go_mischief (go_mischief) wrote in newalliance, @ 2014-06-14 13:35:00 |
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Entry tags: | loki, scarlet witch |
Who: Loki, Wanda, Asgardian NPCs
Where: Asgard, OK
When: May 29, 2014 (backdated)
What: Loki finally sees his old self’s stomping grounds. It’s… not home, though. Wanda does a great deal of chasing.
Rating: PG-13
Loki trained his head back, looking at the city, a giant mass of stone, earth and turrets, not to mention the beautiful tree with its expansive canopy like an umbrella over half of it.
“So… I don’t suppose you just go up and knock?”
~~~
Wanda gazed at the mass of stone and plant hovering above them with pinched brow. While she did her best to hide it, there was no denying the witch was feeling anxious. She had been ever since she arrived in Broxton though the presence of her husband residing in the same town helped sooth her worries at least somewhat. She let out a soft sigh. They were supposed to be moving into their new home right now. Instead, they were back in Oklahoma and about to reintroduced a hated person to a group of people still trying to pull themselves back together after a war. There was no one for her to blame, though. Taking in the young Loki and bringing him to Asgard been her decision, after all. She looked down at the boy staring up at the city. Hopefully she hadn't made the wrong one by coming here.
“Not quite, but close,” she told him with a small smile. “I need you to hold on to me.” She placed her arm around his shoulders and brought him close to her. Once he had a solid grip on her, Wanda cast a hex that lifted them high into the air and allowed them to land gently onto the ground of Asgard.
~~~
“Oh, this is much better than trying to climb!” He looked to the side and down, eyes bright as the ground drift further away and then up to the looming stone walls. Inwardly he was apprehensive, but who could tell with that excited grin he was wearing?
...And was still wearing, even when the guards greeted them. He let Wanda talk to them, the guards querying for her business. They didn’t seem to know who he was yet, which was just as well, he was sure. Instead Loki walked about the courtyard, looking up and around at everything, eyes falling most on the huge tree.
Familiar, but not… Like ill fit pieces from my dreams, but no other sense. So regaining memory was not going to be as simple as just being here. Well, that would have almost been disappointing, I suppose. What’s that? His bright green eyes caught something, and he was scurrying away. One of the guards not addressing Wanda looked after him, hand up and calling for him to halt. Loki paid no attention, scrambling after the bit of motion he’d seen in the garden area. Still ignoring the guard giving chase, he stopped to listen, then quickly ducked off to the side and hurried around a hedge.
The two children bumped into each other so suddenly they knocked each other back on their rears in the grass. The girl made an ‘ow!’ sound, looking at him with surprise. “Watch thyself! … Who art thou?”
“Who are you?” he demanded in turn. He looked to the guard rounding the hedge. “Sorry, I’ll probably talk to you later! Promise!” He raced the other way around the hedge, sprinting back to Wanda and standing by her side as though he’d never left.
Volstagg’s daughter blinked after him. “Strange boy.”
~~~
“My name is Wanda Maximoff. I seek an audience with the king,” she informed the guard. He looked at her suspiciously, studying the strange woman that had ascended from below. The name was recognizable, but he had never actually encountered her, so was uncertain if this was indeed the Lady Maximoff or a fake.
“Lady Maximoff, is it? I will need to speak with--” He was cut off by his partner in arms’ order for the scrawny kid to halt.
“Serrure!” Wanda called out when she realized the guard was speaking to her companion. She moved to step towards the retreating child and guard, but was halted by the other guard. His eyes narrowed and staff set at an angle to keep her from taking another step forward.
“What is the meaning of this?” He demanded harshly.
“I am sorry. I did not know he would run off,” she quickly apologized in an attempt at damage control. “He is only a child. Something must have caught his eye. If you would let me go after him I will--” The soft patter of feet informed her that Loki was on his way back and, an instant later, he was by her side. She snaked an arm around the boy’s shoulders and gripped it firmly. She gave the guard a smile as if to say ‘see? no harm done.’
“I am terribly sorry about his behavior. He will not do that again, I assure you.”
