Thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed, and faved this story! I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint. I'm not planning to add any more to this right now but who knows, I might gradually add more chapters whenever I get a new idea. Thanks for reading!
Darcy couldn't stop staring at her hand. The engagement ring wasn't heavy or awkward; in fact, it fit her perfectly. Almost as if it should have been on her finger all along. That's what really weirded her out.
She twisted the silver band around her finger as Loki led her through the palace towards the sleeping quarters.
Darcy hadn't realized how bone-tired she was until he had suggested that she get some rest. Then again, she supposed escaping a HYDRA maniac, being beamed up to Asgard, and getting engaged to a freaking space god all in one day was a lot for anyone to handle.
"Since you didn't let me stop at my apartment, you'd better magic me up some comfy pj's and my favorite peppermint toothpaste." Darcy grumbled tiredly as she followed her new fiancée down the hall.
Loki failed to contain his sigh of annoyance, "Your life was in danger, Darcy. Forgive me if I didn't think it necessary to waste time pawing through your measly possessions in the dingy shoebox you called an apartment."
"Rude!" Darcy exclaimed, "That dingy shoebox was my home." She'd spent a lot of time (and a considerable amount of her SHIELD paychecks) decorating the apartment to suit her taste, and despite its small size, she was proud of the little home she'd created.
Loki's blithe comment had her blood boiling and Darcy found herself clenching her jaw until she thought the bone would crack, "God, I really want to punch you right now."
Loki stopped, raising his eyebrows as he glanced over at her, "Showing restraint? How novel."
"If you don't shut up..." Darcy started, pointing her finger in his face.
"Please," Loki drawled, crossing his arms over his chest in a relaxed manner, "do continue. I look forward to hearing exactly what threats a mortal girl could possibly make against a God."
"Five minutes," Darcy announced, throwing her hands up in pure exasperation. "We lasted five minutes as an engaged couple and now I'm gonna murder you."
Loki bent his head until his face was level with hers. "At this point, I would welcome death," he hissed.
Darcy snorted, "You're such a drama queen."
"I'm dramatic? I am not the one threatening murder." Loki retorted. He made a small hmph noise as he looked away from her.
Darcy opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by the sound of a feminine voice calling Loki's name.
Loki swore under his breath. "My mother," he whispered to Darcy. "While you are in her presence, perhaps you could at least try to act like you love me?"
"Only if you stop acting like a gigantic asswipe." Darcy muttered as the Queen approached them.
"Loki," Frigga gently chastised, "You did not tell me we would be having company." She turned to Darcy, a radiant smile stretching across her face, "Darcy Lewis. How are you, my dear?"
"Hi, Your Highness." Darcy grinned. She had immediately liked Frigga from the moment they met during Jane and Thor's wedding. Any woman who could silence both Thor and Loki with a single look earned major cool points in Darcy's books.
"Please, there's no need to be formal. Just Frigga will do." The Queen replied kindly, "What brings you to Asgard, Darcy?"
"Uhhh..." Darcy looked to Loki, unsure of what to say.
"Darcy had encountered some trouble on Midgard." Loki saved her from answering, "I thought it best to bring her here."
"I'm kind of a fugitive," Darcy added, "but I swear I'm totally innocent."
"Of course." Frigga nodded as if the situation weren't at all unusual. She tilted her head, looking at Darcy curiously, "By chance, would your fugitive status have anything to do with the ring you wear?"
Darcy's eyes shot down to her silver band and she instinctively hid her hand behind her back. "That's...um..." She cleared her throat, feeling a blush creep onto her cheeks.
"Darcy and I are to be wed." Loki confirmed, slipping his arm around Darcy's waist.
"Yeah...that." Darcy's face grew a hundred degrees warmer when Loki pulled her against his side.
Frigga's eyes lit up with excitement, "How wonderful!" She lowered her voice and gave them a slightly conspiratorial look, "Though I cannot say I am truly surprised."
All Darcy could do was blink, feeling a bit like a deer caught in the headlights.
She and Loki must have been wearing identical shocked expressions because Frigga began to laugh, "Oh, come now. I saw the way you acted around each other during Thor and Jane's wedding. A mother always sees these things." She said slyly.
"Yes, well..." Loki rubbed his jaw, looking slightly embarrassed, and Darcy mentally added an extra thousand cool points to Frigga's total. She'd never seen anyone leave Loki speechless before.
