*Avengers Fan-fiction by Kemurikat*
Such Fragile Creatures: Act 05 - A Mortal Existence
In the Realm of Asgard, under the first shimmering rays of dawn, a lone horse and rider made their weekly gallop across the slowly regenerating Bifrost bridge toward its ragged edge where the hall of Himinbjorg once stood. At the very precipice of the Bifrost, Heimdall stood guard, peering outward with the limitless range of his eyes and ears at the Nine Realms and beyond. Standing perfectly still, the Golden Giant slightly smiled at the fast approach of a horse behind him, already knowing the identity of the rider.
The handsome black stallion, Gullinnbrum, was one of Thor's favorites from the golden stables of Valhalla. It had a bluish sheen to its shiny, black coat, menacing silvery hooves and large, deep blue eyes that, when gazed upon, resembled the feeling of being caught in a heavy rainstorm. The formidable stallion's features were sharply contrasted by its flowing silvery-white tail and mane.
Thor leaned back subtly and Gullinnbrum obediently neighed to a halt a few paces behind where Heimdall stood. Dismounting, Thor, dressed casually in leather Asgardian travel clothes, strolled toward the Golden Gatekeeper. His primary weapon, a powerful Duergar-forged hammer called Mjollnir and his enchanted armor were left behind on a pedestal in his hall.
(Once Odin's two sons were of age, Thor was given a great hall of his own in Asgard, Bilskirnir, being the eldest son. Loki naturally shared a portion of Thor's hall but he chose to drift between Bilskirnir and his mother's hall, Fensalir. Every so often Loki would stay at Sessrumnir, Freya's personal hall in Asgard where he was intimately tutored in the art of seidhr-craft (magic) by the Vanir goddess...ahem, among other things) ;D
"Have you come to hear word of Jane Foster?" Heimdall said with a smile. He never once looked away from whatever captured his attention so intently in the sea of stars on the outskirts of Asgard.
"How does she fare today?" Thor replied softly, ignoring the amusement in Heimdall's tone. "Has she made any progress in her research to find us?"
Normally, after each of his questions, Heimdall would casually tell him of Jane's activities. Today, the Gatekeeper was suspiciously silent. Worried, he asked again more urgently.
"Has something happened to her?"
"The human female, Jane Foster is safe and in good health."
When no further explanation was forthcoming, Thor strode forward and stood beside Heimdall, staring at the Gatekeeper's steely profile.
"There's more. Tell me," Thor demanded impatiently. When the Gatekeeper slowly turned his head to meet his gaze with tempestuous, golden eyes, he took a step back.
"The news may not be pleasing to you," Heimdall spoke, his tone low, rumbling like oncoming thunder.
"Neither are your cryptic replies, Gatekeeper," Thor bit out, his patience all but gone. He watched as Heimdall's gaze returned to staring at the vast, star-filled sky.
"You have a mortal rival for Jane Foster's affections."
At those words, it was Thor's turn to be struck by silence.
"Is she...returning the affection of the mortal who courts her?" Thor asked timidly, a tinge of sadness in his voice.
"No. She refuses the attentions of your mortal rival most stubbornly. Jane Foster loves you deeply."
A goofy smile of joy and relief immediately appeared on Thor's face.
She loves me!
Heimdall subtly rose an eyebrow in reaction. There was a slight pause as he considered something.
"Is it now your desire to find a faster way to reach the mortal woman?"
"I'm listening," Thor said quietly.
"The way is perilous and your father may not approve."
"Just tell me what I must do," Thor said slowly.
"I will tell you what I know after the arrival of the Lady Freya and Lady Sigyn."
Surprised, Thor openly stared at the Golden Gatekeeper but his delight for Sigyn's Homecoming had turned to trepidation.
"Sigyn returns? Now, of all times..." Thor's face was stricken. "She will ask for Loki. I don't know how long I can delay telling her of..." Bowing his head, he closed his eyes as his grief stabbed him fiercely in the chest.
With Thor's eyes shut, Heimdall had the freedom to frown. He knew that the Trickster had somehow managed to escape death from the cosmic maelstrom in the aftermath of the Bifrost's temporary but devastating destruction. His frown deepened when he recalled what the Trickster...what the Jotun had done and how he'd sorely underestimated the sly, dark-haired Strife-Bringer.
Moreover, his confrontation with Odin All-Father concerning Loki had raised more questions and left him...dissatisfied. It was obvious that Odin genuinely grieved for Loki's loss as he would his own flesh-and-blood offspring. Therefore, Odin would be very displeased with him for withholding his knowledge of Loki's continued existence however diminished the former Jotun's new form had taken.
Glancing briefly at Thor, Heimdall was puzzled. Why were Loki's true origins stubbornly kept a secret from him? Thor had a right to know that the 'brother' he loved and mourned so greatly for was a Jotun! However, despite his misgivings, it was not his place to meddle directly with the decisions of the All-Father.
For now, he would remain silent and keep a vigilant watch on Loki. The moment the former Jotun reemerges as a threat, he would do everything in his power to protect Asgard's borders. Loki will never again best him so easily!
Bryn left her bedroom toward the kitchen at ten in the morning, showered and dressed casually for the day. She'd fallen asleep on the couch from Mars's soft piano playing last night and despite only having five hours sleep, she felt amazingly refreshed. Today was Friday and her landlord, Raoul Ramirez, would be back from his Brazilian vacation on Sunday morning.
Her rent was already paid up for the next three months, so how the hell was she going to explain her suddenly jumping ship to live in the luxury penthouse suite in the Bourgeoisie building? Raoul was a nasty gossipmonger and she could just imagine the crazy rumors the man would spread around the city about her. It was bad enough that most men she tried to have a serious relationship with thought she was just a stripper. She enjoyed living in San Francisco and was hoping to someday settle down in the city with someone...nice for a change.
Noting the silence around her, Bryn realized she was the first one awake. Shrugging, she went around the kitchen, scrounging herself some breakfast.
Inside the closed double-doors of their master bedroom, Alvi and Mars listened to the faint noises of someone moving about in the kitchen.
"How can she be wide awake," Mars drawled lazily, yawning and cuddling closer to his husband. His short, dark-brown hair was tousled and he had tired circles under his eyes. "I'm staying right here. We should sleep in, dear."
Yawning, Alvi agreed but now that he was awake, he kept thinking about what had happened just five hours ago, most of it having to do with their weird house guest, Adam Laoki.
"Riri...after last night...you think keeping Adam here's still the right thing to do?" Alvi asked Mars softly. He felt his spouse tense against him.
"You're not seriously having second thoughts, are you? I mean...especially after you went to all that trouble getting Adam's I.D. and everything," Mars reasoned. He'd grown irresistibly fond of Adam and the very idea of sending him away now was simply unacceptable.
Shifting to look Mars in the face, Alvi replied, "You saw what happened to Adam last night and that was only a taste of what poor Bryn had to deal with alone. What if his condition gets worse? He's potentially dangerous to himself and, well, to us. Did you notice how strong he was when he gripped my hand? The two of us couldn't even loosen his fingers!"
Sitting up with a frown, Mars stared at Alvi and said, "Will you be the one to tell Bryn we're calling it quits on Adam or should I?" He crossed his arms defiantly.
"Riri..." Alvi mumbled in exasperation, scrubbing his face slowly with his hands. Good God, he was tired and didn't exactly have the energy for a fight right now.
"I don't want to fight..." Mars said softly, accurately reading his husband's mind.
"Neither do I."
"Let's consider it settled then. We've already made the decision to help Adam and I'm definitely not backing out now," Mars said adamantly.
"I want to help him too...but we barely know Adam and...well...the man's definitely the strangest person I've ever met in my life," Alvi confessed. "First of, he's a bona fide physical freak. He wakes up in less than 24 hours after a heavy dose of Thorazine and the bones of his left hand and shoulder heal practically overnight. You heard his story...you really buying into any of it? Remote villages in the mountains of Iceland where people are living a lifestyle straight out of the Dark Ages? An 'eccentric upbringing' he calls it. If the villages Adam came from are so remote, why does he talk like he's lived in England all his life? What if he's delusional as well as psychotically violent?"
