11
Luna: She attempted to concentrate on keeping her mind delightfully empty, yet thoughts and concerns kept prowling and gnawing at the edges. How was she possibly to overcome S.H.I.E.L.D's security? There were plenty of systems and she knew most of the ways in which they functioned, which allowed her a chance to go around them or work them in her favor... Yet she would not put it past S.H.I.E.L.D. to have limitations and manners of security of which they did not inform her - after all, she was not one of the most important cogs in the mechanism of her organization, and therefore she would not be privy to all the information. Hopefully, she would be able to improvise one way or another, if it came to such a situation which she did not foresee, and hopefully, she would do so with his help. He expected a great lot of her, Loki did, and she knew that she was bound to fail him in one way or another; however, that did not matter all that much, as he expected something like that of her, as well.
Loki: He glanced over to her briefly in the moments of their silence, as she looked deep enough in thought for her not to notice. He was somewhat peaceful, without such thoughts of what was to occur and what situations he knew he could not get into with a mortal at hand. Because he now knew it bothered her, he asked, with a small sneer upon his lips: "What are you thinking?"
Luna: She was much too weary to present him with any other response than the utterly truthful one: "Of S.H.I.E.L.D's security," she murmured, not looking at him, keeping her eyes closed, instead, listing in her mind all of the devices and items and other similar paraphernalia which she knew how to work against. However, there were far too many for her to disable one by one, as the disabling of one or two would lead the others to take notice, and they would be upon them like moths to a flame. She would have to clone herself in order to shut them all off at once - but that still left more than plenty of room for suspicion, suspicion that would affect greatly their chances of successful escape.
Loki: He nodded, knowing that he would have to leave her in peace, for she was the only one between the both of them who would be able to do anything of the sort with the technology S.H.I.E.L.D. presented them. "I was thinking," he began, lifting a brow in her direction. "There is a main power source within this house, correct? Everything in the house feeds off of it..." he spawned the idea from the workings of the tesseract, he had to admit, but it was still an attempt to figure out what they were dealing with. "If one were to destroy it... or simply do away with it temporarily, would one be able to slip past it?" he asked curiously.
Luna: She sat up slightly from her reclining, opening her eyes and giving a small, thoughtful bite to her lower lip as her eyebrows lowered. She hummed musingly and looked at him with a curious glint in her eyes. "Now, that is an idea..." she sat up completely, though hardly suppressing a grunt that escaped her at the effort she put into rising like so. She did not know how she would in any way practice magic with him if it debilitated her in such a way - she would hardly be able to move if it continued in this manner. "You are suggesting a black out in the entire household? That could work, but one would have to be incredibly quick, because it doesn't buy very much time at all. You see," she began explaining. "If the power was to go out in the house, S.H.I.E.L.D. would notice their devices stop working, and they would be here very soon afterwards to inspect what happened." Her forehead creased as she contemplated. "Besides, if we... wanted it to work better, for it to go a little more inconspicuously, we would have to do away with the entire neighborhood's power," her face brightened slightly, though there was still worry etched in her features. "That way, it could seem a little more of an accident, a coincidence, than anything planned. Of course, S.H.I.E.L.D's mechanisms need just a little more prodding to disable than just a simple black out, some of them I assume have features that keep them active even when the main power source through which they operate is cut off..." she rambled, now more to herself than to him, developing the idea that he presented her with, branching it and cutting off the things unusable.
Loki: He watched as she considered his idea, his head thoughtfully going at that which he would be able to use to his own thought processes. If he was keen to the workings of such devices, then he would know if he could, indeed, do more than he had originally hoped in helping his escape go as smoothly as possible. "Then would you be knowledgeable to which mechanisms do need, as you say, more prodding, and if so, do you believe you could debilitate them when presented with such an opportunity?" he asked, "Or... do you believe that one could deceive them, by chance?" he asked, fishing for more ideas, attempting to come up with the best clarification of his situation as possible.
Luna: She settled herself in a more comfortable position, one in which she would have something to prop her up, as she, herself, was unable to do so for the time being. "I do, yes," she confirmed with a nod, after some more thinking. She might just be able to work some way around those, but she could not spare time in attempting to learn them further, as any sort of probing might draw S.H.I.E.L.D's attention. There were very few things that wouldn't, and they really needed to single out those things and find a way efficient enough to overcome them. "It would all have to be done so very swiftly, with no mistakes or holes in the plan. No skipping steps unless absolutely necessary..." she lingered off in a quiet voice. There was no settled plan, let alone steps for it, but one was beginning to unravel slowly, carefully, the more she thought about it.
Loki: He nodded. "You are lucky that you have one such as I to ensure such a thing," he replied smugly, though he, himself would not be able to tell such a thing, as he was relying almost entirely on her to not deceive him in any way. She knew what would lie on the other side if she indeed did such a thing, but somehow, he doubted it. She would not risk even more of her life to go against such a plan, it was infallible...
