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 The link she sent him takes him to a rather outdated looking webpage for the "TVA Salon and Spa", an older establishment that apparently started in the 50's as a barber shop, but recent made the jump to full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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"I don't need to hide if you're sure I'll be fine and your dad's not going to sic the cops on me. But," he adds, "if I get recognized, if we get recognized," because Loki's the guy's kid, he's a local for better or worse, "then what do you think I should do? Oh, if there's paparazzi, we have to kiss for them."

"Don't be afraid to ignore someone if they ask something you don't want to respond to. Otherwise just act normal, I suppose." Loki shrugs. "I normally just ignore paparazzi, but a little kiss would be very fun."

He winks and takes out his phone. "I'll call ahead and make reservations so we don't have to wait on a table."

"Have you actually had to deal with paparazzi before? I was mostly joking, but if they want to get our good side while we're having a nice time eating out, then they get to know in no uncertain terms that we're dating."

"They followed me around after a couple of the more interesting scandals, but that was a very long time ago." The host at the restaurant picks up and Loki makes a reservation for two in an hour under his name. It's a short enough call that picking up the conversation afterwards doesn't feel awkward.

"There will likely be a few who want to get more information about you for another article or two. Odin's most likely refusing to comment, so we're their only source of information about the incident."

"Then they can google me; I want to have dinner with my charming and delightful boyfriend." He tugs said boyfriend close for a kiss. "Guess I should probably actually go to my room for once and get actual clothes."

"They can't actually. None of the stories mentioned your name, so I don't think they have access to it." The guest list just listed him as a plus one, the rooms were under Loki's name. The only thing that would bear his identity was the tickets, but they likely couldn't access those.

"Do you...want to move your stuff in here? Absolutely no pressure, it just seems a hassle for you having to keep going back and forth for clothes and the like."

"So I'm a mysterious stranger you invited? Oh, that's even better. I've never been a mystery man before." He bobs his brows.

"Hm, seems a shame to have two rooms and not use them. I'm just next door. Hassle to move it all over here for just, what, a day? It's okay. I promise it's okay. I'll be back soon enough. I'm not gonna get all dressy about it."

"We could get you a fancy mask and everything. Really play up that man of mystery angle." Loki is joking, but the though of confounding the reporters is a rather enjoyable idea.

Even though he knows it's a simple matter of practicality, the rejection still stings just a little. He knows it's nothing personal, Mobius is still spending all his time with Loki, so he doesn't show it. Just gives the other a smile and a peck on the lips.

"Go on, then. Nothing too fancy, it's not a terribly upscale establishment."

"If you get fancy just to turn heads and one-up me, it's not gonna be the most pleasant dinner." Also joking. But maybe don't try to draw more attention. Let the attention happen naturally.

He doesn't feel bad about a little time apart, and he really doesn't want to throw everything back in his bags just to drag it next door. Lets him actually hang his suit back up if nothing else. Nothing upscale, a cozy sweater from that place back home run by a native, jeans, nothing special. Maybe without a sharp suit with a nice figure, he won't be as recognizable! He washes and trims up his face just so. Checks his phone. Comes back over with his coat draped over his arm.

"Ready for your adoring public?"

Last night was for being fancy, Loki's perfectly content to change into a pair of black skinny jeans and a soft green sweater. He washes his face and puts his hair back in a simple braid before Mobius appears at the door again. Loki grabs his own coat and steps into the hallway beside the other.

"Ready as always. Though I think the spotlight's on you rather than me this time."

"We'll see. I'm a little excited. Little mortified, too."

The trip there is...interesting. It's close enough to walk, even with the chill, and they're arm in arm, hand in hand. Most pedestrians are like any out in the world: too preoccupied with their own worlds to notice anyone else save to avoid bumping into them. But Mobius notices a few double takes. The occasional stare. He's pretty sure some kid across the street starts recording them on his phone, but he can't be absolutely positive.

Still, it's not like news vans suddenly pulling up, or a police escort. The restaurant itself is nice, casual but clean and not rowdy, and they are shown to a table with a free appetizer courtesy of Loki's buddy. Which is a good start.

Harder to pretend not to notice the surreptitious glances, though. People who turn their head just enough to get a glimpse out of the corners of their eyes to not seem impolite. How long the peace will last is the question. Perhaps through the meal, and then jumped outside the restaurant? Or will someone be bold enough to say something beforehand? He reaches across the table to grip one of Loki's hands.

Loki gives Mobius' hand a squeeze he hopes is comforting as he glances over at a woman whispering to her partner while staring at them. As soon as Loki meets her eye, she turns away from them. He's pretty sure no one will try to approach them in the restaurant, but he's been wrong before.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asks, leaning in. "We can have them box everything up and head back to the hotel if you want."

"Kinda feels like high school all over again," he says with a little smile. "I'm fine, promise. Just a new experience to be noticed like that."

"It's probably hard not to stare when they see how handsome you are." Loki gives him a flirty wink, hoping to distract Mobius from the peering eyes around them.

"Only because they're used to how gorgeous you are." Loki's hand needs a kiss, he's decided. Yes. And running his thumb along the knuckles. "Thank you. For trying to make damn near assaulting a politician feel okay. Maybe I should do it more often."

"There are plenty of senators back in the states who could use a glass of red thrown in their face." Loki's stomach flutters as gentle lips press against his hand. It had been ages since someone showed him simple gestures of affection such as this.

"But maybe we'll save it for ones I'm legally related to, hm?"

"I'm not throwing wine at your mom. She seems nice. And under too much pressure. And it doesn't sound like your brother's really into the whole politics thing. Has he..." In theory he's backpacking around Europe with spotty bars and wifi at best, but. "Do you think he knows? Ugh, he's going to hate me, isn't it?"

Loki chuckles before taking a sip of wine. "Thor isn't going to hate you. He's gotten in plenty of fights with Odin, he knows how he can be." If anything Thor would likely be happy Loki found someone willing to defend him from their father's cutting words.

"He's going to love you."

"It'll be a fun conversation when he comes back to civilization. You've got a boyfriend now, and one who gave dad the shock of his life. Surprise!"

"Odin ending up covered in wine is probably the thing that will surprise him least about the whole thing."

"And he hasn't bothered to just...leave, like you? I suppose if he was never treated the same as you, but still, if he knows what a disaster his dad is..." But, at some point he's sure he'll meet the fabled brother.

"I think we should get some dessert to go and enjoy some luxury back in our rooms, yeah?" Something something feed each other sensually, mayhaps.

"Odin's always let Thor do more of his own thing. He only realized a few years ago that the old man has any flaws."

Loki smirks and raises an eyebrow. "Perhaps something with a lot of whip cream? Strawberries?"

"Well, I wasn't thinking quite along those lines, but if it floats your boat... You into food in bed?"

"'Into it' seems a bit strong. I enjoy it on occasion and am not turned off by the idea."

"Then let's keep the food out of bed for now and just have a nice time feeding each other and sharing food away from prying eyes. Besides...the food's not dessert. You are."

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