"Remote communities aren't entirely impossible nowadays," Mars argued. "As for Adam's story...yeah, it does sound a bit loopy...but at the same time, he seems too intelligent to be delusional, don't you think? I'm contradicting myself but you know what I'm trying to get at. Also, whatever he went through...the thing with his family...it definitely hurt him...deeply."
The pair fell silent as they considered each other's arguments, positive and negative, regarding Adam.
Sighing, Alvi relented and grasped his spouse's hand, kissing each finger tenderly.
"I thought I was the Mother Hen," Mars teased, caressing his husband's face.
"Oh, you are, darling...and Papa Bear's ready to pounce," Alvi grinned, pulling his spouse toward him for a long, loving kiss.
Loki laid awake in his bed, staring pensively at the numbers of the digital clock on his bedside table as it changed every 60 seconds.
Time.
The passage of time was irrelevant to an immortal.
...but he was no longer immortal.
Exactly how much time his mortal human body had left before it became as feeble as the old man he saw hobbling on the street below him, he hadn't a clue. He needed that important bit of information and wondered if he should borrow Alvi's computer for that question...and a few others.
No. It's best if I acquire my own personal devices. That way I have the convenience of keeping the human technology permanently in my room and the freedom to use the devices as I please without prying eyes.
For the moment, acquiring the human technology could wait. His first priority was to unravel the mystery of the event he couldn't remember from last night!
Supremely confident of his mental faculties, there had never been instances where he wasn't in complete control of his thoughts and actions. Even during occasions in Asgard of extreme celebration when he'd taken part in the merrymaking, he knew his limits and refused to tread past the point of oblivious inebriation.
Unlike Thor who seems to enjoy stumbling about in a madly drunken stupor...or nearly every Asgardian for that matter.
Returning to the urgent issue of his mental 'vacation' from last night, Loki decided that he'd simply ask the humans to tell him, the only witnesses to what had happened.
Now then, I'd best prepare myself for the day.
He sat up slowly, testing the feel of his right shoulder.
I've had enough. I'm ridding myself of these ridiculous bindings.
Slipping out of bed, Loki entered his en-suite bathroom and searched for the pair of scissors in his vanity table. Wincing, he patiently removed his right arm from the sling around his shoulder and used his right hand to slowly cut away the bandages wrapped around his left. Cautiously wiggling his liberated fingers, he bent and curled them carefully into the loops of the scissors. He repeated this action several times until he was satisfied with his fingers' movements.
Freed of the wrappings, he tossed the bits of cut fabric into the trash and threw the scissors back into one of the vanity's drawers. Glancing speculatively at the glass shower stall beside the bathtub, he took a clean, dry towel and placed it on the floor by the shower door.
That way my wet feet won't slip on the stone.
Noting that there were smaller, identical bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body wash placed inside niches in the shower's stone wall, he removed his pajama bottoms and stepped inside the glass stall.
Wonder if Adam's up yet," Bryn thought to herself as she glanced at the door to his room. She'd settled for a big bowl of cereal, a whole grain bagel with cream cheese and a glass of orange juice. After last night, I think I better drop in on him.
She quickly checked her reflection on the dark, smooth surface of a cabinet door in the living room. Her hair was bound in a messy clump by a bright-orange scrunchy at the top of her head, as she tugged at her Arc'teryx Poppy Escala Tank with matching Black Rampart Shorts. Barefoot, she walked across the hardwood floor of the common room over to Adam's door and knocked softly.
"Adam? Can I come in?"
When there was no reply, she knocked again and called a bit louder.
Worried, she tested the latch on the door and found it unlocked.
Stepping partially inside his bedroom, Bryn heard the shower running.
She was about to retreat back to the kitchen when an impulsively naughty idea hit her. Smiling to herself, she bit at her finger, deciding to have a go at it.
Bryn, you're a bad, bad girl, she scolded herself, tiptoeing toward the wide open doorway of Adam's en-suite bathroom and carefully peeking around the corner.
Standing inside the glass shower stall with his back to her was a deliciously naked Adam under a gentle, overhead stream of water. His hands were splayed against the stone wall, legs slightly apart, head tilted moderately back with his face directly under the spray, his silky hair glistening in a miniature waterfall of vividly black strands.
Silently approaching the glass stall, Bryn's heart thumped wildly in her chest from the tangled excitement of adrenaline, arousal and embarrassment. Her eyes wandered appraisingly over the smooth, fair skin of Adam's gorgeously sculpted swimmer's body, her stomach doing backflips as she screamed at herself for how stupid and perverted she was acting.
Welcome to the premier 2-hour episode of Lust Factor, Bryn told herself with a grin.
Filming her own personal porno with her eyes, she slowly licked her lips as her mind ran away with carnal images of Adam ravishing her in the shower.
"I know you're there, Bryn," he said, his softly spoken voice echoing inside the shower stall.
She barely stifled a gasp of surprise, did a quick 180 degree turn and almost bolted out of the en-suite. Crap crap crap, Bryn thought to herself nervously, her heart pounding furiously against her rib cage.
"Do you always creep into mens' rooms to boldly watch them as they bathe?" he taunted.
"Uh...for the record, no, I don't," Bryn disputed firmly, mentally cursing herself as she fidgeted where she stood, staring at the short distance between her and the en-suite door. She was a hair-trigger away from doing a hasty sprint back to the kitchen. Clearing her throat, she really wasn't the least bit sorry for being a Peeping...Tammy. "You didn't answer the door when I knocked. I just came in to make sure you were okay."
"Now that you've seen me, are you satisfied with my condition?"
Adam's voice sounded exactly like the time he'd teased her to wash the rest of his body when she'd scrubbed his hair in the bathtub.
Oh, yeah. Satisfaction's an A-plus-plus. "I, uh, see you've taken off your bandages," Bryn replied, trying desperately to salvage some of her dignity by playing doctor.
"The bandages were unnecessary and I wanted to be free of them."
"I think I'm a better judge of what's necessary, by the way."
"You claim to know my own body better than I do?"
"I know I'm far from being a licensed doctor yet, but technically, my nearly two years of Med school and Advanced First Aid courses does better qualify me." Well, sort of.
The patter of shower water abruptly stopped and the glass door of the stall opened with a dull squeak.
Oh, shit, Bryn thought nervously, taking a few steps forward.
"Why so shy? Aren't you accustomed to seeing my naked body by now?" Adam spoke from behind her with amusement.
Gulping nervously, she took another step forward when she felt Adam's presence electrically close. Her skin was warmer than normal and there were shivers running up and down her entire back. "You, uh, want me to make you some breakfast?"
"No need. I'll be out shortly," Adam replied, drying himself with a towel.
"Okay, um, I'll be going now," Bryn stated, more than ready to leave.
"Wait."
Though her limbs were poised to run, Adam's request rooted her to the stone floor.
"You may safely turn around now."
Naked or not, I'm the one who invaded his privacy here, Bryn thought. She'd never ogled a naked guy she hardly knew before, but she found the experience...thrilling. Besides, Adam had his back to her, anyway. Oh, well. I'm still not sorry I looked, she grinned naughtily to herself. It's not like Adam's ever been shy about it!
"Yes?" Bryn said and bravely turned to face him.
His arms were crossed and his mouth was in a mirthful half-smile. A large, black towel was wrapped snugly around his hips. Droplets of water ran down his firm, fair skin and his damp, black hair was in a wavy, unkempt mass on his head.
"Good morning."
"Morning," Bryn said cautiously and slowly met his gaze, nibbling at her lower lip. Fuck, I think I'm trouble, she thought, not liking the wicked gleam in his greener than green eyes.
"Shall I shed my towel, allowing you to complete your inspection?" Adam teased mercilessly, enjoying Bryn's deepening blush.
"I'm good," Bryn answered, her eyes darting away quickly.
Shaking his head with a soft snort, Adam sauntered toward the vanity table, turned around and leaned against its side, his arms still crossed.
