The adventure continues!

- Rose

When she entered the restaurant, Schwarzer Walfisch, Astrid saw Loki seated at a small table near the window, staring out at the afternoon sky. The bright sun streamed in, but Astrid felt chilled, trying to contain the wetness in her eyes. She sat down at the table across from him and stayed quiet; he was distracted, and he couldn't bring himself to look at her yet, much less talk. She could wait...he needed to think.

He was angry at himself; had been stupid, lazy. Outside, he had shown his hand, and had let Astrid see what he had hoped to keep secret...

Nothing had been the same since Stuttgart. When he'd entered the museum, he was cool, focused, dangerous. The plan that he and Barton had devised was fantastic, and he thrilled at the chance to play the distraction, especially when the plan would put him exactly where he wanted to be...and get him exactly what he wanted. Staring down from the balcony above the gathering, he began observing, strategizing - who had weapons? Who was most vulnerable? What would be the most effective way to create the chaos he needed? Every possibility he could think of flipped through his mind like the pages of a book, and he carefully selected which parts he liked, sewing them together into a masterful plan of action. The first thing would be to begin the chaos at the beginning of Dr. Schaefer's speech, the ideal moment to reveal himself - when everyone was watching. He loved an audience.

Loki was about to head downstairs, "introduce" himself, partake in the festivities until the time came to wreck the party, but as he turned to go, he felt a light bump, and heard someone hit the ground. As much from instinct as anything else, he quickly turned to see who or what had hit him, when his eyes landed on her...Astrid.

His motivation for what he did that night was not noble - he had some time, she was ravishing, and he was in control of a weapon that could bend her to his whims. He assumed she would be a moment of entertainment - just a footnote to his evening, and then he would proceed with his plan for Dr. Schaefer. Instead, he was astonished by the woman the stone revealed - fiercely intelligent, confident, sadistically ruthless, passionate...sensual. Even he was surprised by how strongly she came on, how willingly she gave herself to him, how deliciously she reacted to his touch. And all of it so well hidden behind that timid, angelic face.

But her thoughts surprised him even more, how hard she tried to make herself fearful and weak so he would pity her and leave her alone. Usually, the people he controlled screamed and fought, all of their rage and fury dissipating into the blackness of their own mind. But she only begged and pleaded for mercy; it didn't make sense - why would she pretend to be so helpless? He had met his share of meak people throughout the centuries, and as much as she insisted in her own mind that she was utterly powerless, he knew it wasn't true.

It took a while before he realized she wasn't pretending; she was thoroughly convinced that the strongest parts of herself - her ambition, her drive, her focus, everything the stone showed him - did not come from inside her, but had been a combination of luck and assistance from others...even worse, she let those feeble ideas define her. Suddenly, he did pity her...but he also recognized an opportunity when he saw one.

He'd practiced it before, many times - bending the psyche without completely shattering it; maintaining the tension between physical stimulation and mental submission in a precise balance so as to remove all resistance. Each partner he'd been with before responded differently, needed different stimulation and encouragement - he could read them like a book, controlling their moment of climax only until he decided it was time. That night, he released her, broke her mind, forced those constructed notions to dissolve away. He yearned to see what would happen when she could no longer HAVE thoughts that would hold her back. And Astrid had reacted beautifully, her body communicating all the desires her mind desperately wanted to contain.

She was a fascinating creature, delicate, delectable...Loki knew he could kill her with a flick of his wrist, but to destroy something so unique, so beautiful - that would be truly tragic. In that study in Stuttgart, when she finally lost control, when he pushed himself inside her and felt those two divergent parts of herself come together in a swirling dance of ecstasy, his plan changed.

He would still disrupt the gala, he would still put on the show and get taken where he needed to be, but his attention was on her. It was no coincidence that he was behind her when she turned amid the stampede of people, no coincidence that he'd been right next to her as he spoke the words he'd used to subdue her in front of the crowd of people...and no coincidence that she saw through his "capture."

Later that night, while he watched her piece together what had happened during the fight at the museum, he was captivated; she had a mind that could outpace all of the humans he'd met since arriving on Earth, ambition to spare, and a relentless drive that would stop at nothing until she got what she wanted. But she limited HERSELF...why? Why did she let doubt control her?

A thought occurred to Loki that night...a thought that maybe she could be a powerful ally. The knowledge she had was one thing, and practically necessary, at this point, but if he could get HER...if she released all of those inhibitions that held her back, if she embraced the strength that she possessed, if he could persuade her to help him - WITHOUT the use of the stone - THAT was the weapon he needed: unbridled, unstoppable, cunning. He wanted to see her liberated again, to watch that flimsy sheen of weakness dissolve away and reveal the woman underneath.

The disparity between who she thought she was, and who she WAS...it was infatuating.

