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When he realized about his feelings for his brother’s girlfriend, it was like a lightning, shaking him from inside out. They were dining, it was Sunday. The family was together, as that was something rare for the Odinsons. His Father talked about their last trip to England, where he did some lectures and visited those old castles and museums filled with things that were his study objects. Frigga, remembering, suddenly stood up and brought a package enveloped in wrapping paper that said Shakespeare and Co.
“This is priceless, mother”
“I know, that’s why I think you should have it”
“But, you were searching for this book, for years...”
“And I found it and I have read it already. You deserve it, son, you love him as much as I do”. Loki nodded, feeling warm and happy, running his long fingers along the cover and delineating the golden lettering. Oscar Wilde.
And then the subject was replaced for “what did our sons do when we were out”. And Odin started to ask if Loki went out, if he met someone, if he got a girl. And Loki - rebellious, wicked- pointed that he didn’t care about such matters, that a girl would not help him to accomplish the intellectual - glorious- purposes he was burdened with. And Odin felt a little bit sick, defied. Because they both knew that Loki was capable of staying alone or worst, being with a man - as he did many times when he was a teenager- just to annoy his father.
Frigga, guessing the storm that was about to start between her husband and his younger son, smiled and asked Thor “How are you dear? Have you seen Jane Foster lately?”. And Thor - happy, sweet, beloved Thor- started to narrate his ultimate dates with his... “I don’t know if we are in a formal relationship yet, but I’m planning to get her, I want to keep her, mother”.
“I’m so glad to see you happy, dear”
Loki, felt how the mere mention of her name pulled his attention like steel strings. He left aside the staring war with his father and asked, sharpening his silver tongue.
“And what is you special strategy to keep this woman to you?”
“Well...”, how delicious it was,Thor starting to doubt himself. “sometimes I don’t know how to talk to her, she is so smart and I’m just a soldier...”
“An official, a lieutenant, soon to be a Captain, you don’t have to be ashamed of your work, son, you make me and your ancestors proud”.
“Well, maybe she doesn’t want you for talking”, Loki added. Because she can talk to me, she can share her secrets, her ambitions, her hunger for knowledge with me. He thought. Because Jane’s laugher, her obsessive behavior when she studied, her malice when she talked about some classmates that she couldn’t stand, all of that, is something Thor didn’t even suspect because all he knew about Jane Foster was her kisses, her body, her femininity, and that part was so shallow. It was just the shell of a jewel that Loki could boast of knowing very well. And yet, he didn’t know about Jane’s kisses, he could barely imagine how it would be to pleasure her tiny body with his...
And right then the realization hit him. His parent’s and Thor kept talking about the trip and Loki, for the first time, felt so ashamed, so sordid. Because Thor was his brother; Jane was Thor’s lover and he - having his elegant manners and his brilliant mind - had the terrible idea of falling for that woman. For a woman! It was so simple, so mainstream, so basic that he didn’t see it coming.
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Steve added a new color layer to his work. He was a perfectionist and Loki could understand that better than anyone. But when he looked with that expression and started to add tiny details to a painting, unable to declare it finished, Loki decided it was time for an intervention. He dropped the Oscar Wilde book his mother brought him aside and patted his friend’s shoulder.
“I think is time for you to drop that brush and talk to me about your problems”
“What are you talking about?”, Steve responded trying to shield himself, as usual.
“I’m talking about you OCD behavior, Steven. We both know that when you start to attack a painting like that is because something is bothering that oldfashioned-catholic head of yours.”, the artist sighed, feeling exposed and Loki added. “So tell me, what is going on?, it has something to do with your father?”
“Not this time, I haven’t heard about him in months, he must be tired of trying to win me”
“So?”. Loki asked
“Well... is just that... I met this... girl”
“Bravo”, smiled Loki sitting in front of him. “Tell me more”
“Ehr... she is very smart, obsessive... a genius, but is hard to trust... her... because she has this... bad reputation”
“Are you telling me that you are falling for a bad girl Mr. Rogers?, what a surprise”, Loki teased, mischievous, stealing a smile to his friend.
