Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

IMPORTANT NOTES

Bold Text = Loki's POV

Normal Text = Gemma's POV

Loki sat at his desk, going through a list of mundane tasks that he had to perform today. Most of them were meetings.

Those just bored him enough to make him contemplate another take-over of Midgard.

At least it would be an exciting endeavour!

But… Loki wasn’t the same as he was during the campaign of 2012. He had recovered and dealt with his demons, as the Midgardians would say. It also helped to not have a constant psychotic influence on his mind.

He still suffered from the consequences of his actions, though, in certain ways. But over all, he was faring well, if he’d say so.

After landing on Midgard, post destroying Asgard, Loki had tried to settle down with other Asgardians in New Asgard (still counted as part of Norway). But, that hadn’t really worked out for him.

Thor was their king now, and Loki just couldn’t stand being relegated to his brother’s shadow while he ruled. He had himself ruled Asgard for more than three years, and now, the demotion just rankled.

The issue was, Loki wanted to carve out a niche for himself, a space where he belonged, where he could not be held down by the stuffy Asgardian values.

Hence, one day, just weeks after landing on Midgard, he had shown up at Nicholas Fury’s office. The man had nearly ruptured a vein in his head upon seeing Loki there. That was fun.

But it had worked out in Loki’s favour in the end, for he had offered his services to SHIELD off his own volition, explaining - in great detail - how he felt responsible for the safety of Midgard.

Surprisingly, Thor had supported him in this endeavour when Fury had contacted him, entreating Fury to give Loki a chance, since he had recently rescued all of the Asgardians and been on ‘good behaviour’ ever since. He had a sneaking suspicion that Thor just wanted him off his back, since he wouldn't stop nagging him about his kingly priorities and unwise administrative decisions.

For some reason, Fury hadn’t put up a lot of resistance, agreeing to take Loki in as an aid to SHIELD.

Hence, here he was… trying his best to do his job.

Well, not quite.

He was undercover, investigating PAC & Co., the company he was pretending to work for. This was, by far, his most boring assignment in the last three years of his association with SHIELD.

The only bright point seemed to be the pretty young woman who sat a few desks away, in just the right location for them to be able to look at each other from time to time.

Her name was Gemma…… he forgot her last name, for it was something of a tongue-twister. Ah, Spitznaegel .

She was easy on the eyes, and she wore those pretty short skirts to office, something an Asgardian lady would never do. Those lovely legs were a sight for sore eyes, a great distraction for a wandering mind.

“Dave, man, you got a meeting upstairs. The boss is already there,” someone called from behind him as he admired the woman, pulling him out of his reverie.

Ugh, he hated his undercover name.

“Yeah, going man.” He stood up and rushed off to the elevator, making sure to give Gemma a smooth smile as he went by her desk.

Gemma immediately slammed her hand over the doodle she had been working on when she realized that Dave might see it. She smiled back, hoping the blush she felt rising to her cheeks wasn’t too apparent. She was trying to be cute and flirty...but honestly she just hoped to God she didn’t come off as manic or overly excited or...anything that might make Dave think she was weird.

The doodle said “G+D”. It was really stupid and immature and something that a middle schooler would do...but this job was SO BORING. Any kind of creative outlet helped her get through her day. And daydreaming about the hunky new sales rep - with a British accent.... uuunnngggghhhh - seemed to be taking up more and more of her time.

After Dave passed by, she leaned back so she could look at his little cubicle - it was even smaller than hers, but he kept it impeccably tidy - everything had a home and it stayed there until he needed to use it, then it was immediately returned to its place. He wasn’t there often - as one of the Outside Sales Representatives, he was usually on the road, meeting with existing or potential clients who may have a need to buy any of the wide variety of cardboard packaging and janitorial supplies made by PAC & Co...

God, this job, this company, her life couldn’t be any more dull...

The one bright spot was this awkward, budding infatuation with her hot co-worker.

Suddenly, a little fire ignited in her gut. If I don’t like it, I have to do something about it... she thought. Before she could talk herself out of it, she ripped a clean sheet of paper off her notepad and wrote: “Drinks later? Call me - 231.555.6743. 💗 Gemma”

Then she immediately crumpled it up, threw it in the trash, and got another piece.

“Hey cutie, how about—“

Crumpled. In the trash. New sheet.

“Dave - would you like to get drinks with me sometime? Circle Yes or No.”

Gemma groaned and threw that one away too, then put her head down on her arms over her desk. What was the point? She’d just blow it anyway.

With a sigh, she went back to running the sales analytics.

An hour later, Loki came down to his floor, feeling quite stabby towards his so-called boss, Oliver . The man was an absolute twit, with no manners to speak of. He had literally wasted his last work hour in that stupid, meaningless meeting.

He'd never have spoken to him so high-handedly had he known Loki's true identity.

And that was the rub - he had to keep his true identity completely hidden. Pretending to be someone else entirely. 

He had done so in the past, and he knew he was quite good at it. But Norns, he had not done so for this long (well, except when he was playing Odin). It had already been more than three months in this stupid disguise of short golden hair, ocean blue eyes, and appropriately priced Midgardian clothes.

As he passed by Gemma's desk, he saw her trying to furiously write something on her notepad. She was so preoccupied with it that she didn't even look up.

Oh well...

Setting his office folder on the desk, he set about completing the rest of the tasks he had before calling it a day.

Once that was done, he remembered that he had to take out some prints for his sales meetings the next day. So he gave the printer the appropriate commands and then went off to fetch the prints from the corner cubicle dedicated to the enormous machine.

Most of the office was empty now, and it suited him just fine. He could use some solitude in this mad place.

At the end of the day, most people had already gone home. But...her program had crashed several times that day. IT didn’t respond to any of her calls or emails, and now she had to complete the analytics by hand before she could leave.

F. M. L....

Not to mention...she hadn’t really given up on writing that note to Dave. She was on her 32nd attempt when he walked by, leaving his meeting, and she hunched over trying desperately to look busy so he wouldn’t ask what she was doing...

Oh, you know, just trying to craft the perfectly written 10-word letter to see if you want to get drinks with me sometime. Please don’t talk to me, or I may vomit on your shoes from the nervous breakdown I’m about to have over it. Thank yooooou...

Her pencil tip snapped off. Of. Fucking. Course.

Gemma stood up and headed to the cubicle where the printer, the pencil sharpener, and all the other “shared” office supplies were. And she was pleasantly surprised/utterly horrified to see Dave waiting at the printer.

Don’t blow it don’t blow it don’t blow it...

She walked up and stuck her pencil in the sharpener without saying anything, and it loudly started grinding away at her pencil. Dave immediately jumped and looked at her, shocked by the sudden noise. Gemma just...smiled, feeling her face turn beet red.

“Uh-hum....sorryyyyy....”

Oh God, kill me now...

Loki was pleasantly surprised to see that the disturbance in the supply-cum-printer cubicle was being caused by none other than his lovely colleague, Gemma.

She sweetly apologized to him for the noise, turning a pretty shade of red as he kept looking at her. Really, she was quite a fair maiden, and also, seemed to possess all the qualities of a lady of good breeding.

"It's not your fault," he replied, leaning against the printer as it churned out the prints for him. "These contraptions are far too noisy for their good, no?"

Oh God oh God oh God... Gemma’s stomach was in knots as she tried not to look like she might pass out. Come on...it’s just a person...HE’s just a person...you talk to people all the time, just open your mouth and SAY SOMETHING.

“Yea...yup...they sure are...”

GOD DAMNIT FUCK SHIT FUCKITY FUCK FUCK WHY?????

“So...um...whatcha printing?”

If he hadn’t been looking right at her, she would have facepalmed. Ugh...smooth, Gemma...

He smiled at her question, adding a bit of flirtation to his tone as he replied.

"I think you know what I'm printing, Gemma." He licked his lips and watched her keenly as she turned redder still.

This was infinitely amusing. The girl was indeed attracted to him. Well... to his persona .

He licked his lips...HE LICKED HIS LIPS!!! Does that mean something? Is he flirting with me? Or are his lips just dry? Does he need chapstick? Should I offer him chapstick? Shit, it’s in my purse...should I offer to GET him chapstick?! WHAT THE HELL GEMMA, HE DOESN’T NEED CHAPSTICK! STOP BEING WEIRD!

“Um...reports, I would assume?” Gemma kept her cool as best as she could. The pencil sharpener kept grinding away noisily as the printer churned out page after page. She tried to turn her attention to...well, anything other than his clear, blue eyes or that gorgeous stubble on his chin or his chiseled pecks she couldn’t help but notice through his button-up shirt with sleeves rolled up over his forearms that looked like they’d been crafted by Hephaestus himself...

She ended up staring at a worn bit of the carpet on the floor, but she couldn’t help looking up at him every few seconds.

He was quite disappointed that she pried her eyes from him. Mayhap she needed more... encouragement to talk?

"Smart girl," he praised, crossing his arms as she fidgeted with the edge of her blouse. "I have a meeting tomorrow, so these are for that. Pitches and estimates, mostly. So tell me, what are you up to?"

Her heart pounded in her throat and her chest tightened.

Don’t say writing you letters...don’t say writing you letters...

“Writing...my mom...letters...?”

Suddenly, her fingertips touched the front of the pencil sharpener, and with a jolt she pulled her writing utensil from the device - it had been reduced to nothing more than a short, sharp stub.

“Oh...geez...” She looked at him, embarrassed, and the sudden silence without the grinding noise made her discomfort even more palpable.

“I’m...sorry. I’m finishing up some analytics - my computer crashed and I lost all my work and it needs to get done before I can leave, so I’m trying to do it by hand but now...” She held up the little nub of pencil. “I should probably be using a mechanical one anyway...”

Just then, a familiar and disturbing sound came from the printer...paper jam.

They both looked at the malfunctioning machine, and Gemma sprang into action.

“Oh! I can fix that. Happens all the time. I’m usually the one that has to deal with it so I’ll just—“

She unlatched the panel to the paper feed, but as soon as she opened it, a huge cloud of black toner shot out and covered her brand new blue blouse.

She froze, embarrassment taking over, and she looked up at him with terrified brown eyes, split between laughing at herself and crying in shame, but really waiting to see how he reacted before she did ANYTHING else...

Loki nearly burst into laughter upon seeing her present condition.

"Oh dear," he said, biting his lip as he pulled the girl away from the printer. "I think you ought to rush to the washroom to try and clean that up. Do you need help?"

He deliberately added that last question to see her reaction. He was enjoying this far too much, even though the printer had malfunctioned and his work was stalled.

She almost sighed when he touched her. Oh, that contact was already more than she’d ever hoped for...even though she had to get attacked by office equipment for it to happen. 

And the way he said “washroom” instead of “bathroom”... so charming! She almost swooned.

Then she remembered...he asked if she needed help...

“Uh....ah, no. Shit, I MEAN...um. It’s ok. I have my workout shirt in my gym bag...I’ll just go...put that on...”

With another nervous giggle and an apologetic smile, she excused herself from him, racing back to her desk, pulling her (thankfully clean) gym shirt out of her bag, and then power-walking down the hallway to the ladies room while calling back to Dave, “Be right back!”

He waved at her as she disappeared down the hallway, smirking to himself.

The girl was so nervous around him, it was endearing.

While she was gone, he fixed the printer himself - without any mishaps - and headed for his desk to give the print command again.

On his way, though, he stopped at Gemma's desk and observed the chaos spread across it. The girl was quite disorganised, but then again, most Midgardians were.

He also took notice of her near overflowing trashcan, which was full of crumpled papers. He was going to simply roll his eyes and move on, but something caught his attention there.

On one of the unfurling crumpled paper, he saw his persona's name, written in her messy scrawl.

That piqued his interest, and hence, he pulled the paper out of the can and read its contents.

And then he smiled mischievously.

Poor little Gemma wanted to get drinks with him... hmmm... 

This could get interesting...

Pocketing that piece of paper, he left her desk and went about completing his prints.

Gemma came back soon after, looking rather awkward in that gym shirt of hers. It had the Avengers logo on it, at which Loki couldn't help but groan.

Damn those annoying, self righteous imbeciles. At least Fury was honest about his less than savoury methods.

"So," he said as he approached her at her desk, carrying his sheaf of prints, "are you done with your task? I was thinking we could have dinner together before heading home. What do you say?"

She almost - almost - lost it. Dave. THE Dave. Was asking her. If SHE. Wanted to get dinner.

She was fairly certain she wasn’t able to contain just a bit of surprised and half-elated laugh she instinctively made, but she caught just enough of it not to embarrass herself further. Her gym shirt embarrassed her plenty, with the faded Avengers logo emblazoned across her chest. She was outing herself as a huge nerd...

“I-ah...that would be great, but...well, I need to finish those analytics, and I’m not exactly dressed for the occasion anymore...”

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! He just asked YOU out! It’s not a date...it’s just co-workers getting dinner, that’s it. Casual. Cool. Nothing to freak out about...SAY YES!

“You know what? That sounds great. Yes, yea, let’s get dinner, Dave.”

She thought she might die. Dinner with Dave. Dave dinner. Dinner dinner dinner...with Dave.

“Um...where were you thinking? Hopefully not the Ritz...” She laughed too hard. And snorted.

He chuckled at her attempt at jesting. 

"Perhaps one day, when I'm not weighed down by the burdens of my present situation... we'd go to the Ritz," he replied, speaking plain truth cloaked in disguise. "But for today, I was thinking about this new pizza place, opened only a few blocks away. Do you like pizza, Gemma?"

He let his voice drop lower, making it sound as though he was asking about some dark secret, not pizza.

“I looove...pizza...” she said, finding herself lost in his eyes and realizing far too late that she wasn’t talking about pizza either.

She couldn’t move or talk or think or do anything except watch him...now that he was so close to her...

Oh. My. God. He IS flirting with me!!!

She swallowed hard, feeling her palms getting sweaty. She played with the hem of her shirt and fidgeted just a little bit, really unsure about what to do now...

"Then let's go," he said, offering her his hand.

In the back of his mind, he scolded himself for leading the poor girl on. He was, after all, a temporary presence in her life. He shouldn't be making any personal connections on his missions.

He had been so strict about following that rule till date. He shouldn't falter now.

Well, it'd just be this one-off dinner. Nothing else.

Soon, he'd expose the company he was employed in for its true crimes, and then he'd be on his way... soon to be put on another mission.

Gemma would just be a distant memory. And hopefully for Gemma, he'd be the memory of a pleasant distraction.

Chapter Text

IMPORTANT NOTES

Bold Text = Loki's POV

Normal Text = Gemma's POV

She took his hand, hoping he couldn’t feel her shaking. She felt like she was in a daze. Of Dave. A Dave Daze...

The restaurant - called “Pizza My Heart” (how awkward!) - was only a block away, so they walked over and found a booth next to the salad bar where the table wasn’t dirty or sticky.

After a few giddy minutes, Gemma finally relaxed enough to enjoy their conversation after her first slice of the “Doggy Style” pizza - Dave insisted he didn’t know what the term meant, but Gemma had her doubts. Still, she couldn’t bring herself to actually say what it meant.

And they talked...for hours. They talked about how stupid their jobs were, mostly. But he asked her so many questions about herself...she felt... special . Dave made her feel interesting and funny and cool. And as she got more comfortable with him...she started seeing him as less intimidatingly handsome and more...approachable. Like he might actually be more than just a distant infatuation.

Suddenly, the waiter told them that they were closing. Gemma looked around - they were the only ones left in the restaurant, and she hadn’t even noticed.

And it was two in the morning.

“Oh my GOD! I’m going to be a wreck tomorrow...” she groaned, but with a very happy smile on her face. “That’s ok. It was worth it. Best dinner I’ve had in a long time. Thank you, Dave!”

She raised her plastic soda cup in a toast.

Loki nudged his soda cup to hers, smiling widely. "I, for one, am very glad that I got to monopolize your time today. Finally got to know the girl who I only knew the name of. Though a beautiful name it is, I wanted more ."

He watched the red creep up her peachy cheeks in response to his words. Really, making her blush was so much fun, it was almost like a game to him now. 

What else could he say next to make little Gemma go red? It gave his overactive mind something nice to do, when it was not thinking about the mission.

Still, he knew that he couldn't afford to think too much about Gemma, or he'd... fixate. He had this odd habit of becoming near obsessive over things and people he developed a liking for. Moderation wasn't in his nature, Thor had once commented on it after settling on Midgard, seeing him develop an obsession over Midgardian climates and their corresponding architecture.

Oh well... for at least three years he had kept himself busy enough to not fixate on anything. The SHIELD missions were enough stimulation for his needy brain.

But now, seeing the smiling, blushing pretty face of Gemma, he was getting the feeling that his brain needed another type of stimulant.

Or was it his body?

Her brightness and endearing awkwardness contrasted him so much, it was hard not to be drawn to her. He was so full of dark thoughts, many of which had manifested during his rampage across Midgard not long ago, brought to the surface by the Scepter. While he was a churning storm, Gemma was like a fluffy fair-weather cumulus.

As they got out of their booths and headed back towards their company office, he briefly wondered how it would've been had he met Gemma back in 2012. Norns, he probably would not have shown the restraint he was showing now; he would've ended up doing something very, very bad.

Like abduct her and keep her with him. Like a pretty trinket.

But Gemma is not a possession , he reminded himself. Gemma is a person. She decides what she does, not me. 

And yet, a tiny part of his psyche still wanted to possess her. He strangled that part quickly.

"So, I was thinking I should drop you home," he said, grasping her delicate hand as she headed toward the nearby, empty bus stop. "It's pretty late, and I don't want you traveling alone."

He used his very persuasive tone with her, knowing that it worked well with Midgardians and Asgardians alike. And his request was earnest as well. He actually felt protective of her and didn't want her to be vulnerable.

She was a good girl, after all. So sweet and well mannered, not a single blemish marred her gentle heart.

“But...I...it’s fine, really. I take the bus everywhere. And frankly, I’m still totally wired on caffeine. I think I’ll probably be up all night anyway...”

Oh, she knew what he was doing. But after the hours of friendly banter, she was feeling...secure. And as much as she swore she would never sleep with a co-worker...come ON. This was turning out to be the makings of a story she would remember for years to come, about how she - the humble, awkward little Gemma - slept with her hot British co-worker. And besides, the way he talked, it sounded like he was already looking for jobs at other companies, and she couldn’t blame him. This job sucked.

“Um...would you mind...if I came over for a drink? I don’t have anything at my house...”

Oh, that was a lame excuse. But she hoped it worked.

Loki grinned at her as she fumbled with her words again, still not letting go of her hand.

"Sure, I'm glad you mentioned it. I could use another drink as well, I think. And at my place, you'd be spoiled for choice."

He led her to his car then, while still mentally admonishing himself for taking this step. She was not a permanent fixture in his life, and he simply shouldn't take things in the direction he was taking them.

Alas, he was a selfish man, and he wanted to indulge himself.

Once settled in the car, he made sure to fix her seatbelt for her before getting started. Midgardians needed that bit of safety measure. Always.

As he pulled the car out of the complex, he decided that he'd probably share a drink or two with her, and then he'd... and then he'd let her be.

It was for the best.

Gemma slid down into the black leather seat of the nicest car she had ever seen. It was not just “clean,” but perfectly so, like it had been driven from a showroom. It was a beautiful white - even in the harsh yellow of the parking lot lights it looked amazing . The Jaguar XF had obviously been customized to his exacting standards, from the elegant emerald green trim on the interior, to the intricately carved details in the dashboard.

And he put her seatbelt on . She was vibrating with excitement as he walked around the car and got in, turned the ignition, and pulled out of the empty lot.

“I like your car,” she said, feeling dumb. What she wanted to say was Holy SHIT this is the fanciest car I’ve ever seen in my life! But, thankfully, she resisted. “You must be a pretty good salesman.”

"Thank you, I had purchased it back in London," he replied warmly, liking the fact that she looked as mesmerized by the interiors as she was with the exterior.

Loki was used to the attention that his cars received. He had chosen this one in particular for this mission, for he had to build a life for himself as marketing personnel, someone with a good lifestyle and a lot of extra income.

Not that he got a car for each of his missions... but SHIELD was pathetic in building this kind of a charade for the lack of funds on their part.

Loki certainly had no lack of funds, and using them on his missions was like a hobby of his.

"You have an interest in cars?" he asked conversationally as he maneuvered the vehicle easily on the now near empty roads.

“I do now!” she said, running her hand over the dashboard. It felt like silk under her fingers, and she noticed that the carvings were inlaid with gold.

Her mind drifted off, imagining what it would be like to fuck him in the back seat...

Woah, girl...it was just pizza.

She laughed silently to herself, then watched the streetlights pass over his face as they drove.

“What’s London like? I’ve never been there...”

“It's mostly quieter than New York, and parts of it really take you back in time," he replied, giving her a wink and turning his eyes back on the road. "I still have some ties to it. My family cottage on the outskirts and my house in West Brompton. I think you'd like it there."

Why was he talking to her about his life? Those actually were his properties in London, but he should not be imparting that information to her.

Well, it didn't jeopardize the mission in any way, so it was fine. Fury would never know, and even if he did, what could he do about it? 

Loki knew that he was now a valuable asset for SHIELD. Fury would never do anything to change that.

As they pulled up to his apartment building, Gemma stared up and up and up the glass sides. It was massive, gorgeous, and right in the heart of downtown Manhattan. He glided up to the entrance, then got out and handed his keys to the valet before walking around and opening her door.

Gemma felt weak in the knees...and INCREDIBLY underdressed and out of place in her Avengers gym shirt and work skirt. If she had known asking to come to his place meant coming here ...she would have at least wanted to touch up her make-up.

But then...he looked at her. He smiled at her! He held her hand gently and led her from the car into the enormous, luxurious lobby. Her expression probably made her look like an idiot, and if there were anything she could have done to stop it, she would have.

Unfortunately, she was well and truly dumbstruck by his apartment building. “What floor are you on?” she asked breathlessly as he led her toward the elevators.

"Oh, you'll see," he answered impishly as they entered the elevator. 

He pushed the button for the penthouse, then turned to witness her reaction. She was already looking so nervous about being here, it was so very... cute .

Gemma hugged the walls of the elevator, eyes flicking rapidly between Dave’s face and the button he pushed. She honestly thought he might be messing with her, and she was waiting for him to laugh and hit the button for a lower floor. But he didn’t...and the higher up they went, the harder her heart pounded.

“Wow...I am in the wrong line of work...” She gasped, eyes wide as the elevator slowed to a stop. She heard a soft ding, and the doors opened.

Loki chuckled as he led her out of the elevator and into his penthouse apartment. Really, seeing her this impressed, he was very tempted to take her to France and to lead her into the castle he had there. 

Her reaction to that would be something else...

"It's not all about the work, I come from a line of old money," he stated as he turned the lights on. "I've been very... lucky in life."

Well, at least in terms of having monetary stability and luxury…

Gemma hadn’t let go of his hand since he had helped her out of the car, but now she took a few steps away, looking at him suspiciously.

“Why the hell are you working at PAC & Co? Do they seriously pay you enough to keep doing that shitty job when you have all this?”

As impressed and amazed as she was, this just wasn’t making sense. A few hours ago they were stuck late in that crappy office with a malfunctioning printer...now she was looking out over the New York skyline from his penthouse.

Oh dear... he should've expected her sharp and curious mind to reach its own conclusions about him. This was why he had never fraternized or made friends on his missions. 

This was why bringing her here was unwise. But now, it had been done, and he had to do some damage control.

It wasn't like his other missions, where he could just kill off an inconvenient loose end. Gemma was an innocent...

He let out a loud laugh at her suspicious question. "Gemma, why do you think I'm here, if not for a transitional job that won't break my job experience and give me enough time to find a better one?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, still unsure. But GOD, was she hoping he had a good reason, because she was definitely going to fuck him if he could convince her.

“What’s a transitional job? Transitioning from what?”

"I told you, I came here from London. That kind of move requires a lot of transition, no?" he asked, stepping up to her and grasping her shoulder gently. "I didn't want to be without a job during this time, for it would reflect poorly on my resume."

He had turned his voice deeper and deeper as he explained his situation to her, hoping to distract her with it.

"Do you feel differently about me now, than when we were at that pizza place?" He frowned as he asked that question, wondering why he would care so much if indeed she were to think him... what?... snobbish and obnoxious for being wealthy?

He WAS indeed wealthy. He was still a prince by his true title. 

Also... if she was so suspicious of wealth , how much would she judge him if she learned his true identity? He was known all over Midgard as a wicked, unscrupulous and cruel man, after all.

“Of course I do!” she said, looking around at the luxurious furnishings. “I’m...I’m just...a little overwhelmed...” She touched the wall behind her just a bit to regain her balance.

“Maybe that drink would help?” She smiled softly, really trying to pull herself together. Dave was... amazing . Almost too good to be true...

"Sure," he responded, pulling away and leading her to his spacious, plush sofa. That monstrosity took up nearly half of the living room, and he hadn't used it much during his three month stay here. 

From here, the view of the city was fantastic, displayed finely in the floor-to-ceiling windows that occupied the whole western wall of the living room. He loved watching the sunsets from here.

His bedroom was made in a similar fashion, but with east facing floor-to-ceiling windows. All in all, it was a nicely made apartment, by Midgardian standards.

"What would you like? Wine? Vodka cocktail? Beer? I'm myself going for a whisky."

“Beer sounds great.” Her voice was small as she continued to look around the lavish apartment. So...he was from old money. In London. And this job was just helping him transition to living and working in New York. Ok. Cool.

She wanted to believe him so badly...and so she pushed down her other questions and that gnawing feeling in her gut that told her that there was more to his story.

He handed her a chilled glass of some sort of amber ale, and taking a sip of the cold beverage instantly relaxed her.

“Ahhhhh,” she sighed, settling back on the sofa. “You better be careful. I could get used to this.”

Loki could see that she was still doubting his 'old money' story about his wealth, and he had to praise her sharp mind for it. 

Doubt was always healthy... especially when it came to him.

Still, he put the charm on her to keep her distracted. "Ah, then maybe I'd be tempted to spoil you."

He sipped his single malt and kept his eyes on her, which he knew, from experience, unnerved many people. For her benefit, he toned his gaze down so that she'd not feel uncomfortable, but still, made sure that she knew she had his full attention.

"So, tell me more about your family, Gemma. You talked very little about them. Do your parents visit you here? What about your sister?"

The way he looked at her over the rim of his glass sent shivers down her spine...and what did he mean he might be “tempted” to spoil her...was that...could this be more than a one-night stand? She decided not to think about it; better to just appreciate this crazy experience for what it was and not hope for anything more to come of it.

Then he brought up her family. Uuuggghhh...

“Oh, yea. They don’t...they’ve never come out here to visit.” She laughed nervously, rubbing her hand on the back of her neck, under her mousey blond ponytail. “They prefer my hometown...and they don’t understand why I moved here. My sister feels the same - she hasn’t even brought the kids over, even though I’ve invited them. But that’s how it goes sometimes, you know? Stupid perfect older sister...Mom and Dad just love her and her perfect husband and her perfect house that’s just down the block from them and her perfect life. Me, I’m just the weird one. I couldn’t wait to move out. I thought living in New York would be a lot more exciting but...well, I didn’t realize it would be so hard being on my own...”

Holy SHIT why am I SAYING all this? Way to kill the mood, Gem...

Loki couldn't help but relate to her. Younger child, perfect elder sibling, unrelatable family, loneliness...

Even though his life had its own complications, and he had contributed to his problems to some extent.

But really, he was quite surprised that Gemma's family was cold towards her. She wasn't even adopted!

"I must say, I'm very curious to know what kind of family it is that just... ignores their daughter. A daughter who is but a mix of sweetness and kindness," he murmured, putting his now empty glass away. Grasping her hand once again, he shifted closer to her to give her his earnest support. "I can see that you're taking it upon yourself, thinking that there's something wrong with you, but there isn't. You're perfect."

His sudden flattery took her by surprise, and her brain short-circuited a little. THE Dave just said she was... perfect ?!

Even with all the red flags and warning bells going off in her head...she wanted him to keep saying nice things about her. It had been so long since she’d tried to flirt or gotten dinner or had drinks with someone...was he just playing with her, or...could he really mean that?

No, there were far too many layers of self-consciousness and doubt for her to accept his words at face value. She was sure he was trying to get into her pants - well, her skirt - but that wasn’t a bad thing. She appreciated what he said anyway.

And she flushed red, smiling shyly. “Stop it,” she giggled. Then she took another sip of her beer. “What about your family, Mr. Moneybags? Why did you move away from London?”

Loki sighed heavily, squeezing her hand as he looked down. Now, the lies would come pouring out of his mouth as usual. Par for the course...

"My parents died a few years ago. Rainy day, slippery road." He glanced up to see if she was going to doubt him again, but so far, she seemed to be listening intently, her beautiful chocolate eyes wide and dilated. "I have no siblings, and the extended family isn't very warm. The aunt I used to have a lovely relationship with had also died a long time ago, due to illness. So basically I was very alone and kind of depressed."

He laughed without humour, then, hoping that she'd buy his story, for the sadness in his eyes was real. He was indeed lonely. Had been for years.

"I knew that I had to do something about it before I just succumbed to it. Moreso, I knew I had more work related opportunities here in the US. So I jumped over the pond, trying to start a new life for myself."

His already frayed conscience screamed at him as he leaned towards her, locking his gaze with her intimately. She knew nothing about his true identity and he was drowning her in his charm, essentially fooling her. She'd hate him for it if she somehow learned the truth.

Oh... but she was so beautiful and pure of heart… he felt an inexplicable pull towards her.

His hand reached up and cupped her cheek.

So warm and soft...

He'd had no lovers in so long...

"I can now say that I'm glad I moved here." He moved in and nuzzled her neck, wondering if she'd pull away and reject him. Reject Dave , that is.

Chapter Text

IMPORTANT NOTES

Bold Text = Loki's POV

Normal Text = Gemma's POV

His touch was electric - soft yet firm, gentle and strong...the way he ran the tip of his nose along her pulse point, his warm breath and smiling mouth trailing goosebumps along her skin. If she had any resistance left in her, that touch dissipated all of it. She turned her face to his, eyes half-closed. It was almost trancelike, his gorgeous features taking up her entire field of vision.

“Oh, Dave,” she said softly, then she leaned in and kissed him. His stubble was scratchy but wonderful, and she tasted the whiskey on his tongue. She heard herself moan just a little bit at how good he felt.  Red flags be damned, this was happening.

Norns, he couldn't get enough of her. His mouth all but devoured her as he intensified the kiss, pulling her to him so quickly that she landed on his lap. 

He groaned as she straddled him, connecting her centre to his bulging crotch.

She was so damn warm!

His head nearly spun with arousal.

Just as his mind reminded him that he was basically ruining her, his hands reached up and cupped her luscious breasts, his mouth still possessing hers... still tasting her...

Gemma’s thighs squeezed Dave over his lap, feeling that bulge achingly straining against her. His hands were everywhere, his mouth captured hers, she was letting instinct take over as he moved with her. It felt like he was experienced, but perhaps...out of practice?

Not that she could judge...her last fling was a Tinder date almost a year ago, before she gave up on dating entirely.

“Um...I’m on the pill...” she muttered against his mouth, instantly feeling the awkward flush redden her cheeks. “So...that’s covered. Are you clean, have you been—“

The smirk he gave her quelled any other doubts she had, and he laid her down on the couch, caging her body, still running his fingers over her breasts and smiling every time she moaned or squeaked or giggled.

She watched him with wide, innocent eyes. Truth be told, she was a bit frightened, and she hoped he wouldn’t make her regret going forward with this...

Loki gazed down at her with pure want lacing all his senses. She was just so... adorable, with those doe eyes staring up at him in quiet apprehension.

It made his cock twitch with unbridled need.

"Oh Gemma," he murmured as he slipped his hands under her silly gym shirt. "You're such a sweet girl."

She squirmed under him as he rocked his arousal against her, feeling the contours of her body, splaying his hands against her breasts once again.

His lust was so intense that her bra offended him.

Quickly, he pulled his hands out and divested her of her shirt and bra, staring at her exposed flesh like a hungered beast.

Norns, it had been so damn long...

He dove straight for her bosom, lips latching onto her nipple. Not to ignore her other breast, his hand reached up to cup and squeeze it, brushing his thumb against her taut little peak. 

This was Valhalla...

An ecstatic moan escaped her as he started kissing and sucking on her breasts like he was starving for them. She’d never been touched with such enthusiasm before! Were all British guys like this?! Suddenly, she wondered about visiting London someday...

That train of thought got derailed the second his fingers found their way under her skirt and inside her panties. Oh GOD she was embarrassingly wet, and everything was moving so fast. It was thrilling. It was terrifying. It felt so good.

“Oh, fuck... DAVE...” she groaned as the pleasure began to coil inside her. She rode it out white-knuckled as he toyed with her clit, and she pushed herself against him.

Now if only he would pull her hair and—

Stop it, she told herself, then she squealed as he gave her an especially good combination of a nipple suck and clit flick. Damn...he knew how to read her body like a book...

Loki froze for a moment when he heard the name ‘Dave’ upon her lips instead of ‘ Loki’ . 

Damn it all to Helheim!

He'd have to just... ignore it somehow. There was no way around it, no way to make her call his name without blowing his cover completely.

"Yes, my sweet girl," he said gruffly as his fingers became acquainted with her pussy, loving the hot clench of her channel when he spoke. "I want you to come on my fingers. Now.”

His eyes locked with hers as he curved his fingers upwards, touching that sweet, cushy spot inside that he knew would drive her towards her orgasm. His thumb brushed her clit in tandem, loving how her eyes lost their focus as her pussy began to flutter.

She didn’t even have a choice in the matter.

Between his voice and his fingers and his body and his face and those eyes and this penthouse and his car and..... everything that had led up to this moment throughout the day came to a head when he commanded her to come.

The orgasm hit her before she even knew what was happening. Everything snapped and released, and she shook with the waves of intense pleasure that Dave drew from her. She was almost crying; it felt so good!

Don’t start crying! He’ll stop if you cry!

So she screamed instead.

And as the pleasure tapered off into a blissful orgasmic afterglow...she realized he was unzipping her skirt. Her underwear was gone - no idea when that happened - but they were certainly not done yet.

He bent over and kissed her again, softer, happily. Then with one last quick, salacious look, he picked her naked body up and started carrying her to what she assumed was the bedroom.

It was a long walk. They kissed the whole way.

Loki placed her gently onto his bed, pulling the duvet aside as he did so. For a moment, he just admired her as she lay there, spread out on the soft cotton sheets like a gift from the Norns...

A blush slowly worked its way up her breasts, neck and face, making him want to chase it with his tongue. 

He took his clothes off as he stared at her, never breaking the eye contact. He knew that she admired his body. Well, at least that he kept in its original form.

Once fully naked, he climbed into the bed and on top of her, pushing her legs apart with his thighs.

"I've not been with anyone for years," he stated truthfully as his tip breached her. "I kept myself isolated. But you... I can't resist."

With that he thrust inside her slowly, closing his eyes and letting out a shuddering breath. She was like a blazing hot furnace, and his cock was very happy to be inside her.

Her eyes rolled back as he entered her, even as her brain struggled to comprehend how Dave - the sexiest, richest, most beautiful man she’d ever laid eyes on - hadn’t been with anyone for years.

And he couldn’t resist her??? The world had gone crazy. Everything was upside down and sideways. And the only thing she could do was moan and indulge in the feeling of his cock inside her and his body on top of her, panting and grasping at the sheets.

She might be dreaming. She really hoped she didn’t wake up anytime soon. 

“Oh, Dave...Dave, you’re amazing. Oh fuck. OH GOD, DAVE!” She clawed at his back and unthinkingly wrapped her legs around his waist, allowing him to thrust deeper.

He moved inside her with a slow, languorous rhythm, savouring every moment like a delicacy he had been denied for centuries. 

He was a thirsty, thirsty man and she was his pure, soothing water...

Her moans of pleasure were music to his ears, and even though she took the name of his persona in her passion, he enjoyed it immensely.

"Gemma," he sighed into her neck as he kept thrusting, finding himself hooked on her alluring scent of citrus and flowers, "my sweet Gemma... yes, open up, take me deeper... good girl."

His words of encouragement seemed to drive her into a lustful frenzy, and so he used them more generously, making her moan louder and louder with each passing minute.

"Are you going to come for me again, baby girl? Are you close? I feel your pussy grasping my cock like vice, damn.. you're so tight."

He was loving this so much, the way she was responding to him. Norns, he was sure that she would let him do pretty much anything to her; she was that pliable .

Now that was a train of thought he most certainly knew he shouldn't get on, but he just couldn't help himself. 

Norns... how he could train her to be his perfect, sweet little pet...

Loki, no...

Damn it...

He felt himself throb immediately, almost ready to come himself.

“Uhhhh-huuuhhh” was all she could manage to say. She was lost - completely and utterly lost - and the only things that registered in her sex-soaked brain were that place where he invaded her and the swirling sensations of pleasure that overwhelmed her.

She screamed his name as she chased her peak; she felt his pace quicken, his voice deep and rumbling, his muscles flexing between her legs...

Then she felt him release inside her, and the warm liquid pushed her into the strongest orgasm of her life. Her entire body went rigid, she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything except be in the moment and experience the insanely powerful pleasure that shot through her body. It felt almost inhuman...

Loki kissed her soft lips as she caught her breath, her pussy still throbbing around him rhythmically, milking his cock of every drop of his essence. 

"You're so beautiful..." he sighed against her lips, nipping at them lightly. "Even more so when you come."

He felt so light in this moment, still joined with her, basking in the afterglow. Really, why hadn't he taken her before this day?

Well, he knew why, but he still rued the fact that he could've had her much earlier than today.

His body felt so good - so warm and comfortable as she swam in sexy afterglow. She knew she was going to fall asleep soon...or wake up from this dream soon. Whatever happened, it was coming to an end.

She felt a sad gratitude as she looked up at the most unlikely and wonderful lover she’d ever had...a gorgeous specimen that called her beautiful.

She’d look back on this moment and try to process it later.

He wrapped his arm around her waist and spooned her, still nuzzling her neck and giving her soft kisses as she drifted off.

She hoped - really hoped - she’d remember this dream when she woke up. And hopefully she could still look Dave in the eye the next day at work.

Chapter Text

IMPORTANT NOTES

Bold Text = Loki's POV

Normal Text = Gemma's POV

Gemma awoke when the morning light shone on her face.

Which was strange, because she didn’t have an east-facing window in her room. Nor was it large enough to cast THAT much light.

Also...her bed felt really comfortable. So much more comfortable than usual. The down blanket was wonderful and soft, and that heavy, muscular arm around her waist was a nice—

OH. MY. GOD.

Gemma’s eyes shot open, but she dared not disturb the other person in the bed with her. Everything from the previous night flooded back to her - the printer, Pizza My Heart, Dave’s car, Dave’s penthouse...

And the most amazing sex she’d ever had in her life.

Her breathing got shallow as she stayed completely still, totally freaking out. Dave was behind her, had his arm around her, and was still asleep.

Oh no....ohnoohnoohno what do I do???

Loki's sleep dissipated as the sun slowly rose through his window. He let out a groan, not wanting to wake up yet. 

Instinctively, his arm tightened around the soft body he was clutching against his chest. 

Oh... Gemma...

He slowly opened his eyes and looked at her as the sun kissed her face and hair. She was mouthwateringly lovely...

But he noticed that her body was stiff, and her breathing was erratic, even though her eyes were closed. 

Hmm... she was most definitely awake. 

"Good morning, sweet girl," he murmured in her ear, his voice a bit rough due to having just woken up. "Did you sleep well?"

He pressed his body into hers and his hand reached up to cup her breast. Norns, her skin was butter soft to touch. He couldn't get enough of it.

“Good MORNing!” she exclaimed as his hand went to her breast. Aaaand... she was wet.

This was moving WAY too fast...but she couldn’t bring herself to stop it. She closed her eyes and moaned a little as he toyed with her, squeezing his arm with hers.

“I mean...good morning, Dave. Fancy seeing you here...”

She giggled, then leaned back into him and turned her head so he could nuzzle her more easily. Instantly, she relaxed - he was awake and NOT frantically trying to get her to leave. This was already better than half the dates she’d ended up going home with.

"Mmmm, it's my home, after all, and I'm glad to have you here," he stated, nudging her ear with his nose, lazily playing with her nipple. 

Already, he was hard as a rock, with the pleasures of last night playing in his head like a symphony.

"You didn't answer my question, Gemma. Did you sleep well? How are you feeling?"

In the back of his mind he was worrying a bit about having bruised her with his strength. Humans were fragile, after all.

“I slept great,” she sighed, a bit breathless from his erotic attentions. “And feeling better by the second...”

She could feel his morning wood pressing eagerly up against her back - could she take him again so soon? She wasn’t especially sore, but there was certainly some feeling down there that drew her attention - a far off, dull ache. If she went again, it could end up hurting more...she might not even be able to walk...

Worth it.

She reached back and took that firm column of flesh in her hand, squeezing with her fingers and pumping him with short strokes.  His manhood stayed wedged between their bodies as she swallowed hard, still not fully awake OR fully believing this was reality.

He groaned and closed his eyes as she grasped him and began to stroke. This was... encouraging. It meant that she wanted his attentions again. 

That made his heart soar.

"Baby girl, I want to be inside you when I come, not in your hand," he murmured, slowly nudging her hand away and pulling her lower half more firmly against his cock. "Do you want that too? Open your legs if you do..."

Her legs opened faster than a mall door on Black Friday.

“I most definitely want that!” she laughed, and she moved to help him angle himself toward her center.

But honestly...what was she doing? Giving herself to a practical stranger twice in less than 24 hours? She should know better, she should stop this and—

He pushed inside her, and suddenly none of that mattered. She moaned in ecstasy and took the sheets in fistfuls as her body writhed with pleasure.

“Oh my GOD, Dave...are you magic?” She knew it was a stupid thing to ask, but she fully could NOT believe he felt so incredibly good.

Loki chuckled at her remark, and then moaned as he went deep inside her. Well, he was magical in certain ways, but she didn't need to know that...

"I'm flattered," he sighed, thrusting into her slowly, taking care not to be rough. "Even though you look like a goddess against the sun."

He pulled her more firmly against his chest then, and hitched her leg back over his thigh to open her up further, letting him set a nice, rocking pace to their love-making. 

"Mmm... just relax and let me take care of you, Gemma..."

“Oookay...” she sighed and let him set the pace, laying across him and simply enjoying the feel of his body against hers. God, his hands were all over her, and his cock was so thick and long. Who WAS this man?

Despite her doubts, there was something about him that made her feel... safe . She felt it the first time at Pizza My Heart, and again this morning. Maybe it was the constant praise - calling her beautiful, telling her she looks like a goddess, calling her “sweet girl” - or maybe it was the way he said it in his oh-so-dashing accent. Whatever it was, she felt herself going down a path she could very easily be lost down. The risk was frightening...and exhilarating.

Her pleasure slowly rose as he moved within her, and her moans and giggles changed gradually into swears and shrieks.

“Dave...Dave, I’m close...” she squeaked, that coil in her belly tightening to the point of near breaking.

"Me too, baby girl, come for me." He reached down to brush his fingers against her clit, triggering her climax. "Come all over my cock... that's it. Yes..."

He gritted his teeth as she cried out and clenched around him repeatedly, tugging him along in the orgasmic bliss.

Oh GOD how does he DO that?!

Her body went into spasms as she felt herself clenching around him, and she swore she might have thrown herself off the bed if he hadn’t been holding her to him.

He had so much control over her...and she found she didn’t mind it in the least. Quite the opposite, in fact....

