As they stood outside of the Depot not long before nightfall, Grace and Loki marvelled at the building's size and grandeur. The glass sparkled in the evening light, the rustle of the long ornamental grass planted in Roosevelt Park the background music to their musing. A large white SUV drove up and a man stepped out and introduced himself as Dan. He had a messenger bag with him and pulled out a long black flashlight before unlocking the gate in the chain-link fence. The looming bulk of the station was astonishing and the closer one stood to it, the larger it seemed, the glass arches unfathomably high. When they entered, Loki's eyes immediately rose to the ceiling and he stood perfectly still as he tried to take everything in. After a few minutes, Grace nudged him forward and they proceeded farther into the building.
"The building was built in 1912 and 1913. We're hoping to restore it, but getting it sealed off to explorers has been one of the biggest challenges we've faced so far." Dan pointed to the ceiling, "The plaster in here used to be pretty spectacular."
Grace flipped through photographs on her phone and tugged on Loki's sleeve to bring his eyes back down, "Here's a picture of what it looked like back when it was new. Now imagine it at this scale. Pretty incredible, isn't it? And we're just in the first room!" Loki looked down at the small image on the phone screen and then back to the ceiling, his voice stolen by the awe he felt for the sheer scale of the structure.
After a few moments, he said, "The palace is this large back where I am from, but our civic buildings are nowhere near as grand. Tell me, do all your cities have train stations this magnificent?"
Grace shook her head, "Nope. Not at all. I'll show you New York's sometime if I can. It's the same design for the lower levels, but without the office tower on top. You get an idea of what this place looked like when you walk into it. It's pretty spectacular, too."
"It is spectacular even as it is. I cannot imagine what it looked like in its glory."
Dan gestured towards waiting room, "Shall we move inward before it gets too dark?"
Grace gently guided Loki through the station with Dan in the lead, pointing out the patch where the floor had been cleaned by a film studio and where the vandalism had been the thickest, as well as places where the original architectural detail still stubbornly clung to the structure despite the years of decay. Once they had finished on the lower levels, Dan led them through the office tower and up to the roof. Grace pointed out where she had signed her name to the building years ago and then took in the view of Detroit and Windsor on the other side of the river.
"Isn't it beautiful? From up here, the scars the city holds aren't so deep and the problems aren't so intimidating. We, too, can shine. If I could live up here, I would."
"Well hopefully we can make that dream come true some day- we're looking into putting luxury apartments or condos in the upper floors if there's enough interested people," Dan replied, a smile on his face, "You're not the first person who's said they'd like to live here- though probably one of the first who could afford an entire floor to herself."
"That would be amazing, Dan. It really would be." She looked out over the city and pointed to the arc of Ford Field's roof in the distance, "See the dome out there that says 'Ford' on it? If you look a little to the left, a few years ago you would have seen the Brewster Douglass towers." She turned to Dan, "That's where I lived for the latter half of my childhood. You'd never guess a girl from Brewster would be one of the folks to stand up here talking about living in the Depot, would you?"
Dan shook his head, "Not these days, no- back in the day there were some amazing people who came out of that place- you know, Joe Louis and all those folks."
"Yeah, well I may not have much going for me yet other than a famous brother, but I'll get there. Maybe not Joe Louis level of getting there, but I will." She grinned at Dan, "And when I do, you'll be able to say you've got Tony Stark's famous artist sister living on the top of your Depot."
Dan smiled and then stepped back to allow Loki and Grace a few moments to themselves. They walked around the roof edge slowly, hand in hand, and Grace stopped only once in a while to point out the landmarks she had mentioned earlier in the day. They paused for a moment to look out over the river and the twinkling lights of the bridge. She shivered as the wind picked up and Loki stepped closer, positioning his shoulder behind hers, hoping to keep her warm, or at least to shelter her from the breeze. She reached for his hands and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing her back against his chest, snuggling against him.
"Your body is always just a little cooler than I expect- is that normal where you're from?"
"No. But we will talk about that later. Is it a problem ?"
"Nope. You're comfy. And the view is amazing. The bridge is so pretty. Hell, the whole city is pretty. We haven't even made it all the way around. I'm just...so damn content."
"As am I...and satisfaction is not in my nature."
"Well I feel really special then."
He smiled as her hair brushed against his face, "You are, Miss Grace. Shall we continue our walk?"
"Sure." Arms around one another, they kept walking around the roof edge, taking in the lights.
