bulletsandbracelets | New York Fun Times [closed to hashisreasons]

"Never doubt the ability of the human mind," Diana warned. "Bruce may be mortal but he has the cunning of Hermes himself." That being said, she really didn't expect Loki to be scared of Bruce in anyway. She found a lot of the man's posturing to be a bit on the unbearable side, and she actually enjoyed his company. He put so much stock into being the thing that criminals fear.

Thor did not criticise what Loki said. After all, his brother was right, as much as he would like to say otherwise. He was trying to get them to shift their perspectives on Loki - Banner had, but then again, Banner had spent time in a ship with Loki and gotten to see him under better conditions. If only there was a way to get everyone else to see his brother under better conditions as well. Keeping him locked up was unlikely to do it; it would only chafe at him.

Diana got into the car herself, fastening her seat-belt and gesturing at Loki to do the same. Car safety would be followed if he wanted to go anywhere, she did not care if they both were unlikely to be hurt by any type of accident that could occur.

"Ah, you live to have people jealous of you."

As much as he felt a certain way about the Midgardian race, he wasn't about to say too much in front of Diana. She liked this planet and had vowed repeatedly to defend it. "The human mind," he muttered, shaking his head slightly as he buckled the safety belt around him. He wasn't sure why people had so much hope in a race that liked to kill each other so easily over war.

He did not hold much fault with Thor. His brother was only trying to make others see that he was not so bad. He had potential, as his brother would claim. In an odd sense, it made him feel better knowing that his brother was trying to defend him in any way. Perhaps they had both grown closer than even Loki was ready to realize.

"It is my way," he said, smirking over at her. "Perhaps I just need a beautiful Amazonian to teach me something different?"

Had Loki said anything, Diana would point out that she had live among humans for a century and had seen them both and their very best and at their very worst. Their very best was enough to give anyone hope for the future of humanity, and what they could achieve. Though, granted they were very prone to war. She had thought for a while that Ares had somehow managed to come back simply through humanity's capacity for warfare. So far there had been no sign, but there was a part of her waiting on it to happen. She's not entirely sure what that says...

"And how shall I teach you?" Diana smirked back. "A punishment every time you inspire jealousy in another person? Or shall I just ignore your attempts at doing so?"

He's quiet, watching her as she maintains her focus behind the wheel. He knows how serious she can be sometimes and doesn't want to distract her. No, sometimes he can be good, at least for her. Plus, he does like to look at her from her side profile. She really is one of the most beautiful creatures he had ever laid eyes on.

Not that he'd be honest enough to tell her that.

"You already ignore my attempts. Try something new, Diana," he scoffed. "And where are we going? I need to go shopping for a new suit. It's been years since we shopped last."

"Actually, I had considered that," Diana said with a smile. She was rather pleased with herself for anticipating this need from Loki, even if anticipating him to indulge his love of fine suits was nothing particularly special.

"I made an appointment at one of the bespoke suit stores in the city; I do remember your preferences." The latter was said with a good deal of humour - the first time they had went suit shopping together, he had been a bit of a terror when they had looked at off-the-rack items. Bespoke was clearly the way to go.

"You did..." Loki smirked and looked over at her. He shouldn't have been surprised, and yet he was. Not many could actually surprise him and tug on his heart. Diana was one of those people who could. It made him feel good when she did things like that.

It reminded him people could care, even about him.

He wouldn't spend his time remembering the first time. That had been an ordeal. Thankfully, things had gotten better than that.

He turned to her, eyeing her up and down, not even trying to hide the fact that he was doing so. "You look beautiful today, Diana. That color suits you."

"You are very particular about what you wear," she explained simply. "I thought I would save us the trouble of attempting to look at off-the-rack items and head straight for tailor specifically to suit you." Diana had thought about it, after all. The recommendation for this particular store came from a colleague through her actual work. They always had quite fine taste, and she had enquired, explaining that an old friend was coming to visit and was in desperate need of better suits. Not entirely true, but it got the answer she was looking for. Besides which, she supposed Loki would class decades out of style as being a desperate need.

Stopping at a red light, she took the time to glance over at Loki.

"You would say that whatever I was wearing, but I suspect you have a certain fondness for this colour." In a display of solidarity, she wore green. Just to send a small message to the Avengers.

He had to admit, she knew him so well. He smiled a bit wider and watched her with interest, unable to contain his admiration. Not many people tried to understand him or were even fond of him. She was. "I'm impressed."

When she looked at him, he gave her his most charming smile. His voice lowered to a soft purr when he spoke. "It is my favorite..." One hand reached out and he gave one of hers a gentle squeeze. "But you look ravishing in everything, that is true."

"Impressed I remembered your particular nature or impressed I planned ahead?" It was asked with a hint of teasing, gentle in it's nature. Diana wouldn't tease to be cruel, it wasn't really in her to do such a thing. Besides which, this way was much more likely to get him to respond.

