So this is a longer chapter than any other yet! I really hope you all enjoy as I put some special effort into this to make it good!

Again thanks to guest Lokitty for the review! I'm so glad you liked the way Thor combined the cultures as I gave that some special thought!

Also thanks to funstories643 for your continued encouragement and enthusiasm!

Please do review if you read and enjoy! Reviews mean the world to me!

Friendship could be the beginning

The road to something more

Crush it before the day is done

And I'll move my way alone

Chapter IX: Loki and Darcy

She had headed out of the kitchen as soon as possible leaving Loki to himself and his own reflections. He hiked out to the shed soon after but she never made in an appearance. It was rather lonely, Loki reflected, and much as he had snubbed her offers of friendship all week he felt empty without her smiling face looking round the door.

For a time Loki forced his attention onto his book, but finally he wearied of it and getting to his feet he opened the door and passed out, heading for the house.

Darcy was in the entrance room, sitting on the sofa, a book on her knee and a bowl of chips beside her. Loki paused, then crossed over and took the small, wooded backed chair opposite her.

She didn't look up but commented,' you can have some chips if you like.'

Loki took one and nibbled the end of it. They seemed nice enough, but what he wouldn't have given for some good food from Asgard! He glanced at Darcy, but she flatly ignored him, going on with comic book.

Loki cleared his throat and said at last,' I think I vexed you Darcy Lewis.'

She shrugged, disinterested,' no,' she said,' you just showed I was annoying you so I cleared off.'

'Very considerate,' said Loki.

She said nothing, only focused again on the book, which she hadn't looked up from once. Silence prevailed a while, then Loki said,' the house feels rather empty.'

'Yeah, but it's been just the two of us at home several times, so it's not like it's a first.'

'You were more accessible before.'

Darcy finally looked up,' now you want to talk?' she asked, rather rubbing his manner from earlier in his face,' cause you sorta glowered at me every time I tried to talk to you before now.'

'You're doing a fine imitation,' he commented.

Darcy tipped her head and then turned straight back to her book, if Loki wanted someone to talk too he'd have to do better than that.

Loki paused a while, then getting to his feet he went to the kitchen. The coffee maker stood here on the surface and Loki had learned how to use it, via Thor, via Jane. He was rather addicted to the hot, Midgardian drink and set about making enough for two. He then poured it out, added a little milk and heaped Darcy's with sugar the way he had always seen her do it.

He crossed back to the main room and, moving over, placed the one cup on the table beside Darcy's sofa. She glanced up to see the coffee and Loki with his most winning, innocent, almost shy smile.

'Will you pardon my ill manners Darcy Lewis?' he asked.

A smile crept over her lips and she threw down her book,' sure,' she said, taking up the coffee.

To her surprise Loki bent and raising her one hand drew it to his lips and imprinted a kiss on it before resuming his seat.

Darcy gave a slight laugh,' aren't you Asgardians all fond of these old fashioned airs and graces.'

'You disapprove?' he asked, taking up his cup.

'No, it's cute.'

Loki raised his brows and echoed the word,' cute?'

'Sweet?' she suggested.' I'm not insulting you either way.'

Loki smiled,' so,' he said,' how do you suggest we spend today?'

'Well,' Darcy contemplated a moment,' do you think you could take a day outer this house without doing any harm?'

'Odin has already searched this town,' said Loki,' he won't return for a while, I think one day could be considered safe, I'm sure Hemdall will keep an eye on things,' he added negligently, throwing danger to the four winds.

Perfect,' Darcy smiled then cast an eye on Loki's very Asgardian look.

'Do you have any clothes with you that look a little more... Earthy?' she asked.

Loki shrugged,' I only have the three or four I've been interchanging the past week,' he said,' so, no.'

'You can't go into town like that,' said Darcy decisively.' People will notice you even if your father...'

Loki cut in with a snap,' Odin is no father of mine!'

'Okay,' said Darcy, she allowed a moment for a pause then dared to say,' you were adopted were you not?'

Loki's thin lips tightened,' stolen really,' he said.

'Well that's consoling,' said Darcy,' people only steal things they want, right?'

Loki frowned, he had never thought on the idea of Odin wanting to take him, only of his doing it for a sense of duty and a hope of his, Loki's, bringing peace to their two realms.

Darcy allowed a moment before she spoke again. When she did it was to ask,' do you know who your real parents are?'

Loki paused then admitted,' I knew my father.'

'Knew?' she echoed,' past tense?'