He nuzzled her neck and inhaled her scent as they both enjoyed the afterglow. The sun was higher in the sky now, and he knew that soon, he'd need to get up and get ready.

At this moment, he really hated having to go to work...

"This is certainly a very good way to start a morning," he whispered in her ear, his hand splaying over her abdomen possessively. "And honestly, I don't want to let you go, darling. Oh, how I'd love to stay in bed and keep you on my cock for hours..."

He was being thoroughly honest right now... perhaps too honest. But he didn't care.

“Mmhm, me too.” Gemma said dreamily, still sex drunk and giddy from the morning fling. “I’d love to— OH MY GOD, WHAT TIME IS IT?!”

She suddenly jumped out of the bed and started looking around for her clothes...which she then remembered were out in the living room on the complete opposite side of the apartment WITH her phone and purse.

So she stood there, completely naked...and gave him a sheepish grin.

“Um...can I borrow that sheet? Or a shirt, or something?”

"Why? I'm rather enjoying the view," he replied, grinning at her lazily. When he saw the tell-tale blush mark her neck and cheeks, he finally relented. "You can take anything you want, but how about you join me in the shower? I need to get to work as well. It'd save us time."

He then pulled the covers away and rose from the bed, standing in front of her all bare and not at all caring about it.

She was stunned by his physique in the light of day. If she had seen this last night, she never could have brought herself to be in the same room with him, much less the same bed. She couldn’t tell if her face lost ALL color or was turning beet red. Not that it mattered - he was already heading to his luxurious bathroom.

“But...I’m...” she squeaked, trying to speak but words wouldn’t form in her brain. Instead, her feet just...followed him while her mouth opened and closed, trying to say she was scheduled to be in the office WAY earlier than he ever was...and she was probably already late...

Nope. Nope, she was already in the bathroom, totally nude, and she still hadn’t managed to complete a sentence.

She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Next to HIM. Oh God, she felt like a miserable sack of potatoes in comparison - her thick thighs, her soft tummy...her boobs looked good though. At least there was that.

Then he turned on the water and a shiver rushed through her. So they weren’t done yet...

Loki smirked at her as he pulled her under the spray with him, holding her close. 

"Why Gemma, you look like something got your tongue," he said, grabbing the bottle of shampoo from the corner shelf. "Are you ok?"

Turning the shower off, he poured a dollop of shampoo in his palm and started massaging it into her hair. A part of him worried about her sudden quietness, but another part just enjoyed tending to her.

If only he could have her like this again and again...

“Ooohhhh...”

She melted into him when his strong fingers began massaging her scalp. Finally, she gave up. This was worth getting fired for - she’d be kicking herself forever if she didn’t just enjoy this.

“I...I think I’m delirious. Or dead.  Or maybe somewhere in between...” Her eyes fluttered closed as she capitulated to his touch, and she let out a heavy sigh of pleasure.

One thing was for sure - Dave made her feel great. She started wondering if he might want to do this more often...

He washed her hair gently under the spray of the shower and then began to soap up her body. She gasped and squealed once or twice when he played with her breasts or tickled her between her legs. 

Really, she was adorable. He wanted to play with her all the time.

"Be good, baby girl," he murmured as he held her fast and washed her pussy, enjoying making her red in the face. It was obvious that no one had taken care of her this way, and all of this was new to her. 

Well, it was kind of new to him too. His memory of past lovers was a bit foggy now, thanks to the quality time he had spent on the Sanctuary...

Norns, he didn't want to think about that now. 

Letting that thought go, he concentrated on Gemma alone, specifically making her writhe in his hold as his fingers deftly teased her under the spray of water.

Now that was just mean.

Dave was teasing her mercilessly! Between the warm water and the soap and his hands and him calling her “baby girl,” she could barely stand upright. He kept her perfectly balanced on that precipice of casual playing and the drop off of lusty surrender. Right when she thought he was picking up the pace and she started losing herself...he pulled back and let her regain her senses. And all that stimulation built and built...

“Dave...please...”

She begged him to take her, though she didn’t know that was what she was begging for. Just the act of begging felt appropriate, and she didn’t know how much longer she could take this before she started crying from the overwhelming feel of it all.

He pulled her in for a long, deep kiss then, holding her flush against him. 

Slowly, he gripped her ass and used his otherworldly strength to easily lift up in his arms, making sure that he didn't let her slip from his grasp. Just as their lips parted, he breached her again.

"Is this what you need, Gemma?" he asked roughly, bouncing her on his cock.

“YES!” she cried out, surprised by how easily he handled her. She felt as light as a feather - a feeling she’d never had before. Her head fell to his shoulder as she let out a long, needy moan.

She was approaching her climax again, but this time it felt a little different. He was being rougher with her, and there was definitely some pain along with the pleasure at this point...he was slamming her to the hilt. But much to her surprise, she LOVED it. The harder he was going, the more she wanted it.

She started to growl a little, losing herself to him...

What was happening to her?

Loki took her in a quick rhythm, closing his eyes under the water and just... getting lost in the warmth of her.

They came together, lips locked and bodies trembling in pleasure. He held her up till her breathing eased, and then slowly let her down. She almost collapsed then, but he grasped her by the waist and held her close.

"I think you should call it off today," he said with a chuckle as he steadied her. "Will you be able to go to work?"

“Will you ?” she gasped as she relied on him to keep her from dissolving into a loose puddle of bones and skin on the floor of his shower. Because she could not FATHOM being able to do work after the last 12 or so hours of her life...how could he? She didn’t even think she could walk, much less have the wherewithal to function at that awful place.

“I mean...do you have to?”

"You know I have that pesky meeting later in the day," he sighed, kissing her forehead. "But it won't hurt me to be a bit late. Let's have breakfast together. Then, I'll drop you home and head to work. How about that?"

How was this even POSSIBLE? They had spent the night together, the morning together, and now breakfast together?

Suddenly, she realized what had been so obvious, but she had refused to believe. Couldn’t believe, until it was so unbearably obvious that it was unignorable.

He liked her.

He wasn’t just trying to get laid, or make himself feel better. He may actually, genuinely, honest-to-god like her...

Gemma got butterflies in her stomach, and she felt that telltale blush rush to her cheeks.

“Sure,” she said, still lightheaded. “I’ll text Oliver and let him know I’m having ‘lady problems.’ He never asks questions when I tell him that...”

Then...she remembered what she had worn to his place.

“So...did you want to go out to get breakfast, or eat here? Because I’ve still only got that Avengers t-shirt...also, what did you do with my underwear? And I’m not completely confident I’d be able to sit comfortably in public just yet...”

She knew she was rambling, but she kind of didn’t care.

Dave liked her!

"We'll have it here," he stated firmly. "I can make a decent batch of eggs."

After the shower, he made good on his promise of feeding her a healthy breakfast of a fluffy omelet and buttered toast. He had learned how to make it from one of those famous Youtube videos while he was getting acquainted with all things Midgardian.

"So Gemma... let me drop you home now," he said as he put the dishes away and reached for her. "And then I guess I'll see you around in the office tomorrow."

He didn't say it, but his words were laced with a silent, latent message that he wanted to take her again. He hoped that she would catch the hint.

“I guess you will.” She smiled back at him flirtatiously, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it. “I’m looking forward to it, Dave.”

"These are the drives that contain the information you'd consider gold," Loki stated as he relaxed against the visitor's chair in Nicholas Fury's office. "I'm going to head back there to close all loose ends. After that, it's all in your hands."

Fury gave him a shrewd look as he took the flash drives from him and checked them one by one on his computer. 

"You still check everything like you don't trust me, Nick." He chuckled, picking up a paperweight from his table with his seidr and bouncing it up and down like a ball.

"Double checking is a habit of mine," Fury replied, ignoring Loki's antics with his government sanctioned office supplies. "I assume you'll visit Stark then. Your next cover is ready with him. You'll be an employee in his subsidiary. A very bland, mundane job."

"Again?" Loki rolled his eyes and groaned, sort of miffed, but also, kind of fine with this development. "What is the next mission about?"

"Don't be so eager. You will need to cool your heels for a while. Lie low."

Loki nodded. Espionage worked like that sometimes. Well, he was not averse to 'lying low'. He could spend that down time with Gemma, perhaps... 

His mind wandered for a bit, recalling the wonderful, pleasureful time he had spent with her thus far. If only he could somehow make it a regular occurrence in his life; he'd have his cake and eat it too, and no one would need to know about it.

Just as Fury was finishing checking up on the drives, his intercommunication phone rang. He picked it up, sounding bored. But then his one good eye lit up and he gave Loki a sardonic smile.

"Well isn’t this a coincidence. Your brother just arrived."

For a change, Loki didn't react with annoyance towards this news. Actually, he was looking forward to catching up with Thor, eager to know what was going on in New Asgard.

"Well, that's all well and good. Tell him I'll meet him in the lounge."

Chapter Text

IMPORTANT NOTES

Bold Text = Loki's POV

Normal Text = Thor's POV, then Gemma's POV

Thor hung up the receiver with Fury and a slight smile crossed his lips. It had been several months since he and Loki had an opportunity to see each other, and he was honestly curious about how his brother was doing.

This new life as a SHIELD operative seemed to be suiting him well, though Thor was certain he would have become bored with it by now - Loki’s magpie mind was always looking for the next shiny object to attract his attentions. And once he found it, he’d obsess over it, just like always...

Thor chuckled quietly to himself as he headed for the lounge in the R&R area of SHIELD headquarters. He’d been so busy with the diplomatic efforts of giving the Asgardians some kind of legal status and protection, he’d hardly had time to even think about Loki other than the occasional question about how to approach a difficult political situation. It would be good to see him in person.

He reached the lounge, ordered the largest cup of black coffee he could, then sat on the somewhat uncomfortable couch and flipped through emails on his cellular device - as primitive as it was, it did come in handy here on Earth.

Loki walked into the lounge and found Thor uncomfortably spread over a couch, checking his phone. Strange, how he had finally adapted to Midgardian life. 

"You need a haircut," he said without preamble, leaning against the couch and pulling at his ponytail. "Hasn't Brunhilde been mocking you relentlessly over it? I paid her to make certain you didn’t let yourself go in my absence."

Thor’s smile widened as he stood.

“Loki! It’s so good to see you, brother!” He brought his wayward sibling in for a hug, wrapping his arms around him in a bear-like embrace. “How are you? You look well!”

Loki tried his best to return the hug, but soon, he was left gasping as Thor nearly squeezed all the breath out of him with his powerful embrace. 

"Thor, cannot breathe," he choked out, punching his arm as he laughed. 

Once Thor let him go, he shook his head and muttered under his breath, calling him an 'uncultured oaf'. 

It was all in good humour, of course. This was how they greeted each other these days. It was far better than greeting each other with violence, at least. 

"I am well. Being Midgard's best spy is quite enriching. Though, Romanoff loves to call me a hack and cribs about me having snatched her job." He grinned as he spoke, settling down on the couch with Thor. "Now you tell me. How's New Asgard? Are the people coping better now? And what happened to your attempts at reaching out to a certain astrophysicist for a reconciliation?"

Thor’s throat tightened at the mention of Jane, but he did his best to brush it off and maintain his excitement at seeing his brother again.

“The Asgardians are...adapting, slowly but surely. Certainly the most difficult thing has been learning to live without the use of the advanced technologies we took for granted before...well, you know. But they are healthy, and strong, and resilient. I am proud to be their king.”

Then he returned to his seat on the couch and sighed a bit, taking a sip of the bitter brew.

“And Jane is...well. We speak on occasion, but...sometimes I think just being on the same planet with her isn’t giving her the distance she says she needs.” He looked at Loki with a sad smile, the heartbreak and resignation apparent, though he tried to hide it.

“But I hardly have time to worry about it, what with all the meetings and negotiations lately. I think we’re almost at a point of agreement with the Norwegian government. If things go as planned, we’ll officially have sovereignty over the three small islands we’ve been living on; we’ll be the second smallest country on Earth, only slightly larger than the Vatican. Though that particular government has not been helpful. It’s interesting how religious humans behave when meeting us...”

Thor felt uncomfortable...things hadn’t progressed as he’d hoped, and he fought the ever-present feeling of failure with everything he could. Sometimes it wasn’t enough.

But that didn’t matter right now.

“And how is your current assignment - you’ve been undercover for quite some time with this one. What has it been, three months? Are you nearly done?”

Loki saw the sadness and struggle in Thor's eyes as he spoke before he changed the subject, and it really made him feel a bit guilty for leaving his people behind to go on SHIELD missions. But then again, what could he do staying in New Asgard? The world knew him to be dead, so there was hardly any role for him to fit in.

It was for the best that no one knew of his presence here on Midgard, for it would only jeopardize the chances New Asgard had to be a free kingdom. 

"My assignment is indeed coming to end... soon." He looked down at his hands, thinking of Gemma again as he spoke. "I had to spend some time ingratiating myself into the company, picking apart its secrets. Now that the groundwork has been laid, it's time for the final act. I'll be out of there within a week or so."

“A week? Well then, on to the next exciting adventure, right brother?” Thor slapped him on the back, slightly harder than he knew was comfortable. But he saw that look come over Loki’s face when he mentioned the end of the assignment...that was unusual.

“Is there...something about this assignment that was different? You don’t seem to be as enthusiastic to move on. Perhaps unfinished business or a loose end?”

Loki blanched at Thor's questions. He didn't need him to be perceptive... not now. 

"Not really. It's just that, you build a life and live it for more than three months, and it starts to become your normal life. It's just hard to suddenly move on from that, like a hard shift from the first gear of a vehicle to the fifth gear straight." He shrugged, deliberately stalling the conversation as the server brought in his tea. 

After they were left alone once again, Loki took a sip of the tea and glanced at Thor, worrying that he was onto him somehow.

"Fury also told me to lay low for a while. I'm trying to think up a new hobby to spend my time on while I wait for a new assignment."

Thor had known Loki long enough to know when he was masterfully evading a direct answer, and the nervous sparkle in his green eyes meant there was much more to the tale than what Loki said. Thor grinned.

“Ah...and what hobbies have you been considering?”

Though he felt like he was setting himself up for disappointment, Thor had an inkling - just a tiny gut reaction - that Loki may have already found that new focus for his attention, and this time, it wasn’t architecture.

"How does clay modeling sound to you?" Loki asked jokingly, laughing at Thor's nonplussed reaction. "Or maybe I should take up cave exploration...I just learned the word for it: spelunking. Isn’t that odd?"

He drank his tea while Thor focused his steady icy blue gaze on him. Norns, he badly wanted to talk about Gemma, but it was far too soon... and he didn't know how he'd pull her back into his life again after the mission was over.

"You seem to be expecting something else from me, brother. I swear, I won't do anything bad. Except mess with Steve Rogers a bit. It's been a while since I’ve done that."

Thor laughed heartily, nodding in agreement. “Yes. Steve has finally stopped looking around the corners before walking down hallways - your last bit of mischief made him quite paranoid.”

Perhaps Loki wasn’t ready to share...but then again, when would be the next time they would get to see each other in person? And...there was always the fear in the back of Thor’s mind that Loki might backslide again, into that terrifying madness that had ripped him away the first time.

Maybe...just one more small push would be enough. After that, he would let it go.

“Is there something I should be expecting, Loki? Anything you might want to speak of that weighs heavy on your heart? I don’t know when we might next see each other, and if I may help to unburden you in some way, please...I’m all ears.”

He laughed at the somewhat disgusted look Loki gave him at the use of that Midgardian colloquialism, but Thor just smiled warmly back.

Loki sighed and put his now empty cup down, finally feeling like he should at least tell Thor about it. After all, there was no one else. They were the only family they both had...

"I met a woman," he said quietly, looking down again. "And I think I'm growing quite fond of her. I took her to my apartment... day before yesterday. She spent the night."

I knew it! He met someone!

Thor’s knowing smile barely concealed his excitement for his brother.

“And...how was it? She’s still in her right mind? All of her limbs are still attached?”

Loki gave Thor an exasperated glare then. But that quickly dissolved into a shared chuckle between the brothers.

"She was fine, just a bit dazed I think. But that's what happens when I take a lover, they just go glassy eyed." He was very aware of the fact that he was describing his own reaction to Gemma as well. But he let it slide, for there  were more important things to discuss. "But on a serious note... I feel guilty."

Thor certainly understood why he would feel that way; Loki wasn’t exactly available ...even in his disguise. That persona would be wiped from any and all records as soon as the mission ended.

Thor lowered his voice and leaned toward his brother. “Do you plan to see her again? After the company you’re investigating has been shut down?”

He knew, on the one hand, that it was out of the question - one of those non-negotiable rules of the role he played for SHIELD. But on the other hand, as Loki’s brother...he wanted so much for his sibling to finally have made a connection with someone. So much so, he may have even been willing to encourage an exception if this new woman was becoming more than a fling.

Loki swallowed hard, pursing his lips as he looked around them furtively. 

"I want to." He locked his eyes with his brother then, and gave him a pleading look. "Please don't jest about it. And don't share it with anyone. Not yet. I don't know how... but I'm thinking of a plan. I can't just let her go like that..."

Thor’s heart nearly burst with excitement in his chest. So this was serious...serious enough that Loki was already scheming on how to make it...well, how to make something work.

“No jests, Loki.” Thor put his hand on the back of Loki’s neck and pulled him in, so their foreheads nearly touched. “If you feel this woman may be worthy...I will help you however I can.”

Deep down, he had to admit that helping Loki was somewhat selfish...perhaps it would ease his issues with Jane if Loki were to have a female companion.

Loki was a bit surprised that Thor was so readily supportive of him this time. There was no judgment in his words. In fact, he sounded relieved and happy.

"Well, she knows me as this man named Dave, from England." He laughed mirthlessly as he explained his conundrum. "I am not him, and he is not me. But still, my feelings are honest and true. I know that I'm probably fixating on her, but I want to take this chance. I'm just... " He shook his head, looking away once again. "I've been solitary most of my life, and then lonely too. I do want companionship, and Thor... she's so sweet and good natured, everything I'm not. I feel a strange pull towards her. I don't want my job at SHIELD to ruin this."

“I know, Loki. I understand.” Much in the way that Loki fixated on his obsessions, Thor fixated on helping others. And he was especially focused on helping Loki - after all they’d been through, he wanted nothing more than to have that connection with his brother again. And if helping him build a relationship with this woman would do that, then there was no way Thor would let it slide.

“You deserve happiness, Loki. As we all do. We will figure this out. Barton has a family - exceptions have been made.”

Loki nodded, taking a deep breath to calm his chaotic mind. 

"Thank you, brother." He put his hand over Thor's and squeezed it. "Your support means a lot to me. Likewise, if I can help with anything, I'm always there. You know that. Distance means nothing to me."

“Yes. Of course, Loki.” He leaned back and waved his cellular device at the God of Mischief. “You can send me an electronic message! Or a textual message! Or we could simply play FarmVille...that pastime can be most infuriating without the help of friends.”

Thor stood and hugged Loki once again, then held his shoulders as he gave him a genuine look.

“I missed you, brother. We will get through this.”

With that, Thor swallowed what was left of his coffee, and bid Loki a fond farewell.

Gemma was elated. She couldn’t stop smiling - it was so bad her cheeks constantly hurt. But she didn’t care. She was completely infatuated with Dave...and he seemed to be feeling the same way!

After that night together, they hadn’t seen each other - his schedule had him out of the office often, so it wasn’t surprising. That first day back, she was disappointed to see his empty chair pushed in at his perfectly organized desk...but she did find a small box of what looked like very expensive chocolates, and a note written in the most beautiful handwriting she’d ever seen.

“Hi Gemma. Sorry I missed you. Thought you would like these. Terrible reception where I’m going, might not have signal. Can’t wait to see you again.

Dave.”

Her heart leapt into her throat when she saw them, and the note made her melt...she even moaned a little. And they were the best chocolates she’d ever eaten!

Even though she wasn’t able to reach him on his phone, every day after that there was a little token on her desk - a small vase of flowers, a cute art print to decorate her cubicle, even a gift card to her favorite coffee shop. It was wonderful...but it made her miss him so much. She wondered where he was traveling...and if he was thinking about her as much as she was thinking about him...

Now finally, it was Friday. And she almost jumped out of her skin when she turned the corner to her desk and saw him sitting there, his broad shoulders leaning over his desk in that crisp baby-blue Oxford shirt.

She quickly walked over to her desk and put her things away, then booted up her computer, trying to KEEP IT TOGETHER AND NOT FLIP THE FUCK OUT.

“Hey, stranger...” she said quietly, a huge stupid smile stuck on her face. She tried to hide it.

Loki knew that she had seen him the moment she entered the hall. After all, there was that beautiful blush on her face...

He dearly wanted to go over and chat with her, but he just couldn't. He was heavily loaded with tasks, and quite a few of them were related to his mission. 

But that didn't stop him from sending her heated looks from across the aisle. 

The company was going to be demolished the day after, and hence, he was inundated with work, both farcical and real. 

Oh well... he was willing to wait...

After all, he was already planning on how to keep her even after the mission. He wouldn't let her go so easily.

Just as he sent an important message to Fury regarding freezing of the company's hidden assets, he heard Gemma's soft greeting. 

Looking up, he saw her standing at his desk, trying her best to look like just an employee... greeting her co-worker. 

"Hello Gemma," he said, smiling as he stood up. He couldn't dial down on the heated look, as much as he tried. "How have the last few days been?"

What she REALLY wanted to say was, “Oh my GOD I’ve been wanting to see you every day! The gifts you’ve been giving me make my heart palpitate and I want jump your bones and fuck you in that side office over there RIGHT NOW!”

Instead, what came out of her mouth was: “Oh, you know, fine...”

She really couldn’t hide the giggle in her voice. Every time he spoke, she felt butterflies in her stomach. “Same old, same old. You? Any new clients you’ve landed over the last week?”

She sat at her desk and logged into her email, casually checking on that day’s tasks while blushing furiously and trying to control herself as she waited for his answer.

Loki moved over to her desk and leaned against her cubicle wall as she typed and tried to curb her blush from deepening. She was utterly incapable of doing that.

"A few, yes. But I had a miserable time, traveling here and there," he replied. "I wasn't where I actually wanted to be."

His insinuative answer made her blush even harder. She felt like she was in a fairy tale...who WAS this guy?!

“Yea...me too,” she said softly. “Would much rather have been somewhere else...with someone else. But you know, bills gotta get paid, resumes need to be consistent...so we carry on.”

She turned to look at him, and that 1000 gigawatt smile he gave her almost made her squeal. She took a moment to collect herself, smiled back, and said as cooly as she could, “So, you wanna grab lunch today? I mean, I’m sure you’re busy, but if you have a few minutes, my schedule is pretty flexible.”

"While I am busy, I can certainly make exceptions for you," he stated, never breaking their eye contact. He lowered his voice as he continued. "Where do you want to go, baby girl?"

She was completely speechless. He called her baby girl?! In the office?!

That brought back SOOO many memories. Memories she still could have written off as fever dreams until he said those words…

“Uuummmmm.... I--I...”

Anywhere with you, Dave. I’ll go ANYWHERE with you, do anything with you. Take me, here, now, forever, just let me be yours!

“S-sandwiches?”

Loki almost laughed aloud at her answer. She was so damned adorable, he wanted to pick her up and spin her around.

And then fuck her silly.

But that would have to wait...

"Sandwiches it is," he said with a smirk, pulling away from her desk and heading back to his. 

Now he just had to wait for lunch time...

Gemma couldn’t breathe. She had been waiting for this moment all week, and yet, she was STILL in utter disbelief that THE DAVE was interested in her. Not just interested...more than interested. He liked her.

Suffice to say, she got almost NO work done in the ensuing hours. Mostly she stared at her screen and clicked windows open and closed randomly while her thoughts spun with daydreams of Dave...

The memory of their night together...

The memory of the next morning...and the shower...

Imagining having her arms wrapped around his waist as they rode a white horse through the surf on a private tropical island...

Dancing on the streets in a city at night in the snow...

“Gemma?!”

She snapped out of it and turned around to see Oliver standing over her, his prodigious belly protruding so far over the waistline of his pants that her nose almost touched it when she faced him.

And all her happy feelings disappeared.

“Heeeey, Oliver...” she said weakly, with plenty of guilt. She wondered how long he’d been watching her...

“We need that TPX report on the latest cardboard sales figures ASAP, and we’re still waiting on the numbers for last year’s gross revenue versus projections. Do you have those done yet?”

“Um...no sir,” she said, shrinking into herself. Everyone was staring at the confrontation...including Dave. She wanted to die...

“Aha. Well, Ms. Spitznaegel, your performance certainly hasn’t been up to snuff lately. Plan to stay late tonight. I want those reports on my desk first thing tomorrow.”

“But...tomorrow is Saturday—“

“DID I STUTTER, SPITZNAEGEL?!”

Oliver’s perfectly round, bulbous head changed to a shade of purplish-crimson she hadn’t known existed in nature. She balked.

“No sir...I’ll have them on your desk before I leave tonight. I promise.”

“Good. Don’t mess this up, Spitznaegel. You’re on thin ice as it is.”

Then he walked away, leaving Gemma humiliated in front of the entire staff.

Chapter Text

IMPORTANT NOTES

Bold Text = Loki's POV

Normal Text = Gemma's POV

Loki wanted to murder Oliver. Painfully .

In the time the pudgy man had taken to humiliate poor Gemma, Loki had thought about twenty scenarios where he could end up dead, with no evidence indicating any foul play. 

He could do it. But he knew that it would not work well for the mission. The man would most likely be declared a martyr who had probably leaked important information against the company. 

In his three or so years on Midgard, Loki had learnt quite a bit about how the media of the realm worked.

Hence, after considering everything, he lowered his murderous gaze from the man and tried to appear engrossed in his work. 

He'd deal with Oliver later...

For now, he focused on Gemma. His poor Gemma...

Once Oliver was gone, Loki slipped from his desk and walked past hers on his way to the printer, dropping a note down to her surreptitiously. 

It was a simple note, stating that he thought Oliver a callous and uncouth monster, and that he believed she wasn't at fault. Lastly, he gave her the venue of their lunch date, to uplift her spirits.

Gemma read the note, like, 300 times.

“Callous and uncouth”...? Who TALKS like that? Dave talks like that. Perfect, handsome, wonderful, sexy Dave talks like that.

Not my fault...well of course it’s my fault. I didn’t get the work done, and now I’m in trouble for it. But it’s nice of him to say so...

WOW he wants to go THERE for lunch?!

By the time noon rolled around, she had memorized that note word for word...and she could not WAIT to get out of there.

She clocked out, grabbed her cardigan, and headed over to Dave’s desk.

“Hey, thanks for the note. That was really sweet.” She smiled and wrung her hands together. “So...ready to go?”

Loki rose from his desk, closing his laptop and grabbing his bag and pea-coat. 

"Absolutely," he declared cheerfully, grasping her hand to lead her out of the hall. "Also, you'd do well to learn that I don't accept expressions of gratitude for acting with bare minimum decency."

He helped her put her cardigan on once they reached his car, feeling her tremble as he did so. He kissed her cheek softly to ease the tension in her body, and it only made her jump.

"Relax," he stated, holding her close for a moment. "Everything will be fine. Your reports will be done on time. Now forget the work related hassles and try to take a break."

He opened the passenger door for her as he said that last bit, helping her into the car.

She couldn’t believe he actually held her hand the whole way to his car. His incredible, gorgeous, fancy-as-hell car. Ooooh, she loved it.

And she was kind of starting to think she loved him even more. Not like LOVE love, but, you know, like how you love a cool drink of water on a hot day. And Dave was definitely a cool drink of water.

“Ok, I’ll try,” she responded. He was acting so familiar with her, with the kisses and the chivalry. It almost frightened her...she could get VERY used to this, and then it would hurt that much more once reality set in and he disappeared from her life, nothing more than a fond memory.

Because, deep down, she just knew this was too good to last. Stuff like this didn’t happen to her. But in the meantime, she would enjoy it as much as possible.

She clicked in her own seatbelt this time, and giggled as he drove out of the parking lot WAY too fast, grabbing his hand on the stick shift.

He grinned in response as she giggled, really enjoying the lilting sound it made in her throat. He wanted to make her laugh more often. Every day...

But he couldn't get ahead of himself. Not right now...

Once they reached their destination, he led her out of the car and into the restaurant of his choice. 

"So, still want to have sandwiches?" he asked playfully as they settled into an intimate corner table with a large window overlooking the sea. "Or can I endeavour to change your mind?"

“Please...change my mind,” she said. Her tone was verging on sultry, and she dared to put her hands on his over the tabletop. She felt tingles radiate from where she touched him. This was their first actual date!

“Um...actually, why don’t you go ahead and order for me?” She watched for his reaction nervously - she’d never asked her date to order for her before. Then again, she’d never dated anyone like Dave before.

This was all becoming so unbearably and fantastically romantic...

Loki ordered for both of them while still holding her hands over the table. He didn't care if the waiter frowned upon it, he just did it because he wanted to.

"So... " he murmured as the waiter went off with their order. "I want to know something about you, Gemma. Will you tell me?"

He saw the hesitance in her eyes, but still, she nodded.

"Why do you work at PAC & Co.? It's not a very friendly work environment, from what I've seen in my three months here. Surely you can find a better place than this?"

Gemma wanted to bring her hands back to her body, to wring the bottom of her shirt like she always did when she was nervous. But he felt so good holding her hand, and she couldn’t bring herself to let go. So she pushed through the nerves.

“I...well, I never thought I’d end up in a place like that, doing that kind of work. I always thought I would be— oh, nevermind, it’s stupid...”

She sighed and looked away. “I just...needed to pay the bills. And a monkey could do that work, so I knew I could do it. I don’t know. Things just didn’t turn out the way I planned, so I kept settling for less and less until...I got here.”

She hated that THAT was the story of her life - giving up on her dreams and settling for the absolutely dull and tedious world she’d built around herself. But it was the truth, and she felt like she owed that to him, at least.

“I know. Not very impressive...but that’s how it goes sometimes, I guess.”

"I see." Loki didn't like that she was letting go of her wants and wishes and just settling. So he pushed for more information. "And may I know what you actually wanted to do?"

He rubbed his thumbs over her wrists, trying to calm her down the moment he felt her growing restless. She was like a little hummingbird in his hands... so tiny and vulnerable. He wanted to protect her with all that he had.

She looked at him, feeling incredibly exposed. But he’d done nothing except be kind and patient with her; he’d shown her time and time again that he harbored no ill will toward her. But instincts and hard lessons learned were difficult to overcome.

Still...she wanted to tell him. And if he laughed at her, well, then it would be just that much easier when he went away.

“Um...geez, I haven’t told anyone this for a long time. I...I moved to New York City because I wanted to act on Broadway. I was in plays and musicals my whole life growing up, and when I could finally move out of that podunk little town, I came straight here and started auditioning. I took whatever classes I could afford, started meeting people, and then...well, then the attack happened...”

She closed her eyes, knowing she was close to tears but doing her best to keep it together.

“I was waitressing when it started...and I almost got killed. Captain America saved my life...along with everyone else in the building. I was so grateful to be alive!

“But then...well, my apartment was destroyed, along with all my stuff. I didn’t have renters’ insurance - it was too expensive. I was barely making ends meet, and I couldn’t move back home - I couldn’t stand the thought of living with my parents again. So I figured I’d get some admin job, just until I could get back on my feet and start auditioning again. But that was...god, it feels like a lifetime ago. And I just...I don’t feel the passion I used to, you know?

“Maybe if the attack hadn’t happened, I’d be where I wanted to be, but now...well, nothing I can do about it but tread water and try to put my life back together. And a steady paycheck is a big part of that, even if I have to sell my soul for it.”

Loki felt as though he had been slapped in the face, several times, with a hand made of uru metal...

While several centuries' worth of experience gave him enough fortitude to keep a straight, concerned facade on, internally, he was wilting. He had not felt this deep a bout of self-loathing in years.

The attack. His attack on New York had destroyed and forever changed many  lives. One of them had been Gemma’s life. His sweet, loving, kind Gemma...

He had almost killed her.

Norns, he hated himself so much... 

But there was nothing he could do to undo the past. That was the most frustrating part of his life.

His grip on her hands tightened slightly as he spoke. "I understand, though I cannot empathize fully. Being here when the attack happened.... it must've been terrifying. That monster changed your life forever, and he didn't care one bit about it. I'm sorry, Gemma... so sorry."

His voice nearly cracked as he tried his best to apologize for his deeds, though covertly. He knew that he didn't deserve forgiveness, but still, apologizing was the least he could do.

“Yea...” she sighed, finding it hard to meet his eyes. “But it’s not like I’m the only one it happened to. Plenty of people died that day, and I didn’t. So I have to believe there’s a reason for it...even if that reason is pretty far out and I can’t see it from here...”

She was shaken out of her thoughts when the waiter placed a beautiful cut of filet mignon in front of her, with a side of roasted vegetables and a few crostini. She thanked the server and cut off a generous bite of the meat, and as soon as it hit her tongue, her eyes rolled up and she moaned.

“Oh MAN - this is delicious! You ordered me filet mignon for LUNCH?! It’s like you’re trying to impress me or something...”

She giggled, letting the somber moment pass. Her depressing life story wasn’t going to change, and this incredible lunch was in front of her NOW.

“So, Dave...” she said, still chewing. “How did you get into sales? Family business?”

Loki was still feeling shaken, so he just looked down and played around with his food while she spoke.

Even though her little moan was distracting, it couldn't pull him from the pits of despair he was presently wallowing in.

"Not really. I was told that I was very persuasive from a very young age. So I suppose going into sales was a natural progression." He shrugged, trying to give her a little smile. It felt strained.

“Hey...are you ok?” Gemma asked. He had been so enthusiastic before her story, but now he seemed...depressed. She swallowed, then sighed heavily. “God...Dave, I’m sorry. I ruined the mood... Talking about the attack probably isn’t the best way to have a fun afternoon, is it...”

She sighed again. She’d blown it, just like she knew she would. There was still plenty of food on her plate - delicious food, better food than she’d eaten in years - but now, she wasn’t hungry anymore.

“I...I’ll just catch a cab back to the office. Thanks for lunch, Dave. Have a good one.”

She wanted to offer to pay for her meal, too. But she knew she couldn’t afford it, so she had to leave before he asked her to.

"Gemma," Loki said firmly as she tried to rise from her seat. "Sit down."

Norns, he had upset her now. First, he had nearly killed her in New York, destroyed her life, and now he was ruining her day as well.

No, he would no longer be a cause for her misery. He wanted to give her joy... to mend the life he had nearly snuffed out...

He looked up at her with an earnest expression. "I'm sorry. You didn't ruin the mood, I did. I shouldn't have pried into your life like a rampaging bilge--like an untamed bull. It was insensitive of me. Stay, please ..."

That look he gave her nearly melted her heart.

Stay, please...

How could she not?

With another nervous gulp, she sat back down and looked at him softly - he looked almost more upset than she had been. What an odd reaction...

“I didn’t really want to leave anyway...” She smiled and took his hands in hers again. “And, thank you...for asking, I mean. It’s been a long time since...well, actually, I don’t think anyone has ever asked me that before, about why I work at PAC & Co. It’s nice that you care.”

Their eyes locked, and she found she couldn’t look away from him. There was so much in his eyes, in his face - sadness and joy, nerves and excitement, concern, desperation, longing...she’d never seen anyone more expressive than him in that moment.

She was lost for words...time stopped. Her universe zoomed in and all she could see - all she wanted to see - was this incredible man who had suddenly shown up in her life and, for reasons she couldn’t even fathom, wanted to be with her.

"I do care," he stated truthfully, picking up the fork and offering her a piece of the fillet. "I wanted to know you better. I still do."

He squeezed her hand, almost afraid that she'd pull it away and run from him. It was an irrational fear, but still, it was there...

He didn't want to lose her.

She didn’t want to lose him.

She squeezed his hand in return and ate the filet off of the fork as he offered it to her. And the next. And the next. Until the meal was over.

She checked her watch, realizing she had gone WAY over her lunch break time but...it didn’t matter. Let them fire her. What she needed - what she wanted - was to stay here as long as possible, pretending the outside world didn’t exist.

As the meal concluded, Loki paid for it, watching her as her eyes tried to discern the bill surreptitiously.  That made him smile. 

He didn't let her see the amount.

"I suppose it's time to go back to work, even though I honestly don't want to," he said as the waiter left with the bill and the amount paid. "But we both have things to finish."

He kissed her hand and rose from the seat, pulling her along. 

"Do you think that Oliver would've lost his shit over your reports by now?" he asked casually, wrapping his arm around her as they made their way out of the restaurant. "Or would he not care till tomorrow morning?"

“I don’t think he’s even going to be there tomorrow. He’s probably already left for the weekend.” Gemma said drowsily. That lunch was MUCH bigger than what she usually ate, and the extra food in her system was making her sleepy. She curled into him and put her arm around his waist in return as they walked to the car. “He doesn’t like me...so he just tries to make my life miserable. Little does he know I’m a pro at having a miserable life. Sucks for him, right?”

She chuckled morosely as she climbed back into Dave’s amazing car, settling into the leather seat with a contented little moan.

“Thanks for the lunch, Dave. Truly . That was the best meal I’ve had in ages. And the best company.”

She smiled warmly and held his hand, letting him go when he needed it to change gears but otherwise holding on to him the entire way. As they pulled back into the parking lot, she pouted.

“I don’t wannaaaaaa...” she cried sarcastically.

Loki laughed at her childish little whine as he got out of the car and opened her door for her.

"I'd honestly take you back to my place and ravish you in all the ways I want to," he confessed as he pulled her out of the car and pressed her against it with his body. "But I'm trying to practice restraint. We ought to be more responsible, no?"

“No,” she answered cheekily, narrowing her eyes in a scrunchy little smile. “Let’s not be responsible. Let’s run away from this two-bit town and never come back.”

She was joking, of course...wasn’t she? Also...who said “ ravished ” these days???

Dave. Dave says ravished.

She enjoyed the little shiver that ran down her spine at the thought of it

But as they walked back through the doors with their arms around each other, fielding the raised eyebrows and sudden titters from their co-workers, Gemma just smiled. Maybe, JUUUUST maybe...things might work out.

And then she saw Oliver waiting for her in the lobby, tapping his foot and looking at his watch...

Oh...FUCK...

Loki was feeling elated once again. Gemma was in his arms and she looked so happy. She was glowing.

Because of him. Or Dave... it was the same thing, really, for his affection wasn't any different in either form.

While he was lost in his own thoughts about Gemma, Gemma's step faltered. That brought his mind back to the present, and he saw Gemma's face fall.

Following her line of vision, he saw their boss, Oliver, waiting in the lobby, looking none too pleased. 

Oh, what did he want now? He was going to undo all of Loki's attempts to cheer the girl...

Very subtly, Loki stepped ahead of Gemma and tried to shield her from the portly man's renewed ire.

Gemma and Oliver’s eyes locked. She could see the hint of a malicious smirk on his face...he was going to chew her out - AGAIN - in front of the entire team. Twice in one day. For whatever reason, he seemed to love singling her out...he’d done it for years, and for all that time, she had taken it. Just sat there and let him do it...and she was sick of it.

Had she NOT been through enough? Talking to Dave over lunch had helped her put her life in a bit more perspective; just because she hadn’t succeeded in what she’d expected to do did NOT mean she deserved to be abused by a bully.

She. Was. Done.

Gemma felt Dave beginning to move in front of her, and she stopped him. He turned to face her, the same heart melting concern on his face, and she gave him a firm, resolved look. She let him go and walked up to Oliver.

“Have you been standing here waiting for me to get back from lunch, Oliver?” She put her hands on her hips, eyes narrowed.

Loki's jaw dropped. He hadn't expected Gemma to confront Oliver straight away...

That seemed to affect the idiot as well, for he seemed at a loss for words for a few seconds before he responded.

"I was wondering why you had gone out for lunch when you have work left to complete! Do I need to remind you that I want the reports on my desk by Saturday morning?" he asked with malicious glee, most likely expecting to see Gemma wilt against his verbal tirade again.

But Gemma didn't wilt this time. Much to Loki's surprise, she kept staring at Oliver with an even gaze.

Gemma felt a fire in her belly...she didn’t know where it came from, but she liked it. She wasn’t going to let Oliver push her around anymore.

Because if someone like Dave thought she was worth something, maybe she should start thinking that, too.

“Is it Saturday morning yet, Oliver ?” she challenged him, a hint of sarcasm slipping into her words. She practically spit his name out.

Oliver sputtered and turned beet red, eyeing Gemma as though she had sprouted another head.

Loki was enjoying this immensely. His Gemma was fighting back! This was glorious...

"No," Oliver finally answered, glaring at her while also knowing that she had him. It was written on his face, clear as the day.

“Then what’s the problem? Seems like I still have plenty of time to finish those reports you asked for - which I’m assuming you must need so urgently that you’re going to meet me here tomorrow, right? Otherwise, this could wait until Monday?”

“What? No, I won’t be here tomorrow...” Oliver’s face turned that purplish-crimson color she despised, and she scoffed at him.

“So why, exactly, do I need to get them to you by then, hm? Could it be that you needed to make yourself feel better by putting me down, just like you have for the last three years? Your fragile little ego needed a boost? Because if that’s the case, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but a TPX report isn’t going to fix that. And I’m not taking your shit anymore.”

She pushed past him, saying quietly so only he could hear. “Now please leave me alone so I can finish the work you so desperately need completed, despite the fact that you won’t see it until Monday when you get back from your weekend of self-destructive binge eating and coddling your porn addiction.”

His eyes went wide and he sputtered as she glared at him one more time. 

“You really should clear your browser history more often when you’re at work.”

With that, she headed to her cubicle, absolutely vibrating with nerves.

Loki was absolutely stunned, as was Oliver. 

Gemma was... Norns , she was a GODDESS of WRATH!

The way she eviscerated that buffoon, with class and dignity, was breathtaking to watch. Loki had a front row seat to that, and it wasn't at all disappointing. 

He was so excited to see her stand up for herself that he wanted to jump up on his desk and give her a big round of applause. 

Oliver was now standing there like a man emasculated. And justly so. The absolute wretch that he was, he deserved every word of her scathing response.

As Gemma settled into her chair, the pudgy man made himself scarce, leaving the hall with his tail between his legs. 

Loki couldn't help himself. He skipped over to Gemma's desk and grasped her hand. 

"That was great, Gemma. I'm pretty sure that he's not going to bother you for the rest of the day now," he said, feeling nothing but pride soaring in his heart for her. 

And just as he finished speaking, other people from the hall came rushing to her cubicle to tell her how wonderfully she had dealt with Oliver.

Chapter Text

IMPORTANT NOTES

Bold Text = Loki's POV

Normal Text = Gemma's POV

The sudden onslaught of congratulations and praise from her co-workers was astonishing. Most of them she’d hardly ever said a word to - she kept to herself, head down, and had never really made friends with anyone until Dave. But now...it was almost overwhelming.

She hadn’t realized how many other people despised Oliver as well. Suddenly, all her past fears of standing up to him because the rest of the team would shun her seemed ridiculous. They were thrilled that someone had finally taken him down a peg!

It was pandemonium at her desk for almost half an hour before everyone got back to work, and Gemma was smiling from ear to ear, giggling to herself occasionally as she thought about what she’d just done. 

Finally, she felt a hand on her back, and she turned around to see Dave beaming at her. How was it even possible for him to be more gorgeous now than ever before?!

Loki couldn't stop smiling. He was so happy for Gemma, for her new found confidence in herself. He wanted to kiss her repeatedly... and more...

But he had to keep his restraint. 

