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The tired, hardboiled PI is sitting on the steps with a cigarette dangling from his lips and a cup of coffee in his hands. He is staring out at a pigeon trying to pry a peanut from a crack in the side walk.
There's a bark from further up the street, and a dog on a leash quickly approaches. Kai's got Kevin with him, out for a walk on a nice day in late summer. He's wearing shades, a black turtleneck, black chinos, even has a jaunty beret perched on his head. Beatnik from head to toe. "Hey, man," he says when he sees Gene. "Like, how are you doing?" He closes the distance, and Kevin barks at the pigeon, prancing around it but too cowardly to actually lunge.
The pigeon is pretty ballsy. It flutters away a foot or two, then comes back to the peanut. Gene looks up, and his left eyebrow arches. "If it ain't the Maynard G. Krebs of the tenement. How's the old Endicott building?" He smirks. "I'm doing… How about you? Where's your weird friend?"
Kai grins brodly. "I'll take that as a compliment," he says. He glances around and says, "You'll have to be more specific. Most of my friends are weird. I think Serrure is at his store. I'm not sure where Jack is." Kevin bounces around the pigeon, feints and jumps away. Bark bark bark! "Easy, killer," Kai says to the cowardly mutt.
The pigeon is eventually successful It gets the peanut and flies away. Gene takes a puff on his cigarette and blows it out away from Kai. "I dunno. Jack is like the least weird of all of you." He moves over in case Kai wants to get by…or join him. "Did you ever get that nice camera?" He leans over to try to get Kevin to come to him.
Kevin lunges into the place the pigeon was and he barks as it retreats. That's right, and don't come back! He kicks up the dust on the street with his hind paws, then wags his tail as he moseys over to Gene. Kai sits beside Gene. "I did," he says. "I've been taking some pictures at the park. I'm going to convert part of my apartment into a studio."
Gene Fuchs says, "You'll need some good lights." Gene leans down and scritches Kevin. "Photographers can make good money. I guess it's all in the marketing. I got another deal for you when you have time." He takes a drink of his coffee. "What have you been doing recently?""
Kevin wags his tail and licks Gene's hand. Gene is his friend! Yay friends! Kai takes a pack of Pall Malls unfiltered from his satchel and offers one to Gene. "Eh, Serrure gives me all the money I need, but sometimes I like to make some for myself. I could try taking pictures for a living. I might do some photography for my Mutant exhibit." He lights up his own, then gestures with it vaguely. "I'm working on the exhibit and trying to enjoy the weather before it goes away. How about you?"
Gene takes the cigarette, takes the butt from his mouth and lights the new one from the old. Chain smoking…not good. "He gives you all the money you want? That's quite a set up, Kai." He's got his own theories, but he keeps them to himself. "Mutant exhibit? What do you think of them?" He takes a breath and looks up at the bit of sky he sees between the buildings. "What's a mutant exhibit look like?"
Kai says, "It's a great arrangement," Kai says. "I don't have to work at all." And he doesn't get into the whys of it. Let the man have his theories. "I think mutants are people, and they deserve the same protections and privileges that anyone else gets. I'm hoping with the exhibit to show the humanity inherent in mutantkind. It's harder to hate someone when you stop seeing them as a Them, you know what I mean?" He sits on the stoop of the building, beside Gene, with Kevin on a leash soliciting attention from Gene.
Gene is smoking and scratching the dog. He has a cup of coffee. "There are more mutants around than people think. Chances are they are in their own family. Personalize them…that's the right thing. " He takes another puff and squint down the street. "So you not interested in another job?"
And there's Bucky coming home from an evening at work. Good tips, apparently. He's got his suit jacket slung over his shoulder, walking with that particular hips-forward swagger. The arm and its internal workings may be blamed, but it looks just cocky more than odd. The effect is helped by the Lucky smoldering at the corner of his mouth, and the lazy half-lidded look he's got.
The door opens when Bucky opens it and out sneaks a black cat. Bright green eyes. The cat immediately slithers into Kai's lap and it would feel like the cat weighs 200lbs. Still, there's a look that just screams 'pet me' and the tail swishes.
Kai blinks a few time as the cat leaps onto his lap, and he oofs. He's a dog person. Just look at Kevin. See? Dog. Kevin eyes the cat, sniffs, and sits wedged close to Gene. Cats are scary and mean. Still the look the cat gives Kai, he can't help it. He scritches the cat behind the ears and murmurs, "Aren't you a sleek, pretty creature." Then to Bucky, "If the landlord asks, I don't have a cat. Also hello."
Kai adds, to Gene, "A job sounds fun. Tell me about it."
Gene looks up and nods to Jack. "Hey, Jack," but he is surprised by the cat. He sniffs. The cat doesn't smell right, and Gene frowns. "You have a dog AND a cat?" He looks back to Jack. "Brakes are working pretty good." He leans empties the rest of the coffee into his mouth. "It's a … " He glances at Bucky, "…black bag job."