Loki looked down at his coffee cup,' I'm not sure this is a story you want to hear,' he said.

'Pretty sure I do,' she said,' what happened?'

Loki considered for a moment, then spoke bluntly and coldly,' he is dead, his blood covers my hands. I lured him into a trap and killed him.'

Darcy stared at him,' why?' she asked at last.

Loki's lips compressed,' I hated him for deserting me as a child, for being ashamed of me because I was a r... runt.'

'Don't call yourself that,' she protested.

'Why? Do you recommend hiding from the truth?'

Darcy just looked at him,' how about your mother?' she asked.

Loki shook his head,' I don't know,' he said,' I had a perfect one, I don't seek another.'

'You lost her in the siege in Asgard did you not?'

'She was murdered, but her killer has paid his price, he is dead.'

'I understand he was your killer too,' said Darcy sharply.

Loki frowned,' in a sense,' he admitted.

'You know, faking your own death as you did was really hard on your brother.'

Loki looked up and squarely met her eyes,' don't try moralize with me,' he said coldly.

'Okay, I won't.'

There was a long pause then Loki spoke,' don't you feel an abhorrence for me after what I told you about my real father?'

Darcy set down her coffee cup,' I don't know how you expect me to answer that,' she said,' seriously, it's not a nice question.'

Loki raised his brows,' because there is no adequate answer I gather?' he said.

'We don't have even a chance of getting on if we start all this,' said Darcy,' how about we find you something more suitable to go out in and then hit the town?'

'Where do you plan on acquiring this more suitable attire?'

'Dad's cupboard,' said Darcy briskly,' you are a bit taller than him, but I fancy it'll be okay.'

She gulped down her remaining coffee and headed out, returning moments later with set of clothes from her father's wardrobe. Loki stared at it, somewhat unimpressed. He'd dressed in Midgardian clothes before, but neatly and with style. The set Darcy had put together were ill matched and old.

She saw the mocking raised eyebrows and ignoring them tossed the bundle of clothes into his arms,' the sooner you are ready the sooner we can head out to have fun,' she said briskly.

Loki rolled his eyes and went out to the shed. He did not approve his own appearance when he looked into the mirror after changing. He looked so... Midgardian and it grated his nerves. He took up a brush and swept his hair back, then tied it into a plate to be out of the way and alter his appearance that slight bit which might keep people from thinking any more than that he resembled Loki of Asgard, but was not actually him.

He then went back into the house, still walking in his own heavy boots. Darcy was in the entrance at her spare computer, her bag swung over her shoulder while she laughed herself silly at something depicted on her computer screen.

'What is it that so entertains you Darcy Lewis?' inquired Loki.

She turned on hearing him asked,' clothes fit alright?'

'Tolerably, I thank you.'

'Come check this out ,' Darcy waved a hand to motion him to the screen,' it should be a good memory for you.'

'Pardon? What memory?' He crossed over and saw she was on some place on the Internet called 'Youtube.' A video was loaded there by a user called, Stark Industries and the video was titled 'Hulk Smash.'

'They found this video recorded on a camera in Stark tower,' explained Darcy, as she pressed the play button.

Loki was a little unsure what to expect. The fact that the Hulk's name was on it bothered him and it was with a sick feeling in his stomach that he saw the video unfold and disclose to him a memory to fresh for his liking.

He saw himself smash into the wall and then leap to his feet, half intending to run while the huge beastly figure of the Hulk raged before him. Then he saw himself stop with a yell of 'ENOUGH' and being to string out a sentence of great arrogance. The Hulk stared for a moment, then calmly graped him by a leg and; thump, smashed him into the ground, so hard the floorboards sunk in. The real Loki winced, almost feeling the breaking of his ribs as the Hulk smashed him again and again like a rag doll, then dropped him in the now broken floorboards with a disparaging comment which dared to call him 'puny.'

Loki looked ill at ease as he saw the camera now look down on only him, lying in the sunken floor, face cut and bleeding, lips parted in a gasp of amazement. He heard himself give a low groaning sound like a whimper and the clip ended.

Loki glanced at Darcy, she had a huge grin on her face, it made his brows snap together,' you find that amusing?' he inquired.' And you would call me brutal.'

'After that arrogant speech you rattled off of course it's funny,' retorted Darcy,' I mean, you so asked for that thumping.' She considered a moment then asked,' didn't you break some bones in that rag-dolling?'

