To Teach a Trickster

Loki squinted and pulled the covers over his head to block out the sudden burst of sunlight that filled his room. He heard the rattling of window blinds and footsteps.

“Get up!” said Jane.

“Mmmmphmmmmph,” Loki mumbled rolling over and burying his face in the pillow.

“Up,” Jane smacked his leg and snatched the covers off him. He scrambled, trying to grab the top sheet and pull it back over him. “Come on, get up, lazy.”

“What do you want?” he angrily snapped, lifting his head to look at her.

“You’ve slept late and I have a short trip to take this afternoon. Darcy will be here in a little while to look after you until I get back tonight.”

Loki sighed and covered his head again.

“I can always bring a bucket of cold water in here.”

“I’M UP!” he shouted.

“Good,” Jane walked across the hall to the bathroom and began brushing her teeth. “Your lunch is waiting in the kitchen. Also, I thought you cleaned your room yesterday. Doesn’t look like it to me.” she glanced at the books and clothes lying on the floor. “I expect it to be clean when I get home this evening.”

Loki tossed a pillow across the room out of annoyance, but it fell to the floor with a ‘flump’ between the foot of the bed and the doorway, rather than hitting Jane like he intended. He stuck his tongue out at her and rolled back over.

“Loki,” Jane called. He shot up and stared at her. “Up, now. I need you up when I leave.”

“I’m up!” he repeated irritably.

“You’re still in bed.” she pointed out. “Up means you’re standing and getting your clothes on.”

Loki grumbled and kicked the covers off and got out of bed. He walked over and slammed the door.

When he was finally dressed, Loki shuffled into the kitchen where Jane was busy stuffing notebooks and small scientific equipment in a duffle bag. He yawned and ran a hand through his hair, making it stick up and out.

“Where are you going?” he asked, seating himself in a chair. Jane pushed his lunch toward him.

“I’m going on a trip just outside of the city. Something’s come up that deals with my line of work. I won’t be gone long. I should be back home around six o’clock tonight, at the latest. Darcy will be here to keep a watch on you until then. I’ve given her permission to take you out of the apartment if you wish to go out and get some fresh air. She can take you to the park or somewhere. And I expect you to behave yourself and not give her a hard time.”

Loki smiled innocently at her.

“Yeah, you can look innocent all you want to. That babyface of yours is not going to convince me of anything. It might get you what you want on Asgard, but it’s not going to work here.”

Loki’s smile dropped. Then a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“Are you sure you’re not meeting up with Thor?” he said playfully.

“Sadly, no, I’m not,” Jane replied, zipping her bag and throwing it over her shoulder. “I wish I was. It’d be nice to see him right now, especially after what I’ve had to put up with when it comes to you.”

“I doubt that he feels the same way. I’m pretty sure he’s spending time with his other girlfriend right now.”

Jane stopped before she got out of the kitchen. She turned. “What did you just say?”

“His other girlfriend,” Loki said. “He never told you about her?”

“No, he didn’t.” she walked over and stopped beside Loki, interested in hearing more. “He said that he missed me and loved me the night he dropped you off.”

“He probably doesn’t know how to tell you yet.”

Jane’s heart fell. Thor loved her, didn’t he? “Wha-what’s this other woman’s name?”

“Sif,” Loki turned to face her. He saw the hurt and confusion in her eyes.

“Bu-but…I don’t understand. Why didn’t he say anything about it the other night?”

Loki shrugged. “Probably because he had other things on his mind, like…dropping me off here,” he said distastefully. “But Sif was there before Thor brought me here. He even kissed her before we left the throne room.”

“On the lips?” Jane gasped.

Loki nodded. “But then again, that isn’t new for Thor. He’s had many other women in the past. Once he gets tired of one, he moves on to the next. Never stays with the same one for very long. Like I said, I don’t know what he sees in you. He has so many others to choose from.”

Jane’s eyes started misting over.

“I’m sorry, Jane, I didn’t know he hadn’t told you. I shouldn’t have said anything.” he got up and attempted to comfort her, but she pushed him away.

