Devil's Pact

Chapter Seven

"I'm sorry, doctor?" I looked up to see Loki's confused face staring open mouthed at me.
Ha, nice to know I can wipe that smug look off his face...
It was petty, but the fact I was able to shock him amused me.

"Yes, brother" Thor replied happily to Loki's question "This is Dr. Larrsen" He grinned as Loki's confused blue eyes moved from mine to Thor's and back again. Confusion still clear on his face, as his brows furrowed, and his pale pink lips parted slightly.
"You're the one that helped Thor?" Loki's face had changed from confusion to disbelief as he stared at me.
"Yes" I replied "Women here on Earth are also extremely intelligent Loki. I'm a very accomplished psychologist and psychiatrist, specialising in trauma, PTSD, multiple personalities, Superheroes, and... Gods" I grinned smugly at him as I picked up my cutlery to start eating. I could see Val smirking, out of the corner of my eye, as she kept her head bent towards her food, but I didn't look at her.
"I also minored in biochemistry and bioengineering" I raised my eyebrows at him, challenging him to retort, as I took a bite of my food off my fork.
Go on, say something...

I tore my gaze from Loki and focused on my food, as Loki's jaw dropped, and he slumped back in his chair with a quiet huff of disbelief.
"This is delicious Val, thank you" I turned to Val with a smile, ignoring Loki's stunned demeanour.
"Yes" Thor grinned through a mouthful of food.
"I still want pan flaps" Came the little girl's voice, not looking up from her food, as she swung her legs back and forth under the table, between her shovelling of food.
Like father, like daughter...

Loki seemed to recover from his shock and began to eat his dinner, staying silent for most of the meal, seemingly processing the information I had just dropped. I smug grin graced my lips at the thought. His uncharacteristic, absence of speech, or rather snide comments, was mostly unnoticed as Thor and Val filled me in with what had been happening in the village, and Thor's daughter told me all about her adventures with the God of Thunder.

The evening slipped by fairly quickly, filled with laughter and chatter between Thor, Valkyrie, and I, with the odd demand thrown in from the little girl, and of course pan flaps for dessert. Loki was seemingly deep in his own thoughts, so I ignored him, losing myself in the warmth of the conversation and company around me.

Eventually Thor stood up from the table announcing it was "This little warrior's bedtime" which was speedily answered with "No it's not" in a sing-song voice.

I chuckled as Thor gently pushed her into the hallway and reasoned with her to put her coat back on. After many rounds of goodbye and bone breaking hugs from both of them, Thor managed to coax her out of the door and towards their home.

I turned to Val as she closed the door.

"I guess I should get going too, I've got a video appointment tomorrow" I smiled, screwing my lips up into a slight grimace, not really wanting to leave and be on my own with Loki.
"A doctor's work is never done huh?" Val laughed, repeating my earlier sentiment towards Loki, and pulled me into a hug "Well we can catch up tomorrow after your session maybe?" Val released me from her hug and held me at arm's length studying my face "You know how to ride horses don't you?" She asked with a frown and a smirk.

"I do" Loki's quiet voice came from behind me, close to my ear, making me jump slightly, and causing Val to let go of me, as she folded her arms across her chest, to stare at Loki with narrowed eyes.
Jesus when did he get there?

"I could teach you if you like, if you don't already know" He offered quietly with a small, genuine looking smile on his face. I blinked up at him in disbelief, and Val just smirked.
"I.. Erm.. No" I stuttered out, as Loki's face and shoulders fell at the assumed rejection "No, I don't know how to ride a horse, so that would be..." I gestured, shaking my head, lost for the right word "Nice?" I finished lamely, raising my eyebrows questioningly and shaking my head at my own choice of words.
Nice? Is that a word you can use to describe Loki?...