Silvertongue & Golden Wordsmith (Loki Fanfiction)

Chapter 5 Challenge

Loki dropped Odin off at The Shady Acres Care Home. He was just about get Surge to bring him back to Asgard when he saw a familiar head of golden red hair walking across the street. He turned, trying to get a better look at the maiden to make sure it was her, before beginning to pursue her. He crossed streets, almost running headlong into cars. He dodged them, politely waving an apology as he kept jogging after the familiar haired maiden. He hoped it was her, he really really wanted it to be her. And if it was he could try and make up for hurting her, or at least apologise and see if they could start again, completely fresh.

He kept following her, watching her long, thick knit coat sway behind her as she slung her satchel over her shoulder and curled her arms around herself to protect her from the cold. He smiled at how small and fragile she looked in Midgardian clothing. Like himself, she was smaller than she looked, and without armour neither of then looked as strong as they really were.

He finally caught up with her, slowing a step or two behind so that he could be charming and casual instead of slightly out of breath. "Excuse me?" Loki asked, watching her turn around cautiously. He smiled his widest smile, grinning at her with as much relief and affection as he could. "I'm sorry, i just wanted to say that you look very beautiful, and i was wondering whether i could, perhaps, take you to lunch?" he asked.

Halldora stood, stunned as she looked Loki up and down. Was he serious? Honestly, she was very excited to see him in Midgard, and his tone was so charming she really didn't want to refuse. And, was he panting a little? She watched his chest rise and fall quicker than it should, and she suppressed a smile. He had run after her.

"I tell you what Silvertongue," she said, deciding to give him a second chance, "You buy me a coffee and a book, and I might just let you sit with me," she said, smirking cheekily at him.

"Of course," Loki said, trying not to sound relieved. Which he was failing miserably at. Halldora noticed him squirm excitedly when she'd accepted his offer, and she wondered whether Loki had wanted to say that to her since they last met. Which, unbeknown to her, was wrong. He'd wanting to ask her that since he'd first seen her and thought she was a Midgardian, in her house on the empty beach.

Loki opened his arm and offered it to her, and she slowly looped her arm in his. He tried not to grin as wide as he wanted to, thinking that he might look too easily manipulated. But he was revelling in her returned caring for him, and he wasn't going to let her slip away from him again as easily as she had before.

As the two gods sat in the coffee shop, Halldora holding her coffee cup in her hand and the book bag at her feet, and Loki with his coffee cup cradled in his hands as he tried to formulate some witty remark, they looked like they were on their first ever date. Which, they kind of were, considering their first two meetings had kind of been Halldora kidnapping Loki.

"So, how long have you stayed in Midgard?" Loki asked.

"Of all the beautifully eloquent pick-up lines, and you pick that one," she said, smirking at him cheekily, "That won't get you anywhere Silvertongue."

"Then what will?" Loki leaned forward, surprising himself at how seductive that sounded.

"Hmmm, maybe you'll have to wait and see," Halldora leaned forward too, their noses almost touching, "But then again," she snapped away from him just before he could lean closer, "Maybe you'll just have to try harder."

Loki smirked, making Halldora think it was the most beautifully mischievous thing anyone had done to her. "So, Lady Wordsmith," Loki began again, this time his voice softer and deeper, almost making her purr at the sound, "What made you give me a second chance?" he asked.

This time it was her turn to flash him a cheeky smile. "Well, when one knows that the god pining after them could be the next King of Asgard, one learns to take the good with the bad," she said, holding her head high so that she looked as if she wasn't particularly interested in the conversation

"What if the god in question, gave up the throne to stay on Midgard with her?" he asked, making her catch her breath.

"Silvertongue! That is a fine proposal, but I wonder if you could last a month in Midgard, let alone a lifetime. I think you would tire of the normal life that your love has begun to cherish, and she would not want to be heartbroken again if you got bored of her," Halldora said, testing Loki with a challenge.

Loki, being the stubborn Asgardian he was, wasn't going to be turned away from her that easily. "On the contrary," he said, looking deeply into the Vanir goddesses eyes, "Perhaps, if I were to take up your challenge, then in winning i would-,"

"No, Silvertongue," she interrupted, as if reading his mind, "If you last a month as a normal Midgardian, with me, you will understand that a marriage cannot be a reward for holding back your tongue."

"Then let's make it a year," Loki said, leaning even closer to Halldora so that she couldn't refuse. "A year living on Midgard together. No magic, no visits home. If you haven't killed me by then, and I haven't run back to Asgard in defeat, you give me permission to propose?" he asked, his lips turning up cheekily at the last remark of his challenge.

Halldora considered it for a moment, before looking into Loki's eyes, "As you wish Silvertongue, you may live with me on Midgard for the next year, and if you have not crawled back to Asgard from boredom, I will accept whatever proposal you put forward following the completion of the challenge."