Well, I had intended Idun's Apples to be a stand-alone oneshot, I really had, but then somebody asked for more, and my little Loki-muses jumped on the idea and ran with it…. Don't know where this is going to end exactly, it's obviously not there yet, but it looks like it'll be a fun time getting there, wot?
Loki's Plan
He wasn't sure just when she had become so important in his eyes, but Loki was acutely aware of the exact moment he'd realized how much Daidouji Mayura meant to him. He had been quite ready to return to Asgard, with more-than-vague plans of confronting Odin over the Alfadder's treatment of his children, especially Hel, but Mayura's obvious distress at his being "gone" had delayed his departure. He had thought by erasing her memory of him he would be able to leave her in peace, but as he watched her, all his memories of her came back to him, and he knew in that instant. If he wiped her memory she might not suffer, but he definitely would. Impossible as it seemed, he was in love with her. He, who had lived thousands of years, was in love with a girl whose entire lifespan would be a minute fraction of that. And the worst of it was, she saw him as a child. Although with her frantic searching he did wonder if that was indeed all she saw him as.
His children were just as happy to stay, and Fenrir even reassured him about the need to take revenge for Hel. He didn't explain to them about Mayura, but then he didn't need to. Ecchan, remarkable little being that he was, was the one to say it - and so subtly too.
When they got back to the Agency, Mayura was there...and she was crying. He swore internally. What he really wanted to do was take her in his arms right now - in his kakusei form - and kiss her tears away, but that would only confuse her. He would have to continue to be Loki-kun for her - for a little while, he was not well-known for his patience - until she was secure in his presence again, then he could slowly acquaint her with the truth.
Yamino-kun's worried expression the next morning after he went to answer the door had Loki down to see what was wrong on the double. He wouldn't put it past Odin to take advantage of his decision to delay retribution by making a preemptive strike. He was greatly relieved not to sense Odin's aura, although whatever was in the basket definitely came from Asgard. It had a sweet smell to it that reminded him of Idun, but why would she be sending him anything?
He nearly laughed out loud when he saw what she'd given him. There were subtle hints and there were blatantly obvious suggestions, and this definitely fell into the latter category.
"Loki-sama, how would Idun-san know to send you apples for Mayura-san?" Yamino asked.
"It wouldn't surprise me if she's been watching what was happening down here, and I'm sure she's not the only one. Bragi's probably had a hand in this, and I'll bet these were delivered by Fulla, which means Frigg is involved as well. Not that any of them would speak up against Odin, after seeing what happened to Freya, but at least I know not all of Asgard is against me."
Evidently Mayura had gotten tired of waiting upstairs, and they didn't notice her approach until she was right behind them.
"What is it, Loki-kun?" she asked, trying to see what he was holding.
"Ah! Mayura-san, I didn't notice you there!" Yamino said, throwing Loki an almost guilty look.
"It's a thank-you gift from an old friend I helped out a few years ago." Loki told her.
"But the label is in some weird writing. It looks kindof like romaji, but I don't recognize the characters. Mystery!"
"They're Norse runes." Loki sighed. "And they're not a mystery."
"What do they say?" Mayura asked
"We'll talk about it later." Loki told her. "Well, there's no point in us standing here on the doorstep, why don't we go back to the sitting room? And Mayura, I'm pretty sure it's almost time for you to go to school isn't it?" he asked with a cute grin.
Mayura looked at her watch. "Kyaa! I'll be late if I don't run! Ja Loki-kun, Yamino-kun, I'll see you after school!" she called as she grabbed her bag out of the genkan and took off in the direction of her school.
Loki smiled fondly after her, then he and Yamino went back inside.
All day at school, Mayura was thinking, and not about her classes. Even with yesterday's traumas, she hadn't forgotten her... questions... about Loki-kun. It had, in fact, only added more questions to an already-long list. Including 'Who was that handsome man who said he was a God, and why did he remind me so strongly of Loki-kun?'
As she left school, Mayura was plotting ways to corner Loki-kun and get some straight answers out of him without being handed over to Yamino-kun so she could be lied to again.
"I just... I just wish I knew for sure what was going on!" she complained out loud when she was about a block from the Enjaku. "Mou... It's all just so confusing!"
"I can help you with that." came a voice from behind her.
Mayura spun around to see a man standing not two feet from her. He looked neither young nor old, but he had on a hat that hid most of his face, so it wasn't easy to judge.
"You want to know about Loki, am I right? I can help you there." The man reached out to touch Mayura's forehead. "Just remember, young lady; nothing comes free, in this or any other world." Mayura was surrounded by a purplish-red burst of energy and she screamed as knowledge was literally blasted into her.
Sitting at his desk, staring out the window, Loki felt the power and heard the scream at the same time. He knew that voice. And that power signature. He was out of his chair, into his kakusei form and out the door almost before he had time to think.
When he got to her, Mayura was collapsed on the pavement and Odin was nowhere to be seen. Loki gathered her prone form into his arms and scanned the area for any sign of his adversary, but he seemed to be gone now, his goal - whatever it was - having been accomplished.