Loki was not enjoying the topic. He had without doubt received at the hands of Hulk the worst and most humiliating defeat of his life and it was a subject distasteful to him. He responded briskly, moving toward the door,' a few ribs.'

Darcy jumped up, switching off her computer and grabbing up her bag to move out as well,' is that seriously all the damage you took?' she asked eagerly.

He didn't look at her as he pulled open the door,' yes.'

'Wow,' she exclaimed moving out after him, shutting and bolting the door,' you Asgardians are tough!'

Loki looked out toward the street, trying to ignore the words that had sprung into his mind in response; I'm not an Asgardian.

'So,' Darcy turned to face him,' where shall we go?' she asked.

'I know nothing of how the average Midgardian spends an off day,' said Loki,' unless they really do run about the streets screaming.'

Darcy frowned at him,' that's only when manics from other worlds are bringing in alien armies, attempting to take over the whole world and turn humans into slaves.'

'I thought as much,' said Loki,' so how do Midgardians spend a normal day?'

'For a start,' she said briskly,' it'd be great if you could start calling them humans and here we call this place,' tapping her foot on the ground,' planet Earth, not Midgard.'

Loki rolled his eyes,' how unaccommodating you... er, humans are, even to the point of how we speak.'

'Speaking of which,' said Darcy,' it's be real great if you could take down some of the frills and say things like "yeah" and "kinda." You know, a little more to the Midgard standard?'

'I draw the line at your horrendous speech,' said Loki flatly.

Darcy shrugged,' well, it'll be you who is thought weird,' she said,' anyways, let's set out for the mall, we can window shop, even get some great buys and head for lunch later. What kinda shops do you like?' she went on as they began to head off, walking up the street.

'Shops?' he echoed,' I hardly know, we don't have the same layout in that line as you.'

'So how do you get a new suit of clothes for example?'

'At a tailor,' he frowned,' have you some other location?'

'A clothes store,' said Darcy,' pre-made stuff, ready to buy.'

'Pre-made?' repeated Loki,' that could never do, surely nothing fits properly?'

'Well, you find your size y'know and yeah, then it fits fine.'

'It sounds quite unsatisfactory,' said Loki.

'Okay, suit yourself, we have loads of other shops too.'

'Such as?'

'Books stores, craft shops, office supplies, tech stuff, you name it. How do you shop in Asgard?'

'There are stores,' said Loki,' but not so crowded together as yours seem to be and mostly they move about town on wheels and sell to passes by.'

'That sounds inefficient if you want something specific,' retorted Darcy.

'They take orders,' replied Loki,' and finding them is simple enough as each have their most frequented haunts.'

'Asgard sounds plain weird,' decided Darcy,' and horrid, who'd be without malls? Shopping is such glorious fun after all!' she gave a small skip, swinging her bag in her hand.

Loki scowled,' now you are going to be the one attracting attention,' he said,' no offense, but considering my reputation we should probably go as unnoticed as possible.'

'Oh and everyone is going to notice me for skipping,' counted Darcy sarcastically.

'Indeed, will they not?'

'Not particularly,' she said,' perhaps a bit though,' in a relenting tone,' depends how excitable I get!'

Loki's frown deepened,' I had no idea you were excited,' he said.

Darcy laughed,' I know mall shopping is a first for you and not me,' she said,' but this is my first time shopping with an Asgardian.'

'Wonderful,' said Loki coldly,' kindly do not trip yourself up with excitement.'

Darcy focused her eyes on his face,' come on Loki, we had agreed to make peace, didn't we? Let's keep things cool and friendly.'

Loki bowed his head in assent,' what you say is true,' he said,' we have no company but one another while my brother and your friend spend so much time... dating, I think you called it, so we had best make do.'

Darcy blinked,' you really have a way of making people feel special,' she said, rolling her eyes.

They went on however up the street in peace. Darcy had grown fascinated listening to the rhythmic sound of Loki's footfalls. She had often studied the spaces of beats since Jane was always having her do this with one or other experiment in the lab. Loki's footfall was so perfectly timed you could have run an experiment on it. He seemed to know when he was going to have to stop and do it perfectly without a stumble. To realise when to move right or left and do so before it became a tripping scramble. He even seemed able to predict the directions of the people moving around him as these were avoided without losing that perfect step. Even when they walked slowly, as in passing a shop window display, Loki's step remained perfect, the gaps between his footfalls only growing longer, but still with perfect pacing.

After some time Loki became aware that Darcy was staring at him and turned to her,' what is it?' he asked.