Luna: "You're not being pleasant company. Stop it," she said with a roll of her eyes. She would find it so much more tolerable if he was not so insufferably arrogant at times, contrasting in such ways with his own pitiful words at times. He could be many things, she knew, if he only so wished, and it would make it easier on the both of them (though perhaps less fun for him), if he behaved appropriately.
Loki: He rolled his eyes in mockery of her. "I don't believe that was in the bargain," he added with another smirk. "You were the one who simply happened to end up with the god of chaos. Being pleasant was hardly a guarantee. I intended to make things very difficult and watch you squirm," he knew he was now only pushing buttons for her, watching her grimace and writhe underneath the mockery.
Luna: "Oh, now I see. You're intending on being such a pain that I'd rather choose to die than spend any more time with you. So you get to kill me, either way," she narrowed her eyes slightly, wanting to say many, many things to him, but irritated to the very bone for the fact that he would have her head for any more serious jabs that she gives him.
Loki: He narrowed his eyes, as well. "That is hardly my intention," he replied sourly."I am merely stating my nature, no matter what I do to change it. I do not wish to kill you, otherwise I would have done so many times, regardless of your use. Do not say that again," he warned, his voice cold and his eyes hard.
Luna: "No need to state your nature, it shows more than clearly," she responded, her gaze meeting his own levelly, firmly. She would truly have to learn how to deal with the man during the time she is to spend with him, otherwise it'll be the end of her regardless.
Loki: "Wonderful! I have met my purpose then. The only purpose which I have as of... well, now," he replied bitterly, throwing his arms in the air in exasperation. The dreadful wench would be getting on his nerves more than enough, he could tell. Her bitterness might die down, and with it, he supposed such bitter remarks would also cease. Perhaps. Or perhaps she was doomed to always despise him. It was justifiable, he replied in his mind reflexively.
Luna: She exhaled exasperatedly and shook her head; she had to remind herself that any sort of bickering with him would be to no avail and would hold no point or purpose to it. Yet he so effectively provoked many thoughts in her that she wished to throw at him as sordidly as she could. It was his own fault for acting in such a way that would automatically repel people from him and kill each and every wish to spend any length of time in his presence. That was what he was obtaining, whether he wished for it or not.
Loki: "Silence now, hmm?" he pressed with another roll of his eyes, continuing the relaxed state of his body, leaning against the couch. "How boring," he added with his own sigh. Perhaps it was better that way...
Luna: "Yes, you are," she retorted almost instantly. Then, with another deep breath and a rub of her temples, she spoke again. "I feel like a damn child, Loki, arguing with you so pettily. It's ridiculous and it has no point, save for your endless amusement," she stressed the last two words with a tinge of contempt in her voice. "But you can't say that I don't irritate you as much as you irritate me."
Loki: "Perhaps because you are a child," he added smugly, the corners of his lips twisting upwards, pleased with another jab of his own. "You hardly irritate me, dear," he replied, blinking innocently at her and then chuckled again. That was a lie, however - she did have her own sort of irritation, but that would only prove her correct and he hardly wanted that.
Luna: He had a drive within himself to be difficult and unnerving, she decided; the milder aspects of his nature, she assumed. "Yet you are acting much like one, yourself, plainly," she said as she made herself comfortable upon the cushion once again, leaning against the armrest of the couch comfily.
Loki: He glared, his smile disappearing briefly, before hiding it, as he did not want to let her win any such argument. He acted as though he was hardly offended. "And perhaps that is just what I enjoy," he replied, shrugging. "If that is what your opinion upon my being is, then so be it."
Luna: "Alright, then," she resigned, folding her arms behind her head and taking her eyes off of him. "We digress," she said. "We are going to have to make a meticulous plan, as far as the escape is concerned. I might be able to take down the entire neighborhood's electricity, I think," she said thoughtfully. It would appear just slightly more innocent, yet… If she disappears with him, that would evoke suspicion, as well, and her main goal was to lessen the amounts of it as much as she could, as their time depended highly on it.
Loki: "Very good," he replied quietly, knowing his entertainment for this evening was well done for. She had had the last of it. "And what of you?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow. "If we are to make sure they have as little suspicion as possible, they would go looking after you..." he added thoughtfully, his thoughts wandering off. "They would suspect that I would kill you. We should follow such suspicions if you wish not to be hunted after I am gone..."
Luna: She furrowed her eyebrows. "You mean, make it appear as if you did kill me and dispose of me?" she asked, her voice sounding far too casual for such topics, as if she were not at all discussing herself in such a twisted manner, which she found just a touch unsettling. He had a point, however, a point that could be elaborated into yet another piece of their plan.
Loki: He nodded, glancing over to her once more. "Yes," he replied. "As I did promise peace for you once I am gone, yes? I am afraid, dear, that is the only way..." he added.
