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2
Luna: Luna awoke the next morning rather late, in her own bed; it took her several drowsy moments to remember how she got there. She stayed up for a large portion of the night, on the couch, until the fire had dwindled to faint embers, contemplating what she was to do with the man with whom she shared a house and, admittedly, a life, for the time being. S.H.I.E.L.D. simply threw her in, as if in a lion pit, without giving her very many instructions as to what to do and how to behave.
After her thoughts kept her up for so long, the moment she felt herself drift away, she retired to her own room - she doubted that he would wish to be in the same room as she was, if she were sleeping, for he hardly managed to be in one when she was awake - but she felt safer there where he did not seem willing to go. However, all her thinking and all her musing inevitably led to the fact that there was hardly any point in it, as at any time, any word that left his lips could be nothing but a lie to satisfy her inquisitive mind, to formally fulfill that which he could, and lead her to stop talking to him altogether again. It was not all worth the time spent, she thought, stretching about in her bed, her room darkened by the pair of thick drapes she drew across.
Loki: He woke the next morning, finding himself almost entirely with energy once more, but with an empty, dreadful, sensation. Like the pang of hunger after a large meal that would make you believe that you were not full, he was with energy, but he was never entirely... Fulfilled. He opened his eyes to the brightness of a radiating, hot sun outside his window. He groggily stood up from his bed, pulling the drapes over his window as he found more discomfort in being warm than anything else. At least now he knew why. He walked down the stairs, picking the bent back book from the floor and walked down the stairs to place it back onto the bookshelf, not bothering to find another piece of disappointing literature. The same feeling of hatred from the night prior still filled him and now he was going to have to face another day with the dreaded Midgardian woman once more.
Luna: After many long minutes, during which she attempted to awaken herself a bit further, listening to the quietened sounds of the outside, she rose. She always wanted to be at her most awake and alert around him, which made her mornings quite rushed, pressured even. Her own sleepiness and fatigue would not get the best of her, not while she hardly slept peacefully as it is, with him in the room just down the hallway. There were moments in which she asked herself just why she accepted Fury's ridiculous offer... However, she ignored it all the best she could as she walked to the bathroom to freshen up and bathe before she came downstairs.
The previous days have passed by in silence, and she was uncertain whether it would continue being so, after last night. She was still trying to grow accustomed to being with him, at times not knowing what to do even with herself. There would be difficult days in front of her, she mused as she descended the steps, toweling her hair dry, her eyes instantly landing upon him. She retained her silence.
Loki: He did not move when he heard her descend, his eyes looking up to her coldly before resuming their place to the furnace that was no longer lit with such a great fire as before. He simply sat upon the couch, reclining comfortably back as he waited for any sort of response from her. He pressed his lips together and retained his own silence, not speaking unless she would, and even then he was unsure whether he would continue to have such conversation, though he knew it may be imperative for his escape. With that thought in mind he looked back up to her, keeping his own personal frustration at bay. "Good morning," he said, forcing himself to be light with his words.
Luna: "Good morning to you, too. Have you slept well?" she gave him a curt nod as she walked by him, still scrubbing a towel through her hair, on her way to the kitchen; there was no door to the kitchen and the dining room, but instead a simple, large doorway, giving a great view to both rooms. Why was he speaking to her? she thought to herself. It was quite possible that he wanted something, which was a signal for her to be as cautious as can be.
Loki: He gave a nod just as curt in response, rising to walk behind her on her way to the kitchen. "Indeed, I did," he replied smoothly, leaning against the entrance to the small space. "And yourself?" he pressed, his eyes scanning over her slightly flushed cheeks, signalling she had just bathed.
Luna: She did not expect him to follow her into the kitchen, and it made her slightly tense, though after a several moments she let it go, not wishing to seem much too petrified of him. She turned around and granted his gaunt features a light smile, knowing that he did not care one bit of how she slept, wondering where he wished to take all of this and what he attempted to acquire from it. "Better than the last several nights, I believe," she said, before adding "Thank you for asking."
Loki: He gave a small smile, not wishing to make himself seem more suspicious than he was truly being at the moment. Surely she would be shocked that he was now speaking to her, he knew, but with the right words and the right gestures, he might acquire what he wished of her. He lowered his voice, making his tone even and lingering, becoming gentle with every pronounced syllable, "I do apologize for my rude behavior last night," he lied smoothly, all the while making his voice as even as possible. He looked down to his hands before looking back up to her, "I merely wished to have you understand my eating habits. I am not starving myself, I simply do not require food as you may," He would have never said such words otherwise, but if he wanted her trust as soon as possible, then so be it.
Luna: She listened to his almost heartfelt apology, wondering all the while in the back of her mind if he thought her so idiotic. After what he had treated her like for the past week and after getting upset with her last night, she could not possibly see him truly, willingly apologizing. Admittedly, he did come very, very close at that moment to living up to his name, as she very nearly believed him. Something so appealing lured her to want to believe him, however, and she could not believe that it was simply his voice and intonation.. She would go along, however. "It is alright, Loki," she said, giving pretend forgiveness to his pretend apology, stepping closer to him, though not too willingly, placing a hand to his forearm so very lightly, as if in assurance, her eyes flitting up to his. Now that she stood in closer proximity to him than she ever had, she noticed just how much he towered over her. He pretended to want to be on good terms with her, so she would help him. "I merely worried, as I was told close to nothing about your eating habits and how they differ," she said, this time in utter earnest.
Loki: He glanced to her hand on his forearm and grimaced, tearing his arm away from her grasp reflexively before looking back to her, realizing he had just broke what he just spent a few moments of building, if it was even there in the first place. She didn't catch onto that lie, for she attempted to lie to him in return. He could see it in her eyes, the very bit of her that nearly believed him but alas, it did not seem to go all the way through. Too soon, he thought, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked down to her short form. He would not regain his coldness, however, and he would continue to attempt to ensure she entirely believed him by the end of the day, even if it had to come with a small shadow of a doubt. "You could not have a dead war criminal on your hands, now could you?" He asked, covering his actions with more smooth words.
