Appeal to My Humanity
Disclaimer: I disclaim NOTHING.
Holy crap, an update! You guys are fucking rad for putting up with me, honestly.
So, lots of Googling. What I couldn't find online I used my imagination to fill in the blanks, and for that I beg your forgiveness.
Thanks a million to my beta Sam666 (samantha-shakespeare on Tumblr).
Chapter 13
Darcy awoke in a tangle of sheets to the feeling of a wait on the bed next to her. The sun was beginning to set and Darcy watched the brilliant pink sky through the massive window near the bed. She smiled as she felt Loki's arms wrap around her and she responded by snugging closer to him.
"I can already tell that this time change is going to be killer," she muttered lazily and smiled into his chest.
"There's nothing stopping us from staying up all night and sleeping all day, "Loki murmured into her ear before planting a kiss into the nape of her neck. "I've spent some of my best days doing just that. "
"I'd love to hear about them," Darcy offered, hoping to coax more memories from his hesitant lips. His only response was to shift positions, leaning over her to kiss her lips. She smiled into his own lips, accepting his reluctance without a hint of bad feeling. He would open up in his own time. The growling of Darcy's stomach was what took her mind from her lover's embrace.
"And now for something completely different," she announced to him with a wide smile, sitting up and lazily holding a sheet to her chest. "How about some food?"
Loki rose from the bed, obviously not at all abashed by his own stark nudity, and smiled at Darcy. "Whatever you would like."
"Oh you're going to regret those words," she replied slyly, narrowing her eyes. He paused in the middle of slipping on a white button up shirt and watched as Darcy picked up the phone from the cradle on the night stand by the bed.
"English? Oh, awesome. Room service please."
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A half hour later, Darcy heard a knock at the door and opened it to find Clint Barton standing in the hallway, a bewildered waiter standing behind him with a pushcart full of silver trays.
"He says you guys ordered all of this," Clinton said, his disbelief etched into every syllable.
"Sure did," Darcy said, opening the door wider to reveal that the remainder of the room was seemingly unoccupied. The bathroom door was closed, Clint noticed. The waiter carted the delicious-smelling array into the room and set everything up so quickly and perfectly that Darcy tipped him extra. As the waiter left, Clint looked around the room and then at Darcy. "Blink once for, 'he's holding me hostage,'" he said to her, earning him a searing glare which was followed by the door being practically slammed in his face.
Darcy knocked on the bathroom door once to give Loki the all-clear.
"Thank you," he told her, entering the bedroom once more. "I am not subjecting myself to wearing that dreadful disguise once more."
Darcy shot him a playful glance. "I think that's fine here, but good luck getting that one past our two bodyguards when it's time to go," she teased, lifting the lid off of one of the trays and inhaling the scent. "Mmmmmm, come eat with me," she beckoned.
Darcy piled her plate high with one of everything: chocolate-dipped strawberries, tarts, slices of meats, poultry, and fish, cheeses, crackers, and finally some small samplings of wine. Loki's plate was twice as high as Darcy's and they examined each other's choices carefully before diving into their own respective meals. Darcy and Loki's conversation kept them talking well after the hot food had gone cold and the cold food warmed up. Darcy gushed about everything regarding their trip so far, from how nice the locals were to how beautiful their room was and everything she wanted to do while they were in Sweden. The topic eventually turned to what they could possibly do at this hour (10:30 PM) when the two decided to stay in an attempt to stave off jet lag.
Darcy lay in bed watching a movie while Loki lay in bed watching Darcy. It was clear to him that she was restless and he cast a subtle, yet effective sleeping charm on her, watching her eyes flutter closed. Loki simply observed her for a few long moments before rising out of bed and walking out onto the balcony. His bare chest hit the cool night air and he stood there, simply taking in the feeling of the crisp breeze that he had not experienced in over a year.
He looked out over the city taking in the stark contrast of the bright lights against the black night. This place reminded him more of Asgard than he wanted to admit, and the fact that he found that comforting did not sit well with him. Before long, Loki had picked up the reason why this place was so much like home: there was the unmistakable thrum of magic in the area. He leaned slightly over the balcony railing and the further he got away from the hotel, even just by a few inches, he could feel magic emanating from one specific part of the city. His eyes narrowed at what this could mean, but before he could think of it any further he heard soft boots land next to him.
