"Do you think this makes me look fat?"

Maisy sighed at hearing that question for the twelfth time that day. So far, her experience at Reluire Boutique and Trends was just telling others that they did not, in fact, look fat in clothes. Or politely suggesting they try something else if the article of clothing happened to add on a few visual pounds.

"Not at all! In fact, see how the vertical lines are doing a nice job of showing off your waistline? You look great in this one!" Maisy replied honestly. She'd never lie to the customers, but it was getting hard to be genuine about how excited she was for their clothing choice. And she'd only worked one day so far.

"I'm not sure… I look so blah."

The woman customer had tried on just about every casual dress in the store and hadn't been sure of any of them. Maisy wished her new boss, Eve, hadn't left because this customer seemed to want a third opinion. Or just more reassurance that she looked absolutely lovely in the dress.

"You know what? I know how to fix that." Maisy popped away from the three mirrors for a moment and grabbed a scarf from a nearby shelf. She'd seen it earlier and had thought that the bold colors would suit the customer's complexion well, but the woman had refused, calling it gaudy. Now Maisy draped artfully around the woman's neck and then pointed her at the mirror once more.

"Oh," the woman touched the scarf and looked at herself in the mirror with a new expression, "Oh my. Hmm."

"I think it looks marvelous with your skin tone," Maisy said, "And it adds some color to that black and white dress - but not too much. Just a fun splash!"

"You know… you're right," the woman turned every which way, "And you think it would be appropriate to wear on my big date tomorrow?"

"Where are you going?"

"We are going to see a play. He hasn't told me which one."

"This is perfect. It's elegant enough for a high end event, but not too fancy if you decide to get drinks after or dinner or something."

"Hmm, oh yes," the woman watched her reflection a moment longer and then nodded, "I don't suppose you have any suggestions for shoes to wear with it?"

"Well, at that length for the skirt you'll probably want heels if you're comfortable with them. As for color, black is always safe, or if you want to be a bit wild, pick your favorite color from the scarf and try to match it."

"And you don't sell shoes here?"

"We have a few, and you are more than welcome to take a look, but I personally don't think any of them will work well with the whole ensemble."

"I will glance at them after I change out of this. Would you bag it for me? I'll take the dress and the scarf."

"Of course! Whenever you're ready. And feel free to let me know if you need anything else or want a second opinion," Maisy smiled with the relief of being done with this customer. When the woman approached the register, having decided against the shoe selection in the boutique, Maisy tried to keep up the polite chatter for a few minutes longer.

"So, what's the occasion for your date tomorrow? Anniversary? Meeting someone new? Just for fun?"

"Well, my boyfriend always does something special on Valentine's, just as anyone would, I'm sure. He's sweet though, he knows I like theater."

"Valentine's? Is tomorrow Valentine's Day already?!"

"Oh yes, dear! I thought you would have been bombarded by it by now! Positively everything is red and pink."

Maisy glanced around the store and noticed that many of the displays were in the customary colors of Valentine's Day. She simply hadn't put two and two together.

"Tomorrow though?"

"What's the matter, dear? Forgot to find a date? Don't worry, I'm sure you'll have lots of friends to have a 'Galentines' with, hmm?"

"No, it's just… I forgot to get anything for my husband."

"You seem a little young to be married, if you don't mind me saying."

"It'll be fine," Maisy was telling herself more than the customer as she finished the transaction and handed over the receipt, "He doesn't even know what Valentine's day is!"

"Foreigner?"

"Huh?"

"Your husband must not be from around here if he doesn't know one of the most commercialized holidays on the calendar."

"Yeah, he's from… uh, out of the country."

"Well, thanks again for your help. Happy Valentine's and good luck with that husband!"

"Thanks. Uh, thanks for stopping in. Please come again soon!"

The woman left and Maisy checked her watch to see how much time she had left to her shift. Twenty minutes. And then Eve would be back and Maisy could attempt to hide all signs of the holiday's existence from Loki before he started asking why there were paper hearts and cherubs everywhere.

"Mr. Laufeyson-Sichore," Jarvis' voice said, "Maisy is on her way up."

"Thank you, robot," Loki elbowed Linn, who had started dozing next to him, "Wake up! She's almost here!"

"Huh? What?" Linn snorted and wiped the drool from her mouth with the sleeve of her sweatshirt, "Maisy's back?"

"Yes, do you remember what the plan is?"

"Course I do!" Linn sat up straighter, "Be super nice and smiley and let you do the talking till we find out if she had a good day or a bad day. If it was good we get to open the cake that says 'Happy First Day of Work'. If it was bad we open the other cake dat's a bunch more calories and doesn't say anyfing, but tastes like heaven."

