When Loki woke up, the sun was blaring through the blinds filling the room he was in with bright light. He quickly squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block it out.
There was something soft under him, much softer than the seating he was laying on last night. Maybe the woman had indeed helped him to her home. If that was the case, she was strong as that would require carrying him.
Reluctantly he opened his eyes again. The light poured in his vision and he groaned. His head was pounding, and every inch of his body hurt. He tried to move to get up, but every part of him screamed to stop. Who was he to deny that? The only option was to lay here and not move a muscle. He did, however, take this time to look at his surroundings.
It didn't take long to figure out the woman had put him in a bedroom. Was it hers? Nonetheless, it was a soft cream color, and only big enough to fit a bed and dresser. The bed he was laying on had a light blue blanket, and the dresser was made of a light wood. There was a window close to the bed. The cream door across the room from where he was laying, was cracked open.
Loki could hear birds chirping from outside, and he could hear what he assumed was the woman from last night walking towards the room.
He slowly sat up, trying his hardest to ignore the pain that shot through him as he did so. Shifting, he sat his back against the pillows and headboard. He watched as she poked her head in, and then stopped as their eyes met. She stepped into the room and examined him with her dark brown eyes.
Loki took this time to also examine the woman. She had warm, bronze skin. Curly, black hair that was pulled up into a bun, which allowed him to get a good look at her face. She had dark brown eyes, and a pair of full, pink lips. He was right in his assessment earlier, she was strong. He could clearly see her muscles as she folded her arms over her chest. She had a very straight posture, that reminded him much of the Einherjar at the palace. Finally, he looked at her body, and noticed she had nice curves. She was attractive, he concluded. Had this been a different time, he would have seduced her and went back to Asgard afterwards. But now he had a mission, and he could not be distracted.
"So, you're finally awake," her voice was soft. "You were out like a light last night. You didn't even move."
Small talk would get them nowhere, so he cut to the chase. He needed to know where in the Hel he had landed, "Where am I?"
For a moment, she didn't reply. She instead came to sit next to him on the bed. The bed sunk as she added her weight and came face to face with him. Loki almost backed away but was stopped by the look in her eyes. He knew he was being evaluated, he had seen this look before. From his father, from his peers, by Thor. She was searching to see if he was worthy of something.
It wasn't even a moment later she sat back a bit, satisfied with whatever she saw, and answered him. "You're at my house. On Earth."
He was right, she was Midgardian. So, he had landed on Midgard. Even he could appreciate the irony. He landed on the same place his brother – no, his not brother – loved so much. The place where Thor was banished to. The place where Thor's precious Jane was. He did promise that he would visit her, didn't he? This made fulfilling that promise easier.
Angela watched him for another, and saw the glint pass his eyes . Just as Loki knew what she was doing earlier, she realized the look in his eyes. Earlier she had seen the hurt pass his eyes too. And she knew all too well that something had happened to the man, alien, whatever he was. She could tell he was hurt outside of the physical sense. The look reminded her of herself not too long ago. Hurt, angry, and ready to do whatever to prove herself.
Angela chewed her lip in thought. Maybe, just maybe she could help him. She was a firm believer in paying it forward. Director Fury had helped her out when she needed it most, and now was her time to help someone else.
Her eyes slid over to him once more. He seemed zoned out. "I'll be right back," she told him.
His head snapped up to watch her leave the room. He looked down and noticed that he wasn't in his armor but his under clothes. His shirt was drenched in blood, but he didn't feel dirty. Had she cleaned him?
She returned with a white box and sat next to him again, "I'm going to need to take off your shirt and change your bandages."
The white box opened, and he could see what looked to be medical supplies. She went to reach for him, and he smacked her hands away. He could remove his shirt this time by himself. She had already taken liberties with his person while he had slept.
Slowly, she pulled her hands back, waiting for him to finish. If he wanted to do it himself, he could as far as she was concerned. Angela could see the pain in his face, but it wasn't her fault he was stubborn. In the meantime, she began getting out the bandages.
He finished undressing and examined the bandages. There were layers upon layers of them.
