Loki once again had to force his mind back on his task. It was even more imperative he learn everything he could. But the way Mabel's eyes had looked so confused and hurt when he'd unloaded on her, constantly broke into his thoughts. He cracked his back, and each of his knuckles and propped his chin in his hands. Somehow, he managed to seal most of the video information in his brain.

"That's all the time we have for today," said Miss Minutes. "Two more days of training, and you'll be all set!"

"Magnificent," he said. He loosened his tie, and stood stretching, having sat in one place too long. "How do I tell if it's been a day here?"

Miss Minutes didn't get to answer. Mobius walked up behind him and turned off the computer.

"So, how'd we do today?" asked Mobius, taking back the chair that had been left vacant. "Ooh, warm," he said.

Loki looked at him in annoyance. "Just fine, thank you."

"So, dinner?" asked Mobius.

Loki smirked. "Are you asking me on a date?"

"I'm trying to keep you from going where you're going."

"What are you blathering about?" asked Loki.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about."

Loki folded his arms over his chest. "Who is she to you anyway?"

Mobius stood and adjusted Loki's tie. "She's someone I care very deeply about. And if someone were to hurt her, I would prune the guilty party from this world without hesitation."

Loki swallowed. "Noted."

"Good."

….

Loki had no desire to hurt her again. He'd meant what he'd told Mobius the day he met him. Hurting people was not something he enjoyed, just a means to an end.

He couldn't believe he was going to her apartment again. What magic was compelling him to fix what he'd done? She was an enchantress, a witch. Those eyes cast spells.

He'd come armed with a steak this time for the beast. He was not interested in making friends with it, but at least appeasing it enough that it wouldn't be compelled to rip him apart. Loki ran his hand through his hair and knocked on the door. He braced for the roar, but not even a purr came from inside. He put his ear to the barrier and heard faint music. Some mindless female Midgardian song from the twentieth century.

He knocked harder, and the door squeaked open just barely. His muscles locked, expecting the tiger to come barreling out of the door at any second. Nothing. He pushed it all the way and peeked around the corners. The monster might be lying in wait for him somewhere, but there was no sign. He looked into the kitchen and smiled. He felt the small ember inside ignite again.

There was Mabel, still in her TVA button up, but she'd changed into shorts and bare feet, her shoulder length hair in a short low ponytail. She was swinging her hips in time to the music, hovering over her stove, singing into a wooden spoon.

"But any fool can see they're falling. I gotta make you understaaaaand." She pointed to the wall in a slow line as if singing to a huge crowd. She was actually quite good.

He leaned against the wall watching her. This was the most adorable thing he'd ever seen. He tried to keep his eyes from constantly landing on her derriere that she swiveled back and forth, but he found the task Herculean. Then he came to his senses. He'd just broken into her apartment. Mobius would disintegrate him without a second thought. He started to back out as she began the chorus. But she was backing up too. Oh god. Now she was turning around…

"I'm giving you everything, all that joy can… Ahhhh!" She screamed and grabbed his forearm, and pulled, flipping him over her shoulder. He landed flat on his back.

Mabel put her hands over her mouth and gasped. "Oh my god!"

To make matters worse, before he could move another inch, the monstrous orange cat leapt from the bedroom and pinned him to the ground, paws pressing on his shoulders. Loki's life flashed before his eyes. This was it. His death in this god forsaken place.

"Zabu no!" cried Mabel.

Loki opened one eye to glistening white teeth vibrating above him with a rumbling growl. He chuckled like a fool to the gallows. Then he felt the enormous weight lifted from his body and watched in shock as Mabel picked Zabu up and carried him as if he weighed no more than an ordinary house cat into her bedroom. She shut the door, and held her heart, panting as she turned off the music.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, offering her hand to help him up.

"Give me a moment," he said, clutching his chest.

"You scared me to death."

"The door was open. I came bearing this." He picked up the steak and held it out to her.

She took it and looked up at him confused. "You came to apologize with meat?" she asked.

He smirked. "God's don't apologize," he said. He heard Zabu roar from the other room, and he stepped back again, about to bolt. "It's possible however, that I may have made some hasty remarks earlier today."

Mabel raised one eyebrow.

Her heart was hammering so hard she could scarcely breathe. The first reason was the startle of seeing Loki in her apartment, the second was Zabu almost killing him.

She held the bag in her hand and looked up at him. He was the most confusing man she'd ever met. And she was angry. If only she wasn't so attracted to him.

"Fine," she said. "Don't apologize. I walked in on your private moment, and I shouldn't be excused. But you broke into my apartment, and I feel like there's a little disparity between the two."

He sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets and shrugged. He actually did look sorry. "I truly didn't mean to. I promise the door was open and you couldn't hear me knock."