"I don't think a fall from this height would kill you, unfortunately," said the soft voice of Clint Barton. Loki heard the sound of the bow and arrow being raised and pointed at his head. "But I am definitely willing to oblige."
"And I wish you the best of luck," replied Loki evenly. "Everything your barbaric organization has attempted to do to me thus far has failed; I have no higher hopes for you. Either way, I would prefer if you wait until we get back to New York. I would rather not leave Darcy in your 'care'," he sneered.
After a heavy, tense moment passed, Barton lowered his arrow and looked out upon the city with Loki. He broke the silence quietly. "I am pretty astounded that you haven't attempted to escape yet."
Loki cast a sideways glance at the Hawk. "That would require motivation that I find I am lacking these days," he responded simply. He could feel Barton's eyes assessing him and he heard the archer let out a sigh.
"You really like her, do you?" Barton asked, and Loki felt as though he was being asked to bite a baited question.
"That would be putting it mildly," was Loki's cautious response. From the corner of his eye he saw the Hawk put his bow down while he leaned his arms against the railing.
"Well I hope you two know what you're doing," was all that the Hawk said. His words hung heavy in the air and before Loki could respond he was gone.
Loki did not know how it would happen, but he knew that he would stay with Darcy, somehow. He wasn't sure if it was his hallmark selfishness or if it was real, actual love, but he knew that he would be infinitely worse-off without her.
He just hoped they knew what they were doing, too.
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"Oh my god, I feel awesome!" exclaimed Darcy as she hopped, nude, out of the bed and practically skipped to the bathroom. "I haven't slept like that in ages!" Loki heard her call before the sound of the shower being turned on drowned out her voice.
Loki smirked to himself at the cleverness of his own sleeping spell and then felt an unwelcome – and wholly unfamiliar – twinge of guilt. He realized that the uneasy feeling settled in the pit of his stomach and he was surprised to find that he knew exactly what it was that caused it: he was, in a way, lying to Darcy. By not being forthright about the return of his powers he was continuing to keep a secret from her. He wondered fleetingly why it was only now he felt such guilt, but he shoved the thought away with no small amount of effort. Instead, he made his way across the bedroom and joined her in the shower.
Darcy was in the middle of washing Loki's hair for him when she asked, "Do you have someone else do this for you back on Asgard?"
The question caught him off-guard and he gave her a wicked grin. "In fact I do. I get a new servant girl to do it for me every single morning."
Darcy responded by spraying him in the face with the detachable shower head. "You are so full of shit," she giggled. He wiped his face with a clean, soap-free hand but his smile only widened.
"Am not. Servant girls line up out the door to wash the prince's royal hair, and if they're lucky I let them make me breakfast," he laughed.
"And that's my cue to exit," she told him, leaving him alone to wash himself.
Darcy was already dressed and putting on makeup when Loki got out of the bathroom.
"You need to put on your face before we head out, babe. I want to try one of the restaurants for breakfast," she ordered. Loki groaned inwardly upon being reminded of his required disguise. He retreated back into the bathroom and, without a second thought, used his powers to transform his appearance. The magic looked just like the disguise that was made for him and was substantially more comfortable. He waited a few minutes before exiting the bathroom so that Darcy would believe the lie and those few minutes were saturated with the same pang of guilt that stabbed into him like a jagged piece of glass.
Get it together, are you the god of lies and mischief or aren't you? he thought to himself and took in a deep breath. He entered the bedroom to find that Darcy was waiting for him and he gave her a too-wide smile.
"What?" she asked with amused suspicion in the question.
"What?" Loki responded, "Can I not be happy to see you?" he responded before quickly changing the subject. "I too am becoming hungry – let us dine."
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The pair spent the day walking around the city, poking their heads into shops and popping into museums. Darcy was much too enamored with the city to notice Loki's distracted demeanor – he felt the familiar tug of the magic he had sensed the night before. He attempted to keep his attentions focused on Darcy and the city, if only to keep the Widow and Hawk from sensing that anything was amiss. He had caught the agents flirting with one another more than once, but it was apparent that the only place that Loki and Darcy would not have eyes on them would be their hotel room.
Loki had determined the area from where the magic was calling to him and he was formulating a plan to get Darcy and the agents to actually go there willingly when he felt the guilt – again. Keeping anything at all from Darcy – no matter how minute – was beginning to take a toll on the prince who had once been so used to weaving fabrications and telling them to loved ones without a second thought.
