the sun in your eyes ☼ loki

𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞: 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬

During the course of his stay here, the only time Loki has ever been outside was when he went from the Avengers Compound to the Tower, and the whole situation with Ultron. Of course, the views in Asgard were much better than here on Midgard, but still. Any type of fresh sights, Loki would like to see them.

"I would be honored to accompany you."

When Loki and Anya go to the mall together, Loki couldn't help his excitement over being free to roam around again. Of course, there is a tracking serum inside him. One of Stark's fun toys when Loki first arrived.

Still, it was nice to breathe fresh air.

Loki was polite enough to assist Anya with picking out art materials, and he would carry the bags easily. Anya would be lying to herself if she says she didn't check him out when his muscles would strain under the tight white button-up shirt he wore. Can you truly blame her? Loki is an actual God.

As they exit a particular store, Loki discreetly puts their purchases in his pocket-dimension, and turns away whenever humans look at them with confusion. They would hurriedly walk further, and it makes Loki frown.

A year ago, Loki would've thrived from being feared. But right now, he didn't want Anya to be ashamed with being seen with him.

"So, do you want to walk around a bit? I know a place you might like." Anya grins, looping her arm around his without any care of how others are looking at them.

She takes him to a vintage bookshop, and Loki feels as if he was home. The atmosphere almost felt like the library in Asgard, it reminds him of his mother.

As Loki sifts through the books, he begins thinking of his mother. She was the one who taught him how to read and perform magic, after all.

When Anya approaches him, she had an old man by her side. He smiles at Loki and Loki cautiously looks at Anya.

"Loki, I want you to meet Mr. Varga. He owns this place." Anya introduces the kind-looking man, who offers his hand to Loki. "His family was saved in Sokovia."

Loki hesitantly shakes his hand.

Mr. Varga begins speaking to Loki in broken English, obviously struggling.

Loki shakes his head, and surprises Anya for speaking smoothly in the Sokovian language to the man. Mr. Varga is delighted to hear him speak in his language and they make conversation. Anya smiles once Loki lets out a chuckle, nodding at the man.

After a while, Anya is walking back to the car with Loki. "I didn't know you speak Sokovian."

"I don't. Asgardians have the ability called Allspeak. Whatever I say to someone will be immediately be spoken in the language they understand, and vice versa." Loki glances at her. "How else can you understand me? I don't quite understand the English language you have. It makes reading Midgardian books much more of a challenge."

Anya starts driving. "You can understand and speak any language?"

"So to speak."

"Hilarious. Do you know any human languages?"

Loki thinks about it for a moment. "I know Punjabi."

Anya breaks out into a laugh. That was not what she was expecting. Usually, people would say Italian or French. She did not expect him to learn an Asian language.

"Punjabi?" She asks while giggling.

"Yes. Is there a problem?"

"Why Punjabi? Isn't English the universal language?"

"Oh, English is boring. Punjabi is the language of the future." Loki gives her an incredulous look. "Have you seen the the letters are written? It is art in its finest form."

Anya smiles, shaking her head fondly as she keeps her eyes on the road. "Is Punjabi the only language you've learned?"

"I know Latin."

"It's a dead language, though."

"Not during the time where I learned it." Loki smirks.

Anya rolls her eyes. "Show off. Anyway, what did Mr. Varga say?"

"He was, um... thanking me for saving his wife and children, as if I was the only person doing the work in Sokovia. Obviously, he should thank the Avengers. Not me."

Anya smiles. "Mr. Varga told me that you got his wife and children to the boats yourself."

Loki shrugs casually. "Nothing your team wouldn't do at that moment."

Anya smirks. "Are you saying you were acting as an Avenger?"

"Now, let's not go that far."

Anya laughs, and Loki smiles at the gentle sound.

When they get home, Loki thanks her for the day and retreats back to the library. Anya goes to her art studio and opens her sketchbook. She takes her pencil and continues to sketch the sharp features of a certain god.

Later that evening, Anya researches various curse words and insults in the Punjabi language, which drew out laughter from the god when he came to visit her in the lounge to watch a film.

☼

note: loki finding english boring, as he should!
also, the people who got the punjabi reference are the real ones.