"You must be exhausted from your travels, Darcy. I didn't mean to keep you from your rest." Frigga said. She turned to Loki, giving him a half-stern look, "If my son had informed me sooner that his lovely fiancée would be visiting us, I would have properly prepared a guest room. I'm afraid all the spare linens have been sent out for cleaning. You will have to share Loki's chambers, though I'm sure that won't be a problem given your newly engaged status."
Darcy's eyes went wide. Sharing a room with Loki? God, that could only end in disaster.
Evidently, Loki was thinking the same thing. "Mother," his voice was almost pleading, "Darcy and I are not yet wed. It would be indecent for us to share a bed."
"Then you can sleep on the floor." The Queen replied shortly.
Darcy pressed her lips together tightly, trying to hold back a laugh. Oh yeah, she definitely liked Frigga.
"In any event, I am sure you two will work out suitable arrangements. Good night, Darcy, Loki." Frigga gave Darcy a fond smile before she lightly kissed her son on the cheek and continued down the hall.
A beat of silence passed before Darcy uttered a single word. "Damn."
Loki sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Damn indeed."
"It's only a bed, Darcy. It will not bite."
"Give me a minute! Don't rush me."
"It's a mattress. You lay on it. Honestly, must I draw you a diagram?"
"Give. Me. A. Minute." Darcy ground out, standing beside Loki's bed with her arms crossed firmly over her chest. Okay, this was no big deal, right? Just pull back the duvet...
"Really, Loki? Black satin sheets?" Darcy shot him an unimpressed look while Loki simply shrugged in return. "Gross. I am not getting into your nasty sexed-up pervert bed."
"I assure you, Darcy." Loki rubbed his forehead tiredly, "I have not had intercourse on those sheets."
"Riiiiight." Darcy said dryly.
"If you prefer, you may sleep on the chaise." Loki gestured to the plush lounge chair in the corner of the room.
"No way," Darcy shook her head, "I'm a guest, I deserve the bed. You take the chair."
"I am far too tall for it. You are better suited for the chair." Loki argued.
Darcy blew out a slow breath, trying to reign in her temper. "This is stupid. We're both adults and your mattress is gigantic. Like, I'm pretty sure there are European countries smaller than this bed." She glanced up at Loki hesitantly, "We can share...right?"
"Given our engagement, I suppose it would look suspicious if someone were to find us willingly sleeping apart." Loki reluctantly admitted.
"Okay then." Darcy gingerly pulled back the blankets and crawled in, trying not to shiver when the cool satin touched her skin. She had already coerced Loki into using his magic to create her a pair of boxer-style shorts and a matching shirt she could sleep in. Darcy had wanted them to be purple but the stubborn ass had made them green instead.
"I'm going to wash up." Loki muttered before crossing the room and shutting himself in the large ensuite washroom.
As soon as the door shut behind him, Darcy relaxed against her pillow, letting out a sigh. She tried to tell herself that she had no reason to feel so awkward and nervous around him. They had been flirting back and forth with each other for ages. Hell, they'd even skipped out on Thor and Jane's wedding reception so they could have crazy-awesome library sex (her new favorite kind of sex). For some reason though, things felt different now. More real. Like maybe their marriage wasn't just being faked for Darcy's sake. Maybe there were real feelings involved.
Darcy twisted under the sheets, turning to lay on her side and bury her face in her pillow. It smelled like Loki, which wasn't really helping matters any.
She had almost drifted off to sleep when she heard the washroom door open, followed by the sound of Loki's footsteps on the stone floor.
That was when Darcy made a horrible mistake.
She never should have opened her eyes because when she did, she found Loki standing beside the bed watching her. He was shirtless, wearing only a pair of thin linen pants that sat low on his lips. The sight made her mouth dry and her skin flush.
"Do you mind if I dim the lights?" Loki asked, pulling back the sheets on his side of the bed.
Surprised by his sudden politeness, Darcy nodded wordlessly as he used his magic to extinguish all the lights until only a lone candle flame burned on his bedside table.
As he slid into bed, Darcy found herself holding her breath, afraid to make any sudden movements. Her leg was starting to cramp but she refused to move from her curled-up position. There was currently a foot of space between them and she was damn well going to keep it that way.
Loki settled onto his back, looking just as rigid and uncomfortable as Darcy felt.
