"What the actual fuck, Thor?" Darcy asked as she stormed into the food hall where, as she had expected, they were all seated.

He frowned at her, eyebrows furrowing. "Darcy? Is something wrong?"

"Yeah, Asgard!" She said. "I mean first there's all this elitism, and now I find out whipping people is a suitable punishment!"

Thor's frown deepened so that he was glowering at her. "People have died because Loki stole the Casket, Darcy. He is already in a cell."

"So keep him there! Extend the sentence! Give him gruel to eat or something, but whipping? That's torture, Thor. You see nothing wrong with torturing your brother?" She asked.

"That thing down there-"

"Is your brother." Darcy snapped.

"You know, I think I preferred it when she pretended she hated and did not know Loki." Fandral commented.

"It is rather odd seeing her like this." Volstagg added back.

Darcy rounded on them, really not in the mood for this. "I'm right here. Call me 'she' again, and I'll stab you in the eye."

"Well, someone has been spending too much time with Loki." Fandral grinned. "Will you be using his dagger for it? Then again you have other uses for his…uh…dagger."

Darcy raised an eyebrow. "Fandral, is there something about living that displeases you because it sounds like you're asking me to change that?"

"Any time spent with Loki is too much." Sif commented, before Fandral could retort.

"Yes but you thought that even before all his nonsense started." Volstagg pointed out.

Sif merely shrugged, not denying that this was true.

Darcy turned back to Thor. "You actually think this is an acceptable punishment? Fine. Go and watch then. Every day that he is being whipped you can go and watch and then you can tell me that that is a punishment anyone deserves let alone your own brother."

"He has brought this punishment on himself." Thor said. "I am too busy attempting to reverse the damage he has done to-"

"Bullshit you just know you won't be able to stand it, watching him being whipped bloody in front of you." Darcy said.

"Darcy, enough." Jane said. "It's not Thor's fault that Odin's sentenced him to this."

"It's his fault that he's not doing anything about it." Darcy snapped.

"What can he do?" Jane argued back. "You think Odin is going to go back on his punishment? And honestly he's getting off lightly, if it were anyone else they'd be sentenced to death."

Darcy could only shake her head, too shocked and appalled to do anything else. They were all just okay with it? And not just okay, but justifying it. Darcy knew she was biased, but she didn't think she would ever believe this a suitable punishment. She'd had too many politics classes on punishment in some countries and…well even if she hadn't surely she'd feel morally above torture?

Did all of that just disappear when they found out it was Loki?

"Fuck you." Darcy said to them all. Of course, she could have thought of something more eloquent but that seemed to cover her sentiment nicely.

And then she turned and stormed away, not caring if she was making a scene because someone had to. Asgard was beyond fucked up- not that Earth was in anyway perfect- but the fact that thousands of years ago humans worshipped them as deities seemed to make them think they were untouchable.

Instead, they were stuck in the middle ages. Darcy supposed that was a problem with being immortal, humanity had come so far since the Vikings, and the Asgardians had hardly changed at all.

"Darcy, wait!" Jane called.

Darcy held her middle finger up as she left the hall.

She went to the kitchens instead of her room.

The kitchen was huge, row upon row of preparation surfaces and fire run stoves with huge iron pots on top. Cooking equipment of every kind hung like mobiles from the ceiling. And the smell was so good she decided she never wanted to leave.

She half expected to see house elves running around, but instead saw bustling servants and hurried cooks.

But her entrance doused the atmosphere almost immediately, like water thrown on a fire. The moment one servant noticed her he froze, staring at her with a mix of terror and respect. And as he froze the others did too, the room silencing in seconds.

"M-m-my lady." One serving girl stuttered. "Is there anything we can do for you?"

News travelled quickly in the palace…Darcy wondered just how much they knew. She doubted everyone would be as forgiving as the others were to her sleeping with Loki, and that said a lot because forgiving was kind of the opposite of how they had been.

"Alcohol." Darcy said simply. "The nicest and strongest stuff you have."

She was too angry and annoyed to even say please, and felt immediately guilty for it when several of the staff nodded and ran off immediately.

"Back to work!" One of the chef's called. "If that food burns…well, it'll be our necks on the line."

Darcy really hoped she was only speaking figuratively but honestly not much would surprise her about Asgard anymore.

When they returned carrying several caskets she thanked them and went to leave.

"My lady?" The girl asked again.

Darcy turned. "Just Darcy, please. I am so done with this my lady stuff, my grandparents were farmers for God's sake."

