bulletsandbracelets | New York Fun Times [closed to hashisreasons]

Truthfully, his quietness concerned her. In as long as she had known him, falling quiet was never a sign of good things. He had such a tendency to get caught inside his own mind, ruminating over things that had happened and slights that had crossed him, or at least what he had perceived to be slights against him. Then again, considering how people tended to jump to conclusion based on his behaviour, she supposed that it was not all his own mind assuming the worst. Still, it was best to make sure he did not get so caught up in it, that only lead to the worst for him and she did not want that for him - who could want that for someone they cared so much about?

"I have heard from Napi, recently." It was a fairly safe topic, all things considered. Napi had stopped going by Chief a few decades ago, though he still admitted a fondness for the nickname. They didn't often meet - he preferred to stay out of the limelight as much as she had - but they kept in contact. The rise of the internet had worked wonders for doing such things. "He's in Australia currently, enjoying the good weather. He sends his best wishes."

She hoped that talking about their mutual friend would remove Loki from the topic she assumed he was ruminating over. She was very tempted to smack Bruce - a good man, but he could be so thoughtless in his actions. All of the Avengers could, when she thought on it. While relations between Loki and Thor had improved, his brother's teammates could not so easily understand Loki's nature and it angered her. Surely they were aware that the more you treated someone as the villain, the more likely they were to simply become that villain?

Diana was not going to let that happen here. No, not if she could help it.

"Australia." His voice was soft, low as he spoke. "I don't remember the last time that I had visited the coast. Perhaps we should visit him soon," he murmured. He glanced down at Diana, giving her his best forced smile before glancing back ahead of them. He wasn't sure where he was going, but he would try his best to follow her lead. "I don't remember the last time we visited with him at all."

Maybe it would be good to spend time with someone who didn't outwardly hate him?

His grip on her arm tightened as they walked, without him even realizing he was doing it. He sighed and walked slowly, his mind lost in his thoughts. Perhaps Bruce was right? Maybe he shouldn't bring down Diana. She could do so much better than him. Someone who could have friends who didn't think she was better than him.

"I think I want a glass of wine. It's been a long time since I've had any," he said absentmindedly.

"It would be a nice trip to take," Diana said, nodding in agreement to the idea. It helped that she thought seeing someone else who actually liked Loki for who he was would be beneficial to the man, especially considering he was being forced to stay within the grounds of the Avengers' who did not seem to be particularly welcoming. She had considered speaking to them about it, but that had all the potential of making things far worse. It was hard to do the right thing, and sadly the right thing in this situation was not interfering, no matter how much she may have wished too.

Visiting Napi was probably one of the best ideas she had heard in a while, come to think on it.

"I could use a glass myself," she said, glancing down to where his grip had tightened. "Shall we split a bottle, or get two different types and compare?"

"It would. And I don't care if the others forbid it. I am a free man with my own choices," he murmured softly. "I want to take a trip, then I shall take a trip. I am allowed to have friends." Or acquaintances? Did he really get to have friends in his circumstance.

If he could just stay with Diana, things would be so much easier.

"Let's get three," he said softly, staring down at her. "The more, the merrier."

"Would you be willing to wait until I'm able to take the time off to join you on the trip?" She had to ask, just to make sure. Diana was fairly confident she would be able to get the time off quite easily. She never really took sick time, and rarely took holidays and she did have a bit of time saved up. It should be quite easy.

She smiled. "Red, white, and rosé, then?"

As they approached what he assumed was where they were headed, he paused. He wanted to say something to her in the quiet of the night air, before they were enveloped by people and noise.

"Diana..." He turned, reaching out to gently cup her cheek. "I don't want to go without you." He smiled, something honest and almost foreign to him. It was a smile reserved for so few people. "Without you, there is no trip."

He didn't really care what wine they drank at that moment.

Diana couldn't remember if she'd ever seen the smile. She suspected she had, at least once, but it had been so long that it felt foreign to her. It softened his features, though, brought out the person that she knew was trying to find their way out. She placed her hand over his, squeezing the fingers gently.

