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Loki teleports into the house, still laughing over whatever tricks he's been up to. Full regalia, he takes off his helm and just continues to laugh.
Kai is on the couch, curled up around a teddy bear that is wearing one of Loki's shirts. His golden hair splay s on the cushion, and he always looks so deceptively innocent in slumber. He stirs when he hears Loki's laughter, though. "Loki?" he murmurs, looking up hopefully.
Loki sets down the helm and moves towards Kai with a smile on his thin lips. "Yes…none other, of course. I would never send illusions to you. He moves forwards, cape stirring behind him as he moves and sits down on the couch beside Kai's legs. "Why you prefer this place and this couch…over the oppulence, I have no idea. Mmmmm. A few days away and…looking at you is like looking anew."
Kai sits up so he can lean against Loki, foregoing the bear to hug Loki in the flesh. "I missed you," he says. "When Bucky and I got back, you were gone." There's nothing accusatory in his voice. Loki can come and go as Loki pleases, even if it means Kai's reduced to hugging teddy bears that smell like him. "Did you have fun?"
"Yessss, I did, and so did your friend, Jay." Loki slides an arm around Kai. "I spotted him, and on a whim…I decided to take him off to the Faire of Llandray. He was so angry at first, then baffled at everything, and then finally he loosened up and had fun. It was fantastic. And of course, I know he is your friend and…I could tell that /earthly/ concerns were weighing on him. Nothing like," He gestures freely with his spare hand, "discovering that your problems matter nothing in the scheme of the universe to calm down."
Kai looks up at Loki with eyes so sad. "You went to a Faire without me?" he says. But then he processes the bit about a worried Jay lightening up, and he smiles a little. "Poor Jay, he's had a time lately. I'm glad he's feeling better." He tries to hold back, but he can't help asking, "Did you bring me anything?"
"I did go without you, I suppose, though the desire to go overtook me in an instant, and of course, you do plenty of things without me." Loki smiles slllyyyyly. "What is this trip with Bucky about?"
Kai says, "I wouldn't go to a Faire without you." Though he does go to Coney Island a lot to talk people into playing games to win him prizes, never mind he could probably win those prizes all on his own. That's not the point. "It wasn't fun," Kai says. "There was an alternate reality Asgard, and we had to fight jotuns and svartalven, and Bucky became Thor in that other place. I guess we fixed it, but I was washing jotun blood out of my hair for an hour."
Loki lids his eyes. "See? You went to a fight without /me/. Bucky…as Thor? Well, I know it was an alternate reality then. There is no way the man that humps demons is /worthy/." Loki lets out a trickle of a laugh.
Kai laughs and says, "It was terrible. And Bucky doesn't hump demons. Wait, does he? What have you heard?" He toys with Loki's hair, too happy to have him back to feel bad about missing out on fun. "It was hard going back to Svartalfheim. I wanted to curl up and die, but the others were in danger so I had to fight. I feel a little bit like I got revenge."
Loki nods faintly, "Yes, he does. remember? He told us he did." He kisses Kai's hair. "I can understand it feeling like revenge, and that's good…good that you could muster up your bravery to do it."
"Did he?" Kai says. "I need to stop doing so many drugs." Like that's going to happen. He curls up against Loki, holding him close, as though to ensure if the god disappears again, he'll be going with him. "So Jay's doing better? That's good. He probably needed the time away. I appreciate you taking care of my friend."
Loki mms. "I wanted to get to know him better anyway…to understand him, and everyone's admiration and attraction to him. I think I understand. its the wings…and the reluctance, right?" Loki smiles and draws pale fingers along Kai's jaw. "You truly do not remember him losing his inhibitions and sleeping with men now?" Loki's just sure Kai should remember this!!
Kai says, "Oh! Ha ha, yes! I was trying to think of a female demon. Ha, he totally nailed that fallen angel." He relaxes. All is right in the world again. "Yeah, our little Bucky has strayed." And Kai sounds proud. He then says, "I think with Jay, it's that he's genuinely good, you know? People are drawn to the fact that he's kind, and he's genuine." He leans into the touch, his eyes lidding. "I missed you," he complains.
