[ He slants a smile at Loki as they walk through the corridors, Chris gently steering them towards the turbolifts that go directly to the officers' quarters floor, as it's less likely to be populated at this hour of the night. ]
Most of my job is reviewing reports, sadly. It was not made clear to me when I started the Command Training Program how much of captaincy is paperwork.
You would be surprised how much of being a god is answering summons when you're already busy. I suspect it's in the same vein, being pulled away from what you want to do to answer for other people.
[ Just waiting to see if their turbolift is empty ... ]
Mm. [ They have to stand and wait for the turbolift to arrive, and when it does, it opens to release a red-shirted Tellarite with whom Chris exchanges banal pleasantries as he exits, and then it's just the two of them again. ] You haven't had any summons while you've been here, have you?
[ Doors closing with a hiss, Loki half-steps behind Chris to run a hand up the back of his golden shirt, slipping back down to the curve at the base where his posture is well-practiced. If someone else enters Loki can move away easily; he isn't as reckless as he was at the market but the attraction simmering through his veins runs just as hot. ]
Luckily, not many people want me to save the day for them.
[ Chris doesn't quite shiver when Loki slides his hand up and along the length of his spine, but it's a close call.
Watching their reflections in the shiny doors of the turbolift, Chris is torn between smiling and frowning in consternation. He's such a creature molded by responsibility and duty that he feels compelled to protest Loki shirking any summons he might receive because of being on the Enterprise and yet... ]
[ Briefly, he dips his nose to the back of Chris's neck. It's a not-kiss, lips gliding up his skin as Loki murmurs. ]
One of the reasons I missed you, Chris.
[ Not captain. Loki only cares about that part of the man because it means so much to Chris and is so intrinsic to who he is, although if he ever decided to go rogue Loki would be delighted to help.
He slides away a step and keeps his hands behind his back. Their reflections look quite nice together, he decides. ]
[ This time he does shiver, the cool skim of Loki's nose followed by the warmer wash of his breath as he murmurs quietly between them making the hairs on the back of Chris's neck stand up, his fingers flexing with the suppressed urge to reach out.
He really hadn't planned on doing anything untoward when he went out to fetch Loki.
Mostly, he hadn't been planning anything at all. No thoughts, just actions. Now he's torn between the desire to shove him back against the wall and get his lips on all that pale skin again and the desire to take him back to his own quarters and bundle him into bed where he can rest without being disturbed. ]
[ A brow quirks and he looks sidelong at Chris instead of at him through their reflections. He could say a lot of things to that, allude to all the things he wants to do to him once their privacy is complete ...
But Loki did lie to him about his being on the ship (by omission yet he knows it counts) and give him a nasty shock today out of the blue. So. ]
Would you like me to make dinner?
[ He's not sure how to program one of those replicators but maybe he can figure it out on the fly or create some ingredients via magic. ]
[ Although he is undeniably intrigued by the offer to make dinner — Loki can cook? Chris isn't sure why he's surprised, but he is nonetheless — he shakes his head with a little smile as the doors open, side-stepping and gesturing for Loki to exit first. ]
I wouldn't worry about dinner.
[ Thankfully, the manage to make it down the hall to Chris's door without bumping into anyone else, and then Chris is inputting his unlock codes and opening the door. ]
You wouldn't be saying no if you'd tried my mashed potatoes before.
[ He very much pays attention to the door code (as best he can if Chris isn't blocking his view) then gives him a nudge with an elbow as he heads inside. It's bigger by far than he expected, rounding on him with hands on his hips. ]
And here I was feeling sorry for you living on a pokey little ship. Tch!
[ Explore he does, trailing his fingers over chairs and surfaces as he gets his bearings. The large kitchen is the most unexpected part of the apartment and he leans back on the counter to give Chris an amused look, shaking his head. ]
The crew's rooms are absolute squalor by comparison, you know. You should feel terrible. Bad Captain Pike!
