A/N: Another day, another fic. Written for Halloween, but it's a little different than the usual fic.

For those getting alerts for my Thor stories and are getting annoyed, I'm sorry. Just ignore me.

To Trick A Trickster

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There was a day on the realm of Midgard that called to Loki's attention every year.

It was greatly ignored by the God of Mischief at first. Words flew to his mind like pesky gnats buzzing around him, and he waved them away irritatedly. But on this day, this certain time once again, he would hear words uttered in devotion and love, and they were spoken for him.

The last time a mortal prayed to Loki had been at least five hundred years ago. The earth had changed since then, and so had its people; they slowly forgot the Norse Gods and their deeds, and it was Loki's belief that this was what Odin wanted. To let the mortals think their success was their own, to strengthen them by forcing them to defend themselves to the best of their ability. As a world with such a limited lifespan, Loki had to grudgingly admit that they did just that. Where they lacked immortality, they compensated with wit, and this alone extended their lifespan tremendously.

So when a persistent prayer was given solely to him, Loki became greatly curious.

He was reading from an old text when it began, and quickly Loki set it down and closed his eyes, listening.

Dear Loki, God of Mischief and awesome tricks, a soft voice filled his mind, and Loki's lips quirked up, you know better than anyone on how to trick people, and I really need your guidance this Halloween. Who better to ask, right? So please, if you could help me out today, that'd be really great. Thanks!

The prayer ended, and Loki was intrigued. He could tell it came from Midgard. Loki pursed his lips, musing on the mortal's words. They seemed sincere enough. Perhaps a quick view of what he was being asked of?

Decision made, Loki rose from his seat and headed to the bifrost. Heimdall watched him approach passively.

"Heimdall, may I pass?" he asked.

"Where does the prince wish to go?"

Loki straightened. "To Midgard. A…a mortal has prayed to me."

"Yes, I heard her as well," Heimdall announced. "You may pass."

He entered the observatory and felt himself be transported through the realms until his feet touched ground. He quickly cloaked himself in his magic, and wandered down a street until he heard the mortal's thoughts that had sought him.

Needless to say, Loki was shocked to find that the owner of the plea was a little Midgardian girl.

Loki frowned as he watched a girl—no older than twelve, at least. By earth's age that was very young, and it made him wonder how this child knew of him? As he studied her, he saw she wore very large rectangles held on her nose and hovered over her eyes, with brown hair coming down to her brush her shoulders. Her eyes shot up, and he was startled at just how piercingly blue they were. Even his brother's eyes were no match to this alien shade of intensity.

Loki approached her slowly, now curious. What was it that she was needed from him?

The closer he inspected, the wider his grin grew. Ah, she was desperately trying to throw a roll of toilet paper upon a tree, but was too short to do so by herself.

Loki waved his hand, and a rabbit sprung to the ground nearby the girl's feet. She noticed it and gasped, starting to coo at the fluffy creature. Taking her distraction, Loki waved his hand once more, covering the tree with long strips of white.

The rabbit hopped away, and the girl turned back around and inhaled sharply at the newly decorated tree. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed. She looked around nervously, wondering how it had happened. Suddenly her mouth split into a grin, and she shouted, "Loki!"

Loki began to smile as she bounced on the balls of her feet in excitement and joy. "Thank you! Thank you so much! I love you, okay? You're my favorite! I don't know how to thank you properly—maybe I'll light a candle for you when I get home? Yes, that! Wow, oh my god…"

Loki smirked and traveled back to the bifrost site. Heimdall brought him back to Asgard instantly, and took in the satisfied look on Loki's face with a modicum of amusement.

"Happy trip?" the gatekeeper inquired.

Loki flashed him a grin. "The best."

As Loki went to bed that night, he heard a whisper of thanks in his mind once more, and discovered that the little mortal had indeed lit a candle in his name, and that her name was Darcy Lewis.

x

Six years had gone until Loki made a mistake.

Each year on All Hallow's Eve, Darcy Lewis prayed to him. And each year, for some reason that only Valhalla knew, Loki would travel to earth on this day and grant her request.

The look of pure delight was what thrilled him. To have someone appreciate his tricks was a wonderful feeling. He watched the girl grow slowly into her womanhood as the years went by, but he was pleased that her penchant for mischief did not disappear with her fading childhood. Age had not only made her more beautiful, but extremely witty.

