As one song transitioned to the next, Loki glanced away from his book to the back of the CD case. Luna wasn't around to enjoy the music with him – the reason he spent most of the morning sending high praises to the Allfathers. She would be able to tell how quickly he lost interest in the wonders of evolution over a new album. New for him, normal for her.
Marking his place, Loki put his book down and strode over to the newly set-up record player. He traced a finger around the edges as he tapped his foot to the beat, imagining how a track might sound played through it. It escaped him as to why Luna would need another thing to play music. 'You have one already,' he had reasoned, but it was a lavish gift from Stark. It would have been rude to not accept it.
Loki had the privilege of carrying the boxes into her apartment and assembling everything with her. A different science than he was used to, but it was no less entertaining. Ignorantly, he had pondered out loud which album they could play. 'We don't have the proper format,' Luna told him and expanded on what a vinyl record was. Loki remembered them from a trip or two to Earth during the early 20th century. A surprise people still used them, but he figured it was purely for the nostalgia.
He pressed the on button on the front, awakening the turntable. It spun clockwise in a lazy fashion. Loki was tempted to lift the cover and touch it. Feel the material move against his skin, but Luna was firm. 'Don't touch it unless you're putting a record on. It has to be kept clean.' Would she be able to tell if he defied her? Perhaps. She was more perceptive than he previously took her for.
Feeling peckish, he switched the turntable off and grabbed his phone on the way to the kitchen. Peter teased him with the promise of sending pictures of the inside of his school and his other friends. It was a naughty and dangerous idea, and Loki was all for it. Finding nothing of interest on the counter or in the fridge, he settled for an ice cream pint. No need to worry about his hand turning blue, so long as he was alone.
Loki's phone pinged to life as he was finishing the first half of the container. It was a message from Peter. He shook his hand out, getting some warmth back into it, and opened it.
'Hey! Im in math. Is boring'
Attached is a hastily-taken picture of a whiteboard covered in diagrams and equations. Portions of it were blocked by the many students in front of Peter's phone camera. Loki snickered and typed out his response.
'doesnt look so'
Two minutes pass by – enough time for Loki to fish out a few more scoops of ice cream – and Peter messages him again.
'its one of my best subjects so it doesn't bother me too much. Ned and MJ are in another block from me so I miss them'
Loki's brow creased. He held his spoon in his mouth, so his hands were free.
'MJ?'
'oh yeah right you don't know her. Shes my other really good friend'
'what's she like'
The long delay for Peter's return message put Loki a bit on edge. Intent on calming his nerves, he put the rest of his ice cream away and ventured to Luna's room. He could hear his music still, only muffled a little.
Beneath her bed sat a row of shoeboxes, containing everything but a pair of shoes. The first Loki opened housed all of Luna's keychains and charms. A few piqued his interest; a simple black skull, a Darth Vader figure, a mini Mjolnir, and a crescent moon with two stars attached. He smirked, turning over the little moon in his hand. He expected no less from her.
Through the concluding music, Loki's phone chimed anew with a message for him. Careful not to step on the charms littering the floor, he shuffled back to the kitchen and opened up his device. Again, it was from Peter.
'hey! Srry for the wait. Teacher almost caught me txting lmao'
Loki grins.
'first rule of mischief: never get caught'
'ooh neds here now. He says hi'
Attached is another picture, taken at a low angle, of Peter and Ned. Both boys smile into the camera as Ned waves down to it, greeting Loki through the phone.
'hello ned. Grand to see you again'
'we r at lunch now. MJ is here too'
This photo was not of either of the two boys, but of their friend sitting across from them at a table. The friend – Loki assumed – was MJ. She held a book in one hand as she shot someone an irritated look.
'is this MJ?'
'yeah. We interrupted her reading but its ok XP'
'does she know about me being here?'
A pause in the messaging held the air still. It was as though Peter deliberated in secret. Loki was impatient for the outcome.
'no, but she might suspect. She's really observant. Lolol shes already commented on my txtin'
'may not be wise to communicate in front of people'
'maybe not. txt u later?'
'sure'
'kk! Talk l8r!'