"I missed you too, of course. I really did enjoy myself though. Its like I feel…/complete/, when I am able to do something spontaneous like that. I cannot promise that I will not do it again." He clearly doesn't even feel one bit of bad over it. "Maybe so. Jay did seem very good. I get the feeling he has somet things to be guilty about though." He leans closer with his face. He smells like leather.
Kai hangs his head and says, "I know. I'm just glad you were only gone a few days instead of years." His voice is so small, resigned to the fact that he will come home someday and Loki will simply be gone. He looks up into Loki's face and says with a small smile, "We all have something to feel guilty about."
That certainly gets his attention. His black brows creeeeeep upwards in a question, "What does that mean? What have you done to feel guilty about?"
Kai eyes Loki dubiously. "You're enjoying this," he accuses. He takes Loki's hand in his, holding closely. He doesn't want Loki to leave again. He accepts it, but he doesn't want it. "I feel guilty for not visiting my parents," he says. "I haven't seen them since they were taken away. Lady Sif says she's spoken with my mother, and she might get her sentence commuted. But I just never went to visit."
" I see. You spoke with Sif, as well? It is fitting that your parents should be released…being attached to me should have SOME advantage, after all. I understand the guilt, there, but, not all is lost. They are not released yet. You could go. We could both go." Loki offers with a lifting tone.
Kai nods and says, "Oh, sure. Lady Sif is like an aunt to me." Enjoy that little bombshell, Loki. "She's a friend of my mum's." He considers, then says, "I could give the apple back. Maybe they'll, like, let them go if they have their apple back." He smiles then and brings Loki's hand t his lips to kiss his knuckles. "You're reading my mind, baby. I was thinking after the New Year. I don't want to miss Christmas in New York."
Loki parts his lips. "What? Lady Sif is like an /aunt/? I…I had no idea, Kai. /Kaaaaai/? Why did I have no idea about this? Sif is…well..our relationship is complicated. You must have known of me, for so long…and the things I have done that Sif would have told you about. Privaledged information for only the inner circle of Asgard…" Oh gosh, what does Kai know!
Kai laughs softly and says, "She hasn't told me anything. She doesn't seem entirely fond of you, but I'm sure it's a misunderstanding. The other you who died did a lot of bad things, but it wasn't you." Because this version of Loki is pure as the driven snow, surely. "But of course I knew of Prince Loki. You're one of the two Princes of Asgard." He kisses the back of Loki's hand again, gazing up at him with those big blue eyes. "Your secrets are safe. At least until we have a late night chatter session." Because now Kai's going to ask.
"I am going to stop you right there and just..pre-deny everything." Loki chuckles and reaches out to brush his fingers down Kai's jaw. "Tell me more of what you have done in my absense. I get the feeling we have merely touched the surface. Though, I do not currently see more stuffed animals…"
Kai suddenly kisses Loki, a big ol' smeck on the lips. "I know who I married," he says. He sighs then and says, "I couldn't bring myself to go to Coney Island with you gone. I hung out with Sif, took Kevin for walks and made my rounds. Oh! I almost cleaned the house." But why deprive Bucky of his reason for living? "After the alternate reality, I just needed things to be quiet for awhile. I don't regret spending the past few days taking it easy."
"Yes, of course. I did not know about that alternate reality. It sounds…intriguing though. Was I there in any form? Or had I already doomed myself in that reality?" Loki kisses Kai back, but it seems he's not done chatting yet.
"You were there. You were, ah, the usurper. One of us had a spell cast to look like you so we could use your notoriety to our advantage." Kai lowers his gaze. "It was hard," he says. "To see that old you like that. The evil one who was so far gone. I think it was the hardest thing I'd ever had to do in my life."
