selfequipped | MASK OR MENACE IC CONTACT

I'm not going to answer that.

[When they arrive, she bends down on her knees for a moment to shake off the weird feeling of the teleportation. Though she does it all the time, it's still different when it's someone else, as it just was.

She breathes out and straightens up, inhaling to appreciate the scenery.]

Thanks.

[That's step one. Step two:]

I'm not angry. I don't think I was, but it was a little too much to take in. When the Siege happened, we showed up to help. I nearly died there under the rubble, and no one knew where I was. [She doesn't look at him when she says this, instead drifting off to observe some of the scenery from a closer perspective.]

Smart move.

I AM rather clever.

I'd even say that you're one of the more clever people I know here.

Quite true, but now we're flattering me.

Why are we (you, but let's do an inverse royal we for a second) flattering me?

Can't I flatter you seemingly just to flatter you?

[ no. the answer is no. ]

You COULD, but then you wouldn't be Dorian Gray.

Point taken.

Really, this is simply me buttering you up to butter you up. After all, who knows when I'll need a purple-clad detective slash vigilante slash person in good standing with just about everybody?

Well, I did nearly win you an election you didn't want. Are you sure you want me on your side?

[ it's a few hours earlier, the temperature is warmer and air is quieter. there's no more city bustle, even the subtle noises of sirens in the background, and instead has faded into a variety of insects and birds.

he turns his head, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. his voice lowers to a tired sigh. ]

I didn't know that.

It's not that it stuck with me, not in a big way. It was just one of many things to remind me that I wasn't on par with other heroes. We Hawkeyes have that happen a lot. And somehow, I've always been comfortable accepting that the asshole who came and confronted my team and tried to make us work with some sketchy version of ourselves had also been able to do that. And now that we're friends, it's not exactly easy to swallow that it was actually ... some version of you.

[She pauses, and then she turns, crouching low to the ground for a moment to press her hands flat against it.]

You helped intensify my best friend's issues. You're why I was so worried about Mandrake hurting Billy, and why I believed it was bad that Mandrake and Billy grew close. Maybe not you now, but some version of you, yes. And the version of you that really did damage in my friend's lives, he didn't bring down Asgard. But he did a lot of other stuff. I know that isn't you now, but it wasn't an easy reminder of what you're capable of.

There's a difference between 'nearly won' and 'actually won.' So yes, I do.

Well, I am pretty relentless. I could probably do better next time.

You say that like there's a next time.

[ Sentry had ripped Ares in half, the Asgardian's took a dive to Earth, and even Thor almost found himself at a loss. the strings played by his hand, and there were casualties. the dangerous part of Loki was never his abilities, it was a pair of eyes that could seek weakness, and a willingness to exploit it.

dark lashes fall over his bright eyes. ]

Things have changed.

I suppose it doesn't make me any less capable of sending everyone spiraling to ruin. There are a few things that I have now that he never did. He didn't care. All his ties were to himself. For it, he burned. I almost fell into the same trap. Luckily I had some help along the way.

Because of it I have quite a lot going for me. I'm Loki—and ... ah ... I'm most likely quite dangerous, but I'm your friend. Your dangerous friend. The rest I'm ... well, I'm still working out.

He didn't exactly leave me an expanse of experience on the power of love and friendship.

Edited 2015-05-29 03:01 (UTC)

Will Dorian Gray run for office that he doesn't want again?

All signs point to yes.

Then again, that means you can have all that love and friendship all to yourself. Something that he can't really mess with. [Kate has always wondered about the relationship between the previous Loki and Thor. She doesn't know much about it. What she does know is this: relationships between siblings are complicated. Maybe they aren't "I'm going to fight you and your superhero friends all the time" complicated.

But they're definitely complicated.

As it stands, that's what she finds herself thinking about at the moment, especially since Loki just voluntarily admitted to loving her as a friend.

She won't ruin that for him.]

I was trying to keep this from getting too tooth-rottingly sappy.

[ he says with some amusement. ]

You ruined that one.

[ there's a sway of his hips as he takes a few steps closer before offering her a hand. ]

You mentioned love first, not me. [So, the die was cast, so to speak.]

This may surprise you, but I can learn from my mistakes

But what if you learned that you could actually do some GOOD for the office?

I tried doing good once. It didn't stick.

Should I expect your next robbery to be an 8-12, then?

Aye-aye, pin this one on me. I suppose I have to take something for the team.

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