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"So it's true?" Darcy doesn't believe him, no real reason she should but Loki looks cocky and smug and she wants to slap him for it.
"Of course it is true, it was I who slayed a bigelsnipe during my coming of age hunt."
"By yourself?" Her skeptical tone made him raise an eyebrow but he nodded nevertheless.
"Indeed, it was a most valiant kill."
"So then you wouldn't mind if I confirm with Thor?" She knows he's lying, he has to be but he doesn't lose his smug look and she frowns in annoyance.
"Not at all."
When Thor confirms Loki's story with a proud smile she finds herself still skeptical but somewhat in awe of Loki.
She knew how they looked like, she saw a picture on the old norse book Erik kept. Big, scaly things that resemble a dragon with antlers more than anything else and way bigger than Darcy ever imagined.
It roars at her and she screams back in fear, it takes a step forward and by instinct she runs the other way, back towards the street that it's suddenly fill with this creatures from another planet.
She avoids hitting one of the bilgesnipe as it roars fire towards the sky, she stumbles into an alleyway and hiding behind a dumpster she watches as the sky fills with jets from the SHIELD base.
Her phone rings then and she scrambles to make sure none of the creatures hear it, she knows before she picks it up that is Loki thanks to his obnoxious ring tone.
"Where are you?"
He sounds worried and Darcy recalls telling him that she would be in this side of town.
"Hiding in an alleyway." She looks up when she hears something like a plane pass and realizes it's the quinjet, "And if you're in the quinjet than you're right on top of me."
"Stay where you are, I will be there as soon as I am able."
He hangs up before she can say anything else and she leans against the dirty wall while she waits for him.
The roars still come from the street but now they sound different and they are new sounds mixed in, gunfire and explosions.
The loud noises muffled the sound of Loki entering the alleyway but he's a tall guy and she spots him easily, he helps her stand up and motions for her to follow him but she stops him.
"Wait, you said you had done it before. Kill one of those things." Loki is giving her an impatient look and a second later the ground shakes beneath them and she stumbles into him.
"I want you to prove it. Go help the Avengers." The ground keeps on shaking and Loki tries to hold her closer but she swats him away.
"I am afraid it is not that simple." He tries to guide her to the alleyway's entrance but she plants her feet firmly on the ground and he's forced to stop.
"Why not? You said you could kill one of those things by yourself, so do it." She doesn't know what she's insisting so hard on it but she is and now Loki looks hesitant.
"I cannot." He pulls her arm again but he can't force her to go and Darcy has a bone to pick with him.
"Why not?"
"Do you not care you are in danger?" Loki looks exasperated and Darcy knows she's about to crack him.
"Why not Loki?"
"Because I lied!" He bares his teeth at her but it doesn't scare her instead she gives him a triumphant smile.
"Aha! I knew you were lying." Her moment of triumphant is short lived when his eyes darken with something resembling hurt.
"Yes, I apologize for not being more like Thor." He spits out his brother's name like it's a disease and Darcy winces.
"I never-" She's interrupted when Captain America strolls into the alleyway and tells them they need to get moving.
"Braggadocio." Darcy murmurs in amusement and Loki gives her a questioning look.
"Nothing I just found a word to add to the growing list I have of you."
Loki looks torn between asking her and getting out of danger but before Loki can ask, Darcy motions for them to follow Steve out.
The bilgesnipe are roaring less ferocious now and there is a hell less of them, nevertheless Darcy follows Loki's every instructions until they hit a barricade.
"I have to go." He leaves without a backwards glance and Darcy knows that even though Loki was that one that lied, she is the one that fucked up.
She lays on his bed, hands on her stomach staring numbly at the ceiling.
Jarvis was kind enough to let her into the tower even though her clearance level is pretty low, but she's grateful and she's not going to complain. Jarvis lets her know Loki is on his way up and she tenses, not knowing how he'll react to seeing her there.
"You cannot sneak on a god." Loki says as soon as he opens the door.
"I can try." He looks fine besides a cut on his jaw but it looks shallow and she knows it'll be gone in an hour.
"I wanted to apologize." Swallowing pride is never easy but Darcy is shock to see it's Loki that does it first.
"What?" She stumbles over the word, not quite believing he would want to apologize to her.
"In Asgard when you wish to court, it is always the biggest prey that attracts the most attention. That is to say of course, the strongest warrior often gets his pick of a bride." He gives a half smile before laying down next to her, armor and all.
"You knew I wished to court you, I forget often times that we are not in Asgard anymore and our traditions and yours are quite different...I was trying to impress you, when I was a boy I was taught to make sure my intended knew I could provide for her. Feed her and our future children, they are important traditions in Asgard and I was not able to let them go when I became interested in you."
She stares at the ceiling as he talks and she can't help but wonder what else Loki had to prove to even get someone interested in him.
"I did not actually kill a bilgesnipe on my own...but the entirety of Asgard believes so. It was quite easy you see, to enchant a fallen tree to look like the carcass of the creature. My Father knew of course but he decided to keep my secret for whatever reason and then the warriors started to give me acceptance and I started to believe the lie myself." He trails off in a whisper and Darcy turns to look at him.
"I don't want Thor, if I wanted Thor I would've fought Jane for him." She puts her hand over his and squeezes. "I just want Loki."
Loki gives her a small but grateful smile and she finally decides to change to other topics.
"Now what else would you have to do to court me?"