"No, no no! I'm going to die!" Loki proclaimed, his tone a mixture of panic and irritation.
Darcy couldn't refrain from smiling, then laughed triumphantly as her character brutally took the last remaining strains of Loki's character's health.
She punched the air, throwing him a sidelong glance. His expression was that of someone who'd just been deeply hurt, as if she'd just insulted the memory of his ancestors, not won another battle on Super Smash Bros.
"Miss Lewis, you're ruthless."
"That I am."
Peeved now, he threw down the game pad in the same manner of a toddler throwing a tantrum. "It's no use. I can't do this. This damned game is complete nonsense and utterly pointless."
"Like most video games to be fair."
His jaw tensed in agitation. "It's impossible to focus properly. It's overstimulating. All the colours, and noises....it's an assault on the senses."
She hit the exit button to shut down the game, and shot him a deliberately smug look. "Hm. And there's me thinking you're just pouting because you can't beat me."
He rolled his eyes in response, pretending to be angered with her, when really she could tell that he wasn't.
This was something he did a lot. Feigned annoyance, when in actual fact he radiated amusement.
It had been almost three weeks now since their truce, and they'd fallen into something that resembled a routine, as well as gradually growing accustomed to each other's personality.
They traded mock-insults, and bantered back and forth most of the time, like it was a game. It was a game for the most part -- as he very rarely regarded her with any true hostility -- and Darcy thoroughly enjoyed playing along.
It was surprisingly good fun.
"So, d'you want another go at Mario Kart instead? You've pretty much mastered that." She suggested, fiddling with the game console, preparing to switch discs.
Loki scoffed. "My, what an accomplishment. I can scarcely contain my elation."
"Hey don't knock it. Rainbow Road is a bitch. Though I guess you have an advantage, having been on it for real and everything."
He brought a large hand up to his face wearily. "Will you ever tire of drawing comparisons between that and the Bifrost?"
"Nope. Probably not." She hit the power button off, then clamoured rather ungracefully to her feet, her legs having gone numb from sitting cross-legged on the floor for so long.
"Okay so what do you wanna do instead? Cards? Scrabble? You always beat me at that. In fact you have an unfair advantage there too....trickster!"
Dutifully, he moved from the couch over to the large, designer dining room table, where he pulled out a chair and sat down. "For the last time, I do not cheat."
Taking the beaten-up scrabble board from her satchel, Darcy joined him at the table. "You totally do. Wizards always cheat."
"I'm not a wizard."
"Magician then."
"I am not a magician!" He argued, taking the game board from her and setting it out between them. "Refer to me as a sorcerer if you must, but never a magician. My abilities extend far beyond simple card tricks, and pulling rabbits from hats."
"Have you ever sawn anyone in half?" She taunted, as she began turning over the little plastic squares, taking great care to shield the letters from his view.
"Not yet. But there's still time." He replied darkly.
She fought hard to suppress a smile. "Well you must cheat, because you always manage to get the biggest words. Either that or you make them up or something."
"Antidisestablishmentarianism, is a word. If you don't believe me check a dictionary."
"I know that's a word." She lied, not wanting to lose face. "But I don't believe for a second that you had all the letters to spell it." She pushed her long, wavy hair back from her face, then rested her elbows on the table. "So anyway.....I'm thinking of changing the rules. Let's shake things up a bit, make it a bit more interesting, and see how many big words you manage to get then."
"What do you have in mind?" He was examining his own letters, and she watched him closely, awaiting his reaction.
"Rude words only. If you can't spell a rude word, you get no points."
He raised quizzical eyes to hers. "Rude words?"
"Yeah, you know, dirty ones." She grinned gleefully.
"Isn't that a little childish?"
She shrugged her shoulders in a couldn't-care-less manner. "At least it won't be boring. Here, I'll go first."
Taking some letters, she slowly placed them down on the board, spelling out the word 'HARD'
Loki's dark brows dipped into a perplexed frown. "Why exactly would one consider 'HARD' a rude word?"