'The way you walk,' she said,' it's so... perfect, it's like; one beat one, beat one beat, one beat one.'

Loki stared at her, his expression slightly confused,' are you saying it is systematic?' he asked.

'Yeah of course, what else would I be saying?'

'And it interests you?'

'Most people just don't walk like that, they stumble a bit more and every now and again their foot beat rhythm changes.'

'You have made a study on the matter I gather?'

'Not really, I'm used to counting beats from working in the lab with Jane. Guess I'd make a first class musician.'

Loki cocked a brow, clearly doubtful that this was such a good idea.' I trust that will not include composing,' he said hopefully.

'I might be very good at it,' she retorted in good humor.

They went on therefore, not talking, but both cheerful and in this mood they reached the mall Darcy had been heading for. It was a large, open air place, shops ranging in a circle, sharing walls. The great signs above the large doors announced many clothing stores, a home décor shop, a toy store, supermarket and scattered others amidst them.

'So is this our mall?' asked Loki, gazing about with interest.

Darcy nodded,' like it?' she asked.

'It's very strange,' he said,' I have seen no other realm with something likened to this.'

'On none of them?'

'There are those I haven't seen for many years,' he replied,' they may have changed and on others I was scarcely exploring how they lived their everyday life.'

They moved onto the pavement and so crossed over to reach the first shop on their side. It was a large building, selling electronics and Darcy went in with Loki following cautiously. She went to look at earphones and Loki stared with a mystified air at a couple of CD players.

Darcy was done quite quickly and after paying for her headphones they moved out again.

'Okay,' said Darcy,' which shop takes your fancy?' indicating the expanse of the mall,' where would you like to go?'

'You name the location,' said Loki,' I have no idea what half of these are.'

'Shall we just follow the pavement?' suggested Darcy.

He agreed to it and they moved on, passing two clothes shops and one where was sold bed linen.

'Want a blanket?' laughed Darcy, jabbing a thumb behind her at the shop.' I know you weren't too keen on your room set up in the shed.'

Loki actually cracked his grin, something he hadn't done for a while,' I rather fancy I'd just make Thor jealous,' he said,' besides I don't have any Midgardian money, unless you are endorsing my just taking it...'

'No, no, no,' she said hurriedly, as though she any moment expected Loki to start at one crime or another, which was not perhaps such an outrageous idea.' However,' she stuffed a hand in her purse and slid him a note,' Jane doesn't pay me a fortune,' she went on,' but you can have this for some ice-cream and a notepad or something.'

Loki stared at her, taken aback.

'Go on,' she took his hand and putting the money in it closed his fingers over it.' It's a present,' she said brightly, then since there was a pause,' a thank you will do.'

Loki looked down at the money in his hand and then her face, her dark eyes shone, her mouth formed in a blooming smile. Something strange happened. Loki's heart skipped a beat. He blinked, his heart was as systematic as his step, always beating correctly. Only in the excitement of battle or heated argument, did it change, never while he gazed at the face of a simple, nay, annoying human girl.

'Hey,' said Darcy,' you're staring at me, it's creepy, cut it out will ya.'

Loki's gaze dropped in a kind of stupor. He snapped out of it a moment later. His eye caught the look of his hands, the blue veins expanding, the colour of the Frost Giant creeping up his arms. With the removal of his Asgardian powers he seemed to have lost a part of his Asgardian self, like a sudden change in his moods trigged him back to who he truly was.

'What is it?' asked Darcy, who saw the stunned look, but had not noticed the changing colour.

Loki made no response, only brushed past her, down the small gap there was between the linen shop and the toy shop beside it. He put a hand to his forehead and felt the lines etched across it and his cheeks. What had brought this on? That skip in his heart beat? But what had caused that?

It was those eyes, those brown eyes, so like the china blue ones he had seen when... he cut the channel of thought, the two sets of eyes mingling in his head, spinning in circles together. Two women he hardly knew and he was losing his grip, pulling away the mask with which he hid his true self.

Darcy had followed him down the slip corridor and her voice now came to him from just behind.' Loki, what is the matter?'

The way she spoke his name was so unlike anything he was used to. It was so natural, like it was just a name, not a voice calling one of the greatest criminals of Asgard.

He didn't immediately turn to face her, but froze, staring at his hands.' You were not present,' he said following his own train of thought,' you were out, wanting to see the Einherjar.'

'What?' Darcy stared at him,' I'm sorry, what are you talking about?'

