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[indent][indent][indent][indent][justify][color=808080]If she focused, Imogen could still hear the faint whispers of minds overlapping back within the tower. While there was a part of her that had grown used to hearing the thoughts of others, there were also times she just wanted… [i]peace.[/i] The past couple weeks with her father missing, the meeting, Jim, Luke… Magni. It was a lot. She could feel the tension that had taken up residence along her shoulders and into her neck. The cacophony of angry, confused, and grieving minds all in one place gave her the constant low thrum of an ever present headache. The cool water and temporary, quiet solitude helped, but it wasn’t until she flipped the switch, silencing the waves of thoughts for the more serene waves of the ocean that Imogen sighed and let herself unwind. 

Her hands slipped beneath the damp hair that clung to her back. Fingertips pressed into the tight muscles that curved between her neck and shoulders. Imogen closed her eyes and slowly rolled her head. Between the pops that released down her spine, the soft groans of relief, and the tide crashing on the rocky shore, the Lord of Thunder actually managed to sneak up on her. It wasn’t until he spoke that she realized she was no longer alone. [color=00aeef]"Thou should see the glistening coast of Alfheim."[/color] Her heart fluttered at the deep, but calm resonance of his voice. [color=00aeef]"The waters reflect a prismatic hue that mesmerizes any soul who dares to gaze upon its beauty."[/color] A faint, sincere smile tugged at the corner of her lips. While her invitation was open to whomever was interested, it was really directed to him… Even if she was in partial denial. 

While he described the waters from a foreign realm, Imogen found herself staring out at the ocean trying to visualize the image he painted. Her hands relaxed against the back of her neck as her gaze shifted over to him. [color=a8f9ff]"Sounds lovely."[/color] Her voice was soft and quiet, there were no underlying hints of flirtation or her usual tenacity. Just the gentle interest and curiosity at the thought of exploring a different realm.

Magni began undressing and while she tried to resist, Imogen couldn’t fight her wandering gaze. He struggled within the confines of his tight t-shirt. Seams snapped and threads popped as he pulled the fabric over his head. His stubborn attempt to disrobe made a soft chuckle escape her lips. For a brief moment she considered climbing out and helping, but luckily he managed on his own before they encountered the [i]sexual[/i] tension of her taking off his clothes. She was [i]trying[/i] to be good. Although it was difficult refraining from watching him… Even harder not to let her mind reach out into his and catch a glimpse of what he was thinking. 

She wasn’t entirely sure what she expected, but hearing how Magni [i]wanted[/i] her to watch him undress made her flush. Imogen felt like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Part of her wanted to avert her gaze and focus on [i]anything[/i] else. But he wanted her to look… So why shouldn’t she? It would be rude not to… [i]right?[/i] Her right hand slipped from the back of her neck to grab her drink. She pressed the cool brim of the glass to her bottom lip, but didn't take a sip, instead drinking in Magni’s form as his hands quickly unbuttoned his jeans. He removed his clothes with a hasty fervor. She had the fleeting thought to tell him to slow down, but quickly drowned it with her liquor. [i]Behave yourself.[/i] 

Surprisingly, beneath the jeans, Magni wore tights. For whatever reason Imogen expected the most generic white underwear or… nothing. But tights? [i]Hmm.[/i] Her head tilted to the side slightly as she studied what lied beneath the tight fabric: chiseled legs, firm muscles, a small but pleasant posterior, and… She swallowed a forming lump in her throat as heat flooded from her chest up to her cheeks. [i]That[/i] was when she averted her gaze for a second. She grabbed the toothpick garnish that rested across her glass and slid one of the cherries free with her teeth. Imogen looked back at him when she heard the thunk of his discarded boots. While there were copious parts of him to ogle, what actually caught her attention was his back: the way his broad shoulders tapered to his strong waist, the contours of his muscles, the valley along his spine, and the two dimples in his hips that peeked out above the waistband of his tights. 

Her mind drifted to the thought of her nails digging into his back, her legs around his waist, his lips on her…

[i]Nope. No.[/i] 

Imogen set down her drink and immediately submerged herself beneath the water. As she surfaced, she tilted her head back to keep her hair out of the way and slick. She ran her hands over her face and back through her hair with a sigh. At least she was in cool water and a cooler breeze. It might have chilled her slightly, but it also helped alleviate a fraction of the redness in her face. 

