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It's a bustling night at Saganaki, at least in the main restaurant. Out here in the courtyard, it's peaceful. A god can take a rest and eat some good food should he want. Lambert is swamped in the kitchen, and the courtyard seems abandoned at first, save for the space heaters near the tables that are turned on and warming away. Surely someone is keeping an eye open back here for guests.
*
Loki comes in to the place to have alittle bite to eat. Sure, he's had his distractions of late, but he knows that Lambert has frequent contact with Kai and, its been a while since he terrorized the poor goat. He gestures with his pale fingers in an indication he wishes to be seated.
*
The person who steps up to seat him is staggeringly familiar, from the golden curls to the build of his body, to those bright blue eyes. He's wearing a thin illusion to make him look more human than elvish, but it's Kai. Kai in a waiter's uniform. He's distracted as he grabs a menu, then turns to see who he's seating, and his eyes widen in surprise. "Hi!" he says, grinning.
*
Loki arches his dark brows and looks Kai up and down. "Serving mortals again I see. Well, not tonight. Tonight you will apparently serve me instead. How interesting. Is this regular or…just…assisting for one night?" The Asgardian purrs in the asking, standing still for a few moments.
*
"I like serving you," Kai says amiably. The purring voice causes his eyes to lid, and he says in a low tone, "Right this way, sir." He gestures toward the courtyard. "I've been helping out here and there. I just started waiting on people. It's nice to talk to them, and they're so happy when you bring them food and wine."
*
Loki settles into the gestured table and spreads his hands on the cloth, thoughtfully. "But what happens when the kitchen lets you down? You have to make excuses…deal with their ire…"
*
"Oh, I don't mind," he says. "Everyone gets a little fraught sometimes. Besides, I'm not getting paid so I can just come and go whenever I feel like it." He sets a menu in front of Loki and says, "Our specials are lamb kabab, dolmas, and our recommended wine is a table red from the mountainous region of Greece." He knows the speech so well, and he delivers it with good cheer.
*
Loki clears his throat some and ignores the menu. "I will have a vegetable kabob, without onions, mixed between those lamb bits. You are not getting paid? What do you do with the tips? Give them to charity? Your heart simply bleeds for your destitute friends." He chuckles.
*
"Vegetable kabob, no onions," Kai says. Then he says, "I give my tips to the other serveres. They're far worse off than I am. Bertie pays me in food." He sighs wistfully. "Loki, it's so great. I get to eat whatever I want, whenever I want, and all I have to do is talk to people, which is something I love doing." He clasps his hands together and says, "Anyway, let me go get that started for you."
*
"And the wine, Kai…and the wine. I will try this…vintage you have selected. Do make certain that the host does not do anything /odd/ to it, will you?" Loki smiles slyly. "He would not enjoy the revenge."
*
Kai says wryly, "I will inspect the vintage myself." He disappears, but only briefly, returning with a bottle of wine and two glasses. Apparently he's decided it's break time, because he sits down at the table with Loki and pours them both a glass of the deep, rich red. "He's had family staying over. He's always harried when family stays over."
*
Loki scoops up the glass once its poured and leans over the table, green eyes contrasting with the bloody liquid. "He has family? Greek gods? Now that would be entertaining…i would love to seeeee his family. Is someone a goat?" He chuckles, then sobers, and tips his glass forwards. "To…families, and trying to get you pregnant." he teases.
*
"His dad looks like a proper satyr," Kai says, "and he's nuts. He turned Elmo into a girl." He takes a drink of his wine, relaxing awfully easily for someone who's supposed to be on duty. "Elmo became a, what do you call it, a maenad. They're bloodthirsty women who get together with satyrs. He got over it, though. He changed back. It was kind of hilarious." Then he sputters. "What? Loki, tell me you can't do that." Suddenly, elf has concerns.
*
.~{:--------------:}~.
*
"Hilarious? Yes…that does sound hilarious. How did Elmo weather it? What prompted the man to do that? Was Elmo being rude?" Loki seems totally amused by the man shapeshifting other people. Its a favorite pasttime! "Are you asking if I can get you pregnant or if I can shapechange other people. I suppose if I did the latter, I could do the former."
*
Kai shrugs and says, "Who knows why a satyr does anything? He said something about Bertie needing some female friends, and I guess he didn't want to mess with an Alfheimian, so he picked Elmo. After he turned into a she, she attacked me. It was kind of cute. Then she tried to kiss me and I was like sorry, still married." His brow furrows as he regards Loki with some concern. "I'm not ready to become a mother."
*
"You would be a terrible mother, anyway, working late nights at a restaurant." Loki still seems amused. "I have no intentions of turning you into a woman. It was a jest…saying that I was trying to get you pregnant, meaning that we have sex like a breeding pair." Loki explains his joke with his eyes lidded.
*
"Oh, I like the attempts," Kai says amiably. "And you're right. I would be a terrible mother. Though, if you think about it, I take pretty good care of Kevin. How much harder could it be? Maybe Lambert would let me stash the kid upstairs while I worked." He taps a fingertip to his lower lip, then shakes his head. "Still a bad idea. Let's just stick to trying and trying."
*
"Yes…we must simply keep trying." Loki's thin lips form a soft smile. He leans back in his chair and ponders Kai for a long moment. "I wish to spend time in the company of you and your friends. Not just you. So oft, I hear the tales of your tribulations and it sounds…I wish to know from being there. I am sorry that I have been distant and distracted. I get wrapped up in my own plans."
*
"We should have a party at the penthouse," Kai says. "We can invite Elmo and Reno, and I've seen Bucky around so he's back from wherever he went. Maybe he can bring Scarlett, ooh! And we can invite Stephen and his wife Wanda. Bertie, of course. Maybe he can do the cooking. Or maybe we could have the party here! I can lie and say it's my birthday, and we could even get presents."
