A/N: Thank you, JaninaM8! You are the best.
"You are beautiful, Jane Foster."
"Says you, Thor Odinson."
"Yes, I do say," and he nuzzled her neck lovingly.
"Tell me again that you love me…" she whispered.
"What are the two of you doing now?"
Jane turned to see Loki standing there, looking disapprovingly at the pair.
"Jane."
Her eyes mirrored her reverie, and she appeared to be quite lost in thought. The appearance of Loki in her daydream caused her brow to furrow and her nose to crinkle in irritation.
"Jane!"
"Oh, hey Erik," and she shuffled papers on her desk. "What's up?"
"Did you send those results?"
"Hmmm? Results?" and then realization dawned on her. "Oh! The results from yesterday?" Jane quickly went to her computer to see if she had, indeed, sent the results in question.
"Jane," Erik sat down. "You wanna talk about it?"
Her look passed from innocent confusion, to anger, to defeat. "No, not really."
"Jane…"
She covered her face in her hands and spilled. After she had finished the tale, she looked at Erik with a look of guilt and shame. "I'm a terrible person, aren't I?"
"I know that you want for me to tell you that. But I won't."
"What do you mean?"
Erik sighed. "Look Jane. You want someone to tell you what to do, and I won't do that. This is your mess, you need to clean it up."
"Yeah, but…"
"No buts. Your work is starting to suffer from this. You need to figure it out," Erik got up and left her office.
He was right. She knew that he was. She didn't want to admit it, but he was. Jane heaved a heavy sigh…she had thought that she had made up her mind. Tell them all after Christmas. But she couldn't decide if not telling them was worse than coming clean. This was terrible.
She decided not to go to the hospital that evening. She had been every day that week, talking with Frigga, and even Odin now…it was Friday. She'd go home.
Jane concentrated on her work for the remainder of the day, taking an abbreviated lunch and staying a bit later. She was pleased with herself.
She peaked her head into Erik's office to wish him a good night, and then left. A good day, in all. She walked home, savoring the crispness of the December air, the low hanging violet sun, and she smiled.
Maybe she would actually cook something and read a book that night. Change things up a touch.
She walked into her apartment and went into the kitchen, opened the fridge and thrummed her fingers on the door as she peered inside. Well, she could make a wilted salad. She could do frozen pizza…can of soup…some string cheese…what the fuck did she eat all the time…? and her mind drifted to the box of pop tarts in the pantry.
No. Nope. She wasn't gonna eat pop tarts for dinner.
Jane rummaged through her pantry and procured some penne, a jar of sauce, and her bread maker. She could make a stupid wilted salad and some pasta, garlic bread…and wine. There. Not exactly Italian gourmet, but hey.
Jane had made her dinner, and being fairly pleased with the results, sat down after setting her table (!).
Her bell rang.
Fuck it, Darcy…always interrupting.
Jane thought about ignoring it, but then thought Darcy wouldn't be going anywhere, so she stood up to answer the door.
"Look Darcy…I'm about…" she stopped. "Loki?"
"Good evening, Jane. You weren't at the hospital…" and he stepped inside.
"Um, no," she closed the door. "How did you…?"
"Know where your apartment was?" he turned toward her, smiling.
"Yeah," she sheepishly replied.
"I pay attention."
"I'm sorry?"
"At dinner…you took out your wallet at one point and I saw your license."
"Wow," she whispered.
Loki looked around a moment and then sat. "Why weren't you at the hospital? Frigga was concerned."
Jane cleared her throat and hastily went to the kitchen area. "Want something to drink? Some pasta? I just made some dinner."
"What do you have in terms of drink?" Loki took off his gloves and coat, but remained seated.
"I have water…wine…?"
"A regular biblical scene," he chuckled. When he heard no answering laugher, he answered, "Wine would be nice."
Jane was too nervous to laugh, so she poured him some wine, and carried the two glasses to the sofa, and sat down. "You could've just called," she said, sipping the wine.
"Ah, but you likely wouldn't have answered, not knowing my number."
"Do you know mine?" her eyes wide.
"No, but it wouldn't have taken much to discover it," and now Loki sipped. "You still haven't answered my question."
"Oh. Well…I just wanted an evening, you know."
"Give me your number," and he took out his own phone.
"Um, why?"
"In case you desire another 'evening'," and he winked at her. "Come Jane, we are to be brother and sister, what harm can come from me having your phone number?"