"Ready to go? Or at least until I have an apartment up here for you, Grace?" Dan asked as they returned to where they had started.
"Ready as I'll ever be. You get that flat up here for me and I'll tell Tony to stop making offers on the building."
"He's persistent, I'll give him that."
"Anything for his little sister, Dan. And he knows I can't stay away from Detroit."
They worked their way back down through the station in the dark and thanked Dan before ambling back across Michigan Avenue to their rooms. They sat down in the living room and read the various magazines and books left by previous guests.
Loki broke the silence, "I feel as though I ought to share my secret after your revelation today. Why I am cold to the touch, the spiral that started this madness."
"You know you don't have to, right? If you're not comfortable sharing, I'm not pushing you and I won't. It's OK."
"No, you ought to know the truth of me. Truth. That word sounds so foreign coming from my lips." He took a deep breath, knowing that she probably would not understand the full gravity of what he was about to say, "I am not really Thor's brother. I was adopted...or, rather, stolen. Odin took me from after finding me on a rock in temple ruins in Jotunheim. I was raised as his and never told any different. The stories of my childhood demonised the Jotunr as monsters, our enemies. And so it was only a few short years ago when I found out I was one of them, and quite by accident. It is why you feel the perpetual chill of my skin, a cold tempered by whatever magic Odin used to give me the form of the Aesir. Thor says that everything I have done since my discovery has been to prove myself to Odin. To prove I am every bit as much a warrior and as every bit a worthy king as Thor. I cannot entirely say if this is true or not. But I am a very different man in Asgard than you see me. I am bitter, I am sarcastic, I am wicked, I am a ruthless trickster. Only with my magic gone and my fate truly left to others have I been what you see me as now."
"Well that doesn't seem so bad to me. I mean, compared to leading an alien army into New York to try to take over my world, nearly killing my brother in the process and leading S.H.I.E.L.D. to decide to send a nuke to obliterate the city, it's pretty tame."
"And you do not know them...us...as monsters."
"Nope. I just know you...only for a week, yeah, but still... You've been a damn fine gentleman the entire time. I've dated a few men I'd call monsters, including one crazy motherfucker I thought was going to kill me when I broke off the relationship- I had Tony wait outside in his suit just in case and I think that alone saved me. Your behaviour doesn't scream 'monster' or throw up red flags for me."
"I wish I could show you...this is not the face of Jotunheim. My touch is, in my born form, so cold it would burn you. My skin blue, my eyes red as blood. I can create the illusion when my sorcery is strong, but I cannot transform into it without a relic of Jotunheim to begin the change."
Grace rose and settled on the arm of his chair, "So you look different...how does that make you a monster? I guess I don't get it. You're a fucked up person- so am I, the childhood whore. And? It's OK. We'll get by. We're friends, we can handle this."
"You do know that I've killed hundreds of your people? The casualties from New York alone...and the eighty before then. And that does not count the Jotunr I have killed. I am ruthless and wicked."
"So what's your game with me, then? You've been relaxed, kind, gentle, and even adorably naive and you're telling me that it's not really you."
"I do not know, Miss Grace. I am not playing a game with you. I have not felt this...unhindered in many years. I would like to think that before I felt the pressures of my station I was, perhaps, a kinder being. But since I postponed Thor's coronation, I have found myself unable to be that creature- even more-so since I discovered my heritage."
"You're stressed, disappointed, struggling with your identity, and you expect that to surprise me? Sure, most people don't go apeshit crazy when they have to rebuild themselves or rediscover that they're the same person, just with different facets, but depression and anger aren't exactly uncommon reactions. You're talking to a girl whose first boyfriend was also her first girlfriend. I've seen what all that shit can do to somebody when they first find out they aren't who they've thought they were...and I've also seen the abso-fucking-lutely amazing transformation that happens when somebody finally embraces a new facet of their lives and accepts that it doesn't mean they're a different person in their heart. You'll get there, Loki. But how much time have you had to really just deal with all this shit? To sit down with yourself and listen to your heart? To process it with somebody who doesn't give a shit if you look like you or one of those flying things you unleashed on New York?"
"I do not want others in Asgard to know. Thor knows. His friends may know, though I am uncertain. A few in the palace know...but the loathing for Jotunheim is far too strong for me to speak openly in my own realm."
"So you're saying you haven't actually dealt with any of this other than by being an uncontrollable rage machine and getting yourself into deep shit with the guy who gave you the sceptre."
