A/N: Hey guys, I'm back with an update! Thank you guys so much for the reviews, the favorites, and the follows! I can't believe this is already up to over one hundred followers! It's amazing! The reviews are definitely helping to keep my motivation up with this, and reading them makes my day! (So many exclamation points, haha.)
Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel nor any characters herein. This story is written for purely entertainment purposes.
xXxXxXx
Jane stepped out of her bathing chambers, freshly clean and in one of her casual dresses. She'd woken up about an hour and a half prior, and found that she lacked the energy to move at a pace beyond a steady mosey. She sighed softly, walking past her bed (which thankfully now lacked dishes under it) and making her way to her nightstand. She stared at the two books sitting atop it, and felt a frown start to form on her face.
Two days. It had been two days since she'd even caught a glimpse of Loki after he'd flipped out on her, and it was beginning to grate on her nerves far more than she wanted to admit. While she was far from expecting any sort of apology from him, she had hoped to at least be given a chance to explain herself, and maybe find out why he'd reacted the way he had.
It wasn't looking very promising, though, so she had met up with Sif to see if she could help with more preparations. With only a month and a half left before the big day, Sif had eagerly accepted the offer. They'd spoken some about the wedding, and Sif had casually asked her what she'd been up to. Jane hadn't felt like explaining everything, so she just said she'd taken a look around the castle. Sif hadn't appeared to be overly satisfied with such a vague answer, but Jane just offered her a strained smile and tried to distract herself with more floral arrangements. She hadn't wanted to think about Loki.
Unfortunately, she realized, it was growing more and more difficult not to do so.
Picking up the books, she emitted another, softer sigh. She'd go see if maybe he was hiding in the library. She hadn't been there since she'd originally taken the books, and she found the idea of returning more enticing than she realized as she left her bedchambers for her destination.
xXxXxXx
Sif waved at Fandral as she set her weapon back in its place, smiling at another successful sparring session with her fellow warrior, who was already headed out to let his horse have a run. Sif started to walk back towards the entrance to the castle, satisfied with the familiar burn of her muscles.
She may have been a bride-to-be, but she was still a warrior, and it felt good to train.
As she made her way through the halls, she wondered if Jane would be joining her today to help with the wedding plans. The woman had become scarce up until a few days ago, and any time Sif tried to ask her about it, her answers would come out rough—forced, even. What was causing the woman to be so strung out eluded the warrior, because she was obviously losing her romantic interest in Thor.
No, Sif was not ignorant. Even when she had offered Jane an opportunity to assist with planning the wedding, she'd known how the woman felt about her fiancé. It had been mostly Thor's idea to begin with, but the more time Sif spent with the scientist, especially after realizing she had no intention of being a threat, the more she discovered why Thor wanted to retain Jane as a friend.
This was why Sif was growing so concerned about the mortal. The fact that Loki hadn't been seen in a while was no shocker, but she had a feeling the two circumstances weren't far from one another.
She paused just before turning down the corridor to her bedchamber, stopped by the sound of low-pitched voices. She got as close as she could without being spotted, and was thankfully able to overhear what was being said.
"—yes. I heard that they had gone to the gardens around the castle, and even the courtyards," stated a male voice. "Not that I see the appeal."
"Well, for someone not even from here, it must be quite beautiful. I'm just surprised the prince came out just to show her around. I hear he scared away anyone who looked too long, also."
The second voice belonged to a female, and Sif's eyes narrowed as she realized just who they were discussing. She turned the corner sharply, spotting a maid and guard speaking together. Their eyes widened significantly as they spotted her approaching, but they were wise enough not to try to run away.
"You," Sif stated seriously, pointing at the maid, whose complexion turned two shades whiter. Sif waved off the guard, ignoring the wave of relief that washed over his face as she stared down at the woman in front of her. "Loki and the girl—tell me everything you know."
xXxXxXx
Jane closed the door to the library behind her, eyes sweeping the room quickly. She sighed as she discovered she was alone, but couldn't say that she was surprised. She began to make her way over to the bookcase she'd borrowed her books from, before pausing as she realized something was different.
Where there was once a leather chair and a smaller, more uncomfortable one, now sat two leather chairs. Closer examination had her thinking that if she didn't know better, she'd venture to say they were the exact same kind of leather. The only difference that she could make out was that one of them was a bit smaller.