Buck, being Buck…..does not suspect a thing. "Kai's a softhearted bastard," he says, with a grin, flicking the cigarette down and grinding it out under his heel. "Any creature comes begging, he takes 'em in. Look at me," he says, amused, before offering the cat his real hand to sniff at, knuckles first.
The cat stretches up his head and squints his eyes most of the way closed. Ears are alert, totally spying on what they are saying and waiting until the most embarassing moment possible to remove the illusion.
Kai scritches the cat under the chin and tells Gene, "I think the cat has me. Oof, what are they feeding you?" He knows the cat can't be natural, heavy as it is. He should say something, but but but. Those big green eyes and sleep black fur are so cute. "Come pet him, Jack. Gene you should feel how soft he is." Kevin eyes the cat, sniffing. This isn't right. Cats shouldn't smell like someone familiar. Who he wants to run over to, except cat. "What's the job entail?" he asks Gene. "You know I'm all ears, man. Jack won't talk."
Gene reaches over reluctantly. Kai isn't the only one who smells something familiar. "Something's wrong with that cat." He recognizes the smell suddenly and withdraws his hand. He doesn't say anything, however, bit looks a little nervous. "Oh…I have to get into an office building, find some plans. YOu know. The usual crap. There's some security issues, but it should be easy enough." If they get by the guards. And no one sees them. And the owner isn't up late. And armed.
"He looks fine to me, yes he does." That would be the Winter Soldier babytalking to Loki, Prince of Asgard. Buck scratches under the cat's chin. "In fact, surely he can't be a stray. He's too big and glossy. Maybe someone new to the building." Then Kai and Gene are discussing their plans, and he looks over, a little grin pursing his lips. He could do it….but this is Kai's show. Besides, he's got to atleast nominally be on the side of the law these days, right?
Yeah, that seems about the right time. The cat disappears and suddenly its Loki in Kai's lap, Bucky's fingers under his chin. "Ohhhh, how kind of you." Which means, Loki must trust Gene by now, or…he just is tired of giving a crap who knows. "I think this job sounds /fascinating/, Kai." Kindly, he /will/ scoot off the Elf's lap.
Kai nods intently to Gene as he continues to pet the cat. Bucky gets a fleeting grin when he baby talks the cat. Who could resist? It's so fuzzy and soft. "I'm your man," he tells Gene. Hey, he's somewhat bulletproof. Somewhat. What's the worst that could happen? He starts as the cat becomes Loki. "Aah!" Even though he shouldn't be surprised, he is, a little. Once Loki scoots, Kai gives him some serious side-eye. "You're heavier than you look," he tells him. He's not wrong.
Gene, however, is quite surprised. He jumps up and steps back, almost twisting an ankle on the steps. His ankle isn't a casualty, but his coffee mug is. The mug that says Detroit Pistons crashes onto the sidewalk in front of the tenement. "What the hell?" He had suspicions, but to be proven right so dramatically certainly is an eyeopener. "Uh….Kai…you all right?"
He's too stunned to yank his hand away, as Loki transforms beneath his fingers. So there's a moment where he's still cupping the Asgardian's chin….a long one, in fact, as his jaw drops and his eyes widen. Knowing that the tales say that Loki's a shapeshifter is very different from having that happen right before him. Bucky makes a small, incoherent noise…and then he starts to laugh.
Loki eyes the casualty of the cup and tilts his head, but only AFTER drinking in all that awkward from Bucky. He smiles, fondly, afterwards, the little shit, mischiefmaker. "Oh he's fine…" He answers for Kai, then waggles his brows. "What, you all sounded so supportive of people with powers." He wets his lips. "Is this job you are having him do…illegal?"
"Erf," is Kai's reply to Gene, then, Loki answers for him, and he adds, "I'm groovy." He rises to his feet, and meanwhile Kevin loses his shit. He barks at Loki, but also whines and wags his tail, but curls around to back toward him like he were something dangerous. Loki was a cat, cat was Loki. Little dog brain implodes. Kai laughs and leans down to scoop Kevin up. "There there, mate. It's just Serrure playing a trick."
Gene regains his composure and picks up his shards with a grimace. Then he straightens, "Only if we get caught. It is however righteous. Look, Kai. I'll talk about this later. I oughta go up and change my underwear. " He's probably joking, but he has such a flat delivery, who knows? He nods to Serrure carefully. "Your friends just keep getting weirder, Kai. Yeah, I got work." He heads to the door.
"Man, you got no idea," Bucky says, ruefully. "Night, man." Then he's turning that look on Loki again. Winter Soldier brain implodes as well, it seems. What the fuck, Prince of Asgard?
Gene Fuchs goes home.
Loki looks slyly up at Bucky, "Ohhhh I was going to just spyyy, but then I thought it would be fun to…mess with you." The you meaning pretty much everyone. "Do not worry, I am not going to look like your ex girlfriend and try to seduce you." Troll troll troll. He leans over and slides an arm around Kai. "Though, I might do that to you."
"Ex? You mean the redhead?" Kai asks. "I don't know if I'd go so far as to say ex." Poor Bucky, now he's getting shade from both of them. Kai gets to his feet and offers over a wiggling and excited Kevin to Loki. Now that the dog has figured out it really is Loki, he wants petted!
