Fake it 'till you make it
── .✦ You lied to me! I did. You poisoned me! I did. You said you loved me! I do.
Type: strangers to lovers/enemies to lovers
Does not follow the original timeline!
A/n: look at me being self indulgent again yay ^^
No beta reading yet. English is not my first language.
Long story short: After Thor leaves Sakaar with the Valkyrie and the Hulk, Loki is caught by the Grandmaster's guards as a traitor. The Grandmaster offers him freedom in return of you, a Midgardian, and refused to give any explanation. Loki accepts, and he has to seduce you into trusting him completely to bring you to the Grandmaster (but he accidentally falls for you).
Reader is intended (in my mind) to be a girl but it's gender neutral for now. I don't know about the next chapters yet tho.
The hall was silent. The spaceship was gone, disappeared behind the metal door similar to the opening of a lens and directed into the Devil's Anus. Now, only a faint smell of burning and combustible gas were left in the air from the departure of the spaceship. Loki stood in front of the empty space, touching behind his shoulders where his brother electrocuted him. It still hurt.
What was he going to do now? Steal another spaceship? Run after them? To do what? He lingered in the hall for a few moments, thinking, when suddenly he heard footsteps from behind the large entrance doors. Before he could run to hide, several guards walked in and moved towards him. He let himself be restricted with handcuffs and chains, knowing that any resistance would've been useless as he had nowhere to go.
Roughly, he has been guided to the Grandmaster's room. It was a large hall, with white and yellow pavement and a huge window showing the city, before which the Grandmaster himself was waiting for Loki's arrival. The grey haired man looked at him with a mix of amusement and disappointment.
"Loki, Loki..." He said exaggeratedly, "You have disappointed me. What should we do with you, hm?"
A shiver run through Loki's spine. As much as he confided in his fighting ability, the thought of being thrown in the arena as a punishment was not appealing to him, nor it was whatever could happen worse than that. But gaining the Grandmaster's trust again would've been impossible.
Loki shot both his eyebrows up, stepping away from the guards. "Letting me go is not an option, I suppose?"
The Grandmaster smirked, gesturing to his secretary to come closer. She brought him a picture. He took it from her hands and showed it to Loki, as he could not take it himself because his hands were tied behind his back.
"Why are you showing me this?" Loki asked, staring at the picture.
"Well, because this is the price you have to pay to be free."
"Bring them to me. Do this, and I'll let you leave." The Grandmaster gave back the picture to the woman, and she walked away.
Loki looked back the guards, who did not step back in the slightest. Realising he will never get an answer, he decided to test the waters. "How do you know I will not try to escape?"
"Easy." One of the guards behind him held up the mini-taser Thor used on him. "I think you have already tried it once." Saying so, the man grabbed Loki's tied hands and placed the little thing on the back of his neck. It picked at his skin.
Loki's head shot back in disgust. At this point there was no option. "I see."
"I'll bring them to you in exchange for freedom."
"Exactly what I thought." The Grandmaster smiled and winked at him, sitting back on his comfortable chair as Loki was dragged away from the guards.
The Grandmaster's secretary gave Loki some basic information about the Midgardian -and with basic, I mean basic. Where the lived, how old they were, and basically nothing else.
The guards took him to a little spaceship, about half as big as the one his brother used to escape. There were three guards with him. One took off his chains and handcuffs and threw him in the ship, closing the door behind him.
Inside there were only a small room, that was probably intended to serve as a bathroom, and a rather uncomfortable cockpit.
"I can't believe I have to do this..." Loki muttered, trying to understand how to get that ship working.
Finally, he arrived on Midgard. It had only been a couple of days, really, with the advanced -yet uncomfortable- spaceship they gave him, but it felt like a whole year.
While he was travelling through the empty space, he had the possibility to think about how to earn your trust. He knew nothing about you, and clearly that did not work in his favour, but he was convinced that by faking to be a Midgardian, and a kind one, he could do it. After all, that would work with literally anyone on Midgard.
The first day on the planet has been... difficult. He did not consider that he would have had to buy Midgardian clothes and all that everyone on Earth had, find an apartment -task for which he absolutely did not use his tricks- and walk around the city -trying to remember what he saw- to pretend he always lived there.But he somehow made it through everything.
On the second day, his plan was clear in his mind.
It was Sunday. The day was relatively warm for a midwinter morning, and the sun was shining from behind a few clouds that rhythmically covered and uncovered it. The sound of a bell. You opened the café door. The place was lit by two chandeliers on the ceiling, the wooden tables were surrounded by comfortable chairs, and the countertops were lined with sweet treats.
The waiter handed the cup to you with a smile, but, right when you turned around to go to a table, a man walked past you. He was tall, with black hair and deep green eyes, and was wearing a dark coat above a shirt and a scarf. You saw him too late and could not stop walking before bumping on him. Your coffee fell on his shirt -and partly on your clothes too.
You gasped and took a step back, placing the now practically empty cup on the counter.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" You said, mouth covered with a hand. "I didn't see you-" The man was looking at you with a quite unbothered expression.
