Everything in Italics is said using sign language.

You got a downtown fire, like a shot in the dark
You got a mad beamin' on you and a hot wide eyed spark
I got a body of wonder and an emerald mind
I'm on a luminous heavy to put gold in my eyes

-Smokestacks

The busy streets of New York would always be bursting with all kinds of people, from all walks of life. But all these different people usually followed the same patterns day to day, and Loki Odinson's pattern had just broken down and he hated the feeling of losing it. He stared at the broken sign on his favorite coffee place's self service machine, and then looked at the insanely long line to the registers and he bit the inside of his cheek in frustration. He had two options, leave and have his assistant make him that abominable fluid the boy called coffee, or stand in line and try to make the person taking his order understand what he wanted, which usually took forever and frustrated him the entire day afterwards...

Darcy glanced at the clock hanging on the opposite of the bar, rush hour would soon be over, she could handle the rude and stressed customers for a while longer. When her eyes moved from the clock back to the cappucino in her hand she saw him on the way. She rushed to the counter and handed a model looking woman her coffee with a smile and then glanced at him.

Mr. Antisocial von supreme hottie, was standing in line and not by the self service machine, and he was in her line. She felt her heart racing, which was stupid since he had never spoken to her or even recognized her presence.

He always chose to order via the self service machine, ALWAYS. She had worked here for a year and everyday (except saturdays and sundays when he didn't come in) he used the machine. And while waiting for his order he always studied the brought out orders very carefully, hawkeyes on everyone calling out someone's finished order. He never looked impatient, he just looked very intense, like he was waiting for something to happen and just waiting for the right moment.

Four customers later, and fidgeting with her hair and discreetly looking for something to mirror her face to check her makeup, it was him. She put on her megawatt smile.

"Good morning! What can I get you today?" She could have sworn his eyes stayed on her lips the entire time as she spoke but when she stopped his piercing blue eyes met hers and her heart started racing a bit faster. But when he didn't say anything she felt her smile fall slightly in confusion and he clearly looked uncomfortable.

His gaze fitted around for a second before sighing and gesturing towards his ears...Darcy's eyes nearly popped out of her head and she did the only thing that came naturally to her, blurted out words.

"OH! That's why you use the self service machine, of course! Wow that's so handy, I mean they're incredibly handy for us since they get a lot of people of our backs but it's even more awesome for you guys-" Darcy suddenly saw how unamused the poor guy was about this situation and she suddenly felt so ashamed. But then she realized something.

"Ben, give me your pad and pen!" She called and her coworker looked at her briefly before going back to his order.

"No way Darce, not all of us can memorize this shitton of orders like you do, I need it" Darcy growled and rolled her eyes and then looked back at deaf and deadly gorgeous, who looked like he was about to leave.

"Wait a second" She held up her hands, trying to look comforting instead of making it appear like she was running from him, and then she actually ran down the bar to dive into some shelves and then pulled out a small book, the book was their cheat book for when they didn't remember how to make different kinds of orders. She flopped it open and deaf dream husband gave her an intrested look before flipping through the pages.

He had been about to leave, it wasn't the girl's fault, but most people usually gave up after not finding a pen and paper to use. But she hadn't, she actually seemed to care. He pointed at a picture of a cappucino and then covered the milk part of the list, leaving only the black coffee part. He then met the wide blue eyes of the barista, it said Darcy on her nametag.

She nodded "Anything else?" She gestured at the counter with the pastries but he shook his head and so she went to make his regular black coffee. He studied her as she worked, hands running over the buttons on the coffee machine with lighting speed and her leg moving in beat with the calm folk music playing in the background. He watched as she dove behind the display of pastries and picked something out and put it in a small brown paper bag with the Companys green logo on it. she then picked up his finished coffee and put it into a to go cup.

