They Avenged It Out Of Me

See 'Em Drop Like Flies

*lifts his hands, palms-out, to show he is unarmed and also not touching her*

I must confess I do not know what that means in this context.

*eyes widen a little more as several possibilities come to mind and a flush darkens his cheeks*

You know. For information. *doesn't completely look convinced that this is not in fact what is going on*

Clint's fighting style. Who my *makes air quotes* battle master is. If you were into espionage you'd be off to a good start with that doe-eyed and pretty face of yours. *crosses her arms* And you got me to tell you about all of my equipment.

See 'Em Drop Like Flies

*eyes grow haunted* I do not believe that battle is ever as glamorous as they try to make it sound.

*returns attention to her, tilting his head* How would you characterize his preferred style of combat?

*eyes him for a moment*

Are you pumping me?

See 'Em Drop Like Flies

Who is this Clint? Is he the battlemaster you train under?

*very carefully holds up the arrow to her*

*eyes widen* You were one of those who destroyed their ship of the stars? I am honored to be in the company of a warrior of your caliber.

*laughs a little* It's really not as glamorous as it sounds. *takes the arrow* But thanks? *hangs it on the pegs, hiding her frown*

*shrugs* Clint is... Clint. He's actually pretty amazing. Don't tell him I said that. He can seem like a real jerk, but he's the best.

See 'Em Drop Like Flies

*frowns mightily* It is a poor teacher that seeks to humiliate his student. As… harsh as her lessons sometimes are, Lady Sif does not belittle or demean myself or my brother. She simply wishes to prepare us for inevitable strife so that we may be triumphant.

*smiles with bashful pride* And we were proven able students in the battle against the green men. We defended Mother when she was ambushed in our home. And we served alongside Un— Prince Thor and Lady Sif at the battle of the Square of Time against the Godkiller.

I just find that sometimes I ask her questions she cannot answer. I seek a master who can answer my questions. *thoughtful look*

*blinks and glances at the arrow* Oh. I will take heed. *holds it more gingerly, unsure whether he should put it down or keep holding it*

*holds her hand out for the arrow now that she's made space*

Yeah. Clint doesn't do that either. *smirks a little bit and laughs at apparently nothing* Which I appreciate.

*glances* You mean the skrulls? *writes "putty" very neatly on a tiny post-it and tapes it to the wall* I helped crash their mothership or whatever it was. Cool that you got to help with all of that.

See 'Em Drop Like Flies

*perks up* You are accomplished with a blade? I confess, I am not much for archery. It feels… I prefer to be close to my enemy. But I acquitted myself very well during the Skrull invasion, Lady Sif even said so. *scratches at the wound on his forearm that has still not totally healed* May I inquire where you have been learning the art? Lady Sif is an excellent teacher, but I find that her preferred style does not suit my instincts and I wish to study under a master who may better suit my nature.

*laughs, a little awkward* There is always more to learn. There are those back home who believe that they have learned everything and they are very, very dull. *makes a face*

I simply wish to become familiar enough with the ways of this world so that people stop… *mumbles a little* laughing at me. *finds one of the putty arrows very interesting*

Everyone took fencing at my school. *shrugs* It's fun. I like it. Knocked my instructor on his a-- *glances at him* rear. He was being a jerk and trying to embarrass me.

*laughs* I don't know if I'm in a hurry to start training with gods. isn't she like, the goddess of war? That might be a little out of my league.

Careful with that. *gestures at the putty arrow* It's really messy if it bursts.

See 'Em Drop Like Flies

*again tries very hard not to watch her because the impulse feels disrespectful, somehow.* *crouches and starts examining each of the different kinds of arrows very closely, careful not to touch anything that looks like it might be a trigger mechanism*

We do not use such things as computers in Asgard. Or phones. Or televisions. Or Playstations. Or radios. Or cars. Or electric lights or washers of dishes. The transition has been… enlightening.

There has been much for us to learn. My brother is cleverer than me and has learned faster. But I am a better swordsman, so I believe it evens out. *he leaves out the “even if Varli does not” that hovers on the tip of his tongue.*

#not something you need to tell a demigod bb

*casually as she sorts out the suction cup arrows and lines them up on the pegboard* Oh. Do you study swordplay? I took fencing in school. I'm not too bad, actually. Not as good as with the bow, but I don't mind saying I'm better than most.

