Who: Loki and Apollo What: Run In as Apollo sucks at his job (Before he is fired from his job) When: Afternoon, June 1 Where: Street outside the Joke Shop Rating: Low
Apollo was not successfully performing at his job at the Joke Shop. He was aware that Leo had gotten him this job because he had almost burned the whole metal working place to the ground. While he did prefer not being around a hot fire all day - and really that was Hepheastus’ job - he wasn’t doing so well at the magic shop either. He continuously forgot to make the correct change or give receipts. Sometimes he accidentally caused the magic joke to happen before the customer even left the store, ruining the product. He also was terrible at remembering where things were and restocking was… not his forte.
Currently someone was leaving in a huff, mumbling on how ridiculous the shop was and not remotely in the best of ways. Apollo came running out with an armful of boxes. He looked sixteen and pimply and not overly impressive in any way. “Wait! I’m sure I can find the right item if you just give me a few more minutes!” He fumbled and all the boxes of various magical pranks fell onto the ground.
–
Loki was walking down the sidewalk in town. He was still suffering from the loss of his mother, though he knew that he should be thankful for the additional time they had to spend together. Still, it was hard to think about where she was going after all of this--to remember what happened to her back in their timeline. The Sacred Timeline. It made him miss his brother, of all people. How Thor could simply run with the punches, live on his toes. It made him think of Mobius, too. And Sylvie. People that he had loved and lost.
He paused in his step when someone was marching pointedly out of the Joke Shop, and a kid came running after. Loki raised an eyebrow, lacing his hands behind his back, watching from a few feet away.
-
He was not sure how people did this. How did they keep this sort of thing straight? Apollo had no idea. It was one of the ultimate mysteries of life, it seemed. Apollo would pick up one box only to have a different box fall out of his arms. He did it again trying to pick up the box he just dropped and another one fell out of his arms. “Hades, this is hard!” As he moved to try to pick up that box he accidentally kicked a box forward, heading to the man standing there watching that Apollo wasn’t aware of.
–
Loki lifted a foot to rest against the box as it slid in front of him. He bent down to pick the thing up, then stepped over to offer it to the kid who was struggling with the other items. Hades? Loki raised an eyebrow. “Is it your first day on the job?” He asked, innocently.
-
“What? No, no, I’ve been working here for a few weeks now.” Apollo didn’t quite realize the implication that made that he’d been there that long and was terrible at it still, but there it was. He very carefully reached out and tried to take the box without upsetting the others in his arms. It did not work. He had the box from the man now, but the others were on the ground. He groaned. “I miss magic.” He bent down to start trying to pick them up again.
–
Loki smirked softly at that. Some people were just… clumsy. Or unfit for certain jobs. He knew that he himself would be absolutely terrible at working in a shop like this. --which was why he didn’t have that kind of a job.
Loki gave a wave of his hand and the boxes sprung up from the ground to stack in his hands. Just a touch of Asgardian magic. He wasn’t showing off, he was merely helping. “What… does this store sell?” Loki asked, turning to glance up at the shop, then back to the boy.
-
Magic. Oh how he wished he had his powers again. He looked a little wistful, then seemed to remember himself. "Oh, uh… well, magical joke… stuff." Yep, Apollo was a real salesman. "Like whoopie cushions, but more magic involved."
He looked at the boxes. "I miss things being so easy like that."
–
“...whoopie cushions?” Loki asked. He thought maybe he’d heard of such a thing, but he wasn’t sure what they were. It sounded… crass, actually. But Loki was trying not to judge. (It was very, very difficult for the God of Mischief.)
“You had magic before?” He added, motioning to the door. He could carry the boxes inside for the boy.
-
"Yes, only I believe these are candies that makes one… flatulent." He looked a little dismayed at the idea, but this wasn't his store or his products.
He sighed. "I had everything before my father took it all away from me." He actually pouted. This was pout-worthy after all.
–
Loki frowned a bit at that. “What will Midgardians think of next,” he said with a shake of his head. He certainly wasn’t interested in anything so crass. But he was trying not to judge (and failing miserably).
Oh, goodness. The pout was actually quite adorable. Loki found himself swayed, despite his cold exterior. He gave his head a little shake. “Well, your father certainly sounds like mine. What excuse did he give you when he took it away?”
-
Midgardians caught Apollo’s attention, but since Loki mentioned his father and asked a follow-up question, the information was put on the back burner for a moment. “One of my children started a war between the demigods and sided with the Titans.” He rolled his eyes, his tone definitely annoyed by the event. “How was I supposed to know that was going to happen? Mortals make their own decisions all the time on their own.” Said the currently mortal boy in front of Loki. “Somehow he thinks making me this -” he gestured to himself “- will teach me a lesson.” Pfft.
–
The kid didn’t really look old enough to have a child that started a war, but Loki wasn’t one to judge. He could look however old he wanted to look. He nodded, following the line of the story. “I see. It’s a shame that you’ve been punished for something that was outside of your control.” Loki knew that he never would be. But still, the kid seemed fine.
“Where shall I put these?” Loki asked of the boxes he was carrying.
-
“Uh… do you think you could bring them in the store on the counter? Then I can bring them individually to where they need to go.” He’d end up doing it wrong and putting them in the wrong places, but Apollo would give it his best shot anyway.
“And I agree, you know. Zeus always thinks he’s right, but just like any other father, he can get things incredibly wrong from time to time.” Of course this was ignoring the fact Apollo was learning and growing while being a mortal.
–
Loki nodded, then turned to follow Apollo into the shop. He set the boxes down on the counter gently, then stepped back and slipped his hands into his pockets. His eyes lifted to wander up and around the room, inspecting the wares of this shop with a casual interest.
“Hopefully now that you are out from under his influence, you will be able to be free.” A freedom that Loki hoped for for himself, if he was honest. Though, he did miss Odin terribly. Surprisingly.
“I wish you luck with it.” He said this, then turned to head out of the shop, mind racing around thoughts of his own father.
–
If only he could be out from Zeus’ spell, he’d be a lot happier. Somehow Apollo thought he’d need a lot better luck than what he currently had. He gave a small sigh, but nodded. “Thank you. And thank you.” The second one was for the help with the troublesome boxes. </lj-cut?