I had originally planned this to be two separate chapters, with one serving as an interlude, and the other in the usual format, but I thought it would flow nicer as one. So as a note, the days these events are happening are not on May 4th, but that will come up later in the chapter. Enjoy!
Loki rested his head against the board of his bed and flipped through a spell book aimlessly. How long has it been? A month? Maybe more? He fell into a routine that consisted of eating, working, reading, and sleeping. He enjoyed sleeping the most, and craved the sweet escape that it provided from the usual torturous thoughts during the day.
After his fight with Darcy, he immediately retreated back to Asgard and stayed there, wanting nothing to do with Midgard. He made his father aware of this, and his father agreed with no complaint since Thor still gallivanted with The Avengers and Jane. With Thor out of the picture, Odin paid more attention to Loki, making sure that he knew he had a place in court. Loki cared little for politics, and found the conversations boring, but felt comforted in the fact that Odin still desired his presence, but he would ever admit that to anyone.
As he predicted, the elves were curious and the dwarves agreed to an economic pact with Midgard, but SHIELD ran into trouble with the dark elves. He heard from court gossip and snippets from Thor that Fury over stepped his boundaries, causing the elves to lash out with magic. Afraid and unaware, the elves took pity on the group and allowed them to retreat.
Running a hand through his hair, he put the book down knowing that he couldn't concentrate. With most of his reading, he had only skimmed through it since it offered little distraction. Sometimes he would consider experimenting more with his Jotunn magic, but he couldn't bring himself to. He was a monster to all of Asgard.
A knock sounded on his door, so he waved his hand to open it. His mother stepped in, looking regal as ever with a tender look upon her face.
"Is there something wrong, mother?" He asked, getting up from the bed. His mother motioned him to sit back down and she sat next to him and touched his shoulder gently.
"Can I not visit my son? Thor has been away more than usual and Odin has been in court all day."
Loki narrowed his eyes in suspicion, and said quietly, "Thor put you up to this."
Frigga smiled, knowing she could not lie to him. "He asked me to check up on you; he's been very worried."
"Tell him I am doing well." Crossing his legs with his body outstretched on the bed, he plucked the book back up.
"Loki." Frigga put her hand on the book, forcing him to look back up at her in the eye. In that moment, he felt like a child and pursed his lips.
"I am, mother. Asgard is my home and I am happy to be here. What else do I need in life?"
"Asgard isn't your only home. Ever since you returned from Midgard, you have been shutting everyone out who isn't your father or me, and whenever you finish your duties for the day, you retreat to your room. You eat all your meals here, and spend your time reading."
"I don't exactly have friends, mother," knowing full well that the Warriors Three had always liked Thor more than him, and after his stint as king, they haven't been able to look him in the eye.
"But you did in Midgard." The sentence hung in the air as Loki's gaze darkened, looking a bit pained.
"Not many. They were more of acquaintances, and they're Thor's friends."
Frigga walked over to his desk with neatly stacked books on the end and a quill in the right hand corner. In the center of the desk, there was a picture of him and a brown-haired girl, grinning widely. She picked it up and sat back next to him, and Loki stiffened as he saw the picture.
"What about her?" She examined the picture more closely, noticing that they were against a stone structure, and his arm was draped around her shoulders while hers were around his waist.
Snatching the picture, Loki said, "We're not friends anymore." He put the picture in between the pages of his book and closed it.
"What happened on Midgard, Loki? When you were called back, you didn't even say goodbye and between your visitations, you seemed quite happy. You've returned without reason, and refuse to go back when Thor calls upon you." She touched his arm gently. "Did you care for her?"
"More than I should have," he replied tersely and rose from the bed onto the floor. "Shall I join you for dinner? Would that make you happy?"
"Loki." She used her scolding voice, one that he had not heard in years. "You have always kept close to yourself and your problems closer. But if you ever need anything—"
"I'll meet you for dinner, mother." He picked his book up again, letting the picture slide out and fall onto the floor. Frigga bent down and put it gently back on to his table and walked out, giving him a worried look.
Loki sighed, immediately feeling guilty for upsetting his mother, but there was little he could do about it. Ever since he returned, he replayed that night over and over again in his mind, wishing he could take back all his actions and words, but he was met with a painful realization once again.
She was mortal. She wasn't Jane, as she caustically said, and she would die.
And if that was the case, he would be better off leaving her life before he sunk too far in. At one point he rationalized that it would all be worth it, but his disposition was poisonous to her. Trying to be good was different than actually being good, and while his services to SHIELD proved to be valuable, he had no taste working for a man who was motivated by selfish ambitions.
But he missed her, truly. He never realized the freedom he felt talking to someone who understood him, who gave no thought to his odd quirks, and even if he confused her, she would try to understand. And he hoped, with a flicker in his heart, that she felt the same way. He looked at his unusable phone on the table, wondering if she ever bothered to call him to say sorry, only to be told that he left her world.
She would be much better off without him, he told himself. It was not in good fortune to associate with the God of Mischief, and if she ever wanted to "make something of herself," as she liked to put it, she wouldn't have to blink and eyelash back to him.
The whole situation was ridiculous, he thought. The only god to ever befriend a mortal was Thor. Magnificent, fate defying, hammer wielding, Thor. So of course a happy ending would be given to him on a silver platter. Loki was a fool to ever think that the situation could have worked out the same for him.
Casting a look at the picture, he sighed and got up from his bed to meet his mother for dinner.
Darcy slung her bag over her shoulder as she made a dash for work; coffee in one hand, a scone in the other.
Giving the address to the cab driver, she sat back in relief, munching on her scone, musing how her life had taken a turn in the past few months as she looked out the window on the rainy November day.
After Loki left, she turned into a shell of her former self and didn't leave her house until Jane came back from Asgard and stormed her way in, worried. Darcy explained to Jane what had happened, that Loki had prevented her from going on her trip, and Jane was furious, but looked somewhat relieved, making Darcy wonder if Jane doubted her too.