"Right. And we will tell her nothing of the other news until she's had cake one way or the other, got it?"

"I don't fink we should even tell her dat news T-B-H."

"T-B-H?"

"Tuh be honest. I'm getting good at Midgard slang."

"Well, we have to tell her eventually and the sooner the better. As long as she's had some cake."

The elevator doors dinged cheerfully and Maisy stepped out, shoulders slumped and feet dragging as she yawned and walked onto Thor's floor of the building. She made her way to the kitchenette without even acknowledging them and grabbed the loaf of bread on the counter. She stared at it a minute before opening the bag and taking out two slices. She stared at the peanut butter and jelly for a minute, but either forgot or was too lazy to put any on the bread. Stuffing both slices in her mouth, she kicked off her shoes and trudged over to the couch that Linn and Loki were sitting on.

"Oh," she hadn't noticed them apparently, "What's up guys?"

"Welcome home," Loki smiled at her, "How did your first day go?"

"It was great!" Maisy said and her friends both let out a sigh of relief, "It was long and difficult, but I had a lot of fun with it. My feet are killing me though."

"I can't help but notice you seem hungry," Loki gestured to the two pieces of bread she was still munching on, "I think I have a solution to that problem."

"I'll get it!" Linn jumped to her feet and ran to the kitchenette, hurtling the counter and opening the fridge. She yanked out the store bought cake and carefully carried it over to show Maisy, "Ta-da!"

"Wow!" Maisy sat up straighter and looked at the dessert, "You guys got this for me?"

"Yeah! We had a good day too," Linn set the cake down on the coffee table, "Some new guy drove Loki to pick me up from school and he didn't know dat Loki's not supposed to go anywhere wifout you or one of the Avengers, so he agreed to take us grocery shopping!"

"You two went grocery shopping?" Maisy raised a brow at that, "Did it go okay?"

"It was simple," Loki smirked, "And when we saw that they had cakes for sale we ordered one-"

"Two actually, but the other one's for if your day went terrible!"

"You weren't supposed to tell her that," Loki whispered, "We were going to secretly split the spare cake."

"Oh… whoops."

"What other groceries did you get?"

"We got cereals! And some pop toaster fings for Thor," Linn said, "And microwave foods!"

"Such as?"

"Somefing called Hot Pockets. And some soups and a few fings of microwave macaroni."

"And some fruit as well."

"Wow. Good job you guys," Maisy grinned, "Now someone get some plates and forks! Let's eat this cake!"

After they had all eaten a piece of cake and Maisy had told them about her day more, she asked Linn how her day at school went.

"It was great!" Linn grabbed her backpack from behind the couch and set it in her lap, "The gals and I started a club! And I got placed in a maf class finally. Pre-Algebra. Whatever dat is. And Principal Garcia said I seemed to be getting along just fine at school and stuff! I don't fink anyone is suspicious dat I'm an alien!"

"What kind of club did you and your friends start?"

"It's a club about changing the school dress code. Alexis Clary Senior is student body president so she knows about how to get rules changed and stuff. And we're gonna have a petition and do all kinds of fun stuffs! And once we get the rules changed the club will turn into fashion club!"

"That's great, Linn," Maisy grinned at her friend, "It sounds like you are really enjoying school."

"I am! But I was wondering if you could help me wif some homework. It's for my class called 'Spanish 1'. I dunno what's happening. It's like the teacher is speaking a different language or somefing!"

"Linn… she is speaking a different language. Spanish is a language."

"Really? I fought it was a country."

"That's Spain. Where the language comes from."

"Whoops."

"I'm not sure I'll be able to help," Maisy winced, "I took German in high school and I barely remember that. Maybe if we ask Natasha…"

"Or me," Loki piped up, "I happen to be fluent in several hundred languages. Including Spanish."

"You are?"

"Apart from learning Allspeak, Thor and I also were tutored in the languages of the realms. Not German though, which I regretted after deciding to start my attack in Germany. Oh well, they understood me well enough I think."

"Ha," Maisy gave him an annoyed look, "Yeah."

"So you can help wif my Spanish 1 homeworks? Cause dat would make you the best ever."

"I already am the best ever," Loki smirked, "But yes, I can help with your school. I won't be doing it all though! You will have to learn it!"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Cool, we have that sorted," Maisy yawned, "I know it's only six o'clock, but I think I'm going to put on my jammies, watch some Netflix, eat a Hot Pocket, and then go to bed. I'm exhausted."

