Beneath A Moonless Sky: A Thor Fanfic

Stark Solutions Pt. II

            Laine expected Loki to glare or say something nasty at the sound of her quip, but he didn't. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips, seemingly more amused than angry. She was relieved. Loki thought for a moment, eyeing the girl curiously as he pondered their next move.

"Okay, if you think you're so smart. How do you intend to sneak me passed the guards? You may be an intern, but your little pass isn't going to get Loki, of Jotunheim, into Stark Tower. Oh no, I suspect I'd be shot at on sight."

It was Emily's turn to snark.

"You claim to be a God, no? Figure it out."

Loki's jaw set, and Thor fought laughter, looking on his brother with an apologetic smile. "Let it go, Loki. You've magic enough to bend your shape at will, you've done it to me a thousand times over."

Loki glowered darkly, grinding his teeth as he spoke. "If I could pull that sort of magic now, do you think we'd be having this conversation?"

Lanie thought deeply for a moment. "Yes, well, I thought no one remembered who you were so..."

Thor exhaled and shared a weary glance with his brother. "No, Loki's right. Just because you don't remember does not mean SHIELD doesn't. I technically work for them and I would not trust them as far as I could throw them. I think it wise if Loki stays behind."

"Not a chance in hell." Loki mumbled, folding his arms across his chest. He seemed annoyed, but there was no bite to his words, and Thor rolled his bright blue eyes at him.

"You say that as if we have a choice. It's not as if you could magic yourself into the building." The minute those words passed Thor's lips, a smirk began to creep up the corners of Loki's mouth, and Thor didn't like it one bit. He narrowed his eyes, holding up a hand in protest. "Whatever you're scheming, the answer is no."

"You say that as if we have a choice." Loki mocked, throwing Thor's words back in his face with a gleeful smile. Thor frowned deeply, though he made no further attempt to protest as Loki ruminated on whatever he was cooking up inside his head.

"I may not yet be strong enough to change forms, but it takes very little effort on my part to astral project. Think of it, brother, you've seen me do it. You know I am capable. I'll even agree to being locked up in this Midgardian hunk of scrap for an hour or so, just as long as I can have a word with Stark, that is all I ask."

Thor studied Lanie for a moment, pondering his brother's words. Her deep brown eyes were staring at Loki intently, as if trying to figure him out...understand what game it was that he was playing. He pitied her for even trying, it was more than he was willing to do these days.

"Lanie and I can get into the building physically, and perhaps Emily should stay here with Loki, if you wouldn't mind it. I'm not as stupid as he thinks me to be, I will not leave him out here alone." Emily nodded.

"I can keep an eye on him, you two see what you can dig up." Thor smiled happily at her words, nodding in agreement and clamoring out of the car, walking around to open Lanie's door for her. She took one last, slightly salty glance at Loki, and slid out of the vehicle. When they heard Emily lock the car behind them, the pair walked toward Stark Tower in an awkward silence. Thor glanced at her a few times, trying to think of something useful to say as he watched her scan her card to enter the building.

"Are you alright? Did he hurt you?"

Lanie shrugged her shoulders. "No, I've taken worse than a shove here and there, but thank you. Your brother is...off, a bit, isn't he?" She asked, choosing her words carefully. She didn't want to offend him. Thor laughed.