cuttingremark | Salon buddies for @favoriteanalyst

Salon buddies for @favoriteanalyst

It started about a few months ago. Loki needed to relax after making the mistake of spending his winter holidays with his 'family' (which ended in another spectacular fight with Odin that resulted in one broken window and a lost snow globe Loki has thrown through said broken window), but his normal esthetician was booked solid for the next year and couldn't fit him in outside of his own pre-scheduled appointments no matter how much money he offered to throw at her. Wanda was the best in the city, probably the whole country, so it made sense, but there's still the issue of Loki needing something to relieve his tension so he didn't strangle his paralegals. The thought crossed his mind of setting up a tindr profile for a quick fuck, but he isn't in law school anymore and that was just a disaster waiting to happen.

Wanda saves him from making a bad decision by texting him the information for another technician she helped train. She claims he's new, but very talented, which he figures will do in a pinch. The link she sent him takes him to a rather outdated looking webpage for the "TVA Salon and Spa", an older establishment that apparently started in the 50's as a barber shop, but recent made the jump to full salon under new management. Despite the clunky UI, he's able to schedule an appointment for a basic manicure the very next day with the young man Wanda had told him about.

Casey is a nice young man. Not anywhere as skilled as Wanda, but his nails come out looking acceptable with their basic black polish and the hand massage he gets to begin with is utterly divine. He doesn't go into detail about his family problems, but the other gets the gist that the holidays were strained and is more than willing to play the oh-so-important role of listening ear even if his platitudes do ring a little hollow.

When the appointment is over, Casey hands him a card for a free deep conditioning treatment or 30 minute shoulder massage.

"These are really just for family and friends," he explains, "but you really seem like you need something to help you relax." He thinks about declining, but decides it isn't polite and takes the card anyway before handing the young man a $400 tip.

The stern looking woman at the front desk gives him a serious look as Casey nearly passes out in the background. "I'm going to be checking those to make sure they're real."

"But of course, I would expect nothing less." His usual winning smile does nothing to lighten her glare as she rings him out. She asks if he wants to use the card to schedule something today. Why not? It's a charming establishment and he has some free time coming up.

The masseuse the card is good for, Bee, is apparently booked solid for the next month, but the stylist, Mobius, just had a cancellation in the following week that fit perfectly in his schedule.

That appointment was the beginning of the end for Loki.

So in he walks six months later, having ditched his normal high-end stylist for a middle-aged man who looks like he works in a cubicle rather than a up-and-coming salon. It isn't his normally scheduled appointment, but his cases have been crazy and Thor just left for his "journey of self-discovery" aka backpacking across Europe, so all of Odin's attention is now on his youngest.

Joy.

If Loki were the sentimental type, he'd think it a shame that the lobby area of a salon is more comfortable for him than his childhood home.

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Doofus, he's going to take the rest of the bags too, gosh, it's okay if they're set on the floor for a second! Let him take those off your hands. There. "I'd be down for either. Or both. Whenever you're free."

He straightens and faces Loki fully. "I really did have a good time. A lot longer of a day than I was expecting. Couple bumps. Nothing we can't handle."

"I'll text you, we can set something up."

Loki doesn't know what to do with his hands now that they're free, so he shoves them in his pocket, hoping he doesn't look too awkward.

"So...I'll see you later then?"

"You definitely will. Text me when you get home safe?"

Should...should they shake hands, should they hug, should-- Fuck it, Mobius leans in and kisses his cheek, same soft way he had done before in the parking garage.

Loki turns his head slightly just as Mobius moves in for the kiss to turn the peck on the cheek to a chaste peck on the lips. The other's mustache tickles as he pulls back, blushing again.

"I will. Have a good evening, Mobius."

It wasn't Mobius' intent, but, if Loki wants it, then...he won't be the only one blushing. He stands there, smiling like an idiot, considering that...maybe, maybe he should go in for another one, a proper one. Is that too fast? He's tempted...

"Good night, Loki."

And chickens out, ducking inside.

Loki makes sure to text Mobius as soon as he gets back to his condo (and before engaging in a rather rigorous, if solitary, night.) The next week and a half passes in a blur. With Loki rushing to finish up what cases he can before his vacation, they're only able to meet up for coffee once before their trip begins.

Loki picks Mobius up from his apartment and drives them both to the airport. Their flight is at an ungodly early hour, but at least it's nonstop and a fairly smooth ride. They're even able to get a last minute upgrade from business to first class (which Loki swears he did not plan, he just has a lot of air miles, might as well put them to use.)

They're both exhausted by the time they get to the hotel - an old, but beautifully renovated establishment known for servicing foreign dignitaries and celebrities. They arrive earlier than expected, so only one room is available to check in at the moment, but it's better than nothing. The front desk attendant promises they will call the room as soon as the second is ready for them as a bellhop loads their luggage onto a trolly and leads them to the first suite.

Loki flops face first onto one side of the king sized bed.

"Jetlag is truly the worst of man's inventions," he says, voice muffled by the over fluffed hotel pillow

"I'm pretty sure my body feels like jello, but it might be just my brain. I've never been on a flight that long before. I'm just glad I sprung for a passport a few years ago."

Look. He's got a lot of vacation time built up. There may have been possible trips to places in the future, eventually, maybe, if he ever made himself get up and do it.

In spite of his state of jello being, he wanders through the suite in a bit of a daze, and then to the foot of the bed.

They hadn't really mentioned it further since the idea came up those weeks ago. And of course he'd let Loki do all the booking. Now with the fact that they're down a room for the moment... "Do we need two rooms?"

