Linn had a wonderful Love Day or Valentino's Day or V-Day or whatever it was called. She'd started it by barging into Thor's room and requesting that he bring Bjorn back from Asgard so she could spend the day with her boyfriend. After he'd stopped screaming from the shock of having Linn burst into his room, Thor had agreed to it.
Once Maisy had gone to work it was easy to convince Loki that she needed to stay home from school. The trickster had said it would be fine by him if she played hooky as long they said Thor told her to do it and not him. Linn figured that was probably for the best because Maisy would not be pleased at whoever said her lady in waiting could skip class.
When Thor brought Bjorn to the Tower, Linn had squealed in delight and practically knocked him off the helicopter pad with her fierce hug. Then she'd taken great pride in introducing him to all of the Avengers. Except Steve, of course, because the captain would only ask why Linn wasn't at school. And he'd probably drag her kicking and screaming to her Pre-Algebra class.
After Bjorn had met everyone they found a nice closet and… well… kissing ensued. Having not seen one another in a while, it was a tad different than the last time they'd kissed in a hiding place. Things even started to heat up... until Loki had come across them, yanked them apart, and shouted at Bjorn furiously. It had really been quite the spectacle and Linn felt, for once, that maybe her friends were taking this pseudo-parenting thing a little too far. She'd told Loki off in less than polite words, he'd argued with her, Bjorn had kept his head lowered the entire time, and eventually Linn had come to the conclusion that she and Bjorn needed to get out of the Tower to avoid Loki's wrath.
Natasha Romanoff had been more than happy to take the two teenagers to see a movie. Of course, Bjorn had to borrow some human clothes and leave his armor behind and Linn had to convince Loki to turn her skin a more human color - after threatening to tell Maisy that Loki had convinced Linn to play hookey, the trickster allowed her and Bjorn to leave.
After a long day of Black Widow chaperoning them across the city to see the sights, Linn had convinced the assassin to drop her off at Alexis Clary Senior's house, where a holiday party was taking place.
"We should probably get back to your Avenger friends' tower, should we not?" Bjorn asked as they knocked on the door of Alexis Clary Senior's house. It was a lovely house, Linn decided. Brown bricks made it up and there was a lovely front stoop and even a tree near the sidewalk. Throbbing music could be heard from inside and pink lights flashed on the windows. It was late, and Bjorn was probably right about them going back, but Linn was determined to show her school friends that her boyfriend was real.
"It'll be fine! Loki's taking Maisy on a date fing tonight and they'll probably be so focused on each other for the rest of the night dat they'll forget we even exist. The only one who might get mad is Thor, and I doubt he's back from visiting Lady Jane yet."
"If you're sure," Bjorn glanced anxiously over his shoulder and watched Black Widow drive away, "How will we get back if the Widow is leaving us?"
"I'll borrow Alexis Clary Senior's phone and call Tony. He'll pick us up for sure. He's my pal. And if he won't, den we can try taking the subway! I've always wanted to ever since I learned about it."
"Will many of your friends be here?" Bjorn asked.
"All free of my besties and a few other folks I know."
"Linn!" Alexis Clary Senior opened the door and grinned widely, "And friend?"
"Dis is me boyfriend!" Linn declared proudly, "Bjorn Valison!"
"No way!" Alexis Clary Senior beckoned them in and then peered closely at Bjorn, "I thought you made him up!"
"I'm real," Bjorn smiled and gave a slight bow, "It is a pleasure to meet you Lady Alexis Clary Senior!"
"Oh no, not you too!" Alexis Clary Senior groaned, "It's just Alexis! Or Lexi!"
"Of course, Lady Alexis."
"Are all British people like this?"
"British?" Linn asked in confusion and then she remembered where she and Loki - and now Bjorn - were supposed to hail from, "Oh, pssh, no. We are just extra posh Britishes, ain't we?"
"Right," Bjorn nodded, having no clue what was being said.
"Well, now that we know this fabled Bjorn isn't a fable he's got to meet the others!" Alexis Clary Senior led them through the dancing couples in her house, a few of which looked up and smiled at Linn. They came to a sofa in the living room where Bibi and Midnight were sitting, sipping punch. Next to Midnight was a boy in a preppy sweater and khakis and he was holding her hand as his knee bounced excitedly.
"Guys!" Linn greeted them, "I told you he was real! Look, it's me darling, amazing, sweet, cute, adorable boyfriend!"
Bjorn waved shyly as his eyes scanned the crowd for danger. He'd never attended any wild parties on Asgard, and though Linn assured him that this was one of the more tame events hosted by Midgardian teenagers, he still felt uneasy.
"Bjorn's real?!" Bibi jumped off the couch and shook his hand, "Wow, dude! That's so awesome! How long have you and Linn been dating?"
"Since September!" Linn grabbed Bjorn's hand and kissed his cheek. Some of the unease he felt slipped away.
"Aw! This is your first Valentine's together!" Bibi cooed, "I ship it!"
"What?"
