video, un: LOKIOFASGARD

[ikols]

[ He misses Stephen. One of his best friends (if he could consider himself as having them) for months, a backbone to lean on and firm supporter of the Loki Isn't A Total Shitbag club, is gone, and while the Sanctum actually is larger on the inside than the out, it feels somehow emptier. He smashed several priceless artefacts with no repercussions, no sorcerer appeared to put him in time-out or ask with strained patience what he was doing, which is how he knows Stephen really has returned through the portal. That, and Loki's private alarm went off as Stephen left the dimension; his finger pricked with blood on its own, a warning.

So he sits in Stephen's main study in a theatrically winged armchair because this house is nothing if not extra, dust motes floating through lazy afternoon golden light. He does so with arms folded, frowning, ignoring the giant green viper with its head resting over the back of the chair upon his shoulder (Freyja is sad too). He takes a breath. ]

Stephen Strange from Earth-616 has returned home, albeit leaving his actual house here. The Sanctum Sanctorum is hereby officially all mine until he returns, fight me for it, etcetera. [ The unnaturally large serpent boops his cheek with her huge nose, supporting and prompting him to continue as he scratches under her chin. ] Er, I guess Avengers are still welcome if you ever visited Stephen in the first place, whatever. Come by if you have any magical problems, I ...

[ He pauses (maybe for effect!!) and pulls the Cloak of Levitation into shot, draping it around his shoulders. What is more impressive is the cloak lets him.

(It has instructions to babysit a certain godling, not that Loki knows that.)

He sets his jaw, sitting up straight. ]

It happens in our future anyway, he said. I suppose I'm this realm's new Sorcerer Supreme, for now.

Comments

[ikols]

I mean, yeah ... Sure.

[ Trying to look offended when he is actually just as bad at keeping in touch with people even though Loki is surgically connected to his phone most of the time. He puffs bangs out of his eyes, failing at being haughty. ]

You sound jurassic, Owen. "I don't like phones". We have Bluetooth in Asgardia! Get with the times.

[alfa]

[ He huffs out a breath, not believing that offended air one bit. ]

Well, I’d say it’s pretty fitting. Me, being jurassic. [ Never mind that Velociraptors are from the Cretaceous period. Don’t correct him, he knows!! ]

I promise I’ll try to keep in touch a little better from now on. How’s that?

[ikols]

[ It's obvious how happy Owen makes him when Loki preens, combing back his hair with a smile playing on his lips. ]

I suppose I can forgive you. [ So benevolent! ] You should visit the Sanctum when you're sick of cafeteria food for lunch. I take requests!

[ He doesn't, feeling generous now because Owen has cheered him up. ]

[alfa]

In that case, I'll forgive you for not showing up at the zoo either.

[ Pursing his lips and shrugging. What you gonna do, huh. ]

I don't really eat at the cafeteria much. [ Pause, ] But sure, I can come by sometime. When I'm not getting lost in the forest.

[ikols]

Oh, you've been out there a lot? Making use of my cabin, hm?

[alfa]

I have, actually. Very nice digs. I promise I’m not leaving my underwear all over the place. [ Though Loki might find the odd shirt here and there, and what’s unmistakably Owen’s scent all over the place. Mostly the couch. ]

[ikols]

[ Well, Owen will have to deal with Loki stealing those shirts when he visits unannounced. ]

Had many wild parties while my attention was elsewhere?

[alfa]

[ A chuckle. ] No. Just me, and maybe a couple lizards. [ It’s a growing collection. ]

[ikols]

[ That gets a curious look, an arched brow. ]

Missing your dino squad?

[alfa]

They adopted me. Couldn’t shake them off. [ It doesn’t have to mean anything, okay. ]

[ikols]

[ UH HUH, doesn't mean a thing. ]

If you'd like some company, instead of collecting amphibians like a twelve year old ...

[alfa]

Hey, I like amphibians. They don’t pester me much.

[ Owen raises an eyebrow, lips curling into a crooked smile. ] It’s your place, you don’t need my permission to come by.

[ikols]

[ A scoffs eats his laugh. ]

I won't if it counts as pestering. You've been living there longer than I ever did.

[alfa]

It wouldn’t count as pestering. I do like your company.

[ As a guy or a girl, or anything else. Whatever Loki happens to be in the mood for. ]

[ikols]

[ A pause, then a nod and the video turns off. A shuffling of boots immediately starts in the kitchen of the rural underground home as Loki appears without warning still wearing the red cloak, the room empty one moment then occupied the next. ]

Honey, I'm home!

[alfa]

[ Owen’s not even remotely surprised that Loki takes his words to the letter and poofs himself across the jungle and to the cabin. It’s how he seems to roll sometimes, on spurs of the moment and impulse reactions. ]

You really don’t like to waste time, do you. [ Owen speaks up with a faint lilt to his tone, as he comes down the stairs and props an arm up against the wall, tipping his head at Loki. ] Good to see you, stranger.

[ikols]

Howdy, cowboy.

[ His smile is reflexive, a little tarnished with a flush to his cheeks since they got along, ah, so well the last time they hung out. He strikes a pose with fists on his hips, armour glittering under the cloak. ]

How do I look?

[alfa]

Very... flamboyant. [ He’ll even use big fancy words for him, how nice is he? ] Matches your cheeks.

[ Just a playful tease as he steps further into the kitchen and closer to Loki. ]

Can I get you a beer? [ Gesturing to the fridge. ]

[ikols]

[ tHAT'S RUDE good job he didn't hear it!! ]

Uh, yeah. Cloak?

[ The cloak levitates off Loki and shakes its collar 'Nah', floating away to fold itself on a ledge for a nap. Loki's extravagant clothes shimmer away, morphing into jeans and a green hoodie. ]

I guess he's on a diet.

[ Haha. ]

[alfa]

[ What would a cloak do with a beer anyway?? Owen watches it float away, adding that to the list of weird shit he’s seen here. A lot of them seem to revolve around Loki, go figure. ]

More for us. [ He fetches a couple beers from the fridge, uncapping them both and handing one over to him. ] So how’s the cloak treating you so far?

[ikols]

[ It's polite to ask! He taps his bottle against Owen's, looking down. ]

Fine. We're all a bit down what with Stephen poofing off through the portal, but the general feeling is that he'll come back. The Sanctum needs its real master.

[alfa]

[ Owen leans against the counter, taking a sip from his beer. ]

Is that something that happens often? People leaving, and just... coming back?

[ikols]

[ He's quiet as he takes a long sip, sobering considerably from the blushy mess he was upon arrival. Jason. Tim. Thor. He looks up, resigned. ]

They never remember being here if they do return. It's just good to have them back.

[alfa]

[ Owen is awkwardly silent for a while. He’s never been good at this sort of thing, comforting people, talking things out. Eventually he reaches out and rests a hand on Loki’s shoulder. ]

You must’ve seen a lot of people leave. [ A mere observation; he’s been here a while, after all. ] I’m sorry.

[ikols]

It's the nature of a nexus such as this moon, no one stays forever.

[ Maybe one day even Loki will be forced to walk back through the portal and undergo ego-death, become the wilder Loki that Doreen and everyone else has been describing. A new personality for a new body. He doesn't want to stop being this version of himself, yet. Doesn't see why that's fair.

A cool hand pats Owen's much warmer one on Loki's shoulder. ]

This probably all sounds like science fiction to you, doesn't it?