The Fall of Loki Odinsson: The Rise of Loki Friggasson

Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel, Disney, or any companies affiliated with the before mentioned companies. All characters -except Crystal- are owned by Marvel and it's affiliate companies. This is a work of pure entertainment and no copyright infringement is intended.

Summary: Loki finds happiness on Midgard in the form of the Avengers and a quirky mortal that Darcy Lewis may or may not have set him up to meet. Loki learns how to accept himself and that joy can be found anywhere.

Warnings: Time skip. Loki is still blind. We meet Loki's love interest. Unabashed sarcasm. Plotting. Humor. Thor is an absolute oaf. Author may or may not be intoxicated.

######### Chapter 5: Be Careful What You Wish For #########

********* 4 Months on Midgard Later*********

Loki is reading one of the books that Stark gave him. Braille was difficult to learn but he learned it. The gesture was so kind that he left Stark a small gift. Stark thanked Loki profusely. After the kindness Stark has shown him he cannot allow Virginia to kill him over a forgotten anniversary.

He's reading intently when he smells perfume and tacos. Thor's friend Darcy must be here because junk food and fruity perfume are her signature scent. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his sunglasses. "Hello Darcy, are you here to annoy Thor or just to see if you can place me deeper into the depths of madness?"

Darcy sticks out her tongue and plops herself next to Loki. "Actually Goat-Man I'm here to see you."

Loki turns to face her voice and smirks. "Perhaps Lady Jane is right. You are insane."

Darcy huffs but smiles. "That's no way to talk to the person who can solve your Thor's being extra annoying problem."

Loki perks up. Thor has been hounding him lately about going out and meeting new people and letting people know that he is truly a changed man. He knows Thor means well but Thor loves crowds. Loki prefers small quiet gatherings.

Loki studies the silence a moment longer and closes his book. "Make your argument."

Darcy smiles and scoots closer to Loki. "Erik has an intern of his own. I don't really know much about her because she usually throws a shoe at me after like five minutes, but she's really smart. I've seen her point out mistakes in Jane's work in like two minutes and Jane's work is like a thousand pages."

Loki taps his lean fingers against his book. "But something is wrong with her?"

Darcy clicks her tongue. "Not necessarily wrong with her she just doesn't like people, or crowds, or fun."

Loki ponders this for a moment and smirks. "You're working for Thor and Jane. I'm impressed. You promise him my compliance and you promise Lady Jane the girl's compliance, but what is your pay off?"

Dacy smiles and flings her arm over Loki's shoulder. "If I get this to work a week off and if things go really well a week of no shoes being thrown at me."

Loki ponders his options for a moment and smiles. "Tell Thor and Lady Jane that I will agree to go with them on what ever venture they have planned if and only if Thor agrees to leave me be for two hours a day for an entire week."

Darcy squeals in delight. "Thank you Goat-Man!" She quickly hugs Loki and runs out in delight.

Loki sighs and turns his head to the skies. "Norns, what trouble have I found?"

Jane is nervously tapping her fingers and Thor looks like he's contemplating his next life or death tactical maneuver. Thor knows Loki and how the ladies of Asgard disregarded him as effeminate. "What if he says no?"

Jane looks up and sighs. "Maybe they should meet each other before the dinner? Like the control subject in an experiment?"

Thor looks appalled and confused at the same time. "My brother is no test subject."

Jane sighs and looks at Thor. "Thor, we need a rough idea of what's going to happen if we take them out. Crystal is abrasive at the least and has a near perfect aim when she's annoyed. I'm thinking of everyone else in this situation."

Thor looks at Jane and sighs. "Aye, Loki has a sharp tongue and his magic slowly returns. Should she annoy him I fear her wine shall become snakes."

The couple are shaken from their thoughts when Darcy busts in laughing. "He's agreed! Vacation here I come!"

Jane and Thor look stunned. Thor is about to question Darcy when they hear one-sided shouting coming from the hall. Jane sighs as if a great burden has been placed on her petite shoulders. "SHIELD wanted someone familiar with Selvig's research to explain some of his techno-babble. Thor, get Loki. I'm about to introduce you to Crystal. "

Loki is reading when he hears Thor approaching the door. He sighs and closes the book. He understands that Thor is worried but he's becoming worse than a nursemaid! "Thor I'm neither thirsty nor hungry. Please let me finish this book!"

Thor looks cautiously at Loki knowing that his voice will give away his nervousness. "Brother, Lady Jane wishes to introduce you to her friend. Lady Crystal. Please come with us."

