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Loki scowled as Thor took another swing of rum. Loki knew that life as a pirate meant lots of drinking, but that still didn’t stop him from disliking it. He watched as Thor told another rousing story, causing the whole table to erupt in laughter.
Loki doubted the story did not involve him in some way. Thor was his brother, and he loved him, but he truly hated Thor when he told stories belittling Loki.
He couldn’t stomach the next round of drunken laughter, and angrily stood up from the chair. He stormed out of the bar, passing by the remains of his drunken crew. They were going to be quite sick tomorrow from the amount of alcohol they consumed tonight, and Loki did not wish to deal with them.
As he left the bar, citizens of the town backed away from him as he passed. He felt guilty for the fearful way they jumped out of his path, but he had grown used to the fear directed towards pirates. Though it didn’t make him feel any less worse.
He climbed up the hidden ladder on the side of the ship, he didn’t particularly care to see any of his crew; especially not the Sailing Master.
“Quartermaster.”
Damn .
Loki sighed as he reached the top of the ladder, “Sailing Master Heimdall.”
“May I ask why you are not making merry with the Captain?”
Loki glowered at him, “You know why Sailing Master.”
Heimdall dipped his head in acknowledgement, “Aye, but I would like to hear it from you.”
“You are not satisfied with the gossip that fills the ship?”
“Gossip is not always true.”
“Gossip is always based on some truth.”
They stared at each other, at an impasse.
Loki sighed, caving to the piercing stare Heimdall possessed, “I have never enjoyed spending time with drunken fools.”
Heimdall raised a brow, and Loki grimaced, “You know I need to watch over Thor in his drunken stupor.”
“Yet you are here.”
“I could not take it any longer.”
Heimdall hummed thoughtfully, “Yet now you leave him.”
Loki shrugged, “Doctor Banner is looking after him.”
Heimdall raised a brow, “You trust Doctor Banner to look after Thor? You would not even let me.”
Loki frowned, “I trust you Heimdall, you just let Thor do whatever he pleases.”
He looked affronted, “I do not.”
Loki rolled his eyes, “Yes, let’s pretend Spain never happened.”
Heimdall narrowed his eyes, “Fine, but what makes you trust Banner?”
Oh Heimdall, don’t you realize Thor wishes to court him?
Loki held his tongue, “Doctor Banner is much more level headed than Thor, and Thor seems to listen to him.”
“Better than you?”
“Yes,” Loki said curtly, glancing at his pocket watch, “Look at the time, Heimdall, I believe I must be getting to bed.”
He quickly walked past Heimdall, there is no doubt that Heimdall now believes Loki jealous of Doctor Banner, but Loki cared not.
He was not jealous of Doctor Banner, he just… he wished Thor would listen to him as he listened to Banner.
Loki pulled the blankets over his head as sunlight shone brightly through the porthole, though his chances of catching more rest was ruined by the banging on his door.
“Brother!”
Loki groaned, pulling the pillow onto his face.
“Loki! Are you awake?!”
“I am now you oaf!” He yelled back, taking the pillow off his face.
Thor barged into the room, a goofy grin on his face that did not match how hungover he must’ve been, “I have been given a treasure map!”
Loki rolled his eyes, “Have you not remembered the last time you were given a ‘treasure map’ by a stranger?”
“Aye! But it was not a stranger.”
“Who was it, then?”
“One of the barmaids.”
“How is that not a stranger!” Loki cried.
Thor crossed his arms, “Do you wish to see the map or not?”
Loki sat up, “Of course I wish to see the ‘treasure’ map.”
Thor grinned and rolled out the map onto Loki’s desk, “See, it is a true treasure map!”
Loki eyed the map carefully, suspicion on his face, “It seems real…”
“See?”
“But-” He turned to his brother, “Just because it seems real does not mean it is .”
“But if it is real, we will be passing up a large opportunity for treasure!”
“And if it is a fake?”
Thor sighed, “Then I will defer to your judgment about treasure maps.”
Loki smirked, “Deal then.”
They had been traveling for many days now, and even as it became less and less likely that the “treasure” truly existed, but Thor had not lost hope. It was Thor’s worst and best quality.
Loki yawned, it was his turn to take watch, and he did not enjoy it. He never enjoyed the night watch, it always made him tired and cranky the next day, which no one liked.
He jumped as something shiny caught his eyes. He turned quickly towards it, only for nothing to be there.
He rubbed his eyes, perhaps he should ask someone else to take his shift if he was starting to see things-
There-
Loki jumped, grabbing a telescope and aiming it straight towards the shiny object.
It is real.
He tried to figure out what it was, only to elude him at every turn. He shortened the telescope, putting it in his pocket. He watched it for a few moments more, deciding it was nothing.
Loki turned his gaze back onto the sea, trying, and failing, to ignore the shine. He tried focusing on something else, but every time his eyes would drag back.
Damn it.
He got up stiffly, sore from sitting too long, and marched his way towards the rowboats.
He would only go for a few minutes , he decided, just to see what it was.
He unhooked the rowboat from the ship, letting it drop into the water before climbing down on the rope.
He rowed quickly towards the shine, wanting to be fast before anyone noticed his absence. At least, that is what he told himself; deep down, he knew something was making him go there, but he couldn’t stop himself.
He reached the shiny island, seeing… nothing.
“Well, that was a waste of time,” He muttered to himself, standing on the barren island.
“I don’t think so.”
He startled, spinning around and pulling the dagger from his belt, “Who is that?”
A… man looked up to him from the sands, “I don’t think you coming here was a waste of time.”
Loki lowered his dagger, though he did not completely put it away, “Who are you?”
He grinned, quite… handsomely, “Tony. You?”
“Loki.”
“What brings you here?”
Loki glanced behind him, “I saw something shiny, but I believe it was just my imagination.”
Tony placed his hand on his palm, “Why don’t you think it’s real?”
Loki shrugged, “Well, it is no longer here, is it?”
Something behind Tony splash, “Maybe it is.”
“What is it then?”
Tony lifted a… tail from behind him.
Loki blinked, head suddenly clear, “You are a siren!”
Tony titled his head to the side, “People only figure that out after I start eating them, you’re a smart one.”
Loki raised a brow, “Thank you, I suppose?”
He grinned charmingly, “I like you.”
“All right-”
The siren pulled him down, surprisingly stronger than he looked, and had Loki sit eye-level with him.
“I think I’m going to keep you.”
“What-” Loki protested, only for the siren to reach forward and kiss him.
Loki tried pulling away, only for the siren to grab his shirt. He blinked at the sudden haziness, darkness pulling at the edges of his vision.
He could barely fight the darkness, falling into unconsciousness even as the siren still kissed him.