you’re dancing against the truck right now

[pyms]

WHO: HANK PYM and LOKI
WHERE: A club
WHEN: backdated 3/21
WHAT: Super secret governmental mission.
WARNINGS: Nothing.


[ After getting the location for their charity work, Hank was still 100% unsure of this venture. Unsure, but not unwilling. It is with good intentions and for a good cause. He can't justifiably deny that because of the person extending the invitation (though many would). He reasoned that there are things he can gain from this as well. A chance to learn more about this new Loki. He can scan the network and see that he's relatively harmless, but how much of that "relatively harmless"-ness can he count on? How many things can be traced by to this older than he appears kid?

Hank looked up at the club. A fluorescent green, yellow, pink and purple sign glared back. By all means, it looked like everything else around here, like someone slapped on a static vintage 50s theme. Again, relatively harmless comes to mind. He didn't think much on it and stepped in.

(There's a joke in there about a man walking into a club and feeling his age.)

It was dark and there are strobe lights in there that makes his eyes unfocus and refocus. Thankfully, he came prepared. He reached into his jacket's pocket and pulled out a pair of sunglasses and his phone. Hank Pym is prepared for worst. ]

Comments

[selfimage]

[there's definitely a joke about age in here, but he always chose the most appropriate moment for his special kind of comedic timing. he doesn't show himself right away (it's also possible that he's managed to either 1) blend in appropriately or 2) is wearing some kind of fun clubbing disguise that he made up on the fly!) as a means of watching Hank Pym out of his natural habitat. he watches him put on the sunglasses with a quirk of his lips, and as any bystander lost in the crowd, Loki lifts his phone and catches a picture of Hank Pym completely out of his element.

(surrounded in brightly-colored club goers, rocking to some sick beats, everyone with a drink, mingling, having a good time; there was Hank.)

he'd treasure it always.

with a slip of his hand he tucks his camera away away and taps him on the opposite shoulder that he's standing behind, just for shits and giggles.]

[pyms]

[ The lights are going to give someone an epileptic seizures, he's positive. That kind of frequency, the ratio between on and off, that rotation and that godawful music? Someone in here has to developing some brain and retinal damage too, in addition to the damage to their eardrums.

Thoughts along those lines continues until he feels the tap on his shoulder breaking him away from it.

Does he fall for it?

Yes. Yes, he does. Because who does that anymore? But what was he expecting from Loki. He crossed his arms and stared. ]

This is your idea of a good meeting place?

[selfimage]

[obviously Loki does that still.

he looks pleased that his victory (how big or little of a victory it was). he had to marvel at how ridiculous Hank Pym looked strutting into a club with a pair of sunglasses on like old generational mess, but with the added crossed arms it was nothing but comical.

Loki keeps a straight face.]

It seems to suit many, as you can see.

[he waves a hand to the dance floor in a broad gesture.]

You could use a little of their energy.

[pyms]

[ Loki still does that because he's a fiend.

And Hank doesn't trust that. This whole business as usual casualness. This is Loki, and he is Hank Pym - that tiny mortal who dared to use his brain and trap a God. Twice. He would be the first one Loki would come after.

Hank brushes that aside, because he really wants to know. ]

Well, I'm not much of a dancer. You obviously knew that already, having first hand experience yourself.

[ Keep it up, Hank. Be cool. Be friendly. ]

I think a drink might change that.

[selfimage]

[that tiny mortal who rivaled his kin in brilliant minds. Loki knew the deets, even if he couldn't make it apparent that he did. it was one of those terrible things that he slipped up his sleeve for safe keeping (for more than one reason, actually, he couldn't have people asking personal questions).

he wasn't as sore anymore as he was fascinated. he wasn't out to burn him or for revenge, and instead was more curious how he would take to this new Loki with a younger face.]

It's not all about how you hold yourself.

[he hands a few folded bills over Hank's shoulder and to the bartender.]

First one's on me. My brother taught me well.

[but he didn't look convinced.]

[pyms]

Your brother is either the best person to drink with or the worst. I'm never-

[ riiight, these gods and their alcohol. but is he a god? godling? what the hell is this kid? ]

Uh.

[ quickly, he turns back to the bartender and explains that he can't have any alcoholic drinks. made up reasons and blah blah blah that the bartender wasn't really interested in hearing but hank explains it anyway. the bartender gives him a virgin cuba libre.

so

a glass of coke. so many surprises from the guy wearing sunglasses to keep the strobe lights from affecting his visual acuity. but there is a moment where he feels morally obligated to not let loki order anything alcoholic. he just looks too young, hank. don't fall for that shit. ]

[selfimage]

[Loki watches with mild interest as Hank Pym squeezes himself out of a rough situation with some blubbering words and saves Loki a few dollars by getting himself a glass of Coke. he definitely looks like a tourist on the beach, and Loki glances down to make sure that Hank is wearing black socks and flip-flops.

pretty soon Loki's standing there with a Coke too.]