"Sorry," he said. "Did I hurt you?"
You looked at him surprised. "What- no, no. I'm sorry, I bumped into you, it was my fault. And now your clothes..."
"Ah, I'm glad. Don't worry." He took a napkin and started cleaning -or at least trying to- his shirt, which used to be white. "Your clothes got dirty too."
You looked at your own clothes, that were actually covered with coffee almost as much as his. "Oh. Yes." You took a napkin too. In your mind, you were thinking how dumb you both must have looked, standing in the middle of the café drying your clothes with napkins. What a great way to start a day. "But still, please, let me pay for the laundry."
"Absolutely not. I should've been more careful." He insisted.
"Oh, you must be kidding me." You replied. "I insist."
He smiled slightly. "I do as well."
You stared at each other for a few moments.
You fell silent again, brows slightly furrowed. He was looking at you with a little smile.
You both stepped aside to let a waitress walk past.
You sigh. "No, really, I don't think you understand. I won't ever let this go if you don't let me at least pay for the laundry. I'm so sorry."
He laughed softly. "Oh, it's so serious? You don't need to worry that much."
You think for a moment, disappointed that your efforts have been so useless. "Are you sure it's okay? I'm sorry."
You furrowed your eyebrows a little more.
He smirked. "Are you offended?"
"What?" You forced yourself to relax your face. "No. I'm just... I don't know."
His green eyes were fixated on yours. It all felt so weird.
"Let me offer you another coffee-" He started saying with a sly smile, quite obviously with the intent of provoking you.
"No!" You replied firmly, almost pouting. "Absolutely not. I don't want you to buy me anything if you don't let me pay for the laundry."
He laughed and adjusted his scarf. "So stubborn . That's so unfortunate. Unlucky me, then. It'll be for the next time." And with that, he bowed a little before heading to the door, closing his coat to cover the dirty shirt. "Have a good day."
You stood still, whatching him leave the café.
Who on Earth would have reacted like that to a stranger covering their clothes with coffee?
You slowly turned around and asked for another coffee, trying to hide the patch of brown liquid on your clothes with a scarf.
Loki walked out of the door. When he was sure he was out of the Midgardian's sight, he dried his clothes with magic and sat on a bench. He surely did not expect his target to be this stubborn. He didn't even get the chance to actually talk to you. He thought of when to 'accidentally' meet you again. Tomorrow would've been too soon, but he didn't want to waste too much time in a stupid mission for the Grandmaster. The day after. He touched the back of his neck, sighing. It was all Thor's fault. He electrocuted him and left him in Sakaar. Nothing of this would've happened if his brother was a little less... Well, Thor. Was this what he thought every time he stabbed him? Not that it mattered, anyway.
A couple of days later, you were walking down a street next to the river. It was almost sunset, and you were getting back home from work. Suddenly, you heard someone greeting you from behind. It was a familiar voice... You stopped and turned around to see the black haired man standing in front of you.
"What a coincidence. Hello." He said.
"Hello," you greeted back, surprised. "How strange, suddenly we meet so often."
He smiled "I wouldn't say 'so often', it's only been twice."
"Hm, right." You thought about it for a moment, then decided it was a reasonable statement. "How's your shirt? I hope the stain hasn't remained."
"It's fine, cleaner than ever."
You stood still in the middle of the street, not knowing what to say. "Well, I'll head back home." You concluded. "Goodbye."
He followed you with a step. "Wait," He called out.
Loki stood still for a moment, trying to think of a way of making you stay a little longer to get to know you. He could not ket you walk away again, or he would never be free from the Grandmaster. He used all his charm and smiled. "Is it still a no, for the coffee? Or just a pastry."
You thought about it for a few seconds. After all, it's not like you had anything to do at home...
"No, it isn't." You said, walking back to stand next to him. "But I insist that you should've let me-"
"Oh, please. Forget about it." He said waving a gand in the air. "I suppose you want to go the same café?"
You nodded. "It's fine for me."
You sat at a round table, a little vase full of leaves and flowers in the middle. Outside, the sky was slowing turning pink. You both ordered a coffee. His was an espresso.
"It's a pleasure." He took a sip from his cup. "I still don't know your name."
"Ah, right. I'm Y/n. I don't know yours either."
Now the sky was totally red and a shaft of coloured light entered through the café window to land on your table.
Loki looked at you with a satisfied smile, seeing that his efforts were paying. The amazing sunset might have been one if his tricks, but there was nothing wrong with helping himself getting the job done, no?
"Ah. Nice name. I've never met anyone with that name before."
‘Of course you haven't, little mortal. I'm a God.’ Loki replied in his mind, but he kept silent.
After a minute or so of silence, he spoke again. "Do you live near here?"
"Yes I do. A few blocks from here, actually. And I come here almost everyday before work." You looked outside the window, at the sky. "That's why I was surprised that I never saw you around," you explained.
"I've been living gere for a whilr. Maybe we just had different schedules."
"Yeah, might be so. Maybe for work."
"What do you do for a living?"
"Oh, wow. That's though. It's a nice job, I think. Must feel good to help people out." He said.