"Maisy," Loki said, glancing at Linn, "Before you settle down for the evening… there is something I ought to tell you."

"Hmm? What's that?" Maisy leaned sleepily against his shoulder, "Good news, I hope."

"It depends on how you look at it," he watched her close her eyes, still leaning on him, "You might not take well to it considering our conversation yesterday."

"Well, I know you aren't pregnant, so it's probably fine. Uh, Asgardian dudes can't get pregnant can they?"

"No," he laughed, "It's just that the Avengers have finished drawing up the contract."

"Mmm hmm."

"And the good news is that… I will also have a job!"

"Yay!" Linn did jazz hands trying to soften the blow that was about to come.

"Really?" Maisy looked up at him with a tired smile, "That's great!"

"The, ahem, less fortunate news is that…" He winced slightly, "Well, the nature of this particular job is something you previously encouraged, but after our discussion yesterday I am no longer sure you will like."

"What is it?" She sat up straighter and looked at him.

"One of the conditions of the contract was that I need to consult on any Avenger business that may involve magic or realms other than Midgard."

"Well, that's okay, isn't it? You can be a big help if they run across any magic stuff!"

"Right, right," he took her hand, but looked away, "There is another catch as well. I am meant to train alongside them and, should the occasion arise, fight alongside them."

"What?"

"They don't trust me, obviously, but they want me to work with them."

"Oh my gosh, you're going to be an Avenger?!"

"Not officially," Loki squeezed her hand, still not wanting to look, "But in an essence?"

"Yay!" Linn did more jazz hands.

"You're going to be fighting and stuff?"

"Yes."

"But the others will have your back, right?"

"In theory."

"I… don't want you to get hurt," Maisy said, her voice quiet, "But it does make me really happy to hear that you'll be fighting with the Avengers and not against them."

Loki finally turned and saw an expression of pride on her face.

"And you aren't mad that I shall be off fighting battles and in danger?"

"I'm worried, but I'm not mad," she hugged him, "I know you can take care of yourself."

"You're certain? You were blubbering about it yesterday."

"I was not blubbering," she rolled her eyes, "I know you'll be okay. You promised, after all."

"You make a brilliant point. And when have I ever broken a promise?"

Maisy gave him a look and he smiled sheepishly.

"Alright, when have I ever broken a promise I made to you?"

"Well, there was that one time with my dad and the bar-"

"Yes, but I'm a changed man now! That was before we became romantic."

"You promised you and I will die of old age together and I'm trusting you to keep that promise. Okay?"

"Don't worry," Loki kissed her forehead, "You know how selfish I am. I'll just push Stark in front of me to save my own skin."

"Aw, but I like Tony!" Linn grumbled.

"Fine, then it will be Banner. He'll survive anyway."

"Okay, that's good."

"The best part of this position," Loki said, "Is that it is paid. Perhaps we can expand our apartment search now that both of us shall have jobs and our price range will be a bit higher."

"That is good news!" Maisy smiled, "Plus, you becoming an Avenger will be one step toward undoing the hatred stirred up by the documentary!"

"I'm not an Avenger. I'm a consultant. There's a difference."

"Sure, sure," she winked, "Whatever you say, Avenger."

A note from the author: So Maisy has to keep Loki from finding out about Valentine's Day and Loki has to learn to play nice with his new best buds, the Avengers. I smell a disaster on the horizon! I hope you guys enjoy it when it gets here. ;)

Thank you so much to everyone who has followed and favorited or who has just read the story in general. I hope you're liking it!

Special thanks to my wonderful reviewers:

Ninja Squirrel: Honestly, would it be so bad if she sealed Hydra's doom? I mean... it's Hydra. Lol, don't you worry about those old Nazi's, Blaze has big plans to use them! Big plans... *author rubs hands together evilly and cackles*

Guestanewone: Don't worry! There is still a hearty helping of fluff in this story! To be completely honest, I wasn't actually going to give the sequel a plot, it was originally just going to be fluff and a little bit of angst maybe, but then a plot showed up and now we're going with it.

CheetahLover: Trouble is Blaze's middle name, so no promises there! Well, at least, it's her made up middle name. Her made up full name is "Blaze Trouble Fireball, Lieutenant of Lord Surtur of Muspelheim" and her actual full name is "Gala Bertha Dolores Judith Penelope Pimplebotham Tyrdottir" (her mother couldn't pick just one middle name)... which is probably why she changed it. XD

Dragoncat: Blaze probably made him a friendship bracelet with a Rainbow Loom. She's a master at using Rainbow Loom and she already gave everyone in Muspelheim a bracelet.

You guys are the best! :D