Luna: As he flinched away from her, so did she from him - his sudden and slightly unexpected movement startled her, and so she, too, recoiled, taking a small, but noticeable step backwards. "Well, I doubt anyone but Asgardians would have minded, truly... But I suppose not," she said with a shrug. She looked upwards at him, then.
"I apologize, Loki, I did not mean to make you..." she left the ending of her sentence unfinished, her apology the utmost opposite of his false one. She did not want to make him react that way, though she felt, once more, as if she were sick or disfigured, as his reactions were in accordance. It plucked at her ever so slightly.
Loki: "It is nothing," he dismissed quickly, making sure he was a good distance away from her and continued leaning casually against the wall as he watched her curiously, though her comment was quite cold. He would only expect as much. He crossed his arms across his chest as he continued to appraise her with his eyes.
Luna: The way he watched her made her feel as if she were being weighed on a pair of invisible scales, appraised, assessed, evaluated, deeming her god knows what... The area around her eyes tightened just slightly as she looked back at him, wishing in part to escape from those eyes. "If you say so," she said, making another step backwards before turning around to grab an apple from a bowl sitting atop one of the counters.
Loki: He watched as she grabbed what looked to be a Midgardian apple. He did realize that it was approximately time for him to eat, and he should at least eat something before being rendered completely useless. Not to mention it would also appeal to her if she ceased pining after his eating habits, and have her step away from such a topic. Without much thought, he grabbed the apple and tossed it in the air once before appraising it in his hand. It should not be too different, he figured, before taking a small bite into it. He realized it was much less sweeter than what he was used to.
Luna: She blinked, having her apple taken away so very randomly. Then, with a mental shrug, she took another one for herself, glad that he was eating at least something. She could not guess at the reason behind it, as she doubted that an apple would sate his hunger in any way; she could not even guess if he was hungry to begin with, and if he was doing this simply to humor her, which, again, was odd on its own, further strengthening her doubts that he was attempting to accomplish something.
Loki: "Different," He commented dryly before taking a slightly larger bite out of the fruit. The taste was slightly more bitter than he was used to, and he had to admit he liked the taste slightly more in comparison. At least he found some sort of food for him to enjoy. She looked confused, but he paid no attention and continued biting into the fruit leisurely, his eyes glancing to her expression and then to what he was biting into.
Luna: "Surprise," she said with a small smile, making a mental note to buy more apples, if they turned out to be the sole thing he would agree to eat, though she did not exactly believe that he would absolutely hate everything else that she could offer him. He was but too hardheaded to accept.
Loki: He smirked at her comment, looking to her smile then to her eyes. "It is not entirely detestable," he added dryly, not wishing to give her realm too much hope, as if one could manage to ruin a fruit grown from nature.
Luna: "I'm glad you... Like it, I suppose," she said, her tone slightly questioning, noticing his eyes touching upon her lips and then her own eyes, feeling as if those parts of her that he watched seemed much more noticeable, as if they somehow stood out. It was an uncomfortable feeling, really, and she was not amused by the fact that there existed such a person, who can affect someone else in such a way.
Loki: He gave a noncommittal "hm" and continued biting into his apple, taking larger bites until he reached its core. All too soon, he noted, but proceeded to place the rest of the apple onto the small plate it came off of. "Is that what you mortals eat to... Break your fast?" He asked, his eyebrows lowering slightly as the terminology seemed rather silly to him. "As you say?" He added smoothly after a short pause, trying to collect his small knowledge on the very concept of having three meals a day.
Luna: She gave a light chuckle at his handling with such terms that she was so very used to, to the point where it was quite amusing to her to encounter such a situation. "No, not always. There is certain food that can be considered "breakfast food", but I seldom truly have breakfast," she explained. "I cannot stomach anything heavier than fruit, when I first wake up, I need some time..." she shared.
Loki: He nodded, his brows continuing to furrow as she found amusement in where he fell at a loss with his lack of knowledge on the matter and restrained himself from rolling his eyes. "I see," he replied quietly, "Why is it considered a meal, then? If you do not always eat it?" He pressed, his eyes staring directly into hers.
Luna: She shook her head, perching herself upon one of the slightly higher chairs that stood by the counter. "It is considered a meal because there is still a majority of people who do eat breakfast. The fact that I, personally, don't, is my own choice," she explained, gazing back at him, wondering just how meals and mealtimes functioned where he came from.
Loki: "Do you not have hunger, then?" he pressed once more, "By not eating such a meal?" He assumed the reason why humans ate so very often was becausethey were hungry, their body was unable to retain such food for so long until they have to eat again. It was odd.
Luna: She could not help restrain a smile from curving her lips. "I don't, no," she shook her head, "I can't say I strictly follow the customary eating times, such as breakfast in the morning, lunch in the afternoon and dinner in the evening," she shrugged, taking a small knife from one of the drawers and slicing her apple into smaller bits. "I eat when I am hungry, regardless of the time, I suppose."
Loki: He gave an odd look and then nodded, "I see," he replied once more. It seemed almost like Thor, who ate whenever he had the sudden urge to, or Volstagg, who seemed to be bottomless in the amount of food that he intakes. However, the girl hardly looked like either of the people he thought of, as she was quite small.. Loki remembered a time when he tried to ingest as much food as Thor did, only to rid himself of it moments later.
Luna: She responded to his apparent indifference with a shrug, eating away at her apple in silence, waiting to see if he shall so strangely strike up another conversation. Whatever he was attempting to do, perhaps she could find a way to maneuver her own wishes into the entire ordeal, as well. She mused briefly upon the motivation behind his forced conversation with her... It always came down to his freedom, as she could not see anything else.
Loki: He watched her continue to eat curiously, attempting to think of any other information he could skillfully allot to her in order to gain more of his trust, but could think of minimal, as he knew his sudden desire to speak would be suspicious to her, so there he sat, his lips pressed together as he leaned back in his chair.
Luna: The silence was filled by the sound of her own chewing in her head, which was far too loud for her comfort. She slowed her chewing down, wondering if he could hear it, as well, before swallowing and looking away somewhat sheepishly. She'd not take another bite until they spoke again. Sitting atop the high dining chair, she could only reach the floor with the tip of her foot, brushing it slightly along what she could. She glanced at him every so often. "On Asgard, there is no breakfast, lunch or dinner?" she asked curiously.