"If it's used in a specific kind of context it can be." She pointed out, as he stared at her blankly. "You know, like when you're...." She made suggestive hand gestures, in the hopes of elaborating without having to actually say what she was implying.
He raised his eyebrows. "You're referring to a certain part of the male anatomy when sexually aroused."
"Ugh, yeah okay. You don't have to say it like that. It makes it sound all clinical and gross."
"Much like this word?" He enquired with a sly grin, as he carefully spelt out the word 'ORGASM'
Darcy's jaw slackened slightly, and she clasped a hand to her mouth.
"What? It's a glorious word, to describe a glorious thing."
Her eyes rounded. "Wow. Was not expecting that. You've really outdone yourself there."
Smirking with triumph, Loki leaned back casually on the high-backed chair, resting his booted-ankle on his knee. "Your turn, Miss Lewis."
Heaving a sigh, she placed down her next set of letters.
"DICK? Is that it? How eloquent." Loki commented, his voice tinged with sarcastic merriment.
"Oh shut up. It's the best I got. Go on, smart ass, let's see yours?"
"My letters? Or my di--"
"Wait, stop!" She cried, squirming in mortification. "That joke is a bit too graphic!"
"You started this." He said accusingly, as he obligingly spelt out his next word. "Now I'm going to end it."
Darcy tilted her head, as she attempted to read it out "FELL-ATIO....FELLATIO?"
He eyed her steadily, seemingly waiting for the penny to drop.
It was a somewhat slow descent, but when it did, she felt herself inwardly cringe.
"Oh my God! Does that mean what I think it means?" She squawked.
"That depends on what you think it means." He said dryly. "I can clarify if you like, it's the sexual act of a man being physically pleasured by a woman performing oral--"
"Right, let me just stop you there!" She interrupted, a hot blush now crawling up her neck. "I'm done. Game over. You win hands down."
Loki chuckled wickedly. He was revelling in her awkwardness, the bastard.
"There is no way that you had all those letters. The odds of you being able to spell words like that, are like...slim to none."
"About the same odds I would've predicted I'd need in order to make you blush. Yet....it would appear I have succeeded."
Darcy fiddled nervously with the sleeves of her hoodie, feeling uncharacteristically embarrassed. "I am not blushing." She lied.
"It would seem the present change in your pallor, suggests otherwise."
"No, I'm just hot that's all. It's frickin' warm in here. Don't you think?"
"Not particularly, no."
"Well, you know nothing." To make a point, she pulled at the zipper on her thick, cosy hoodie, and shrugged out of it.
But her actions only made matters worse, as she was now sitting opposite him wearing a snug-fitting vest top, and his intense gaze lowered and settled rather unnervingly on her chest.
"So, shall we play cards then?" She fought to steady the quiver in her voice.
"If you like." His eyes momentarily skittered back to her face, then seemed automatically drawn back down to her ample bosom.
"Okaaay. Cards it is then."
Oh the shame.
Why did she suddenly feel so exposed? So vulnerable, and utterly aware of her own body?
Try as she might, she couldn't figure out why.
Darcy was so used to having men gawp at her breasts, but this, this was different.
This was Loki.
He was a God, for goodness sake. And a very overwhelming, and mischievous, and....and undeniably attractive one at that.
Whilst his file contained no details regarding his sexuality, nor did it mention any past partners or love affairs, it was blindingly obvious to her now that he was also a bit of a pervert, amongst many other things.
"Um, Loki?"
"Hm?"
"I'm going to have to ask you to stop staring at my tits." She blurted, to which he immediately responded by dragging his eyes away.
"I do beg your pardon, Miss Lewis. I intended no offence." He sounded deeply apologetic, but a small smile still played on his lips.
And his eyes...sheesh.
The way he was looking at her made her feel like she'd forgotten to put her clothes on.
What the hell was happening here?
Since when had sexual innuendo been part of their banter?
This was certainly something new, and to her immense unease, she wasn't actually upset by it in the slightest.
She should have felt appalled, enraged, and deeply offended. But she was absolutely ashamed of herself for not feeling any of those things.
