The light was piecing its way across the massive bed. Jane watched it, inch by inch, slink along the comforter.
Loki had kissed her last night.
He had been drunk.
She…well, tipsy.
But, she had kissed him back, and it was wonderful.
She couldn't decide if it had been wonderful because she had desperately wanted to kiss him, though she hadn't realized it, or if he was simply that adept at it.
She rather guessed the latter, given his massive amount of experience.
Yet she felt a bit humbled. Jane was sexually attracted to her best friend. Did that mean that they weren't then friends, because sex had, in fact, gotten in the way?
But they hadn't slept together, she reminded herself…just as she had promised.
Perhaps then, it was simply a matter of stubbornness.
Yet what did it all mean. Did it mean that they couldn't be comfortable friends any longer, now that this thing had happened? Did she even want to be his friend, since all she could think about was his hands all over her, his tongue in her mouth…
Stop it, Jane. Of course you want to be his friend.
But then, how would she behave when he acquired a girlfriend, which he was bound to do eventually? Could she be supportive and happy for him?
And did these two things need to be mutually exclusive? Was a successful romantic relationship fucking your best friend?
No, she thought…neither Jim nor Joe had been her best friend.
But they had been, ultimately, unsuccessful. Maybe had they been friends, it would've worked.
Jane sat up in Loki's bed and stretched.
It had been rather weird sleeping with his scent all around her…and the dreams she had experienced were graphic in the extreme.
Jane swung her legs over the side and got up…she pulled her clothes on from the night previous.
Loki didn't want to date her…he had made that pretty clear. He valued their friendship, and believed that everything would be ruined if they slept together.
Jane supposed that that was her answer, then. Loki wasn't interested in a relationship beyond what they had. He wanted to have sex with her, sure, but Jane thought that he wanted that from everyone, so she wasn't special in that regard.
She was his only friend, and she was precious to him.
That, she supposed as she left the bedroom and made her way to his bathroom, would be enough.
Besides, as she opened a tube of toothpaste, she wasn't in love with him. He was her friend whom she wanted to sleep with. Totally different.
Jane finished and went to the kitchen to brew coffee and make tea.
The tea ready, the coffee brewed, and Jane went into the sitting room, cups in hand.
Loki was awake, and when he saw her, he smiled.
"Survived the night, I see," and she handed him the tea.
He sat up and took the proffered cup. "Barely…this sofa is not as comfortable as it appears to be."
"I offered to take the sofa, you know," and she sipped her coffee.
He arched an eyebrow. "And I daresay I'd never live that down. How I mistreated you by allowing you to sleep on the sofa… I can hear the conversation with Darcy now."
Jane laughed. "Does your head hurt?"
"No," he leaned back onto the sofa, and pulled up the blanket. "But I cannot feel my legs…"
"What?" that was an odd symptom of a hangover.
"I've been in this position for over 7 hours, Jane…my circulation has been cut off completely," and he smirked.
"You are something. I think it's me who will never live this down," and she laughed. Jane swallowed and looked at Loki. "Do you wanna talk about what happened last night?"
A worried look stole across his face briefly. He didn't want to talk about it, not really. But, he supposed they ought to clear the air. To have something like that hanging over them wouldn't do. "What are your thoughts on the matter?" and his eyes fleetingly went to Jane's mouth…the dreams he had of her that night had been rapturous…
"I think that it was a natural occurrence, and that we shouldn't worry ourselves over it."
She had been so very eager…and he recalled that he had torn away her clothes, ripping them to shreds, and in that act alone, she nearly orgasmed…
He nodded. "I concur. I suppose we could behave as though nothing happened at all."
Jane smiled. "Sure. I think that that's probably best."
She had mostly been beneath him, writhing about, and he, asserting himself, keeping her in place. But then she wouldn't be tamed, and she forced her way on top of him…and she had tossed her head back, screaming her climax…and he had followed close behind.
Loki cleared his throat. "Absolutely…for the best," his arousal stirred as he relived the dreams from the night before, and rather wished that Jane would go into the kitchen or something so that he could take care of this blasted thing in his bathroom. "Well, what are your plans for the day, Jane?" It was Saturday, and Jane usually did something either with him or Darcy on Saturdays…Sundays she preferred to be alone, reading, cleaning, that sort of thing.
"I…well. I guess we could do something, if you like. I just need to get home and take a cold shower," at that, Loki looked at her confusedly. "I mean, a shower…"
Shit. The entire conversation Jane had been fantasizing about him…and she had felt herself getting warmer by the minute.
He nodded. "Yes, I'll…erm…I can meet you at the market. I need some things there," get her out so he could see to his growing erection.
"Great. In an hour…?" and she got up.
"An hour."
And she hurried out the door.
Loki went and saw to it in his shower, also rather cold.
He emerged and dried himself, sighing deeply.
This would need to be ignored.
He wouldn't suffer her abandonment.
He would merely need to, in his time remaining (however long that was), ignore this attraction.
Heimdall.
Loki recalled everything that had transpired at the pub, having been so utterly preoccupied. Formulate a plan…
Perhaps he should first discover who the sorcerer was, and then alert Asgard.
He pulled his pants on.
Yes, that seemed a reasonable thing to do. What good would it be to simply state that, yes, there was a malignant sorcerer on Midgard, but no, he had no idea who this sorcerer is or where he or she is?
He could probe Jane a bit…wrong word choice, his penis twitched at it…he could ask (yes, better) her about Darcy's boyfriend. Where he works, his family…it would merely need to be as covert as possible.