When she turned towards him and placed his order on the counter he couldn't help himself but to return her big smile with a shy one of his own. He gave her his coffee card and she swiped it, completing the transaction, so he sadly had no reason to study her further. He raised an eyebrow in surprise as she placed the paper bag next to his coffee.

"On the house" She mouthed and then smiled. He mouthed a 'thank you' back and she smiled even more, and he couldn't help himself, he winked at her as he turned to walk away and when he glanced back over his shoulder as he walked out he saw her sneaking glances at him over her new customers shoulder, a sweet blush on her cheeks.

The next morning Loki came to the coffee shop earlier than usual, he didn't have a reasonable explanation for doing so but when he saw Darcy standing behind the counter and it just felt right to be there. There was no crushing crowd, maybe only ten people in total standing in line at the two open registers. He walked to stand in Darcy's line when his eyes caught something shining in the corner of his vision. The self service station was working again, the white screen with pictures of different beverages demanding attention. He quickly turned his gaze away and looked at Darcy instead who met his gaze over a customers shoulder. She tried to hold back a smile and focused on the customer infront of her instead. But he could see that she was pleased to see him, which pleased him more than it should have. While Darcy tended to her customers Loki stood back and watched her. She had a green apron over her black v neck t-shirt, a black skirt that hugged her stunning backside, and yellow tights. The tights were yellow up to just over her knees and then turned beige, the yellow part of the tights were decorated with bumblebees. How she managed to look so quirky and yet sexy at the same time was beyond him.

When it was his turn he gave her a small smile and she looked at him with an excited look in her eyes that he didn't understand until she started to move her hands. 'My name is Darcy. What is your name?'

The weeks rolled on, and despite the glaring light of the self service machine, Loki always took a place in Darcy's line even if it was the longest one. But one day when he stepped inside the café she wasn't there. He stood back and waited, maybe she was in the kitchen and would come out soon. He stood there for ten minutes doing nothing but waiting for her to appear, and after another ten he realized she wasn't there. And he left the cafeteria to go to work, where his caffeine deficiency and Darcy deficiency would make the people around him, and himself, miserable for the rest of the day.

Darcy wiped the tables with probably more force than necessary but she had had the worst day in a long time. First of all she got sick and missed three days of work and school, and when she finally came back to school the group project that she was a part of wasn't even half way done which ended up with her doing all the work. And her first day back at work was Lokiless, he hadn't showed. She had been so excited to meet him today, it was surprising how you could get attatched to a person you saw everyday even if they had minimal interaction with each other.

She stretched her back and then loosened her pony tail, it had become loose and she had to re-tie it. She started to put her hair up when she saw someone walk through the doors, had Ben forgotten to lock it? Asshole.

But when the person turned the corner Darcy's mouth fell open, and then she smiled. "I thought you were going to be a noshow today" she was used to his eyes fixating on her lips when she spoke, she honestly thought it was kinda nice. He looked up at her with a smile and then typed something on his phone and then gave it to her.

"You have been a noshow for three days, I think one day is excusable. Where were you?" she gave him his phone back and he started to focus on her lips for when she was about to speak but instead she held up her hands and started to sign.

'I was sick' he looked at her with a big smile and signed back.

'You're really good'

'Thank you' Darcy giggled and then studied the movements of his hands, she only recognized the words 'sign' in the middle and then 'for me' at the end.

She looked at him with a small frown of confusion "What did you say? Do you want me to sign for you?" He shook his head with a small smile and then reached for his phone but she then realized something else and stopped his arm from picking up his phone, and he looked at her quizzically.

"Did you ask if I learned to sign for you?" his gaze from her lips and she smiled and then moved her closed wrist up and down, saying yes.

He didn't smile, he just looked surprised and then moved his hands. 'Why?'

Darcy answered with a small smile and shrugged "Because I like you" Loki's blue eyes met Darcy's darker ones and he took a step forward and Darcy suddenly felt her pulse racing. He quickly whipped up his phone and typed something and then turned it to show her. 'Do you want to have dinner with me someday?'

