Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Mr. Laufeyson, is it?”

“Yes, well. Call me Loki,” I extended my hand, all the while dazzling the woman before me with my most charming smile. She did not appear to be dazzled. Or charmed.

Slightly miffed, I sunk down into the chair. So far, this interview was incredibly boring. Not at all worth buying a new suit for. Curse Thor and that stupid dare. 

“Mr. Laufeyson,” the woman—Ravonna—tapped her manicured nails, bringing me back to attention. “Your acting experience is… substantial. However, I’m concerned about your lack of teaching experience. Do you enjoy working with children?” 

I tugged at a strand of hair. 

“I love kids! I honestly wish I had some of my own!” Internally, I gagged. Too much enthusiasm, Loki. Tone it down. “As for my resume, I neglected to add all of the summer camp counselor positions I’ve had over the years. I assumed my acting experience would be enough.” 

Ravonna watched me closely. For a moment, I felt like a guilty criminal pleading in court, instead of an interviewee for the stupidest job ever. 

“Our current acting teacher will most likely be out of commission for several weeks. Are you prepared to work hard to provide a safe, healthy, and enriching environment for our students here at Terra Valley Academy?” I nodded vigorously, with wide, innocent eyes. 

“Of course, Ma’am. The children’s safety and well-being is my top priority.” Feeling more scrutinization, I try to amp up the emotional pull. Unfortunately, my tear ducts died along with my heart, long ago. 

After another heated staring contest (which I definitely won), Ravonna sighed. 

“I’ll contact you if I need any more information, thank you.” She swept my hastily made resume into a folder, and placed it in her desk. I blinked. 

“Please leave now,” she glared. 

“Oh, right! Well, thank you so much for this opportunity, Miss Renslayer, I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. By picking my honorable name out of a batch of worthy applicants, you’ve directed history in the right course, and positively impacted the future of this school forev—” 

A knock interrupted my very important monologue, a crucial step in my plan of winning over this stubborn principal and making everyone in this school bow to me. A plain-looking, grey-haired man poked his head into the room. 

“You ready for me, Ravonna?” he smiled. I scowled. 

“Yes. Mr. Laufeyson was just leaving,” Ravonna said, ushering me out of her office. The strange man gave a small wave before closing the door behind him. 

The nerve of these people, treating me like this. Regardless of whether I win this stupid dare, I will be complaining about this to Thor for a very long time. 

TVA Position  Inbox  

 Ms. Laufeydottir <[email protected]>

Hello, Mr. Laufeyson. 

My name is Sylvie. 

“Read the email to me again, Loki,” Thor’s voice crackled through my phone speaker. I groaned. 

“Oh, it’s no use, Thor! She clearly hates me, already. This ‘Sylvie’ woman has insulted me at least seven times in this email. She hasn’t even met me!” I flop back onto my couch, clearly wrought with despair. “How do you feel about the matter, darling?”

The young man I had enjoyed the previous night squeaked in surprise and stopped his pathetic tiptoeing. With his clothes a mess and belongings in tow, he must have been trying to sneak out. 

“I-I don’t think she’s a big fan of yours…” he adjusts his glasses. What a sweet boy. 

“Hear that, Thor? He thinks I’m riiiiight,” I smirked at my phone. The man stood still by the doorway, fidgeting with his sleeve. 

“There’s coffee and scones in the kitchen. Feel free to have some before you leave.” Thankfully, the poor boy catches his cue and scrambles out of the room. 

“Please tell me you’ve met a nice, normal person and are finally settling down,” an annoying voice interjects. I scowl. 

“Nothing about me is normal, Thor,” I say, the words a stinging reminder of my father. The voice sighs. 

“That’s not what I meant, brother. I am sorry.” 

“Ugh. You’re so boring. Just like this job is going to be so, completely boring ! Thor, I might not survive it and it’s all your fault.” He sighs again. 

“Loki, you know I’m only trying to protect you. Ever since— well. Dad’s been threatening to cut you off lately, unless you change your, er, current behavior. I think a job would at least be an improvement in his eyes! And, who knows, maybe once he sees you’re still the respectable child he knows and loves, we can start having family dinners all together again. You could come home.” 

The seams on the arm of my couch are fraying. I pick at them some more. 

“Just stick with it for now, Loki. Promise me this, brother.” My phone beeps, notifying me of an incoming call. 

“So long, brother.”

The new call was from a number I had never seen before. Interesting. 

“Who do I have the pleasure of speaking with?” The voice on the other end lightly chuckled. 

“No, no. The pleasure’s all mine. I’m Mobius, Loki. I’m the teacher that’s going to be showing you around the ol’ TVA for the next week or so. Sylvie should’ve emailed you all the details.” I could hear him smiling through the phone. How nauseating. 

“Ah, yes. Sylvie .” I scowled, now reminded of my latest source of anguish. “She actually didn’t email me ‘all the details’, just a scathing assessment of my character.” The man laughed. 

“Yeah, she’s good at that. Don’t worry, she’s all bark and no bite. I’m sure you’ll both get along in no time!”

I scoff. To his credit, this Mobius just keeps rambling on. 

“So, listen. School starts this Monday, but I figured you’d want a lay of the land first, before all the kiddos are clogging everything up. Are you free at all this weekend to come down for a personal tour from yours truly?” How interesting. 

“Why Mobius! If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were asking me out on a date. Shall I prepare our dinner reservations on Saturday?” 

“I was thinking earlier. Maybe 10am?” I can still hear his stupid smile through the phone. 

“Brunch it is.”

“See you then, Loki. Oh, and listen, don’t worry too much about Sylvie. She knows she has to play nice with you.” I frown. 

“I don’t need h—” the line clicks dead. Bastard. 

I turn to the mess that has become my apartment. The silence is unsettling. 

I guess it’s time for back-to-school shopping. 

For the next two days I embraced life to the fullest. One final stand before all my freedom was taken away. I attended as many parties as I could, flirted with as many pretty things I could find, and drank as much as I could stomach. I hadn’t planned, however, to wake up late that Saturday morning to an incessant ringing and the terrible taste of stale spirits in my mouth. 

Groaning, I managed to grab my phone and swipe open the call, but the ringing refused to stop echoing in my head. 

“Hey, Loki. Just checking that you’re on your way to the TVA. I can resend you the directions if you got lost.” My head throbs. 

“No, no. I’m definitely on my way.” I miss water. And unconsciousness. 

“Alright. See you soon, then.” 

It takes me a full ten minutes to work up the drive to stand. I leave with a coffee and sunglasses, having no intention of concealing my poor state. Hopefully, my appearance will be enough to knock the pants off of this stupid schoolteacher. 

When I finally arrive at the school, I’m greeted by the same dopey-looking man that interrupted my interview. With eyebrows raised, he looks over my smudged makeup, messy clothes, and tangled hair, before shaking his head and chuckling. 

“Have fun last night?” 

“As a matter of fact, I did. It’s nice to meet you… Moobius, was it?” I grinned, extending my hand. The grey-haired man cackles. 

“Haven’t heard that one yet! My students also get a kick out of my name, it’s plenty of teasing material.” He wiped his eyes before pulling himself back together. “Why don’t we get this tour started, shall we?” 

Following someone throughout a middle school shouldn’t be entertaining, but watching Mobius certainly was. For such a humble-looking man, he certainly had a gentle, but persistent confidence. 

“This here is Ms. Julie’s classroom. She’s one of our science teachers… Oh, and here’s Mr. Morrison’s classroom. Hey, Casey!” The man grinned at Mobius’s greeting and waved. I waved back, but he couldn’t seem to reciprocate due to his shock at my appearance. How rude. 

“This next room is pretty special,” Mobius said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. Yet, when he opened the door, all I saw was another classroom with a few history posters on its walls...and a jet ski poster? 

“Whoever teaches history here has horrid taste,” I say, nodding at the water vehicle. Mobius sputters. 

“What do you mean? How can you hate jet skis? They’re awesome!” I shrugged. 