“No, that’s fine,” she said, flatly. “When I see him again, we’re going to have a serious discussion.”

“Jane?” Darcy called from the front door.

“Darcy’s here. I need to go.” Jane turned and left. Loki’s lips curled into a devilish smile.

“You ready?” Darcy asked with a smile when Jane stepped into the living room. She solemnly nodded in reply. “Hey, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of him.”

“Thanks. I left some money on top of the fridge in case you want to get ice cream or something.”

“Is something wrong?”

“It’s nothing. I’ve gotta go. See you tonight.” said Jane, pushing past her friend.

Darcy shrugged and walked to the kitchen. Loki was just finishing up his lunch when she entered. She put her purse on the table and plopped herself down in one of the chairs.

“Soooo, what do you want to do today, besides sitting around being grumpy.”

Loki frowned at that. “Very funny,”

She smiled, studying his face closely until the moment got awkward. She cleared her throat. “Why don’t we just go out and see what appeals to us?”

Loki gave a nod, getting up. He wasn’t exactly looking forward to spending the day with this chatty mortal, but if it meant him getting out of the apartment he was willing to go along. Darcy grabbed the money Jane left on the fridge and led Loki out of the apartment and down to the lobby.

“Now, listen. I don’t want any trouble from you.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I wouldn’t think of it,” He smiled.

“Yeah, you’d better not.” They walked outside and started on their way.

“By the way,” Darcy said after a long silence between them. “Do you happen to know what was wrong with Jane? She acted preoccupied when she left.”

“I guess she was just upset.”

“About what?”

“About Thor having another girlfriend,”

“What?”

“Yeah, Sif.” he said. “I didn’t know Thor hadn’t told her yet. I guess it’s because he’s been busy.”

Darcy gave Loki a weird look. “Well, duh, because of you.”

“It wasn’t my fault!” he snapped. “The Chitauri brainwashed me and forced me to do it.”

“Uh-huh,”

“It’s true!” Loki huffed. “For once I’m telling the truth.”

“So you wanting to rule earth was also part of them brainwashing you?—as well as forcing a bunch of people in Germany to bow down to you?”

Loki gave a slight shrug. “Well, no. That was…me. But the rest of it wasn’t my fault! I never meant for anyone to get killed! You have to believe me.”

“Okay, okay, I believe you,”

“They’re evil. They kept me locked up and tortured me. But I’m free of them now.”

“They tortured you?”

Loki’s head lowered. “I have nightmares about it sometimes.”

“That’s awful,” Darcy put her arm around Loki. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. If the whole thing wasn’t really your fault, then why haven’t you told Odin and Thor? Maybe they will put an end to your banishment early and take you back to Asgard.”

“I’ve tried! They never listen to anything I say.” Loki lowered his head again. “Father was too angry with me to even listen to my pleas.”

“Well, maybe if you didn’t lie so much people would start listening to you and actually believe what you say.”

Loki shot Darcy an annoyed stare. “I’m telling the truth right now.”

“And I said I believe you, what more do you want?”

Loki studied the girl beside him and then smiled. Maybe this chatty human wasn’t so bad after all, he thought. “You’re a nice person…for a human.”

“Thank you,” Darcy smiled.

“It’s a pity that Jane thinks you’re incompetent. I, for one, don’t.”

“Wait, what?”

“Just a little while ago, Jane was saying something about not wanting to leave me in your care this afternoon because you were too incompetent. She was afraid something might go wrong, I think.”

“She actually said that?” Darcy couldn’t believe her ears.

“I just overheard her mumbling to herself. But don’t tell her I mentioned anything about it.”

“Don’t tell her?” Darcy stared at Loki, not sure what to think. “I’m going to say a few things to her when she gets home tonight.”

Loki suppressed a smile.

“Where are we going?” he suddenly asked when Darcy sped up her pace and walked a few steps ahead.

“I feel like ice cream.” she snapped. She grabbed onto Loki, shoving him forward so she could keep her eyes on him.

Notes