[There are very good reasons for Asgardians to keep their eyes from wandering to Midgardians. There really was almost only tragedy in that direction. Still, that hadn't actually stopped the gods from finding their way here, now and again--and, really, Loki's already made the faux pas once before. Why not keep making the mistake? Certainly why not make the mistake for impeccable abs?
But the brief rapid blinking isn't about that. It's very much about Ares and Ismenios.] The Olympians? [So weird, the way things tended to intersect around Midgard.] Had his teeth grown back when you met him?
[Talk about a toothless dragon. So toothless that the teeth grew legs and ran away.]
Not many. It's usually more... adversarial. I suppose there was Skabgagg, out in the Faroe Islands, but-- I think he's dead. And Ulfrin, in Nornheim-- but Thor definitely killed him. [Which doesn't feel like a good track record.] I think we just do better with the little ones.
[ It's probably just as wise for mortals not to meddle with gods; if myths are to be believed, it never ends well. But hey, no one ever accused Lin Lie of being cautious, and daydreaming is free. He happens to actually like Loki's personality, or at least what he's seen of it so far, and the god's good luck doesn't hurt. They're very different in a lot of ways, but they can also relate to each other over the things that matter.
That look on Loki is something new, though, and he's a bit proud that he managed to surprise him. ]
The very same. I mostly only talked to Ares, to be honest, and he's kind of a hothead, but he did seem to care about his son, so points to him for that. [ Pity that he went about it in the most murderous way at first. But all is well if it ends well. Lin Lie hasn't since the God of War, and he'd like to keep it that way. ]
But wait, his teeth? Now there's a story behind that question; there must be. But yes, both Ares and Ismenios had them all back.
[ Lin Lie winces slightly ans he is now taking a mental note to make sure to watch out for what Thor does if he ever meets Shou Lao. The gods seem to be a bit dragon-murder prone. ]
All dragons have a temper, for sure, but I found that their levels of sentience vary so wildly that it's hard to predict how things will go when you meet one. I haven't seen any little ones yet; they all have been way bigger than me.
[Daydreaming is free. Soaking in the nice feeling of being close and safe and welcome with someone is also apparently free, with the right someone. Loki's perfectly content to simply take as much of this as the universe allows, for now.
There's a slight stretch of his spine before he settles more heavily, arm hooked lazily up at Lin Lie's shoulder as he scrolls through more pictures in his phone--quick flashes of Asgard, Midgard, and Alfheim, a discordant blur of experiences clearly not documented or organized by any particular metric.]
The jaculus lives somewhere around here, yes? ["Around here" being "somewhere in Midgard," because magic really does make distances hit different.] He was pretty small the last time I saw him.
[And how much can a dragon grow in what, two hundred years?]
And the last time I saw Ismenios, he'd lost all his teeth. Some human was trying to get at-- [a nose-scrunch of trying to remember but really, truly, deeply not caring about what Olympus is ever up to] --something golden. Apple? Fleece? Bones? Who knows. The Drakon was meant to be guarding it. He got outfoxed by the mortal, and his teeth were pulled out to be buried in the earth and give forth the spartoi.
[ If Lin Lie could read Loki's mind, he would reassure him that no one else is here to judge them anyway. And that's probably for the best, not because he would particularly mind if anybody saw them hanging out, but because that person might be wondering why they dressed up in attires more fitting to each other's cultures for no apparent reason. It's fun, it's comfortable, and they can choose the kind of bonding experience they like, so that metaphorical person can shut up.
Lin Lie lowers his shoulder slightly to accommodate Loki's weight better, but there's no reaction beyond that; certainly it doesn't look like he plans on pushing the other man away anytime soon. He tries not to stare too much at Loki's phone, because that's invasive and rude, but the other man doesn't seem particularly worried about if Lin Lie sees his screen. Alfheim catches his attention because he's not super familiar with that world, and it's pretty looking. ]
You knew the jaculus? I've only read about him in stories and myths; I wasn't sure if he was real for sure.
[ A dragon can grow a lot in that many years, Loki! And don't mind Lin Lie's face changing with the realization that Ismenios is the dragon that is mentioned in the story of the hero Jason and his crew of Argonauts. ]
A Golden Fleece. I've heard a bit about that; there are even a few movies retelling the myth. Curious to know that dragon's teeth can grow back.