“I’ve never been on one. I have never seen the point of them.” Mobius shakes his head in disbelief. 

“I can’t believe you. I’ve never been on one either, you know. That doesn’t make them any less awesome.” He stared at the poster wistfully. How strange. 

Exploring further down the hallway, I find a slightly fancier looking door. 

“That’s Ravonna’s office. Count yourself lucky if you don’t have to be in there often. It’s where all her meetings with the big dogs happen.” I try to peer in, but Mobius begins to walk away. 

“Let’s go see the breakroom, Loki. It’s the one paradise us teachers get.” 

I spent the rest of the tour formulating a plan. It was clear that if I wanted my exciting and roguish lifestyle funded, I needed to play nice. For now. But even though I’m somewhat complying with Thor’s wishes, that didn’t mean I couldn’t do so on my own terms. By the time I’m done with this school, I’d either be thrown out of it or I’d be sitting at Ravonna’s desk, running the place. 

“Say, Loki. How do you feel about getting that brunch now?” Mobius smiled at me with unsettling ease. This man is definitely someone to be wary around. 

“Unfortunately, I have some prior business that needs tending to. Apologies.” I give him my most charming smile. He mirrors me instantly. Bastard.  

“Aw, what a shame. And here I looked forward to sharing a meal with a friend.” I scowled. 

“I don’t have friends.” 

Mobius just smiled, as if he already knew. 

“Okay, Loki.”

Chapter Text

First Day  Inbox

  Ms. Laufeydottir <[email protected]>

Hello again, Mr. Laufeyson. 

I do think it would be best if you gave some semblance of a reply to these emails, just so I know you’re not an incapable, moronic robot. I do regret having to leave my students, especially since they’re in your hands, but at least I’ve planned in advance for this circumstance. Linked here are my yearly lesson plans for each of the classes I teach. I wouldn’t recommend going off script, because I doubt there’s anything you can teach better than me! 

Bye. 

Ms. Laufeydottir

There wasn’t enough coffee in the world that could prepare me for the swarm of little beasts I was maneuvering through that Monday morning. I was up to my knees in snotty nosed brats, and it wasn’t even 8am yet. 

Due to Mobius’s detailed tour, I was able to quickly slip through the crowd to the theater wing, where my office is. The old room was a bit stuffy, but this corner of the school should be empty until my first class. Speaking of which, I should probably find out when that is… 

A knock on the door breaks my train of thought. 

“How’s the first day treating ya, Loki?” Mobius grinned. He was wearing a slightly different shade of brown suit than when I last saw him, but still looked incredibly plain. I stared at him pointedly. 

“I just sat down.” 

“I can see that…” he says, his eyes sliding across the room to my empty briefcase. In my defense, I had no idea what teachers were supposed to bring to school! I just wanted to look professional. “Well, I just came by to wish you luck. And to let you know that ‘Vonna wants to see you.” He smiles and taps the doorway twice before leaving. What a strange man. 

I do my best to set up my email on the ancient PC I’m provided before going to Ravonna’s office. It can’t be helped if I’m a few minutes late to this abhorrent impromptu meeting, my cybersecurity takes utmost priority. When I finished, most of the students were in their homerooms, with the exception of a few stragglers, so I was able to leisurely stroll through the hallways of this strange school. 

Peeking through different classrooms, I’m able to fully appreciate how large the school truly is. Who knew so many children existed in the world? 

A familiar brown figure catches my eye, and I stop. 

Glancing in the window into Mobius’s classroom, I see him sitting comfortably on his desk, gesturing wildly and making the students laugh and shout excitedly. He smiles brightly at them, and my fascination grows. He genuinely enjoys teaching those little monsters? How strange. 

Someone clears their throat behind me, and I spin around fast enough to get whiplash. Of course Ravonna, of all people, catches me in such a compromising position. 

“Hello, ‘Vonna .” She squints at me. 

“Only my friends can call me that. You can call me Ms. Renslayer. In my office, please.” She lightly steps by me and leads the way. 

The inside of her office is dramatically over-decorated. Between the dark wooden shelves and the atrociously low lighting, the room feels ominous. 

“Sit.” Only in this helscape would someone dare treat me like a dog. 

“Actually, I’d prefer to stand. Long commute. I should probably stretch my legs.” She gives me a withering look before sighing and sitting instead. 

“Loki, why haven’t you contacted Ms. Laufeydottir at all?” 

“...Bad reception?” 

“She’s notified me that you haven’t replied to any of her emails. For you to adequately teach, you both need to work together. Can you do that? Or should I hire someone else for this position?” I glare at my feet, feeling like a scolded child. It’s not even my fault, so why am I getting the blame? 

“Maybe if she hadn’t been so hostile in her emails, I would have contacted her already.” Ravonna laughs, exasperated. 

“Of all people, Loki, you should be able to handle some hostility.” I stare at her. She turns to her computer. 

“I’m printing you a copy of your schedule, just in case you didn’t look at that email, either.” I suck in my teeth, feeling anger bubble up within me. Patience, Loki. Don’t lose your job on the first day. 

“I’ll be sure to reply to Sylvie right away,” I say, syrupy sweet, before snatching the paper from her hands. “But don’t expect me to be her, ‘Vonna .” 

Two insufferable periods pass before my first acting class. I’ve never known boredom like this. Normally, when I’m unburdened and free to do as I please, I never feel it. I would go and antagonize Thor. Or drop by my father’s office for a surprise visit and terrorize the interns. Or flirt my way into a roaring party. Now, however, I’m stuck in this jail cell of an office, counting down the seconds until I can leave. 

The sound of laughing children echoes down the hall. It’s a strange sound. I haven’t been surrounded by this many children in… ever. As a boy, my father provided high ranked private tutors for Thor and I. And I always had a knack for driving away other kids. 

I’m not sure how long I sat reminiscing before the timer on my phone went off, alerting me of my first class. With one last glance at my email draft, I turn my computer off. It’s truly such a shame I couldn’t finish my reply to Sylvie in time. (So far, the email read: ‘Dear Sylvie, Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die.’).

It was my understanding that theater teachers weren’t important enough to have their own classrooms, so I had to greet the panicked sixth graders at the end of the hall as they slowly found their way to their next class. 

“Hello, little devils! Right this way!” 

The children looked so nervous and so small . It didn’t help that they were completely dwarfed by their ginormous backpacks. What were they carrying around? Their own personal encyclopedias? 

Inside the theater, I instructed all of them to sit in the audience seats while I took the stage. Already, I was enjoying this whole teaching thing. 

“My name is Loki. No need to bother with last names, as I doubt I’ll be here that long.” Several of the kids frantically unzipped their backpacks and pulled out large notebooks, scribbling every word I said. 

“What kind of name is Loki, anyways?” A slightly braver boy from the back shouts out, earning a nervous chuckle from the class. Oh, that’s brilliant! Forget whatever stupid lesson Sylvie scripted! I now have a plan.

“Yes, yes, very funny. I’m sure plenty of you have outlandish names that I’m never going to bother to remember. Anyways, let’s move onto class, shall we?” I clap my hands together in excitement. 

“For your first theater class, I want all of you to stop what you’re doing and come join me on the stage!” The children blink at me, before hesitantly standing. 

“Come now, drop your notebooks. Yes, that’s it! Wonderful.” We now looked like a rather drab performance of School of Rock, minus the instruments. 

“Circle up now, everyone. We’re going to play a game.” A bookish boy, who already didn’t seem popular amongst his peers, raised a hand. 

“I thought this was a class? Why are we playing instead of learning?” I frown at him. 

“Why not do both? Now, just for that question, you’ve earned yourself the position of demonstrating for the rest of us how this game will be played.” I pull the boy into the middle of the circle, before turning to the rest of the class. 

