Wow okay so, lots of things happened - I KNOW no excuses and IM SO SORRY I'm really bad at updating. And writing fanfic in general.
Anywho. Got a new job. Full time. Which is great for finances not so much for writing. So yeeeaaah.
I promise I'm not gonna give up on this one! Besides I think it is coming along rather nicely... ? I dunno.
Read, Enjoy, Review. [seriously its the best motivator to know that people are looking forward to updates.]
Isaac parked and called Jinx to tell her the meter number so she could make it look like he paid.
"Why are you there of all places?"
"It's a bar?"
"…Isaac, that place has been abandoned for almost a year now."
"Okay, so? Places like this get bought, shut-down, resold all the time. They have a damn life-cycle."
"Yeah, no. This one doesn't look like it has a buyer… it's just up and disappeared from most of the records. Since it's a dead shop in the middle of a dead part of town it's been overlooked. Does this have something to do with-"
"No."
"So it does? Hey, do you think you could get a picture of him for me? Like serious candid shot."
Isaac groaned, he could practically hear the fangirl coming out. "I don't want to feed into your creepy stalker issue."
"I don't think it's considered stalking if the other party is 1: Infamous and 2: I don't actually do anything."
"No."
"..you're being protective. Oh my God. Knife. Do you have a crush on Loki?"
"No. I don't."
"That's adorable."
"I just said-"
"I know what you said and I also know that you're trying to convince yourself."
"I have a crush on the bartender not the insane not-a-god."
"I really don't think he's insane though. Also. Abandoned building doesn't have a bartender. You yourself said you were going after Loki and with the whole shapeshifter nonsense Im guessing Loki is the bartender and since I know you know that already, the end result is that you are, in fact, crushing on Loki." It sounded like she had barely paused to breathe the entire time she'd been talking.
"Right. Whatever you say. I'll call you again in the morning or something."
"Have fun!"
He hung up on her. Her and her stupid, fangirl idiocy. Unfortunately, she was pretty spot on. Isaac sighed and entered the building, pausing at the odd tingle that ran up his spine. It wasn't entirely unpleasant, and it almost felt familiar. He slowly made his way to the stairs, hidden away behind a door towards the back of the bar.
He trudged upstairs, the door opening before he had a chance to knock.
Lawrence looked him over with clear concern but didn't say anything, merely stepping aside and allowing him entry.
"Are you alright?" the man's voice was soft and soothing. The musical tones doing wonders to relieve the ache that was still plaguing him.
"Yeah." Isaac flashed him a smile. "I'm fine."
"Liar." It was muttered undoubtedly meant to be unheard.
The door closed and Lawrence passed him, settling on the sofa and – there it was – that infuriating, self-assured pose that just radiated the same aura as Loki had. The man reclined easily, his long legs crossed at the ankles his arms resting against the back of the couch. He'd love to keep fooling himself into thinking that Loki and Lawrence were totally different but in all actuality, they were clearly the same. It was just his own perception of each of them that was making them out to be different.
He wanted to think of Loki as a madman. Homicidal, power-mad, insane, sociopathic, psychotic.
Sure, he was an ass but nothing he'd done so far had been any of those things. At least not in the extreme that was expected.
In the skin of a normal human like any other, it was the exact same person except without the expectations.
"So, what did you have in mind?" Loki – as Isaac finally began to mentally note- asked.
"Honestly, this was a bit impromptu I was thinking drinks, maybe a movie." He glanced around the room. "Considering you don't have a TV we'll skip the movie."
"I have cards if you're interested in playing."
The smirk on the man's face clearly told him that he was expected to lose. Which, in turn made Isaac all the more determined to win. After all, it couldn't be that difficult.
-Two hours and three bottles of whiskey later-
"Yeah, so, the bastard clearly sold me out and actually had the nerve to talk to me as though there was absolutely nothing wrong!
Well that clearly explains why you're drinking Loki hummed, nodding along with the drunken ramble coming from the Midguardian. He'd never seen the man so emotional, then again, he also never saw the man drink before. He himself had consumed an equal amount and didn't feel it at all. Though, he was used to Asguardian liquor which was much more potent.
The cards were still laid out on the floor between them, Loki was pleased to find that Isaac wasn't completely incompetent and while he was distraught about something, once engaged in a game the man didn't disappoint. Loki had won all but two games and Isaac took each defeat as a challenge.
Until he'd consumed half a bottle on his own. He became much more talkative and Loki finally gave up on the game in favor of coaxing information out of his drunken companion.