*
Loki lifts his hand. "No…no, this is the problem. Too many people and it becomes a party and I remain distant. I wish to be around…no more than two of them at a time. And not Strange and Wanda. She never…does anything."
*
Kai taps his fingertip to his lip as he thinks. Then he sits up and smiles. "We'll tell everyone it's your birthday. Then you'll be the center of attention, like you should be, and everyone will bring you presents. We'll get a cake and sing to you. These human rituals are a lot of fun. Sometimes there are strange little hats."
*
Loki shakes his head again, though he does seem amused by watching Kai plan things with his usual energy. "No…not a party, not a party at all. You are not with your friends as a party. You just…go and be with them, right? I will just join you."
*
"I don't mean to," Kai says. "And I wouldn't at your own birthday, but all right. We could have a series of dinners at the penthouse, just one on one. We can order in and sit at the fancy dining table. I'll even wear something nice. We're classy, that's why. I'm sure Bertie has forgotten all about the seduction incident by now. I know Elmo likes you."
*
Loki draws in a deep breath. "I…no…I feel like I cannot communicate what I wish to say. You…/how/ do you keep their company? Do you have dinners or do you just…go somewhere, and be in their company? How and when are you around them? Is it some sort of event that you are trying to avoid me coming to?"
*
"We run into each other because we go to the same places," Kai says. "A lot of times I call Elmo or he calls me because we've got some free time. Sometimes when I go to the barber shop, Reno's there. Lots of people swing by Bertie's courtyard. I'm not trying to plan around you. I just go out a lot." He reaches for Loki's hand to give it a squeeze. "It would always be more groovy if you were around."
*
Loki nods once. "Yes…like that. Let me just…go with you to whatever you are going to do, and I will see the friend of yours that I see, there." Loki makes a little gesture with his other hand, then lays it atop the clasped pair. "Natural. Easy. Unplanned. Less likely to involve food." He flashes a grin.
*
"Of course," Kai says. "We'll come here for dinner, or we can go for walks in the places where I go." He grins, ducking his head as Loki clasps his hand back. "At least when we're here it involves good food. Elmo usually stops by but he's going to see dinosaurs tonight at the World Fair. I'm glad I ran into you. I'd rather spend the evening with you instead."
*
Loki puts a hand on the table. "Your mind is forever on food…" He pats it once, then shakes his head. "Well…have something to eat with me then, Kai…we may as well have dinner together, since you are being a terrible waiter." The green-eyed god chuckles.
*
Kai says wryly, "I am rather bad at it." In fact, someone else comes out to bring Loki's order since Kai forgot all about it. The food arrives timely, at least. "I can't help it. I got distracted by a customer," Kai says. The waiter who's actually working shakes her head, and Kai calls after her, "It's not my fault he's so good-looking!"
*
Loki preens a bit even though this is information that he already knows! He just doesn't get tired of hearing about it, apparently! "And you…are too attractive for your own good. Sometimes I have considered casting a spell that would let everyone else believe you are average, instead of a bronzed, elfin prince." He makes a casual gesture. "But, then, I would not get to enjoy being proud to have you."
*
Kai sits in his waiter's uniform at Loki's table. So much for working! He's on an extended break and they've just been brought dinner. "I'd still make friends though," Kai says, grinning like a fool at being called a bronzed elfin prince. "Because even if I got my face bitten off, I bet Elmo and Bertie would still like me. Thank goodness that's never happened. I want to remain worthy of you."
*
"I promise that when you have your face bitten off, I will still be your friend," says Lambert, who is stepping out to flex sore hands and pop some joints. Kitchen work can be intense, and he has a rill of sweat just under his chef's cap "Good evening, Mr. Loki. And hello Kai." His voice is wry "So what is this about spells to alter people? I have seen a bit of that recently…"
*
Loki lifts a hand, "I do like your attractiveness, but, you need not fret over it. I like an aging man just as well as one caught in youth." Loki tilts his head. "I look forward to watching you change, in a way. It comes so slowly in Asgard."
*
Kai sweeps his fingers through his hair and says, "So maybe when I'm a silver fox, those will be our best years? I look forward to finding out." He beams at Lambert. "I'm just taking a break," he tells him. "I got distracted by a handsome customer, I can't help it." He serves some of the lamb onto a plate for Loki, then for himself. Loki comes first in his opinion. "We'll have lots of time. Even for my short lifespan."
*
Lambert examines Loki for a moment, his own brown, weirdly pupilled eyes narrowed thoughtfully. After a moment or two, he heads towards one of his small sheds to take out a red ceramic vessel, and unstopper it to offer it to Kai. Wine for Loki, perhaps. "Short lifespan?" Lambert asks.
*
Loki nods faintly. "Not short to humans, but…shorter than mine. Of course, supposing that niether of us are killed /again/." There's a casual gesture from the demi-god. "We have a disappointing record of previous death." He winks at Kai.
*
Kai smiles at Loki, utterly besotted. For someone whose attention wanders on just about every topic, he's still crazy about the demi-god. "Yeah, but we have a good record for coming back." He even forgets about food, mooning over his beloved. "Oh! Here, let me pour you some wine." Which he does from the ceramic vessel Lambert has brought. He gives it a sniff and a tiny taste, just to make sure it's on the up and up.
*
"You are a God, though - the Gods are immortal. All of us are brief to you," says Lambert, slowly, but then whatever thought he has is twisted away, and goes. He gives a casual smile, and he says "You have an excellent record in _disappointing_ those who would see you gone, however, eh?" The wine is thick, but medium bodied. Cherries and something heavier, almost animal to it "I wouldn't poison you," Lambert says dryly to Kai "Who would wait tables?"