Work Text:
"You could say he's the brawn while I'm the brains," Loki said, sighing as Thor changed the channel from a documentary Verity hadn't been paying much attention to anyway to something involving unlikely amounts of explosions and unlikelier amounts of good-looking people. "Not a bad basis for a partnership."
Verity grinned as she sipped her beer. "Partnership, huh? Is that what kids are calling it these days?"
"I don't think anyone in this room meets the age requirement to be considered that." Loki smiled as the microwave pinged, indicating the popcorn was done. "Besides, I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about. He's my brother, after all."
"Adopted. See? I do pay attention when you tell me things."
"I never doubted that for a moment." Loki frowned as he tried to locate a suitable bowl. "It's just that, well, I'm pretty sure he'll be happy with some popcorn."
"True," Verity said, amused. "So your grand scheme for tonight is - what? Secretly watch him eat popcorn and pine? Doesn't really sound up to your usual standards."
Loki shrugged. "Well, I suppose I could hurry that part along - even if, really, I think you underestimate my ability to pine. Still, say I were to convey my dishonorable intentions to him. What then?"
"I'm pretty sure you don't need me to tell you about the birds and the bees."
"Your faith in my ability to seduce is touching."
"Hey, I know you." Verity grabbed a handful of popcorn. "There's not that many guys who can talk me into buying some ridiculously overpriced dress or a pair of shoes I really don't need."
"That," Loki said, "was a matter of opinion, not fact. Trust me when I say I know the difference."
"I do. How about you trust me when I say you should make a move and hit that?" Verity glanced over to where Thor seemed utterly fascinated by the going-ons on the TV. There was a smattering of gunfire, followed by yet another explosion.
Well. Presumably, Loki wasn't lusting after the guy for his great taste in TV shows.
"I suppose." Loki sighed again. "We might be very happy for a while - a couple of hours at least, if we're lucky. But then it would all go sour and fall apart, and likely as not, we'd end up trying to kill each other. Again. Which is something I'd really rather avoid."
"Or you could go on being good friends. Just, y'know, good friends with a little bit extra."
"Perhaps." Loki picked up the bowl and headed back to the couch. "That wouldn't make for a very interesting story, though, would it? Two people happily in love?"
"I'd read that story, and I hardly read anything that's not about maths or computer programming."
"That's because you're a very special woman. Now, if only you were in love with me, too - that might make the story just interesting enough to come true."
Verity snorted. "Dream on, buster."
"Quite." Loki smiled. "So. Which one of us shall be attempting to get the remote control back?"