Jane wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or cry, because this gesture was just so nice, and it was completely unexpected. She drew in a deep breath, wandering over to the chair closest to her. She ran her hand across the leather, allowing a small smile to cross her lips. She wondered why he'd gone through this much trouble to do something that seemed so far out of his character.
But then again, most of what he's been doing lately doesn't exactly fit in with what I figured he'd be like, she thought, biting her lower lip. He's been bouncing back and forth so much lately that it's really hard to figure out what's up with him, but I know he's got some kindness in there. He's shown it to me, even if he doesn't exactly seem to want to . . . I wish I could just see inside his head. That would make things so much easier . . . Or traumatizing, actually. Probably a bad idea.
Sighing softly to herself, she glanced down at the books that were in her hands, a memory of something Loki had said flashing into her mind.
"Take them back to the library. Try to read them there, and then you'll know."
She pursed her lips thoughtfully, running her hand over the cover of the blue book on top of her stack. Deciding that she had nothing better to do than give it a shot, she moved to take a seat in the chair. It was as comfortable as she'd expected for it to be, and she found herself settling in even more.
Focusing her attention back on the book now resting in her lap, she found that she was actually a little nervous. Fighting off the unexpected feeling, she took a deep breath and opened the book to the first page.
Jane's eyes widened in shock and amazement as the pages began to shimmer with a green light, and her eyes traced the patterns of the written runes as they started to shift into different shapes. It only took a few moments before she was able to realize what was actually happening—the books were translating themselves into English right before her eyes!
She continued to watch in wonder until the pages stopped glowing, at which point she began to focus on the words that were actually on the paper. When words like dragons and serpent began to pop up, she knew she would be in here for a while.
The next step, however, would be finding out how Loki had done this, and why.
xXxXxXx
The tile cracked as a large, closed fist slammed down onto it, a frustrated growl accompanying the display of violence. Loki glared at the spider-webbing fractures that were forming in the once-smooth tile of his bathtub's exterior. He drew in a deep breath, trying to calm his fraying nerves as he ran a hand through wet, slick hair.
This wasn't working.
Loki wasn't in the habit of hiding from his problems per say, but this one was different. He didn't know how to deal with the enigma that was Jane Foster, and it was driving him insane. He hadn't meant to snap at her the way that he had, but that in and of itself was part of his problem with her. Something about her was causing him to lose some of his self-control, and for the life of him, he had no idea what it was. As far as he was aware, the mortal had no special abilities, which made this all the more maddening. She had to be doing something to him; it was the only explanation, because anything else he'd even tried to consider had made him uncomfortable.
He sank deeper in the water, seething in pain as his muscles screamed in protest. His wrists were itching ridiculously, and he cursed himself—and Jane—silently as he waited for the pain to subside. His sudden disappearance had been yet another display of cowardice from him, but he knew it had most likely just looked like rage to Jane. He was fine with that thought, thankful even, but he knew better.
The effect Jane was having on his inability to control himself was frightening, and fear wasn't something he allowed himself to have. Ever. He didn't know how to handle this particular problem because he'd never had it before. He was finding it difficult to maintain a straight face around her, especially when she stumbled over herself (as she tended to do quite a bit, actually). It was also becoming harder to leave her alone, and he wondered if it had become apparent yet. He clenched his teeth at the thought, his fists tightening once again. He inhaled deeply, trying not to allow himself to grow too aggravated. His tub wouldn't be able to withstand much more.
Sighing, he allowed himself to sink completely beneath the water, closing his eyes. All of his muscles ached, and his stomach was twisting into knots. He huffed to himself, listening to the bubbles that escaped as he did so. He'd been avoiding the kitchen the past few days, not wanting to risk running into Jane, and he was beginning to feel the effects of it.
He sat up once his lungs started to burn, pushing his hair out of his face before getting out of the bath entirely. This was growing ridiculous, and he knew it, but he found the idea of having to explain his outburst to be unpleasant for the time being. He would have to plan a satisfactory outcome before he would go to Jane, because he wanted to be prepared for anything this time. He was growing tired of being caught off guard when it came to her, and he'd been too lax in his encounters. He had enough information on her to know better.