"All jesting aside, Bryn, I need to ask you something," Adam said. "I wish know exactly what happened last night."
Brows crunching together, she said, "Alvi was with you before I got to the roof with Mars. He said that the two of you were 'just talking' and he was afraid that whatever he told you triggered your..."
Images from last night came crashing through her mind. She scoured her brain for the words to best describe what she saw.
"Triggered...what?" Adam asked, looking apprehensive.
She shifted her weight uneasily between both feet and crossed her arms. "By the time Mars and I arrived you...weren't yourself. You were totally stressed out, practically catatonic and you kept talking in Icelandic. Alvi said that you were 'reliving the awful confrontation you had with your father.'" She observed as Adam's face changed from mild apprehension to strong vexation. "Somehow, eventually, you managed to bring yourself back. You're gonna have to ask Alvi for the details on how it started."
Distressed, Adam sank to the vanity table's rectangular stool. His eyes darted rapidly, lost in deep thought as he anxiously rubbed at the fingers of his bruised left hand.
"Hey," Bryn said softly as she sat on her heels in front of him, forcing Adam to look at her, placing both her hands on his. "I was serious about what I told you last night, but you were so out of it, I doubt you heard any of it." He was staring and listening to her intently. "We know you've gone through something horrible...so did I, so did Alvi, so did Mars. We're all here to help you try and deal with it. If you want to...if you let us."
"If only my troubles were that simple," Adam said flatly.
"I don't think anybody's problems are simple," Bryn countered. "I only took half-a-semester of Psychopathology and, believe me, I learned how insanely fucked-up a mind can get."
"You should learn to curb your use of strong expletives," Adam reprimanded gently, his eyebrows raising in emphasis.
"My swearing's a work in progress and not the current topic of discussion," was her rebuttal.
"You're beginning to remind me of my mother," Adam teased.
"Good, coz you can use some mothering right now," Bryn said petulantly.
"Is that what compels you to heal my injuries?"
"Maybe part of it..." Bryn said, looking down, her thumbs carefully gliding along the tips of Adam's fingers. "When I first found you that night and saw how hurt you were...I couldn't just leave you there. It...it wasn't right."
"You had an easy choice. You knew nothing about me. Why did you care?"
"Coz I'm not a heartless bitch, okay?" Bryn bit out with a frown, gazing angrily at him. "I knew I was gambling with my life when I took you home that night. You could've easily turned out be an escaped convict or some serial killer or a heroin junkie caught a drug deal gone wrong. These days, most people don't give a shit and totally avoid getting involved in other people's problems. Oh, believe me, if I was one of those people, I would've just left your sorry ass to bleed to death in that dumpster. So, excuse me for having a little fucking compassion!"
She was about to stand when Adam gripped her hands tightly, freezing her in place. Her eyes darted quickly to his as her heart hammered nervously in her chest.
"What if I am one of those unpleasant people you described?" Adam challenged. "How can you be entirely certain that I won't hurt you or Alvi or Mars?"
The intense glare of Adam's green eyes made Bryn shiver but she courageously held her ground against the onslaught. She trembled slightly and visibly swallowed.
"I'm not," Bryn confessed meekly. "I...I just have this...tiny voice inside my head...telling me...that you won't."
Adam's hard gaze softened as he stared at her considerately. Bryn could only speculate on what was going through his mind.
(Had Bryn been able to hear Loki's thoughts, this was what she would've heard:
'You're but a child to me, Brynhild...and yet sometimes...strangely enough...you seem to possess an insight far beyond your tender age. You're like the unrelenting flame of a candle that burns at its brightest till it's gone. Fueled by blind instinct, you naively march into danger with little regard for the consequences...but miraculously...you emerge all the stronger from it. It's quite admirable, really.')
Bryn looked away, staring in surprise at Adam's thumbs as they ran along the tips of her fingers, mimicking her earlier supportive gesture to him. His simple movements sent powerful goose-bumps of electricity throughout her entire body. For a brief but happy moment, she fantasized about building a life with someone like Adam in San Francisco...which she stopped instantly when she felt the rising lump in her throat.
Damn it all to hell, Bryn thought angrily to herself. Men like that don't exist! Why do I keep getting my hopes up? Adams's a fucking head case. He's either delusional or schizophrenic. I have to stop torturing myself!
"Bryn?" Adam's voice was concerned when he squeezed her hands.
"Sorry...I-I gotta go," Bryn said shakily and tried tugging her hands free from Adam's strong grip. "Let me go." She tried blinking back the tears in her eyes. Fuck! I'm NOT crying. Not now. Not now! "Will you let me go, please?" She valiantly fought back tears, looking everywhere but his face.
"Bryn, look at me," he urged in confusion. "What's the matter?"
Reluctantly, after some furious blinking, her eyes slowly met Adam's and found a gleam of determination that wasn't there before...and it scared her.
"That night when you found me, you chose to help me when all you had to do was turn your head, walk away and leave me there to die."
Adam dipped his head down closer to hers.
"What you did for me was very brave and very noble."
He brought her hands toward his face and she automatically rose forward from sitting on her heels, putting her weight on her knees, so he wouldn't have to strain himself.
"I owe you my life, Bryn."
He then pressed his warm, soft lips to the knuckles of both her hands. The deliberately slow, lingering kisses sent jolts of tingly sparks down her arms that spread to her whole body, her eyes widening in reaction.
"From this day forward, I will do everything I can to repay the kindness you've so generously given to me."
"Uh..." Bryn's brain, along with all her emotions, had gone supernova. She felt her mouth moving but instead of words, what she heard were soft, incoherent sounds.
One of Adam's perfectly shaped eyebrows rose in confusion. "Bryn?"
"Um...lemme get back to you on that one," was Bryn's dazed reply as she quickly yanked her hands free from Adam's grasp, rose to her feet and briskly walked out of his room.
"Oh...God, my head," Tony Stark muttered in annoyance. He blearily fumbled for an Aspirin inside a medicine cabinet in the kitchenette of his mansion's basement workshop and he downed three tablets with a good amount of refrigerated Fiji spring water. "What the hell happened last night?"
"You successfully exceeded the normal human tolerance for alcohol consumption in one sitting last night," Jarvis explained cheerfully. "It's your personal best."
"Ha ha, Jarvis, very funny. Remind me to reprogram you the minute I'm sober."
"In that case, I'm well within my rights to defend myself and will do so using your Iron Man suit as my reliable sentry," Jarvis replied sarcastically.
"Whua...?" Stark's was stunned. He'd never heard Jarvis so...so...maybe he was still passed out and dreaming?
"A late-morning greeting to you, Darcy," Jarvis stated cheerfully.
Stark's head swiveled instantly in the direction of the Plexiglas door of his basement entrance.
"Heya, Jarv," Darcy greeted cheerfully carrying a brown paper bag loaded with groceries. She looked at Stark and said, "Thought I'd visit your hung-over self down here to make you some grub. I make a really mean sandwich. Also, you totally drank like a college frat boy last night."
"Not so loud, my head hurts," Stark requested as Darcy giggled.
"Oh, yeah, it's bad," she remarked, placing her brown bag of groceries and emptying its contents on the kitchenette counter.
Staring at Darcy from where he sat slumped against the corner den couch, Stark closed his eyes momentarily and kneaded his temples. Several incidents from last night leapt into his mind and he frowned.
"I need your clarification on something," Stark began, still massaging his temples. "Did we have a conversation last night about Jane being in love with Thor, the Norse god of thunder?"
She stopped in her tracks and slowly turned to face him. "Unfortunately, that would be a numero uno Yes."
"Ya gotta be kidding me," Stark mumbled, grinding the heels of his hands against his eyes, wishing that his body would sink into the couch and down into the concrete floor beneath it. Fantabulous! The ONE girl I find who's absolutely brilliant and perfect turns out to be unavailable and, better yet, in love with an immortal being from another universe! Maybe I should stay a permanent bachelor.
With his eyes closed, he sat in silence for a while, impatient for the Aspirin to kick in, listening to Darcy as she puttered around the kitchenette with the groceries she'd brought.