[ Looking at his quarters as if through outside eyes, Chris can admit that yes, they are rather large. And gleaming in that way the newest starships usually are; a far cry from his home in Montana that clings to old-Earth traditions and is all dark wood and cold stone and a large, crackling hearth.
Maybe having an open fireplace on board is foolish, but Chris likes it, and besides, it's got a protective screen around it. A protective screen that is invisible until bumped into, but still. He's not just throwing flames around willy-nilly in the middle of his living room.
That's reserved for the kitchen, with the old-fashioned stovetop and grill. ]
Don't blame me for this. I didn't design this ship, I just live here.
[ He's grinning, though, pleased by the delight Loki's showing as he peers around corners and looks into cabinets, examining the space that Chris has slowly turned from sterile quarters into something that does, actually, feel like home. ]
[ It's all very Chris and a comforting space to be in. Once he has given the place a cursory snooping he wanders back over to him and runs his hands up a golden chest, leaning in to bump noses.
His voice lowers to a thoughtful hum and his lips catch on Chris's, swaying on the spot to take in the feel of him. ]
[ Like magnets, his hands automatically lift to settle on Loki's hips when he steps in close enough, those black-nailed hands sliding up his chest feeling intimately familiar and yet also incredibly strange after so long since they saw each other last.
He lifts his chin a little to deepen their kiss just slightly, just enough to enjoy it. ]
I told you not to worry about dinner because I already made it. Before I went to find you.
[ Assuming Loki hasn't eaten since their confrontation in the mess hall, he's probably starting to feel a tad peckish. ]
[ That really is the last thing he expects, given the way Loki blanches. A moment after looking Chris over he wraps his arms around his neck and kisses him deeply, a desperate need to have this man's bodyheat on him again now rolling tenfold through his blood and ensnaring him by the ribs, arching into Chris's weight. He wants his hands in that greying hair, under his shirt, all over him, it doesn't matter as long as Loki can moan with the taste of him on his tongue. ]
[ Is that really so strange? He's a grown man, and while yes, admittedly, he has spent his entire adult life employed in an organization that provides food for its employees fully-cooked and ready to eat, he has to fend for himself sometimes.
Plus, he likes to do it. It's enjoyable, stress-relief.
He's distracted from his confusion by Loki all but launching himself at him, though, licking into his mouth and clutching at him like he's been lost at sea and Chris is the first buoyant object he's found in days.
Sliding his hands up and down Loki's back, Chris hums. ] Easy, baby, I'm here.
[ Tension eases from his shoulders when that reassurance comes and he manages to hide his face in the curve of Chris's neck, winding his arms around his middle instead. The hands on Loki's back are grounding and he can taste Chris on his lips. ]
[ Still taller than him, Loki nonetheless tries to tuck himself into Chris's chest, an action Chris is more than happy to accommodate, lifting his elbows a little so Loki can wind his arms around his waist instead and then folding him in close. Sometimes you just need a hug, Chris gets that. ]
Of course. [ He continues to stroke one hand up and down Loki's back with the same sure pressure he uses when soothing one of his horses, before he turns his chin and drops a peck to his temple. ]
C'mon, sweet thing. Let's get some food in you and then you can sleep in a place that isn't a jeffries tube.
[ The idea of taking Loki and throwing him down on one of Chris's sofas is definitely appealing, but they've both had a long day, and sometimes you just need to sit down and eat a plate of pasta before you can face anything else. ]
[ Wow, called out. Flustered, he scoffs and gives a Super Casual shrug. ]
I was just resting my eyes in there ...
[ But he'll drop a kiss back on Chris's cheek in return and give a stretch, unable to refuse a dinner made for him. That quite literally never happens. ]
Naturally. When I think of places to nap, I always think jeffries tubes.
[ Honestly, Chris had been joking about the sleeping in the tube thing, but Loki's confirmation just seals his desire to make sure his idiot godling sleeps in an actual bed. Maybe it's because he's on the wrong side of forty, but the idea of sleeping on something not a mattress makes Chris's back hurt just thinking about it.