Luna: She lowered her gaze as she pondered about his suggestion - no, a suggestion was not a proper word, for it implied that she could discard it, and he seldom left her with any choice. There were two sides to it - if they truly did make it appear as if he murdered her, that would leave S.H.I.E.L.D. with informing her friends and her brother of her death, leaving them to mourn her... She shuddered at the thought of just how such a lie might be accepted. And yet, on the other side, she might just end up in prison, if it ever came out that she aided Loki in any way. He was taking her away in the first place, so there shall inevitably be loss. Her lips pressed together tightly.
Loki: He remained still as she took this in, knowing that it was much for her to swallow in consideration that she quite possibly had a family that would find out about this, people who would mourn her death. But there was no other way, unless she would like to be punished by S.H.I.E.L.D. for something she had no choice in. She would oblige. His lips thinned into a straight line, knowing everything that had to be said was said. She knew what would happen, and she knew of the chances that she would take. She was going to help him whether she wanted to or not.
Luna: Minutes passed, and she was silent, trying to find a way out in her increasingly erratic mind. She did not wish to bring such hurt to the ones close to her, she did not want them to have to experience something like that, however temporarily (or perhaps, permanently, her mind filled in, for he might simply snap one day and end her life). She sighed and rubbed her face wearily, her heart sinking. "Very well..." she complied almost inaudibly. Perhaps she would be able to correct everything upon her return.
Loki: He nodded, looking back to her. "Good," he said, pleased that she would comply so easily to what had to be done. He gave a content sigh as he leaned back against the back of the couch, comfortable in knowing that everything would eventually become quite easy from then on. At least, to him. "So we shall fake your death," he added after a good long while of silence. "It shall look as though I killed you when I had the chance and then left..."
Luna: She nodded with only half of her mind acknowledging his words; the other part was still struggling to come to terms with the increasing difficulty of everything, whereas, on the other hand, he seemed brighter and brighter. "The power goes out completely accidentally - a mistake of the electrical company - I die and you make your escape… Once they realize that their devices have purposefully been disabled, we should be several steps ahead of them, I hope," she said, her voice distant, as if she were not speaking of the two of them, but rather of a story she heard.
Loki: He listened to the plan that they had concocted so far as she had begun to list everything they had decided up until that moment. "That sounds about right," he replied quietly. "And we do it fast... so I daresay we should plan out your alleged death beforehand, so we can simply... leave quickly and efficiently after you have tampered with the remaining devices," he added, glad this was coming together so very smoothly. He would taste freedom yet...
Luna: "Yes, yes," she agreed with another nod. "We'll arrange it completely before I cut off the power. We should make it look as convincing as possible, of course," she said musingly, her eyes gliding about the room slowly, touching and lingering upon certain parts of it that could be altered to make it appear as if he murdered her. "Signs of struggle..." she murmured more to the air around them than to either of them in particular. "Something broken, something turned over..." she continued mumbling under her breath, creating a scene in her mind's eye, where, in the utter confusion and hecticness, he would easily find her, and just as easily end her. It was as if she observed a film unravel in front of her eyes, as if she were but a watcher, not a participant.
Loki: He gave a noncommittal huff in recognition of what she said, all the while looking around the room as she did, seeing what could very well be adjusted so they would be just as convincing as if he would actually do so. Though, in all reality, all he had to do was walk up to her and snap her neck faster than she would even blink and it would be over, but she was a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, and he did so enjoy putting on a show. "Yes," he agreed with another swift nod. "We shall be creative," he added with a smirk.
Luna: Her eyes stopped their inspecting and moved to his own, gleaming excitedly in emerald. "Oh?" she asked simply, finding his smirk disconcerting, but it awoke curiosity within her. "What do you have in mind?"
Loki: "Something that would be worthwhile for your struggle," he said quietly. "Cleanly... I do not like having blood everywhere. It is disgusting," he replied, with an obvious hint of distaste in his lines. "Perhaps strangulation, seeing as how I am not guaranteed my usual weapon," he added thoughtfully, looking over to her curiously. "Did you have anything in mind?"
Luna: She listened to him intently, glad that she felt so detached from the plan, as if they were devising it for someone entirely else. She wondered briefly if that is how it would continue to be when they finally enact it. "No blood, no... That would have been too much of a hassle, I'm guessing, and it would only be of further help to S.H.I.E.L.D." she agreed upon that part. "I have to say, though, that strangulation is something that I had in mind now, when I…when I looked about the room, that is simply the first thing that I… saw," she said slowly.
Loki: Loki nodded. "I suppose we think alike in such perspectives," he said with a grin, knowing she would be disturbed with the fact she thought similar to a mass killer, but at the moment, she seemed quite indifferent to the thought of a fake murder, even though he could have very well enacted. "It shall be interesting," he added.
Luna: "I'd be surprised if it wasn't," she said absentmindedly. "Fortunately, I have one quite savvy with murders, here," she looked pointedly at him. "Our scene should be believable." He would know precisely what to do. And what was left for her to do but follow?
