So there's three songs mentioned in the chapter. The first one will probably be familiar, the second song might not be ... and the third, you've def heard it before, but you might not have realized it ;-) I had to use music to sort of connect Darcy's character to Peter Quill, as it's very important to them both. Like when Peter has Gamora listen to his cassette player.

~~::::::...::::::~~

Darcy stood with Loki, back in the space above the city, with his hands on her shoulders, well after he had teleported them. She thought maybe he'd kiss her again, but eventually he stepped back. His face carefully blank and completely neutral.

In order to break the awkwardness, she grinned and nodded to him, pulling back her hood. "We did it? You got it?"

Tension seemed to fade away from his face at her choice in subject-matter and he grinned back, a grin that told her everything she needed to know about why he was called the "God of Mischief".

He held his hands out again, like he'd done for the bottle of bourbon, and conjured up the case that held the stone, then set it down on the table. It looked like a golden lantern, with an eerie red glow, like lava, emanating from the middle of two dormant rocks.

"Nice!" She jumped and gave a quick twirl in her cloak, liking how it floated around her. She then stopped in front of Loki and held out her fist, but then when Loki looked confused, she realized that he didn't know what a fist-bump was. "Fist-bump, Loki. Bump my fist!"

He awkwardly reached out his hand, barely turning it into a fist. She bumped it with hers, then splayed out her hand. He blinked at her, looking thoroughly amused.

Darcy was way too excited. "We did it! We came, we saw, we kicked it's ass!" She leaned down to take a closer look "So that was inside of Jane," she mused.

"Yes," he said, casually. "it's baffling how she survived it, quite honestly."

She looked up and frowned. "Jane's hard-core, Loki. Her fragile mortal state wasn't about to ruin all her plans, not when she's made up her mind … and not when she has a Nobel Prize to win."

"Of course," he said, the corner of his mouth almost turning up into an apologetic smile ... but not quite. He snapped his fingers and the lantern with its contents disappeared.

"And as you seem to be quite resourceful," he said. "I have no doubt that you would have survived as well, and probably in a much better way, in all honesty."

She was confused by the compliment.

In all honesty? Is this flirting?

"Where did you put it?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Somewhere safe for the time being."

"Cool," Darcy said, chewing on her lip, suddenly very nervous. She was seriously giddy from the successful mission, and felt like Yoda should be coming around at any time, saying something along the lines of "a wonderful job, the two of you did."

She was also flying high from that kiss … ho-ly shit. She needed to calm herself down … either that, or burn off the strange energy buzzing in her muscles. Darcy then realized that she could only think of a few ways to do that … and one of those ways, she made up her mind to absolutely not entertain.

She then thought about his hips pressed up against hers, as he kissed her … like he never needed to breath.

Oops, too late.

Darcy stood over the table, poured herself a celebratory glass of very expensive bourbon, and knocked it back.

If I can't fuck it out … I'm gonna dance it out.

She took her iPhone out of her pocket and started searching around for the perfect post-Aether-mission song.

Loki sat down and poured himself a drink as well. "So this is going to happen? You're going to play some more of your noise?"

"You mean the soundtrack to our awesomely successful mission impossible?" She looked at him and playfully raised an eyebrow. "Hells to the yeah."

He couldn't seem to help it, he laughed. It made her smile.

She then landed on the perfect song and picked up her drink. "Alright Loki, this is what we on Midgard call a 'summer anthem'. Will you dance with me?"

Loki looked genuinely curious, but shook his head. "If it's the same type of noise you were listening to earlier, then absolutely not."

Darcy shrugged. "Alright … brace yourself, you're about to see some fly moves."

"Fly moves?"

"You'll see. Some Uptown Funk moves."

She pressed the play button and the beat instantly started … Darcy pressed her lips together to keep from laughing at the look on Loki's face. He'd obviously never heard anything like it.

She clapped along until the singing started … and then, well, she got down … and sang along.