Loki: He shook his head, "We have feasts once every seven days... What you consider a week," he answered, a small smirk on his lips. "That is when we may be deemed to be in need of such sustenance," he said, quirking an eyebrow at her as she awkwardly looked about her when she was eating her apple.
Luna: "Ah, I see," she said with a small nod. This was helpful information, to know that he should eat once a week at least to prevent himself from deteriorating. However, it was an altogether different question, the one of how much he could and would go without food, and how long it took him to be truly hungry. "Feasts... That ought to be.. Interesting," she said thoughtfully, trying to create an image in her mind's eye, wondering if they were anything alike what feasts were supposed to be on Earth, and whether she'd like them or not.
Loki: He chuckled and then gave a curt nod, "Yes, they are, indeed..." he replied, his eyes looking over to hers, seeing how they looked to be calculating such information that he granted her. But this would have to be the end of what he can give her. The last thing he wanted was S.H.I.E.L.D. knowing every single detail of him or where he came from.
Luna: She remembered an image she had seen in a book she had once read, long ago - a children's book, to be more precise - and she attempted to recreate it in her mind's eye. "Large halls, with long tables ridden with food, a lot of people, laughing, drinking?" she wondered aloud, quietly. Such 'feasts' can be found on the contemporary Earth, but the ones she had in mind were old, medieval..
Loki: He nodded again, watching as she seemed to piece everything together based upon what she knew. However, whatever images she was being supplied with in her mind would hardly hold a candle to Asgard. Nothing in the nine realms was in the least bit as elaborate as Asgard, feasts included. "Yes, that is about correct," he replied lightly, "The mead flows as freely as the tongues, I assure you."
Luna: "How.. Delightful," she gave a soft laugh, shifting his gaze to his. There was something alike mead where she lived, though she wouldn't dare believe it was anything like the mead on Asgard; nevertheless, the one she had tasted was absolutely foul, much too strong and much too burning for her taste - the taste, which, as far as such beverages were concerned, was nonexistent. "That is something our realms have in common," she said lightly.
Loki: He gave a small frown, "No, I daresay our realms have nothing in common. What you may envision a feast of being is dull in comparison," he replied smugly... Though he hardly had anything to be smug about. Asgard was not his realm... He truly had no realm to call home, though he grew up within the royalty of Asgard.
Luna: "Of course, I was not alluding to our feasts matching, that is simply incomparable," she praised, with only the slightest hint of exaggeration in her voice. "But the people and the alcohol, that hardly changes, no?" she said with a shrug, shifting her weight on the chair.
Loki: He pressed his lips together, looking over her features as she seemed to almost mock him once more, but he let it pass. "Based upon what I have observed, I suppose," he replied noncommittally.
Luna: She sat, regaining silence as she wondered where their conversations were leading, and if they were leading somewhere to begin with. What their point was - what Loki thought their point was and how it differed from her own perception; what he wished to coax out of her, along with what he wished to keep to himself... He wanted something. Otherwise, she knew that he would absolutely not even try and speak with her - after all, he thought so foully of her kind that he would not stoop as low as granting her his attention.
Loki: He blinked a few times as the silence continued to reign. He narrowed his eyes slightly, seeing as some sort of realization dawned upon her, the way she looked at him conservatively, as if she had something to hold back, as if she knew he wanted something out of her. He was determined to get it, though he knew his persuasion through words would ultimately be a shot in the dark without his energy or magic... "What is it?" he asked smoothly, leaning back in his chair, his hands folding upon each other as he looked over her, a smirk playing upon his lips.
Luna: She met his green eyes and mirrored his knowing smirk. Oh, how unfair it was... It made her wonder why S.H.I.E.L.D. had not found someone more difficult for Loki to perceive, to see through; then, she realized that such a person would be quite difficult to find. They were all trained, but Loki was not something one could easily go against, on any grounds. She knew that the days ahead of them would be so very difficult, for her, at least, if he continued to so effectively slither into her mind and see it for everything it was. "Thinking, of Asgard, mainly. Do understand how.. Uninformed we are, I suppose. It's only natural for me to want to know as much about it as I can, I think." she explained. Certainly, there was knowledge of him, in particular, that she desired, but it was almost neck to neck with the desire to know of the realm from which he came.
Loki: He blinked a few times, wondering if she thought him idiotic. "I know that," he replied, rolling his eyes, shifting so he was closer to her, his eyes looking into hers, narrowing as he saw the lie almost immediately. Of course she would cover whatever doubts she was having. She did not seem like the type to acknowledge any sort of doubt or suspicion. He looked down to her lips, drawn into a smirk, as if she could easily tell what he was thinking or wanting, but in the end it would be her who would not know what was coming for her. It would always be her in the losing streak, not him. She was weaker than the rest he has had to put up with. He can appeal to her if she would only open the door. "But what more?"
Luna: She took notice of his eyes once again touching upon several of her facial features, and the gaze they bore was unsettling; almost hungry, as if he was simply playing with his food before he finished it. If it was freedom that he wanted, he wouldn't be granted it. Without his magic, without his attributes, there was virtually no path for him to take which would lead to him being set free. "Direct," she said simply, wondering briefly if she could get him to lessen their current proximity by giving him more of it. It seemed to work previously, though there was a constant risk of it backfiring. Nevertheless, she easily leaned in, closer to him.
Loki: He saw that she seemed to mimic almost every movement he made. He frowned, seeing as how this was going nowhere he wanted it to. "Direct?" he repeated, shaking his head as he refused to back down, his eyes glaring deeply into hers, intimidation being his next goal, if not appealing to her by the smoothness of his voice, the alluring bit of his voice... He should be able to appeal to a woman. He had been able to coax many a woman into his bed unfailingly... Not that he was about to seduce a mortal woman, no; however, if he could find what makes her react, what makes her angry or sad, ultimately leading to what would make her bend under his thumb, if not by force.