Loki: He smirked in amusement. "You do, yes. Or ask any Asgardian, truly," he replied lightly, with a shrug. "Murder, actually, has been my weakest quality, dear. Perhaps you should think upon that, in comparison to any other Asgardian you may ever come to know, before making any assumptions."
Luna: She gave a shrug of her own. "Weakest, perhaps, but a quality still present, existent nevertheless... Besides, from what I've gathered, you are skilled in battle, and even that could help more than if we relied on me to set the entire thing up." She knew that the Asgardians, and Aesir overall, were people of battle more so than anything else, so she assumed his words were no less than true.
Loki: "Yes, that is true," he agreed thoughtfully, as it would have served to be a compliment any other time he had not murdered a good number of her race.
Luna: "Now, all I have to do is find the lengths to which this neighborhood extends and see if I can bring it all down," she muttered pensively. Then, a shadow came across her eyes as she recalled a particular fact. "Oh... S.H.I.E.L.D. agents should be here soon… Whether today or some other day in the near future, I cannot remember," she said lowly. She didn't like the uncertainty, and it was not as if she could phone them and ask when they will be coming. Or, rather, she could, but at this point, she was paranoid enough and so intent on avoiding any skepticism possible that she would rather not take any chances. Their time would be tampered with, as she didn't know the exact time of the arrival...
Loki: He furrowed his brow, considering the fact that if there was any time for her not to keep her word with, it would be when the agents visit. His lips pulled down into a small frown. "For them to check to see if we both are still here?" he asked quietly, arching a brow in her direction. "Or to see that nothing like this is happening," he said, gesturing to the both of them.
Luna: She gave a nod. "Precisely, yes." She shifted her weight slightly. "For them to see if you're not giving me too much trouble," she said with a distasteful undertone. Oh, he was giving her trouble, but they expect him to be the only culprit in the story…
Loki: He smirked. "So I should not say a word and trust you to lie for me?" he said, though it was not a question, it was an expectation. "It is to be as though I never began talking to you. As though I am entirely compliant. Am I understood?" he pressed.
Luna: When he began speaking, it seemed to her as an inquiry, not a demand, to which it turned by the time he finished speaking, gaining an almost threatening note that she disliked. "Yes..." she said finally, reluctantly.
Loki: "Very good," he said, smiling. "Then this shall pass, and all shall be well," he said confidently, "And you know what happens if it does not, yes?" he asked lightly, though he knew the girl should not be trembling when the agents do come. He did not wish to scare it out of her, as that would be too obvious...
Luna: Her heart almost skipped a beat at his words, his tone so polite, a delighted smile playing on his lips, at this point not even bearing the intimidating undertone, yet in that lay what scared her so very badly. She chose not to answer him, as she shrunk away from him slightly, more on instinct than on anything else, hating that she did such a thing and hating him for instilling such an urge within her.
Loki: Ah, well, so much for that thought. He shrugged it off, letting it go. He had confidence she would behave, he needn't threaten her more than he already did. She shrunk into herself, her eyes haunted and behind that, the obvious hint of hatred. "Very good," he repeated with a nod, and then turned away.
Luna: She attempted to relax and obtain some more ease to her fatigued body, the consequences of the past day or two showing on her body and in her mind. There was a small sense of wonder in her mind beneath the intimidation that he struck; he managed to appear as if he were talking about weather or something equally as regular, he is able to smile and be most courteous, without so much as a hint of anything vile or wicked in his voice, yet all of that is what made his words all the more threatening and twisted. It was deeply, disturbingly unsettling.
Loki: He folded his hands in front of him, quite optimistic of the events that were to unravel, knowing that freedom was so very close... that he would finally be able to breathe without some idiot monitoring him. He was above this prison, this silly Midgardian woman, and everything she entailed. It was impeccably frustrating, but he knew he finally had what he wanted. He would just have to now be as patient as possible in order to receive the rest of it.
Luna: She glanced at him, her mind returning to the two men who were supposed to arrive at some point in time, wondering just how the visit would go. She could lie, but she was nowhere near Loki's credibility when it came to such matters, and she could not do very much but hope that the agents would not see through her. How badly could it go? If Loki kept silent and full of contempt as he usually is, then there should be no problem - Luna would not have very much to say, as there would not be very much happening in the household where the tenants refuse to speak with each other. She might not even have to lie very much.
Loki: He glanced back when she glanced at him, giving another grin in her direction, seeing as how she was incredibly tense, her shoulders curved inwards, her hands toying with each other subconsciously. He couldn't have such a weak hand in such a vivid lie. "It shall go well," he reassured. "I shall make your lies easy, as you are so very dreadful at them, and they shall leave without so much as a second glance."
Luna: She returned her eyes to his, her eyebrows drawing together in an unnerved frown. How he fed off of her fear and her afflictions, it was sickening and it angered her so very much. "I am only dreadful at them when you are in question. The Liesmith knows, I know that. But they do not," she said, his offensive words sparking spite within her; she would very gladly prove to him that she could lie to those who were not him. Then, she scolded herself with a pang of realization that she would be taking pride in deliberately lying to somebody. Perhaps she was absolutely no better than he was.