"Is this weird? It feels like we're making it weird but it really doesn't need to be. I mean, there's nothing wrong with two people sharing a bed, right?" Darcy babbled, twisting a handful of the blankets between her fingers. Her silver engagement ring stood out boldly against the black sheets and the sight made her stomach do a funny flip.
"Darcy," Loki muttered tiredly, "Do shut up."
"Right. Shutting up now." Darcy chewed her lower lip, her eyes moving over his profile outlined by the weak candle light. "Okay, first I just have one question. Do you always sleep like that?" She asked, waving her hand towards his naked chest.
Loki continued to stare at the ceiling. "No," he replied, his gaze slowly sliding over until he was looking at her out of the corner of his eye, "I usually sleep in the nude." He grinned.
"Of course you do." Darcy flopped onto her back with a huff, mirroring Loki as she looked up at the ceiling, watching shadows dance across the stone as the candle light flickered.
She heard the sheets rustle and then Loki was propped up on his elbow, looking down at her. "Does it bother you?" He asked quietly.
"No." Darcy lied, trying not to stare at the pale expanse of his chest. Or the way his bicep flexed as he leaned over her. Or the way his hair fell forward into his eyes. Damn, this was going to be a long night. "Anyway," she continued, clearing her throat, "it's nothing I haven't seen before."
Loki made a small noise in his throat, like he didn't quite believe her. His eyes roamed over her face, moving from the curve of her neck to her eyes and then shifting down to her lips.
Darcy felt her heartbeat pick up speed. His gaze was still fixed on her mouth and in response, she found herself lifting her chin. It was a small, almost imperceptible movement, but Loki noticed it.
His eyes instantly darkened and he let out a slow, deep exhale. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse, "If I kiss you now, I will not be able to stop."
At the raw tone of his voice, Darcy's whole body flooded with heat. Her skin felt tingly, like it was anxiously anticipating his touch.
"Maybe I wouldn't want you to stop." She whispered.
Loki lowered his head until their noses brushed and their breaths mingled together. They were so achingly close, Darcy thought as she stared into his eyes, she just had to tilt her head up a little more...
There was a loud, sharp knock at the door and the moment was broken.
Loki groaned, quickly rolling off the bed and stalking across the room to throw open the door.
"What?" He growled.
A servant was on the other side, looking up at Loki with wide eyes. Stammering, she held out a pile of clothing and a small woven basket holding shampoos, a hairbrush and other personal items. "Queen Frigga wished for these to be brought to Lady Darcy."
Without a word, Loki snatched the items from her hands and let the door slam shut. "I will leave these for you here." He told Darcy, letting the pile of things drop onto the old trunk at the foot of his bed.
When he crawled back into bed, Darcy could almost feel the annoyance radiating off him in waves. She had to admit, at the moment she wasn't too fond of that servant either. Talk about an epic mood killer.
Loki turned his back to Darcy, lying on the very edge of the mattress like she had some infectious disease and he was afraid of getting too close. The last candle flickered out and the room grew completely dark.
After a few moments of silence, Loki's quiet voice filtered through the darkness. "Good night, Darcy." He sounded almost apologetic. Whether he was sorry for the interruption or his frosty attitude, Darcy didn't know.
"Night, Loki." She murmured in return.
She wasn't sure why she did it, but Darcy found herself slowly stretching her arm across the empty expanse of mattress until her fingers found his skin. She let the palm of her hand rest lightly on the back of Loki's shoulder blade, feeling the heat of his body seep into her own skin. At first, Loki tensed under her touch but then his body relaxed as he let out a small, tired sigh.
He felt so warm and solid lying next to her, it gave Darcy the sudden urge to close the space between them and wrap herself around his body. She pushed the feeling away, instead focusing on the slow, even sounds of Loki's breathing. Eventually, it was enough to lull her to sleep.
Darcy Lewis was not a morning person.
She was even less of a morning person when her wake-up call came in the form of nearly being squashed by the dead weight of her soon to be husband.
At some point during the night, she and Loki had both gravitated towards the centre of the bed and the God's full weight was currently draped over her. Actually, half-suffocating her was more like it.
"Off." Darcy groaned sleepily, pushing on his shoulder.
"Your breath is horrid." Loki mumbled as he slowly blinked awake.
