Blaring rock music filled every speaker in the Compound at seven in the morning and Loki groaned as he pulled his pillow over his head. He recognized the song. It had been etched into his mind back in Stuttgart, Germany and he doubted he'd ever be able to forget it.
"...I'm gonna take you down, Oh, down, down, down, So, don't you fool around, I'm gonna pull it, pull it, pull the trigger, Shoot to thrill, play to kill-"
"Tony!"
"Oh come on!"
"Staaaaaark!"
"Turn the music off you son of a-"
Displeased shouts sounded all throughout the Avenger's base, but the music continued to roar through all rooms. If anything, the volume got louder with every complaint.
Growling in frustration, Loki flung his pillow at the wall with such force it made a dent. He ignored the wall and magicked himself out of his pajamas and into a tunic, pants, and boots before marching out of the room to strangle Tony Stark. Apparently all of his housemates had the same idea as most of the Avengers stumbled out of their rooms, hands over ears, in various states of dress, all making their way to the conference room.
The first one there was Romanoff, already dressed, pressed, and ready for the day. Her arms were crossed as she glared at the one and only Tony Stark. The billionaire sat at the head of the conference table, a small Iron Man gauntlet on his hand, connecting to his smart watch. He smiled at the assembled group and hit a button on his watch, stopping the music.
"Did you miss me?" He asked chipperly.
"Yes, but don't worry, my aim is getting better," Colonel Rhodes grumbled, smacking his friend in the back of the head. "You couldn't have gathered us all by texting us? Or bringing donuts?"
Stark gestured to a countertop behind him, which held six boxes of "Randy's Donut's". When Thor and Sam Wilson saw this, both of their frown's lessened and they took a box to split between the two of them.
"Did Jaklyn Baker move out of the Compound?" Tony asked, looking around at all of them with narrowed eyes, "You guys wouldn't let her do that, right? It's against her probation."
"She probably just went to bed an hour ago," Rogers replied, "We should let her sleep."
Loki ignored the jealous spike that popped up in his mind whenever the Captain spoke about Jak like he knew her. As if they were old friends, rather than enemies.
The day before, their argument over who ought to train the woman had gone on longer than either of them realized and when they finally stopped fighting, they saw that she had left the room. Romanoff had taken over her hand to hand combat training, which made both Loki and Steve Rogers a bit embarrassed. Not that either would ever admit it. Because obviously she should be learning hand to hand combat from someone who was closer to her own size and strength. It made perfect sense and neither of them had thought of it.
Loki had not spoken to Jak since. He could only hope she hadn't completely changed her mind about their bargain.
"There's no way she could sleep through AC/DC at full volume," Stark scoffed, "She's awake. Vision! Would you phase through the walls and go get her? Tell her I have good news."
Vision, who had been eyeing the donuts longingly, nodded and floated through the walls.
All of the Avengers and Loki, took seats around the conference table, munching on the pastries, while they waited for the metal man to return with the janitor. Loki eyed Stark suspiciously, wondering what exactly had brought the billionaire all the way across the vast country. Tony Stark was such a wild card that it really could have been anything. He could have been bored of life in Malibu or perhaps fighting with the formidable Pepper Potts. Whatever the case, Loki was not fond of him asking after his new pupil.
When Vision returned with Jak in tow, Loki sat up straighter, then inwardly scolded himself and slouched into a nonchalant posture. He picked at his jelly filled donut, smearing the red jelly with his finger and doing everything in his power not to look up at the janitor as she groggily entered the room.
"Hi Mr. Stark," she said sleepily, "What's up?"
"Wait, were you actually sleeping? Did you sleep through Shoot to Thrill?!"
"Someone got shot?" She asked, sounding more alert now, "Who?"
"Nevermind," Stark waved the matter away, "I have good news! Have a donut to celebrate!"
"What are we celebrating?" Jak asked, "Was someone shot? Was it a bad guy?"
"No one was shot, eat a donut," Stark passed her a box of the breakfast desserts and she took one. Loki noted that she went for the plain glazed donut. He doubted that information would come in handy later, but it was always good to learn the preferences of the person he might attempt to woo in the future.