We'll get laid tonight.

[pyms]

[ Hank is a grown man. He's been married twice and is involved in another relationship right now. A very organic relationship. He's a grown ass man and he still almost chokes on his coke when he hears those words coming out of Loki's mouth — a teenager's mouth.

He doesn't recover very smoothly. Hank wipes away a bit of coke that went out of his mouth and down his chin. He gave Loki a "that's just wrong" look, complete with frown and stern staring. ]

Are gods concerned with getting laid?

[selfimage]

It's one of the things that gods bother to concern themselves over.

[he looks dryly amused at the choking and half-fumble. that's all it took? what do you think teenagers do, Hank Pym?]

[pyms]

[ It's one of those things he prefers not to think about, despite knowing. Because really, his own relationships are complicated enough. ]

You never struck me as someone who did. Before, anyways.

[ Old Loki. He's still getting used to it. ]

[selfimage]

Oh, yes. [he looks a bit thoughtfully put-out.] That guy. Well, he was never really much for anything that didn't include causing some horrifying problems for people. You know, like dropping Asgard out of the sky. That little diabolical. Took everyone a long time to recover from ...

... Tragic, really.

[time to drink this soda and humor Hank Pym like it actually has something in it.]

[pyms]

[ Hank leaned an arm against the counter with his back slightly hunched, trying too hard to be casual when everything about this place makes him want to get out before his tolerance is up. His other hand dug into the pocket in his jeans like he didn't know what to do with his hands but to stick it in there. ]

You talk like you're not that guy. [ The hand in his pocket close in a fist, sheltering a little tracking bot - inactive but there. ] But you are, aren't you?

[selfimage]

[Loki doesn't really specify on the when and where of the whole "dropping Asgard out of the sky" thing. it could have been a thousand years ago, for all it mattered. he stands around, looking quite elegant and easy next to the awkward Hank Pym.]

Because I'm not.

[there's a resolution in his voice, and it sounds lighter than it should with the weight that could be behind it.]

It's not like you're the Hank Pym you were ten years ago, whatever that would mean. But in that instance, I'd say you're only as old as you feel.

[pyms]

I didn't know you could change.

[ Hank throws it out there nonchalantly but there's weight in those words still. Does he believe that Loki can change? He looks at the "boy" and thinks about the old man from the "dropping Asgard out of sky" thing. He wasn't there to see it himself, but there's enough footage of Loki sacrificing himself out there. Maybe that's enough of a sign.

He opens his mouth to respond when a group of locals approach them for photos with their cameras out and ready. Hank chuckled, eased up in his awkwardness and took a drink. ]

No escaping it is there? You mind a photo?

[selfimage]

[Loki leans in easily. if he was naturally photogenic, or if he possibly picked it up from being prodded and photographed over the last few months of his stay in this corner of the omniverse. there are a lot of things that "he" thought of before his ultimate demise. though he would question them now—and it's difficult to tell what part of him would—he's been struggling a little to solidify his identity.

it always comes down to he's Loki, and that's all that he needs to know.]

Who am I to say "no" to the possibility of adoring fans?

[you have your opportunity, Hank Pym. especially as he slides an easy arm around his shoulders.]

[pyms]

[ If they place numbers on it, Loki has statistically a 90% chance of betraying them for himself which can be broken down to reasons such as A) jokes (35%), B) some backwards way of showing them that they're all dumb and insignificantly mortal and he's not (55%), C) miscellaneous reasons (10%).

A tracker bot? is just insurance for maybe the last 10% of things, if even that. The rest, they'll have to do as they always did — react when it happens, prepare when it's not.

So he slaps the bot on; the impact triggers the paper-thin collection of 1s and 0s to activation. And Hank smiles for the camera and grabs his glass of coke, acting out a toast. ]

So how about it, to change?

[selfimage]

[well, miscellaneous reasons always did include the foreboding "saving everyone from himself so betraying them anyway to prove a point about himself to the people that thought that they could trust him," and the rest was probably too convoluted to even mention.

hm? there's a curious moment where he feels something, suspects it, and then says nothing. oh, Hank Pym. it's not necessarily about trust, he doesn't care about that—but what a curious game Hank thinks he's playing.

Loki lifts his glass smoothly.]

To change. And whatever comes after that.