While in his cell on the airship, he thought about her constantly, began to feel familiar with her, wanted to see her and talk to her. He had so enjoyed watching her react to his appearance at her home, hearing her confirm that she knew all was not as it seemed. And because he couldn't touch her, it made their interaction all the more appealing. After that, it would only do to see her in person.

He left immediately for Heidelberg after escaping the airship - time was exceedingly short, but operations at his base were proceeding according to plan...and he relished the thought of her joining him and bringing about his victory.

Perhaps he had been too confident that he could convince her to come back with him; perhaps he had imagined them together too many times to see the reality of the situation. When they met on the street, he had used all his charm and mastery in manipulation, wooing her, expertly melting away her resolve, putting on airs and that perfect balance of carefree confidence and relentless ambition. He saw her willpower begin to waiver, saw her begin to draw the conclusions he had laid out. Everything told him that the time had arrived. He leaned in to make his final advance, and then…

She'd rejected him.

And he'd flinched.

Now, he had to accept the realization that he may not be as in control as he thought, and worse, he let her see it. All the risk he took to be there, and he'd blown it over a stupid mistake. She should have run, she should have abandoned him on the street and gone back to her home and tried to forget. But, for reasons he still didn't completely understand, she had come back.

And now they were at this…"brunch." Pedantic. She had said she had more questions, but truly, so did he.

Astrid tried to focus on the menu, but she could feel Loki's eyes on her. As much as she tried to ignore it, she just HAD to look, even if only for a split second. She peeked...and that beautiful, dangerous gaze captivated her instantly, piercing her with its intensity. A thrill of terror ran down her spine; she couldn't move...all she could do was watch him, stare at him, long for him...

Loki noticed how she froze, how uncomfortable she was, shy, unsure. She was the one that had brought him back, and now it seemed like she wanted to be anywhere else but here…

A server approached, and Astrid, noticing the presence of another person, looked away quickly and smiled nervously. "English?" she asked in a voice much higher than normal.

"Yes," said the server, smiling warmly back at her. "My name is Johan, What would you like to drink today?"

"Mimosa, please," Astrid said, then she looked to Loki. He just stared at her sternly, quietly. For several seconds, Astrid wondered if he knew what to do, but then he spoke without looking at Johan, his eyes locked her. "The same." he said flatly.

The server gave him a look, but he walked away with a sigh and left the two of them sitting across from each other, menus in hand.

Loki blinked and took a deep breath. There was no use in sulking, not now, anyway. He would have more luck getting answers from her if he could ease the tension a bit. He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms, forcing himself to relax. Tilting his head to the side, he cleared his throat.

"So," he said, "What do you normally get here?"

"The American Breakfast" Astrid replied quietly, still trying to gauge his state of mind. "But I think you'll like the Scandinavian Breakfast...it might be a little more familiar to you."

"Sure."

More awkward silence, Loki's gaze still on her. Something was keeping her here even when they both knew she should be long gone.

Astrid could see him thinking, wrestling with...what?

The drinks arrived and the server took their order. Astrid downed half of her mimosa in one huge gulp; it was a tremendous comfort - a familiar taste with the promise of mental relief. She felt her shoulders lower slightly, and her head clear just a bit. Loki picked up the glass and examined the drink inside, raising an eyebrow. "What IS this?" he said, an edge of sarcasm seeping into the question.

"Orange juice and champagne. It's more popular in America than it is here, but it's my go-to for brunch..." It felt stupid talking about mimosas when moments before they were literally discussing the fate of the world. He shrugged and took a sip, softly smacking his lips several times after he had tasted it. It was...ordinary. "Not bad," he said dryly.

Astrid didn't know what else to say. She didn't even want to carry on a conversation with him; she had meant for this afternoon to be an opportunity to try and get a grasp on what was happening to her. Instead, just like Stuttgart, just like last night, he showed up. Every time she thought she could have a chance to think straight, he was there, toying with her...

Except now he wasn't toying, was he? He had given up, he had walked away, and SHE brought him back. The way he looked outside the restaurant...she just couldn't leave it at that. Something, somewhere in her, knew there was more going on than she understood, and he was the only one that could explain it.

The food arrived, and Astrid thanked the server, picking up her utensils. He had just walked away when she looked at her glass. "Oh, damnit…" she muttered, as she realized she'd forgotten to ask for a refill before the server left. Loki briefly looked up, saw the empty glass, and waved his hand dismissively before turning his focus back to the window. Astrid watched the flute slowly fill, and her eyes grew wide; she had almost forgotten, here in a small restaurant and dressed casually, that he could do things like that. Loki, however, didn't seem to notice her reaction at all, still lost in thought.

Finally, Astrid couldn't stand the silence. Just talk to him like a person, right? Not so hard...she had made small talk with people before. She took one more bite of her food, then forced a smile before looking at him. "So...before all this, before you learned about...um, being a frost giant…" she stuttered - the words that came out of her mouth these days. "What was life like in Asgard? What did you do for fun?"

