"Well, you're about to be super familiar with it. And with the fine art of diner balancing," Tommy answers.
What, you may ask, is diner balancing? A game Tommy has gotten up to over his years at restaurants and his strange relationship with time and patience. He grabs the salt and pepper shakers and puts them down, one on top of each other in a tower.
"The point is to take everything on the table and build a stable structure out of it."
"To play with one's food, then, is the point." Forgive him if he looks doubtful. Tommy, though, at least his appetite, is starting to remind him of Thor's late friend Volstagg, though Tommy is far more personable.
"I mean, if you see salt and pepper and sealed packets of jam your food, then yeah, I guess. It's fun, man, and it helps pass the time while I wait for snails to do stuff," Tommy dismisses.
And he reaches across the table and grabs Loki's fork. He interlaces its tines with that of his own fork and then takes the v that makes and balances it over the shakers.
The filling of boredom Loki could follow, and he does readily, smirking at the architectural masterpiece his surrogate brother has created before raising a hand.
"Absolutely no creativity."
A shimmering wave of greenish energy flashes from his palm, wrapping itself around the shakers. They rise an inch from the tables' surface and begin to slowly turn in place. "Now then, what else might we add?"
"That's cheating," Tommy observes, and it makes him SO damn happy. In fact, he's grinning as he pulls the tray of plastic boxes of jams. Fuck yes, that's awesome. "Here, these next."
"Well, yes," he replies, raising his other hand, a swirl of greenish gold energy gathering in his palm and wrapping around the packets of jam. He rise from their tray in a spiral, balancing precariously on the backs of the steepled forks. "Behold, for I am Loki, Odinson, Rightful King of Jotunheim, God of Mischief, and Master Sculptor of Breakfast Condiments." He smiles, and for once, possibly the first time in Tommy's memory, it's fully genuine. There's no malice there, or even any mischief. It's the first time in nearly a decade he's relaxed he enough to simply play around.
He didn't know, it was true, and for a variety of reasons. Namely because Loki played his cards close to the vest. The more people know what he can do, the easier it is to point fingers at him should anything untoward happen.
He gives a nod to the top of the structure. "Add it yourself. It won't bite." And if he does, he'll feel a mild solidness, light tight air, waiting to hold it, barely noticeable.
"Well, I am the God of Mischief." He grins over their mini sculpture. It's very good. He can't remember the last time he was able to play around with his magic without judgement.
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean you're the god of art."
And this is definitely art. Which Tommy wants to point out, except there's his carafe of coffee. Hell yes. That means like, another three minutes until food. He's got them timed.
"I happen to be gifted in a variety of artistic pursuits." No, Tommy. Don't let him write a play for you. It's Bad.
As the meal begins to arrive, Loki goes about systematically disassembling their tower. It isn't as though he can't maintain it, but their eating utensils and their condiments are a part of it and they may require them.
Tommy doesn't have patience for plays anyway, so don't worry, he doesn't want one written. But he grins as Loki takes the thing apart.
"Well, you are now trained in the fine art of diner construction pieces. Time to show you the real stuff."
As the plates are put down Tommy starts pointing and naming things, as well as offering suggestions on just how to mix things together, how much, and more advanced food tactics like breakfast sandwiches.
Yeah, well, Tommy tries. And in the end when he finishes paying and all that, he grins at Loki.
"So, success? You have a better appreciation for human meals now? Like, Thanksgiving and gluttonous dinners aside, breakfast and brunch are my favorite ways to have a big meal. Like... there's less variety but it's all so good. Because you can have savoury or salty or sweet or anything really."
Hey, Tommy mostly paid his way too because, well, it's easier for him. His appetite was too large to be handled by normal means. So he does his best, always his best. Which, you know, can be impressive. But he does scoot out of his seat and take a deep breath.
"I'm thinking I could SO go for a latte now. But we should do this again sometime."
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branchandroot
(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-22 04:19 am (UTC)What, you may ask, is diner balancing? A game Tommy has gotten up to over his years at restaurants and his strange relationship with time and patience. He grabs the salt and pepper shakers and puts them down, one on top of each other in a tower.
"The point is to take everything on the table and build a stable structure out of it."
(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-23 08:01 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-25 01:35 am (UTC)And he reaches across the table and grabs Loki's fork. He interlaces its tines with that of his own fork and then takes the v that makes and balances it over the shakers.
(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-25 05:05 am (UTC)"Absolutely no creativity."
A shimmering wave of greenish energy flashes from his palm, wrapping itself around the shakers. They rise an inch from the tables' surface and begin to slowly turn in place. "Now then, what else might we add?"
(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-26 06:17 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-27 07:50 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-28 02:03 am (UTC)"Oh holy fuck. They're actual damn breakfast condiments!"
Congratulations, you're more of a distraction than everything else and he appreciates it.
(no subject)
Date: 2019-11-30 06:43 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-01 03:18 am (UTC)Sure, Billy used lots of different magic, but he didn't KNOW, Loki. And that's as close to an apology as the guy is likely to get.
But he definitely grabs a napkin and speed folds it into a crane.
"Here, for the top."
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-05 05:24 pm (UTC)He gives a nod to the top of the structure. "Add it yourself. It won't bite." And if he does, he'll feel a mild solidness, light tight air, waiting to hold it, barely noticeable.
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-05 05:56 pm (UTC)"You're good at this."
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-06 09:27 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-06 09:38 pm (UTC)And this is definitely art. Which Tommy wants to point out, except there's his carafe of coffee. Hell yes. That means like, another three minutes until food. He's got them timed.
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-08 03:58 pm (UTC)As the meal begins to arrive, Loki goes about systematically disassembling their tower. It isn't as though he can't maintain it, but their eating utensils and their condiments are a part of it and they may require them.
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-08 05:14 pm (UTC)"Well, you are now trained in the fine art of diner construction pieces. Time to show you the real stuff."
As the plates are put down Tommy starts pointing and naming things, as well as offering suggestions on just how to mix things together, how much, and more advanced food tactics like breakfast sandwiches.
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-12 02:24 am (UTC)And he has his young friend to thank for it.
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-12 06:31 am (UTC)"So, success? You have a better appreciation for human meals now? Like, Thanksgiving and gluttonous dinners aside, breakfast and brunch are my favorite ways to have a big meal. Like... there's less variety but it's all so good. Because you can have savoury or salty or sweet or anything really."
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-12 03:34 pm (UTC)"Bacon...may very well be one of the greatest flavors I've had the pleasure of tasting."
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-13 06:52 pm (UTC)It's good for every meal. And all sandwiches. At he's gotten to expose Loki to something awesome.
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-14 08:00 pm (UTC)"I can certainly believe that." Who knew cured meat could taste so good?
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-14 08:39 pm (UTC)"Back home, they make it a lot of different ways. Like, you could spent twenty minutes trying to pick out the right bacon."
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-16 02:56 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-16 12:45 pm (UTC)“I mean, there is a lot to be said about finances.”
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-18 03:29 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-18 09:03 pm (UTC)"I'm thinking I could SO go for a latte now. But we should do this again sometime."
(no subject)
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