The Asgardian frowns as Kai describes this…darker version of himself. The hollows of his cheeks grow longer. "You disguised yourself as me? Why…why would you not have…" He works his jaw some. "It is already done. And all with that…business, is finished? I should go to Asgard…to make sure all his well."
Kai shakes his head. "I didn't. Scarlett did. I didn't like it, but it was the mission." He nods then, and he says, "It's all over. I think we stopped something worse from happening." He sidles closer to Loki, trying to insinuate himself under his arm. "When we go to Alfheim, maybe we can go to Asgard, too."
Loki shakes his head. "It just seems odd…that…it doesn't matter. I am curious though, about a dimension in which I've /won/…and won enough to feel like conquering other Asgards. Admit that you would be curious how that other me would look at you? Or, is that too terrifying? I think it is interesting."
Kai shakes his head and says, "Too terrifying. He probably wouldn't know who I am. Besides, he wouldn't be my Loki." He smiles up at Loki. "You're my only one. I don't care about alternate realities or versions or any of that. The only one I had in mind while I was over there was you. I had to stay alive so I could come home to you."
Loki curls his arm tighter, pulling Kai so snug against him. "I trust you to do the right thing to come home to me, even if it means shoving down one of your allies."
Kai sit on the couch with Loki, and they've got their arms wrapped around one another. "I love you," Kai says, as though it were the simplest thing in the world. "When you're not around, you're what I think about. When you are around, I feel like all the pieces of me fit. I missed you. I'll always miss you when you're gone." Loki has been gone for four days, but now he's back! Kai's not letting go of him.
There's the sound of the door opening. Other housemate is back, with sacks of groceries in his arms. Buck's not been around much of late - away for a few days, back for al ittle. Gone again. Having two jobs and a girlfriend….not a lot of spare time. But he does let Kai know, so elf doesn't worry.
Loki will have to start leaving notes behind when the whims take him off and away. He relaxes his hold upon Kai when Bucky enters, apparently not going to gross the man out tonight, and greets him with, "Evening, soldier." Kai gets a different sort of review. "Perhaps I should make you angry…to ease the pain of my being gone." he teases.
Kai shakes his head and says, "Nope." He kisses Loki on the cheek. Then he says to Bucky, "Hey, there. I tried to keep the house tidy while you guys were gone." Gone, leaving Kai all alone. Alooooone. With Kevin, who is asleep on Bucky's pillow. On the floor beside the couch is a teddy bear wearing one of Loki's shirts that Kai was using as pillow. "I think we should snuggle to make up for lost time."
"I'll be in the kitchen," says Bucky, a little drily. He has groceries to deal with, after all. "Looks like you did a good job, Kai," he says. Anything to encourage houseelf to help.
"That is quite rude, Bucky, to ignore his offering of snuggle time." Loki chuckles and starts unfolding himself form the knot that he and Kai had made around each other. "Come help, its fun to try to put cold things in the pantry…and watch him lose it." Loki smiles with a slanted mischievousness.
Kai did at least get trash in the trash bin, and he cleaned up after Kevin, who can't take a drink without splashing water around. He grins at Loki and says, "Do you see what I put up with? Abandoned." He resists letting Loki go, but he doesn't fight it. Instead, he says, "Let's put the eggs in the hall closet."
The Soldier gives them both one of those nearly expressionless dry looks. He sets the groceries down on the kitchen table, holds out his arms to Kai. Come here elf. You do get cuddles.
Oh sure, Kai gets cuddles, but Loki…not one hug from the Wintery warrior. He does grab the meat and tries to put it in the oven. "Abandoned for the kitchen? I think you might be being a little dramatic, Kai."
"For days," Kai says. He hops up and all but runs to Bucky's arms and wraps his own around him. "Hiiiiii," he says, and he hugs Bucky. Not with all his strength, but it's a firm hug. Bucky has himself an elvish limpet. "I was alone, just me and Kev watching TV." Curled up on the couch, hugging his Loki-teddy-bear. This is the same elf who, earlier in the year, lauded himself on living alone.
