It was the nicest way to wake up. Loki slept more deeply than he ever had, and slowly, oh so slowly, swam back to the waking world. A steady, measured beat filled his entire being, and it soothed him. He smiled in his not-quite-awakened state, and exhaled deeply. There was a pleasant fragrance tickling his nose, and his head was resting on a soft pillow that seemed to gently move with him.

Best of all, he was warm from head to toe. Cold could not hurt him, due to his heritage, but it was still uncomfortable. The two weeks (years, centuries) on Jotunheim had been miserable. But now he was warm, lying on a soft pillow that smelled wonderful and had a nice relaxing beat within it.

He opened his eyes and let out a low laugh when he realized what his head rested on. Darcy's ample chest had eased him into wakefulness.

"Good morning to you too," she greeted in a gravelly voice. "Enjoying your pillows?"

"Very much so," he admitted. "I have not slept so peacefully ever before." He pressed an appreciative kiss to his pillows, and then raised his head to meet Darcy's eyes. "Thank you. You gave me exactly what I needed to move past my time in Jotunheim."

She grinned. "You're welcome. I really enjoyed our first date. Dinner was...fun."

"Evil girl. I cannot believe you did that in the middle of a restaurant. Are mortals always so...unrestrained?"

"Not all the time. But sometimes it's fun to cut loose." She grinned again. "Hey! It's the morning after, and your magic worked apparently, cuz you didn't drain me."

How she could be so positive about something that had almost killed her...Loki pushed himself up with his hands so he could look down at her. "I nearly killed you. How can you be so positive about it?"

"Because you made it right," she answered. "And it would have really sucked if you hadn't, because this wouldn't have happened."

Very true. Loki smiled down at her. "That would have sucked, yes." He shook his head wryly, and slowly drew back and away from her. "Are you expected at your job today?"

Darcy sat up, frowning thoughtfully. "I assume so. They can wait." She glanced around the hotel room in appreciation. "Nice digs, Loki."

"Adequate," he answered, rising to his feet. Actually, it was a very nice room, but not his. For right now, the hotel had 'forgotten' about this room. "I will provide us with breakfast."

Darcy grinned at him. "Cool. I'm gonna grab a quick shower." She rolled out of the bed, and Loki watched with amusement as she picked up her clothes, still magically altered, and frowned at them. "Can you change them back?" she asked, glancing at him.

"Why would I want to do that?"

"So guys aren't staring at my chest all day?"

He growled a little, but did as she asked. It would be safer for him if men were not encouraged to look at her. Darcy flashed him an impertinent wink when her clothes altered, and then bounced toward the bathroom. That was a sight worth watching, and Loki found himself doing so with real appreciation. This was why he had promised his father anything. She was worthy of it.

He did not need to shower, employing his 'trick' to be fresh and clothed. Showering or bathing left one vulnerable, and he preferred not to take the risk.

Breakfast was easy enough to procure. A room service delivery was redirected to their room, which the hotel staff promptly forgot. Doing so left him with a slight feeling of guilt. Would his new mortal friends disapprove of such petty theft by magic? He had been doing it since his arrival on Earth, but this was the first time he had truly thought about it. He was, or had been, a prince of Asgard. It was his right to take what was due to him. But here on Earth things were different. He was not a prince, and casually stealing a meal meant for someone else was beneath him.

How far he had fallen. With a deep sigh, Loki allowed the hotel staff to remember this room, and even create a registry in his name. The meal was billed to it. He had stacks of paper money from the appreciative Pepper Potts, and that should be more than sufficient to cover the cost of the room. But he would need to make long term arrangements. Perhaps Stark would be able to offer suggestions.

Darcy took an incredibly long time in the bathroom. Eventually, Loki grew concerned and crossed the room to poke his head in the door.

"Whatever are you doing?" he asked curiously. She was sprawled out in the deep bathtub, with mounds of bubbles surrounding her, and forceful jets of water trained on her. Her face was the only part of her visible, and she cracked one eye open at his voice.

"I have died and gone to Valhalla," she stated.

"Silly girl. Valhalla is finer than this place."

"Does Valhalla have a Jacuzzi?"

She was making no sense. "What manner of creature is a Jacuzzi?"

She laughed. "Sometimes I forget that you're still new to Earth. This is a Jacuzzi, Loki. This wonderful creation that I am laying in right now. Have you used it before? It's heavenly. Sinful."

There were too many bad memories associated with bathing for him to want to indulge in it. Taunts from Thor or the Warriors Three over his lean non-warrior frame. Not-so playful dunkings where a young Loki had almost drowned. He remembered his mother's rage on several occasions as she had had to press water out of his lungs. He had quickly learned to bathe in secret.