[ After a second, Lin Lie He pulls out his own phone, searching in his picture folder until he can find the few pictures he's taken of K'un Lun and show them to Loki. There's a massive red dragon with a fire-gold mane soaring in the sky right over a Chinese-style temple. ]
The big boss. [ Lin Lie grins, very obviously meaning Shou Lao. ] But I think those are cuter than him. [ He swipes to the next photos, and there's a small group of pandas, adults and babies alike, playing around or munching on bamboo. In the background, the visited buildings are still fashioned after ancient temples. ]
[Look at that. Not only do they fit nicely in one another's clothes, they fit nicely resting together in an easy, casual manner. That's good to know.
Loki doesn't want to shrug and ruin the comfortable balance, so a head bobble will have to serve.] I did. Snakes love finding me, wherever I go--and I suppose small enough dragons are more or less the same.
[Maybe that was what made this so easy. Maybe there was something itchy under their skin that sensed a kinship, magic calling to magic that felt different but rhyming. Maybe it was all random chaotic luck. All options were comforting.
His own phone is ignored readily enough to settle in and peer down at Lin Lie's instead. There's a crooked grin for the shot of the Undying, but a much brighter one for the tumble of fuzzy little friends.] Do they breathe fire as well?
[ They both seem to be feeling very safe and happy to be around each other. Which could mean nothing. Lin Lie also looks rather amused at the admission that Loki is a snake—and by extension, a dragon—magnet. ]
Is that so? Perhaps that's why we gravitate together, dragon chi and all. [ Just a normal thing to admit out loud, matching the thoughts Loki might be musing about. Everything they have been doing all evening is very average and normal when it comes to spending time with possible friends, right? Right. ]
Alas, no. And it's for the best; pandas are so chaotic that they would probably set the city ablaze in a matter of hours. But we have some small, really cute foxes running around K'un Lun that leave a trail of fire behind them when they run. I haven't managed to take a picture that didn't look blurry; alas, they move so fast.
[ Lin Lie looks fond as he recalls the memory. He's got a thing for little, smart, fuzzy animals; sue him. ]
[Safe isn't nothing. Safe is quite a lot, actually. And safe and happy? They're really getting away with something.
Maybe that sense of relaxation is what prompts Loki to shift again, the arm on Lin Lie's shoulder unfurling slightly to let his fingers brush lazily into the man's hair, gentle and mindless. He'll stop if there's any flinching or unhappy wriggling, but it feels natural enough as an impulse for the moment. Just a snake/dragon thing, maybe.]
Is that where the fire comes from? Running too fast?
[ 'Safe and happy' is a rarity, Lin Lie would agree. But saying it out loud means acknowledging it, and acknowledging it runs the risk of causing it to stop. Right now, he wants the opposite of that, especially when he feels fingers brushing against his hair. It takes all of his willpower not to make a happy sound of acknowledgment that might embarrass them both. Instead, he hums veeeery softly and leans into the touches. No flinching of any sort, that's for sure. ]
I think so. Their tail doesn't seem to be on fire, so it must be related to friction of some sort. Are there any funny animals in Asgard?
[A very soft happy noise works. A slight leaning closer works even better. They can simply not acknowledge it but both enjoy the light lazy brush of Loki's fingers through Lin Lie's hair.]
We have wolves?
[Even Loki doesn't sound entirely convinced that they qualify as "funny." It's just that they're the first animals that come to mind when asked about home. His hand with his phone lifts again, flicking quickly through pictures.]
Father's are a bit silly, sometimes.
[Another moment, and he hits a good patch of nearly horse-sized wolves, one grey and one black, scrambling about at play. True, both wolves seem to have mouths slathered in coppery red gore, by maybe don't focus on that part!]
That's Freki-- [a pause on one cheerful shot, tapping first on the darker wolf before shifting to the paler one --and that's Geri.
[ If Loki keeps that up, Lin Lie might be at risk of melting right next to him. It just feels so good, and he's always weak for hair touches and scalp massages. Forget trying to beat him in a fight; this is his biggest weakness. ]
Ohh, look at those big boys!
