Chapter Text
After tripping over her feet again, Jane threw her GPS in the snow with a shout of frustration. She winced once she realized that her outburst could have just broken the one thing that might help her find shelter, then gently picked it back up and brushed it off. If she could get it to work properly, that would be amazing.
She had lost any kind of signal a long way back and was not having much success at figuring out which way she should go. The snow hadn't stopped falling since the day before, and she could not find her tracks at all.
They had warned her not to go without a guide.
They had warned her to wait till the storm passed.
But she had limited time in Alaska and needed to document the anomaly she detected several months ago. There had recently been traces of the same readings, which lead her here.
But now she was lost, and the sun was setting. Even though it hadn't been out long at all.
Infuriating Alaska. It was as though it was designed to be difficult.
She was bundled in ridiculous amounts of poofy layers and didn't feel cold. Yet. She had stayed at a lodge the night before and hoped to return to it tonight, but her GPS didn't seem to work out here and her trail had been completely covered in powdery snow.
Blasted snow.
Why couldn't the readings be from somewhere more pleasant? Like Hawaii. She'd love an excuse to go to Hawaii.
Her feet sank a good foot into the snow and trudging through it was becoming extremely tiering.
She saw a grouping of trees across a meadow and made that her goal to reach before taking a break. She almost collapsed a few times, but made it. It took far more time than it should have taken. Now she was almost sweating. The snow was much deeper on the meadow. She would have to go around next time there's a meadow. The shorter distance was NOT worth it.
She let her body start to sag as she approached the tree cluster, wanting to collapse beneath it. There, she could eat the rest of her snacks and maybe doze for a bit before moving on. She reached out to hold onto the trunk as she approached it, but then suddenly sank into the snow.
By several feet. It was up to her neck.
Her feet felt solidly placed, so she was likely not going to sink further. But the snow was in all the wrong places now. Her shirt, boots, pants, underwear. She shivered as it began to melt against her warm skin.
"Ok, Jane. Don't panic. You can climb out of this."
She wiggled, trying to create more space to move. She had thrown her hands up when she sank, so they were up by her head now. She tried to find something to grab onto but found nothing. She tried to climb out, pushing into the snow. But the powder would not stay firm enough to grip or get any kind of leverage. She tried to dig at the snow to maybe make a way out, but the powder just filled the spaces back in.
She was starting to truly worry.
Jane was now squirming and kicking, digging and grabbing, trying to find anything that would work, but seemed to only succeed in getting more snow under her clothes. She shouted in frustration and pounded the snow in front of her. It poofed and sprayed out, spattering onto her face.
"Argh! This is ridiculous!" She shouted, angry at the uncooperative white fluff.
She pulled her pack off to scan its contents, and sneered at the snow as it gave and filled the gaps around her. Aggressively, she pulled out her granola bar and bag of jerky. Tearing off the wrapper of the bar first, she ripped off a bite. With a huff, she looked around for ideas of what to do next. It was really getting dark now and she was starting to think she may be sleeping there. At least she was insolated. Like a compact snow sleeping bag. That was vertical. She rolled her eyes at herself. "That's stupid and corny Jane." She still snickered at herself.
After eating some of the jerky, she froze mid-chew when she heard a howl.
Wolves.
She shivered, but not from the cold. She was starting to feel desperate and panicked, squirming and shifting again, reaching out to uselessly grab at the trunk. It only scraped her hands up.
"Help! PLEASE let there be someone out there! Help!" It occurred to her then, that shouting might draw the wolves to her. She thought about ducking down and covering under the snow. Would they still find her? Would she suffocate? Maybe if it was just a little bit under...
She hunched down, letting the powder fall over her head. Immediately it was filling in under her jacket and shirt. Once she felt hidden she stayed still and listened. It was dark and claustrophobic. Jane squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to think about it. The wolves howled again, at least three of them. They were closer and she couldn't help but start to tremble. She really didn't want to be eaten by wolves....
