[ open to all ] rest in the silhouettes our fathers and mothers laid before

[dothelokimotion]

who: Loki + You
what: Monthly Prompts + Daily Stuff
when: May
where: All around the city
warnings: N/A, will update if necessary


[ i. floating lanterns]

[ Loki remembers.

It almost feels like another lifetime ago. He had come here just after he snatched the throne (or had it been a few years? Time still slips through his fingers) along with Thor. Their conversations had been rough, abrupt. Loki had taken a lantern and hidden himself in the night, a testament to his weakness. A testament to his mother. That wound may never fully heal. But Loki has many wounds like that one and they have eventually lost their power over him. Or their power remained, but they no longer scatter his head with doubts and recriminations. So, he doesn’t hide himself this time, though he may linger at the back. One lantern for one person Loki has not taken the time to mourn. He draws a black crown of thorns with a steady hand. When it’s done, he pulls back, turning it over with his fingers before igniting it with a small globe of light which he conjures in his palm. Both of these combined, Loki lets it bob briefly before lifting it into the air with a murmur. ]

Goodbye, sister. You died a glorious death.

[ ii. sharing life ( and magic ) ]

[ In many ways, Loki was easy. He doesn’t like to admit it, but a little flattery, smiling, buttering him up can go a long way. Of course, not everyone can pull it off. There are only a scant few whose opinions truly matter to Loki and even then, he wavers. It is a dangerous thing, trying to earn a person’s regard. Loki only had to look at his own father to know that it is a treacherous path. But he has also been softened in time, the edges going a little blunt. Laura had asked for a magic show and Lucy wanted to know more stories. Both of which Loki is more than happy to combine. On the steps of his theatre, he holds a tiny street play.

With puppets. Yes, puppets.

Though he’s not moving them with his hands. There are small bursts of gold sparkles and sometimes, the puppets change size, voice and colour. The children clap in delight as Loki hangs back, letting the show play out. ]

[ iii. a boy and his lying cat ]

[ Recently, Thor had gifted him with this . . . animal which meant Loki was partly saddled with it. He says partly because for the most part, the creature itself doesn’t seem to need more attention. It mostly spends its time, slinking around Loki’s legs, yawning and —

— and mocking everything Loki says with a low drawl, constantly uttering Lying at him. What was he even lying about? And it was worse in public when he is talking to someone and almost immediately — ]

Lying.

[ Loki lets out a hiss, turning away from whoever he was speaking to, to address the cat. ]

I will strangle you.

[ The cat blinks, licking his paws, not the least bit perturbed. ]

[ closed - to alex ]

[ True to his word, Loki does make an appearance at the coffee shop. It is fascinating how many life-changing or important moments have taken place here, he muses briefly. Here, he started talking to Steve as an equal. Where he slowly forged an (uneasy) connection with Tony Stark. For this, he dressed in his black suit, waiting at a table politely, his hands folded on his lap as he watches the people pass by. For once, he doesn’t feel quite so . . . apart.

Was that wrong? These people would be gone. He could close his eyes and forget they ever existed. But Loki struggles with wrongness and his ability to tell such things apart has long eroded away. ]

[ wildcard ]

[ Loki mostly spends his time at Gramarye, working his magic or answering queries. The Odin's Odeon is also a location where Loki spends most of his time, so if anyone is interested in hosting an event/play/the arts, Loki will support it. If you have an idea, pm this account or hit me up at captainkink ]

Comments

[tevinteraltus]

I continue to meet more and more. [And he smiles charmingly.] They all seem to have one thing in common: to spite their legitimate claims to godhood, most are surprisingly human.

[He turns his head toward Loki then, eyebrows raised suggestively, and crosses his arms, touching his chin lightly with one hand, resting his elbow in the other's palm.]

I refer to their inherent humanity of course, not their species, and you included, but this has all become rather tedious and I was recently promised wine. Do lead on.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki shakes his head, bemused as he starts heading towards the bar. ]

I'm not sure how I feel about that.

[tevinteraltus]

About what, precisely?

[As Dorian falls into step beside him.]

About your ability to feel, think, make mistakes, like people do? I find it endearing.

[dothelokimotion]

[ His brow furrows. ]

Gods are not machines. Still, there are reasons why we are different. Why we keep ourselves apart.

[tevinteraltus]

To be fair, those here are the first I've ever met.

[He smiles.]

Aside from immortality?

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki nods slowly. ]

That is partly why. Time moves . . . slower. It affects the way we feel, the way we interact with the rest of your world.

[tevinteraltus]

[Dorian nods at that.]

But only partly?

[dothelokimotion]

Being among mortals is dangerous. It forces us to live the way they do, to their time. And that is no life for a long-lived creature.

[tevinteraltus]

[He pauses momentarily.]

I suppose I see your point. [Which brings his mind to another.] Do you find being among us troubling?

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki glances away. ]

. . . Yes. It is — difficult.

[tevinteraltus]

Ah, swallowing my foot again, I see.

[He takes a deep breath, then cracks a pleasant smile, flippant, dismissive. Those are quite a lot of feelings just beneath the surface none of which Dorian had intended to bring forth.]

Well, clearly my charming wit and impeccable taste make up for the difficulty.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki chuckles. ]

It is not unbearable. Merely difficult. As Gods, our hearts are small. They can only shoulder so much.

[tevinteraltus]

Well, thank Heavens I'm not asking your heart to shoulder anything.

[He smiles.]

Just the tab, but I feel that will be a much deeper impact on your wallet.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki waves it off. ]

Money isn't my concern.

[tevinteraltus]

[He chuckles, making a flippant gesture as they walk.]

Then I believe this evening will go swimmingly.

[dothelokimotion]

Oh? Do you have high expectations already?

[tevinteraltus]

Should I not from a god?

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki chuckles. ]

Well. There's always a little danger in expecting too much from gods.

[tevinteraltus]

I true not to.

[He shrugs.]

Granted, if the Chantry is to be believed, He's expecting a great deal more from us than the opposite.

[dothelokimotion]

What does the Chantry believe in?

[tevinteraltus]

The Maker, and his Bride, Andraste. We were terrible children and He turned His back on us, blah blah blah.

[He waves his hand.]

We strive to adhere to the teachings of Andraste that she might persuade Him to return to us.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki's nose wrinkles. ]

They sound dreadfully dull.

[tevinteraltus]

[He chuckles.]

The Chantry can be quite due, it's true, but their teachings are completely inaccurate, either.

[dothelokimotion]

Then it is true?

[ Not surprising, but Loki hasn't met many people who have had dealings with Gods. Or even an awareness of them. ]

[tevinteraltus]

There are at least parts of their tales at are true, yes. Some time ago, human mages found a way to enter the Fade, the realm of the spirits, physically. At its center is a city, blackened. As the Chantry tells it, the city was once golden and served as the seat of the Maker, and that these mages who entered His realm sullied it, turning it black.

[He makes a flippant gesture.]

One of their own claimed the city was already blackened when they found it. He was also insane and sought god-hood for himself, so who's to say where truth ends and legend begins?