13Disclaimer: I don't own Thor because I'm not Marvel. And I know that because I'm incredibly broke.
Anastasia looked around and took in her surroundings. Everything was beautiful, but she was most definitely not on Earth.
"You there!"
Anastasia turned at the voice. It belonged to either a) a really big muscly blonde dude or b) a much smaller (in comparison) person with black hair. But the voice seemed to match option A more.
"Who are you? Where did you come from?"
In her mind, Anastasia did a little happy dance for being right.
"I'm Anastasia. Pleased to meetcha."
"Where. Did. You. Come. From?" the blonde asked, intruding upon Anastasia's personal space.
"Iowa?" she whimpered.
"Where is that?" he demanded.
"Brother," said the other mildly. "Can you not see she is frightened?"
"She is an intruder."
"She is lost." The apparently kinder one walked over to Anastasia. "My name is Loki," he introduced himself. "This is my brother, Thor."
"Brother, this is madness," Thor whispered. "We cannot trust an intruder."
"Entrusting her may be mad, but making an enemy of her is foolishness. Think, brother."
"She may already be an enemy," Thor said. "We do not know anything of this Iowa."
Loki looked at her. "Then we take her to Heimdall," he decided. "He can tell us."
"Come, Anastasia of Iowa," Thor said, turning and walking away. Anastasia looked at Loki, who beckoned her to follow. She did, albeit hesitantly. Loki followed behind her.
Thor led her to a bridge made of what looked like rainbow crystals suspended over space. Thor continued walking as if there was nothing wrong with a freaking rainbow bridge over freaking space, but Anastasia stopped dead.
"Is something wrong?" Loki asked.
"I'm not crossing that thing," she said.
"Why not?" he questioned.
"Why not? It's a bridge over space! Why am I the only one who sees something wrong with that?"
"I can assure you, it is completely safe."
"Safe?" she repeated. "There is literally nothing stopping me from falling over the side. How is that safe?"
"You will not fall," Loki told her. "Now, come. My brother grows impatient."
Anastasia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She started walking slowly. Loki followed closely behind her. He was growing agitated with this stranger, but he could not show it so long as she was a potential ally. The agitation grew as she walked right off the edge. She screamed. Loki was quick in grabbing her before she fell too far.
"You promised I wouldn't fall!" she said as he hauled her back onto the bridge.
"I wasn't aware you would close you eyes before attempting to cross," he said. People from this land of Iowa are not very wise, he decided.
"Yeah, I guess that was pretty stupid, wasn't it?" she said. "I'm sorry."
She continued across, but clung to Loki like a monkey the entire rest of the way.
Yes. Loki was quickly growing agitated.
When they reached Heimdall and Thor, the latter was clearly impatient.
"He has a funny hat," said Anastasia. "Do you have a funny hat?" she asked Loki. "You should have a funny hat."
"Your family worries about you, Anastasia," Heimdall told her. She stumbled backwards and threw her hands up. Loki put an arm behind her to keep her from backing over the edge.
"Anastasia, this is Heimdall," Loki told her. "He is the guardian of the Bifrost."
"He can tell us how you got here," Thor added. "And if you are dangerous."
"Oh, she's not," Loki muttered.
"She is of Midgard," Heimdall said. "She is here by accident."
"Then we can send her back," Thor said.
Heimdall shook his head. "We do not know the effects of the Bifrost on a mortal. It could kill her. Or worse."
"Is she a threat?" Thor demanded.
"Anyone is a potential threat," Heimdall said sagely. "Even unknowingly."
"Then she must be taken care of immediately," Thor announced, turning and grabbing Anastasia's arm. "Thank you, Heimdall."
"Brother," said Loki. "She is harmless—a danger only to herself."
"I would object to that," said Anastasia, "but it's not exactly wrong."
"Well, then what do you propose we do with her?"
"Allow her to stay for now. I'm certain this will not be permanent."
"At the very least we shall take her to father." Thor started walking back across the bridge, dragging Anastasia along.
Anastasia stopped. "No. Nononononononono. Nope. Nu-uh. I'm not crossing that thing again."
"Very well," said Thor, turning and grabbing her waist, slinging her easily over his shoulder.
"OI! I am not a sack of flour! Put me down!"
"No."
Anastasia went limp. "You have a really nice butt," she said, poking it. She looked up at Loki, who was following behind. He was facepalming. "Loki, turn around. I want to see if you also have a very nice butt." Thor laughed.
"You are very amusing, tiny mortal. Even if you are not very bright."
"Again, I'd complain, but it's true."
At least she knows that much, Loki thought.
"So, I'm stuck here?" Anastasia asked Loki. Odin had told Loki that the girl was his responsibility. Loki had disliked this.
"Only until we know how to return you to Midgard safely," he told her.
