driftfleet | Libuscha IV System Mingle (no. 1)

There aren't any others around. [Which is true, but Thor turns it into a point in his favour regardless.] Besides, you can't stay cooped up here the whole time.

[ that is deeply underestimating the lengths loki will go to, in order to avoid something. ]

Fine. Perhaps for a little while. I suppose this one can't hurt.

[Thor had come fully prepared to throw Loki over his shoulder and drag him out the door, so this is delightfully easy.]

And if you hate it, you can leave. [He casts his eye over the table and lands on the cake box he knew would be there.] Is that what you were doing in here?

[ wow rude. loki sniffs. ]

I was promised cake. Because my crew likes me.

Well, bring that too then.

The cake?

[ is this a ploy to eat his cake, thor? loki squints. ]

Where are we going, exactly?

[He doesn't bother confirming, just scooping up the cake box in one hand while he wheels Loki out the door with the other. This was already part of his game plan.]

I told you, hot springs. I know the location of one in the mountains - I went hiking out there with Riona not so long ago.

[ deadpan. ]

You're taking a Frost Giant to the hot springs. Genius.

[Thor stares back at him ....... before his eyebrows creep higher.]

Ah, I forgot, you've never had a hot bath in your life.

They're not my preferred method of bathing.

But the hot springs should be fine.

I wasn't going to dunk you, you know.

[Not unless Loki was being especially uncooperative. Once they're both in the shuttle Thor hands the box over to Loki so he can pilot it. The ride takes about half an hour - down through the clouds surrounding the planet and then coasting over the white-dusted mountainsides. It looks different from the approach he had before at ground level, but Thor is well used to this by now. He made sure to check landmarks before leaving, and he's already done some restless flyovers while trying to shrug off his malaise.

When he finally veers left and descends towards one particular gap between peaks, the springs come into view. They're not easy to miss, glowing with the same light that all water sources on this planet do. The descent has already brought with it a freshness that's hard to pinpoint, but the feeling grows and grows: magic rejuvenation.]

[ sounds fake but okay.

loki exhales, almost breathless. the sheer amount of magic in the air is astonishing and he's never felt anything like it. his nerves are practically tingling. he could do anything here, even shape this world to his image. all he had to do was reach out and —

well. loki restrains himself. ]

No one mentioned how this place felt so . . . [ he trails off. thor would understand. ]

[Despite Thor's time spent down here, he's still not used to the energising feel of it. He tips his head back for a moment and hums his agreement, before locking the shuttle brakes in place.]

I don't really have words for it. [He tips his head sideways, looking at Loki once more.] So I knew my just telling you to come down here and look wouldn't do it.

No.

[ and his tone holds a faint trace of whimsy. ]

I feel like magic-users might find words for it, but only barely.

All I know is I keep starting storms when I'm the slightest bit annoyed.

[That's way too chipper a comment, but he's already popping open the door and sauntering out of the shuttle.]

[ loki rolls his eyes. ]

You should really work on your control.

I'm always in control. [Bold statement, coming from this guy.] It's more... the level of magic here makes it far quicker to happen. It starts before I realise it.

[Walking the short distance to the nearest steaming pool, Thor peers into the gleaming waters. He sounds thoughtful as he continues.]

Normally it takes much more than that.

[ loki raises his hands. wisps of green magic curl around his fingers, twirling and spinning before he closes his fist, quenching them immediately. ]

Quicker or not, it is still worth noting that these forces do not control us. We control them. We're Gods after all.

[Thor looks back over his shoulder at Loki, and huffs. Show-off. With a shrug he sits down on the edge of the pool.]

Yes, I know. I was mostly joking.

[Mostly. His mood has been stormy enough to prompt that kind of thing a few times, and he hasn't cared to immediately get it under control. Every now and then he just wants the growl of thunder to vent his own frustrations.]

I imagine that joke had some truth in it.

[ loki quietly joins him at the edge of the pool. ]

What have you been doing all this time?

[Thor crosses his legs on the ground, resting his chin in one hand.]

Looking around, mostly. The towns are all preparing for some festival in a couple of weeks.

[ hmm. ]

And nothing else?

Not so far. There is little that needs doing on the ship after the last world, and our crew hasn't changed much.

[Finding things to do - productive things - proves difficult at the best of times in the Fleet. Thor shrugs one shoulder.]

You know what I usually do on new worlds.

[ loki hums, thoughtful. ]

Run around joyously at having free space?

When you put it like that, it sounds stupid.

[Which Thor most definitely does not think it is. He doesn't run around, exactly, but - well, he has a lot of energy most of the time to burn. There's no pretending he doesn't launch himself out of the ships as soon as possible.]

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