"Fangirl lingo," Alexis Clary Senior waved it away, "It means she thinks you're cute together."
"I fink so too!" Linn smiled.
"You are Linn's friends then?" Bjorn asked, trying to start a conversation. Being a guard, he was silent most of the day and he always had difficulting speaking to other people his age. Of course, technically all the people at the party were a few hundred years younger than him… but they were all relatively his age.
"Yeah, you met Alexis, and I'm Habiba - you can call me Bibi," she gestured to the girl on the couch, "And this is Midnight!"
"Hi," Midnight grunted.
"And, uh, this is Ethan Jones," Bibi looked skeptically at the boy.
"Efan?" Linn squinted, "Why is ya holding Midnight's hand?"
"Funny story that!" Ethan laughed nervously, "Um, so, I was dared by one of my friends to, um, ask Midnight on a date. As a joke. My friends thought she'd go nuts that I was asking her and then I was supposed to reject her harshly."
"You little weasel!" Linn shrieked, "You'd dare hurt my B-F-F?!"
"As it turns out," Midnight said in her monotone fashion, "Things in real life do not always turn out like a bad high school movie."
"Yeah, um," Ethan scratched the back of his head, "I was all prepared to be a jerk and then…"
"I told him that it was brave of him to ask me," Midnight said, "But that I could not go out with him."
"And then I started crying," Ethan winced.
"Because he has secretly had a crush on me since the fifth grade."
"And I told her the whole story and then she said that I could be her Valentine's date!"
"Oh," Linn's brows raised, "Really?"
"Should he prove himself worthy I may deign to date him on a more permanent basis," Midnight suddenly turned toward Ethan and grabbed his face, "May I kiss you now?"
"Uh… yes. Yes please!"
They began to make out and Bibi stepped away from them with a disgusted look on her face. She turned back to Linn and Bjorn.
"You guys aren't going to start doing that, are you?"
"And miss me first Valentine's Party? I don't fink so!"
"Besides, after we were caught kissing in the closet earlier," Bjorn crossed his arms, "I think Prince Loki put a spell on us to keep us from kissing. Every time I try to initiate affection actions something interrupts us."
Bibi and Alexis Clary Senior stared at him and Midnight and Ethan stopped making out long enough to do the same. Bjorn realized his mistake and his eyes widened. Linn punched him in the arm lightly.
"What I mean to say is that Lawrence. Um, Linn's father. Mr. Arrington cast a spell on us," when the stares didn't stop and Linn punched him again he winced, "Midgard doesn't have magic."
"Midgard?"
"Loki?"
"Spells?"
"What Bjorn meant to say is dat, uh," Linn struggled to think of a way to cover this up, "What Bjorn meant, is dat me dad, Lawrence, was watching a movie where someone cast a spell and he pretended to cast a spell on us. Ha! Haha, it was hilarious. Dat guy!"
"Right," Bjorn squeaked.
"That's funny," Alexis Clary Senior crossed her arms and jutted out her hip, "Because I could have sworn that Loki was the name of the guy who attacked New York a few years back."
"It is. Me dad is called Lawrence."
"Then why did Bjorn call him Loki? Prince Loki to be precise. And, according to that documentary, isn't Midgard what the Thor-people call earth?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. Thor-people? Dose crazy space aliens?"
"You know what else?" Alexis Clary Senior got awfully close to Linn, "Now that I think about it, your mom looks a lot like that Maisy chick who married the Loki guy."
"What? Pssh, no!"
"And if Loki happened to be on earth, I suppose he would be staying at Avenger's Tower, wouldn't he? Which happens to be where you're staying. And you also happen to be friends with all of the Avengers!"
"Dat's a funny coincidence!"
"Linn," Bibi said worriedly, "What's going on?"
"Nuffin!"
"You can tell us, Linn," Midnight said.
"Yeah," Alexis Clary Senior said, "We're your friends. You can tell us stuff."
"Don't do it," Bjorn said, turning Linn toward him worriedly, "If you do we'll both be in trouble. If the king found out-"
"The king? You really aren't helping your case, Bjorn."
"Gah!" Linn exclaimed, "Okay! Listen up 'cause I ain't saying it twice: I'm from space! Bjorn's from space! Me fake dad is Loki of Asgard and me fake mum is Maisy Sichore, his wifey. We all lived together happy in Asgard until assassins tried to kill Maisy and killed me real dad. I was a laundry maid, but now I'm Maisy's lady in waiting and Bjorn's a palace guard and Loki's actually a really great guy once ya get to know him and the Avengers don't want anyone to know dat stuff and they is probably gonna kill me for saying dat!"
She hugged Bjorn tightly at the end of her exclamation and buried her face in his chest. He patted her back and watched the humans' reactions. They all looked stunned - even Midnight. Surprising everyone, Ethan Jones was the first to speak.
"So, that's, like, top secret information, right?"
"Yes!"
"Well, it's not like we're going to go around blabbing," he said, "At least, I'm not. You seem really nice Linn. It just adds to your coolness that you're an Asgardian or whatever."