"Your face is horrid." Darcy replied, giving him one last shove before he finally rolled over onto his side of the bed. "God, I hope you have coffee here. I feel like I need a direct IV of it this morning."
Loki frowned. "That brown sludge you Midgardians are so fond of? We have none of that."
Darcy buried her face in her pillow and let out a long whine. "This sucks. I had a brand new can of French roast at home. If you had just let me stop at my apartment for two seconds-"
"You are never going to get over that, are you?" Loki cut in with an eye roll.
"Never." Darcy vowed, "I'm gonna put it on my tomb stone. 'Darcy Lewis: taken from her apartment too soon. You suck, Loki'."
"Seems excessively wordy." Loki commented.
"Your face is excessively wordy."
"That doesn't even make sense."
"I know. This is me without coffee. My brain is slowly turning into mush." Stifling a yawn, Darcy reached up over her head and stretched out her spine.
When she dropped her arms and looked over at Loki, she realized that the jerk had inched his way back over to her side of the bed. Lying with their bodies only inches apart, they seemed almost like a real couple, Darcy thought. Except instead of cute morning pillow talk, they were hurling insults at each other.
"Get dressed." Loki sat up, yanking most of Darcy's blankets with him. She shot him an annoyed look which he completely ignored. "My mother is fond of her herbal tea. That will have to do in place of your beloved coffee. I will fetch you a cup."
As he slid his legs off the bed and stood, Darcy had a very hard time pulling her focus away from his bare, muscular back. Finally, she registered what he said and blinked up at him with surprise. "You're going to make me tea?"
"Just this once." Loki replied over his shoulder as he headed for the washroom. "Do not get used to it."
The funny thing was, it wasn't just that once.
On Darcy's third morning in Asgard, it was becoming obvious that she and Loki were falling into a routine: go to sleep on opposite sides of the bed, wake up tangled together, then pull away from each other with a few awkward, mumbled apologies. Darcy would then take a bath while Loki went off and did whatever it was that he did when she wasn't 'hovering over him like an annoying insect' (his words, not hers). When Darcy would emerge from the washroom, there would always be a hot cup of tea waiting for her on the nightstand.
She had to admit, she was enjoying her stay on Asgard. Her only problem was that the Asgardian lifestyle didn't seem to agree much with her.
It all started on that third morning when, over breakfast with Loki and Frigga, Darcy announced, "I don't want to be a freeloader. What can I do around here to help out?"
"That's very kind of you, Darcy," the Queen replied, "but you needn't do a thing. You are about to become royalty soon, we cannot put you to work."
Darcy shrugged, pushing up her glasses, "Bumming around in the library and the garden is great and all, but I want to feel useful."
"Very well," Frigga smiled, "perhaps you would like to join me this morning in the weaving room?"
Loki made a choked noise that sounded suspiciously like he was trying not to laugh.
"What?" Darcy narrowed her eyes at him as she stabbed her fork into a piece of fruit.
"Weaving is a very delicate art." Loki explained, "And you are..."
"Be careful how you finish that sentence." Darcy threatened, pointing her fork at him.
"I was simply going to say that you are still rather unfamiliar with the customs of Asgard." Loki gave her an innocent look.
It was total bullshit in Darcy's opinion, so she kicked him under the table.
Loki glared at her, "You..." he quickly softened his tone when he saw Frigga watching him, "will do fine. I have no doubt of that." He leaned towards Darcy, pressing a quick kiss to her temple.
She knew he was just putting on a show for his mother but the action still caused Darcy's stomach to do a little flip-flop.
"You just wait," she told him, "I'm gonna weave you a fucking masterpiece."
She really hated it when Loki was right.
With a sigh, Darcy blew her hair out of her eyes and held up her embroidery hoop, eyeing it critically.
Weaving had been a total disaster (two of Frigga's ladies-in-waiting were still trying to untangle Darcy's giant mess of yarn) so Frigga had very gently suggested that Darcy might find herself better suited to needlepoint. Unfortunately, Darcy didn't have much luck with that either and she wound up stabbing herself with the needle more often than the fabric.
Finally, four torturous hours, one stiff back, and ten sore fingertips later, Darcy had finished stitching a weird little blob-like bouquet of flowers.
"It's...a valiant effort." Frigga gave her an encouraging smile.
"Ugh, I suck." Darcy let her head fall back until it thunked against the headrest of her chair.