It was another 15 minutes or so when she heard them again and now they had to be almost right where she was. She could hear scuffling and whimpers. They snorted and yipped at each other. She bit her lip, trying not to whimper herself. Could they smell her? They must be able to, or they probably would have gone a different direction.
She wanted to sink further but worried the movement and sound would alert them to where she was. She felt some snow shift and heard sniffing and snorting almost above her now. This was it. She was going to be dug out and dragged up by the head before they eat her alive.
She felt the snow above her fall and slide around her, then a paw with dull claws patted at her head through the snow.
Then again. Then two, along with snow being shuffled away as it dug. She shrank down as much as she could, which wasn't much. There were at least three now, digging at the snow around her.
But then they yelped and whimpered. At least two growled and jumped around. She could hear their jaws snapping and something thumping, before they were all whimpering, sounding like they were running away. She held very still and listened.
There was still something up there. It sounded heavier, with much bigger feet. A bear maybe...her breath was shaky and she tied not to exhale very audibly. The back of her jacket was suddenly grabbed through the snow and she was dragged up and out of her cubby.
She wasn't just dragged out though, she was dragged up..and up...until she hung in the air, flailing her arms and legs. She twisted and looked behind her to see what pulled her out.
A man! A very tall man. A very tall and darkly dressed man. She could barely see him in the dark. She sagged in relief.
"Thank you so much! I didn't think there would be anyone out here! I thought for sure I was about to die."
He hummed in agreement, "Mmmm....there normally would not be. You are very fortunate. Myself, not so much."
After that, he dropped her in the more shallow snow and started walking away. What was that supposed to mean?
He had a smooth sexy British accent. It distracted from what he was saying.
Did he wish he hadn't saved her?
She trailed after him, clumsy and awkward. "I'm not sure what you mean by that, but thank you. I wasn't sure what I was going to do tonight before I fell into the snow. Then the wolves..."
She trailed off as he took long strides away from her. She had to jog to catch up.
"In any case, I'm so glad you're out here. I thought it was the middle of nowhere and I would have to try to survive the night under a tree or something."
He didn't turn to look at her or slow down. She kept stumbling in the dark trying to keep up. She stepped in his footprints and realized he was wearing a sort of snowshoe. That's why his steps sounded large...and why she was still sinking in his prints.
"You would not have."
She was confused...
"Excuse me? Would not have what?"
He huffed then went on.
"You would not have survived. You would either freeze or be made a meal for the nightlife."
Oh. Right. Somehow, she hadn't thought she would die until she heard the wolves.
"Well, I'm really glad you were out here. How did you find me?"
His voice was clipped and impatient.
"You are quite loud."
She scoffed. Am not. So rude.
"How far do we have to go?"
He gave a brief glance back at her, though she could only see his dark silhouette.
"I live not far from here. Though I would prefer not to have uninvited company."
He sounded like he was saying it through clenched teeth.
So.... she was not really welcome. She supposed she hadn't asked to come along, nor did he invite her. She simply had nowhere else to go and he hadn't said not to follow him. She decided it didn't matter. She needed to sleep somewhere and her options were limited. Surely he wouldn't turn her away, considering the situation she was in.
"Well, I promise I won't be too much trouble. I can sleep on a couch, or even the floor if you don't have one. And I eat very little."
He seemed to lean forward and walk faster, as though to get away from her.
"Hey! Slow down! I don't have snowshoes and my legs are a lot shorter!"
She could hear him muttering to himself. Something about inconvenient and pathetic. She wanted to be offended, but he did save her life, and she is inconveniencing him. She saw a small house in the distance, a few of the windows were glowing from the light inside. It looked so warm and inviting. It appeared to be a cottage or log cabin. Not very big in any case.
Once they got there, he was quick to go up the steps and bang open the door before stomping in. She thought he was having a fit or something, till she realized it was from walking with snowshoes and getting the snow off of them.
She made sure to stomp the snow off her own boots before pulling them off. Her socks were soaked, so those came off too. She stripped off a couple of layers of clothes along with her coat, gloves, and hat. After hanging them on a coat rack, she looked up and saw that the man was doing the same, but by the back door that had a place to put wet boots and gear. Maybe she should have taken hers off there too...