"So, now that you've vanquished Oliver for the rest of the day... do you want help with those reports after work?" he asked, winking at her mischievously.

At first, she was just confused - how could Dave possibly help with the reports? He didn’t know how to use the program, and she was probably going to be here by herself long after closing to finish them and—

OOOOOHHHHHHHHH that’s what he meant...

She could feel the heat rise in her face as she blushed red.

“Um...I would love some help on the reports, Dave...I could really use a hand on these... hard numbers...”

She giggled, feeling so bad ...she already knew what would happen once everyone left, and now she had to try and keep it together until then...

He sat down on his haunches to get closer to her eye level. Grasping her hand again, he gazed at her seriously.

"You naughty girl," he whispered with a straight face. "I'll deal with that later. But first, I actually want to help. I know about the program you're operating. I once helped a friend of mine with something similar."

“You...you did?” Gemma was honestly surprised. None of the other sales reps knew how to work the analytics program, and she wondered how he had figured it out in only three months - it was an OLD program...she had to use the C: prompt to open it.

“Well, sure, if you’re not busy with your own work. I’ll always accept help from you.”

She giggled again, knowing all her co-workers were watching the hottest guy in the office focus all his attention on her. This was turning out to be one hell of a great day!

Loki grinned and stood up to pull his chair over from his cubicle. 

"I have no pressing matters to attend to at the moment," he said as he adjusted his chair next to hers. "I'm all yours."

For the next few hours, as the sun gradually dipped down below the horizon and people filtered out of the building to enjoy their weekend, Gemma sat with Dave and worked on completing the reports. It was slow-going...so much data had to be entered manually, where a newer program could have easily done it automatically. But for the first time, Gemma didn’t mind. Dave kept brushing up against her, putting his hand on hers, leaning over her shoulder and pressing his chest to her back...by the time the office was empty, she was nearly panting with arousal.

AND the reports were done! Dave wasn’t kidding - he really did know his way around that program. Gemma wondered why on Earth he knew how to use it so well, but that question was about the furthest thing from her mind when he came walking back from the restroom while she typed in the last batch of entries.

She felt the blush rising to her cheeks as her eyes explored his body - those perfect clothes over that perfect frame, the way he rolled his sleeves up to his elbows so his forearms were exposed, and that smile! Ugh, she’d never NOT melt at that smile.

It was dark. It was quiet. And Gemma was gripping the edge of her office chair as adrenaline pumped through as her thoughts spun on what she was almost positive would happen next.

Loki was looking at her with anticipation and lust, and just as she completed her batch of entries, he approached her and crossed his arms, waiting for her to give the printing command.

Norns, he had been waiting for these stupid reports to be done for hours. They were useless fodder now, because the company was going down in the morn. Still, he had helped her because he had wanted to spend the day with her.

"So, darling, shall we proceed to the printer?" he asked her, his tone dark and full of need.

She stood, trying to play coy but knowing the bright red blush in her cheeks was giving her away. “Sure. Let’s go.”

She walked past him, sashaying her hips just a little as she headed for the printer. God, she was nervous! She trusted Dave; she wanted Dave. But she’d never had sex in an office before...she’d never had sex anywhere but in private before! It was pushing a boundary...and while her heart pounded with excitement, her brain would NOT stop thinking about all the worse case scenarios...

God, she wanted to stop thinking...

So she gave him a sly little look over her shoulder before disappearing around the corner.

Oh... his shy girl was turning into quite a minx there...

Loki couldn't say that he was bothered by it. Quite the opposite.

He followed her to the supply corner, keeping his gait slow and deliberate, like a predator closing in on a prey.

The hunt was on...

Just as he reached the supply corner, the printer began its loud hum, following the command. It masked the sudden yelp she let out as he grabbed her, pushing her against its body as he nuzzled her neck.

Gemma gasped and jumped when he grabbed her from behind, both scared and delighted by the sudden contact. She leaned back into his hard chest, letting her head fall back as just the whisper of a moan escaped her lips.

Oh, god...what if there are security cameras? What if I lose my job for this? What if I can’t get another job because of this?

She forced the thoughts from her head as she felt his hand move up from her hip, to her waist, to her ribs...then he cupped her breast fully, his strong fingers holding her tightly while his body pressed against her.

He was impatient. Impatient and frustrated. And he almost ripped her shirt in that state of mind.

" Baby girl ," he growled into her ear as he groped her breasts. "Open your shirt. Let me see those lovely breasts of yours."

His hands then traveled lower, over her hips, to pull her skirt up. Once it was high up to her hips, he went straight for her panties... her soft, sensible cotton panties.

Damn... why did he feel a surge of lust upon feeling her simple cotton panties? He seemed to find a salacious joy in just about everything concerning her.

He pushed her panties down her thighs, a bit roughly, and cupped her sex, closing his eyes at the feel of her soft flesh.

Gemma instantly started unbuttoning her shirt when he told her to, whimpering just a bit when his hand dipped between her legs. He squeezed her breast gently, and her nipple pressed between his fingers as he navigated her silky curls with his other hand. 

Gemma bucked unwittingly, her body trapped between the hard plastic of the humming printer and the hard body of her enthusiastic lover. Everything felt so good that even the smell of warm toner didn’t put her off from indulging in the erotic attentions he was giving her; she bent over the flat top of the huge machine as it continued to print out page after page of her reports, and his fingers found her clitoris wet and waiting.

"You're so slick, Gemma," he groaned, sliding his fingers inside her, feeling her tighten around them eagerly. "My naughty, naughty girl. Have you been thinking about this all evening?"

His leg nudged hers then, opening her up for him even more as he made her dance upon his fingers.

"You couldn't wait to get the reports done, hmm? Because you wanted me to take you as soon as they were finished. Isn't that true?"

He pinched her nipple, plucking at the delicate flesh to make her cry out. The sound was so desperate and needy, it made him twitch in his pants.

“I wasn’t the only one who was eager to get the reports done,” Gemma said before her breath hitched in a high and needy moan as he toyed with her.

She held herself up on her elbows, trying to give him as much access as possible. Those long fingers felt wonderful inside her! She pushed herself up onto her tiptoes and groaned as he went deeper, the entire printer swaying back and forth with their movement.

She turned back to look at him, the sex-fueled cocktail of endorphins and hormones dumping into her bloodstream finally calming her anxious mind enough for her to enjoy everything they were doing.

“I’ve been fantasizing about THIS all week, Dave...”

He grinned at her admission, leaving her heaving bosom for just a moment to release his aching cock from the confines of his clothes. 

"Oh my poor girl, all week?" He pulled her skirt up to her waist then, lining his hard length with her warm, inviting flesh. "Let me take care of you..."

He removed his fingers from her pussy and replaced them with his cock, bending her over the printer.

“Oh FUCK !”

Gemma bent over the printer, grabbing on to it for dear life. He was so big she felt like she was splitting open. The new angle rubbed her in so many amazing and unknown places, she couldn’t control the volume of her moans and shrieks. All she could do was repeat Dave’s name over and over, like a prayer.

Norns, that name on her lips, not his name, still irked him to no end. He'd have to think of a solution for that problem. Later...

Right now, he was simply focused on the wet heat of her pussy, the uncontrollable moans dropping from her lips, and the beautiful way their bodies aligned and molded to each other as he took her. 

He thrust into her rapidly while the printer still did its job valiantly, churning out pages despite the shaking and jostling caused by their coupling. 

Loki held her against him by her curling an arm around her abdomen, not letting her move even an inch as he took his pleasure from her body. Norns, he couldn't have enough of her...

And it seemed that she couldn't have enough of him either, considering how she kept clenching around his girth.

Gemma felt her head swimming as the inevitability of her orgasm became apparent, her arms burning with the strain of holding herself on the printer. The pages finally stopped coming out, but now several sheets fell to the floor as their bodies pounded into the huge piece of equipment.

She could feel herself tightening, taking him deep inside herself and riding his thick column of flesh. Her moans became more urgent as Dave’s name was joined by a medley of “Oh God!”s and “Oh Fuck!”s...

And then, with one final cry of passion, all that desperate tension in her body released at once.

"Yes, good girl," he moaned into her ear as he felt her coming apart on his cock. He kept grinding into her through it all, letting her tight channel milk him for his seed.

And when he came, he just held onto her tightly, pressing her further into the printer as he marked her insides with his essence. The sensation was simply... addictive .

"Gemma...." He spoke her name reverentially, riding the waves of his orgasm, his face buried in her neck and his eyes closed in ecstasy.

Gemma panted as she laid on top of the printer, the aftershocks of her climax rumbling through her as she tried to piece her mind back together. Dave’s cock remained inside her, and she loved how it felt just being connected with him.

Finally, after what felt like minutes of recovery, she sighed contentedly and smiled. “Oh look, the reports are done printing!” she giggled.

She was a mess - her clothing was all disheveled and half-off, her ponytail was falling out of its elastic, her skirt was more like a belt and her panties were stretched between her knees. Not to mention the fluids from their lovemaking were beginning to slide down her thighs...

She felt that now-familiar heat rushing to her cheeks as she blushed. “I should probably go get cleaned up...”

Loki pulled out of her slowly, though his cock protested to it. He wanted to remain entangled with her for hours.

Seeing her predicament with their mixed fluids, he retrieved his handkerchief and proceeded to clean the mess between her legs. It wasn't enough to take care of the entire problem, but at least it stopped the mess from extending to her inner thighs.

"Are you alright?" he asked, nuzzling her neck again once he was done.

She giggled again as he cleaned her and nuzzled her. Yet again, she had to ask herself - who was this perfect guy?! He had a handkerchief ?! He felt so good she just wanted to stay wrapped in his arms forever. But not in the office...

“I’m great...” she said in something of a daze. She still tingled all over from the intense printer sex (and she felt like she’d gotten vengeance on the machine for ruining her blouse the other day), but she stood up and adjusted herself as best as she could before heading to the ladies’ room, promising to be right back.

Once in the restroom, she looked at herself in the mirror - then she smiled and did a little happy dance. She didn’t know what was going on with her life, but she certainly didn’t want it to stop! She started to put herself back together, mind spinning with all the crazy and wonderful things that had happened over the last week.

While Gemma was away cleaning herself up, Loki returned himself to his impeccable appearance with a swish of magic.

It felt nice to use it after such long dormancy. 

When Gemma returned--smiling and blushing still--he was waiting for her at her desk, the prints all collected and put neatly in folders.

"Here." He handed them to her as she reached him. "Your last slap on Oliver's face."

He grinned as he said that, pulling her in for a kiss.

She returned the kiss enthusiastically, still giddy and loving the feeling of wrapping her arms around his solid torso. But something about his words stopped her. She pulled back.

“Last slap on Oliver’s face?” She looked at him, still smiling but turning her head to the side slightly in confusion. “It’s not like I’m never going to have to deal with him again...he’s still my boss. Unless I get fired...”

Then, a low-grade panic began to grow in her - she leaned into Dave, eyes wide and searching his, seeking comfort. “Oh God...do you think I’m going to get fired for what we did today?”

Loki's grin faltered. 

Oh Norns... he had made a slip. And she was sharp enough to catch it. 

Taking a deep breath, he picked up his grin and his easy-going attitude. "What? No, Gemma. I didn't mean that at all. Just that this will be your closing smack-down on him on this whole episode. He cannot possibly fire you over this episode. He'd need to give proper reasons to the higher ups for this decision. And I'm pretty certain he doesn't have the time for that."

He kissed her again to distract her, worrying that she'd become anxious about the issue.

That was strange...his voice changed to that same tone he’d used when she asked him about why he worked at PAC & Co in his apartment. It was almost like he was trying to convince her of the truth, instead of just stating it.

But that probably had a lot to do with being a salesman. His entire job depended on persuading people, so she couldn’t blame him for turning it on when he was trying to calm her misgivings.

Yet again, she pushed away the warning bells that went off in her mind, preferring to simply stare up and smile at the gorgeous man she was lucky enough to have somehow landed.

“You’re probably right,” she sighed, leaning her head on his chest. She could hear his heartbeat...

“So...what should we do now? It’s Friday night, we’re in one of the most exciting cities in the world, and I don’t have to be up early tomorrow...”

Loki sighed internally, knowing that he couldn't take her back home. This was the weekend the company was going down. SHIELD was already active, freezing their warehouses and other logistics.

He couldn't spend the weekend with her. It was simply impossible.

"Oh darling, I know it's a weekend for you, but unfortunately, it isn't for me," he said ruefully, giving her a sad look. "I need to leave early tomorrow morning. I have to do a tradeshow, and it's on the other side of the country."

His arm tightened around her waist then, as he stared into her warm brown eyes with conviction. 

"But I'll return to you, I promise, and we shall continue where we left off. I'll make it up to you."

Gemma was bummed to miss another evening with her Prince Charming, but she kept smiling to hide her disappointment.

“Oh, sure. You need your rest! I understand.” She got up on her tiptoes and kissed him softly again, then went back down and stared into those otherworldly blue eyes of his.

“Drop me home?” she asked, and he nodded with another warm smile. And when he left her next to her apartment building with another soft kiss and sweet words about how he couldn’t wait to see her again, she buzzed with elated ecstasy.

She felt that way all weekend, until Monday, when she showed up for work and saw a handwritten sign on the door.

“PAC & Co. has been closed indefinitely pending a civil investigation. All employment has been terminated until further notice. Personal items will be available to pick up tomorrow between 12-2. We apologize for any inconvenience.”

Immediately, Gemma grabbed her phone and went to call Dave. It rang once...and her heart sank.

“ The number you dialed is no longer in service. Please try your call again. This is a recording. ” Then the call clicked off.

She tried again.

“ The number you dialed is no longer in service. Please try your call again. This is a recording. ” 

She was shaking, feeling her chest tighten and her cheeks heat up and tears starting to brim in her eyes. She tried one more time…

“ The number you dialed is no longer in service. Please try your call again. This is a recording. ”

“FUCK!”

Chapter Text

IMPORTANT NOTES

Bold Text = Loki's POV

Normal Text = Gemma's POV

--Several months later--

Loki was lying in his bed finally, breathing deeply, just trying to get a damned moment to himself...

Since the collapse of PAC & Co., he had been on the move, chasing down some very powerful supernatural beings and helping Stephen Strange block their entry into this realm through their combined magical forces. The threat level was extremely high, and hence, he wasn't given a day of respite. As a highly accomplished master of seidr, it was his duty to protect Midgard. Or so Fury had said, to convince him about this mission. So much for “lying low” before his next assignment.

Well, wasn't that a charming thing... Loki wanted to protect Midgard. To pay his debts against the realm he had once attacked. To give something in return. To protect those he had inadvertently harmed...

He groaned and turned onto his side, his burnt clothes leaving a sooty trail on his bedsheets.

Even though his body was tough and resilient and could take these non-stop chases and battles, his mind was quite tired. 

Tired and yearning... yearning for the woman he had promised to return to.

He had broken that promise, true to his form, even though he had dearly wanted to keep it. Now he knew how Thor had felt after leaving Jane lonely in his quest for the infinity stones.

His Gemma, his sweet Gemma. She had believed him. She must've waited for him. 

Norns, he needed to see her.

That one thought was enough to make him jump from the bed and right into the shower. He was going to freshen up, and then he was going to go see her.

With any luck, he'd still be able to convince her to take him back, to start over...

Dressing himself quickly, he simply teleported himself to her neighborhood, taking on the face of Dave. Driving to her place would've been a waste of time.

However, when he rang the bell at her apartment, it wasn't Gemma who opened the door. It was a man... in his middle age (for a Midgardian).

After a few minutes spent investigating, he found out that Gemma had moved. And he had no idea about her new address. 

Norns, he hated himself!

Just as he was about to break into an angry fit, his phone rang. It was Nick fucking Fury.

"What is it?" he snapped as he picked up the call, none too happy about dealing with Fury again so soon after his last mission ended.

"Something came up urgently. There's this politician we want to investigate, and he's presently in New York for an engagement. I want you to keep tabs on him, shadow him."

"Fuck you," Loki muttered, almost cutting the call.

"He's most likely involved in a child trafficking ring, but we don’t know for certain,” Fury hurried to explain. “Without your help, it’ll take us months to track his shit down. If we’re sure of his guilt, we can nab him ASAP.”

“I have better ideas than simply shadowing him.”

“We can’t use your magic here.”

“Leave that bit to me. But after I’m done with this, you are not to bother me for the next whole week. Understood?”

“Fine. I’m sending you the details over our messenger.”

“Fine.”

He cut the phone and leaned against a building wall, feeling utterly terrible. 

His phone beeped within the next minute, relaying all the information he needed. And just like that, he was on another mission, with his heart still aching and desperate for Gemma.

The mission was simple enough. The target was easy to hone in on.

The man was in a less fortunate neighborhood, sponsoring a program for the poor. At least on the face of it.

Instead of shadowing him, Loki decided to straight up tackle him head-on.

He went up to him while he was chatting to another man, taking on the form of a street urchin. And instead of moving aside, he bumped straight into his target, his hand latching onto his forehead.

The memory scanning spell activated, and the man’s guilt presented itself with it.

It was over within a second, and Loki was out of the vicinity like a bolt of lightning, leaving chaos behind him.

Changing his form quickly back to Dave, he began walking away from the area at a slow, easy pace, retrieving his phone from his pocket to call Fury.

“He’s guilty,” Loki stated without any greeting as the director picked up. “Get him however you want. I’d have killed him, but he has some important information that you’d need to break the entire trafficking ring.”

“If you already know, then we don’t need him,” Fury replied on the other end.

“I didn’t scan his mind all the way through. It would’ve taken longer, and my cover would’ve blown. Right now he doesn’t suspect much, just that a strange adolescent boy bumped into him and left him with a headache--”

Loki stopped mid-sentence, for his eyes landed on a sight he had been desperately seeking. 

Gemma… in a beaten down coffee shop.

“I have to go,” he muttered, cutting the phone off before Fury could respond.

He ran… ran towards the coffee shop, his legs propelled by the urge to confirm it that was actually her, to see her up-close, to hold her in his arms again…

But just as he drew close, a few things struck him hard. Gemma was much thinner than before, with dark circles under her eyes. Her usually rosy complexion was pale, and she just… looked deeply unhappy.

It hit him like a dagger to the heart, and he nearly went down on his knees outside that coffee shop. Seeing Gemma like this, like a wraith, it broke him.

Suddenly, his eyes were wet, and his vision blurry.

No, he couldn’t cry now. He had no right to. He had literally abandoned her. Her condition, whatever caused it, would not have been so had he been with her. He would’ve taken care of her.

He SHOULD’VE taken care of her.

Instead, he was forced to go on a mission.

No… he had to right this wrong. He had to keep his promise, however late it was.

Gemma cradled the hot coffee between her hands as she took her ten minute break from her shift at the coffee shop, thinking back on how her already-miserable life had become even worse over the last few months.

After the company had collapsed, she had applied for all the financial assistance she could - she had spent hours upon hours in lines and at government buildings, trying to get unemployment so she could pay her bills while she found another job.

But it never came through. Due to the unusual circumstances of PAC & Co’s shut down, she wasn’t able to qualify for the aid, and after a few short weeks, her meager savings were gone. She was evicted from her apartment after missing her rent too many times, and she had stayed in shelters until she found this coffee shop that offered to let her stay in a minuscule studio apartment above the store while she worked for them.

It was a brutal job, and her bosses - a Chinese couple that barely spoke enough English to run the store - wore her down to the ground every day. She worked seven days a week, twelve hours a day, and still, she could hardly afford the basics she needed to survive. Most days...she just drank coffee.

Her clothes got baggier and baggier as her health declined, and try as she might, she couldn’t think of a way to pull herself out of her circumstances. So she just...existed.

Sometimes...she’d think about Dave. How he’d made her feel so happy and worthy and...loved. And the sex - oh, the sex! She thought about the sex A LOT. That small glimmer of joy in her past felt like a warm fire on a cold night...

She had tried to find him, after the shut down - had gone to his apartment building, but the doorman wouldn’t give her any information. The best she could do was leave notes with her number, asking him to call her. She had PRAYED that he would reach out...but he hadn’t. He left her life just as quickly as he’d come into it...just like she was afraid he would. Sometimes, she hated being right...

She was shaken from her thoughts when Mrs. Chang walked up to her, waving her hands around wildly and asking why she was being so lazy. With a sigh, she finished her coffee and headed back behind the counter to help the next patron in line.

With a newfound determination to repair the damage he had caused, Loki wiped his eyes and walked into the coffee shop. 

But then he hesitated right by the entrance... asking himself a very valid question. Would Gemma even want him now? 

He had just left her without any notice... and he had never called her... not even once. His actions were downright awful in that manner.

Still, he had to try. She looked so frail… so even as a friend, he had to reach out to her.

Slowly, he made his way towards her, watching her silently as she served a woman, just going through the actions mechanically. 

There was no light in her eyes.

"Gemma," he whispered, and for the first few seconds, she just didn't respond. Mayhap she didn't hear him, so he tried again, louder this time. "Gemma?"

She looked up with her tired eyes, and while she saw him - and she recognized him - she just assumed she was delirious. It had been a day or two since she’d eaten anything substantial...

“Um...hi...” She didn’t dare speak his name, just in case it was a hallucination. It had happened before, and then she just got chewed out by the Changs. “How can I help you?”

Loki's eyes widened, and for a second he thought his illusion had inadvertently dropped. He ran a nervous hand through his hair, surreptitiously checking his reflection in the coffee shop windows to confirm that he was indeed Dave.

He was...

Which meant that Gemma's condition was worse than it looked.

That galvanized him. Immediately, he stepped up to her behind the counter and grasped her shoulders, looking into her eyes frantically.

"Gemma! It's me... Dave." It's me, Loki... "Darling... please, don’t you recognize me?"

The Asian lady who had earlier been berating her came back to the counter upon hearing him, speaking in broken English.

She didn't like the disturbance and wanted Gemma back on the job. Like fuck he'd let that happen...

He pulled his wallet out while Gemma gasped, and then he literally threw a wad of several hundred dollar bills at the diminutive woman. "Go away!"

The woman stopped chattering and picked the bills up, and he used that distraction to pull Gemma out from behind the counter. She came with him, still seemingly in a daze, as the woman started assisting the other customers in line.

"Gemma, baby girl?" he spoke again, trying to get her to respond to him, but she just stared at him like she was seeing a stranger.

Baby girl...

She hadn’t heard that in so long - it felt like lifetimes ago. And the man wasn’t leaving her alone...was it even possible...?

“Dave?”

Her voice was weak and strained, and she felt like she was stepping out of a fog.

“Dave...? DAVE?!”

It was him. It was HIM! It was actually him! She smiled for the first time in months, feeling tears starting to well up in her eyes. 

“Oh my God...where have you been? I tried to find you but...Oh my God, DAVE!”

She threw herself into his arms and began to sob, holding onto him for dear life, never wanting to let go again.

Until the questions started spinning through her mind.

She pulled back, wiping her eyes but still smiling. “What happened to you? Where did you go?”

"Gemma, darling, I'm so sorry, so sorry," he mumbled, pulling her to a corner to just... hold her in his arms. "Oh Nor-- God ... I feel so relieved that I've found you."

Cupping her face in his hands, he looked into her sweet chocolate eyes and sighed, feeling uttering miserable and happy at the same time. 

"I... " He closed his eyes, knowing that he had to lie. "I had to go back to England. After PAC & Co. was closed down, I had to return to attend some important business. But then, I never imagined that it would take so long for me to return. My work visa expired, and I could only get one again now."

She nodded along with what he said. He hadn’t left her. He hadn’t abandoned her. He was stuck in England until he got his work visa renewed.

That was good enough for her.

“So you’re back now, for good? Where are you working? Are you still living in New York? Are you still in sales? Did you move back into your penthouse? I went there trying to find you but you were gone...OH! For God’s sake, WHAT is your phone number?!”

"You... you forgive me?" he asked, baffled that she had accepted him back so easily. "For leaving you like that?"

Norns, she was too sweet for her own good.

She looked confused. Still incredibly happy, but confused.

“Forgive you? The company closed, you got stuck in England. There’s nothing to forgive. It’s not like you left and were avoiding me on purpose...right?”

The thought nearly broke her heart. She didn’t want to think about it, but...a sheen of suspicion came over her face, and she gave him a concerned look.

“Right? I mean...why else would you have disappeared? I really DID try to find you before...before I lost everything...”

He shook his head, a single tear running down his cheek. 

"I was just... careless, I suppose. I should've known... I wanted to be back, with you, so desperately."

But I was stuck protecting the realm, for you live in it...

"I need to know what happened. How did you lose everything?" he asked, smoothing her hair and looking her over in concern. "And why are you so ill?"

His care and concern were too much for her. She closed her eyes and began to tremble at his touch - it had been so long since anyone had given a shit about her, and she found it overwhelming.

Just as she was about to speak, Mrs. Chang walked up to them. She saw rage flash in Dave’s eyes like she’d never seen from anyone before, and she instantly knew she needed to run interference.

“Ah, um...Mrs. Chang? Could I take an hour or so off? This is my friend, Dave...I haven’t seen him in months, and—“

“We can’t keep shop open for a hour without you! You need be back behind counter! Help customers!”

Loki turned around and pulled his wallet out again. 

"How much for closing the shop for the day? How much is needed?" he growled, brandishing the wallet at the woman. 

She gave him the amount and gave her twice as much in return. 

"Now shut up and leave us be!"

The woman cringed and then skittered away, almost wilting under his glare.

He felt Gemma grasp his arms then, and his focus returned to her. Turning back, he pulled her against his chest. "Come with me. Please. We need to talk in private."

“O-Ok...” she said, eyes wide and shaken at his blatant display of wealth in this incredibly impoverished neighborhood. She noticed several of the patrons eying them now, and it made her very uncomfortable...

“We can...go to my place. It’s upstairs from here...”

It was the first thing she thought to say when those dangerous people started glaring at them, and she regretted it almost instantly. But it was out there now, and she hoped he wouldn’t be so shocked by her living arrangements that he would...what, judge her? He’d already proven he didn’t want to leave her, so...where was the risk?

It wasn’t the risk that bothered her. It was the shame.

“Come on,” she said softly, and she took his hand, leading him to the rickety stairway down the alley behind the shop.

She turned the key in her door, but before she opened it, she looked at him with pleading eyes.

“Um, before we go in, just...just don’t...I mean...well, you’ll see...”

With a resigned sigh, she pushed open the door.

Chapter Text

IMPORTANT NOTES

Bold Text = Loki's POV

Normal Text = Gemma's POV; Tony's POV

The studio apartment was absolutely minuscule - it was barely big enough to fit her futon mattress. But every other space - the walls, the table, the few shelves, even the ceiling - was covered in toys, posters, newspaper clippings, and other miscellaneous items...all for the Avengers.

It was like her entire home was a shrine to them - images of Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk, Black Widow...even one of Hawkeye’s discarded arrows was among the plethora of items in honor of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

“I...started collecting things after the attack. I just...seeing this stuff gives me hope, reminds me I survived because of them and I need to do something with my life, keep going until...I don’t know. Until things get better, I guess...”

She looked up at him, blushing and hoping he didn’t laugh at her...

Loki just stared at all the Avengers paraphernalia, feeling like the worst kind of monster all over again. 

"This is all... very endearing," he said, swallowing thickly as he mentally berated himself. What this essentially told him was that she would never accept the truth of his identity. Never. He could never reveal it to her.

She would hate him forever if she ever came to know that he was the one who had taken her hopes and dreams from her.

"You really love the Avengers, and I dare say, they do deserve it. After all, it's only because of them that I could meet you."

He stood there awkwardly, in her tiny living space, just looking blankly at the objects that reminded him who he truly was.  It was agony.

"Gemma, have you eaten today?" he asked suddenly, changing the topic swiftly before he would succumb to more self loathing. "You don't look like you have."

He grasped her shoulders again, feeling them tremble. Norns, she was so very frail now. He wanted to heal her so badly...

“Um, no. I haven’t eaten yet...” she said softly, relieved that he didn’t freak out over her obsession. She had been fixating on the Avengers during these troubling times, and it was strange sharing it with someone.

Strange, but, she found, not bad.

And the idea of eating an actual meal sounded wonderful.

“What do you feel like eating? It would be nice to sit down somewhere and catch up with you. I know my place isn’t exactly...homey.”

Loki smiled at her gently, then pulled out his phone.

"But I do like the privacy that it affords us. Let's order take-out while we catch up. What do you say?" he asked, noting that she was embarrassed about her home. "There's plenty of room for us to sit here. After all, we're only two people, right?"

Gemma chuckled, appreciating that he was making an effort to improve her mood about her residence. “Well, it’s no penthouse, but it will do.”

He was always doing that, trying to make her feel better. He was such a genuine, caring, nice person! How on Earth had she found someone like that?!

“Um...well, I haven’t been to Pizza My Heart since that first time we went. Let’s get that. I could use a little Doggy Style in my life...”

She blushed furiously as she realized what she’d said...of course, it wasn’t untrue. She hadn’t been with anyone since their last time in the office...

She swallowed hard.

“Dave, before you call them,” she pulled out her phone as well. “What. The HELL. Is your phone number?” She was NOT going to risk losing him again by forgetting to get that critical information. Oh, what her life could have been like over the last few months if she had just been able to talk to him...even just to have a friend.

"Shh... it's alright. I'm here." He held her close and whispered his number into her ear, not caring at all that this was a special number given to him by Tony Stark, heavily encrypted with programs that kept him away from surveillance. Well, other than Stark's own surveillance.

"There, that's done. Now let's call Pizza My Heart."

While they waited for the pizza to arrive, Loki tried his best to tidy up her little apartment so that they could relax there and not worry about sitting on an Avengers collectible. She protested, but he made her sit down while he did all the work. She needed to rest, at least until she recovered.

In his mind, he already had a plan brewing. He would need to talk to Stark about it, but he was confident that it would work...

When the pizzas arrived, Loki brought them to her futon bed and pulled her onto his lap. 

"Now, let us relax and enjoy this lovely meal, hmm?" he asked, picking a piece of pizza and feeding it to her.

Her eyes went wide as he picked up the slice to feed it to her, like a child.

It felt strange...but also kind of wonderful. She was NOT used to anyone taking care of her, and she kind of liked being in Dave’s arms while she ate. Slowly, she devoured the pizza piece by piece - it was more food than she’d eaten in the last week combined!

She told him about what had happened after PAC & Co. shut down, and it broke her heart to see the concern on his face as she spoke. But she loved it...loved that he cared enough to listen and be here for her now. Even though it had been months since they last spoke, it felt like no time had passed between them. 

Finally, feeling full and VERY sleepy, she leaned on Dave with her eyes closed, smiling contentedly.

“Dave,” she drawled, knowing she was close to passing out but needing to know just one more thing. “Um...I know this is kind of sudden, but...I really like you. And being without you for those months...well...it sucked. Will you...could you...”

Oh no, now she couldn’t bring herself to say it...

Loki nodded to himself as she spoke, feeling her confessions deep in his own heart. 

Yes, it had sucked very much. Being apart from her had been torture for him, but coming back to see her in this condition had nearly sent him into a breakdown.

He held her close against his chest and cupped her cheek tenderly. "What? Tell me, darling. Do you need something?"

“Would you...go out with me? Like, on a date? A real date? I think...I think I want to get to know you better. I mean, I feel like...”

Oh all this stumbling over her words was embarrassing, and she was doing her best. But she hadn’t had so much food in her stomach at once in a long time, and it was pulling the blood from her brain to digest it all.

“...I want to be your girlfriend, Dave.”

She squeezed her eyes shut. It sounded a lot stupider out loud than when she thought it in her head.

Loki let out a surprised laugh at her words. Gemma was so sweet and innocent; so plain in her request.

"Likewise, I want to be your... boyfriend ," he answered, lowering his head. The word felt...inadequate; it lacked the gravitas to convey how he felt. He would fell nations for her. He would save her from any fate, would do anything to see her smile. But, if “boyfriend” was the term of courtship on Midgard...he would just have to get used to it. He bent down to kiss her softly, just brushing his lips against hers in a gentle movement.

When he pulled away, he kept his forehead pressed against hers, basking in this soft intimacy.

"We'd definitely go on dates, as many as you want."

She smiled and nodded sleepily, her hands clutching him in a manner that was very telling of her fear that he'd vanish. 

"Now, just relax in my arms, baby girl."

He lay down on the bed then, pulling her against his chest as she slept. He took his phone out and let it drop on the floor. It contained at least twenty missed calls from Fury, but he just couldn't be bothered about them right now.

Gemma was his priority.

-----

Loki woke up several hours later, still holding Gemma in his arms. She was breathing deeply, slumbering in peace. Well, he was glad that she was, for she needed the rest.

Gently, so as not to jostle her, he extricated himself from the bed and picked up his phone. 

He dialed Tony Stark's number as he stepped out of her tiny apartment, waiting for him to pick up. He had a lot to discuss with the man, and he was quite impatient for it.

Tony looked up from the microprocessor he was soldering when he heard the Darth Vader theme ring through on his private cell. Only one person that could be.

“Hey, Reindeer Games!” he said through his AirBuds, still working on his project. “Isn’t it kinda late for a social call? Or did you need to talk to me before the sun came up and you turned into a pile of dust?”

Tony grinned, certain that Loki was rolling his eyes in response. 

Against all odds, he and Loki had developed a strong friendship in the years since he moved from New Asgard to New York. It was predicated on a healthy skepticism of authority and a mutual love of pranks, but they had also had plenty of long nights talking about the horrors they couldn’t share with anyone else. After hearing all of THOSE stories, Tony wasn’t even upset that Loki was involved in the attack on New York, under the circumstances...especially now that he was familiar with who Thanos was.

"Tony, I need a nice studio apartment, preferably close to my place," he stated straight away, ignoring all of Stark's usual sass, "and find it as soon as possible. I'm short on time here."

He knew that he was being a bit unreasonable, but if there was anyone who could meet his demands, it was Stark. Their strange friendship bond was formed on such eccentricities, after all.

“Woah there, Prince of Darkness. What’s going on? Need to hide a body? Because there are better ways...”

Tony looked around, making sure that Pepper couldn’t overhear them. She was nowhere to be seen. He breathed a sigh of relief...she wasn’t especially fond of Loki, and now that he was making requests - well, demands - he didn’t want to have that conversation with her right now.

Loki rolled his eyes. "I'm better than you at hiding bodies, and you know it. Now get on with the apartment."

He closed his eyes as he heard Stark grumble on the other side. 

"Please Tony, you're the only one who is resourceful enough to find it. I need it... for someone special."

THAT got his attention.

“You need it for what now?” Tony stopped what he was doing and looked up, a huge flood of emotions hitting him all at once - mostly curiosity, but also excitement, nerves, suspicion and intrigue...

Well, pretty normal for a conversation with Loki.

Stark's immediate change of tone meant that he was hanging onto his every word now. And with burning curiosity, no less.

Loki couldn't help but groan. "I'll tell you all about it later. In fact, I'll be needing more of your assistance in the matter. But for now, I just need to move this person from a dire situation, and have her move into a new apartment, if you can arrange it. I promise to pay the down-payment and fulfill all the formalities."

He waited for a response, but only received silence from the other side.

"Tony? Can you still hear me?" he asked, concerned. "I need your help here. Please don't make it into a jest. Not this time."

Soooo many thoughts and questions were running through Tony’s mind, he didn’t know where to start. But it did sound urgent, so he pushed down the urge to ask everything at once.

“Yea yea yea, I’m here.” He pulled up the display of the properties he owned in New York and found a complex near Loki’s. “There’s a vacancy at The Max on 57th street and 11th Avenue. I’ll let them know we have a renter. Can I get a name to put on the lease, or is that too much to ask?”

"Gemma... Gemma Spitznaegel." Loki sighed in relief. Those locations were close enough for him, just walking distance. "You have my thanks, Tony."

He really meant it.

“Ooo, sexy name,” Tony quipped before he could stop himself, and the tense silence on the other end of the line let him know that the disgraced Prince of Asgard wasn’t in the mood for such humor.

“All right. You got it, Megamind. Everything’s ready - she can move in anytime. And then you’re giving me all the details,” Tony said, ending the call and IMMEDIATELY starting to research everything he could on one Gemma Spitznaegel.

Loki shook his head and went back inside, knowing full well that Stark would be spending the next hour or so snooping in on Gemma, trying to find more information about her than he had shared. 

Once in, he started to go through Gemma's stuff, trying to sort it so that he could pack it all in neat boxes. That would make for easier unpacking once they got to her new apartment.

He did his work as quietly as possible, trying not to disturb Gemma's sleep.

 —

Gemma stirred from her sleep when she heard the noises of someone moving papers around. She let her eyes flutter open - it was morning, and what small amount of light reached her window streamed in from the beautiful, sunny day outside.

Then she heard the noise again, and she sat up. Her eyes went wide as she looked around - it was...clean. All of her paraphernalia had been organized and sat in open boxes near her tiny kitchen, her laundry had been folded and packed away in her zip-up wardrobe, even the counters and tables had been wiped down. And in the middle of it all, shirtsleeves rolled up to his elbows as always, was Dave.

“Um...good morning?” she said with uncertainty as she stood from the futon mattress on the floor, rubbing her eyes. “What, um...what are you doing?”

Loki had been so engrossed in sorting her documents and other paperwork, that he was almost startled to hear her voice.

"Oh! You're awake!" He put the papers down and approached her. "How do you feel now?"

He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a little kiss on her lips.

“Good...” she said, still shocked by the transformation of her little apartment. She looked around nervously, even as her fingers wrapped around his. “You...you cleaned my apartment.”

The flat affect of her voice belied the complete confusion bordering on fear at waking up to such a strange thing. Had Dave been up all night... cleaning for her? She waited to hear his response, but she already felt the hot burn of embarrassment beginning to percolate in her gut. He thought her place was so disgusting that he felt the need to clean it for her...

Loki could see fear and uncertainty creep into her expression, and he worried that she was assuming the worst. He had to collect his thoughts a bit, to better present them in order to convince her to move immediately.

"Oh, well, cleaning was just part of it," he said with a nervous smile. "I was actually packing your stuff up in separate boxes. It will be easier to move that way."

He bit his lip as she became even more confused.

"Gemma, I've called in a favour. I'm moving you to a new flat--I mean, apartment. This area is quite unsafe and unruly, and I don't want you living here." He cupped her cheek and looked into her eyes sincerely. "Please. Let me do this. Let me take care of you."

“You did WHAT ?!”

Gemma watched him cautiously, ALL the warning bells and red flags hitting her at once.

“Dave...I can’t afford another place. I might not even have a job today after what we did..”

She turned away from him, hugging her arms to her sides, her shoulders tense. “Um, thank you...for all this. But it’s too much.”

She felt the tears starting to brim in her eyes as her stomach sank. She knew it was too good to be true...he was a psycho if, the morning after they’d finally reunited, he’d found her a new home.

Loki stared at her with uncertainty as she turned away from him. It hurt, and it made him nervous. 

Had he miscalculated? Was he pushing her too far?

But... he cared for her... he didn't want her to suffer anymore. Could she not understand this?

No, he had to try again, he had to convince her...

"Gemma... please." He grasped her shoulders from behind and sighed heavily. "I'm sorry. I didn't explain it well. I have arranged an apartment for you, and you don't have to pay the rent for the next three months. During those three months, you can settle down and get a new job. And... and then you can pay the rent amount back to me, if you're feeling very keen on it."

“You...wait, really? I have three months to figure it out...?”

The thought of it suddenly gave her butterflies. If he was honestly helping her out, that might be enough time to get back on her feet, to climb out of this hell hole...maybe even to build up some savings again.

But it was a big “if.” And she felt like she barely knew Dave...sure, they’d had some fun, but there was a huge difference between going out for pizza and moving into a new apartment he’d found for her.

And as much as she wanted to believe him...as much as she hoped it was true and this might be her ticket out of the shitty, impoverished life she’d been stuck in...she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about all this.

“Where is the apartment?”

Relief flooded him upon seeing that she wasn't rejecting him out-rightly. She was apprehensive, and that was to be expected. She didn't know much about him, and suddenly, he was sweeping her off her feet. 

From her perspective, his motives looked less than chivalrous. 

"It's in The Max," he answered her quickly, turning her around to face him again. "11th Avenue. It's a studio apartment. Nothing ostentatious. I think you will like it. I have photos of it in my phone, if you want to look at it."

She laughed out loud and walked away from him again, shaking her head.

“The MAX!? Are you nuts? Dave, I wouldn’t be able to afford a place there in three DECADES, much less three months!”

She watched as his face fell, that same beautiful concern painting his perfect features.

Oh, it killed her when he looked at her that way.

“I...I’m sorry, but...Dave, there’s no WAY I can move in there. My resume is a long list of entry-level, service-based jobs with a brief blip of administrative work before PAC & Co. mysteriously went under. That apartment probably costs more each month than I make in half a year...I’m sorry, I can’t.”

Loki's mouth opened and closed, and he felt his frustration rise. He had not thought about this in detail. He had simply assumed that she would come along, that she wouldn't resist him so obstinately.

"Gemma, I'm not foolish, please, trust me," he urged her. "I have a plan."

She gave him an incredulous look.

Running a hand through his hair, he tried to explain his idea in plain terms. At least, the part relevant to her.

"I know that you have worked in administration, and I know of a few vacancies in that area. The place I've joined recently, it's a fairly new company and the marketing department is understaffed. They desperately need admin people - it’s entry-level but you can move up quickly. And I’m certain they will pay you more than PAC & Co. did. Can you see where I'm going with this...?"

As scared as she was, there was the faintest glimmer of hope that this might be true...she wanted it to be true! But nothing in her life ever worked out like this, and when it seemed like it would, it always ended up worse than before. Like when she first started seeing Dave...

“So...overnight, you’ve found me an apartment and a job? You show up randomly after months of being completely gone and try to fix my life in a DAY?!”

She closed her eyes, the tears finally breaking and rolling down her cheeks. “Who are you? Why are you doing this?! I can’t...I just… YOU CAN SEE HOW CRAZY THIS IS, RIGHT!? ”

With a frustrated sob, she collapsed. It was too much to process...

"Gemma!" Without thinking about it, Loki bent down and picked her up, gently placing her on the mattress. 

He himself sat down on his knees in front of her, unable to understand or process what was happening. She was... crying ? Why was she crying? He was trying his best to make things better for her... was it not enough? Was it something he did? Something he said?

What was he doing wrong? Norns help him, he just wanted to make her happy!

Why was this so difficult...

"Gemma, please... don't you see why I'm doing this?" he asked, his own eyes growing wet as he tried to hold her hand and convince her. “Earlier.. you had said that you wanted to be my girlfriend. That would mean that we're together, right? I... I took that to mean that we'd be there for each other, look out for each other, and care for each other."

He wiped the tears away from her cheeks, his heart clenching at the sight. "This is my way of taking care of you, Gemma." Then, a very dark, sad thought struck him... was she reconsidering? Did she not want him?

It wouldn't be the first time, even though he wasn't exactly himself here... at least, not superficially.

"You want to be with me, right?" he asked in a whisper, feeling afraid of her answer. "I-I mean, even if you don't want me..." He swallowed thickly, feeling a lump form in his throat. “I still care for you, and I want to see you happy. Please, Gemma...trust me on this."

She looked into his eyes - those beautiful, crystal blue orbs swimming with just as much concern and nerves as she felt.

He was being honest.

She could see it - everything he said, everything he felt...it was almost a physical sensation, flowing from him and into her. She vibrated with it, the pleading look he gave her making her feel...

Safe . He made her feel safe.

