Over the next few weeks, Loki and Anna fell into a comfortable routine. They ate several meals together each day, respectfully keeping their distance otherwise. Each morning, before the sun rose above the fjords giving light to Alta, Anna took the cable car into town to fetch groceries. She loved being among the first to track her boots through the high street's freshly fallen snow, loved sitting on the same bench next to the market, smiling and waving at familiar faces as she waited for the shop to open. Despite everything painful she had endured in the arctic terrain, she was still grateful for it. Despite everything, Alta remained a blessing.

By the time Anna returned, Loki was usually awake and out on the deck with a cup of earl grey in hand. He'd brush the snow off the benches and sit, staring at the fjords with such purpose that Anna was certain they were silently conversing. She'd knock on the glass to let him know she was back and breakfast would be ready shortly. He would turn and acknowledge her with a quick nod before getting lost in his thoughts once more.

As she chopped vegetables on the island one morning, Anna found herself staring. It was hard to look at him sometimes, really look at him, as she frequently tore herself away from the intensity of his gaze. But now, with him outside, far on the other side of the glass, she allowed herself the privilege.

The way the light from the pink morning sky hit his sharp, handsome features, the way his breaths danced into the arctic air as he closed his eyes and looked up, as if in some sort of silent prayer - it took Anna's breath completely away. He was beautiful in ways she could hardly comprehend. Physically he was the most attractive man she had ever laid eyes on - but she knew, deep down, he was much more than that.

He had nothing to gain by letting her stay with him, but yet, he had. Not once had he made her uncomfortable. Not once did he show any creepy ulterior motive. He had been kinder to her in the last few weeks than most people had ever been to her, but it was clear even he had his secrets. He seemed vexed more often than not and incredibly reclusive. Each night, Anna watched from her room as he disappeared into the woods on a trail that led to the sea, sometimes leaving for hours at a time. There were so many things she wanted to know, so many things she wanted to ask, so many times she wanted to follow him - but somehow, she knew better.

Loki opened his eyes and looked down at the cup between his hands. Slowly, he turned and glanced over at her. Their eyes met.

"Fuck," she whispered as her heart began to race, blatantly caught in the act of drooling over him. She quickly looked away and grabbed an onion, promptly slicing into her finger instead of the vegetable. "FUCK!"

Before she knew what was happening, Loki had made his way inside.

"Are you alright?"

"Y-yes," she said through clenched teeth, clearly in pain and thoroughly mortified.

He walked around the island and stopped, stunned by the amount of blood pouring freely from her hand out onto the floor. He had seen far worse in battle, but he knew the amount of vital fluid this small mortal was losing was rapid and excessive. She looked unwell.

He instinctively grabbed a dishcloth off the counter and dropped to his knees for a better look. "Give me your hand."

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, watching the blood hit the floors in a daze, more concerned about staining it than anything else.

"Does this hurt?" he asked, wrapping his hand around her finger with the towel.

"Mhmm," she winced, trying not to look.

"My apologies," he said, trying to work in his weak healing powers without her knowing. "I must apply pressure."

Anna shut her eyes and swallowed, hearing her heartbeat pound in her ears as anxiety coursed through her veins. Her stomach dropped. The very last thing she wanted was to have a panic attack in front of this man, but she knew all the same that she was right on the brink of having one. She had dealt with all types of pain, but this, this feeling that occurred every now and then at the most inconvenient times, was by far the worst of them all. She began to sway.

"Are you faint?" he asked suddenly, instinctively holding onto her waist with his free hand.

Anna nodded, unable to speak. She kept her eyes shut.

"Steady yourself on me," Loki whispered, gently guiding her shaky hand to rest upon his shoulder.

She breathed a quick sigh of relief at the feel of his firm, muscular form beneath her fingertips. He was so solid, strong. Unmovable. The panic within her inexplicably melted away the moment she touched him. She felt safe, protected.

"Better?" Loki asked quietly, noticing the profound relief on her face.

"Yes," she croaked, barely able to form words.

"I didn't know flesh was on the menu this morning," he said in annoyance, applying the greatest pressure he could once more without breaking her delicate hand. "I would've told you not to bother."

"I was just… distracted."