Sitting up slowly, Stark regarded Jane's friend and colleague thoughtfully for a few moments and said, "What were you going to tell me last night before you went upstairs?"
"You remembered that, huh? I'm impressed."
"Darcy, can you just, please, tell me what you were going to say?"
She stopped what she was doing and turned toward Stark. His eyes were red-rimmed and he looked like hell.
"You really like Jane, don't you?" Darcy stated, mystified by the whole situation and how she'd gotten herself in the middle of it. All she did was call the number on a tiny, neon orange flyer that was posted on the bulletin board at her university dorm. 'Looking for Research Assistant' was the main heading. It seemed like an innocent enough job that would earn her a few hundred bucks to pay for books and materials as she worked her way toward a degree that looked good on her resume.
Instead, nearly two years later, that tiny flyer had brought her here, staring at a hung-over multibillionaire Tony Stark aka Iron Man, who'd fallen head-over-heels for her boss, Jane, who was unfortunately in love with Norse thunder god Thor...while she in turn had developed a major crush on Stark's supercomputer, Jarvis!
I love my life, Darcy grinned to herself, resisting the urge to pinch herself. Oh, yeah, back to the present. She'd gotten a bit distracted.
There was a look of defeat on Tony Stark's face.
"Yeah...I really like her..."
"Then go get her."
It took several moments for Darcy's statement to percolate in Stark's mind.
"Hold on...what?" Stark stared at Lewis in bewilderment.
"If you really like Jane, what the hell are you doing moping around in your basement for? Just coz she told you she was in love with Thor, you're just gonna give up? News flash, Thor isn't here. We have absolutely no idea how long it's gonna take for us to find him or for him to get his thunder ass over here."
She leaned against the kitchenette counter and crossed her arms.
"I know I'm the last person who should be meddling," she added, "especially in relationship stuff...but I spent months watching Jane waste away, totally obsessed over something that may never happen. I want her to be happy just as much as you do, so I'm staging an intervention, okay? As her friend, I want her to be with someone who totally cares about her and who's actually here," Darcy explained. "Frankly, of all her prospects lately, you're the best option."
"Uh...huh," Stark said dumbly.
"My advice to you is simple: Go get 'er, tiger," Darcy cheered on with encouragement. She then spun to face the kitchenette counter and her scattered grocery items.
Stunned, Stark remained staring at the back of Darcy's head.
"Whatcha want in your sandwich?" she asked casually over her shoulder.
Loki puzzled over Bryn's reaction to his sincere pledge to her. He was, after all, wanting to repay a debt of gratitude to the human female for everything she'd done for him and he was quite disappointed that his pledge was received rather...oddly.
Opening his bedroom wardrobe, he scanned the items of clothing that were inside it, frowning at how plain and flimsy the fabrics were. The golden looms of Fensalir always produced the finest and strongest spun garments that were traded for armor and weapons made in the metal forges of the Duergar. (more widely known as Dwarves in Midgard)
Though Loki tried hard not to think of it, he sorely missed his home and his former life in Asgard. Even if 'home' simply meant sharing a small portion of Thor's hall in Bilskirnir or his chambers in Frigga's hall, Fensalir or a guest bedchamber in Freya's hall, Sessrumnir.
Then there was the matter of Sigyn's impending Homecoming. Despite his mysterious transformation to a mortal human form...his connection to Sigyn hadn't diminished in the slightest.
His legs suddenly gave way as Loki crumpled to the tightly woven carpet of his bedroom floor, overwrought with long-suppressed emotions. Little Sigyn had finally returned from her long absence of pursuing her studies.
How much have you grown, I wonder? You were but a little girl when we parted. I can only imagine the skills you've mastered and how well you've learned to use them.
Perhaps...no. She may never find me. She wouldn't know where to look. Even if she did...what would be the point? I'm no longer immortal.
However, the very thought of Sigyn settling down with...someone else...filled him with irrational rage and twisted his stomach into knots. Shutting his eyes tightly, he slowly calmed himself with deep, even breaths.
Sitting cross-legged on the towel that had loosened itself from his waist, Loki rubbed his scalp with as much pressure as his injuries would allow him, moving his fingers in careful, even circles. He stopped when he realized what he'd just done.
He'd precisely duplicated the soothing massage that Bryn had given to him when she'd offered to wash his hair in the tub.
Bryn. I'd best sort out our earlier conversation and why she'd responded in that manner.
Standing, Loki picked up his damp towel and pitched it into a hamper in his en-suite bathroom. Returning to his wardrobe near the entrance to the balcony of his room, he saw that a full-length mirror was attached to the inside of one of the doors.
Examining the reflection of his naked body, Loki saw that some of his healing injuries still appeared distastefully bruised. Although, most of the cuts and gashes on his body, including those on his left hand, were fading nicely and it gave him some relief. He disliked having marks or scars of any kind on his skin.
Perusing the scant collection of garments inside his wardrobe, he recognized a pair of pants that looked similar in style to what Thor had worn, except that the color was dark blue, and parts of the fabric were creased and discolored deliberately.
Draping the pants over his right arm, he pulled a stone-gray garment from a small stack on a shelf and unfolded it. The long-sleeved shirt had an open v-shaped neckline with buttons sewn in as decoration along one side and the fabric was soft to the touch.
Walking over to his bed, he laid the pants down and carefully wore the long-sleeved shirt. He winced, having to lift his right arm higher than he dared before, placing a great strain on his injured shoulder. Enduring the throbbing pain, he wore the pants and found that they fit snugly against his legs and hips. When he went to pull up the zipper that fastened the pants together, he found that the metal teeth were dangerously close to the skin of his genitalia.
That certainly won't do, Loki thought.
Frowning, Loki removed his pants and returned to the shelves of his wardrobe. He saw a few styles of undergarments and decided to try each of them on. He needed some protection against the metal teeth of the zipper.
The last pair of undergarments he tried were the most comfortable for him. The soft, formfitting, stretchy fabric of the boxer briefs felt similar to the first layer of clothing he often wore under his enchanted armor.
Fully dressed, he turned slowly in front of the full-length mirror on his wardrobe door and examined how the Earth garments fit him. Both the long-sleeved shirt and pants exhibited the firm definition of his body. At least he appeared less unkempt compared to Thor's choice of Earth clothing when he'd divined him through the Destroyer in New Mexico.
Meandering over to his en-suite's vanity table, he quickly ran a comb through his damp, wavy hair, untangling any knots but leaving the inky locks to fall however it wanted. Satisfied that his overall appearance was the best it could be with what he had, Loki left his bedroom for the kitchen.
Outside, Bryn was nowhere to be found, but he had a strong feeling that she'd retreated to her room. He looked in that direction from the kitchen just as Mars and Alvi emerged from their master bedroom.
"Adam, you're awake," Alvi said reflexively, stating the obvious. His eyes roamed appreciatively over their guest's appearance. "Those clothes suit you excellently."
"They'll do," Loki said simply.
"We should take you shopping soon. I'm sure you'd rather wear clothes you picked out yourself," Mars stated, in awe of Adam's attractiveness. "Don't worry, our treat."
Shopping. Loki had only read the definition of the word and was curious to observe this strange human ritual. Having to hunt for one's clothing sounded amusing. Living in Asgard, he'd personally designed his own articles of clothing, each based on a specific purpose and function. He always enjoyed consulting Silkimjur, one of Frigga's handmaidens who was extremely talented in the art of looming fabric.
"Have you had anything to eat yet?" Alvi asked, walking toward the kitchen counter.
"No, I just arrived."
"Would you like me to make you something?" Alvi asked again. He thoroughly enjoyed cooking and felt like showing off his skills to their handsome guest.
"What will you be making?"
"I haven't really decided yet. Mars? Any ideas?"
"Well, it's too late for breakfast...oh, I know. How about crepes?" Mars suggested. "I'm having folded crepes topped with Crab Benedict, please."
"Knew you'd say that, love. I'll have the same. Adam?"
"I'm...open to suggestions," Loki replied, knowing only the definition of that type of food.
"How hungry are you?" Alvi asked.