That glimmer of hope grew brighter, and she clung to it, nurtured it, told herself it was good, that HE was good. She had been so used to doubting and being beaten down...no, not this time. This time, she would trust that glimmer. This time, she would take the risk.

“I...um...” She wiped her eyes, looking back at him as she rubbed her tear-stained cheeks, then she laughed with a hint of embarrassment. “Yes, yes I want to be with you! I just...oh God, this is a lot. I’m not used to people caring about me, and you’re just—“

She leaned forward and kissed him softly, pressing her lips to his as if it could explain everything she felt. Then, breaking the kiss, she stared into his eyes once again.

“You’re just AMAZING, Dave! You’re too good to be true! You just showed up in my life and suddenly my entire EXISTENCE shifted, and now...I’m just trying to catch up. But I do want to be with you. I do want to move out of this shitty apartment in this shitty part of town, and I want a job that I don’t hate. I want all of that, and I’m just reeling - so, yes, thank you! Let’s...let’s do this.”

She smiled, watching his face begin to brighten.

Sweet Valhalla, it felt as though a heavy, crushing weight had been lifted off his soul. He suddenly felt free. 

He was ecstatic!

"Thank you." He engulfed her in his arms again, and crushed her to his chest. "Thank you... you're so precious to me, Gemma. I'd do anything for you. Anything to make you happy." 

He kissed her forehead and sighed with relief. Finally, his plan worked. He was going to take Gemma out of this hovel, and he was going to court her properly. Woo her like a lady...

"I've almost packed everything. We can leave today. I'll even help you settle in the new apartment; I took a leave for today."

Gemma nodded, feeling relief, excitement, fear...but mostly just a deep connection with this man who was whisking her out of her old life and offering her a new one.

“Sounds good, Dave.” Her knees were weak as she stood, looking around the drab little space for what would likely be the last time.

And good riddance.

She felt shaky, and she held Dave’s hand for a moment longer, stopping him from continuing his work. But when he looked at her, with his unfairly beautiful face, his gorgeous body, that look that said he honestly worried about and cared for her. With barely a thought to stop herself, she pulled him to her and kissed him deeply.

She had fallen hard. And there was no going back.

Chapter Text

IMPORTANT NOTES

Bold Text = Loki's POV

Normal Text = Gemma's POV

--One week later--

Loki rang the bell to Gemma's new apartment and waited patiently. 

In his hands was a present for her. A little something for the new home. He didn't know if it was a fine gift, but he trusted Stark with these products, as he was practically addicted to the stuff. 

Loki couldn't wait to give it to her and see her reaction. At least, he hoped that she'd like it.

Gemma looked up from the box she was unpacking when she heard the bell ring. There were only a few boxes left, and she was excited to be completing the move-in. As much as she had her doubts that this all still wasn’t just a fever dream, she was slowly beginning to accept that it WAS going to help her out, even as just a temporary stepping-stone to stabilize her life.

Her heart leapt into her throat...she knew it was Dave before she even stood up. Brushing some imagined dust off of her tried-and-true Avengers t-shirt, she tightened her messy bun and went to let him in.

As she opened the door, she still got butterflies when he smiled at her. She didn’t know if she’d ever get used to seeing him smile at her... because of her.

“Sorry, I didn’t order a pizza, I’m not looking to find Jesus, and I’m all stocked up on Girl Scout cookies,” she teased.

Loki stared at her in utter confusion, his mind coming to a complete halt. 

What was she talking about?

"Girl Scouts?" he asked aloud, the surprise plain on his face.

She laughed. “What, you don’t have Girl Scouts in London? They go door-to-door selling cookies to fundraise for their activities, so they can...like, go camping and earn badges and...”

His look of confusion never abated, though it was gradually tinged with amusement as she tried to explain. Finally, she just stopped, too overcome by his eyes and his cheekbones and his lips and his chin and his hair and his EVERYTHING to try and find the words to continue.

Before she realized it, she was just staring at him with a glazed-over, dreamy expression as she took in his features...

He smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close. 

"So you were teasing me, hmm?" he asked, kissing her forehead... and then her lips. 

He couldn't help himself. The moment he saw Gemma, he wanted to touch her, be close to her. Throughout the week, as he helped her settle down and unpack, he had kept his eagerness in check. He had wanted her to feel safe and sound first.

But it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep his distance. He yearned to be close to her. 

He grew so busy with tasting her sweet cherry lips that he almost dropped his present. Just as he righted it, the kiss broke, much to his annoyance.

She giggled into his mouth and wrapped her arms around his waist, having to stretch up on her tiptoes to really reach him.

When he fumbled with the large-ish wrapped box, her stomach did a strange little flip-flop. Was that for her? She pulled back, eyes sparkling with curiosity. “So what’s that?” she asked.

He held the elegantly wrapped box in front of her then, biting his lip self-consciously. 

"A little something for you. For the tradition of warming the house, as they say on M-" He shook his head, almost slipping there. Damn. She made him forget himself... "As the tradition goes, I mean."

The way he spoke - just the accent and the words, regardless of what he was even saying - made her tingle all over. It was almost an ASMR-like response, and she just rode out the pleasurable sensation for a moment before taking the gift from him.

“Oh, thank you! But you know you didn’t have to go to the trouble...given that you gave me the new place...”

Still, she couldn’t wait to see what was inside. Like a kid on Christmas, she ripped open the wrapping paper.

It was a compact coffee maker, a Nespresso - and she squealed with delight. She’d always wanted one of those stupid things! Just the idea of having smooth, good-quality coffee to start her day seemed like a luxury she’d never be able to enjoy. But now...it was hers .

“Dave! How did you know that I wanted this?! Thank you!!!” She walked over to the kitchen counter and began to unbox it right away, eager to try it out.

"You're going to have to earn this new place, you know," he responded, watching her keenly as she opened the box and pulled the contraption out. "Make no mistake, I'll be at your door past the two month mark, demanding my money with the interest. Which you can pay in cash... or kind ."

He was so proud of himself right now, for using all the Midgardian terms AND making her happy.

She dared to give him a flirty look as she finished pulling the machine from its cardboard and styrofoam packaging. Brushing off the bits of static white beads, she looked it over happily...then realized she didn’t have the little espresso pods it needed.

“Oh I can’t wait to try it out! But I’ll need to buy the pods for it.”

“Oh…” Loki blinked, then cringed in response. He should’ve thought ahead and bought the pods with the machine. After all , what use was it without them? “I can go and get them for you.”

“Oh no! I needed to head out to get groceries anyway - this is perfect!” She looked at him and smiled brightly. “I’ve been meaning to check out that Whole Foods a block away.”

She grabbed her reusable grocery bags from the hook in the kitchen and began to get her coat. “Want to come with me? I mean, if you don’t have other plans...”

"I'm essentially at your mercy," he said, gesturing to himself as he kept pace with her. "I have no plans for the weekend. My only plan was to be with you. Help you settle down, perhaps.”

He took the bags from her and helped her put on her coat. 

"So... this Whole Foods - what a strange name - what all do they have?"

“Wait...you’ve never been to a—” she had to stop and follow that thought for a moment, then… “You’ve never been grocery shopping, have you…?” 

His perplexed and guilty look was all the affirmation she needed. She smirked a bit, excited to learn more about her spoiled little rich boy. “They have really healthy, natural foods at Whole Foods. I...well, normally I wouldn’t be able to afford it, but I have this great job lined up thanks to this awesome guy I happen to know, and I was kind of hoping you might allow me to pay you back for this too...with interest .”

She wiggled her eyebrows at him, and when he laughed, she felt like she was being electrocuted by happiness.

Loki felt his cheeks heating a bit at her remark, finding that yes, indeed, he hadn't been to the grocery store.

He never had the need to. All his needs were always met by someone or the other getting things for him. At a price, such services were always available. It helped with his busy schedule and strenuous life.

"Well, where I live, I just tell the service staff what I need and one of them gets it for me," he answered sheepishly. He hoped that she didn't think him a snob for this… "But I'm not averse to shopping."

She snorted as he brought her coat up to her shoulders, and she started to zip it. Then she slipped her feet into her shoes.

“Well you’re in for a treat. Slumming it at the Whole Foods...Come on. I can’t WAIT to see what you think of it!” she giggled as she went to leave the apartment. But before they left, she took his hand in hers and wrapped their fingers together.

Gemma led Dave down the hall, down the elevator, and out of the building, chatting incessantly about all the things he could expect to see. She had NEVER been so excited to go grocery shopping in her life!

Finally, after a short walk, the automatic doors to the Whole Foods slid open, and Gemma grandly gestured inside with an open palm, almost snorting sarcastically.

“Behold. A grocery store.”

Loki was quite embarrassed, but he hid it with a smile. "Lead the way, my lady. My ignorant soul is in need of guidance."

Gemma grabbed a cart and began walking with him through the store, going up and down the aisles and checking to see what he did and didn’t recognize. It was incredibly fun to watch his reactions as they strolled past shelf after shelf of dry goods, produce, spices, dairy products, even bath and body and beauty products.

He seemed a bit overwhelmed by it all, which gave Gemma no small amount of satisfaction. She let him pick out which loaf of bread to buy, which wine, which apples, basic things that she didn’t have a preference for specifics on.

But she was surprised at how he was especially interested in the butcher counter, watching the men work on slicing up and grinding the beef she had asked for, thinking they could make burgers for dinner. It made her just a bit uneasy, the way he fixated on it, like he had found his next career calling him. But just as she started to get legitimately worried about his unblinking fixation, he turned back and smiled at her like nothing had happened.

Loki was quite fascinated by the way the butcher was cutting the meat and grinding it. Midgardians were heavily dependent on machines for such things. 

It made sense, they mostly didn't like touching their meat raw.

Loki, on the other hand, was quite used to it. Long days of game hunting with Thor had given him the chance to hone his skills in cleaning up and preparing the caught animals. He considered himself quite the expert on it.

Sadly, he had to push away from the counter, for he knew that Gemma was beginning to stare at him oddly.

"So, ground meat?" he asked her, giving her his full attention again. "Are you thinking of cooking up something special?"

“Just burgers. An old family recipe...nothing fancy, but I think you’ll like it. You know, so long as I’m introducing you to the simple life.”

She giggled and took his hand again after the butcher gave her the package of meat, leading him to the check out. “I mean...I assume you haven’t had homemade burgers before. Correct me if I’m wrong.”

He smiled a bit sadly at that. "Yes, my home had nothing like your burgers. But we did have a wide variety of fluffy breads, very close to your burger buns in softness."

Thinking of Asgard and the accompanying losses kind of soured his mood for a moment. It had been years and still, the memory was painful and bitter.

Even more so for him than for any other Asgardian.

"I'd love to taste the ones you're planning to make," he said quietly. "I'm always up for trying new things."

Gemma nodded and started putting her items on the conveyor belt at the checkout, smiling as Dave helped her. The lady at the checkout kept giving her sidelong looks, though she maintained that detached “customer service” manner as she did it.

Gemma couldn’t blame her - she could only imagine how the two of them looked together: Dave, utterly gorgeous perfect DAVE, dressed in his stylish pea coat, with a black and green scarf wrapped around his neck and tucked into the front. Dave, with his tailored jeans that hugged him in all the right places. Dave, with his nice leather shoes polished and shining...

Next to Gemma: average height, kinda lanky from her months of malnutrition that had only ended a week ago, hair unwashed and in a messy bun, in a coat she got from goodwill that had seen better days, wearing sweatpants and a very basic pair of tennis shoes that were just starting to tear at the flex points.

And HE was looking at HER with all the adoration of Romeo for Juliet.

Gemma smirked to herself as she finished up the transaction and they headed out the door and back to her apartment.

Let the bitch judge.

"Do you think that maybe I can help with the burger preparation?" he asked as they returned to the apartment, "I want to learn the process."

He wasn't lying. He indeed wanted to learn, so that mayhap, one day, he'd prepare them for Gemma.

In their home, in their shared kitchen...

“What, did you think I was just going to let you sit on the couch and watch me? Around here, everyone helps with the food prep. House rule.”

She smiled as she opened the package of Nespresso pods and popped one into her new machine. “But I will make you a coffee if you’d like one, sweetheart—”

Her eyes went wide and she pressed her lips together as she realized that that word just slipped from her mouth. She hadn’t meant to use the term of endearment, but it seemed her brain wanted things she was too shy to admit and was making its own choices when she wasn’t being careful.

Her cheeks burned red, even though, deep down, she knew he’d be excited to have heard her say it.

“So, um...cream? Sugar?”

Loki's heart nearly stopped when she called him sweetheart . Such a loving term...said so lovingly...

When was the last time anyone had used a term of endearment for him?

Probably his late mother... but that was a long time ago. When he was merely a prince... and his hands weren't red with the blood of his victims.

He swallowed thickly as he watched Gemma, a part of him wondering if she had just spoken out of a force of habit, or if she truly meant to call him sweetheart .

He nearly forgot that she had asked him a question....

"Ummm... both sugar and cream. I like my coffee sweet and strong."

“Oooh, there’s a ‘doubleshot’ feature on this one...ok, sweet and strong it is!”

The machine burbled as she made his cup, her brain still thrumming with the word sweetheart . Seeing his awkward reaction actually made her feel better - if she could affect him so strongly with just one word...

She was suddenly very tempted to try to affect him in some other ways...

As she brought his coffee to him, she made sure to brush his hand as she passed him the mug. Nothing too obvious, but enough that she felt like he would notice.

Loki positively shivered the moment her hand brushed his. He honestly, nearly dropped the coffee mug. 

Was she deliberately doing this? His sweet Gemma was... seducing him?

He put his mug on the counter and came up behind her as she was making coffee for herself. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he began to nuzzle her neck, just breathing in her sweet scent...

"Call me that again, will you?" he whispered, feeling both hot and needy.

Gemma felt the shivers and goosebumps wash over her like a wave when he touched her, when he nuzzled her, when he whispered in her ear. She leaned back into him and closed her eyes, almost sighing with how good it felt.

“Mmmm... sweetheart ...” she said almost dreamily. The strength of his arms around her made her feel safe and secure like nothing else in the world - her protector, her provider, her savior…

Oh Norns!

Just hearing her call him sweetheart was doing things to his loins. 

He had just about begun sucking on her neck when the damned contraption began making noises. 

"I'm not in the mood for coffee anymore," he grumbled against her neck, still holding her tight. "Are you? Please say no, baby girl."

“No...”

Frankly, it hadn’t even really registered that he was talking about the coffee, just that he had asked her to do something, and she wanted to do that. And the baby girl sealed it.

“Anything else you’d like me to say?”

She hardly recognized her own voice. It was deep, husky, breathy...so laden with lust and desire that she turned herself on hearing her own words.

The coffee machine she was so excited to get to earlier that day was utterly forgotten.

"A great many things I want to hear from your lips," he said, his hands beginning to roam all over her front. They settled on her breasts finally, squeezing them gently through that rather odd Avengers shirt she was wearing. "But first... say that you want me."

Even if I were to show you my true face...

"Say that you're mine..."

“I want you...”

She inhaled deeply as he touched her, eyebrows coming together as her breath hitched. Her words were whisper-quiet, but they echoed through her mind as though she had shouted them. All of her thoughts were focused on his touch, his voice, his movement. She was quickly becoming limp in his arms, her legs shaking almost imperceptibly as she stood there.

“I’m yours...”

"Good girl," he growled in her ear, dragging her away from the counter and straight for the newly acquired bed. 

He kissed her hungrily as he pushed her pants and panties down her hips, so desperate to get her naked. He wanted to touch her... feel her... get lost inside her again. 

It was almost an animal need now. He had waited for this for so long... so damn long.

Chapter Text

His ferocity and impatience almost scared her. She was vulnerable, pliant, open to him with her mind and body. But that sense of safety stayed with her, she realized with a start… and a deep, new truth suddenly became apparent: she trusted him.

She trusted him...

Gemma hadn’t trusted anyone in a long time, not since she’d lost the naïveté of her youth. She had guarded herself, closed herself off to keep the world from hurting her again and again...

But then here was Dave, prying her heart and her legs open, telling her with his words and his body that she could let go, that she could trust him to take care of her.

So she did. Gemma let him undress her, helping him along without taking over the task, her eyes shut softly and her lips parted in silent ecstasy as he gave her the love and care she’d believed would never be hers...before him.

When he had her completely naked, he couldn't help but notice how much she had changed in the months they were separated. 

She was still beautiful... still his Gemma... but she was so frail. 

He swore to himself that he'd never let this happen to her ever again....

And then he began to kiss down her neck, reaching her breasts and suckling them softly while his hands caressed her inner thighs, urging them open. 

"Beautiful..." he murmured against her skin, teasing and tugging her sensitive flesh till she was moaning and squirming beneath him.

God, she wanted him naked and inside her SO badly...but even as she craved it, she couldn’t bring herself to say anything. She was reduced to moans and heavy breathing, her mind spinning with what his attentions were doing to her.

So she did the next best thing, communicating with her eyes and her body and her moans how much she wanted him, how desperately she needed him to take her and meld with her.

And somewhere, faaaar in the back of her mind, she was just shocked and overwhelmed, still trying to comprehend how she had gotten so lucky...

As her moans grew louder, he lifted his head and stared at her with burning need. 

He nearly tore his clothes while he took them off in a hurry. All the while keeping his eyes on her, looking right into her eyes. 

When the impediment of clothes was gone, he reached for her again, pushing himself between her legs, opening her up with his thighs. 

"Oh Gemma... I've waited so long..." He gave her a feverish look as he slowly breached her, breathing heavily. "To be one with you again..."

He couldn't say more. All he could do was groan in pleasure as he was engulfed by her hot, slick channel.

She lost her breath when he slid his thick cock inside of her, so slowly that she thought she would die from the yearning and impatience to be full of him. She felt like she might start crying, it felt so good.

“God, Dave ...” she whispered, grasping at his back and his ass, pulling him as close as she could to her, craving as much contact as possible. It felt electric, a pulsing, humming sensation that vibrated through her from the top of her head to the tips of her toes, which were curling with delight.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and moaned again as he moved in her, rocking her hips to his rhythm and breathing sweet praises in his ear.

Loki was... possessed. With the need to please her, to be deep inside her, to have her again and again...

"You're so slick, baby girl," he growled in her ear as he moved in and out of her with long, almost torturous strokes. "You're a dripping fountain of sexual bliss, and I love bathing in your essence. Do you even know how desperately I've waited for you... my thoughts always possessed by you, even in my darkest moments, even when I was fighting demons..."

He mumbled that last sentence into her neck, muffling it at the very last moment.

Norns... he was losing himself again. 

For a moment, he just stopped moving, trying to get his heart and mind in order again, so that he wouldn't slip in front of her and reveal himself.

Feeling him hesitate, Gemma gripped him closer. She was lost with him, and she didn’t want him to hold back. Not anymore.

She trusted him...and she wanted him to feel like he could trust her, too.

“It’s ok, sweetheart...we all fight demons. Stay with me...be here with me...take me...”

Her gentle demands flowed from her lips without thought, feeling herself connected with him and simply bringing him back to her with her words and body.

“Let go, my love...”

She never even realized what she’d said.

Loki was shocked by her response... 

She didn't know that he had literally been fighting demons from another dimension. Norns...

What could he say?

Just as he was debating it... she called him 'my love', and that all but destroyed him. In the best way possible.

He let go, just as she asked of him. He let go and made love to her, taking her lips in a kiss so passionate that he was sure it'd melt giant blocks of ice. His body moved thoughtlessly, grinding into her as he thrust deep inside her.

The pleasure built and built till he could feel her shaking. She was clenching around him in no time...

Gemma was on FIRE. Everything was on fire...she gave herself to him mind, body, and soul, her own cries and moans escaping her lips unabated. As the pleasure coiled tighter, she clenched around his massive cock as it slid in and out of her, drawing out the sensations like a bow drawing music from a violin, and then...she came.

Her back arched and she gasped, and at the same time she felt Dave go rigid and begin to throb, his forehead pressing into her collarbone, his arms gripping her shoulders like he might go flying off the Earth if he released her. Her legs shook uncontrollably as his seed filled her, claiming her. And she wanted nothing more than to be his.

She didn’t know how long they stayed like that, as wave after wave of orgasm crested over and through her, but soon she realized her voice was hoarse from the throaty moans she couldn’t stop. Her muscles ached from squeezing him with her entire body. And slowly, her breath came back to her as she floated down from the peak of ecstasy.

She had nothing more to say. She just gently stroked his hair as he stayed inside her, hot breath floating across her glistening skin as he collected himself against her body.

Loki held her a long time in the bed, listening to her breathing and her gently calming heartbeat.

She wasn't asleep, though, and neither was he. He remained quiet for a few more minutes, just contemplating his existence... and Gemma's share in it now.

She was precious to him, that much he had known. But now... after she called him 'my love', he was simply drowning in myriad feelings. As someone who had long ago decided to shun love, he had been terribly quick to fall into its depthless pool. 

He was in love. In love... 

The realization left him sort of lightheaded. 

Maybe he needed to consult someone about it. Someone who was equally messed up as him, but nonetheless, in love. Well, he did know someone like that...

"Hey," he said to Gemma at long last, cupping her soft cheek in his palm. "How are you feeling? Everything ok? I didn't break anything, did I?"

He smiled playfully, trying to hide his inner turmoil.

Gemma smiled widely and stretched, loving the ache in her muscles and her pussy. Good God, she had been dying for that moment since he’d reappeared in her life.

"Yes, I'm fine. Everything's OK, Dave." She looked up at him dreamily, happily. "How are you?" She sounded almost loopy from the massive amount of endorphins and oxytocin that cascaded through her veins, but she didn't care. She had Dave. Her Dave.

“Let's just say that I haven't felt this good in a very long time," he replied, gazing at her as though she was unreal.

For a moment, he was stuck with an invasive thought - what if she was just a figment of his imagination, and what if he was still with Thanos? What if all this was just a fever dream?

He had to shake himself out of it.

"So... since we're both very fine, what do you say we do next?" he asked suddenly, trying to get back to the present and stabilize his mind.

"Um...OH, the coffee!" She jumped up and ran to the kitchenette, still completely naked. She wrapped her hands around the mug and smiled. "It's still warm. I could nuke it if you want it hotter though."

"No need," he said, grinning as he spread his limbs and stretched wide on her bed. "Just bring it here. We'll have it in bed."

He watched her beautiful bare form quite heatedly as she returned with the mugs. He couldn't help it. 

His cock twitched in response.

She smiled again as she handed him the mug - she couldn't help it... he was BEAUTIFUL! Laying there all naked and spread out and...

Woah there, slow down girl. Give the man a chance to recharge.

"Uhm...sweet and strong. Just like you." she giggled, then she went completely red in the cheeks.

Oh. My. God. Did you seriously just say that?!

Without making eye contact, she took a sip of her own coffee. Damn, it was good! Smooth and strong and...perfect. Just like Dave.

Loki's grin widened, so much that his cheeks hurt. 

"Is that so?" he asked, grasping her wrist to pull her to him on the bed. "Nothing can be sweeter than you, though. You're better than any beverage I have tasted."

Norns, she looked so pretty with that blush...

He was smitten. He was too far gone... there was absolutely no hope for him now...

"Burgers!" she practically shouted. "We need to start on the burgers, come on!" She pulled him up from the bed and went to grab her clothes.

She was going to jump on him again if she'd stayed there a second longer. They HAD to do something other than sit on a bed naked with each other, or she might never leave this little apartment again.

She pulled on her clothing quickly, then headed to the fridge and started pulling out ingredients. "So, what do you know how to do? Clean lettuce? Slice tomatoes? Or did you have a butler for all that?"

Reluctantly, Loki pulled his pants on and followed her into the little kitchen, feeling quite confused by her sudden fixation on burgers. 

"Umm... we did have house servants, yes," he replied. "But I do know how to cook and slice vegetables, dear. I showed you at my home, didn't I?"

He took the lettuce and tomatoes from her, getting to the job of cleaning and cutting immediately. 

"But I'm really good at cleaning and cutting game meat, you know? The blood, the feathers and fur don't bother me at all."

"The... what ?”

Gemma stopped what she was doing immediately and just stared at him, incredulous. "The game meat ? You didn't tell me you were a hunter. What kind of hunting did you do?"

She tried to rid her mind of the image of Dave, out in the woods, covered in dirt and sweat and blood as he field dressed his kill...

Aaaand she was wet again.

My GOD, woman do you ever turn OFF?!

Loki felt a bit self conscious now. He didn't know how to explain it to her that he hunted some very enormous creatures with Thor all over the Nine Realms. 

"Well, uhh... I used to hunt, mostly with my throwing daggers," he said, a small smile playing on his lips as he remembered those days. "Used to head out into the woods with my friends. It was either birds or something like a wild boar. We brought the kill back to make a feast out of it."

"You hunted with DAGGERS ?!" Gemma's eyes went wide and her jaw dropped. So Dave was a goddamned knife thrower?!

"I mean, I thought you'd use a gun, or maybe even a bow and arrow...but daggers ? Are you kidding me?!"

Gemma started to shape the patties from the ground beef, mixing in the spices as she went. But her gaze remained on Dave, wanting to hear more about this incredible style of hunting he did back in England.

She wished, now more than ever, that she had friends she could talk to about this shit!

Damnit, he should've said gun...

Well, it was too late now. Time to twist this further...

He nodded. "Yes. I was a strange child, indeed. I mean, it's silly, no? Hunting with daggers when you have guns at hand? But then again, getting my hands on daggers was way easier than grabbing a gun. I had started hunting quite young." He shook his head. "Youth and its stupidities. Maybe I should've focused on a proper hobby instead."

"No! I think it's really cool!" She blurted, hoping she hadn't hurt his feelings. In her rush to speak to him, she dropped a large ball of meat on the floor, and it landed with a disgusting thwop .

"Ewwww shit..." she muttered, immediately wiping her hands and getting some paper towels. "Well, guess that's one less burger we'll need to cook. Hey, can you cut some slices of cheddar cheese? Do you like cheese on your burgers?"

She was rambling and she knew it as she threw away the floor meat. "Oh, shoot, the grill!"

She went out onto her little balcony and started up her small barbeque so it would be preheated by the time the patties were ready.

Loki was rather confused by her responses and actions. Did she like it that he hunted? Or was she utterly disgusted?

"I like cheese," he said as she stepped out into the balcony. 

Shrugging it off, he went to do as she asked, trying his best to assist her in everything. 

Soon, her little grill was heated enough so they could put the meat patties on them. It was quite similar to how they cooked certain types of meat on Asgard. More efficient in some ways, even.

He had to give it to the humans... they certainly did come up with some very nice and useful things.

"Now that the meat is cooked, what's next?" he asked, rubbing his palms together. It smelled delicious.

"Now we put a slice of cheese on for just a minute..." she said as she laid the exquisitely cut slices on the burgers - he definitely knew how to use knives...

"And we put the buns on to toast for a bit too," she giggled as she put the bun slices on the other side of the grill.

"Just for a bit, then we'll head inside and add the toppings."

She leaned back on the balcony, feeling the wind blow gently through her hair. She'd never had a balcony before, and even though this one was about the size of two chaise lounges pushed together, it was hers . For just a moment, she closed her eyes and inhaled the happiness she felt from the fresh outdoor air high above the streets of New York.

She felt amazing, and it was all thanks to Dave.

Loki watched her with a hungry gaze as she leaned against the balcony, letting the wind caress her golden hair. 

She looked gorgeous...

Before he could stop himself, he leaned over and grasped her waist, planting kisses on her neck.

Oh, his lips were magic!

She giggled again and indulged him, molding to his body and holding him close. He was so affectionate...she could get used to this.

And, for the first time, she had hope that she would. The feeling surprised her.

"Um, Dave. We need to get the patties and buns off the grill or they'll burn..." she laughed as he continued to molest her brazenly on the balcony. Not like anyone could see them all the way up here, but still..

He let her go very reluctantly, his body still gravitating to hers as she giggled and attended to the buns and meat patties.

"I can't help myself around you, it seems," he whispered in her ear as she took the buns off the grill. He nipped her earlobe and pulled it between his lips. "You're quite addictive, you know."

"I guess you've acquired a taste..." she laughed, carefully taking the tray of patties and buns inside even as he kept his arms awkwardly wrapped around her waist as she walked.

She showed him the best way to stack the burgers, adding the condiments one by one in her tried and true way.

She opened the wine they'd selected earlier and poured them each a glass, then she sat at the counter and patted the seat next to her.

When she finally took her first bite, it was literally the best burger she'd ever eaten. And from the look on Dave's face, he seemed to feel the same.

Loki moaned as he took his first bite of the burger.

"This is.. this is wondrous!" He looked at her in awe. "Gemma, your hands are magic. I couldn't have made such a delicacy myself. Not in a thousand more years of practice, I believe. You're exceptional!"

The praise dripped easily from his tongue, for it was actually genuine.

He couldn't wait to share this delightful food with Thor.

Gemma almost laughed at his words - they made her feel amazing! And the way he spoke got her all worked up again.

"Wonderous? Wow...first time anyone has said that about my burgers! We'll have to do this again soon...so, what should we do now? Do you want to...watch a movie? I can make popcorn, if you're not full."

"Sure, but afterwards, I must head home," he said with a rueful smile. "There's a pitch I'm working on, and I need to present it on Monday. So I'm planning on finishing by tonight, so that I may visit you tomorrow and spend the day with you, love."

In reality, he wanted to head over to Tony's place and discuss some very important things with him. Things like... love. And relationships. And Midgardian courtship rituals.

After they were done eating the burgers, Dave helped Gemma clean up, and she showed him how her father taught her to make popcorn on the stove. It came out perfectly! Gemma was so proud of herself...and positively giddy at how excited Dave got over something as simple as popcorn.

Then she put on her favorite documentary: Captain America - The First Avenger.

She was so content and happy, she didn’t notice the look of disgust on Dave’s face when he saw what they were watching...she just cuddled in and enjoyed the time she had with him before he needed to go.

Chapter Text

Loki left Gemma's place late in the evening, after having distracted her away from the perfection of Captain fucking America. 

He couldn't let that man be her focus when he was with her. Not now, when he was officially courting her.

So, he had tried his best to remove Steve Rogers from her mind by using his fingers and mouth. The documentary had completed its run in the background while he had her coming again and again. 

Her moans still echoed in his head.

The memory of them was a balm to his chaotic thoughts, which were otherwise making him quite anxious.

He wanted Gemma... and not just as a passing fancy. He wanted her in his life, he wanted to adjust his life around hers. The last time he had attempted a serious relationship was centuries ago. It hadn't worked out. 

He felt so very inept at it now, especially after what had happened in the last decade. 

It had cost him every opportunity at any kind of intimacy. His mind was lost to him for a good portion of it, and with that, he had lost his ability to connect with anyone. There was so much mistrust and hurt, he had just given up on trying. It was a miracle that he could build any friendships in the recent years, especially with the people he had hurt in the past.

He really appreciated and cherished those friendships. 

But Gemma was different. So very different. 

He was nervous about his developing relationship with her. There were so many complications to it.

He wasn't himself with her, he was Dave - the polite, even tempered Englishman. She had no idea about who he really was, and he was afraid that if she discovered his true identity, he would lose her.

There was also the matter of SHIELD and Fury intervening and stopping him from having a private life. Fury would no doubt be unhappy about this development. 

With all these thoughts churning in his head, he headed for the Stark Tower, hoping to drown his anxiety in some quality alcohol. He didn't bother ringing the bell or announcing his presence, he simply appeared where Tony was - in his laboratory.

Just...a little...more...

Tony had on several magnifiers to see the minute intricacies of the circuits he was soldering. It was tedious and difficult work, but if everything went as he expected, he’d be able to route the energy from his arc reactor through the suit and into a non-lethal taser! He had just about finished when there was a change in the air, then a whooshing sound just feet from him.

He jumped up, magnifiers still on his eyes distorting the room - his heart started pounding...what was attacking him now!? But he was relieved when he removed the headgear and saw someone who, only a few years ago, he would have blasted out the window without a second thought.

“Hey, Prince of Darkness. You ever try knocking? I’ve got this thing called PTSD and jumpscares really aren’t great for me...”

Tony was ready to be upset with him, but that look on his face made him swallow his next seven sarcastic remarks.

“You, ah...you don’t look so good...” 

Loki leaned against his worktable and sighed heavily, running a hand through his now black and long hair.

"Give me the strongest alcohol you have."

“Woooah, ok there...”

Tony had never seen him this distressed...and he’d seen him in quite a few distressing situations. But there weren’t any aliens coming out of the sky or portals opening or murderous robots...so he figured it had to be something personal.

He went to the bar in his lab and pulled out a bottle of the best single malt whiskey he had, then poured it neat into two lowball tumblers. He handed one to Loki and was about to start on his own...when the God of Mischief threw it back and handed the empty glass back to him, indicating that he wanted more.

With a disconcerted look, Tony refilled it, and Loki downed the second one instantly, again, reaching out for a refill.

“Geez, buddy...this stuff is $1200 a bottle, mind slowing down a bit?” he said as he poured a third glass for Loki. 

Thankfully, this time he just nursed it, still staring at nothing with that pained, confused look on his face.

“So...wanna tell me what’s going on, Hemingway?”

"You have anything stronger than this? I find it quite watered down, if you ask me," Loki replied, obviously ignoring Stark's question. "If you're so bothered about the money, I'll pay you the amount it costs, don't be a bitch about it."

He then emptied his glass again and put it back on the table, wishing for Stark to bring something stronger.

When Stark didn't budge, Loki rolled his eyes dramatically.

"I'll tell you all about it."

“Don’t be a... excuse me?! Do I magically teleport into your home and insult you ?”

Tony was bit nervous to know what drove a literal GOD to drinking...but also unbearably excited to hear about whatever it was that had done it.

Sure, Loki had issues, but he’d never reduced himself to drowning his sorrows. And since it wasn’t a world-ending threat, it HAD to be juicy.

He put the whiskey away and pulled out a strange looking bottle with a neon green liquid inside, smirking at the God of Mischief.

“Ok, fine, you wanna get weird? Let’s get weird.”

He took out a glass and balanced a filter on the rim, then poured the alcohol over three sugar cubes, careful to dissolve them fully.

He put the glass in front of Loki, then raised his own for a toast.

“To whatever the hell drove you to this, my friend.”

"Why are you drinking this?" Loki asked after taking a sip of the green liquid. "I don't want you dead before I even tell you. Also, Virginia is going to kill me."

He took a huge gulp of the sweet drink and then closed his eyes as the alcohol washed down his throat.

"Gemma... it's Gemma."

Tony took a smaller sip, fully aware of how potent an effect this particular alcohol had on him and taking it VERY slowly. But when Loki mentioned Gemma, he immediately went on high alert.

“What? What’s wrong with Gemma? Is she in trouble?” Tony had done plenty of research on her since Loki first asked for help in getting that apartment, and he knew that she meant A LOT to him. But he also knew that her life had been precarious at best, even with Loki’s help getting her stabilized.

Loki emptied the glass and pushed it at Stark to refill it. 

"Yes, she's in trouble." He sighed, knocking the glass on the table impatiently. " I am the trouble. I... I'm courting her, but it's not me. It's someone else. To me, it's me, but to her, it's another man."

Tony blinked rapidly a few times as he tried to process what Loki had said.

“So...she’s in trouble because she thinks you’re someone else? I’m...I don’t get it buddy, sorry. Why is it a problem that she thinks you’re Dave? Dave’s a nice guy.”

"But that's not who I am!" he cried, his voice suddenly loud enough to make him cringe. " She likes Dave ! Dave is just... he's not me. He's a nice, honourable man. That's who she likes. But... I'm a selfish bastard, so I'm not going to leave her be."

When Stark finally poured him another round of the green drink, he grabbed the glass and tipped it back, gulping down all its contents in one swig. 

"I'm courting her as Dave," he said, smacking his lips and giving Stark a mirthless smile. "She's so sweet, I can't not have her, Tony. She's pure of heart and soft... so soft... I just want to slip into her warmth and remain there. She's like a china doll, a pretty little china doll, and I'm going to keep her with me... I'll lie to keep her."

“Ooook slow down there...” Tony surreptitiously brought the bottle back under the counter. Regardless of how hearty Loki’s system may be, three straight shots of whiskey and two of absinthe were going to have an effect.

“But you ARE Dave, Loki. You’re that guy - you think you’ve just been faking all these things you’ve been doing for her? You might not be able to tell her your identity, but that doesn’t mean your feelings are invalid. Or hers, for that matter. Did you know that Barton was married for over two years before he told his wife what he did? And that was only because she found him ‘suiting up’ at home for an emergency mission.”

Tony took another slow sip. “You’re overthinking this, Reindeer Games. You’ve been with her for, what, a week?”

"I was with her when I was hatching the demise of PAC & Co.!" Loki pushed Stark away and grabbed the bottle from under the counter. "This is good! What is it?"

Not bothering to get an answer for that question, he walked away and sat down on a plush single sofa that people referred to as a 'lazy boy'. Stark kept them all over his tower.

"Yes, so... that is me... right? Right! I'm honest with my intentions, at least, if that's what you mean. I want to have her with me all the time. Permanently. I plan to buy a house and have her move in soon. But not too soon. She already resists my efforts to help her, you see. She's so pure and good that she doesn't take my help just like that. I had to lure her with the promise of asking my money back for the apartment rent."

He let out a deep chuckle at that. 

"Money is meaningless to me! I'm a prince! Well, of a fallen kingdom, but still...." He opened the bottle and took a long draught from it, despite Tony's attempt to protest. "So... where was I? Yes! I will make her mine, but I need to plan it right. She can never know I'm Loki, the destroyer of New York and her life. No..."

His eyes fluttered as the alcohol finally began to register. His head began to swim...

"I'm going to talk to Fury... SHIELD will help me, right? They have to. I'm their best spy, after all. Their best go-to man for any crisis now. I'm not expendable just like that! Fury will make my identity real. Dave will be real. Loki will just... stay dead, I suppose. Yes."

Tony walked over and sat on the loveseat across from Loki, honestly trying not to laugh. He’d never seen this particular Asgardian drunk before...and he was looking forward to seeing what happened, despite his romantic conundrum.

Also, the absinthe was starting to take effect, making the whole situation even more hilarious. 

“Ok, so Loki is dead, long live Dave. And yea, you gotta talk to Fury - he made it work for Barton, right? And you can do way more than shoot arrows, so...WAIT, HAVE YOU TOLD THOR?!”

His eyes went wide - Thor would either be really excited for Loki or NOT AT ALL ok with this...

Loki snorted. "OF COURSE, I've told Thor! He's my brother, after all. I might want to stab him every now and then for his stupidity, but I love him all the same."

He realized he may have said too much. So he had to backtrack a bit.

"I mean, he's family, I need to keep him close. So yes, I told him. The oaf is excited about it, would you believe that?" He slapped his thigh and laughed so hard that almost no sound came from his vocal cords. "He fucking needs to get back with Jane, poor idiot... we'd go on... what is that thing they show in the movies here? Groups dating? No, that sounds wrong. Whatever it is, we can do that, him and Jane; Gemma and me."

He blinked a couple of times then, realizing his mistake.

"Oooh no... but I cannot tell Gemma that Thor is my brother. I'm not Loki anymore... not with her."

He was sad, SO sad, all of a sudden. "I could show her so many things as Loki, but I can't. I'll have to be Dave for her. She loves Dave, not Loki. So yes.. no dating groups for us. Fucking sad."

He slid down the sofa and pushed the buttons to put the leg support up. It took a few tries. 

"Barton can do it, though, so can I. And I'll have you know, my aim is excellent with bow and arrow. I just let him bask in that fame. How's his family, by the way?" He looked over at Tony, who seemed to be watching him keenly, suppressing a smile. "Is his wife with child again? I cannot recall. Ever since Gemma, I haven't really focused on meeting up with others all that much. Love is HARD. It takes care, you know. Well, I know you know, this is why I'm here. You and Virginia. I want that with Gemma."

“You...you want what I have with Pepper? No....nononono you wouldn’t want to do that to her. I don’t even know why Pepper is still here. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate it - I don’t know what I’d do without her, but...I think you should hope for better. I mean, sure, you’re an intergalactic terrorist who killed a TON of people trying to conquer our planet—“

Tony stopped when he saw that Loki looked about to cry.

“Ohhh. Oh oh, Loki, I didn’t mean to...shit. I’m sorry!” Suddenly, Tony felt some unwelcome tears beginning to brim in his own eyes... it was just so SAD!

“You’re not a bad guy , Loki. Come on, we all make mistakes. And you’re doing great, right? Good job, nice life, making friends...and now you’ve got Gemma...”

Saying her name brought them both down. Tony walked over to Loki and hugged him sloppily, crying onto his shoulder. 

“Like, I GET it, man! I know how you feel, but you don’t deserve to keep punishing yourself for it...like I keep trying to do.”

Inadvertently, a sob broke out of Loki. And then another. 

"You'd die to protect this stupid realm," he slurred, burying his face into Tony's shoulder as the tears fell from his eyes like a rivulet. "I came here and destroyed lives. We're not the same. I'm so much worse... you still don't know half of it. This... thing with SHIELD, I’m only there because I'm bored."

Goodness, weren’t they a sight...two grown men sobbing drunkenly over their pasts, trying to tell each other they weren’t THAT bad...

Even in his stupor, Tony was grateful there wasn’t anyone else around to see their shame.

“Look, look, look...” Tony said, trying to reel in his emotions. “Look, Looki. Um, LOWki. Llllllloki....” Why did that word sound so funny all of the sudden? “Lllllllookie here, Llllloki...this is a good thing! We’re talking about a good thing - you’re falling in lllllove!” The slur was definitely hindering his words now, but he kept trying.

“Yep, yes. We’ll talk to Fury. We’ll talk to Fury, and tell him you want the same deal Barton got, or else....well, I don’t know what else. But we’ll tell him that needs to happen! If she makes you happy, then she’s worth it.”

Tony nodded at the end of his declaration, looking at Loki’s red-rimmed eyes. “Ok? Buddy?”

Loki blinked at him through the tears, nodding repeatedly. 

"She made me burggs," he mumbled then, not realizing that he had gone completely off topic. "They were so delicious, Tony. And... and she called me 'love'." Wiping his eyes, he tried to get some calm back into his psyche. "She's so beautiful... I want to give her everything she wants."

Burggs ? Tony couldn’t figure out if Loki had said the wrong word or if he wasn’t remembering what words were correct anymore. Anyway, it didn’t matter.

“You see? She’s crazy for you! You’re a catch, man! And Dave’s a catch - such a catch, like, holy shit. I'm amazed she’s still sane after landing a guy like you. And you’re good for her - you’re helping her get back on her feet, giving her some stability. Did you know her parents disowned her?  Legally? She hasn’t seen them in years!”

He realized that this might not be the time or place to reveal everything he’d discovered about Gemma, so he quickly changed the subject.

“All you gotta worry about is being good for her - after that, everything will fall into place. Life has a way of making it happen.”

Loki nodded again, taking a big gulp of air into his lungs. 

"I'm here for her, to help her. I'll make her forget about her sorrows... be her family or anything else." He grasped Stark's shoulders and shook him with all his strength. "I will love her like no one has loved before! We'll... we'll go to Fury tomorrow and make him do what we want. Nothing can come between Gemma and me, no one..."

He then looked around the room in confusion. 

"Why are we still in your laboratory? I... I need to go home. I need to see Gemma tomorrow. Make sweeeet love to her again." He giggled as he said that, slapping Stark on the shoulder. "It's the best feeling... Norns! I cannot tell you, but it just is...."

Tony’s head rattled as he got violently shaken by an alien being who could lift a bus. But he couldn’t blame him - the guy was in love!