"I'm not even an Asgardian," Linn looked over at him, "I'm half from earf and half from Krylor."
"Where's that?"
"Andromeda Galaxy."
"Cool."
"You fink?"
"Of course we think so," Bibi launched herself at Linn and Bjorn and hugged them both, "Welcome to earth!"
"Fanks."
"I have to say, this explains a lot more than the excuse that you were homeschooled," Alexis Clary Senior grinned, "I mean, you freaked out when you first saw a microwave. No one is that sheltered."
"Except, perhaps, someone who is Amish," Midnight pointed out.
"Yeah, but we knew she wasn't Amish. Amish people don't have pink hair. Wait! Is that your natural hair color?" Bibi asked excitedly, "Do you have any tentacles you're hiding?"
"Dis is my natural hair, I ain't got tentacles, but my skin is pink usually. I'll show ya sometime!"
"We are going to be in so much trouble," Bjorn muttered, but he was glad to see Linn was at ease with her friends once more. It almost made him wish that he could come to live on Midgard too. But he had family and his job in Asgard, even if he wanted to follow his girlfriend into the exciting world of humans.
Linn continued to answer questions from her friends enthusiastically about space and her life in Asgard and Loki and Maisy and Thor. She told them that she'd tell them more at school the next day if they wanted, but eventually she and Bjorn really did need to get back to the Tower. It wouldn't do to have the Avengers out looking for the two extraterrestrial teenagers on Valentine's Day.
So Linn used someone's phone to call Tony Stark. He seemed oddly pleased that she and Bjorn were out in the middle of the night at a high school party and promised to pick them up. The kids at the party were very much impressed when the slick, blue sports car pulled up.
"Is that Iron Man?"
"Linn, do you know Iron Man?!"
"Whoa! Cool car!"
"Dang!"
Linn smirked at the other party-goers' awe as she climbed into the vehicle. It only had two regular seats and one squishy seat in the back. Since Bjorn was bigger and Tony had to drive, she curled up in the back. Bjorn awkwardly sat with Tony, smiling shyly.
"You guys have fun?" The billionaire asked as they drove off.
"Yeah!" Linn chirped, doing her best not to think of how she and Bjorn gave away all the secrets about Loki living at Stark Tower, "It was a blast!"
"How are you liking earth, guard guy?"
"It's… hard to describe. It is very colorful. And exciting!"
"He loves it!" Linn exclaimed, "I wish he didn't hafta leave again tomorrow."
"Yeah, but if he sticks around much longer Reindeer Games might have a heart attack," Tony laughed.
"Ugh. Is he back from his date wif Maisy yet?"
"They were still being all cutesy on the roof when I left, but they might be done now," Tony rolled his eyes, "But don't worry, I'll sneak you upstairs without him seeing you. You staying the night, Hercules?"
"Is he talking to me?" Bjorn whispered.
"Yeah, he comes up wif silly names for everyone."
"No, Sir Stark, I will not be staying the night. Prince Thor is taking me home when he returns from his date with Lady Jane."
"Eh, that's probably for the best. I don't really want to be thrown out the window again if Loki finds out I was planning on letting you sleep in Linn's room."
Both of the extraterrestrial teenagers blushed and there was an awkward silence in the car.
"Jeez, I didn't mean to kill the mood," Tony laughed, "Let's talk about something else."
"Like how Midnight and Efan Jones are dating now!" Linn piped up, "Can you believe dat?!"
"Whaaaaat?" Tony gasped, "No way! Tell me all about it!"
And Linn happily did for the rest of the car ride home. She occasionally reached up and held Bjorn's hand, ridiculously pleased at how well her first Love Day had gone.
A note from the author: Linn and Bjorn are so much fun to write. So are Linn's friends. I'm actually working on a one shot right now that features all of them and will take place after To Have and To Hold is completed. It'll be great!
You have my deepest gratitude for continuing to read! And for favoriting and following!
Special thanks to my reviewers:
ferbette: When hasn't Loki been digging a hole for himself? He must be halfway to China by now!
Guestanewone: They will be benevolent and fair rulers... well, Maisy will be. Loki will probably delight in tossing people into dungeons for stupid reasons. You wear the color red? Dungeon. You insult the helmet? Dungeon. Flirt with his queen? DUNGEON. And Linn will be the princess of all the realms and wear the poofiest dresses. XD
CheetahLover: I love how, even with all of the murder and everything, the fandom's consensus is that Loki is a sweetheart lol.
Guest: Hope this satisfies! :D I hope you have a good day to! Thanks for reading and reviewing!
Ninja Squirrel: One time, I was eating spaghetti and someone in another room said something like "why is your underwear on the couch?" to someone else and for some reason I thought that was so funny that I couldn't stop laughing and the spaghetti fell out of my mouth and everyone else at the table was horrified. Also, you're right! There is a character named Nightmare in the comics! Weird dude. I totally should have included him in the story, but I forgot about him. Good guess though! :D
Thanks so much to all of you!