"To put it simply, yes."
Grace sighed, "No wonder you're a mess. Come on, pick a bedroom- we're going to work through some of this tonight. The parade isn't until noon, we don't have to sleep yet."
"Work through this?"
"Yeah. You're going to talk. You're going to talk until you've talked yourself into believing that you're still you and being you is OK. That your life doesn't have to be defined by other people and their perceptions of you. And you're going to pay attention tomorrow at the parade. We're at Pride. We're at a place that embraces everyone as they are and where people feel safe being as zany as they want to be. Learn something, OK?"
"I will do my best."
With that, they went to Loki's bedroom and sat on the bed. He laid down on the pillow and she curled up next to him, waiting for him to start speaking, but it was not long before he was asleep- she barely noticed his silence, well on the way to dreams herself.
When Loki woke the next morning, he realised two things- firstly that there was a second person in his bed and secondly that she had never changed into sleeping clothes. He did not wake her. Instead he thought about how she had reacted to news of his ancestry. It had not at all gone how he had expected, but perhaps, he thought, it was best that way, and best that the people of Midgard did not grow up with horror stories based on wicked Jotunr and virtuous Aesir. Grace was blessedly innocent to the evils of the wider universe. He wondered why she was so kind to him, so open to his oddities and so freely giving of her time, her trust, and gentle touch. He knew, from interacting with the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. that this was not the way Midgardians, as a whole, behaved. He also thought about how vulnerable she had made herself. How easy it would be to simply kill her and disappear into Detroit once again. It would certainly bring about his own demise, though, neither S.H.I.E.L.D. nor the Avengers showing any mercy. He found he honestly did not want to hurt her, despite his pondering, and he knew that he would feel terrible were any action of his to cause her injury. He had no idea why he felt that way and was slightly irritated that he did. He had kept his distance from others intentionally as he had grown older, unwilling to seek friendship in anyplace other than his books. Grace, however, hadn't really let him. She had entered his life when he was weakest, most alone, and that, it seemed, had made all the difference. He watched her sleep and wished he could stay with her for longer than he anticipated Thor would let him.
She stirred and turned over onto her back with a sigh, stretching and opening her eyes, "Good morning, sunshine. Any idea what time it is?"
"I have not yet checked."
"Just enjoying the morning, eh?"
"Very much."
"My plan to talk fell through pretty spectacularly, didn't it?"
"Quite."
"Oh well. I'd better go see when it is- we don't want to miss the parade."
"Parade?"
"Don't tell me you don't have parades in Asgard." She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed.
He propped himself up on one arm and watched as she stood and stretched, "No, we do, but they are all shows of strength- military events wherein the king rides through his people, the royal family in tow, to show that the realm is well protected and well ruled."
"Well Pride parades are a different show of strength- we show the strength of our community, our resilience, our ability to still laugh and have fun through all our trials. Get through the shower and get yourself dressed- you really don't want to miss this." Grace left to get ready for the day and Loki tumbled out of bed to do the same.
They packed their bags and tossed them in the trunk of the car, then walked to a nearby coffee shop for breakfast and began the walk downtown. The dense crowds gathered around the parade route were energetic and friendly and it did not take long to find a few inches of space where they could watch the floats.
Loki had never seen anything like it. Colourful people in colourful clothing, often in costume, sometimes in very little, sang, danced, and waved as they past. The crowd interacted with them, singing, dancing, smiling, laughing, and catching the small items tossed to them. There were people in glitter and feathers and people in matching shirts marching behind banners. There were singers, dancers, unicyclists, and members of many churches and civic organisations.
One young man in only tiny, snug shorts spotted the look of wonder on Loki's face and approached, arms wide, "We have a Pride virgin here!" He hugged Loki, "Am I right? First time here, honey?" Loki nodded and the man kissed him on both cheeks, "Have fun!" and then he jogged off to catch up with the float he was with.
Loki was smiling, but blushing, as he turned to Grace, "I was just kissed by a very hansom young man in very little clothing. Is this normal?"
"For Pride, yes. I'm surprised he didn't kiss you on the lips." She was grinning.
"Oh my..."
Grace placed a hand on his back, "Hey, you're still blushing. He was really cute, wasn't he?"
"Indeed."
Suddenly a voice called from one of the floats, "Grace! Is that you, darling?"
Loki searched for the source of the greeting; Grace started waving, bouncing with excitement, "Izzy! Meet me after the parade!"