“The game is called ‘Honey, I Love Ya’. In it, the middle person goes up to one person at a time and dramatically says the phrase ‘Honey, I love you more than...’ and inserts whatever amusing conclusion they have, before asking them to smile. The challenged person must reply ‘Honey, I love you, but I just can’t smile.’ without smiling, or else they replace the middle person. Essentially, the goal is to not remain trapped in the center. Also, you can’t touch the other person, or else you automatically go to the center. Makes sense?” Dozens of confused children stare back at me. 

“You’ll catch on as we go. You may start now,” I nod at the boy in the center. He smooths his hair down before marching up to a girl across from him. 

“H-Honey, I love you more than… I love studying. Would you please smile?” Her mouth upturns as she tries to reply. 

“Honey… hahaha. Oh my gosh this is difficult!” Still smiling, she takes his place in the center before choosing her next victim. Thinking for a bit, she waves and approaches a girl who must be her friend.

“Honey, I love you more than your brother likes eating Twinkies. Would you please smile?” she proclaims in a terrible southern accent. The entire class giggles, but her friend remains stone faced. I should ask Thor what the food item is later. 

“Honey, I love you, but I just can’t smile.” The girl in the center groans, but remains in good spirits as she tries again. 

The next 45 minutes are quickly spent, with different individuals taking turns, the class erupting in laughter and groans of defeat as their nervousness wears off. At one point, a little boy walks up to me and says in the sweetest way possible: “Honey, I love you more than Ms. Sylvie likes insulting people…” and I can’t help but cackle. 

After a particularly raucous bout of laughter, the bookish boy from the beginning raised his hand again. 

“Mr. Loki, we were supposed to go to lunch ten minutes ago.” I rake a hand through my hair. My lord is this child tightly wound!

“Alright, off you go, the lot of you.” I shoo the children out of the theater. The sound of laughter and chattering in the hallway was much louder now than it had been before the class.

I don’t think I truly understood how many people disfavored me at this terrible school until my lunch break. 

Surprisingly, the hot food here wasn’t awful. Mind you, it wasn’t exactly the fine dining and elegant cuisine I’m used to, but it was manageable. However, my troubles all began when I attempted to join the rest of the faculty for lunch. 

The second I walked in the door, I immediately noticed something was wrong. A room full of strangers silently glared at me, but I was much accustomed to large amounts of people disliking me. No, I was distraught due to my serious lack of conformity. Where was my donut? Everyone’s trays in the room had a quite delicious looking treat decorating them except mine.

“O-oh. Sorry about that, Loki! I must have miscounted this morning at the bakery.” Casey says nervously. I glare. 

“That’s just fine, Casey. I’m sure you all need the extra pounds anyways!” A familiar face chokes on his drink laughing. 

“It feels like Sylvie never left! How are ya doing, Loki? Pull up a chair.” He gestures at the table where he, Casey, and a frowning woman were sitting. I chose to ignore the Sylvie comment and placed my tray on the table. 

“Loki, this is Bev, our security and hall monitor.” The woman glares at me, before looking at Mobius. He shrugs in some code I don’t understand, and she sighs and leaves. 

“She seems like a treasure.” I pick a few grapes and pop them into my mouth. Mobius smiles at me. 

“Oh, she is. Definitely a stickler for rules and order and whatnot. We used to make fun of her for parking in the same parking spot everyday for years, so now most of us call her B-15.” He stabs at his salad a few times. “Maybe don’t call her that just yet, though.” I smirk at my pasta. I will definitely take every opportunity I can to call her that. 

“You can just call me Casey. I don’t mind.” I squint at the nervous man sitting next to me. 

“Obviously.” 

Mobius taps my hand, grabbing my attention. 

“Say, I heard your first class was a raging success. It’s all kids talk about in the hallways.” I grin at him. 

“Well, what can I say? I have a way with children. It’s truly a gift.” Mobius chuckles. 

“Oh, I’m sure. It couldn’t have anything to do with the fact that you’re just playing games.” I scowl at him. How did he even know that? 

“My teaching methods are none of your business.” He raises his eyebrows and sips his drink. 

“Whatever you say, Loki.” 

Casey looks back and forth between the two of us. 

“I typically like to use lecture methods with my students.” I roll my eyes. 

“But they’re allowed to ask questions if they have any.” I stab at a noodle. 

“And I always like to finish my lessons with h—” Mobius coughs ridiculously loudly. 

“I always like to finish m—” Mobius hacks obnoxiously again. Both Casey and I stare at him increduley. Has this man ever faked a cough before in his life? 

“Mobius, are you alright?” Apparently, the awful noises are enough to convince Casey. Mobius waves him off. 

“Oh, I’m alright, don’t worry about me. I just have this terrible cough…” Casey jumps at the bait immediately. 

“Let me run to the nurse’s and grab you some throat lozenges!” He’s gone before either of us can say otherwise. I turned to Mobius, impressed. 

“You sly fox!” Mobius shrugs, before returning to his salad. 

“Everyone needs a little bit of direction every once in a while,” he says between bites. I shake my head in amazement. 

Mobius finishes the rest of his meal relatively quickly, apparently needing to jet off to a meeting with Ravonna. He graciously accepts his cough drops from Casey, and leaves with a smile and a wave. I hadn’t noticed it before, but in his place he left a single green sprinkled donut. 

I’m pleased to say that the rest of my classes went by without a hitch. It’s somewhat intriguing how different each class is, despite the similarities in age. The sixth graders took a while to warm up to each other and me, whereas the seventh and eighth graders quickly grew bored of the games. How disappointing. 

My phone dings while I’m packing up my empty briefcase. 

Message from Thor The Worst Brother Ever: 

HELLO BROTHER! HOW HAS YOUR FIRST DAY BEEN? DO COME JOIN ME FOR A ROUND OF DRINKS TONIGHT!

[image inserted]

I sigh. When will my brother tire of the cat GIFs? When that day comes, I might be able to live a truly peaceful life. 

I send a hissing cat GIF back before grabbing my jacket. A strange sense of exhaustion washes over me as I leave the TVA. All I’ve done today is play with children and annoy my enemies. What’s exhausting about that? I decide to reassess my state once I arrive home, to determine my evening plans. After all, I was excitedly anticipating an email from my nemesis. 

Chapter Text

     If there’s one part of my job I always love, it’s the last few days of August. Seeing new faces, hearing about everyone’s summer breaks, starting up the school year again… it always feels so exciting. This August is proving to be no exception, especially considering our unique new hire. 

     Loki’s interview a few weeks before had been comedic, if nothing else. He had shown up, spick and span, wearing the same mug from all the magazine articles we had just spent hours pouring over. The bravado Loki exhibited made it clear he had no idea of the extensive background checks we performed, as he continued to woo us like he would fawning fans at a meet-and-greet. Ravonna was absolutely horrified, both at his terrible flirting attempts and his lack of sincerity. 

     “Mobius, I just don’t think this is going to work.” She bit her lip, pouring scotches for us. “Sylvie stepping out at the last minute already reflects badly on us. And there’s not really a large market for drama teachers…” 

     “Our kids need a theater class, Ravonna. I’m not the most artistic guy out there, but I’ve seen how much they enjoy working with Sylvie. It grows their confidence so much.” 

     “But is he really going to do that for them?” I accept my drink gratefully. “I mean, we both know his history.”

     “I can’t tell you that. All I know is that none of the other applicants are willing to stay for as long as we need them to.” Ravonna huffs and stares at her glass like she wants to throw it. 

     “I don’t trust him,” she says. I laugh. 

     “Neither do I! But at least give him a chance. Look, I’ll oversee his acclimation to our good ‘ol TVA community. And, hey, if he steps out of line, I’ll fire him for ya.” Ravonna smiles and shakes her head. 

     “You don’t have that authority. But…” she sighs. “Ok. If this is a risk we need to take.” She holds out her glass. “For the children?” I smile and clink our glasses together. 

     “Always.” 

     Immediately after that meeting, trouble began popping up left and right. It seemed like every day I got an email from Ravonna or Sylvie complaining about Loki’s lack of responses. In the poor guy’s defense, the school year hadn’t even started and they were already bombarding him. 