Frigga shook her head. "I think the problem is that you are too clever for this type of work, you need something more mentally stimulating." She took a seat in the chair beside Darcy. "Loki tells me that you attended a college on Midgard, studying politics. That is quite an impressive feat. Aesir women don't often have such a high education."
Darcy blushed under the Queen's gaze. "Loki talks about me?"
"Of course," Frigga sounded surprised that Darcy would ever question Loki's affection. "He is very taken with you." She laid her hand over Darcy's, "I worry over Loki," she admitted softly. "He and Thor are so different, like night and day. Loki has always struggled to fit in, struggled to find happiness, and as his mother, it breaks my heart to see him like that. So I am truly glad that he has finally found happiness with you, Darcy."
Darcy swallowed the growing lump of emotion in her throat. Oh, she knew all about feeling like the outcast. Growing up, she'd been the girl who preferred bikes over Barbie dolls and sports over dresses. Even when she started her internship with Jane, Darcy had felt like the odd one out while Jane and Erik carried on conversations about wormholes and atmospheric anomalies, like they were speaking some foreign sciencey language that Darcy couldn't ever hope to comprehend.
She didn't really know what to say, so Darcy settled for squeezing Frigga's hand reassuringly. "Don't worry." The words left her mouth before Darcy fully realized what she was saying, "I'll take care of him."
"I've got a surprise for you..." Darcy said in a sing-song voice that night as she and Loki were getting ready for bed.
The look Loki gave her was wary and more than a little fearful.
"Oh, stop." Darcy rolled her eyes at him, "It's nothing bad. Here." She pulled her embroidery hoop from behind her back and handed it to him.
Loki held up the needlepoint, squinting at it. "Is this supposed to be a bird?"
"They're flowers!" Darcy exclaimed. "What do you think?"
Loki was silent as he studied the wonky mash-up of stitches. "I think you need to re-evaluate your definition of 'bad'." He finally answered. "This is quite possibly the ugliest thing I have ever had the displeasure of laying eyes on."
Darcy felt a hot surge of anger flash through her. Four fucking hours she'd spent on that stupid needlepoint. She had literally put her blood, sweat, and tears into it.
"Okay, you know what?" Darcy planted her hands on her hips as she glared at him, "Fuck you, Loki. I tried to make something nice and you just shit all over my hard work."
"I tried to tell you that you would find it difficult," Loki replied, his voice growing sharp with irritation. "If you had just listened to me you would not have wasted your efforts on this...thing." He looked down at the needlepoint with a frown.
Darcy snatched the embroidery hoop out of his hands, "Are you expecting me to apologize because I didn't just blindly follow orders and listen to everything you say?"
"No, but a thank you would be nice." Loki replied snidely, "Seeing as how I went out of my way to bring you to Asgard and devise a plan to ensure that you would not be forced to leave."
"Sounds an awful lot like you're calling me ungrateful." Darcy kept her voice neutral but her eyes were sharp as she met Loki's gaze.
"As a matter of fact, I am." Loki retorted, "You are quite possibly the most unappreciative, stubborn woman I have ever met."
Oh, now it was on.
"Well, asshole, did you ever stop to think that maybe this is hard for me?" Darcy fired back. "My career with SHIELD has gone down the toilet. Hell, my entire life as I knew it is over! I can't go back to Earth, but I also don't belong here." She held up her sad attempt at needlepoint. "I think that's pretty obvious. I tried to fit in with all your fancy Asgardian ladies but I just can't." Her voice cracked on the last word and much to her embarrassment, Darcy found herself blinking back a sudden onslaught of hot tears.
"Darcy," Loki said her name softly, the anger draining out of him as he stepped forward to touch her arm.
"Don't." She shook off his touch, taking a deep, steadying breath before looking up at him through blurry eyes. She quickly swiped her hand under each eye, brushing away any tears before they had a chance to fall. "I think you should find somewhere else to sleep tonight."
"Darcy-"
"Find somewhere else to sleep," Darcy cut him off. Whatever he was about to say, she wasn't in the mood to hear it, "I don't really want to be around you right now."
Loki opened his mouth but then closed it, shaking his head. In three long strides he was gone, the door slamming loudly behind him.