~~~
I won’t? He looked up at her curiously, as though to see if she truly meant that. When it seemed she did, he just gave a wide smile to the guard as though to agree.
Unfortunately, his smile was not nearly as innocent looking as he hoped, and the guards were obviously not buying it. “Come with us,” the one who had been doing most of the addressing grumbled.
Then it was a waiting game. They were escorted to a room with a balcony and told to wait while they informed Balder she was there. Loki was proving not to be a very good waiter. He paced around the room, explored the balcony area thoroughly, started seeing how long he could walk on his hands before Wanda suggested he might do otherwise.
He tumbled down to sit cross legged, hands spread upward. “I’m just getting used to moving, is all. I may not have had a human body long, but there are many differences between how I am now and how I was then.” He’d explained this before, using it as an excuse to move about. Wanda of course also knew better. She’d seen him sit still and quiet before. It was simply a matter of Loki deciding to do so. The travel had been especially interesting, and the only saving grace was that Loki was happy to entertain Eira, play games on the phone, and read E-books. When he wasn’t, he was exploring and digging into every little nook and cranny of the vehicle like a raccoon. Or asking questions. Some of the questions ones that Wanda had really not known how to answer. Others, like “Can I drive?” she and Vision at least had prompt, absolute replies to.
“It’s strange,” he noted to her, still sitting cross-legged on the floor, leaning forward on his hands and flattening them on the smooth marble, eyes dancing around the stone patterns. “It’s not familiar in a way I thought it might be. Mostly I recognize pieces of it from my dreams. But dreams are strange. The dimensions aren’t the same. Like have you ever dreamed of a house or a place you knew from a long time ago, and knew it very well, and you recognize the place in your dream but it has changed shape? It is bigger, or the hall is longer, or there are rooms added that you do not remember. It is like that, but from the opposite side. I recognize the textures, some patterns and designs from the dreams, but those were…” He fished for the word mentally, looking around the room they were in. “Warped.” He looked back to her, shrugging, almost seeming apologetic. “So it’s not really familiar. It’s an echo of familiarity. Nothing more.”
A guard stepped in, catching just the end of what he was saying, brow raising. “His lordship will see thee now.”
Loki was about to stand to go with them, but suddenly his attention was captured by something else flying past the balcony. He was at its edge before he even realized, looking up to try to catch sight of the retreating wings. A black bird with a white breast--Loki’s pulse thumped in his ears, drumming out all else as he stared where it flit around one of the towers.
There. He stared unblinking, and it wasn’t until someone touched him that he became aware of them and remembered what they were supposed to go and do. “Oh!” Before he could be asked, he started for the door. “Right! Balder’s waiting! Mustn’t make him wait.”
~~~
Your mother must have had the patience of a saint, Wanda thought to herself as she watched Loki move about. The child was proving to be a bit of a handful with his inquisitive nature and never-ending energy. She pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a sigh before politely telling him to stop walking on his hands. Thankfully, he did as he was told with little argument. She listened to his thoughts concerning his familiarity with his surroundings in silence, allowing him the chance to fully explain before giving her reply. However, before she could respond, the guards entered the room.
She stood from her seat and readied herself to follow, but stilled when Loki went bolting towards the balcony's edge. Not again, she mentally sighed, readying herself for another game of cat, mouse and Wanda trying not to get said cat throttled. Luckily for her, he didn't leave the edge, though it took resting a hand on his shoulder to get him to stop staring at… whatever it was he was staring at.
The guard gave the child an odd look, but said nothing in response to his babbling. "Come with me," he told them, before exiting the room and meeting with his comrade in arms. Together, the two guards lead Wanda and Loki to the courtroom where Balder awaited them.
Wanda gave the king a smile and nod. "Balder. It is a pleasure to see you again," she greeted. "Thank you for taking the time to meet with me."
~~~
If only Wanda knew. When they were small children, Loki was mischievous, but it was Thor who could never sit still. But Loki as he was now did not know this, did not remember, and so he was the inquisitive explorer. He kept his hands folded at the small of his back, but didn’t follow in a straight line, instead pattering in a zig zag after them so he could look at everything. The guard cast him an annoyed look. Loki was aware of it but ignored it.