Jane watched the man as he finished. He had long black hair pulled back with a tie, sharp angular features, and was quite handsome. He seemed familiar and it caused an uncomfortable gnawing in her gut. He finished and headed towards where she stood, looking down at his hands as he rubbed them together. When he got closer, he looked up at her and froze mid-step.
His mouth hung slightly open and his eyes grew wide like he was in shock.
"Jane?"
That startled her and she jerked back.
"What? How do you know my name?"
His mouth opened and closed a couple of times, as he stared in alarm. He took a few steps backward, then turned around facing away from her. His breathing had picked up, and he looked as though he was trying to figure something out.
"Hey! How do you know my name?!?"
She repeated, feeling irritated at how he was acting. She wanted answers. Did she know him? He had seemed familiar, but not THAT familiar. She started straining to think of where she might know him from.
He pivoted and marched out the back door, leaving her alone.
He didn't come back.
It had been two hours.
At first, she explored, though there wasn't much space to cover. It was a one-room cabin. There was artwork that made her realize this must be a major Avenger fan. Or maybe just Thor, as there was a lot of Norse decor and books.
A double bed, sofa, small rustic table, and a lot of plants made up most of the space. The kitchen was fairly elaborate, considering the small space. As was the bathing area, though it had no door. Curtains were the only form of privacy there. She was very curious about the greenhouse that was attached to the kitchen. She would have to explore it more later in the light.
Near the kitchen, she found a 'Wanted' poster for Loki Odinson.
Interesting.
The name of the poster creator was blotted out and replaced with THOR. It wasn't a very good picture of the villain. He looked sick and scraggly.
Still....Something wasn't right. He looked familiar.
(Please ignore the bad quality! I just threw together an idea of what I pictured for Loki's Cabin.)
Jane headed back to the couch in front of the fireplace. She was getting hungry, and very bored. She had munched on a few nuts and dozed off a couple of times, but with no blanket or pillow, it was awkward rest. She huffed and stood. This was ridiculous. Jane marched over to the back door, throwing it open.
The man was several paces away chopping firewood. Chips flying and the split logs flipping away from the force of his swings. He paused when she stepped out and turned to her.
"How may I help you, miss Foster?"
Jane was annoyed that he knew her, and upon realizing it, abandoned her without a word.
"So, I was going to ask if you intended to have dinner, or had a blanket and pillow I can use. But now I feel like I should address the fact you know me, and I don't know you. Who are you? How do you know me?" He had kept his face out of her view, but she saw his chest rise and fall with a sigh.
"You....dated my Brother for a short time. You may have the bed if you are ready to retire. I will take the sofa. As for food...I suppose I can come in and make something. Just give me a moment and I'll be in."
She nodded and shut the door. She was lost in thought as she shuffled back to the couch. She had dated his brother? She hadn't dated many people...5 or so maybe. The most recent was just after Thor left. Thor....brother...Loki? Loki! Of course! Her heart rate picked up at an alarming rate, and she drained of color. Could it be? This man looked nothing like Thor. But he had been strong....and the poster...
She ran over and looked at the poster again. Of course! There was an obvious resemblance! The man she just met looked much healthier and filled out. His hair was better kept too. Still, some of the features were very much the same, though it would be hard to tell if you didn't know what to look for.
Isn't he supposed to be in prison because of New York? She tried to remember the blurry picture posted of the new York battle to compare but came up blank. In a daze she moved back to the couch, plopping down in deep thought.
The door opened and she jumped enough that she had to catch herself to not fall over.
She stood and backed away from him as he approached the firewood rack in front of her. Jane was staring at him with apprehension, scanning his features over to compare to the poster. He put the firewood down and froze when he turned to take in her posture and reaction. Looking her up and down, while only moving those bright green eyes, he slumped slightly and looked away.
"I suppose you have come to a conclusion as to how we know each other, then?"
She gulped and nodded.
"I think so...Loki?"