This hit, that ice cold, Michelle Pfeiffer, that white gold

This one for them hood girls (Darcy put her hood back up like a boss)

Them good girls, straight masterpieces

Stylin', whilen, livin' it up in the city

Got Chucks on with Saint Laurent (Darcy of course, pointed at her Chucks)

Gotta kiss myself, I'm so pretty

Darcy snuck a glance at Loki. He was wearing the same look Steve Rogers gave her and Jane, when they started dancing at various Avenger functions. It was a very "kids these days" sort of look … but also, "hot damn".

Say my name, you know who I am.

He raised an eyebrow at that.

But as Darcy kept on with her fly moves, which were pretty impressive, if she said so herself … she realized that it just wasn't working. For one, it was kind of awkward, dancing alone … and for two, having Loki stare at her the way he did … well, it just ended up making her more nervous, and making the pent-up energy worse.

She then suddenly ceased dancing, handed Loki her glass and pointed at it.

Stop! Wait a minute … fill my cup, put some liquor in it.

He set the glass down and put his face in his hands … as if he didn't want to show her that he was laughing.

Darcy picked her iPhone back up off the table and pressed the stop button. "Fine," she said. "Grandpa."

"Are you accusing me of being old-fashioned?" He asked, feigning being scandalized.

She shook her head, concentrating her playlists. "You're dressed like Robin Hood, and he was around in what, the 12th century?" She looked up at him. "So no, not old-fashioned at all," she teased.

Darcy looked around the room and tried to think about what kind of soundtrack would go along with the decor. Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars? Nah. Scrolling through her iTunes, she finally settled on her "Mad Men playlist", finding just the right song, as "space-chic" also kind of reminded her of sleek and eclectic interior design from the 1960's.

"Alright," she said, satisfied. "This can be your song, Loki. It's older and more mellow … and since this room totally reminds me of Roger Sterling's office, I'm pretty sure it's perfect."

Loki took a healthy sip of his drink. "Roger Sterling?"

"He's friends with Mary Poppins and Han Solo."

He shook his head, smiling. "And is this too, a summer anthem?"

Darcy smiled. "No, it's a James Bond song, very apt. He's a super-spy with like, forty movies full of successful missions."

He cocked an eyebrow. "And why is this my song?"

"It's called 'You Only Live Twice'," she grinned. "Get it?"

He gave her a sardonic look. One that said "really?"

She put the iPhone down on the table and pressed the play button. Then, what she did was a bit inexplicable … as she wasn't sure if it was the nervous and giddy energy that was running through her veins, the bourbon, Loki's insane attractiveness, or the fact that she felt as if she did more of the saving that night than he did (making her feel like quite the badass). Yeah, it was probably a combination of "all of the above", but she did something either very brave or very stupid, and just sat in his lap.

Anyway, it wasn't as if there wasn't enough room for her there, with the way that he sat, with his long legs splayed apart … so she perched herself on one knee, like he was Santa Claus, only you know, unfairly gorgeous.

He looked at her in shock, but made no move to separate.

"Come on," she said, laughing. "Dance with me. We can chair-dance. It's easy."

Darcy picked up his hand, and he flinched at first, but then he slowly gripped hers back, tight. She then took his other hand and put it around her waist. She regarded him with caution, as he seemed uneasy, but she soon realized that it wasn't her exactly … but that he was simply unused to being touched. She wondered how long it had been since someone had given him even the slightest bit of affection or attention. As Loki.

As the intro to the song began to play, she started swaying to the music, slow dancing in the classic pose … just sitting in a chair. He didn't need to know that it wasn't really a widely-accepted way of dancing on Earth.

Wait … am I giving this guy a secret lap dance? She grinned at the thought.

He looked up at her as the words began, listening.

You only live twice, or so it seems … one life for yourself, and one for your dreams ...

"Is this okay?" she asked. "Can you handle a little slow dancing?"

Loki cleared his throat. "Em, yes. This is much better … and the song is much more pleasant."

She laughed. "Thought you might like it."

You drift through the years, and life seems tame … till one dream appears, and love is its name.

Darcy looked down at him, hoping he wouldn't read too much into it.

And love is a stranger, who'll beckon you on … don't think of the danger, or the stranger is gone.

She then closed her eyes, just listening to the music.

