#seasonstweetings

[damn_yourself_early]

Snow has fallen in the Nexus! Fat, fluffy flakes of white, piling and drifting from ankle- to knee-depth in places. It may still be falling, in places, and in the midst of it all is a Norse godling packing snowballs and a grin. "I swear, I had nothing to do with it--but! What's your favorite thing to do with a fresh fall of snow?"

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[damn_yourself_early]

"Okay, well, there was one Loki, and he was... pretty bad, not gonna lie. On his nicest day, he'd kick a puppy through the goalposts at the Superbowl. But being the god of chaos really sucks when you never actually change, and he died, and his soul reincarnated as me. So, I'm Loki, but I'm not Loki-Loki. You see?"

[fightlikehell]

"By pretty bad meaning leading armies to destroy cities on Earth, I'd buy that." Because it isn't enough to abuse poor, innocent puppies. Matt purses his lips. "That means that you are not trustworthy and we may not get along."

[damn_yourself_early]

"He probably did that at some point," Loki admits, but sighs at Matt's conclusion. "That's what everyone thinks! I've saved the world--Earth, Midgard, the whole thing--three separate times already!"

After a beat, he adds, "and I didn't even make the joke about a lawyer calling someone else untrustworthy. So there!"

[fightlikehell]

To his credit, Matt keeps his face neutral. He has faced off with Wilson Fisk in civil conversation without losing his temper. He can meet Loki. Both hands grip his cane a might too tightly.

"I am left with very limited, neutral sources of information, Loki."

[damn_yourself_early]

"Ask Verity!" Loki insists. "She knows better than anyone!"

[fightlikehell]

"How?" And also why wants to follow right after. There are a few details missing in this. If he hasn't already oozed that new denizen smell.

[damn_yourself_early]

"What d'you mean, 'how?' You're a lawyer!" Loki points out. "Asking people questions is part of your job, isn't it? 'Hey, Verity, is this Loki kid gonna destroy the world?' See, it's not hard."

[fightlikehell]

He softly exhales. "I mean how is it that she knows better than anyone in your opinion." Which is a far more articulate version of the question he's asking. And yes, there are many questions he'll be asking. To Loki. To Verity. To himself. Now that is what being a lawyer is all about... and paperwork.

[damn_yourself_early]

"Sheeee knows me?" Loki can't keep from sounding like that answer should have been obvious. "It's not like I could fool her. Neither can you."

[fightlikehell]

"By that logic I know you or know enough of you." And it's not enough information to supply him with anything substantial for this exchange. He can deal with petulance. As to fooling people, well, there are very specific truths Matt conceals.

[damn_yourself_early]

"You don't know me," Loki argues, "you just met me. We haven't hung out, or helped each other through bad days, or shared a laugh over how weird life gets. Totally different."

[fightlikehell]

"You're saying that Verity is your friend. I think that is more than knowing you." What an interesting notion this is, really. A character witness can make or break a claim. This is not court. This Loki is not in the act of doing anything wrong.

It's still grinding Matt's gears. He sighs and rubs the bridge of his nose. "And to clarify, you didn't try to destroy the world. You wanted to just conquer it."

[damn_yourself_early]

"No one who doesn't know me is my friend," he shoots back, "and no one who isn't my friend really knows me. Q.E.D."

Loki has that effect on people. Kid Loki doubly so. "Conquering the world sounds like the last me. Got to keep with the times."

[fightlikehell]

"Okay. So how many people really know you, Verity aside?" Because now he wants to know.

"Before Nexus I have only been involved with one time." As though is multiple universe n00b nature was not yet apparent.

[damn_yourself_early]

"Verity aside? Hmm, Thor. Leah. Maybe Father." He taps his chin in thought, then admits, "I think that's it."

[fightlikehell]

"I see," he says in all seriousness because the phrase is not about visuals. "Verity, Leah and your family." It's a short list. And rather than digging into Loki, Matt decides to let the number be. Karen and Foggy know him well. Stick too. It's not a very long list either.

[damn_yourself_early]

"Not the whole family," he grudgingly admits. "The All-Mother still sees a lot of the old me."

[fightlikehell]

This should make him feel better, make him feel more right. It only makes Matt feel more confused. "What are you about if not hostile takeovers?"

[damn_yourself_early]

"What am I about?" Loki grins, throwing his arms wide. "Mischief! Fun! And, y'know, sometimes I save the world, not that anyone believes me."