Mischief and Magic

Chapter 12

Morgan took Loki's hand and dragged him out of the tower, treating him more like a favorite stuffed animal than a terrifying powerful god. Clearly, Loki had lost his touch, at least when it came to this little mortal Starklet, but somehow he couldn't find it in himself to mind. She was treating him like her best friend, like potentially more than that when she was of age to consent to such things, and Loki found that he liked it. He'd never had a friend like her before, or friends at all. Thor's friends were idiots and Loki was too different on Asgard to be accepted. Somehow... somehow Morgan didn't mind that he was different and dark. She kept finding and pulling out the light in him.

Loki flinched when they left the tower, expecting some alarm to go off, some weapon to attack him for daring to leave without an approved guard or babysitter. For daring to leave without permission. He was astonished when no attack came and when Morgan just kept dragging him along like nothing strange occurred with him. She led him out onto the street, chatting with him as they strolled along. Loki listened intently as she told him about the city and the shops, as she told him about Midgardian life. It grounded him, seeing how similar and different this realm was to his home.

People stared at them as they walked. Morgan ignored them, used to being in the spotlight, used to all the attention. Her father was famous and her looks made her distinctive, especially with her arc reactor glowing through her shirt. Loki noted with satisfaction that she wore a repulsor, hidden as a watch, and was proud of her for not going unarmed, even if he was perfectly capable of protecting her.

Loki also knew that some of the stares from the people on the street were for him. Even without his distinctive helmet, it was common knowledge that he was back on the realm and living at the tower. Seeing him with Morgan wasn't terribly unexpected. Though he heard some mentions about some mortal named 'Tom Hiddleston'. He made a note to himself to ask Morgan about that when they were safely in private again.

As they made their way to more densely populated shops, Loki felt the need to speak up, to spill a secret before it blew up the hard way. It took more courage than he wanted to admit, afraid of being rejected like he had been all his life, but he finally got the words out: "I should warn you that cold things turn me blue." He said the words in a rush. It was the only way to get them out. Did she know what he was? Did she understand what the cold would do to him? Would she see him as a monster?

Morgan paused in her stride and looked up at him, giving him her full attention with a small adorable frown. She resembled a kitten trying to figure out how to properly pounce on a hoppy bug. "Oh... do you want to go somewhere else?" she didn't want to make him uncomfortable and clearly didn't quite see what the problem was or how to fix it.

Loki shook his head firmly. He really did want to try the treat. "Not at all. There are ways to avoid it being an issue. For example, simply taking the treat to the tower and eating it there." It wasn't the ideal solution when the god wanted to spend time outside of the tower, but would be less traumatizing for all involved.

Morgan considered that and Loki could practically see the gears in her head spin as she recalculated her plans for their day out. "Then we'll head to the bookstore first and get ice cream on our way back," she suggested easily. She was planning on surprising Loki with a trip to the bookstore. Now, they would just do it in a different order.

Loki lit up in absolute delight; he was always in the mood to adopt some books! Books needed homes and he was glad to give them all a loving home. Morgan giggled and led him down a few shops to a little bookstore crammed full of book-friends to adopt. Loki seemed to be in his element the moment he inhaled the scent of the books. "I thought you would like it here," Morgan said at his reaction.