     To clear the air, I invited Loki to a casual tour of the TVA. Nothing too serious, like whatever Ravonna and Sylvie had said to scare him off. And, I had to admit, I was curious to talk to him. The infamous Loki. He seemed exactly like the person from the tabloids when he rolled up to the school, smelling like booze and covered in day-old glitter. Despite it all, he carried himself with the air of, well, a spoiled would-be heir to a multi-million-dollar company. 

     As we walked throughout the TVA, I was surprised to discover that I enjoyed talking to Loki. Our conversation was like a frustrating dance, one step forward, three steps back. He easily deflected my questions with simple answers that I could find online. Every personal topic I ventured into was parried by switching to some taboo one. And yet, I was having fun. I suspect he was too, or else he would have shot off as soon as I started prying. It was slightly disappointing that we didn’t end up getting lunch together, but there’s still plenty of time for socializing. Besides, I ended up talking to him plenty throughout the week. 

     That Monday morning I had woken up extra early, excited to catch up with all the kids I hadn’t seen in months. Instead, I spent the first fifteen minutes of my morning watching Loki in amusement. His first day had barely started, and yet he already looked entirely out of his element. Seeing him awkwardly clutching a brand new briefcase and dressed in modest monochromatic slacks and tie was so strange, yet endearing . Whatever the reason was, he was clearly making an effort to conform to this new setting and I appreciated it. Loki spent extra time darting throughout the hallway, trying to avoid the dozens of kids walking to their lockers. He looked comical as he lunged out of the way, almost like those old black and white cartoon spies. It took a bit, but he finally managed to slink away to his office. I could only hope he warmed up to the kids throughout the day. 

     My own classes passed by quickly. My students were all chomping at the bit to share their summers, and I never bother with actual lessons on the first day, so my morning was a breeze. After saying goodbye to my seventh grade history class and helping a few straggling sixth graders find their way around the school, I peeked at the schedule Ravonna had printed out for me. Apparently, part of my acclimation duties required me to oversee Loki for a few days, so all of my free periods lined up with his classes. It made sense, after all, every teacher has to go through the same observation process when we’re first hired. But the fact that Loki won’t even know he’s being observed feels unfair. Ravonna seems dead set on finding a reason to get rid of the guy, but she hasn’t really given him a chance. 

     I wait a few minutes after the start of his class before ducking into the theater’s sound room, which is a lot smaller than I remember it being. My knees pop as I crouch down. That, or my years are catching up with me. At the back of the theater, behind the students, I have a perfect view of the stage and all of Loki’s antics. I watch as he nervously paces the stage a few times, before perking up and calling the students up with him. He has them gather in a circle then instructs them to play a really odd game, and I can only imagine Sylvie’s horror at how her class is being conducted. 

     I’m about to scribble some notes down about strange interactive teaching methods when I hear a copious amount of… laughter? Squinting in the dark, I look down at our schedules. He’s teaching sixth graders right now. And he’s already gotten them to laugh like that? On the first day? I watch as a girl fumbles on her delivery and the class breaks into another bout of laughter. 

     Regardless of the subject, the teacher, or the year, a prevailing struggle every member of the faculty has during August is making the new sixth graders feel comfortable. It always takes a full month, even for me, before the youngins are warmed up enough to crack some jokes, share some stories, volunteer in class... anything really. Yet, here is Loki, first day on the job and he’s already gotten an entire class of sixth graders talking and laughing with each other like they’ve been in classes for months. That sneaky bastard. 

     I fill out the rest of the form, quickly scribbling all my positive remarks before heading out of the theater unnoticed. More and more questions about Loki swim around my head, but I refocus on lunch and the rest of the day. I’ve gotta take things step by step, and besides, a salad is sounding real good right now. 

     The rest of the week goes by surprisingly smoothly. That’s not to say that I didn’t have to reassure Ravonna at least twice a day that Loki wasn’t going to explode anything. And there was the stern talking to I had to give Loki after Sylvie received some ‘anonymous’ hate mail. (He still claims he had nothing to do with the matter). Regardless, I had honestly expected more hassle from the spoiled ex-heir. Considering his lack of teaching and hankering for mischief, the past few days had gone rather smoothly. Even on his best behavior, though, most of my coworkers still had some agenda against Loki. Other than Casey and I, everyone went out of their way to ensure Loki knew how unwelcome he was.  

     I just couldn’t understand it, though. I mean, sure, most of them had probably read some skeevy statement from Loki in the magazines. Or maybe had caught drunken clips of him that had made it to news channels. And there was the well-buried scandal of Loki’s father having to pay bail money after a particularly rowdy night... Most of the negative coverage was from years ago, though. What was the saying? Water under the bridge? Whatever the grudge they had against Loki was, it deserved to remain in the past. We’re all on the same team now, after all. Luckily, the perfect opportunity for coworker bonding was coming up, and I was hoping the rest of the staff would be able to put aside their differences, at least enough to get to know Loki a little better.

     After my last class ended on Friday, I hurriedly snuck off to Loki’s office. His back was turned and he was quietly humming to himself as he packed up for the day.

     “I see someone’s in a good mood,” I smile, leaning against the doorway. Loki jumps a bit and drops the stack of papers he was holding before turning and glaring. 

     “Normally, polite people knock,” he grouches, crouching to pick up the mess. I kneel next to him, and help gather all the papers. 

     “I’ll be sure to write that down. Any other feedback for me, Professor Loki?” I grin, handing him my stack. Loki just sighs and grabs the papers. I stand up with him. 

     “So, uh, I know you’ve been doing pretty well with emailing people back, but I saw you never replied to the First Week Celebration email I sent out earlier this week. You’re not busy, are you?” I rubbed the back of my neck. Why was I making this sound so awkward? Loki clamped his briefcase shut and turned around, his eyes alight. 

     “As a matter of fact, Mobius, I do have plans. What, did you think I would actually come to a boring coworker social?” I chuckle and shake my head. 

     “No, Loki, I was just making sure you got the invite.” Loki nodded like he was half listening as he checked his phone for messages. 

     “Yes, yes, your chivalry is truly admirable, but I really do have places to be. Do enjoy yourself tonight, Mobius.” He smiles at me and fixes his hair in the window before hurrying out of the office. I sigh and rub my mustache, imagining where he could possibly be hustling to. Maybe another boozy party full of snobby people. Whatever it was, it didn’t pertain to me, so I refocused on the evening ahead. I’m determined to give all of my coworkers a good time for the success this past week has been. 

     “Mobius! Two for us, please!” Cameron waved at me. Her and Bev had cozied up to each other throughout the evening, and now both of them were giggling to each other in a nearby booth, having already shared several drinks. For someone who spent most days frowning, B-15 had a nice laugh. I hope she and Cameron work out. 

     I grab two more drinks  and take them over to the girls before checking up on the rest of the party. Per tradition, I took the TVA staff to a little tropical-themed bar near the school where everyone could let loose and forget their jobs for a little bit. It’s always a great way to reconnect with everyone and bond for the new school year. Plus it’s amusing to see everyone get blackout drunk.

     “Casey! Casey! Casey!” The math department chanted as the teacher shakily took several shots in a row before proudly smiling and high fiving everyone. I could only hope he doesn’t go overboard like last year and end up throwing up all over the bathroom. Looking up, I caught Ravonna’s eye at the bar. She smiled and raised her glass, clearly enjoying herself. 

     It seemed everyone was having a good time already, and it was only 10pm. I grinned to myself, proud for throwing another successful party, and waved the bartender down to refresh my drink. Just as I was about to mosey over to Ravonna and try to get her to sing karaoke, a bony finger prodded me. 

     “Hey,” a familiar voice rasped, and I immediately turned around, forgetting my drink. 

     “Loki!” I exclaimed, smiling. He smiled back, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He seemed shaken, but I couldn’t imagine what had happened in the past few hours. Privately, I was glad for whatever it was. It was nice to see him outside of a work setting. 