He does hug the elf, unashamed. Blame Lucian for playing Godzilla to a lot of Bucky's inhibitions. "You poor thing," he says, teasingly. A last squeeze,and then he turns to Loki. "If you help me put things away properly, I'll give you all the hugs you want."
Loki tilts his head and looks at Kai and Bucky curiously. What an interesting sensation…to feel, suddenly, like HE is the roomate in the other room while he looks on to the relationship between the two men. "Yes…poor thing, indeed. I can sleep for 4 days sometimes. YOu have been spoiled with all of these…Midgardian traditions of time."
"Spoiled," Kai echoes, dubiously. He eventually lets go of Bucky, then goes to put the groceries away. Properly. He talks a big game, but after eggs have exploded all over the linens once, he's a changed man. "I pull all nighters. I just like to sleep. It's nice. I'd sleep all day if I could." And he has.
"I like sleeping, when I can," Bucky says. He spreads his arms to invite Loki in to an embrace. Beckons with a little gesture of his fingers. Genuine affection, or a physical game of Chicken he can't win.
"You cannot handle my hugs, Bucky." Loki says, as serious as he can manage. He's a pretty good liar. "They would be too intense."
"They're the best," Kai tells Bucky. He leans against the counter and folds his arms over his chest. "Go on," he says. "Give him a hug. You're good friends. Good friends hug each other." And Kai's just going to observe. For personal reasons.
The Soldier doesn't waver. In fact, arms still spread, he looks Loki dead in the eye and insists, "Be gentle, it's my first time."
|ROLL| Loki +rolls 1d20 for: 18
Personal reasons, eh? Well, those personal reasons are going to be titilated. Loki steps closer to Bucky and then steps in. He puts his hands on the man's ribs, first, then slides them around, while he presses from both sides. Then his body comes in, strong, muscular, and smelling of leather. His arms tighten until finally he has Bucky prisoner in his arms, with his face tucked in close to Bucky's, but slightly downturned, so that the exhale from his lips is near his ear.
That has Bucky looking past Loki to Kai, brow up. I know why you've got that look on, elf. He's relaxed in the Asgardian's arms, as much as he can be. There's only a little rise in his heartbeat - arguing with old instinct that says a man this close is intending to kill him. TRust, of a kind.
Kai watches the hugging, and yes, there is definitely prurient interest, but then his brow furrows. He tucks his heels on the couch and wraps his arms around his knees. "You're both very handsome men," he points out. "I want to draw this. I will someday." Still, he curls up small. Preoccupied elf.
Loki rubs his hands up and down Bucky's back and starts smiling. Just to press the issue, he also starts humming and not letting go. NOW he's being a little shit. "Mmmmm…so nice." GRIN.
Bucky just gives him a dry look. "Now you're pushing it, Odinson," he says, with only the faintest hint of a growl. He does not, however, shove the Asgardian away, or even make a serious effort towards untangling himself from the embrace. He shoots a look at Kai. "Enjoying the view?"
Kai smiles a little. "It's a nice view," he says, "but I think I prefer being part of the picture more than looking at it." He holds out his hands, letting his legs slip down as he reaches toward them. "Come here."
Loki lets go of Bucky with a laugh. "You know, as much as I like hugging you, Bucky…you don't use your legs also, which somehow, Kai always does." He slaps Bucky's arm and then shoves him a little before racing, like he's trying to 'win' to be there before the assassin, towards Kai.
Bucky just snorts, and follows the Prince more sedately, presumably to join the group hug. "Use my legs? Nah, I'm not leanin' on ya."
Kai wraps his arms around Loki, and his legs, too, so if Loki wants to stand up, it'll mean picking Kai up with him. "This is how you hug someone," he says, and he kisses Loki. Then he says, "I'm never going to get used to missing you, or worrying about you, or wanting you near me."
Loki turns to look at Kai and he stares a moment at the elf clinging to him. "I am sorry you were worried. Spontaneous decisions are part of my nature, and I know that I will fail, again. However…I will try…as you must also try to remember that I do tend to come back for my belongings."
