Another Chance

Dinner

The day slipped by with amazing slowness. And also the next. And as he pretended to pay attention during class his thoughts returned to Asgard again and again. And, much to his chagrin, Sigyn. Which was frankly ridiculous. Centuries had passed since he had gotten over his ridiculous crush on the young woman. And there he was again, with his body revolutionized by hormones and the most confusing thoughts filling his mind. Luckily he didn't share any classes with her. He couldn't face a day seeing her and ignoring her. Even if it was for her own good.

He went back to his habit of avoiding the dining room, and of course, the greenhouse as well. He went back to the library, where he tried (with rather dubious success) to distract himself with all sorts of study subjects. By evening of the second day he considered himself fairly successful in avoiding Sigyn. And if he had avoided her that long, in all likelihood any interest she had in him would have vanished, right?

"I've been waiting for you this morning," she said as soon as Loki stepped out of the elevator, making him stop. "And at lunch time. But you haven't even shown up for dinner in the dining room. If you weren't Loki Odinson, I'd say you're avoiding me. Which is ridiculous."

Or maybe not.

Loki tensed. A part of him, the same part that had allowed him to walk away from her the previous morning, the part that wanted to protect her from the rest of himself, wanted to growl at her and say something offensive. The other just wanted her to go away.

"Because it's ridiculous, right?"

The hurt tone in his voice made him turn around. He should let it be. Hurting her was the best way to drive her away.

However, he needed to explain it to her. Make her understand why.

"It's not what you think," he said, struggling to find the words. "It's... It's for your own good. I am not good company. I'm not even sure I'm a good person."

Sigyn huffed, crossing her arms.

"If you weren't a good person, you wouldn't worry so much about it."

Loki opened his mouth to refute his argument. But he found nothing to say and closed it. He frowned and shifted his weight from one leg to the other. As the seconds passed, Sigyn's smile widened, satisfied.

"I'm glad we agree. Come, I brought you something for dinner."

And, as if she wanted to give him a heart attack, Sigyn took his hand and pulled him in the direction of the common room. Loki had avoided going in that direction since that first morning, because rare was the day that Thor's voice was not heard from there. But when they arrived, he discovered a relatively empty common room. In the study room there were two people, engrossed in their books and notebooks. And anyone else.

"They are playing something in the dining room. I haven't really been paying much attention," Sigyn reported when she noticed his gaze around the room. "When I saw that you weren't here for dinner, I decided to bring something for both of us. I hope you do not mind."

Sigyn released him as they got closer to the kitchen counter, and Loki stopped completely. He felt...lost. He couldn't remember the last time someone other than Frigga had cared enough about him to bring him food to a secluded spot. In neither of his two lives.

"Why?" he heard himself say, something disconnected from his own body.

Sigyn, who had bent down to get two cans of soda from the minibar by the sink, looked at him in confusion.

"Because I'm hungry."

"No, I mean... Why were you waiting for me? Why did you bring me dinner? You could have dined downstairs."