[ Yeah, he's going to try and ignore all that blood. Wolves will be wolves; he isn't going to judge them. Lin Lie is just going to appreciate the super-sized doggos. They might not be what one calls fun, but they sure are impressive looking, and Lin Lie is clearly appreciative of the impressive creatures.]
I like them already. Wolves have no business looking so fluffy when you can't really pet them without risking losing a hand. [ HEH. This part of the myth he knows. Then he murmurs under his breath: ] ...forbidden puppies.
[Honestly, that's a pretty good reaction to pictures of Odin's war wolves. Even Asgardians tended to be a bit leery of the fearsome creatures, although Thor and Loki had never been properly afraid of the pair. "Forbidden puppies" is close enough to that.]
Incredibly forbidden. [His fingers still in Lin Lie's hair but don't actually leave, simply resting in the comfortable allowance of being tangled up in one another's space.] They'd smell the battle on you.
[And as well-mannered as the wolves had always been in Asgard, they'd certainly never had to behave themselves in Midgard, particularly around anything that even had the faintest whiff of the battlefield on them.]
There's loads of actual fluffy dogs around here, though, yes?
[ Other people might have a more normal, subdued, or more visible intimidated reaction, because the wolves really are big. But when you are the Iron Fist and you face a giant dragon on the regular, other creatures stop being so frightening. Besides, wolves are just cool in general; who wouldn't adore them? ]
Pity. Not like wrestling a big wolf wouldn't be an incredible way to go, but I don't want to hurt them or get eaten, no. Can you pet them, though? They should be familiar with you.
[ The fingers feel nice where they are. But what feels much nicer? when they're moving and coming through his hair, so Line Lie moves his head back slightly to press against the pads of Loki's fingers to subtly try and prompt him to keep touching his hair more. He's not very good with subtlety, though, so Loki might notice that he's being needy. ]
On earth in general? We are very big on having pets in general. But in my culture, and also in K'un Lun, we tend to like felines more. In Chinese mythology, cats are often associated with good luck and fortune. And they're just so cute too.
[Loki hasn't spent all that much time around normal cats and dogs. The slight shift of being pressed against is familiar all the same, the god's fingers settling easily back into carding through Lin Lie's hair. Not subtle, but not worth drawing attention to.]
They are. They've known me since I was a child. [His thumb taps his phone's screen lightly, a bit fondly.] They'll suffer an ear-scritch every now and then.
[Something he admittedly hadn't attempted until spending a bit of time in Midgard. Always strange, how often he found himself bringing bits and pieces of this realm home with him.]
[ The advantage of normal cats and dogs is that they can't eat you or step on you by accident, unlike the giant ones. They're easier to hug too, and that Lin Lie considers a big plus. The clam sight that escapes his lips when the fingers resume playing with his hair is followed by a soft laugh, almost like a fond giggle, when Loki tells him about the ear scratches. ]
I bet they love it; all dogs do, even the wild ones. They might just be too prideful to show it. Try rubbing their belly the next time?
[ Not only is the image of a giant wolf on its back getting belly scratches adorable, but Lin Lie thinks Freki and Geri might get a kick out of it. At Loki's next question. He doesn't even hesitate a second before answering. ]
I do. I mean, I enjoy all animals; I'd pet an alligator if it let me —and I did, once— but...cats are different. I like them a lot. We have plenty of them wandering around the temples in K'un Lun. I usually leave food out for them, and they're allowed inside during the cold months. Some even let me pet them, but it's rare.
[Doubt is obvious in Loki's voice, but everything is too comfortable to pull back and make a face about it. Hopefully the tone will be sufficient os they can both keep enjoying their lean and pet.
Not that he won't try. He will, obviously. Lin Lie will probably get enviable selfies about it, even.]
And you just let the cats wander?
[Maybe that was the secret to why this was such an easy place to keep coming back to. The sort of person who kept feeding cats that came and left was certainly much more likely to be the sort of person who wouldn't mind Loki's inclination to pop in and out as the ebb and flow of his own internal chaos demanded.]
You never tried that? Oh man, dogs love belly rubs; it helps them relax, and it's pretty much the same with wolves. Who doesn't enjoy that kind of attention and affection? Of course, yours are giant ones, so there's more risk. Especially if they start to wag their tails and hit you, so be careful if you decide to give it a go.