Reluctantly letting him go, he herds Loki towards the kitchen island, ignoring the dining table on the other side of the room; this is a casual dinner between friends-slash-lovers, not a formal Captain's Table meal. ]
Nothing fancy, I'm afraid. I don't really push the boat out when it's just me, so it's just carbonara tonight. [ Chris may or may not have eaten more than a few bites straight out of the pan as he was cooking it, so he's not even all that hungry any more, but he can at least fix a plate for Loki who's looking at him like he's done something miraculous instead of just mixed spaghetti with a béchamel and bacon. ]
[ Loki makes his way to island and hops up unhelpfully, legs dangling as he awaits his food. He looks more awake than he has since he was rescued from his own poor napping choices, the scent of bacon making his mouth water. Swallowing, he waits as patiently as he can, which isn't very but his stomach growling kind of ruins the well-behaved illusion. ]
The tubes have a heartbeat like that of the World Tree, your ship is practically alive.
[ Thankfully, fiddling with the stasis field under which his pan of pasta rests means he can hide his amused smile, but he's pretty sure it colors his voice regardless; it doesn't really matter all that much, in the end. Loki knows Chris is perpetually charmed by him, otherwise he wouldn't be standing in his kitchen plating his dinner.
Bringing the plate over, he sets it in front of Loki and then grates a few strokes of fresh parmesan on top before reaching into a drawer and retrieving a knife and fork. ]
There's more in the pan if you're still hungry after this. What do you mean they have a heartbeat?
[ If if didn't get Chris's attention he wouldn't sit on the countertop but it's a little victory to be told off for it, sliding liquidly onto a stool and sitting there expectantly. He doesn't have Thor's appetite yet pretending the meals in the messes have been enough has made him miss New York and vendors on every street corner.
He practically wriggles when his plate is set down with extra cheese on top, only briefly replying. ]
Some things live because they know we need them.
[ It's enigmatically annoying and he takes his first mouthful with a groan of gratitude.
Then he eats with all the gusto of a young man. Or god. ]
[ To be young again and have a young man's metabolism.
Chris watches Loki shovel pasta into his mouth, chuckling quietly, and rests his hand on the curve of his back for a moment before turning away to fix himself a less ambitious plate that he eats standing up, leaning against the counter by the sink so that when he's done with it he can just put it there to be dealt with later.
He places a glass of water in front of Loki's place setting, pointedly nudging it closer. ]
I'm from New York, I eat all day whenever I see someone selling something. There's no one to sit down with at a meal anymore, not since my best friend left.
[ Bacon bits are piled onto his pasta, picked out with his fork so he gets a lot, then shovelled in. ]
Call me old-fashioned, but I like sitting down to meals with friends and family.
[ Says the man currently standing to eat. Shh. It's different, he's just snacking, this isn't a proper meal. Just wait until breakfast. Then he'll sit to eat, probably still barefoot. ]
And luckily for you, the replicators can make just about anything if programmed correctly. I still like to cook the old-fashioned way, though. Tastes better.
[ Even though, mollecularly, the food is the same and also made from replicated ingredients more often than not. Chris still maintains you can tell the difference. ]
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[ He slants a smile at Loki as they walk through the corridors, Chris gently steering them towards the turbolifts that go directly to the officers' quarters floor, as it's less likely to be populated at this hour of the night. ]
Most of my job is reviewing reports, sadly. It was not made clear to me when I started the Command Training Program how much of captaincy is paperwork.
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[ Just waiting to see if their turbolift is empty ... ]
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[ Doors closing with a hiss, Loki half-steps behind Chris to run a hand up the back of his golden shirt, slipping back down to the curve at the base where his posture is well-practiced. If someone else enters Loki can move away easily; he isn't as reckless as he was at the market but the attraction simmering through his veins runs just as hot. ]
Luckily, not many people want me to save the day for them.