“The thing is that, even if she is a mess, a spoiled, egocentric, partyholic...I know... she... is a good... girl, so I want to give it a try”
“Even if your head is screaming that is a bad idea”
“Exactly”
“Well, I believe I can understand that very well”
“Because of your large experience or because you met someone new?”, Steve asked raising an eyebrow, suspicious.
“Both”
Now it was Steve’s turn to interrogate.
“So, tell me about it, where did you met him?”
Loki smiled. Of course good Stevie would believe that he has an infatuation with a man - as usual -. After all, Loki’s choices in that matter have always been quite rupturist.
“I met him in your last exhibition”
“Really?, wow, I feel like cupid now, I didn’t notice you were hunting that day”
“I wasn’t, I behave, like I promised”, Loki clarified, solemnly. “He was there, we talked and then we kept meeting, not planing to do so, we just happen to go to the same places, so we talked several times, and the more we talked, the more interested I got, but now I think I must try to get away from him, because things are going to get really difficult when I’m not able to contain myself and that’s it.”
“Oh God...”
“What”
“He’s got you flipped”
“What?, I’m what?, nobody says that anymore, Steven”
“You like him for real, I mean, you are thinking about his wellbeing, you usually just...”
“Fuck and go?”
“Language” Steve warned, “.... but yes”
“So what are you going to do?”
“For now, I have to go to pick him out at his work and take him to dinner”, Steve looked at him, judging him with his baby blue eyes. “ Because I promised him that I would”, Loki explained, “and then I will see how I resolve this ... unfortunate mishap”
“I will not waste my time lecturing you because I would gain nothing and because I have a date”, Steve said, marking happily his last words.
“With miss bad girl?”
“Don’t call... her like that”
“My mischievous comments will be locked up from now on...”, Steve looked at him incredulous. “just in that matter at least, until you feel comfortable enough so I can tease you to death”.
“See you tomorrow, At lunch?” the artist asked.
“Lunch sounds good to me”
“And we talk about our dates, right?”
Loki nodded with a smile and they went out from the artist’s apartment, each one taking the opposite direction.
_____________
“So, going out on a date tonight?”, Jane asked looking at his lab partner and friend, Tony Stark.
“Why do you conclude that, woman?”
“Because we have been sharing this hovel since third semester, and because you are dressed with decency... and because you are not planning to stay here working non stop until you faint”
Tony looked at her, pretending an offended face and added.
“I could accuse you the same, miss Foster”, the billionaire started, getting closer, smirking with his smart ass tone. “where are you planning to go with that cute dress you are wearing today, and most important, with whom?”
“I don’t know what are you talking about”, Jane played innocent trying to suppress a smile.
“Please, people, can you just continue you bickering outside so I can hear my own thoughts, thank you”, complained the other student and friend that was there trying to finish a calculation.
“Brucy-bear, relax, you should go out too, in fact, I think my new purpose in life should be to get you a good lay, what do you think Jane, dear?”
The woman laughed and got closer to the chemist, hugging him kissing his cheek and whispering loud enough so Tony could hear her.
“Don’t listen to this silly man, I will take him out so you can work alone and happy”. Tony wanted to protest, but Jane dragged him out, grabbing their jackets and waving good bye to Bruce who smiled back.
When they finally went out, was when the curtain dropped. Steve was there, waiting beside his motorcycle, Tony walked towards him and held him in a tight embrace. Seconds later, Loki was there holding a rose and looking right were Jane stood with a smile. She greeted shyly, blushing and taking the flower in his little soft hands. Steve froze in his place, looking pale, frightened, Loki raised his eyes from Jane’s face and noticed. “Oh”, he thought, understanding, and seeing that Steve saw him, and understood too.
“Well, this is awkward”, Tony interrupted. They tried their best to ignore each other and, in silence, they split.
Loki could swear that he never saw Steve running so fast in his bike. But that wasn’t important in that moment, Jane took his arm, searching his protection and said. “So, where are you taking me?”