The throne room was simple enough, and a tired Balder lift his head and gave Wanda a greeting smile. “Lady Wanda. It is good to see thee again.” He left the simple seat to greet her on the same level. He looked to Loki, trying to work out what he was seeing. “Thou didst not mention an elder child by him…” Because even he could see the likeness.
Loki looked up, eyes flicking from Balder to Wanda. “My… dad had good taste?” The boy hurried to add, index finger aloft. “I mean, apparently he was seeing her, I mean my mom here, for a while, but it wasn’t evident I was his until recently and there’s another step-father involved. Do you understand anything about Earth family arrangements and boarding schools? You probably don’t. It’s okay. It can be complicated.”
“I will take your word for it,” Balder said uncertainly to the rapid string of words.
~~~
"Oh no, he--" Wanda began, but was quickly cut off by the young Loki. She looked down at the child with wide eyes that screamed 'what the hell are you saying?' She shook her head with a sigh. No, she couldn't be annoyed. They have been more or less masquerading as mother and son ever since he started traveling with the family; of course he would assume they were continuing to do so now. Hell, she probably would have told the guards the exact same thing should they have questioned her.
"He is… not my son. Not biologically, anyway," she stated, picking her words carefully. She rested a hand on Loki's shoulder, squeezing it gently. "He only recently became part of my family after a trip to Paris." She went quiet, uncertain how to continue. How in the world was she going to approach revealing this boy to be the reborn Loki? She had been mulling over it ever since she determined they would be going to Asgard, but hadn't come up with anything solid.
"I can see why you would believe otherwise. He does resemble him, though he is not an offspring." She paused, then added. "At least not in the traditional sense."
~~~
Loki folded his hands behind his back again, rocking on his heels and looking up at the rafters. “Are-ray oo-yay ure-shay about-ray is-thay?” he asked rapidly. But she seemed certain of it and was trying to explain. Loki actually covered a laugh with his hand. This was terribly awkward for her, and Balder’s expression was slowly becoming more comprehending.
“Then thou means that this is truly…” Balder looked to the boy. Loki looked back, then offered him a big, hopeful smile. “... Oh-no,” Balder said, looking as though he had a headache coming on. He touched his temples. “Lady Wanda, he cannot-.”
“Loki!”
Loki about jumped out of his skin at the woman’s voice. He turned to see a tall warrioress with black hair followed by three men (who seemed different as could be from one another) entering the court. The blond man blinked at him. “Loki...”
Loki looked at the Warriors Three and Lady Sif, not knowing whom they were in the least. Of course Balder did not so readily recognize him, having been younger than his older self, but these three had known exactly what he looked like as a child. So they stared, all but Lady Sif, who was glaring.
“Uh, hey guys.” Loki waved.
Sif’s sword came out as she stepped forward resolutely. “How dare thee…” Loki’s eyes went wide, and despite hearing Balder and Wanda, he decided self-preservation tactics were in order.
He ran.
~~~
"Loki!" Wanda shouted, but he was already headed towards the nearest exit. Gods, that boy really could run fast. It was a good thing, too, if everyone was going to react as irrationally as the warrior maiden. She turned towards the four, her anger apparent in the glare she gave them.
"How dare you pull a sword on a child!" She shouted, stepping forward so she was between Sif and the retreating Loki. Her eyes moved to the sword, then back to the woman. The piece of metal suddenly started to burn fiery hot. "You will not touch him! None of you!"
~~~
Sif started to go after the fleeing boy, then dropped her sword with an angry cry. She turned her gaze to Wanda, teeth bared, but by then the others came forward, Balder stepping in front of Wanda and raising his hands, Fandral and Hogun grabbing Sif.
“Everyone calm down!” Balder demanded. “Sif!” The lady warrior stopped her struggling, then gave a final jerk to free her arms and straighten.