The sudden silence was heavy and Darcy could almost feel it sitting on her chest like a lead weight. She stared down at the needlepoint in her hands before she pulled her arm back and threw it at the wall with all her strength. It hit the stone with a harmless clunk before falling to the floor.
As she crawled into the big empty bed, Darcy looked down at the engagement ring on her finger. It seemed extra shiny, glaring at her like a guilt-inducing reminder of all that Loki had done for her. She quickly shoved her hand under her pillow so she wouldn't have to look at it. Then she closed her eyes and tried not to think about her earlier conversation with Frigga. It didn't work, and Darcy fell into an uneasy sleep consumed by thoughts of Loki, finding happiness, and broken promises.
When she woke up the next morning, there was a fresh cup of tea on her nightstand and her needlepoint had been carefully hung on the wall.
Despite Loki's unspoken apology, Darcy still did her best to avoid him the next day. Hanging her needlepoint in his room had been a sweet gesture, but she was still feeling moody. She wanted to wallow in self-pity for just a little longer.
So she slept late, took an extra long bath, and then finally snuck down to the dining hall when she was certain that Loki would be long gone. Darcy loaded up a plate with cheeses, bread and fruit before taking her breakfast with her to the library where she sat on the floor in a secluded corner, picking at her food and leafing through a book.
Going to the library had probably been a mistake. Any time she set foot in the room Darcy was reminded of that night of hot, hurried sex with Loki. The bookshelf had given her a bruise on her back for about a week afterward but Darcy hadn't minded. In fact, she wore it almost like a badge of pride. Any time she caught sight of the bruising in the mirror she'd grin, remembering the look of pure pleasure on Loki's face and the low tone of his voice as he'd whispered how much he wanted her.
Damn, now she really wanted to see him.
Darcy popped a piece of cheese into her mouth and chewed, wondering if maybe she just could eat away all her problems. Or at least drown them in cheese and fluffy fresh bread.
As if he'd known that she was thinking about him, Loki suddenly materialized out of thin air right in front of her.
Darcy choked on her mouthful of food, coughing until she managed to clear her airway. "Dammit, Loki. Don't do that."
"Did I frighten you?" Loki frowned down at her.
"Not at all," Darcy responded sarcastically, wheezing a little as she caught her breath."I was totally expecting you to just pop out of nowhere like a freaky-ass ghost."
"Sorry." He said quietly as he continued to stand over her.
Darcy rolled her eyes, "Oh for God's sake. C'mon, sit." She patted the floor beside her. "You're looking more awkward than the time Jane ordered Chinese and Thor insisted on using the chopsticks. Remind me to tell you that story sometime. It's hilarious."
Loki settled onto the floor next to her, stretching out his long legs and crossing them at the ankles. The position accentuated just how tall and lean he was, and Darcy had to fight the urge to crawl right into his lap. Instead, she forced her eyes back to her plate and tore off a chunk of bread, shoving it in her mouth.
"How'd you know where to find me?" She asked once she'd swallowed.
Loki's gaze dropped down to her hand, "Your ring. It holds traces of my magic that allow me to sense its location."
"So you basically tricked me into wearing a GPS." She said bluntly.
Loki shifted uncomfortably, "That was not my intention. It was simply a means to keep you safe. You do have a rather astounding tendency to get yourself into trouble."
Darcy opened her mouth to argue but then snapped it shut. Okay, so maybe there had been that one time she'd almost been shot...and now there was the whole HYDRA situation...
If she was completely honest with herself, both events would have likely gotten her killed if Loki hadn't intervened.
"Fair enough." She leaned back against the bookshelf and resumed picking at her food.
Loki didn't say anything as she continued to eat so after her next mouthful of bread, Darcy broke the silence, "So did you come here to actually say anything or are you just gonna stare at me?"
Loki appeared to be deep in thought, his eyebrows drawn together as he watched her. "You do, you know."
"Do what?" Darcy asked, confused.
"Belong here." Loki replied as he caught her gaze. His eyes were dark, a shimmering mix of deep blue-green that seemed to pin Darcy in place. "Last night, when you said you do not belong on Asgard, you were wrong."
"Why's that?" Darcy had to remind herself to breathe. The way he was looking at her...it was seriously messing with her mental faculties.
"You have too much spirit to be confined to a boring, simple life on Midgard. You are meant for greater things." Loki leaned towards her until Darcy could feel his warm breath on her cheek.
