So, here's a little oneshot in the spirit of the holiday season. This is kind of a spawn of a plot bunny I've had in my head for a while now, and today, while watching Thor 2 for the umpteenth time, I got the inspiration to elaborate upon it. I haven't written anything in forever due to being busy with life in general and now that I have this free time I thought I'd write a little something and post it because I needed the distraction. So consider this a "trailer" if you will for a possible Lokane fanfic that might be coming out one day with sporadic updates. So there's that.

Please read and let me know what you think of it!

-The Phantom's Flutist

In Dreams

"Open your present, Loki," insisted an excited Jane as she sat on the divan across from the fireplace that was effectively warming the entirety of her London apartment. He looked down to the neatly crimson-wrapped present that she had tossed onto his lap, decorated tastefully with strands of emerald ribbon and a curly bow on the top.

"You could not have wrapped this," he replied with a small smirk.

Her brows furrowed, "I did. Why would you say that?"

"Because, my dear, it is far too sparkly and frilly. It's not like you at all," He replied simply with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Well, I did. And besides, it's Christmas. I can be as frilly as I want to be," She replied smugly, her head tilting up in self-satisfaction.

"Ah, I see," he replied, hesitant to open the present. He wasn't entirely sure what a Christmas present would even entail. He had never experience such things on Asgard. Sure, they had winter solstice celebrations, but gift-giving was not a common occurrence unless it was a celebration for any Aesir to become of-age and take their first apple of Idunn. Even then, the only gifts would be food and perhaps some meat taken from the most recent hunt of the best hunters in the realm.

He pursed his lips and looked up to the gift that he got for Jane. He didn't even know how it would compare. He almost wished that she would open it first and based by her reaction might he know what to expect with the present he received from her.

He picked up the small decorated paper bag that he was told would be good enough to have wrapped what he got her. It was something he managed to stow away from Asgard.

"Would it be too much if you would open mine first?" He asked, placing it on her lap. "It didn't cost me any of your currency. I'd have supposed you would have known if I did."

Jane looked hesitant, her smile slowly breaking as she realized that he was giving her something.

"Loki, you didn't have to give me anything. It's not like you celebrate this... Much less understand why such things are still celebrated," She replied stiffly.

"No... I would have given it to you, regardless. It's not a Christmas gift really. Just open it. You'll see," he replied.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Stop questioning me. I'll take it back."

"Okay, okay, sorry," She replied, her hands raising in innocence.

She pulled away the cheap piece of tissue paper that was the only thing that hid the bag's contents. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw what was inside. She lifted one part of it out of the bag, revealing one book that was written in the traditional language of the Aesir people. It was a book explaining the mechanics and magic of the Bifrost in thorough detail as well as the history behind it. The second part of it was a translation written by Loki himself – something that took a long amount of time, going word by word and even copying illustrations and diagrams and explaining them in her tongue. He shifted uncomfortably, trying to gauge her reaction.

"Oh... Oh, my God," was all Jane said as she flipped through the pages of both of the books. When she finally understood, she looked back up to Loki.

"I knew you wanted to take that book from Odin's hall of science so I took it for you," he explained. "I don't know how much of it you could translate into your Midgardian science, but I'd think you'd be well-versed enough in the science of Asgard that you'd be capable of doing it yourself."

"Did... did you write this?" She asked, raising up the translation, and he wondered if she was even listening to his explanation.

"I did," he responded simply.

"That must have taken you hours.. days, even."

"It's nothing, Jane. Not to me."

"But this is everything... This is everything I've ever dreamed of. This is everything I've been researching for years and it's all right here in this..." Jane replied, incredulously. When she looked up he saw that something was glistening in her eyes, reflecting the flames of the fire that glowed, he saw that she was actually crying. "I can't believe this..."

"Now, Jane, there's no reason to be upset," He said, stiffly resting his hand over hers.

"I'm not upset, Loki!" She said, laughing through her tears as she wiped them away with the back of the hand that Loki was not holding.

"You're not?"

"I'm happy! I'm crying because I'm happy. This is... This is everything I could have ever asked for. Thank you," she said, shaking her head as she both laughed and cried.

"You're welcome, Jane," he said slowly, a small, genuine smile slowly emerged on his lips, and as it did, Jane almost knocked him over as she threw herself and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly as she laughed into his shoulder.

He sat there stiffly for a few more moments, shocked that she did such a thing. Ever so slowly did he wrap his arms around her as well. No one had ever really embraced him in such a way. Not recently, at least. Thor and Frigga would often, just in parting or for no reason at all... back when he considered Thor family.

Jane finally pulled away and then looked down to his lap. "Now I'm going to look awful. My gift is not as life-changing as yours. I didn't expect..." She stopped herself before she finished her sentence.

"You didn't expect what, dear Jane?" He asked, his brow furrowing as he tilted his head to the side.

"I just didn't expect anything like that. From you. You seemed pretty adamant against me using Asgardian resources... meaning you won't tell me everything about magic and whatnot. Like you want to ignore it..." She replied.

