[ open ] you are boundless in beauty, with fright in your face

[dothelokimotion]

who: Loki + You
what: TDM + Monthly Prompts
when: The month of February
where: All over Riverview
warnings: Will add if ratings change


[ i. Crystal caves ]

[ Of course, the minute Loki heard about the crystal caves, he was there. But he picked a time late at night when visitors had trickled down to nothing and he couldn’t be interrupted. With a small knapsack, Loki collects a few shards and geodes of crystals, turning them over in his hands with a secret grin. He holds one or two up, reaching out with his magic and watching them glow with the faintest traces of glee. After a while, he tidies them up and rests his back against a large oddly cut prism as he watches the lights cast threads of colour over the ceiling.

Loki would have go home eventually. Back to his empty apartment. Every time he thought about it, he hated it more and more. When did being alone become so hard? His eyes droop slightly, letting the strange light-magic of the caves wash over him. ]

[ ii. Dream-sharing ]

[ Loki’s dreams are chaotic things by nature. To reflect his own, obviously. He’s had happy, vainful dreams. Draped in royal colours, amidst the crowds calling his name. Bowing, reveling in his presence. The king. Other times, the dreams are dark and cold, covered in the dust of hollow moons and the strangeness of monsters, alien fingers brushing against his temple. Cold, always cold. Loki manufactures the sensation for his dreams. This time, the dream is simple. Straightforward. There is a crater on the ground and in the center, stands Mjolnir. Loki merely stands beside it, his hands clenched at his sides.

He does not reach for it. ]

[ iii. Clearing the Air ]

[ Once the mist made contact, Loki fled. He has always been a mass of seething resentments and bottled up anger issues and the mist had conflated them in his mind, making him see red everywhere. And Loki, who has quite the temper already could also foresee the danger of being in a city full of people when all he wanted to do was lash out at everyone closest to him. Minor infractions felt like grievous wounds and well . . . Loki generally treated those with a reverence that was probably bad for his mental health to begin with.

( they’re not all imagined slights, they’re not, they’re not, they’re not )

So he finds himself a fair distance away from Riverview, closer to the Abandoned City. Empty. Alone. And he sends out a jet of magic towards the trees, watching them crunch and collapse, splinters flying everywhere. This would be easier, better with someone to fight against, to expend that kind of energy, but the danger of losing control was too great. Pursing his lips, he sends another wave, watching it rip apart more of the forest when he hears approaching footsteps. The red haze fills his gaze. ]

You had best leave. Promptly.

[ v. Wildcard ]

[ Loki can be found at Gramarye, checking out the various stalls for the festival and even sitting down besides a bonfire, deep in thought. If you have a scenario in mind, you’re welcome to PM me or ping me at captainkink ]

Comments

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki turns around and Taako would see his eyes are filled in red, strange markings on his face. Whorls and lines that shift and turn as if they're alive. ]

It is not a good time.

[spellslots]

[He's seen weirder; Taako just takes the new look in stride, though he doesn't get any closer. Instead, he casts levitate on himself and pulls his legs up to sit cross-legged in the air, clearly making himself comfortable.]

I get it, bubbale. [The mists and all that shit.] But uh, I'm gonna keep ya company for a bit.

[He hasn't forgotten their conversation after the whole mess with those cursed books, and he knows that Loki was scared about losing him. Taako isn't great at like, caring about other people, but this is him proving that he's here and not going anywhere. Even if it gets messy.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ His hands clench into fists. There was no resentment directed at Taako and for that, he was mostly safe. But Loki's anger tends to rise, infiltrating every good thing he has ever believed in. A poisonous, heady feeling that Loki thought he had gotten rid of, but it lingered underneath his skin, alive and breathing. ]

I — I can't. I'll destroy it all.

[spellslots]

Nah, I think we're good.

[It's a light comment, as if he can remind Loki that it doesn't need to be big and dramatic and complicated by acting that way. Taako's a little anxious, sure, but he's keeping it hidden.]

You want something to beat up?

[He wiggles his fingers, an unspoken explanation that he'll do some kinda magic for Loki.]

[dothelokimotion]

I would love someone's neck to wring. Which I can do if necessary.

[ Loki pushes some of his hair off his face. The red haze in his thoughts drift in and out. Sometimes he's angry at Thor, at Odin, at Sif. The list goes on and on. He hates this because it feels like proof that he can slip up any time. That for all his changes, Loki can end up where he started. ]

[spellslots]

Hot.