"Like 'Supreme Ruler of the 37 Realms'?" She questioned weakly, trying unsuccessfully to tear her eyes away from his mouth. "Kinda has a nice ring to it."
Loki shook his head, smiling slightly. "There are only nine realms Darcy, and may the Gods have mercy on all of us if you are to ever rule them."
"Hey!" Darcy protested, "I'd do an awesome job and you know it."
"You will be Asgardian royalty soon enough." Loki murmured quietly. He reached for her hand and rubbed his thumb across her engagement ring. "That is, assuming I have not ruined things beyond repair. I seem to be rather good at that." He released her hand and looked away, a pained expression crossing his face.
Aw, damn it. Darcy couldn't deal with Sad Puppy Loki.
She put her hand on the side of his jaw, gently forcing him to turn his head back towards her. "It's not entirely your fault. I was frustrated and I took it out on you. I shouldn't have done that."
Under the palm of her hand she felt him swallow and when he spoke, his voice was hoarse. "I'm sorry, Darcy."
"I'm sorry too." She leaned into his side, snuggling closer when Loki's arm snaked around her waist to hold her against him.
When she felt him kiss the top of her head, Darcy knew that even though neither of them had any idea how to make this marriage thing work, they would stumble through it together.
It was her fifth morning in Asgard when Darcy finally hit her limit for how many of Loki's bullshit excuses she could tolerate.
"I want to see Jane." She complained, turning to face Loki as she dragged a brush through her hair.
Loki was sitting on the edge of the bed, fastening the straps on his boots. "Darcy," His tone was warning her to drop the subject, but Darcy refused. This was one fight she would not be backing down from.
"Why are you being so weird about this? Every time I ask about Jane you totally clam up. She's okay, isn't she?" Darcy questioned, growing worried by Loki's lack of response.
"I do not wish to talk about it." Loki scowled at his boot, forcefully tugging at one of the leather straps.
"I'm not going to drop this." Darcy said, setting down the brush and moving to stand in front of him. "One way or another I'm going to find out so you might as well tell me now."
Loki sighed, finishing with his boot and finally lifting his eyes to meet hers. "Fine." When he spoke, his voice was hard, the words short and clipped, "Jane Foster is confined to bed rest. She is finding her pregnancy to be rather difficult."
For a minute, all Darcy could do was stare at him wide-eyed, her mouth opening and closing soundlessly.
"Darcy?" Loki sounded concerned, "Are you alright?"
That's when she reached out and smacked him in the arm.
"No, I'm not alright!" She cried, hitting him twice more just for the hell of it, "My friend is pregnant, stuck in bed, and probably scared to death about possibly losing her baby, and you never thought to tell me any of this? What's wrong with you?!"
A muscle in Loki's jaw ticked. He pushed off the bed, standing at his full height and glaring down at Darcy. It he was trying to intimidate her, it didn't work. She wasn't afraid of him and even if she had been, she was far too mad to leave any room in her head for fear.
"I said I did not want to discuss it." He ground out between gritted teeth. He tried to push past Darcy but she blocked his way, planting her hands on his chest to stop him.
"Why?" Darcy pressed on, ignoring the glare that Loki directed at her. What was that saying? 'If looks could kill...?' Yeah, she'd be flat on the floor by now.
"Leave it be, Darcy." He warned, his voice growing sharp with irritation.
"No," she snapped at him. "God, just tell me already!"
"Fine," Loki snarled. "You wish to know why I refuse to speak of your precious Jane? I want no part of it because her pregnancy is just another crowning achievement on Thor's long list of accomplishments." His voice twisted with bitterness, "Oh, you should have heard how proud Frigga and Odin were when they found out. The first in line to the throne, the best warrior this realm has ever seen, the perfect golden son, and now he will soon produce an heir."
"You're jealous," Darcy spoke softly, her angry quickly deflating into sympathy when she realized that Loki was envious of his brother. Not only had Thor found a woman who loved him and gotten married, but now he was about to have a kid who would take Loki's place as the second in line to the throne. Yep, a drooling, babbling baby would have a better shot at being king than Loki ever would. When she thought about it like that, Darcy could understand why Loki was so reluctant to talk about it.
"I am not jealous." Loki looked away, his mouth tightening into a firm line.