With the pitcher of beer in hand, Magni approached the edge of the pool where she stood. [color=00aeef]"May I join thee?"[/color]

She contemplated a sarcastic or detached answer. [i]It’s a free world. I invited you, didn’t I?[/i] But Imogen decided to put her attitude away for the evening. While he might have had thoughts about wanting her to watch him undress, and she obliged, he entered her space with a peaceful sincerity. She was there to destress. It was exhausting always being on her A game around others. And… maybe there was a part of her that wanted to be less guarded… [i]softer[/i] around him. She craned her neck to look up at him, her breath seizing in her chest for a second as he towered over her. [color=a8f9ff]"I would like that,"[/color] she finally replied with a subtle smile.

Magni lowered himself slowly into a sitting position at the pool's edge, being very careful not to spill his beverage. His eyes remained fixed on Imogen, a small grin on his face whenever he looked her way. He was trying to be good in his own way, only sneaking small glances at her chest while mostly focusing on her drenched hair and piercing blue eyes. He set down his pitcher near her drink's resting spot, a calculated move to remain close to her. When he was confident in his drink's stability, Magni placed both hands on the concrete edge and shoved himself out into the water. A splash rippled the calm waters, and Magni still towered with less than half his body submerged in the pool. What little clothing he still wore grew heavy as it was submerged, and clung to Magni's skin even further. Doubly unfortunate, it meant that the water line laid just below his waist.

He seemed entirely unaware of this. His eyes had settled on Imogen's back. [color=00aeef]"Are thy muscles weary?"[/color] His question was simple, and direct. He had seen her attempting to massage and soothe her aches as he was changing. His instinct was to extend an offer, but he hesitated. Invitations like that were usually a pre-text, in his experience. And while that was certainly a desired outcome, her statements before had made clear that she clearly did not desire that. So, he let the question dangle awkwardly, as he reached for his drink again.

Imogen was caught a little off guard by the question. She had been so zoned out and lost in her own thoughts that she only half noticed she did anything. [color=a8f9ff]"It’s… been a long couple weeks, with my dad…"[/color] Her voice trailed off as her gaze fell to her hands that rested on the side of the pool. She shrugged her shoulders slightly, while it was a simple motion, the tension was more glaring after having it brought to her attention. [color=a8f9ff]"I’ve been under a lot of stress. And my brother doesn’t help,"[/color] she laughed softly, a glimpse of her internal exhaustion visible behind her eyes. [color=a8f9ff]"I guess it’s taking its toll,"[/color] she confessed, meeting his gaze.

A pang of guilt clouded his mind for a moment. It was short lived. [color=00aeef]"May I offer my aid?"[/color] He set back down his pitcher, already emptied by a third. He raised his hands, making clear his intentions as he waded in a little closer. [color=00aeef]"The body and the mind are but one being. Whereupon one fails, the other suffers. When one is soothed, the other heals."[/color] His mother's teachings were often far more beneficial than his father's when it came to helping others. Soreness to Thor was a sign of weakness, but Imogen seemed hardly weak. Magni saw soreness as a sign of work and a heavy burden. He wasn't good at many things, but carrying great weight was something at which he excelled.

She hesitated for a moment, her gaze falling to his large, calloused hands and then back to his eyes. Imogen might have expected an ulterior motive, but even his thoughts showed his pure and kind intent. Imogen’s stomach did a small flip at the thought of his hands on her. She should have said no… Suffered in silence. But her head nodded of its own volition. Imogen blinked as if she were trying to clear a fog from her vision while she slowly turned her back to him. Her focus was trained on steadying her hand so it didn’t tremble as she reached up to sweep her hair over her shoulder, exposing the bare skin of her back and neck. [color=a8f9ff]"... Thank you,"[/color] she said quietly, nearly inaudible above the rippling water between them and the constant rolling of the ocean.

Magni nodded, wading through the water with careful steps to position his body behind her. He left a few inches between them, enough that he could see her back as he worked. His calloused hands were surprisingly gentle at first, his fingers probing and tracing her muscle groups as he felt for knots and tension. [color=00aeef]"’Twould be dishonorable to deny thee alleviation."[/color] He pressed in harder now, beginning with Imogen's shoulders as his fingers plied against her soft skin along her traps first. He carefully rubbed along her muscles upwards, from the fringe of her corset up to her shoulders. He pressed in harder where he had detected soreness and tension, and continued a little harder each time as he worked. It was clearly not his first time, and certainly would not be his last. [color=00aeef]"Alert me if my strength harms thee."[/color]