'I was following my own thought,' he said,' you don't know much about my family do you?'

'Only what you said,' she replied,' and that I'm doing my best to forget, it was kinda... horrid,' Darcy had a way of putting the most serious matters in plain words.

For a moment longer he stood staring down, then he whipped round to face her, chin up. He didn't say a word and neither did she as she took in the blue colouring, coupled with the markings on his face and the red eyes. Her lips parted in a look of astonishment, but there was none of the disgust Loki himself felt, depicted on her features, only surprise and shock.

He was the first to break the silence, being strangely unable to handle it,' you don't have to say it,' he said,' I'm a monster.'

'Yeah, you are,' she agreed,' but that's on the inside, this,' indicating his face,' kinda suits you.'

'Pardon?' Loki was so thrown off his balance by her blunt manner he hardly knew what else to say.

'Sorry,' said Darcy holding up her hands as though she thought someone was putting her under arrest,' no offense. You look super handsome the other way too.'

Loki stared at her, lips parted, completely non-plussed by her abrupt manner. Odd as it was she was not rejecting the strange look or calling him a monster on account of it. Loki remained silent, he only reached out a hand and took her's. The colour began to flood back into his hand and slowly from it to his cheeks and he let go, allowing it to rush over his face with a feeling of satisfaction.

'I apologise,' he said.

'For what?' asked Darcy, rather blankly, but before he could respond she got distracted with another question,' how does it work that you touch my hand and lose the... blue colour?'

Loki flexed his fingers, as though half expecting them to have gone stiff,' I know not,' he said,' perhaps it has ought to do with the way Odin changed me at first. Sorcery and magic, but I've never made a study it.'

'So,' Darcy paused,' okay now?' she asked,' what brought that on anyway?'

Loki swung on his heel, ignoring the question as though he had not heard. He headed out of the slip way and Darcy followed him.

'Shall we have an ice-cream?' she asked briskly, as thought nothing had gone amiss at all.

'What is this ice-cream you persistently name?' asked Loki.

Darcy stared at him, aghast,' you have never had an ice-cream!' she gaped in amazement,' that settles it, you have to have an ice-cream.'

They headed to a little ice-cream store where Darcy ordered two chocolate ice-creams in cups, covered in crumbled fudge.

'Here you go,' she said handing one to Loki and shoving the small plastic spoon in.

Loki took a small taste. He had almost had enough of this Midgardian food. Some of it had been alright but only the coffee had been really worthy of Asgard. One bite of ice-cream was enough however and it joined the coffee as the top of his list.

The two of them found a wooden bench along the pavement and sat down so eat their ice-creams, enjoying mouthfuls of the sweet stuff. Darcy had polished off her own by the time Loki had eaten about a tenth. He had a little more and then declared he had had sufficient. This was alright with Darcy and she took good care of the remainder.

After this they went about the shops, admiring very different things, but amusing one another. Darcy eyed every tetchy gadget and Loki was fascinated with the motor controlled car toys. So much so indeed that Darcy began to joke about buying him one for his birthday.

'If you guys do birthdays,' she added.

The day had drawn rapidly into an afternoon and it was around three before Darcy thought of lunch,' how about we buy something at the supermarket?' she suggested.

Loki agreed to it and they crossed the pavement to enter the crowded building. Darcy got together a few buns and a bottle of chocolate spread to have on them, plus a small slab of butter at the insistence of Loki.

They were crossing toward the tills when Loki's eye caught sight of the stationary and he crossed over to take a look. He rather took a fancy to a small set of pens and Darcy, reminding him that she had given him money and assuring him he had enough, left him to pay for them while she crossed to a different till to pay for the lunch.

The queue at the till was long and Loki was in a less than amiable mood by the time he reached the till. He laid the pens of it, imitating the people he had been watching in front of him. The teller scanned it and gave a price which meant nothing to Loki. He handed over the note Darcy had given him and then saw the teller waiting expectantly for more.

Loki gave an inquiring raise to his eyebrows,' well?' he asked.

'You still own more,' said the man at the till.

'No,' said Loki,' that was sufficient.'

'It's not the price sir,' said the man, evidently thinking he had come upon a man who just wanted to haggle for a discount.

'It will cover,' said Loki stubbornly.

'I'm sorry sir,' said the till man,' I must ask you to step aside, you are holding up the queue.'

Loki laid a menacing hand on the till,' it will cover,' he repeated.

The man began to look annoyed and taking up the pens laid them on the counter behind him,' sir, will you desist!' he snapped.