The other one is already booked and paid for, and, of course, with so much time spent together, they might like to have time apart! But it's striking him now in this twilight brainpower phase. Maybe they don't need two rooms. "It's a lot of space. 's nice. Didn't have to go...super elegant."

But it's Loki. He's apparently used to living in comfort in one way or another.

"Having personal space is important." Loki rolls over onto his side so his voice is no longer muffled. "You'd grow tired of me if we had to spend every waking hour together." That and he couldn't bring himself to be presumptuous enough to think Mobius wanted to stay in the same room.

"You can lay down if you'd like. The bed is big enough for both us us." His jet lagged brain doesn't quite realize the possible implications of what he just said.

"Would I?" Maybe. Maybe he would. Personal space is important either way, and he's not used to sharing his space with someone else.

Hm. "Maybe a nap." With toeing off his shoes and climbing into bed. He's very cozy in a sweater and sweatpants, important to wear something relatively warm and extremely comfortable on any flight much less one that long. It leaves them facing each other, curled up in bed. "Or just a rest. Could get room service."

It's only when Mobius lays down facing him that Loki realizes what he just said. No big deal, it's a large bed, like he said. For sure big enough for two grown men to nap on at the same time without it being awkward.

But food! Food is a good idea. Loki sits up and twists just enough to grab the room service menu form the bedside table. He opens it between them before laying back down facing Mobius.

"What kind of food would you like? There selection is small, but we can always get something delivered from another establishment.

Maybe it's the long flight talking, or the fact that it'd been a lot of time together after a while of not being together, or something about being horizontal and comfy. But he ignores the menu, just looking at Loki, face half-buried in a pillow, and smiles. This all seems very soft to him.

"I trust your taste. So long as strongly-smelling fish isn't on the menu. Or anyone's menu."

"So we'll steer clear of the Surströmming."

Loki turns so he's laying on his back, holding the menu just above his head. He starts translating the dishes listed to see if anything catches Mobius' attention. There's the standard fair of steak, burgers, and pasta.

Just the two of them, laying in bed without any expectations of what that might entail beyond ordering food and maybe a nap. It's an odd sort of intimacy that Loki hasn't had in a very, very long time.

After he finishes reading things off, he turns back to Mobius. "What do you think?"

"I think you have a nice reading voice." Mobius' voice is calm and quiet and a little sleepy. He reaches a hand over to settle on Loki's arm. "Think you could read the telephone book, and I'd give it rave reviews."

That's not helpful, and it's unclear how much of the menu he actually heard.

"Well aren't you the flatterer," Loki says, setting the menu to the side. He scoots just a little closer so his shoulder presses lightly to Mobius's side.

"Let's worry about food later."

"Sounds good. Maybe your room'll be ready later. Or my room. Not sure it matters whose room this is. Or you can take me out on the town and we'll get something out."

The hand stays on Loki's arm, but now they're closer so it's not a reach.

"Promise I'll be a perfect gentleman."

Loki hums in agreement with the idea of going out later, eyes starting to droop now that he doesn't have the menu to focus on.

"I expected nothing less." Though he secretly thought it wouldn't be such a bad thing if Mobius wasn't a perfect gentleman in this moment. Loki rolls onto his side so they're face to face again, a lazy smile on his lips. They could kiss. nothing was stopping him from leaning forward and capturing Mobius' lips with his own. Nothing too heated, just a slow, lazy sort of kiss that didn't have to go anywhere.

"Can I...kiss you?" he asks before his mind had a chance to come up with reasons to not.

It's sweet of him to ask. Mobius had been tempted to just up and do it without any prompting. He doesn't imagine it would've been a problem; Loki and sexuality and sensuality has not really been an issue in his history (well, save for the scandals). It's romance that seems to trip him up. Not like Mobius can't relate.

"I think I'd really like it if you would."

Loki leans forward, bringing one hand to the back of Mobius' head so he can better angle him into the kiss. It isn't hesitant or timid, but it is soft, like he doesn't want to push too hard. Slow and lazy, just keep it slow and lazy...

Mobius is too tired to be nervous. And too sure that he likes Loki for it, too. Too sure that Loki likes him in return. Mostly too tired. Not, of course, too tired to kiss. Feels like it's been ages since he's done it, so frankly, slow and lazy is good. He leans into it, and dropping from Loki's arm so it can rest along his side instead.

Loki's other hand is trapped between them, so he uses it to grip Mobius' shirt, pulling himself closer. He lightly nips at Mobius' bottom lip, trying to deepen the kiss. This counts as slow, right?

He laughs in the midst of it, entertained by Loki's contradiction, the subtle boldness. Is this what he wants? Is this what they both want and just seem too skittish to actually ask for?

"Do you want me to not be a perfect gentleman?"

Despite how tired he is, this is the part of relationships that Loki is familiar with. He lightly scratches at the back of Mobius head. He has a light blush on his cheeks, but otherwise appears the picture of confident sexuality.

"I wouldn't be opposed to the idea." It's fine if Mobius takes the lead. Loki isn't pushing if the other is the one who wants to escalate, right? Right. This is fine.

Hooking one of his long legs around Mobius' calf doesn't mean he's escalating. Totally normal.

He rolls, and it certainly doesn't take much pushing to be on top of Loki. Loki who, while skinnier and bonier, takes good care of himself, has parts that seem like they could be quite comfy. He can feel it from here.

He can in fact feel quite a bit if he lets himself.

"This seems less than gentlemanly." For example.

Loki moves with Mobius, rolling when nudged, tugging to help the other settle. The new position frees both of his hands to trail up and down Mobius' back and sides.

"I don't know, still seems pretty polite to me."

"Well, it seems like jumping the gun to set up my phone to record some salacious sexual acts to then leak online. Probably need to be a couple dates deeper to get to that point."

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