Loki tilts his head in confusion but picks up his books and extends his cane. "Lead the way."

Thor sees a man in a lab coat rubbing his shoulder and murmuring about crazy women with deadly aim when he sees Crystal. "Brother. We have arrived."

Loki picks up on awe and confusion in Thor's voice and breaths in deeply. He smells Jane's musky perfume and Thor's ozone but he smells something floral. A soap made with natural oils. He sniffs again. Lavender and light eucalyptus. Soothing. He leans closer to Thor. "Describe her."

Thor stammers a moment. "She is petite. An inch shorter than The Widow. Her hair is short. Just below her ears and it is the color of mother's chestnut jewelry chest. Her eyes are shaped like almonds and are of the color of mahogany. Her skin is like cream tainted with golden honey. Her cheeks are sharp as is her jaw. Her nose is straight. Perhaps brother you should go greet her."

Loki turns to Thor. "Perhaps I shall. You almost sound poetic. She can't be too terrible to look upon or else you wouldn't be spouting the words of a school yard boy with a fancy."

Thor nudges Loki to go towards Crystal. He looks over and sees Jane looking at him. She hits Thor with a folder that Dr. Byron left behind. "This is why she hates going out!"

Loki smirks before knocking on the door frame. "May I intrude for a moment?"

Crystal looks up from her work and sees Loki. The myths only had one thing about him right. He is handsome. "Yes. I didn't wish to get anything useful done. My concentration has been broken thanks to the moron in the lab coat."

Loki smirks and hears Crystal get up from her chair. He stops briefly thinking she's about to lead him when he feels a sudden burst if cool air. He studies the sound of the room and hears a mini-fridge but the air is coming from the vents.

Crystal moves about the room and finally stops at the mini-fridge. "Dr. Byron talked too much and touched the thermostat. Would you like a drink? I've got juice, ginger ale, and milk. And the nearest chair is two steps to your left." Loki smirks and finds the chair. He sits gracefully and folds his cane. "Ginger ale please, my brother and your supervisor seem to believe we would get along."

Crystal taps Loki and hands him the canned ginger ale. "Which is laughable considering most men run screaming from me at this point."

Loki chuckles and sips his drink. "I'm usually being slapped at this point."

Loki hears Crystal sit directly in front of him. She sips her drink and leans back. "I study at strange hours and tend to get inpatient when people refuse to hear me. I throw what ever object is in or near my hand at the person who tries my patience."

Loki smiles. "I must be reminded to sleep. I use words as my greatest weapon and resort to pranks to acquire a moments peace ."

Crystal regards him for a moment. "I threw Dr. Byron's own cellphone at him.'

Loki chuckles. "I glued Thor's slippers to the floor."

Crystal smiles, gets out of her chair, and walks over to Loki. "I'm Crystal of Midgard."

Loki reaches out and finds Crystal's hand. "Loki Friggasson. An honor to meet you." He kisses her hand and smiles. "I think we will get along quite well."

Jane looks at the pair stunned. Crystal usually either assaults or ignores people. She's heard more people run screaming than inviting her for dinner. This is the definition of madness. "What just happened here?"

Thor looks at Jane. His mind is reeling. Loki just had a conversation. A civil conversation with someone who wasn't an Avenger. A conversation with a woman. "I believe they agreed that they were insufferable and may have possibly allied themselves to wage war on us."

Jane looks at Thor and then the pair before them. "What do we do now, I expected more screaming and violence."

Thor looks at Loki and Crystal as they swap stories. "Perhaps Jane, we should allow them to court in their own way."

Jane observes Loki and Crystal. 'Yeah. Maybe you're right. Can you honestly imagine taking them out of their comfort zone right now?"

Thor looks at Loki. Loki seems younger and happier in five minutes than he has in almost four months. His next choice isn't easy. "Brother, lady Jane and I are going out. Would you like anything?'

Loki looks from Crystal to Thor. His smile is infectious. "No Thor, I'm fine unless Lady Crystal is hungry."

Thor watches Loki a moment longer before leaving with Jane. He watches -briefly- as Loki laughs and conspires with this odd mortal. It is difficult to leave Loki but Loki's smile is worth more than all the gold of Asgard. Needless to say a few hours of worry is worth seeing Loki happy.

Crystal sips her ginger ale and looks at Loki. "Ever had Thai food?"

Loki shakes his head. "No, do you enjoy it?"

Crystal smiles and shrugs. "I don't know. I've never eaten Thai before either."