ikols | open post | psls

Mm. I wonder why everyone was so annoyed when their food was made of bugs or an animal was harassing them at work.

[ Loki looks guileless and sweet when he looks over at Chris, who is not swayed in the least. ]

Could you maybe focus more on the God of Stories part and less on the God of Mischief, please? That would be very helpful.

I mean, sure. Which part of reality would you like me to change, Captain?

[ He asks it like the little shit he is, acting guileless as if it isn't a huge deal. ]

The part where I'm having this conversation.

[ He chuckles, shaking his head, and claps his hands on the arms of his chair as he pushes away from the table, clearly signaling the end of this discussion. ] Right. Well. Let's go see what Erica's found for us and our new friends. Loki, why don't you go with Spock, I'm sure he's got a million more questions for you. [ Loki will probably behave himself in the company of someone genuinely fascinated by him; Chris hopes they'll get on well enough that it will be seen less like babysitting and more like an opportunity for them to nerd out together. ]

Number One, a word.

[ He sighs as if this is a great burden, to be dismissed, perking up a moment later as Spock invites Loki to follow him out. He wants to stay and listen to the conversation between Una and Chris but isn't entirely sure he will be able to lie about doing so, not to Chris's face after, so he joins Spock with only momentary reluctance. ]

[ As much as Chris genuinely likes Loki, he has a responsibility to his crew, and he and Una go back a long, long time. He's not going to lie to her, not blatantly, but he knows that the explanation they've been given still doesn't fully satisfy her. So, in the interest of their friendship and their working relationship both, he gives her the opportunity to grill him in peace.

By the time they return to the bridge, there's only a few minutes left in his shift and Chris looks ready to leave, far less relaxed and jovial than he did when he arrived to his shift earlier that day.

Still, while there's a noticeable tension between him and Una, the frostiness of before has melted somewhat, and he's confident that things will return to normal. Settling himself back in the chair, he glances around the bridge to see what everyone else is doing, pleased to notice Spock and Loki bent over his station together, murmuring about god knows what. At least they seem to be getting on alright. ]

... could cut out my heart and I'd be alright for five minutes, maybe ten.

[ Glancing up from where he is busy describing the Aesir for Spock's database update, Loki flashes a smile that he hopes is a cheering sight after whatever went on in the briefing room without him. He nods to the chair, then winks in appreciation.

He'll sit in it one day, that hasn't changed! ]

[ Chris just nods at Loki when their eyes meet, not really acknowledging the flirting but not really shooting it down either. It honestly seems like he just doesn't notice, preoccupied with his own thoughts, and it doesn't take long for him to drift his chair back to face the viewscreen in front of them, one elbow planted on the arm and his chin resting on his knuckles.

Before them, stars go flashing by in a blur of light as the ship travels at warp speed towards whatever nebula was decided to be an appropriate feeding ground for their friends. ]

[ Loki gets the impression that all is forgiven by Spock considering the wealth of information Loki dumps on him about a deified species and the Multiverse in general, the intense questioning never faltering so that Loki falls into a rhythm with him and keeps out of Chris's way during the journey. Once the nebula is reached the sharks rush over, only the largest taking his time until even he is a small dot swallowed up by the pretty pinks and oranges of stellar clouds. ]

It's like we took them to brunch.

[ Spock's low monotone questions and Loki's much more animated responses slip into the same category of background noise occupied by the helmsmen's chatter and the general hum of the bridge very quickly, a pleasant but ignorable part of the scenery.

Contrary to popular belief, even warp speeds don't get you anywhere you choose in no time at all, but even the vastness of the galaxy can be traversed eventually, and it's not that long before Erica and Jenna start to drop them out of warp as gently as possible.

Before them hangs the nebula, a huge mass of candy-colored clouds that Chris honestly finds very pretty. ]

I hope they enjoy themselves, then.

[ Loki's gaze rests on Chris. He gives Spock a pat on the shoulder, gaining a raised brow, and heads over to stand to one side of the captain's chair, hands clasped behind his back as he tears his attention off the viewing screen. ]

Captain, I would like to request asylum. At least for a while.

[ That's certainly one way to get his attention. Chris tears his eyes away from the screen immediately, turning to look up at Loki with his brows furrowed in confusion. ]

Asylum?

[ From what? What kind of protection can they provide someone like Loki, who can survive in the vacuum of space and can twist reality to his whim? ]

That's what I said, yes.

[ 3:) ]

[ He opens his mouth as if to request clarification, but then snaps his mouth shut. Fine. If that's how Loki wants to play it, Chris will play along. He'll press him for details later. ]

Yes, of course.