They never spoke of Loki again after that, and Jane knew what Darcy needed was space. Loki had left a huge imprint on her life and she never quite realized how much of an impact it was until he left.
He had become a support system for her; always there when she was annoyed at little things, to amuse her when she needed a break from work, and he understood her on a level she never quite felt with anyone before. Maybe it was because he looked at her for everything that she was-not an assistant, a daughter, or a girl in the background. Or at least that's what she thought until his little speech that crushed her. He knew she was angry; hell, she was angry too, but his words struck deep, and the fact that he couldn't understand her pain hurt even more.
Jane made every effort she could to make Darcy happy, but everywhere she went was a reminder of Loki. Their favorite pizzeria, his failure at ice skating in Rockefeller Center, and every movie she watched, she wondered if he would enjoy it too.
Needless to say, when Fury returned he told Darcy that she was fired from the team, only devastating her further, but she understood and explained to him what had happened. He said that although she was fired from the team, it didn't mean she was fired from SHIELD so she continued to work under Jane as her secretary again. It was much more lax than their work on the bridge, so Darcy found no comfort in delving herself into her work.
It worried her how broken she felt. It wasn't like they dated, but she couldn't help but think that his kind actions and words meant that he cared for her more than a friend. She knew now that it probably didn't, seeing as he completely disappeared and the only reminder she had of him were the pictures in her apartment and phone, and the items he had bought for her.
After a month of moping and getting drunk several times, Jane decided to send Darcy off to her father, hoping that he would be able to put some life back into her.
"Darcy, what happened to you?"
"What do you mean? I'm still the same Darcy," She gave a fake smile. They were always close, but they had always avoided personal affairs; those types of conversations had always been left to her mom.
"You look sick, sweetie. They working you hard at work?"
"Uh, yeah. Jane's been doing a lot of stuff, and she needed me to work overtime a bit. But I'm okay now, that's why I'm here."
He looked at her dubiously and shook his head. They were outside, basking in the Florida heat, waiting for the delivery boy to come.
"I'm not complaining that you're here, Darce, I'm just worried. You called on such short notice and you sounded worn down. And looking at you now, I have a reason to worry."
Darcy rolled her eyes and reclined on her beach chair. "I'm fineeee. Been stressed, but it's all good now."
"What happened to that man I met at mom's funeral?"
She swallowed, hoping to play off as dumb. "What man?"
"Darcy." He gave her a long look beneath his glasses.
"What? There were a lot of men at the funeral."
"Your very dapper friend who wouldn't leave your side, Darce."
She swallowed again. "Oh. Him." Her dad continued to look at her, waiting for more. "He's doing well," she added quickly, looking around for the delivery car, hoping it would come soon. She was a terrible liar even though she hung out with the God of Lies for the past couple years.
"It was very nice of him to fly all the way from New York to comfort you."
"Yeah." She twiddled her thumbs and looked to the side, pleading for the delivery guy to come soon. She wasn't planning on having this conversation with her dad, he wasn't even supposed to know that Loki was in her life—she doubted he would approve of her hanging out with the man who tried to take over their world.
"Did anything happen between you two?"
Darcy tensed, and looked nervously at him. "We were—I mean…We never did-It's not what you think!" She practically yelled, earning an amused glance from her dad.
"You're not getting any younger, and I expect some grandkids soon before I clock out of this world," He said with humor sparkling in his eyes, making Darcy's eyes bug out.
"Well you're going to have to wait a bit longer," she said, and she got up to move since their food was here.
After her trip to Florida, she felt rejuvenated and ready to go back to work, much to Jane's relief. Gone were the days of moping around, and she even went out by herself to explore the city to do some soul searching. While soul searching was unsuccessful, she learned how to live post-Loki, and things resumed back to normal. Or as normal as working in a secret organization could get.
The day it happened was completely unexpected, but then again, most things in her life were. She was working as usual when the bright beam of light appeared. She assumed it was Thor returning from Asgard, but the swarm of SHIELD agents signaled otherwise.
When Darcy saw her face, she couldn't believe something that perfect could exist. She looked ethereal and flawless to the point where it was discomforting. Clothed in white with silver jewelry, and pointed ears, she was pretty sure that this was a light elf from Alfheim.
She stepped from the pedestal that connected the machine, looking confused, but not frightened. She dipped her head. "Greetings. I am Karliah [1] of Alfheim, sent as an ambassador for negotiations between our people." Her voice was smooth and rang like a silver bell.
"Pleased to meet you, Karliah. I am Nick Fury of SHIELD, the organization behind this bridge."
Karliah looked around nervously as she was taken to a private room so they could talk, while Darcy stood on the side lines, gawking at her silk-like hair.
It was during her lunch break when she ran into Karliah, who was having trouble with the soup dispenser in the cafeteria.
"You pull it downward." Darcy said, approaching her with a box of salad in hand.
Karliah pulled the lever gently, releasing tomato soup into the large cup she placed beneath. "Thank you." She said softly and Darcy handed her a spoon since she didn't seem to have one.
"No problem and hey—do you mind if I sit with you?" The elf blinked, but nodded as she made her way to an empty table by the window.
"I'm Darcy; human." She extended a hand between bites of salad and Karliah looked at her in confusion.
"You shake it. It's kind of our way of greeting one another here."
"Oh." So she shook it awkwardly, looking back down at her soup. For an ambassador, she was pretty shy, Darcy thought, quietly observing her. Her hair was down to her waist and tendrils of it were sprawled across the table, getting into the soup.
"You might want to use this," Darcy handed her a spare hair tie from her purse. "It's a scrunchie; you tie your hair up with it. It's getting in your soup you know."
Looking embarrassed, Karliah waved her hand, releasing a bit of light at her fingertips and her hair was impeccable once again.
Open mouthed, Darcy exclaimed, "Wow, that's pretty amazing! I had a friend who did magic and…" She drifted off, not wanting to complete the thought, but Karliah piqued her eyes in wonder.
"Thor," She said quickly. "You'll probably meet him. He summons lightning."
"The man of thunder," Karliah noted, nodding. "I have heard of him since he is the future ruler of Asgard."