"Uh, yeah you are." Darcy gave him a skeptical look, "This is like the textbook definition of jealousy. You're thinking that everything came so easily to Thor, right? That he's got the perfect life. Everyone loved him to begin with and now they're just gonna love him even more once Jane pops out a perfect little Thor Junior."
Loki gave a small, reluctant nod of agreement.
"The thing is," Darcy continued, "it didn't come easily. Thor went through a lot of shit before he got to where he is now. I was there when he landed in New Mexico, I saw it happen. And besides," she lightened her tone, poking Loki in the chest teasingly, "you're not doing all that bad yourself. You've got a smokin' hot fiancée for one thing."
The edge of Loki's mouth pulled up into a small smile. "I suppose that is true. Although..." He shook his head, his jaw tightening again.
"Come on," Darcy urged. "Just say it."
Loki blew out a loud breath before continuing, "I may have a lovely fiancée, but I forced you into this charade for your own safety. It is nothing more than a marriage of convenience."
There was such a sweet, sad look on his face, Darcy wanted to wrap him up in a hug and protect him from everything bad in the world.
"So ask me again." She said suddenly.
Loki gave her a quizzical look, "What?"
"Ask me again." Darcy pulled the engagement ring off her finger and handed it over to him. "Pretend there's no HYDRA, no SHIELD...hell, pretend there's no Thor or Jane even, and then ask me again."
"Darcy, you don't need to-"
"Do it." She ordered.
With a sigh, Loki dropped to one knee, holding the ring in his palm, "Darcy," when he looked up at her, his face full of uncertainty, "would you marry me?"
"Yes." Darcy answered without any doubt, "I want to marry you, Loki."
He slid the ring back into place on her finger before looking up at her. His expression was a mixture of shock, admiration, and bewilderment that nearly made Darcy laugh.
"Now would be the time for you to kiss me." She prompted, grinning at him.
Loki got to his feet and immediately pulled her into his arms, his mouth coming down hard on hers. Darcy brought her arms around his neck, her fingers threading through his hair as she kissed him back hungrily.
When they parted, Loki's voice was husky. "Would it be terribly improper of me to make love to my fiancée before we are wed?"
His lips began to work their way down the side of her throat and Darcy's legs instantly turned to jelly. "Nope," she panted, yanking up the hem of his shirt to run her hands over his skin. "Believe me, right now it would be a crime for you not to."
Loki chuckled, pressing a single kiss to the base of her throat. "My mother will be expecting us for breakfast shortly."
Darcy pulled her head back to look at him, giving him a grin that was full of challenge. "So how quick can you be, mischief man?"
Pretty damn quick, as it turned out.
In hardly any time at all, Darcy was on the bed, naked and panting as Loki slid into her.
"Oh my God, yes." She groaned as Loki's hand closed around her thigh, hitching her leg up higher around his waist.
"Tomorrow." Loki spoke on a rush of breath, his eyes briefly closing when Darcy dragged her nails down his back.
In her current blissed-out state, Darcy could only manage a mumbled reply of "Huh?"
"We should get married tomorrow." Loki clarified, bending his head to kiss her. Their mouths stayed fused together for a long time and when they finally parted, Loki was breathing heavily. "I do not want to wait any longer."
"Tomorrow." Darcy affirmed, "But only on one condition."
Loki's hips momentarily stilled. "Please do not say what I think you're about to say."
"Oh, I'm saying it." Darcy arched her back, making Loki let out a groan before he began to move again. "We get married tomorrow only if you let me get some of my things from my apartment first."
Loki dropped his head into the crook of her neck. "I cannot believe you are negotiating during sex."
"So do we have a deal?" Darcy's voice faltered when Loki rocked his hips in a particularly amazing way.
Loki lifted his head to look at her. "You're relentless." He kissed the column of her throat and Darcy tightened her thighs around him, letting out a low whine of pleasure. "I find it incredibly attractive." He whispered the confession into her ear.
"Is that a yes?" Darcy could barely get the words out. A shiver passed through her body as she felt her pleasure building into an orgasm.
"Yes." He sealed the promise with a kiss hot enough to make Darcy moan into his mouth.
With a sudden rush of affection, she brought her hand to his face, her thumb brushing gently over his cheekbone. "This is gonna be good. You and me."
"Not just good," Loki's eyes fixed on hers. They were bright, glimmering with feeling, "exceptional."
Darcy wholeheartedly agreed.