“Loki is no child and never innocent,” Sif said, controlled but still obviously raging beneath her curt words.
Balder looked to Wanda, hoping she would take the truce as it was for now. He then looked to the guards. “Find him.” His blue eyes flit to Wanda cautiously. “But do him no harm.” Then he looked to his four friends. “Stay until we have a better understanding of the situation. Now…” He fold his arms. “Perhaps thou couldst explain, Lady Wanda...”
-
Loki didn’t know where he was going. The floating city was unfamiliar to him, and the guards were calling alarms ahead of his flying feet with orders. He skid to a halt when he saw two guards ahead of him, then raced between two buildings, hoping it wasn’t a dead end.
It wasn’t, but he did end up colliding with another person and landing hard on his rear again. The girl landed hard as well, looking cross, than surprised. “Again with thee?”
“Ow… hiiiii.” He leaned forward and tried a smile that often worked to charm people of his plight back in Paris. “Would-you-happen-to-know-a-good-hiding-p
She blinked, then smiled. “As a matter of fact…”
A few minutes later Loki looked down from the parapet, the two laying on their bellies and watching the guards move below with their chins in their hands. “You’re right. Way cool hiding place.”
“Yes, but if they’re really determined to find thee, all they need do is find Heimdall and ask. So it won’t last, I’m afraid.”
“Heimdall…” Loki frowned, thinking. “Okay, then it’s best I stay on the move. Besides…” He looked to one of the towers. “There’s someplace I need to be.”
She followed his line of sight. “Thou art not thinking of climbing up there. That’s Loki’s old room. It’s supposed to be dangerous.”
Not surprised. But he grinned. “Aw, now where is your sense of adventure?”
She looked after him, frowning. “If thou goes up there and dies, it is not my fault!” She sighed, watching him clamber along the roofline. “...Strange boy. I better tell someone where he’s going so he doesn’t die.”
~~~
It was a good thing Balder and the Warriors Three were present, otherwise the warrior and witch would be doing more than glaring at one another. Wanda wasn't generally a violent person, but when the well-being of a child was in question, she could be fierce. All they had to do was think back to Loki - the old Loki - with his shriveled arm to know what she was capable of.
She straightened, her chin raised slightly to show confidence. She wasn't going to be bullied or intimidated by some short-tempered woman with a sword. "If he is hurt at all…" she warned Balder and all those present, her voice soft but no less stern. Once the guards had left to alert the others of the runaway godling, she spoke.
"This is not the Loki you know," she began. Wanda heard one of the onlookers snort, but did not bother to find out who. Her attention was on Balder; the others opinions did not matter. "As you are aware, his soul was set adrift upon his death. It seems he came up with some kind of plan to be reborn and the boy you just chased off was the result." She shot a glare to Sif before resting her eyes on the king again.
"I do not know if Loki intended this or not, but this child hardly remembers anything about his past life. All he remembers is waking in Paris and what time he spent on the streets before I found him."
"And what makes thee believe he is not simply lying?" Fandral asked, obviously skeptical.
"I thought of that possibility," she was quick to answer. "And I assure you that he is being truthful when he says he has no clear memory of his past deeds. A friend confirmed it for me." This assurance didn't seem to convince the group. They were all aware of the history the mutant witch had with the trickster god and, to them, it was not out of the question that she could be lying for him. "I brought him here so you could see for yourself and hopefully help him develop into a better man than he had once been. He is a good child, troublesome at times, but good."
~~~
Volstagg’s stern frowning dissipated at her explanation that Loki was but a child. Sif listened, but still seemed hardened against the news. Fandral ran a hand through his hair, thinking about it. Hogun said nothing, but turned on his heel and started for the door.
Fandral held a hand up briefly before turning toward him. “And where art thou going?”
“To find him… before someone else does.” He stopped at the door, eyes locked on Sif. “We can’t help that Thor’s gone. But he wouldn’t want us to take revenge for him. Or anyone else to.”
Sif took a tense breath, chin lowering. Hogun didn’t speak much, so the group knew to listen when he did voice an opinion. Finally she looked to Balder. “With thy leave?”
