Strangefrost Oneshots

part six ~ oh, professor (1)

{Alternate Universe where Loki survives Infinity War and wants a simple life; Stephen Strange is a professor at a high-end university as well as the Sorcerer Supreme; the Avengers have retired. set after Avengers: Endgame. part one of five.}

Loki's Point of View

It had been a while since I'd been happy. New Asgard was prospering without me, Thor was off bouncing from planet to planet with the Guardians of the Galaxy, and here I was spending day after day reading in my library on the edge of New Asgard - alone. No-one to challenge me, have fun with me, or even just sit with me.

It was a few weeks after Thanos' defeat and I walked through the streets of New York, craving a change of the scenery that had been scorched into my eyelids. I strolled with my hands behind my back, watching ordinary mortals hurrying around, chatting, and skipping in and out of shops.

I wandered into an antique looking post office; it's elegance swiping my interest. My eyes skimmed over a noticeboard and a single poster caught my eye. A job opportunity as a professor at a fancy university. A thought bloomed in my head. I wanted something to do with my life here on Midgard... I could become a teacher.

I smiled, and slid my phone out of my pocket, dialing the number on the poster. Someone answered after a few rings.

"Hello, I'm calling about the spot available for a professor at your university... Are you still looking for one?"

A voice on the other end of the line cracked into sound. "Yes, an advanced English literature professor. To whom am I speaking?"

"Loki Odinson. I'd like to apply for the job."

"Very well..." There was a pause. "You can come in for an interview this afternoon, if that works."

"Perfect."

*

Two weeks, a few more interviews, and a couple of knowledge-testing exams later, I found myself walking onto the beautiful university campus on the outskirts of New York towards the reception for my first day. I'd decided to wear a neat black suit and tied my hair up loosely into a bun at the back of my head. A few freed strands irritated my cheeks, but I let them be. It was the best I'd looked in years.

Upon arriving at reception, I was given a map, the number of my classroom and a name badge: "Professor Odinson".

I dropped my box of things; containing very few personal items, lots of books and a case of pens and pencils; down onto my mahogany desk. I glanced down at my watch. I had about an hour before my first class. I sighed, looking around at the chic decor of the room. My hands tingled with magic. I could change it up a little bit.

The changes were so subtle, one wouldn't have really noticed them. Plump black cushions had been lain on each chair behind each desk, the vandalised surfaces were now smooth and clean and my desk was slightly larger with more storage space. I'd also packed out all of my books into the shelves behind it.

I set a framed photograph of Mother, Thor and me on the corner of my desk and sat down in the wheeled, cushioned chair. I spun around. My eyes searched the open windows. I sighed; I still felt lonely.

"The maintenance team must love you. This place is spotless," came a gruff, fruity voice from the doorway, following the creak of the old wooden door.

I turned, and to my surprise, saw Doctor Stephen Strange leaning on one of the desks in my classroom.

"I'm rather good at making people like me, if I want to be," I replied, grinning, before slowly getting up.

"My, my," Strange said. He too bore a surprised grin. "If it isn't Loki Odinson."

"The one and only." I winked and spread my arms out in greeting. "What brings you to my class, Strange?"

He walked up to my desk, observing the tidy way I'd arranged it - notebooks in a straight pile, a binder for the lists of the students in each of my classes, and my pencil case lined up exactly with the straight edge of the desk.

"Curiosity," he chuckled. He looked up and our eyes connected for the very first time. My heart gave a peculiar squeeze at their vast blueness that was both similar to mine and delightfully different.

I cleared my throat. "You're a professor here?"

"I am. Neurology professor. The only one at the university, actually."

"You must be busy then."

Strange winked. "Not as much as you'd think."

"Why do you think that is? The sheer magnetism of you isn't enough to draw throws of students to something as boring as learning about brains?"

With a barking laugh, he shook his head. "You know, it's something else: listening to your wit, Odinson. I didn't realise it was so enthralling to be in your presence."

I cocked a brow, involuntarily allowing my lips to curve into a precocious smirk. "Enthralling, did you say? I'll have to add that to my CV."

Strange laughed again, then turned his head to scour my class. "I like the way you changed this room up a bit."

"Who said it was me?"

"Oh, please," he scoffed. "The black cushions? The green blinds? The Shakespeare posters everywhere? This place screams Loki."

We laughed loudly together, until eventually our eyes met again. And this time, I was sure I saw something akin to attraction in Strange's eyes. Feeling somewhat confident under the dapper man's gaze, I let my eyes wonder down his lean body, snaking it around his grey trousers and neatly tucked-in, crisp white shirt that held a navy tie around his neck.

I flicked my eyes back to his face and they roamed there. He'd shaved recently.

"Care for lunch with me later?" Strange asked quietly. My eyes snapped to his.

"Can I think about it?"

"What's there to think about? We can either sit in the staff room together, or on opposite ends of it, awkwardly catching each others' eyes while we eat." He shrugged. "But I mean, it's up to you."

I shook my head and looked down at my hands I'd interlocked in front of me, trying to hide my smile. "You are quite something, Strange."

"Stephen."

I stared at him, amused and... content. I couldn't help noticing the way his eyes seemed to twinkle when he looked at me. Or the slight wrinkles in the corners of them that scrunched up when he smiled at me. He put his hand out towards me. Now, I couldn't help noticing the scars on his hands.

"What -"

"Another day," he interrupted, stretching his hand wider, asking for mine.

I shot him a curious look. His eyebrows had furrowed and the humour in his eyes had dissipated. I let the smile fade from my face and grasped his hand.

"You can call me Loki," I said, holding onto his shivering fingers for a moment longer than necessary before letting go.

"If you call me Stephen," he responded, cocky. He smirked. I returned the favour.

"Stephen Strange - a university professor by day, master of the Mystic Arts by night." I chuckled as he turned to leave.

"Do you really wanna start that? What, Loki Odinson - university professor by day, notorious trickster by night?"

I snorted and sat back down at my desk, pulling my notes for my class towards me. "Leave, Stephen. Or I'll send you out through the window."

He laughed as he loped out the door, his long legs taking him there quickly. I tried not to stare. He glanced back when he reached the door. "I'll see you at lunch!"

"Yes, yes, yes, goodbye!"

*

{i love this AU so muchhhhhhhhh!!!!! can't wait for the next parts, ahhh!!}