"Then we will go together."

"Diana... You defended me. You... You care for me so much, more than so many others ever could," he murmured. One hand reached up and he cupped her cheek. "I do not deserve your friendship."

He stared into her eyes, sure that his heart was beating faster now. "You. Napi. I don't know what I'd be without you."

Her hand went up, covering the his that cupped her cheek. "Do not say such things," she admonished just slightly. "Deserve is all a matter of individual perspective, and I would not wish away your company for anything." She meant it sincerely. Her connection with Loki had been one that had endured a long time - in relative terms - and she rather thought she would be lost without knowing that he would be there should she need him. And likewise, of course.

"You would be you," she said, staring back. "You are always you. No matter who or what influences that."

Loki nodded his head and stepped away from her, moving to open the door for Diana. He would follow her inside, curious where they would be sitting. Had she gotten a private booth or a room? Would they sit among the others so he could watch the people? It was all very interesting to him.

Mostly because he was out and not stuck on a ship with Thor.

And, part of it was because he was with her. While dinner was nice, and necessary, he could not wait until they were done. He wanted so badly to take her in his arms and spin her around a dance floor. He wanted to feel her against his body and know she actually wanted to be there.

They did have a private booth, but it was in the main room of the restaurant, as Diana quite liked people watching herself. She had opted for the private booth mainly out of her own comfort - while she liked people watching, she had had more than a few uncomfortable experiences of being intensely studied while trying to enjoy a meal, and had no desire to repeat the experience. Besides which, it allowed them time to enjoy each other's company without the worry of someone interrupting them.

Though she was very much looking forward to going dancing.

The day had been going, in Loki's opinion, went very well. Shopping had been fun. Dinner had been delicious. For Loki, spending the day with Diana had been heaven. He could be doing something extremely droll and he would be happy, just to be with someone who respected and cared for him, instead of thinking him a terrible person. She knew he was a bad person, he had is faults, but she would never think him as dreadful as the others did.

Loki smiled as he made his way into the small club. It was a beautiful place, one filled with gorgeous people in vintage clothing. Dresses and bespoke suits, jazz music surrounding them, it made Loki very happy. His grip on Diana's arm tightened slightly as they were led to a table close to the dance floor.

"Just wait till I start twirling you around the floor."

Despite the phone call, Diana would consider the day quite a success. Shopping went well, with Loki managing to pick up some wonderful new suits that flattered him in all the right ways, dinner had been delicious and the wines they had sampled with it were ones she was considering picking up at another point to have in for another time. The highlight, of course, had been spending time in company she enjoyed and appreciated. Understanding that a person was more than one thing helped to appreciate them more, and Loki had always been one of her favourite people to study for the layers to his personality and what he would show to those around him.

The club she had chosen for dancing was a throw back type place, remembering an older decade in style. Vintage clothing - or at least vintage style - was the norm, and the jazz music was played by an expert band. Their table was close to the dance floor, and she smiled over at Loki.

"What are we waiting for?"

His eyebrow raised and he glanced over at her. "I smell a challenge, demigoddess," he murmured.

Taking her hand in his, he pulled her out to the dance floor. The song was mid tempo, a little slow but not a ballad. Strong arms wound around her, pulling her close with one arm while his hand easily found hers in the other. Dark eyes locked with hers as he began to sway her to the music.

As graceful as he could be, it was hard to focus when he finally had her pressed up against him. "I've missed this, dancing," he whispered.

"Only if you take it as such," she replied smoothly, her own eyebrow raising in perfect mimicry of his expression. It did not stop the smile that split her face as she was pulled on to the dance floor, skirts of her dress flowing about her legs. Swaying to the music in a way that even now she did not really consider dancing but still found to be pleasant, and enjoyable with the right company.

This was the right company.

"It's been far too long."

"It really has."

Loki smirked, twirling her and dipping her, before slowly pulling her back up to her feet. His hand stayed firm against her smaller back, though he was so tempted to let it roam. His eyes stared into hers, almost wishing her could pull her into a much more seductive dance.

