Loki X Reader One-Shots [SLOW UPDATES]

#45: Because Of You - Part I

Y/N raised an eyebrow at that, and Loki worried he had been too honest with his response. "You don't sound excited," she pointed out.

"Because I'm not. I was doing just fine in Rogaland." Now you're just lying to both her and yourself. You were definitely not doing fine. "Last thing I ever wanted was to move to the States with my father." Here you go--honesty isn't so hard after all.

From the way in which he said the word 'father,' it wasn't hard for Y/N to understand that he wasn't on good terms with him. "Oh. I'm sorry to hear that," she said, and the moment the slightest bits of compassion appeared in her eyes, he looked away.

"So, you're going to math class now?" he asked her, fiddling with the cuffs of his shirt.

"Yes, indeed. Would you like to sit together?"

He shrugged. "Sure. As long as your friends don't mind..."

"Oh, my bestie is at home with a fever today--and even if she wasn't, I don't think she'd have a problem," Y/N reassured him.

"All right then--shall we?" he asked, gesturing towards the hallway.

Y/N raised an eyebrow at him as she moved forward. "Was that a 'ladies first'?"

"Of course not. I hate the patriarchal dominion this phrase upholds," Loki responded as he followed her shortly.

She nodded approvingly. "Smart response."

"Yes, I'm quite good at those." There was a twinge in Loki's response that told her he was smiling.

"Sounds fair. You seem quite intelligent, after all." She turned her face towards him, responding to his broad, stunned grin with a slight smirk. "What--hasn't anyone ever told you before?" she inquired.

He parted his lips, and his eyebrows crept together as he tried to overcome his surprise. "No, in fact, they haven't," he replied then, shaking his head. "I'm not used to compliments."

"Well, that's a shame," she commented as they turned around the corner. "You truly do seem clever." His expression darkened, and his face became... very interesting. There was sadness in it, doubt as well, and something else Y/N couldn't be sure about--was it relief?

If she could see into his mind, she would know that it was indeed; Loki had been desperate for acknowledgement and approval, and finally, here they were. But why from a stranger? Why couldn't his father be this kind? He rubbed the side of his abdomen, where his newest bruise lay hidden under his clothes. He managed to hold back a wince at the sharp pain the action caused; thank goodness it was manageable--maybe not for everyone, but at least for someone who had got used to it; someone like him.

"Thanks," he said at last in a voice with a slight quiver, grateful that he had managed to hide the depth of his turmoil so well. "You seem great too."

Y/N smiled as she gestured towards an open door. "Here we are," she said. "The teacher will not come for another ten minutes; do you want to go inside or wander around a bit?"

The bullies that tormented him minutes ago came to mind. "I'd rather go to class, if you don't mind." He looked at the door, waiting for Y/N to step over the doorway first, not wanting to enter alone into a classroom full of people he didn't know. Y/N smiled and nodded as if she knew what he was thinking and walked into the room, and he followed her hesitantly afterwards.

There were few people inside--probably because they had ten more minutes of break time. Much to his relief, nobody paid him any mind as he followed Y/N to the desks next to the windows.

"This is where I sit," she said, and took a seat at a desk in the third row, and then patted on the empty space beside her. "Come on." He hesitated, and then reluctantly sat down. "Are you always this tentative?"