     “What are you wearing?” Loki said while scrutinizing my outfit, brows furrowed. I glanced down at the Hawaiian shirt and khakis I had picked out for the evening, before smiling up at him. 

     “I’m just fitting in with the theme!” I gestured at the rest of the bar that was covered from floor to ceiling in beach decorations. Loki looked around, observing the bar and it’s customers before nodding. I give him another once over before patting his shoulder.

     “Go say hi to everyone and I’ll bring you a drink.” He scowls at the direction, but hesitantly walks over to the large table of teachers. While most of the other faculty seem initially perturbed at Loki’s presence, Casey has Loki engaged in playful banter about sea life that has the rest of the staff laughing by the time I mosey my way over. I gesture for Loki and I to sit at a more remote table and he smiles gratefully, before excusing himself to join me. 

     “Well, aren’t you just the charmer?” I smile at Loki and hand him his drink. He stares in it, poorly disguising his distrust. “Don’t worry, I have a feeling you’ll like it. It’s called a painkiller.” Loki squints at me before taking a cautious sip of the drink. And then another. He swallows the rest of the cup’s contents in one go before wiping his mouth and grinning at me. 

     “That was delicious! I’m going to go get another. A painkiller, you called it?” He scrambles off to the bar as I chuckle at his earnest reaction. I catch Ravonna shooting a look at Loki before she glances at me. I hope my frown thoroughly conveys my disapproval. She glares back at me before paying her tab and slipping out the door quietly. While we might work closely together, some days it feels like she’s a complete stranger to me. 

     “What are you thinking about?” Loki asks as he sits himself down, already sucking the straw of his next drink. I shake away my train of thought and look at him. 

     “I could ask you the same question. What made you decide to join us, tonight?” Loki made a face as he bit at his straw. A weariness that I hadn’t seen before seemed to settle on him. 

     “Nothing, really. Just wanted a change of pace.” He shrugged and looked at his hands, which fiddled with a napkin. I shake my head. 

     “C’mon, Loki. You don’t need to do that. You don’t need to downplay your feelings. Something’s clearly bothering you, it’s alright to talk about it.” He glares back at me, sitting up. 

     “How about you, then? Such a hypocrite, prying into everyone else’s business when you won’t even talk about yours,” he hisses. I smile and shrug. 

     “What would you like to know, Loki?” He seems to pause at that, not expecting the response. After another sip of his drink, he fixes me with a scrutinizing stare. 

     “What had you looking so sad, just now?” I laugh awkwardly and run my hand through my hair. I didn’t know I looked like that. 

     “I guess I was thinking about Sylvie. I miss her more than I realized I would.” I’m surprised by my answer, but even more surprised by how truthful it is. This past week has really highlighted her absence in a way I never could have prepared for. Loki looks at me suspiciously for a few more seconds before nodding slowly. He takes a gulp of his drink then makes a face. 

     “What on Earth could you miss about her?” he asks, genuinely confused, and I can’t help but laugh. 

     “A lot of things! You’ve only ever had the privilege of talking to her through email, but I worked with her for two whole years before you came along. She’s… really a remarkable person. I think if the two of you met you’d actually like each other. You’re pretty similar, you know.” Loki’s face immediately sours, just like I knew it would, and I laugh again. “I mean that in a good way. You both are so uniquely interesting, and you wear it for everyone to see. I think it’s very courageous to live so unapologetically. That, and you both are amazing teachers.” Loki preens under the unexpected praise and resumes happily drinking his painkiller drink. I take advantage of the pause and have a drink myself. Casey has lost all sense of self preservation and has moved on to heckling Bev and Cameron. 

     “Where has she gone?” I turn to Loki. “Sylvie, I mean.” I shake my head. 

     “I honestly don’t know. She said that her time at the TVA is the longest she’s stayed in one place, but she’s always been a traveler. About midsummer she sent an email about needing to leave, but she never really specified anything. I can only hope she comes back at some point.” I smile sadly at Loki, before hearing my words and wincing. “Not that you aren’t a great fill-in. We love to have you. Sorry.” Loki bitterly laughs and shakes his head. 

     “I’ve definitely heard worse tonight, don’t worry about it.” He ducks his head like a kicked puppy before sucking on his straw, and I feel an intense need to kick whoever ruined his evening. 

     “So, this fast-paced party you were at. What happened?” His face grows dark and he shakes his head. 

     “Wasn’t a party. It was a mandatory family dinner gone wrong. And I’ll need at least one more of these if I’m going to talk about it.” He finishes off his drink and goes for a third. I nod in understanding. Family drama can suck, I’d imagine. I’ve never really had to deal with it. 

     I finish my own drink and make my rounds, checking in on everyone. A couple other people have followed Ravonna’s lead and taken their leave, but otherwise everyone seems pretty content. I grab a few drinks for people, push some water at others, and make my way back to Loki, who’s flirting with the poor overworked bartender. 

     “If you chase away the only person that can make us drinks, you’re taking her place.” Loki glares at me for interrupting. I smile at the woman apologetically before pulling him away, saving her from a night full of chaos. 

     Loki leans into my touch, the rum starting to take its effect. He blinks at my hands holding his arm then looks at me, a strange look passing over his face. I quickly let go, remembering his boundaries, and am about to apologize when Casey calls over to Loki and I. 

     “You have to do karaoke with us!” he exclaims, his arms wrapped around the other poor souls he’s roped in. I smile and shake my head. 

     “I don’t sing, but I hear Loki has a great voice. I’m sure he’d love to join you.” Loki turns to me, sputtering protests, and I laugh and push him towards Casey. “Don’t tell me you’re scared of a little karaoke?” He glares at me, before letting Casey tug him over to the cheap machine. I’d bought it a few years back for a party, and the owner of the bar let us keep it here since we’re the only ones who ever seem to use it. 

     I smile to myself as Loki begins a heated debate over which song the group should debut, and make my way over to Bev and Cameron. I hadn’t talked to them for most of the night, but it seemed that their focus had shifted away from each other since I last saw them. They both looked at me before whispering to each other and giggling secretively. 

     “What are you two plotting?” I smile, crossing my arms and tutting. Cameron grins at me while Bev tries to look serious before failing miserably and laughing into her shoulder. 

     “You and your boyfriend sure are awfully cute,” Cameron teases. I step back in surprise and laugh. 

     “We have been spending a little too much time together these past few days, I’ll admit. Hopefully this upcoming week I’ll finally be off babysitting duty.” They both smile to each other, as if communicating through looks alone. 

     A loud whine and clicking noise sounds behind me, and the three of us turn to the back of the bar where most of the math department stands awkwardly as Casey and Loki set up the karaoke machine. The first few notes of a song play through the bar, and all of them begin to sing with little talent but lots of enthusiasm. The rest of the faculty cheer the singers on, and I laugh as Loki wrestles for the microphone during the chorus. 

     After a few songs, people begin excusing themselves, and I help to close tabs, call taxis, and gather any misplaced items. After Bev, Cameron and I help Casey into a cab, with enough money to get him wherever he needs, the two women say goodbye to me and walk off together. I can’t help but be happy for both of them, having watched as they danced around one another for the past few years. 

     When I re-enter the bar, Loki is alone at the karaoke machine, singing a slow song. I don’t know the words, but something about the tune feels achingly familiar. The heavy sorrow in Loki’s voice carries through the almost emptied bar, and I can’t help but feel his pain. He sings the last few notes of the song quietly, almost to himself, before the machine automatically shuts off. I sit for a few moments, mystified by his singing, by how somber and lonely he looks in the corner of the bar. The spell is broken when he lunges for his drink, seemingly forgetting his previous mood. He calls me over, asking for another, and I smile at him. 

     “I think you’ve had enough,” I say, pulling him into a nearby booth and replacing his drink with water. “Drink this.” He wrinkled his nose at the new glass but complied. The bar sounds so quiet, with only the sounds of the bartender cleaning up to fill the space. 

