Loki liked Wanda. He enjoyed her company and he enjoyed teaching her to use her powers. She was a natural, so it really wasn't teaching, so much as helping her focus. And with strength like hers, she definitely needed to perfect her focus. If she wasn't careful, she could destroy whole countries. Which was why, even if he hadn't liked her, he would have pretended to so that she didn't obliterate him.

He was not so fond of the metal man, Vision. Not just because he'd been crafted using the Mind Stone, which put them all in danger of Thanos, but also because the android stared at him relentlessly while he helped Wanda study. It seemed the robot had a bit of a crush on the witch. And perhaps he was worried that Loki, an organic being with endless charisma and charm, would sweep her off her feet. The Asgardian probably could if he wanted to, but his mind was far too consumed with Jaklyn Baker.

He told himself that he should think less of Jak and more of Wanda. After all, Wanda was one of the most powerful magic users he'd come across in centuries, she should have his complete focus. But… he found himself wanting to know what Jak was up to in the kitchen. Was she speaking to Rogers? Did she still hold resentment for the Captain? Or had they forgiven and forgotten?

Most importantly, did she find the Captain attractive?

Loki shook his head and tried to get back to Wanda. She had a small smile on her face when he finally refocused.

"What's so amusing?" He asked.

"Jaklyn is very pretty, don't you think?"

He narrowed his eyes at Wanda, remembering suddenly that she was able to communicate telepathically.

"Stay out of my head," he pointed at her, "Let's get back to the magical theory discussion, shall we?"

"Of course," Wanda nodded and leaned in closer with a conspiratorial whisper, "She thinks you're pretty as well."

Loki did not have a moment to shoot back a snarky reply before they were interrupted by Jaklyn herself entering the room. Wanda laughed and Loki scowled. Jaklyn misinterpreted his frown and frowned back at him.

"Sorry. Am I interrupting?"

"No!" He replied quickly. Too quickly. "You are, of course, welcome to join us. We are discussing magical theory and locational change in magical energy."

"Sounds complicated," Jak wrapped her arms around herself, looking distinctly uncomfortable. "I don't think I'd be able to keep up."

"It's not complicated," Wanda said gently, "And we have hardly begun to speak about it because my instructor has a wandering mind."

Loki shot her a glare, warning her to keep quiet. Though there wasn't much he could do to stop her if she did give away his secrets.

"Locational change in magical energy basically means that in different places, magic behaves differently. Midgard's Stonehenge, for example, is rife with deep magic. It is a recurring connecting point for the Convergence as well, which has led to, uh, issues," he tried not to think of Dr. Erik Selvig often, but it was hard to forget the news footage he'd seen of the scientist running nude around the ancient stone construction.

"The Convergence," Jak said, licking her lips, "Thor mentioned that when you lot dropped me through a portal. What is it?"

"Realms aligning, cosmos moving about, you should ask Dr. Foster about it," Loki chuckled, "I'm sure she could explain it to you in great detail."

"So, the realms lining up… made portals? And I fell through one?"

"Eh… sort of. Midgard and Vanaheim were lined up. And Jane has leftover equipment from three years ago when the actual Convergence happened. I'm not entirely sure how it works, but it allows her to open and close portals at will. Or something to that degree."

"And Thor said Vanaheim doesn't have a red sky this time of year," Jak continued, "But I saw a red sky and a dry place when I went through one of the portals."

"A dry place? Did you not previously say you saw the ocean? And fell into it," Loki countered, remembering that she was soaked when he first saw her. "Vanaheim is full of forests. And sea. But I do not know of any deserts."

"So maybe I went somewhere besides Vanaheim in the first portal," Jak shrugged, "Because it had a red sky and a dry rocky ground."

"I will have to tell Thor and Dr. Foster," Loki shook his head, "But that is not important right now! Right now we're discussing magical theory! Join us!"

"Please do," Wanda agreed with a soft smile. The tension in Jak's posture loosened and she took another step into the room. She seemed to trust the witch. At least, more than she trusted Loki. From what he'd heard, Wanda and her late brother had once fought against the Avengers too, though not for long. It seemed all three of them had once been enemies of Midgard's greatest heroes to varying degrees.

Loki supposed that boded well for any future friendship with Jak. If she could trust Wanda over time, then she could eventually trust him too. Well… as much as anyone could trust the god of tricks, lies, and mischief.