She saw the logic in what he said, and though she thought that his concern was ill-founded, he certainly wouldn't think so, so she did.
"I sent you a text…now Frigga's mind will be at ease."
Jane hoped that in a few weeks she wouldn't need to change phone numbers. "It's sweet that she was concerned," and Jane took a long gulp of wine.
"It is in her nature to be so," Loki replied, looking at her softly. "Does no one ever show you that concern, Jane?"
"Not really," her eyes fell to the tattered pattern on her upholstered sofa. She should replace it. She certainly had the money for a new sofa.
"But Thor…"
Her gaze then found his. "That's why it was so important for me to accept him when I did, Loki. It's been so long since anyone has cared about me. I mean, really cared. You have no idea how lucky you are," she swallowed her emotion and sipped again.
"No…but surely you have sensed the unease in our family. It isn't all pleasant, all the time."
"Why? What happened?"
"I've told you," and Loki sat back.
"But…all because Thor fucked up the company?"
He glared at her. "Because Thor fucked up everything. He is a selfish man, Jane Foster. He left the company, abandoned the family, set about just doing whatever he damn well pleased. Never came for Sunday dinner, Christmas was a joke. That's why…" he paused and looked away. "That's why we were all so shocked at his intending to marry a…" he swallowed. "You."
Jane played with the hem of her shirt. "A…me?"
Loki cleared his throat. "A nice person."
"Take that back," she commanded.
But when Loki looked at her, she was smiling.
...
"No! No he didn't!" she was laughing hysterically, holding her stomach. laying back on the sofa. The two of them had polished off two bottles of wine, and were exchanging stories.
"Oh, yes! And when he realized that they didn't mean him, he played it off like he meant to stand on that stage, and waved at everyone," Loki broke into peels of laughter.
"Oh my god, that's so funny," she choked, attempting to calm herself. Jane rubbed her streaming eyes, and her laughter ebbed. "Loki…why are you so bitter?"
His arm fell across his stomach, as he had laid back on the other side of the sofa. He looked at Jane. "Wouldn't you be? Ignored most of your life in favor of another, then only valued at all when that other abandons everyone? It isn't fair, Jane," and he sat up, and polished off his wine.
"No. But you still have much to be thankful for."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah…you have parents who love you, you are smart, funny…"
Loki looked at her crookedly. "Ah, but I am more alone than you realize."
"Whaddya mean?" and she sat up to look at him more fully.
"I am forever in my brother's shadow, Jane. To Frigga and Odin, especially Odin," he added with emphasis. "With friends…Fandral is Thor's friend…" and he poured the remaining wine and drank it. "With ladies…he has you."
"So? You mean to tell me you can't get a date?"
"No one of consequence. I have the work. That's about it," Loki sat back in the sofa once more and looked at Jane.
"I don't believe it. I mean…you're a good looking guy," she examined him a moment. "Maybe you're just being picky," she waved her hand dismissively.
"Perhaps," he returned her steady look. He swallowed, and sat up.
He was dangerously close to her face. "I should go," he said, but made no effort to move.
The wine was potent, and Jane felt heady…and his mouth, so close to her own now. "Yeah," she replied. "You should."
"Jane…" he began, but she pulled away.
"My dinner is cold," she blurted out.
"Right," he stood. He felt foolish. "Apologies for interrupting your dinner," he swung his coat on.
"It's alright," Jane said, standing. She offered a small smile.
"Will you be at the hospital tomorrow?" he went to the door.
"Yep. Count on it."
Loki smiled and left.
Jane ran her hand through her hair. No more wine, Jane Foster. Jesus…what was she doing?
"Jane, are you serious?"
"What?"
"Those are crazy expensive sweaters. Like, Ralph Lauren? And those two dudes aren't even family," Darcy was standing in Macy's with Jane a few days later helping her shop for the Odinson's. "How big are these guys, anyway?"
"I dunno," she was examining two sweaters, one gold, one green, for Fandral and Heimdall. "Pretty big. And I should get something for little Mary," she hung the sweaters back on the rack and began to look for the baby department.
"Look, man, you already bought them a dishwasher…" Darcy followed Jane to the escalators.
"Yeah, but that was for Frigga and Odin, and now I need to get something for Fandral and Heimdall…and Fandral has an infant daughter," Jane paused. "And then there's Loki…"
"Are these people for real, Jane? Who the fuck is Loki?"
"Lower your voice," she hissed, and got off the escalator.
