She liked outer space.
Loki knew little about the far reaches of the cosmos. He preferred his feet firmly planted on the ground. But if he was going to win over Jane, he would need to educate himself on the things that she enjoyed.
Why did he love her, again?
Because she challenged him, when most wouldn't dare. Because she was intelligent, had a sense of humor…
…and when she smiled, it was as though heaven itself opened and revealed itself to him.
What had ignited this affection? It had begun simply enough…he had wanted to seduce his loathed brother's lover…
They had been talking off and on for about a month. Loki's plan was working, for the most part, and it wasn't difficult to get her tipsy and steal a kiss. Jane had been embarrassed, she had protested…but he knew that she had been willing and curious.
When Thor steadily began paying less attention to her, it seemed the perfect opportunity to play the concerned friend and listen. And compliment her. And then…
The first time it had been relatively quick. She felt too guilty to continue, and wouldn't see him for a week. But Loki had patience, and he waited for her to come around; he would be waiting.
Thor and she had gotten into a heated argument, and Jane suggested that they needed time apart.
So she called Loki.
And all night long they fucked. Everywhere in her apartment…every which way.
From that point on, he had her. Anytime he wanted, she was there, willing. Occasionally, she would protest, but mostly, she complied.
It was one evening, shortly after her and Thor had reconciled (though she and Loki were still at it on the side), that he felt it.
He saw her on Thor's arm, and he seethed. He wanted her there with him.
Loki left the office party and got drunk in his apartment, by himself.
Fuck. He loved her.
She was a wonderful companion, and he loved her.
He was never jealous of anyone, except Thor, and he loved her.
He hated that of all the people on this earth, he fell in love with the one Thor loved.
He would hide it, that was all. Deny it.
And he did.
He denied it with resounding success.
Until he couldn't any longer...and so, not long after she had confessed herself to him...
He had resolved to tell her. Tell her, for he knew that she reciprocated…it was a mere formality. He was sitting at their booth, in their favorite restaurant. Well, his.
She was running late. This, in and of itself, wasn't out of the ordinary. Jane quite frequently ran late for any number of reasons. Usually avoidance.
He was looking outside of the window.
Looking at the passersby.
He was anxious to see her…he was certain what her reaction would be…glee, perhaps some relief.
Loki sipped his wine and looked…
And then he saw her. She was crying.
Crying? That didn't seem right…
She walked into the restaurant, blowing her nose.
"Jane," he said. "Are you alright?"
"Fine," she sat down.
"Well, you look wretched. What's going on?"
"Nothing," she picked up the menu.
"Jane Foster…" there was a hint of warning in his voice.
She looked at him. "Don't you get angry with me. I'm here…I'm here because you want me here. Because I'm always doing what you want to do. Thor is gonna find out, and when he does…" her eyes fell and she swallowed a sob. "When he does, everything that I ever wanted will be gone, and it will be my fault," she wiped her eyes. "I gotta go," she stood.
"Jane, wait," this wasn't going well at all.
"No. I need to leave. Another night, Loki," and she left.
And he knew that though she would be back in his embrace, an opportunity was lost there.
He knew that she loved him, she told him such…but Loki wanted more. He knew what she meant when she said that she loved him. She loved him in spite of herself.
He wanted her to want herself to be with him.
Yes. That was what he wanted.
And then he would tell her that he loved her.
So…he would need to make her see that he was the kind of person she wanted to be with, even though he knew he was. He decided to take her to see "Dark Universe," at the American Museum of Natural History. It wasn't the most recent film made on the subject, but it showed that he was paying attention to her, and cared about what she cared about.
He took out his mobile.
Would you like to join me for an outing at the museum?
Send.
He smiled and sat back.
Jane received the text and looked at it blankly. What was he playing at?
For she knew that it was a game.
Jane sighed…maybe she should just allow it, despite her adamant refusal to allow herself to be touched by the man.
But she was slowly beginning to soften, watching him try, after being such a dick…
She thought about her initial realization that she was in love with him…it felt like so long ago…
He was humming into her clit, pulsing his tongue against her core, and Jane was experiencing ecstasy such that she had hardly known. He knew her body, knew it, she believed, in some ways, better than she knew it. And she ground against him. She was very close now.
"Oh my god oh my god…" she moaned. Her breath was coming in short spurts and she grabbed a handful of his hair.
She was hoping against hope that he wouldn't tease her as he sometimes did, bringing her to the edge and then stopping, because he wanted to be inside of her when she came.