Balder nodded, and the four went out the door to help search.
It wasn’t but a few moments later that a fair-haired girl came running into the courtroom, looking around. She ran up to Balder, looking curiously to Wanda. “Balder sir, hast thou seen my father? He was supposed to be here.”
“Ah, Hilde. He’s gone to look for someone, I’m afraid.”
“Mm.” She put her knuckle on her lips, thinking. “I thought someone should know. There is a boy, one I don’t know. I tried to tell him not to, but he was heading for Loki’s old turret.”
Balder looked to Wanda. “That is likely not a good place for him to be. Hilde, find thy father and let him know. We will try to intercept him.” He strode out, leading the way.
Hilde sighed after them. “I knew he was trouble somehow…”
~~~
Wanda watched the four converse and then leave the room with some concern. She was vaguely aware of their close connection to Thor, but did not know just how loyal they were to the thunder god. Would they really protect Loki or would their hatred of the trickster consume them when in his presence once again?
"Can they--?" She went silent, gaze moving to the young girl running into the room. She looked at the child curiously, idly wondering which of the three men this girl was be referring to. It was either the blond or the larger man… likely the latter, given her round cheeks and red highlights. It would explain his softening expression when she explained Loki was only a child now.
"Thank you," she told the girl politely with a grateful smile on her lips. She quickly walked to catch up with the king, adjusting her footsteps so she was walking alongside him. "Did you remove the books from his room?" She asked after a short while of silence. Unlike her, Loki could read the books his past self was so careful to preserve from dust and he was sure to reach for them. The child absorbed every book handed to him. “He is quite an avid reader. The books would interest him.”
~~~
“No, we haven’t.” But nor had anyone bothered to relock the door. It was magic, and not everyone had the talent, and Balder had been busy.
So there was nothing to stop Loki as he stepped in, leaving small footprints in the dust as his green eyes explored the corners of the room. Guess I wasn’t much for keeping house. The gloom immediately bothered him, his imagination starting to cause his eyes to flick to shadows in the room. He felt small under the peaking ceiling, almost sinister in how steep its angles became.
Books. He hurried to the shelf in interest, looking them over. He could see well enough in the dark (beyond well, in fact), but in the darkest areas, the words were simply lost to the blackness. Loki turned to the room, pursing his lips. “Well, if this was once my room, I suppose I should exercise a little mastery. That means I’m allowed to move things how I want, yes?” Rather than treat you like some dead man’s sheet-covered estate that I didn’t know. He went to the shuttered window, lift the bar and shoved. It budged very little. He gave it a firmer push, then pulled his palms back and struck forward. “Open!”
His chest hit the bottom sill, but it flew open, sunlight pouring in. Loki coughed away some of the dust. “There. Now…” He went to a book, picking a hefty one and sat down in the middle of the floor, opening it. He gave an incredulous little guffaw. “Unbelievable.” His eyes roved over the words. “Even I don’t know this language.”
The sound of wings caused his head to lift from trying to find any familiar symbols. Loki’s gaze locked on the black and white bird cocking its head at him.
“Hello, Mr. Magpie,” he greeted.
The bird opened its beak. “Lo-” Ga-Bloosh!
Loki shield his face with his hands. Did… did the bird just explode? He looked to where it had once sat on the windowsill, innards, marred black and white feathers, and a skewed beak still halfway dangling off its edge. Then he stood and looked down at himself.
“Gross.”
But from his new stance, something shiny caught his eye. He walked forward, looking at the still warm remains of the bird, mouth lifting a little in disgust. It didn’t stop him from reaching forward and taking the key from the midst of the unfortunate bird.
“Key…” Lo-key. He could entirely appreciate the play of words. Then he heard swift footsteps. He bit his lip, looking around, then pushed the bird’s remains out the window. He looked to the key in his hands and shoved it into his footwear by his ankle and hurried toward the door just in time to meet the two.
“Hello again, Balder, Lady Wanda! Have things calmed down?”