A loud silence took the apartment once more. Loki was desperate to banish it, so he started the album over again. He didn't mind. It wasn't the first time he'd exhausted the work of a musician in a day.
Feeling antsy, he went back to Luna's room. He always liked looking at her little treasures, no matter if they were new to his eyes or if he'd seen them ten times before. Tucking her box of keychains back where it belonged, he moved on to another corner of the room: her closet.
Clothes were always crucial to Loki. Being a royal meant looking his best, both in the ballroom and on the battlefield. He was consistently stereotyped as the brother with the more developed fashion sense, but Thor knew his way around an outfit as well as he. Presentation was critical in any scenario.
Loki pried the door open as careful as he could, should anything come tumbling out. Luckily, everything inside was placed smartly and in order. The upper shelf supported a few boxes and spare sheets, the clothes hung on the rack in a beautifully organized fashion, and the remained floor space kept extra bags and larger boxes. Many places to start, not enough time to go through them all.
He started with the clothing. It was a surprise to see Luna hanging her T-shirts and long-sleeved shirts up as Loki preferred to fold his, but he liked it. It made them look neat and presentable. Beside them, her pants were placed in the same way. She had a few different kinds, so Loki took a look at each.
He'd seen her in leggings and joggers in the house and the gym. Which one she wore all depended on her mood and how the day went. One pair of dress pants sat suspended amongst them. Her skinny jeans – a black pair and a dark red pair – she wore any time they went out. Today, she put the dark red ones on for work, leaving Loki with the black pair. He tried to pick a favorite, but Luna wore both exceptionally well.
Sweaters and jackets squeezed in next to them. Luna possessed a broader assortment than previously believed. The first of the group Loki spied was the sweater she wore the day they went to the aquarium. It was light grey with a graphic on the front of a dark forest. Loki passed a hand over it, tracing the trees from the exaggerated sharp tops down to the bases on the drawn ground. Simple and practical yet stylish and unique. He snuck a hand into the sleeve, feeling the inside. It was soft and plush, like wearing a blanket. A whisper of jealousy passed through his head as he imagined feeling something so comforting against his skin; a far cry from the leather and rougher fabrics of his homeworld.
He peeked at the others he hadn't seen: a black pullover with a small cartoon alien spaceship on the left side of the chest, a dark grey hoodie with a geometric skull design, a plain black suit jacket, and a notably large black hoodie with a four-letter abbreviation embroidered broad across the chest. Loki tilted his head and unhooked it from the bar. In front of the mirror, he held it up to his frame. In theory, it could fit him, but the forefront of his mind was occupied by one question: why was it so different from the others? Looking crossly at his reflection, Loki stepped back from the mirror and put the sweater back. Better for him to move on to something else lest he leaves a trace of his meddling.
Shoved into the far side of the closet were the clothes he considered to be more formal and fancy. Things Loki never bothered to think he would see, much less worn by his friend. His eyes were first met by a dress. Luna never seemed the type to wear such a garment. Loki found it difficult to imagine it on her, but he kept inspecting it. It was black with a fit-and-flare shape and long sleeves. The fabric was soft and stretchy, and the neckline left less to the imagination than Loki was used to. He tucked it back and pushed it towards the opposite side. Enough with it for now.
The outfit behind it lay draped over the hanger in three pieces. To the untrained eye, they were indistinguishable as to what they might be. Possessing such a sight, Loki took a bold step, unhooking the hanger and laying it on Luna's bed. One piece had a red-to-black gradient, the other was plain black, and the last was small and wine red. He took the black garment out first and held it at eye-level. Seeing it clearly, he discovered it to be a long skirt with a drawstring waistband. The fabric was a bit flimsy, as though it was meant to go underneath something. He set it down – keeping its proposed purpose in mind – and picked up the gradient piece.
The color shifted along the entire length of the cloth, and it was long. It looked to be a scarf or a wrap skirt. Perhaps it could be both at the same time. The fabric was soft, and Loki couldn't stop touching it. It was made of silk and felt like cool water in his hands, flowing and moving as though it was alive. He hastily pulled up his sleeves and let it fall across his bare arms. To say it was heaven to touch would be an understatement. He could wear an entire robe of the material and never want to take it off.
