If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks...

[coldsong]

It's customary to have a Wake after the subject thereof dies. Even Loki knows that. But this is a special occasion. Ego-death is coming to his alternate, and the idea of letting him go off to perish alone, uncertain he will even be mourned, is too dark a proposition even for a flawed and callous person to contemplate.

That, and this Loki has been in a melancholy mood since speaking to the spirit of Frigga. He anticipates a dark choice of his own, sooner or later, and where the fates will send him after that, he can't know. Maybe oblivion, although even at that rate there may be worse places.

What's important right now is that no one dies unremembered. And honestly, any excuse for mischief a party. The first text rolls out to Harley, an innocent enough invitation to join them for milkshakes. Cricket is next, because it occurs to him that Cricket has plenty of liquor, which is good for a reckless celebration.

Things snowball from there.

As long as they don't destroy too much property, they'll call the night a success.

Comments

[alittlehinky]

"Shoot, no one ever told me that before," he's grinning. It's audible in his voice.

It's a good thing he has been drinking a bit, actually. If not, his heartbeat would be in overdrive right about now.

"Guess there are a lot worse things I could be than a good pillow," he adds softly. "You're gonna have a hell of a headache in the morning, y'know. I'll make you some tea. Wild thyme. Helps."

[magpiemythos]

"You are the best pillow!" Loki agreed cheerfully, fingers stroking his hair idly. "A god said so, so you know it's true."

The offer of tea in the morning just had a soft smile on his face, forehead resting against Cricket with a pleased hum. "That sounds great."

[alittlehinky]

"'Cause you're the god of true things," he says, before he can think better of it. There's a grin in his voice, but once the words are out of his mouth he blushes, because oops, that might have been a little too sassy.

"I mean...um. Thank you." He can't help but tilt his head into the stroking, anyway.

"You...god...y'know what, I don't even know. Just hold onto me whenever you want, a'ight? This is."

His arms squeeze him a little closer, and he doesn't care if Loki's just an affectionate drunk. He'll take what he can get.

[magpiemythos]

"Well at least someone gets it!" Loki slurs in a pleased sort of tone. And he can't help but be utterly charmed by just how sweet Cricket is being, along with the blush he's spotting.

He responds positively to the permission, unable to help the color creeping along his own cheeks as he's cinched in closer, and on a complete whim? That'll be a little kiss laid on Cricket's mouth assuming he doesn't wiggle and make Loki miss the mark.

[alittlehinky]

He's had puppy piles with Jack and other friends back home. Sprawling all over each other to keep out the cold when they were camping. That's not new, but it was always completely platonic.

He's also kissed before (in point of fact, he's not even a virgin, but he's certainly no Casanova, either). What he hasn't done before is been kissed by a man while in a cuddle pile, with both of them tipsy.

And it's probably a kiss from the liquor as much as anything else, he tells himself, but fuck it, it's nice and it comes from the person in the room he'd most wanted to be kissed by, and returning it (gently, shyly, awkwardly) won't hurt anyone.

"Yeah," he murmurs and tucks his forehead against the other man's. "That's allowed, too." His hands are trembling.

[magpiemythos]

Not as much from the alcohol as Loki is allowing his companion to think. And the return of the kiss, all shy and sweet just has his heart pitter-pattering in his chest. He would carry that with him tomorrow. Something kind and affectionate to bolster his nerve in the chill of the void.

"I am very glad to hear it." Loki replied in a quiet, fond tone of his own, all but melting for the attention.

[alittlehinky]

Cricket makes a soft, incoherent sound, a deep breath, and kind of nuzzles into him a little.

"You're like a comet," he murmurs, speech a little slurred from the liquor and the kissing. "Bright and quick...an' you fill up the sky."

That's actually not what comets do, Cricket. But he means it in the most complimentary way possible. "I'm just...glad to see you."

[magpiemythos]

"You are," Loki hummed, pressing another kiss to Cricket's cheek with a grin. "Absolutely the sweetest."

And really the trickster was too drunk to criticize anyone's metaphors, instead just inordinately pleased at the compliment he could tell was there.

"I'm glad to see you too."

[alittlehinky]

Cricket makes another gasping sigh. This is a lot of attention by his standards. He's not going to object, though, and after a moment's consideration, he returns the kissing, a few affectionate, gentle pecks to Loki's cheek.

He is bright red at this point.

"Got no clue what I'm doing," he says in response to the compliment, but the trembling is easing off now. Whatever this is, it's okay. Not about to go off the rails or anything. Just a quiet moment and a few kisses.

"Guess everyone's drunk off their asses anyway so that don't matter." He grins, suddenly lighthearted, and squeezes Loki closer. Now who's the pillow?

[magpiemythos]

"You say that," Loki just holds still for those following kisses, lips curling on a pleased smile. "But you're doing just fine in my opinion."

Oh no, was Loki playing pillow? Good thing he absolutely was okay with this, letting out a delighted little hum as he wound his arms securely around Cricket, nuzzling his hair.

[alittlehinky]

"Harley said I should tell you I like you," he says settling in and closing his eyes. "But I don't think I coulda gotten the words out if you hadn't started it."

This is all a little crazy. He's still not sure what a god sees in a dead moonshiner, but maybe what he sees is kindness. Cricket definitely puts forth an effort there. "Damn, you're strong."

One of his hands is sort of free, around Loki's waist, and he takes this opportunity to just stroke little circle shapes on his side. He's warm. And secure. And it's really, really nice.

[magpiemythos]

"That so?" Loki's voice was soft, some emotion threading in there other than the playful teasing of before, feeling the color flooding his face. "Well... I'm glad that I did then."

As scared as he was of what was coming, it felt so good to know that someone cared for him like that.

It's so easy to relax into the feel of the arms arund him, the soft idle little touch against his side, keeping his face for now nestled against Cricket's hair as he enjoys the moment.

[alittlehinky]

Cricket is blissfully unaware of the darker undercurrent to tonight's festivities. All he knows is that everyone's drunk, and he's cuddled up against his crush, who kissed him without pity or prompting, and it's all a little surreal, and he loves it.

He gives a giddy little laugh and squeezes Loki in a hug, a little closer. "It ain't done where I come from, is all. This."

"But it should be." Because it's nice, and it's not hurting anyone, and he can tell from Loki's voice he's getting something reassuring from it, too.