"Sure thing, sweetie!" Loki found the owner of the voice- a very tall dark-skinned woman in an sequined evening gown, her hair forming a halo around her head. Loki had never seen hair like hers before coming to Midgard..
"Miss Grace, is that her real hair?"
"Huh? Oh, Izzy? Yeah. People with darker skin, some of them have hair that curls really tightly and fluffs like that. Don't ask to touch it, though, it's not polite."
"I was not considering it. I just have not seen such hair in Asgard. It has been unique to Midgard and I have had no one to ask."
"Well now you know. After the end of the parade, we'll catch up to her. She's a sweet woman."
"May I ask how you know her?"
"First girlfriend. We still keep in touch. She's one of the few people Tony hasn't scared off and also probably the only person I've dated who has actually been interested in me, not Tony or his money. I've known her since we both lived in Brewster."
"Pardon the asking, but why are you still not together?"
"Time changes people. We split amicably- there were tears, but we both agreed that we just weren't feeling the same vibe as we did when we started. We're still close, though."
After the parade ended, they met Izzy at the riverfront. She was energetic, stunningly beautiful, and quite tall, even though she was carrying her high heels.
"Grace! Oh my gosh, it's been too goddamned long!" She hugged Grace tightly and lifted her off her feet, twirling her around. Grace was laughing as Izzy set her down.
"It has, Izzy, it really has. I missed seeing you at the parade last year- what happened?"
"Ugh, I got sick two days before Pride. Can you believe that shit? Two days before and I was hurling like a drunk frat boy. I was dizzy the entire weekend. It was terrible." She noticed Loki standing back a little, trying not to interrupt the reunion, "Hello, who do we have here?"
"This is Loki. Loki, meet Izzy."
Izzy hugged Loki, "Hi. You're cute, you know that?"
"Thank you, Miss Izzy."
"Miss?"
"Where I come from it is only polite to address someone in such a way. Miss Grace has been kind enough to allow me to continue the custom. If I offend, I will do my best to stop."
"Nah, it's cute. Is this your first Pride? You look a little stunned."
"Yes, it is. There is quite a lot to take in."
Izzy turned to Grace, "So you find yourself a cute foreign boyfriend and don't tell me? Honey, what's that about?"
"He's not my boyfriend, Iz."
"Ok, so you find yourself a cute foreign friend of the male persuasion and you don't tell me?"
"I've only known Loki a week. He's staying at the Tower before going home."
"Friend of Tony's?"
"Not really- he's there on S.H.E.I.L.D. business. You know Tony's getting kind of impatient with the whole damn agency."
Loki was quite impressed by the skillful way that Grace was avoiding saying too much about where he had come from or who he was, but was also not lying about anything. It was a skill he had cultivated long ago- omission and vague language was a far more powerful tool than outright lying about anything and though he often heard that he lied regularly, it was more true that he simply described situations differently and omitted key facts in order to best serve his needs.
"Well how about we all go get something to eat? I'm hungry and when you look this fabulous, you might as well show it off."
Grace laughed, "Sounds good. Any ideas?"
"Perhaps we might return to the restaurant on the riverfront? We could sit outdoors or in, either way; the food is quite good," Loki suggested.
"Cheese ravioli does sound mighty damn fine. What do you say, Izzy? Are you up for pasta?"
"Always. Loki, you've been to Detroit before?"
"Yes, it was where S.H.I.E.L.D. picked me up. Grace has been showing me her favourite places on our return. My first journey here was also short."
"How are you liking it?"
"I have never seen someplace quite like here. It is extraordinary."
They walked to the restaurant and settled in on the patio, each ordering while making small talk about the weather and the city itself as they waited for their lunches. The restaurant was packed with festival-attendees and their conversation turned to plans for the day as their server delivered their meals.
"So, you two planning on going to any of the performances today? There's some music, some drag shows, and I think a few political speakers."
"We might wander. We don't have a lot of time in the city- Tony wants us back in New York tonight. I texted him this morning and he's letting me do what I usually do instead of freaking out about me hanging out with a guy- taking a drive up to Lansing to fly out from there. I have always loved the long drive after Pride. It's just fun...and Loki's not used to driving just for fun, so I plan on introducing him to the idea."
Izzy was a bit shocked, "Boy, you've been really sheltered, haven't you? You look like you're a little younger than us and you've never been to Pride, you don't know the wonders of just driving, and you haven't ever been to a city like Detroit. Where are you from, anyway? Some little town in the middle of nowhere?"