As he discussed the intricacies of magic and using magical energy on Midgard with the two women, he completely lost track of time. Soon, Vision alerted them that one of the other new Avengers, Sam Wilson, had prepared dinner and their presence was requested in the kitchen. Wanda immediately headed that way, but Jak began to walk the opposite direction. Loki, though his stomach was growling, followed Jak.

"Just where are you off to?" He asked, catching her easily and striding alongside her quick pace. "I haven't been here long, but I believe the kitchen is the other way."

"It is," she nodded, "If you need help finding it, I'm sure Friday can tell you how to get there."

"Will you not be joining us for dinner?"

"Oh," she stopped and looked back over her shoulder before resuming her walk, "No, they don't want… I'm not usually… I prefer to eat alone."

"You shared a meal with Captain Rogers earlier, did you not?"

"Yeah, but that was different," she flicked a glance at him and narrowed her eyes. "Why do you care?"

Loki realized he probably sounded far too interested in her time spent with the other man. He quickly adjusted his expression to one of disinterest and clasped his hands behind his back.

"If I am going to teach you, I want to make sure you are eating properly," he said nonchalantly, "Magic can be tiresome work. You need fuel."

"I'll eat," she replied, "Later."

"The others dislike you?" He asked, wondering if they treated her poorly. None of them were particularly fond of him either, but he could easily tolerate them. Thor was glad he was there. Wanda didn't seem to completely hate him. And Loki, quite frankly, didn't give a damn what the rest thought of him. But if they were making things uncomfortable for Jak, he would find a way to solve the problem.

She shrugged and walked faster. "You should go eat. Thor eats like a fire in dry woods. And Natasha is never far behind him, especially if she's been working out."

"Are they unkind to you?" He persisted. "Have they forbidden you from dining with them?"

"No," she snapped, "But I don't want them to force themselves to be friendly. It's awkward for everyone and I rather eat alone."

"Then I will eat alone with you," he grinned.

"What, like a date?" She stopped and put her hands on her hips, glaring at him. Her gaze was unyielding, though her cheeks were flushed red.

"I want to be your friend, Jaklyn," he replied, raising a brow to meet her challenge. "Only a silly Midgardian would assume a simple meal shared between a man and a woman is inherently romantic."

She stared at him in silence for a moment before her lips quirked up at the corners just a bit. Taunting him as if she had him all figured out. "You're right, of course. That is, after all, why Steve and I had lunch together this afternoon."

When he frowned, her smile grew triumphant and she walked away, a spring in her step. Loki hurried after her, still intent on eating dinner with her, even if only to annoy her. Now he was more curious than ever about the nature of her relationship with Steve Rogers. He wanted answers that he knew only she would give him. The Captain had already refused to share his side of the story and Loki doubted that he could convince the soldier in the same way he might convince Jak.

"And what if I were to say it was a date?" He asked in her ear as she stopped outside her bedroom door and fished her pocket for her key. "What would you say then?"

She stopped moving and turned back to face him. He put one hand on the door next to her, pinning her in halfway, still leaving room for her to leave if she wanted. Their eyes met and he found himself wishing he hadn't made light of her question. He should have just said yes.

"I would say that we'd probably give my parole officer a heart attack," she crossed her arms under her chest and smiled softly at him. She inched her face closer to his, until they were only an inch apart and then laughed. "And, I'd say no."

"No?"

She turned back to her door, unlocked it, and stepped inside. Before Loki could gather his thoughts, she closed it again and left him leaning against the doorframe.

"Mr. Wilson would like to know if you will be joining the Avengers for dinner," Friday's voice asked from the ceiling.

Loki clenched his fists and straightened his posture. He shot one last glare at Jak's door and made his way back to the kitchen. All he could think on the walk there was how dare she? How dare she taunt him? He was the one who taunted people with meaningless flirtations. How dare she occupy his thoughts so heavily, though he'd only met her two nights ago? He ought to be on her mind every waking moment, he was alluring, interesting, from another world! She was a peculiar Midgardian, but a Midgardian nonetheless. They're lives were fleeting, and rarely useful in the grand scheme of things.

Except, her life was't fleeting.

He wasn't sure how long she'd live, but if she looked to be in her twenties when she was already over two hundred years old, then surely she'd last quite a bit longer.

But still. She was nothing but a Midgardian. Nothing but a mere human.

With secrets untold and a magical ability…

He groaned as he approached the kitchen. He should have just properly asked her on a date. Now she was playing coy with him and that only made her more interesting.

Damn her.

A note from the author: Thanks for following/favoriting/reading! Happy New Year! :)