She sighed theatrically. "But I don't want to be stuck here," she whined. Loki sighed (untheatrically) as a butterfly flew past. "OH MY GOD IT'S A PRETTY!" Anastasia shouted, taking off after it. He facepalmed. Again. He was beginning to think he'd be doing that a lot.
"Loki," said Sif, walking up to the prince. "I heard you have a new pet."
Loki looked over at Anastasia, who was attempting to climb a tree.
"Have you any clothing that would fit her?" he asked Sif. "I am uncertain as to how long hers will last."
"I only have warrior's clothing. You know that."
"I have a feeling she may need them."
"OW!" shouted Anastasia. She ran back to Loki. "Your trees are trying to kill me. That's not cool!" Sif looked at her. She had blood on her right hand. "Oh, hi. I'm Anastasia." She held out her (bleeding) hand.
"I'm sure I have something," Sif told Loki.
"What something?" Anastasia asked. "What's going on?"
"You would know if you hadn't run off. Follow her, she will assist you."
"But...I don't want assistance. I want a butterfly."
"There are plenty of butterflies. They can wait. I would prefer if this did not."
Anastasia's head drooped. "Okay," she said dejectedly.
"Loki is uncertain of how long your clothing will last. He has asked me to provide you with some of mine," Sif explained.
"Will any of your clothes fit me?" Anastasia asked. "You're pretty frickin' tall."
"I have some clothing from my youth. They may fit."
"Okay. Thanks, I guess," she said.
When they reached Sif's chambers, Sif gestured for Anastasia to sit. She plopped down on the floor. Sif reached into the back of her wardrobe and pulled out some of her armor. She turned to give it to Anastasia and realized she was on the ground. She rolled her eyes, but handed the clothes to her. Anastasia took them then threw them down.
"AH! HALLOWEEN COSTUME!" she shouted.
Sif could see why Loki was facepalming a lot.
Despite her initial apparent aversion to the clothing, Anastasia quickly gathered them back up.
"How do you wear this?" she asked. "Cuz I can barely put on jeans and a t-shirt without dying."
It was difficult, awkward, and way too complicated, but eventually Sif was able to help Anastasia into the clothes.
"I don't like them," Anastasia declared. "I miss my fluffy pants."
Sif didn't even want to know.
"I will return you to Loki, if you wish," Sif said.
"Okay," said Anastasia. The women walked out of the chambers, and began searching for the Asgardian prince. After about twenty minutes (according to Anastasia's Pokémon watch), they found him in a courtyard. Anastasia rocketed towards him. He moved out of the way right before she ran into him (she smashed into a wall instead. Oops.).
"Not a very bright one, is she?" Sif asked, watching her attempt to stop a nosebleed.
Loki shook his head. "No. She's not."
"Does this place have a hospital?" asked Anastasia. "I think I broke my face."
"Have fun, Loki," Sif said, turning and leave.
As it turned out, Anastasia had not broken her face (read: her nose). After she had been patched up, Loki led her to the chambers Odin had told the servants to set up for her.
It was one of the smaller rooms they had in the palace. The walls were bare, and the coverlet was ivory. It was all very simple—and yet Anastasia seemed shocked.
"Holy fudge monkey," she whispered under her breath.
"This impresses you?" Loki asked, looking over at the mortal.
She nodded, looking dumbstruck. "The bed alone is as big as my room back home," she said.
"Your home is tiny."
Anastasia glared at him. Loki thought it was rather...cute.
"Good night," bade Loki. "I shall see you tomorrow morning."
"Okay," she said, walking over to the bed. As soon as she heard the door shut she jumped up on the bed. Or rather attempted to. However, considering the height of the bed (about chest-high), this failed. She ended up on the floor.
There was a knock on the door.
"Come in!" she said, smiling. She stood up right as the door opened.
She recognized the woman as the queen. She was holding a bundle of fabrics, and smiling very kindly.
"Good evening," she said warmly. "Our seamstresses have prepared these for you. Sif informed us that you didn't have any clothing other than what you arrived in, and hers are too large for you."
"Oh." Anastasia was taken aback. "Thank you." She took the clothes from the queen. They were soft, silky, and undoubtedly expensive. Not to mention custom made.
When the queen had left, Anastasia took the clothes to the large wardrobe in the corner and hung them up. She kept the one that appeared to be a nightgown (it was thinner and lighter than the others). She then proceeded to attempt to change. It took twenty minutes or so, but she eventually made it out of the armored clothes and into the nightgown.
Then she turned to the bed. She wasn't exactly known for her climbing skills, so getting into this thing was going to be difficult. She backed up to the wall, took a running start, and leapt. That was about as effective as attempting to move a wall with one finger. One hour of jumping, leaping, falling, and climbing later, Anastasia had successfully made it onto the bed. She had barely wrapped herself in the thick not-white blanket before falling asleep.