Loki gave her a sidelong glance. Really? He had to hand it to her, she was genuinely trying to make...something...work. He gave her a resigned smiled, and laughed softly. Might as well… "I used to play a lot of pranks. God of Mischief and all...there was a time I turned into a snake to trick Thor..."

The tension eased. Their mood lightened, and it felt almost normal. He began to tell her about his childhood, the games he and Thor played, his mother teaching him the magical arts, and how he had imagined his life would be before all of this happened. Astrid loved listening to him talk, the way his words spun together and created a tapestry of description. She understood what he was saying so clearly, it was like a movie in her mind. He was elegant, polished...and that confidence she'd heard when they first met never left his voice. As the meal went on, they shared stories, laughed, whispered when they needed to, and, strangely, had an incredibly pleasant conversation. When he wasn't trying to manipulate her, he was downright alluring.

"Astrid," Loki said, polishing off another piece of smoked salmon, "I'm enjoying this very much, but...I need to know. After our walk...why did you stop me? Why did you invite me to 'brunch'?" The way he said it almost had her laughing out loud. Obviously it wasn't something he was familiar with in Asgard.

He continued. "You said you had more questions, but so far all you've asked is trivial. What do you REALLY want to know?"

Astrid exhaled heavily. "I guess...I haven't made a choice yet as to whether or not...I mean…"

How could she say it? He had presented her with an opportunity so rare and incredible that it could not be handled lightly - she had to be absolutely sure of her decision. Choose him, and her life as she knew it was over. Choose to go back, and she'd never know what else was possible; she would have to live with the regret and uncertainty, never knowing what could have been.

Logically, the whole situation made no sense at all; this gorgeous, charming, powerful god-prince from another dimension had mind-controlled her, then asked her to HELP him. If she tried to "think it through," the obvious answer was to say no and go running back to her life. So what more did she have to ask? What COULD she ask that would help sway her one way or the other?

This choice couldn't be made by rationale alone...she needed to FEEL the right decision - It wasn't thinking that she needed. That night in Stuttgart, she just FELT. No thoughts, just feelings...

An idea flashed into her mind. It came and went quickly, but then circled back; a crazy idea, a stupid idea, too outrageous to acknowledge at first, but then...it stuck. It was an enormous risk, but if she was right, if she could clear her head of this fear and doubt and resolve this conflict within her once and for all...it might be worth it.

"Loki…" The words caught in her throat.

"Yes?"

She struggled to say it, to put it out in the world, and to live with the consequences. Steeling herself, she finished her drink with another huge gulp.

"Use the stone on me again."

Loki raised an eyebrow. He maintained his countenance, but a suspicious spark ignited in him.

"Why would you want me to do that?

Astrid wrung her hands nervously. "There is a part of me that is...well...I can't think through your...proposal...properly…" her voice trailed off.

"And what part is that?" he pushed her.

Astrid had difficulty admitting it to herself, much less saying out loud, and to Loki, of all people. But now she had to. "The part that...I'm...I'm always SCARED, OK?" she choked out. "Everything I've done in my life, all I've strived for...it's all been done with the fear that if I didn't live up to people's expectations, I would be nothing. I had to fit in, had to follow the right path or risk losing everything. Be the role model, achieve, accomplish, push myself to be the best, but only within the limits of what everyone in my life wanted me to be. But I have these...feelings, these urges...and I've always had them. And I push them away because they're not...good…"

His brow furrowed, and he leaned forward on the table. "So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying...you gave me a glimpse of what it was like to not CARE what anyone else thought. To let those feelings come out. I've never felt anything like that before - but...I want to do it again. I need to. At least long enough to know whether that's someone I want to be...or not."

Loki sat back in his chair, his mind spinning. So THAT was the reason she'd come back. It had nothing to do with him, other than he was the one that could do it again. And now that he knew what she wanted, and what she was capable of, this was his chance. And after today's earlier misstep, he was determined not to ruin it.

"What if you decide not to help me?"

"Then you're in the same position you're in now, but at least you'll have your answer."

"I could just force you to help me under the stone's power."

"You could. But I hope you don't."

He smiled, cocky, self-assured. He was regaining the upper hand. "What makes you think I won't?"

"The way you looked at me outside the restaurant. That, and if you just wanted the information I have, you would have used the stone on me again by now."

A flash of surprise crossed his face, just for a split second. Right when he thought he had her pinned, she said something unexpected. He loved it, how she kept up with him. It was only a moment before he regained his composure. But now HE had to make a choice.

They sat like that what felt like hours without speaking, both slowly finishing their meals. Both thinking about what could happen if they decided to do this...Astrid could lose her mind; Loki could lose Astrid. Finally, with a heavy sigh, Loki looked at her.

"OK. Tonight."

The acceptance of her request spread through Astrid like a cold chill. She would be helpless. She would have to place all her trust in him to live up to his word. Of course she was scared, but she had made this choice, at least, and she could live with that.

"OK."