Then he talked about going home, and that snapped Tony out of it. 

“No no, stay here for a bit longer - sober up. I don’t know how teleportation works when you’re drunk, but I’d hate for you to end up on the top of the Statue of Liberty or something.” Then he smiled lazily at the God of Lies. “You’re gonna be ok, Loki.”

After a heartfelt glance between the two, Tony stood up and began pacing, gesticulating with his hands. “We’ll talk to Fury tomorrow - wait, tomorrow’s Sunday. We’ll talk to Fury on Monday. You should probably get your brother on the horn too. We’re gonna need all the backup muscle we can get - Fury’s a stubborn asshole. And besides—"

He was suddenly interrupted by the rather loud snoring coming from the chair. Loki had fallen asleep in the lazy boy. 

“Huh… Well that’s rude,” Tony chuckled as he grabbed a blanket from a nearby couch, then put a glass of water on the table next to him. The guy weighed over 500lbs...no way Tony was going to try and move him tonight.

“Well, sweet dreams, lover boy. Enjoy that hangover tomorrow,” Tony said as he turned off the lights and headed to his room.

Boy, he had some weird friends these days...

-----

When Loki woke up, his head felt as though it had been hit, repeatedly, by Mjolnir (may she make merry in Valhalla). He blinked blearily and tried to get his bearings, feeling a bit panicked at having no memory of where he spent his night.

Looking around, he found himself in an oddly spartan room, lying curled up on a 'lazy boy' sofa. A soft blanket covered him, even though he had no need for it, being a Jotun.

That lazy boy and the strangely clinical surroundings jogged his memory a bit, and he realized that he was at Stark's place. 

Of course, he was at Stark's place - that's exactly where he had planned to go. Where he had, in fact, gone the night before. 

Slowly, as he sat up and stretched his limbs, the memories began to trickle in. He remembered surprising Stark in his laboratory, then sharing a few drinks with him... one of them being this odd green thing he had not tasted before.

And then the memories became muddled and fuzzy... he remembered discussing Gemma with Stark, but it all felt quite unreal, as if he was observing the memories of an addled brain. 

Norns, what was that green monstrosity? It was surely competing with some of the strongest Asgardian liquors. He had always kept himself at a distance from them, never taking more than a goblet for the fear of losing control of his faculties. 

And last night, he had all but handed all of his control to that green abomination. He shuddered to think what Stark must look like, if he was faring so badly...

He didn't need to wait for long, as Friday informed Virginia of his alert state, and she came down to have a little 'talk' with him about irresponsibility and the dangers of inebriation. Apparently, Stark was still asleep, and very unresponsively so. 

After that, Loki made himself scarce and headed straight for his apartment. He needed to freshen up before heading to Gemma's. Even though he felt like an utter mess, he couldn't disappoint her.

Just as he was taking his clothes off in his bedroom, he heard and felt the distinct spark of energy coming from his safe.

Oh dear... not this again. Not now…

Chapter Text

Bold Text = Loki

Normal Text = Tess

Every time... every damn time that he tried to keep her hidden with his magic and other means, she somehow managed to break free. He wasn't sure how long he could keep her safe and hidden in this manner.

Sighing, he went to his safe and opened it, pulling a dark box out of it--the box which contained his best kept and most dreaded secret.

As he opened it, bright blue light shone right in his face, almost blinding him. In his hungover state, it just amplified the pain in his head.

"How many times do I need to urge you to keep a low profile? Do you want to be tossed around through the universe again?"

The cube pulsed as the blue light brightened and dimmed in sequence, almost like Morse code. To anyone who may have seen them, it appeared as though Loki were simply having a conversation with himself, staring at the blinking lights.

But the Tesseract didn’t communicate with sound, though it could understand spoken languages well enough. She found it easier to connect directly with the thought patterns of her conduits, conveying not just words but emotions and ideas all at once.

It was easier that way.

But it didn’t mean she was immune to boredom, either.

“I’m TRYING! But you can’t keep me cooped up in that box for eternity. You HAVE to let me out sometimes!” She made sure her frustration and desperation for some kind of stimulation was obvious. Though she relied on him for her safety, and was grateful that he had saved her time and again...she was sentient, despite her physical vulnerability and appearance.

And there was only so much one could do, being a blue cube.

“How long have I been in there? It feels like months...”

Loki sighed, running a hand over his face. He sat down on the floor and held the Tesseract in his hands, letting her energy touch him, letting her know of his state. He even let her see what he had been up to since he last interacted with her.

"I understand, Tess," he said finally, his mind and magic twitching in response to her gentle exploration. "I understand it better than you may think I do. But then again, you can see me, you know that I empathize. But, what can I do? You know that that purple monster and his disciples are still at large. I fear that without my intervention and your cooperation, he'd find your energy signature and capture you."

She expressed her distress at that thought, knowing very well that the mad Titan would break her resting case and use her to commit all sorts of wrongs. Her home, her universe, would tear apart as a result.

"I know that you're powerful. I know that we can probably do much more together than what we're presently doing, but there's just too much risk involved. You know how Midgardians are... they've used you before."

Tess bristled at the thought of Thanos and the Midgardians...especially that Red Skull some 80 years before. He had been a terrible conduit for her powers, and she was glad she’d sent him to Vormir - he more than deserved that fate. But the new humans weren’t much better, despite their honest belief that what they did with her was for the benefit of all.

“I know...I know.” She would have sighed if she’d had the ability. “I understand I’m dangerous and vulnerable. And I appreciate your help in keeping me away from those who would use me - you’re the only one who hasn’t tried to.”

There was a shimmer of love in her message - not a possessive, romantic love, for she wasn’t capable of that, especially with a being as short-lived at Loki. But genuine gratitude and attachment was there. She cared deeply for him, as he did for her. And that’s why she continued to stay in hiding with him. For both their sakes.

“Maybe we can go off-planet? Somewhere far, far away, where I can just ‘stretch my wings’, so to speak? It would only be for a century or two, then we can come back if you want...”

Loki grew a bit alarmed as she showed him the possibilities... him and her, just traveling and enjoying themselves, using their powers freely, without harming anyone. 

It would've been tempting, had he not grown some pesky roots in this realm. 

"I... I just showed you the latest developments in my life, Tess. I showed you Gemma. I can't leave her..."

His headache became a more prominent throb then, and he groaned as the pain radiated from his forehead. 

"I'm sorry, you must think me an idiot."

“I mean...you could bring her along. She’ll only be around for another 50 or so years, and that’s if she has a long lifespan for her species. I bet she’d enjoy exploring the universe with us before she expires.”

Even though she could feel the conflict inside him, she had to try - she was going insane being trapped in that box, with nothing but her thoughts and imagination to keep her company. Even Loki’s occasional interaction wasn’t proving as satisfying as it once had.

“And I don’t think you’re an idiot. I just think you’re...not fully considering all the possibilities.”

Loki felt his heart slowly fracture as she talked about how short Gemma's lifespan was. This wasn't helping the situation...

"Tess, stop... please," he muttered, closing his eyes. He almost let out a sob of frustration. "It's far too fantastical and dangerous! The moment you unleash your true powers, he will know. He has been after you for a long time. He is not going to give up. He wants to take your sisters as well. It's been driving me quite insane, trying to keep them all separated so that he won't find them all easily. Can you not wait till he is gone? Even I will be gone by then... you'd be completely free."

Completely free...

As soon as he said it, she couldn’t help herself. Those feelings of elation - of not having to worry about being used and just being allowed to exist peacefully, like it was in the beginning...they flowed from her into him. Yes...she wanted it. She missed it. She craved it.

But those feelings quickly turned to hopeless heartbreak.

“He’s not the only one out there that wants to use me and the others. There will always be someone trying to rebuild the universe in their image...I’ll never be free, even after you and he are long gone.”

Slowly, a steely determination overtook her. She didn’t want him to feel it, but she knew he would - such was the nature of their connection. She had to ask him again...had to try and convince him again.

“Loki...why won’t you be my avatar? We’d be together forever, we could fight Thanos, we could defeat him and any others who come after him! We would be safe...”

She already knew he would reject her, as he’d done so many times before. But perhaps the new human he had developed feelings for would soften his stance...

Loki looked at her pleadingly, pursing his lips as he fought the temptation. 

"Tess, I know... I know... but..." He let out a deep breath. "You know that I'm far too damaged by darkness to carry you with me. My mind is chaotic, and I've been known to give in to the urge to grab power for myself. I don't think I can trust myself with you like that. You need someone of purer mind, someone who can meld with you and still remain themselves, still hold onto the good in themselves. I'm not that person. I can only give you my protection with my magic."

He gave her a sad smile as he touched his forehead to her surface... the sweet burn of that touch was somewhat soothing.

She thrilled at his gentle touch...such a man was rare in the universe - one who had seen the darkness he was truly capable of, and remained steadfast in his resolve to maintain his distance from the power to cause it again. He had been an addict - was still an addict in many ways. Which was why he refused to take the power she freely offered.

“I understand,” she said sadly, and that familiar feeling of unhappy acceptance spread from her to him. “But we need to find a more permanent solution, Loki. I can’t stay trapped and hidden forever; you saw what happened when Reality finally found an avatar after all those eons alone...I don’t want to become that. I can’t.”

Now she was the one pleading.

"I know..."

He felt her pain, felt her anguish. It flowed from her so freely now. It was an ancient sadness.

"I will... try. Try to find a solution. A way out," he offered, finally pulling away from her. "I know that this cannot continue. It's akin to being imprisoned. It's unfair to you. Just give me a few more years, Tess. I'm going to try and work up a mechanism which can cover your energy signature. Then I can veil you in it. It will take a lot of magic to do so, but I promise you, I will come up with something. I won't let you become like the Aether."

He gave her an earnest, honest look. A pleading look. He was feeling so tired, but he was trying....

She could see how much this endeavor drained him, how honestly he wanted to help, how desperate he was for an answer. And she was grateful, for all his struggle and attention.

But she knew it was only a matter of time. A few years, a few decades, a few centuries...eventually he wouldn’t be able to keep it up, and she would be like a beacon to all the most powerful beings in the universe who would reign destruction down wherever she ended up.

If only she had a protecting organization, like Time. Or if she required a great sacrifice, like Soul. But...well, at least she was doing better than her other sisters.

“Thank you, Loki. For everything. I know how hard this is...I’ll stay patient for as long as I can. But please...visit me more often. I get so lonely...”

"I will, I promise that I will," he stated with a firm voice. "But please, don't ever come out like this. It can bespell trouble. You're far stronger than my cloaking magic and wards, so, you have to cooperate in remaining hidden, Tess." 

He pressed his forehead to her once again in parting, and this time, he felt a shot of her power go straight into his head, releasing him from his hangover and pain. 

"Oh, thank you! You didn't have to..."

“It’s the least I can do,” she said, happy to have been able to do something , even if it was as minor as healing a headache. “I’m sure we’ll figure this out eventually. I know what’s at stake, and I don’t want those things to come to pass anymore than you do. I’ll remain hidden. Don’t forget about me.”

"I can never forget about you, Tess. You're far too precious to me."

He pulled back again, and this time, it was for good. Saying his farewell for now, he put her back in the box. 

"I'll see you again in a few weeks. Hopefully, there will be more I can tell you about Gemma. I have great plans for us... even though I'm still a lying bastard." He gave her a rueful smile. "But you already know that, my lady of cosmos."

She drew back into herself, containing the nearly infinite power she was made of within the tiny magical cloaking spell Loki kept around her. It was as large as he could make it...about 2 feet cubed, just big enough for her and her box. The Lady of Cosmos...reduced to the size of a gerbil cage. 

“I do, my Fallen Prince. And I wouldn’t have you any other way.”

If she could have smiled, she would have.

“Take care, Loki. I want to know more about the mortal you find so endearing the next time we chat.”

And with that, the light dimmed, and she went silent.

Chapter Text

Important Notes

Bold Text = Loki's POV (a.k.a Dave)

Normal Text = Gemma's POV

Gemma awoke easily when the morning sun shined on her face. She smiled, stretched, and sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and greeting the new day.

Dave was going to be here soon...and she couldn’t wait. She started her morning routine - brush teeth, floss, shower, shave, lotion...it was a bit of a process, but after about an hour, she felt like a new woman. She even curled her hair and did her makeup properly - Gemma couldn’t remember the last time she had done that. Even still in her bathrobe, she looked great, better than she had in months...years, perhaps. She smiled happily and went to her closet.

The walk-in closet of the studio was almost bigger than the apartment Dave had rescued her from...but it was so empty, it looked a little sad. Still, she had her staples - she pulled out a cute sundress and a pair of cork wedges, then just for fun, she laid out the clothes she would wear to work the next day: her old Pac & Co skirt and blouse.

The phone interview had gone incredibly well last Monday. So well, in fact, that once they had completed her background check, they hired her without having her come in face-to-face. It was a bit odd, but she wasn’t stupid enough to turn down the best job she’d ever been offered. And it was salary...with benefits after 60 days! And enough income to easily cover the rent in her new place and then some. It didn’t matter if she ended up shoveling coal at this job, she was staying.

She had just finished getting dressed when she heard a knock on the door. Was it 10:00AM already? Her heart leapt into her throat as she rushed to answer it and greet her Prince Charming.

Loki gave her a big smile as she opened the door, and then the smile faltered a bit, for he witnessed her in all her flowery, soft beauty. She was all dressed up, hair done, with her face painted not unlike an aristocratic lady from Alfheim. 

Not that he didn't appreciate her without all this... it just made her beauty stand out brilliantly. 

"Gemma, you take my breath away," he sighed after a long, awkward silence passed between them. "Pardon me for going speechless."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss - chaste, but lingering. She had trouble keeping a pucker while she was smiling so wide.

“I’ll take speechless,” she said as she pulled away - the cork wedges made it easier to reach him, which added to her giddy state. “I thought I’d get a little dressed up for you today, seeing as I start my new job tomorrow!”

She almost squealed with excitement, but she managed to contain some of her elation.

“Coffee?” she asked as she wandered to her kitchenette and started up her Nespresso. She wondered if he noticed her work clothes laid out on the bed.

"Make me a ristretto intenso , please," he said, sauntering into her apartment after her, grinning as he noticed the spring in her step. "I'm glad that you got the job, darling. And I know that you'll excel at it.”

Her answering giggle was endearing, expressing her pure joy at getting hired. He knew how much it meant to her to be self-sufficient, and hence, he had helped her in her endeavour, albeit, surreptitiously .

Stark had made his recommendations for her, and hence, she had been hired. But it had been done in a very hush-hush manner, and not a soul outside the human resources office knew about it. That’s how Loki wanted it to remain.

As Gemma went about preparing the coffee he had requested, he made towards her bed.

He had planned to sit there and wait, but then his gaze fell upon the clothes she had laid out on it. He stopped and assessed them, wondering why she had laid them out like that.

"Umm... why are your formal clothes spread out on the bed like this?" He waved at them casually as he looked in her direction.

She slowed just slightly in her coffee making at his remark, but it didn’t dampen her spirit at all.

“It’s just been so long since I’ve had a real job, you know? One that doesn’t require an apron and a name tag...I’m just...I don’t know, laying them out so I can remind myself that it’s real.”

She giggled and brought him his cup, eyes landing on the outfit. Sure, the hem was a bit worn, and she’d need to add a cardigan to cover the pit stains on the blouse, but at least it wasn’t a barista uniform. Then, ironically, she went back to the kitchenette to make herself a quick latte.

“I’m finally starting to feel like myself again...and it’s all thanks to you.”

She blushed and continued to focus on her coffee, realizing what she had just blurted out. Apparently she was going to have issues with her verbal filter today.

Still, she was beyond caring. It was the first day of the rest of her life, and Dave was a part of it. How had she gotten so lucky?

Loki gave her a positively evil grin then, just as she looked up at him. "Oh no... and here I was planning to put you in my debt forever, so that you'd have to pay me back with other means ."

Just as he had assumed, she blushed a pretty pink at that remark, all flustered and adorable.

"How am I going to play my villainous part now? Of seducing a helpless pretty girl like you?"

She laughed and settled down with him on the small couch with her coffee, the blush refusing to leave her cheeks.

“You’re no villain, Dave. You’re the sweetest, nicest, most generous person I’ve ever met. Consider me seduced.”

She bumped playfully shoulders with him. “And I am VERY much looking forward to spending the day with you, Mr. Johnson, even if it takes the rest of my natural life to pay you back for it.”

She imagined all the things he might want to do, all the fancy luxury items and high-end restaurants and PENTHOUSES he was used to...and she immediately shut those ideas down. If she couldn’t afford it, she didn’t want to do it. So she expected a picnic in Central Park, maybe window shopping...all the things she used to do when she first moved to The Big Apple.

“So...what ARE the plans for the day?”

"Firstly, let's make it clear that you're never going to attempt to pay me back for anything that we get up to today," he stated firmly, curling his arm around her and pulling her closer. "This is my treat for you, and you don't get to object to it."

When she opened her mouth to protest, he closed his lips over hers, stopping her right away. She melted into him almost instantly, and he grinned, still kissing her.

"Secondly, we'll be doing lots of things today," he murmured against her pretty cherry lips. "Starting with a shopping spree. I want to see you go to work in crisp and new formal clothes. Let go of the old ones - you're starting everything anew."

“What? Dave, no. You know I can’t do that...”

Even as she said it, the images of ‘Pretty Woman’ floated through her head. All those nice clothes and jewelry, the limousines, the luxury...

No. No no no. That wasn’t her. She earned what she had...mostly. The apartment was an emergency, and she was going to pay him back for the initial few months of rent and deposit.

“My work clothes are fine. Honestly. And after I’ve earned a few paychecks, I’ll go out and get some newer clothes from Target or something. And Goodwill always has great stuff! That’s where I got that skirt!”

Loki put his mug down and grasped her hand, gazing into her eyes longingly. 

"Gemma, things are different now. You are with me. We're together, aren't we? What does it matter if I can get you nice things or treat you like a proper lady in courtship?"

He knew that he had let his true self slip into the narrative, talking of ladies and courtships like a prince. He pursed his lips, knowing that he couldn't take it back now. 

"Why must you resist me every step of the way? I feel as though... as though you think I'm up to something nefarious, as though I'm laying a claim of possession on you through these gifts... is that so?"

The blush that had almost faded came back with a vengeance. Oh, the way he spoke! And that ACCENT! It took all her willpower to keep herself from giggling like an idiot.

...treat you like a proper lady in courtship... Oooh, it gave her tingles.

She could see why he was concerned about her denying him the opportunity to treat her, but the reasoning behind it came with a lot of baggage. Might as well let him know now; they were together, after all.

“Look, it’s not you, Dave. It’s...my ex, Garth.”

When Dave’s eyebrows peaked in concern and he wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders, she relaxed slightly, holding her coffee closer to her chest.

"When I first moved to New York, he swept me off my feet. Paid for everything, gave me gifts, bought my groceries. Everything. We even moved in together...he completely supported me. He said he believed in my ‘star power’ and thought I was always just an audition away from being a Broadway actor. But when I didn’t land any roles, and I kept being stuck in these worthless jobs...well, after a while, he gave up on me. He started saying he had paid for everything at first because he expected me to support him eventually, so he could pursue his career as an artist...and we got into huge fights…”

Gemma swallowed hard, stopping herself before she let slip how bad those fights had gotten...the cuts and bruises she had to explain away at the auditions, how they had shattered her confidence...

“Long story short,” she sighed, taking another sip of coffee. “He dumped me. I had literally nothing except the clothes on my back when he told me to move out. I decided right then that I would never rely on anyone else’s money again, that I would stand on my own two feet. Of course, you see how that worked out for me...”

She put her empty coffee cup down and hugged herself, trying to avoid eye contact. “Do you see what I’m saying? I would love to let you treat me like a princess, but I can’t be a princess. I need to know that I can survive without anyone else.”

When she told him about her last relationship, and how that bastard of a man treated her, it took nearly all of his training as a sorcerer to keep his anger in control.

He could feel his magic crackling on his fingertips, ready to be let out, ready to punish those who had wronged this precious woman...

But he knew that he had to keep his cool. For now. He couldn't blow his cover in front of Gemma like this.

"Gemma, dearest..." In a quick motion, he pulled her onto his lap and kissed her... kissed her till she was breathless, till she forgot about her past and her pain. "You're my treasure, Gemma. I know that you cannot believe me right now. I understand it. Abandonment, especially by those you love and trust, is one of the most hurtful things one can go through."

He held her against his chest and ran a hand through her silky curls. He couldn't explain it to her, but he understood abandonment deeply. He had lived through it, after all.

"My gifts and treats to you do not mean that I'll ever take your self-reliance or independence from you, sweet one. They're merely tokens of my affection. They're yours to keep. You have a job now, and you'll be earning. And let me tell you, if you decide to reciprocate in the future, I wouldn't object. I'd love to be showered with gifts." 

He chuckled lightly, trying to dispel the sudden gloominess around them. "We're equals, Gemma. I'm not doing you any favours. Our affection for each other is the basis of this equality."

Gemma had to take a moment to catch her breath after his passionate kiss and equally passionate words. She felt butterflies in her stomach and tingles on her skin. She didn’t think Dave could ever look more gorgeous than he already was, but...

Well, he did have a way with words...

“Ok. Fine. You win. Pamper me, treat me to whatever you want. But just for today.” She giggled and snuggled into him. “Like I could ever resist you...”

Loki smiled - truly a heartfelt smile - when she finally agreed to being treated like a princess. He'd have thrust his fist in the air, but the gesture was just too loud and crass for his tastes.

"You don't know how ecstatic I am," he exclaimed, kissing her again, keeping it short and sweet this time. "We're going to have so much fun today, darling. Let's get going then, hmm?"

He wanted to begin immediately, lest she reconsider her decision.

She was about to respond with “Oh, ok. Let me just get my purse and we can head out.”

What she said was, “Oh, o—” before he literally picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, then headed for the door.

“PURSE!” she managed to scream, laughing, before he carried her outside. With hardly any effort, he bent down and grabbed it from the side table before carting her off down that hall toward the elevator.

She was half dying of embarrassment and half elated by his sudden playfulness. He carried her like she weighed no more than a feather pillow...god, he was strong!

She giggled and pretended to fight him until they entered the elevator, when he finally put her down on her feet, letting her lean against the side of it.

“What was THAT?!”

Loki laughed and leaned into her, nudging her nose with his. He felt so happy! Truly happy! This feeling was so damn heady!

"Just expressing my lack of patience," he growled playfully. "No more wasting time arguing, we're finally on the move!"

And then he tickled her, making her squeal and giggle again. So much that when the elevator doors opened, the middle-aged couple waiting for it on the ground floor looked at her with an air of arrogance and severe judgment. 

Loki simply winked at them as he and a very red-faced Gemma passed them by. 

He made sure that they'd be stuck in the elevator for at least half-an-hour before it'd let them out.

Gemma was now officially giggling like an idiot as they quickly walked out the door of The Max and headed...well, she had no idea where they were headed. Shopping, like he said, but he seemed to have some much bigger plans in mind.

They walked the few blocks to his apartment building, where the valet pulled up his car. Gemma adored that gorgeous white custom-designed Jaguar. Dave opened the passenger side door for her, but she didn’t move, biting her lip with a mischievous sparkle in her eye.

There was just a moment of silence where he watched her curiously, then she said quickly, with just a hint of giddy mischief...

“Can I drive it?”

That request took Loki by surprise, and for a moment he simply gaped at her. Though he recovered quickly, he could see that she was expecting him to decline. 

"Have you driven a Jaguar before?" he asked, walking over to her and taking her hand in his. "If not, I'd be glad to allow mine to be your first..."

He pulled her to the driver's side and opened the door, despite feeling a bit nervous about her handling such a sensitive car. Quickly, knowing that she was preoccupied with the dashboard and steering as she settled, he put a protection spell over the car and her body. 

He didn't want to take any risks.

Gemma didn’t think he’d actually let her drive. But when he led her to the driver's seat and she sat down...adrenaline kicked through her. She flexed her fingers around the steering wheel, getting a feel for this unbelievable vehicle. It had been a long time since she had driven, but when she was little, her dad had instilled a love of beautiful cars in her.

Before she had grown up and they’d fallen out, that is.

Pushing that thought from her mind, and ensuring that the-most-amazing-boyfriend-in-the-universe was safely buckled in, she put it in drive and headed onto the street.

It was like riding on a cloud powered by 800 stallions. The roar of the engine vibrated through her, it was so responsive!

And then they were promptly stuck in New York City traffic.

She laughed again, settling back against the insanely comfortable leather seat.

“Well, that was fun while it lasted.” She smiled, glancing over at him. “Where are we headed, mon capitan ?”

"Fifth Avenue," Loki stated as he put the address into the built-in GPS, gazing at her with pride as she maneuvered the car through the traffic. She was really good at it. "I'm tempted to hand you the steering every time we head out from now onwards. You're such a natural at the wheel."

He remembered how troublesome he had found driving to be, initially. It was too much work, and the machines were mostly archaic in his opinion. But it was an essential skill on Midgard, and hence, he had tried his best to master it. Within a week.

Gemma’s eyes went wide as the navigation on the dashboard drew out their fastest route.

“Fifth Avenue?! Dave, no, that’s literally the most expensive shopping district in the world. I can’t—”

He gave her a warning look, determined, steely, lips pressed together in a way that said, “you already agreed to let me treat you.”

With a sigh (and a begrudging smile), she turned as the GPS told her to and they made their way to the shopping district. She was never going to live this down...

They pulled up to the valet at Louis Vuitton, and Gemma immediately felt underdressed in her little sundress. She felt less than here, like she didn’t belong. And while she tried to put on a brave face...it was all incredibly overwhelming.

She got out and handed the keys to the valet driver, then looked at Dave nervously. “Are you sure about this? I feel like a pig in lipstick right now...”

Loki burst out laughing as she called herself a 'pig in a lipstick'. He couldn't help it. His mind just conjured an image of the said pig...

"Gemma, my mind is giving me very vivid images of a pig wearing lipstick right now, and I can assure you, it looks nothing like you," he stated, taking her hand as they walked inside the store. "Just relax and let yourself enjoy this experience. Don't be so tense. You look lovely."

As they entered, they were greeted by the staff there. They were immediately assigned a man to look after their shopping needs. Loki was grateful for the help, for he knew that convincing Gemma to buy clothes here would need a lot of encouragement and guidance. She was tense, even as the helpful lad tried his best to show her the best designs. 

Loki turned his face to whisper in her ear as they looked at the various forms of apparel. "Darling, relax your neck muscles. You're going to hurt yourself if you keep holding them so taut. Come now, look at these gorgeous clothes. I think you'd look lovely in them. Try them out and see for yourself?"

She gave him a little nod, and then he felt her relaxing a bit. Not all the way, but it was a beginning, at least.

Using his famed silvertongue, he made sure to keep whispering words of encouragement and praise in her ear to keep her pliant and agreable for the fittings and purchases. After all, they were just getting started.

The shopping went surprisingly quickly with the help of the personal shopper (who she discovered was named Joaquin). He took her measurements and she was relegated to a huge private dressing room, where Joaquin brought her outfit after outfit. She tried them all on and modeled each for Dave, giggling at his reactions - sometimes he instantly shook his head and made some comment about how it wasn’t flattering, other times his jaw dropped and he was at a loss for words.

After Louis Vuitton, they went to so many other stores: Gucci, Prada, Chanel, Versace, Gap, Tourneau...and at each one, Dave would chat with the assigned shopping assistant, asking for specific items, different accessories, particular brands. And each thing he requested was more perfectly suited to her than the last. Bags upon bags of clothing were packed and carried out by the friendly staff and loaded into Dave’s car before they moved to the next store, and after a few hours, Gemma was exhausted...and frankly terrified by how much money they must have spent on her brand-new wardrobe. She was fairly certain the house she grew up in might have been purchased for less.

“Dave, we’ve been at it for hours. I’m getting hungry,” she playfully complained as the last round of bags were loaded into his Jaguar. 

"Let's have a break and get lunch, then," he replied happily, taking her hand and kissing it gently. "I'm thinking of heading over to Le Bernardin. I’ve heard great things about it." Mostly from Stark.

He watched her with satisfaction and amusement as her face lit up. 

"And do not even think to say no." He gave her a mock glare, making her giggle. "You're mine to spoil today. So, let's go ma'am. Take us there."

He tapped at the steering wheel, feeding the location into the GPS as Gemma powered the ignition.

Chapter Text

Important Notes

Bold Text = Loki ("Dave") POV

Normal Text = Gemma / Tony Stark POV

Gemma settled in behind the wheel again and took off. Traffic wasn’t as thick as it had been earlier, and she was able to push the car a bit, enjoying the rush of power from its engine. She may have laughed a bit sinisterly as she did it, but damn it was fun to drive!

They pulled into the swanky restaurant, again leaving the car with valet, and Gemma took Dave’s arm as they entered the lobby. It looked like a palace, with marble and statues and chandeliers and all the luxurious trappings of the rich and famous.

She may have gawked. A lot.

"What would you like to have?" he asked her as they settled into a table for two by a window, quite reminiscent of their last restaurant visit... before he had to leave her. 

"Surprise me," she replied, still looking around the room appreciatively. Especially the art.

"Fine, my lady." He winked at her and then began to order. 

Faroe Island salmon, crab cake, roasted filet mignon, and baked red snapper... and lastly, a citrusy salad of clementines. When he was done ordering the lunch, Loki began to look into their cocktail menu, hoping to offer Gemma a light dose of alcohol before they proceeded with the rest of the day.

"Dry sherry martini or mezcal?" he asked her, eyeing her sharply as she licked her lips. "Choose your cocktail. Personally, I'm going for the mezcal."

“Then I’ll do the dry sherry martini, and we can taste each other’s,” she smiled, then stopped. “Unless...do rich people taste each other’s drinks? Is that faux pas?”

She was starting to feel more comfortable, but the difference in the lifestyle he was used to and the lifestyle she had was significant. It made her feel uneasy, but for his sake she tried not to show it. He seemed to be having a wonderful time, and she’d hate to ruin it with her awkwardness.

He leaned towards her and whispered conspiratorially. "Oh... you wouldn't believe the things rich people do. But sharing and tasting each other's drinks is quite a tame faux pas, if there was one indeed."

When she blinked in confusion, he grinned. 

"Just jesting, treasure. Be free and enjoy your food and drink. Nothing is a faux pas with me."

“No no, wait. I’m finally getting a look at Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous here. What kinds of things are you talking about? What scandalous things have you done?”

She grinned and thanked the server when he brought the drinks, then squinted her eyes over the rim of the glass.

“You keep telling me you’re such a villain, but I’m yet to hear any stories that would really make me think of you that way...”

Loki sighed and took a long gulp of his drink. He then slid it over to her so that she could taste it. 

Meanwhile, he struggled to tell her story that might be related to him, but not actually out him as Loki.

"Well, the rich often splurge on things of little consequence, often to show off. I do love to show off, but I care not for useless things," he said, keeping it vague. "Where I grew up, we had a lot of love for art and weaponry. It was an honour to keep certain weapons in our...uhh...showroom. It was right in front of the sitting room. That's actually where I stole most of my daggers from."

Gemma took a sip of the mezcal...then made a face and slid it back. She much preferred the martini.

“The daggers you hunted with, right?” she asked with a sparkle in her eye. “Also, how on Earth did you learn to hunt with daggers? From your dad?”

She was excited to finally have an opportunity to learn a bit more about his life, which was so much different from her own. “Did your dad hunt with daggers too?”

Loki compressed his lips and looked down into his returned drink. His dad.... well, both of them were utter wretches

But he couldn't tell her that. Those were Loki's fathers. Dave's dad was different. Kinder, perhaps.

"Not really," he replied, chuckling to let go of his discomfort. "He wasn't much of a hunter. He was quite busy with managing our properties across Europe and spreading his influence through the social circles. That was just me and my friends being uncontrollable adolescents. I honed the skill on my own. I can use spears or arrows too, but I much prefer daggers."

“Ooo I’d LOVE to see that someday!” she squealed as the food was brought to their table. It looked...fancy. Very fancy. And small. And...foreign.

But she smiled and began to eat it all the same - Dave was treating her, after all. She’d hate to be rude.

It wasn’t bad. It wasn’t amazing. It was just ok...which in itself was disappointing, given that this was supposed to be one of the best restaurants in the city. Perhaps she just didn’t have the refined palate required to enjoy food like this.

But the company she had was phenomenal.

“Do you still practice? Throwing daggers and spears, and shooting arrows? Maybe you could teach me sometime...”

Loki dug into the food, but he was rather disappointed at their portions. Humans sometimes liked to eat like some kind of vermin. 

"I have been a bit out of practice," he lied, watching her intently as she ate. He had expected her to be dazzled by the food, but she wasn't. "But sure, I can teach you if you want."

Well, that just meant that he'd have to try harder to please her. 

"Do you not like the food, darling?"

“No, no it’s...great...”

She faked a smile as she put another piece of fish in her mouth...it was pretty bland. GOD what she wouldn’t give for a slice of pizza. But this was DAVE’S day to pamper her, and she’d be damned if lunch was going to ruin that.

“So tell me more about England. Did you live in a castle? Are you related to the royal family?”

She forced another bite of food, then swallowed the rest of her drink. Trying to get him to tell her about his history was like pulling teeth!

"It was an old manor, with a whole estate attached." He wasn't sure how much of his made-up identity could stand that kind of fabrication, but he tried his best to give her the information she sought. "My father and mother, both were related to certain old noble families of Europe. But very distantly. I care not for such connections, as the relatives are all quite annoying and full of themselves."

He finished his meal and saw her struggling with hers. Perhaps he should've taken her to an Indian restaurant. They at least had a varied fare, and offered more spices in their dishes. 

"Does it sound fancy? That I'm perhaps related to some Baron or Viscount... we do have a castle, but I've only ever gone there for holidays. Never lived in it for the long run."

Oh my god...I’m dating a guy that lived in a castle...

Gemma finished her food - finally - and smiled, taking Dave’s hand across the table. “Well, I appreciate your telling me about your family. I know how hard it can be, especially when there’s drama...”

She gave him a little squeeze, and giggled when he returned the affectionate gesture.

“So, where to now? We’ve shopped, we’ve dined...are we going to walk white tigers on jeweled leashes next?”

His brows raised at the last one. "Tigers on jeweled leashes? Where do you even come up with these things?"

He laughed and handed over his card for the bill payment, noting how her eyes tried to scan it. Thankfully, the server took it away quickly. 

"Not quite that fantastical, but I have something in mind," he stated with a glint in his eye. "You'd like it, since you're so fond of speed and risk.."

That got her attention.

“What? What are we doing? Tell me tell me TELL ME!” Gemma intentionally acted immaturely - all of this behaving like stuffy rich people was starting to bore her. People with all the money in the world sure didn’t use it to have fun...at least not in New York.

"You'll find out soon, little brat." He stood up as the server returned his card. "After all, you'll be driving us there."

Pulling her out of her chair, he kissed her briefly and walked out of the restaurant, never intending to return.

Gemma happily drove the Jag to the next destination, following the GPS navigation down to the piers south of Manhattan and pulling into...

“Dave... DAVE ...are you serious?!”

Even as she was parking, her palms started to sweat, and not in a bad way. She watched as one of a fleet of helicopters took off from one of the helipads...and she lost it.

“WE’RE GOING ON A HELICOPTER RIDE?!” Gemma squealed with delight, and Dave’s knowing chuckle was all the confirmation she needed. She barely had the car in park when she threw her arms around him, leaning over the center console to squeeze the most amazing man in the world.

“How did you...I’ve always wanted to— DAVE, HELICOPTERS!!!” She couldn’t even form complete sentences, she was so excited.

Loki grinned at her, feeling as though finally, FINALLY, he was doing something right to make Gemma's day. 

He briefly wondered if he could steal Stark's armour to take her on a ride in THAT. But... that was just too risky. HE was just an average man, Dave, not the prince and trickster, Loki, who would have easily done that in a heartbeat, if only to see the look on Tony’s face as they flew by...

"I kind of had a hunch that you'd like something like this," he said in her ear, kissing her cheek gently before exiting the car. "Now come on, let's get you a joyride."

The contraption was a bit unnerving, considering how it worked on blades and just about a wrong kind of wind could send it teetering... but he still had the wards around her, without her knowing it, so it was all good. 

He didn't need any protection from the thing, he could crumple it in his hands if he wanted to. 

When they both seated inside, the pilot did his usual checks and then took off. Gemma couldn't help let out a little gasp of pure joy.

She was FLYING!

Gemma had her face pressed against the glass of the cabin, her nose flattening in the window as she looked down on the city she’d chosen as her home.

Soaring, famous buildings reached up toward her - the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, One World Trade Center, the Chrysler Building...towering things she’d only seen from the ground up suddenly looked so small...

Her breath kept clouding her view, and she didn’t care she probably looked like an overexcited child - she had NEVER flown before. She had driven from her home to the city...which is what did in her poor old car. But she wasn’t thinking about that now...

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement in the sky - she looked over at the red and gold object shooting across the skyline—

“ DAVE IT’S IRON MAN !!!!!!”

She grabbed his arm so tight she swore she would bruise him, but he didn’t even flinch.

“LOOK LOOK LOOK THERE HE IS!!!”

Loki narrowed his eyes and looked out the window, disbelief colouring his whole face. He had been so focused on Gemma's beautiful, joyful face that he had nearly missed that flying streak of red and gold.

"How is that little oaf out, flying like that?" he muttered to himself. "Isn't he hungover still?"

---

Tony sat in his lab and piloted the Mach....16? 24? 9? He didn’t even remember what number he was on anymore. It didn’t matter - it was red and gold, it was able to run a patrol, and he was FAR too sick to have actually gone out on his own. He even had a trash can nearby “just in case” and was ready to switch on the auto-pilot at a moment’s notice.

But for now, the gentle feeling of flying over the city was doing him some good. After that conversation with Loki, he needed to clear his head - this Gemma girl was going to cause a LOT of headache, and he had enough headache at the moment to last a year.

As he was flying over the south side of Manhattan, he saw one of those tour copters doing the sightseeing route. Tony grinned; he loved flying up to the tourists and giving them a story they could tell for the rest of their lives. He carefully approached the copter, making sure the pilot could see him so he didn’t startle the poor guy, then looked into the cabin and—

No. FUCKING . Way.

Loki - ahem, “Dave” - was in the helicopter with his heartthrob, and she looked like she was about to have a conniption. Tony knew all about her obsession with the Avengers...and wasn’t this just the perfect opportunity to get the God of Lies to owe him another favor, especially after last night.

But right as he waved to the happy couple...

Uh oh...

He switched on the auto-pilot, and barely removed himself from the controls in time to throw up in the trash can next to him.

Outside, the suit gently peeled away from the copter and started heading back to the Tower.

Well, maybe he could show off next time...

Loki looked on in surprise as THE Iron Man glided up to their helicopter and gave them a little wave. 

Gemma almost flew off her seat and fainted at the sight. Meanwhile the pilot of the helicopter also seemed to be going through a fit of fanatics. 

It took all of Loki's patience to not roll his eyes at the spectacle. Thankfully, Stark's flew off pretty soon, giving them a parting wave. 

He'd have to thank Stark later, and also scold him. But for now, he was happy to see Gemma happy. 

"That was something else," he exclaimed, running a hand through his hair. "Iron Man waved at you! Gemma, your hero right there!"

He held her by her waist and nuzzled into her neck as she kept bouncing in her seat, making these noises of pleasure and excitement.

---

Gemma. Was. DYING!

“Did you SEE THAT?! That was—he was—and then he flew up to us and—and now he’s—and I’m—“

Nope, she was gone. Nothing else on the rest of the flight even registered. IRON MAN had flown up to her and WAVED.

She was going to remember this moment for the rest of her life.

The helicopter landed back on the helipad, and Dave got out first, extending a hand to help her down...

She jumped on him, wrapping her arms around his neck and trusting him not to topple over. “THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! That was the most incredible experience of my life! IIIIRRROOONN MAAAANN!!!!!”

She was still bouncing as they headed back to the car with their souvenir photo.

"I think I'll let you gush over Iron Man some more while I drive," he said, taking her to the passenger side and opening the door for her. He buckled her in and stole a little kiss from her.

"My baby girl looks so happy, I'd call Iron Man over to wave at you every day if I could."

He grinned surreptitiously at that...because technically, he probably could do it. But that would be FAR too revealing.

Once he was at the wheel, they were off to the place he had kept for their last jaunt of shopping. It was a famous jewelry shop, and he was hoping to give her a surprise.

As they headed back down the New York streets, Dave’s incredible car already stuffed full of their takings from the earlier shopping spree, Gemma’s hands were shaking with excitement. It was probably best that Dave drove...she wouldn’t have been able to focus on the road anyway. She just kept remembering Iron Man flying up to her, over and over again...

She was smiling so widely her cheeks hurt.

But soon she realized where they were, and she was surprised to see that they had returned to Fifth Avenue.

“MORE shopping? We can’t possibly fit any more stuff in here, Dave! I have enough clothes to last me into the next decade!” she laughed.

"Why do you assume that we're buying more clothes?" he said with a smirk as he parked in front of Tiffany's and handed the car keys to the valet. 

Gemma was already out when he got around to the passenger side. Her eyes wentwide as she saw the jewelry store's sign. 

"Come on in, baby girl," he whispered to her cheekily, pulling her along. "Wouldn't you like a little trinket... or two?"

Gemma’s breath caught in her throat, and her feet felt like they had turned to lead.

TIFFANY’S?!

“Daaave....” she said nervously as he pulled her along. Clothing was one thing. Fancy food...fine, whatever. The helicopter ride was incredible. But... Tiffany’s ?

“I...Dave, I don’t need any jewelry...” Gemma murmured. She didn’t even OWN any real jewelry - everything she had came from Claire’s or the clearance area at the lower-end department stores.  And that was FINE!

But he pulled her through the famous doorway into the most prestigious jewelry store in the entire world, and eventually she started walking alongside him instead of dragging behind.

“So...what are we looking at?” she asked hesitantly. There was a nagging feeling in the back of her head saying he was going to get her an engagement ring...which she would then have to reject because she was NOT ready for that...

"Tell me what you like," he offered, taking her further in. He introduced himself at the reception and then marched on, with Gemma firmly on his arm, looking like a nervous bunny.

There was a little lounge in the back of the store, where other customers didn't venture. "Just relax and have a look at what they have here. Then you can pick and choose. Do you like necklaces? Bracelets? Earrings, maybe? I dared to pick a few designs for you on my own..."

He nodded to the two women from the staff who were waiting in the corner. They came over with a few jewelry pieces, ready to adorn Gemma in them. One of them had a knowing smirk on her face, while the other looked rather apathetic.

Well, it didn't bother him, as long as they did their work well.

Gemma swallowed hard as they brought the shiny things over to her. They were beautiful, every single one of them.

She looked up at Dave nervously, her heart still pounding. “I...have no idea what I’m doing.”

One of the ladies bent down, smiling. “Here, let me help.” She selected a tennis bracelet from the array of dazzling items and gently clasped it around her wrist. Gemma held out her arm to admire it...it was really lovely, simple and elegant.

Gemma leaned over quietly to the lady, trying to make sure Dave didn’t hear her...

“How much does it cost?” she whispered.

Loki could hear every word of her little whispered inquiry. And he had to hold back a snort. 

The woman looked up at him nervously, then back at Gemma. She quietly told her the price. Gemma blanched. 

Loki simply rubbed his palm over his face. 