The tricks she executed herself were remarkable for a Midgardian, ones that had Loki grinning ridiculously when he saw them to completion. Now she would only ask him for little things, for advice on which prop to use, which plan to continue, and he would guide her to the best path. He would let her mull in her frustration for a while, allowing her to figure it out for herself first before he interfered. His spells were subtle, and merely made her focus in the right direction. Each time, unfailingly, she knew it was him that had helped her, and each time she thanked him expressly.

Loki was lounging on her bed invisibly as Darcy growled in frustration, throwing a notepad roughly on the floor.

"Damn it! Why isn't this coming out right?" she scowled, running her fingers angrily through her hair. Loki smirked and shook his head, waiting for her to figure it out.

"I drew the trajectory, modeled the layout, but still something—isn't—right!"

"Perhaps if you used a calculator, your small life would become easier," Loki mused out loud, and frowned when he heard Darcy gasp.

"Is someone there?" she asked, frightened. Loki's eyes widened, and he sat up from her bed. "I heard you. Someone's here."

Loki wondered briefly if he should just return to the bifrost site and abandon his original plan of aiding her, when her next words gave him pause.

"Is…is that you, Loki?"

Loki was struck still, afraid of even breathing. "I know you're out there," she continued, the fear leaving her voice gradually. "You've helped me. It's…it would be an honor to meet you."

Loki closed his eyes, breathing slowly. He could leave, right now. He could do it.

Yet, a small part of him was ever the more curious.

Slowly he lifted the enchantment, and revealed himself to Darcy.

Her mouth parted as she gazed upon him for an eternity. Her eyes traveled down him, then returned to his eyes. He felt almost as frightened as her, though he did not know why.

Darcy swallowed thickly, and said, "Wow." She paused. Then, "It's really you."

"Yes," Loki rasped, his throat suddenly dry. "'Tis I."

Darcy blinked owlishly, before lowering her head. "It's—it's an honor," she replied, and sank to her knees.

Loki rushed to her instinctively, and forced her up to stand. "No," he growled, and saw fear return in Darcy's eyes.

"I-I thought—"

"You bow down to no one," he found himself saying, in a tone that brooked for no argument. "Not even I. Do you understand?"

Darcy nodded quickly, and Loki released her slowly. "Continue as you always have," he said brusquely. "And use the damned calculator." Darcy nodded again, and Loki disappeared.

Moments later when he returned to Asgard, his heart was still pounding.

x

After that Halloween, she continued to pray to him each year.

It brought a smile to his face when she prayed to him the very next year. He decided to forego the pretense of hiding himself from her, and merely appeared in her room when she called for him.

However, something had changed now. Darcy Lewis, in her infinite human wisdom, had decided to begin a game with him.

"You are serious," Loki said incredulously.

"Yup. You're the God of Mischief, and it's time I tested this title."

Loki shook his head, smiling. "You do remember how I've helped you these past seven years, do you not? Your trickery is nothing without me."

"True," Darcy admitted. "But it's time I expand my horizons. From now on, Loki of Asgard," Darcy grinned, "I will devote every Halloween trying to trick you."

True to her word, she attempted several silly things that Loki had seen through easily. She would get frustrated, but she accepted each defeat gracefully.

He had also begun to notice how her gaze would linger on him now, as she grew older. He tried very hard not to notice, until one day she brought it up.

"Would you answer me if I prayed to you on a night that wasn't Halloween?" she had asked.

His nose buried in a book, Loki'd replied distractedly, "Probably not."

It wasn't until he had returned to Asgard that he thought over the exchange again, and realized what exactly she had been asking. His stomach pummeled at the thought, though it was one he had thought of before. The Darcy Lewis he knew now was a far cry from the one he had met eight years ago. For him it was a blink of an eye, but for humans, it was a generous portion of their lifespan, this transcendence into adulthood.

x

Another year had passed, and another attempt to trick him was failed. "Come now, Darcy, are you even trying?" Loki said teasingly as Darcy cleaned up the mess in her new apartment. She was studying in a university now, and owned her own flat.