I will have to stay close to my point of origin in this universe, unfortunately that means using your couch for a little while. I would not ask if this were not imperative to my return to my own dimension, Captain, yet I understand if this is too great an imposition on your hospitality.

[ Keep up with the fibs, Chris. ]

[ Chris's jaw works silently for a moment like he's grinding his teeth against a smile or an incredulous what?

Thankfully, he keeps his cool. ]

Of course. I understand.

[ He does not understand. That was an incredibly convoluted explanation, and he's pretty sure the only people it might have fooled were those not avidly paying attention, but whatever. It's fine. Chris will play along. ]

I'm sure we'll be able to find you accommodations on board, it's not an imposition.

[ Loki keeps his cool with a vulcan-like control, likely a blend of his own lying and observing Spock for so long uninterrupted. ]

As I said, the couch will do fine. [ He cocks his head. ] Now that the sharks are taken care of, may I be excused? I've over-exerted myself for the day.

[ The Enterprise has rooms set aside for visiting dignitaries and ambassadors; there will certainly be space for Loki as a political refugee or whatever his excuse will be for staying put. Still, if he wants a couch, then fine. He can have a couch.

Fighting to keep his eyebrows in check — he's not pretending to be a science officer, he can stop asking for Chris's permission all the time — Chris just nods when Loki asks to be excused, waving his fingers a little in dismissal.

There's no point asking where he's going to go. Chris has a pretty good idea already. ]

Of course.

[ Loki slips off with a sad wave to Spock who looks as if he has been deprived of his new favourite toy, heading into the turbolift. He heads for Chris's quarters and changes his outfit on the way into a tshirt and dark jeans, looking somehow more out of place in those than he does in his armour. The code to the captain's rooms is easy to break into and he decides to cook them dinner in case Chris has any lingering annoyances leftover from Loki's confession in the readyroom.

The replicator obliges him with potatoes, butter, salmon ... a half-dozen ingredients to prepare as he puts some music on and half-dances around with a tea-towel slung over a shoulder. ]

[ Late to arrive to his shift, late to leave...

In Chris's defense, the late to leave part hadn't been his fault either; Spock had grabbed him as he was getting ready to leave and done his best to coax Chris into divulging more details about the Aesir, correctly assuming that he had something of an inside scoop that other members of the ship might not. Unfortunately for Spock, there really wasn't that much more information Chris could give him that Loki hadn't already divulged. Still, it was gratifying to see how truly excited Spock was to update his databases with all this information, and by the time he was able to extricate himself, he felt fairly confident that nothing was going to explode in his face as far as the crew was concerned.

He hadn't forgotten that Loki knew where he lived, or that he undoubtedly knew how to break in, but he can't lie and say he's not at least a little surprised to unlock his door and be greeted with the scent of cooking, some music he doesn't recognize floating out the door, the undeniable sounds of someone moving through his space like they're comfortable and assured of their welcome.

It's deeply unfair how nice that feels. ]

Honey, I'm home.

I'm in the kitchen!

[ As if that is a secret. Loki wanders around the breakfast bar and holds his hands out in welcome to reel Chris in for a brief kiss, if he can have one. ]

I'm making apologetic mashed potatoes.

[ Chris lets himself be towed in for a kiss hello, mostly because he's a secret sucker for that kind of stuff, and it really is hard to hold on to his irritation in the fact of such sweet affection and the smell of dinner nearly being ready. ]

Are apologetic mashed potatoes fundamentally different from other ones?

[ Chris gets a solemn nod. ]

They taste much better because they are filled with the regret of accidentally luring sharks to your lover's ship.

Your lover, huh?

[ Chris leans against the edge of the breakfast bar and folds his arms over his chest, lifting his eyebrows. ]

You dating someone on this ship I should know about? You told that shark you were seeing someone, after all.

[ Like the mature adult he is, he bastes the salmon frying in its pan and shoots Chris a (mostly) straight look over a shoulder. Loki can't look too closely or he won't be able to cook without burning their meal! ]

I'll have you know I'm a very eligible name and that shark was very polite about his proposition.

Is that what he asked you?

[ He seems mostly amused, partially confused, and a little bit perturbed; not that he's ever considered what it might be like to be with a shark (why would he), now he can't help but try to imagine it. ]

How would that even work, would you have to turn into a shark too? [ He can do a fox, apparently, and a bear too. Why not a shark? ] Would you have a half-shark half-human baby? Is that even possible?

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