"That would be one way to describe it, yes- though I would consider it a fair-sized town. We simply do not get much exposure to ways of life outside our own and very few of us travel. I have seen so very little of this world."
Izzy smiled, "Well I guess you're in good hands- Grace's got a knack for introducing people to new things. Girl's got an edge to her, but she's still my sweetheart."
"You really ought to fly up to New York sometime, Iz. I'd love to show you around the Tower. So many cool gadgets and they're everywhere! And you know Tony wouldn't mind. You're the only girlfriend he's really liked."
"And yet he still threatened to dismember me when he walked into the apartment and found us in bed together."
Loki smiled, "We have something in common- I fell asleep on the couch beside Miss Grace after watching movies and awoke to him telling me he would remove my fingers one by one, my arms, and my legs."
"Tony's terrifying when he's protective, isn't he? How'd you deal?"
"I asked him not to dismember me. Miss Grace was not far away, however, and quickly intervened. May I ask how you kept your limbs?"
"I told him that if he touched me, I'd castrate him in his sleep. I'm one scary bitch when I need to be."
Grace picked up the bill as it was delivered to the table, "My treat, folks. Izzy- want to be our guide for a few hours, point us to the acts we absolutely have to see?"
Izzy agreed. Grace and Loki spent the next four hours bouncing between stages, listening to music, cheering for performers, and trying to keep their spirits light as the clouds gathered overhead indicating the possibility of a summer storm. By the time the skies opened, they were all exhausted. Izzy said goodbye to Grace and Loki as she dashed to the People Mover to take her back to her car. Loki put his arm around Grace's shoulders as they walked back down Michigan Avenue, giddy from the long day and relieved of the summer heat by the warm rain. They were soaked by the time they reached the car. Grace grabbed a few towels from her luggage and put them on the seats before they settled in.
"Are you still up for the drive in this? Over two hours in wet clothes driving through the pouring rain?"
"It is at least two hours I am free, Miss Grace. I will enjoy every rain-drenched moment of it."
She turned on the engine and reached across Loki to the glove compartment, "Awesome. Can you look through there and find the one called 'Queen's Greatest Hits'? We need some driving music."
"Miss Izzy was quite fun to be with."
"Yeah, she is. I adore her. She's always been there for me- knows about the shit in my past, too. Hell, she's a Brewster kid, too. She didn't know what I was going through then, but she knew something wasn't right. She was the reason I came back to Detroit to get my degree instead of staying in New York and heading to art school."
"Was she the first girlfriend who was also the first boyfriend?"
"Yep. And she's why I know people can survive finding out new and drastically different things about themselves. She never thought she would be able to be a woman and when she finally admitted that was what would make her happy, her family disowned her. Nobody even told her when her father died. She's just been written out of the family."
Loki handed Grace one of the cassette tapes, "Is this the right one?" Grace nodded and popped it in the player, "I suppose it would be quite difficult to be entirely disowned, to have no one from your family even try to understand who you are."
"It's also hard on them, Loki, when you don't let them figure you out. I learned that from Tony. I was so closed off from him at first and it took him a long time to pry out of me what happened. I didn't want him to know; I was too ashamed. I know it was really hard on him to be trying so hard to get to know me while I was actively trying not to be known." Loki was quiet as the first notes of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' played and Grace knew she had, at least for a moment, made him think. She pointed to the radio, "UK edition of the cassette- Tony found it for me. The first gift he gave me wasn't mine- it was the fact that he trusted me with his record collection. Once I figured out my favourites, he started finding copies for me on cassette so I could take them with me when we travelled. I have a lot of it digitally now, but there's something special about these tapes played in a stereo system as old as I am." She sang along to the song as they took Michigan Avenue towards Ypsilanti.
"There is so much in Midgard that is different from Asgard."
"You don't have portable music?"
"Music is used for storytelling, for glorifying warriors. It is not so varied as it is here, nor does it change much over time."
"Maybe that's part of why you haven't found your niche there- Asgard sounds like it's far too comfortable staying the same. You want change, variety, and to explore. You're too curious for your own good, so you make change by making trouble."
"And you think I could be happy here?"
"Maybe. Maybe not. At least you'd have hundreds of ways of life to explore before you decided, though. Our countries all have different customs, there are so many different religions and traditions that even regions in each country aren't the same. It's wild. You'd never have to settle for one thing or another- change can be a way of life, too."