Loki: He hummed noncommittally. "I shan't know until I see it for myself," he replied. How terrified and angered she was… He grinned, but kept it to himself. Her fire was enticing to him. All of this keeping her was so very much worth the amount of passion she put in to every word she said when she was like this. Her cheeks flushed, her eyes narrowed, her voice chilled with spite. He drank it in like his favorite wine.
Luna: "And see you shall," she said, forcing her voice to calmness, seeing the grin that kept growing and brightening, the more pleasure he derived from her anger, from her misery. Oh, absolutely disgusting.. However, her effort into keeping her anger low went askew and before she could help herself, she took the pillow that was behind her and threw it at his smug, smiling face, wishing to knock it off. She could hardly summon up enough energy to rise and move away from him after her rash action, but it felt good enough to almost be worth it. It was a mere pillow, she thought to herself, it would not hurt.
Loki: His brows raised as he watched her throw the pillow his way, and he caught it before it went anywhere near him. He was shocked, to say the least, but he only kept grinning, enjoying the harmless anger she had towards him. He contemplated throwing it back at her, but he merely held it up. "How threatening. I've had worse thrown my way, but I'd say this has to be the most terrifying," he replied sarcastically, his delight evident. He then lightly threw it back in her direction. "But I don't need a pillow, much thanks, my dear."
Luna: She suppressed a groan, biting the inside of her lower lip for a small moment, in profound irritation. Why she bothered was beyond her, as it got her nowhere, and it gained her nothing but even further aggravation. She murmured a curse under her breath and even more quietly, a foul name directed at him as she caught the pillow and settled it back behind herself. She wanted to take the pillow - rather, something much more solid and firm - and have a go at him, over and over again. It provided her some solace to envision such a thing in her mind's eye. He was infuriating in such a ridiculous, almost child-like way; she felt as if she were arguing with a sibling.
Loki: He smirked at her comment that was not meant for his ears, an obscene name being uttered from her lips, he was certain he had been called many times before. "Oh, dear, what was that? I cannot hear you when you are mumbling..." he said with a chuckle and a shake of his head as she settled back down, the anger still evident upon her face. He would have at it for as long as he could, knowing she was much too frightened to do anything that would harm herself, in an intention of harming him.
Luna: She didn't know if she had enough control over herself to refrain from retorting to each and every little provocation he throws her way. She knew it would not end well for her, but she wished so very badly that he would just quit. She knew what inspired him, as well, as it was more than obvious, but it was not something that she had much say in, as her reactions got the best of her, to her even further dismay. "You are sickening..." she seethed, her voice bearing remnants of her attempt to restrain herself. She knew that her words would have no negative effect on him - quite the opposite, he'd enjoy it even more deeply.. She reined herself in and willed herself to stop reacting to his jabs and prods.
Loki: "Hmm," he muttered, with a quirk of his brow, his head leaning down into his hands as he looked over to her quite innocently. "I have heard that one before. But I was expecting something far more colorful, yet I see you're not wishing to be so very creative," he huffed as if truly disappointed with everything. He shrugged and shook his head. "No matter. I expect if I keep pushing, I'm sure I'll find some sort of colorful language of which I know you're capable."
Luna: He was so theatrical, he was, with his overly inflated gestures and excessively prominent sighs and such similar reactions that it amused her as much as it panged her with vexation. What a peculiar being he was, driven by such abnormal things, gaining such satisfaction from them, so close to… mad. Her gaze was hard and cold as she focused it upon him. "I'm going to go ahead and ask for S.H.I.E.L.D. to retrieve that muzzle of yours," she said.
Loki: His gaze hardened suddenly, quite unamused by such a reaction. "You would not," he dared thickly. He despised the wretched thing. It hurt his jaw, ultimately, in its restraint – other than his dignity. How torturous it was for him to be kept silent, his voice – the only thing he could always rely on – gone, almost reminiscent of what could have been Odin's punishment, had he actually gone through with it. No, he would not allow for that.
Luna: She managed to successfully pluck at a nerve, she noticed, and a smirk touched the corners of her lips. She was unsure whether toying with him in such a way would backfire, but at least she got him to cease his cheerful, ridiculous quipping for the time being. Perhaps this is where she ought to stop... "I would," she murmured. It might just be easy, asking the agents, instead, as she doubted he would attack her in their presence, or them, as well, not when his freedom so highly depended on them. Oh, she could turn the visit around into something of use to her, most certainly... "I would..."
Loki: "No," he countered immediately after. "You need my words," he pressed, his gaze continuing to harden when the corners of her lips turned upwards. His back straightened as he slid to the edge of the couch. No, this would not be a victory for her. "I will make it even more difficult for you, I swear it," he threatened, his voice growing icy as he continued to think about the restraint he despised. Now she knew a weakness... he inwardly scolded himself, wishing he didn't take such quick reactions to this. "I cannot teach you with silence," he added, knowing that, too, would play a card.