~~~
"Loki!" Wanda exclaimed, looking down at the godling's blood speckled face with concern. "What happened? Are you okay?"
She knelt down in front of him, eyes moving over the length of his body to make sure he hadn't endured any bodily harmed. There didn't appear to be any noticeable cuts or bruises and he didn't look to be in pain. The blood (paint?) though…
"What is this?" She grabbed a napkin out of her pocket (she always had at least one with how messy Eira could be) and wet it with her tongue, then proceeded to wipe away the bits of blood. Yes, she had definitely taken on a motherly role without even intending it. "What mess did you get into, young man?"
~~~
“Ah, it’s okay, it’s… um…” He looked down at himself, batting at his tunic so a little blob of nearly black goo fell from him. It wasn’t just the blood, there was also the dust. Great. I am now muddy as well as bloody.
Then Wanda started trying to get the blood off, and while he didn’t bat her away, he leaned away, crinkling his nose, protesting. “I’m fine! I am hurt not at all! It’s not from me! Ah, nonononooooo, dooooon’taww!” He held still, eyes squeezed shut as the slightly damp napkin wiped at his cheeks. “Now I have goo and saliva on me! Don’t re-lick that! It would be gross! No, don’t use your clothing either! We will just both be stained, and then you will worry the Vision, and he will be cross. You see that, don’t you?” He stepped back, patting at himself. “Look, look! Completely whole! Not a scratch on my Loki-ish person! There is just dirt on me, and that is how boys are meant to be. Can I take some of the books with me? There is some terribly interesting ones in there. No, the books certainly did not bleed on me. What harm is there in a book?”
Balder folded his arms, frowning. “There can be plenty.”
~~~
Wanda let out a small huff when Loki finally managed to pull away from her. Her look was skeptical as she got back onto her feet and discarded the soiled napkin into a nearby waste bin (or vase, whichever). There didn't appear to be a scratch on him like he claimed, but then why did he have blood on him? She frowned. He was obviously hiding something and she was going to figure out what... but that would be later. For now she needed to concentrate on endearing the child to the acting king; a task which was so far proving difficult.
“I am afraid that isn't possible,” she told him with crossed arms. Her hand went up into a halting motion, knowing full well the little trickster would try to convince her otherwise. “And no, they do not technically belong to you. Not anymore. The books have become the property of the king's and he does not want anyone to take the books. Not even me.
“Now...” She stepped behind the boy and gave him a nudge towards the door. “Let us leave. I have been assured you will be safe, so do not worry.” She looked to Balder. “Is there perhaps a place more private to speak?”
~~~
Loki did start to argue immediately, and ownership was already switching out from his tongue when she halted him and said they no longer belonged to him. That did stop him, because to claim otherwise was to claim he was still the Old Loki, and Old Loki was not an endearing chap. His green eyes flit to Balder, noting the uncertainty in his gaze, then back to Wanda. “Well, he seems honorable enough. So long as there are no book burnings, it’s entirely agreeable.”
He looked up to Wanda with those curious eyes when she asked for a private audience. “Does that mean I have to go?”
When he was assured otherwise, he flashed a grin and then moved down to the hearth area, looking into the empty fireplace curiously. Balder simply closed to the door. “Here is as private as we can expect for now, Lady Wanda.”
~~~
Her eyes followed Loki as he scurried over to the fireplace, then moved her gaze back to the king standing before her. She wasn't really sure if staying in Loki's old room was a good idea considering his younger self's curiosity, but she didn't feel like arguing it. Balder was already showing signs of annoyance and she didn't need to make it worse. She would just have to keep a close eye on the little scamp.
“As I mentioned earlier, Loki has been reborn,” she began. “He is but a child now and one that desires to know about his home.” She gave a brief pause so she could get her thoughts together. “If he were interested in staying here” - and part of her hoped he wouldn’t because of the dangers and maybe she actually enjoyed having the little guy around despite all the weirdness of past lives/relationships - “what would become of him? Would he be guaranteed protection or will he be punished for deeds he himself did not do?”