Jak sat down in the open seat next to Thor and awkwardly leaned away from the big blond. Thor was on his sixth donut by this point and not paying attention to much else.
"Remember how you asked me about getting a lawyer and getting your cuff removed?" Tony asked. Loki, Wanda, and Jak all sat up straighter and leaned in toward the billionaire.
"You have a lawyer for me?" Jak smiled.
"Not here with me," Tony rolled his eyes, "She's in L.A., working remotely."
"Does she think-?"
"The parole board is putty in her hands! She's working out the details right now to set up a hearing for you next week. That soon enough for you?"
"Next week?" Jak grinned, "That's much sooner than I thought."
"Only problem," Tony pointed at Loki, "Having him here is making things a little complicated. Having him teach you magic nearly broke the deal for us."
"My brother has been the very picture of good behavior!" Thor protested.
"I am reformed," Loki crossed his arms and lifted his chin. "I can set a good example."
"You also killed a whole lot of people," Tony pointed out, "Not saying we can't forgive you for that, but I am saying the government is wary. Lawyer says it's likely that they will only agree to partial freedom from the dampening cuff."
"Meaning?" Loki asked.
"They're going to put someone in charge of a remote that controls whether or not the cuff is cutting her powers or not. So she can learn to control her magic, but she won't have free access to it."
"That's fine," Jak said, though she looked disappointed. "Will Jimmy Woo be the one in charge of the remote?"
"No, he wants to get back to San Fran," Tony looked around the room, "They'll pick one of the Avengers I think."
"You?" Jak asked.
Stark laughed at this. "You think the government trusts me after I stopped selling them weapons? Not likely. The fact that they let us keep doing the Avenger Initiative at all is a miracle. Especially after Ultron."
"If you weren't rich, you'd probably be in prison for creating Ultron," Wanda commented, just a hint of old malice in her tone.
"So… Steve, maybe?" Jak asked.
Loki did not like that idea, but he supposed it made sense. However, Stark and Rogers exchanged an amused glance. Natasha snorted.
"What's so funny?" Jak asked.
"I'm not sure the government, uh, well, let's just say the US government and I don't always see eye to eye," Rogers scratched the back of his head. "That happens when you commit treason a few times."
"You… what?"
"Don't worry, Steve, in my experience, treason is an easily forgiven crime," Thor smiled winningly and Loki rolled his eyes.
"Brother, stop for a moment and think about how the Asgardian government is a bit different from the American one, will you?"
"Ah. Yes. I suppose it does help when your father is the king…" Thor winced and ate another donut. "Perhaps I could be the one to take care of this remote!"
"No," several voices said at once, including Jak. Loki, for one, thought it wasn't a terrible idea. He could easily steal the remote from his brother.
"They haven't decided who yet," Stark continued, "We'll find out next week if the board approves it at all."
"Thank you, Mr. Stark," Jak said.
"What can I say? I'm a giver," Stark shrugged, "Now, Steve, Nat, Sam, if you would follow me, there's another reason I flew here so let's talk."
The four of them left the room and Loki pounced on his chance to speak to Jak alone once she left to go back to her room. He caught up to her in the hallway and kept pace with her easily.
"I would congratulate you, but that would be bad luck," he told her, "You must be excited."
"You must be too," she countered, "You'll finally be able to start nosing your way into my secrets. Then you can forget all about me once you've unraveled the mysteries."
"Who is to say the answers to your mysteries won't make me more interested in you?" He grinned at her and she scowled.
"I doubt it, but a girl can hope."
"You don't want me to forget you," he stepped in front of her, stopping her in her tracks, "You'd be heartbroken."
"Keep on telling yourself that. You're such a skilled liar, I'm sure you'll convince yourself eventually," she went to step around him, but he moved in her way again.
"I wanted to apologize for my behavior yesterday," he said, though he hadn't planned on doing any such thing. He'd planned on pretending like it had never happened, but the words just popped out. "I was acting like a pig. Could you possibly deign to forgive me?"