Loki finally lifted the cloth, greatly relieved to find that the cut had stopped bleeding and even looked partially healed. He knew he couldn't heal it completely, for his powers were weak (not to mention Anna would be suspicious), but he could manage a little, and in the process ease her discomfort.

"Wow," Anna said as she opened her eyes, looking down at the tiny wound in wonder. "There was just… so much blood."

"Yes," he replied, looking at her skeptically as he stood. "There was."

Anna swallowed as their eyes finally met. Something about the way he looked at her made her want to tell him everything, every damn, insignificant, minute detail of her sad life. She wanted to tell him about her family, about her health issues, about Bjorn, about what he had put her through for years. She wanted to say something. Anything. But she said nothing.

"You're not to do any more today," Loki said finally, crouching back down to wipe the blood from the floor. It was clear she was hiding much. Then again, so was he.

"Luke, I'm fine, I-"

"No," he said firmly as he brusquely stood to face her. Anna immediately found herself triggered by his tone and backed away.

"Okay," she said, pushing her hair nervously behind her ears. "I'm sorry."

Loki furrowed his brows in complete confusion. Her sudden urgency to move away did not escape him. "What for?"

"For making you angry."

"You did not," he sighed, gesturing with his hands. "I simply request you take the day off."

"Okay," she nodded, not wanting to push the issue further. "I can do that. But… what will we do for food?"

"With your guidance I think I can finish these omelettes," he said, turning to clean his hands in the sink. "I believe I am also capable of assembling sandwiches for lunch, so long as we have the proper provisions."

"Sandwiches sound good," she said with a smile, opening the fridge and pointing. "I just bought some stuff for them this morning."

"Very well," he said, walking over to the windows to look out, his hands in his pockets. "And would you - care to accompany me to dinner?"

Anna's smile dropped.

"That is, if you're feeling well enough," he said, turning casually around to look at her when she didn't respond.

"S-sure," she stammered, praying her face wasn't beet red. She knew he wasn't asking her out out, as they had been living together for nearly a month and they simply ate every meal together. Logically, she knew this. Still, it caught her off guard. "Where would you like to go?"

"Wherever you wish."

"I don't have a preference," she said with a small, nervous smile.

"What's down there?" he asked suddenly, squinting his eyes in the morning light as he pointed out the window.

Anna walked around the island and stood next to him, looking down at the direction of the water.

"That's the harbor house. They have amazing seafood."

"You like seafood, do you not?"

"It's my favorite."

"We'll go there," he said decisively, turning to face her. "If you wish."

"It's super expensive," she said, shaking her head. "We can just go to the seafood shack instead?"

"Don't be absurd. It's my pleasure," he said gruffly, tired of having the age old argument about money with her. He was, however, suddenly grateful that he hadn't been cast out to Midgard without affluence, unlike Thor. It was admittedly shocking, as he was certain the Allfather would much prefer he wandered the Earth destitute and in rags. A lesson he should surely be forced to learn. He could practically hear Odin and Frigga arguing over it.

"Okay," she shrugged happily, throwing her hands up in the air in defeat. "Dinner sounds great."

Loki snapped out of his reverie.

"Great," he repeated with a forced, half-smile.

After lunch, Anna retreated to her room and flopped down onto her large, over-sized bed, burying her face in the fur blankets. She ran her fingertips meditatively over the soft material (silently hoping it was faux, but knowing better) and breathed heavily. She was exhausted after her embarrassing ordeal and was more than happy to spend the rest of the afternoon hiding out. Still, her thoughts turned to Luke.

She wondered what life was like back home for him. It was clearly strained between him, his father and Henry. But what about his mother? Did he have one? Did he have more siblings? What exactly did his father do that allowed them to live like, well, kings? She wondered if he had a girlfriend, a wife even, but thought that unlikely, as he probably would've brought her along with him to Alta. Maybe. Maybe not. What the hell did she know?

She thought of his calm voice, his soothing demeanor. She thought of him holding her waist up to keep her from falling, allowing her to touch him, to steady herself on his shoulder. He had immediately saved her from panic, despite the fact that she couldn't even bring herself look at him. She wanted to look at him, wanted to touch him. It was overwhelming how much she did.