He had turned, facing away from her slightly, and he shut his eyes, head dropping in defeat. After a moment of silence, he spoke just above a whisper.
"I had hoped you may not figure it out. But you are quite intelligent at times and I had not the time to remove any evidence. It is no shock you came to the correct conclusion."
She sucked in a breath as her fears were confirmed. Was he violent? Would he take over her mind? Oh gosh, would he kill her?!?
Her voice shook a bit now.
"Wh-what do you intend to do with me? Why did you bring me here?"
He scoffed, looking at her incredulously, flipping a hand out annoyed.
"I did not BRING you here, you followed me. As there was no other place for you to go, I allowed it. I had not known it was you when I pulled you from the snow. Though may it be noted, that had I not, you would have died. I suppose even if I had known who you were, I would have pulled you out. But perhaps used a glamour..."
She wasn't sure how to react. She was grateful and realized the situation played out without either of them aware, but...
"So now what? Is Thor here? You didn't kill him did you?!?"
He glared at her appalled.
"Of course I did not kill Thor! And no. He is not here, and it must stay that way. He can not learn of my whereabouts."
He studied her, lips tightly pressed. He looked away from her, jaw working.
"Which, much to my regret, means I can not allow you to leave, Miss Foster."
She jolted back.
"Wh-what? Why? You can't just.. just keep me prisoner! You can't make me stay! I promise I won't tell anyone if that's what you are worried about."
He nodded, "It is. I can not take the risk, nor do I wish to take your life. The remaining option would be to contain you here until I can come up with another solution."
She shook her head and started inching to the door.
"No! You can't keep me here! That's... that's... it's kidnapping! People will come looking for me!"
He still didn't look at her as she continued towards the door, "I assure you, once they find you missing for more than 24 hours, they will presume you lost to the cold or wildlife, as you so foolishly ventured into the wilderness alone. They will not find you here. The only reason you were able to come here, is because I allowed it."
She was starting to panic. He was serious. He intended to keep her here.
Indefinitely.
She ran.
She ran towards the door, grabbing her coat and shoving her feet in the boots without bothering with socks while grabbing the doorknob. It locked, as she reached for it, with a loud and definite click.
No! She yanked on it and twisted the lock, but it did not budge. That didn't stop her from yanking and jostling until the whole thing just disappeared. Then it was just a flat door with no way to open it. She patted around then banged on it shouting and kicking in frustration.
"You can't DO this! Let me go!" He still hadn't moved or looked at her. Just blankly stared at the floor while slumped. He finally whispered a response when her furious attempts to get out quieted down.
"I am so sorry." He looked up and made eye contact with her. He seemed remorseful and guilty. Good! If she wasn't afraid of him, she'd go up and start pounding on his chest and kicking his shins. But she was, so instead, she slid down against the flat door and buried her face in her hands.
He walked into the kitchen area and loudly got pans and things out. She could tell he was banging things around more than necessary. Probably to let out aggression. Well, better pans than her. She felt numb. It didn't feel real. She was still wrapping her head around the fact this was THE Loki. LOKI! The GOD that tried to take over the WORLD and almost destroyed her town with a giant robot to kill his brother, Thor! The reality of it just wasn't sinking in as a reality at all. On top of that, he had saved her life and let her into his home. He had seemed....not evil. She actually didn't feel afraid of HIM per se, just the idea of him. Looking at him in person, he didn't incite fear into her.
Plus, he was kind of hot, when she looked objectively and not with preconceived notions. She was sure Darcy would have made this into a dramatic romantic novel situation. She decided she would bide her time and make the best of the situation. First, she needed to get a better understanding of the situation.
She stood up determined, and marched to the kitchen, chin up and trying to look confident. Unafraid. Oddly, she was unafraid and didn't have to fake it.
When she came over, he side glanced at her, then raised an eyebrow, "Feeling a bit more calm? I assure you, I mean you no harm Miss Foster. There simply is no alternative at the moment. You would also die if you attempted to brave the wilderness at the moment."