"You should know better than to expect anything from me, Jane," He replied.

"That... that is very true," She remembered, her eyes suddenly going distant, as though she were just remembering something.

"But I am sure your gift will no doubt suffice," he replied reassuringly, getting her out of whatever reverie she was in.

"I guess..." she replied distantly.

He slowly began to unwrap it, trying not to tear the paper or ruin the bow that she so carefully created for the gift. He set the wrapping paper aside seeing that it was also a book.

"It's stupid. I'm sorry. I just thought... No, I don't know what I was thinking. I don't know what you like, but I do know you like magic-"

It's title was Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. A smirk settled on his lips.

"I grew up reading these books. They're a huge thing here. Lots about what we perceive of magic. I'd thought you'd find it comical if anything."

He laughed under his breath, turning it over in his hand. "It's lovely, Jane. Something to keep me occupied."

"I know you get really bored and lonely and I just thought-"

"You don't have to explain everything, Jane. I will read it. But if I am not mistaken this is only the first of seven, am I wrong?"

"No... How'd you know that?"

"I know a few things," he said, shrugging. "This only means you have six more to get me, no?"

"Of course, yeah."

"You can't just, as Midgardians say, leave me hanging?"

"No. You're right, that's ridiculous. I'll get you more," she replied, a satisfied smile on her lips, her eyes glowing with both amusement and joy. "You're probably a fast reader."

"You'd be correct, yes. Thor would always tease me about the pile of books I'd carry around going back and forth from the libraries..." he drifted off, thoughtfully as his eyes scanned the book in his lap. It wasn't that thick, so he would have to bother her about getting him more soon. It would be all the more reason to come back. All the more reason to keep occupied.

"You never talk about your childhood so casually..." She mentioned after a silence between the both of them.

"You're correct again," he replied quietly, short with his words.

"Thor teased you a lot, didn't he?" Jane asked, her eyes wondering over him, he could feel it.

He smirked. "What do you think, Jane? You know Thor a bit more now, no? And his friends? It was inescapable until recently."

"I'm sorry..." she replied after some time, her eyes lowering as if ashamed.

"It's no fault of yours. You wouldn't know. It doesn't matter now."

"I guess," she replied.

Their words became quieter, and the distance between them became further. The room felt as though the air was thickening.

"Loki, can I tell you something?" Jane asked, her eyes scanning over him carefully, bringing him back into concentration for a moment.

He didn't say anything, only meeting his emerald eyes with her brown ones.

She leaned closer to him, her eyes glancing down to his lips and then back to his eyes. He leaned in reaction, knowing where this was going. Part of him knew this was wrong, and the other part of him not caring. This happened more often than not in his life. They shifted until their foreheads touched, her hair like a curtain, closing them to the outside.

"I..." She began, her tongue licking over her lips. She didn't finish what she had to say. She moved forth instead, closing their distance, his heart beat faster, and then -

….

Loki awoke to the cold, empty royal chambers with cold disappointment in his heart. She must have woken up before him.

He rested on a bed of furs, occupied only by himself. The sun had already risen and he was most likely past due for a council meeting. He took his true form when he was sleeping after making sure no one would come into his chambers at night, as it was most comfortable. Sleeping in an old body, like any other action in it, was uncomfortable. He was far too young for it all.

He could feel the ghosts of who belonged in these chambers. He could almost smell Frigga's scent in the satin sheets. It was unbearable. He didn't like spending time in them.

He would change forms and dress for the day in his royal garb. He would sit at the long feasting table with more food than he could ever ask for before him and nibble at some fruit, sipping at juice before he would take his place at his throne to answer to any who needed him that day.

More often than not, he was even more alone as he sat there for those long hours. He'd have his Einherjar standing at his side. Occasionally, Tyr would give a report on the status of the armies in training in preparations for the defense of Asgard at any time. He might even oversee their progress in training. He assured them a storm was coming. He assured them that Asgard will not always be safe anymore.

He knew Thanos would find him and obliterate Asgard in order to get what he wanted. He had to prepare. He had to hide. He had to keep doing what he was doing. There was no other way.

However, he was more alone than he had ever been in his entire life. Thor was on Midgard, his mother was dead. The Warriors Three all had training.

It was times like these, more than any other, he would think of her. He found her when asking Heimdall how Thor was faring on Midgard. At first, he wanted to do what he always wanted to do and tear her away from Thor in revenge. But then.. he got to know her mind as he went through her dreams. And that's when everything changed.

He knew what he was doing was only distracting him and making himself more miserable than he should be occupying the position he had always wanted and thought he deserved. He was tearing her away from Thor without her even being aware of it. She thought he was dead, anyway. She excused these dreams for her mind reconciling for watching him die after he saved her from her own death and from Thor's. She was grateful for him. She didn't hate him. She lo-

No. She couldn't love him if she thought he was dead.

He will see her again soon and he could escape from this all.

He didn't need to be alone, anyway. It was Christmas.