Bucky decides to contribute (if that's the term) by coming up behind Kai and reaching around the both of them as best he can. Elf sandwich is the first course, it seems. That's a lot less contact-shyness than before. Thank the Devil.
Kai hugs Loki closely and murmurs a happy noise when Bucky elf-sandwiches him. "I love you guys," he murmurs. Then, "You don't fail me, love. The last time I loved someone this completely, I came home one day and he was gone. He was done with me, and sometimes I wonder why you would want to be with me at all. That's not your fault. I just need to deal with it, I don't know."
Loki squeezes Kai close, then reaches with his free hand to try to grab Bucky by the shirt. "I know what you need…you need a gift. I have one. Look…I brought it from one yalm away…its an assassin with brown hair." Loki grins slyly, his green eyes flicking between the two of them.
And for a wonder, Bucky permits this, though the look he gives Loki is all but feline. What does he think he's doing?
Kai glances over his shoulder at Bucky, then tells Loki, "He's perfect. I'll take good care of him." He rests his head on Loki's shoulder. "Look, even if I'm hurt, or scared, or ticked off, I love you. More than anyone I've ever loved. I don't mind you going away for awhile. Just don't leave me for months or years without letting me know, that's all I ask."
"Perhaps…what we need…is for you to have a scrying device…instead of the relic you do have. I know just who to ask. /Amora/. She would be able to provide you with one. Then, if I ever forget to leave a note, you can just spy on me. I only conceal my whereabouts from scrying when I am /truly/ up to something, and I try to keep that brief, or Heimdal will notice." Loki offers as a weird solution, though, perhaps he's suspicious over Bucky being so compliant about being dragged all over the place. Though, as strategies go, its a good one. Loki, like a cat, is provoked by wriggling and resistance.
The assassin looks perfectly bland, and makes no attempt to detach himself from Loki's grip. Playing dead, indeed, it seems. And clever Loki, giving Kai what he already has, a pet assassin of his very own.
Kai always did want his very own pet assassin. "That would be perfect," Kai says. The idea earns Loki another kiss. "As long as I know you're safe." Though he still look pained. "Just… try to miss me once in awhile. It's a long time to go without sex." Sorry, Bucky, but this is getting said and you're not going anywhere.
Loki turns to look at the pliable human, then helps get him straightened out on the couch, so that he's not leaning on everyone weird. Then he nods his thanks for just playing along. "Do you think I do not miss you? I do. It is simple…you should not be dragged into my…chaos, because you are the person that…soothes me. If I had taken you on the trip to Alfheim's faire, then you would have made me be mostly nice the entire time. And I want you to think that way, rather than being corrupted by me, as I know you would willingly let me do."
Buvky is politely feigning deafness on the subject of the mating habits of the elf. Not like he can ever mock Kai again for being an obvious bottom. Just kind of looking at Kevin like he has no idea what they're talking about.
Kevin chews on that plush frog Bucky won for Kai that one night. He stops to look at the trio, tilting his head, his one floppy ear flopping over, the other sticking straight up. Hello, human. Kai murmurs, "I understand. You need a haven to return to." He strokes Loki's hair. "Then when you come home, I'll soothe you. This will be a welcoming place."
"Mmmhmm…soothing, though…I do not /mind/ if you want to throw things at me. I prefer it…to a soft frown." Loki winks at Kai, then kisses him briefly. Then he looks over at Bucky again, "Speaking of…safe havens, when are you going to bring your girlfriend over for…games and dinner?"
That makes Bucky's eyes half-lid, and he gives Loki something of a side-eye. "Not sure," he says, blandly. "Depends on our schedules." Rogue is clearly the touchiest of subjects for the Soldier.
"Okay," Kai says quietly, and he returns the kiss. He continues to hug Loki, unlikely to stop any time soon, though he looks to Bucky. "We're lots of fun," he says. "It'll be a blast." He offers Bucky the sweetest of smiles, sadly sincere.