Oh yeah...of course she would have. Stupid. She had panicked and forgotten why she was there in the first place. "Yeah well. At the time, braving the cold and wolves seemed a better choice than being abducted by a crazy alien God that tried to kill my boyfriend, destroy my hometown, and take over the whole flipp'n world."
He paused and looked at her straight on. "I was not intending to kill Thor. Nor did I truly intend to take over Midgard. You may not have reason to believe me, but I truly intend you no harm."
She huffed and looked away, folding her arms. "I know. I don't think I would act quite this sassy if I was afraid of you. While you are pretty intimidating, you don't give off, 'I'm going to break your neck' vibes."
He cocked his head and a brow at her, "Odd. I have snapped many necks." He smirked at her horrified expression.
"You're kidding, right?"
He suppressed a grin and shook his head, "Not at all. Too many to count, in fact. Though worry not. If I intended to take your life, it would not be by snapping your fragile, mortal neck. I could have merely allowed you to leave. Then my problem would be solved."
Putting her hands on her hips she was about to protest, though to what, she wasn't sure. It was true, if she had left, she would have died and he would not be stuck with a hostage he didn't want. So, technically, he had saved her life by stopping her. The thought ground on her nerves.
She noticed he was chopping vegetables with a great amount of skill and speed. She breathed in deep and blew out any negative feelings she still had.
"So....what are you making? Want help?" He paused again to look at her like he was trying to figure her out. She shrugged, "What? If you're making dinner, I can help. I don't like just sitting around while others work."
He started cutting again, though he was still watching her and not at what he was doing. "I believe it is called stir-fry. From Midgard's Asian region. If you wish to help, the chicken needs to be prepped and sliced."
She bounced on her toes a few times while looking around. She headed to the large fridge. "Sure, I can do that. So....how long have you been here? Aren't you supposed to be in prison?" She regretted asking when his chopping became more violent towards the innocent veggies.
"It would really be unwise for you to know any more than you already do, Miss Foster. Let it suffice you to know, that I do not wish to be found."
She cleared her throat and went back to her task. The chicken looked like he had caught and prepped a wild chicken. Unless he farms.... Interesting. The veggies all looked like they came from the indoor garden.
"Ok, so you won't tell me anything about your situation. Even though, it is now affecting me too. I'm stuck in the muck with you now, whether you like it or not. By you're own insistence, too. But whatever. So...How's Thor? Does he ever talk about me?"
Loki snorted in amused annoyance or irritation.
"I have not seen Thor in quite some time now, and do hope it remains that way. However, he was perfect the last time I saw him. And yes, he spoke of you. Incessantly. I do not know how you ensnared him so, but he was quite taken by you."
She blushed and couldn't keep the grin off her face. She brushed a lock of hair behind her ear awkwardly. He side-eyed her before rolling his eyes.
"I see you return his infatuation. Of course, because why would you not. He is a perfect golden God."
He seemed irritated. Jealous? Did he like her too? They never met...so that didn't seem likely. Maybe just jealous of Thor in general. That did seem likely.
"Well, he was a perfect gentleman. I enjoyed his company very much. He also explained some of the world tree and Asgard to me, and it was very fascinating. Not to mention he has a perfect body. Very swoon-worthy."
She wasn't sure why she was aggravating Loki's jealousy of Thor. Maybe because she despised him for keeping her there. Or destroying her town. He was a jerk and she wanted passive-aggressive revenge. He slowed down his chopping and seemed lost in thought, only using muscle memory. She started to feel guilty when watching his forlorn expression. Jane cleared her throat and he snapped out of it, briefly glancing
at her before setting the knife aside and washing his hands.
He mumbled while pulling out a wok and heating it up, "Yes. I have no doubt he caught your attentions. As he does with most. A mere mortal would stand no chance against his radiance and charm. He basically radiates sunshine and has his own orbit gravitational pull such as your sun does. Though I assure you, his knowledge on Yggdrasil is paltry"
She thought about that description of orbiting and had to agree. She couldn't help but want to be around him, and his smile warmed her to the core. She was startled a little when she realized Loki had walked up right behind her and she whipped around, pointing the knife at him, point almost touching his chest. He glanced down at the knife, then up at her face without changing his expression.