He grabbed one of the towels off of his hanging rack, toweling at his hair some before wrapping it around himself. He wandered into the rest of his bedchamber, seeking out a pair of casual clothes. Drying himself better, he went through the motions of getting dressed before lying on his bed, his eyebrows drawing together in concentration.
He recognized brooding for what it was—he'd done it for most of his life, intentionally and sometimes unintentionally, after all. Normally his brooding was because there was something he wanted that he wasn't getting, or wasn't capable of getting. Now, though, he had a question to pose to himself: What was it that he wanted in this case?
If he was honest with himself, he couldn't pinpoint one response He wanted to understand what was going through Jane's head. He couldn't read her expression when she looked at him, because what he saw was misleading. No one looked at him like that; the thought was absurd.
He wanted to not feel so obligated to answer her when she asked him a question. It would help to stop encounters like a few days prior.
He wanted the pain of his mother's death to go away.
He wanted his magic back without restraint.
He wanted to forget that he was actually Laufey's son, and all that had followed the discovery.
Loki brought a hand up to his face, running his fingers along it. This train of thought was unhealthy for him and he knew it. The last thing he needed to do was throw himself deeper into whatever this mood was. He would just have to face Jane again, but he refused to apologize to her. She was a mortal and had no right to push him as she had, regardless of her intentions with the information she was looking for.
He was broken out of his thoughts as a knock sounded at his door. It was hard, but not forceful, and Loki didn't even have to move to know who it was that stood on the opposite side of it.
"Brother? . . . Are you in there?"
No, and I'm not your brother, I'm the royal family's chained pet. You seem to forget this, he thought snidely, scowling at the almost pleading tone in Thor's voice. How many times over the past few weeks had Thor knocked upon his door to no avail? Too many to count. Loki hadn't been aware that he held that kind of attention span.
"Please, Loki, I just wish to speak with you."
No, you wish to hear yourself talk.
"Loki . . . Brother?"
I am not your brother! Loki practically screamed in his head, loud enough for him to need to pause and make sure he hadn't accidentally done so physically. He listened as Thor shifted back and forth outside of the door uncomfortably, occasionally muttering another plea for his ear, before he finally conceded and lumbered off. Scoffing without amusement, Loki sat up to glare at the door, only to burst into a heavy fit of coughing. He clenched his fist against his chest as a painful spasm hit him, and his brow creased as he became lightheaded. He lay back down, grimacing.
It appeared as though going to see Jane was going to have to wait.
xXxXxXx
When Jane finally unburied her face from her book, she was surprised to discover how much time had passed. She'd placed the books in their proper locations and wandered into the hall outside the library to find it already dark outside. She started in the direction of her room, debating on where she wanted to go next—her room or the dining hall—when Sif found her. The taller woman offered her a light, good natured smile.
"I'm happy to have found you, Jane. I was growing concerned."
Jane smiled apologetically, "I meant to come find you earlier, but I got distracted with reading. I'm sorry."
Shaking her head, Sif gestured for Jane to walk with her. "Nonsense. There's no need to fret—I understand that there are more things to do around here than just plan a wedding. I would be ashamed of myself if I were to expect you to be by my side the entire time."
"Well, thank you, but I still want to be able to help out, too."
"I greatly appreciate it," Sif nodded, before a thoughtful expression crossed her features. "Have you seen Loki today, per chance?"
Jane's step faltered at the unexpected question, but she recovered quickly, hoping the warrior wouldn't have noticed. "Um, no . . . Why do you ask?"
"Just an inquiry. You said you were reading, so I assumed it may have been in the library."
"Ah," Jane nodded. "Well, you're not wrong. I was in the library, but he wasn't there."
"I see," Sif sighed, although she hadn't missed the subtly resigned tone in Jane's voice. The former waited patiently as her companion frowned thoughtfully.
"Were you, uh, looking for him?"
"Not particularly. Thor was just growing concerned for his wellbeing, as we haven't seen him since dinner a few nights ago—and even then, his behavior was unusual," she replied casually.
"Oh," Jane muttered, her frown deepening. "He's probably just off sulking or something, right?"
Sif couldn't help but smirk. "He does tend to do that, yes."
Jane sighed softly to herself, thinking hard for a moment on whether she should trust Sif enough to ask her about the situation. After a few seconds, she settled on a safe question to ask first. "Does he . . . Does Loki have mood swings often?"