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Watching their reflections in the shiny doors of the turbolift, Chris is torn between smiling and frowning in consternation. He's such a creature molded by responsibility and duty that he feels compelled to protest Loki shirking any summons he might receive because of being on the Enterprise and yet... ]
I wouldn't mind it.
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[ Briefly, he dips his nose to the back of Chris's neck. It's a not-kiss, lips gliding up his skin as Loki murmurs. ]
One of the reasons I missed you, Chris.
[ Not captain. Loki only cares about that part of the man because it means so much to Chris and is so intrinsic to who he is, although if he ever decided to go rogue Loki would be delighted to help.
He slides away a step and keeps his hands behind his back. Their reflections look quite nice together, he decides. ]
Where are we going?
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He really hadn't planned on doing anything untoward when he went out to fetch Loki.
Mostly, he hadn't been planning anything at all. No thoughts, just actions. Now he's torn between the desire to shove him back against the wall and get his lips on all that pale skin again and the desire to take him back to his own quarters and bundle him into bed where he can rest without being disturbed. ]
Home.
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But Loki did lie to him about his being on the ship (by omission yet he knows it counts) and give him a nasty shock today out of the blue. So. ]
Would you like me to make dinner?
[ He's not sure how to program one of those replicators but maybe he can figure it out on the fly or create some ingredients via magic. ]
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I wouldn't worry about dinner.
[ Thankfully, the manage to make it down the hall to Chris's door without bumping into anyone else, and then Chris is inputting his unlock codes and opening the door. ]
Go on, explore. I know you want to.
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[ He very much pays attention to the door code (as best he can if Chris isn't blocking his view) then gives him a nudge with an elbow as he heads inside. It's bigger by far than he expected, rounding on him with hands on his hips. ]
And here I was feeling sorry for you living on a pokey little ship. Tch!
[ Explore he does, trailing his fingers over chairs and surfaces as he gets his bearings. The large kitchen is the most unexpected part of the apartment and he leans back on the counter to give Chris an amused look, shaking his head. ]
The crew's rooms are absolute squalor by comparison, you know. You should feel terrible. Bad Captain Pike!
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[ Looking at his quarters as if through outside eyes, Chris can admit that yes, they are rather large. And gleaming in that way the newest starships usually are; a far cry from his home in Montana that clings to old-Earth traditions and is all dark wood and cold stone and a large, crackling hearth.
Maybe having an open fireplace on board is foolish, but Chris likes it, and besides, it's got a protective screen around it. A protective screen that is invisible until bumped into, but still. He's not just throwing flames around willy-nilly in the middle of his living room.
That's reserved for the kitchen, with the old-fashioned stovetop and grill. ]
Don't blame me for this. I didn't design this ship, I just live here.
[ He's grinning, though, pleased by the delight Loki's showing as he peers around corners and looks into cabinets, examining the space that Chris has slowly turned from sterile quarters into something that does, actually, feel like home. ]
Are you hungry?
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His voice lowers to a thoughtful hum and his lips catch on Chris's, swaying on the spot to take in the feel of him. ]
Hungry how?
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He lifts his chin a little to deepen their kiss just slightly, just enough to enjoy it. ]
I told you not to worry about dinner because I already made it. Before I went to find you.
[ Assuming Loki hasn't eaten since their confrontation in the mess hall, he's probably starting to feel a tad peckish. ]
But if you had something else in mind...
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[ That really is the last thing he expects, given the way Loki blanches. A moment after looking Chris over he wraps his arms around his neck and kisses him deeply, a desperate need to have this man's bodyheat on him again now rolling tenfold through his blood and ensnaring him by the ribs, arching into Chris's weight. He wants his hands in that greying hair, under his shirt, all over him, it doesn't matter as long as Loki can moan with the taste of him on his tongue. ]
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[ Is that really so strange? He's a grown man, and while yes, admittedly, he has spent his entire adult life employed in an organization that provides food for its employees fully-cooked and ready to eat, he has to fend for himself sometimes.