Luna: "You," she gave the briefest of explanations, though one that should suffice. She reminded herself to have care of how she behaved with him, lest it turned on her and ended up with her in a less than favorable situation. However, she kept her eyes upon his own which glinted with possibilities and calculations. He knew what he was doing, naturally, and she couldn't deny that it was not at all effective - the bits that were, she kept hidden away from him, her stare on him hard as she inched in the slightest towards him.
Loki: He glared, "Explain, woman," he muttered flatly, unamused with the fact she was attempting to get him to back away by her impending proximity. He would not allow her to touch him, yet more of getting so close as to intimidating her until she backed down herself.
Luna: With a sigh, she rubbed her temples slightly. She thought him quicker than this. "You're direct in your interrogation," she said that which he ought to have realized, himself. She attempted to ignore the fact that she had complied to his demands, but for now, she could afford it. She did not move any further, physically, but she did not back away, either; instead, she remained firmly rooted to place, and unless he made any sort of move against her, she would keep it that way.
Loki: "Interrogation?" He repeated, "I believe it is you interrogating me. You who wish to know of my world," He pressed with a sly smirk, seeing as she was stubborn in moving, as he looked down his nose to her eyes. He would not lose such a challenge which would be very simple for him to win.
Luna: "I see no harm in giving a young woman the knowledge of such things that barely relate to you," she said, his closeness unnerving, and a small part of her mind constantly telling her to back away, attempting to coerce her body into obeying the command and simply moving away from the eyes that nearly made her as much of a captive as he was. Another few inches and she would be able to feel his breathing against her. She shifted for a moment, but did not retreat. "Your world were my childhood stories. Do you blame me for wanting to know?" she asked, her voice low.
Loki: "Ah, yes, but they do relate to me," he replied his eyes continuing to narrow until they were but green slits, "Why should I be so willing to share such information with someone like you, hmm? If I should grant such information, perhaps it is not what you wished it to be? Perhaps such 'childhood stories' were all but a falsity," He replied spitefully, knowing where he was going with this, just pressing the buttons he wished to until he had a desired result. It was a game... A puzzle to him.
Luna: "Fortunately, then, that I expect stories to be different from the factual matters," she said, as if it should be obvious. "But, you see, the possibility of learning more - what differs, what doesn't, how it all functions - of expanding the story, of developing it, changing it... It is quite alluring. Besides, even if the stories that you might choose to give me are lies and falsities, too... It hardly matters. A good story is a good story. I do not expect yours to be any more true than the ones told to me then," she explained earnestly, a small glimmer in her dark eyes which gazed upon his appealingly, a glimmer of simple desire for tales and telling. "As for why you should be willing - I can't answer that, as it is your choice."
Loki: His nostrils flared distastefully as he sank back into his seat slightly, yet never giving in on his proximity to her, no matter how uncomfortable he was becoming. The girl was irritating him, he decided, as he still was not winning the information he wanted for him to continue. He gave a small sigh, rolling his eyes, "I am not some petty entertainment," he replied spitefully, "nor shall I ever be to you."
Luna: She could not see what more he could be, in his current situation, but she would not tell him that. "Oh, but you would be far from a simple petty entertainment," she commended, then leaned back into her chair and away from him, hoping badly that he would not follow. She decided to let go, for now, that which she wished to get out of him, in order to protect herself more firmly from his continuing attempts at getting what he wanted.
Loki: He contemplated a moment, as she seemed insistent on winning, her own bit of intimidation not working as well as she thought it would. He leaned onto his elbows as he continued to lean towards her. If she wished for entertainment, that would be a simple way of appealing to her, through what she would be led on to believe was truth... He could weave a story that would appeal most to her, what she would want to believe of him... "Very well," he replied quietly, his eyes glancing about her expression before landing back onto her eyes.
Luna: As he moved in closer, she backed away further, as much and as far as the chair and its back would allow her, watching him to see if he will, once again, follow. Her expression and her eyes brightened, feigned - the most stubborn of men she'd encountered so far would not give in this easily, not with any compliments she might give him. However, if he truly were to be 'entertainment' for her, as he said, she would derive some sort of satisfaction from it, if only that of hearing the likely made up stories. It irked her slightly that she would possibly never know whether or not his words were false, but until proven in some way otherwise, she would treat them as such. "I'm sure you're a great wordsmith, if I ever saw any."
Loki: He gave a proud, smug smirk in reaction to his agreement. "There are reasons behind all of the names given to me," He replied smoothly, "However, I am simply curious of what you should like to hear," He said, tilting his head to the side, "We seem to have more than enough time... Perhaps even too much time," he said, arching a brow at her, as he waited to hear what sort of stories he may twist to his own satisfaction... The result never working in her favor.
Luna: She relaxed, however slightly, when he made no movements to lessen the distance between them. "The tale of your wager with Brokkr - what is true about it?" she glanced at his thin, pale lips for a short moment before looking back to his eyes. She gave a light smile - no matter what he told her, even if it were all lies, it would make it no different than the stories she read as young. In the worst case, she would get a good story out of it all.
Loki: He gave a small sneer, remembering the Midgardian tale of his lips being allegedly sewn shut. As if he would ever allow another to hold him down long enough to commit such an act, even if it was in exchange for such a wager. However, she did not have to know that. His lips being sewn shut would strike a bout of pity within her, a way for him to act upon a revealed tender spot that he could continue to prod into. "It is true that the dwarves have never found favor with me... Yet the resulting punishment was not enforced by them – rather it was the Allfather who did so in my youth as a 'lesson' of sorts," he replied with a slight sigh as if remembering such a terrifying experience, and, in result, shuddered.
Luna: She listened, leaning her elbow on the counter top and her cheek in her hand. "A good thing you heal well, then," she said, before her expression softened. "Though that is not something one should ever go through," she said a bit more quietly, a part of her mind asking the same question over and over again - was it true? If it was, such pain would be truly shudder-inducing, having one's lips needled and threaded through... "Are punishments always so painful on Asgard?" she wondered.
Loki: This answer, above all, would be truthful. It was true he had suffered through many a punishment upon Asgard, from being strapped onto a rock underneath a venomous snake, his sons being taken from him, as well as, consequently, his wife. He gave a swift nod, "I suppose, comparatively, they are quite... Strenuous..." He shut and opened his eyes heavily, as if exhausted from the very memory.