She blinked in surprise, expression softening, lips parting just slightly.
"I'm… shocked you admitted to that. Yes. You are forgiven," she tried to step around him once more, but he stopped her again. "Though, that forgiveness is slowly disappearing the longer you keep me from going back to sleep."
"Right, of course," he moved out of the way, but kept walking with her. "I also wanted to ask if you might join me for dinner tonight. The weather is fair, I saw that there is a sort of gazebo on the west side of the property. Would you care for a picnic?"
He hadn't been planning to ask her out either, but he wanted to spend more time with her before she had her magic back. He wanted to get her to trust him. If she trusted him, it would be much easier to learn every one of her secrets. Perhaps then he could do as she thought he might and forget her. Or at the very least not think of her every waking moment of the day.
She raised a brow and stopped to stare at him. "That sounds like a-"
"A date. Yes. It is. It would be. If you agree this time," he clasped his hands innocently in front of him and smiled as sincerely as he was able, "I am asking you on a date."
"No," she replied simply, walking again and nearing her door. Loki frowned.
"May I at least know why not?"
"Hmm," she smiled slightly, fishing her key out of her pocket, "You'll have to save that question until our bargain begins. Remember, you can ask me one question every day."
"Yes, but I also remember that you can opt out of answering them."
"I guess you'll just have to wait and see."
"You are an infuriating woman, you do know that I hope."
"Maybe I just like that I have the power to taunt a god," she laughed and unlocked her room, "Enjoy the daylight hours, Loki."
"Sweet dreams, Jaklyn," he sneered as she closed the door in his face. He made his way back down the corridor to try and swipe a few more donuts before Thor ate them all. When he arrived in the conference room, Stark, Rogers, Romanoff, and Wilson had returned from their private meeting and were chatting with the others amiably. Thor looked up when Loki entered and beamed at him like a dog wagging its tail upon seeing a favored person. Despite his outward scowl, Loki was glad of his brother's amicability. Without it, the Avengers could be a rather cold group, even if they now understood Loki had not been entirely responsible for the Battle of New York. Understandably, they didn't trust him, though they pitied the torture he'd endured at Thanos' command. Thor, however, wore his heart on his sleeve and family had always been his heart.
"How goes your attempt to woo the lady janitor?" Thor elbowed him when he sat down.
"I am not initiating any romance," Loki argued, taking a bite of a chocolate donut and savoring the sweet morsel. The Midgardians really did have a way with sugar. "I am simply… trying to get to know her. So that I might be a better teacher."
"Yes," Thor wagged his brows, "I'm sure you'd like to get to know her really well."
"Shut up," Loki flicked his wrist and a donut jumped off the table and hit his brother in the eye. "Where did your scientist wander off to? Did she finally come to her senses and leave you?"
"No! I mean, she is already very sensible! She just had work to attend to elsewhere," Thor wiped frosting from his cheek, "My Jane is a busy woman. She is a brilliant doctor after all."
"She can't be that smart or she wouldn't be dating you," Loki said, but there was no malice to it.
"Your Jaklyn Baker must be nearly as wise as Jane," Thor teased, "Since she is denying your advances."
"Excuse me?" Tony Stark was standing closer to them than Loki realized and had heard some of the conversation, "Could you repeat that? Because I know Thor did not just imply that Reindeer Games is harassing a member of my staff. Believe me, Loki, you do not want to meet my HR guy."
"I have no romantic interest in Jaklyn Baker," Loki said smoothly. It might have been more believable if his brother weren't grinning like an idiot and elbowing him continuously.
"Keep it that way," Stark pointed at him, "She has bigger things to worry about than you. Got it?"
"Got it," Loki rolled his eyes. While rolling, his eyes caught the disapproving glare from Captain Rogers. Perhaps dear, noble Captain America had something to do with why Jak was not interested in going on a date with Loki. Perhaps something ought to be done about it.
After all, Loki was not fond of sharing.
A note from the author: Thank you so much for reading! Please follow/favorite/review if you feel so inclined, I'd very much appreciate it. :)