"Your compliments are received but unnecessary," she commented, focusing once again driving. Generally speaking, she personally preferred using public transport but she was aware that was probably not the best of ideas with Loki.

Even if she would love to see his expression at being told that was exactly what they were going to be doing.

"Perhaps a bit of both?" He looked over at her, teasing back in return. "You just don't want to have to go through the horror of buying off the rack again. It wouldn't end well for anyone." In truth, the teasing was the best way to get him to answer. Anything more realistic or vulnerable would cause him to shut down.

Loki rolled his eyes and went back to looking out the window. She never liked his compliments. As hard as he tried, she would always hold a candle for her soldier boy. Nobody else could ever break through that exterior. He really should have just given up.

He really did love her choice in cars. Anything less would make him very angry.

"It is very true," she admitted, the tease still present in her tone. "There is also the fact that off the rack never seems to quite fit your frame. Bespoke is the only way to go to get something that properly flatters it." A rare compliment from her, even with that teasing smile of hers, was something to be appreciated. She knew Loki would see it for what it was, even if she would rarely accept the ones he threw her way.

It wasn't that she didn't like them, it was that he threw them so often it became second-nature to deflect and wait for a moment of sincerity instead. Those moments made any compliment more appreciated.

Sincerity. Loki couldn't do sincerity in any sort of real capacity. Sincerity meant vulnerability and letting people in. While he trusted Diana, more than most in his life, he still was that skittish child who couldn't do it. He'd tried with his father, tried with Thor and both had results that were less than par in terms of his standards. Letting someone get that close meant dropping a guard he wasn't ready to do yet.

Especially when he had no chance with the amazon for anything other than friendship.

He turned to her, giving her a soft smile. It was more honest than the smirks he normally wore around anyone. "Thank you. You are correct. My frame is somewhat oddly proportioned. Only one with the gift of tailoring will truly get it correct. And there's just something about wearing a suit that is tailored to your body, your curves," he murmured. "If doesn't just look right, it feels right. Against the skin."

Loki appreciated her more than she would ever know.

It wasn't that Diana was unaware of Loki's attempts of flirting with her. Occasionally she even reciprocated, but it never went any further than the light flirting. It wasn't entirely that she was still devoted to Steve - though she would freely admit that he had a place in her heart that would never be removed - it was that she was well aware starting anything could be filled with many issues that could ruin their friendship.

Beyond that, he had hardly been on Earth for the majority of their time knowing each other. Now that he was here, and unlikely to go anywhere for a while... Well, it was a new thing to consider.

"Like a second layer, created just for you?"

"Exactly." He smiled, running one hand down the length of his trousers, lingering at his knee. "The image that we portray starts from the outside and moves in. First impressions are everything. As much as a person says that they like you for what is on the inside, they are lying," he murmured. "To the pretty go the spoils. People make snap judgments even without saying a word to you."

He looked over at her, raising an eyebrow. "Do you not have the same things happen to you? Men who fall at your feet? Were you in a pair of disgusting, dirty trousers and a mussed up shirt, no makeup, would you receive the same attention? You cannot be your best if you do not portray your best." That is why nobody would ever see him at his worst. Even Thor had been glamoured first before showing his true self when Frigga had died.

He didn't want to let people in.

"Maybe this time I'll even look at blue and gold," he teased. "I'm not so much a fan of the red."

"I wish I could say you were wrong." There's a sense of weariness in Diana's voice. She knows fine well that Loki is right; a good appearance will make all the difference in the world, regardless of the actual character of a person. Appearances could affect so much, it was why Bruce put so much effort into giving such a dark and brooding appearance when appearing as Batman. She wished it were not so, but it was, and a century of effort on many people's part had done little to change that part of the status quo.

She drew into a parking spot, just outside the tall building that was their first stop for the day.

"Well, now you can have a look and see what suits you." She turned off the engine and unbuckled. "Though personally, I quite like the green."

"Do you, now?"

His smirk finds its way back onto his face as he gets out of the car. He does not, this time, bring his walking stick with him. At least, not to the visible eye. He could conjure it at will if he so chose to. His eyes gaze over to her as they head towards their first stop.

"I know it bothers you," he said softly. "You care much more for these Midgardians than I do. You wear your heart on your sleeve. Some people are just selfish, caring only for what they want and not wanting to be a better person. Character should be the gauge, but it is not. And... I know it upset you. For that, I'm sorry."

Loki moved up to the door and held it open for her. For her, he'd wear green every day if he thought that might help. Not that he believed it would.

His words meant a lot, for it was rare that she had seen him acknowledge that another's failings could cause pain in a person. In an odd way, he could be speaking of himself, but she knew better than to think that he would consider any of his own actions to be anything like those of the people of Earth's. Still, she gave him a soft smile.

"They will prove my faith in them right one day," she said, her own voice equally as soft. "I may have to wait another century or two for it to happen, but they will do it." On an odd impulse, she reach forward, cupping his cheek with her hand. "And you will show all that you are far more than that cut-out they believe you to be."