Darcy turned her wide eyes up to his and she licked her lips and then tried to not nod too eagerly. "Yes, yes absolutely" She then caught her self and then brought up her fist and nodded it up and down in the yes motion "I mean yes" she smiled and he smiled back widely at her.

He looked down at her lips again and then met her eyes and then he signed again, and she only recognized one of the signs, when he touched his lips and then touched his cheek and then gestured to her, he wanted to kiss her.

Darcy didn't even give a reply, she just got up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his. When she dropped down on her feet again she swallowed hard and met Loki's now darker blue eyes. He cupped her cheeks and kissed her again, this time much deeper and she wrapped her arms around his neck, and he moved his other hand to the small of her back to push her closer into him. He couldn't hear her moaning, but he felt it, and he enjoyed it, and that's why he stopped.

He picked up his phone and gave it to her and she smiled, he was beginning to believe she couldn't do anything but smile but he had no desire to see her sad, and the smiles were insanely contagious. When she was done typing her number she gave it back to him, and he typed something which he then turned to show her.

'I'll text you tomorrow'

Darcy bit back a big grin and nodded her head "See you tomorrow morning" Loki nodded back at her and then turned and walked out. Darcy picked up her phone with lighting speed and went to speed dial.

"Natasha! I just had the best fucking kiss of my life and you will never guess with who!"

the light on the livingroom table started to blink and Loki's gaze turned towards the door, someone was ringing the bell, he got up to open when the door swung open and Thor walked in, his keys dangling from his fingers. His big brother smiled at him and walked over to him with arms wide.

Loki read his lips "Brother! It's been so long" He was then caught in a big hug and then got a clap on the back when they separated.

'How was Australia?" Loki asked as they walked to sit on the couch, Loki put the files he had been reading on the table and then sat down.

'It was amazing, you would have liked it. Great scenery, beautiful women' Thor winked and Loki rolled his eyes. 'how is work?'

'It's been relatively calm lately, spring feelings probably easing in, no one wants to sue anyone. The Craig case is finished, you can get the details tomorrow if you want'

'No I trust you, you are far better at the deal making part of the lawyer profession than I am' Thor then just sat and stared at him weirdly and Loki rolled his eyes.

'What?'

'Something on your mind?'

'No'

Thor looked at him skeptically but shrugged and put on the TV and turned to the sport channel. After a moment Loki gave in, he was admittedly nervous about the event and maybe Thor could help him, he had more experience after all.

'I'm going on a date tomorrow' He saw Thor's eyes widen almost comically before he jumped up in the air with something that must have been a victory cry, he almost fistpumped the ceiling and when he sat down again he looked at Loki with a huge smile.

"About god damn time!" Loki rolled his eyes at his brother's exclamation about his sex life.

'Who is she? Where did you meet her?'

'Her name is Darcy-' Thor interrupted by signing 'hot name' to which Loki gave no reply but a raised eyebrow "We met at a coffee shop where she works, she is in her last year of studying political science. She said she likes me and that's why she started to learn sign'

Thor smiled hugely 'She sounds great...Is she hot?' He knew he shouldn't be pleased by that question, Darcy was more than a pretty face. She was intelligent and incredibly sweet...but yes she was also really hot, he had had all too many fantasies about her by now involving ripping that green apron off her. He glanced at Thor and then at the clock and then back at his brother.

'Coffee?'

...

The saturday rush hour was over and she finally decided to take her break. She took off her apron and walked out to sit by one of the tables. Her black v neck and blue jeans needed to be exchanged for a tanktop and shorts in this heat, but she settled for orange juice and then opened her lunch box, today was chicken sallad. She picked up the book she borrowed from Natasha 'I love you beyond sense, worlds and time' and started to eat. The world around her fading away.

