amicustenebris | Labyrinthium Inbox

Gold's eye contact dropped. It was a familiar tic, when he was being polite. To hide a smile or anything more. Humble, in his own way.

He'd never really known how to take a genuine compliment head-on, even if at least part of him agreed wholeheartedly.

Because otherwise you look overproud.

Or you start to see things that aren't there.

"...When it works, the mystical part is not so different, either. Not really."

He had become so accustomed over the years to channeling it this way. You start with the method that comes most naturally then branch out to other forms afterward.

Getting back to his feet, Loki let the man work. "Well, when you're able to, if you wouldn't mind my studying a bit, I'd love to do so." Loki found all kinds of magic fascinating really. "And if you would mind, I'll understand. And just have to be sneaky about observing." With a playful grin and mischief in blue-green eyes.

Anything Gold could think of to say, communicating that Loki could probably teach him a good deal as well? Well, in his mind it sounded more suggestive than would have been proper or intended.

Either way, it would have said more than he felt comfortable saying, so he chose something that felt safer.

"Why would I mind?"

That brought full laughter, amused and playful too. "I, of all people, know and understand how we can be about secrets. That's part of why it's so much fun looking for them." But he nodded, and would take advantage of being able to watch, when he could.

"How did your exploring of the town go?" More common chatter, but Loki also was curious. He wondered what the other had noticed or not noticed, or decided to look into given their circumstances.

Oh, something a little more detached, then. "I've introduced myself to some of the local business, made a few acquaintances, done some reading in the library -- as yet no new, concrete conclusions, but perhaps a lead or two to follow."

Or continue pursuing. Wonderland had been an untimely interruption.

"Have you met any of our non-human dreamers yet? I'm amazed you managed the library. I can only be in there so much before I start to..well, feel a supreme need to organize." Ducking his head with a soft chuckle. "Which might seem odd, considering I usually favor chaos. But I do like some things orderly and organized, and a library is one of those."

"A few. A little yellow-furred creature that my grandson would insist on being best friends with. A talking llama. A little duck girl who was very eager to be helpful."

He had to agree about keeping libraries organized. He was far more ordered but organization for many things was just part of their upkeep. A lack of such a thing felt like neglect.

"There are very few things that are truly random and fewer of those that are as infuriating as a library that appears to be deliberately out of sorts. But patience goes a long way, and what is missing can in itself be a clue."

"That last statement is why we get along so well, I think." Loki said with approval. "And I see you've met Webby. The llama I met did not speak, and was quite rude. I've seen the little yellow creature around, but haven't met it yet." Loki looked up as they heard a door open. "If you'll pardon me. Assuming it's possible, I'd like to continue this conversation, but work first."

Loki could only get away with so much socializing really, but while Clotilda did not ask her salespeople to hover, she did expect them to be welcoming.

And that wasn't even all of them. But Gold was a little grateful for the brief lull as Loki excused himself. Time to catch his breath and gather himself some if he does come back. "Don't let me keep you," he says with a smile, returning to the spool he's nearly finished out.

It wouldn't take long, but Loki also took some time to do some tidying up and re-arranging of garments. To give the other more time, as Loki could tell the other wasn't usually the most social sort. When he does come back, he's bearing two small cups of tea and offers one to Gold.

"I figured this would not go amiss, and already have given one to Clotilda too." Said with a half-smirk. "Easy enough to use my break for that."

Gold sat back from the wheel to take the cup with both hands. He spared a moment to take in its make, any little details. It was not exactly like the one he was thinking of, but he was rather fond of effort that went into things people took for granted.

It's just a cup.

"Thank you."

It was not a very fancy cup, meant to be purchased and fairly 'disposable' if needed by patrons and the stall owner. But that didn't mean it hadn't been made with care. There's also the fact that Loki had brought tea for everyone in the shop working right then; that in itself also had meaning.

"Not hard for me to do, and I thought we all could use one." Before taking a sip of his own cup of tea. "How much did Webby startle you?" With a hint of amusement and smile.

"Not too much." Not necessarily true. "She's a lot like my grandson." Extremely true. But he was less startled, more on edge, because children are either in bliss, a state that will leave you constantly worried about them, or both. Once a fretting parent, always one. Maybe even more of one if you have lost a child before.