Luna: Upon hearing such a tone of voice and seeing such a reaction, she wondered what a flawless actor he is, assuming he was feeding her lies. However, the hand that had cradled the side of her face dropped to rest gently upon his forearm, her touch light, and hopefully soothing, lest the Liesmith miraculously spoke in sincerity. She retained her silence, though her eyes coaxed him on, curious, wary.
Loki: He glanced at the touch on his forearm and swallowed, trying to take in the sensation of her almost uncomfortably warm skin brushing upon his lightly, as if trying to comfort him, though he could see it in her eyes she was not believing. "As you are... Educated... Upon such matters regarding the myths of my past... You are aware I had a wife, yes?" He pressed, as this next story would not be entirely false, but if he played off of such human emotions and sentiments, he could make it work in his way.
Luna: Their mythology spoke of many women with whom Loki associated, but one in particular stood out. "Sigyn, yes," she responded readily, her hand moving slightly away, though keeping in close range. He was so, so very cold, she noticed, connecting it to the other times she thought she felt it.
Loki: His hand clenched tightly, before releasing, trying to remain calm. It was a gentle, mortal hand that would do him no harm – she meant it in a gesture of comfort, a way to get through to him... It was not painful, it was not controlling, it was merely a gesture towards the goal he wished for. He repeated those thoughts several times. "Her life was lost due to my mistakes," He replied, his eyes closing once more as he drew breath. "As were my sons'... In honor of Asgardian punishment."
Luna: Her brow lowered as she considered his words, searching in her mind any mentions of such things in the books. "Because.. of Baldur's death..?" she guessed slowly, unsure if her connection was correct. Quite an eye-for-an-eye method, though one taken to a slightly higher level. Her hand did not go back to rest on his own, as she took notice of his sudden rigidity at her touch; she merely looked at him tentatively, gently.
Loki: He gave a curt nod, his gaze hardening slightly. "It was justifiable..." he muttered, "His death was, at least," he said quietly, seeing as how her eyes turned gentle. So he would prod on, looking to see all that appealed to her, all that she pitied, all that she didn't. "But nothing shall replace a beloved wife and my sons," he muttered sadly, though he knew he hardly harbored any tender or loving feelings towards the woman he was coerced into marrying. He felt guilt... Guilt that he ruined an innocent's life for his selfish reasons, taking away her only hope of fulfilling a wish that had been implemented into her since childhood, of maintaining such a family. He enjoyed his sons, but he did not wish for them, either.
Luna: What with all she's seen of him, he did not entirely seem as one who would care overly for something such. There had been something that happened that led him to be capable of killing and behaving in such a way, but she was unsure whether it was that particular loss. As far as she was able to deduce, that happened long ago - if that had been the cause for his tyranny and the state of his mind, it should have happened sooner. However, taking into consideration that he thought Baldur's death justifiable, it implied that it was something he was always capable of, not something he became with time and with just the right circumstances to guide him. Besides, she thought to herself, he would not so easily divulge matters concerning anything remotely related to him, let alone with such a show to accompany it. A part of her still felt it necessary to act as if what he was telling her was nothing but the purest truth, but she would not, not entirely. He was beyond any aid, most especially the one she could give him. It would not change a thing, in his case, but if she let it be known that a thought did occur to her to console him... It would come back to bite her.
Loki: The look in her eyes told him that she was still not able to realize that what he was saying had a hint of truth behind it; the amount of care she had in her eyes just moments ago was lost into a sea of accusations behind her eyes. He had to do something... He had to say something more that would confirm that what had happened was a true moment in his life, one that she should feel for. "I came to realize I did, indeed, regret what had occurred... However, were it not for my killing of him, I am sure my punishment would have been... Slightly more permanent," He murmured, his head lowering slightly as he looked down to his hand that clenched and unclenched periodically.
Luna: She glanced at his hand, at which he looked as if trying to have her look at it, as well. Then, she moved her eyes back to his head, lowered in what may or may not have been disconcertion. She moved her fingers almost unnoticeably to brush along an inch of the cold skin of his forearm. Assuming he didn't lie, she still would not be able to understand the situation, having never been in one such, not even if she attempted to look at it from his angle. What she could, however, comprehend, was the death of someone close, of someone not even he should be absolutely indifferent to. A thought skipped across her mind that made her retract her hand from him; after so openly speaking of killing another, she attempted to provide him with consolation. Ridiculous, she scolded herself, though she could not keep it out of her eyes.
Loki: He could tell he was getting somewhere, the fact he felt the gentle brush of her fingertips along his skin, the fact that she had so openly been able to pity him was a start, but she retracted her hand almost immediately. He had such hope, and he watched it go down the drain in but a second. What could she have been thinking that would have her change her mind so easily? He shook his head, watching her hand linger closely back to her side of the table, and he arched a brow. "If I had told you it was an accident, you would not so readily believe me," he muttered, assuring her that what he continued to say was truthful.
Luna: "Well, you're not wrong.." she said after several moments of contemplation. "I would not have, no," she confirmed, drawing in a small sigh, a frown settling between her brows. She looked at him with silent questions in her eyes, questions aplenty which flickered by quickly enough for her to be unable to decipher them, herself. Why was she even attempting anything? Perhaps it would have been easier if she simply let there be silence for as long as he resided with her, until he was taken away. She began weaving something that was slowly becoming uncontrollable, something which began tangling about her messily.
Loki: He nodded, knowing that would grant him some sort of leverage as to what was truth and what was not. "Would you not believe, then, that I do, indeed, regret what I did?" he pressed gently, his voice smooth, but still with traces of the regret and sadness he revealed earlier. "If I had no choice?"
Luna: She shook her head slightly, retracting her hand and folding the two on her lap. "That is a heavy question, Loki, one I have no definite answer to," she admitted. How one perceives choices and consequences and whether or not those would evoke regret was something that was, in a great portion, subjective. It may very well differ, his comprehension of it from hers. She but wished to avoid any sort of disagreement, any sort of conflict that would further complicate and make heavier this coexistence of theirs that was barely hanging on its hinges.