"Umm, very well." The girl said but Darcy could tell she was pleased, as well as confused. "I just…wanted to say that it was right good what you did. Not many people would have been brave enough to try to stop him."

Darcy shook her head. "I don't deserve thanks for that. He's really not that bad, then again people in Asgard never really liked him anyway, did they?"

"Well, it's no lie they preferred his brother but he was always better to us. People admired Thor but they felt comfortable around Loki." The girl said.

Darcy frowned, adjusting the admittedly heavy bottles in her arms. "Really? But with all the pranks and stuff?"

"He caused us quite a bit of cleaning, that's true. But on the whole, he was quiet and well…studious. I'm not saying he didn't treat us like we were beneath him, but it was never intentional and he never exploited that, never pressed his advantage like most men of his position. And most of the people he liked were not like him in terms of class, my lady. In fact, my aunt worked cataloguing the books in the library and he and her- I'm sorry my lady. I shouldn't be discussing this. Especially when he's changed so much. Anyway, you really are brave for confronting him. And him being a Frost Giant as well," The girl shuddered. "Well, it's no wonder he finally showed his true colours with that heritage."

Darcy's lips tightened, but she said nothing. The more she was here, the more she wondered if it was any surprise Loki had gone insane when he found out he was a Frost Giant with that level of internalised hatred for them.

In fact, the longer she was here, the longer she wanted to just drag him away from this toxic place and wrap him in blankets or something.

Although she could only imagine his reaction if she tried.

"Well, thanks for the alcohol." Darcy said. She felt like she needed it even more now.

She went to her room first and freshened up, changing into different travel clothes because she didn't know when she'd be suddenly expected to complete Hel's task. She was glad Erika wasn't there because Darcy wasn't up for facing her. She didn't know how she'd handle Erika being angry and upset that Darcy had known Loki. Or worse- scared.

Fucking Asgard, she thought bitterly as she ran a finger along one of the bottles.

She grabbed the others and practically ran to Loki's room.

And almost broke down sobbing when she saw it.

It had been torn apart. The books he loved littered the floor with random pages scattered and crumpled. The bed frame was upside down like someone had tossed it aside to search underneath. Darcy's eyes sought the painting of Loki that Frigga had done and saw, thankfully, that it had survived unscathed.

Darcy sunk to her knees. She remembered when Loki's room had been a reprieve from the things that annoyed her about Asgard. She could come annoy Loki rather than snap at Fandral. And the books…well that was what had brought her there in the first place.

Darcy's eyes were suddenly forced shut and her ears popped with the sound and pain of a gunshot. The air was squeezed from her lungs and the ground slipped away beneath her. She gasped the moment it returned.

Hands gripped her forearms, lifting her up.

"What is wrong?" Loki asked.

She managed to peel her eyes open, and managed to discern Loki through the spinning room.

"I'm fine." She said, blinking quickly. "Just…why are there three of you?"

She would have fallen if he hadn't been holding her up.

He exhaled softly in amusement. "I'm sure that's quite another fantasy of yours."

"Don't make me laugh I'll be sick." Darcy mumbled.

"It is a difficult form of travel." Loki said. "It may take some getting used to."

"Oh God, I hope not." Darcy said. And all at once the nausea passed. "Hey." She grinned.

Loki half smiled, slowly lowering his hands. "Hello."

"Where is the alcohol?" Darcy asked.

He gestured to the table in his cell where the bottles were neatly stacked.

"Good, pass me the strongest one there." Darcy told him.

Loki smirked with self-mocking humour. "Bad day?" He asked, reaching for the cup on the side, before pouring the liquid from inside the tallest bottle inside.

Darcy laughed. "Just a tad." Loki offered her the cup and she reached round to grab the bottle from his other hand. He quirked an eyebrow and she grinned. "Okay so it may have been a bit worse than a tad." She took a sip. "Ohhh God, that's good. It tastes a bit like flavoured cider. I miss that. I miss Earth food."

"Really?" Loki asked sceptically.

"Yes. Okay after all this shit is over, and we have either stopped the apocalypse or we find the Earth section of Helheim, I am taking you to McDonalds, and ordering the majority of the menu." Darcy grinned.

"I'll pass, thank you." Loki said.

"Nope, not an option. Half the fun is watching you pretend to hate cheeseburgers and moan non-stop as you eat the entire thing, and have seconds." Darcy smiled. "And from there we are getting a Chinese takeaway. I am taking you on an Earth food tour."

"Valhalla." Loki winced and downed the cup quickly before reaching for another bottle.

"Dude! Is the thought of Earth food so bad?" Darcy said, slightly shocked and impressed. "Pace yourself."

He looked at her scornfully. "You do realise that becoming merely mildly intoxicated is not the point here, right?"

"Then what is the point?" Darcy asked, taking a long gulp. She could hardly taste the alcohol but she knew it was strong, so she forced herself to take her time.

"To become so intoxicated I forget the existence of Hel, the Allfather, Thor and every other life form in this universe." Loki muttered, taking another sip.

Darcy smiled mirthlessly. "Here here." She said, treating herself to another sip. Smaller this time. Then she paused. "Wait, I'm exempt from that, right?"

"Of course," Loki said like it was obvious. "You're here, aren't you?"

Darcy smiled, trying not to show how pleased she was because it was kind of ridiculous that she felt this way every time he said something remotely nice. Like yay, the guy she was screwing didn't want to kill her.

"I remember when bad days used to consist of slave-driving bosses." Darcy drank.

Loki looked up from the bottle in his hand. "I was under the impression you were Miss Foster's assistant."

"Intern." Darcy said.

"Then you were a slave before that?" He asked.

"Dude no." Darcy said, laughing a bit more than the statement probably deserved. "It's a figure of speech. Although Jane doesn't pay me so in a way…like no, I'm not nor have I ever been a slave. Slavery is kind of banned on Earth." Of course, there were thousands who were but…well she didn't have the energy to explain the corruption of humanity to someone so willing to believe it.

"I see." Loki drank. "You worried me that I had not only descended to bedding a mortal but a slave as well."

Darcy rolled her eyes. It was testament to how pissed off she was with everyone else, that putting up with Loki's bullshit was preferable. "You are such a jerk, I've descended to bedding an attempted dictator so you don't really have a leg to stand on." Loki went to say something. "Another figure of speech." She explained. "Wait, they don't actually have slavery in Asgard, right?"

Asgard was already messed up enough as it was.

"No." Loki said. "But it was prevalent on Earth when we roamed it."

He walked to the bed and sat down, swinging his legs up elegantly. The way he moved sometimes made her want to drool but she would blame that on the alcohol.

"So slavery doesn't exist on Asgard, but you wanted to enslave Earth?" Darcy asked, smirking at him.

"You know I intended to be captured." Loki winced. He raised the bottle to his lips.

"Yeah but, like," Darcy paused to drink. "You know, there was a good chance you would win. You must have had some plan of what you would do with Earth?"

Loki shrugged. "I would have ruled you as the benevolent God I am." He said sarcastically, so much self-loathing in his words that he had to chase them down with more alcohol.

"Was." Darcy corrected. "You changed whether you like it or not when you died. Hel wants you to change back and heaven knows being here with Odin and Thor telling you you're a monster is not helping when you're already so willing to call yourself that."

Loki glared at her. "I dislike your attempts to psychoanalyse me."

Darcy rolled her eyes. "How dare I believe there might be reasons behind your actions that aren't 'he's just sooo evil!'"

Loki drank again, turning to look away from her. "They do not excuse them."

"No, they don't." She agreed. She was about to go on to say what excused them was the guilt he was feeling, and him attempting to make things right.

Unfortunately, given that he was currently causing more destruction than he already was she didn't think that would go well.

Instead, she slumped into the chair by the table.

"What would you have done if you met me…you know, before you died?" Darcy asked curiously.

Loki tensed. Darcy tilted her head to the side, eyebrows furrowing as she watched him.

"Do not ask questions like that unless you are prepared for the answer." He said quietly without looking at her.

"Oh come ooon," She sang. "It's hardly going to surprise me, is it? So come on. Kill me? What?"

"And why do you want to know?" He asked, an edge to his words.

"Curiosity." She answered.

"If I had met you during my attempt on Earth I would have killed you if you stood in my way." He snapped. "I would have done it without a second thought."

"No mind control?" She asked.

"Do you have some secret skill that I could have utilised?" He asked.

"Only the ones you've found in the sheets. Oh, and I make a really good cup of coffee." Darcy said.

"I would have killed you, Miss Lewis. I was far too busy trying to appease and escape Thanos to contemplate you in that way." Loki said.

It was the first time he had casually mentioned Thanos and Darcy watched sadly as he raised the bottle once more, this time placing it empty on the side. She silently passed him another, wondering if she should be condoning this but deciding if given everything that had happened one night of alcoholic relief was all he wanted it was positive.

"Okay well…what about after?" She asked because she was on her way to being pleasantly tipsy and hadn't really gathered that this wasn't a topic of conversation Loki was enjoying. "What if, I don't know, instead of the dungeons you were exiled like Thor was. Or you escaped or something. If we met then what would have happened?"

"You want to know?" He asked viciously. "I would have destroyed you." He hissed. "I would have drawn you to me and discovered your weaknesses. I'd have manipulated you and toyed with you, and exploited those lips of yours. I'd have you crying and begging at my feet. I would have you blaming yourself for every cruel thing I said to you, and when you were finally broken- finally mine- I would have grown bored and tossed you aside."

Something in Darcy's stomach tightened, and she swallowed with difficulty.

"Maybe I wouldn't let you." Darcy said. "Maybe I would have told you where you could stick your insults."

Loki snorted. "You would have tried. At first." He lifted the bottle to his lips.

Darcy fidgeted. She wasn't scared, that wasn't it. It was more just the knowledge that he was telling the truth and if…if that really had happened, if the timing was just slightly different, she'd be stuck in a textbook abusive relationship.

"Well I guess it's a good thing we met when we did, then."

"Good?" Loki laughed mirthlessly. "I may not be seeking power through controlling you or revelling in every bruise I left on your skin but you are now stuck working for Hel, isolated from your friends and sat in a cell with me. Whatever this is, it is not good. You'd be better off as far from me as possible and yet you don't run. Why is that?"

"I'd be better off without Hel. Not you. Don't think that." She said, her heartbeat beginning to accelerate.

"Why?" He demanded, sitting up.

I swear to god if I have to explain why I don't hate him one more time, she thought in irritation.

"Do you know when the last time I spoke to someone about my dad was? When he died. And yet I found myself telling you within a couple of days. Do you know who the last person who was genuinely interested in hearing me talk about things like politics was? My poli-sci teacher who was paid for it. Do you know who the last person who actually put thought into a book recommendation for me was? Fucking no one." Darcy hissed. She quickly downed the rest of the bottle and stood up.

"So yeah, I like you. I like talking to you. I like having someone attempt to match my level of sarcasm." He gave her an unimpressed look at that one. "I fucking love the way you feel inside me." At that he laughed. "And I might have gone to Hel to try to stop her taking over the world but I also went for you because it made furious beyond belief that she was controlling you. And I don't go to Hel for just anyone and they sure as hell don't follow me there to make sure I'm safe if they are then going to act like a little bitch."

She climbed onto his bed, and onto his lap, straddling his waist. She brought her face to his. "So yeah, asshole, I like you. And if you doubt that one more time I will fucking stab you okay?" She smiled.

Hmm, alcohol didn't normally make her violent. It must just have been Loki's presence. Or just her general anger of the day.

Loki was silent for a moment as he looked at her. "I have a very good mind to take you right here and now." He said. "Unfortunately, I was very serious about my plans to get ludicrously intoxicated tonight."

Darcy leant back and raised his hand with the bottle he was nursing to his lips.

"Then drink up, bitch, because I might take you here and now at any moment."

He drank before pulling away, frowning at her. "Bitch?" He asked.

Darcy grinned, only just managing to suppress drunken giggles.

"It's a term of endearment on Earth." Darcy said.

Loki raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing her. "Really? So I may call you bitch?"

Darcy shook her head, keeping her expression serious. "Nope, it can only be used by me."

"Why?" He asked.

"Because you're my bitch, not the other way round." She said.

Loki moved so quickly she didn't even register what was happening until he was on top of her, pinning her hands above her.

"I know full well what the word means and is used for, minx." He said with a smile.

She grinned. "Doesn't matter, you're still my bitch."

And as Loki moved closer to her she spun him so that she was on top, laughing down at his surprised expression.

"I see your time in the dungeons has made you no less graceful, Loki." She said, imitating Fandral's accent.

"How did-"

She shrugged. "Thor and Fandral both told me." She grinned. "They too, are my bitches. Don't worry, you're my main bitch."

Loki grasped her hands together, pulling her down to him. She gasped in surprise, not expecting him to be so dominating when he was usually so happy to let her take the lead. "Silence, minx." He said, looking like he was trying not to laugh.

"Or what?" She asked with a coy smile.

"I'll make you." He said seriously, eyes glittering with the challenge.

"I think I need an example." She said.

He stopped her talking in the very effective manor of occupying her lips in another activity, primarily by pushing his against hers. She could taste the alcohol on his lips, but his kisses always managed to get her intoxicated in a very different way.

She broke the kiss only to laugh, as she felt him harden against her, she moved a hand to that region. "Good," She said. "I thought you might be too drunk to get it up."

"You are hardly one to talk." He breathed against her.

"Shut up, bitch." She grinned.

"Enough." He said, leaning up to kiss her once more. His hands moved to her shirt, and started tugging it up.

"Wow, someone's wasting no time." She breathed against him, the alcohol making her feel dizzy in a very pleasant way.

"I'm the captive of the Allfather." He said, pulling her top off and discarding it unceremoniously on the floor. He pushed her so that she fell backwards, barely bouncing on the bed before he was above her. "This could be my last night on this planet." He teased, tearing his own shirt free.

Darcy pulled her own bra off and smiled up at him. "Then we really have to make it count."

His lips were on her skin without hesitation, kissing along her collar bone and up to her neck before nibbling at her ear. Her hands moved to his chest, feeling him move above her as his lips explored.

"I intend to." He murmured before returning to her lips.

Darcy's fingers wound into his hair, pulling her against him. He sucked at her bottom lip and she moaned softly against him.

"Please don't let this be your last night." She whispered against him.

He kissed her one last time before he allowed his lips to trail down her, punctuating each word by placing his lips on her. "Why Miss Lewis, are you suggesting you would miss me?"

"I'd miss your lips." She said without hesitation, arching up to him as he found her breasts.

He sucked at her nipple expertly, running his tongue around it before gently biting the tip.

"Oh my God, Loki." She said. One kiss from him seemed to feel better than any other sex she'd had.

He leant back, cupping her breasts with her hands, and watched her beneath him. He smiled mischievously, and she prayed to whichever gods were listening it wasn't his "I'm going to tease you until you beg for mercy" smile.

"And where else would you like my lips?" He asked, hands stroking down her until they hooked in the waistband of her trousers. She could feel her pulse hammering between her legs and pushed her hips up to grind against the hardness in his breeches.

"I can think of a place." She smirked.

He pushed her hips firmly down on the bed and lowered his lips to her trousers, picking the laces open with his teeth. She didn't know whether watching him or feeling him do it was better but either way she was almost bucking against him and he hadn't even started.

Trousers undone he practically tore them from her, like he had promised to, underwear going with them.

He stroked one finger along her, before placing it in his mouth.

"So wet already? And you said it was I who was in a hurry." He said.

Darcy reached a hand down his trousers, stroking him the little that she could.

"So hard already?" She asked in reply. "You know I can think of a way to help both of us."

"I will have you screaming so loud all the guards in the palace come running first."

He said, lowering his head to where she was aching for him most.

His tongue moved in the same stroke his finger had moments before.

She whimpered in pleasure, unable to understand how he was so good at this.

"Please tell me this room is sound proof." She said, her voice going high halfway through as he circled her clit before gently sucking at it.

"Oh god." She breathed.

"Yes, mortal?" He asked back. She could feel his warm breath against her, and could practically sense his smirk.

Had she not been afraid that if she opened her mouth-she'd scream-she would have told him to shut up.

But she didn't know how long she could cope like that. As great as his tongue was she needed him properly. She knew begging wouldn't work.

She pushed him away, her clit almost screaming in protest.

"It's your last night." She said, pulling at his trousers.

"And I want to hear you yell my name." He said but didn't resist as she removed the remainder of his clothing.

She ran her fingers lightly and teasingly along his length and felt him shudder in response.

"Then I think we both know the best way to achieve that." She said, pushing his shoulder so that he lay back, the way he'd done to her early.

She slowly climbed on top until she was hovering just above his waist.

"Damn you." He breathed, eyes fluttering closed as he pushed his hips up so that his cock brushed against her folds.

She thrust against him, gasping as he entered, and wondered if he'd ever felt as good as he did in that moment.

She moved against him and his hands reached for her hips, pulling her faster against him. One of his fingers moved to rub at her clit as she rocked against him.

"Fuck, Loki." She gasped.

He moaned her name back just as she came, making so many noises of pleasure she was surprised no guards ran to them.

Somewhere in that mix of unintelligible noise Loki climaxed, filling her with his warm wetness.

She collapsed against his chest, breathing heavily.

Loki's hand stroked her cheek. "Do not think we are done." He said. "Remember, this could be my last night."

His voice sent shudders down her spine.

"So you're going to fuck me until I can't walk?" She asked, tracing the lines of his abs with her finger.

"That was my intention." He smirked.

Darcy grinned up. "I bet you break first."

His eyes met hers. "I do not think that is a challenge you wish to make."

She grinned. "Too late."

Chapter title from On A Lonely Night by A Rocket To The Moon. Needed more sex before they get down to ragnarok. It was not intended but you put Loki and Darcy together and often it happens.