Title: there never was an apple that wasn't worth the trouble you got into for eating it

Character/Pairing: Jane Foster/Loki
Genre: Romance
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 651
Author's Notes: Title is a paraphrase from Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

Once, when Jane had been speculating, half asleep as they stared up at the stars, Loki had promised to steal her an apple from Asgard. It lies golden in his hand in front of her now, a shining specimen filling his palm as he presents it to her. The skin is cool under her fingertips as she tentatively reaches for it, before withdrawing her hand, leaving it still in Loki's grasp.

"I had promised you."

Jane nods at that, and nods again at the raised eyebrow that Loki gives her. He had sworn that he would liberate one from Iðunn's gardens if she asked him to, whether she wanted to stay by his side for thousands of years or not after she ate it. She hadn't given Loki a reason when she had made her request a fortnight ago and he hadn't questioned her further, simply leaving a few days later to sneak into Asgard by his own means.

Standing up from where he knelt to present it to her, Loki cuts the apple with a small knife pulled from beneath his armour. The first slice he offers her is wafer thin, a seed dark in the centre, like an eye gazing up at her. Jane takes the slice from the blade and is about to tip the seed into her hand when Loki stops her. The fingers not gripping the knife in his hand are cool against her wrist.

"Eat the seeds."

Jane nods at the look he gives her, used to how he shows concern with harsh expressions. She suspects it's something Loki has learned from Odin and smiles at him before placing the slice on her tongue, seed and all, chewing twice before swallowing. The apple at first tastes like it's been soaked in lemon water, sharp on Jane's tongue. It's sweeter after she swallows, like the quince jelly Darcy's aunt makes.

She doesn't feel any different after that first piece, didn't think she would, but then Loki is offering her another balanced on the silver of his knife.

Jane eats every bit of apple he gives to her, thin slices and larger sections. Each time she places a portion into her mouth she holds Loki's gaze as she chews and swallows until there is one last piece left.

There is a seed dark in the middle of this segment too, just like the first, and Jane thinks it's more like the darkness within a black hole, a point of no return. She notices that the core forms the shape of half a heart around the seed, and that too seems accurate for the occasion.

Loki feeds her the last piece, fingertips catching on the inside of her lip, the last drops of juice pulled from his skin by the contact. Jane is tempted to take those fingers back into her mouth, suck on them until she can no longer taste the sharp-sweet of the apple and it's only Loki that she can taste on her tongue.

But she has one last slice to eat and settles instead for closing her lips just as Loki's fingers leave, barely brushing them in a parting kiss.

Jane chews three times, and she thinks she can feel her teeth cracking the seed open just before she swallows. Her throat constricts, trying to spit the seed back up out of habit, but she can't, because Loki's mouth is upon her then. Jane stops choking, swallowing both apple and his breath in a gasp. Loki seems pleased at that sound and continues kissing her, lips pressed hard against hers, asking silently if they can go further.

Smiling against his mouth, Jane obliges, kissing back just as fervently. Leaning in, Jane thinks she tastes a hint of blood over the lingering sweetness of the apple before all that is left is Loki's mouth upon hers and the sensation of stars spawning in her bones.