"Why is everything saturated in chemicals? If everything were already grown in an organic fashion, there wouldn't need to be these silly signs and qualifiers," Loki observed as he examined an apple.
"Well, there are a lot of people to feed, and these things need to be grown en masse, so chemicals are needed to keep up the pace of demand," and she threw some bananas into the basket.
Loki eyed the bananas and a thought of Jane eating one emerged into his thoughts…she would be slow and deliberate, and she would smirk as her mouth took a good bit of its girth…stop it now. "Yes, well, perhaps people should attempt to grow their own, then there wouldn't be this issue."
"And where, do you propose, in the city of New York, where hardly a single person has any green space to think of, grow these things?" and she eyed his long fingers as he placed a shiny apple in his own basket. His fingers, running through her hair, tugging slightly, his tongue gliding along her neck slowly, occasionally nipping a bit at the sensitive skin…
"A communal garden would serve that purpose."
Jane snapped herself out. "A communal garden."
"Yes."
"Where?"
"I know that you are aware, Jane," as he placed his provisions on the conveyer belt. "Despite your occasionally lackluster observational aptitude, that there is a rather extensive park in the center of Manhattan."
"You are suggesting that Central Park becomes a massive farm?" and she laughed at the thought.
"Why not?"
"Loki, you are funny. That would never work," and they left the market for Jane's apartment.
"I cannot see why it wouldn't."
"I just…can you imagine the chaos? Who would tend to it? Where would people then enjoy green space?'
They entered and Jane went into her kitchen, putting her things away.
He was helping her. "They would enjoy green space by seeing to the farm."
"You're such a strange person."
"You love it," and he smiled.
And Jane swallowed. "You want some tea?"
"Thank you, yes," and he went to sit on her sofa.
Jane was now very well versed in tea, and made it with speed and precision. She brought it to him forthwith, and sat with her own glass of water.
"Did you hang the drawing?" Loki asked, sipping.
Her eyes widened a touch. "Um…"
"No? That hurts, Jane. After you chided me so," and he offered a false forlorn look.
"No! I did…It's in the bedroom," she added a bit softly.
"Is it indeed?" he curled a smirk. "May I see it?'
"Sure," and she rose from the couch.
Jane led him to her room, realizing he had never been in her bedroom.
Loki walked in behind her, and took in the room.
It was fairly sparse, but the things inside were a bit different in style from the rest of her flat. They were old. She had carved wooden furniture, and an off-white cover lay on her bed. It was all feminine, in a very Victorian way, soft colors, soft wood, intricate lines…
And on the wall opposite her bed, was his drawing.
At first blush, it seemed out of place, but then upon further examination, it appeared to blend in with the room. As though it was a most natural of places for it; indeed, as though it had always been there, lurking, and emerging quietly for perusal.
"It looks lovely, Jane. I'm happy it found a home."
"Yeah," she laughed. "At first it was in the sitting room, but I moved it. It seemed woeful in the open…as though it needed the attention of one admirer."
He looked at her.
What an odd, yet shrewd observation…and indeed, metaphoric.
He cleared his throat. "Well, I am glad of it," and he left to see to his tea. "Tell me, Jane…how long has Darcy known Sam?"
"Um…" she sat on the opposite end of the couch. Keep a safe distance from him and his hands. "Not long. She is a paralegal at the firm he works at, but he's new…"
"Had you never met him before?"
"No, why would I have?"
"You have a draw toward lawyers, apparently," and he smiled. "And what is the name of the firm?'
"Wellington and Wells, and I have no draw. It was coincidence that they had both been lawyers."
Wellington. Loki swallowed. An alias he was somewhat familiar with. He cleared his throat. "Is that so," and he looked at his hands.
Jane followed his gaze, and now she swallowed. "Yeah…so. What are you doing tonight?"
It would need to wait until Monday at the earliest. Perhaps not until later next week. He was unprepared, and he would require time to spend with Sam…ascertain the extent of the influence and perhaps discern what it was about (though his capacity was so dwindled, he wondered at his ability to perform such a task).
"Loki?"
"Hmm?" and he looked at her.
"Are you ok?"
"Fine."
"Did you not hear my question?"
He looked at her questioningly. "What question was that?"
Jane laughed. "I asked you what you were doing tonight."
"Ah. Well…" he paused. He could go out. "I happen to be taking a most lovely woman out to dinner. She is quite bright, rather amusing, though not as much as she believes herself to be, and she is honestly a fantastic companion."
"Oh," Jane replied. "That sounds great. When did you meet her?" and she took a sip of water.
"About two months ago."
She looked at Loki with a hint of doubt. "Two months…"
He stood. "Yes, but if she doesn't hurry, I'll need to find another way in which to pass my evening. And she does tend to dawdle so…tarrying about in silly pursuits like reading ludicrous publications such as "Scientific American," it's rather annoying," and he smirked, turned and began to head out.
Jane was left aghast.
"I'll be back at seven to get you," and he left.
Wow.
He was a charming, ridiculous man.
And Jane's heart did whisper that she had been moved by him.
But she would stifle it.
And she looked at the time.
It was nearly five…she should call Darcy.
But she would be vague. The last thing she needed was to have Darcy's voice plaguing her all night to jump Loki's bones…
And the thought of doing just that made Jane warm, her head light, and her hands tremble.
Damn it. This was going to be difficult.
