I didn't see Loki for another five weeks. Scott was pretty busy too, though we met up a few times in the café. Scott was friendly and open and he made it very clear where his interest was, but he wouldn't push things. I was grateful for it. I really enjoyed spending time with him, even if there was an ache every time I continued to deny the actual connection between us.

Even though Scott was always cautious to not say anything about his connection to the Avengers, he seemed to be unaware of the fact that Loki was another of my soulmates. And I said nothing about it either. I hoped that, considering the near disgust in his tone, Loki was planning to stay far away from me.

Unfortunately, I was wrong. I was crossing the quad when suddenly he was walking next to me. I flinched as I felt the loudness of his thoughts brush against mine.

"Fuck," I swore.

"Well now, don't be rude." I slid a look out of the side of my eye at him. He was wearing all black. Suit, shirt, tie. He looked handsome and just a little dangerous.

"Why the hell are you here?" I demanded, stopping to face him.

He lifted an elegant eyebrow, "Is that anyway to speak to your soulmate, pet?"

I rolled my eyes and turned away to keep walking. He immediately fell into step with me. I sighed heavily and again asked, "Why are you here? Can't you just leave me alone?"

"I've been considering you," was his response.

"Excuse me?"

"I've been considering why you can know your soulmates before coming into contact with them or coming near them."

"Ugh, I really don't care. I just want to live my life and be alone."

"Oh, so you don't spend any time with Lang then?" Loki inquired.

I rolled my eyes. "Well, seeing as we live across the hall from each other, it's kind of hard to avoid him."

Loki hummed, still keeping pace with me as I walked away from the university and towards my home. I expected him to say something, but he didn't. So, I did my best to ignore him, figuring he'd eventually get bored and go away.

Again, I was wrong. He kept with me all the way to the door. I sighed and turned towards him. "Will you leave me alone?"

He looked like he was considering things and then he asked, "Are you going to tell Lang about your powers?"

I felt my brows furrow. "I'm not planning on it."

"I figured."

I jabbed a finger into his chest. "You better not tell him about it, either."

The move must have completely shocked him because he just looked down at where my finger was with a look of complete bafflement before he recovered and wrapped one of his large hands around mine.

"I wasn't planning on it. But you have to know you can't just not have a relationship with your soulmates."

"Watch me." I spun around, let myself into the lobby, and stomped up the stairs.

I met Scott halfway up. "Hey, Lexi. Oh, hey is something wrong?"

Letting out a small huff, I centered myself, and plastered what I was sure was an unconvincing smile on my face. "Just a rough day at work. I won't keep you." I turned away again and headed up the last flights of stairs and let myself into my apartment.

I shut the door behind me, leaning my head back against it and closing my eyes. I just wanted peace and to be alone. Now look at what was happening.

Scott watched Lexi climb the rest of the stairs and briefly considered going up and seeing if there was something he could do to cheer her up. He shook his head, thinking that if he did, she wouldn't appreciate it. So, he continued the rest of the way down the steps and out of the apartment building.

He stopped dead in his tracks when he caught sight of the person standing in front of his building staring up at the windows. "Loki? Why are you here?"

Green eyes dropped from the windows to his and he barely contained a sneer. "I am not here. I was passing by here."

Scott eyed him, "Right."

Loki rolled his eyes and disappeared in a flash of green. Scott shook his head at the enigma that was the God of Mischief. Unlike many of the others, he had nothing against the guy. Sure, he apparently sent that giant robot thing to that tiny town in New Mexico to kill his brother. Yes, he murdered many people, and he destroyed a portion of New York to take over the world. From what he understood, he was being controlled by some kind of mind control device. Scott couldn't find it in himself to hold that against the guy.

Luis pulled up in the van a minute later and Scott put thoughts of the God of Mischief out of his head as Luis immediately jumped into a long-winding story about why he had called Scott and what he needed help with.

️ ️ ️

Loki had teleported back into his apartment at the Tower after being confronted by Lang. He immediately set to pacing around as he considered her. When there was a loud bang on his door, he considered teleporting away, but knew that Thor would just track him down regardless.

Sighing, Loki walked to the door and opened it.

"Loki!" Thor boomed, "I have heard the news and come celebrate."

"Be quiet, you overgrown buffoon." Loki gripped Thor's arm and yanked him into his apartment. He shut the door with a snap, grateful that there wasn't anyone in the hall.

When he turned from the door, Thor was there beaming at him. Loki rolled his eyes, asking, "What are you celebrating?"

Thor looked surprised, "You. Finally, finding your soulmate. Here in Midgard, of all places."

"How did you even know that happened? You were on Asgard."

Thor strode over to the windows in the living room where Loki was standing, answering simply, "Heimdall."

Loki's eyes rolled. He should have figured, "Still spying on my brother?"

"Of course not. At least not in that sense. You are my brother. You might be banished here, but we still are concerned with your well-being."

Loki turned with narrowed eyes to Thor. Surely he wasn't saying what Loki thought he was saying. "We?"

"Mother and I."

Loki groaned, "So she knows too."

"They both know."

"Wonderful." Just what Loki needed was the Allfather knowing that he had not only found a soulmate but that it was with a Midgardian. Loki knew well of Odin's opinion of Midgardians.

Thor patted Loki's shoulder, getting right to the heart of it. "Do not concern yourself about Father's opinion on this matter."