"Yeah, his fiancé is from here. She's the one who built the bridge connecting your worlds."
"Ah." Silence. Darcy was good at filling conversation, so she continued, hoping to learn more about her.
"So how do you like it here on…I assume you call it Midgard too?"
Karliah nodded. "This is my first time here; my people spoke of it, but that was centuries ago. I imagine it has changed much since then, seeing as you built this bridge."
Grinning, "Yeah, we've changed a lot in the past few hundred years. Hey, if you're not busy later, we should definitely hang out. You're in New York—one of the most lively cities here on Earth, and there's so much to do. It's like getting a taste of every culture in one city."
Tilting her head to the side, Karliah gave a small smile. "I would like that."
They became friends in the short time Karliah stayed. Even though she was from a different realm, Darcy supposed that some things were universal like shopping, and she was right. After giving her a brief tour of the city, they went to Macy's to buy some normal clothing for her, and Karliah was ecstatic with childlike wonder. Apparently she was always interested in other realms as a child, which was uncommon for an elf, but she pursued it and jumped on her chance to visit Earth. For her, this was a dream come true.
Darcy supposed she had a habit of befriending alien creatures, but she didn't mind. Karliah was sweet, similar to Jane, and much quieter than Darcy. Even though Karliah wore her native clothing to SHIELD meetings, she always changed when Darcy invited her to go out and found her always looking for ways to immerse herself into their culture. She was confused about electricity (reminding Darcy a lot of Captain America when he started getting adjusted) and cars and buses, leaving Darcy to explain everything to her. By the time she had to go, she was an almost expert with a notebook filled with observations. She was sad to see her go, but Karliah reassured her that they would meet again in the future, and if Darcy was ever in Alfheim she should "Hit her up," using a phrase Darcy taught her.
It was a week later Darcy was called to Coulson's office, making Darcy wonder what she had done this time.
"Karliah said you were extremely helpful during her stay here."
Darcy shrugged. "I guess. I showed her around a lot and she was eager to learn more, so it was easy."
"Miss Lewis, I have another job offer for you. Even though your ambassador job didn't work out like we planned," Darcy visibly flinched a bit at that, but he continued with a softened look. "Your skills with the extraterrestrial are exceptional. What we have planned in the future requires an influx of them, and Karliah was only the beginning. Fury expects a dwarf here soon, and in all honesty, we are not prepared for that at all other than the political notes we want to run by him."
She blinked. "So…What you're saying is, you want me to be like a tour guide for the aliens?"
Coulson smiled. "Tour guide is rather informal, but that is the idea. Ease them into Earth, because many of them want to stay at least a week to get a feel for us. The job itself is pretty informal, but Fury thinks it's a good idea and necessary, if we want to make a good impression."
Darcy was having a sense of déjà vu, remembering the last time she was called to Coulson's office for a job. Except this time…Well, she certainly didn't know what to make of it, but if she could help out in any way, she wanted to be part.
"Yeah, sure. I'm actually really interested in all of their cultures, so it'll be fun for me too."
Even though she technically had a new job, Darcy didn't stop working for Jane. The tour guide thing was only when they had an ambassador visit, and they had about two every month. It was fascinating, to say the least. While not all of them were as receptive as Karliah, they were intrigued and Darcy was more than happy to answer their questions and listen to their stories.
She couldn't help but wonder what Loki would think of her new standing. Would he be proud? Laugh? Or be worried? Darcy knew she was dealing with powerful beings even if they didn't show it. Dwarves had magic that they laced into their craftsmanship, and elven magic was more powerful than she dared comprehend.
But she was happy. It was satisfying hearing a hearty goodbye from one of her new friends, and many even gave her gifts, like the dwarf who fashioned a beautiful necklace for her.
The taxi pulled up at the SHEILD building, so she handed the driver some money and walked in, waving to the secretary at the front counter. It was going to be a slow day, since no one would be visiting until next month, so she concentrated on Jane's latest experiment.
"Hey." She sat down in her cubicle, and a familiar blonde man in glasses greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.
Oh, did she mention she managed to pick up a boyfriend in the last two months too? His name is Marcus, and they were taking it slow. Turns out he was eyeing her for the past year, but finally managed to work up enough guts to talk to her when she was running papers down to the computer department where he worked.
Okay, so maybe he wasn't a god or superhuman wielding powers, but he was simple. No family complications, no red on his ledger; he graduated MIT a few years ago, and SHIELD picked him up after a nice performance in one of their scouting missions. And not to mention he was pretty cute too. He treated her with respect, and she realized she really missed having a boyfriend since her last serious one was in college and that ended with a mutual breakup.
Even though she secretly hoped that her new boyfriend would help push Loki from her mind, she couldn't help but compare them even though she and Loki never actually dated. All of Marcus' sweet gestures never seemed to match up to Loki's subtle, but caring displays of affection, even if they were only meant with friendly intentions. And his humor—It was almost painfully geeky, and he didn't always understand Darcy's strange wit or sarcastic comments, but that was usually overshadowed by their make out sessions.
All in all, their relationship was comfortable, and she had no complaints, so why the heck not?
"Hey," she replied back, and he set a hazelnut coffee on her desk.
"Morning," He said cheekily and Darcy looked at the coffee cup embarrassingly and pushed it back towards him.
"I'm actually allergic to hazelnut, but thanks." The smile from Marcus' face fell, looking sheepish.
"Oh wow, I'm sorry. Of all the flavors I had to pick, of course I pick the one you're allergic to. I'll run down to Starbucks and get you another."
"No no, it's okay. You should get to work before everyone else starts getting here. I'll go ask Jane if she wants anything so I have an excuse to leave." She smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips, earning a smile from him too.
"Alright," he said, and made his way out, but he turned around. "Dinner tonight?"
"Sure. Surprise me," she replied with a wink.
Darcy walked down to Starbucks that was on the opposite corner of the SHIELD building. Jane said she was in the mood for a cinnamon latte, and Darcy was also in the mood for something warm and perhaps a snack to nibble on while she was working.