"It's, um. It's fine. I know what guys are like. They're all the same." She babbled, almost tripping over her own feet as she went to retrieve a pack of playing cards from her bag.
"There are no men like me." She heard him proclaim, with a distinct air of grandeur in his smooth voice.
Damn, that voice.
It did the strangest things to her nerves. He may as well be running his fingers down her spine.
"However, I am still a man. And therefore admittedly find it difficult to resist admiring a pretty lady's....assets."
Darcy's stomach lurched, and she actually dropped the cards due to her hands beginning to tremble.
Shit. What a complete clusterfuck.
But he had actually just paid her a compliment, though in a very questionable way. And she had absolutely no idea how to respond.
She was laughably out of her depth here.
Kneeling down, she fumbled to pick up the loose cards that had scattered across the polished floor. Then she glanced up and noticed Loki stalking toward her very predatorily, like a long, lean wolf.
He swooped down and helped pick up some of the cards she hadn't had time to grab, and when she straightened she found herself standing very close to him.
Very close.
She could even smell him. He smelt like expensive soap, leather, and cinnamon.
No. She shouldn't be noticing these details.
She needed to focus.
"Soooo..." She drew the word out. Somehow managing to swallow the thickness that was suddenly clogging up her throat. "....what card game d'ya wanna play?"
He was so close she could barely think straight. There was something about his demeanour that was very suggestive, and it was as if he affected the air around him.
"How about......strip-poker?" His voice had deepened and slowed to a sensual drawl, and now she got the distinct impression he was issuing her with a challenge.
Laughing nervously, she attempted to brush his suggestion aside. "Yeah, 'cause that would work. You in all that leather. And besides you cheat, so...nah ah...nope, not gonna happen."
She could practically feel the way the energy around them had changed now. A heavily-charged tension seemed to hang in the air, crackling against her skin, causing goosebumps to rise on her arms.
This was bad.
"Okay, cut it out. It's starting to get a little weird now."
"Really? I thought you were the one who wanted to shake things up a bit and make it interesting? Those were your exact words, Miss Lewis."
"Yeah, but that doesn't give you permission to be a gigantic creep!" She forced another strained laugh, which came out as more of a barky little yelp.
"I'm sorry how am I being a creep exactly?"
"Well you're being outrageously flirty, for one thing....which just isn't you--"
"Is it not?" He interjected, deliberately licking his bottom lip. "And how would you know, Miss Lewis? You have yet to become more....intimately...acquainted with me."
Darcy tried to stay focused. Lust, arousal, sexual excitement was just a trick of the brain. A chemical reaction designed to fool the body into giving in to....well, inappropriate desires. She wasn't falling for it. Or for his enticement. So instead, she feebly attempted to reprimand him.
"You....you need to stop doing that, too. You're practically undressing me with your eyes right now."
Snickering at her expense, he seemed pleased with himself for having thrown her so off balance. "Hm. Would you rather I used my teeth instead?" He joked, salaciously.
Sweeet mother of God.
He did not just say that. Did he? She knew he was dicking with her, probably just because he could. But his words still heated and burned her insides.
Lowering his head so that they were almost nose-to-nose, in that heart-stopping moment, Darcy thought he was actually going to kiss her.
She held her breath, but thankfully he didn't make such a bold move.
It was then she came to her senses, and realised that he was no doubt attempting to play her like a game.
"Right, back off buster!" She said, placing a hand against his sturdy, leather-clad chest, and pushing him back. "You're being so inappropriate right now. I should report you for sexual harassment."
He put up no resistance, allowing himself to be gently shoved away. "You might want to consider the possibility that you're overreacting, Miss Lewis." He said this in such a way which suggested he found the idea of her having taken him seriously, quite boring and idiotic. "It was a simple episode of playful flirtation, nothing more."
Just as she thought, he was messing with her. Trying to antagonise her for his own amusement. He was bored, and pushing her boundaries. Seeing if he could push her buttons.
"Well, I hope you had fun, 'cause I'm not providing you with free entertainment." She said, tersely. "Oh, and for the record, consider yourself lucky that I didn't take your come-on seriously. Because if I had, I'd have zapped you until you lit up like a fucking Christmas tree!"