He reached his long arm around her and picked up the cutting board of sliced chicken, then cocked a brow and smirked at her before backing away, turning back to the wok. She put the knife down and shut her eyes, leaning her hands on the edge of the round island counter. She must be more on edge than she thought. He didn't seem intimidated at all though, and that irked her.
With a loud huff, she went to wash her hands and left the kitchen. She felt foolish and wanted to hide the flush of embarrassment that was lighting up her face. Though he probably already saw it. She plopped back on the couch.
While staring at the fire, she must have dozed off, because she startled awake when she felt a hand lightly set on her shoulder. She jerked up to sit, glaring at Loki. He cleared his throat and looked away from her.
"Sorry...I did not intend to startle you. The evening meal is ready if you care to join me at the table."
She hadn't thought of the idea they would be sitting together at dinner like just an ordinary get-together. But what else would she do? Come eat on the couch or on the bed? Yeah, that was an option.
She saw Loki swallow uncomfortably, "Or not. I could bring it to you here if you would prefer..."
She blew out an irritated puff of air, "No, I'll come to the table."
He seemed to brighten a bit at that, and it confused her. Had he actually cared if she joined him or not? She got up and headed to the table with him a step behind. Once there, he pulled her chair out, before moving over to his. Huh.
Once he had placed a cloth napkin on his lap, he picked up a bowl of rice.
"Would you like me to serve you?"
He asked holding a hand out for her plate.
"Uh...no....I can do it. Just pass it over when you're finished."
He looked slightly confused, then indifferent. Serving himself and passing it over. Once they were all served and started eating, the atmosphere finally stopped feeling so awkward. He had offered to pour her wine, and she took it to do herself. She had to remind herself he was a prince and used to a certain form of etiquette. Though, Thor had done no such thing himself. In fact, his manners had been atrocious. So was this Loki's 'prince' showing, or was he doing it for her? Or was he just like this?
"So, what's with the formal manners? Is this a prince thing, because Thor sure didn't do any of this. In fact, he shattered several mugs before we started giving him paper cups."
Loki smirked at that, He can be quite an unsophisticated slob. I prefer a much more elegant approach. I find Thor's manners quite appalling. Though most others find it endearing of course, and my own as snobbish. It seems it does not matter what it is, Thor's method will always be more accepted. Would you prefer that as well? Does this make you uncomfortable?"
She half shrugged, "No, not really. I prefer some form of dinner manners. I used to be reprimanded for having bad manners by my parents. Thor's did make me cringe more often than not."
She chuckled at the memory.
He was watching her, "But even as it made you cringe, you still find it endearing, do you not? You smile fondly at the mere memory of his horrendous manners."
She looked to the table blushing again.
"I suppose so. He's just so....I don't know how to say it. Even the things I don't like, make me smile to think about."
Loki nodded then dropped his gaze down to his plate, pushing food around on it.
She looked up at him slyly, "Why do you ask? Do you want me to think of you that way?"
Loki watched her with an unreadable expression, "No. Of course not. I imagine you still view me as a villain. I only despise the fact Thor merely must exist to have others dote upon him. He can do the vilest of things and still be Asgard's golden prince. It seems that has been extended to Midgard as well. I do not mean only you, but all who meet him gravitate to his infernal glory."
Loki stated these things without any anger or irritation. Just as facts. Though he may have been sad.
She felt a bit annoyed though, because all Thor did was try to help them. Loki only destroyed stuff.
"You know, this whole 'woe is me' thing is a bit irritating, considering you have attacked and destroyed a lot. You can't possibly think anyone would think highly of you after that. Thor helps people. He doesn't destroy anything but mugs. He smiles and is friendly. Maybe if you tried doing some of that, you would get a better response."
He stopped moving and stared up at her, making her fidget and wonder if she should start keeping her mouth shut. It was easy to forget who this was, despite speaking of his past deeds.