     “My mother used to sing that song to me as a child.” Loki said between sips of his water. I can only nod. “I miss her.” The sadness seeps into his features again, his fingers tapping on his glass. I had read enough magazines to understand that Frigga had been out of the Odinson’s lives for years now, and knew better than to pry on the matter. I pat Loki’s hand in some hopes of comforting him. 

     “I’m sorry about your evening. I hope coming here hasn’t worsened it.” I scratch the back of my neck, lost in thought. Maybe I’ve been pushing him too much to get along with everyone else. He’s only here temporarily, after all. He doesn’t have any obligation to befriend all of his coworkers and spend unnecessary time with them. Loki grabs my hand. 

     “No, I’m grateful that you invited me, really. Tonight was a good distraction for me. I’m just so tired of playing the villain, it was nice to be just a normal person, for once.” He smiles at me, and I can’t help but smile back. 

     “You’re no villain.” He blinks and a wave of anger flickers across his face. He looks back down at his water and sighs. 

     “I’m a lot of things to a lot of people. But, I suppose, to you, I’m not a villain. Yet.” He swallowed the last of his water and wiped his mouth. I could tell he was finished with the conversation, but a part of me wanted to push back, to argue with him. He deserved to have someone fight for him. He needed to know that he wasn’t bad. “Now if you excuse me, I’ll be in the restroom.” 

     I shook my head as he hurriedly walked off, and went to close our tabs and call a taxi. After a few minutes, I started to get worried and walked in on him throwing up in one of the toilets. 

     “Ok, buddy. That’s it, get it all out.” I try to soothe him as I pull back his hair. A strong sense of deja vu washed over me, and I realized I was in a similar position last year with Sylvie. How funny. Loki groaned and stood up shakily, walking over to the sink to wash off. 

     “I called us a cab. It should be here in the next few minutes. We actually live a few minutes away from each other, believe it or not.” Loki nodded into his elbow, still hunched over. I patted his back again awkwardly. “Don’t worry, it happens to the best of us.” He turned and glared at me. 

     “I hate being sick in front of people.” I shrug and pull my hand back. 

     “It's just me. Besides, someone’s gotta take care of ya. Can’t have you passing out and hurting yourself at a party I threw. I could end up guilty and charged with your murder!” Loki scoffs and splashes more water on his face. 

     “That wouldn’t happen, you’re too nice.” He mumbles something else into his elbow, but I don’t catch it. Eventually I’m able to get him on his feet and on his way home. The entirety of the taxi ride he sleeps on my shoulder, and I can’t help but feel like the night is a little warmer. 

Chapter Text

     I was never an early riser, even before I started spending most mornings passed out from an evening of fun. However, that Monday morning it was especially difficult to wake up. Throughout my commute to the TVA, I couldn’t help but think about the past weekend. What even was the point of staying at this dreadful job? Would continuing to work really alleviate my father’s aggression? Odin’s opinions were made crystal clear during that fiasco of a dinner, but I couldn’t help revisiting the memories from that evening for some sign of hope.

    “Welcome, brother!” Thor greeted me, looking unexpectedly dapper in a navy suit. He must really be trying to impress father tonight.

     I try not to wince at the title as I sit across from him and fuss with my cufflinks. After a week of restricting my wardrobe to drab trousers, the last thing I wanted to do was wear a suit to appease Father.

     “Hello, Thor. Where is the high and mighty Odin on this fine evening?” I stare pointedly at the empty chair at the end of the table. Thor frowns and checks his phone.

     “When I left work his secretary said he was finishing up a project. Don’t fret, brother, he should be on his way.”

     A waitress slips in the room and quietly begins filling our waters. We’re at one of the nicer restaurants in the city, one that we used to frequent before I grew too troublesome for Odin. You can tell it’s a nice establishment because of the details: the polished silverware, the crisp room temperature, the strict dress codes. I can’t help but envy the waitress’s heels as she walks out of the room, closing the door with a click.

     “Thor, how long are you going to keep pushing back against the inevitable? He never joins us anymore, tonight’s not any different.” I hiss across the table. Thor looks a bit hurt, but I can’t bring myself to care.

     “Don’t be like that, Loki! I’ve been making strides with Father, just you wait and see. As long as you keep your end of the deal, he’ll want to see how much progress you’re making. I know it, brother.” I sigh and pinch my nose in frustration.

     “You don’t know anything, you oaf. How many times must you raise your hopes, only to be disappointed? Can’t you see you’re torturing yourself?” Can’t you see you’re torturing me?

     "Loki, enough.” Thor growls. “I’ll not have you giving up on our family.” I laugh and stand up. Distantly, I hear my chair fall away.

     “I’m not going to wait around, snivelling for the forgiveness of an ignorant coward who cares about nothing but himself.” Panic flickers across Thor’s face, and I have only a few seconds to savor the power of my words before a voice booms behind me.

     “Sit down, Loki.”

     It feels as though someone has doused me with cold water. Hearing Father’s voice is rarely a good thing, especially when it’s in that tone. I scramble to pick up the chair and seat myself as he makes his way to the head of the table. The angrier he is, the harder his cane strikes the floor.

     “Father, thank you so much for joining us, tonight. I know how busy work can get. It means so much to us that you’re here.” Thor scrambles to shift the conversation to something light, but Odin disregards his attempts.

     “Tell me, Loki. Is this job of yours taking up your time, or are you still out gallivanting every evening and bringing shame to our family name?” I bite my tongue before I say something regrettable, and choose to play along with Thor’s plan. For now.

     “No, Father, my gallivanting days are far behind me. I know I’ve been an embarrassment in the past, but I’m making amends, and the first step to my recovery is this job. It’s really a great opportunity, as it highlights many of my natural strengths and could lead to a more permanent career. That is, if Asgard Inc. doesn’t require assistance, of course.” I fall silent as the waitress returns, bringing out the first course of the evening. Thor makes eye contact with me, which I suppose is meant to be encouraging, before enthusiastically slurping at his soup. Odin sighs.

     “My past decisions are final. I don’t live with regret, my sons, as any good leader shouldn’t.” I hadn’t missed his fortune cookie teachings over these past few years. Thor sets his spoon down with a clatter.

     “Father, Loki’s on a different path now. I know he’s remembered for his rebellious nature, but I do think he has many qualities that could aid our company. That, and I do miss him. Not just as a partner, but as a brother. He belongs with us.” I sip at my soup.

     “Thor, you’re letting your emotions cloud your judgement. It’s not becoming of the future director to lead with his heart instead of his head.” Odin takes a sip of his water, clearly finished with the discussion.

     "But, Father-”

     “NO.” Odin’s shout echoes throughout the room, silencing Thor’s protests. I yank out my cufflinks. “You boys have never listened. You can’t continue placing your unnecessary interests above the company’s. Until you learn that lesson, Thor, you’ll continue obeying my judgement.” Thor nods and stares at his soup. He looks almost like a kicked puppy. I bite back my fear and clear my throat.

     “I just adore how you never change, Father. It’s so nostalgic, the three of us yelling at each other.” Odin grunts, as if barely recognizing my words.

     “Loki-” Thor starts, always able to sense my schemes.

     “No wonder Mother left you. You call yourself a leader, yet you can’t even control your own household.” Odin pounded at the table, but I could barely hear it over the blood rushing in my ears.

     “Hold your tongue, boy. Have you no shame? You’re the one who drove Frigga away, after all. I knew she didn’t care for many of my mannerisms, but she didn’t leave until you began all your tricks and mischief.” I shake my head. It’s not true.

     “I can’t blame her for fleeing from the embarrassment you turned into.” It’s not true. Frigga loved me, it’s not true.

     “Father, he’s heard enough. Leave him be,” Thor says, quietly.