[He winks, but it's just a joke, there's no real feeling behind it the way there could be if he was being serious.

Or maybe that's just because he's concentrating; Taako closes his eyes as an elemental pulls itself from the ground, soil shaping itself into something vaguely humanoid, that stands at the ready once the spell is complete.]

Have at it, my dude.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki eyes the figure at first, the blood red in his eyes flickering in the light. He tries to picture people, letting his feelings boil over. He throws a knife at it, catching it dead center on its forehead. Loki moves closer, lithe as a panther as he wraps his fingers around the neck —

— But he can't squeeze. He tries and tries and tries, but the anger in him, it's artificial. Fake. It no longer holds water in this new world Loki has built for himself. With a frustrated howl, Loki lets his hands drop. ]

This is pointless. They're all dead.

[spellslots]

[Here's the thing: Taako doesn't really do dramatic displays of emotion except on very rare occasions, but he's used to them. Lup, especially has more than enough anger to keep her burning for the rest of their lives, and Magnus hardly hides his emotions, so it sucks to watch Loki obviously hurting, but it's not something he can't handle.

When Loki drops his hand, Taako drops the elemental, letting it crumble back into the earth it came from.]

It's shit, all this, and like - fuck them, honestly, the people who made the fucking mist. [He's not sure what his point is here, it just needed saying.] I'm sorry, bubbale. Is there something I can do to help?

[dothelokimotion]

No, it . . . it will pass. For once, this is not my madness.

[ He chuckles, low and drawn-out. ]

I should be grateful for that.

[spellslots]

Well, hey, good to know, I'd hate to have to fight to the death or something.

[Clearly that's a ridiculous scenario.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ His lips quirk upwards. The red haze seems to have dimmed a little. Perhaps he was growing too. ]

That would be disastrous.

[spellslots]

[That's better.]

Fuck, right? I'd kick your ass and Thor'd have to kick my ass and then Lup would kick his ass, for sure. Just a mess all round.

[he would win in this hypothetical fight

(he would not)]

[dothelokimotion]

The circle of ass-kicking. As old as time itself.

[ Loki raises a hand to his face, feeling out the markings with a frown before he pushes them away. ]

[spellslots]

[Taako's so curious about... all of that (he can make some educated guesses), but he knows better than to ask now; maybe there'll be a more appropriate time later.]

It'd be a real poetic way to go out.

[And Loki's all about that sort of thing.]

You know, I did actually bring food, you want in on that?

[Since he seems a lot calmer.]

[dothelokimotion]

Profiteroles, correct?

[ He tugs his clothes down, straightening himself and making it appear like nothing happened. And in a way . . . nothing did. ]

[spellslots]

Among other goodies, I mean - you know I wasn't gonna show up unprepared.

[He snaps his fingers so that a hidden chest appears, popping open to reveal an assortment of pastries and sandwiches and a bottle of wine because it's Taako.]

[dothelokimotion]

An interesting form of preparation, but I suppose I can't complain.

[ A chest though. Why a chest? ]

[spellslots]

[That's just how the spell works, don't @ him.]

It was either that or coming like, armed to the teeth, but I wasn't real worried.

[He knew Loki wouldn't hurt him.]

[dothelokimotion]

No. You never had reason to be. And you never will.

[ And there are more who do not, but Loki does pride himself in instilling fear in others, even when it's unjustified. It's a good look, a damning look, but it keeps those with weaker bones at bay. ]

[spellslots]

[He's a mature adult, which is why his reply comes through a half eaten mouthful of food.]

That one's pretty obvious, even to me. You've had a lotta chances to fuck me up.

[Taako's seen Loki angry, in the way people get before they lash out, but he never has.

The whole mind reading thing doesn't count. That was extenuating circumstances.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki mostly thinks he's been lucky. That he's managed to restrain himself or skate by, just barely. It's not the truth, not the whole truth, but it doesn't need to be scrutinized. He's comfortable with the way things are. Comfort is a luxury. ]

A good thing to prove unlucky with.

[spellslots]

I don't think luck really factors into it, my man.

[That implies that it was something out of Loki's control, and Taako doesn't think it was.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Luck always has a little to do with it. But Loki isn't going to contest the point. ]

Perhaps.

What else did you bring?

[spellslots]

[That's a discussion ender if he's ever heard one.]

Beignets, tomato and manchego tartlets, oh and a spritzer, raspberry and basil.

[He likes keeping busy.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ He hums. ]

Fancy.