"Famished."
"In that case...a Steak Diane crepe should more than satisfy your appetite," Alvi said, roaming around the kitchen and quickly picking out the utensils he needed.
"What are the ingredients of that dish, if you don't mind me asking."
"Wrapped tender steak strips topped with a Brandy, mustard, mushroom and shallot sauce," Alvi explained, rummaging in the fridge for fresh produce.
"That sounds...very appetizing," Loki said, his mouth watering in anticipation. "Shall I ask Bryn if she'd like something to eat? She's in her room at the moment."
"Oh, we thought she'd gone out," Alvi said. "Go ahead and ask her then."
Smiling to himself, Loki walked over to Bryn's bedroom door and knocked softly. "Bryn, are you in there? Alvi and Mars are making food to eat. Would you like a serving?"
"Hold on a sec," was Bryn's muffled reply from behind her door. After a short while, there was a click and her door opened. "Excuse me."
Avoiding eye contact, Bryn walked past him with a lavender-colored bundle, rolled and tucked under one arm. She'd changed from her earlier outfit to a small, tight, pale-blue garment that only covered her upper torso, her shorts replaced by an enticingly form-hugging, warm-gray crop pant.
"We're having crepes, dear. You still hungry?" Mars asked from the kitchen.
"I had some breakfast earlier but I'd really like a strawberry crepe...with tons of chocolate," Bryn said, spreading her Yoga mat in the spacious common room.
Alvi and Mars exchanged glances. Bryn only requested 'tons' of chocolate when she was upset about something.
"Want the crepes in chocolate too?" Alvi asked.
"I'd love it, thanks," Bryn answered then plugged her ears with her iPod Shuffle earbuds, the bright fuchsia aluminum square mp3 player clipped to the strap of her sports tank. After a few, meditative deep breaths, she dove down into a Yoga 'Plank Pose.' After a few minutes she followed it with a 'Dolphin Plank Pose.'
"Bryn, what are you doing?" Loki asked curiously as he stood watching her nearby. His brows crunched together when she made no reply. Either the female was deliberately ignoring him or whatever she'd placed in her ears prevented her from hearing his question.
"Adam, you should leave her alone when she's exercising like that," Mars warned.
"Exercising?" Loki mumbled. "What's she training herself for?"
"Training?" Mars said, glancing at Alvi who shrugged. "I don't think she's training for anything specific...other than for work."
"Bryn told me that she works downstairs in a 'club' you and Alvi own," Loki replied, standing in the kitchen against the large, stone counter.
"Did Bryn tell you what she does?" Mars asked, mixing the batter for the crepes.
"No. All she told me was that the 'club' was 'a basic adult bar' with a 'great dance floor,'" Loki said, repeating what Bryn had told him. He still wasn't sure what the words fully meant.
"When Bryn's ready, she'll invite you downstairs," Mars replied cryptically.
Why all the secrecy, Loki thought, puzzled, glancing at Bryn. He now had the distinct impression she was avoiding him. "Is there anything I can do to help prepare the meal?"
"We're fine, Adam, but thanks for asking," Alvi said with a smile. "You should be more patient and let your hand and shoulder properly heal first."
I've spared more than enough patience on this wretchedly weak mortal body, Loki groused. While they prepared the meal, he'd rather not sit idly.
"Alvi, may I borrow another of your books?"
"Go right ahead. You know where they are," Alvi replied, knowing that their handsome guest had already boldly borrowed a few items from their master bedroom. Why he wasn't lividly offended by Adam's liberal crossing into their personal space, completely boggled him. Although, he does score big points for returning whatever he borrowed, exactly back to where it came from, he thought to himself, pouring a measured amount of crepe batter into a large skillet. Beside him, Mars was busy chopping ingredients.
Walking straight into the master bedroom, Loki browsed Alvi's antique bookshelf for something interesting to read and came across a book that had been placed upside down on the shelf. The title of the book was unreadable and its leather binding was wrinkled and worn. He'd seen the book before during his first examination of the bookshelf's contents, but had found it uninteresting and it sat properly on the shelf at the time.
Pulling the book free, Loki flipped it open and was surprised to find that the binding was false. There was another book inside it that was much newer than its worn, leather cover.
"The New Male Orgasm: Tantric Sex for the Spiritual Male," Loki read the new book's title softly. On the first page of the book was a handwritten note in a neatly cursive script:
To Vivi,
How's this for experimentation?
To our healthy marriage and sex life.
Yours forever,
Riri
Well, now, what have we here, Loki thought to himself with a grin as he flipped to a random section and found detailed photographs with descriptive instructions printed underneath. He rotated the book clockwise as he stared at a particularly interesting image.
Sitting on the hardwood floor of the master bedroom, Loki leaned against the antique bookshelf behind him and began reading the book he held from the beginning.
Jane stared out the broad panel windows of the Stark mansion's cliffside living room with a troubled expression, watching the waves swell and crest in the ocean. Frothed with sea foam, each wave undulated wildly in their own unique pattern. She hardly slept last night, tossing and turning in the wake of Stark's confession to her. Well, it wasn't like he'd confessed his undying love to her or anything...but there was an unmistakable look in his eyes that spoke volumes, a look that hinted at something more than just a simple 'he liked her.'
Tears rolled down her cheeks as the turmoil inside her bubbled over. Was she being stupid? Why was she stubbornly holding onto her feelings for an immortal being who'd promised to 'return for her'...and then what?
There was no denying that she loved Thor. What she felt for him was real, more real than anything she'd ever felt in her life! They'd kissed and he'd promised to come back for her...and then he was just...gone.
Was Thor even trying to reach her? She had no way of knowing. It's not like she could dial up the Norse Mythology Hotline and ask for Thor. Even if she could, what would she say?
'Um, excuse me? Yes. I'd like to speak to Thor, please? Oh...he's busy? Can you tell him that Jane Foster needs to speak to him. Is it urgent? I think so. Well, he promised to come back for me. Okay, I'll hold. Thor? Oh. What do you mean he doesn't remember saying that?'
Thor was a powerful immortal being from another universe, specifically from Asgard, Realm of the gods. She was Jane Foster, astrophysicist, mortal human resident of Earth in Midgard. What could she possibly have to offer him?
Then there was that kiss.
Every time she began to doubt herself, Jane always returned to the moment of that kiss. It wasn't just any kiss. It was the kiss. The kiss that told her, Thor, Norse god of thunder...loved her...and whenever she tried to disregard the moment as a fantasy brought on by extreme infatuation...her heart told her differently. Hell, she felt the truth of that moment to her very bones!
Now, where did that leave Stark? She knew the truth of what Stark felt even before he told her. She'd felt it too. The longing...the hope. Maybe her vulnerable state was making her extra-sensitive and empathic...and it made facing the truth about Stark all the more difficult. Unlike Thor, Tony Stark was physically here...and hiding in his basement!
Stark had also offered to fund her research. Backing up to look at the overall picture, his offer was something she'd be crazy to pass up. Especially if it meant the ultimate goal of discovering a way to bridge the gap to another universe. The implications and possibilities of such a result were monumental...and mind-blowing!
Also, she wasn't completely naive. Stark was a businessman and an opportunist. There was no way his claim to help her was entirely innocent. There was definitely some other motivation behind his offer than just pure scientific curiosity.
Suck it up, Jane, and grow a pair.
I'll accept Stark's offer, if he still feels generous, after I explain everything to him. I'd rather do this knowing we can trust each other. Besides, I could use his help and expertise. The guy's brilliant. He might see things I've overlooked.
Taking a deep breath, Jane headed straight for the winding stone staircase to the mansion's basement.
By the time Loki reached the last page of the book he read, Mars arrived in the master bedroom to fetch him. When Mars recognized the book he held, the man squeaked, his mouth opening in shock. Loki did his best not to laugh, his face remaining neutral.
"Where did you get that?" Mars exclaimed in a high-pitched whine, his face beet red.
"I found it on the book shelf," Loki replied cooly, his face a picture of innocence as he stood to his feet.