     “No, he must understand. Did you really think I split this family apart? Frigga knew what she was marrying into. She didn’t know, however, that the thing she was adopting would turn into a tramp with no self respect. Antagonizing those below you is one thing, but traipsing about with whoever you please, dressing in women’s clothes of all things is-”

     “That’s enough.” I shout, silencing Odin’s tirade. I’ve heard enough. I stand up and walk out of the room, ignoring his and Thor’s shouts. I’m sick of the same old fight we rehash during every family reunion. I can hear no more.

     I lean against the hall for a moment, catching my breath. My heart is pounding so loud, but no one else seems to hear it. I look around. The rest of the restaurant is crowded with rich families enjoying their meals and paying no mind to my plight. Feeling more gathered, I take my leave. The waiter at the hostess stand smiles a well practiced smile at me.

     "Thank you for coming, sir!” He calls. I run my hand through my hair, trying not to pull it out.

     “It’s ma’am. Please.”

     Everything after that was a blur, as I was intent on drinking away the evening. I do think Mobius was a big help in alleviating my mood, but I can’t be sure on any specifics. At least I woke up alive on Sunday. I can be grateful for that.

     Pulling into the TVA parking lot, multiple feelings swirl in my stomach. I’m not entirely sure why I’m continuing with this job, especially after the dinner, but here I am. I’m tempted to run my hand through my hair, but I remember that I’ve pinned it back.

     I check my makeup in the car window before marching into the school, ignoring my racing heart. Something about the rigid structure of this environment makes it difficult to properly express oneself, even if it’s a basic need. The last time I had presented in full feminine fashion in such a habitat had been at my father’s company, shortly before I was thrown out.

     It takes a bit for me to get used to the click of my heels on the stone floor. I take my time walking to my office, revelling in the wide eyes and whispers of students and teachers alike. I may be causing a bit of a scene, but at least it was fully me causing the scene and not some strained version of myself.

     Ten minutes pass in my office before I officially find myself in trouble. I can hear Ravonna’s stomping from down the hall, and I only get about five seconds to prepare for the full extent of her fury.

     “Loki, you better have a good explanation for thi-” she starts, her brows knit and her finger jabbing at me. I hold up my hands to stop her.

     “Ms. Renslayer, how nice of you to pay me a visit! Now before you say something you might regret, let me state a few things myself. My attire adheres to both the male and female dress codes of this school. However, I refuse to let outdated societal rules impact my lifestyle. If your current concern is for the children, then I can assure you that my gender expression doesn’t have an affect on the quality of my teaching whatsoever. However, I will warn you that any unnecessary grievances will be taken personally, and I have no qualms about loosing these lips to local newspapers.” I smile and fold my hands nicely, waiting for Ravonna to reply. Her jaw works and she blinks a few times, processing the information, before she nods, her shoulders relaxing.

     “O-of course, Mr. Laufeyson. I’m sorry, I had no ill intent coming here.” I raise my eyebrows. She flushes, clearly embarrassed, before continuing on.

     “Your presentation as a teacher is something we take seriously, here at the TVA, because of how it impacts the children you teach. If you were using clothing items to make a mockery of a certain group of people, then I would be taking issue with what you wear. But as long as you come to school as your authentic self and follow the guidelines, then I take no issue with your presentation.” I nod slowly as she talks, feeling relief at her words. She seems surprisingly genuine.

     Ravonna clasps her hands behind her back. Watching her struggle to be respectful despite her clearly disliking me was amusing.

     “Let me know if you want to change your name in the system and I can notify our school secretary. Please let me and anyone else you’d feel comfortable telling what your pronouns are at any given time, and don’t be afraid to reach out if you ever need anything. I have zero tolerance for bigotry at this school, so if anyone has issues, I will take necessary actions to ensure your safety and well-being.” My eyes widen. Is this how these things are supposed to go?

     “Um, yes. Er. Well, my pronouns are subject to change, but ‘she’ and ‘her’ would work great for today. And I’ll let you know if and when that changes. And if there’s anyone I can’t handle, I’ll definitely come to you. Thank you, Ravonna.” I hope even a fraction of my gratitude is conveyed through my words. Truly in a million years, I could never imagine this kind of response. I was half certain I would be fired today for dressing like this.

     Ravonna awkwardly stands there, as if unsure of what to say, before nodding decisively and turning to leave.

     The rest of my day goes rather smoothly for someone who was supposedly challenging the frigid nature of the school. I found it was surprisingly easy to address the wardrobe matter with the children I taught. At the beginning of each class, I would explain gender fluidity, how I chose to express myself, and would field questions from the crowd. Most or all of them seemed accustomed to the term, and explained that their previous acting teacher also identified as genderfluid. They all giggled at my surprise.

     I was used to having to defend my identity to everyone around me, as most people I had encountered weren’t familiar with what gender fluidity was. It was rare to find people that understood me, let alone could relate. My intrigue in this Sylvie Laufeydottir grew. Only slightly. My favor hadn’t changed, she still is my current nemesis after all.

     When I get home, I think about Thor’s god-awful plan to win Father’s favor. For as long as I can remember, I’d always been fighting for his love. I don’t think I realised it until now, but I’d been cast out long before I was ever officially banned from home. And, surprisingly, I couldn’t bring myself to care anymore. Nothing I ever did shifted Father’s attention to me. Nothing I did pleased him enough. And nothing ever would.

     I looked at my countless unopened texts from Thor. I probably should reach out. The poor sod is probably blaming himself now for Father’s outbursts. What a fool. I send him a cat gif and let him know I’m alright.

     Thor’s stupid plan was never going to work, no matter how much I wish it did. But... I can’t bring myself to quit this job. Don’t get me wrong, I hate working with snotty brats all day. And the dress code leaves much to be desired. And I miss hopping around every night club in the city on weekends instead of grading paperwork. But this change feels good. It feels nice to have a routine, to have coworkers I can play pranks on, to have people in my life who accept me for who I am. I hate to admit it, but I like it.

     “Mobius. Mobius.” A set of fingers snap in front of my face, and I startle back to attention. I smile and scratch the back of my head sheepishly, before asking Ravonna to repeat her question. This faculty meeting was lasting a lot longer than I had anticipated, and I now really regretted not getting that energy drink before.

     Peeking to my left, I accidentally make eye contact with Loki, who snickers at me. Their hair is pulled back into a braid today and I can’t help but think it looks pretty. I have to force my gaze back to Ravonna’s inquisitive look.

     Ever since karaoke night, moments like that have been happening more and more. Especially since Loki has been opening up more. And not just to me, but to everyone. It’s taken a bit, but they’ve been letting down their guard a lot over the past few days.

     I was surprised on Monday to see a tall, elegant lady sitting at Loki’s desk when I’d come to visit him during my break. She startled when I walked in, and her face hardened.

     “Mobius…” she said hesitantly, and immediately it clicked.

     “Loki!” I exclaimed in surprise. I give her a once over and whistle in appreciation. “Don’t you look good? What’s the special occasion?” Her mouth parted in shock, before twisting into a sly smile.

     “Can’t a lady dress up for herself?” I grinned.

     “I don’t see why not.”

     Since that day, Loki and I have started a daily routine of meeting for coffee in the faculty lounge before the day starts and going over pronouns.

     “I think today is a they day,” Loki said, yawning into their cup of coffee. I frown in confusion.

     “They day? I thought today was Thursday?” Loki glared at me.

     “You’re so unfunny,” they sighed, but I could still see the upturn of their lips as they sipped their drink. I grinned to myself. Work never seemed too bad whenever I was able to get them to smile.

     Loki’s age of openness also seemed to cause them to throw themselves into their job. It seemed that every waking moment was spent cooking up a new project for their students or endlessly grading assignments. Even though no one else would admit it, I think their enthusiasm got the rest of the faculty fired up, too. Suddenly, everyone was trying out new teaching methods that they’d always talked about trying before. Even Casey ventured from his lectures into some interactive projects yesterday, which is wild! I can’t help but smile at his excitement over his latest experiment.