You're still young. You've got time. Trust me, there's no rush to grow up.

See 'Em Drop Like Flies

*nods* It pleases me to meet you, Kate.

*hands her the correct arrow and looks at the peg wall with guileless curiosity*

*fidgets a little, uncomfortable* We do not have such a thing as the internet in Asgard. The, ah, young prince has been attempting to teach me how it works but *shoulders slump a little* I am a poor student.

#don't ruffle his hair kate

Does it now? Huh. *climbs back down off the work bench and picks up a few more arrows, sorting them as she goes*

It's weird. I don't know if I can think of a time we didn't have internet. It's good you're learning. *isn't sure what Loki might be showing him online though, but keeps this to herself*

Well. I mean, you're fifteen. You don't have to know everything yet.

See 'Em Drop Like Flies

*looks down at himself and shrugs* Mortals are small. For every age.

*looks up, eyes wide, realizing he just said something very rude*

*tries not to stare at her when she bends over and looks away, flushing*

*has no idea what a boomerang arrow looks like but fetches one that looks promising and offers it to her with a hopeful look*

I, ah, enjoy stories. Even weird ones. *tries a smile* I do not believe I heard your name….?

#she gets her love of nicknames from her mentor

*lifts an eyebrow at him, but chuckles* I suppose to some. I was told I was tall for my age. *glances at the arrow and shakes her head* Careful with that one. It's got a shocking mechanism on it. *gestures to one* That one right there.

*moves some of the pegs around because Clint can't organize his sock drawer, let alone a wall of intricate arrows. Never mind that he taught her all about the trick arrows*

It's... um, not really my story to tell. And probably nothing you can't see on the internet. They have that in Asgard, little godlet?

*glances at him again* That's because I didn't give it.

*let's that hang for a moment while she carefully fastens the putty arrows in place* It's Kate.

See 'Em Drop Like Flies

*blinks and flushes and looks at his hands and then back up at her because words are not working come on, brain, catch up*

I am fifteen years old. *frowns* Why do you ask?

*frowns a little more at himself that was rude to ask wasn’t it*

It pleases me that you are in good health. No, I am not Loki. Though I too, am of Asgard. My name is Nori. Do you require assistance?

*Good. Good job. Nothing there was terrible.*

#aren't you just adorable?

I was just curious. *finds the pegs for the putty arrows and hangs them* You're tall for your age.

*bends over and starts sorting arrows again* Nori, huh? You look like someone I know. Or knew. Kind of. It's a weird story. *points* Hey, sport, can you hand me that boomerang arrow?

See 'Em Drop Like Flies

*skids to a stop and takes stock of the situation* Young maiden, Are you in need of aid?

*Also tenses when she says his father’s name and looks behind him.*

*Because it would not be the first time, let’s all be honest.*

#kate: master of the obvious

Young maiden? *chuckles* I'm almost nineteen. How old are you, twelve?

*gets up and starts picking things up* No. I'm fine. *eyes him* You're not Loki.

See 'Em Drop Like Flies

*He finds the mansion disorienting. The layout is unfamiliar and unintuitive. The ceilings are too low and the hallways too narrow. All he has to do is leave the message from Uncle somewhere the Soldier will find it. It isn’t even sensitive, though he was respectful of Uncle’s privacy and did not bother to read it.*

*It is not sealed, though. Nobody would know…*

*He resists the temptation.*

*And then thinks about it again*

*And is teetering on succumbing when he is distracted by the sound of somebody, a young woman, cursing loudly*

*He dashes toward the source of the cry. Whoever she is, she may be in danger. And he is a battle-hardened warrior. He can help.*

#no really this is not the best time for you to be creepin up in here little evil god dude

*somehow disentangles herself from the netting and chucks the shaft across the room, it clattering on the floor*

Ugh. At least it's not the boomerang or putty ones. *flops back onto the floor and lets out a groan at the mess, which is now bigger than she started with*

*catches sight of someone at the door*

*frowns*

Loki? *tenses a little*

See 'Em Drop Like Flies

*At the villa, in Asgard, it was different. Mother would often send them on errands. Which was well and good. They were children, and needed to be told what to do. If left idle, they inevitably got into mischief.*