"W-Well, put it back! That book's...private property!" Mars was so flustered it was the best line he could come up with.
"If this book's so private," Loki began slowly, walking up to Mars with a predatory gleam in his vividly green eyes. He stopped so close to the man that Mars took a nervous step back.
Leaning forward, he whispered seductively, "Then you and Alvis need to be more careful...where you put your private things." He closed the book with a sharp, audible slap that made Mars jerk in surprise.
Walking back unhurriedly to the bookshelf, Loki returned the book wrapped in worn leather to the space where he'd found it, flipping it right-side up.
"Besides, I found this book to be rather...educational."
Mars couldn't stop the stifled squeak from his throat in reaction to Adam's roguish smile. Beet red and shaking, a hand rose to cover his gaping mouth.
"I believe our crepes are waiting? Because I'm starving," Loki replied cheerfully and headed in the direction of the kitchen.
Before he left the master bedroom, he turned around and said, "Oh, and Mars?"
When Casen turned around - still beet red - to cautiously look at him, Loki added, "I think you and Alvis should really try the picture on page 99. Just make sure you're both completely alone, though. The position's guaranteed to be quite...vocal."
With a parting wink, Loki pivoted and left the room.
From where she stood on her Yoga mat, Bryn noted that Adam left the master bedroom with a strange smile on his face, a slight hop to his step and without Mars. Removing her ear buds, she was about to roll up her mat when she saw Mars peeking at her from the doorway of their master bedroom.
"Pssst!" Mars said carefully, furiously gesturing for her to come to him.
The fuck's going on?
Glancing toward the kitchen, Bryn sprinted toward Mars across the span of the common room.
"What's up?" Bryn asked, clearly puzzled.
"Remember how you asked me to tell you if I think Adam's gay?" Mars said.
"Yeah?" Bryn replied, not liking what she might hear.
"There's a good fucking possibility."
"Okay, why'd you say that?" Bryn definitely wasn't liking at all where the conversation was going. If Adam was gay...then there was absolutely no chance in hell that she...and he...anyway, why did that matter all of a sudden?
"You, uh, ever heard of Tantra?"
"Yeah. It's kinda like Yoga for sex, why?"
"Well, they published a book with instructions for gay men too."
"Wow. Really?"
"Anyway...I think it's my fault. We own one of those books and I gave it to Alvi on our first wedding anniversary." He cleared his throat. "I must've put the book back on the shelf wrong."
"So...Adam found the book?"
"Oh, yeah. Read the entire thing too."
"...and?"
"Well," Mars moved closer to her and said in a low voice, "I think he made a pass at me just now."
Bryn's eyes widened at Mars's statement.
"Get the fuck out. What'd he do?"
He whispered a condensed version of what happened and her mouth fell open.
"He did not."
He nodded vigorously on the contrary.
"Hold on...you said a good 'possibility.' So, you're still not sure he's - ?"
"A straight guy could ever do what Adam did, even if he was pretending to," Mars said solemnly. "Either he's one fucking good actor...or he's bisexual like Alvi."
"...or maybe he's not being completely honest with us about the kind of 'village' he's from," Bryn said with a frown. Maybe Alvi's right and Adam's from a twisted cult...or better yet, totally delusional and crazy.
There was a third possibility...but it was something that she dreaded most of all. What if...what if Adam Laoki turned out to be a...very intelligent and charming...professional con-artist?
Please, please...don't let it be the third option. I don't think I can take it, Bryn mentally pleaded.
Since they were on the subject of their weird guest, she might as well come clean with her experience this morning.
"Speaking of come-ons..."
Heart thumping nervously in her chest, Jane Foster descended the winding stone staircase that led to Stark's basement workshop. Stopping in the shadows before the Plexiglas entrance, from where she stood, she saw that Darcy and Stark were in the middled of a heated conversation. Empty plates and glasses were on the coffee table and Stark still wore his clothes from last night.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, Jane walked down the last few stone steps and opened the door.
"Jane," Stark said, immediately standing up and nearly loosing his balance. He tried his best to fix his messy hair and disheveled clothing.
"Hi," Jane replied softly. Darcy smiled to her briefly and gathered up the empty dishes. "About last night - " She and Stark spoke simultaneously.
"Sorry. You first," Stark said graciously. "Uh, please?" He gestured for her to sit down. She nodded shyly and sat on one of the end chairs.
"Rough night?" Jane said, trying to break the ice as she fidgeted in her chair.
Darcy cringed as she loaded up the dishes in the hidden dishwasher.
"Yeah, you could say that," Stark said patiently, not bothered by her comment as he leaned back on the couch. He knew he looked like hell.
"I'm sorry about what I did last night. I was being childish."
"Ditto," Stark replied and shrugged. Jane smiled, then giggled. He chuckled along with her.
Darcy tiptoed quietly around them and sat at Jarvis's console.
"I thought about what you told me last night and I'm really flattered that you've offered to help me - "
"The offer still stands," Stark interrupted with a serious expression.
"It wouldn't be fair to you if I accept."
"Because of how you feel about Thor?" Stark's face was neutral.
She looked away feeling guilty and nodded. "Yeah."
Leaning forward, Stark rested his elbows on his knees and said, "I've decided that the whole Thor thing's irrelevant. You said so yourself that the issue's personal. I think we both know that with my help and without S.H.I.E.L.D. breathing down your neck, you have a better chance of trying to bridge the gap between our world and Asgard. Besides, I'd really like to see for myself what all the fuss is about."
From the safety of Jarvis's computer console, Darcy cheered Stark on with a grin as she hid behind a large monitor.
Stunned, Jane stared at Stark's mischievous expression in disbelief. Did anything bother this guy? She wasn't expecting to be backed into a corner. If she refused the opportunity, she'd be shooting herself in the foot. If she accepted...
Sighing, Jane sat up straight, held out her hand and said, "Then I accept your offer to help me with my research, Mr. Stark. If there are any formalities..."
"Relax, Foster. This is strictly off the record. I'm not handing S.H.I.E.L.D. a paper trail so they can track what we're doing here. Our project's off the grid as far as I'm concerned."
"If S.H.I.E.L.D. finds out, won't they try to bully their way in? They did it to me. Took everything I had," Jane explained. The incident was still a very sore spot to her.
"They can try," Stark replied with a grin. "I think that between the three of us, we can crack this case faster than Jarvis can compose a dirty limerick."
It'll also buy me some time to get to know you better, Jane. By the time we've made any sort of progress, I want to make you forget about Thor.
"Where's Mars?" Alvi had everything prepared and was wondering what his better half was up to.
"He wanted to freshen up," Loki replied smoothly as he sat down at the stone counter in front of the meal that was prepared for him. He took a long drink from his glass of...he stopped and stared at the glass in his hand. The drink was delicious.
"Tropical fruit mimosa," Alvi said with a smile.
"It's very flavorous," Loki admitted, enjoying the different tastes that lingered on his tongue. Glancing at his meal, his mouth watered and he nearly drummed his fingers on the counter in impatience.
"Are you all right?" Alvi asked. Adam seemed agitated.
"I'm fine," Loki said, a bit too quickly. Images and paragraphs from the book he'd just read kept interrupting his thoughts and he hadn't expected to feel so...irritable. He'd read his hosts' 'private' book out of pure curiosity and smiled to himself knowing that the Vanir twins, Frey and Freya, would find some of the positions and photographs interesting.
The images from the book swam in his head and were substituted with other faces, other bodies. Like forceful intruders, sensual memories from his past surfaced and wove themselves unmercifully into a tapestry of naked skin, clasped hands and entwined legs with voices crying out in rapturous joy.
"How did you and Mars meet?" Loki asked in a rush, feeling breathless.
"You sure you're all right? You look a bit flushed," Alvi observed.
"Do I?"
Loki's hands nearly went to touch his cheeks.
Before Alvi could ask more questions, Bryn and Mars appeared.
"Where've you two been? Your plates are getting cold," Alvi remarked.