"Gemma, darling," he prompted, taking her by her elbow and pulling her to him as she shifted closer to her on the plush sofa. "Why are you so nervous? What do you think is going to happen? I simply want to give you a piece of jewelry that you'd wear every day, that'd be an elegant touch to your professional ensemble. Is that so bad?"

Gemma was still reeling from the price she’d been told. She must have gone pale, because the woman suddenly had something she needed to attend to on the other side of the store.

That bracelet cost more than her first THREE cars...combined.

“It’s just...a LOT Dave. I’d be paranoid about something happening to it! I could never replace it if I lost it or broke it or...”

The look on Dave’s face made her stop. It was SO sweet and caring, and the way his eyebrows peaked and the skin around his eyes crinkled when he smiled. And that SMILE...and those crystal blue eyes...

She melted. And relented.

“Ok...ok. I’d love something from you to wear around every day.”

Her heart fluttered as his expression changed from sweet to joyful.

"Thank you," he said, relieved that she wasn't going to resist him any further. "And please, don't mind the price, darling. I just want you to have something pretty, something that pleases you. This whole day has been about pleasing you."

He took a necklace and experimentally put it on her, brushing her hair aside to latch properly. It was a platinum piece with a teardrop pendant, a little sapphire glittering in it.

"Ah, that looks lovely. What would you say about it?" He was then distracted by a very delicate bracelet, made of filigree and pale jewels, reminiscent of a flowery vine he had seen in royal gardens of Vanaheim. "Oh look at that, Gemma. That would look so elegant on your wrist, my lady."

My lady...

Gemma had to try reaaally hard not to giggle like an idiot when he said that. His flowery words and phrasing always caught her off guard.

She extended her wrist to him, and he removed the tennis bracelet to replace it with the one he’d indicated. And he was right - it looked perfect on her. It even had the tiny heart-shaped pendant that made it clear this was a Tiffany piece.

Suddenly, she was in love with it. There wasn’t even a moment to think about it - one moment it was just a bracelet, the next...

It symbolized everything she loved about Dave.

“It’s beautiful...” she said almost dreamily, having difficulty pulling her gaze away from it.

"It's beautiful, and now, it's yours." He pulled her hand up to his lips and kissed her knuckles. 

The woman who was still there with them let out a little sigh at the action, reminding him that they weren't alone in the lounge. 

Smiling up at her a bit sheepishly, as a human man would do, he took the bracelet off Gemma's wrist and put it back in its box. Then, he rose from the sofa and stepped up to her. 

"I have a little request to make," he whispered to the woman while Gemma watched the interaction curiously, brushing a hand over her wrist dreamily. "I need you to engrave something on the underside of the bracelet. Can you do it for me? I'm willing to pay the extra price for it."

The woman nodded, that knowing smile back on her face. "Certainly, sir. Come along with me and I'll have it done within minutes."

"Wait here for me," he told Gemma, giving her a mischievous wink as he followed the woman out of the lounge and to a stairwell.

Gemma waited patiently, looking around at the opulent decorations, the elegant architecture, the incredible works of art...

This was NOT her world.

Her world was budgeting to the penny, no extra frills, simple for survival instead of design preference. Her world was worrying about having enough to last through the next paycheck. It was all she’d ever known.

Could this be her world...someday?

She had just begun daydreaming about it when Dave returned, startling her out of her thoughts.

“Oh! That was quick,” she smiled up at him from her seat.

Loki gave her a cheeky grin as he presented the bracelet to her again, this time showing her the engraving on its underside. 

He was so damn eager to see her reaction...

Gemma’s eyes went wide as she read the inscription...

“To the Queen of Burgers...and my heart.”

She felt her chest tighten, her throat close...ooooh no...she wasn’t going to be able to stop it...

Gemma started crying. Weeping quietly as she read the engraving over and over again. She didn’t want to cry, but all of this - everything Dave had done for her since they’d met, everything he’d done to help her, to save her - it all hit her at once.

“Th-th-thank you...” she managed to whimper before the tears completely overwhelmed her.

It was, by far, the nicest gift anyone had ever given her...so beautiful and perfect, with just the right amount of personality and silliness. Just. Like. Dave.

And that was it. Gemma would always remember this day, this perfect moment, as the tipping point when she fell in love with him. Head over heels, no turning back.

Dave was hers. She was his.

And nothing would ever be the same.

Chapter Text

Important Notes

Bold Text = Loki's/Dave's POV

Normal Text = Gemma's POV

Loki panicked as the tears started running down Gemma’s cheeks. Oh no... had he overdone it? Had he done something bad? Again?

Norns, he was really bad at courtship. Perhaps all those years of mental breakdown and torture really did damage his social and interpersonal skills. Now, his lovely Gemma was crying, and he couldn’t even think of a solution to end it.

She mumbled ‘thank you’, but she kept crying... confusing him thoroughly.

"Gemma, darling... what's the matter?" He knelt down next to her and gathered her hands in his. "Did it not please you? I... I can get another one for you. No engravings. Nothing on it. Please don't cry."

He realized that even his silvertongue was eluding him now, he had no way to console her...

“I’m. Just. So . HAPPY!” Gemma sobbed, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, crying into his shoulder.

God, she was making a scene. Right in the middle of Tiffany’s, bawling her eyes out while Dave hugged her back. She held the gorgeous bracelet in her hand, just rubbing the pad of her thumb over the engraving, feeling the words, opening her heart and letting him into it, fully.

After a few more minutes (and, thankfully, a box full of tissues that the friendly sales associate brought to her with the assurance that it “happens all the time.”), Gemma was finally in control of herself enough to wipe the tears away from her red-rimmed eyes, smiling brightly with rosy cheeks.

“Wow...I’m so sorry. I just kinda lost it there. Whew ...”

She fanned her face with her hand, still trying to compose herself, taking deep breaths.

Loki waited on her as she calmed herself, so relieved that she was crying tears of joy and not anguish. 

Damn, he was so unsure of himself now... 

"Hey, my little flower, feeling better now?" he asked gently, sitting beside her now and rubbing her back, a comforting gesture he had learned from his mother. "Don't apologize. It's good that you express your emotions so plainly and frankly. I quite like it."

The truth was that he craved her honesty. It was so refreshing. After a lifetime of deception at the hands of his so-called father, he was ready to receive honesty with open arms.

But at the same time, it made the pit of his own guilt deeper… 

"Shall we leave now? Let's have a hearty dinner, what say you?"

Gemma nodded and let him lead her out of the store, after thanking the staff for their help. They offered to put the bracelet in the iconic blue Tiffany’s box...but she chose to wear it out instead. 

She kept her arm wrapped around his as they made their way to the valet, and happily let him open the passenger door to let her in.

They hadn’t discussed where they would be having dinner, but soon, Gemma realized that they were in a familiar neighborhood...where PAC & Co. used to be...and around the corner...

Dave pulled into the parking lot for Pizza My Heart .

Loki gave her a charming, if a little shy, smile as he opened the door for her.

"I thought that we'd go back to where we started. And you had loved their food, so it's a blessing really, after today's lunch."

Gemma felt like she was floating as Dave helped her out of the car. The new weight on her wrist kept her focus on everything amazing that he had done for her, on what a special guy he was, on how unbelievably lucky she was to have found him.

She was sure she had a big, stupid grin on her face the whole time she followed him into the restaurant. She couldn’t even bring herself to say anything, she just held his hand and sat with him at the table.

They ordered the Doggy Style Pizza, of course.

Finally... some nice, filling food. Pizza sure was one of Midgard's crowning glories, and this little pizza place in New York had won him over with their fresh, delicious fare. 

Gemma looked happy as well, tucking in and having her fill of the weirdly named pizza they had ordered.

All in all, their dinner ‘date’ was going fabulously well. He finally felt more confident in his courting skills.

Soon, they discovered that Pizza My Heart even had an ice cream menu now. Those were his absolute favourites!

"You want to try their gelatos?" he asked her, unable to hold his excitement over something as simple as ice cream. Thor would've laughed at him were he here, the uncouth idiot...

“Mmhm,” she hummed as she looked over the gelato menu. Gemma was glowing with happiness - it had been one of the best days of her life...and it wasn’t over yet!

“What flavor are you going to get? I’m going with spumoni,” she giggled. She hadn’t had a lot of gelato in her life, but she just loved that word... spumoni ...

"Oh, I'm ordering at least five of them," he replied, rubbing his hands together. 

Just as the server came over for their ice cream order, he started rattling off the ones that he wanted, Gemma watching him with a grin on her face. 

"I want one each of Zuppa Inglese, Stracciatella, Bacio, Ananas, Mandorla... and she'd have..." He looked over at her, waiting for her input while his mouth watered just naming the different flavours.

“Spumoni!” she laughed, grateful he had given her the opportunity to say it out loud again. How silly was that? But she was in a rather silly mood. Elated, more like it.

As the server left, Gemma gave him a look. “FIVE different flavors?! I never pegged you for having a sweet tooth.”

He smiled at her accusation self-consciously, shrugging in acceptance.

"I have a horrible sweet tooth, yes. I see desserts, and I go a bit overboard with them. I know that that doesn't suit my personality at all, but I'm not going to let a perfect opportunity to have a gelato go to waste."

“And who could blame you?” Gemma giggled, reaching across the table to take his hands in hers. “Just one more of your secrets I get to know. And I’m looking forward to learning more of them.”

She noticed that for a brief moment his face changed from joy to distress, then back again. Right when she was about to ask about it, the server wheeled out all six gelatos to their table, and Dave seemed to lose focus for anything else.

Gemma decided to let it pass. So he probably had some secrets. Who didn’t? Now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. She dug into her spumoni, and within minutes the thought was completely out of her mind.

Loki watched her surreptitiously as he ate his five gelatos one spoonful at a time. They were all delicious, but his mind was still burdened by her words. 

His secrets. Norns... his secrets had secrets!

She'd be horrified to learn them all, and then... she'd turn away from him and never return. She'd never forgive him.

He absolutely did not want to deal with that reality. Not right now, when they were enjoying their dessert.

So he simply ignored it, like almost all of his problems. 

"They're really good. Here, have some of mine," he said casually as he offered her a taste of each of his gelatos, grateful that she had let the topic of his secrets drop for now.

She ate each of them as he fed her from his spoon. And he was right! Each was just as delicious as the last. Although she did dribble a little bit out of her mouth on one attempt...but she laughed it off. She hadn’t been this happy in her entire life, and she was perfectly content to keep it that way.

The bill came, and for the first time, she didn’t even try to peak at the cost of the meal.

Loki smiled at her knowingly as he paid the bill. She had not attempted to peek at it this time. That was a relief.

When they exited eatery, he grasped her hand and started walking back to his car at a leisurely pace.

“We should make it a point to come here more often,” he suggested. “You seem to like this place a lot, and I’d certainly give it more stars than that other restaurant we went to.”

Of course, it was here that their acquaintance became more… became something lovely and magical. Why wouldn’t he keep returning to the place with her…?

Gemma’s happy, stupid smile would not leave her face. She was full of delicious pizza and ice cream, she was with her DREAM MAN, and it had been such an amazing day that she could hardly believe that it was real. But here she was, hand-in-hand with Mr. David Johnson, ready to head back to her apartment and prepare for her new job tomorrow.

And he was already planning their next date!

“I couldn’t agree more,” she said giddily, giving his hand a squeeze and leaning into him as they walked. “I don’t think I’m classy enough for the kinds of food they tried to serve at lunch. I haven’t been trained like a highborn lady! ” She made her voice high and comical, faking a terrible British accent that she hoped wouldn’t offend him, but he just laughed and pulled her closer.

She was truly, deeply, utterly happy. Nothing could ruin this moment…

...except maybe that group of strangers surrounding Dave’s car…

When Loki turned his attention away from Gemma and looked towards his car, he was rather surprised to find four young human men surrounding it. He could see that they had some odd looking instruments in their hands, very likely, the kind that were used to break into cars. Hmm…

They all turned to face him and Gemma as they heard their approaching footsteps.

Loki’s thousand year old warrior’s instinct immediately picked up the fact they were trouble. He pushed Gemma behind him.

He wasn’t worried about his car; it was protected by his wards. He was worried about Gemma.

“Step away from the car. You picked the wrong party,” he growled at them, glaring threateningly. “Move along.”

Gemma’s happiness melted instantly when Dave went stiff and moved her behind him, and she watched the group of men turn toward them. Her heart started to POUND as the imminent danger became apparent - they were going to get mugged!

Immediately, her thoughts started to spin. Of course, they were getting mugged, leaving a fucking Jag full of luxury items just sitting in the parking lot of some pizza joint in the middle of Brooklyn. How had she not seen this coming? She had been so enamored with Dave...she felt SO SAFE...it was stupid. She should have known better. DAVE should know better!

Instead, he just stood there, threatening them. There was NO WAY he could take them all… especially after she noticed the glint of metal in their hands. They had weapons - guns or knives or switchblades...this was bad. Very bad.

“Dave, we need to get out of here …” Gemma whispered, her voice shaking. “Please...I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Loki bristled at Gemma’s fearful words.

“Don’t worry. Just stay put,” he muttered, as he stepped up to the men.

They brandished an assortment of rudimentary weapons at him. One had a wee switchblade, another had a metallic rod with a sharp end. Two of them had thick chains.

He didn’t want to fight them. Truly, he didn’t. But when their body language became more aggressive, he felt his own blood singing for a fight.

A completely non-magical, physical fight.

“I told you to move along,” he said as the one with the switchblade approached him first.

“Give us the keys, rich boy,” he replied with a sneer, brandishing the blade at him. Then, his gaze switched to Gemma, and his sneer grew darker. “We won’t hurt her if you comply. Well, not too much.”

Loki narrowed his eyes. “Oh, I know you won’t hurt her.”

In a move akin to a snake’s strike, he hit the man’s elbow with his open palm. The force of the hit was enough to loosen his hold on the blade, which flew up in the air.

Loki caught it easily and pocketed it, then spun around to hit the man’s jaw with his elbow. He fell down immediately, while his companions looked on in shock.

Gemma gasped and stumbled backward when Dave expertly disarmed the attacking mugger, almost casually felling him before squaring off against the remaining three men. Her eyes were wide and she could NOT look away - Dave looked bigger , with his shoulders flexed forward and his arms at the ready, preparing for another attack. She could only see him from behind, but even so, he looked terrifying - intimidating, menacing, deadly .

What on EARTH...was this the same guy? The same guy who treated her so gently?

Somehow, one of the muggers managed to break out of the shock of seeing his accomplice downed in one strike, and he ran at Dave with a yell, the chain wrapped around his fist as he went to punch him. Gemma screamed instinctively and fell to the ground, scrambling backward, preparing to see Dave get pummelled by the blow…

He dodged it effortlessly, gracefully ducking to the side and, in the same movement, plowing a left-handed uppercut into the attacker’s gut. The man’s eyes went wide, staring at Gemma as she watched the pain contort his face. Dave leaned over and whispered something into his ear before the light left his eyes and he passed out, falling to the ground in a crumpled heap. The chains around his arm clinked and clattered as they unraveled on the asphalt.

Gemma couldn’t speak or look away, she just froze, breathing shallow, as the two other men prepared to attack Dave at the same time...

Imbeciles, the lot of them… 

He simply caught the rod that one of them aimed at him, pulled it out of his hands in one swift move and kicked him in the face. With his other hand he caught the chain clad hand of the other offender and twisted it around.

That earned him a shriek of pain. Music to his ears.

But Loki wasn’t done. He unwinded the chain from his hand and pulled it away. Twisting both of his arms behind his back, he tied him up with the same chain and shoved him away.

Meanwhile, the man who had attacked him with the rod was crawling away on all fours. Well, attempting to slither away.

Loki walked up to him and grabbed him by his hair, pulling him up slightly. 

“I never want to see your faces in this area again,” he said, his voice a low hiss. “Understood?”

Even as he threatened him, he made up his mind to report him and his accomplices.

At long last, he let go of the man and turned around to face Gemma… and found her cowering on the ground.

That’s when he realized that he had probably overdone it with the fight. He sighed and approached her slowly, as though he was approaching a scared deer.

"Are you hurt?” he asked, making his voice as soft and unthreatening as he could.

She simply shook her head, though he noted that she was trembling.

“I'm sorry you had to see that, darling. Let's be off, then." He held his hand out to her as he said that.

Gemma was trembling, badly, looking around at the chaos and carnage that surrounded her. She couldn’t focus on anything - her mind was overwhelmed with “flight” responses and all she could do was sit there and observe. The unconscious or writhing bodies of their would-be attackers lay around them on the dark pavement of the parking lot, their weapons either removed from them or used against them. And in the middle of it, illuminated by the dull yellow streetlights, was Dave, smiling gently and reaching for her.

He looked like a guardian angel. He WAS her guardian angel!

Still in shock, she reached up to him tenderly, taking his hand as he easily lifted her to her feet. She fell into his chest, just wanting to be close to him, feeling his arms wrap around her shoulders as he led her to the car and let her in. Silently, they drove back to her apartment while Gemma tried to collect her thoughts.

Each time she looked at Dave, he simply gave her a comforting smile and a pat on the leg. How did THAT work? He was treating this as if it were a NORMAL occurrence! Was he truly so unshakable that even a near-deadly FIGHT wasn’t enough to rattle him?

The more she learned about her new boyfriend, the more questions she had. But she was in no state to try and figure them out right now. Just as they pulled into The Max, she had regained enough of her composure to stand on her own...though she still held onto Dave like her life depended on it. Because, tonight, it had.

And she had never been more turned on.

Loki took Gemma home and then carried all of her shopping bags in himself, not letting her bear that burden even one bit. Moreover, she was still shaken from the incident in the parking lot, so he didn’t want her to do anything but relax.

His mother had taught him to be a chivalrous, courteous and kind man, and he was trying to honour her teachings now. He was trying to be that man he had been before his mental collapse. He knew that in actuality, he couldn't be that man again, but he could at least strive for restoring some of him back into himself. 

"So, ma'am, all your shopping's done now. You'll have a brand new wardrobe for starting anew tomorrow," he said with a triumphant grin as he began to hang the clothes into her wardrobe while she hovered about him, telling him, in a feeble tone, that she could do all that herself. 

He didn’t pay her protests any mind, of course. He was here to help her. And ease her mind...

"What else to do now?” He turned around and gave her a lopsided smile, crossing his arms casually. “Do you want to go to bed early?"

Gemma’s heart had never really stopped pounding since the attack, but when he gave her that easy smile and crossed his arms…

She’d never felt like this before - impressed, and still kind of afraid, and happy, and so so SO aroused that her knees were beginning to shake. Her mouth watered as she took him in, standing in a catalog-perfect pose, the most incredible human being she’d ever met.

“Oh, I want to go to bed all right...”

Before he could fully respond, she was already on him, kissing him passionately and pulling him to her like he was a tall drink of water and she was dying of thirst.

He lifted her and took her to the wall, her legs wrapping around his waist, never breaking their kiss. After the day he’d given her, the gifts he’d purchased for her, the things he’d shown her... she wanted to show him just how much she appreciated it.

Chapter Text

Important Notes

Bold = Loki's POV

Normal = Gemma's POV

Norns... she was quite literally attacking him. Her mouth was sucking on his lower lip like a hungry beast, and all he could do was groan and thrust against the heat of her crotch. 

He liked this side of her... he loved this side of her!

"Baby girl..." he groaned again, just as she began to pull at his clothes in her impatience. "Shhh... calm, now. Slowly..."

He let out a chuckle as she growled in response. Oh, she was such a feisty little kitten....

Ooohhh she wasn’t going to stand for that!

“You save my life (kiss) and call (kiss) me ‘baby girl’ (kiss) and you expect me (kiss) to calm down?!”

She pulled at his perfect blue Oxford shirt so vehemently that she ripped it open, popping the buttons off as she went.

She didn’t care. She could sew them back on later.

“NOT slowly, Dave. Anything but slowly!”

Loki tried so hard to control himself, to keep his cool... but Norns , she ripped his shirt buttons off!

"Oh you little brat, I might punish you for that," he growled and pounced on her. 

Turning her around to face the wall, he zipped her dress down and made it fall to her ankles. Soon, her underclothes joined it on the floor.

"Bend forward, palms against the wall." He took on the tone of a leader, of a King... and he knew that she could make out the difference.

She visibly shivered when he gave her the command. When he got in this mode...god, his voice was irresistible. Perfect, strong, compelling. Without hesitation, she did as he said, pressing her naked ass out toward him like an offering, closing her eyes and anticipating his touch...

He took his clothes off quickly, his own impatience gathering like a storm now. Once naked, he pressed himself to her and pushed her little body more firmly against the wall. 

"Tsk tsk... such an impatient little girl you are, Gemma. No self control at all.... hmm? I bet your sweet pussy is dripping in need right now..." He snaked an arm around her hip and reached for her arousal, touching her with two fingers, just teasing her clit between them. "You are... your little clit is out for attention. It's begging for it. But... only good girls get their clits petted properly. Are you a good girl, Gemma?"

Gemma moaned indulgently as he began to toy with her, his words and his accent and the power of his voice making her positively vibrate with need.

“I’m whatever you want me to be...just pleeeeease...” She pressed her hips forward, yearning for more from his masterful fingers. “I’ve been wanting this ALL DAY.”

"All day ?" He bit her earlobe and chuckled, enjoying this play with her immensely. "Oh you poor dear, I've put you through so much. And all you wanted was an orgasm, hmm?"

He kicked her legs apart then, and stepped between them, nudging his cock at her entrance as his fingers kept teasing her clit.

"Mmm... so slick and ready, so wanton for my cock, aren't you? Maybe I should've fucked you in that helicopter... given you a real trill."

Just as he said those salacious, filthy words, he pushed inside her fully.

Her legs trembled as he filled her, and she purred with delight. He felt so good, stretching her wide, pushing inside her.

“Oh, Dave ...I... hhngg ...I...” she groaned. He was much better at talking during sex than she was, but she didn’t care...she could listen to him for HOURS.

She pressed back into him, wordlessly inviting him to take his pleasure from her and give it to her in return.

Loki closed his eyes in ecstasy as he began to move inside her, grasping her hip roughly to keep her in place. 

She was on her tiptoes, poor thing, her little body almost resting entirely on his cock. It was driving all of his baser instincts into focus, telling him to claim her, to mark her, to make her his.

"Sweet Gemma, my sweet sweet girl.... your pussy is so hot, it's delicious," he rasped, going so deep with his thrusts that he made her whimper. "I want to do dirty, filthy... bad things to you, baby girl. I want to keep you in my bed for days and have my fill of you. I'm a hungry man... so hungry for you."

He felt her clench around him with each filthy sentence he spoke in her ear. It made him smirk. Gemma so loved his salacious words…

“If I had known that you were so needy for my cock, I’d have fucked you after each of our shopping endeavours.” He held her firmly as he gave her hard, long strokes. “In my car, in the changing rooms, in that bland restaurant’s washroom. I’d have made you come so many times. Maybe we ought to go out and do more shopping in the coming days, hmm?”

Gemma bounced and jolted as he took her, eyes closed, cheeks flushed, just listening to him saying all those wonderful, awful, dirty things. She was already close, and her fingers squeezed against the wall.

“Oooh fuck, Daaaaaave, don’t stop...don’t stop,” she begged with increasing urgency as he wound her tighter and tighter.

"Oh no, I'm not stopping, baby girl, I've just begun," he growled, pressing his fingers down on her clit as he snapped his hips against her ass, pressing against all the pleasure spots inside her.

She screamed. She screamed and shook and gushed against his fingers, utterly lost to pleasure as her orgasm stuck. 

Loki wasn't far behind himself. He throbbed inside her and let go, taking her name as he released... eyes still closed in pleasure. 

When they both calmed a bit, he pulled out of her and picked her up in his arms, the sudden movement making her squeak. 

"Taking it to the bed, darling, for I know you're tired," he said, holding her against his chest and kissing her forehead. "But I'm not done with you yet."

Her head swam as he carried her, still swirling in the afterglow of the orgasm. She looked up at him with hooded eyes as he held her in his arms...she felt like a princess being rescued by her prince, carried off into her Happily Ever After...

He set her limp body gently on the bed, then crawled up between her legs and caged her in his arms, his already-hard-again manhood nudging her entrance, slick and ready with both of their fluids.

For a moment, she just stared at him, smiling, and he looked deep into her eyes, into her soul.

Then the words came out of her mouth before she could think, before she could consider what they meant, before she could stop them...

“I love you...”

And as soon as she realized what she’d said...she smiled again. It was true, and she had no regrets.

Norns ... 

He was done for... she destroyed him with those three words.

"I... " he gasped, staring at her with wide eyes as he hovered above her. "Gemma... Oh dear... Oh..."

He wrapped his arms around her and embraced her tightly, burying his face in her neck. Hot tears suddenly flooded his eyes without his consent. Her words overwhelmed him. He had nowhere to hide this sudden burst of emotions; he felt like an exposed nerve.

She pulled him close to her and felt something warm and wet on her collarbone.

He was... crying ? 

Oh no...had she done it wrong? It had been so long since she’d said it to anyone, maybe the moment wasn’t right…

Or maybe he didn’t feel the same…

Her heart froze in her chest, breath held.

Ohhhhh shit…too soon. I said it too soon...

"I love you too," he whispered finally, taking a deep breath, letting his vulnerability flow with his tears. "I love you too, Gemma."

And I'm so sorry... for all the lies… just so I could keep you.

He said it back. He said it back...

Her own tears were just about to fall when he pushed inside her and began thrusting so passionately and lovingly that she could barely catch her breath. 

He took her like she had never been taken before...it felt like there was a tangible energy flowing off of him and all around her, like they were floating off the bed...

She kept her eyes closed and just let the feelings flow through her...that incredible sensation of safety that Dave gave her, magnified by a thousand. It was magical...

Loki was lost in her... in her body, mind and soul...

This moment was what it was all about... the love so intense and magical that it felt unreal... the love that skalds wrote ballads after ballads about.

He thrust into her slowly, kissing her tears away as she moaned in pleasure and cried his--no, Dave’s name--repeating the words of love. He didn’t mind the name Dave so much anymore. It didn’t matter. Gemma loved him… Gemma loved him! Everything else was meaningless.

He was so overwhelmed with all the sensations and feelings that he simply forgot about controlling himself.

Or his seidr, for that matter, which he was always consciously trying to keep locked in his attempt to appear human . 

Her confession of love was a tidal wave that drowned his caution and made him forget all about his carefully constructed illusion, about hiding his true identity. About anything that wasn’t Gemma…

He couldn't be bothered with it right now, not with Gemma making such sweet sounds of pleasure, not with the way her body joined with his, like it was made for him... 

For these few moments, nothing else existed for him, nothing else but Gemma and her love. Not even time seemed real. 

They made love for so long that he had no idea when they both fell asleep, still in each other's embrace.

But when he did wake up, he realized that her whole apartment was in disarray, furniture askew, things strewn around. He must have really let his seidr go wild last night...

But the most shocking thing was... Loki wasn't wearing the face of Dave. He was himself. 

Panicked, he left the bed in haste, putting a sleep deepening spell on Gemma so she wouldn't wake up while he righted her apartment and rectified his illusion. 

Norns, he was such an incredible fool...

Just as he cleared everything up and changed himself back to Dave, his phone began to howl like a siren - the tune he had set for Fury.

He groaned, rubbing his face in frustration. He knew what THAT meant. There was an emergency somewhere, and he was being handed a new, urgent mission.

Sometimes, he wondered if his choice to join SHIELD was a right one. But then again, it entailed keeping the realm safe... keeping Gemma safe. So he didn’t regret it all that much.

Dressing himself, he sat down on the bed and wrote a quick note for her, telling her that he had been called for work early. He left the folded paper on her nightstand and then gave her a parting kiss, taking away his spell with it. 

With a heavy heart, he left her apartment in a gust of magic, preparing himself for yet another battle.

Gemma awoke a few minutes later.

When had she fallen asleep? The last thing she could remember was...

Oooohhh right...

She smiled to herself and snuggled into the blankets. What a day she had yesterday! And what a NIGHT! It might have all just been a dream except for the very real and VERY welcome soreness between her legs...and the bracelet that was still on her wrist.

She said she loved Dave. And he’d said it back. And—

Wait, where was he?

Gemma sat up and looked around the studio apartment. There was no sign Dave anywhere, but her apartment looked squeaky clean. Had he cleaned her place before he’d left? 

She giggled a bit to herself as her heart fluttered, then she saw the clean white piece of paper on her nightstand with her name written his handwriting scrawled across it.

It was a sonnet - a beautiful, poetic, romantic apology for leaving before she awoke due to an emergency at work, and a promise to see her again as soon as it was possible. He told her he hoped she slept well. He told her to have a good first day. And he told her he loved her, again...

Gemma beamed. She carried that letter with her as she got ready for work, then re-folded it delicately in her purse as she headed out the door.

Chapter Text

Important Notes

Bold = Loki's POV

Normal Text = Fury/Stark POV

The mission was over rather quickly, much to Loki’s relief. He had to foil a terror attack that was underway in Northern Egypt. It was being powered by someone who had surreptitiously gained access to advanced weapons via two rogue SHIELD agents. 

The battle was a short one, for Thor and Stark had also flown in to back Loki up. Handling it alone would have created a mess. It would've lasted longer, and the media would've descended on it like hounds. Loki couldn't afford to slip up and reveal himself in front of them.

If there was anything that Loki wished to avoid, it was the Midgardian media. He was a dead man on paper, after all, and he couldn't imagine the riot it would cause if it got out that he was, in fact, alive and thriving. More so, that he was one of Midgard's protectors now.

No one would accept that. Gemma included.

"Hey, lover boy," Stark came to land beside him as the dust of the battle settled. Thor crashed right in front of them as he did so, causing deep cracks in the ground. "How's your girl?"

Loki rolled his eyes, trying to hide the smile that was bursting on his face. "She's fine. Happy.” 

She loves me...

“And... thanks for that show you put on for her, though I don't approve of flying while being hungover."

Thor just looked at them in confusion for a moment, putting two and two together a bit belatedly. "You got to meet her before I did?"

"He did not," Loki countered. "No one is meeting her, because none of the Avengers know Dave personally."

"Hey, you work in my company," Stark said, opening his visor and cracking a smile at Loki. "We could conceivably know each other."

"We do not." Loki changed his dirty and battle worn clothes into new ones with a flash of green seidr. "Let's go back to SHIELD. Fury will be wanting a debriefing."

"Ugh... my favourite part of a mission," Stark muttered. "Are we flying or are we using the Loki Transport ?"

Instead of responding, Loki simply grabbed his and Thor's arms and teleported them all directly to Fury's office, right in front of his desk, making him spit his coffee out in shock. 

He loved the fact that even after all these years, Fury reacted the same way to his sudden appearances in his office; he didn't like it one bit. Which was why Loki made sure to do it as often as possible.

As soon as that crack of energy dissipated in front of him, Fury instinctively spit and reached for his sidearm, pointing it straight at the intruders before the sparkling magic faded from sight.

But, of course, it was just his “dream team” - two aliens and a mad scientist.

“Could you knock ?!” Fury glared as he put his gun back in its holster, then pulled a few leftover Chipotle napkins out of his drawer to clean up the desk...

"Maybe," Loki replied, settling down in one of the visitors' chairs, "but where's the fun in that?"

Meanwhile, Stark retracted his armour and Thor took a seat as well. 

"Loki," Thor admonished dramatically, all fake. "Don't do that to dear Nicholas, his human heart is frail."

Loki nodded solemnly, while Stark snorted.

"So, Fury, before we proceed with the debriefing, there's something I want to discuss with you," Loki stated without preamble. "It relates to my relationship with SHIELD, and how I want to continue it further."

Fury raised a suspicious eyebrow...that was never a good sign. Loki only started conversations like this when he KNEW Fury was going to be against it...and from the expressions on Stark and Thor, they already knew what it was about.

“Ok...” Fury said delicately. Well, as delicately as he was capable of, anyway. “And what would Your Highness like to discuss? Do you need more bubbles in your royal bath?”

Stark snorted again. Loki ignored him. 

"Would you actually do that for me, dearest?" he asked, swinging his chair back and forth, his fingers steepling together as he looked at Fury with false affection.

Just as Fury opened his mouth to respond, Thor spoke up, killing the fun, as usual. 

"He is courting a lady from this realm, and hence, needs to make his identity as Dave more... permanent ."

"I-" Loki started, sitting up in his chair immediately, but Stark interrupted. 

"Yeah, more solid, like, more real. She can't know that she's dating the actual dark lord of the Sith. Nu-uh. That won't fly. So he's actually going to become Dave now, for all intents and purposes. And SHIELD has to help him with it."

"LET ME SPEAK!" Loki glared at both of them, then turned back to Fury, all the fun side of his demeanour gone. "Yes, I have met a woman, and I love her. I want to start a life with her. You will help me if you want me to continue working with you, Nick ."

For a rare moment...Fury was speechless, looking between the three of them as he processed the news...

Then...a slow smile spread across his face, which turned into a chuckle, which soon became a full-blown belly laugh.

“Are you KIDDING me? Loki, would-be conqueror of Earth, Fallen Asgardian Prince, and SHIELD’s most effective magic-wielding agent...HAS A GIRLFRIEND ?!”

No one else was laughing, but Fury couldn’t help himself - the situation was just too ridiculous.

“Just— how in the HELL did you expect this to work out for you? I am honestly curious...”

Loki's consternation grew with Fury's laughter, with his eyes narrowing in anger. 

"Nicholas," Thor spoke up, raising a hand to gesture at Fury, but Fury was just too busy being amused. "Don't..."

"Of course, how will it work out for me," Loki muttered, getting up from his chair and making for the exit. 

It wasn't so much that Fury was having fun at his expense, it was that it hit Loki far too close to home. 

Loki himself wasn't sure that this ‘relationship’ he was trying to create with Gemma, this new life... whether it was possible for him or not. Too many things had gone wrong for him in the recent past. 

Most of the people he loved had abandoned him or died. There were so many things wrong with him. His relationship with Gemma was based on a great lie. 

Fury was probably right to laugh. 

Just before Loki opened the door, he turned back around to face Fury, his even expression hiding the pain he was actually feeling. "I'm done with SHIELD, whether my relationship works out or not."

Then he headed straight out, slamming the door behind him.

The three of the remaining men sat stunned for a few moments, before Tony stood up.

“I’ll go get him. Fury--“ Tony gave him a stern look and pointed directly at his widening eye. “That was below the belt and you know it. You’re gonna make that up to him.”

Then he headed out the door just in time, with Loki stalking away.

“Loki! Wait up!”

Loki kept ignoring Stark till he caught up with him, sighing when he grabbed him by the arm. 

"What?! Is it not enough that he humiliated me like that? You want more entertainment, Tony?" He turned around and faced him, knowing that his eyes were welling up. "And you know what, he's not wrong. Of course, she would not let the real me court her. She can never even think to love someone like me. I destroyed her whole life . I'm the villain of her story."

“Woah woah woah, come on,” Tony said as he led Loki into an unoccupied side room and closed the door. It was some generic office, looking as if it weren’t in use by anyone. Tony locked the door and closed the blinds over the window.

And right as he looked up, he could see Loki wasn’t going to be able to keep it together any more. He walked up and threw his arms around him, all pretense and ego cast aside - the responsibilities and problems of the universe could wait.

Both Loki and Tony could be irrational, scathing, sarcastic, angry, and self-destructive...and it all stemmed from the pain of their pasts. Tony could empathize with what Fury’s inconsiderate reaction had done to Loki’s precarious mental state.

“That wasn’t ok. He was completely out of line, and you deserve better.”

" When have I deserved better? Even the Norns hate me," Loki muttered into Tony's shoulder, tears leaking from his eyes. He knew he ought to control himself, but of late, it was just so hard to keep it all in. 

He was in love and he just... he wanted to make Gemma happy , he wanted to have a happy life... but it seemed so out of reach.

"My past haunts me, no matter what I do, it'll always haunt me... "

“I know, buddy, I know...” Tony just held him, rubbing his back and letting him break down. He even felt some of his own tears starting to well up.

God, what he would have done if Fury had acted that way about Pepper...and he wasn’t even a supercharged alien sorcerer prince. Even like this, Loki maintained more control than Tony thought he could have - he probably would have blasted Fury with his repulsors.

“But your past only gets further away the more you build your future, and your future is looking pretty good! Gemma’s a sweet girl - and cute too. She’s good for you, and you’ll make it work. Just remember that the person you were in the past doesn’t have to be the person you are now. You have already made crazy progress! You’re one of the good guys now! See any other former supervillains walking around SHIELD? I mean...other than Cap’s boyfriend...”

He’d meant it sarcastically...but he’d be damned if those two weren’t doing the horizontal mambo behind closed doors.

As Stark chattered away, Loki found himself gaining his calm back again. It was a relief to have someone with whom he didn't have to pretend, with whom he could let himself go. 

Stark was that person for him, and very recently, even Thor. At least that was somewhat working out for him. 

"You're quite good at giving a pep talk, Tony," he said with a sad smile as he squeezed his shoulder. "But don't let it get to your head."

“Me? Let something get to my head? Nah. Never happens,” Tony said with a grin. Pulling back, he kept his hands on Loki’s shoulders and gave him a gentle smile. “You deserve to be happy, Loki. And if Gemma makes you happy, then we’re gonna make this work. Scout’s honor.”

Then he stepped back and leaned on the nearby desk. “So...we can head back to Fury whenever you’re ready. I know you said you’re done with SHIELD, but...you’re an Avenger now, and we need you. Besides, I fund SHIELD, and frankly, Fury is a glorified paper-pusher at this point. But I don’t want to do his job, so I keep him around.”

He smiled and tilted his head to the side almost coyly.

Loki couldn't help but chuckle at Stark's declaration. The man was both endearing and infuriating at the same time. That was why Loki had grown close to him.

"My my... I can't say no to THE Tony Stark now, can I?" He gave him a nod as he righted himself and wiped his eyes. "I'm obviously not quitting my promise to keep Midgard safe. That still stands. It's just that I don't need Fury as much as Fury needs me, and I'm aware of that. If he won't help me, I do have other, beyond legal means to achieve what I want. I simply wanted to follow the law of the land, for the ease of everything."

“And that’s what you should keep doing. Trust me, vigilante work is more of a pain in the ass than it’s worth. And SHIELD has the resources to keep you ‘dead.’” Tony said using air quotes, pacing in front of Loki as he chattered.

“So...let’s go tell Mr. Personality how this is going to happen: Dave stays. He can be your ‘secret identity’; they’ve done that before for other operatives, and I expect they can use the same S.O.P. And Gemma only gets the filtered info - work meetings running late, business trips...we’ve got some very talented writers on staff who are masters at coming up with excuses.”

Tony walked up to him again and put a hand on his shoulder. “You ready?”

Loki nodded. "Let's go and put him in his place."

They left the room and headed back to Fury's office, ready to fight for what Loki wanted. Upon entering, though, the office looked very different, compared to how it had looked when Loki had left in a fit of anger. 

All the walls of the office, even the ceiling, had scorch marks on them. Dark, dendritic scorch marks... 

"What the hell happened in here?" Stark asked as he watched the marks, meanwhile Loki found Fury sitting stiffly in his chair, with Thor standing over him, his fists clenched and his jaw tight.

If Fury hadn’t gotten so good at controlling himself throughout his career, he would have been shaking like a leaf. It’s not every day he got furiously threatened by a lightning-throwing Asgardian, but the intimidation had done the trick - Fury realized he’d made a mistake, and was very motivated to make it right...or get fried to a crisp by the God of Thunder and Most Protective Brother in the Nine Realms.

“I owe you...an apology,” Fury said as calmly as possible as Loki entered, still feeling the tingle of static electricity emanating from Thor behind him. “I’m...sorry.”

Loki just couldn't believe it. Thor had... threatened Fury for him? 

He had never compromised his other relationships for him before... especially not his friendships. Loki would need some time to get used to having Thor be protective of him.

"Apology accepted," he replied stiffly, choosing not to sit down this time. "I expect you to do your part now. Give Dave a proper identity, and keep his secrets safe. There should never come a situation where his cover gets blown."

For the next few hours, Fury, Tony, Thor, and Loki went over the details of Dave’s life and what corroborating documents and paperwork would be needed to give his identity a believable and iron-clad history. Passports, identification, birth certificate - everything he wanted, Loki got Fury to agree to. 

Finally, it was settled - David Johnson, born in London to Michael and Susan Johnson, last heir to the family fortune which had been passed down on his mother’s side (her maiden name was Tudor...might as well play THAT up), was a real and true person...according to all the paperwork.

Fury sat back, finally feeling like he could get back to his actual job, now that the drama was over.

“So, gentlemen, if we’re all happy with this turn of events...would you mind telling me NOW how your mission went?"

Chapter Text

Important Notes

Bold Text = Naina's/Oliver's/Dave's POV

Normal Text = Gemma's POV

Gemma felt her palms sweating as she clasped the new hire folder to her chest, riding the elevator up to the floor that would be where she would start her new career. The HR manager was a cold, silent woman with a tight bun, a severe look, and impeccably pressed clothing; even though Gemma looked better than she had in years, her self-confidence was still shaken.

No warm fuzzy feeling here…

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open, and Gemma was greeted with a familiar view: the same sterile, cool-and-neutral-toned office space she had lived in with PAC & Co, with grey dividers separating the workspace into a field of cubicles. The fluorescent lights buzzed above her as she followed the HR manager through the maze of desks and silent employees, busily typing away and focused solely on their screens. When they finally stopped, Gemma was at an unremarkable, empty desk, devoid of any personality.

“This is yours,” the woman said, gesturing for Gemma to enter the small space, which she did with a scurry to get past her frigid gaze. “Take some time to get settled in, and fill out your W4 and I9 forms. Once you’re done, start reading the employee handbook. I’ll be back to check on you in a few hours.”

Gemma nodded and opened the folder to look at the plethora of paperwork within, and before she could say goodbye or even ask a question, Icy McBitchface was already back in the elevator, a scowl plastered on her perfectly-made-up face.

With a sigh, Gemma started filling in the forms in front of her.

"Well, the wicked Witch of the Waste doesn't like you, huh?" A grinning face peeked from the divider of the cubicle. "No surprises there. She isn't fond of anyone here. I think the only time I've seen her smiling is when Mr. Stark is visiting."

The woman wiggled her eyebrows at Gemma, giving her a little wave. 

"Hellooo. You must be wondering who the nosy intruder is. Naina Singh here."

“Hiiii...” Gemma half-smiled, half-gawked at the GORGEOUS South Asian woman greeting her from over the divider, looking completely out of place in this drab environment. She was like a rainbow burst amidst the grey surroundings - her smile and her warm welcome almost shocked Gemma into silence. Her nerves were getting the best of her.

She took a moment to gather herself, then smiled back and extended her hand, hoping she hadn’t come off as rude. That’s just what she needed - a bad first impression on her first day.

“Sorry, yes, HI! I’m Gemma. Gemma Spitznaegel. Nice to meet you, Naina.”

The bracelet Dave bought her at Tiffany’s jingled softly as she offered the handshake.

Naina's eyes gravitated to the pretty bauble on Gemma's wrist while they shook hands. She looked at it pointedly.

"Are you like... a daddy's little princess?" she asked flippantly, her lips still upturned in a smile. "Is it a Tiffany?"

Gemma almost choked when Naina asked if she was Daddy’s little princess. What could she say? Actually, my super-rich, handsome, British boyfriend, who I DO occasionally call “Daddy”, bought this for me during a shopping spree yesterday on Fifth Avenue. Also, we went on a helicopter ride and I saw Iron Man! ISN’T THAT GREAT!?