His touch was a lot softer than what she would have imagined. The heat from his palms radiated through her skin and soothed her stiff muscles. As he began pressing a bit hard, finding the tender knots that caused her tension, Imogen’s hands reached out to brace herself against the wall of the pool. The one downside of massages, of [i]proper[/i] massages, was they were never as relaxing or sensual as the movies made it seem. If she actually wanted any sort of relief, it was going to be uncomfortable. [color=a8f9ff]"It’s ok,"[/color] she reassured him, looking over her shoulder up at him briefly. [color=a8f9ff]"Just sore."[/color]

Imogen’s gaze slowly drifted back to the ocean. Her attention was fixated on the glistening ripples of the tide, watching as they were slowly snuffed one by one as the sun disappeared beyond the horizon. It brought to mind his comment about Alfheim and made her wonder about other far off places that felt more like fairytales than reality. [color=a8f9ff]"What’s it like?"[/color] she asked, wincing as his thumb worked a particularly tender spot between her shoulderblades. [color=a8f9ff]"The other realms?"[/color] she clarified. [color=a8f9ff]"I’ve never even been off world, let alone to another [i]realm.[/i]"[/color]

The question was jarring, but not altogether unexpected. Magni’s hands stopped for a moment, but he sensed genuine curiosity in her words. It made sense, he too dreamed of the far off realms in his youth. He would satisfy any craving she had. So, his hands continued to work as he spoke. [color=00aeef]"Each of the ten realms bears its own beauty. The mountains of Nidavellir climb toward the sky like slender fingers outstretched to touch the stars. I have seen some so vast and high that a lifetime of climbing may not be enough to even spot their shining peaks. The stench of Musphelheim is hard to bear, but to gaze upon the steaming flows of molten Earth is to behold the might of the land to form itself anew in an instant"[/color] He spoke with great gravity, his booming voice filled with cheer and levity. Every word seemed to come out faster than the last, as his hands too moved a little quicker along Imogen’s back. He moved higher now with his hands, ending each forceful stroke by pinching between her shoulders to ease out even more tension from her muscles. [color=00aeef]"And then, Alfheim… a beautiful land, truly. There lay verdant villages grown into the very roots of towering firs, with walls and houses crafted with woven fibers and vines."[/color]

But as Magni thought yet again of Alfheim, his mind naturally shifted to bodies. Burning trees, fires, the sound of glass shattering against wood. High pitched, unearthly rattles of death. And among it all, a man with golden locks desperately smashing fruitlessly against figures of shadow and mist. Blood dripped from his hands, his arms, his chest. His hair was matted with dirt and grime. Rage boiled within him, unyielding. In the moment, with Imogen, his hands stopped and held her shoulders. [color=00aeef]"There is pain there, too. War and death. Needless loss."[/color] He shifted his weight slightly closer, his hands sliding around Imogen’s front so his arms lay across the top of her shoulders. His chest pressed against her back. He tried to quell the pain, stuffing it deep down into his stomach where it would fuel him later. He needed happier thoughts. He thought of home. 

[color=00aeef]"The realms do not compare to Midgard, nor Asgard."[/color] He smiled softly, ending the light hug on Imogen as he came to his senses. He dropped his arms back into the pool, and he took a step back in the water to give some small space. [color=00aeef]"Company, drink, safety… and a warm place to lay thy head. There is no greater place than one’s home."[/color]

Imogen closed her eyes as Magni described the various realms that branched from the world tree. She let his thoughts bleed into hers, seeing the images through his mind’s eye, watching the visions play across his memories as his words painted a poetic canvas of distant realms far from her grasp. A smile crossed her lips. She felt like she was there, walking in his footsteps, feeling the earth beneath her fingertips, and inhaling the scents on the wind. Then the images shifted like a shadow clouded his mind, turning his memories from day to night. She saw fire, blood, and death beyond measure.

Magni’s arms wrapping around her pulled her out of the nightmare. Her eyes snapped open, visions of war replaced with the darkening evening sky and the twinkle of patio lights. Under other circumstances Imogen would have been flustered as he held her close. She felt the firm muscles of his chest contrasted against the soft skin of her back. But her stomach didn’t flip, nor did her cheeks flush. Her heart quickened, not from nerves, but concern. She slowly reached up and rested her hands gently against his while her chin dipped to lightly press against his forearm. She gave him comfort in the only way she knew how, silent understanding without questions and the reassurance of a sympathetic touch. 