That's when she felt Loki's grip on her waist tighten as he brought her in closer, and felt her hair being swept to the side, right before his lips were on her neck. At first it was just the lightest of touches, but then his mouth traveled down, and the kisses became much more deliberate. She arched her neck in consent, and the grip on her waist traveled lower, to her hips, pulling her even more against him. She felt his tongue on her pulse point, and then the slight scrape of teeth. It sent her reeling, and soon she was searching for his lips, so she could put her mouth on his … and no longer just sitting on a knee, but full on straddling him.

They kissed passionately with open mouths and tongues, pulling at each other's lower lips, making little noises of pleasure, and starting to rock against each other. Darcy put her hands on his chest and untied the strings of his cloak, letting it fall back across the chair. She tasted the skin of his neck, kissed the skin just behind his ear, and he gasped. She breathed in his scent, very male, and very rousing. So good.

Loki suddenly took her by the shoulders and pulled her back, breaking himself from the comfort of their lips on each other. He was breathing heavily. "Forgive me, Darcy," he said, with dark eyes, nearly black. "I cannot continue this … without …" He didn't finish the thought.

She knew what he was talking about, and was in total agreement. She couldn't keep making out with him like a teenager in the backseat of a car, without taking it further … much further. And yet, she was honestly surprised that he appeared to be such a gentleman about the whole thing. Loki was strangely full of surprises. If she wasn't sure if it before … she was certainly sure of it now. She wanted him. She got off his lap and slowly stood up.

He looked up at her, disappointed for a moment, yet resigned, as if it was what he expected. That she would prefer to stop.

Ha! As if.

Darcy picked up his hand … it was so large, and warm. She slid her thumb across his palm. "Where to?"

He frowned, not understanding … and she figured he must have thought she was asking to go home now. Back to Earth.

Not quite yet.

"A bedroom?"

He blinked at her as if he didn't quite believe what she was asking. "Are you …" She didn't let him finish, tugging on his hand. He seemed to finally get the hint, as he stood and then led them down the familiar hallway that contained the fancy space shower, going further and standing just outside of a room that featured a giant bed.

He bent down and gave her a quick kiss, lacing his fingers through his. "You want this?"

In answer, Darcy let go of his hand and untied the strings to her cloak, letting it fall to the floor. She then walked into the room, pulling the white tunic he'd given her for their little operation, up over her head. Once she reached the end of the bed, she turned and faced him, clad only in her lacy black bra and jeans.

Do I need to spell it out anymore?

He slowly walked into the room, with a look on his face that said he couldn't quite believe what was happening. Maybe it was from being practically invisible for so long, what with people thinking he was dead … or perhaps it was that he was receiving respect and affection from her … not disdain and horror.

She didn't quite understand all of it, but Darcy knew that he'd spent a lot of time not being in full control of himself, or what was going on around him. First with his fall from the Bifrost, then the mind gem, his time on Earth … being imprisoned on Asgard, unable to help stop his mother's death … and then going into hiding, being himself no longer. She made the decision that she would let him have the control in this room.

Loki walked closer to her, pulling his green tunic over his head and letting it fall on the floor next to her discarded shirt, and then he was standing right in front of her, in nothing but leather pants, but not touching her. Her heart may or may not have skipped a beat as her eyes roamed across the skin of his upper-body.

Holy fuck, he's a Michelangelo statue. He's motherfucking David.

"Okay," she said, trying to remain steady, and not jump him on the spot. "So you've asked me about three times if this is something I want to do … but let me ask you. Is this something you want to do?"

He gave her a sad smile, his eyes filled to the brim with emotion, another thing that she didn't quite understand. "More than you can know," he said softly. "But I am a ghost … and I fear that at some point, my hands will pass through yours … and you will be here no longer.

Darcy reached over and took his hand. "I'll tell you what you told me … this is all very real. And if it's not, fuck it … we're having one hell of a shared hallucination … but I don't think it is." She put his hand on her chest. "It's okay, you can touch me. I'm not going to fade away. You have control here … you are Loki with me, not a ghost. I see you."