Loki dropped his gaze back to his fork.
"I used to. I am sure you are correct. I am simply not favored with the chances Thor is and often must create the opportunity to prove myself to anyone. Unfortunate circumstances tend to flood my life, and my reputation is often sullied with each. My domain of chaos is probably to blame for much of that."
She leaned back to glare at him, arms folded.
"Well, let's see. My first impression of Thor: he was smiling and polite. My first exposure to you was the Destroyer that was to kill Thor and destroy my town. How do you think any of the people there would think of you after that?"
He waved a hand in dismissal, "I cared not what any mortals thought of me at the time. It was necessary to do as I did. I could not have Thor returning to Asgard, and the Warriors had gone to Midgard, against my command as rightful king mind you, to retrieve him. We were at the cusp of a war Thor started due to a mere insult, my subjects were committing treason to bring him back, I was still young and not ready for such a responsibility, though I had hoped to use it as an opportunity to prove myself. I had also learned merely days before, that I was not Thor's brother, but a member of the very race we had just started a war with. The same monsters that mothers tell their young will steal them in the night to feast on their flesh. I was of the monsters Thor had vowed to obliterate. I was concerned that once he learned of what I was.... he might slay me too. So, I did what I could to prevent him from coming back too soon. I had to prove my loyalty before he found out. I needed to end the war before he could make matters worse."
He was talking like he was desperate for her to understand. Maybe even trying to convince himself.
She leaned back in her chair, arms folded with a huff.
"Look, buddy. It all sounds so desperate and noble, but the fact is, you almost killed me, Thor, and ruined my hometown. In my book, you're still the villain. And don't get me started on New York."
She had had enough. She stood abruptly, drawing his gaze back on her.
"I'm done for the night. I may have to be stuck here with you. But I don't have to like it. You aren't going to be getting any sympathy from me. Now if you don't mind, I'm tired and going to bed."
His expression was stony, and he nodded before looking down at his plate, hands resting on either side.
She growled in frustration as she marched over to the bed and flopped onto her back on it, arms folded. She was annoyed that she actually DID feel some sympathy for him. She wanted to hate him SO bad! But couldn't get the feeling to stick. What he said made some sort of sense, from his point of view. Didn't mean he had to have her town destroyed! And then there was New York! He was trying to gain sympathy from her, and it was working, but she couldn't let it! It was a manipulation for sure. He was the god of lies after all. Deceiving to get what he wants was probably second nature.
From the kitchen area, she could hear water running and plates clanking together. He must be doing dishes and cleaning up. She had only eaten half her dinner and hated wasting food. He probably had a scarce amount too, being up in the mountains and growing his own food. She refused to feel guilty though. The thought of the dark god washing dishes was amusing, however.
She sighed and looked around. Spotting an armoire, Jane decided she wanted to change into something better than sweaty jeans and went over to see if there was something she could wear for the night. She found a tunic and decided she needed a bath when looking herself over. The only bath was out in the open though. She didn't trust the curtain.
Jane stepped around the wall and eyed the tub. It looked so luxurious and she wanted to soak in it really bad. Leaning back, she saw that Loki had gone into the greenhouse. Maybe if she was quick... Even if he came back in, he'd better just keep his creepy alien eyes off her skin.
She went over to the tub to turn on the water, but paused. What did she really know about him? He could be a rapist. How would she know? Being naked in his house, where he could just walk up and see her did not sound like a smart idea. Should she risk it? What were her options? She needed to use the bathroom and wash the grime off of her. If she was going to be here a long time, there was no getting around bathing at some point.
With a deep breath, she decided to risk it. She ran back and grabbed a second tunic, then peeked back into the kitchen. He was back in the kitchen now, wiping off counters. So weird to see him doing such a domestic thing. It looked so normal. She tiptoed backward to the bath again, shutting the curtain.
With a sigh, she decided to just do it. She used the toilet and climbed into the bath, wearing one of the tunics. Jane shaved with his razor after washing it, then picked through fancy shampoos, and dumped bath salts and oils in. She kept watch, but he never came into view.