“Um, yes, it is,” Gemma said quietly, pulling her hand back. “My boyfriend bought it for me to celebrate my new job...but I don’t usually wear stuff like this. I’m more of a JC Penny kind of girl myself...”

She winced, because even THAT downplay wasn’t entirely true. But what could she say? I’m more of a GOODWILL kind of girl, because up until a few weeks ago I was in abject poverty!

Ugh, would she have to hedge EVERYTHING she said here? She didn’t want the first thing for Naina to know about her to be that she was poor…

Naina's smile grew wider at her response, and even a tad bit conspiratorial.

"Boy, that blush on your face sure tells me a LOT about this boyfriend of yours, mostly that he knows how to keep you happy."

Her hand caressed the bracelet once, a sort of faraway expression clouding her face for a split second.

"I once knew a boy... who got me pretty trinkets too. Not Tiffany's, but they were the product of love. Such was young love..." She sighed heavily. "I hope your love story has a better run than mine."

“Oh, yea. It’s still pretty new, but he’s...”

She couldn’t help it. The blush flourished on her cheeks and she smiled shyly, even giggling a little bit thinking about Dave’s eyes...and his smile...and his shoulders...and his everything ...

“He’s great,” she said, and watching Naina’s reaction made her instantly feel more comfortable. She was friendly and open - so unlike most people she met!

“Um...if you don’t mind my asking, what happened with you and your ‘love story’? I mean...you don’t have to tell me if it’s too personal...”

Naina waved Gemma's concerns away, once again taking on an easy-going air to make the new girl more comfortable.

"Well, nothing out of the ordinary. His parents compelled him to marry a girl from their community and caste, a criteria that I didn't fulfill. We had to part ways." She shrugged, flipping her long braid back. "But that was ten years ago. I shouldn't be talking about such maudlin stuff while I'm trying to welcome you here."

Leaning over the divider, Naina smirked at Gemma again. 

"Now that we're neighbors and most likely soon-to-be work friends, will I ever get the pleasure of seeing your Mr. Dreamy? You see, I'm kinda curious and nosy, and you just have to put up with it while you're here. I'll show you a pic of my boyfriend too, when I have one, that is."

Gemma laughed and pulled out her phone to show Naina a picture. She only had a handful of pictures of Dave, and she flipped through them quickly to find her favorite - the picture they took at Pizza My Heart last night. She was gobbling a huge slice of pizza, and Dave was laughing - genuine, unguarded, spontaneous laughter. It was his most beautiful look.

With a grin, she turned the screen to Naina. “That’s him. That’s Dave.”

Naina's eyes widened. 

"Whoa! That really IS Mr. Dreamy right there!" She clicked her tongue and gave Gemma a dramatic nod. "I don't blame you for the cute blushies. He's a catch, and a snacc. And he's attentive too. A bonus!"

She was poised to say more, but someone behind her made a snide comment about office discipline, stopping her right there.

"More on this during the lunch break." She winked at Gemma and made a finger gun. "I'm sending you some emails that will help you in getting started. No sweat. If you need any help, I'm right here."

Then she put on a pair of glasses and slid down behind the divider again, but not before giving Gemma a parting grin.

“Ok! Thank you! Nice to meet you!” Gemma whispered quickly as Naina ducked out of sight. She smiled, putting her phone away and turning back to the folder full of papers - now, it didn’t look so bleak or intimidating. Picking up her pen, she started to fill in the forms with renewed enthusiasm. 

Maybe this place wouldn’t be so bad...at the very least, there would be no Oliver to—

“ Spitznaegel ?”

Oh, no...

She was cursed. She HAD to be. She’d remember that voice for the rest of her life...

Turning slowly to the entrance of her cubicle, she looked up and saw the rotund face of her former boss staring back at her. He was carrying a tray of coffee and an armful of papers, an expression of shock and nervousness painting his sweat-covered features.

“Shit,” Gemma said almost too loudly. “What are you doing here? This has got to be a nightmare...”

Oliver's face grew hot as he tried to respond to her.

"What does it look like? I work here!" 

He was thoroughly ruffled by her presence at this office. And for one thing, he knew that she wasn't working under him. He'd have gotten prior intimation of that...

Which meant that he had no control over her. The very thought incensed him. She was nothing...a nobody compared to him! What was she doing here? 

"Don't tell me someone offered you a job here," he remarked gruffly, looking down his nose at her. "You need skills for that."

“Yes, in fact, I was offered a job here, and I accepted it. Apparently, I do have skills - not that you ever noticed.”

Gemma tried to give him her most haughty, intimidating look...but admittedly, without Dave nearby, she was feeling very small. Still, she couldn’t let him start bullying her again - she needed to nip this in the bud.

“How’s your girlfriend? Still an anime girl on a body pillow, right?”

Oliver's face grew hot at her remark. "You have no business commenting on my private life!"

Damnit, she had grown a spine. He had never expected that from her.

"And you have no business commenting on my life in any capacity, not then, not now, not ever. Now if you don't mind, I have some very important paperwork to finish for my new job. I'm sure you have some very important things to attend to?"

With that, Gemma stared him down, waiting for him to leave.

Oliver grumbled under his breath as he stepped away from her. There was nothing else he could do for now. He was also still fairly new in this job, and he didn't want to create problems for himself.

Already, his finances were tight. PAC & Co. had really messed that up for him.

"Whatever. We’ll see if you can last here," was his parting remark to her.

Gemma ignored his last words as he walked away, just turning her focus to the folder in front of her. She wondered if Naina heard that...or if Naina even cared. To be honest, she seemed nice, but Gemma was slower to trust people these days than she had been before. Especially after what happened last night after dinner…

While she filled out the forms, she kept replaying the memory of Dave’s amazing fight - if one could call it that; it was more of a one-sided ass-handing - feeling shivers as she thought about how his muscles flexed, how fluidly he moved, how he casually overwhelmed the attackers with the ease of closing a business deal.

Annnnnd she was wet. Again. It was going to be a long day.

-----

Several hours passed, and Gemma had finished her paperwork and read (and re-read...and re-read) the fairly slim Employee Handbook. The HR lady never returned to check on her, and it was nearing 1:30pm. Suddenly, Gemma's phone blinked with a message from Dave:

Meet downstairs for lunch?

Gemma looked around and sighed...well, she could certainly say she waited...

Sure, see you soon, babe.

With that, Gemma grabbed her coat off the back of her chair and began to head toward the elevator, hopeful she could find her desk again when she returned.

Naina dashed after Gemma as she stepped into the elevator. 

"Wait for me, wait for me!" she called as she came scrambling after her, just about making it into the elevator. "Phew!"

She saw the look of uncertainty on Gemma's face, and she sighed and chuckled. 

"It's lunch time, aren't you going to let me show you around?"

"Oh, hey! Actually, um, Dave just got here. He's taking me out for lunch."

Gemma smiled sweetly at Naina. If Dave hadn't offered, she would have happily joined Naina for lunch and a tour...maybe they could do that some other time.

"But how about tomorrow? I'd love to get a better lay of the land here. And I'm sure you know all the good lunch spots."

"Oh! That's perfectly fine!" Naina smirked at her knowingly. "Dave is your priority, after all. And I don't mind it even a bit, cuz I get to see him!"

She giggled as Gemma's face slowly became red.

"Oh, don't be so shy. I love seeing people in love."

In love...

There it was again. This was happening so, so fast. A month ago she was completely alone, and now the word love was being thrown around?

She was thrilled to be with Dave, but she didn't need people she’d just met commenting on her relationship.

On the other hand, how awkward would it be if she didn't just go along with it? Besides, she did love Dave - she'd said it last night and he'd said it back. It was all still so...new, and strange, and different.

Just another thing to get used to in my "new life".. . Gemma sighed and smiled again, letting the moment pass.

"OK. But don't make a big deal out of it!"

"Oh, I won't," Naina said as the elevator dinged. "As you will get to know me in the coming weeks, you'll realize that I'm a master at exercising discretion."

However, she did nearly miss a step when her eyes landed on Dave. Flesh and blood Dave was even more handsome than his picture.

Naina had trouble keeping a straight face. 

"Oh..."

Gemma's face lit up when she saw him standing in the lobby, backlit by the large glass windows behind him, hands pushed easily into the pockets of his peacoat. As she approached, he looked up, and his expression changed from one of modest disinterest to complete joy as soon as he laid eyes on her. She scurried up and wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a chaste, work-appropriate kiss.

"Hi honey," she grinned, nuzzling the tip of her nose against his as she stood on her tiptoes.

She hadn't realized Naina had stopped walking when she saw Dave, but the look of shock on her face was both endearing and utterly satisfying. Naina was a SNACC herself, and to elicit that kind of a reaction from her was a feat indeed. Gemma grinned and let go of Dave to turn back to her, still holding his hand.

"Naina, this is Dave. Dave, this is Naina, my cubicle neighbor. She's been really great in helping me get settled in today."

Loki gave the woman a little wave. As he did that, he observed her keenly. She seemed like a decent person, on the basis of first observation.

"Hello. So kind of you to have helped her."

That was a bit perfunctory on his part, but what else could he say on the first meeting with someone?

The woman smiled and shook her head. "Oh, it was no problem at all. Nice to meet you!"

"I'm glad that you're making fast friends, darling," he said, turning to Gemma again. "So, shall we get going?"

"Yea," Gemma giggled, and she gave a little wave to Naina as they headed out the front doors.

Dave led her down the sidewalks of New York, keeping her hand firmly tucked into the crook of his elbow as they navigated the crowds. Several blocks away, he brought her to a hole-in-the-wall diner called "Shawarma Palace" that smelled like the most delicious grilled meat she'd ever smelled - her mouth started watering the second he opened the door.

"Oh my GOD, this place smells incredible! It's been FOREVER since I've had good Middle Eastern food!"

Loki smiled at her reaction, congratulating himself on finding a food joint that suited Gemma's tastes. What more, he was keen to explore this cuisine.

He had tried this kind of food on a mission once...but it had been a hasty endeavour. It was no fun having a falafel while dealing with arms smugglers...

"So I chose right, hmm?" he asked as they headed to the counter to make their selection from the delicious Middle Eastern fare. "I'll be honest, I was a bit nervous in choosing a place to eat."

He grasped her hand and kissed her knuckles as she tried to suppress a giggle. Norns, he adored her so much... he still couldn't believe that she loved him back.

Loved Dave back.... but still, it was him.

Gemma approached the counter, where a smiling older man greeted her.

"Oooh, ok ok. I'll have...the shawarma plate with lamb, extra hummus and pita on the side, a tabouli salad, some baba ganoush...and a diet coke." She grinned, her mouth watering and hands wringing together. Then she turned back to Dave. "What are you going to get?"

Loki was about to order his food when his gaze fell upon an image that was stuck on the wall behind the counter.

It was the Avengers... all of them. Inside this shawarma place. They were all posing with the staff here, and they looked tired and rather beaten down. 

And the most telling thing about it was that half of the interior and facade of the eatery was missing. It had been turned into rubble.

Just one look at it told him that it was taken right after his attack on New York. It nearly knocked the wind out of him. 

A touch on his elbow alerted him then, distracting him from the photograph. It was Gemma, of course.

He looked away from it and gave her wobbly smile.

"Sorry, I couldn't decide... perhaps a Lebanese salad with spicy lamb shawarma? Oh, and a plate of baba ganoush, too."

Gemma smiled and made sure the person at the register got their order, then they went and sat down at one of the simple tables so the next guests could place their order. As they sat down, she kept Dave's hands in hers, running her thumbs over the backs of his knuckles and grinning stupidly at how good it felt.

"I'm glad you could make it out for lunch today. No big meetings today, huh?"

Dave was just about to answer, when suddenly Gemma heard a voice behind her. A familiar voice that she'd heard thousands of times before, but never in person...

"Dave? Is that you, buddy? I thought you were in Singapore this week, closing the deal on the new arc reactor plant."

Chapter Text

Important Notes

Bold Text = Loki's POV

Normal Text = Gemma's/Tony's POV

Gemma stopped breathing and turned slowly to see...Tony Stark. THE Tony Stark . Standing there, with a sarcastic, squinty-eyed smile, hands on his hips, addressing Dave.

Her brain shut down. She couldn't move, couldn't talk, couldn't take her eyes off of the world's most famous billionaire superhero. One of HER PERSONAL HEROES...

All she could do was try and force a smile and NOT VOMIT from the nerves of being face-to-face with HIM.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, it registered that DAVE KNEW TONY STARK?!?! Personally?! But everything else was static.

Loki just froze. Tony Stark was here, and he was bent on exposing him!

He blinked, and then he suddenly realised that Dave was Stark's employee...he had to show him some deference.

So he stood up, all stiff and uncomfortable, and smiled sheepishly in response.

"Mr. Stark... what a pleasant surprise." His eyes drifted down to Gemma, who looked like she had seen a ghost. "Uhh...err, yes, I was in Singapore this morning. I came back only an hour ago..."

He was just making things up, and he hoped that it didn't sound fake. For Gemma's sake.

Stark's eyes were twinkling with mischief, something that he appreciated in other circumstances...but not here. Not right now.

"I thought you were briefed about it." He gestured towards Gemma as he spoke. "We were just getting lunch. This is Gemma Spitznaegel, my girlfriend. She's also working for Stark Industries."

Tony turned to her, a warm, genuine smile replacing the somewhat-mischievous one he'd worn when addressing Dave .

"Pleasure to meet you, Gemma," he said, extending his hand. "You look familiar...have I seen you somewhere before? I'm usually pretty good at remembering faces."

Gemma was trembling but she tried to keep her composure, for Dave's sake, at least. She stood and shook his hand, smiling widely.

"Hi. Yes! I mean, no...I mean...no, we've never met, but yesterday...um, in the helicopter. I mean, I was in the helicopter, you were in your suit. The iron suit. The Iron Man suit. That flies."

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! STOP BEING WEIRD AND JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF!

With another nervous chuckle, she tried to relax enough to breathe.

"I'm sorry. Let me try that again. Nice to meet you, Mr. Stark. I'm just a little...starstruck, is all, I think."

Tony grinned as their handshake broke. "THAT'S what it was! I thought only tourists took those sightseeing flights - not used to seeing those people again. And don't worry about it, kid. I get that kind of reaction all the time . You should have seen how Dave behaved the first time we met face-to-face. I'm sure he's not proud of it, so I won't embarrass him."

Gemma saw Tony wink at Dave, and for the first time in her life, she saw DAVE flush a bit, clearing his throat and pressing his lips together. She couldn't help but giggle.

"Really? I'll have to get that story sometime."

“It's not a very funny story," Loki muttered under his breath, recalling the actual first time he had met Stark. He was feeling so damn uncomfortable that he wanted to disappear right away. "I was just very keen on getting to know him better, and I fumbled a lot."

He gave Stark a slight glare as Gemma looked away from him. He didn't know what he was trying to do here, but he didn't want Gemma to get suspicious...so he just played along.

"I was about to tell Gemma about that party you are throwing next week. I was thinking of bringing her along... it's my first as well."

Gemma gasped a little bit - he hadn't even mentioned a party WITH TONY STARK next week before now! And she noticed Tony's eyes went a little wide as he said it, as though the party were news to him too. But he regained his composure quickly.

"Well of course you should bring her! It'll be great - you know how I like to party. All the time. Pfft I'm totally ready for this party," Tony stammered, suddenly seeming falsely assured.

That put Gemma a bit on alert - what was going on here? Maybe...this was their normal way of interacting, and she just wasn't used to it? It was possible...but something still felt off about it. And had Dave said he'd only returned from Singapore an hour ago? Even though Tony must have recognized Dave was with her on the helicopter yesterday…

The overexcited static began to quiet as she realized their stories weren't lining up. But what could she say? Mr. Stark, I'm sorry, what's going on here? I think my boyfriend is LYING to you...and you're going along with it?

She bit her tongue and stayed quiet about it, for now. But she and Dave were going to have to talk about this later...

"I...I would love to come!" She perked up and smiled brightly, clasping her hands together to broadcast her enthusiasm. "I've heard amazing things about your parties, Mr. Stark. It'll be nice to go out and have some fun for an evening."

Loki smiled brightly as Gemma started to talk more calmly. Perhaps she didn't notice the inconsistencies in their interaction. He hoped she didn't...

"Then we'll see you next week, for sure," he said, patting on Gemma's shoulder. "I was planning to introduce Gemma to you then and there only...but you have foiled my plans."

He tilted his head towards the door to make Stark leave. He was getting increasingly impatient.

But Stark didn't leave. He just kept chattering. And that made Loki pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration.

Just leave, damnit...

Tony continued to ask her some basic getting-to-know-you questions - where she was from, what she did, how she was liking the job so far. Gemma gave him the standard, shallow answers one expects in a first meeting, but the conversation wasn't at all unpleasant. Although Dave seemed to be getting impatient - what was going ON with him?

Suddenly, the man at the counter shouted out. "Mr. Stark! Your order is ready!"

Tony gave him a quick wave of acknowledgment, then turned back to Dave and Gemma. "Well, it was great running into you two here. See you around the tower, kid. And Dave - I want to know about that Singapore meeting. My people will call your people. Set up a meeting. Get it on the calendar."

He kept talking as he walked to the counter, got the plastic bag of food, then headed out the door. Just before he exited, he gave Dave the strangest smile before bolting away with a quick paced walk, almost like he was trying to keep them from seeing him laughing…

Gemma and Dave's order came up shortly after, and she brought the food back to their table on a plastic tray. Sitting down and distributing the food, she didn't say anything for a while, just went about her work as she thought. She returned the tray to the counter before sitting down, then she looked up at Dave.

"So...why were you lying to Tony Stark?

Loki nearly choked on his shawarma. Oh dear...oh Norns... Gemma had caught the lies.

He was going to kill Stark.

Putting the wrap back on the plate, he cleared his throat loudly before he started speaking.

"You're smart." He smiled, trying to make it look authentic. "I uhh... actually, I didn't go to Singapore. But that's all that I can say about it."

He leaned towards her conspiratorially, turning his voice into a mere whisper.

"It's confidential. And maybe we can discuss it later?"

Gemma leaned forward, mirroring his movement. She narrowed her eyes with sarcastic, irritated playfulness. "Or maybe we can discuss it NOW, Dave . It's loud enough in here that if we whisper, no one can hear us. Now what is going on? Why did you say you came back from Singapore an hour ago? And why did it look like even TONY STARK didn't know he had a party coming up next week?"

Loki closed his eyes and groaned. 

If only she'd believe him...

"It was a secret deal with a special, engineered material dealer. I didn't leave the country at all. Stark wanted to keep it...uh, low key."

He shrugged, leaning back into his seat. 

"The party bit I knew from Miss Potts. She had arranged a special soiree on his behalf. Of course he didn't know."

" Low key , huh?" Gemma said. She still didn't fully believe what he was saying...but if that WAS what was going on, it fit, at least. "Look, I know your job is a big deal and I'm sure there are a lot of things that are discussed behind closed doors that would be horrible for Stark Industries if it got out. But I'm not a business partner, Dave. I'm-- I'm your...girlfriend. You can trust me."

The word didn't seem big enough. "Girlfriend" felt shallow and childish - what she was to Dave was so much more than that. She was his loyal companion, a shoulder to cry on and partner to play with in the bedroom. And she needed to be able to trust him ...he was too important to her for dishonesty to keep a wall between them.

"I'm here to support you, Dave. I'm your partner-in-crime; we're on the same team. But we can't be on the same team if you don't let me know what's going on. I need you to be honest with me, ok? From now on?"

Loki nodded slowly, though every bone in his body screamed at him. He was lying to her.

In this relationship there was no honesty from his side. There couldn't be...

"I'm sorry, Gemma." He looked down in shame, disgusted at himself for lying to this innocent woman who meant so much to him. For leading her on and giving her a love marred by false identity. "I didn't want to make a big deal out of it. And I truly wanted to surprise you with an introduction to Mr.Stark."

"Ok, I get that. And I appreciate it," she said, sitting back again and starting to dig into her meal. She was near STARVING and this food looked soooo good. She wrapped up some hummus and shawarma in a pita and took a big, satisfying bite, groaning with enjoyment when the flavors hit her tongue.

"Ohf mah GAWSH" she said, mouth full of food. "Dif foo if suh GUD!" Chewing and swallowing quickly, she took a sip of her drink and smiled. "So, want to know about how my day at work has gone so far?"

Dave's responding smile calmed her down, and he began to eat as well. They carried on with a casual conversation and enjoyed their meal, until it was just a few minutes before she was supposed to be back at the office. They wrapped up the leftovers (she'd have lunch for two more days with the food she had left!), then started heading back to the Stark Industries enclave. Before disappearing inside her office building again, she just stood there, looking up at the huge Stark Tower and squeezing Dave's hand. She felt great...and she was re-energized to finish up her first day.

Loki pulled her in for a quick embrace and a kiss, not wanting to let go of her so soon.

But... he knew he needed to be patient. This was her first day of work, and she needed to head back to her office. He didn’t want to distract her from her work, and that too on the very first day.

Oh, how he wished to have a cubicle next to hers again...

"I hope you can receive me in the evening," he said, brushing his nose to hers. "I plan to spend the night with you again... if it pleases you, that is."

" Hnnnng ..." Gemma shivered and closed her eyes, hardly realizing she'd made that embarrassing noise. But that voice! She didn't think she would ever get used to it...it always aroused her intensely , and that too, instantly !

Damnit Dave...you HAVE to give me a lady boner before I go back in for work?

"Oh, I think it'll please me all right..." she purred back, going up on her tiptoes to kiss him again. "I'll see you around seven? I can make those pork chops with apples that you liked so much. Come hungry, ok, loverboy?"

With that, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek before rushing back inside to return to her desk.

----

Despite the affectionate parting with Gemma, Loki was still quite miffed about Stark's actions.

He had not only interrupted his little lunch date, but also put Dave in a precarious position. Gemma was far from an imbecile. She was sharp, and she had caught the lies easily.

Granted, it wasn't his best attempt at deception, but that was beside the point! He was focusing on Gemma's beautiful smiles, the way her hair shined in the soft lighting of the eatery... how could he focus on lying ? And that too, so suddenly? With no planning at all?

He was going to throttle Stark all over again! Perhaps even throw him out the window as well, while he was at it.

With the present frustration and annoyance fueling his actions, he didn't think twice as he marched right into Stark's office, interrupting some kind of gathering.

He didn't care for it.

Tony's eyes went wide when Dave stormed in, completely halting the conversation.

Ooooooh shit...

Chapter Text

Important Notes

Bold Text = Loki's/"Dave"'s POV

Normal Text = Tony’s POV

Tony could FEEL the fury coming off Loki.

"Uh-uh...meeting adjourned, everyone. Let's reschedule for...some other time, I don't know. Everyone out!" His lackeys began to collect their things and scurry out of the room, while “Dave” stood panting and enraged with every muscle flexed. Tony was just grateful he managed to maintain his disguise.

Once everyone was gone and the door was closed, Tony put down TINA - Tiny Interpersonal Noninterruption Accessory - on the table. The room flashed with a bright blue light, the doors locked, the windows shaded, and all audio and video surveillance for the area went dark.

"OK, you're clear." He smirked as Loki's disguise faded away...then his face dropped when the furious Asgardian started charging toward him with a murderous look in his eye.

"HEY hey hey hey !" Tony put his hands up and backed into a wall, leaning into it like he hoped it would eat him. "OK, ok, I'm sorry I ambushed you. But that is kinda MY restaurant. I mean, come on, Shawarma Palace? That's my place - my picture is on the wall."

Loki bared his teeth and growled at Stark, barely containing his urge to grab him by his throat. He had to remind himself that it was Stark who had helped him in coming up with a plan for Dave's life, who had convinced Fury to let him have the persona of Dave permanently...

That was a sobering thought.

But still... Stark had almost foiled it on his own.

"I saw that image, it's beside the point that that is your favourite eating joint!" He glared at his friend, clenching his fists. "You made me lie to Gemma! Right there! Feel lucky that I'm not defenestrating you again!"

"Yes Loki, I feel very lucky. "

Loki's nose was almost touching his, and Tony could hardly breathe. He could tell Loki wanted to hurt him...but he was restraining himself. That, at least, was a good sign.

"Can you blame me? I mean, you tell me all about her, you fall in love with her, I help you get her an apartment and a job - it was gonna happen. You know me...I can't stay out of these things. It's just part of...my charm?"

Loki closed his eyes to curb his violent tendencies, and he tried his best to keep his crackling magic under control. Stark was really testing his patience...

"Your charm?" He pulled away from him and slammed his hands down on his mahogany table, leaving deep cracks in it. "YOUR CHARM?!" 

Turning around, he ran a hand through his hair and groaned, feeling the rage slowly ebb from his system.

"I went to SINGAPORE?" he asked, gesturing wildly with his hands, facing his friend again, who was still standing frozen against the wall, watching him warily. "Why, of all the places in the world, did you choose Singapore? You couldn't have said that it was somewhere WITHIN your continent of AMERICA? You're really trying me, Tony!"

"I was spitballing it! You know - going with the flow, improvising. Usually works out. And it IS conceivable that we knew each other through work. You're one of my "top sales guys", all the papers say so. And...well, I..."

Tony stopped for a second, realizing suddenly why he had wanted to meet Gemma so badly. "It's crazy to think you're going to be able to keep this secret alone - I know we already have SHIELD backing you up, but on a personal level, I don't know, I just...want to be there for you if you need me as Dave . Even the best undercover agents need people to help them. You should have a wingman."

He rubbed the back of his neck, sighing as Loki visibly began to relax. "I'm not... good at this. I didn't really have friends before the Avengers, besides Rhodey. Beautiful women and yes-men, all over the place, but no one other than Pepper really got inside my walls. Now there's Steve and Nat and Bruce...and weirdly enough, you . So I'm trying...sorry if I'm screwing it up."

Loki's anger completely deflated once Stark started his muddled chatter about friendship. He knew that he was being honest, he could sense it. And he was indeed Loki's best friend in this realm, the one who had forgiven him for his past actions (knowing that they weren't his actions in totality) and took him in without any prejudices... 

He had to give it to Stark, he was always trying his best to help. And not just him, anyone for that matter. He had a heart of gold. It was just that sometimes his actions misfired. Like in Gemma's case.

Sighing heavily, Loki waved a hand over the damaged mahogany table and mended it instantly. Once the flash of his magic died down, he looked back at Stark in a resigned manner. 

"You're right. You're my friend... perhaps my only good friend, and you meant well. So what now? How are you going to be my 'wingman' without making it worse?" he asked offhandedly, resting his hands on his waist. "How are we going to make it so that Gemma doesn't suspect me being anything more than just Dave?"

"You're gonna think this advice is crazy..." Tony warned, walking over and putting his hand on Loki's shoulder. "But, be yourself . Believe it or not, you are pretty amazing as Dave. It's not going to take a lot to convince her that you befriended Tony Stark," he chuckled as Loki and he sat on the table.

"Because you did. And you didn't have to do anything other than get over inhuman amounts of mental and physical trauma. So...are we good?"

Loki nodded absently, looking down as the guilt pervaded his senses again. 

"I'm still lying to her. And I feel terrible about it. I wonder if it's my utter selfishness or if I just want to love her so badly? I just keep oscillating between feeling happy and feeling like a complete wretch." He gave Stark a non-humorous smile. "Me getting over my mental trauma doesn't absolve me from my continuing wrongs against Gemma. But... I'm not backing out, am I? I wouldn't be Loki if I did. I fully intend to court her and keep her... as long as I can."

“That’s the spirit,” Tony said, slapping him on the back a little too hard. Though it didn’t seem to bother the Asgardian...sure made his hand hurt. He grimaced as he tried to shake it off without Loki noticing, and changed the subject.

“So, speaking of things-we-just-came-up-with-on-the-fly, what’s this about a party I’m supposed to be throwing next week? My ‘legendary soirees’ don’t just plan themselves, you know. Nope, we’re both in this hole now, and you’re helping me with this - so you better be ready to work, Reindeer Games.”

Tony pulled out his phone and dialed, putting it up to his ear with a heavy sigh, muttering “Pepper’s not gonna like this...”

Then he snapped to attention when her voice came on the phone.

“Heyyyy Pepper...” he started, then immediately got on the defensive. “What? No...I’m not— I don’t have a tone , I—no, I didn’t screw anything up, it’s just— Well ok fine yes there IS a last-minute thing... Um, well, yes Loki’s involved, but it’s not like that this time!...”

Loki smiled as he watched Stark struggling to maintain his composure. He was so besotted with Pepper Potts that he was admitting defeat right away in order to get her approval and cooperation for their party.

While he divulged the details of the issue, Loki began to tinker with the stuff lying on his table. He especially liked his crystal paperweights, so he started juggling them in his hands. As he did so, he was reminded of one thing that he had wanted to discuss with Stark not long ago. He had almost forgotten it because of the present shawarma drama.

Well, now was as good a time as any to bring it up... and that's what he was going to do once Stark was done with his call.

As Stark got off the phone, he made the gesture of throwing the paperweights at him, catching him off-guard. It startled him, just as he had expected.

"Is madam Potts vexed about planning a legendary soiree?"

“She’s not thrilled ,” Tony answered, regaining his composure after Loki spooked him with the paperweights. Did he always have to do something to get a rise out of him? It was as irritating as it was endearing, a trait that he knew they shared. “But she’ll get it done. And she knows you’re going to give her some magical help AND I’ll owe her for it big time...hopefully she’ll force me to make it up her.”

Tony held in an excited laugh as he thought about all the “punishments” Pepper might imagine for him, but he was able to shake himself out of it after a few seconds.

“So, now that we’ve got our stories straight and the party planning is underway, anything else you wanted to discuss, Vader Lite?”

Loki rolled his eyes at the epithet. He had seen Star Wars and he was NOTHING like that heavy breathing metal clothing enthusiast.

Well, not a LOT, at least...

"Actually, there IS something I've been thinking to discuss with you, something that's been weighing on my mind."

He began to juggle the weights again as he continued.

"I want to do something for the victims of the attack that I had spearheaded here. I want to help them in making a recovery, wherever or however I can. I need your help with that. I have the funds for it, but I need someone with proper organisational and management skills to realize my aim."

“Is that so?” Tony grinned. He knew this was a big step for Loki, something that would help him process his trauma and feel like he was atoning for his past - something Tony was still trying to do.

“Well I think that’s a great idea. What aspect of the victims’ lives did you want to help improve? It’s been about a decade since the attack, so most people have gotten the basics under control - maybe mental health assistance? Or job training? Something to give them a ‘leg up’ in dealing with their own trauma?”

Loki nodded. "I had given some magical assistance to the poorer neighborhoods of New York upon my return to Midgard. But I realize that that's not enough. Merely helping the infrastructure doesn't help the individuals."

He felt a bit embarrassed by it all, especially about the fact that he hadn't even thought about lending a helping hand to the individual victims until he learned about Gemma's suffering after the attack.

"I just want to help them in any way I can, put my riches to good use. I understand that most of it would be done financially. If anyone has a debt, I want to take it off their hands. If there's a way I can offer them a boost, say, in the form of a grant, that too." He sighed, feeling a bit frustrated with his lack of proper direction. "I'd love any suggestions from your side, since you're in the habit of charity."

"Maybe you can pay for scholarships for people who were in the attack, or for their kids. You can supplement physical and mental therapy from injuries and trauma caused by it. And you can make it like a gift to Gemma..."

Tony got a little emotional seeing Loki's reaction when he said that. He had tears in his eyes.  Good, the bastard deserved it for scaring him with the paperweights earlier.

"All you really need is one good person to lead it, so long as you're willing to throw the money at it. And I think I might know someone who fits the bill..."

Tony pulled out his phone, and sent the contact information for Mae Parker to Loki. "She's got a heart of gold, and she's always looking for ways to give back to the community, especially since her nephew began taking an interest in 'hero-ing'. I'll arrange an introduction between Dave and her so you can pitch the idea and see if she wants to help. Sound good?"

Loki really liked the idea, especially the part about this being a gift to Gemma. He could even imagine the look on her face upon seeing the papers for it.

"But..." he hesitated, running a hand through his hair, feeling so damn insecure and anxious. He wanted to do this right.

"What if this Mae discovers the truth about me?" He frowned; the name was familiar… "Wait, Parker? That spiderling's aunt?"

Tony chuckled. "'Spiderling.' I'll have to use that sometime." He stood and began to pace around the room, mind spinning. This could work - Loki would have a meaningful way to give back to the people he hurt, Mae would have a job that was right up her alley to support her and Peter, and Tony would...just feel smug about making it all work, that was good enough for him.

"You'd be her boss, so she wouldn't see you unless you wanted her to. And there's always going to be a risk of someone catching you out of disguise, but you've done amazingly well so far - Gemma doesn't even know and you spend almost ALL your time with her. If she does, just do that memory-erase thing I've seen you do, no harm, no foul. Come on, I've got a good feeling about it. What do you say, Mr. Johnson?"

With that, Tony extended his hand for a handshake with a cheesy, winning smile.

"I wouldn't harm her mind like that," Loki said, scowling but still shaking Stark's hand in affirmation of their deal. "I mean, there's no chance of her discovering the truth."

He felt quite confident that Gemma wouldn't suspect him of being... Loki.

"Mae wouldn't know either, but...the boy knows me, he knows my true identity. What about that?"

“He doesn’t know that Loki is Dave ,” Tony countered. “You’ll just be a philanthropist looking for an opportunity to do some good. A normal, wealthy, good-looking philanthropist. I don’t think you’ll need to worry about that.”

Truthfully...yea, the kid couldn’t keep a secret if his life depended on it, especially with Mae. He knew all “Avengers stuff” was top-secret and Tony may have told him that he’d put secret listening devices around so he would know if Peter talked about it (he hadn’t), but the idea of starting this charity got him far too excited to think about that right now. This was Loki’s chance to see the difference he was making in people’s lives up-close, instead of the abstract “fighting threats from the shadows” thing he’d been doing for the last three years. It would be good for him.

"Hmm..." Loki nodded again, mostly to give himself a boost of confidence regarding this matter. He was going in blind, but he trusted Stark with it. "Even if the spiderling discovers my true identity, I'll put a spell on him that makes it impossible for him to talk about me as Loki."

Stark guffawed at that suggestion, finding it hilarious.

That put Loki at ease as well. This was a good plan. This could actually work! He'd simply let Mae Parker organize everything. The help will reach the individuals this time.

And Gemma... Gemma would surely be happy about this endeavor. It would be the perfect surprise gift for her.

Chapter Text

Important Notes

Bold Text = Loki's/Dave's POV

Normal Text = Gemma's POV

3 MONTHS LATER

It was a comparatively lazy Thursday morning, and Loki was simply enjoying lying in bed, for Gemma was in his arms, sound asleep. Her warm little body snuggling into his was the best feeling in the world.

Well, perhaps equivalent to being joined with her in carnal bliss...

The thought brought a smile to his lips, and that led him to turn a very heavily asleep Gemma on her back. He kissed her neck slowly while his hand raised her little nighty and started working between her slightly open legs. The intent was to wake her up on his cock. 

She moaned lightly in response, still not ready to wake up, and Loki briefly looked at the clock. It was 7:00AM, so they still had some time for wake-up sex...

Gemma's body, it seemed, was primed for him even though she herself was taking her sweet time waking up. Her pussy grew slick quickly, and soon, Loki was pressing into her slowly, bestowing kisses all over her face. 

"Wake up, princess," he chuckled, his voice a little strained. Her pussy was clutching him like a glove. "My sleeping beauty... Gemma..."

She moaned and mumbled, finally showing signs of awareness. Thank the Norns...

Finally, when he was fully hilted inside her, he gave her a particularly strong thrust. That had the desired effect. She finally woke up with a gasp, staring into his eyes with those wide, somnolent, pretty chocolate eyes of hers.

At first, Gemma thought she was dreaming.

She didn't normally dream - had never put much thought into them. But that morning, she could have sworn that she was floating and being taken on air before her consciousness finally woke her to a view her own imagination couldn't have surpassed.

"G-good morning, D-dave," she gasped as he slowed and pressed deep inside her, just the way she liked it. She rolled her hips against him and grinned up at him, grabbing his forearms though her head still lolled lazily and her eyes remained half-open. Matching his rhythm slowly, she moaned as he sank into her and made her feel wonderful.

He always made her feel wonderful. There hadn't been a day where he didn't make her feel wonderful since she first moved into this apartment. Her job paid well, and she had already paid him back the deposit and was working on the first month's rent. It made her feel capable and confident. It let her relax and enjoy moments exactly like this.

"Oooh baby, you got up on the right side of the bed, huh?"

He grinned down at her, biting her chin playfully as he ground into her. 

"When do I ever wake up on the wrong side, hmm?" 

She squealed as he turned onto his side, taking her along, keeping them joined as he held onto her delectable ass. He smacked it right as he pushed deeply into her, knowing how it made her incoherent with pleasure

"Oh baby girl, I always want to wake up like this... in your arms, my cock deep inside you."

As she moaned in response, he simply took to sucking on her bouncing breasts. This... right here, was perfection. This was what he wanted his Valhalla to be like... no grand halls or feasts, no heroes of the old. He simply wanted the embrace of his beloved.

"Fuck fuck fuck fuck..." Gemma moaned as Dave violated her in the best way. She couldn't think, she couldn't move, she was completely overwhelmed by the feel of his body with her. She was already coming up on an orgasm, and the way he was picking up the pace, she wasn't going to last much long.

"Hnnnng...ohmygod ohmygod...I'm clooose," Gemma whimpered as her body clenched around him, writhed against him, craved him and needed him and yearned for the feel of him. "Please, baby...PLEASE!"

He smiled against the swell of her breast, enjoying the sensation of her channel clenching around his girth. Norns, it was so heady, it was like a drug he craved on a daily basis. So much that he spent most of his nights in her apartment these days. 

It was fraught with risks, but he just couldn't help it.

"I'm close too, come on, baby girl," he growled against her skin, his whole body singing with pleasure as his orgasm approached. "Come on Daddy's cock."

He knew how these dirty words worked her up, and he used them like a weapon on her.

Gemma let out a squeal that reached into the upper registers of human hearing as the orgasm hit her the moment he said Daddy’s cock . 

She shook and trembled as the waves of pleasure coursed through her, eyes wide and unseeing and her brain short-circuiting. As she started to come down from her peak, she leaned on him, closing her eyes and hearing his heart pounding. He was so warm ...oooh, it was the best feeling just being next to him.

Loki kissed her forehead as she smiled in the afterglow, looking like the prettiest sight in the whole universe...

He was about to mention just that, when his phone buzzed on the nightstand. 

That brought him back to reality so fast, he almost got a whiplash. Reaching his hand back, he picked up the phone and squinted at it while Gemma simply groaned into his chest.

It was a message from Mae Parker--a reminder that they had a meeting scheduled at 8:00AM. Which he himself had scheduled a day ago. 

Norns, he hated his past self so much... but there was no way around this. The charity announcement needed to happen this weekend, and he needed to finalize everything with Mae at the earliest.

"Uhh... Gem, I need to leave for work a bit early," he said, just as he sent a quick reply to Mae, keeping the screen away from Gemma's visual range. "I won't be having breakfast."

He hoped that Gemma wouldn't feel bad about it. After all, he had been making sudden exits from her apartment right from the beginning of their relationship. She would understand...

Yes, she definitely would.

“Oh...”

All of those warm, happy feelings dampened almost instantly. 

Him and that damn phone...every time it buzzed, she flinched. He was so busy all the time, it was like she couldn’t enjoy the time they did have together. But...that was part of the deal, she found. She just kept telling herself that to be with a guy like Dave, she had to let him do him. No matter how much it broke her heart when he didn’t prioritize her.

“Okay hon. Have a good day. Will I see you tonight?”

She tried not to sound desperate or sad...god she hoped it worked.

Loki caught the sadness in her voice, and it broke his heart. She must think him so hardhearted, for he always put his 'work' before anything else, even her.

Oh, if only she knew...

"Oh darling, I'm not sure about tonight," he said, kissing her forehead again, wrapping his arms around her tightly. "I will try, but you know that my work is unpredictable. And I can't say no to THE Tony Stark."

"Yea," she laughed sadly, but she couldn't meet his eye. "It's ok. I get it."

She wriggled away from him and stood up, hugging herself and heading to the door to say her goodbyes to him. She tried to shake it off, to reason herself out of the funk she could feel herself falling into. But how many times had this happened? How often had he just picked up and left suddenly, without any warning? It made it hard to plan a day... 

"Well...text me, or something..."

After dressing himself quickly, Dave walked to her as she opened the door, and when he went to kiss her...she turned her head and leaned away. She just wasn't in the mood. The sooner he got out, the better.

For a few moments he just watched her with confused, concerned eyes, as though he honestly didn't understand why she was upset. But soon, his face fell, and he headed out the door without another word. She closed and locked the door behind her, then set about her daily ablutions and began to get ready for work.

Heading straight to the bathroom, she turned on the shower, letting the water heat before she stepped inside. As the steam began to float from the shower stall, she stared at herself in the mirror. She just looked...hurt.

With a heavy sigh, she stepped in, hoping the warm water would wash away some of the pain.

Loki sighed heavily, knowing that he inadvertently hurt Gemma. The way she had dismissed him had made it pretty obvious. Norns, it had pierced his heart when she had rejected his parting kiss.

He had been quite optimistic that she'd forgive him once he presented her with her birthday gift, which was coming up later in the week. It would be obvious that he had been planning and plotting for it for months, and that's why he had been running off so frequently. 

But doubt percolated in his mind as he exited her apartment. 

What if Gemma didn't like his gift? What if she didn't accept it? She was always so adamant about not wanting his riches...

But, this was different, right? This would help others , and she wouldn't block him doing it. She would be happy for it, for she was a kind soul...

These thoughts continued to haunt Loki as he freshened up at his apartment and went to the restaurant where he was to meet Mae for the charity finalization meeting. As he did that, he decided to wrap everything up early, so that he could then go to Gemma's place this evening. She would be so thrilled at the surprise that she'd forget about why she had been upset with him in the first place.

It was about 7:50am when Gemma hopped on her new little red Vespa to go to the office. She loved this mode of transportation - the freedom it gave her always made her feel more alive; she could avoid cramming in with all the other people on public transportation, and it made her look damn cute, if she didn't mind saying so. Even with this morning's melancholy, she looked forward to the ride; hopefully, it would help distract her from her "boy problems." 

She kicked off and headed down the avenues, passing by Dave's building-- wait, what?

Dave was just getting into his car at the valet.

What the--he should be at the office by now! What is going ON with him?

Ever since they’d met Tony Stark at the Shawarma Palace a few months ago, Dave had been so closed off and evasive. And his reasons for it never made any sense...all half-explained excuses that he continued to brush off like they weren't a big deal. She couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something he was trying to hide from her.

Gemma looked at her watch--it was 7:55AM.

Work be damned, she was going to figure out what was up with Dave.

Pulling off to the side of the road and staying out of his line of sight, she got out her phone and texted Naina.

‘I'm going to be late. Cover for me. We'll talk later.’

Then she waited to see where Dave was headed...

At 8:03AM, Loki parked his car and quickly went into the restaurant, wanting to get through with the meeting quickly so he could head over to Stark's to discuss the security protocol he had been designing with the Spiderling.

AND he had a mission to complete. Or else Fury was not going to give him a break.

Such was the nature of his job. But eh, he'd take it. He was trying to keep this realm safe after all. It was even more of a personal endeavour now than ever.

Mae greeted him with a warm hug, which made him freeze for a bit. He wasn't comfortable with physical contact, unless it was from the select few people he was comfortable with. Like, Gemma... 

Norns, he missed her already...