"Sorry we're late, love" Mars replied, clearing his throat. He noted that Bryn gave Adam a wide girth as she walked past him; even moved her chair and plate away from him as she sat at the stone counter, refusing to meet his inquiring gaze. When he glanced at Adam, he saw the uneasiness on his handsome face.
"This looks and smells wonderful. Shall we?" Loki said, trying to seem cheerful and took a bite from his plate. He sighed with contentment, immensely grateful to a plate of food made by Alvis's superb culinary skill.
The foursome sat in silence for a while, Alvis casually observing everyone as they ate. There was an unusual tension in the air that felt thicker with each passing minute. He knew there was something going on and he'd rather not be out of the loop.
"Darling, our guest here wants to know how we met," Alvi said.
"Oh?" Mars looked over at Adam who nodded slightly.
"I'd like to hear more about you as well, Mars...if you don't mind," Loki asked softly. He needed a long distraction from the intrusively carnal thoughts in his mind. After merely browsing a book on the subject of sex, it bothered him greatly why he was so affected by it.
Nearly all my memories of sexual pleasure...are from Asgard. I've never considered pleasuring mortals though I know of others who have done this. It's immensely difficult...mortals are too fragile.
"More about me..." Mars placed his fork down slowly, glad that he'd finished most of his crepe.
"Not the best topic right now, Adam," Bryn said with a frown, taking a large bite from her loaded chocolate-strawberry crepe. She hadn't looked at him when she spoke.
"No, it's fine," Mars replied. "Having you all here makes me feel better when I talk about it." Alvi had grasped his hand tightly and he smiled warmly at his husband. He fidgeted in his chair.
"Let's finish eating first, then we can all gather in the living room where we'll be more comfortable," Alvi suggested.
"Goody, I'll make tea," Mars said excitedly, feeling infinitely better and relishing the rest of his meal.
Loki ate in silence, savoring the flavors of his meal, occasionally glancing at Bryn who was definitely avoiding him.
Now that we're all scheduled to convene in the living room, perhaps I can resolve some issues I've instigated.
He was fully aware of what he'd done to Mars and felt the uneasy tension from the man. Also, it was wiser to stay in his hosts' good graces since he was currently dependent on the three humans in these early stages of his new...mortal life.
Most unfortunately dependent, Loki heaved a mental sigh. At least for now.
When they'd finished their meal, Loki watched as Mars busied himself in the kitchen preparing a pot of tea, along with a tray of pastries and sweets as a complement. When they allowed him to help put away the dishes, he observed that Bryn was still stubbornly avoiding any kind of interaction with him.
When the humans had left him alone for four hours, he'd first made himself a meal then devoured the information contained in the many pages of both the Dictionary and Thesaurus that he'd plucked from a cabinet in the living room. Once he'd finished reading, he immediately explored every corner of the penthouse suite, correctly identifying various objects and eagerly connecting them to the new words he'd learned. At the time, he'd only wanted to satisfy his voracious curiosity and disregarded personal boundaries when it came to the humans' individual rooms and their personal things.
Bryn's room hardly had much to find and he suspected that a majority of her belongings were still kept in her basement apartment. However, Mars's and Alvis's master bedroom, in contrast, was full of interesting items in cleverly hidden compartments and he'd thoroughly enjoyed ferreting around their bedroom.
The minute everything was prepared, Loki strolled behind the trio of humans to the penthouse suite's stylish but cozy living room. Three big bean bags were scattered atop a large rug that covered most of the dark hardwood floor, while a single, rectangular, metal and glass table stood in the center of the rug. Soft, oversized pillows were scattered on the high-backed leather sofa, Bryn hugging one in her arms as she sat down. Glancing at the strange blank frame - the largest in the suite - attached to the wall at the front of the room, Loki couldn't fathom why the humans felt the need to hang the same empty, black picture frames in every bedroom. Was it supposed to be symbolic of something?
Lounging casually on the floor in one of the beanbags, Loki waited patiently for the humans to get comfortable and for Mars to begin his story. He looked up at the three humans who'd seated themselves on the sofa. Bryn sat closest to him with a pillow on her lap, her legs tucked up underneath her as she continued to avoid his gaze.
"Okay," Mars said, taking a deep breath. He glanced at Bryn who sat to his right as she smiled back warmly. Seated to his left, he grasped his husband's right hand and placed it on his lap, interlocking their fingers. He then looked directly at Adam, his Scottish curl sounding slightly thicker when he spoke.
"I came from a well-to-do family in Edinburgh, Scotland. I had an older brother, Shaw (Loki noted an obvious distaste when he said the name) and a younger sis, Iseabail."
He paused, looking sad.
"My mum was Ealasaid Amherst and my...father was Stuart Acton."
He couldn't hide the loathing on his face when he spoke his father's name, and took a moment to collect himself as he cleared his throat and sipped some tea.
"Sorry. You'll see why I've come to hate the fucking bastard."
"Sssh, love, he can't hurt you anymore," Alvi whispered softly. Bryn looked at Mars with clear sympathy on her face.
Loki's eyebrows rose slowly in surprise as he sat up straight, intrigued by how negatively Marius Casen felt about his father which mirrored his own feelings toward Odin.
"I had a good childhood filled with love and acceptance, and I was closest to my mum and little sis. The three of us would read stories to each other, have long walks together and I'd play the piano for them. My brother Shaw and I never got along. He was a nasty brute and every time mother turned away he'd make rude faces at me and Izzy. He'd pull her hair, put all sorts of disgusting things in our beds and such. Mother tolerated none of it and Shaw was always sore with her, accusing her of favoring Izzy and me. Maybe if he didn't act like such a prat, he wouldn't get scolded so often. Of course, it was just the way he was. He was definitely a sour apple that didn't fall far from the wretched tree."
He paused for a brief sigh.
"I was thirteen when mum got sick. That's when I saw the attitude changes on my so-called father. You see, my mum came from old money and it turns out Stuart was after it from the beginning. He was a charmer, that one. Always on his best behavior toward my mum and everyone in public...but when her illness got worse...so did he...and Shaw right there with him."
Mars's eyes became haunted and his mouth curled into a frown. In reaction, Alvi wrapped an arm securely around his shoulders, briefly squeezing as it remained there.
"I knew I was...different from the beginning and mum didn't care about how I acted. She always laughed when she saw Izzy and me dressed in her old clothes, playing tea time. Izzy liked me best because I was like a 'big sister' to her."
He smiled briefly then his mouth pursed into a tight line.
"While mum encouraged my 'creativity,' Shaw and Stuart were completely disgusted by my behavior and...didn't appreciate having a 'shirt-lifting ponce' in the family. I didn't know what being homosexual implied at the time, I was only thirteen. I just thought it had something to do with dressing up in mum's clothes."
His face darkened.
"When mum died...everything went to hell."
Mars felt Alvi's supporting grip tighten.
"Shaw and Stuart became the big lords of the house, the pair of them took turns emotionally and verbally torturing Izzy and me. Stuart took it a step further though."
When the look in Mars's eyes turned murderous, Loki's brows crunched together slowly. He leaned forward slightly, staring steadily at Mars. Bryn had a worried expression.
"You don't have to say anymore, love," Alvi crooned softly.
It's the strangest fucking thing, Mars thought, gazing judiciously at Adam's impossibly green eyes. I hardly know you...so why do I feel like I've... He snorted, scratching the back of his head with a lopsided smile as Alvi and Bryn exchanged puzzled glances.
"What...happened to you, Mars?" Loki asked slowly.
"It's none of your business, Adam, please," Alvi snapped curtly, glaring at their guest.
"It's all right, love," Mars reassured his husband, grasping his chin and pulling him in for a kiss. "I've carried the pain of that night inside me for far too long. I have to try to let it go."
He turned his head to look at Adam and spoke in an empty daze.
"You see, one night, Stuart decided to show me exactly what being a 'queer' was all about. Shaw was there but all the coward did was watch. I think he was too horrified by what he was seeing to move a muscle. Stuart threw me face-first against my own bed, held me down by sitting on my back and tore my pants off. Izzy must have heard me screaming in my room and my brave little sis ran at Stuart before he could do anything, biting him hard in the arm like a rabid little wolf. I think she ripped a good chunk of skin off too. Stuart was so angry...he hit her."