Luna: "Oh, but you can - it would go with a little more difficulty, but ultimately, it would not be impossible," she retorted, knowing that she was right. There was a duplicity within her, a duality which revolted her; she was like him in some ways, she noticed, as now it was her turn to enjoy his anger, his irritation and his obviously fervid reactions to what she said. It gave her a delightful sense of satisfaction, which she enjoyed and despised at the same time. And yet, she was still afraid - if she did not choose a good moment to fall silent, he could hurt her. There were no agents around momentarily who would prevent him from doing something horrid to her, and so, there was still danger at the moment.
Loki: "You would not dare, Luna," he threatened, regaining his calm and cool composure, leaning back into the couch as he could almost see the new spark in her eyes when he reacted so passionately against such a thing. He would not play the same game he played with her, no. He would not be entertainment to her. He smirked, regaining his own power. "If you so wish to make me uncomfortable, I shall make sure you know the same amount of discomfort. Nothing shall stop me," he added, tilting his head to the side, wondering how she could counter that.
Luna: She let out the smallest of scoffs, immediately after cursing herself in her mind for being such an easy target, for being so very weak and unable to put any sort of control on herself – in fact, he had more control over her than she did. His threats would not have had any real effect on her if she was not so absolutely certain that they were true and that they would be easily put into practice at the very first moment he saw fit. However, she mimicked his composure and even though it was clear that his words had an effect, the least she could do was lessen the visible amount upon her features, acting as if she had said nothing, as if he had heard nothing. Although, she was bracing for either a verbal assault or an actual, physical one.
Loki: He glared at her as she attempted to mimic his posture, leaning back casually. No, he could play the game better than she can. He knew it was a game before it even began. He just happened to cheat sometimes, but nonetheless, he always, in the end, won. At least, in his mind he did. "Very good," he replied smugly. "I do hope you know what is better for yourself," he added dully. Even if she did get the dreaded muzzle, he would find a way out of it. He knew he could with a bit of magic and strength that he did not have the last time it was placed on him. He could, ultimately, force her to do away with it, or convince her by other means. After all, actions spoke louder than words.
Luna: She maintained her breathing even, so as to not show him just to what lengths he influenced her, though she knew it could have been worse. She was glad that he decided to be calm and collected, instead of acting in a way that would not at all be pleasant for her. She gave a simple nod, deciding that it was time to stop, while she still had such an option. She looked away, thinking on the fact whether she would seek any help from the agents or not, though she very well could - she could leave with them when they arrived, and she could tell Fury everything and have the ordinary life of hers back. It was tempting, so very tempting; if Loki was to keep silent and not interfere, she might just...
Loki: He sighed, leaning his head back when she finally returned to the cold silence. Perhaps it was best he kept silent for now, he noted, knowing very well there was a good amount of weakness that may be exposed with the agents here. Luna could easily slip away from him if he did not remain keen on her every move, every motivation. He had to do something that kept her to him, some sort of leverage that would deeply influence her to stay with him so this scheme would not end. "Have you ever been kept silent before, Luna?" he asked quietly.
Luna: She lifted her gaze from the couch to him, eyeing him carefully. "No," she said, her voice just as quiet.
Loki: "I would suppose not," he replied briefly, with another shrug. "It is dreadful," he replied, his voice suddenly grim and solemn."Like being leashed... Shown to everyone as an animal. It is nowhere near the torture I was put through previously, but it is enough... Quite psychological, you Midgardians would say..."
Luna: Taking into consideration the fact that Loki's words were most often one of his most effective weapons, and not only that, but means of beguiling his way out of various situations, or using them to… It clicked in her head, what he was trying to accomplish now, when his words and his voice were very much so available. Of course he would not like to be silenced, as it took away one crucial, inexorably useful quality of his, thus taking away any chances for him to defend or offend. The area around her eyes tightened slightly as she listened, however, curious of the tortures; whatever they were, she doubted he would hesitate very much - if at all - in inflicting them upon anyone else. "I see..." she murmured, simply to give him some sort of a response. "I can see how it can work..."
Loki: He nodded, knowing she was wary of him, but he would make it so that this was only a conversation; he would not be so blatantly manipulative. "Yes," he replied with a sigh. "To silence the Silvertongue," he replied with a shake of his head, his hands folding in front of him once more as he toyed with the both of them. "You obviously see I do not wish for it, but I suppose, in the 'psychological' aspect of it, it happened to be quite the tool for taunting in my youth, as I was often weaker than those who I believed were my 'friends.' If I spoke too much, they often gagged me until I was silent and sometimes... simply left me there to do nothing but remain silent, until some unfortunate servant would come by and see me, considering I could not cry out…" he shuddered noticeably, making sure she saw it. "So you may see why I have such an... aversion to it."
