[Video locked to Loki] (backdated to Tuesday? - post military meeting)

[buckingauthority]

Something's wrong. The pain is back. [She's sitting down, rubbing at her knee with a frown.] Whatever you did, I think it wore off.

Comments

[sorcerous]

It seems it did.

It is such a fickle spell.

[buckingauthority]

What do you mean 'fickle'?

[sorcerous]

Is the word unknown to you?

[buckingauthority]

I'm asking for context, of course I know what it means as a word. So do I have to get you to re-do it?

[sorcerous]

Why would I, when you have betrayed it, spoken of my magic out of turn?

[buckingauthority]

Betrayed--? What are you talking about? How was it out of turn? I mentioned that you healed me to Chell and she's a friend. That's it.

[sorcerous]

I gave you no leave.

[buckingauthority]

Seriously?! You never told me I couldn't say anything. How was I supposed to know it was meant to be a secret? I'm not a frakking mind reader.

[sorcerous]

So I shouldn't have trusted you?

[buckingauthority]

[His words hurt more than her knee does. More judgment coming her way. More confirmation that she's an endless series of screw ups.]

That's what this was? A gesture of trust? More like a test if you ask me. One I can't possibly pass if I don't know what the hell the rules are.

[sorcerous]

[ his eyes flick away from her. ]

The spell necessarily had an end. It could not have been kept forever. It was to help you heal, not to heal you outright.

[buckingauthority]

[It wasn't what she was- godsdamn it, Loki.]

I don't care about that. Of course it had to end sometime, that's not-

[She lets out a frustrated breath.]

I wouldn't have said anything if I'd known I wasn't meant to. I'm sorry. I frakked up.

[There, are you happy? She doesn't like to apologize, hates having to do it with a burning passion. But she hates the tight knot of tension and dread in her gut even more. That fear that she's lost someone else's trust. Someone else's friendship. Or whatever the hell this is. Or was.]

[sorcerous]

[ He is justified in anger. She betrayed his confidence, and she deserves the lack.

None of which explains the tight feeling, low in his stomach. ]

I accept.

[buckingauthority]

[She nods, not meeting his eye straight away.]

Okay, then.

[Damn it, she hated feeling like this. All weak and needy. It wasn't her. Or, at least, it wasn't who she wanted to be.]

I guess I'll see you round.

[sorcerous]

Hmm.

[ And he shuts off the video.

Later tonight, though, wherever Kara is, she's greeted with a mewl and the sound of claws scratching -- at a door, at the edge of her bed, wherever Loki can get to. ]

[buckingauthority]

[She sits up, wiping sleep from her eyes and sees the black cat sitting at the edge of her bed.]

Hey there, little pal. Where did you come from?

[She's always had a soft spot for strays, so she holds out her hand, making a chirping noises and clicking her fingers. She doesn't think about Loki, as far as she's concerned, it's just a domesticated animal seeking some shelter and human companionship.]

You got a family? Someone taking care of you?

[sorcerous]

[ That's all right with him; if he'd wanted to directly apologize, he would have. No, he's just here to make up for it, a little bit. Just a little bit.

He hops up on the bed and kneads his claws into the fabric, purring. Not quite deigning to let her pet him, yet. ]

[buckingauthority]

Not too sure about me, huh? Well, I guess I don't blame you.

[She watches the cat getting acquainted with her bed, even if he's not in petting mode yet.]

I'm not that easy to get along with.

[Frak, was she really talking to a cat? She laid back down against her pillow, covering her eyes for a while. She needed to get a grip. To focus on what she really wanted. Give herself a mission to carry out. If she found her Viper, maybe she could leave. Even if she'd said she'd use it to patrol, would anyone blame her if she tried to get back to those who really needed her?]

[sorcerous]

[ He's missed taking this sort of form. The world is so much larger, and simple things, like folds in blankets, become playgrounds, mysterious depths full of opportunity.

He crouches down, tail swishing, and then leaps, pouncing on one of said folds. He might prick her skin a bit with his claws, though he's not sure she'll get his point: that he's hard to get along with too. Harder, even. ]

[buckingauthority]

Okay, so you're a warrior cat. A hunter. Ouch, careful.

[She chuckles, trying to lift his claws away from her leg, the one that's hurting. She risks a scratch and tickles him under his jaw.]

[sorcerous]

[ His eyes close in pleasure, and his purr rumbles in his throat. Leans into it, letting her scratch his cheek, padding closer and turning so she could get behind his ears. ]

[buckingauthority]

[Encouraged by his acceptance, she scratches him more boldly behind his ears, lavishing lots of attention on him. Animals are so much easier than people, she decides. Less annoyingly hard to figure out.]

You like that?

[sorcerous]

[ He'd forgotten how good this felt, too. His purring is half-drunken, and he almost tips over onto her, only barely catching himself. ]

[buckingauthority]

[She laughs, amused by the cat's antics.]

Ha! Well, there's plenty more where that came from.

[The stroking and scratching behind the ears and under the jaw continues. Starbuck's expression grows pensive after a while, her mind drifting back to the Galactica. They weren't allowed pets onboard. She wondered if the Old Man and Lee were still looking for her. Had they given up? She shakes her head, trying to clear away her thoughts and smiles down at the cat again, rubbing his head.]

Stick around and I might be able to score something for you to eat, later.

[sorcerous]

[ Oh, he's planning to stay. He plants himself right down next to her, shifts to get comfortable, and then snuggles close. At any rate, this will be a softer place to sleep than the cave. ]