At that, his reservations seemed to melt away, and the look in his eyes became one of adoration, as his hand moved up to her shoulder and tugged her bra-strap down, then the other one … and soon his hands were cupping her breasts through the fabric. She closed her eyes and sighed, as being touched … finally … felt so good. He bent down to kiss her again, while putting his arms around her and pulling her tight against him, the feeling of his skin on hers intoxicating, his hands roaming everywhere, trying to feel everything, and his fingers trying to smoothly figure out how to take her bra off. She reached up and unclasped the hook for him and as it fell to the floor, he stood back to admire her curves. "You are beautiful," he said, then groaned as he took her breasts in his hands, kneading gently. "Unparalleled." He then dipped his head to explore with his mouth and tongue, his hands pressing into the small of her back, arching her towards him.

Darcy threw her head back and moaned as his teeth gently brushed over a nipple, her hands holding his head, fingers threading through his hair … the tie holding it back long gone, so that it fell in loose black waves to just below his shoulders.

They soon found each other fumbling with how to get the other's trousers off … as the Asgardian was probably unfamiliar with Midgardian jeans, and Darcy had no idea what to do with the laces on Loki's leather pants ... so they kissed frantically, as they helped one another out by doing it themselves, and sliding them off.

She looked down briefly and saw that—no surprise—Loki was a commando kind of guy.

Did they have boxers on Asgard? Probably not. She'd never thought to ask Jane.

He also happened to be quite gifted, you could say, in that area as well, as she could feel him hard and pressed against her belly. Damn. Her body began to hum with need, every breath she took was telling her that she had to have him all over her, inside her, above her.

Loki picked her up by the backs of her thighs and gracefully carried her to the side of the bed, still holding her, as he crawled his way to the middle, gently laying her down, kissing her neck, her breasts, his weight above her, his lips, a comfort, a balm … after the events of the last day or so. He then slid down her body and removed the last bit of clothing either was wearing, the black lacy panties that matched her bra.

With no more barriers, they didn't mess around, they couldn't … every pulse in Darcy's body was screaming now. His fingers grazed between her legs, softly at first, as if asking permission to touch her there. When she arched her neck and moaned, he grew bolder, exploring, and he growled when he found just how wet she'd become. At this point, she'd had enough of the opening-act and wanted to get to the main event, her body screaming for it … so she ran a hand down the firm muscles of his stomach and wrapped it around his cock.

Hard as fuck. And gifted. Gif-ted. Her mind was about to explode.

He made a low and gravelly sound at her touch, and she ran her thumb gently around the sensitive skin at the base of the head. "Please," she whispered, and spread her knees wide for him. He gave her a look that said he either wanted to murder her or fuck her brains out, and either way, it was nearly heart-stopping in its hotness. He grabbed the back of one of her thighs, spreading her further, and he began to push inside.

"Ho-ly …" she cried out, holding on to his shoulders, as he rolled his hips, sinking further, stretching her and burying himself all the way. He then held himself there for a moment, allowing her to adjust. "Darcy," he groaned into her ear. "How is it that you feel like this?"

He gasped as she wrapped her legs around him, urging him to move … she really needed him to move. Her mind was going shatter into pieces if he didn't move.

"Feel like what?" she said, her voice breathy.

He then began to thrust very slowly, and they were both very vocal about how good it felt. "You're so warm, so … exquisite."

Darcy slid her hands down his back to grab his ass and urge him on. "You feel pretty fucking amazing too."

They moved together, slow and steady at first, deliberately, wanting to feel everything, savor every second of the climb to the peak … but soon they built up momentum, losing control, and giving all of the pent-up energy a way to burn, a way to release. For Darcy, it was from the last 24 hours, but she was pretty sure that for Loki, it was from a much longer period of time. He began to move faster and she happily kept up … marveling at how intense he was, as of course, he was fucking her, but it wasn't just that … as there was never a disconnect, every thrust, every kiss, every bite, was with passion and intent, as if he wanted it to be for her pleasure first, and then his own.

She gasped when he suddenly switched positions, lifting her as if she weighed nothing, so that they were both sitting, her legs wrapped around him. Loki never kept his eyes off of her, while he pushed his hips up and she grinded down against him in a perfect rhythm with one another. As Darcy got closer, Loki buried his face in her breasts and pressed on the small of her back, adding pressure … making sure she was being stimulated in exactly the right spot. With every push, she gave a little moan, as it became more and more inevitable. He made his way to her neck, giving her another playful bite.