[ Which he knows Loki might since he just gave him that idea, and the god is endlessly curious. Lin Lie doesn't want him to get accidentally crushed by an overexcited giant wolf, though. And since they're sitting close and chatting quietly, the one not holding onto his own phone is down on the seat brushing against Loki's leg. ]
Of course. They're free to do as they please, but people still watch out for them. The cats seem happier like that. [ It's like that old saying: 'If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it's yours. If not, it was never meant to be.' Lin Lie is all for respecting the animal's freedom. ] The only time I might chase after one is if they're injured, and I let them go as soon as I heal them. But they're really smart kitties; this doesn't happen often.
[Of course he'll try it. If Loki is a cat, which he absolutely is in an incredible number of ways, curiosity is very much a part of his DNA. There's an infinitely dubious expression on his face just now, but he'll overcome that by the time he gets home.]
I'll only attempt it in my heaviest armor, then.
[Loki will, however, attempt a few idle passes of nails against Lin Lie's scalp. A reward, perhaps, for the excellent choice to let all the other cats in the universe keep being cats.]
Good. Better safe than sorry. [ Going by Lin Lie's tone, it should be clear that he doesn't enjoy the idea of Loki getting hurt. He knows that Gods like him —Asgardians or jötunn, it doesn't matter— are more of really tough stuff, but knowing doesn't change the way he still worries.
The fingernails scraping his skin catch him by surprise, making him shudder and draw in a breath that comes out as a low moan, tipping his head back slightly. Lin Lie closes his eyes, heat blooming on his cheekbones at the sound he just let out. ]
I'm...happy like this. [ He whines softly, almost more of a hiss than an answer. God, this is embarrassing, but he really likes Loki's hand on his hair. He is only human and apparently, really touch-starved. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
But the brief rapid blinking isn't about that. It's very much about Ares and Ismenios.] The Olympians? [So weird, the way things tended to intersect around Midgard.] Had his teeth grown back when you met him?
[Talk about a toothless dragon. So toothless that the teeth grew legs and ran away.]
Not many. It's usually more... adversarial. I suppose there was Skabgagg, out in the Faroe Islands, but-- I think he's dead. And Ulfrin, in Nornheim-- but Thor definitely killed him. [Which doesn't feel like a good track record.] I think we just do better with the little ones.
no subject
That look on Loki is something new, though, and he's a bit proud that he managed to surprise him. ]
The very same. I mostly only talked to Ares, to be honest, and he's kind of a hothead, but he did seem to care about his son, so points to him for that. [ Pity that he went about it in the most murderous way at first. But all is well if it ends well. Lin Lie hasn't since the God of War, and he'd like to keep it that way. ]
But wait, his teeth? Now there's a story behind that question; there must be. But yes, both Ares and Ismenios had them all back.
[ Lin Lie winces slightly ans he is now taking a mental note to make sure to watch out for what Thor does if he ever meets Shou Lao. The gods seem to be a bit dragon-murder prone. ]
All dragons have a temper, for sure, but I found that their levels of sentience vary so wildly that it's hard to predict how things will go when you meet one. I haven't seen any little ones yet; they all have been way bigger than me.
no subject
There's a slight stretch of his spine before he settles more heavily, arm hooked lazily up at Lin Lie's shoulder as he scrolls through more pictures in his phone--quick flashes of Asgard, Midgard, and Alfheim, a discordant blur of experiences clearly not documented or organized by any particular metric.]
The jaculus lives somewhere around here, yes? ["Around here" being "somewhere in Midgard," because magic really does make distances hit different.] He was pretty small the last time I saw him.
[And how much can a dragon grow in what, two hundred years?]
And the last time I saw Ismenios, he'd lost all his teeth. Some human was trying to get at-- [a nose-scrunch of trying to remember but really, truly, deeply not caring about what Olympus is ever up to] --something golden. Apple? Fleece? Bones? Who knows. The Drakon was meant to be guarding it. He got outfoxed by the mortal, and his teeth were pulled out to be buried in the earth and give forth the spartoi.