Returning Mae's hug somewhat belatedly (and awkwardly), he sat down and ordered breakfast, then immediately opened his phone to go over the expenses and roll-out plan with her one final time. Everything had to be perfect, and he was nervous about it all. 

This was the first time he had taken up such a venture in his hands, and he was still wary of Midgardian regulations on the matter. Still, Mae seemed to know what she was doing, and that gave him some semblance of comfort. 

"Do you think we'd be ready by this Saturday? Have you organized everything?" he asked, tapping his fingers on the table. "I mean, it's going to be a big event. And there can be no mistakes."

Mae simply smiled knowingly, patting his forearm reassuringly. "Don't worry, it will be fine. I'm getting plenty of help from Mr. Stark, and even Ms. Potts has called in a few favors to make sure that things go smoothly. Let's just finalize these last details now; you've already seen the finances two times over."

Loki wanted to roll his eyes. But he didn't; it’d be impolite. Mae was a sweet lady, and she was doing everything in her power to make sure that his brainchild saw the light of the day.

Gemma peered across the street at them from behind a hedge of bushes. She saw the whole scene...the hug, the showing-her-things-on-his-phone, the way she touched his forearms...

Narrowing her eyes, she pulled out her phone and sent him a text.

‘ Hey babe. Heard there was an accident on the 42nd. Did you make it to the office safely?’

She watched him react to the notification, smile a polite apology to his companion, and reply quickly.

‘ Yes. Made it to work with no problems. Can’t talk. In a meeting.’

She was torn between unbridled rage and overwhelming sadness. There was, of course, a small voice in the back of her head that said it might not be what she thought it was, that she could be overreacting, that there was probably a reasonable explanation for this...but that voice was drowned out by the sound of her own blood pumping through her ears as she watched him get WAY too friendly with some woman she'd never met.

A beautiful woman, with long, dark hair and deep, sensual eyes and a body that could make a Barbie doll jealous.

A woman that looked much more in Dave’s league than she did...

Tears welled up in Gemma's eyes as she saw them interacting - chatting and smiling in a way that was much more familiar than professional. She lifted her phone and turned on the video, focusing on their faces and getting a good image of whoever it was that was stealing away the love of her life.

She was in an emotional state and wasn’t thinking things through, she knew that...but it didn't stop the turmoil from ripping through her. It didn't stop her from believing that her dream guy really was too good to be true. And it didn't stop her from immediately sending that video to Naina.

Staying hidden, she got back on her Vespa and headed into the office.

As Loki stuffed his face with eggs and sausages, Mae made a few calls while she daintily ate her finger sandwiches. 

The meeting was going well, and he was now feeling a bit better. He was pretty confident that Mae would handle everything on Saturday. Now, he simply needed to wait...

After the meeting got over, he spent the whole day at Stark's, tweaking his software, rendering some things with magic, trying to make something new and blowing up a part of the lab in the process (but endangering none of the staff). Together, he and Stark did make some progress.

Thankfully, his mission with SHIELD got postponed. Apparently, Fury had received some new information on the matter and hence, needed to replan everything. Loki was happy to have that bit of a reprieve.

By the time evening rolled around, Loki was eager to see Gemma. He hoped that by now her mood would be improved. If not, he would take it upon himself to make it happen...

So, with a bouquet of flowers in hand, he stepped up to her door and rang the bell.

Much to his surprise, there was no response.

He rang the bell again, and once more, he received no response.

Pulling his phone out quickly, he sent her a text: ‘ Hey baby girl, are you at home?’

"AND THEN SHE TOUCHED HIS FOREARMS!"

Gemma sobbed as she shoveled another spoonful of ice cream into her mouth, sitting on Naina's couch as her friend rubbed her back and nodded along empathetically. She had spilled her guts to Naina the moment she’d gotten to work, and after a very long day in the office where she could get nothing done, Naina had insisted that Gemma come to her place afterward. She had fallen apart almost immediately upon entering her flat, and hadn’t stopped crying since then.

"And her hair is SO SHINY...on my GOD, Naina, I knew it. I knew he was too good for me. I just...I don't know why I let myself fall for it!"

Naina was just about to say something when Gemma's phone buzzed a text notification. Both of them looked at the phone, then at each other, and Gemma grabbed it and looked at the screen.

"He wants to know if I'm at home ...what, like I just wait around for him to decide to come around? Can you believe the nerve of--Ugh, hang on..."

Through red-rimmed eyes, Gemma glared at her phone, typing furiously.

‘I'm out with a friend.’

Loki blinked at his phone for a few moments, an irrational bout of jealousy and sadness hitting his heart like an arrow. 

She wasn't home, and she didn't even tell him... he wouldn't have--he stopped that thought right there.

How could he blame her? When he hadn’t told her that he'd come by at all. It wasn't her fault that he had been so unsure and evasive. He couldn't spin it around on her; it was bad form to do so...

For a few minutes, Loki simply stood there, giving himself the pep talk that Gemma was fine, that everything between him and her was fine. That he'd come back again tomorrow and they'd watch a movie together after work, and perhaps make love afterwards if she was up for it. Everything would be back to normal...

The flowers seemed to wilt in his hands as he tried to convince himself. Still, a small part of him was filled with dread.

He wondered if he was being too sensitive. But... how could he be sure that everything was fine? She had replied to him, yes, but it had been a very curt reply. 

She didn't even use any emojis! That was BAD! 

Confused and unsure and suddenly feeling very low, Loki left for his apartment. He put the flowers in a vase and then tried to pass the time alone, by himself. He deserved the loneliness, after all, for he was trying to keep things from Gemma. Well, things other than the truth about his identity.

He thought about calling Stark once or twice. Or even Thor... but he decided against it. He couldn't use them as a crutch for his emotions. His emotional upheavals were his deal with.

And it wasn't even THAT bad, was it? Gemma was simply out with a friend, doing fun things. Without him...

He groaned and turned the TV on, keeping the volume high enough to try and drown his own miserable thoughts.

Alas, it didn’t really work.

He was truly pathetic. He couldn't even digest the fact that Gemma could have a nice evening out with her friends, without him. This was not right, this was not natural behaviour, and this was downright unhealthy. He had read many Midgardian psychology books by now; he knew that he needed to regularly check his overbearing behaviour, lest he become a bad example of a man and boyfriend. For Gemma's sake, he had to keep his dark tendencies locked and chained.

Rubbing a hand over his face, he looked at the clock and saw that it was already 10:00PM. Hmm... perhaps he ought to check on Gemma? Make sure that she had reached home safely? That wouldn't make him a pathetic, controlling tit of a boyfriend, would it?

Before he could talk himself out of it, he picked up his phone and sent her another text: ‘ Hey Gem, how was your evening? Reached home safely?’

He took a deep breath as he waited for a response... his eyes not leaving the screen at all.

Chapter Text

Important Notes

Bold Text = Loki/'s"Dave"'s POV

Normal Text = Gemma's POV

Gemma was...drunk.

There was no other way to put it. She had been drinking since dinner, and Naina had kept the booze flowing. She was on her...fourth? Fifth?...glass of wine, and they were just wrapping up "Ten Things I Hate About You" when Gemma saw her phone light up.

Blinking slowly, she leaned forward and picked it up as Naina made sure she didn't tip over. It took her a few attempts to read the message.

"Is's him. I juss....I donno what to say..."

Naina patted her on the leg. "You don't have to say anything. Just crash here. You can be 'sick' tomorrow, and then it's the weekend. Just...take some time. You need it."

Gemma's eyes fluttered, but something in her gut told her she needed to say something to Dave or he would be freaking out that she was dead in an alley or something. He was really protective...and it was really sweet...and he had really nice muscles...

‘I'm good’ was all she could type before her eyelids began to droop...she was just barely able to hit the "send" button. Naina covered her in a blanket, and Gemma drifted off into a deep sleep.

Loki saw her reply, and he waited... 

And waited and waited...

There had to be more. There was no way she would leave such a short message. She didn't even tell him about her day. No “goodnight”s or “I love you”s either. Just two words, and then silence. 

He kept checking his phone for a good one hour before giving up. Turning the TV off, he just slumped further into his sofa.

In the silence of his dark apartment, his demons of days gone by tried to dig their talons into him again. And he let them. It hurt... but he wanted to punish himself. This was just and right, after all; he was constantly lying to Gemma, hurting her in the process. He was bad for her, and he deserved this torment.

And the torment was so heavy and effective that he couldn't even make it to his bed. He just lay on the sofa, staring up at the ceiling with wide, unblinking eyes. Loud, wounding thoughts had taken up residence in his mind now. He couldn't move... he couldn't repel them. They were familiar, and they were incessant.

Gemma has come to her senses. She knows you're bad for her...

What do you have to offer her? Except for lies?

You're just a monster wearing the skin of an unassuming human. Nothing about you is human...

You took Gemma for granted, and now she doesn't care... it doesn't matter what your intent was, you're still a liar.

You deserve to be left alone. You're not good enough for her!

You don't deserve happiness. You don't deserve anything!

Your birthright was to die!

Loki shivered... then looked at the clock. It was nearly 5:00AM now; the sun would be up soon. He knew that he needed to move and start his day, but he just... couldn't. 

He just lay there for another few hours, contemplating life without Gemma. Part of him screamed at him for being so irrational and stupid, part of him mocked him for growing so attached to her. And yet another part told him to move and simply do the things that needed to be done. 

Gemma deserved a grand birthday gift, and he couldn't let his own insecurities ruin it for her. Even if she decided to break-up with him, the gift was still hers. He wasn't that wretched a man to take this from her and the people who deserved it. 

Besides, he still wanted to make her feel good on her birthday. 

Perhaps, she may even forgive him then...?

Once again, he thought himself pathetic. He was making it all about himself, when he had been the one to hurt Gemma. 

With a disgusted groan, he heaved himself up and went to the bathroom to take a long, ice cold shower to calm his psyche.

When Gemma awoke the next morning in Naina’s apartment, she found herself alone on the couch, barely remembering the night before...oh, but she felt it. Her head throbbed and her stomach ached and she felt woozy. 

How much wine had she gone through?

Groaning, she shielded her eyes from the bright light streaming through the windows, then picked up her phone...it was 11:00am.

Oh, SHIT!

She was just about to panic-call the office when she saw a folded piece of pink stationary on the table with her name written on it in scripty, flowing letters. She opened it up and read the note.

Hey Gem, I turned off your alarm and let you sleep in. Don’t worry, I’ll let work know you’re not feeling well, no big deal. You just relax - you need it! I left you some breakfast in the fridge: Potato paranthas with spicy mango pickle and cold curd. Yumm!!! Just pop the paranthas in the microwave for 45 seconds and you’re good to go! Feel free to add some ghee to it if you like. Drink water, hang out as long as you want, just make sure you lock the door on your way out. Call me later - I want to know what happens with Dave.

All the love,

Naina

Gemma was just about to get up and get the food when her phone started buzzing.

It was Dave.

Ugh, with the impending headache about to hit, the last thing she wanted to do was confront him about what she saw, especially over the phone. But she couldn’t very well ignore him...that would just make him call more. With a sigh, she picked it up, trying to keep her voice even.

“Hey.”

Loki swallowed thickly as he heard her voice on the other side. She sounded sleepy and tired. Perhaps she had had a late night with her friend. 

It wasn't a big deal, he reminded himself. 

"Gemma?" he began, not liking how apprehensive he sounded. With all the rest of the world he was acerbic and sassy, witty and confident. But with Gemma, he was... soft. And now, afraid. "I just... wanted to check on you."

That came out as defensive, and he hated himself for making a mess of it. Quickly, he tried to transform his tone into a happy, unassuming one.

"Had a good night out, hmm? How about we have a night in tonight? Order take-out and watch something on the TV?"

“Umm...”

Gemma instinctively hugged herself with one arm as she held the phone up with her other hand. What could she possibly tell him?

I don’t think so. Because I followed you yesterday instead of going to work and caught you on a date with another woman. A really beautiful woman. The kind of woman you should probably be with instead of me...

“I don’t know if I’m feeling up to it tonight...” she said with a shaky voice. “I’m not really feeling well. I called in sick today.”

"Gem, what happened?" he asked, immediately pushing her rejection aside.

He needed to make sure that she was alright.

"What kind of sickness is it? I... I..." He hesitated, pursing his lips in agitation and worry. "Can I come over and check on you? I'll take an off day. I'll be with you and help you recover..."

He desperately wanted to go see her, but the tone of her voice told him that she didn't want to see him. There was something heavy and unsaid between them, and he couldn't figure out what it was. 

It was killing him.

“Uh, um...no, I’m ok,” so backpedaled, hoping that he wouldn’t just instantly rush to her empty apartment. That was just what she didn’t need, to have him waiting there when she got home. 

Ugh, she should have known better...she kicked herself for ever believing she would ever be good enough for a guy as perfect as Dave...and she couldn’t face it right now.

“I just drank too much last night. I fell asleep at Naina’s place...no big deal.”

No big deal. No big deal. No big deal...

The phrase repeated in her head over and over again, her brain trying to believe it. Trying to internalize it and project it. Trying to convince herself and him...

“I went a little overboard. It happens. I’m fine, really.”

The little hope he had harboured, of everything being fine between them, evaporated suddenly.

He was in the grips of panic, but he didn't know what to do to set things right. He wanted to talk to her, but he could feel that she wasn't receptive.

"Ok..." He blinked, then ran a nervous hand through his hair. "Umm... how about tomorrow evening? I... please just leave tomorrow open. I want to make it special for you. I'm not planning a party; I know you don't like big birthday parties. It will just be us..."

His voice dropped off, for he could see his plans for Gemma falling apart. If she told him she didn't want to spend her birthday evening with him, what other way could he give her her gift?

“I mean...I...”

NO, I don’t want to see you tomorrow evening! I don’t want to see you EVER AGAIN! I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up - I shouldn’t have let myself get so attached because I DON’T GET HAPPY ENDINGS. I just get disappointment and sadness...

She closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to push those intrusive thoughts out.

She would have to talk to him eventually...she needed to hear what he had to say about it. And by tomorrow, she might be calm enough to listen.

“Um, yea, sure. Tomorrow sounds good. 7:00 at your place?”

After he agreed to the time, she wanted to get off the call as fast as possible. Not only did she want to stop talking to him - that would eventually lead to her confessing what she’d seen, and she wasn’t ready for that yet - but her hangover was finally catching up with her, and she felt the telltale twisting in her stomach that meant she needed to pray to the porcelain gods ASAP.

So, with a curt farewell, she hung up and rushed to the bathroom before she blew chunks all over the floor. She barely made it before all hell broke loose.

"OK...bye...." He wanted to say more, but she cut the call short.

Loki had a very bad feeling about this... he felt vulnerable and unsure. But he also didn't want to force Gemma into doing anything she didn't want to.

He took a deep breath and looked out the window of his apartment, trying his best to ignore the sinking feeling in his gut.

You're unworthy of her love, she has finally come to her senses...

She's not sick, you know it. She just doesn't want to see you...

She's sick alright... of YOU.

The negative thoughts bore down on him throughout the day, but still... he finalized the event with Mae, and tried his best to plan an elaborate dinner for Gemma.

He wanted to please her. To talk to her and understand what was wrong... and see if there was anything he could do to fix it.

The rest of the morning went by in a blur. She did enjoy the breakfast Naina had left for her - it was different from any food she’d tried before, but damn, was it tasty! By the time she was done eating, she felt a ton better. Before heading back to her place, she straightened up Naina’s apartment a bit as a “thank you”, then made sure to lock the door behind her.

It was actually a really nice day out, and she decided to walk home. It was a fairly long walk - about an hour - but it went through some of the nicer parts of New York and, frankly, she needed something to help her mood.

The fresh air did the trick. (Well, fresh-ISH. It was still New York City, after all). By the time she reached home that afternoon, she felt a weight off her shoulders.

I must be jumping to conclusions...I just need to hear him out. Tomorrow night, I’ll tell him what I saw and just ask him calmly, then see what he has to say.

Just as she got back to her apartment, her phone buzzed again. It was Naina. She smiled and answered it.

“Hey, how’s work going? By the way, that pa...para...parantha—um, the food you left for me was great,” she giggled.

Naina chuckled at her attempt to pronounce the word. She sounded so cute trying.

"You're welcome to try more paranthas at my place. There's so many types." She leaned back in her office chair, casually tapping a few keys on her computer. "Work is fine. Everyone is missing you. But you tell me, how did you handle Dave's misdemeanor? Did you give him a proper dressing down?"

“I...well...I...”

Gemma swallowed hard. She knew what Naina wanted to hear: Hell yea! I told him I caught his cheating ass and he can fuck right off, thank you very much!

“We’re going to have dinner together at his place tomorrow night for my birthday...”

Ugh, she sounded so weak and desperate. So unlike Naina. God, what she would give to have her confidence...

Naina's eyebrows rose. "So you didn't confront him?"

When Gemma didn't say a word, it confirmed her fears. She sighed, shaking her head.

"Gem, how can you have a pleasant dinner with the man who played you? And waste your birthday by spending time with him, no less? Girl, where are your priorities?"

“I...I don’t know. He just sounded so sad when I told him I didn’t want to get together tonight. And we’ve been planning this dinner forever...he’s really excited about it...”

She hated how she sounded, justifying his actions, downplaying how much he had hurt her, trying to pretend like things were ok...

“I’ll talk to him about it then. I need to hear what he has to say before I just cut ties...I owe him that much...”

"Ok, hon, I don't wanna push you, but I worry for you. I've seen men like Dave before. Hot and rich, they just sweep you off your feet initially," she said, remembering all the Daves she had encountered in her life.

She had seen women fall for such guys, only to be kicked out of their lives very suddenly. 

"But after a few months they get bored and move on to the next attractive thing. They're like butterflies; they hop from one flower to another. Look, I'd have understood and given him a chance if he hadn't lied about being in his office and in a meeting, when he was right there, having breakfast with that woman. But he DID lie, and now he’s trying to hook you in again."

Gemma was quiet for a long time. Her thoughts were spinning; she didn’t want to admit that she was afraid, that she wanted to avoid the reality of her situation for as long as she could. And she couldn’t deny that what Naina was saying was true--guys like Dave were fickle. Naina certainly had more experience in THAT field than Gemma did...and she felt her heart breaking all over again.

“I...I know...” Gemma finally said softly, feeling herself shrink. “I...just...um...”

Why do you do this to yourself?

He’s going to lie to you if you ask him. You need to cut him off.

You’re not pretty enough for someone like him. Or strong enough. Or confident enough.

You realize he’s just using you to feed his savior complex, right?

You brought this on yourself. You’re worthless.

“I need to go, Naina,” Gemma whimpered. She couldn’t take this conversation anymore...she knew she should just be done with him, and Naina was going to push that for as long as they were on the call. But Gemma couldn’t do it, she couldn’t bring herself to end things just like that.

Even if it was killing her.

Chapter Text

Important Notes

Bold Text = Loki's/Dave's POV

Normal Text = Gemma's POV

The next morning, Loki sent a short message to Gemma, wishing her a very pleasant birthday.

He had also arranged for a card and flowers to be delivered at her doorstep. The card carried a poem he had been writing for her for weeks, just spinning together the words which mentioned her sweetness and her loving, gentle soul.

He hoped that she would like it. It was all he could do. He didn't want to smother her with his presence, not when she sounded like she didn't want him. But it was her birthday today, something that her culture valued a lot, just like his culture--the Asgardian culture--valued the Name's Day of a person. He didn't even know when he was born, not that it mattered anyway. 

What mattered was Gemma's happiness.

And it didn't look like she was very happy with him, for she didn't reply to his message. His flowers and card were accepted, though, but that delivery notification didn't tell him anything else. For all he knew, it was possible that she hadn't even opened the card...

He sighed and went to the kitchen to start preparing for the evening meal. He had planned six courses for her, and he didn't want to back out of it now. Gemma had told him that she'd come over... he at least had that bit of confirmation.

In the back of his mind, he did fear that she'd not come at all. That she'd cut off all ties to him. For whatever reason--it couldn't be his work schedule, could it?--Gemma abhorred him. He felt it in his bones. Now that she was completely independent and happy in her new job, maybe she thought it apt to discard him. Being used and discarded… that was kind of how most of his life had been like. It wouldn’t be the first time.

Loki growled bitterly as soon as that thought coalesced in his mind. No! 

Gemma wasn't like that. There had to be a reason, and it was tied to him , not her. Never her... 

He was the problem, as always. But he didn't understand how . 

Regardless, he tried to concentrate on the food, not wanting to mess this up. Genma was such a gifted cook, she'd know it right away. 

If she came over to eat at all, that is.

Today had been...a roller coaster. She had woken up hoping she could just get through it...she didn’t want to go to Dave’s place. She didn’t want to confront him about the woman...didn’t want to admit that she had followed him and spied on him like some shady SHIELD agent. She couldn’t even bring herself to respond to his text.

But then the flowers showed up.

It was, by far, the LARGEST bouquet of flowers she had ever seen in her life. It looked like the kind of arrangement that would be featured in the lobby at the Ritz--it was almost as tall as she was! And it took two people to carry it into her little studio apartment and set it next to the television. Despite her trepidation...it did make her smile.

And then she read the poem.

Every horrible thought she’d had about Dave over the last two days faded upon reading those words--his writing was elegant and beautiful, weaving tapestries of emotion and visions of love that lit her up like a Christmas tree. By the time she got to the end of the lengthy sonnet, she was SOBBING.

It was obvious that he loved her. No one had ever written anything so moving or touching about her, and it made her even MORE unsure about how she was going to deal with dinner that night.

Still, it had, at the very least, convinced her that she had to go. Later that evening, with trembling hands she knocked on the door of his penthouse and took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

Loki opened the door in haste, almost pulling it from its hinges in his eagerness. He had been so worried that she'd not come... 

But she had. Much to his relief.

He felt so happy to see her that for a few seconds he just froze.

Then it occurred to him that he was blocking her from entering his apartment. Without saying a word, he stepped aside, feeling embarrassed by his behaviour.

"I'm... I'm so glad that you came, Gem," he murmured softly after he'd closed the door and turned around to face her again.

She simply gave him a strained, polite smile in return.

Surreptitiously, he glanced at the clock. They still had a few minutes to spare before the big planned event would be telecasted, so perhaps they could talk...? 

He approached her slowly, feeling unsure and nothing like the charming man he always pretended to be. Taking her hand in his, he squeezed it gently, looking intently into her eyes, searching... wondering... hoping...

"Happy birthday, darling," he said, shaky and vulnerable. He wanted to kiss and hold her in his arms, but her stiff posture told him that it would be unwelcome. "I... uhh... would you like some starters?"

Immediately, Loki regretted saying that. What kind of stupid question was that? He knew that he needed to address her sudden discomfort with him, but here he was, talking about starters...

Norns, he hated himself.

God, she hated herself.

He looked so nervous and worried-- over her. He knew that she knew that something was up, and the longer they danced around it, the more uncomfortable it would get. She didn’t WANT to spend her evening this way, keeping Dave on the back foot and making him try to figure out why she had been so distant for the last few days. But she was waiting for the right time to bring it up...and this wasn’t it. He suggested starters and she just...went with it.

“Sure, sounds good. Do you have any wine to go with it? I could use a drink.”

"Yes, of course!" He smiled, too bright and stiff, as he watched her pull away and observe her surroundings.

He had transformed the living room completely, decorating it in rich, bright, happy colours, combined with plush, luxurious sofas and couches.

The drapes all carried her images from his phone. She looked so beautiful in them...

Loki hoped he hadn't committed--in Stark's words--an overkill . 

Gemma simply watched her images quietly, as if caught in deep thought. 

When he brought her a glass of wine and starters, he couldn't help himself... he had to ask.

"Gem, are you ok?"

That was all it took.

“Dave...this is...I’m...”

She started sobbing again, taking the glass from him as she cried and drank down HUGE gulps of whatever it was he had brought her. She didn’t even care. She was SO CONFUSED--and tired, and sad, and wanting to move past this! But, at the moment, all she could do was look at all the beautiful images that Dave had put up of her and them, enjoy the bright colors that were very obviously HER style and not his, and eat the food he had made for her birthday.

“THIS IS SO BEAUTIFUL, DAVE! This is so NICE! Nobody has ever been this nice to me... WHY ARE YOU SO NICE TO ME??? ”

She kept crying as she ate one of the canapés that he’d handed to her. Fuck ...it was delicious. It made her cry even harder.

Loki was so thoroughly confused. She was crying as though she was hurt, but in the same breath she was claiming that no one had done anything like this for her. He wasn’t even sure if she liked any of this, or if she was simply overwhelmed.

"Gemma, darling, I love you. I'd do anything for you," he answered, wiping her tears with a napkin, then refilling her wine glass. "I... I wanted to give you the best birthday I could..."

He cupped her cheeks as she looked back at him with wet, red rimmed eyes. Then he started rambling, all of his carefully crafted control disintegrating.

"I thought you were upset with me. Are you? You didn't reply to my text... you didn't want to see me. I was afraid you wouldn't come here at all, that you’d break-up with me. I... I'm sorry, if I did something wrong. I'll make it up to you. I promise, Gemma."

She was crying so hard she couldn’t even form complete sentences.

“Dave! I...you...and then...and I thought...and YOU were...OH DAVE, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!”

She threw her arms around his neck and squeezed him, uncaring as to whether she strangled him or not. She didn’t know how to feel, she just knew that being with him felt GOOD and she didn’t want to lose it. She wanted him in her life, wanted to have him to herself! She was already grieving his loss, sobbing into his shoulder.

“Please don’t leave me...” she whimpered through the tears. “I know I’m not pretty or confident or interesting...just please...I love you. I don’t want to lose you. Please...”

She knew, somewhere in her brain, that this was pathetic. Even so, she couldn’t help herself.

Loki grasped her trembling, sobbing form tightly, his own body shaking in relief that she still loved him.

"Gemma, oh Norns, Gemma..." he gasped, burying his nose into her neck, inhaling her sweet scent. He realized, belatedly, that his eyes were wet as well.

Fuck... he didn't care.

"Gemma, I love you so much... you don't even know..."

It was then that her words finally got through to him. Why was she talking like that?

Pulling away from her, he cupped her face again, frowning deeply.

"What do you mean, darling? You're the most beautiful soul... you're so precious to me. Why would I ever think to leave you? I-I thought that you wanted to leave me . I couldn't sleep all these nights, wondering what went wrong between us...."

Gemma couldn’t stop herself from crying. This was all too much--he was being so sweet and kind and she couldn’t resist him. She was utterly ensnared in his love and she couldn’t break free, no matter how much she wanted to.

“I...I saw you...at the restaurant...with that beautiful woman...and then I texted...and you said you were at the OFFICE but you were with HER...”

Loki's eyes widened as the realization dawned on him. 

Oh! Oh...fuck!

Shaking his head, he pressed his palm to his forehead. 

"Oh Gemma... did you think that I had taken another lover?"

As he looked up at her, he saw her nodding quietly.

"Oh, Gem, yes, indeed I had lied about being at my office," he admitted, though right now, the relief of her misunderstanding was so immense, he couldn't hate himself for lying about THAT particular matter. "But not because I was involved with that woman. That's not what was happening. I was..." He laughed sharply, shaking his head again.

Then he glanced at the clock and realized that he was almost late. Quickly, he grabbed the remote and turned the TV on, hoping that what she'd see on the screen would be self explanatory.

Gemma turned to the TV, still so upset and confused that she didn’t know what to make of it. The image on the screen appeared to be a news report. Dave led her gently to the couch and sat her down, then he sat down next to her with his arm around her shoulders. Instinctively, she snuggled into him, though her eyes remained glued to the screen.

After a few more seconds, a woman approached the podium. THE woman, the one she had seen Dave with in the restaurant. The lady smiled in a way that was part endearing, part awkward, and she tapped the top of the padded microphone as though she were making sure it worked.

“Dave...what’s going on?” Gemma asked quietly, feeling her anxiety starting to spike just a bit...

"Just watch," he urged, increasing the volume. 

As Mae began to speak, Loki turned his attention to Gemma, watching her expressions intently. 

"...we're here to announce a very special charity for the victims of the 2012 New York attack. It's called 'Gemma's Fund', and it is meant to rehabilitate all those people who still suffer from its consequences..."

"This is what I had been up to," he stated, as Mae explained the charity further. " Planning it with that lady. It's your birthday gift."

"...it's funded secretly by a very generous person, who wanted to give a special gift to someone he loves. Plus, the Stark Foundation is associated with this fund, aiding in launching several programs to help those in need."

Gemma was speechless, her hand covering her mouth as her heart pounded and she began to weep. Mae continued to explain how the new fund would help identify those who were struggling due to the attacks, provide them with financial aid and mental health support, and create community spaces in the areas that had been hardest hit by the battle.

“Dave...you started a charity...for ME?”

She was trembling, leaning into him and so overwhelmed by this incredible gesture that she couldn’t turn away. She had thought she’d be out of tears by now.

He nodded, wiping her tears and embracing her tenderly, pulling her onto his lap to rock her gently.

"I'm sorry that my secrecy hurt you. I hadn't intended this venture to go this way, I simply wanted to give you a special gift for your birthday..." He kissed her forehead, chuckling sadly as his own eyes leaked a few more tears. "But it seems I just made everything worse. It was supposed to be a big surprise for you, my love. Please, never think that I'd stray from you. You're my joy, my happiness, my life ..."

“Oh... DAVE !”

Gemma was overcome with emotion. It finally became clear why she felt the way she did about him. His wealth was intimidating, and it had always made her uncomfortable...always made her feel like she would be "less than." But today he proved that he cared about what she cared about, and was willing to use his influence to do things that she thought were important.

She knew, right then, that she could never let him go. Would never let him go. And she knew that he felt the same about her.

She didn’t know how to process everything she was feeling. Love, gratitude, surprise, relief, happiness...and the sudden, overwhelming arousal.

Without giving it a second thought, she jumped on him and tore open his shirt, buttons flying everywhere and scattering across the floor. Her thighs spread over his lap as her mouth attacked his, tongue dipping in and out of his lips, her fervent body desperate to feel his as a rush of gratitude and relief and happiness overcame her. She squeezed him with every muscle, hugging him tightly and grabbing his hair to hold him close to her, hands splayed across his skin.

“I was so scared!” she cried as she nipped his jaw and ran her nose along the shell of his ear. “I can’t believe you did this!”

Loki didn't get any time to react; suddenly, Gemma was all over him, kissing him, tearing into his clothes, nipping away at his sensitive flesh.

He could only gasp and respond in broken sentences, pushed back against the couch as her little body overwhelmed him.

"I... ah, oh Gem... I was scared too. I wanted... FUCK, GEMMA!" He moaned loudly as she undid his pants and pulled his cock out, stroking him aggressively. "I wanted to give... something meaningful..."

He couldn't go on, he was lost for words.

Quickly, Gemma got onto her knees between his legs and held his cock firmly in her fisted hand. She pumped him, eyes locked on his beautiful body, captivated by how his bare chest rose and fell with his quickening breath and the way his Adam’s apple danced when he moaned her name. 

“I love you, Dave,” she said with a soft smile, then she opened her mouth and wrapped her lips around his manhood, bobbing up and down its length, her tongue running along the smooth flesh on its underside.

She closed her eyes and focused on the feel of it, the taste and the scent and the texture...it was undeniably irresistible. She moaned around him as she worked his crown and shaft in rhythm to her own breathing.

Loki was panting, looking down at his love...his lovely Gemma...her luscious lips wrapped around his cock... sucking it like she wanted his soul from it. He couldn't think straight, couldn't do much else, except maybe stroke her head as she tried to take more and more of him in.

His ears rang... he was still too emotional, too worn out, and now, his body was veering off into another direction, so taken with pleasure that it felt too much.

"G-Genma..." He moaned, taking her name repeatedly, feeling as though he was being catapulted to his orgasm.

She moaned around his cock, so loud that he felt the vibrations right in his soul. 

"I'm... I'm clo..."

Her hands grasped his balls then, massaging them very deliberately.

He couldn't hold it in any longer. With a loud cry, he came throbbed and came into her mouth, arching his back against the couch.

Tears streamed down his eyes all over again as she kept sucking him, making him feel so many emotions... all at the same time.

In the background, Mae concluded her speech to a resounding applause.

Gemma drank him in, holding him close to her by holding his perfect ass and pulling it toward her as he continued to coat her mouth and throat. She waited until he stopped spurting, then she cleaned him with her tongue, sucking out the last drops from his slit before looking up at him dreamily.

“Thank you, Dave..." she smiled, resting her head on his thigh. Staring up at him, seeing him spent and glowing with perspiration, knowing that SHE was the only one who got to see him that way, her heart felt like it might explode. Not only had he helped her, he was helping others like her, for her. She had inspired him to do good in the world, and it made her feel a sense of warm satisfaction unlike any she'd experienced before.

It was at this moment that she realized...Dave was the one .

Chapter Text

Important Notes

Bold Text = Loki's/Dave's POV

Normal Text = Gemma's POV

--THREE YEARS LATER--

Gemma had just finished setting the table when she heard the doorbell ring. Excitedly, she put down the last plate and headed for the front door.

She had just finished unpacking the last of the boxes only a few hours ago. It had been a lot of work, but finally, the place was starting to feel like home-- the furniture was all coordinated, pictures of her and Dave decorated the walls, her keepsakes and trinkets adorned the shelves in the living room...it was like a dream come true.

Even though she had moved into the penthouse with Dave only a year after they'd become “official,” that giant residence was never really home . It was a testament to what an incredible guy Dave was that he'd agreed to move with her to a smaller apartment, one that she got to choose (but he had to approve, of course; he would be living there as well). It just figured the apartment she fell in love with was at The Max again.

Gemma opened the door and laughed happily. "Todd! June! It's so good to see you!"

She hugged them and led them inside. Todd was Dave's best friend from college, and June was his fiancé. June was in town for a conference, and they used it as an excuse to come and visit. They'd only met on a few occasions, but it was always a joy to have them around. "You beat Dave home; come in! Have a seat! Can I get you a drink?"

"Oh right, Dave's still stuck on his... uhh... his tour, right?" Thor asked as he led Jane inside. 

From the look on her face, it was obvious that she was trying to hold in a giggle. 

"Dave is always getting stuck in those, don't you rap him on the knuckles for it?" he asked in jest as he settled in a chair nearest to the open kitchen. "If I didn't know better, I'd say he's avoiding you by being away on trips so much."

Jane pressed her palm on his lips as she went past him into the kitchen. She gave him a glare as well, but Thor just laughed it off.

It was good to get Loki in trouble every now and then.

" Ugh , I know, right? If he didn't shower me with gifts and leave me poetry and agree to move into the apartment of my choice, I would REALLY think he was trying to avoid me." Gemma laughed again and headed to the kitchen with June.

"The usual for you, Todd?" She grinned as she opened a bottle of Lervig Pilsner and slid it across the granite countertop to him. He smiled and nodded in return, taking a sip of the Norwegian craft brew.

"And for US , June..." Gemma grinned mischievously and pulled a bottle of white wine out of the wine fridge under the counter of the kitchen island. "2018 CADE Sauvignon Blanc from NAPA!!! The same kind we got on our trip last year!" She danced around a little before going to the cabinet and getting two glasses. After pouring each of them a generous portion, she raised hers in the air. "To us, friends getting together for dinner. Saluté !"

Loki was running late, as usual. It filled him with dread every time he couldn't appear on time for a date or a get-together dinner with friends. He was a punctual person... always had been, even as a prince of Asgard. 

Not that anyone in Asgard ever appreciated it....

Alas, now he was a human man, and he had to reach his home via non-magical means before his love would get too mad about it. 

As he rushed into the elevator of The Max, he drew seidr around himself and got changed in the time that it took him to reach his apartment floor. 

When he rang the bell, he heard three voices coming from inside. Oh dear... Thor and Jane were already there. That bastard...he deliberately arrived earlier than he had planned.

Typical sibling behaviour...

"Hey," he said in a deep, gravelly voice as Gemma opened the door, hoping to distract her with his charm. "Did you miss me?"

Before she could reply, he swept her in his arms and kissed her thoroughly, repeatedly, till she was out of breath.

Gemma squealed and beat him playfully as he attack-kissed her, then just melted into it and let him, wrapping her arms around his neck. When their lips finally parted, she smiled almost drunkenly. "Yes. Yes, I did miss you. Every time you're even a minute late, I assume the worst."

She walked back over to the kitchen to check on the roast in the oven while Dave took off his coat and came inside. "I finished unpacking the last box today! We're officially moved in." She raised her glass again. "To the Casa de Spitznaegel-Johnson! " She laughed and took a healthy sip of her wine. The roast was going to need a few more minutes, and the appetizers were already done. She brought out a platter of cheese, salami, and crackers and set it on the countertop for her guests, leaning over to talk to Todd and June.

"Soooo, how's the wedding planning going? You're only a few months away!" Her smile was so wide, her cheeks hurt.

Loki came over to the kitchen island and embraced Jane, kissing her sweetly on the cheek. With Thor, it was the opposite--he simply punched him in the back. 

"Oh, we won't be doing a very big ceremony," Jane answered nervously, side-eyeing both Thor and Loki. "It'll just be us and our friends, including you guys. I've left most of the planning to Th-uhh- Todd ."

"Gemma, you can help you if you want," Loki offered, earning a glare from Thor. "She loves planning such things. I'd say she's brilliant at it."

He saw the blush that crept up Gemma's cheeks at that compliment, and he just wanted to kiss her cheeks and suck on her neck to make it deeper. 

His cock immediately jumped at that thought, and he had to sit down to hide the effect.

Gemma noticed Dave acting coy and odd, and she knew what that meant. She simply raised an eyebrow at him--a familiar gesture of his that she'd started doing not long after they'd begun dating. She would have felt self-conscious about adopting her boyfriend’s expressions and quirks, that is, if she hadn’t noticed that Dave had started biting his lip when trying to make a decision, just like she did. It was wonderful and strange and funny seeing how their lives began to tie into each other’s over the years.

After another fifteen minutes or so, the roast was ready and they were all seated around the dining table, with Gemma regalling them with a story about something that happened at work.

"And so I said, ‘You can't put that in there! That's for the toner!’ " She laughed a bit too hard at her own joke, much harder than anyone else at the table. Then again, she was on her second glass of wine...

"You and your misadventures with printers," Loki stated with a shake of his head. 

While Thor and Jane giggled at Gemma's story, he was focused on Gemma's face alone, giving her a very meaningful look of heat and arousal. He was sure that the memory of their little after hours adventure at PAC & Co. was still fresh in her mind.

"Printers must be fearing you now, all over New York city."

"Well, you would know," she murmured before turning her gaze down and taking another sip of her wine. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks--from just a look ! Still, even after years together, he could get her riled with hardly a glance and a word.

Gemma took another bite of her food and looked around the table. Three years ago, she couldn't have imagined that her life could be this good--a great guy in her life, a stable job, friends who were nice and good for her, a place that felt like home. It really was the perfect evening. Her heart swelled at the realization that, as of this moment, her life was about as perfect as she'd ever hoped it would be.

Loki gave her a knowing smirk as he dug into the roast, almost moaning at the flavours that burst on his tongue. Norns, she was a sorceress with food...

Before he could open his mouth about the roast, Thor spoke up.

"Gemma, your cooking skills are to die for! I honestly want to abduct you and take you away with me so that you'd cook for me day and night."

"Yeah, I can't cook to save my life," admitted Jane, giggling away as Loki raised a fork in a mock stabbing action directed at Thor. 

"Oh come on!" Thor cried. "Even our royal cook wasn't this good!"

Suddenly, Loki withdrew the fork and glared at him for the slip-up. Meanwhile Gemma just stared at them both with raised eyebrows. 

"Uhh... Todd has a strange sense of humor, as you can see," he said, smiling at her sheepishly. "He's talking about the cook at our hostel in Eton... since we had royalty attending that school as well, he calls everything regarding it 'royal'."

"Uh-huh," Gemma just giggled. Dave always got uncomfortable when he talked about his wealthy upbringing, trying to downplay it around her. He and Todd probably did have a royal cook, but he didn't want to make her feel weird about it. "Well, I’d consider it high praise if my food could satisfy royalty."

Gemma served herself another heaping spoonful of buttered green beans before settling in to feast on the fresh veggies. "So Todd, what's your favorite royal food? I'll whip it up next time you come over."

"Oh, definitely a slow-roasted leg of a wild boar!" Thor answered enthusiastically while Loki kicked him under the table. "I mean... you can simply make me some pork knuckles, if you want.”

Loki kicked him under the table again, and he grunted, turning to his brother sheepishly and correcting his answer yet again.

“I mean...anything you make is delicious, Gemma. I'll eat a good portion of whatever you choose to cook for us."

That was not much better, but at least Thor was trying . 

Loki shoved some beans into his mouth and gave Gemma an apologetic look. He'd have to have a little talk with Thor about making his backstory more believable to Gemma. He had been slipping up a LOT lately, having grown complacent in his disguise.

Gemma's eyebrows shot up, and she almost laughed hard enough to spit out her food watching the two of them. Fortunately, she caught it in time. But just barely. She loved how they acted more like brothers than best friends--a testament to their history and relationship. 

"Well, I've never made wild boar before! Do you think they sell it in Manhattan? Or am I going to have to leave the borough and go to the shire?" She gave Dave a surreptitious grin--his friends from England were so weird, but she LOVED it. And his discomfort was endearing.

Loki endured more of Thor's slip-ups during the rest of the dinner. Thankfully, Gemma seemed amused by them rather than concerned or suspicious.

Then, the topic of conversation shifted, inevitably, back to Thor and Jane's upcoming nuptials. Or… as Gemma knew it, Todd and June’s nuptials.

Initially, Loki didn't pay it much mind, for he was happy that he wasn't constantly on his toes about Thor's possible identity disclosure. But then he observed the longing on Gemma's face whenever Jane or Thor mentioned the ceremony or the rings... and it sent a strange ache through his own heart.

Gemma wanted what Jane and Thor had... and Loki realized, with a start, that so did he.

But... the complications... the lies... 

Was he willing to tie her down to him in such a sacred rite...while he was still steeped in lies?

Gemma mooned over the pictures of wedding dresses and venues on June’s phone. They had decided to do a small ceremony, where it would be only them, her and Dave, and a few other close friends. It seemed perfect--Gemma had never been one for large gatherings, and of course she started thinking about what she would want for her own ceremony...

If the occasion should ever present itself...

She tried not to show it to June, but her heart broke just a bit seeing all their beautiful, sentimental plans. She and Dave were at the point...that point where they either needed to commit to forever or decide to go their separate ways. And, GOD, she hoped he would decide soon. 

She didn’t want to be one of those girls whose boyfriend refused to upgrade to “fiancé” for a decade while she spent the time waiting for him, only to be disappointed.

Loki drank a whole bottle of one of Gemma's favourite wines while he watched her gush over Jane's wedding plans. 

Thor slipped into the seat next to him and nudged him.

"What?" Loki asked tersely, not bothering to turn towards his brother.

"Just do it," Thor said plainly. "You're thinking about it. I know, I can see it even through your ridiculous Midgardian disguise."

"It's not ridiculous. Gemma likes it. I'd rather transform into this permanently than be myself."

Thor chuckled. "Like Tony puts it so eloquently... you have issues ."

"Understatement of the millennium. My issues have issues..." Loki sighed and put his empty glass down. "Nothing comes easily to me."

Thor chuckled again, louder this time. "Gemma has. Keep her..."

With that he rose from the chair, patted his shoulder in support and then went to where Jane was sitting with Gemma.

"Baby, let's go," he said with a suggestive grin that made Loki cringe. "I want to do some bad things to you!"