Chapter 18

Several months had passed since Loki ran away and came back again. Things were going really well for he and Deidre. Their work was going well and life was incredibly comfortable at the moment.

Loki had found that he enjoyed working in the backyard garden. Growing things from a mere seed into a beautiful flower or delicious food was the closest thing to his lost magic he could get.

One summer afternoon, he was tending to his gardens when he felt a presence behind him. Before he could turn around to see who it was, a familiar voice laughed out, "I never would have believed that I would one day find you kneeling in the dirt."

Loki stood up and dusted off the knees of his pants. "Thor," he stated.

"And is that a ponytail you're wearing?" his brother continued in amusement.

Loki pursed his lips together and glared at Thor. He hated being the butt of a joke and his brother knew it too well. Wearing his hair up outside helped keep him cool in the muggy summer heat, however he reached behind his head and pulled the tie from his hair, allowing his black locks to fall freely around his shoulders.

"Did you come all this way to mock me?" Loki asked irritably and on guard. "What do you want, brother?"

Thor laughed again and shook his head. "I didn't mean to offend," he said, but his voice sounded less than serious. "I came with good news, actually."

"And what is that?" he responded.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. has been keeping its eye on you since you arrived here on Midgard," Thor said.

"Yes, that is not news," Loki interjected.

"So have I," his brother continued. "You have taken your exile incredibly well. I honestly didn't think you would have faired as well as you have. Shocked may be the word I'm searching for."

Loki stared at him flatly.

"Anyway," he continued, ignoring the look he was being given. "I spoke with Tony Stark and convinced him to give you a bit of help for your hard work."

Loki was curious. He remember Stark very well. "What is it?" he asked, unconciously dropping his defenses.

Thor reached into his pocket and pulled out two small pieces of paper. "Stark hacked into this country's database and created these for you. I believe he called these a birth certificate and an SSN number." He held the papers out to Loki. "It makes you an official citizen of Earth."

Loki slowly reached out and took the papers. He had been told he needed these before. He looked them over, for once not quite sure what to say. It was a gesture of kindness he had never expected.

He looked at Thor and gave him a small, genuine smile.

"He means to say 'thank you'," Deidra's voice called out from behind him before he could say anything. She had just come out of the back door and was leaning against the porch railings. She came down the porch steps and crossed the yard to them, stopping by Loki's side.

She plucked the documents out of his hands and read over them as if to confirm they were legit. She looked up at Thor and smiled. "This is an amazing gift," she said.

Deidra had only met him a couple of times and each time she was awestruck when she saw him, but she was better about not gawking like an idiot. Or so she thought.

Apparently she smiled at him longer than she realized because the next thing she knew Loki had jabbed her slightly in the side with his elbow and sulkily informed her that her face would freeze like that if she stared any harder.

Deidra blushed at being called out and handed back the documents to Loki. He put them in his back pocket and took a half step in front of her. She forced back a small smile at her realization. 'He's jealous,' she thought.

Thor didn't register any of this and smiled back cheerfully. "I do hope it makes things easier for you, brother," he said. "I truly wish you the best. I always have."

"Thank you," Loki said solemnly. "I guess I'm now considered in your debt."

Before Thor could respond, Deidra burst in, "Stay for drinks!"

"He's busy!" Loki said quickly. He stepped up to his brother and started to usher him away from the house. "He is very busy,"

Thor was confused. "I'm actually not..."

"Very busy," Loki repeated more firmly.

"We have Vodka and Rum!" Deidra said over him.

Thor turned with a big smile. "Let us drink, then!" He went around Loki and headed inside the house with Deidra. Loki groaned and followed them inside as well.

The drinks flowed from the afternoon and late into the night.

Finally Thor announced that he really must be leaving and made his exit, summoning the bifrost outside.

Deidra waved goodbye on the porch, completely drunk and cheerful. As soon as Thor was gone she turned around to go inside and ran straight into Loki's firm chest.

"You're in my way," she smiled up at him.

She tried to go around him and stumbled a bit over her own feet. He steadied her with both hands and said something under his breath about babysitting an intoxicated woman.

"I'm not incoxipated," she said making a pretend pout as he led her by the shoulders inside.

He ignored her and walked her down the hall and into her bedroom.

"You're no fun," she said. "You didn't even drink with us."

"I refuse to lower myself to playing drinking games," he replied and opened a dresser drawer for her pajamas. He tossed them on her bed. "Now get dressed for bed and hopefully you will wake up without a hangover tomorrow."

She leaned up against him and giggled. "I can't put on my pajamas because I already have on my clothes," she said. "Help me."

He rolled his eyes at her and allowed her an amused smile. "Fine," he said and helped her remove her shirt. He turned to put it in her hamper, but she grabbed his arm and pulled him around, pressing herself against him.

She reached up and snaked her arms around his neck, twirling her fingers in his dark hair. He naturally put his arms around her waist and smirked down at her. "You are quite intoxicated," he said in amusement.

She leaned up and kissed him on his neck below his jaw. "Maybe," she said.

She kissed him several more times. His breath caught in his throat and he let out a shaky exhale, clearly affected by her affections.

"Ravage me, Lord of Mischief," she said playfully, tugging at his shirt.

"It's God of Mischief," he corrected in a slightly distracted voice as he worked against her to straighten his shirt from her tugging.

"You are a god, aren't you," she said suggestively. "Prove it to me, God of Mischief." She was back again kissing the exposed skin from his shirt she had managed to unbutton.

His face flushed red, it took all of his willpower to not give her everything she wanted, then and there. He refused to take advantage of her in her intoxicated state, however. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and led her to the bed. "Sleep," he commanded pushing her onto her pillows.

She suddenly decided to obey and lay down. She yawned and asked him to lay with her.

"As long as you sleep," he said lying down behind her and covering them both.

She was already half asleep and nodded, pulling his arms around her waist. "I do love you, Loki," she said in a soft voice.

He knew she would never remember any of this in the morning so he kissed her shoulder and responded in an equally soft voice, "And I you."

Deidra was already sleeping.