'Desist,' Loki smiled,' finally someone who can speak in this absurd realm.'

Darcy had now come over,' what is going on?' she asked, seeing Loki leaning on the counter and the teller looking more and more annoyed.

'He says this is not sufficient,' said Loki waving his note.

'Oh, sorry,' said Darcy,' I must have seen the wrong price, here,' she began to dig in her bag for enough money to make up the price and end the business between Loki and the teller before it exploded into a quarrel.

'No,' Loki held up a hand,' he will let it through.'

'That isn't really how things work here...' began Darcy but she was cut short by Loki who spoke to the teller.

'You will do as I said,' he demanded and even as he spoke the blue crept into his cheeks and ice covered his hand, forming a point like a sword which was attached to his arm.

Darcy let out a gasp, hardly knowing what she ought to do next, but before she could make a move Loki had struck his sword of ice through the till. A scream broke out on all sides and Darcy grabbed Loki by the arm and gave him a pull. He resisted it, shaking her arm off and thrusting the icy sword into the top of the counter and down. The teller leaped away. Pale faced he trust the pens at Loki crying,' take it, take it!'

Loki raised his proud head and letting the pens drop, stepped on them, crushing them beneath the hard Asgardian heel of his boot. Darcy now became aware of a siren going off and realised that one of the tellers had set it off to summon the police.

'Come on!' Darcy snapped at Loki.

He too had heard the siren and turning he marched out of the super market, while Darcy flung the monkey for the pens on the floor and tore out after him. At the door they were blocked by police, carrying guns and shouting,' stop right there! Hands where I can see them!'

Darcy stared, frozen to the ground, but Loki gripped her hand, allowing it to revive his colour, and walked through the gang of police men, spitting ice from his palm at their guns, pushing aside with brute Asgardian force and tumbling to the ground, those who dared to stand in his way. Once out of the reach of the police he broke into a run and Darcy wasted no time to dash after him.

She heard the sound of cars chasing them and saw Loki fling a hand full of ice into the road, building up a blockade which forced the first car to swerve off and onto the grass, while the others behind were forced to stop, due to the lack of swinging off space. There were no accidents Darcy was relieved to see and she and Loki didn't stop until they had burst in through the door to the Lewis house, catching for breath. No police could follow them here, to the public eye they had simply vanished.

For a while neither spoke, both too busy catching their breath. Loki was by far the more fit and being the first to catch his air was naturally the first to speak.

'What a tirade over nothing,' he said, clearly meaning the teller refusing to give him the pens and not himself making a fuss about it.

If he hoped to have Darcy's support in this view he was to be sadly disappointed. She rounded on him, eyes blazing with anger,' what were you thinking!?' she yelled at him,' making a scene like that?'

'The man wouldn't give me what I asked for,' retorted Loki petulantly.

Darcy blinked, as though the pettiness of this had managed to rush the anger out of her,' that's all?' she said, clearly having been expecting some kind of more adequate explanation.' That is it?'

'What else would it be?' said Loki,' how much can one quarrel over at a till after all?'

Darcy turned away, her face stunned,' I can't believe it,' she said,' I just don't believe it. You made a scene for a pack of pens.'

'No, it was the principle.'

'That is not a principle,' she retorted,' it's you wanting stuff you can't have. Is that all you do? Want?'

Loki heard his own voice from the Dark World,' satisfaction is not in my nature,' and echoed the words now.

'Sat... satisfaction?' she returned, clearly rather stunned,' you are unbelievable. One thing is very obvious to me now however, why no one wants to give you second chances. I tried to help today, gave you money, entertained you, despite all the ignoring I've been getting all week,' she added,' and now I get this as payment? You decide to throw a tantrum in a supermarket.'

'Hardly a tantrum Darcy,' said Loki, his tone leaning a very slight bit on the apologetic.

'Oh, you have another word for it? Forget it, I don't care. I tried to help today, tried to show you something better, I even tried to be a friend, but it's pretty darned obvious they don't fit in your book. Just go away Loki,' she dashed something from her eye,' trying to help you clearly just gives... pain,' she went out, clearly on the verge of tears.

Loki froze in the entrance room behind her. He had not until how seen Darcy in any mood that was not neutral or excitable and happy. It didn't make him feel good. He turned away and sinking into a chair stared at his hands.

They felt cold from the ice, but no where near as cold as his heart.

More to Come! (Next up: Surtur takes a hand in the game)

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