[Casual god things, really.]
no subject
Lin Lie lowers his shoulder slightly to accommodate Loki's weight better, but there's no reaction beyond that; certainly it doesn't look like he plans on pushing the other man away anytime soon. He tries not to stare too much at Loki's phone, because that's invasive and rude, but the other man doesn't seem particularly worried about if Lin Lie sees his screen. Alfheim catches his attention because he's not super familiar with that world, and it's pretty looking. ]
You knew the jaculus? I've only read about him in stories and myths; I wasn't sure if he was real for sure.
[ A dragon can grow a lot in that many years, Loki! And don't mind Lin Lie's face changing with the realization that Ismenios is the dragon that is mentioned in the story of the hero Jason and his crew of Argonauts. ]
A Golden Fleece. I've heard a bit about that; there are even a few movies retelling the myth. Curious to know that dragon's teeth can grow back.
[ After a second, Lin Lie He pulls out his own phone, searching in his picture folder until he can find the few pictures he's taken of K'un Lun and show them to Loki. There's a massive red dragon with a fire-gold mane soaring in the sky right over a Chinese-style temple. ]
The big boss. [ Lin Lie grins, very obviously meaning Shou Lao. ] But I think those are cuter than him. [ He swipes to the next photos, and there's a small group of pandas, adults and babies alike, playing around or munching on bamboo. In the background, the visited buildings are still fashioned after ancient temples. ]
no subject
Loki doesn't want to shrug and ruin the comfortable balance, so a head bobble will have to serve.] I did. Snakes love finding me, wherever I go--and I suppose small enough dragons are more or less the same.
[Maybe that was what made this so easy. Maybe there was something itchy under their skin that sensed a kinship, magic calling to magic that felt different but rhyming. Maybe it was all random chaotic luck. All options were comforting.
His own phone is ignored readily enough to settle in and peer down at Lin Lie's instead. There's a crooked grin for the shot of the Undying, but a much brighter one for the tumble of fuzzy little friends.] Do they breathe fire as well?
no subject
Is that so? Perhaps that's why we gravitate together, dragon chi and all. [ Just a normal thing to admit out loud, matching the thoughts Loki might be musing about. Everything they have been doing all evening is very average and normal when it comes to spending time with possible friends, right? Right. ]
Alas, no. And it's for the best; pandas are so chaotic that they would probably set the city ablaze in a matter of hours. But we have some small, really cute foxes running around K'un Lun that leave a trail of fire behind them when they run. I haven't managed to take a picture that didn't look blurry; alas, they move so fast.
[ Lin Lie looks fond as he recalls the memory. He's got a thing for little, smart, fuzzy animals; sue him. ]
no subject
Maybe that sense of relaxation is what prompts Loki to shift again, the arm on Lin Lie's shoulder unfurling slightly to let his fingers brush lazily into the man's hair, gentle and mindless. He'll stop if there's any flinching or unhappy wriggling, but it feels natural enough as an impulse for the moment. Just a snake/dragon thing, maybe.]
Is that where the fire comes from? Running too fast?
no subject
I think so. Their tail doesn't seem to be on fire, so it must be related to friction of some sort. Are there any funny animals in Asgard?
no subject
We have wolves?
[Even Loki doesn't sound entirely convinced that they qualify as "funny." It's just that they're the first animals that come to mind when asked about home. His hand with his phone lifts again, flicking quickly through pictures.]
Father's are a bit silly, sometimes.
[Another moment, and he hits a good patch of nearly horse-sized wolves, one grey and one black, scrambling about at play. True, both wolves seem to have mouths slathered in coppery red gore, by maybe don't focus on that part!]
That's Freki-- [a pause on one cheerful shot, tapping first on the darker wolf before shifting to the paler one --and that's Geri.
no subject
Ohh, look at those big boys!
[ Yeah, he's going to try and ignore all that blood. Wolves will be wolves; he isn't going to judge them. Lin Lie is just going to appreciate the super-sized doggos. They might not be what one calls fun, but they sure are impressive looking, and Lin Lie is clearly appreciative of the impressive creatures.]