It was still raining, but not to the point where she would need an umbrella. The light flashed, signaling that it was okay to walk, but as soon as her foot left the sidewalk, she slipped, and a taxi nearly ran into her. Screaming, sure that the taxi was about to kill her, the taxi's engine blew and it veered off as if it made contact with an invisible wall. Eyes wide, Darcy was helped up by a man, and the crowd started forming.
"Did it hit her?" She heard a woman ask, and she saw others trying to figure out how the taxi could have possibly slid to the other side of the street like that.
"Must be the rain," said another, but Darcy knew that it could have only been caused by magic. Trying to get a hold of her bearings, she thanked the man who helped her up and ran towards Starbucks, trying to brush all thoughts of magic out of the way. After all, there was no one visiting from any of the realms now, and Thor wasn't around.
Dizzy with adrenaline, Darcy shook her head, casting another look at the taxi. There was no way.
Loki stepped from the gardens with a bouquet of Gildergreen [2] in his hands, and looked at it hopefully. The tree it came from was known for its healing qualities, but it was also quite beautiful. It was nearly sunset in Asgard, and he could see the light hit the Bifrost, making it illuminate and cast off a multitude of colors.
Breathing, he began to concentrate. He hasn't ventured to Earth in a very long time, so the feeling was strange, but familiar to him as he disappeared from the garden and into the hallway of Darcy's apartment. He took in the surroundings; it looked to be about winter time with the holiday decorations that adorned some of the doors and welcome mats. He noticed Darcy's lacked these things, and he waited patiently at the door, flowers in hand.
After months of moping, he finally resolved to do away with his pride and stubbornness and tell her that he was sorry. Whether she would accept that was ultimately up to her, and even though he still believed that it was best that he was out of her life, he felt that an apology was still in order.
While he never tried to scry her before he left, he casted magical enchantments to protect her from any physical forces that would try to harm her. It was by no means powerful; she could very well fall down the stairs and break something (And knowing her, that was entirely possible), but anything extreme, she would be protected from. And on some occasions he felt his magic stirring, worrying him, but if anything had happened to her, he was sure Thor would let him know.
"….Really? You've never seen the ball drop in Times Square and you've been living here for at least three years?" Loki's heart pounded, realizing that that was Darcy's voice being carried down the hallway. She seemed to be talking to someone else, so he listened attentively, shifting his position against the wall.
"Yeah, pretty weird, right? I guess I never saw the appeal of standing out in the cold for a couple of hours just to see a ball drop. I never had anyone to share the moment with, though."
He stiffened. It was a male voice that was talking to her. Making himself invisible, he shrouded himself against the window, and watched Darcy come up the stairs with a blonde man, arm wrapped around her waist.
"Well, I guess you'll have someone this year." Darcy grinned cheekily and pulled down on the man's collar for a kiss, to which the man responded with great zeal. She fumbled for her key as they continued, and she hastily opened the door and shut it, leaving Loki absolutely stunned.
He dropped the flowers at the door of her apartment and whisked himself back to Asgard in a torrent of emotions.
Finding himself in his room, he lashed out in anger, causing the flames that illuminated his room to erupt violently. He found a golden cup on one of the tables and threw it against the wall, but it didn't break.
Can gods get drunk? She had asked him long ago.
No, but he wished to All-father that he could right now. Tears started to spring from his eyes, and he realized that he had not cried when they fought—No, he was angrier with himself that night, and the rest of the days that followed that day consisted of him wallowing in his regret and anguish. So why the tears now?
He felt a jab of rejection, even though there had never been a choice in the first place. Or maybe he felt replaced. Yes, that was it. Replaced. Forgotten.
But what was she supposed to do? A voice said to him inside his head. He left her with no way to contact him even if she did want to say something, and she wasn't the one to ask someone like Thor for help in such a personal matter.
So it was his fault—his fault that he let her slip away so easily into the arms of another. But it seemed she found greater satisfaction with this new man than she ever had with him.
With another yell of rage, the flames sparked again, and a knock on the door sounded.
With a wave of his hand, everything outside became muffled and he made sure that his confusion spell was strong. No one would bother him because they wouldn't remember to.
Opening a drawer, he found his collection of pictures from Midgard and he held a flame in the palm of his hand. It would be so easy to burn these pictures. Erase her appearance from his mind, and maybe then he would forget about her. He picked up their first picture; the one they had taken together in the photo booth at Coney Island, and he noticed how uncomfortable he looked, but Darcy looked perfectly at ease. Yes, this was the beginning, so he would erase it. He lowered the flame to touch the corner of the picture, but he halted.
He couldn't, he realized with disdain, dropping the picture back into the drawer and putting out the flame. Even if he did burn all the pictures, he would never forget her face, her voice, or the way her body felt against his during the cold winter nights they watched movies.
And he would never forget the feeling when she first saw him in his Jotunn form. The incredulity in her eyes not because he was blue, but because he made such a big deal out of it.
When they woke up that day, arms still wrapped around each other, he was sure that it was all a dream and that he was still on the boat, waiting to tell her. But it wasn't. She looked at him like she always did, even asking questions as she trailed her finger down the markings on his face.
And she even said that he would make a great companion in the summer nights. "Less money on air condition," she joked, as she snuggled up closer to him with just their clothing keeping them apart.
The memories he longed to shut out poured in again.
They had seen the ball drop together. Loki never noticed the passage of time, and he wondered why humans turned a new year into a holiday.
"It's a fresh start. A new beginning," Darcy said as they stood out in the cold. She was layered with a scarf, mittens, ear muffs, and a puffy jacket while Loki stood there looking perfectly at ease in his business jacket. He offered to warm her with magic, but she said she was fine even though she was shivering and standing very close to him.
"But if someone wanted to, as you humans put, 'Turn over a new leaf,' why not choose any day? You shouldn't need a day to tell you when you can start over."
Darcy tapped her finger against her chin. "I think people need that type of thing, though. It gives you an extra push to really achieve what you want. It's a metaphor when we say we're going to start new, but when the world really is starting again, it's as if everyone is trying to at the same time, and that thought in itself is pretty awesome and it gives people hope."
