Impromptu Family Meetups

[smartass_captain]

It's that time of year. Holidays around every corner, family and friends dropping in unannounced, needing to be entertained and fed and plied with stories of how you've been, how is work, and all sorts of things. The thing is, for most of Jim Kirk's life he's never known any of that. It's hard to have sudden family visits when you don't have much in the way of family and aren't speaking to damn near all of them.

Which makes this day exceptionally stressful.

No Starfleet uniform today--even if Jim wanted to he's not allowed to wear any of his own clothes for where he's about to be headed. Instead he's dressed in a soft wool tunic in his preferred golden color and simple linen pants beneath the fur lined cloak he's got pulled over his clothes. Gloved hands fidget with the ties on all of this, a nervous habit he can't quite stop himself from making.

He stops his pacing when he nearly stumbles over a passer-by with how lost in thought he is and it's only then that the captain looks up at whomever he's nearly trodden upon.

"What's the best way to impress your in-laws? What's the etiquette for meeting someone's family for the first time?"

Comments

[smartass_captain]

Jim's head snaps up, an apology on his lips for his bumbling about with a head full of nerves, but the friend he expected to see on the other side of this is...not who he thought it would be. The hair's too dark and the skin a bit too pale to be any of Felix's kin and rather than pacing JIm falters to a standstill as he tries to reconcile what he's seeing with anyone he knows.

She talks as though they're friends but..? Ah. No she must be thinking he's the other Jim Kirk somehow. He offers Loki a charming gentleman's smile that once more fragments to confusion when she steps forward to adjust his outfit for him.

"My usual--I already grew my hair out to sell this look in my fiance's world." He isn't quite pouting but it's a close thing. "I don't have a brooch, no. Is that something you need for these?" Wait, that's not--she's doing a good job of keeping Jim on his back foot.

"Sorry. I'm just. I don't think I'm the Jim you know. Maybe. I don't...have we met?" She feels so familiar but not.

[coldsong]

She is absolutely being overly familiar for someone he doesn't know well. Just who has the other Jim been befriending? Strange green-eyed ladies who critique his fashion choices and offer jewelry?

That's a nice smile you have there, though, Kirk. She can see why Felix likes you so much. Enough to marry, evidently.

"Well, it isn't required, but it would look nice. The ties are practical for a cloak, but a fibula or a nice penannular clasp would class it up without being pretentious. Wrought metal--gold, I think. No jewels, you don't want to be gaudy..."

She pats his hand smiling smugly. "Ha, I got you again, didn't I? Brilliant, and I was only half trying. It's Loki, hello! Although sometimes I call myself Rowan in this shape."

Lady contemplating algebra dot gif

[smartass_captain]

He does try his best to be friendly with most people he meets. And this Loki is as easy on the eyes as the other one and up until point five seconds ago Jim was convinced this was a friend of his counterpart so why not be as cordial and charming as possible? He doesn't want to ruin any of his other self's friendships.

This is Loki? Loki, the same one who...Pretended to be Thor already and can change shape at will. I mean, if Jim could change his appearance without any effort would anyone really be surprised if he brought back the female look he was cursed into that one time if he felt the mood for it?

This trick, at least, Jim understands completely. He takes half a step back and studies Loki a bit more carefully for a moment and then nods in understanding.

"You're really good at that." How many times has she made him look like a fool so far? Not enough that she's decided he's a complete half wit, at least. "It's a good look though, I can see why you like it on occasion." Though, as to Loki's first point...

"I'm not sure how much something in gold would cost on Nirn though. I don't want to have to answer questions about having things I shouldn't. But it makes sense. Felix has a clasp on his cloak that's rather nice. I'm not sure what kind of metal though off the top of my head." Not gold, that much is for certain.

you've been loki'd !

[coldsong]

Poor Jim. Loki actually does like him, not to mention Felix, but sometimes she shows her affection by being obnoxious. Startling him like this isn't intended to be malicious, but now that it's a running joke it will probably continue, and maybe escalate. She's pretty sure Jim can take the friendly harassment, as long as she doesn't show up in Thor/George's face.

"I would hope so, it's part of what I am," she says in response to the compliment, and beams, preening a little. The body language is roughly the same in this form, which is interesting to note, just a bit more animated and delicate. Loki is always Loki, but people read her differently in a feminine shape. She likes that.

"Hmm. Not gold, then. I can't help but feel silver would clash. What about bronze? Or perhaps polished wood with a metal backing. I have a golden one shaped like the moon, you see, but I can alter its appearance for a few hours."

[smartass_captain]

He's shown to be a good sport so far at the very least.

Looking at her now though, Jim's wondering how he hadn't at least guessed that this was somehow Loki. Or at least, another one maybe. The posture and way of speaking is quintessential to the god of mischief he's become acquainted with.

"You really don't have to go out of your way like that for me but." Jim reaches a hand up to rub at the back of his neck, a sheepish smile on his face. "I do want to impress Felix's father. If you think it would help, I'd be willing to try just about anything."

[coldsong]

That's how it usually is with Loki's female form. People who don't expect it don't often recognize her at first, but once they do they wonder how they could possibly have missed that. Men usually seem more disarmed than women. One of these days she'll pop up in this shape to talk to Natasha Romanoff. She fully expects it will take all of about thirty seconds for her to pick up on something amiss.

It'll be fun.

"It's not that far out of my way," she says with a smile. "And you can owe me a milkshake, in return. Or honey ice cream. I'm not picky."

