, try some of those weird spicy skewers for real this time ...
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That sounds really nice, it does. [ He leans in to kiss Loki gently, chaste and soft. ] But I can't abandon my crew, not when they need me most. I made a promise to them and I'm going to keep it.
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[ Prince and king, having to do things grates on his very nature but he understands. He rests his forehead on Chris's for the kiss, taking his hands. ]
I will find you again, Christopher Pike. Universes will bend to me when I wish for you to be by my side again, that I swear.
[ Which is a somewhat dramatic oath but it means he isn't lying, engraving the words into reality with a sombre, small pout. ]
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He's happy to do it. He is.
He just wishes sometimes there was room in his life for him to be a little selfish. ]
I don't doubt you for a second. [ Loki pouting at him like that makes Chris feel terribly indulgent, and he doesn't stop himself from squeezing Loki's hands and kissing that little moue of disappointment like he can erase it with his lips. ] My beautiful boy. Don't pout, sweet thing, give me a smile. I know you'll find me again.
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It's true, I am pretty great.
[ He steps back and his hands slip free, one rising to open a green portal on the wall to their left. After a moment's hesitation Loki flicks a gesture at the rumpled bed and it spruces itself up immediately as if no fluids ever touched it. Now that deepens his grin, shooting Chris a wink. ]
... Can't forget about that.
[ The tundra behind him blows through snow and ice which will likely melt on the carpet and confuse the owners when they return but that's nothing that can be traced back to either Loki or Chris. He stands in front of the portal with a hand on a hip. ]
Fare thee well, for now.
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Honestly, Chris has even more questions now than he did before, watching Loki flick open a doorway through to another world in the wall off to the side, a blast of freezing air blowing through the room and making the hairs on the back of Chris's neck stand up. Is that where he's from?
Vaguely, that comment about him freezing to the throne drifts back up from the recesses of his mind. He has a lot of considering to do at some point, though for right now, he's busy letting himself stare as much as he likes, imprinting this moment in his mind.
What he'd really like to do is go kiss him again, or just touch him, because the longing look that's being leveled his way feels almost physically painful, but he restrains himself and instead gives Loki as fond and affectionate a smile as he can. ]
Behave.
[ And, with a wink of his own, he can start to feel that strange little tug of the transporter activating, the golden shimmer of the beam coalescing around him until he's lost sight of everything in front of him and knows nothing but the brief vacuum of space. ]
no subject
The bittersweet goodbye is ruined a moment later when he glances through the portal and has to double-take what he sees. ]
Drrf! What in the ten Hels are you doing napping on the throne?!
[ And he stomps through with a curse in Asgardian, already losing all the warmth he gained from Chris. ]