When Thor and Loki walked in Loki frowned when he didn't see her by the registers, he knew she was going to work today, they had texted about what day was appropriate and that's how he knew (he also had her schedule but how he got it was classified). He walked up to the self service machine and took their orders.

Thor would take the orders when they were called out, since he would hear their names being called, so he turned to look back at the other patrons occupying the cafe. And then he saw her, sitting in a corner with a book eating. Before he really realized it he walked towards her.

Darcy was so focused on her book and her food that she didn't notice that someone was infront of her until a familiar phone was placed on the open pages of her book, the text 'nobody puts baby in a corner' lit up the screen and she looked up to see Loki smirking at her, and oh god it was a sexy smirk.

"Hey! What are you doing here on a saturday?" She asked and Loki glanced back over his shoulder at some dude who was watching them with open interest.

He signed and Darcy's eyes widened and looked at the blond muscle mountain in the background "That's your brother? Holy cow you don't look that much alike" Loki shrugged with a smile, said smile making her fiddle with her hair so it didn't look like a birds nest when she was faced with that kind of hottness. She put her hand on the chair next to her. "Do you guys want to sit?" Loki nodded and sat down next to her, just as blond and muscly walked over to them with a smile.

"Hi, my name's-" Thor stopped talking and looked at Loki as he started to sign in a hurry, Darcy didn't catch any of it but Thor seemed to and he laughed and put down their coffee cups on the table as he sat down. Just as Darcy was about to ask what happened Thor started to sign.

She looked at Loki with her eyebrows raised in a 'are you kidding with me' way and his eyes were smirking at her over his coffee cup.

"Seriously? 'my name's Thor'? Thor and Loki? Did your parents not like you or what?" Darcy asked looking at both of them and Thor laughed.

"So you know ASL?"

Darcy shrugged shyly "A little, I'm Darcy by the way" She said and held out her hand to him, which he took.

"It's nice to meet you Darcy. Don't be shy about asking him to help you with it, it is quite a useful skill"

"It gets me hot dates so I'm not complaining" Darcy said with a smile and winked at Loki who looked at her hungrily, she blushed.

"Speaking of dates, where are we going tomorrow?" Darcy asked doing the signs for the some of the words in the sentence. Loki signed back 'I'll pick you up at six, I'd say wear something fancy' Darcy followed the movements of his hands like she was being hypnotized and he felt strangely pleased by the intensity that she watched him with.

"I got six and fancy, so you'll pick me up?" Darcy asked and Loki nodded "And I'll wear something fancy" Loki nodded again with a smile. "Great" Darcy smiled.

Both just sat there looking at each other for so long that when Thor bumped the table with his knee, instead of clearing his throat, both jumped in surprise. He gave Loki a look and Loki turned to Darcy again. 'I'll see you tomorrow'

Darcy smiled "Absolutely" She then turned to look at Thor, "Nice to meet you Thor"

"Likewise, Darcy" Thor smiled and got up, Darcy looked back at Loki as he stood up and shrugged on his leather jacket again. He bent down so that his face was at level with hers and she leaned forward to kiss him, butterflies erupting in her whole body and when he pulled back she bit her bottom lip so that she wouldn't jump at him.

Loki kissed her forehead and then walked over to his brother that had again been studying the interaction, and they left. But Darcy was pretty certain that the butterflies in her stomach wouldn't leave for the rest of the day. All she had to do now was to find something that counted as fancy.

The brother's walked in silence away from the cafe, none of them said (or signed) anything. Loki just raised his palm and Thor gave him a hard highfive and they continued to walk.

This story was inspired by me watching ANTM newest season where (Spoilers) Nyle Dimarco wins, he is also a deaf person and super gorgeous. While watching the season I shipped him with Lacey, but then i transferred the shipping over to Loki and Darcy.

NOTICE! I'm not a native English speaker, I have only done some research into ASL and what I write can be faulty sometimes.

This story is going to have some time jumps but I will try to make sure that it all is as understandable as possible.