Angela looked back up to him to see him looking at her work. "I did the best I could. I tried to give you stitches, but your skin broke the needle. So, I had to use liquid stitches. I wrapped you up to make sure everything stayed in place."
This time when she went to reach for him, he allowed it. She began to unwrap him, and watched him closely to make sure she wasn't hurting him too badly. She noticed that the scrapes on his face had healed. 'That was quick,' she thought.
The last of the bandages came undone and she examined his upper torso. It was a collage of purples, blues, yellows, and his actual pale skin color. The deep gash on his side had healed some but was still there. The liquid stitches seemed to be helping, and he was no longer bleeding. Overall, it looked a lot better than it did last night.
"It looks good. You seem to heal very quickly."
He said nothing in reply. Obviously he healed quickly.
Angela didn't let his little snub affect her. She began to rebandage him and tried to start another conversation. "What's your name?"
He watched her for a moment considering answering her or not. Should he lie? If he did lie, it would have to be an elaborate lie. And explaining how he fell out of the sky would be tedious. When he could just tell her that he was a god and leave it at that. "I am called Loki," he answered.
Angela froze. Loki? The same Loki that leveled the same town she was in charge of fixing? That Loki? The Loki that attacked his own brother? What were the chances?
Her brain went into overdrive with the millions of questions. She recovered from her shock and started to wrap his bandages like nothing had happened. But her mind couldn't quit thinking.
'He seemed confused when he first got here, but was that all a ploy? He was known as the God of Mischief and Lies. Did he have an agenda here? Was he here for Jane? Or was he really here due to circumstance? Should I tell SHIELD? I know I said I wouldn't but-'
Her thoughts were cut off by Loki asking her a question. He had caught her hesitation, and the knowing look in her eyes. "I take it you know who I am."
There was silence before she replied, "Yes. I know who you are."
Angela dared to look up in his eyes. He was waiting, that much she could tell. Waiting for what? She looked closer, and then realized. He was waiting for her to judge him. It was the same reaction she had every time she met someone new in SHIELD. Her reputation preceded her, just as his reputation preceded him. People rarely seemed to want to get to know her all because of who she used to be.
'No,' Angela decided. That wasn't going to be her. She wasn't going to be the one to toss him to the wolves. But she would be cautious around this man. He was, in fact, a very powerful being who could outwit her. She had to be extremely careful, and hope that she was right.
With that, she looked away and went back to finishing off his bandages.
Loki blinked, stunned, before recovering. Was that it? Most mortals after learning who he was either ran away or went down on their knees. Yet this woman didn't even bat an eye. Sure, she was shocked at first, but it seemed as if she didn't even care any longer. She still was helping him. 'What a curious little thing she is...' he thought.
Angela finished up wrapping him, and gave him a soft smile. She picked up his shirt and began to speak, "All done. I can wash this for you to get the blood out. I don't have anything else for you to wear, but it shouldn't take long for me to wash this. She stood up and made her way to the door. When she got there, she turned and faced him, "Are you hungry?"
Loki shook his head, unsure how to proceed. She had thrown him off his game. She had offered a complete stranger refuge in her home, and was tending to him. He couldn't be rude to her. At the moment he had nowhere to go, and if anything Frigga had raised him to be polite. So he put on his most charming personality possible.
"No, not at the moment," he paused, "Forgive me, you seem to have me at a disadvantage. You know me, but don't know you. What is your name?"
She gave him another polite, small smile, "My name is Angela. Angela Lawrence."
"Angela, what a lovely name," he complimented. "I'm actually rather tired at the moment, Lady Angela. But I thank you for allowing me in your home and tending to my wounds. You are truly kind."
"Then go back to sleep. I'll wash your shirt, and be out in the living room if you need me. And you can call me Angela."
He nodded at her. Angela made her way out of the room, and shut the door in her wake.
Loki settled down into the bed, and shut his eyes. He honestly was tired. The fall had taken a lot out of him. He could feel the wear and tear his body went through from slipping through space. His mind also felt sluggish after the fall. That wouldn't do. He needed to figure out what exactly he was going to do.
It wasn't long before he fell into a deep sleep. And that was when the whispers started.