*In the embassy, there were anywhere from between six-to-eight adults about at any given time (and also, depending on Father’s mood, he too would engage in ordering them about) and so when he was not studying Nori was almost always sent out to fetch something or deliver some message or any other chore the adult who found him first did not feel like carrying out personally.*

*All in all, he finds this a tolerable arrangement. Father and Varli’s bickering grated on his nerves. Mother was always busy anyway. The rest were generally intimidating or busy themselves. Wandering suits him. He brings a notebook to take down notes or write snatches of poetry as it occurs to him. And whenever he can, he passes by the music shop and eyes up the guitar display.*

*Something about the instruments appeals to him. He has been saving his allowance, and plans to purchase one. Perhaps pay for some lessons as well.*

*But he has not amassed the necessary funds yet, so he tears himself away from the window of the shop and continues on to the mansion with a message for the Soldier*

*The weather is nice. It lifts his spirits. This day has been a pleasant one, he has hopes his luck will last until he goes to sleep*

*Just because Clint is too lazy to sort his own arrows means that she isn't practicing either archery or the cello, because someone has to label the wall with the post-its and teeny tiny tape and seriously is he still using that Skrull imprisonment excuse?*

*Okay, that's unfair.*

*Still, Kate is grumbling over the haphazard pile of arrows she has to sort, and swears loudly as a net arrow bursts open*

#ourdadistwelve

Earth CS-2: See All The Places We Should've Turned Back

*traces his fingertip over her lips as his other hand works more zippers and whatnot (the suit is complicated ok)(but he knows what he’s doing this isn’t his first time with it)* *makes a low rumbly sound and leans his head to the side, exposing more of his throat to Noh-Varr*

*touching her skin lightly* *continues speaking low* There is nothing to distract you from, my love. There is simply us, our love, our skin touching skin, finding each other amid the stars and reaching heights beyond.

*traces fingers over Nori’s lips, smiling* *kisses Kate’s neck, then slips his hands into what passes for Nori’s pants* You do not need to stop. *hesitates* That is… until we find something better to do with your mouth.

It's not really my mouth I'm concerned with right now.

But I have many suggestions for both of yours. *stretches out, grinning*

Earth CS-2: See All The Places We Should've Turned Back

*doggedly ignores the “ew that’s what Clint calls me" knee jerk reaction and starts working on one of Kate’s zippers because there are a few*

*murmurs low in her ear* What if I wished to tell you how beautiful you are, how your hair shines like liquid silk in the starlight and how I long to see you caught in the throes of ecstasy?

*buries his head in Nori’s hair, smiling* *he will never admit how much he loves Nori’s bouts of poetry*

*trails a line of kisses down Nori’s neck*

*purrs despite trying to be convincingly cranky*

I'd say you were trying to distract me from something. *grins, leaning into their respective touches*

*she feels like she's earned a little center-of-attention treatment*

But don't let me stop you.

Earth CS-2: See All The Places We Should've Turned Back

*sets his drink down and strokes his hand along her side**murmurs, his lips brushing her ear* We only wish to please you. *breathes her in, his eyes lidding, and slips his free hand into Noh-Varr’s hair*

*grins* There is no weather in orbit. *kisses them both*

*considers, then shrugs* Except for horny.

*chuckles a little*

Shush, now, Space Boy. This isn't science class. *glances up at Nori* You too, Godlet.

Earth CS-2: See All The Places We Should've Turned Back

*slides his free hand along her thigh, smiling against her hair* *murmurs* What sort of mood are you in? *lightly traces the inside of her thigh with his fingertips*

*kneels in front of both of them and plants a kiss on each of their knees* Personally, I am in the mood for sex.

*lifts an eyebrow, half grins, then drapes a leg over Noh-Varr's shoulder*

I was in a really bad mood. Cloudy with a chance of severe storms. Now I'd say there's a definite horny front moving in.

Earth CS-2: See All The Places We Should've Turned Back

*slides his arms around her waist and nuzzles her neck making a low, pleased sound in his throat* But why would you try? I only wish to please you. *puppy eyes*

And I am very very grateful for your assistance today.

*reaches for Noh-Varr as well because he does have another knee*

*chuckles* I am the host I have no time for sitting. *does lean down, however, and kiss them both thoroughly* I have food. But perhaps we should first work up an appetite?