Illusions | Loki & Jane

18. The Worlds Tree

A/n.: So for everyone, who has started to read this story a few months ago, I found out that in the movies is indeed said that Jane's father is not alive anymore, so I changed it ;-)... just so you don't get confused.
___________

"I'd like a gin please." Loki said to the bartender, who came to take orders. He was sitting in the back of the bar - not looking like himself, watching and listening to the two men sitting awkwardly next to each other at the counter.

"I had it all backwards." Thor said with a sad frown, more talking to himself than to Erik. "I had it all wrong."

"It's not a bad thing to find out that you don't have all the answers. You should start asking the right questions." Erik replied to show him that he understood.

Thor looked at him thankfully for the listening ear. "It's the first time in my life that I have no idea what I'm supposed to do."

"Anyone who's ever going to find his way in this world, has to start by admitting he doesn't know."
The god looked at the man surprised. He hadn't suspected him to be so wise.

"Seems Darcy's a terrible intern, but a talented hacker." Erik stated, to change the subject of the conversation. 

"Thank you for what you've done for me." Thor managed to say.

"Don't thank me, I only did it for Jane." 

The men on the counter got distracted by someone behind them in a corner, who was having a coughing attack. "Are you alright?" Thor asked, looking concerned at the man, who looked like a local to him.

"I'm fine." The man croaked when he could talk again. "I just swallowed the wrong way." 

Thor gave him an acknowledging nod and turned back to the scientist next to him.

Loki tried to get his breath under control again. He didn't want to get too much attention from his brother. Nevertheless, hearing her name coming out of Erik's mouth made him choke on his drink. What did he mean by he only did it for Jane?

"How do you know her?" Thor asked, when they had returned to their conversation.

"Jane's like a daughter to me. Her father and I taught at University together. He was a good man, but he never listened."

Thor nodded recognizing. "Neither did I. My father tried to teach me something, but I was just too stupid to see it."

Erik eyed him slowly, with a fierce look in his eyes. "I don't know if you're really delusional, and I really don't care. I just care about her. I've seen the way she looks at you."

A knife.
Maybe shattered glass.
It could be a grenade that had just exploded inside of his chest.
At all events, it hurt Loki immensely hearing that line. How was Jane looking at Thor? And why was Erik so concerned about him hurting her. Oh hell no. This could not be true. This had to be a nightmare.

"I swear to you I mean her no harm." He heard Thor say with a very sincere face. Oh, he liked her. He really did. This certainly was MORE than a nightmare, it was hell. His own cold and icy hell. Maybe he had died and he hadn't noticed. "WHISKEY PLEASE!" He yelled at the bartender signing at his empty glass.

"Good. In that case I'll buy you another round and you will leave town tonight." Erik said to the blond muscled man. 

Thor nodded, yet slowly and undecided, but agreeing.

"Two boiler-makers!" Erik told the bartender, who had just returned from bringing a whiskey to the table behind them in the corner.
The bartender set down a couple of mugs and two shots of whiskey on the counter in the local pub. Thor watched the man pouring the shot into his mug with interest. So this was how the midgardians drink alcohol? Dr. Selvig downed his mug. The god of thunder grinned and followed the man's lead, making a disgusted and shocked face, when tasting the drink.