"She's an interesting one. Not normal, by her own admission. But she can back up her combat skills and was raised by her super-spy granny, from what she's said. She wants to learn everything, and will very quickly decide you're friends." There was a bit of a fond smile. "It's no bad way to be, and there are quite a few of us who watch out for her, and the other teens and children. A few have been officially adopted." Loki moved to take a drink of tea. "Gamora and myself have officially adopted Alice, for example. She has many who watch over her and have adopted her unofficially as well."

"She's certainly shown she knows how to look after herself," Gold admitted. "But it's good to know she has eyes on her just the same." And that this seemed to be par for the course for the unusual number of children here without their families.

If admitting to being a grandfather was giving away an important detail, then Loki gave back in kind by indicating he had adopted someone.

Gold didn't know if he would ever do such a thing here. It tugged it something painful to think about. Very similar to how he could feel his anxiety beginning to pull at his insides if somebody cried in front of him.

His child was dead. But you go on being a parent even when you no longer have a child. Tears attacked something visceral in him. And part of him would probably always yearn for someone to take care of.

It was clear he was somewhere far away for a moment.

There are plenty of people of varying ages (some who would be considered 'kids' themselves) who watch over the younger kids. Everyone here was so responsible and so kind. Loki wondered at it a bit, although he wasn't surprised really. Not by the responsibility so much as the kindness.

In any case, he noticed that the other was clearly remembering something and lost in his own world. That was alright, Loki was patient. Enjoying the company and the tea while waiting for the other to come back.

It took a moment, but Gold remembered where he was and that he was not alone. Shaking his head to clear it, he sobered and took a sip of his tea. "My apologies." Some inward scolding. "You mentioned someone named Gamora." Since they both adopted Alice, Gold made an immediate assumption. "Someone close? Or just mutually concerned for the same person?"

"Mutual concern. Alice has been a resident here close to the longest, if not the longest. Gamora rescued her early on, and the two lived together. Alice invited me to live there, pending Gamora's approval." Loki offered.

Debating for a bit, clearly pondering while he took another sip of tea. "We are from the same universe, Gamora and I. We had never met, nor wronged each other that we were aware of. But I was an agent of her father's, for a while. Neither of us are fond of the being though, and glad to be away from him. We're a strange sort of friends, for now, thanks to our mutual care for Alice."

"Pardon my assumption then. Are there...many here, from your universe?" Some he had seen here he recognized via their fictional origins, of course. Their franchises. But that did not necessarily mean they knew each other before or were neighbors. There are very few places like this, or Storybrooke, in most realities.

"It's an easy assumption to make, so nothing to pardon." Loki replied easily enough and with sincerity. If he were going to be upset, he'd be upset over better things than that. "We are the only two, now, although there have been two others before from our universe so that we were four for a time. There is a Thor here as well, but he is from a different universe than I am."

"I don't imagine that makes things less uncomfortable," Gold muttered. Having encountered a Belle that was not his own but still drowning in all their similarities, he understood the depths to some degree.

"Actually, it does both. The Thor of my universe and I are on interesting terms. Some things are being mended, others are still too raw. The one here has been welcoming enough, and is dissimilar enough from the one I know, that it's not painful." Which Loki knew he was lucky to have. "I'm not sure if I'd say it's uncomfortable or not, considering the contexts. Though you'll have to forgive me if I don't feel like sharing those contexts."

"I did not ask in order to pry." A small nod, showing he recognized the boundary and would move away from it. "I just -- know the possibilities that tend to exist."

"Then you're already wiser than most." Loki pointed out; accepting the boundary respecting. He hadn't thought the other meant to pry overly. It didn't seem to be in his nature.

"Honestly, it's lucky that both Gamora and I were wanting to leave that part of our pasts in the past. Also that we had not wronged each other personally that either of us knew. It could have been very uncomfortable otherwise."

"I can imagine." But not only imagine. The list of people who didn't have bad blood with the Dark One was shorter. "I have been fortunate thus far, but if anyone can appear here then I suppose one must be prepared for any eventuality."

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