Loki moved to the side to avoid being smothered by a group of teenagers who were waiting excitedly. He looked at Darcy, who was bouncing on her feet to warm herself. "I suppose that makes sense. What is your resolution, then?"
She stopped bouncing. "Hm. I guess to wake up on time more often so I don't have to feel rushed while going to work," she laughed, and the chill in the air made her breath visible.
"What about you? Any resolutions for the new year?"
He shook his head. "I don't think so; I haven't changed much in the past hundred years, and I'm not about to start now."
"Well that's a lie," Darcy replied bluntly, looking at him. His brows furrowed in confusion, telling her to continue.
"You've changed a lot—for the better." She waved her hands nonsensically into the air. "Like what about now? Did you ever picture this happening? Being friends with me, doing human things?" She emphasized human, knowing that he still looked down upon them, but he has been trying to replace his condescension with curiosity.
"Yes, that is true." He gazed off into the distance, listening to the loud music and hustle of the crowd.
"And you're not trying to take over the world. That's a huge improvement if I do say so myself," a smile crawled up on her face, and he had to laugh at that.
"Fine. I have changed, but I don't wait once a year to do it." Darcy shrugged and took his hand in her gloved one.
"One minute to go," she breathed excitedly.
"…And let's have a word from our sponsors. This has been brought to you by Nivea: For your special New Year's kiss." A picture of chapstick flashed on the screen, with a couple holding it reverently.
"What's a New Year's kiss?" Loki asked. They had spent New Year's together before at parties, but that topic had never come up and he assumed people kissed in celebration like one would on opening a gift.
"Oh." Darcy blushed, but he couldn't tell if it was from the cold or if the topic was embarrassing. "It's a tradition. The first person you meet in the New Year is supposed to set the tone for the rest of it. It's considered bad luck if you don't kiss your special someone."
He opened his mouth to say something, but it was quickly trodden by the screams of the crowd counting down.
"….One!"
"HAPPY NEW YEAR!" And confetti began to fall from the sky and everyone started dancing, hugging, and kissing. Darcy was smiling as she looked up at him.
"Happy New Year!" She screamed, throwing her arms into the air, while trying to catch the confetti. It landed in her hair, and in a quick stride, he took her by the waist and kissed her cheek.
"Happy New Year to you too," he murmured into her ear so she could hear. She gave an eep at being swept up so suddenly, so he put her down, looking satisfied.
She must be creating new memories with this man, he thought sullenly. Dashing out the lights, he fell onto his bed and conjured up some ale. Even if he couldn't get drunk, he could at least try. He took a swig and let the darkness engulf him.
"What do you think about this dress?" Jane pulled a red chiffon from the rack.
Darcy blinked away from her thoughts and went over to examine the dress. "Eh. It goes with your theme, but don't you think it looks too…Young?"
"Yeah, you're right. I should go with something older, but elegant." So Jane whisked herself back to the racks of dresses while Darcy picked at them with little interest.
"It's a shame Marcus couldn't make it," Jane called from underneath all the fabric. Darcy shrugged, honestly not caring much.
"I guess."
"Everything okay between you guys? You don't talk about him that much."
"Mmm, everything is fine. Nothing's happened." And that was the problem. Nothing happened between them. Their conversations were boring to her, and even when they went out, Darcy found herself spacing, never quite remembering what they were talking about in the first place. The honey moon phase passed between them, but she hated to admit that she was with him merely out of comfort.
"Has he said anything to you about the future? Seems like he's pretty serious."
Her stomach sunk. "No…We don't really talk too much about that." She felt guilty whenever he suggested moving in, or vice versa, and she dodged the topic like wildfire. He was more emotionally invested in the relationship than she was, but they never liked to acknowledge it.
"Darce?" Jane poked her head from the dresses and sat down on the floral ottoman with a sigh. "You're going to kill me, and I'm technically asking for your permission first but….I need a favor."
Darcy moved to sit next to Jane, and looked at her quizzically. "What's up?"
Biting her lip, Jane folded her hands together and looked to the side. "Well, Thor and I were thinking about what we want to do after the wedding, like after the nuptials, and I thought it'd be really cool if we had all the bridesmaids and groomsmen dance with us like a ball type of thing. It wouldn't be fancy, just a small waltz, and then everyone else would join in."
Still confused, Darcy replied with an "Okay…" But Jane was squirming nervously in her seat.
"And the pairings would be according to each date, but since Marcus isn't going to be there, the only guy left without a partner is…"
The color from Darcy's face drained a bit as she responded quietly, "Loki."
Jane nodded, looking apologetically at her. "I mean, I could ask if any of the guys would mind switching, but I really think it'd look nicer if they were with their respective girlfriends or wives, but I know how hard it was for you and I don't want to put you in an uncomfortable situation."
"Jane, it's fine. I can suck up a bit of dancing with him for your wedding." She forced a smile for Jane who breathed a sigh of relief, not expecting such a simple reaction.
"Oh thank goodness." She threw her arms around Darcy.
They continued to sift through dresses, with Darcy lost in thought, nodding when she liked something and shaking her head when she didn't.
It had almost been a year since their fight; he had not tried to contact her at all, and people rarely spoke of him around her. It wasn't like they dated, but all of SHIELD knew what happened after the drama she caused by not showing up on the launch date and gossip began to swirl around.
She had casually mentioned to Marcus that her and Loki used to be really good friends, but that ended after he tried to lock her in her own apartment, which he knew all about. He admitted sheepishly that that was the reason he never tried to talk to her before—He thought her and Loki were together.
Darcy laughed it off, putting him at ease, but she wondered if that's what it looked like to everyone else.
Would he pretend not to know her? She was just as stubborn as he was, she knew that for a fact, and if neither of them made a move to talk to each other, she was fine giving him the silent treatment.
The what-if situations kept bouncing around in her brain until Jane found a dress she liked and wanted Darcy to try on, so she hurried herself into a changing room, dreading the day of the wedding.