Tears trailed slowly down Mars's cheeks and his lips quivered.
"Izzy was such a delicate little thing...Stuart hit her so hard...that her neck snapped."
"Oh, God," Bryn gasped. Tears flowed down her cheeks and she was shaking. Alvi's eyes were red-rimmed and tearful but he seemed more furious than sad.
"When I saw Izzy on the floor and she wasn't moving...that's when I snapped," Mars continued in a haunted daze. "I kicked, bit and clawed the vile fucking bastard off me, ran for the fire hook in my room and hit Stuart repeatedly with it as hard as I could. I don't really know where I hit him or how many times. Everything was a blur. I was so angry...I wasn't myself. I just remember...that Stuart and I were covered in blood. I kept hitting Stuart till he stopped moving. I dropped the fire hook when I saw Shaw on the floor, crying, begging me not to kill him. He kept mumbling and he'd pissed himself. He looked so pathetic, he wasn't even worth hitting."
Clearing his throat, he reached for some tissue, wiping his eyes and blowing his nose.
"Oh, God, Mars..." Bryn whispered, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this before, Brynnie. It was just too hard," Mars said softly. Bryn leaned in for a tight hug and they held each other for a long moment. When they parted, he brushed her cheek.
"No more tears, dearie. I've shed enough of my own for two lifetimes."
"There are days I wish I could gut Stuart myself," Alvi hissed through clenched teeth.
"Alvis," Mars admonished softly. "Not in present company, love, please."
A grim silence blanketed the living room.
"By the time the police came...they found me laying beside Izzy and I refused to let go of her. Eventually, they managed to sorted out the whole tragedy," Mars narrated, resuming his story. "Stuart went to jail, Shaw went to a juvenile medical detention center and I was left alone in a house that felt more like a mausoleum than my own home. My mum's younger sister, Aunt Elicia, flew in immediately from London to take care of me. She was a good woman and we got along well...but she wasn't mum. Soon as I turned eighteen, I changed my name, left Scotland and traveled around Europe. Aunt Elicia kept sending me money for expenses, which I tried to refuse of course, but she kept insisting. I met many people, explored my sexuality and eventually 'found myself' again. Except...I had this thing where I couldn't bear to settle down in one place for too long."
A slow smile crept along his jawline and he glanced knowingly at Alvi beside him. "Until this rascal sat beside me in Art History class at Oxford." He gave his husband an affectionate nudge. "Then, lo and behold, a miracle! Soon as our eyes met, all my commitment issues went out the window."
There was a proud grin on Alvis's face as he pulled Mars against him, his spouse cuddling into his chest.
Slumping into the bean bag behind him, Loki's face remained severe. A fully adult male had attempted to rape his young son and willfully killed his young daughter! Marius's father's actions were...harrowing and unforgivable!
"Does Stuart yet live?" Loki's tone was low and lethal. The three mortals spun their heads to stare at him with astonishment. "Does he?"
"Bastard's rotting in a jail cell...why?" Mars asked cautiously.
"Where I come from, if anyone committed an incorrigible crime as Stuart Acton had, they would've been beheaded where they stood," Loki rasped with conviction.
Mars's and Bryn's eyes widened.
"With regards to Stuart Acton, beheading him is the least that beast deserves...but Adam...unfortunately, that's not how the law works around here," Alvi stated slowly. "Are you implying that the rules are different where you're from?"
"Indeed, they are. Where I come from, a crime of that magnitude is unthinkable," Loki declared loudly with rising anger. "Only repulsively degenerate beasts harm their own children!"
His fists were clenched so tightly that he visibly winced. Carefully, Loki uncurled the fingers of his left hand and rubbed at his throbbing digits while staring angrily at them.
"Here, let me see," Bryn said softly, leaving her comfortable spot on the couch. She sat cross-legged beside her Science Experiment and took his hand, gently tracing her fingers over each of his joints, still refusing to meet his gaze.
"Bryn...why won't you look at me?" Loki asked, puzzled and a bit frustrated. "Have my words to you earlier, somehow offended you?" He then noted that Mars's and Alvi's full attention had quickly focused on them. The pair silently listened to their conversation from where they sat on the couch. "Or could it be...that you don't believe I meant those words?"
Sighing, she slowly lifted her head, reluctantly meeting his eyes.
"I know you meant it," Bryn answered softly.
"Then, why are you upset?" Loki brows were creased as he tried to decipher the answer in her sad, blue-green gaze.
"I'm upset because I'm not...I have absolutely no idea how..." Bryn bit at her lower lip when she frantically tried to come up with a sentence that made any sense...but her brain refused to cooperate. Fuck! She instantly heard Adam's warning about her swearing in the back of her mind. Double fuck!
'From this day forward, I will do everything I can to repay the kindness you've so generously given to me.'
"Adam, I didn't save your life coz I was expecting some kind of fucking reward," Bryn lashed out as she stood up to pace. "FYI, I saved your life coz it was the right thing to do! Besides, how exactly are you intending to 'repay' me, anyway?"
Bryn exploded into full rant mode, her brain frying like an egg in a skillet.
"You have nothing. You're a long helluva way from...Iceland or wherever it is you come from, stuck here in a foreign country with no I.D., no money and no job. The best part is, you claim you were raised in some kind of Medieval village in the middle of fucking nowhere! Also - don't try to deny it coz I've noticed - you're totally fucking clueless about anything belonging to the 21st Century...unless maybe it's a battle-axe, a crossbow or a suit of armor! At the rate you're going, I'm betting you know even less about American culture in general," she spoke angrily, her hands poised on her hips.
"So, what the hell are you planning to 'repay' me with, Adam? Huh? Offer to be my personal slave or something?" She snickered at her own absurd pun.
Flummoxed, Loki stared at Bryn with his mouth partly open, having failed to comprehend the human female's dizzying words and actions. She was mistaken of many things about him but accurate on some. It was true that he knew next to nothing about the principal workings of the modern human world he was unwillingly trapped in. She also mentioned an 'I.D.', 'money' and a 'job', words that suspiciously seemed essential to his survival here on Earth. As for presenting himself as a slave to Bryn in payment of his life-debt to her...
Loki could tell that the sudden resolve on his face frightened her when he stood up and approached her with a purposeful stride.
Bryn backed away nervously.
Grasping one of her hands securely in both of his, she froze where she stood as he knelt down on one knee, tilting his head up at her. He locked her helplessly in a very sincere gaze.
There were soft gasps from the couch.
"From this day forward, I, Adam Laoki..."
"Adam, what the hell are you - "
"...pledge myself to you, Brynhild Seaver, as your most humble slave."
"I...I was only kidding..."
"I surrender to you everything I have. I give you my body, my possessions and my mind, which are now completely yours to do with as you see fit, until the day we decide that my life-debt to you is paid," Loki declared solemnly. As Bryn stood rigid, unable to move under the intensity of his stare, he slowly dipped his head and kissed her hand which was carefully cradled between his palms.
All of Bryn's emotions, along with her mind, went supernova for the second time that day and it was all way too much for her to handle!
to be continued
Author's Note:
***I encourage everyone to read 'Warriors and Magic Wielders" a supplemental story to this one under the Thor section!***
Loki's underwear choices were: loose boxers, boxer briefs, low-rise trunks, micro briefs and thongs. (Okay, ladies...Loki in a thong. Like we haven't thought about him wearing them.) xD
Sonata 11 in Bb, Op 22 - 2. Adagio con molta expressione
Pecorino Restaurant: triple w pecorinorestaurant dot com
LOL. Mars thinking Loki's 'bisexual.' However, because of Loki's nature, I think it's more complicated than that! What term would best describe him then? Multi-sexual or omni-sexual? Hmm.
Dun dun dun! Loki willingly pledging himself as a slave to Bryn? What the heck is Loki up to? I think things just got a LOT more interesting...don't you agree? *wags eyebrows*
My supreme gratitude to all my faithful readers! Your words of encouragement keep me going!
Let Chaos Reign.