Another smile, and she walked into the building.

For one brief moment, Loki freezes. He swallows, looking at her with the strangest, most foreign look in his eyes. He smiles, leaning into her touch like he'd never felt anything that intimate before. The idea that someone, anyone could believe in him scares him to his core. "Right," he mumbled, the word choked out. For once, she had actually left him speechless.

Turning, he followed her into the building, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. It wasn't fair that she could get to him like that. He sighed, attempting to shake it off as he let her lead him. In his mind, he should be thinking about suits and colors, not how much she had just delivered a blow straight to his heart.

Diana had not noticed Loki's moment of freezing, having begun to speak with the gentleman waiting at the reception about their appointment. Like many higher class establishments for the making of clothes, it did not appear to be like a clothing shop at all. It was without a doubt decorated to the highest fashions, and the people who worked there were finely clothed, but it would be hard for anyone to say - on first viewing it - that it was a place were suits were made to exact measurements.

Which, to be fair, did mean it was the perfect place for them to be.

"Loki?" She called, standing at the bottom of a staircase. "We're to go to then first floor dressing room." There was a gesture upwards. "Come along, or you'll be left in out of season wear."

"Yes yes, I'm coming..." Loki rolled his eyes and followed along, very tempted to make his walking stick appear just so he could flounce around with it. "You wouldn't dare leave me there if you know what's good for you," he muttered to himself. "Out of season wear? I don't think so."

Loki looked around, taking in every square inch of the establishment. He was impressed by it all, the people seeming to have the same frozen exterior that he sometimes wear. They were people that didn't care what anyone else thought of them because they had something people wanted.

Loki could empathize.

Following along behind Diana, he smirked as he took a good look at her retreating form. "I'm here. Settle yourself, Diana. You make it sound like I wouldn't follow you into a dressing room." He winked at her. "You know that I would."

"Of course I wouldn't leave you in out of season clothing," Diana responded easily. "I have to maintain standards, after all," that tease was still clear in her voice, a light smirk on her face as she glanced over at Loki. He knew she didn't care personally, but there was a level of expected fashionable dress with her work. Actually, it was thanks to her work that she was able to bring him to such a place, so she hoped that he was at least vaguely appreciative of that.

"And that is why I will be sitting out here," she pointed to a comfortable and stylish chair, "while you are in being measured."

Loki shook his head. Of course, she would sit outside. That's what she had always done. And he got to parade himself like some sort of fashion model or a scene out of some terrible film. "Standards are very important," he murmured as he moved over to stand beside her. His head tilted to the side and he motioned to the dressing room. "I'm sure you'll enjoy the show. You always do."

Moving forward, Loki stepped into the dressing room and was greeted by two salespeople who were there only for him. His ego got a small boost at the idea of people waiting on him as they took his measurements. Now, the fun was really going to begin.

Diana always sat outside because she knew someone would have very likely attempted to convince her into doing something that would mean they would never be able to return to this particular establishment were she to join him in the dressing room. Besides which, leaving him to the expert tailors who knew their craft well seemed to result in far better service. She would never tell Loki that she had occasionally been thanked for bringing him along - he wore suits so well, it would appear, that fitting him often became a thing of joy for those in the trade. Unique proportions with the right type of attitude meant that some of the more daring current styles hung perfectly on the God of Mischief. It would never be something she told him outright, but it always brought a bit of a smile to her face.

And even though he attempted to deny it? She knew fine well he enjoyed being able to parade like he was on some fashion runaway, and be admired by anyone who dared to look his way. Which often happened to be many members of staff. As she waited, she was offered a drink and some refreshments. Of course, only the best for the people who came to this sort of establishment.

He certainly felt like he was in his element in the dressing room. In a small way, he could be worshiped without hurting anyone. Diana would argue it was the best of both worlds. He might have been disappointed by the lack of pain, but he'd take the attention with enjoyment. His lips turned up in a grin as people circled around him, measuring him, wanting nothing more to put him in the finest clothes.

He didn't bother asking them to step out, not really caring if they did or didn't. He had no self conscious views of his body and did not feel any sort of embarrassment. He knew what he had, what he looked like and how much he did not care what anyone else thought. That part was as little bit of a lie. He did care what she thought.

Just once he'd love for her to join him in the dressing room.

He stepped out wearing the first suit for her to admire. It was a dark suit, charcoal grey with a dark green tie and pocket square. His long black hair fell gently against his shoulders. The suit looked good on him, a lighter shade of fabric than he would normally wear.

"Diana," he purred as he stepped into her line of sight.

She looked up on hearing her name and gave a nod of appreciation, smiling at the sight.

"Now that suits your marvellously," she said, standing to slowly circle him to see it from all angles. They really did their jobs well in a place such as this, the suit fitted him perfectly and the colour of the fabric helped to bring out his eyes. Or so she thought when she stopped in front of him.

"Yes, I very much like this one."

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject