A/N: This chapter is a pointless bit of fluff that I wrote after I had already "finished" writing this story, and then in a fit of exhaustion shoved another thousand-ish words into it last night, so hopefully it's legible.

Chapter Eighteen – Day 92

Jane watched Loki from the corner of her eye, trying to be discreet even though he seemed a million miles away. His chin rested in his hand as he hunched over on her sofa, brow pinched in thought. He probably would not have noticed if she just outright stared at him. Something had been off with him all day – all week, actually.

Despite her best efforts to move past their odd argument, Loki's brooding had yet to reach its conclusion. His earlier prediction of having less time available to train her had been accurate as she had seen very little of him over the past few days, yet whenever he was around, he was sullen and distracted. Even today, when he had spent nearly the full day with her, it barely seemed like he was there at all.

It was a bit insulting, really, when she thought about it.

Still, Jane had held her tongue and not pushed him, knowing he would just wave away her concern as something a mortal could never understand. Instead, she chose to enjoy the day, especially once he announced that he would take her back home for a visit if she so wished. It was clearly a peace offering – not that she needed one, but heck, no way would she turn down an offer like that.

The dancing flame she had conjured started to lose its definition, flickering as it struggled to stay in existence without her complete attention. Giving up on watching the distracted prince, Jane turned back to the flame and sent it spinning through the air in dizzying circles. It still amazed her that she could conjure fire without any fuel to keep it burning; it defied every natural law, even more so than the bubbles. If only her academic advisor could see her now….

A knock at the door broke through her concentration, but this time she was able to erase the flame from existence before it destroyed any of her stuff again. A glance told her Loki was still zoned out, so Jane got up to answer the door.

"Oh, hey Thor!" she greeted warmly. Even if he had ditched her at Loki's room rather unceremoniously last week, it was impossible to feel anything but warmth when his smile was like the sun. At least the butterflies she used to feel in his presence had died out.

"Good afternoon, Lady Jane," he replied cheerily. "Is Loki here?"

She jerked her thumb over her shoulder and moved aside so Thor could see into the room. "Yeah, he's slumming it on my couch."

Thor's head tilted in confusion at her words, but he seemed to get the gist of it as he took in Loki's statuesque form. "I see. Well, it matters not. I came to talk to you both, but you may pass along the message once he's no longer like…" he gestured vaguely with his hand, "that."

Jane sniggered, glad that she was not the only one baffled by Loki's unmoving Thinker pose. "Sure, what's up?"

"My friends and I are headed down to the taverns this evening, and Sif thought you might wish to come along. And it seems a fair reward for convincing my brother to leave his room," he ended appreciatively.

Plastering on a smile, Jane felt her stomach roil at the offer. One evening of drinking on Asgard had been enough for a lifetime, and her liver protested the idea of consuming any more mead, even if Loki diluted it again. But under the force of that damningly cheerful grin, Jane once again found herself agreeing to Thor's request. She replied weakly, "Yeah, that sounds fun." Or torturous; there really was a fine line between the two. Shaking away the thought, she added, "I haven't seen much of the city yet."

"Wonderful! I will come and collect you before we depart." Thor turned to leave, pausing as he seemed to consider something. Leaning in toward her, he asked in a hushed voice, "Do try and convince Loki to come, won't you? I've seen so little of him lately."

Jane agreed to try – though she doubted she would ever convince the stubborn man to do anything he did not already wish to do – and Thor left with a bow of gratitude. Debating how much of her sanity was left to even consider trying to plead with the prince when she herself did not really want to go, Jane shut the door with a grimace.

"Don't even bother."

Jane whirled around to face the prince. His head was still in his hand, but his eyes were fully alert and piercing her through. How long had he only been pretending to not be paying attention? Damn, the man could be infuriating at times.

It only made her all the more determined to hold up her word to Thor. "Why not? Don't you like to hang out with your friends?"

A bark of harsh laughter almost made her want to stop pressing him. Almost. "Perhaps if they were truly my friends, but no. Thor only likes to delude himself into thinking his friends are also mine."

Jane paused to process that tidbit of information. Sif was rather obvious in how much she did not like him, but the three guys had seemed fine with Loki's presence at the banquet. "Okay… well, then, don't you like watching them make idiots of themselves?"

"After a few hundred years, even that spectacle loses its luster." He leaned back in his seat, the relaxation in his posture conveying his sense of victory. "It's a shame you are so quick to cave to Thor's desires. But I do believe you will have a difficult time finding someone to remove your cuffs upon your return. Thor's proclivity for inebriation might make the task rather inconvenient."

Shoot. Jane had not thought of that. Until she was no longer restricted to wearing those stupid cuffs, her life was entirely dependent on Loki's willingness to release her from them whenever she returned to her room. It was completely unfair. But that did not change that she needed him.

And even if she did just tell Thor she had changed her mind, that still left Loki on his own. Not once had he mentioned having any other friends – not that she could judge someone for having few of those; her own friends list was practically nonexistent – but Thor clearly cared about him. She had accepted Loki's olive branch; she would make Loki accept Thor's in turn. And if forcing that acceptance felt a little bit like payback to even the score… this might actually be fun.

Not feeling at all bad for the hint of vindictiveness overtaking her strategy, Jane perched on the edge of the sofa opposite Loki. Caramel eyes met stormy green as she offered smoothly, "If people watching isn't entertaining enough for you, maybe a bet would be."

"Oh?" Loki straightened, his obvious interest sending a thrill through her. "What did you have in mind?"

"Since neither of us wants to go, how about a simple outlast-the-other bet? Since you can't ditch me there unless you want to deal with my corpse tomorrow, it would be a test of whose patience with drunk people can last longer."

A derisive look crossed Loki's face. "Hmm, it's not a very interesting challenge, so you'd better have a good wager."

"If I win, you have to answer every question I ask on the next full day we have together. None of that condescending 'you're just a mortal, you wouldn't understand' crap. Real, honest answers." It did get annoying how often he brushed off her questions as irrelevant or beyond her understanding if it did not relate directly to her magic. She was hungry for knowledge, and she did not care how apparent her hunger was if the gleam in Loki's eye was anything to measure by.

"As long as I deem the question not to pose a security risk, I suppose that is acceptable." Jane nodded in consent, inwardly crowing at his agreement. There was no way she would be the first to cave now. "And if I win?"

"If you win, then…" Jane scrambled to think of what she would be willing to do. She had hoped he would supply his own side of the bet, as she knew she could win anyway, but to have to come up with something enticing enough for him herself… crap, this was not going to end well for her, was it? "Then I'll do whatever you say in our lessons for the next month, no arguing or questioning."

Loki's raised an eyebrow as he crossed his arms, unimpressed. "That's the best you can do? Really, Jane, the point of a wager is to offer both parties something they want."

Jane felt her brow crease in confusion. "And a whole month of subservience isn't enough for the prince who has repeatedly called me insolent and uncontrollable?"

"Of course not. If you truly meant your words that we are now friends, then subservience rather negates the value of that, does it not?" He actually looked offended by the thought, to Jane's surprise. Evidently, her labeling of their relationship had had more of an impact than she anticipated. "No, if I win, then I want something that's a true test of trust. I want you to help me with a prank."

The wicked smile on his lips sent a tingle down Jane's spine. "And do I even want to know what this prank is?"

The grin widened. "Oh, I haven't decided upon one yet, but having an accomplice such as yourself does open up a whole new world of possibilities."

Oh, this was a bad idea. A really terrible, awful, stupid idea. Why had she started this again? Oh, right, Thor and his stupid, perfect smile convincing her to do stupid things. Jane vowed never to be swayed by that smile again as she begrudgingly agreed, "As long as it doesn't involve either of your parents, I accept." She held out her hand to shake on it, Loki's hand cool and firm in hers as she gripped it. Holding on, Jane added determinedly, "And no cheating tonight with magic. If I can't use mine, then you can't use yours."

"It's not cheating to use one's own natural gifts."

"Then consider it leveling the playing field to make us equals since, as you said, we're friends."

With an irritated huff, Loki assented, "Fine, but if you pass out from drinking or from your cuffs being on too long, then I win by default."

"Well, I guess I'd better tire out my parasite before tonight then." With only a thought, the sofa Loki was sitting on turned into a mass of hundreds of bubbles, and Loki yelped as he crashed straight through to the floor, his hand finally slipping from hers. Jane laughed as he raised himself up with a glare, some of the sudsier spheres clinging to his dark hair in clumps. Even if it hurt her brain at times, magic was the best.

Leaning against a broad support beam, Jane clutched her cup like a security blanket. The tavern was like something out of a Renaissance painting, all stonework and rustic tables and obnoxiously drunk men. Not at all what she had been expecting based on what little of Asgard she had previously seen, and she felt even more out of place than she had in the banquet hall. This was not what alien races were supposed to be like.

But she would be damned if she let Loki win after surviving it this long.

Taking a sip of her drink – only water, thank goodness – Jane nearly choked on the swallow as a hand suddenly gripped her shoulder. "Lady Jane, we meet again!"

Distracted by trying to clear her airways as subtly as possible, the hand met little resistance as it easily turned Jane to face its attached speaker. A pair of blue eyes only slightly less entrancing than Thor's held her in place, but she wished the floor would just open up and swallow her whole. Of course, Fandral would be here. "Oh dear, my mere presence has rendered you speechless! We can't have that, now can we?"

Fighting back a fluttering wave of panic – less like butterflies and more like a flock of hummingbirds, she noted idly – Jane tried valiantly to match his cocky grin. Loki had never bothered to tell her what all had happened the night of the banquet, and she had been fine with not knowing the extent to which she had probably embarrassed herself, but now it seemed the reckoning had come. "No, not speechless, just surprised. It's so crowded in here I'm amazed anyone could see me."

"Ah, but it would be impossible for any man to overlook you," Fandral suavely proclaimed. "The other louts here are only too overwhelmed by your beauty to approach you."

Jane blushed despite herself, not believing his pretty words for a moment yet feeling off-kilter anyway from his increasingly roguish grin. When was the last time anyone had called her beautiful? It had been far too long since she had had to contend with someone flirting with her.

Seemingly sensing her inability to come up with a coherent reply to that, he suggested grandly, "Perhaps a drink would help you acclimate to the atmosphere of this place? One can hardly enjoy the revelry when one will not partake in it."

"No, um, I think I'm, uh, I'm good just watching," she stuttered out as his hand drifted languorously from her shoulder to her elbow and stayed there in a loose hold, his fingers leaving a tingling trail along her skin. It felt nice, and she started to realize how easily her drunk self would fall for such things, but she was not drunk now. "But I'd hate to hold you back, so go on and drink one for me."

She smiled tightly, hoping he would take the hint. A look of confusion twisted his features, as if he could not understand her refusal, but before he could speak, Jane staggered to the side as a sudden force bumped into her hip. "Oh, I'm so sorry Lady Jane!" The apology came from a not very contrite-looking Sif. She held two tankards of ale in her hands, barely sparing her a glance as she held one out to Fandral. "Hogun is offering to pay the tab for anyone who can best him in a throwing contest, so I suggest you take him up on that before he comes to his senses."

Fandral accepted the drink, laughing as he replied, "Is he indeed? Then I believe you are right." With a flirty wink, he addressed Jane, "May Sif have better luck with you than I."

As he wandered off toward the crowd of men throwing knives at a board, Jane turned to Sif in gratitude. "Thanks for the save."

"You looked like you needed a little help," Sif replied with a smirk. "Fandral's not the type to back down from a challenge, but he is easily distracted."

"Thank goodness for that." They watched as Fandral approached Hogun, holding out a hand for one of the throwing knives. Something like a dart board had been set up against the wall, and the duo threw the blades with a precision she never would have expected from the quantity they had been drinking. Looking back to Sif, Jane asked curiously, "Why aren't you competing?"

"For the same reason Loki isn't, I suspect: it isn't as much fun when you know you can win."

With that reminder of her supposed chaperone, Jane realized she had not seen Loki in quite a while. Glancing around, she tried to pick out his dark hair and clothes, but the room was large and shadowed. If he had changed his mind and ditched her…

The thought cut off as a heavy weight slammed down on her shoulders. Knees nearly buckling, Jane looked up to see the smiling, rosy face of Thor. One of his arms had landed around her, tugging her into his side. "I have been looking all over for you, Lady Jane!" he exclaimed. The scent of alcohol lingered strongly on his breath. "I thought Fandral may have absconded with you, but I am glad to see he has failed."

Out of the corner of her eye, Jane saw Sif back away from them. Apparently saving her from one blond was enough for one night for her. Traitor. Refocusing, Jane smiled hesitantly at Thor as his hand started playing with the ends of her hair, trying to come up with the best way out of his sudden touchy-feely-ness. "Well, I didn't want to leave just yet. This is too much fun."

Lying through her teeth. Way to go. Loki would be so proud of her.

Thor laughed heartily. "It would be more fun if you joined Volstagg and myself at the center table. Come, come." Without waiting for her response, he dragged her along through the room, easily cutting through the crowd even with his arm still around her shoulder. Oh, why did she have to suddenly be Miss Popular tonight?

Loki observed the drunken fools from his corner of the musty tavern in boredom, glad to be disregarded by the rest of them. He had no desire to partake in their merriment when he had so many other things to be doing, so much scheming that needed to be done in a very short window of time. But the contradiction of Jane not wanting to come here either yet wanting for him to come with her had been too intriguing to not spare some time over. And after one night like this, he was sure she would never ask it of him again.

He lifted his mug to his lips as his eyes sought her out from the boisterous crowd. The place was full tonight, the jostling bodies hindering his search. He found Hogun and Fandral off to the side of the room but quickly moved on from them. Fandral's earlier attempts to rekindle the flames of flirtation with Jane from the night of the banquet had failed spectacularly, the girl's bumbling attempts to extricate herself from the dandy's interest the only entertainment he had had from tonight. But in any case, Sif had swiftly rescued the girl – for which his loathing of her lessened just the tiniest fraction. Until that opened up Jane's attention for Thor to swoop in – then his detestation doubled.

Spotting Thor's golden head at the center table, he could make out Jane's small form still tucked under his brother's protective arm, the weight of it likely locking her in place. If not for their bet, Loki would have left in the instant it had settled around her shoulders. Instead, he watched her growing discomfort, waiting for her usually limited patience to run out. The crowd around them was downing mug after mug after mug of ale, becoming rowdier by the minute. She could not possibly last much longer. And even if he had no idea what he would do with his wager once he won, he had no desire to let her win.

A tankard smashed on the ground, causing a round of cheers to rise up from the group. Loki rolled his eyes at the display; it was such a wasteful tradition. A few barmaids came around to bring out more drinks to the group in the center of the room. Thor raised up a new mug in toast to the crowd as his thoughtless grip tightened around the girl, practically dragging her onto his lap. Loki's jaw clenched in response. Enough was enough; he could certainly liberate her from the buffoon's unwanted advances without losing the bet.

Getting up, Loki froze in place as he saw Thor lower his head to the girl's. Oh, Hel no. His vision turned red as he imagined yanking the oaf back by his flaxen hair and pummeling the idiot for his every betrayal, his every dismissal and humiliation. Their brotherhood had always been fraught with tension but grounded in familial love; this might be the breaking point. Quelling the edge from his murderous thoughts, Loki prepared himself to snatch the girl away regardless.

Smack.

The sound of flesh hitting flesh stopped him in his tracks for a second time, but he was not the only one. The room went quiet as all eyes turned to Thor and the girl. The prince's mouth was gaping open, his blue eyes wide with shock as he stared at the girl still mostly sitting on his lap. For her part, Jane's mouth was also gaping open but quickly hidden behind her hands as she stared back at him in horror.

Had she really just slapped his brother? His tiny little mortal, physically weak and utterly unintimidating, and yet here she was, so full of… of vivacity. It was just too absurd. The bubble of laughter he felt building in him needed to be released, and he let it loose without resistance. He would still have to get Thor back for this, but somehow he felt that Jane's action would have far more impact than his ever would.

The crowd around him soon joined in with his laughter, a few lighthearted jeers being tossed Thor's way as well. His brother's loud laugh boomed across the room in return, clearly brushing off the insult of the smack. "My apologies, Lady Jane. Your loveliness had bewitched me, but your hand has set me free."

The girl turned an even richer shade of crimson as a fresh wave of tittering broke out across the room. "No worries, but, uh, could your hand set me free too?"

Thor's arm finally lifted from its position on her shoulders, and Jane slipped off his lap instantly, barely settling on the bench for a second before standing up, tossing back the rest of Thor's drink, and heading for the exit. A cacophony of whistles and hollers followed her, the patrons not turning back to their own drinks until the thump of the door echoed back through the room.

Giving Jane a few moments head start, Loki held his position for a few seconds while he scanned the crowd for Sif. He had decided he would not begrudge Jane her friendship with the haughty warrior, but neither did he entirely trust Sif's intentions toward the mortal. When it came to her unrequited love for Thor, the warrior was wholly unforgiving.

He spotted her in a darkened corner of the room, knocking back two mugs of ale in quick succession. If she were not so detestable, he would pity her. But she was Thor's problem; his own was wandering the streets of Asgard alone.

Eager to catch up with her before she could stray too far, Loki pushed through the bodies in his way to briefly pat a hand on Thor's shoulder. Capturing his attention, Loki commented amusedly, "Thank you for including me in this night. I wouldn't have missed this for the world."

With a toothy grin (and breath reeking of ale), Thor shoved him away. "And here I thought you were going to teach your pet some manners. You might wish to inform her that slapping the future king is bad form, no matter the reason."

Loki waved him off, hoping the words were caused by the drink. Yes, he himself had seen Jane as little more than a trainable pet at the start, but Thor had seemed to hold her in higher regard. He made his way to the main door. For all the manners Thor lacked, Jane had been within her every right to slap his brother.

Stepping outside, Loki breathed in the cool night air in relief as he cast out his magic to sense Jane's. It was difficult to find while suppressed, but the traces of it were still there. Following the trail, he found her leaning against the side of the building, one hand pressed against her temple as her eyes scrunched closed. "Feeling the effects of the ale so soon?"

Her eyes popped open, a weak glare heightening their brightness even in the dim light from the streetlamps. "No, I'm just annoyed that I have to admit that you were right. There was definitely no 'luster' to any of this."

Chuckling at her misery, Loki held out a hand. "Would it make you feel better if I called the evening a draw?"

Her small hand slipped into his. The manners that he scorned Thor for lacking dictated that he should wrap that hand around his arm, yet he was entranced by the way her fingers entwined with his. If only he did not have so much to lose if he were to be as bold as Thor and go all in, using his own lips to wipe away the memory of Thor's ever being anywhere near hers. It was all too easy to imagine, to fantasize pressing her up against the wall as his lips descended on hers to re-stake the claim she had placed on him to begin with and take whatever more she would give him under the shadow of the night… But it was too big of a risk to give in to his baser instincts, chancing her complete rejection and the ruination of the one thing he had worth fighting for. No, it would be the long game for him – one he could not afford to focus on until after he fixed the issue of her safety here in Asgard.

Her voice drew him out of his contemplation. "Oh shoot, I guess I did leave first." The girl frowned as she fell into step beside him. "But why would you call it a draw?"

"For all of the fun I've had at others' expense over the years, I do not think I could do anything that would be as hilarious as you slapping Thor." Snickering, he replayed the scene in his mind; he knew he would treasure that image always. "So, I guess you could say I won the bet, and you merely fulfilled your end of it of your own accord."

Jane grumbled unintelligibly under her breath, but Loki did not ask her to repeat herself. Her hand was still contentedly clasping his. As long as it stayed there, she could grouse about his pettiness all she wished.

A/N: Poor Jane, getting manhandled by everyone. But she got her slap-a-prince moment!