"Loki...." Darcy's voice was almost a taunt. He shook himself free of bad memories and stared down at her. She was staring back with an impish grin. "Get in here."

He shook his head. "No. I have breakfast waiting for us."

"Lokiiiiiiiiiiiiiii..."

"No Darcy."

He wasn't prepared for the splash of water that caught him on the leg, and it made him jump a little. Darcy's silvery laugh was maddening as she peeked up at him through the bubbles surrounding her face.

"Lokiiiiiiiiiiiiiii... I want you to get in here. Think of it as an essential step in your new life here on Earth."

She couldn't possibly understand what she was asking. To her it was a simple request that he join her in the bath. To him....it represented a terrifying step back to his childhood. Not having to bathe was one of the primary motives for him to learn to use magic. It would be one less source of vulnerability.

Darcy seemed to sense something was wrong, and her expression of dreamy contentment altered to concern. "What's wrong?" She sat up.

Loki's hands clenched. It was such a simple request, really. He was far past his childhood and old memories, old habits, should not have the same affect on him. It was an innocent request. No one was waiting to ambush him the minute he stepped a toe into the bath. No one would force him down and scrub him until he bled.

He slowly uncurled his hands. "Nothing," he finally answered Darcy. "Nothing is wrong." He stripped quickly. He could have just magicked his clothes away, but it was a frivolous use of his abilities. Besides, Darcy seemed to enjoy the visual.

The water was almost painfully warm on his skin when he stepped into the bathtub. It felt...nice. He hadn't been in a bath for centuries. Loki sank down into it, muscles tensed and ready for anything.

Well, almost anything. Darcy wound herself around him, pulling him back against her as she rested against the back of the Jacuzzi. "I'm sure there's a story here," she whispered in his ear, "That explains why you look like someone is going to kill you. Relax, Loki. It's just you and me right now, and you're making my muscles hurt."

He tried. He leaned back against her and willed his muscles to relax. Eventually, they did. The jets of water helped, pounding into his skin until the muscles loosened.

"You want to talk about it?" Darcy asked. Her fingers were lightly massaging his shoulders and arms.

"Not right now," he admitted. "This feels...nice. Thank you."

He was actually beginning to enjoy himself when he heard Darcy's talk device blare out some music.

"Crap," she swore softly. "That's Jane. Can you....get that for me?"

He grinned and held his hand out. The talk device appeared in his palm, and Darcy snatched it up.

"Hey Foster, what's shaking? Am I coming in to work? Eventually. Right now I'm taking a bubble bath with the God of Mischief." Darcy's voice turned pure naughty. "Yep. Loki, dripping wet and covered in bubbles. Best morning of my life."

He flushed. She had a way of making him feel so unbalanced. Hopefully, Jane wouldn't tell –

"Hey Thor! What's shaking, big guy? Yes, I'm really in a bathtub with your brother. I'm sensing old issues here, cuz I had to be all silver tongued to get him in the water. I probably don't wanna know what it's all about. Yes, he's in the water. Wet. Maybe you should give the phone back to Jane now. You sound a little shell-shocked."

Loki could sympathize with his brother. Darcy had that effect on him all the time.

"Listen Jane, I'll be in after I finish my bubble bath. What? What are they gonna do? Fire me? Later."

Darcy dropped her phone on the floor, and leaned back. "I like being the mischief maker. It's appealing."

Loki laughed. He couldn't help it. She sounded so smugly satisfied with herself, and he could only picture S.H.I.E.L.D's reaction when she did finally arrive to work. Darcy wouldn't be shy about why she'd been late. It would drive Fury and Coulson crazy, if they had returned from New Mexico yet.

"I believe I am a bad influence on you," he mused.

"On anyone," she quipped. "Seriously though, one of these days, we should probably talk about the water issue. Thor was kinda stunned that you were in a bathtub."

Loki tensed. "Someday, perhaps."

He had to admit that he was enjoying the bubble bath, but it probably had more to do with the company than anything else. Darcy had helped soothe some of the old hurts without even knowing she was doing it. And those hurts were so very old. He had been a young boy. Yet he had kept that hurt to himself and nurtured it. It was one of the many things he suspected had led to his madness and hate.

"I'm getting wrinkly," Darcy announced, breaking him out of his introspection. "I guess it's time to go to work." She wiggled out from behind him and stepped out of the bathtub. Before Loki even suspected what she was doing, she'd scooped her talk device off the floor and made it flash at him.