"You know what they say about finding the right partner..."

Diana couldn't stop the delighted laugh that came when she was dipped, nor would she want to. Why should she hide her own happiness for the sake of others? Besides which, she dared anyone not to be happy with such a move, especially when they were in the arms of someone who she knew would never drop her.

It was a reassurance that so few had.

"Do not let them go?" It came as a tease, a glint in her eye and a tugged smirk at the corner of her mouth. Perhaps there was a bit more sincerity to the words than she would let him know, but for now, she would keep to the friendly tease.

"Yes." He leaned in, brushing his lips against her ear. "You want to keep them close to you." His hand crept up her back a little, pressing into her as they danced. He loved the feel of her soft curves against him. It was moments like this that he would burn into his mind and keep when he was alone.

He loved seeing her like this, so smiling and free. Not many were blessed enough to see her like this and he counted himself lucky to see it over the years. Concerts. Other adventures. He knew that he was very lucky to be let in to a place not many were able to view.

He would never drop her. He cared too much for her.

As if fate were designed to tempt them, the music changed. The beat became slower, something that rang in the blood and echoed with a heartbeat. A tempo struck up that could only be called sensual and while, in times past, such a change would have had her leaving the dance floor... Times had changed.

"Then keep me close."

"As you wish," he purred. His hand moved back down to the small of her back and he did keep her flush tight against him. His lips turned up in a smile as he swayed her around the floor, not caring about anyone but themselves. Nothing else mattered in that moment.

His lips brushed against her ear. "What if I don't want to let you go?"

Let it be said that Diana was very aware of the fact that Loki was a fantastic dance partner. And never let it be said that she was ignorant of the fact that he was a very attractive being. It was just that - for the majority of their time knowing each other - she had opted to keep the latter fact as simply an observation. When they danced? She always let it be a little more. If only to herself.

She smiled at him, a softness in it that he would recognise. "We may be able to come to some arrangement."

His eyebrow raised and he couldn't hide the grin if he tried. "Who are you and what have you done with Diana?"

He stepped back, twirling her out of his arms and then back into them again easily enough. She was the most beautiful creature ever seen to him. She moved like a graceful warrior and she felt like a doll beneath his fingers.

"I'm open to negotiations."

There was another delighted laugh, smile wide with that type of happiness that only tends to come when a person is in the company of another whom they care for greatly. Even the jest was taken with all good humour, knowing that Loki was simply being himself in one of the few ways that no one could object to. The question that came next was how could she respond to keep him light. Or, rather, to make her intentions clear.

(They were not exactly her intentions at the start of their day, but it was something she had considered a few times during their century of knowing each other. It finally felt as though if she broached the subject, it may not damage things beyond repair.)

She waited until she was pressed against him on the twirl to respond.

"Why don't we start with sleeping arrangements?"

Loki smiled warmly at her, watching her glide and come back to him with such ease. It made his heart skip a beat just to look at her. While he knew she would never truly be his in the way that he had wanted her for years now, he would take her kindness and run with it for what it was. At least he was able to have her company for a small window of time. And more than her company, they had mutual trust. Very few could say that about the Asgardian. Yet, he did trust her.

He was afraid to admit he might even love her.

One hand moved up, running through her soft hair, gliding down her back as the other found her hand once more. And then he froze. Completely. Loki couldn't even continue dancing at the words that he had to blink to make sure he heard correctly. "Wait, what?"

Because he would need to hear her say it again. "Sl... Sleeping arrangements?"

Diana nodded slowly, keeping her eyes locked with her.

"I think the time has come," she said slowly, "for us to re-discuss our unspoken agreement regarding that matter." It was surprisingly hard for her to say such a thing, even though she was sure that it was finally the right time to address such a matter. It had been... perhaps 30 years that she was positive her feelings for Loki were beyond that of merely friendship.

"Perhaps we should sit down." She needed to explain. She owed him that.

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