Loki: He sighed and then nodded, finding that he was now beating into something that he had already made poignant. "I apologize," he lied smoothly, shaking his head, "I did not intend on that... I safely assume you have your beliefs set about my existence, as many others do," he muttered, looking apologetically into her eyes, as she looked entirely confused, offset... Which meant he was approaching his goal. It was more of a two step forward and one step back approach.
Luna: He was right, she had a biased opinion of him, one that was only in part built upon solid facts; however, she could not ensure the rest, she could not establish the other part, as he was who he was, and that, on its own, prevented it. Even if he were any different, she could not know for certain. A reputation needn't come to be on firm facts, as it can very easily be a product of mere rumors and untrue claims; but it had to come from some place, and his actions have not served to refute anything, thus continuing to build upon his reputation of a liar, one of incredible guile. "I don't know," she said with a small shake of her head, rising her eyes to his earnestly.
Loki: He shook his head once more, "I could not expect anything different," he replied quietly, giving a small smirk in her direction, though it did not reach his eyes. "Truly," he added, "it only makes sense that one should assume a liar is nothing but," he muttered. "It is because of this that Baldur died, Luna," He added distantly, "His very existence was a lie... Much like my own."
Luna: She drew her brows as a small frown etched itself onto her face. "What do you mean?" she asked, in need of clarification, as she leaned slightly towards him in curiosity.
Loki: He drew his own brows together as he leaned upon his hand, looking at her curiously, looking to see how drawn in she was. "It is a complicated story... One that should require you to step away from prior precognitions... If you wish. If not – that, too, is understandable," He drifted off, looking curiously into her eyes before he would continue.
Luna: "I.." she began, "I would like to hear it," she decided, then stood up from her chair. "Though if it is a complicated story, perhaps a place more comfortable would be in order?" she offered, gesturing to the living room, her eyebrows raised. She would, in part, step away from that which she previously knew, though it might not be entirely wise.
Loki: He gave a small nod, glad she would accept, but at the same time, he knew he could make the story in his favor, as it would still come out to him being the "villain" in the end. He rose from the seat at the table and walked with her to the living room, easing himself onto the couch elegantly, his legs crossing as he watched carefully as to where she was sitting. "I am unsure where to begin," he replied, lazily stretching his legs in front of him.
Luna: She followed him, hesitating in front of the couch before ultimately taking one of the empty armchairs, instead, curling up on it comfortably. She placed a cushion in her lap, with whose edges she toyed as she looked at him almost expectantly. "That is not good. If you don't know, and I certainly don't, who will?" she gave a small, encouraging smile.
Loki: He smirked at her position on the chair, giving a small chuckle, "I suppose hundreds of years of recounting such events makes it difficult..." he sighed, running a hand through his hair, pleased that she decided to sit elsewhere. "Baldur was Thor's brother... He was everything that Thor was not, but at the same time everything the Allfather could have asked for. He was a strong warrior, as well as knowledgeable, though he was the youngest of us. Little did any of us know he was also quite skilled in the art of magic. When I found what he was capable of, I swore to him to keep his secret... That was his wish, at least. I was young and naive; I believed that he kept it secret for dignified reasons, that he would use it as an element of surprise for his defense tactic. However, this was not so. Though he was young, he was impeccably clever... I never foresaw him doing anything out of line, until he injured a servant and blamed it upon me. Soon, he blamed anything that went wrong upon me, who already had the title of prankster.
Naturally, as I wished to protect him, I kept silent until it was I who was being punished for more and more grievous deeds. When a guard had died because of his foolishness, it was I who was receiving such grand castigation. Having enough... I found his weakness, and used that to kill him, though he was allegedly... impenetrable," He explained, lowering his eyes to his hands, remembering the bow and arrow, the leaps and bounds that it took in order to defeat such an immensely powerful younger man.
Luna: Her hands fidgeted incessantly as he spoke and as she listened so very intently. There were differences from what she has read, but as far as she was concerned, this was merely another version of the tale, which may or may not be correct. She retained her silence for a long while, mulling over in her head that which he told her. The Baldur of which he spoke sounded very little like the one who was written about, the sole person to come out of Ragnarok alive and commence a new, better world.. She guessed that Loki was biased in a way, as well, retelling the tale from his own supposed angle. "He managed to simply.. Blame you for everything and be believed.. Of course, they would be quicker to take his word over yours," she muttered with a small nod, looking at him curiously. But couldn't there have been another way to deal with the man without ending his life?
Loki: He nodded. "The penalty for murder is too great in Asgard... As an alleged Prince, I had to make sure he would never injure another again," he explained simply, "I had to stop him, though it meant murdering who I believed to be a brother... A brother would not wish a penalty for murder upon a brother, Luna," he explained spitefully, his hand furling and unfurling once more, though his expression was blank and distant. "I did it to protect myself, as after his death, he was found to be guilty of his own crimes, but it was I who was faced with the rebuke... It was always going to be me to suffer."
Luna: "You had to make sure he would never injure another, yet you, yourself, kill?" she inquired gently, quietly. There was more of a surprise in her tone than there were accusations. Yes, there may have been another way for him to deal with it, but murder seemed the easiest, the most permanent, the one that would ensure that which he intended, and so he chose that, ultimately. She shook her head slightly as she thought; although he was not human, there was something in him that many shared as an inborn instinct - that of protecting oneself at all costs.
Loki: He narrowed his eyes at her question, "I did," He replied smoothly, "I did what I had to. Whether it would seem that way or not is entirely subjective... I lost my wife and sons... I believe I received what they believed I deserved."
Luna: She nodded. "I can understand why they would believe that you deserved it," she said quietly. However, there was a slimmer within her that understood his desire to stop the unjust assault upon himself for the actions of another. The desire would exist in anyone at such injustice, but she did not agree with the way he handled it.
Loki: "And... I believe you should know what follows..." he shuddered again at the memory... Waiting, drop by drop of the snake's venom as it dribbled onto his skin, chained upon a rock by the entrails of his sons, his wife dutifully by his side, though she would only let herself pass away like a corpse in grief. She was loyal until the very end.
