Another Chance

Questions

It turned out that classes at a Midgardian institute were even more boring than being educated by private tutors. And infinitely more than his instructors in Asgard. Having previous knowledge of the subjects had a lot to do with it, certainly, despite having been enrolled in the advanced classes.

The teachers were efficient in their work, and some even went out of their way to make their subject entertaining, so Loki couldn't blame them for their lack of interest in knowledge below him. After all, he had learned that and more more than half a millennium ago.

The Midgardians' knowledge of space was particularly amusing, he discovered as he reviewed the book he'd been handed out by the secretary. So limited, so... innocent. The only intelligent life in all of space? He doubted that even in this universe where he was a Midgardian that was true. Space was too big, too vast and full of wonders for that to be true.

Somewhere in the stars Asgard existed. It had to exist. With another king (perhaps a truly wise one, for a change), another queen, and other princes. maybe. That was an idea that unsettled and reassured him at the same time, he found. And it was something he would think about another time. Probably.

The good thing about his classmates not paying too much attention to him after the relevant introductions is that it gave him time to think.

The bad thing about not being interested in his peers, his teachers and his classes in the least is that it gave him time to think. To analyze. And to overanalyze. And to make him want to take out his dagger and stick it in something. Or someone. Or, if necessary, himself. Yes, that would help him stop thinking.

Maybe then he would stop remembering the voice that had brought him there. Him, and Sylvie. Why them? Why two of them, and why there? Why did they keep their memories? And why did he have memories of that life that he hadn't lived as a Midgardian child? Throughout the morning memories of him kept coming back. Small glimpses of a children's room, a bicycle, classes with private teachers. His mother and her garden, her smile, her Midgardian lullabies when nightmares woke him up (there were things that never changed, it seemed). Flashbacks of Thor, before his relationship cooled down and became that weird thing between them.

By the time it was time for lunch he had too many ideas in his head, all scrambled and stepping on each other to get his attention. And very few ways to release tension that didn't end with him in Fury's office, in a Midgardian jail, or, at worst, back with Odin.

No, he needed to talk about this with someone. And there was only one person, unfortunately, who could understand his doubts. And perhaps, also the madness that began to take over his mind.

As soon as the bell announcing lunch time rang Loki shot out of his seat. He had 40 minutes to find her and find answers.

He found her 5 minutes later when walking through the dining room doors he saw her walking out of line with a tray full of food. A fleeting thought about the fact that he hadn't eaten breakfast and that he needed to eat flashed through his mind, but his stomach clenched and he dismissed it. He couldn't eat. He couldn't even understand how she could think about it.

So he dismissed the idea of queuing and followed her to a secluded table, where she sat with her back to him.

"Are you going to sit down or are you going to keep stalking me like a weirdo?" I ask without looking at him.

Loki sighed and pinched the palm of one hand with the other. He was suddenly nervous about talking to her. What if she had no answers? Or worse yet, what if she did? He didn't even know what answers he wanted. On the one hand, maybe she knew how to get back to Asgard, which led him to wonder if he wanted to. On the other hand, maybe she didn't know how to do it. Perhaps they were trapped here, for the rest of their mortal lives. Mortal and so, so ephemeral. The very idea was sick.