She felt her anger dissipate. After all, her cat had almost killed him. She put the steak in the refrigerator and turned around. Loki looked like a creature completely out of his element. She'd read up on him after their meeting in the theater. He was so used to being ten steps ahead of everyone and now he was thrown into a world where all of time and space could be seen before he did anything. She had to imagine he was constantly frustrated.

Her heart fluttered at how adorably puppy dog his eyes were. Without thinking she asked: "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

He looked completely taken aback. "I couldn't intrude."

"Too late," she said. She was rewarded with a soft chuckle for her joke. He had an overwhelmingly sexy laugh. "I have plenty," she continued. "And it looks like you came with a question."

Finally he said, "Alright."

She set the table while he looked around the apartment. He'd rolled up his sleeves and she caught herself staring at his forearms. Those forearms that held her so close the other night. It was hard not to think about.

He was studying her plants, and he'd stopped in front of one and knit his eyebrows together. He stared at it for a long time.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said shaking his head. "Just, déjà vu. This planter looks… familiar."

He walked back into her kitchen, and she gestured for him to sit down at the small table against the wall. She spooned some rice on his plate, and some curry over it, then placed a bowl of yogurt in front of him. He poked it with his utensil. "What is it?" he asked.

"Vegetable Korma. Indian curry."

He spooned some into his mouth and closed his eyes. "Oh my god," he said.

"Don't like it?" she asked.

"It's delicious. I've never had anything like it."

"If I made it too spicy, there's yogurt next to you. And here's some bread." She hopped up from her seat and grabbed a piece of Naan from a pan. "You eat them together." She demonstrated.

They ate silently, mostly because he couldn't stop eating. He finished three platefuls.

"Where did you learn how to make this?" he asked.

"My former roommate Divya. She showed me a lot of things. That's where I first heard the music I was playing earlier."

"Where did she learn?"

Mabel paused. "I… I'm not sure."

He leaned back in his chair, stretching one leg out.

"Satisfied?" she asked, smiling as she took a sip of water.

"More than."

She smiled and stood to take his plate.

"Let me," he said, and she looked up at him surprised. He took hers too and placed them in the sink. He stared at her faucet in confusion.

"Have you ever done dishes?" she asked.

"Of course not," he said. "You think a prince of Asgard ever washed a dish in his life?"

"Pity," she said. "Hard labor would look good on you."

His ice blue eyes bored into her in astonishment, until she looked away. "Don't worry, I'll clean them up later," she whispered.

"You could teach me," he said gently.

Mabel felt a thrill down her spine at his quiet request and swallowed. He asked so earnestly. "Alright."

She filled one side of the sink with soapy water and took out her scouring pad. She lifted a dish, and he watched as she scrubbed it, rinsed it, and placed it in her drying rack. "Your turn," she said. They reached into the water at the same time, their hands brushing together. An electric current ran up her arm and she looked up slowly into his face. He was so close, those cheekbones were so beautiful. She resisted the urge to push her fingers into his hair.

She cleared her throat and lifted her hands from the water and dried them on her dish towel.

"Just remove all the food with the pad and follow what I did. I'll make us some coffee."

He watched her as she fumbled around with her coffee maker and pulled out some cookies from a box and placed them on a plate. She made him leave the pans for later and took their dessert into the living room.

"So, you stopped by for something specific. What was it?" she asked. She sat at one end of her couch, folding her leg under her.

He sat on the other, crossed his leg and spread out his arms across the back. She offered him a cookie, and he took it, popping the whole thing into his mouth with a noise of appreciation. "I could ask you the same question. Why did you come to see me this afternoon?"

"I… you first." She had no idea how to ask him now. It all depended on how well this next part went.

Loki leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. "This afternoon, you caught me at… an awkward moment."

"I'm sorry."

He waved as if it were nothing. "And when you ran off…" She could see him shutting down. He pushed his hands through his hair, his eyes distant, his mouth pursed tightly together.

"It must have been such a shock to see her image like that."

He hung his head.

"Tell me about her."

Loki looked up at Mabel surprised. He leaned back into the leather cushions. "She taught me magic. She knew I wasn't as strong as my brother, but I was infinitely more cunning. So, to even the odds so to speak… I am who I am because of her."

"I see."

He glanced at her. "You view her as teaching a trickster how to better manipulate?"

She shook her head. "No, how to survive."

He bit his lips inward and nodded. She placed her hand on his forearm. His muscles moved underneath. He was so warm.

Their eyes met. She drew closer on the couch. That heat. It was undeniable. The current between them surged, and she found herself drowning in the blue of his eyes. He put his palm over hers. Her breath hitched as he started to caress the top of her hand with the pads of his fingers in little circles. His hand was so large compared to hers.

"You're unbelievably soft," he said.

She closed her eyes. The tingles settled low in her abdomen. She had so much to say, but she couldn't think of her question. Only one thing…

"Are you tense?" she asked.

His eyes grew wide and he smiled mischievously. "Oh yes."

"Me too."

His hands went to the top button of her shirt.