"No."
"Brother, please. This day is important to Jane; therefore it's important to me. No one is closer to my heart than you, so it is only fitting that you be my "best man" as the mortals put it."
"You're having a wedding in Asgard anyway. I will attend that for sure."
"But this is different! It will have all of our—"
"Your," Loki corrected, and Thor sighed.
"My friends," he amended and continued. "The ceremony is not too different than ours. There will be dancing, feasting, and Jane spoke of interesting traditions that will be taking place. Please," he begged again.
Loki pursed his lips. "Is it really that important to you?"
"Yes, very much. Jane wants to experience all the human traditions she can before her duties are needed by Asgard."
Loki grumbled. He could not say no to Thor since Thor asked so little of him, and he made an extra effort to give Loki space this past year even though he was worried.
"Very well." Thor smiled with glee, but Loki cleared his throat. "However, I am only coming on the day of your wedding. No pre-visits, is that understood?"
"That is fine! Thank you!" Thor picked his brother up and hugged him tight, making Loki slightly horrified as he demanded to be put down. Thor gave a booming laugh.
"There is another thing." Loki looked at Thor skeptically, not liking where this was going. "You will have to dance with Darcy," Loki's eyes darkened instantly, making Thor take a step back, but held his hands up in mock surrender. "It was Jane's idea," he added, as if it would make it better.
"Pray, what was Jane's idea?" He asked menacingly, and Thor swore he could feel the wind pick up around them even though it was usually him who could control the weather.
"Well…She wanted to dance after we said our vows. I'm not quite sure what it is for, but she was excited about it."
"I see." Loki turned his back to Thor, looking at the sky on the balcony they were currently standing on. "What about her boyfriend? Did he not wish to dance with her?"
Thor looked visibly surprised, unaware that Loki knew Darcy had a boyfriend. "Jane said that he would be out of town on the day of our wedding."
In truth, Thor wished that his brother would return to Midgard and apologize to Darcy. He had been moping around the palace for months, doing nothing but work as far as he knew, and scared most of the servants after violently shut himself in his room one day. Thor knew little of what happened other than from what Jane told him; Loki refused to talk to him about it, but he knew that Loki regretted his actions.
"Ah." Loki said, and Thor took that as a dismissal, but he had to ask.
"Will you still come?"
Loki turned to face him. "I will keep my word."
"Excellent." Thor left, leaving Loki alone to think on the balcony.
Loki ran a hand through his hair. So Darcy would be alone, he ruminated, and let it sit in his mind. Would he apologize? Or would she even want to talk to him? Darcy was terribly stubborn, but she would listen to reason even if she didn't like to admit it. While he wished he could leave her alone, even if he truly thought it was in her best interest, the twist in his heart said otherwise.
But the question then became: could he apologize? Could he get over this idea that she was better off without him? It was completely selfish on his part—she seemed content with whoever her boyfriend was. Maybe he made her much happier than Loki ever did. He doubted that the boy could be any more complicated than him, and he was human which was indisputably safer.
Maybe, he thought with a sudden epiphany, that he should let her decide. If she wanted him back into her life, she would say so; after all, Darcy wasn't the type to keep her feelings to herself unless she had a good reason to, which was one of the many qualities he enjoyed about her in contrast to himself.
Her emotions were always carefully etched upon her face. It was easy to trust someone who was clearly themself with no hidden agenda or ulterior motive. And when she made her choice, maybe he would finally be able to let go once and for all.
May 4th, 2018
"DARCYYYY!"
Darcy turned around in confusion to see Jane in a bustle of skirts and veil, looking around anxiously. Pepper had just finished zipping up Darcy's red dress and Pepper was currently standing in front of Darcy waiting to be zipped.
Jane had gone with a red and gold theme (to match Thor's outfit, as she adorably put, but it reminded Darcy more of Gryffindor's colors), and she was the classic bride in white with a soft, but elegant dress that made a statement with its subtle details.
"Jane, calm down! Don't ruin your makeup." She zipped up Pepper, who was also trying to console Jane.
"Breathe! Don't ruin your moment by fainting down the aisle," Pepper chided, but hugged her sympathetically. Jane took a few deep breaths.
"Were you nervous, Pepper? I hope everyone is enjoying themselves, I was so nervous with the whole guest list, I don't have a very big family, and Thor's couldn't exactly come from Asgard, but his mother wanted to visit, I hope she's okay getting along with everyone, and Erik said he's never done anything like this before, but he volunteered to walk me down the aisle—"
"JANE!" Darcy and Pepper shouted together, making Jane stop and breathe again.
"Erik will be fine; he's just not great in front of people. He really loves you and won't disappoint you on your big day," Darcy said reassuringly. Jane's dad had passed away when she was a teenager, and Erik was like a second father to her since her dad and he were colleagues in the university they had worked at.
"And to answer your question, no, I wasn't. I was sure of Tony even though he can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but I knew he was the only one I wanted to be with. You feel the same way about Thor, don't you?" Jane nodded meekly and accepted a cup of water from Darcy.
"Then you have nothing to worry about. Now come on, let's not keep everyone waiting." Pepper helped Jane up and pulled the veil over eyes.
"You look beautiful, Jane. Really." Darcy beamed at her, and Jane smiled back with reassurance. Darcy couldn't believe where they were right now—marrying the guy she hit and tasered, only to learn that he was the God of Thunder. Life had a funny way of working, she determined, still in awe at her own circumstances.
Canon in D sounded, signaling that they should all take their places, so Darcy gave Jane a small squeeze and bounded away, excited.
She had been caught up in wedding excitement for the past week, she had almost forgotten that Loki would be in town for the day, making her stomach a bit queasy. She had to push those thoughts away, though. It was Jane's day, and she couldn't do anything to ruin it.
The procession began, and she took a deep breath, reminding herself to stay calm. She was the maid of honor, so a smile was needed, but she found that she didn't need to fake it.