"What did you just do?" he asked, sitting up.

Darcy flashed him a saucy wink. "Took a picture of ya."

She took a picture of him? Naked in a bathtub? Covered in bubbles? Loki raised an eyebrow. She was laughing, the fledgling mischief maker, and almost irresistible with bubbles sliding down her body. He rose to his feet, and held his hand out.

"Give me your talk device."

Darcy tucked it behind her back, eyes twinkling. "Cell phone, Loki. Nope. Not giving it up. I think this picture needs to go on Facebook."

Loki advanced a step. "What is a Facebook?"

Darcy chortled. "I can't even really describe it. Everyone I know will see this picture."

He advanced another step. "I think not."

The bubble clad little vixen danced away from him. "I'll do another banana split if I can keep the picture."

She knew what enticement to offer. Loki sighed. "Two banana splits. Heavy on the fudge sauce."

"Deal."

He could have taken the...cell phone...from her at any time, and she knew that. But he found himself enjoying her mischief. No one tried to trick the trickster. But here was this maddening mortal who had stormed Asgard and Jotunheim for him, and now she was making mischief for him? Loki was so lost....

"I will be in touch about our deal," he told her when she'd finally gotten dressed. "And our second date."

Darcy smirked. "Sounds good." She winked at him. "Thank you again, Loki. We should talk, at some point. Work out some of those issues."

"I will call you," he assured. "I have my own talk device. Somewhere."

"You have my number?"

"Pepper took care of it. I saw your face on my...cell phone. It had the faces of all those I know."

"Sweet. All right then. I'll chat at ya later."

Darcy breezed out, leaving Loki's mind reeling.

******************************************************************************************************************************************

He really should have expected the smug look from his brother when he visited later that day. Jane opened the door after his knock, and burst into a red-faced giggle. She tried to say something, but could only cover her face with her hands, blush even redder, and flee, leaving the door open. Loki sighed, and entered the apartment. Thor was bent over a desk, staring at one of the glass screens with pictures on it that Darcy had called a 'laptop.'

"Brother..." he ventured.

Thor looked up at him and tried, unsuccessfully, to hide his smile. "Hello Loki."

Apparently, this Facebook was a wicked thing. Loki crossed the room, and peered at the laptop. There was the picture of him in the bathtub. At least he was mostly covered with bubbles. There was text underneath the picture. 'Cost to post the photo to Facebook? Two banana splits.' What a little hell-cat.

Thor was laughing. "Oh brother. You have truly been bewitched. She is a fine match for you."

He sat down on the sofa with a thump. "Who has seen this?"

"Everyone. Stark was very quick to put the picture on every screen in Headquarters." Thor quieted, and looked at him thoughtfully. "I never thought, ever, that she would get you into a bath." He ducked his head. "I am sorry that I brought such hurt to you, so long ago."

Loki found that he could not hold on to his anger. "It is in the past, Thor. We were young. It is time to put it behind me. I have new memories of bathing now."

"I see that." There was such restrained mirth in his brother's tone that Loki wanted to punch him in the face, just for the reaction. He would probably hurt his hand.

"I think that you look very...fetching...in bubbles, brother."

"Shut up, Thor."

"And you have developed a sweet tooth? You allowed yourself to be bribed with dessert?"

Jane's shriek of laughter, from behind a closed door, had Thor looking after her. "What is so funny, my love?"

Loki wasn't sure if he wanted Jane to explain it to his brother, or not. On one hand, Thor might be envious. On the other hand, he might find even more humor in the situation.

"When shall we visit home, Thor? Father still needs our support."

Thor nodded thoughtfully. "It should be soon. Perhaps at the beginning of this week's end?"

That was acceptable. That would allow him time to plan for a second date with Darcy, and speak to Stark about a permanent dwelling arrangement.

"Acceptable," he voiced. "I look forward to visiting with Mother." He wasn't sure how he felt about facing his father again.

Thor closed the laptop and rose to his feet. "It will be good to return to Asgard as brothers, and not adversaries."

It would be, yes. Thor was his brother, and despite all that had happened, there were centuries of brotherhood between them. Good times. Loki had lost sight of that. But now he could see it again.

He also rose to his feet, and cast a look toward the closed door behind which Jane was still laughing. "I shall go for now. I have plans to make."

"Enjoy your dessert." Thor smiled at him, innocent of the true meaning.

Loki smirked. "I will, brother. Farewell."

♾️ ♾️ ♾️

Oh boy, only if Thor knew lol.

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InfinityHaze ♾️