Summary
President Loki is trying to construct himself better accommodations but Boastful isn't making it easy for him.
Notes
This takes place after the events in 'I'll follow you to...', but not really required to read this.
The void was peaceful.
A pleasant breeze rustled the grass and a tame and playful Alioth watched over all.
The various Lokis toiled away, gathering materials that littered the void. They were attempting to build acceptable lodging now that they didn't need to fear being eaten by an angry cloud.
A particularly boastful Loki stood back and admired his work. He had staked claim to the remains of half a farmhouse and had already stabilized the walls and closed in the windows.
He turned suddenly as he heard someone clearing their throat behind him.
"I believe you have something of mine ," the presidential Loki said in a deep growl. His black curls spilled over the front of his horned crown as if he had just gotten out of bed and threw them on in a rush.
The boastful one laughed mockingly, "I can't imagine what you're talking about."
The presidential Loki took a threatening step forward and threw out his hand in the direction of the house, " That is my window, you stole it, you thief!"
Not backing down the boastful one also took a step forward, "You weren't even using it, it's been leaning against that hovel you call a house for ages."
The horned one glared back and shifted forward again, "I was going to use it, I just had to make it fit!"
The boastful one moved forward to stare him down, "It fits perfectly here , go find another one!"
"I like that one!"
"Finders keepers!"
They just glared at each other for a minute, almost nose to nose, fists clenched and breathing heavily with anger.
A growl from below drew their attention. They both looked down and parted to let the alligator pass between them. The kid who ruled the void had tasked it with keeping the peace and it was very committed to its job.
The horned one turned with a huff and stalked off in the direction of his cabin.
The next day, the boastful one was asleep in a reclining patio chair he had recently found and placed in front of his house. His golden hammer lay upon his chest, and a smoothie he had made was on the ground at his side.
His slumber was disturbed by a sharp poke to the arm that almost knocked him off his chair.
"Get up!", the presidential Loki demanded.
The boastful one stood with annoyance and held his hammer up menacingly, "Go away! I was trying to sleep!"
The president pointed aggressively above the boastful one's head, "Under my door!"
Indeed the boastful one had constructed a makeshift awning out of the front door. It was attached to the wall of the house on one side and held up with metal pipes on the other.
"I needed some shade. I wasn't going to wait around for you to make use of it."
The president fumed, "I was making use of it, I installed it last week!"
"Badly!"
The president growled under his breath, stalked over with a steady glare then snatched the boastful one's smoothie, took a large sip through the straw and stomped off taking the drink with him.
A couple weeks later the boastful one hummed a tune to himself as he tapped a brick into place with the handle of a trowel. He was bricking one wall of his house and was very pleased with the results.
"Ow!"
He rubbed the back of his head as a pebble bounced off of it.
The president was standing a distance away, face red with anger. He threw his hands up in the air in frustration, "Give me back my bricks you insufferable wretch!"
The boastful one smiled and crossed his arms, "Half of them were just lying around anyway. I have constructed a masterpiece, as you can plainly see."
The president smacked a hand to his forehead, "The other half were in my front wall!"
The boastful one hummed unperturbed, "You should have seen how easily they came apart, that wall wouldn't have lasted a month. You should thank me for the favour!"
The bucket of mortar at the boastful one's feet suddenly appeared upside down in the air above his head, spilling sloppy mixture over him before it also fell, covering his eyes.
"Thank you!" , the president said as he lowered the hand he'd used to cast the spell and marched back towards his house, yelling all the way.
After another month had passed. The boastful one sat in his living room at the end of a long day, content with his efforts. He stretched up his arm and yawned.
Deciding to turn in for the night, he made his way to the bedroom and opened the door.
The presidential Loki was waiting for him, wide eyed with disbelief and panting with fury.
The boastful one grinned pleasantly, "Nice of you to drop by but I'm afraid I was just about to retire for the night."
"In… my… BED!"
The president tugged at his hair with his hand.
The boastful Loki smirked, "I moved it here for safe keeping. It was getting all wet and covered in bugs where you had it!"
The president screamed and huffed out, "Because you stole my window and my door, and my wall!"
The boastful one laughed, "It's not my fault you are such a poor carpenter, now leave! I want to go to sleep!"
"I'm not leaving! Most of my house is here! You go live in what's left!"
The boastful Loki stalked forward, "I wouldn't go near that death trap of a rathole if it was the last shelter in the void! I'm staying right here!", he shouted, pointing his finger to the floor.
The president glared at him wide eyed, "Well I suppose we'll just see who gives in first!"
"I suppose so!"
The president stomped over and sat on the bed, "I'm going to sleep!"
The boastful Loki nodded firmly, "Me too!"
"I should warn you, I snore really loudly!", the president narrowed his eyes.
The boastful one shot back, "I snore so loud it shakes the whole valley!"
"Oh believe me we are all aware!"
This back and forth continued into the night until at some point they both passed out from exhaustion.
The next morning the boastful one exited the house and got to work mixing up a fresh batch of mortar to continue his brickwork.
The presidential Loki stomped out the door a time after and set out in the direction of his house.
After a while, piles of bricks began to appear next to the others in flashes of green.
"There! Since you insist on stealing my house a brick at a time I might as well help you!" He said angrily.
The boastful one pointed at the wall with his trowel, "Just as long as you don't help with the construction, I don't want this falling over in a stiff breeze."
The presidential one crossed his arms, "I'd be more concerned about all your hot air, but I'm not going to complain if you want to do all the work."
"Lazy!"
"Blowhard!"
They proceeded this way for several more days, bickering day and night, keeping their mischievous neighbours awake and perturbed. Until finally one night they had apparently run out of ways to insult each other and everyone breathed a sigh of relief at the silence.
The next morning the president stuck his head out the front door and scanned for onlookers. Seeing no one he motioned with his hand and the boastful one also slinked out the door.
They cautiously proceeded down the path side by side. The presidential Loki moved his hand closer to the boastful one's. He was about to grab it when he saw the alligator emerge from a tuft of grass and instead used the hand to push the other Loki to the ground. This started an argument that continued for the ten minutes it took them to walk through the settlement.
The elder variant in bright green and gold sat on a rock looking wistfully out at the new settlement.
The kid and the alligator strolled up the path.
The three watched the two squabbling pedestrians as they passed by.
"It was finally quiet last night, I actually got some sleep," the kid remarked.
They watched as the two headed out into the wide field, away from any buildings.
The kid turned to the elder Loki, "Do you think they'll ever get along? "
The elder smiled knowingly, "I suspect they already are, it just might take a few centuries for them to admit it."
Off in the distance thinking they were out of sight, their loud bickering continued but they walked off and in hand.