He retrieved the final raiment and held it as he did the skirt, feeling the soft material. It was made of stretchy velvet and resembled the sports bras Luna kept in her drawer set. The neckline of the tiny top scooped a bit lower than the one on the black dress, and the short sleeves were made of embroidered red lace. Loki turned it from back to front and back again. It held no zipper, buttons, or strings to tie. Only a simple tug was needed to put it on.
Loki lay it down and stepped back. With all the pieces on display, he surveyed them properly and built up the outfit in his mind in various ways, but nothing seemed correct. Again, he was at a loss. But, to his luck, Luna's voice came floating into his mind as he recalled a past conversation.
"I do have one, and I like it a lot, but it's nowhere near as nice as that one."
One. One what? Loki had an idea and a heavy feeling.
Racing out of Luna's room, he charged through the open space to the picture of Luna's mother. The one of her wearing an expensive saree. His eyes widened, realizing he'd snooped in the wrong place and disturbed the wrong item. Loki glanced at the kitchen clock. He had enough time to put everything back before his friend came home. He walked back to Luna's room, swallowing nervously.
Gently, he ran his fingertips along the saree wrap cloth, feeling the energy it held. This was Luna's one. Her one outfit representing her culture and heritage – what made up the core of her being – and he'd gone and disturbed it without a care in the world. For shame. Loki groaned and closed his eyes. He had an apology ready, but no one to apologize to.
He closed his eyes and, with his soul, reached out to Luna's ancestors. Her family members from the mother country. The ones who survived so she could exist. Loki acknowledged the boundary he crossed and asked for their forgiveness. He folded and hung the clothes back where he got it from, hoping they would listen and grant his request. Feeling light in his chest, he smiled. They knew he was sincere.
Loki pushed the clothes into the order he found them in and closed the closet door. Enough snooping for today. He shut the bedroom door on his way out and ambled to the kitchen for an apple. The skin was crisp and the inside as savory as he liked. The apartment was quiet again. For now, Loki deserved it. A bit of hushed contemplation would do him some good. It was a curve, but he was learning.
Throwing the apple core away, he rinsed his hands and got a fresh glass of water. He took the book he had been reading and sat in the armchair by the window. Luna warranted a bit of good behavior from Loki, even though she was not there to see.
----------
Close to 3pm, Loki's phone dinged with a new message from Peter. He marked his spot in his book and opened the text.
'finally done! Wow the day felt long'
Loki grinned and responded.
'I bet'
'so where r u now? R u at the compound?'
'no, im in lunas home'
'ooooooh what do you do there all day'
Loki paused, deciding what to tell him.
'read her books, watch her movies, listen to her music'
'noah fence, but that sounds kinda boring :P'
"'Noah fence?'" Loki muttered under his breath. "Oh, 'no offense.' Right."
'it can be, but we go to the compound on Saturdays and out anywhere else'
'nice nice nice! U comin by this weekend??? to the compound???? ?????'
Loki snickered at Peter's apparent excitement. He humored the boy.
'I might'
'pls bcuz I have some stuff I wanna show u'
'looking forward to it'
':D I have decathlon practice now, so txt l8r??'
'sure. You know where to find me'
'lol yeah'
Loki didn't bother texting back. Peter was busy studying with his friends, or so he imagined. He got up and turned his music back on, again, not bothering to change the CD. Good music deserved to be listened to.
His enjoyment was short-lived as his phone rang with a different tune, this one constant and more musical. Luna had shown him what it meant. Someone was calling him.
Loki looked at the screen and saw Luna's name lit up. He pressed the green button and held it to his ear.
"H-hello?" he spoke.
He heard a light muffled gasp. "You answered! Yay!" Luna praised.
Loki smirked. "Yes, I did."
"So, uh, hi."
"Hi."
Loki heard a distant cough. "Um, what are you doing right now?"
"Waiting for you. Listening to music and reading."
"What are you reading? Anything interesting?"