Luna: She nodded, looking at the man and attempting to envision it in her mind, to comprehend that the very same being that was bound tightly underneath a venomous serpent was now sitting 5 feet away from her. Her eyes glided over him, wondering if there was any physical remnant of the serpent's acid upon his skin... "I do, yes.." she said. "It is something difficult for me to process, you see. Your age, and all that which you lived through, and all that I have read and believed to be mere fiction," granted, it could still very well be - she could not know for certain, "and you sitting so very close to me, speaking with me," she explained.
Loki: He could see the remnants of doubt, even though he was hardly lying to her. "Fiction is based upon basic truths," he replied knowingly, continuing to look into her dark eyes, "Lies are based upon fact..." He drifted off, his finger tracing circles into the fabric of the couch, "And you still do not believe me."
Luna: "You cannot blame me," she shrugged, throwing her legs across one arm of the armchair and positioning the cushion behind her head against the other arm, fitting quite snugly and comfortably. "I can believe you, however. It would not be difficult."
Loki: Drawing his brows together, he nodded, "I suppose," he replied quietly, "If I told you what I said was truth, you would continue to believe that I tell you falsities." He shook his head, arching a brow, feeling as though he was making no such progress with her trust. He rolled his eyes, knowing he would have to try another tactic – obviously, the stories he was telling were not getting him very far.. "Is there anything more you wish to ask?" Before he lost any and all patience with the wretched woman...
Luna: "Perhaps if you tell me that which you wish to tell me. Otherwise, it could take me a long time to find a question that you are willing to answer," she said. She could believe that his words were true, and it would make things very much so easier for the both of them, but everything was so very uncertain with him, and she did not want to compromise anything, neither deliberately nor inadvertently. "What does someone like you - someone who lives for so long - do through all those years?"
Loki: He smirked, giving a short chuckle, "Whatever I wish," he replied simply, "You forget, the years I have lived are not considered to be many... I am quite young by Aesir standards. I have many, many more years that I wish to live that could be filled with whatever I wish it to. Perhaps, if all is as well as I wish, it shall not be spent in a prison cell."
Luna: She nodded as she listened, interested. "Damn, the things that I could and would do if I had such time at my disposal.." she shook her head incredulously. She looked at him gently; he would most likely spend the rest of his existence in one such cell, which, in a way, could be a shame for someone like him - fascinating though he was, it was in vain if his actions, his choices and decisions were such as they were...
Loki: He nodded in agreement, "Mortals shall never know the joys of living, truly living, as they live and cower in fear over death," he replied musingly, looking curiously into her eyes that were suddenly very gentle. It was odd to him... Why would she look at him like that over his prior comment? "What is it?" he pressed after a silent pause, hungry for knowing her mind.
Luna: She blinked, the gentleness erasing from her eyes. "Stop doing that," she said, then chose to attempt and steer the conversation back into place. "Time would be such a splendid thing to have at hand.." she said musingly. "All our limited lives, we learn and we do, but there is hardly any point to it, save for making ourselves happy," she began slowly, choosing her words carefully. "All of these things I learn are simply borrowed, and I will die one day," hopefully without his help, she thought to herself briefly, "and I am obtaining knowledge and developing my life.. Only for the sake of doing so, only for the sake of making myself happy; spending the horribly limited time I've received... Now, if I had unlimited time, that.. That would be an entirely different story. I would learn anything and everything that I wanted to and I would have time to focus upon each and every single one of those things, mastering them to perfection, and I would use them accordingly. There would be a point, even though in its basis, it would still be happiness," she spoke and she spoke, looking at him with an almost excited gleam in her eyes at the unobtainable option.
Loki: He blinked a few times at her passionate response, not to mention the fact she looked to be accusing him of doing something. He looked at her in surprise, unsure of how he should take her words. "But you are happy?" he asked fleetingly, looking over her expression, "With your short life? With what you have accomplished? Have you achieved such a goal?" he pressed, leaning closer to her, seeing that she no longer seemed to be gentle with him. He was failing almost miserably now. It would take longer than he expected.
Luna: She shifted her weight, sitting upon her knees instead of the reclined position she'd been in until that point. "I am happy in certain moments. Not always, normally. I am young, yet, I think, and I am still in the process of accomplishing. There will always be something more that I wish I learned or did or experienced... At the very least, there will always be that desire to have your sort of time. It would allow for so, so much," she said with an incredulous shake of her head.
Loki: He nodded, pressing his lips together, wondering what such "certain moments" she had when she was happy. He could hardly remember the last time he was ever truly content... He wondered what it would be like if he were to be simply happy for long bouts of time, to be always in the positive side of life, like Thor used to seem to always be. He pondered for a moment, wondering how he can bend such a conversation to work more in his favor... To work towards his goal. "I suppose that makes sense," he replied quietly. "I am young, as well, as I have said before. Proportionally, I have much more to learn. Time is what I believed I inherently had until... Well, recently..."
Luna: "I am sorry that you lost such a thing... I imagine it is much different from having it and losing it, than never having it to begin with," she responded quietly. Not only was such time of his shortened, but he lost his magic, as well - granted, those were all consequences of his deliberate actions, one might say he had it coming, that he deserved it - which he did, indubitably, at least in part. However, she was unsure whether such punishments would do him good in the long run, assuming, of course, that there was a long run for him in which he would regain his freedom. He seemed to be so very aggravated by it all, and it appeared to only worsen the state he was in.
Loki: He sighed heavily, feeling as though he was going nowhere, that this girl was so deep-set in her beliefs that he was the villain and nothing but the villain. It made him almost hate the woman, knowing that he could hardly appeal to her, or strike any sort of pity. He did not long for pity, he did not enjoy it, but it would be best used if his captor felt it... "It shall not matter once I cease having time to spend," he replied tiredly. That was not a lie. He knew not the punishment that awaited him on Asgard... It may very well be death, or torture until he was dead. "I doubt you are the least bit sorry," he scoffed.
Luna: She furrowed her brow slightly, looking at him with curiosity, and the slightest bit of hurt caused by his accusation. "Why do you doubt that..?" she asked.