"Oh believe me, I am," she grumbled under her breath as Loki lounged on her sofa. "Forgive me if I have trouble tricking the fucking God of Mischief and Lies."

"Don't be sour," Loki drawled, earning him a sharp glare. He chuckled mirthfully. "You still have time. The day is not over."

"Yeah, well," Darcy said as she straightened and rose to her feet, "not everyone has an eternity, you know."

Loki frowned at this. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Darcy padded slowly over to him. She stopped just a few inches away and leaned in close, causing Loki to go completely still. Holding his breath as well as Darcy's gaze, he watched her reach over him to grab the box of tissues on his left. It did not help, of course, that Darcy was dressed in the deplorable clothing that clung to her like a second skin—a 'tank top' as she had called them, coupled with shorts that displayed her long smooth legs quite vividly. "That I'm just a human woman. I could die tomorrow, and you'd never know."

She leaned away and it was like Loki's mind had cleared once more. Shaking his head, Loki glowered at her.

"Do not say such silly things."

Darcy did not look at him as she bent on the floor once again and began scrubbing the ground. "You never know, Loki," she hummed, "you're only here on Halloween."

x

The following year on Halloween, Darcy was silent.

Loki grew anxious as the day passed. Why did she not call for him? Had she finally grown weary of their interactions? Her words from the last Halloween still haunted him. I'm only a human woman.

He waited several hours until he could stand it no more. Prayer or not, he would see her, and demand to know what was preventing her from uttering his name on her lips.

He arrived in New Mexico to a street filled with children dressed in costume, but he cared not. He transported himself immediately to Darcy's apartment, only to find it empty.

No, that was not quite right. It was mostly empty. Boxes were littered around the room, filled with things he knew belonged to her. The bed in her bedroom was still intact as he entered it, as was her desk. He glanced around, noting that it was completely cleared out. Loki returned outside of the apartment, wondering where she was.

He froze when he saw a little plaque lying at the base of the steps to the apartment.

In Loving Memory of Darcy Lewis

Loki's heart thudded rapidly as he reread the words until they burned in his mind.

No. No.

He returned to her apartment in despair, looking desperately at the boxed belongings. Of course. It made sense.

Loki growled loudly and felt his magic explode from his skin, reverberating against the thin walls of the apartment. He collapsed on the bed, hunching over and holding his head in his hands.

"I finally did it," a soft voice entered the room.

Loki's eyes flew open and he looked up. Darcy was standing at the door of her room, her expression ashen. "I did it," she whispered in utter shock, "I got you."

Loki looked at her incredulously, feeling himself be encapsulated by hundreds of emotions, the most prominent being crippling joy and overwhelming fury. He rose up, leather boots thudding on the wooden floor, and stalked towards her. Darcy shrank back, flattening against the wall, and looked up at him with wide eyes.

"You," Loki growled, "will never do that again."

Darcy nodded faintly. "Okay."

He growled again and grabbed her shoulders, bringing her against him and pressing his lips firmly to hers.

Some part of Loki knew he was not being as gentle as he could, but his need to assure himself that she was indeed still alive overwhelmed him. She made no protest, and wound her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him tightly, moving her mouth in time with his. His hands slid in her hair, tugging her head to the side and ravaging her mouth until they were both a mess of moans and gasps and the velvety feel of tongues and lips and teeth.

Darcy broke from him first, desperately trying to catch her breath. Loki pressed their foreheads together, and slowly met her eyes. She gazed at him back, before a silent smile spread on her face.

"You will pay for your actions," Loki warned, but her smile grew wider.

"I think I'm okay with that," Darcy breathed, holding him even tighter. "This is definitely the longest I've ever waited for a guy to make his first move."

"I am no ordinary guy, Darcy."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. God of Mischief and all."

"And you will never forget this, Darcy Lewis. I will make sure many, many times."

Darcy swallowed, her breath catching in her throat. "Is that so?" she asked unsteadily.

Loki grinned slowly. "Oh, yes."

x

Thank you for reading!

Also, a very important note: I'm seeing that a lot of people have been putting my completed fics on alert (A Modest Proposal, Satisfying, even Asgard's Finest). I'm sorry to say that those are oneshots and will never have a second chapter! Just a fair warning, you don't have to alert my completed fics.