Right there … it's right there.

Loki knew. "Yesssss, Darcy. Break apart. Break apart all around me."

One more thrust, two more … and she obeyed, breaking thoroughly apart. She came hard and she came loud, every cell in her body vibrating, to the point where she felt like she was floating. Loki then grabbed her ass and pushed his hips up in one final thrust to release himself, coming inside of her, and then seemed to hold on for dear life as his orgasm shook through his body, and sounding like years of pain was leaving him, seeping out of his skin and being replaced with pleasure.

They both held each other, panting, enjoying the feel of each other's skin, slick with sweat and heat. Eventually they collapsed, and Darcy found that the bed might have been the most comfortable thing that she ever lay on.

"Holy shit," she said, still out of breath. "I needed that."

He looked over to her and grinned. "I did as well. It's a very common thing."

Darcy frowned. "What do you mean?"

He reached over and brushed her hair over her shoulder. "Not you. Never you. You are anything but common," he smiled. "It is just that after battle, a successful one, or an undertaking such as the one we pulled off ... it can leave one feeling a little, well …"

She grinned back. "Amped up? Like, to maximum volume?"

"Em. Yes. Something like that." He raised a brow. "How do you feel now?"

She knew he was trying to covertly ask if she had any regrets about sleeping with him, now that the deed was done.

Darcy stretched, feeling a delightful pulse and soreness from between her legs, and it would have made her want to jump him again … if she didn't feel so totally boneless. "I feel good. No, amazing. Also … so relaxed, I can't move."

He gave a low and satisfied male chuckle. "Rest, Darcy … and then I will take you home."

"Sweeeet," she managed to say, before falling into a deep sleep.

~~*...*~~

Going home wasn't exactly what happened, however, as they both kept finding excuses to stay, or to be in one another's company. At first it was because when Darcy woke up, she found that she was absolutely ravenous, as she hadn't eaten in over a day ... so Loki had food delivered. Turned out, they really were staying in a super-luxurious space hotel, and Loki being, well … him, he was basically able to conjure up whatever kind of currency he needed somehow. She figured he still must have had means of wealth on Asgard.

The food was brought to them via robot, and was of course, completely foreign to her, but actually tasted pretty good. Loki had to explain everything to her, and she made him go into great detail, as she refused to eat any alien meat, and wanted to make sure. Darcy told him that she was a strict vegetarian in space. He laughed, but made sure to select things that he thought she might like. It only endeared him to her more.

After eating, more sex just sounded like a good idea … and then shower sex (or space mist sex), which could actually last a lot longer if you knew what settings and buttons to push. Having sex in space-mist turned out to be a lot of fun.

And they would talk, of course … but not about anything intense. They made sure to not bring up anything that would break the strange spell they were under. The spell of an unlikely companionship. They talked about the difference between Midgardian and Asgardian music (of which the latter sounded pretty boring, quite honestly) … and she told him about movies and pop culture. They told funny stories from their childhoods, and were amazed by how different, and yet how similar it is, just being a kid from two different backgrounds and from two different realms.

And the sex … it was nothing short of mindblowing. Darcy was pretty sure that any dude she had sex with on Earth would now be a big whopping disappointment. Loki had a way of making everything startlingly passionate. Even when he was fucking her from behind, in front of the giant windows, and she had her hands on the glass, looking at the view of outer space … he still somehow made it seem reverent, consuming. It was in how he looked at her, the things he said, the attention that he paid to every tiny detail … like kissing the back of her neck, telling her how sweet she tasted.

There was no coming back from this. It was going to be like Italy all over again. She'd spent a month in Italy as an exchange-student, enjoying the food, the wine … and the food. And then she went home and had to go to the fucking Olive Garden.

Earth dudes were destined to become the Olive Garden.

At one point, she woke up from sex-induced sleep, to the sound of Frank Sinatra coming in from the other room. Darcy had been trying to teach him about Midgardian music, and starting out with the mild stuff, as opposed to death metal and gangsta rap.