     “Can you believe this, Mobius? One of my students even laughed at one of my jokes. Laughed. It’s only the second Friday of the school year!” I shake my head and take a sip from my energy drink, trying to actively listen while also working away at my lunch. Loki comes up behind, lunch tray in hand, startling Casey from his 98th retelling of the story.

     “You’re truly a marvel, Casey. I think your brilliant tale has yet to reach B-15’s ears, though.” He says, clapping Casey’s back and steering him around towards her table. She glares at them both, but her intimidation tactics are no match for Casey’s obliviousness. Loki turns and beams at me before plopping down into the seat next to me. “Hello, there.” I shake my head and laugh.

     “Hello to you, too. Have fun toying with Casey?” Loki fake gasps in offense, before his eyes flicker down. He frowns. I raise an eyebrow. “What? Did I spill something on myself?” Loki glares at me and sighs.

     “It’s your tie.” I set my fork down and pull my tie up to check for stains. I hadn’t put much thought into what I’d wear today, but it would be a bummer if Ol’ Reliable now had a stain in her. This tie has lasted me through what feels like eons of teaching.

     “What’s wrong with it? Is there a stain? If there’s a stain I’ll have to run to the store tonight, but I don-” Loki cuts me off with a sigh before batting my hands away and grabbing the scrap of fabric himself.

     “It’s not a stain, you fool.” He tugs at the tie slightly, getting me to lean forward. His lips are downturned, his eyes focused on his task. I don’t think I’ve ever been this close to him before.

     “Your horrendous tie is always crooked. Do you not look at yourself in the mirror?” His fingers nimbly correct the mistake before smoothing out the lapels of my jacket. It takes my brain a few seconds to register his words.

     “Ah, no. I can’t say I’m as much of a narcissist as you are.” I smile, teasing. Loki squints at me before leaning away and turning to his lunch. He picks up his sandwich, about to take a bite before he pauses.

     “The world might be a little better if everyone was a little more narcissistic, you know. Lord knows your wardrobe would make leaps and bounds in terms of improvement.” I smile and look down at the brown suit I usually wear.

     “You might be right, Loki. I guess for now I’ll just have to rely on my dashing good looks and impeccable charm. However will I manage?” I grin and nudge him. He smirks and nudges me back. Cameron fakes gagging noises behind us. I roll my eyes and turn back to my lunch as Ravonna taps my shoulder. I try not to jump in surprise. She somehow snuck up on me in the past few minutes.

     “Could you join me after lunch?” She spares a glance at Loki. “Both of you?” I see him freeze in surprise before nodding slowly, and I smile at her.

     “Sure thing, Ravonna. We aren’t in trouble now, are we? I swear we’ve been on our best behavior. Scout’s honor!” I place my hand on my chest before chuckling. She gives me a dry look.

     “No trouble. Yet,” she says, shooting a glance at Loki. “Be in my office at 1.” She looks at Loki again before turning and exiting.

     “We’ll be there!” I call behind her. Loki gives me an unreadable look and I just smile back. He then scowls and nabs one of my M&Ms. Bastard.

     Loki seems to tug at his shirt cuffs as we walk to Ravonna’s office. I don’t think he realizes how obviously nervous he is. Before I can think of something reassuring to say that won’t put him on the defensive, we’re at her door.

     “Come in,” she says, before I even get the chance to knock.

     “You know, it’s a little bit creepy how you do that. Do you have a camera or something?” She smiles, secretively.

     “Wouldn’t you like to know.” She spares Loki a glance before gesturing to the chairs in front of her desk. “Sit down.” Loki glares at her, but still sits.

     “What do you want?” Ravonna fixes him with a look before digging out some paperwork in her drawer.

     “Mobius, you remember the theater program Sylvie built here at the TVA. One of the highlights of the year was the semester plays that the school would put on.” It’s true that the plays were highly regarded, both among students and parents. They were extremely well organized and executed, not that I’d expect otherwise from Sylvie. “I want to continue conducting them, and I’ll need both of your help.” I scratch the back of my head.

     “I have a few reservations.” Loki interjects. Ravonna scowls at him.

     “You haven’t even heard the proposal.” Loki returns the scowl but leans back in his seat. “While the plays are a large task to place on an interim teacher, especially for your first year, the need for these plays is vital. For students and parents alike. These performances serve as an opportunity to bring the community together, to showcase the talent and dedication we cultivate here at Terra Valley Academy.”

     “It’s true,” I glance over at Loki as he picks invisible dust off of his slacks. “They really became a real center of focus for our community. I still remember the rendition of Peter Pan from two years ago!” I smiled, remembering the play. Sylvie had spent hours cursing up and down the stage trying to get the rigging right for Peter’s flight.

     Loki squinted at me.

     “It sounds like a lot of extra work,” he said. “I’m still adjusting to the current workload.”

     “Which is why I’m partnering you up with Mobius.” Ravonna cut in. “I want you both to work together to put on a historical production. The work will be divided between you both, with Mobius handling the historical script and educational aspects, and Loki handling the play’s production.” She smiled and folded her hands, proud of her idea.

     I had to admit, it didn’t sound like a bad proposal. While I knew it would be a few more hours of work put in after school days, I couldn’t help but get excited at the educational opportunities. My seventh graders were learning English history, my eighth graders U.S. history. This could create so many hands-on ways to engage with these historical periods, to really push past the dates and locations and step into history! Plus, I wouldn’t be mad having another excuse to spend more time with Loki…

     “No.” He said plainly.

     Ravonna and I quickly glanced at each other, I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

     “Loki, think of the students, how much good it would do them! They love working with you in class, imagine how thrilled they’d be at the opportunity to be bossed around by you!” I smiled, but Loki frowned back.

     “No.”

     Ravonna sighed. “Mr. Laufeyson, don’t make a hasty decision. I strongly suggest you give this some thought. This theatre program could boost your resume for future teaching oppor-”

     “Ms. Renslayer, my answer is no.” Loki said sharply, standing up. “If you have nothing more you’d like to discuss, I’ll be heading to my next class.”

     Ravonna looked about ready to tear her hair out. Loki smoothed his slacks and left without a word. I stood up to tail him, shooting Ravonna a glance.

     “Just give him some time, he’ll come around.” I had no clue if that was true, but she straightened and nodded.

     Out in the hall, Loki was quickly stalking away. He had already nearly made it to the end of the hall, and I had to jog just to catch up with him. I tried not to huff and puff too hard.

     “What was that all about?” I asked him, tugging at his sleeve to get him to slow down. He shot me an icy look, but slowed.

     “Listen,” he pinched his nose in frustration. “You’ve been a mild entertainment in this incredibly dull school. But I need you to understand, you are built for this life, I am not. I’m meant to be doing greater things with my time.”

     I tried not to smile at his obvious barbs.

     “For someone not built for this life, you’re doing an excellent job at it. The kids love you, and you can’t lie to yourself and say you don’t love them back, not even a little!” Loki scowled and stopped, turning sharply towards me.

     “You don’t know me. You don’t know what I love.” He took a step closer to me, leaning in my face. “Just because I remind you of your stupid Sylvie doesn’t mean I’m anything like her,” He said, seething.

     “My Sylvie?” I chuckled in surprise. “Is that what this is about? Jealousy isn’t a pretty look on you, Loki.” He flinched as I said his name, but continued glaring at me. I was close enough to smell his cologne.

     “I don’t care about you, and I don’t care what you think about me.” I looked him in the eye, grinning.

     “If that’s the case, you wouldn’t mind spending more time with me.” I leaned closer, almost a whisper away. “Think about it. You, me, a few extra hours a week together. What’s the harm?” I put my hands on his shoulders and gave him the most encouraging look I could.

     He stiffened at my touch, eyes widened.

     “What do you say, partner?” I felt the warmth of his body in my hands. His shoulders rose and fell with each breath. His shirt was pushed to the side a little, making him look perfectly disheveled.

     Loki glared, then promptly shoved me back into the lockers behind me before taking off down the hall. I looked up in time to see a concerned Casey making his way towards me.

     What the hell had just happened?