A Future of our Own

Academy - Loki

"Morning, sleeping beauty."

Loki slowly opened his eyes, finding his vision blurry and unfocused to begin with as pain radiated through his head.

Pushing against his temple with the heel of his palm didn't help much, but it covered part of the light coming from somewhere to his right and that was at least stopping it from getting worse.

He blinked away the bleariness and looked up at who was looming over him, a faint smile touching his lips.

"Good morning to you too."

Loki sat up with a small grunt and looked around the room, letting out a long sigh as he turned to inspect his clothing and then the room that he found himself in.

He instantly recognized the academy science lab and remembered the many hours passed getting bored of Midgardian science and what it couldn't teach him.

"I see, we're back here."

"You sound about as surprised as I was."

He turned his attention to the girl knelt before him, his eyes slowly looking her over as he smiled.

"It's been many years since I've seen you like this," he commented.

"Younger and prettier?"

"That isn't possible, you get more beautiful by the day."

She smiled at him but gently shoved his shoulder then stood up, holding onto the table for support.

"Now you're creeping."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

Loki got up from the floor and dusted himself off, checking over the thick jacket that he was wearing.

"I miss this thing."

"It did always add an extra flair to your arrogance."

He smirked and leaned against the table.

"Arrogance that you secretly loved."

She rolled her eyes then looked at the gadget on the table, with this swirling vortex still held in the middle of the silver frame and perfectly docile, as if it hadn't just caused a mass explosion.

"I remember this project," Loki said with a slight frown, "but I don't remember it causing this problem."

"Me neither," she agreed, shaking her head.

"So, it seems we'll have to figure out how to correct it."

"Yes and fast, I would like to get back to our child."