Loki stood awkwardly next to Thor, who was beaming as he looked at their guests. The other Avengers were situated on his other side, some looking uncomfortable, like Hawkeye, while others like Captain America aka, Steve Rogers, looked just as happy as Thor. He had whispered to Clint, "I love weddings," earning an eye roll from Tony Stark, who was drinking in the attention he garnered from Jane's relatives.
"I'm surprised you found a suit that fits you," He jested to Thor. Thor just smiled and said that Tony had it custom made for him.
The music sounded and the bridal procession began, with the flower girl who was apparently one of Jane's nieces. Then the bridesmaids started to walk in, with Darcy leading as the maid of honor. Loki sucked in a breath, taking her in.
If it was possible, she had gotten more beautiful since the last time he saw her, and the smile she wore was stunning. Her chestnut hair fell loosely along her back, she seemed to have grown it out since the last time he saw her. He ached to run from where he was standing and tell her that he was sorry and hold her, but respect for Thor kept him from doing that.
She looked at him, and for a moment, she lost her composure and simply stared and he smiled in return, while she continued to move forward and take her place. He couldn't stop staring, but to his disdain, she looked away as Jane began to descend down the aisle. It pained him to tear his gaze away, but he supposed he owed the bride his veneration since she was marrying his brother.
Jane clung onto Erik's arm, looking like a nervous wreck, but met eyes with Thor, who was grinning ear to ear. A full bloomed smile came onto her features, and she began to walk more quickly down the aisle, making Erik uncomfortable, but nevertheless happy.
The vows seemed to go on forever, but for Thor's sake, he resisted the urge to roll his eyes and tried to look at Darcy while he waited, but she seemed engrossed in the ceremony and even caught a few tears from her face. Pepper was in the back, nearly sobbing but someone got her a tissue before it could get that far. What was it with women and crying at weddings?
"…And you may kiss the bride," The priest declared, and Thor picked Jane up with fervent excitement and lifted the veil and gave a long kiss. The crowd erupted into clapping and cheers and even some wolf whistling from Tony's part. Thor placed Jane back down, but they didn't let go of each other.
The mass began to move to the indoor area where dinner was to be served, and the bridal party held back for what Jane had planned. Thor had explained briefly to him that they would dance for a short segment and then they would proceed to dinner and free dancing and some "traditions" as Thor put it. Thor held Jane close, while each of the ladies took their respective partners. Darcy looked awkwardly off to the side, sneaking a glance at him with an uncomfortable expression.
After wiping away a few tears, Darcy composed herself and straightened out the non-existent wrinkles in her dress. When she walked in, she wasn't sure of what her reaction would be when she saw Loki. After all, it was a wedding, and of course he would be happy for his brother, but she knew he was looking at her and only her when she came down the aisle. His look was filled with wonder, like she was a prize to be won, but unattainable. When he caught their eyes meeting, he gave that infuriating smirk, but she continued to stare.
It wasn't fair that the first time she had to see him in a year he was wearing a tuxedo of all things. With his black hair slicked back in a devilish messy way, it was hard to keep her hormones in check and remind herself that she had a loving boyfriend.
A loving boyfriend that wasn't here right now, her mind offered, but she remembered that she was supposed to be mad at Loki. He locked her up. He ran off to another realm so she couldn't contact him. Not that she would have been the first to call anyway, she knew she was right, but he never even gave her the chance.
So when he stepped towards her, hand extended like he was a prince, the only thing she could say was a simple "Hi." He smiled like the sun was shining in him, and he took her arm and led her into the dining hall where they were to dance.
Jane and Thor led, with some amendments to Jane's dress to allow her to move better, but it reminded her a lot of Beauty and the Beast with Jane's small frame and Thor's huge one.
"I'm not a very good dancer," she said, mimicking the words she said to him long ago, but he only grinned and replied, "You'll be fine if you have a good lead, and it's your lucky day because I am one."
The music was a cheesy classical waltz that Jane picked out, and they wordlessly danced, as people looked at them with admiration. He wasn't at the wedding rehearsal, so she wondered how he knew all the steps, but he spun her effortlessly and she fell into his arms like they had never been apart. It seemed almost too easy, she thought sardonically, to be swayed the moment he comes back, so for the minute they danced, she pretended like they were still friends; sharing secrets, laughing at people behind their backs, and finding amusement in boring things.
The audience started clapping, signaling the end of their dance and they began to make their way back to their seats, but Loki pulled her aside into a vacant room.
He let go of her hand gently as he looked off to the side and Darcy waited for him to say something, because she sure wasn't going to.
"Darcy, I…" He turned to look at her, struggling for words. He thought about this moment for a long time, and he always thought he knew the right thing to say, but right now, he wasn't sure.
"I'm sorry," he said almost inaudibly, but enough for her to hear. She raised an eyebrow; he guessed that she was expecting this after he led her away from the wedding.
Walking closer to him, he thought she was going to say something from the pain staked look in her eye, but she swung her arm and him across the face. He fell back a bit in surprise, but he noticed that she was starting to cry and she hastily got a tissue that was on an end table.
"Why didn't you tell me that sooner, you asshole!" She dabbed her eyes. "Jane's gonna kill me if I ruin my makeup—she paid for actual makeup artists, you know." He didn't, actually, since he gave little thought to cosmetics, but he let her continue.
"Do you know how much it hurt to not even be able to contact you?! And everyone avoided your name like it was the plague, but I knew that you ran away to Asgard and you never bothered to come back like a coward."
Well, that hurt, but he supposed he deserved it. He was far too busy taking her in again, realizing that his memories utterly failed to capture her essence; she was much livelier than he remembered, and he remembered his fondness for her babbling even if it didn't always make sense.
"And you think sorry can make up for everything? I was fired when Fury came back, but lucky me was able to get another job. Turns out being friends with aliens have its perks." She breathed heavily, still trying to stop herself from crying, but before she could say anything else, he pulled her into a hug.
"No, I don't think sorry can make up for everything. I was in the wrong the entire time, Darcy. You are absolutely not an insignificant pebble to me—if it makes you feel any better, I think you're more of a boulder." She choked back a sob, but didn't return his hug.