The pair returned to their hotel room after dinner that evening and, knowing full well that both agents could hear them, decided to have an extra-loud lovemaking session inspired by new lingerie that Darcy had purchased while they were shopping that day. Agent Romanov surveyed the wares in the store herself, boldly picking a few pieces to purchase while Agent Barton only blushed at the entire scene.
Darcy was lightly snoring when Loki slipped out onto the balcony and was not at all surprised to find Agent Barton standing there already, bow on the ground, looking out onto the city.
"Agent Barton," Loki nodded. Clint Barton only nodded back in response. The two stood in silence, neither minding the other, each completely unaware that the other was thinking of their own respective childhoods. The lights of the city reminded Loki of the endless galaxy of stars that could be viewed from the Rainbow Bridge and could not place a finger on the name of the emotion he was experiencing.
Most people would call it longing.
The laughter of the two children on the streets below made Clint Barton think of his only brother when they were touring with a circus during their youth – those were happier times.
It was Loki who broke the silence and it was not a question that Agent Barton expected to hear.
"Does deception make you feel guilty?"
The agent thought for a moment and studied the god of mischief with an appraising eye in an apparent new light. "I, uh, well I guess... sometimes?" was his stuttered response. Loki glances at him in a way that told Agent Barton that his answer had clearly been unhelpful, so Barton continued. "I don't feel bad when I lie to say, the enemy for instance; but lying to Tash or Phil makes me feel like a bastard, absolutely."
Loki turned Agent Barton's answer over carefully in him mind. "I see. You've been helpful, Agent Barton."
"So what have you been keeping from the lady?" Barton asked.
"That, Hawk, is between me and my lady. Who said anything about keeping anything from Darcy anyway?" Loki asked. He was finding the conversation comfortable and light even given the uncomfortable, serious topic. Perhaps it was all of his past experience with lie-smithing in the first place.
"Well they have a saying down here on Earth – honesty is the best policy. It's going to feel better to come clean and you won't have to keep track of what lies you've told to everyone," Barton advised, picking up his bow and signaling the end of the conversation. Loki heard him deftly climb up the balcony and away onto the roof. He thought briefly on the Hawk's words before turning his attentions back to the tug of the magic he kept feeling. Deception or no, Loki had to know what it was.
Loki stepped inside the bedroom and, after ensuring that Darcy was indeed asleep, conjured a corporeal double of himself while he became invisible. The double lay in bed with Darcy while Loki peeked out of the cracked door of their hotel room, surprised to find that neither of the agents were present. He slipped out of the hotel room and closed the door without a sound, slinking quietly down the hallway. The only person he encountered on his way out of the hotel was a bellhop, who only noticed a chilly breeze blow by as Loki passed. The bellhop shivered and rubbed his hands together, looking around as if he was looking for an open window or forgotten door left ajar.
Loki wandered around the city and found that the pull of magic was leading him east of the hotel. He had only walked for about twenty minutes when he came to what seemed to be the source of the pulsing magic emanating from within. It appeared to be coming from a building that had a contemporary design but a curious old ship's mast sticking out of the top. On a small sign with unassuming font, Loki read 'Vasa Museet' – The Vasa Museum. He looked around and saw no guards, so he used a spell to unlock a side door to the building before slipping, unseen, inside.
Loki was astounded to find that he was in the presence a massive, ornate wooden warship that dominated the large museum and was surrounded by staggered levels of floorspace that made up eight different levels to explore. He found himself admiring the detail of the stern briefly before allowing himself to be pulled toward one level of the museum by the call of the magic he had felt all day. The intensity of the magic had Loki's nerves on end – whatever was in this museum, it was extremely powerful.
The prince found himself being led to an area where artifacts from the ship were exhibited – common items that would have been used by sailors, simple cooking items that would have been used by cooks, and finally Loki found himself standing in front of an exhibit that clearly displayed items that had been found in the captain's quarters. Detailed sculptures, ornate wooden furniture, jewelry, and coins made up most of the exhibit, but one item in particular captured the attention of the Asgardian: a jewel-encrusted golden hourglass that called to him like a beacon. He looked upon it and gasped aloud.
There could be no mistake. There, nestled snugly between two crystals, was one of the most powerful relics the universe had ever seen: the Time Gem.
A bit of a light chapter, but more coming soon :)