Loki frowns disapprovingly. Running off without a single person to back you up is Thor-level planning, and he knows Darcy is leagues smarter than that. "Perhaps you would do better to ride in with some cavalry next time," he says, delicately scolding. As for the promise of a chat a later date, he merely looks resigned to the fact. "You know how to reach me. We'll see where we've a mutual opening."

They're overdue for a lunch anyway.

Arching an eyebrow at the request, Loki lets it hang in the air long enough for one to assume the answer to be such a resounding no that it hardly needs to be said. But then he nods, and his free hand sketches symbols in the air. "As you wish," he says amenably. "Try not to let him bleed on the carpet too much. Cleaning up after such things is an ordeal I trust you'd like to avoid."