"Odin would never accept that. While he seems quite comfortable exiling us here when we transgress, he is also quite upset that Thor has taken such an interest in this realm- that he has become its protector. Midgard is a lesser place to him."
"Here's a tough one for you to think about- has Odin written you off, or did you write him off, or is it both? What about Thor?"
"I... I... I don't really want to talk about this, Miss Grace."
"Then just think about it. Because your family is sometimes all you've got. It broke Izzy's heart when they disowned her, even though she'd been fighting with them for years- sometimes bitter screaming matches that lasted for hours and ended with her sleeping in the stairwells, usually after being beaten. The girl had it tough, even though she still looked like a guy- she wasn't ever 'man enough' for them. And it still killed her when they threw her away."
"I know. And I do think about this. My bitterness is not all-consuming- not yet."
Grace reached over and took his hand, "Well given how long you folks live, you've got the time to think. Just don't write them off, OK? Promise me that as long as they still believe you're worth saving, you'll consider maybe keeping them as family somewhere in your heart?"
"I will do my best, Miss Grace. I cannot promise you anything other than that I might try."
"Thank you. Now what else do you want to talk about? We've got a nice long drive ahead of us- Ypsilanti to Chelsea up to Stockbridge and on to Mason, Okemos, East Lansing, Lansing, and all points in between. We've got music, we'll stop at gas stations to pick up snacks, and we'll nab some dinner before we catch the plane."
"What sort of food might you introduce me to tonight?"
"I'm still thinking- there are a lot of places in East Lansing we could stop. I wish the little Tuba place in Okemos was still open, but no luck there. Maybe we can hit up the 24 hour diner- that place is awesome. It's not fancy or anything, but damn, can they do omelettes."
"Miss Grace?"
"Yeah, Loki?"
"I like this adventure. I think you may be right- I could be quite happy here."
Grace's smile was a little sad, "I just wish we had more time. I doubt we've got all the years I'd like to spend exploring together. I've known you a week and I already know I'm going to really fucking miss you when Thor takes you back."
"And I you."
She squeezed his hand and then turned up the radio a little, "So...you need some Midgardian music education. Behold, the wonder of Queen!" She sang along and eventually replayed the entire tape, prodding him to try to sing along. Unfortunately for Loki, Queen was not an easy band to try to sing along to, their songs not being based on repetitive choruses. He was, however, impressed by the music and asked Grace if she was capable of playing any of the instruments he heard on the tape. She told him she could play piano pretty well, but that was it. Tony, however, had a guitar collection and knew how to play, though he wasn't nearly as good as Brian May. After Queen, she had him dig through the glove compartment to find a mixtape of AC/DC labelled 'Best Damn AC/DC for Gracie' in Tony's handwriting. It didn't take long for Grace to have him singing along to the choruses and by the time they played the tape a second time, he was laughing as he sang the chorus of 'Highway to Hell' with her, the windshield wipers not quite in time to the beat. Neither of them could stop laughing long enough to even get through one verse of 'Big Balls'.
When they reached Lansing, Grace decided that the 24 hour Fleetwood Diner really was the most amazing option for dinner. Loki could not decide on what to order from the menu- too many options were new and sounded good, so Grace encouraged him to order anything he wanted to try. She did the same and between them, they walked out with over a dozen take-out boxes filled with left-over eggs, Hippie Hash, potatoes, pancakes, omelettes, French toast, and breakfast meats. By the time they reached the airport, Grace had introduced Loki to the wonder of the Beastie Boys and, while still trying to be somewhat dignified, he had at least somewhat danced in his seat as she headbanged to 'Fight for your Right' at a stoplight.
Once the car was safely stowed in the cargo hold of the plane, they retrieved their take-out boxes from the back seat and, after takeoff, proceeded to have a picnic on the floor. There were no leftovers by the time they reached Stark Tower, the last of the pancakes consumed like toast as they drove from the landing strip to the Tower.
Tony and Steve met them in the garage. Grace tossed Loki his luggage and slung her own bag on her back, the towels from the seats draped over one arm while Loki balanced the empty take-out boxes in a stack on one hand as they walked into the building.
Steve politely asked, "How was your trip?"
"Abso-fucking-lutely fantastic. Oh my god, guys, it was great. We ate awesome food, saw some amazing acts, watched a stellar parade, and Loki got to meet Izzy. It was just fabulous."