Which is more suspect, Loki offering a favor or Loki offering a gift? If she knew more about the company she was sending Jim into with an enchanted brooch, she might recognize she was actually potentially causing him trouble. Which would not stop her, but it might give her pause.

She reaches into a pocket of her cloak to retrieve the brooch. It's not exactly gaudy, but it's far brighter and more formal than really suits what he's wearing, shaped like a crescent moon and cut with bright knotwork. She holds it up to the cloak thoughtfully. "I think polished wood would be a nice look...do you care about the shape?"

[smartass_captain]

Loki's a braver soul than most. Or more fool hardy. Hard to say which.

"I think that's a favor owed I'll take and gladly." Sweets are easy enough to come by and Jim Kirk is a man who pays his debts swiftly and in full. Felix might find it more alarming Jim's treating with gods so eagerly but come on there aren't any in Jim's world. He doesn't know any better.

In his mind, owing a favor to a friend is not something he needs to worry about in the least.

The brooch is...definitely to Loki's tastes. Jim's not surprised in the least by its design though even he can see it's insanely well made. Crafted for a god prince, after all. Or by one, it's difficult to know for sure. Jim smiles from it to her before his eyes brighten as an idea forms.

"I don't--oh. Wait, hold on." He fumbles in the pocket of his cloak before pulling out a single coin from it and turning it over so that the seal of the Empire can be seen. Its stylized dragon is all over everything over there. Jim can't see why a brooch should be any different. "Would this do?"

[coldsong]

Few would accuse Loki of courage, unfortunately. Recklessness, on the other hand? Definitely.

The trouble with trading and dealing with Loki is that no matter how much she may mean well at the start of the transaction (now, for example, she really does just want to put a nice brooch on a good-looking fellow and help him impress his in-laws because that's funny to her in itself), later on she may realize she has an advantage she can use, or a favor she can call in, and then all bets are off.

Where are you at these days?
It varies from moment to moment.

Still. She's in the Nexus, relatively safe, with holidays coming. No matter how mad her behind-the-scenes projects are, this is probably the best possible time to gamble on her better nature.

Loki takes the coin from his hand to look it over, running her thumb over the images on both sides and then getting a good look at the dragon. "An interesting design. So angular, save for the neck."

That sounds like approval. With a thoughtful frown, she hands the coin back to him and folds her hands over the brooch. The green-gold shine of seidr seeps through her closed fingers for a moment, and when she opens them, the brooch is in the precise shape of the coin, dark wood with the dragon symbol inlaid in lighter wood at the center. There are silver lines and rays, and a silver border around the whole thing, and it's much less ostentatious.

"Better?" She holds it out for his approval.

[smartass_captain]

He knows a place that has pretty great frozen desserts if that's Loki's preference and if there's any more to be repayed well, Jim will find out later. If his luck is with him, hopefully it will be enough.

"It's distinguishable, at least." Much more complicated than his Starfleet insignia but Jim's grown to like it nearly as much. It's an important symbol to Felix and his people after all. Surely no one could complain about this.

Jim watches with respectful curiosity while Loki works her magic. His eyebrows furrow with his thought, wondering why her illusion magic looks different than the ones he's seen used on Nirn. Wondering if the sources are different and a million other academically minded questions about the theory behind these spells Jim has no ability to wield himself. Magic is a constant area of study for him even if he'll never be able to use it.

But getting nosy might be considered rude so he bites the inside of his cheek for now until it's held out for him to study.

"That looks amazing. How do I--?" Okay Loki might have to show him how it fastens. All these catches and stays on Nirnish clothing are very different from the sensible zips of his own world. "Thank you. I'll be careful with it."

[coldsong]

Since arriving in the Nexus, Loki has discovered a bottomless appetite for really good ice cream, hence the milkshakes at the Crossroads Cafe for her counterpart's farewell party. Ice cream and honey are her two favorite sweets, and neither seems to disagree with her nor put any more flesh on her frame than she wants them to. Even if she tries to get away with more of a favor later than just a snack, she's never going to scorn sweets.

If he were to ask Loki why her magic looks different, he might get a dissertation, so on the whole it's best he doesn't--at least not today. She likes to talk, particularly about herself, but he has somewhere to go and she's been enjoying herself shopping.

She smiles like a cat at the compliment and turns it to show him the simple pin on the back. "Originally, you were meant to just slip the pin through the weave of your cloak's material and it wouldn't even put a hole in it. I think we can do that here, as well--let's see, hold still."

There's a moment of her tugging at the fabric, making sure it folds the way she thinks it should, gathered at his shoulder, and then she carefully slips the brooch into place and fastens it closed.

"I think that will do nicely. Do give Felix my regards, won't you?"

She is so pleased with herself right now.

[smartass_captain]

An unfortunate side effect of Jim's father being a dead ringer for Loki's brother is that when Jim beams a relieved smile on his face there's the barest hints of a family resemblance to the gesture. Jim always gets told he looks so much like his father, after all.

"Thank you so much. I will, promise. Wish me luck? He should be here soon so I should go."

His hands reach up to touch the backs of Loki's in clear gratitude before he drops them.

"I owe you for this. Take care, I'll catch you later."

[coldsong]

Oh, but that's so endearing. Since in this instance she's actually trying to be nice, she doesn't feel any particular qualms at his resemblance to Thor when he smiles--although the more she interacts with him, the more she notices it.

"Enjoy yourself. Shoo." She waves him away with a laugh. Later on, she might warn him never to tell a supernatural person 'I owe you for this', because they will take him up on it. "And best of luck."

She certainly intends to.