I like them already. Wolves have no business looking so fluffy when you can't really pet them without risking losing a hand. [ HEH. This part of the myth he knows. Then he murmurs under his breath: ] ...forbidden puppies.
no subject
Incredibly forbidden. [His fingers still in Lin Lie's hair but don't actually leave, simply resting in the comfortable allowance of being tangled up in one another's space.] They'd smell the battle on you.
[And as well-mannered as the wolves had always been in Asgard, they'd certainly never had to behave themselves in Midgard, particularly around anything that even had the faintest whiff of the battlefield on them.]
There's loads of actual fluffy dogs around here, though, yes?
no subject
normal, subdued, or more visible intimidated reaction, because the wolves really are big. But when you are the Iron Fist and you face a giant dragon on the regular, other creatures stop being so frightening. Besides, wolves are just cool in general; who wouldn't adore them? ]Pity. Not like wrestling a big wolf wouldn't be an incredible way to go, but I don't want to hurt them or get eaten, no. Can you pet them, though? They should be familiar with you.
[ The fingers feel nice where they are. But what feels much nicer? when they're moving and coming through his hair, so Line Lie moves his head back slightly to press against the pads of Loki's fingers to subtly try and prompt him to keep touching his hair more. He's not very good with subtlety, though, so Loki might notice that he's being needy. ]
On earth in general? We are very big on having pets in general. But in my culture, and also in K'un Lun, we tend to like felines more. In Chinese mythology, cats are often associated with good luck and fortune. And they're just so cute too.
no subject
They are. They've known me since I was a child. [His thumb taps his phone's screen lightly, a bit fondly.] They'll suffer an ear-scritch every now and then.
[Something he admittedly hadn't attempted until spending a bit of time in Midgard. Always strange, how often he found himself bringing bits and pieces of this realm home with him.]
Do you prefer cats? Personally?
[Outdoor cats, hopefully?]
no subject
I bet they love it; all dogs do, even the wild ones. They might just be too prideful to show it. Try rubbing their belly the next time?
[ Not only is the image of a giant wolf on its back getting belly scratches adorable, but Lin Lie thinks Freki and Geri might get a kick out of it. At Loki's next question. He doesn't even hesitate a second before answering. ]
I do. I mean, I enjoy all animals; I'd pet an alligator if it let me —and I did, once— but...cats are different. I like them a lot. We have plenty of them wandering around the temples in K'un Lun. I usually leave food out for them, and they're allowed inside during the cold months. Some even let me pet them, but it's rare.
no subject
[Doubt is obvious in Loki's voice, but everything is too comfortable to pull back and make a face about it. Hopefully the tone will be sufficient os they can both keep enjoying their lean and pet.
Not that he won't try. He will, obviously. Lin Lie will probably get enviable selfies about it, even.]
And you just let the cats wander?
[Maybe that was the secret to why this was such an easy place to keep coming back to. The sort of person who kept feeding cats that came and left was certainly much more likely to be the sort of person who wouldn't mind Loki's inclination to pop in and out as the ebb and flow of his own internal chaos demanded.]
no subject
[ Which he knows Loki might since he just gave him that idea, and the god is endlessly curious. Lin Lie doesn't want him to get accidentally crushed by an overexcited giant wolf, though. And since they're sitting close and chatting quietly, the one not holding onto his own phone is down on the seat brushing against Loki's leg. ]
Of course. They're free to do as they please, but people still watch out for them. The cats seem happier like that. [ It's like that old saying: 'If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it's yours. If not, it was never meant to be.' Lin Lie is all for respecting the animal's freedom. ] The only time I might chase after one is if they're injured, and I let them go as soon as I heal them. But they're really smart kitties; this doesn't happen often.
no subject
I'll only attempt it in my heaviest armor, then.
[Loki will, however, attempt a few idle passes of nails against Lin Lie's scalp. A reward, perhaps, for the excellent choice to let all the other cats in the universe keep being cats.]
Are you happier like that?
no subject
The fingernails scraping his skin catch him by surprise, making him shudder and draw in a breath that comes out as a low moan, tipping his head back slightly. Lin Lie closes his eyes, heat blooming on his cheekbones at the sound he just let out. ]
I'm...happy like this. [ He whines softly, almost more of a hiss than an answer. God, this is embarrassing, but he really likes Loki's hand on his hair. He is only human and apparently, really touch-starved. ]