Regrets ... I've had a few

But then again, too few to mention

I did what I had to do

And saw it through, without exemption

I planned each charted course

Each careful step, along the byway

And more, much more than this

I did it my way

She wouldn't have thought much about it, except she noticed that Loki kept playing the same song over and over again. My Way.

I've loved, I've laughed and cried

I've had my fill, my share of losing

And now as tears subside

I find it all so amusing

Darcy slipped on Loki's green tunic and walked over to where he was, sitting at the table, staring out of the window.

For what is a man, what has he got

If not himself, then he has not

To say the things he truly feels

And not the words of one who kneels

The record shows I took the blows

And did it my way

She bent over and slid her hands down his shoulders, embracing him from behind, and he took her hand and held it to his chest. "You're awake," he said.

Darcy stood straight and walked around him, sitting in his lap. "And you're wearing my shirt," he grinned.

She shrugged. "Looked comfortable."

"And you look delectable in it," he said, as his hands slid up her thighs and under the fabric to her hips. He nodded to her iPhone on the table. "Tell me about the man who sings this song."

"Frank Sinatra," Darcy said, smiling, not wanting to dive in too deep as to why the song resonated with him. "Rat Pack member. They called him 'Ol' Blue Eyes' … he was a singer and a movie star."

"Was?"

"He died a few years ago."

"Hn," Loki frowned. "Was he revered? Mourned?"

Darcy gave him a kiss on the forehead. "He's a legend. One of those guys who will always be mourned."

"And yet he was not a hero."

She thought for a second. "Hm, not really. He definitely wasn't perfect, but people loved him. He had charisma."

"And that emblem on your shirt … is that a hero's emblem?"

"My Batman shirt?"

"Batman," he laughed. "There is someone called Batman?"

She smiled and shook her head. "No. He's fiction, from a story that's been going on for decades ... and it's told over and over again. He's called 'The Dark Knight'."

"Why do you wear his shirt?" Loki seemed genuinely curious.

"On Asgard, you don't really wear anything like that?"

He shook his head. "If one wears an emblem, it is a small family accent. A piece of jewelry, or a pin. Or colors. Nothing like that."

Darcy nodded. "It's common on Earth to wear t-shirts like that, representing something you like, something you relate to. A team you're rooting for. People wear band t-shirts and sports jerseys, and that kind of thing, all the time. But my Batman shirt … I haven't worn that one in a long time. It was in the closet of my old room ... at my parents house."

He gave a nod. "And why do you like his story enough to wear his shirt?"

How do I explain my Christian Bale obsession from years ago?

Darcy frowned. "I suppose I always liked Batman because he turned one of his fears into his strength, and made it his identity. Or another identity, I suppose. He's not like Tony Stark, no one knows that Bruce Wayne is Batman. He has two identities. That, and you should see how he does a pushup, I mean … I can't explain it."

He laughed, as his hands slid up her hips and then her sides, in order to slide his shirt off. She raised her arms to help him. He held it up for a second before throwing it on the floor. "I'll give you that shirt to wear on Midgard … there is no emblem on it, but you'll know it's mine."

"Okay," she said, smiling down at him, before attacking his mouth with hers, and finding yet another place to have sex. The chair.

~~*...*~~

Later on, who knows how much later on, as time didn't seem to exist for Darcy in this space, they were wrapped around each other in bed. Loki then suddenly shot up, shocked and visibly spooked.

Darcy reached over to him. "What's wrong?"

"Something's happened," he said, looking of into a distance that wasn't in the room.

She sat up and took his hand, he was trembling. "What do you mean something's happened … like you felt a great disturbance in The Force?"

He looked over to her, coming back to himself a bit. "What?"

Darcy shook her head. "Nevermind. What's wrong … a nightmare?"

"Possibly," Loki frowned. "The mind gem. Something has happened to it."

~~::::::...::::::~~

XXXX

Songs were Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson ... You Only Live Twice by Nancy Sinatra ... and My Way by Frank Sinatra. All on Spotify if you'd like a listen. You Only Live Twice is a particularly gorgeous song. And from my fave Bond movie ;-)