Finishing up, she pulled the wet tunic off and draped it over the tub. Quickly, she dried off with one of his extremely soft and plush towels, then put the clean tunic on. It fell to her mid-thigh, and hung a bit off one shoulder. The V neck dipped a bit lower than she would normally be comfortable with, but it didn't reveal much and would work. Jane found a toothbrush she assumed was his, washed it with soap three times, and brushed her teeth. She smirked when she put it back for him to use later. Though she knew she didn't have any diseases, she hoped he would get one.
She used his brush and put her hair back in a braid with one of his hair ties. Once done, she stepped out to the main living area, and almost stepped on a small basket on the floor. She bent down and picked it up. It was like a gift basket, only it had a toothbrush and paste, shampoo and conditioner, a female razor, deodorant, bath bombs, body wash, and scrubbing gloves. There was even a small box of tampons and pads.
There was a note, and she felt a bit embarrassed when she read it.
-I hope everything you might need for the restroom is included here. Should you need anything more, you need only ask.
I would request that you refrain from using my personal products in the future. Please. ~L-
How did he know she had used them? And where did he get all this female stuff? Did he have girls over often? For some reason, that thought rankled her and she scrunched up her nose. She went back to the bed, noting he was still in the kitchen area, though he did not seem to be cleaning anymore.
She couldn't help peeking over to see what he was doing. There was a miniature tree on a ledge by a window. A bonsai tree probably. Of basil, if the smell was to go by. He was trimming it with small scissors.
She couldn't help the half-smile at the Villain God working on the tiny tree. She shook her head in amusement and went back to the bed. She searched around the area, exploring it for anything interesting. Normally she would feel guilty, but this man was forcing her to be there, so she had no respect for his privacy and stuff at the moment. Plus, she was curious about him. She found a couple of books and brought them to the bedside table. Noting the hulk plush, she smirked and decided to cuddle it while starting to read 'Great Expectations'. She lost track of time for a while, and several chapters into it, her thirst was making it hard to concentrate. Setting the book and stuffy aside, she tiptoed to the edge of the wall and peeked around it. Loki was on the couch, staring blankly at the fire. Hmm...Maybe she'd wait...
She went back and read a few more chapters, then decided she didn't care about Loki, she needed a drink.
Creeping over to the sofa, she noted Loki was now leaning his head to the side on the armrest and seemed to be asleep. She sucked in a breath and quietly moved one foot after the other until she reached the kitchen. Once she had gulped down two glasses, she filled it a third time to take it back to the bed area.
She paused as she passed the sleeping man. He was huddled and it made him look smaller than he really was. The fire had died down to embers, and there wasn't a lot of light coming into the room. But enough, that when she stepped around the couch, she couldn't take her eyes off his pale sharp features, now lit more by reflecting moonlight off of snow.
He didn't look very comfortable. His legs were drawn up to his chest and arms folded. She felt a little guilty taking his bed and leaving him out here. She went back and grabbed a pillow and blanket from a cabinet she came across during her explorations and tucked the pillow in front of him and in the crack between him and the armrest. He could adjust it if he woke up during the night. Then lay the blanket over him.
His brow was scrunched and he didn't seem to be sleeping very peacefully. She reached out to smooth the furrow with her thumb. But when she rubbed it, he took a shaky inhale and a whimper as he let it out. She furrowed her own brow and massaged his forehead lightly.
"Shhhh....It's ok...."
She couldn't help but want to comfort and ease the stress the man was clearly feeling. He looked rather endearing like this, and he turned his face into her hand, nuzzling it. Her heart skittered and she wondered what on Earth she was doing!
Before she let go, he whispered in his sleep, voice hitching,
"Please....Please do not forsake me....."
He sounded so sad and desperate it tugged at her heart. Loki seemed to calm a bit after that, and she felt it was time to leave him be.
Though she could have sat there watching him for hours. Something about him fascinated and drew her in. In a different way than Thor did, but the pull was just as strong.
Maybe it was a God thing.