Rolling her eyes in spite of herself, Sif huffed. "Saying yes would not be doing his mood swings justice. He once transformed into a bird and hid in the rafters for days because Fandral mocked his height while we were children. Thor had to bribe him down with stolen sweets when his mother began to question him. It doesn't take very much to rile him up, but even less so since just before the announcement of Thor's original coronation."
"Yeah, I heard he went off the deep end with that . . . The Destroyer, and then New York, kind of proved that to everyone."
Sif nodded solemnly at the mention of the battles. She hadn't liked Loki as a person in centuries, and had not trusted him in an even larger time frame, but she often wondered what had gotten into the trickster to cause him to go so far in his attempt to destroy Thor. Even in her worst nightmares, she had not thought him capable of such feats of pure hatred, and the fact that he had done so and shown such little remorse made it difficult for her to hold her tongue around him. One day she would have the opportunity to rattle some sense into him, but for now, she had to collect herself. She looked over at Jane. "Is there a reason you asked about his mood swings?"
Jane bit her lower lip contemplatively. "I'm scared I might have said something that offended him, and I don't have the first clue as to how to fix it."
Sif wanted to ask so many questions in that instant alone, but she focused on her current objective. "Have you been spending much time with him?"
Jane shot her a confused look, but Sif held up a hand to stay her questions. "I merely ask to see if you have a moderate grasp on his usual behavior to compare this behavior to."
". . . Sort of," Jane stated after a few stretched seconds. "I'm just a little worried is all. He's never really gone out of his way to avoid me like this before." Although, in hindsight, I can't say I haven't done the same.
Sif nodded to her. "I see . . . Well, Loki is a complex person, regardless of what situation you are in with him. When, or if, he wishes to speak, he will find you and do so. Perhaps he is merely calming himself."
"Is that something he usually does when he's upset?"
"In my experience, he rarely does anything without thinking through every option he has first. You may just need to give him time," Sif answered honestly. As much as she didn't want to give props to the man who'd repeatedly tried to murder her fiancé, she knew how much he meant to Thor, and if her suspicions were correct, maybe even this mortal. She turned to Jane, offering her another light smile. "Now come, let us go join the others for food."
Nodding, Jane continued to walk with Sif, her mind buzzing. She wasn't quite sure where this conversation had even come from, but she did know that waiting was driving her crazy. Was that really the only thing she could do at this point? She stared at the floor hard, thinking through her options as ideas slowly started to formulate in her mind.
Sif watched Jane out of the corner of her eye. She was pleased that she'd gotten the woman to admit that she had spent time with Loki—it was a good starting point. She would work her way further into discovering more about their interactions, because she wanted to make sure that Jane wasn't just becoming another toy for Loki, and that he wasn't using her in some twisted way to get back at Thor. After hearing some of the rumors that were going around from the maid, however, she was finding it to be more of a perplexing situation than she'd originally thought.
Loki very rarely went out of his room nowadays, and if he did, he certainly didn't announce it with a flourish. As far as she'd been aware, he'd made it a point to avoid anyone and everyone possible since he'd been reinstated as a prince, yet he had allowed himself to be seen wandering the castle grounds with Jane. Certainly he was aware that word would spread, because as much as she still didn't want to give him more credit than necessary, the man was brilliant. He, of all people, knew how others talked—especially courtiers and the staff.
Sif was suspicious of his angle in this, but she refused to bring it up to Thor and cause him further distress until she was sure of what they were dealing with. She turned to look back in front of her, determination settling in her eyes. I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt, Loki. You don't have your magic, so you can't hurt her like that, but if you even try, you'll wish you had been banished to Jotuunheim by the time I'm done with you.
The women walked in relative silence to the dining hall, one with thoughts of mistrust running through her head, and one with thoughts of resolve coursing through hers.
A/N: There you go! I know this chapter is a bit shorter than the others I've been posting, but it was necessary to the story, and I couldn't add anything else to it without it becoming a ridiculous size, haha. Hopefully it's still worth it! Here we get a bit more insight into where everyone's heads are at, with a bit of a peek at Thor. Don't worry, though, his time will come and there will be quite a bit to share with him! There was also a lack of Loki and Jane interaction, but it'll be okay, because there's plenty of it the next go round, haha. Let me know what you guys think is going to happen!
Please review, as it helps to keep my motivation up! Thank you!