~~~
Loki winced at Balder’s next words, turning from his searching for keyholes (because honestly, that was what he was doing) to look at the Norse god of light. “Lady Wanda, the one person who might protect him no matter his past sins is dead. I can state a decree that none harm him and allow him to come here, but he would need to watch himself.”
Loki looked up quickly. “But I would be allowed here?”
Balder opened his mouth, closed it to think about his words carefully. “It’s not recommended, but I will not forbid thee being here if Lady Wanda has stated she has seen thou lacks the memory of thy past. Understand the risks of doing so, however.”
The boy was on his feet, hurrying over to Balder to stand in front of him, green eyes bright. “You have my super big thanks for that! Really!” He hurried over to Wanda. “See? All is settled. I can visit if I wish, and I may need to. These things are hard to tell.”
~~~
Her eyes dipped briefly at the mention of Thor before lifting to gaze at the querying godling. He seemed to be absolutely thrilled by Balder's acceptance of his presence in his former self's home. Wanda was not nearly as excited. She didn't like that the king couldn't guarantee Loki's safety, but the decree... well, that was likely as good as they were going to get. Still, she didn't like it. If only Thor were still here; he would be able to watch over this mischievous child with ease.
She gave a nod, looking from Loki to Balder. “I suppose that is the best we can hope for,” she said with a slight hint of disappointment. She gave him a smile and a small bow. “Thank you, Lord Balder. You can never know just how appreciative we are.” She turned Loki towards the king and nudge his shoulder, encouraging him to also bow.
Once that was down, Wanda looked down at the child before her. “Do you wish to stay or return to New York with the Vision and I? I would recommend you return home with us, but it is ultimately your choice.”
~~~
Loki did have to be nudged. He looked to her swiftly before catching on, bowing as well. “Super big thanks!” he said cheerfully. Balder didn’t seem to know if Loki was mocking him or not, but decided it was best to not ponder it too much. With a nod, he took his leave, expecting Wanda to keep Loki’s digits from seeing things into his pockets.
“Well, you heard the man in charge. It is allowed for me to come here, but not a thing was said about living here to stay. They clearly are avoiding that. It seems understandable.” Besides, he’d gotten plenty of pieces to the puzzle now just from this one visit. Others could wait.
He shrugged, touching his bicep, still covered in spatters and dust. “So… I suppose I am saying I am ready to leave here. Especially if the pretty lady with black hair is still mad.” He brightened. “Can we have spaghettios, or are we eating at a place of dining tonight?”
~~~
“I will have Vision book us three tickets, then.” Wanda gave the boy a smile. She was happy to see that Loki would be staying with her instead of tempting fate by remaining in Asgard. He seemed to understand more than ever just how dangerous it was for a godling with such a jaded past, even one he was an active participant in. It was sad that such a thing was inevitable, but it was good he was aware of it. It would keep him safer.
“We will be eating out tonight,” she told him. She gave him a stern look, though the slight lift of her lips showed she was not upset with him. “But as soon as we get back to the motel you will take a shower and change out of those clothes, understand? I will not have such a dirty child go into a restaurant.”
~~~
Loki smiled back, glad she was happy about it. She must have cared about who I was an awful lot, despite his apparent awfulness. He would not find such kindness anywhere else, and had not as of yet. Not from anyone.
This… isn’t home like I had hoped, though. He looked around the room while listening to her playful admonishment. Maybe there isn’t one anymore. It will all have to be new. That was likely the intention and what is best. He thought about the key by his ankle, his curiosity still drawn to it. There were still riddles afoot, ones he knew he’d be unable to resist.
He grinned at Wanda. “But I look perfectly urchin right now! But I suppose you’re right. This is no state to enjoy fabulous breakfast meats.” Because breakfast was his favorite meal. Bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, toast--Americans idea of first meal was a delight to him, and many restaurants served it around the clock.
“Let us go then, so I can get cleaned up. All this dust--my snot is sure to be black from it by now.” He then scampered on ahead, stopping to wait for her appropriately, and doing his best to ignore the looks from the Asgardians on the way out.