He's turning red. "She's not my ex," Bucky protests. And then stops. Well, Pepper's a redhead. But…Natasha….and Rogue. HE rallies, though. "Kai has an ex-girlfriend? I don't believe it," he retorts, grinning.
"Kai has /many/ ex lovers, I assume, because he is amazing-looking, charming, skilled, and hundreds of years old. I did not corrupt a virgin. Of course, some of his mortal lovers are surely dead by now. Have I met any?" Loki squints his eyes, thoughtfully. "Are there any around here to meet?"
Kai snorts, "Maybe a couple disappointed lasses from the old days before I'd figured myself out," Kai says. He sighs softly. "I remember the first time I kissed a boy. His name was Alister. He was so cute, and I knew. I just knew,, you know?" He looks between the two men, his features softened with reminiscence. "I just knew I was going to suck him off in his father's barn later that night." He pats Loki on the shoulder and tells him, "I wouldn't call any of them lovers. Men of the minute. Flings. That sort of thing."
Bucky's face is bright red - he's pale enough it shows like a banner in a snowfield. He did ask. He did. Times like this he has to remind himself. No comment from Bucky - not at all desiring to push this conversation forward.
He did ask. Yep. Loki can tell that Bucky is about to implode, and he just grinnnnns, "What year was that? Barns? Tell me it was so long ago that you managed to also seduce his grandson." Loki chuckles, and doesn't seem bothered, unless Kai says it happened a month before they met, or something. Then he'll have to burn Alistair to the ground.
Kai laughs and says, "I was in Alfheim when his grandson would've been old enough. Learning how to be a proper lord." He bows with exaggerated properness. Lucky for Alistair, he's been dead over two hundred years. "But now I've only got eyes for one, and one only." He smiles at Loki. "And I'm behaving myself because he's worth it." What's worse, Bucky? This or the smut talk?
He just shakes his head. Love is love….even when it's between a pair of immortal pervs. Then Bucky asks, sotto voce, "Can you guys get married in Asgard?"
"I married him months ago. I just didn't tell him that." Loki draws in a deep breath after the reveal then looks to Kai and lifts a hand, "Surpriiiiiise." in a sing-song tone that conjures up joy, and patience. His thin lips part into a smile so utterly pleased with himself. Not that it'd be legal, if Kai suddenly refused now, but having gone through the little handfasting, he'd just been quietly amused by it for…months.
Kai blinks a few times. "Wait, you did?" He glances down at his wrist, pushing up his sleeve to show a piece of twine tied round his wrist. "…you did!" He looks up at Loki wide-eyed, then to Bucky, and back to Loki. To Bucky, he says calmly, "I need you to hold my dog, please," and he offers Kevin over. "Loki, come here…"
Oh, Jesus. Bucky's eyes are round and owlish in shock, and he takes Kevin with a silent lack of protest. Just looking down at the dog like Kevin's going to start talking and explain all this craziness. WHat's happening? Kevin wags his tail, pedals his paws in the air in an attempt to get back to Kai. Because Kai smells like happiness.
As the leash winds around Bucky's hand, it becomes official. He and Kevin are officially married according to the Asgard tradition. Gotta be careful around bits of rope around those Asgardians!
Loki displays a little relief that at least, initially, Kai does not seem mad! He waits until the doggie is handed over, then scoots closer, laying a hand on Kai's knee and he leans in like he thinks he's going to get a kiss.
Kai gives that kiss, too, flinging his arms around Loki's neck. He kisses the hell out of him, and the rest of the world be damned. There isn't a homophobe on this block he can't punch in half. So he kisses Loki in public, and this once, fate smiles on them and doesn't let them get caught by anyone who does more than double-take. "I love you," he murmurs to the prince. "Of course I'm yours, forever and ever."
Bucky just stares down at Kevin. "I wish," he tells the dog, "I'd kept my mouth shut."
Kai rests his brow against Loki's laughing at Bucky's words. He steals another quick kiss, then leans against Loki comfortably. One would think he'd have clued in a big faster, but now that he's on the right page, he's grinning from ear to ear, dreamy-eyed. "That's right," he says, "Bucky, you'll have your own room." Kevin squirms. Stuff is going on and he doesn't know what! But no one is rubbing the dog's belly.
Bucky just turns Kevin over like a fat, furry baby and rubs the dog's tummy. "Oh, thanks, Dad," he says, with sarcasm. But then he grins, despite himself, lips twitching.
"I am the father, right? Kai definitely seems more…motherly." Loki drifts a hand up and gives Kai a boob-squeeze except there's nothing to really tweak. "He feeds you and I make certain that you make curfew." Now he's just super amused and in a fantastic mood!
"I was going to say Pop's new floozy," Kai says, "but sure, I'll be Mom." He laughs at the squeeze. "Dear, not in front of Junior." Kevin's leg kicks the air as his belly is rubbed. At least the family dog is happy with all this.
"All right, guys. Take it upstairs," Bucky says, reaching over and depositing Kevin in Kai's lap. I'm going for a walk."