whose_son_am_i | Meme-shenanigans and Continuations.

It was inevitable that he would eventually get a rise out of her. She actually tosses a throw pillow at his face.

Ugh, she has to tell him, doesn't she?

"I know him, Stephen Strange. He was a doctor before a sorcerer."

The throw pillow is caught and he laughs.

Of course, that laughter fades a moment later. Blue-green eyes are narrowed once more, studying her. Assessing her, before Loki got to his feet again. Stalking over, and reaching out to hold her face steady, hand at her chin. Searching her eyes, quiet and intense.

No hint of the swirl of emotions he was feeling showed in his expression or eyes. Some thoughts were dark, others not so much. But she had become just that much more interesting to him.

When he did speak, it was low and focused. "If he's using you, then you've far more guile than I thought." He doubted it though--she'd been too open, too unguarded. And while he'd been fooled before by the Widow, that one was a professional spy. Christine was a doctor...

The touch catches her off guard but she makes no effort to fight it, nor does she try to looks elsewhere.

"If he's using me? Wouldn't I have better mental shields if I was here on his behalf?"

Loki has prodded at her mind, and she lets down her bubble.

"Go have a look around if you must."

If he were using her, Strange would likely keep his presence subtle. And while Loki found her interesting, he was still ruthless enough that he took her invitation. Keeping her gaze, and probing deeper--looking for potential hidden memories. Things she might not be aware of.

But not hurting her. Taking his time, and rummaging 'neatly'. With care to not disturb what he found more than necessary, and to put it all back as it had been. Even with that 'look'--he couldn't necessarily be wholly sure.

He wasn't a mind-reader proper, after all.

But the paranoia was lessened. Blinking slowly, and finally releasing her.

She can feel him in her mind, she the memories playing as he travels through them. It's disorienting but she's not scared.

It's a huge show of trust to not put up any resistance, to just allow him into her mind like this.

When he pulls his hand back she catches it and holds it for a moment.

"He's not here, it's just me."

His gaze flicks down to where she'd caught his hand, then back up to her. Gaze inscrutable, emotions playing in his eyes. Wariness, surprise, cautious hope, and more--all moving too quickly and too jumbled to be made sense of easily.

"...why do you care?" Loki asks softly. Why did it matter to her, that she needed to reassure him. Why did it matter to him that she was doing so.

"I trust you and I want you to trust me as well." He doesn't pull away from her like she half expected him to.

She feels conflicted by how much she cares, he's done horrible things but she wants to protect him.

"You don't know me." It's hissed out, almost accusatory. She TRUSTED him? Why? How? Perhaps she really was just a fool.

She quickly lets go of his hand with how angry he sounds.

"I know. And it's reckless for me to trust you, but you've given me no reason not to."

Maybe he deserves someone who is finally on his side.

He's quick to put more distance between them, watching her warily. Still a jumble of conflicting emotions, but at least he's not hostile. Doesn't want to be hostile, as he pulls his hand back almost like he'd been burned.

"...you've given me no reason to hurt you. If anything, you're far too nice and I am happily taking advantage of that without any guilt whatsoever." It's stated matter-of-factly. A few more seconds of quiet and watching her, before Loki relaxes some once more. "But I do enjoy our banter. It's been a while since I've been able to do so without fearing a knife in the back at any moment."

She could still knife him in the back...this could all still be a long con. He was used to those. But if the knife were coming, it wouldn't be now. It would be too obvious and expected.

"You're not really taking advantage if it's something I'm offering." She doesn't feel taken advantage of. She brought him to her home, she let him stay.

"I enjoy our banter as well. And I'd like to think I'd stab you in the front. More personal that way, you're worth it." There's a hint of a smile at that.

It takes a moment, before there's a hint of smirk. "Good. If you are going to kill me. Make it worth it and personal. Something story-worthy." He'd better be worth the effort, damnit. He was the God of Mischief, Loki of Asgard.

"I wouldn't want to dissapoint." She's glad to see that little bit of a smile.

"You're welcome to take advantage of my kindness for as long as you need to."

He'd lied again too--considering he had plans to repay her, it wasn't really taking advantage now was it? That thought finally occurred to him, and Loki shoved it away to deal with later.

Speaking of repayment...

That hint growing into a proper smirk was her only warning. "Walk to your bedroom." A stronger nudge and suggestion. How far down was her guard and how quickly could she get it back up?

It's harder than before, she hadn't properly put her bubble back up so she's standing and moving before she's able to fight off the suggestion.

"Sending me to my room?"

"Would you rather I sent you to mine?" With an arched brow. Back to teasing again, apparently. Besides, it wasn't really his since it was her guestroom.

"It is where I keep my books, nice quiet space." She doesn't actually believe he was insinuating anything.

They banter, but it's not really flirting. Right?

With Loki, it was always hard to tell. For a Midgardian, she was surprisingly good company. And definitely not unnatractive... "Going to run away from the big bad monster into your books?" This smile had teeth, and just that edge of sharpness.

"What monster? The trickster trying to lure me to bed?"

There's a smirk, she makes her way back to the living room and over to him.

"Are you jealous of my books?"

"Only that you have ones I have not read." He replied smoothly, still with that sharp edge to his smile. And a hint of laughter. "You're too sentimental to want me to take you to bed. You'd want it to mean something other than just a good time."

She rolls her eyes. "I've had my share of not sentimental encounters."

She's just going to tease around the idea. They very much should not sleep together, for just a night or otherwise.

He's a boundary pusher--it's part of that whole trickster thing.

"I could certainly repay your healing in that way more easily than taking you out for a nice dinner, if you'd prefer." With a little mocking bow.

"I've never encountered a man who was better than a good meal. Sex is great, but have you had a slice of cheesecake?"

Sometimes you just prefer a dessert. And to annoy the god in your living room.

Considering the God in her living room was actually more amused by the playfulness, she wasn't doing much annoying.

"So clearly it's time to experiment. Order cheesecake, and we'll test that theory." Challenge accepted, Dr. Palmer.

"Don't tempt me with science. I'll write up a whole paper comparing the two."

She's not one to back down from a challenge, despite the likelihood of it backfiring tremendously.

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