Plus, he likes to do it. It's enjoyable, stress-relief.
He's distracted from his confusion by Loki all but launching himself at him, though, licking into his mouth and clutching at him like he's been lost at sea and Chris is the first buoyant object he's found in days.
Sliding his hands up and down Loki's back, Chris hums. ] Easy, baby, I'm here.
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... Thanks.
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Of course. [ He continues to stroke one hand up and down Loki's back with the same sure pressure he uses when soothing one of his horses, before he turns his chin and drops a peck to his temple. ]
C'mon, sweet thing. Let's get some food in you and then you can sleep in a place that isn't a jeffries tube.
[ The idea of taking Loki and throwing him down on one of Chris's sofas is definitely appealing, but they've both had a long day, and sometimes you just need to sit down and eat a plate of pasta before you can face anything else. ]
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I was just resting my eyes in there ...
[ But he'll drop a kiss back on Chris's cheek in return and give a stretch, unable to refuse a dinner made for him. That quite literally never happens. ]
What are we having for dinner?
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[ Honestly, Chris had been joking about the sleeping in the tube thing, but Loki's confirmation just seals his desire to make sure his idiot godling sleeps in an actual bed. Maybe it's because he's on the wrong side of forty, but the idea of sleeping on something not a mattress makes Chris's back hurt just thinking about it.
Reluctantly letting him go, he herds Loki towards the kitchen island, ignoring the dining table on the other side of the room; this is a casual dinner between friends-slash-lovers, not a formal Captain's Table meal. ]
Nothing fancy, I'm afraid. I don't really push the boat out when it's just me, so it's just carbonara tonight. [ Chris may or may not have eaten more than a few bites straight out of the pan as he was cooking it, so he's not even all that hungry any more, but he can at least fix a plate for Loki who's looking at him like he's done something miraculous instead of just mixed spaghetti with a béchamel and bacon. ]
Go on, sit.
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The tubes have a heartbeat like that of the World Tree, your ship is practically alive.
[ BaconBaconBaconBaconBacon. ]
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On a stool, young man.
[ Thankfully, fiddling with the stasis field under which his pan of pasta rests means he can hide his amused smile, but he's pretty sure it colors his voice regardless; it doesn't really matter all that much, in the end. Loki knows Chris is perpetually charmed by him, otherwise he wouldn't be standing in his kitchen plating his dinner.
Bringing the plate over, he sets it in front of Loki and then grates a few strokes of fresh parmesan on top before reaching into a drawer and retrieving a knife and fork. ]
There's more in the pan if you're still hungry after this. What do you mean they have a heartbeat?
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He practically wriggles when his plate is set down with extra cheese on top, only briefly replying. ]
Some things live because they know we need them.
[ It's enigmatically annoying and he takes his first mouthful with a groan of gratitude.
Then he eats with all the gusto of a young man. Or god. ]
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Chris watches Loki shovel pasta into his mouth, chuckling quietly, and rests his hand on the curve of his back for a moment before turning away to fix himself a less ambitious plate that he eats standing up, leaning against the counter by the sink so that when he's done with it he can just put it there to be dealt with later.
He places a glass of water in front of Loki's place setting, pointedly nudging it closer. ]
Remember to breathe between bites, please.
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I'm from New York, I eat all day whenever I see someone selling something. There's no one to sit down with at a meal anymore, not since my best friend left.
[ Bacon bits are piled onto his pasta, picked out with his fork so he gets a lot, then shovelled in. ]
She didn't cook, though.
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[ Says the man currently standing to eat. Shh. It's different, he's just snacking, this isn't a proper meal. Just wait until breakfast. Then he'll sit to eat, probably still barefoot. ]
And luckily for you, the replicators can make just about anything if programmed correctly. I still like to cook the old-fashioned way, though. Tastes better.
[ Even though, mollecularly, the food is the same and also made from replicated ingredients more often than not. Chris still maintains you can tell the difference. ]
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