"Seriously. They aren't your family, you know," and she saw the sea of pink cuteness materialize before her eyes. "My god. It's like…"
"…Pepto Bismol pink," Jane supplied.
"Worse. It's like, the Care Bears had a sorority party," and Darcy picked up an offending footed pajama piece. Her face contorted with some sort of obvious pain.
"Ok. Let's find something quick and get outta here," and she selected an outfit and had the clerk gift wrap it.
The pair was walking out of Macy's with a few bags, and Jane was clicking off people in her list verbally. "Sweaters for Heimdall and Fandral, outfit for Mary, scarf and earrings for Frigga, watch for Odin, dishwasher for the house…"
"Jesus. Thank god they don't have a dog. You must have a lot more money than you let on."
Jane ignored this. "That leaves Loki," and she began to look in the windows along the crowded street.
"Who the fuck is Loki, anyhow?" Darcy sounded irritated. "You've mentioned him a couple of times."
"He's…" Jane paused and swallowed. Right in front of her was the most haunting picture she'd ever seen. It was dark…blue mostly…ethereal…there were tall trees on both sides of it, and a small stream sliding down the middle…and in the expanse of the faraway end, clouds; purple, blue, with light glowing through the cover. Loki. "…Thor's brother," she whispered. "I need that," she pointed at the picture, it was pretty big, like, 30 by 36, and went inside.
"How much for that picture?" she asked the manager of Gallery 263.
"The Keever? It isn't an original, I'd need to check the price for a facsimile. But my guess is around $500."
Jane's mouth hung open. Five hundred dollars for a photograph. "Um…" she paused. "Ok…thanks."
"It is revolutionary art, Miss," he dismissed her concern decidedly.
"Hey Ian!" Darcy exclaimed.
A young man came from the back of the gallery. "Darcy…Lewis?" he had a British accent, just like the curator.
"Oh my gosh, how long has it been?" and she gave him a hug and smiled.
"At least two years! Dad, this is Darcy Lewis. Darcy…did you meet my dad, Peter Chamberlain?"
Darcy offered him her hand; said dad shook offered hand and left, muttering something about finding the price for the customer. "Your dad's the curator? This is my friend, Jane."
"Yep. Been the curator here now for about a year," he paused. "What brings you by?" and he eyed Darcy's ass covertly.
"Well…Jane wants that blue photo in the window for her fiancee's brother."
"Darcy!" Jane blushed. "It was just an idea. I don't really…"
"We have a family discount…and a payment plan for friends of family," Ian observed.
"Well," said Darcy. "Maybe…if you could help, Jane might like it."
Loki would love that, she was sure of it. But she really didn't want to spend more than $100. She thought she could go over budget by about $50, but it was a bit much. "How much of a discount?"
"Thirty percent."
"Thirty percent…thirty percent…" it would then be $350. Too much.
Ian's dad came back. "I can sell it to you for $400," he reported.
"Minus the 30% family discount, right dad?" Ian said.
Darcy fluttered her eyes at Peter.
"Close friends of yours, son?"
"Yeah. And since we were just talking about how we needed to change out the Keever, why not knock off the 30%?" he winked at Darcy.
It would be $280. Still over budget. "I can do $150 today and owe the gallery…" she offered. She believed that Loki would absolutely love it, and she wanted to do something nice for him. He seemed so down all the time. Well, when he wasn't making sarcastic remarks...or getting drunk and telling hilarious stories about Thor...winking at her...
Peter Chamberlain cleared his throat. "Alright. Follow me."
Jane followed him to a desk against the far wall, and as she passed Darcy, she smiled at her. Darcy winked, and started talking to Ian, touching his arm.
...
"It's gonna be delivered to my place in two days. I don't have his address," Jane was explaining to Darcy as they walked to their apartment building.
"It's an insane gift, Jane. Do you really think he'll like it?" and she sank into Jane's sofa.
"I dunno," she admitted, and took her packages to her bedroom. "But if he doesn't I'll take it. I think it's awesome," Jane came out in some sweats and sat next to Darcy.
"What's with this Loki guy?"
"Whaddya mean?"
"I mean…are you guys friends or something?"
Jane's brow furrowed. Were they friends? Not really…"Well…no. Not exactly."
"So, why are you buying him art? Like, how well do you know him?"
"Um…I've spent some time with him," suddenly she felt very silly. "I mean, I dunno. I feel like…like no one really understands him," and she got up to get some wine from the kitchen.
"But you do?" Darcy took the proffered glass.
"Not really. But I mean to."