Mayura was breathing slow and steady, and she didn't appear outwardly injured, but Loki was all-too-aware that there was more than one way to hurt a person, and not all wounds inflicted were physical ones. Odin, he reflected, seemed particularly fond of causing psychological damage, rather than getting his hands bloody.
When Loki got back to the agency (and within his wards) he began to swear. Loudly and viciously. Yamino and Fenrir came running down the stairs to meet him, and Ecchan was there as well.
"Daddy!" "Loki-sama, what happened?!" "Loki-tama?"
"Odin." Loki said darkly, that one name all he needed to explain the situation.
"Is she...?"
"She's not bleeding, but I haven't tried to wake her yet..."
"I'll turn down the guest bed." Yamino suggested.
"No, mine's the most comfortable -and in the best-warded room - I'll put her there." Loki said pensively.
Ignoring how much he disliked doing it, Loki changed back to Loki-kun before he tried to wake Mayura up. The last thing he wanted to do was startle her when she had just been attacked. He leaned over the bed and laid a hand on her forehead.
"Wake up now, Mayura." he called softly, accompanying his words with a tiny surge of power.
Mayura's eyes opened, then closed again as she pulled herself into a ball with a whimper of fear and pain.
"What's wrong?" he asked her.
"Hurts. My head hurts. And everything's too bright. Loki-kun..." As she said his name, her eyes shot open. "Loki! You're... but you're not evil and nasty, I know you're not! It's all a lie, right?" She looked at him beseechingly.
"What's all a lie Mayura?" he asked, concerned. He had not missed the change in her mode of address to him, and he had been here in Japan long enough to know how significant that was. "What happened to you?"
"Well, I was thinking I wished I understood better about you and all the things that happened, and then there was this man with a hat and he said he could tell me, only nothing comes for free, and then he touched my forehead, and it hurt and then I must have passed out and I woke up here... and all of a sudden I know stuff, like how you're from this place called Asgard and you did nasty sneaky stuff to Narugami-kun and Kaitou-san and all kinds of other people and you're not really a little boy, you're that guy I was talking to yesterday... But Loki-kun, I know you! You're not mean or nasty or anything like that, how can that be you?" Mayura finally wailed.
"Sometimes when we do things that are not the nicest but still necessary, people get the wrong impression." Loki said sadly. He shifted into his kakusei form, making sure Mayura saw it happen, then sat on the edge of the bed and took her into his arms. "And yes, this is really me. I was going to explain soon anyway. After I decided to stay here yesterday I had planned to start explaining things to you slowly, but now, thanks to Odin, I guess I don't have that luxury. Would you be willing to hear my side of the story?"
Mayura nodded, so he tucked her head under his chin (since she didn't seem to be complaining about being held) and began to tell his story, starting with Odin's request that he bring the Alfadder Heimdall's right eye.
As she sat there listening to Loki's melodic voice, Mayura slowly became increasingly aware of just how close he was holding her, and she blushed bright red.
"...so I decided to stay, since now I can choose when I want to leave..." Loki glanced down and noticed her blush, and he chuckled. "And also since I didn't like seeing you so upset." He pulled back just far enough to reach down and tilt her face up to meet her eyes with his own. She blushed even brighter, if that was possible, and tried to pull away, but he was having none of it. He leaned in and captured her lips with his own, and smirked internally as she quickly relaxed into the kiss.
"Been wanting to that for a while now." he whispered in her ear.
"I was too, although it made me a little confused since I thought you were only ten." Mayura admitted.
Loki laughed and tapped her forehead. "Poor confused child."
"Mou... Loki-kun, I am not a child!"
"Hmm... You're right, you're not." he said, looking her up and down as best he could with her held so close (which was mostly down and not much up, not that he was complaining - no, not one bit!)
"Loki-ku..."
He cut her off with a brief peck. "There's no need for the -kun anymore." he told her.
"But Loki-ku..."
He stopped her again.
"Fine. Loki then..."
"That's right." he murmured as he closed in again to kiss her deeply as a reward.
Mayura almost forgot what she was going to say as she lost herself in the kiss. When she did remember, one hand was around his back, another one in his hair, and his tongue was doing intriguing things with hers. Her eyes opened wide and she pushed him back slightly.
"Mmph!"
"What is it?" Loki asked a little petulantly.
"That man...Odin...what did he mean when he said nothing comes for free?" she asked, a worried little quaver in her voice.
" 'Nothing comes for free.' That's Odin all right." Loki said, tucking her close again and muttering a few choice words in Old Norse under his breath. "He has never given anything out of the kindness of his heart. For every boon he grants he exacts a price, and we can just hope that he intended the pain you suffered already as sufficient payment."
"He might do worse?"
"He's Odin." Loki shrugged. He heard a snuffling sound at the door and smiled. "If you're feeling up to it, I believe the boys were worried about you as well."
"I think I'll be okay." Mayura nodded as she stood up out of bed.
And there I leave you for a little while, as I thought it was the best place to break. Hopefully there'll be more of this sometime soon, although it's not priority one, that goes to my Magic Kaitou fic that I promised to have the next chapter of out my December .;;
Amaya the sleepless, listening to her cats chase each other around the house at ungodly hours