"Do not forget the tour of the Depot, Miss Grace- that was quite spectacular as well, especially seeing the city lights from the rooftop at dark."
Tony pointed out a recycle bin Loki could deposit the boxes in, "Gracie, you showed him the lights? Are you sure you're not flirting? That's one romantic location."
"Oh, cut it out, Tony, I just wanted to show him one more thing I love about Detroit. Besides, I got Dan to show us around- he says he'll give me the top floor if the place ever gets developed."
"I've tried to buy the whole thing for you."
"I know, but Dan says that he'll guarantee me the floor if it'll get you to stop making offers since they clearly aren't selling. How about you ask about the rest of the trip?"
"How is Izzy? Still fabulous, as usual?"
"Of course- she was glamourous and charming, just as she always is."
"And Loki- how'd you like it?"
"Delightful. The trip was utterly delightful. So much to see, so much to take in. We walked the city a little bit as well. Miss Grace was a wonderful hostess and Miss Izzy a gracious guide to the events of the festival. I, too, enjoyed the city from the rooftop. I am glad Miss Grace could get us access. The city is remarkable."
"And the drive?"
"Quite fun as well. Midgard has so much different music- it is not something I am accustomed to. I do wish the weather had been better- I would have liked to see more of the country we were driving through. But your sister is lovely company and a very good travel companion."
Tony sighed as they entered the elevator to descend to Loki's cell, "Yeah, well don't get to used to it- Thor thinks they might have figured out what to do with you and you could be going home in a day or so."
Loki's heart sank, the joy gone from his face, "Ah. I see."
When the elevator door opened, Tony and Steve both stayed back, "Gracie, why don't you stay down here for a little bit while Loki gets settled? Holler if you need anything, but Steve and I are going to go back up to see what Thor's got for us."
Grace thanked Tony and then followed Loki to his cell; he tossed his satchel on the floor and fell back onto the bed, his arm over his face, "Please just leave me, Miss Grace. There is no reason for you to stay."
"Unless you've been shitting me with the friend line this week, I'm pretty sure there is a damn good reason for me to stay."
"If I could erase this week from your memory, I would."
Grace dropped her bag by the table and sat on the end of his bed, "Why? What if I don't want to forget?"
"That would make it all the more important that you do."
"No, Loki, it wouldn't. Even though it's going to suck to say goodbye, I wouldn't trade this week away if I could. Now answer me- aren't we friends? Did this week mean something to you?" He was silent. Grace sighed, "Look, I think you're something special. I'm willing to say it. I'm willing to say it even though Tony's not so keen on it, so please, at least have the decency to answer one of the two?" He did not answer. She picked up her bag and stood, "Well if you do figure it out, let me know, because I need to know if I should be getting ready to say goodbye or good riddance." She left the cell and returned to her own rooms.
Loki was not confused at all about what this answer was to her questions. He knew clearly what he should have told her, and yet it seemed easier by far to simply omit the truth than to actually put it into words.
In the very early hours of the morning, Tony let himself into Grace's apartment and knocked on her bedroom door, "Gracie, honey, are you up?"
Grace turned over in bed and called to him, "Come on in, Tony."
"Babe, I've got good news and bad news, which do you want first?"
"It's four in the morning. Let's go with the good news first."
"The good news is that Loki's not going to end up executed when he goes back to Asgard."
"Well that certainly is good." She stretched and yawned, propping herself up on her elbows as Tony reclined next to her on the bed.
"Yeah, well the bad news is that he's going back to Asgard by evening and Odin's going to hand him over to Thanos for the next decade, if he survives that long. Sweetheart, I'm sorry, but this doesn't look good for your friend." Tony's voice was soft and genuinely sympathetic.
Grace sighed, "I knew this was coming, but it just doesn't seem fair...I'm just getting to know him."
"I know, Gracie, I know. And I know you let yourself get close to him. What can I do to make this easier?"
"Does he know what he's going back to?"
"Thor went down to talk to him. If he listened at all, he knows."
"Can you stay here tonight?"
Tony pulled her close, "Yeah, babe, I can." Grace started crying. Tony gently rubbed the back of her neck and consoled her softly, hoping he was doing at least a little good.
"Fuck, Tony, I start to open myself up to somebody... Friends suck. This kind of thing always happens when you find them."
"It's worse if you never do, though."
She sighed and closed her eyes, hoping that in the morning, this would all be a bad dream.