…and he complied…Jane came, hard. It rocked her soul, and she nearly cried from the release.
All the more decadent since Thor had just dumped her a week ago after catching her doing just this with the very man doing that very thing to her now...
Loki climbed on top of her, smiling and wiping his mouth.
"How was that, sweeting?"
High from her orgasm, she giggled, unable to offer a proper answer.
"I'll take that as a good thing," and he slipped inside of her.
She cooed her pleasure, and Loki moved. It didn't take much effort for him to come…and he filled her wholly.
Jane smiled and kissed him, he rolled off of her, not breaking the kiss.
And it was that moment, when she felt that he really cared for her, when she was at her most vulnerable…"I love you," Jane whispered, then quickly covered her mouth with her hand in shock.
He pulled away from her, looking at her crookedly. "Excuse me?"
"Umm…" she sat up. She hadn't meant to say that. She hadn't even quite realized that she was in love with him…"I mean…"
"Do you Jane? Do you love me?" he propped himself up on his elbow.
She eyed him. She knew this man. She knew him better than anyone, ever. Nothing that he could do or say could surprise her. And in that vein, she knew that he didn't reciprocate.
Maybe she was just vulnerable because of Thor, and how she had hurt him…she had told Thor she didn't know why she had this affair with Loki. It just happened.
Now she knew why.
Deep down, down in her innermost soul…the place most deny exists in themselves, Jane loved Loki.
And she just said it. Out loud. God, she was an idiot.
She got up.
"Jane?"
"It's alright, Loki. I'm not gonna stay and make you anymore uncomfortable than you already are."
"You think that I'm uncomfortable?"
She wouldn't look at him. She couldn't. "I know that you are."
"Well, I'm glad that you know me so well."
"I do. And I just told you that I'm in love with you and I know how you hate this shit so I'm just gonna leave. It feels wrong anyway, being cooped up in a hotel room after…" she swallowed, putting her shoes on. "…after what happened. It's all out in the open." She grabbed her bag. "I'll talk to you later," and she left.
She had said that, because she knew that it was true. She said it, because she loved him, and because she couldn't bear losing him right after she fucked things up with Thor.
Jane tapped the side of the phone.
Sure. When should we go?
Send.
Now is as good a time as any.
And at this, she smiled.
"Oh wow! I've been meaning to come and check this out," Jane said, giddy with anticipation at seeing "Dark Universe."
"I thought you might be. So, I thought in turn, why not take you myself?"
"Good thinking."
"I have my moments," he opened the door for her.
Something about Loki opening the door for Jane made her pleased…normally, she didn't give a shit if someone opened the door for her or not…but Loki, opening it for her, meant something. They went inside the planetarium.
Loki and Jane found a pair of seats and sat together. "So, are these serious scientific…erm…fanatics?"
Jane laughed. "You mean geeks?"
"Well, to be indelicate."
"Yeah. I guess…but they aren't…probably…very um…" how to put it without being bitchy or a snob…"Very serious students of the discipline."
"Unlike you…"
"That's right," she looked crookedly at him.
He nodded dramatically.
"What?"
"Nothing," he put on a face of complete innocence.
She elbowed him.
"Ouch! That really hurt!" he rubbed his arm.
"Good," and she sat back in her seat.
He looked at her…why hadn't he said anything….?
"I love you," and he saw the shock on her face.
"Excuse me?" he couldn't believe it. She had actually said the words…but then he saw how horrified she was at this. He saw that she disliked this fact.
He decided then and there that he wanted all of her. Not just what he already had.
But Jane had become more than something to win. At the outset, yes. But now, his love and admiration had grown, and she had become more precious to him.
He watched as the lights fell, and the film began.
And he heard her giggle in the darkness.
He heard her delight in what she was listening to.
And he loved her even more.
He felt her warmth to his right…her steady breathing…it was reminiscent of the few times that she had fallen asleep next to him, and he reveled in her presence.
And he thought…
For a moment, they were there as a couple. And he could pretend to hold her hand…and his fingers stretched a bit in her direction…he could imagine that she wanted to be there with him, as a lover…and she would lay her head on his shoulder. He could think about what it would mean to have her there as his partner…as his…his…
He swallowed, and dismissed it. Not yet.
After a spell, the lights came back on, and Jane rubbed her eyes. She was positively beaming.
"Ready?" she asked him.
Loki nodded. "I am…" and he stood, and followed her out of the chamber.