Luna: Her brow lowered as she listened intently to him, questioning in the back of her mind whether any of this was true, for he did not seem like the one to share such things, let alone with a mortal such as her. It was possible that it was the truth and that he bent it in a way that would convene him, for a particular purpose… It seemed as if she'd never move away from the first one or two steps with him. "People do such a thing?" she asked incredulously, genuinely wondering, yet only inquiring for the sake of continuing this, as she was curious to see how far he would go and what all he would say. "No wonder you..." she lingered off.
Loki: He arched a brow. "Why, yes," he replied simply, with another shrug. It was true, it had happened to him once; Thor found him sitting in one of the older gardens, silenced after he made a sarcastic remark to one of his peers. Come to find out, they had no idea he was the prince, for he was often, surprisingly enough, silent in his youth. "No wonder what?" he pressed curiously.
Luna: "No wonder you hate the mere idea of the muzzle," she maneuvered the truth, while her mind filled in on its own - no wonder he was so spiteful and so deranged. Such little things, as it appeared, sat upon his shoulders, one by one, piling and piling and piling, until one day, there was one too many, and thus his back was snapped.
Loki: He knew that was not what she wished to say so he merely gave a nod, as that was the reason for this little, humiliating story in the first place. "Yes," he replied, though there were many other reasons he did not wish for his jaw to be so restrained - it was impeccably uncomfortable, unbecoming... "I enjoy avoiding such memories at all costs, if I am to be truthful," he muttered, wondering if this little anecdote was taking any sort of effect on her as he wished it would.
Luna: Why, then, did he speak of it? she asked herself rather than him. "That's understandable… I would, too, if something such happened to me," she said with a small shrug. "As far as such things go, I've bickered with my brother, but no matter how foul it seemed at the time, it wasn't anything quite like what you have experienced..." she shared vaguely in return.
Loki: "No, I daresay it wasn't," he replied with a sigh. "You did not tell me you have a sibling," he added lightly, knowing she did not tell him much of anything, now that he thought of it. But perhaps this, too, would aid him.
Luna: "You did not ask," she said with a small raise of her eyebrows. She did not see any reason to inform him of any such thing, as he could very well find a way to use it against her. She saw no reason, still. "I am, yes. He is slightly older - by 2 and a half years." she gave him what seemed to be rather useless information.
Loki: He smirked. "How interesting. Thor is older than me by approximately 100 years – approximately 2 Midgardian years," he replied lightly. "Though that is not definite, as he is not my brother and the birth date I was told is most likely... not my actual birth date."
Luna: "Hmm.. Is the concept of celebrating one's birthday even existent on Asgard?" she asked. From what she has gathered, such celebrations would be something very, very frequent in their minds. "It must feel strange, not knowing just when you were born... But I'm not so sure that it is of much importance, in the end," she mused.
Loki: "Coming of age is celebrated," he noted. "It happens thrice in one's Aesir life. After that, it becomes redundant. However... the lack of knowledge regarding my birth date was recently discovered by myself..." he explained solemnly. "Most Aesir mark their lives by being born in the warm season or the cold season... I have no such thing, for I am not Aesir."
Luna: Her face lined slightly in curiosity. "What season were you told you were born in?" she asked, though the answer would make very little difference, as it may or may not have been so. "Though, how come you are unsure? If one marks it by such broad terms such as the cold or the warm season," she said, assuming automatically that seasons took relatively lengthy periods of the year. If they marked time with years to begin with. She rubbed her temples slightly in light frustration. "Even if you might not know the precise day, Odin could have at least guessed approximately, according to your approximate age at the time, just how long ago you were born, and so determining the season..."
Loki: He gave a smirk. "The cold season is what Frigga told me..." he replied, shaking his head, running fingers through his hair. "For an easy explanation as to why I had an aversion to the warmth and why people believed my skin was so cold," he scoffed. "However, I suppose Odin never cared enough for such a thing after he had stolen me. He might have been able to deduce such a thing, had he known for sure the aging of my kind..." He focused on her reactions steadily, wondering if there was still any sort of change that may come of her.
Luna: She nodded as a way to show him she was listening. The appearance of the Aesir that he had made it so very easy for her to neglect the fact that he was, in fact, of Jotunheim. From what she knew, the Aesir, and also the Vanir, if she was not mistaken, looked much like humans did, yet she has never seen a Jotun. She has seen various depictions and illustrations, though some differed so greatly from the others that she truly didn't know what they looked like. She eyed him curiously, that thought still lingering in her head. It would appear that even with his Aesir appearance, he managed to retain some Jotun-like qualities. "May I feel the cold?" she asked slowly, tentatively. "Of your skin, I mean," she added as clarification. She had experienced it earlier, when he held onto her wrist, but she was so very curious. She knew he said not to touch him, but perhaps...
