[closed] can i roll a friendship check?

[ohhmrburnsides]

who: magnus + others (hmu!)
what: catch-all for september (and the last few days of august)
when: post-fire event thru september
where: wherever the fun is!
warnings: will update as necessary

feel free to catch me on plurk for plotting!

Comments

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki often drops in at Taako's apartment with little fanfare, popping up when he's never expected and generally draping himself on the couch as he watches Taako bustle around. It's calming, in a way, even if it does not fall into a routine. Routine is dangerous after all. It makes you believe nothing can change.

However, this time as Loki uncloaks his magic and steps into Taako's living room, there is another man there and Loki blinks, wondering if he should leave. ]

Who are you?

[ohhmrburnsides]

[Here's what Loki has just walked into: Magnus on the couch wearing basketball shorts and a sweatshirt, eating a slice of cake with his bare hands. Frankly, Loki is lucky he's wearing this much clothing.

When he sees Loki he pauses mid-bite, startled for only a moment. Based on Loki's appearance, he can register almost instantly that this is one of Taako's friends. (It's not hard to figure out who Taako hangs around.)

Only because he's stunned, he speaks with his mouth half-full:]

Magnus?

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki's expression doesn't twitch as he takes in Magnus' appearance. The name is familiar so he is less tense at least. ]

Chew with your mouth closed.

[ He glances around, his mouth pressed in a firm thin line. ]

Is he not here?

[ohhmrburnsides]

[When one of his crew tells him to chew with his mouth closed, he laughs it off. When this guy tells him to do so, he follows orders.]

Uh. [A shrug.] He'll be back soon. I'm just hangin' out.

[He pauses, still uneasy because this dude has just waltzed into the room like it's no big deal and hasn't even introduced himself.] Who are you again?

[dothelokimotion]

[ There's a minute twitch to Loki's lips as his command was followed. It is a small pleasure. ]

I am Loki. An . . . acquaintance.

[ohhmrburnsides]

[Knowing Loki's name still doesn't answer all the questions that are piling up in Magnus's mind here. He raises an eyebrow in suspicion.]

...Define acquaintance.

[dothelokimotion]

[ In the driest of tones. ]

A person who knows another person.

[ohhmrburnsides]

[Oh, so it's gonna be like this. Alright, sure. Taako, who the hell are you making friends with?]

I meant how do you know Taako?

[dothelokimotion]

He came to me for help over his sister's umbrella.

[ Months ago. Around the time Loki first started his work in Riverview. It's almost hard to recall. Time moves differently for him after all. ]

We have . . . "hung" together since.

[ohhmrburnsides]

[His demeanor softens now that he's finally getting a straight answer out of Loki. The umbrella, huh. If Taako trusted Loki with something like that, he probably isn't that bad after all.]

Oh, I gotcha. That checks out.

[Then, he asks (just for clarification, really):]

... You're just friends, right?

[dothelokimotion]

[ His expression narrows slightly. ]

Is there something else we should be?

[ohhmrburnsides]

[Vigorously, he shakes his head in denial.]

No, no, no. I was just, uh, checkin'.

[Aaaaaawkward. There's a pause, and then Magnus attempts to remedy the situation.]

You wanna sit and chill until he gets back?

[dothelokimotion]

[ Hmm. Loki dislikes remaining in a place where he might not be wanted. It gives rise to doubts he does not like to address. He ruthlessly stems the flow of paranoia, trying to appear as normal as possible. ]

For a while, I suppose. I will not overstay my welcome.

[ohhmrburnsides]

[He shrugs.] Okay, sure. He just had to go buy something or... something. Shouldn't take him more than a few minutes.

[Nonchalant, he takes another bite of his cake. Then he realizes that, technically, he doesn't actually live here. It still feels so natural to be in Taako and Lup's space that he forgets he needs to explain his own presence. Before he explains himself, he makes a point to swallow his food first.]

Oh—Right, okay, so. I'm like, a family friend. I kinda used to live with the twins before we came to Riverview so I tend to just chill out here a lot.

[Hopefully that takes some of the pressure off of the situation.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ If anything, the pressure in his shoulders tightens further. Loki is an outsider. He is always the outsider. He has no claim to family or his hold on friendships are tentative. Thankfully, Loki is a superlative actor and not many can sense the flickers of strong emotion that pass through his form like a storm. ]

I am vaguely familiar. He has spoken of you.

[ He frowns. ]

Though I cannot recall if it was you or Barry that had designs on unicorn dicks.

[ohhmrburnsides]

[This is a reference to Magnus's future that he wouldn't know about—so he furrows his brows in confusion. That's... Um.]

... I don't know what you're talking about there, but I have absolutely no history with unicorn dicks. And I don't think Barry does, either.

[...yeeeeeesh, Barry.]

[dothelokimotion]

Hmm. Perhaps I have been mistaken.

[ He shrugs loosely, watching Magnus' confusion with bemusement. ]

No matter. Taako will clarify it for me.

[ohhmrburnsides]

Hopefully he clarifies it for me, too... [He's saying this to himself as much as he is to Loki.]

So, Loki, what's up in your life? What do you do?

[Is it smart to try to make small talk with this dude? He'll at least give it a try.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki blinks, slightly caught off guard by the interest. ]

I . . . am a magical researcher and advisor at the Gramarye institute.

[ohhmrburnsides]

[Hey, the small talk is working somehow!]

Neat! I know some people over there. Do you have a specialty?

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki weighs his words before speaking. ]

Illusionary magic. Though I am capable of other feats.

[ohhmrburnsides]

Ooh, illusions. [He waves his fingers in front of his face as if that's supposed to represent illusions.] I dig illusions.

[With some hesitation, he says,] Show me one!

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki pointedly rolls his eyes but with a flick of his fingers, materializes a thousand nude Magnus figures standing around, posing and batting their eyelashes. ]

[ohhmrburnsides]

[So that was a bad idea.]

O... okay, you can make it stop now.

[Please.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki snaps his fingers and they all vanish without fanfare. ]

Does that meet your criteria?