Rating: T

Genre: Modern/Non-Magical AU, Fake Relationship

Summary: Loki has roped Jane into playing his girlfriend for one night.

A/N: In jest, averbaldumpingground challenged me to write all 20 prompts from a fake dating list. Well, joke's on my friend, I accepted the challenge. I'm doing 500-word ficlets for each, using different fandoms/ships.

17. "You want to practice kissing to make it believable? How about we practice having an argument and you sleeping on the couch?"

PRACTICE

"Tick tock, darling."

Jane rolled eyes. She had half a mind to stay locked in her room and scroll through her phone for the next twenty minutes just to spite Loki. He was the one who needed her, after all. Okay, fine. He was taking her next three night shifts in the lab, and she did want to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for Dr. Geller's guest lecture on Tuesday. Maybe she was getting something out of this unholy arrangement too.

Huffing a sigh, she gave her reflection a final check. Hair pulled up in a passable updo. Make-up not terrible, thanks to a couple of how-to videos on YouTube. Dress… Actually, she loved the red gown that was off one shoulder and hugged her petite figure in a way that gave her more curves than she had. The shoes were fantastic too. But since Loki picked them out, she'd sooner tell him that his theory about FRBs was correct—it wasn't—than admit he had good taste in anything.

She just had to get through some stuffy charity function while pretending to be smitten with her academic nemesis. No problem. She could do this. She grabbed her handbag and swung the door open.

"Let's get this over with," she said, walking into the living room.

Loki lounged on her old couch in a full tuxedo, ankle crossed over his knee, looking like a giant in her tiny apartment. He gave her a critical once-over, and no, her heart absolutely did not flutter at his appreciative grin. He stood up, slowly crossed the room to her as if he hadn't been hurrying her along just a minute ago.

"Not so fast," he said. "I think we ought to practice first."

"Like getting our stories straight? How long we've been dating and all that?" She supposed it made sense.

Loki shook his head. "No, I mean the typical displays of affection between a couple. Hand holding and—" he licked his lips, "—kissing."

She snorted, cursing the funny little flip-flop in her middle. "Maybe we should practice fighting in public instead."

He smirked. "But we're quite good at that already." He touched her forearm, dragged his fingers down to hers. She could only stare as he drew her hand up and brushed his lips over her knuckles, sending a wave of chills skittering across her skin.

Oh, this was a bad idea.

He tugged her toward him. "You can't look like I've never touched you before." His voice became gravelly as he murmured, "Because if you were truly mine, I wouldn't keep my hands off you."

"Loki," she began but the rest of her flimsy warning died in her throat when he leaned forward. She closed her eyes, reminding herself that this was all fake.

As he tipped her head to the side, though, his palms on her jaw felt very real. So did his warm mouth over hers. And the way he breathed her in—oh, god.

She was in trouble.

~FIN~

FRBs = Fast Radio Bursts

A/N: Thank you so much for reading! If you're so inclined, I'd love to hear your thoughts!