Loki: He looked at her wearily. "No." he answered simply. She may be curious as to any other aspect of his life, but when it came down to touching him merely because she wished to experience the cold of his skin, he would have to draw the line. "I believe you know for yourself by now. I saw it in your eyes whenever you managed to..." He didn't finish, knowing very well she knew what he was wishing to say. He blinked slowly, knowing the fact he did not wish to be touched was almost incredibly childish, but it was still completely reasonable. At least, in his mind.
Luna: The slightest looks of disapproval and rejection flitted across her features, but it was gone as soon as it appeared. "Very well," she resigned, attempting not to take such a blunt answer to heart. She attempted to think of a bright side - if she ever wishes to repel him, she could merely threaten with the possibility of touching him. Of course, he showed that the need will drive him to get into physical contact with her, but she thought that, to an extent, she could use it to her favor, when necessary. "If we marked our lives with seasons, I would have been born in the cold one, as well," she noted aloud, trying to continue the conversation, though she was becoming increasingly tired.
Loki: He nodded, not caring less. Many Aesir had meaning to their lives as judged by the seasons they were born in - close to harvest season, and they were allegedly going to have many children; close to the warm season, and they would succeed in any war they face. He never was one to analyze such things, as for the cold season, when children were less likely to be born, it was allegedly thought that such children would be hard of heart. And of course, it was true. He simply didn't wish to accept it.
Luna: Beginning to realize that any further conversation might not be particularly fruitful, Luna looked longingly towards the staircase, atop which was her room, and her bed, her soft bed and her warm covers within which she could rest her sore body. If only she could be certain that she would make it up the stairs by the following day... She then looked back at the couch, and then back to him; she could sleep here, she knew, as it presented no problem for her in the past, but would he move at all? Her eyes wandered over to the staircase again. She would feel slightly safer in the confines of her room - the living room was quite spacious, and thus, it seemed just a little more open, in her opinion. Slowly, so very slowly, she rose, standing for several moments to see if her legs would hold her. "If you have no need of me tonight, I think I will go and get some sleep," she informed him.
Loki: He furrowed his brow, seeing that she was, indeed tired, by the way she stood from the couch. "Very well," he replied, as if she was asking for his permission – as though she ever would. He did have to continue to make sure she was not going to attempt to escape, so he would follow her to his own room. He rose from the couch. "I shall retire as well," he said, making his own way to the staircase, hardly waiting for her to follow.
Luna: Her steps felt leaden, and yet somehow, her legs felt insubstantial, almost as if they were not her own. Gingerly, however, she reached the staircase, and with a determined breath, step by step, she went up them. One of her hands trailed along the wall on one side of the stairs, for support, and she, herself, leaned a little bit forward - if she were to fall, it would be better for her to do so forwards, and not backwards, where she could injure herself quite a bit. Loki was quite near in front of her, however, though she would rather break her own fall than reach out for him as any sort of aid.
Loki: He smirked as she slowly worked her way up the stairs and he simply acted as if he didn't see her struggle and continued to his own room, slamming the door shut and settling himself, entirely relaxed upon his bed, his head leaning back as he listened for any signs that she would have fallen down the stairs, in his own luck. How cruel his thoughts were... And yet, if she fell down the stairs, she would have to go to receive medical help and they most likely would either blame him, or replace her with someone quite possibly less likely to give in to his jabs and manipulation. He sighed, and then rose from the bed, quickly walking to stand upon the top step, ready to move if she fell.
Luna: Luna's eyes followed Loki as he shut himself in his room, yet when she was nearing the topmost step, he returned and stood nearby. Perplexed, she lowered her brows and eyed him curiously and inquisitively, making the step or two it took to reach the hallway at the top of the stairs. She exhaled slowly, loathing that she felt this weakened - she couldn't remember the last time she felt this way - it was as if she has had hours upon hours of strenuous physical activity, non-stop. She could do little but hope that some sleep would take care of at least some of it. Her eyes still on him - why'd he return? - she shuffled her way past him, and towards her door. "Good night," she said before she entered her room, wondering, still.
Loki: Relieved that she didn't injure herself, he nodded as she pushed past him to the room. She gave him an odd look, probably wondering why he would bother to make sure she was okay. He shrugged it off and then walked to his own room, shutting the door behind him, taking a book he had kept up there and attempted to read it, so his mind would not go idle, his ears remaining attentive to anything that she may do against him, whether it be escape, or calling S.H.I.E.L.D. She was an intelligent girl, he assured himself repeatedly... she wouldn't be so idiotic.
Luna: Finally, her body found the comfort it sought in the bed, as she crawled underneath the cover and squirmed around in the increasing warmth, pleased. With several even, deep breaths, she allowed herself to relax as much as possible, now that she was in a position safe and secure. She felt as if she were mellow. She threw a glance out of the window - the darkness was failing, and there was a thin, lighter line upon the horizon - the morning was coming, and the hours which she had on her disposal to spend sleeping might be shortened, if the agents were to come as soon as tomorrow. Or, rather, later today, her mind corrected her. With the thought of having less sleep than she would've liked, she turned to her side, closed her eyes, and let the fatigue guide her.