"Yes indeed. And in general, it's a very interesting to solve those kind of problems. Requires a lot of thinking. Sometimes I feel like a detective. Even if some people pretend a lot."
A detective? That was new. He nodded. "I can imagine. And thinking that the doctor is a detective... I had never heard that before."
"Really? Well, actually detectives and doctors have a lot in common. We also have to listen to people and investigate finding clues, you know. And the Sherlock Holmes books have had a great impact on the medical world and how one tries to find a diagnosis."
"Really? I didn't know that." He was genuinely surprised now. He didn't speak with many Midgardians, but none of those he spoke to were as interesting to talk to as you. And he never studied much about Midgard's history, let alone medicine, so he actually did not know what you were saying.
"Yes, Conan Doyle himself was a doctor."
He nodded and took a sip from his coffee. He smiled. "I think I will find out a lot of new things today."
You giggled. "No, I'm sure you know just as much as I do."
"Maybe in quantity, but not the same things for sure." He replied.
"Good." You said. "Then we will exchange knowledge."
His smile momentarily became more genuine. He couldn't believe he was actually enjoying talking to... You, his target and a mere Midgardian. "Sounds perfect."
"And you? What do you do?"
He thought about it for a moment. What was a job that would be plausible and also not so easy to check? "I work in a bank."
"Oh, nice. My auny does too."
"Ah, I might have met her, then."
"Oh no, I don't think so. She doesn't live here."
Loki was not made to chat with strangers about their relatives' jobs. Even though he had appreciated the previous topic, this was hell. When you turned around to look away again, he pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh. He could do it. Just a little patience.
"What do you do in your free time?" You suddenly asked.
Loki looked back at you, slightly surprised. "What?"
"What do you do in your free time?" You repeated. "I know, sorry, adults don't ask each other that question very much." You tapped on the table. "Maybe it's because work takes away too much time and we loose interest in others' passions. Or we simply suppose no one has hobbies after a certain age and we don't think about it. That's pretty sad. But I believe we still have at least a little time for ourselves left, and we should use it to do something we like. Asking that helps getting to know each other." You explained. "Sorry. I talked too much."
Loki was staring at you at loss, elbows on the table and almost wide eyes. What was this Midgardian even blabbering about? They wanted to know... What his hobbies were? He hasn't done something for fun or pleasure in a while. He realised he looked like a goldfish and composed himself. He stayed silent for a few moments. It was centuries since someone last asked it to him.
He shook his head. "No, no you didn't. I think it's good some people still want to know these things." He wasn't completely lying. It was refreshing to meet someone who asked questions so simple yet tricky. Even if it was a mortal, and only for his plans.
He thought about for a moment. "I..." Trick people? Get exiled from planets? Fight my brother God of Thunder? Bring chaos and death? "Read." He concluded, more flatly than intended. "And write." He added. That he actually did.
You smiled. "Really? I also write."
He raised his eyebrows slightly, interested. When he realised he did, and therefore let himself relax around you, his target, he temporarily frowned to regain a little control. "Really?" He said calmly. "What do you write?"
"Short stories and poetry. But I always get distracted by a new idea, so I haven't finished all of the novels that I started." You smiled. "The bad part of having a strong imagination."
"Poetry..." He repeated in a whisper. He did love poetry. Maybe it was not going to be an absolute torture. But this whole situation still was a terrible torment to him.
He smiled slightly. "Yes, it is indeed. I would love to read your poems, tho."
"I'd be happy to let you."
The clock was ticking on the wall. You both shot a glance at it. The café was empty and about to close, and outside the sky was dark.
"I really should go now." You said, collecting your things and preparing to leave. "Thank you for everything."
He got up as well. "It's late, may I take you home?"
"Are you sure it's okay?"
You looked at him for a moment, thinking. "Yes, then. Thank you."
There was a cold breeze outside.
Loki walked you home in silence as you both simply looked at the sky. There weren't many starts yet, but the moon was full.
Loki touched his phone in his pocket. He had to buy it two days ago and managed to understand how everything worked.
Finally, the plan was starting to work.
You arrived at your door.
You stopped and turned around to say goodbye.
"Thank you again, for the coffee and for walking me home." You said.
He smirked. "It was a pleasure."
You smiled and opened the door. Before you could step in, he called out. "Ah, wait," he pretended to remember, "can we exchange phone numers?"
"Hm? Ah, yes." You took out your phone and gave him your number, then he texted you. "Okay," you said. "I added you." You looked at him and smiled again. "See you."
You disappeared behind the door.
Loki stood in front of the wooden door, his long coat moved by the cold wind. He sighed. At least the first part was done.
He started walking back to his own apartment, thinking.
You were an odd one. It wasn't often that he met someone who piqued his curiosity, but you spoke like this... about such things... oh dammit, even he didn't know. It was strange to hear you speak. Maybe you were just acting that way because you didn't really know who he was. He thought that if he had met you back when he was still in Asgard, you probably would have been friends. But that was just a thought and it didn't stay in his mind for long. He just had to deliver you to the Grandmaster, and of course he didn't give a toss about you.