When he pulled away the spaces he once filled grew cold in the absence of his body heat. Imogen’s hands lingered in the air, frozen for a second as if his arms remained before slowly falling back into the water. Imogen slowly turned around to face him. Concern furrowed her brow as she searched his face, but whatever darkness was there had been replaced with a soft smile. There was a part of her that wanted to ask, but it wasn’t her place or the right time. Instead she tried her best to move past it, letting her own smile slowly return.

[color=a8f9ff]"I like the way you describe things,"[/color] she admitted. [i]Then[/i] a blush did find its way back to her cheeks as she averted her gaze toward the ocean. [color=a8f9ff]"I’m a little biased towards earth myself, not that I’ve been anywhere else,"[/color] Imogen confessed with a soft laugh. [color=a8f9ff]"Although it would be exciting to travel to places I couldn’t even think up in my dreams… Far off realms, distant planets, other worlds. It’s a big universe out there. It’s almost cruel that most people never get to experience it."[/color]

Imogen reached out to grab her drink, pinning the toothpick of garnish against the glass’s brim as she brought it to her lips. [color=a8f9ff]"Aside from the warring ones,"[/color] she added, briefly looking over at him. [color=a8f9ff]"I wouldn’t be much help there,"[/color] she concluded with a weak laugh before finishing what remained of her drink. The thought of her fighting in a war was almost comical. The only fights she had ever been in were during training… In simulations. She didn’t know the first thing about being a hero or warrior. She came to the academy for her father, to try and help, but she was little more than a glorified party trick compared to the others that filled the tower.

Magni nodded his head, a bellowing laugh erupting from his lips. [color=00aeef]"No… no, the warring realms are not worthy of thy presence."[/color] His mind had flitted briefly to the frozen, barren wastes of Jotunheim, and the towering warriors he had faced down. While white looked good on Imogen, those frigid peaks were not fit for travellers. His mind did turn briefly to Asgard… that was a realm that fit her. The city that pierced the heavens, resting above the clouds in the top branches of Yggdrasil. Her hair would shine as the wolves chased each other overhead. She had a glowing radiance to her that would entrance many back home. The thought of their gaping maws at her beauty was a bit upsetting, though Magni could not quite place why. Especially when he was guilty of the same.

Her weak laugh did not escape his notice, however. She seemed uncertain of conflict, or perhaps her role in it.  He smiled a little, stepping closer yet again and reaching past her for his beverage. [color=00aeef]"The realms are full of warriors, for violence is easy."[/color] He grabbed the pitcher, lifting it up and motioning out towards the tower with it. [color=00aeef]"The realms have need of dreamers, and those who enjoy the finer parts of living."[/color] He sipped at his beer, reflecting on the statement. It felt correct, but he was not a dreamer. He was a warrior. He had been born a warrior, and he would die a warrior. It was his lot, his burden. Did he even have dreams anymore, or just burdens? Dour thoughts, unbefitting of fine company.

[color=00aeef]"I could take thee,"[/color] he offered, [color=00aeef]"to more peaceful realms. Or to distant stars, if thou preferred. Anywhere thy heart desired, once our grave cause is concluded."[/color] The last part was spoken with a certainty so resolute even he believed it. He knew they would find their parents, that this would be another story and tale told around the fire.

Imogen set down her empty glass on the edge of the pool. She plucked the garnish from it and slipped one of the cherries from the toothpick with her teeth. She chewed it pensively while his words and thoughts lingered in her mind. Was that really all he saw in himself? A warrior? Her smile faltered slightly. [color=a8f9ff]"I think there’s more to you than just a warrior."[/color] Her words slipped out, accidentally commenting on his thoughts rather than pretending she hadn’t heard them. A subtle redness flooded her cheeks as an apologetic smile crossed her face. [color=a8f9ff]"I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be listening."[/color] 

She rubbed the back of her neck with her free hand, shifting their conversation back to his generous offer rather than her accidental slip into his mind. [color=a8f9ff]"That would be nice. I’d like to see Asgard."[/color] Imogen’s smile grew as she held out the toothpick pinched between her fingers, offering him the last cherry. [color=a8f9ff]"Maybe not the smelly realm though,"[/color] she added with a soft genuine laugh. While visiting any of the realms would be an experience to cherish for the rest of her life, she wouldn’t argue about skipping the stinky one or the one bothered Magni. If they traveled together it’d be for leisure, not digging skeletons out of his closet.

