selfhelp | [IC] Appointments Post

[Loki takes the tea.

Chess is an intellectual exercise. It's a start. It still trains the mind.]

Set up the board. I'll make drinks.

I’ll take coffee if you’ve got it, but the tea’s fine otherwise.

[Billy obediently heads in to do just that, digging out the board and getting the pieces in place. This is already better than expected- no fighting, no resistance, just some old-fashioned hanging out with a friend. What a relief.]

[Ooh, he hadn't given up. He's just playing the long game. He knows he can't badger Billy the way Frigga might have badgered him.]

Coffee it is, then.

[He makes the drinks his normal way. He returns from the kitchen carrying a plate that has some cakes on it and the two coffee cups trailing behind him in the air like obedient puppies.]

[Billy glances up when he hears loki approaching again, the chess pieces all set to go- but as soon as he spots the cups, he jerks back in surprise, jostling the table and knocking over a handful. Pardon his staring; he can't help looking vaguely terrified.]

[Loki levels A Look at Billy. Somewhere between Honestly you can't expect you to pretend I'm anything other than what I am and For goodness sake, I'm not going to bloody well baby you. He waves a finger at one cup, which sets down gently in front of Billy.]

[...Well... he'd been kind of hoping...

But he can't expect to make the same request of Loki as he did with Wanda. It's not like she took it very well, either.

Somehow he refrains from protesting, merely ducking his head and picking up the fallen pieces. Probably better to just ignore it...]

[Loki plucks his own tea cup out of the air and settles down in his chair, stretching his legs out. He prods one of the chess pieces with the tip of one finger so that it's in the center of one square.]

Magic is the most fundamental part of my being, Billy. It makes me who and what I am. [So are you going to accept that or not?]

[Oof. Billy refrains from looking up, though his hand fumbles again, withdrawing and awkwardly resting in his lap.]

I didn't... say anything.

You didn't need to. [Just... never play poker, Billy.]

[He's not much of a gambler, anyway.]

I mean- I wasn't going to. But I don't have to be happy about seeing it. Stopping is hard enough as it is...

It is what it is, Billy. [Neither good nor evil; a simple force of nature.

He raises one eyebrow as if to ask, And I wonder why it's so very hard to stop...?]

[He stubbornly ignores that unspoken cue. He knows it's hard. He knew it was going to be hard. But it's not stopping him.]

...Whatever, I'll... deal with it. It's just a good way to test me, that's all.

[Dryly:] Next, we can test your self control by my tickling you whilst you hold your breath.

[Equally ridiculous in his opinion.

He waves a hand toward the board.]

Had fun with Thor so far?

[...Ahaha. He was wondering if that would come up at all. Billy hums a vague noise as a response, then slides the first piece forward. He's not about to lie.]

I have, actually. His enthusiasm is contagious.

Have care. So is his idiocy. [He makes his move.]

[Ha. He's not that dumb, just... kind of innocent.

And he suspects there's more to this than Loki isn't saying.]

Worried he'll win me over and steal me away?

[Well, if we're just going to have it out there...]

It isn't as if I've much to offer you now, if you're so set to avoid magics.

[Billy snorts inelegantly at that.]

That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say.

Hah. [He makes an open-handed gesture, as if to say, Well, what else is there?] I hadn't realized you liked chess quite that much.

Maybe I do.

[Billy moves another piece, aiming to take out one of Loki's.]

Maybe I like tea, too. And long, intellectual discussions. And playful banter with a friend.

[He drums his fingers lightly on his mug before taking a sip.]

...Maybe I value my family too much to give any part of it up.

Edited 2013-12-02 05:22 (UTC)

[Loki cedes the piece; it's a setup.

That does make him smile, though a warm expression.]

Brothers can be a bit hard on each other at times.

[Billy accepts the piece, though he suspects that was too easy for his own good. He just keeps going like it's no big deal. The whole topic is a bit absurd - like he can't hang out with them both, like it's some kind of sibling rivalry competition - but he can understand insecurity well enough.]

Tell me about it. Tommy actually called me a barnacle once. All I did was hold his hand! But he can't seem to get rid of me, either.

[Loki laughs.]

Tommy tried to threaten me. It was incredibly cute.

..."Cute" is not a word I'd ever use to describe him.

[Despite the fact that they're identical and thus they both look all fine and good, there is literally nothing cute about his personality.]

Like a kitten falling down the stairs.

[Loki takes one of Billy's pieces.]

But it is true. I have called you brother. That doesn't change even if you wish to hang about the oaf.

[Action, November 18]

[Action, November 18]

Re: [Action, November 18]

[Action, November 18]

[Action, November 18]

[Action, November 18]

Re: [Action, November 18]

[Action, November 18]

Re: [Action, November 18]

[Action, November 18]

[Action, November 18]

[Action, November 18]

[Action, November 18]

[Action, November 18]

Re: [Action, November 18]

[Action, November 18]

[Action, November 18]

[Action, November 18]

[Action, November 18]

[Action, November 18]

[Action, November 18]

[Action, November 18]

Re: [Action, November 18]

[Action, November 18]

Re: [Action, November 18]