He chuckled softly, his aqua eyes glittering with devilment. "How fortunate then, for both of us, that I wasn't attempting to seduce you."
Just then with classic timing, the main door to the lounge opened, and Tony walked in, dressed casually in jeans and T.shirt, and munching on a bag of pretzels.
Darcy had already met with him several times now since she'd taken up the position, so the novelty of his celebrity had worn off somewhat.
When she had first met him, she had admittedly been quite star-struck. Now she regarded him simply as her boss. Or rather one of them.
"Alright, Darcy. You're off the clock." He smiled, walking straight over to relieve her of the controller, which she'd rather absentmindedly left on the coffee table.
Oh crap. She really needed to be more careful.
Even though she and Loki had developed some form of friendship, she knew she still had to keep her wits about her.
Allowing herself to be distracted was unprofessional.
As unprofessional as almost being taken-in by Loki's sensual charisma.
"Thanks Mister Stark. How's earth-saving duties?"
He smiled wryly. "Oh you know, exhausting. How's Mischief-minding?"
"Oh, a delight as always."
Loki pursed his lips, and retreated back to the table, where he immediately set about tidying the discarded scrabble board away.
His fastidiousness never failed to amuse Darcy. His tidiness made him the ideal house-guest, and it was ironic that such a clean-freak had the potential to kill everyone in the building if given half the chance.
The thought of him stabbing people, then going to great lengths to mop-up after himself, made her want to hoot with laughter.
"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow then." She smiled, hastily stuffing the cards back into the pack, and collecting her satchel.
She also made a point of deliberately ignoring Loki as she strode toward the door.
She figured this would vex him, which gave her a small amount of satisfaction.
Two could play at that game.
The game of, well, game-playing.
"I'll walk you out." Tony said, following her through the door.
As they reached the elevator, Tony offered her a pretzel, which she politely refused.
Normally she would've accepted, but she was still feeling strangely churned-up, like a snow globe that had been shaken-up then put back down.
"Anything to report?" He asked, between crunching on a mouthful of pretzel. "Reindeer Games behaving himself?"
Darcy anxiously chewed on her bottom lip. She was tempted to say that the God of Mischief had in fact behaved quite badly, but not in the sense that he would've expected.
And would he even believe that Loki had faked hitting on her?
So she chose to keep it to herself, after all it was nothing she couldn't handle.
"Yeah. We just did the usual. Hung out and played some games. And he didn't try to stab me today so, that's always a bonus!" She raised both her thumbs up.
"Good. That's what I like to hear. I just wanted to double-check, you see because in your last report you mentioned the hanging-out and game-playing. Which, I ain't gonna lie, surprised me. He isn't the easiest to get along with. But it seems you're doing a great job of taming the trickster."
Her smile tightened. "Uh, yeah. Who'd have thought it."
"Hey no, don't sell yourself short. He's a bit of a handful. So your keeping him occupied is invaluable, and no easy feat. You're actually proving to be a real asset to the team."
She felt a swell of pride, which made her temporarily forget Loki's attempt at ruffling her feathers. "Gee, thanks Mister Stark. That means a lot."
"Please, call me Tony."
"Right, Tony."
The elevator arrived, and she stepped into it, hoisting her bag up over her shoulder.
"You're a good kid, Darcy. So you know, one thing I will say is....just be careful with Rock Of Ages. Don't get too close. I can't emphasise that enough. You can't afford to forget what he is. What he's capable of."
She paused, finger poised over the ground-floor button. "Don't worry Tony. I'm not afraid, or stupid. I got this."
"Good. Because he is the chief game-player. And you don't want him inside your head. Believe me."
She smiled thinly and nodded, then hit the button.
Perhaps Tony didn't think she was really capable of handling Loki by herself.
Jane certainly seemed to have her doubts.
Maybe even Loki himself underestimated her resourcefulness.
Well, that only served to strengthen her resolve. Making her more determined to keep her shit together, and prove them all wrong.