Loki: "Why should it matter to you?" he pressed, his hands clenching tightly, "When I am to leave here, I may very well be dead the moment I am off of this realm... It should only make sense that you shall go on with your silly life as if it was your own victory. That the monster can be tamed, can be killed."
Luna: She played with her fingers, her hands folded over in her lap as she did not take her gaze off of him. "Well, I'll not be celebrating that 'victory'. I will go on with my silly life, as you say, but there will always be that experience that I went through with you, and do not think that it will not make some sort of impression and difference."
Loki: "That is inconsequential and silly," he scoffed, shaking his head as he glowered at her, and he pressed his lips together, finding that whatever he said was becoming increasingly less useful, for he could not seem to meet his goal just yet, and he was finding it almost pointless to try. He leaned back onto the couch and stared up onto the ceiling, continuing to narrow his eyes.
Luna: She gave a soft sigh and moved on the armchair so that she curled up around the cushion she was holding. "Is it that strange to you, that you've left an impression on someone, that isn't remotely horrible?" she inquired. There were quite a few things that she could not disregard, but the entire experience of spending a part of her life, regardless of how brief it might be, with someone whom people called a god, with someone who was, in her eyes, ancient, possessing knowledge to match... It was not something that would slip her mind. It was a curious opportunity, one she didn't precisely know how to take and how to handle, but so far, it was going well, compared to how it could go.
Loki: He gave her an odd look from the corner of his eyes and returned his gaze to the ceiling, "It is," he replied simply. Why would it not be horrible? He had attempted to subjugate her race, he had attempted to commit genocide to another, and now she was telling him that the time she spent with him would leave a decent impression.
Luna: "Well, then, that is something you should resolve with yourself," she said with a shrug. "Though, do keep in mind that one cannot lie to a Liesmith very easily. It's similar to a blacksmith, in a way. The blacksmith doesn't necessarily use the weapons he creates, but he still knows them so profoundly, knows how to bend them, to create them, to perfect them," she spoke thoughtfully. "When he sees a weapon, he knows it, even if he did not make it, himself."
Loki: "You are trying to prove that you are not lying to me," he muttered, rolling his eyes, "That what you are saying you firmly believe is true..." he added and then shook his head. "Your powers of observation astound me," he scoffed, irony dripping like acid in his voice.
Luna: She was slowly, but surely, losing her patience with the hardheaded man; this conversation, if continued to be led in this direction, would end up in a dispute or somewhere even less pleasant. It was going nowhere good, and she would stop it before it reached its destination. If he wished to speak with her, he would, but for now, she was growing very tired of him. She looked away from him and placed her head on the pillow, though still keeping him in her peripheral vision.
Loki: He sighed heavily, clasping onto one of the pillows, himself, as his nails were beginning to dig into his skin from frustration with this woman. He threw the pillow aside after a brief while and then rose up from the couch, knowing there was absolutely no place he could even try to coax her into believing that he was good enough to let him go. He had to try other tactics, other ways of getting to her heart... He nearly groaned in frustration. How difficult could this possibly be?
Luna: Her eyes followed him upwards as he rose, wondering how frustrating it must be, to want to get away from someone, but hardly having anywhere far enough to go. She felt that way every now and again, when he exuded such a foul mood that would spread through the air, infecting every single particle; at such times, she retreated to either her room, either the attic, waiting until it stopped, until he returned to his more normal, dissatisfied mood. What would he try and do to create for himself a chance of regaining some time, she mused to herself.
Loki: Knowing he would find no peace in his "room", he sank back upon the couch reluctantly, nearly entirely exhausted with everything he was thinking of – from what ways he can manipulate her, to the conversation they shared, to the fact that he very well may be sentenced to death after this... His last dying moments and memories being of this wretched abode mortals called "home" and this obnoxious woman. How pathetic. He had to escape... He had to make time for himself, preserve himself, so that he could ensure a lengthy life, to find another place to run to, to find another home... He grumbled a few curses in another tongue under his breath as he sank his head into his hands, utterly miserable with the thoughts that plagued his mind.
Luna: Her head rose slightly as she cast a glance his way, then swiftly looked away. Surprisingly, he seemed quite openly affected by the current circumstances; she did not want to look at him while he was in such a position, as he might not appreciate it - she knew that she would not, were she in his shoes. She did not look back to him, though the image of him remained almost perfectly clear in her mind. He seemed to be getting desperate, though why he had any ideas that he could escape was beyond her. Of course, she thought, he would not stop struggling and writhing, no matter how absolutely hopeless the odds were. Stubborn as she learned he was, he would not give up so easily, not when his own existence might be at stake. Surely he would be attempting to obtain that which he wanted through her, if he could find no other way, which would keep her on her toes for the days to come. Oh, how she hated that uncertainty and his unpredictability.. Cautiously, she threw another glance at him, though this one was slightly prolonged, softened, as she watched his fingers tangle into his dark hair almost painfully.
Loki: He continued cursing under his breath as he felt the dreaded woman was throwing glances his way when he tangled his hand into his hair as he tried to think straight. It was becoming increasingly difficult to place his thoughts together, as his lack of energy and the fact he was trapped was taking a toll on him. If he could simply find a way to get the slightest bit of magic back to himself, he might be able to find a way out of this more easily. Alas, he was unsure if it would even be provided for him, and just how painful it may be... But when it came down to it, he had very little choice in such a matter. He needed to attempt it, even if it would backfire.
Luna: She felt a peculiar need to tell him something, to give him some words… The sight of him looking so very much in despair plucked at her, though she had quite a bit of reserve, skeptical that he could be putting on an act, for whatever reason. Any reaction that she might give him could be the reaction he is aiming for, in which case the best possible reaction would be the absence of any. However, she kept her eyes upon him for several moments longer than necessary.
Loki: He could feel her eyes staying upon him, appraising him as if he were a specimen under watch. He rose angrily once more, his hands clenched in fists and he finally walked away from the living room, walking towards the staircase. He had to find a way out of this himself, and not through the ridiculous woman. He was strong, he knew it. He would not wallow in such weaknesses and pity for himself any longer.