"Oh, yes. In fact, it's one of your biological science books."
"Ooh, which one?"
Loki read the cover. "'Four Billion Years' by William Loomis."
"Mm, good choice."
He opened the book to a random page as though Luna was watching him and he had to prove it. "The genetic code is so complex. It's no wonder you study it."
"Yeah. There isn't a dull moment with it. So, which artist are you listening to?"
"A wonderful lady by the name of," Loki picked up the CD case, "Marina."
"Oh! Awesome!" Luna exclaimed. "And how do you like her?"
"Very much. She's fantastically accomplished."
"I had a feeling you would like her stuff. Which song do you like most so far?"
"I couldn't possibly choose. They're all good."
"Just one. The other songs won't feel less liked, I promise." She giggled, and so did he.
"Let's see." Loki flipped the case to the back and read the track list. "Uh, 'Fear and Loathing.' "
"Ooh, nice choice. I love that one. They're all good. I have several favorites."
He hummed. "So, what are you doing now?"
"Taking a bit of a break. I called to tell you that I'm going to be late. Traffic is horrible right now, so it's not safe for me to leave yet. I'm also working out some ideas for a new experiment."
The fire of Loki's interest was stoked. "Oh?"
"Mhm. It'll be a DNA manipulation using CRISPR like last time, but I would have to redo an RNA template for the new organism."
"Which one might you be using?"
"Zebrafish. I want to test healing time."
"Why use a new one when you already have the first one?"
"Because zebrafish are larger than the worms and transparent, so I can see all the inner workings, even the blood vessels in real-time. I can nick one a little and see the movement of the cells as it heals the wound. They also have an organ system similar to humans so I can visualize things more easily than with a worm."
Her job never ceased to capture him. He felt like he could watch her work all day.
"Amazing," Loki breathed out.
"Yeah! I've seen a bunch of videos where they do that, and it's really cool, so I'm hoping to get some good results. Even if they don't change from the average results of a non-mutated fish, it's not nothing."
"Of course, but may I speak freely?"
Luna chuckled low into the phone. "You may."
"I think you will get a difference." He didn't wish to give anything away, but he was confident she would get something. If the worms could produce ice particles on their own, the fish would do the same.
"I will keep that in mind."
"I suppose I should let you get back to work."
"Yeah, I have some more things to finish up before I leave. Hopefully, the traffic will be a little more merciful on me."
"Here's to hoping."
"Hm, yeah. Well, bye, Loki. See you at home."
"Yeah. Bye."
Loki listened to the buzzing silence on the other end of the line. Pressing the red button, he set his phone down and wandered back to the record player. A present from Stark. Luna got a pair of socks from Peter. And what from Loki? Nothing. As he pulled gently at the string bracelet around his wrist, he thought of her. Luna was the best friend he wished he had earlier in his life but never got. Now, he had her, but how has he repaid her kindness?
Loki gave to his kingdom for four years as its king, proving to his people he was better than the person he used to be. He had the capacity but lacked the resources. What could only he offer? Stark and Peter had more stable connections, but what did Loki have? What did they have together?
He looked around the room and noted all points of interest. They shared film, music, food, and dancing. Yes, dancing was a good place to start. She only did it with him. With nothing Asgardian to gift, he would have to settle for something earthly. Something she didn't currently possess but would greatly enjoy.
Loki perused the CD shelf. He knew most of the artists, but he didn't know what Luna didn't have or if she would like something new. His eyes flitted from album to album and stopped on one he recognized: 'Led Zeppelin IV.' Their first dance was in there. Reading the spine of the case, Loki laughed under his breath. Luna was influencing him again, making him sentimental. But now, as an idea formed in his head, sentiment felt good.
His phone dinged, providing a momentary distraction.
'done with the stuff. About to go on patrol so my messages will be here and there'
It was from Peter. Perfect timing.
'alright, but one thing before you go'
'yah??'
Loki took a deep breath and, with shaking hands, typed out his question.
'how much do you know about vinyl records'
—————
The saree? Based off of one I have. The book? I have the exact one on my shelf.