Even as he ranted, face reddened with unhidden rage, there was also undeniable hurt and betrayal. Loki didn't need to touch the man's mind to see it.
"Was there any reason for it?" he asked curiously.
"He's always after money, greedy jackass. Still… he was almost like a dad ya'know? I mean my real dad kinda sucked. A lot. Never home. I think the most I ever saw of him was at his funeral."
Loki frowned, thinking back to Isaac's memories. "So what about your mother?"
"She was home but wasn't really there. Always working. I mean she spent time enough with me, I guess. But she was always distracted like I was taking her away from what she actually wanted to be doing."
The human didn't show the same pain while talking of his parents as he did when talking of this Matt person. Loki could only assume it was because Isaac didn't hold the same attachment.
"I mean I get it. They were both SHIELD agents. I almost think they didn't want to get too attached just in case anything happened. Wishful thinking. What about you?"
Loki blinked at the man who was staring at him with blatant curiosity. "Well…" he hummed in thought. It wouldnt hurt to share a half-truth. "My father and I never got along. He always favored my brother."
A sparkle of sympathy and understanding in the other man's expression.
"I was far closer to my mother. She taught me everything I know." He let himself relax as Isaac smiled, clearly hearing him speak of himself was putting the mortal at ease. "I fear I've rather disappointed her though."
Isaac tilted his head. "Doubt it." He took a deep drink straight from the bottle since he'd lost the coordination to pour the alcohol into a cup. Loki had no doubt that even if he did manage that feat he would end up spilling it everywhere.
"Oh?" he grinned as the human squinted, swaying as he lowered the bottle back down to his side.
"Yeah… yer doin pretty damn good, s'far as I'm concerned." The mortal snorted and broke out into laughter. Loki could only assume it was at some kind of internal monologue. Then he tried to drink again and slowly tilted backwards.
Loki grabbed the man's wrist and gently extracted the bottle, keeping him from falling onto his back. "Alright, I think that's enough for you."
Isaac grinned at him, his gaze dulled and hazy and still showing echoes of pain amongst his humor. "So, if yer takin' away my drink does that mean you're givin me something else to occupy myself?"
"I'm honestly surprised that you still have enough coherence to make a pass at me." Even though he said that he still didn't let go of him.
Isaac threw back his head and laughed. "Ah, c'mon. You shouldn't underestimate me ya'know."
Loki found himself yanked forward as the wrist he'd been holding onto twisted, his own limb now held captive. Which made it difficult to keep himself from landing on top of the drunk who was now flat on his back.
"Damn. SO close." Isaac giggled. Giggled.
Loki sighed in defeat. Damn the mortal, he was appealing even when annoyingly inebriated. He wondered at that. Isaac was usually so paranoid. He knew that the man was hunting him. Yet over the last few weeks Isaac had simply talked, joked, flirted, and overall seemed to not mind the chance that he was a 'murderous madman'.
But that still isn't a good reason to get drunk in his presence. After all, what if he was a murderer? If he had any intention at all to harm the man this would be the perfect opportunity.
"You're thinking in circles, aren't you?" Isaac was watching him having released his wrist in favor of playing with his hand. He seemed completely fascinated by his fingers.
"Was I that obvious?"
"I may be drunk off my ass but I'm still not an idiot." The man smirked at him.
"A shame." Loki grinned down at him, threading their fingers together before pinning the mortal's hand to the floor. There wasn't even a flicker of apprehension in the man's gaze. "If you weren't drunk I'd most likely have taken you to bed by now."
His grin turned to a laugh as Isaac's eyes flew wide. "That's just not fair."
There was no defense. No lies. No acting, well at least nothing too outlandish and certainly not on the mortal's part. No dance of politics, of 'I know, you know'. Isaac was simply there, hurt, likely a bit confused, sexy, drunk off his ass, and looking at him like he was some kind of… well, like he wasn't him. In this skin he was a man like any other. And he wanted to know more. More about this strange feeling of contentment and excitement.
He reached for he man's senses, fusing their minds together just enough to feel the effects of the alcohol and the emotions that were still running rampant. Just that one touch made his head spin.
Oh dear. That wasn't good. He could feel his control slipping, his mind seemed to focus purely on one thing and one thing only. It startled him enough that he didn't think to pull back.
Isaac's grin turned to a knowing smirk and began slowly moving until he was practically wrapped around him. "So, are you reconsidering the whole 'taking me to bed' thing?"
Damn the mortal.
Told you it was coming along nicely haha... *ahem* welp. Ima go hide now.