Loki sneered, "Like I actually care what Father's opinion on my soulmate is."

Thor looked around the room. "So, where is she? Or is it he? Or is it they?"

"She is not here." Loki ground out.

"And why not?"

Loki walked away from his brother again. "Because she does not want to be with me."

"Don't be ridiculous. Soulmates are meant. How can she not want to be with you?"

Thor's certainty that things were simple would be amusing if it weren't so annoying. So, Loki deflected, "Well, for one, I am not her only soulmate."

"Trifles." Thor dismissed the excuse with a wave of his large hand.

Loki was just about done with this whole situation. "Just drop it, Thor," Loki recalled the words that Lang had said in the elevator and he echoed it now, "It's complicated."

I was avoiding Scott. He was pretty easy to avoid, outside of running into each other in the hallway, lobby or stairs. I could tell it was bumming him out, but I could play it off as just being stressed and busy at work. In a moment of weakness, I had given Scott my number, and it had turned out to be a good thing because I found it easier to keep him at a distance with texts than when I saw him in person.

I was also trying to avoid Loki, but his use of magic made that difficult. He kept showing up at various places I was in the guise of other people. Men, women, even a child once. But what Loki probably didn't realize was that each person's mind was unique, much like DNA and fingerprints. So even as he attempted to fool me with disguise, I could know it was him as his mind brushed against mine.

My phone beeped as I was nearly home. It was Scott.

Scott: Hey, Luis is wondering if you want to join the guys for drinks and terrible karaoke.

I stared at the text, wanting to say no. I should say no, but the fact was I had been here for a couple of months and I still didn't have anyone that I could call friends. Nobody but Scott, really. And I was getting lonely. As I was debating on it, another text came through.

Scott: C'mon, you have been working too hard.

Lexi: Okay, sounds like a plan. Where and when?

Scott responded with a place and time as I was heading into my building. I took a shower and then stood in front of my closet, debating what to wear. In the end, I went with something casual, since the bar that Scott said we were heading to was a step above a dive. I pulled on a pair of distressed jeans and paired it with a copper cold shoulder top. After drying my hair, I threw it up into a messy bun and headed out to the bar.

The guys were all already there when I arrived. Scott was sitting with his back to the door and laughing at something one of them likely said. I couldn't hear the laughter, as the bar was loud, but since he had his head thrown back, I knew. When Luis spotted me walking to the table, he elbowed Scott in the side and nodded in my direction.

Scott turned around, spotting me and hopped to his feet. When he threw his arm around my shoulder and gave me a side squeeze, I was surprised. He leaned towards me proclaiming loudly, "Lexi, thank god you are here. I need your help against these fools!"

I eased back from his embrace and took the free table. Scott downed the rest of the drink that was in his glass and stood, saying he was getting more drinks. He pointed at me with the obvious question and I told him to just get me a beer.

Five minutes later and Scott returned with the next round, handing over a large 20 ounce glass of beer to me. When I lifted an eyebrow at him, he flashed that lopsided grin. I just shrugged and turned back to listen to the story that Luis was telling me. By now, I was used to the ridiculous, rambling way that Luis would tell stories.

Throughout the night, I caught Scott randomly staring at me with an intensity that made me squirm. I also laughed so hard that it hurt. Suddenly, Scott stood up, announcing that it was time to get some singing done. I tried to say no, but he literally dragged me up on to the little stage. Picking out the song 'Get Happy' of all things.

We were terrible. Not because neither of us were horrible at singing, but because we were laughing so much. Collapsing back at the table Dave said, "So, has Scott shown you any of his magic yet?"

I looked in surprise at the man in question. "You know magic?"

He lifted a shoulder. "I was on house arrest for two years. I learned a lot of things in that time."

"Oh, c'mon, show me some magic!"

Scott's blue eyes stared into mine for a moment, then he pulled out a deck of cards. I leaned forward as he did the trick, laughing in delight. Before long, it was several hours later, and I was standing and saying that I needed to go. It was a Thursday night, which meant that I had work in the morning.

Scott leapt up, declaring that he would walk me home.

I laughed as we walked out of the bar, nudging him with my hip, "I would say that is very chivalrous of you, but the fact is that you literally live across the hall from me."

Scott grinned. "I'd say it's still chivalrous."

I hummed before laughing again. Thankfully, the bar wasn't too far from where we lived and we were outside our doors in no time. I turned towards him, intending on thanking him, only to find him standing completely in my space. No doubt because of the alcohol buzzing in my blood, I stayed where I was. I let my eyes drop to his lips, wetting my own in the process before I glanced back into his eyes.

"Scott–"

He stepped closer, his hands coming up to cup my face before he leaned forward and placed his lips against mine. I closed my eyes, one of my hands coming up to grip his wrist, not to stop him but to ground myself. The kiss wasn't passionate. In fact, it was almost chaste, but it lit a fire inside me. He pulled away, but didn't drop his hands as he stared into my eyes. It was like he was searching for an answer and he found it when he kissed me.

Finally, he dropped his hands and took a step back. He shoved his hands into his pockets and said softly, "Good night, Lexi."

I found myself just nodding before I turned to open my door and step in. I let out a shaky breath as I slid the deadbolt home and hooked up the chain. Then I tapped my forehead lightly against the door. What the hell was I doing?