Anna rolled over, grabbed the rose quartz from her bedside table and let out a loud, frustrated groan. After Bjorn, she had no idea how she was able to even find another man attractive. She knew she needed time to heal, needed time to process the hell she had endured for the past few years. But whenever she was in Luke's company, none of it mattered. All the pain of the past faded away. All the pain of everything faded away. It was inexplicable.

As she turned on her side, she moved the cool, smooth stone between her fingers, studying the wound on her hand curiously.

Before long, sleep came for her.

When evening finally fell, Loki paced before the roaring fire in his chambers. What in Hel was he doing, continuing to entertain this charade? Asking her to dinner? Was he really such a fool to believe that showing any remote kindness towards a mortal was his immediate, one-way ticket back to Asgard? It had worked for Thor, certainly. But the almighty God of Thunder had actually fallen for the pathetic Jane Foster, and in a short amount of time. Loki wasn't capable of love. And he didn't have time.

When the Allfather had cast him out to Midgard, he had just awoken from the Odinsleep. It was only a matter of time before he fell right back into it, and then who was to rule? Thor had made it clear that his wishes were to be with Jane, on this insufferable realm. Certainly mother was more than capable of ruling, but she needn't have to, for he would be the rightful king. Only then could he put an end to the frost giants, once and for all. Only then could he protect Asgard from the imminent threat of invasion.

Still, he knew the company could be far worse. In the past few weeks, Anna had proven herself useful. She was an excellent cook, much to his surprise. Each meal was freshly prepared for him, just as it had been back on Asgard. She took care of the cleaning and the rest of the household chores without complaint, always making sure he had everything he needed. Most importantly, she had granted him the ample privacy that he'd initially requested, never pestering him between mealtimes, never asking him for anything. He was also grateful that she gave him free reign over her laptop computer when needed. It wasn't a difficult machine to grasp and all the answers he needed to questions about Midgard he had, right at his fingertips. It was all made possible by WiFI, something Anna was thrilled the house miraculously had. Loki feigned ignorance of technology most of the time, and Anna didn't seem to question it, much to his relief.

She was kind - truly kind - and it was unsettling. Mostly, it was unsettling that he cared at all. Certainly what he felt towards her was gratitude, in the way he felt gratitude towards Jorunn, the elderly handmaid who had taken care of him since he was small. He had always been kind to her (while admittedly tormenting the other servants who he did not care for), and was more than happy to grant her reprieves from time to time. Anna was not his handmaid, nor was she bound to serve him. She had hurt herself, quite severely, in the act of providing care for him. This dinner was a reprieve, and a well-deserved one. He was a monster in the eyes of many these days. He had no desire to be one in the eyes of hers.

He meticulously looked himself over in the floor-to-ceiling mirror, pushing his black, skinny necktie up into place. He wore a fitted black blazer with matching slacks and a white undershirt, his hair slicked behind his ears. He decided Midgardian attire was not entirely unfortunate as he fiddled with whether he should leave the jacket open or not. After several minutes of fussing he caught the time on his gold wristwatch and sighed. Open. Fine.

They had agreed to meet in the foyer at half-past seven. Loki arranged for a chauffeur to drive them to and from their destination, something he'd wished he thought of sooner. There was no reason Anna needed to tax herself by trekking into town each day. Even with the cable car, it was still close to a mile of walking. He would inform her that he had hired someone and that she was free to use his service as she saw fit.

As he watched the car lights pull into the driveway, Loki glanced at his watch once more and ran his fingers through his locks. It was nearly 7:30. Perhaps she simply changed her mind. Perhaps-

"I'm SO sorry! I dozed off and forgot to set an alarm!" Anna exclaimed frantically as she suddenly rounded the corner, shoving her earrings in as she went to grab her coat. Her fiery locks had been braided and pulled back into a low, messy bun. She wore a long-sleeved, dark green maxi dress with a modest criss-cross plunging neckline, black heels, and several pieces of gold jewelry.

He turned, and something in him immediately stirred. She was wearing his colors. And she looked… ethereal.

"Luke, are you alright?"

Loki looked away. Instead of answering he simply opened the front door and gestured as a blast of arctic air angrily blew in and whipped around them.

"Shall we?"