Magni could not help but smile at her laugh, his eyes shifting to the cherry. He lowered his mouth to her fingers, cracked lips lingering against her skin as he took his time to bite into it. He smiled as he pulled it from her grasp, biting into it as he set his drink down behind her again. His brow had furrowed slightly at her comment on listening, playing back their conversation and words. Had he said he saw himself as only a warrior, or did he only think it? It took him a moment of silent chewing to realize what she was speaking about. She was a telepath. Magni let out a small chuckle, shaking his head so that his wet locks bobbed across his shoulders. [color=00aeef]"Worry not… I do not intend to keep secrets from thee. Thou can spy upon my thoughts whenever thou pleases."[/color] His eyes drifted down Imogen’s neck, his eyes naturally following the contours of her body until they fell upon her bustier. It flattered her quite well, and his mind briefly tried to understand how exactly he could pry it off of her. As soon as that thought had entered his mind, his eyes widened. [color=00aeef]"At thy peril,"[/color] he added. But he did not blush. She had asked him to think of her in compromising positions earlier. What harm was one more?

Her eyes remained fixed on him as he didn’t take the toothpick from her hand, but lowered his head to steal the cherry with his mouth. She swallowed as his lips grazed the tips of her fingers. Her core grew warm and tingled at the simple act. Imogen couldn’t tell if she was flushing or hot, maybe both? Her heart fluttered deceptively in her chest making it hard for her to focus on anything but his mouth as he chewed in thought. Her right hand rubbed her neck but not from soreness. She was flustered and struggling to know what to do with her thoughts… and hands. 

[color=a8f9ff]"I guess we should be thankful you can’t see into my mind,"[/color] she replied with a smile that was a bit more mischievous than before. [color=a8f9ff]"That would be dangerous."[/color] Her gaze drifted over to her empty glass and his nearly empty pitcher. She could use a refill… And maybe a temporary reprieve from Magni’s palpable sexual aura. It was having a stronger effect on Imogen than she cared to admit. 

[color=a8f9ff]"How about a refill?"[/color] She offered, turning her attention back to him with a slightly more innocent smile. Imogen moved towards the side of the pool and prepared to jump out. But a [i]definitely[/i] not smart and dangerous thought crossed her mind, and she was acting before she fully caught what she was doing. She turned around to face him and held out her arms. [color=a8f9ff]"Give me a lift?"[/color]

Why would reading her mind be dangerous? Her mischievous grin had somehow evaded him for the moment, despite her clear response to his own thoughts. But as she offered up a refill, Magni gave a nod. He grabbed his pitcher to drain the last drops, setting it down while wiping his lips with his fingers. At the request for a lift, he did not hesitate. His hands dipped into the water, reaching out to her hips. His thumbs pressed just below her stomach, his hands holding tight the soft flesh of her sides. He stood close, inches away from pressing his own body to hers. The feeling of her skin, even in the water, on his fingertips felt just as electric as in the lobby. It took him hardly any effort to quickly lift Imogen out of the water, guiding her up and onto the edge of the pool. As her legs folded up, he could only get a glimpse of the white fabric carefully tucked between her thighs. They were practically transparent. He wanted a closer look, but was far too polite to ask for one. She did not want to be a conquest. He could behave. He looked up to her, smiling softly. [color=00aeef]"I will drink whatever is fetched for me."[/color] She certainly knew of the phantom of the bar, and he was curious to see what she would bring him.

Imogen was very aware that Magni was strong, but the ease at which he lifted her elicited a soft chuckle. It was hard to ignore his wandering thoughts about her underwear as she lifted her feet from the water and stood up. There might have been a time, once, where she would have thought his thoughts were crass. But now? There was a part of her that wanted to indulge his curiosity, even if she knew she shouldn’t. It seemed like logic was on a hiatus that night as well, not just her. As Imogen crouched down to pick up her empty glass and his pitcher, she moved in [i]just[/i] the right way to give him the briefest of glimpses. She locked eyes with him for a second or two, then stood up and made her way inside and toward the bar.

The eye contact solidified it: she was taunting him. She had to be. Magni dipped down lower into the pool, his thoughts overwhelmed with a sudden wave of desire that rushed through him. He had half a mind to ignore Midgardian decency. But instead, he simmered and steamed in the calm waters as he watched every agonizing step of Imogen’s departure. Each step did solidify one thing in his mind. He would cherish her… every single inch of her.[/color][/justify][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent]

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