As much as Loki wished that the entire previous day had been a dream, he knew perfectly well that it was not. His forehead still hurt.
That mortal—she was an imbecile! Terrified of walking off the edge of the bridge, so she closed her eyes. Cutting her hand on a tree—a tree—because she wanted to catch a butterfly. Sprinting headlong into a wall, then stating she had broken her face. How exactly does one break their own face, anyway? Or anyone's face, for that matter? Why did his father have to make her his responsibility? Of all the people in Asgard, why him?
Loki sighed as he rapped on the door to her chambers. He heard a faint 'come in' and opened the door. Just get it over with, he told himself.
Anastasia it seemed, had simply disregarded the bed in favor of the ground. She was wrapped up in the coverlet with her eyes closed.
"It is time to wake up," Loki told her.
"I don't wanna get up," she mumbled. "This blanket is very comfy."
"Coverlet," corrected Loki.
"Bless you."
Loki was too confused to facepalm at that one. He was just about to (attempt to) calmly talk Anastasia into 'getting up' when her eyes shot open and she sat up straight.
"SON OF A BITCH!" she shouted. She brought her hand up in front of her face. Loki saw that it was bent at a rather odd angle. "Why is everything here trying to kill me?" she asked him.
Loki closed his eyes and sighed. Anastasia stood up. "I'm gonna get dressed," she said. "Go wait outside. You don't get to see my sexiness."
Loki turned and walked outside, closing the door as he went. He leaned (read: banged) his head on the wall. Why must she be so strange and confusing? he asked himself.
"Brother!" Thor called, walking towards where the trickster stood. "How are things with the mortal child?"
"She will be the death of me," Loki told him. "And herself. I do not believe she is capable of walking on a flat surface without incident."
Thor laughed. "Mortals of Midgard are so graceless," he said.
Both brothers looked up as the door opened. Loki was slightly surprised (but mostly distraught) to see that Anastasia was wearing a lady's dress, not Sif's armor. He supposed it made sense that his mother would hear of her lack of suitable clothing, but he still wished she was dressed in a warrior's clothing—for her safety.
"Can we go to the...uhh...what's that word? In...infri...no..." she trailed off.
"Infirmary," Thor supplied. Anastasia stuck her tongue out at him. Was that supposed to be a rude gesture? Loki asked himself.
"Anyway, yeah. That place. I think I broke my wrist when I fell off the bed last night." She held up her left hand. Loki saw that it was still bent at that odd angle, and swollen to a worrisome size.
Thor laughed. "Have fun, Brother," he said, slapping a hand on Loki's shoulder before turning and walking down the corridor.
The doctors (Anastasia thought she heard Loki call them 'healers' but didn't really care) weren't exactly sure how long it would take for her wrist to heal. Anastasia didn't know either, since she'd never actually broken her wrist. Her ankle, yeah. Tons of times. But never her wrist.
She looked up at Loki as they walked towards the courtyard. She could tell that he was getting annoyed with her, and she didn't actually blame him. Someone like him probably had things way better to do than babysitting a klutz like her. But he was doing a very good job at hiding his aggravation.
"Thanks," she said. "For, you know, taking care of me."
Loki looked at her curiously.
"I mean, I know you're only doing it cuz that pirate guy told you to, but still. It can't be easy, making sure I don't die or something."
Loki didn't actually know what to say. He had supposed she hadn't realized she was so difficult, but it appeared she did. He thought he should be annoyed at this revelation, but found he was simply surprised by it. Even more surprising, however, was when Anastasia wrapped her arms around Loki's midsection.
What do I do? he asked himself. Physical contact such as this was usually reserved for family and close friends. Not annoying females he had met the day before. He looked around for help, but there was nobody around. He looked back at Anastasia, and found he didn't particularly mind this intimate gesture. So he did what he supposed one was supposed to do in this situation.
He hugged back.
Then he saw his brother. Thor's face clearly said Baby Brother likes the tiny mortal. How amusing.
Loki glared at him, willing him with all his concentration to shut up and leave.
So, naturally, Thor just laughed his booming laugh. Loki let go and pulled away, turning away from his brother, crossing his arms, and sulking. He missed Anastasia's look of hurt and confusion. Thor continued to laugh as he walked away from the courtyard.
Loki wasn't necessarily surprised to find that Anastasia hadn't walked away as well, but he was (pleasantly) surprised when he felt her arms wrap around him from behind.
Can she not see that I'm attempting to sulk? he thought, trying to be annoyed. That didn't last.
He smiled a (very) small smile as a blush spread across his face.
What's happening to me? he asked himself.
AN: Aww, Loki's so sweet when he's confused. So, this will be a really fluffy story with some cracky comments thrown in for because I can.
I'm going to write one-shots of different scenes with Anastasia and Loki. If you want to see anything, lemme know :)
Reviews get to huggles with Loki. Be nice, I'm new to this part of ff.n