King Loki

Chapter 43
A server came over and finished cleaning the glass while Thor apologized to her as well. Jane made a head movement at her friend Darcy who was still sitting next to Loki.
Before Darcy could get up, Loki cast a spell beneath the table and Jane's notebook fell to the floor wide open. Thor instantly bent to retrieve it. He stared at the pages in curiosity.
"What is this?" He asked Jane.
"Just notes on something I'm working on," she said reaching for it back. Thor handed it over.
"A mortal so close to the truth," he smiled and Jane stared at him as if he had two heads.
"Come on Darcy." Jane urged.
"Well, thanks for the pie," Darcy said to Loki before she followed her friend back out of the diner.
"I think you scared her away." Loki teased.
"Smart woman. Did you see what she wrote?"
"No, I couldn't see it." Loki was about to ask further just to get Thor excited about it. After all, Loki knew what was contained in that book. However, outside was a larger commotion. Cars and vans were pulling through town and Loki knew them to be SHIELD.
'Right on time,' he thought to himself. "Look," he motioned for Thor. "They look like Midgards special ops of some kind. I suspect your hammer has caught more attention."
Thor looked and his grin returned. "Indeed," he sat back down. "That woman, I should have gotten her name." Loki was glad to see Thor's thoughts return to Jane.
"Thor, dallying with a human, even one like her, will only get you into trouble. Especially with your coronation so near." Loki warned, his silvertongue choosing his words wisely.
"Nonsense," he insisted. "I must speak with her again."
Loki didn't have to say another word. He watched Thor leave the restaurant and chose not to follow straight away. He would let events unfold from here.
XxX
The hours went by and Loki kept his distance to allow Thor to draw his own choices. In the end those choices were what would matter.
"Thor," Loki moved in when the time was right. "It's best we retrieve Mjlonir and go home."
Thor had been conversing with a very irritated Jane. SHIELD had taken all her stuff and Thor had been speaking to her about it, making promises that he would retrieve it all back.
"I cannot go home until I've gotten Jane's things." Thor firmly told his brother.
"Then get your weapon and her belongings all at once. We cannot delay much longer." Loki could see the conflict in Thor's face over the idea of going home and Loki gave himself a mental smile.
"I promise you I will return to you with your things." Thor turned to Jane, took her hand and kissed the knuckles.
Jane looked flabbergasted and her eyes lit with curiosity. She was tittering on the verge of believe everything Thor had said to her while Loki had stood nearby quietly.
"I want to go with you." Jane insisted.
"Jane," a word of caution behind her from her friend Erik did not deter her.
"I need to know Erik." She insisted glancing back at him.
"This is all insane." Erik rubbed his forehead. "Gods, Asgard, Byfrost..., you can't possible believe it's all true."
"I dunno. He makes it sound so believable." Darcy chimed in. Erik shot her a disappointed look.
"It explains everything I've been researching." Jane reiterated.
Loki could have, at any point, used his magic to prove they were not mere mortals, however, he wanted to stay as far from the outcome as possible so no judgement or suspicion would fall to him.
Thor looked to be thinking, an interesting turn of events. Thor didn't usually develope ideas or plans before jumping into things.
"I shall prove that my words are true." Thor declared. He outstretched his arm, a movement Loki hadn't expected and everyone watched Thor, exchanging uneasy glances as if Thor was indeed insane.
Loki knew he was summoning Mjlonir to him and that it would come flying any moment, and it did. It flew right into Thor's hand. Thor summoned his armor in a light specticle that had Erik wide eyed.
Loki wasn't sure if this was good or not. He'd so wanted to play a little with SHIELD by sending Thor into their containment area.
"Holy mother of...," Erik whispered but didn't finish the sentence.
"I need to know more." Jane's eyes lit up like she'd found the validation she'd been searching for all these years.
"I will retrieve your things?" Thor assured her.
"Who cares about that. I have you...," she blushed before continuing. "You're all the answers I need."
"I cannot stay here, perhaps I can return tomorrow."
Loki began shaking his head. "Thor you cannot return after today. The coronation is tomorrow, when you are King you will need to be in Asgard to rule." He reminded but Thor was not listening, which is as Loki expected.
"When I am King, I will be able to do as I wish." Thor snapped an arrogant glare toward Loki, who was ruining his fun.
"With that attitude you'll not be king at all." Loki sighed, but on the inside he was in his glee. How easily Thor fell for Jane just as he had before. Loki could almost hear Odin having a fit at this very moment should he find out.
XxX
Begrudgingly, Thor returned with Loki to Asgard. "Father will never give you permission to continue this awkward friendship. She is a mortal and not worth such time and effort you are doting on her." Loki continued to say during their walk across the Byfrost bridge.
"Father has never denied me anything." Thor was confident, but Loki knew better. He could do no more to trip Thor up in his succession to the throne. If Odin allows Thor to take over that will only show both their father and Mother how useless he is and Loki would have to be patient and watch him fall over time.
Until then, if Odin should fall into the Odin sleep, Loki would be free to move forward with his other plans. The ones that would be needed to secure him Cephera.
He hated the thought of her back on her home world, most likely still in that undeserving relationship with Krystoff, but his patience would not waver. Cephera needed to be at her last straw for him to claim her so easily and Loki couldn't wait to see the look on Krystoff's face when he did.

Notes