"I shouldn't have kept you in your apartment that day, but you must understand that I was worried about you. I think you heard what happened in Svartalfheim …You could have been hurt. I now know I went about it in completely the wrong way, and yes, I was scared-no terrified of returning because I didn't want to interfere in your life more than I already have. But I'm abandoning my instincts for now, because I miss you. I miss spending time with you, I don't care what we're doing, we could be looking at paint dry, and it would still be fun because I'm with you."
All-father, now he was babbling, but he didn't know what to say to make her understand. He drew in a breath to keep going, but she returned his hug gently.
As she leaned her head into his chest, she said quietly, "I knew you were worried about me." She withdrew her head and looked up at him. "You were always there protecting me, even though you weren't actually here. I know magic when I see it. I guess…Well, I can't stay mad at someone who cares about me that much." She gave him another squeeze. "And I missed you too. I missed my best friend."
Loki's smile could have lit up all of the nine realms when he heard that, and he pulled her in for another hug. A weight that he had not realized existed had been lifted from his heart, and in that moment, everything did feel right in the world.
They released each other, and Darcy hit him lightly on the shoulder, looking playful. "But if you ever talk to me like that again, you're not running back to Asgard. No, you'll be punished Darcy Lewis style."
He laughed, missing their banter. "And what does that consist of?"
"Oh, the usual. You'd be forced to stay here while we awkwardly run into each other at work while trying to avoid each other, but I give you the silent treatment until you're down on your knees begging for forgiveness."
Scoffing, but with humor in his eyes, he replied, "You silly mortal. I kneel for no one."
"Watch it, buddy," she said.
"By the way, what's with calling me a boulder? Are you calling me fat? Because I can testify I lost weight after you left."
He chuckled. "I merely meant that you are an unmovable forced swayed by no opinions." She rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling as she pulled on him to go back to the reception.
"Oh, and in order to make this apology official, you'll have to do the Macarena for me."
"Is that some sort of Midgardian dish?" He asked wistfully, not minded being tugged on.
"Nope. Much worse." And she threw him onto the dance floor with Thor and Jane and the rest of the party. Jane shot Darcy a wink and smiled, and she stuck her tongue out at Jane. She was so dead, she thought, realizing Jane's little scheme after Steve said he didn't know the girl who he would be dancing with.
"Okay, so start with your arms faced upwards like this…" And she began to guide Loki in the Macarena, looking foolish, but a smile didn't leave either of their faces as they wiggled their hips. Only a wedding could reduce all of The Avengers and Loki to ten year olds.
Loki realized that even though life often melded together to the point where he could care less about what happened two months ago, he saw that his life was defined by events. Everything seemed like a blur until the day Odin told him he was adopted, and that escalated to him trying to take over Midgard. And after a mind numbing year of disquietude, he ran into Darcy Lewis who turned his life upside down, but not in the way where you notice it at once. It wasn't a ground breaking discovery, it wasn't even supposed to happen by most people's standards. But it did, and he found himself not regretting any of it. Well, maybe he would have changed the way he acted a year ago, but he cast away his previous thoughts of damaging her life.
She was happy, and she accepted him back with good humor, something he considered, but never wanted to imagine all the way in fear of dreaming too far.
And now this was another event to add to his timeline-when Darcy accepted Loki back into her life.
"Loki, you have to put your arms on your hips and swing. If you just swing, you'll look stupid."
"I highly doubt that," but he acquiesced and put both his hands on his hips and swung comically to appease her.
Yes, life was good.
A photographer came up to him from the side and snapped a picture in mid-swing, with him looking a tad horrified, but stoked in concentration.
"For the wedding album," the photographer said, and Loki glared, but the photographer left before he could succumb to his look and delete it.
Karma was a bitch, he surmised, and spun to the right for the next 'Macarena.'
"Everybody, get in line!" Jane called, bubbling with happiness and all the females in the room got up behind her on the dance floor. She held her bouquet in her hands, her back faced towards the gaggle of girls.
Loki noted with amusement that Darcy was on the edge, trying not to knock elbows with the others.
"What are they trying to do?" Loki asked Pepper, who was taking pictures adoringly.
"It's a tradition here; whoever catches the bouquet is supposed to get married next."
"You Midgardians have the strangest way of seeing into the future."
Pepper shrugged. "It's fun." And she resumed taking pictures, causing Loki to roll his eyes.
Jane launched the bouquet into the air, and the girls did an imitation of feeding time at the zoo, screeching and pulling for the insignificant bouquet of flowers.
"Watch out!" Someone cried, and Darcy broke out of whatever reverie she was trapped in and held her arms up to avoid being hit by anyone.
Plop.
It was silent for a moment, but then it was replaced by clapping as Darcy held up the bouquet in surprise.
"I really hope this doesn't mean I'm getting married to Marcus," she shouted to Jane over the crowd.
Loki noticed with glee that the topic of her boyfriend came up briefly in the time they spent catching up, but she quickly avoided the topic, saying that it would make a boring conversation anyway. This only reaffirmed his thoughts that she wasn't too happy with her current relationship.
One step at a time, he cautioned himself, knowing that they were still trying to rebuild the bridge he burned.
"Hey Loki, it's our turn!" Steve Rogers called him over with a waving hand, polite as ever.
"THOR!" Jane yelled in surprise, as Thor threw the garter absentmindedly, too busy with excitement to concentrate on throwing it into the crowd of men.
…And it landed squarely in Loki's face, to most people's horror. He plucked the garment off, and started laughing. Maybe Midgardian traditions weren't as silly as he thought.
Some notes:
1: The name Karliah comes from Skyrim, a Dunmer in the Thieves Guild. I really love that game, so I thought I'd make a nod to it borrowing one of my favorite character's name.
2: Gildergreen. Another plant from Skyrim, located in the heart of Whiterun.
I don't have much to say about this chapter, other than that I enjoyed writing it very much!
And a huge thanks to all my followers and reviewers. This chapter would have come out much later if it weren't for you guys.
Please review and tell me what you think!
