A/N: Here's another Larcy story that I got the prompt from my very good friend who will beat me up if I write any angsty ones about them. Also, I feel like Loki is showing a bit of his Tom Hiddleston side. Enjoy and drop a review if you like it!
She sits at the table sipping her third glass of water, staring at her phone, willing it to beep or ring or do something. It doesn't though and the melting ice cubes clink against her empty glass once again. The waitress glides back to her table for the fourth time with a forced smile but Darcy can see the sympathy in her eyes.
"You ready to order yet?" the girl doesn't even take out her pad to write on.
Darcy shakes her head, "No, my date will be here soon. Traffic, you know?" she tries to look upbeat about it but inside she feels like the pimple-faced, brace-clad teeth thirteen-year-old who was relentlessly teased for being a geek. She shrinks down into the booth further.
The waitress nods her head and gives her an all-knowing, sad smile, "Sure." And she walks away to another table.
Darcy looks around, trying not to catch the apologetic looks from people close by. "Come on, Ian." She mumbles. She mentally kicks herself, knowing she should have seen this coming. They had a good run of it, the three weeks they've been together, but Darcy had a nagging voice in the back of her head telling her it wouldn't last. Tonight was the deal breaker. He didn't show, she's done. She's just about to grab her purse, throw a tip on the table, and walk out when someone slides into the booth, startling her.
"Hello, darling. I am sorry that I'm so late but traffic was crazy." He leans over, giving her cheek a small kiss and whispers into her ear, "I'm Loki. Just go with it, yeah? Whoever didn't show is a word I shouldn't say in public." He leans back with an easy smile enveloping his face.
"Hey." Darcy says, a blush creeping up her neck from both embarrassment and the fact that this guy is hot. Like stepped out of a Disney film hot. He even has a flipping accent.
"So how was your day today?" he asks, reaching to pick up her fingers, interlacing his own.
The waitress, baring a rather large smile, returns before Darcy can respond. "He made it!" she practically shouts so the surrounding tables can hear. Darcy nearly face-palms and resolves to leave a smaller tip than originally planned.
"Yes, yes he did." Loki answers for Darcy. "Work was a beast and traffic likewise. My phone died on the way over. I was so worried I was going to miss seeing my beautiful girlfriend tonight."
The waitress beams and it takes Darcy everything in her not to just up and leave. It's bad enough that Ian didn't show now she has this imposter making a charity case out of her.
"Can we order now?" she asks, a tad bit impatiently.
"Sure. What can I get for you?" the waitress pulls a pencil from behind her ear.
"I'll have the bacon cheeseburger with onion rings please." Darcy hands the unopened menu to an outstretched hand.
"And for you, sir?"
"I'll…I'll have the same." He seems to have a slight shocked look but Darcy doesn't bother wondering why.
After he continues to stare at her for a few awkward moments, she cocks an eyebrow, "Yes?"
He clears his throat, "Nothing. It's just most girls go for a salad or something."
She huffs. Now he's making fun of her eating habits. It's bad enough she has Jane on her back about it, she doesn't need a stranger doing it too. "Yeah, well I'm not most girls." She bites back.
"Good. I like a girl with a hearty appetite." He gives her a goofy wink and she nearly spits out the water she was gulping down. "So," he begins more seriously, "what is it that you do for a living, Miss…"
"Lewis. Darcy Lewis." She finishes for him.
He smiles genuinely, "I like it."
"Thanks. It was a birthday present." She shrugs, taking pride in the laugh that filters out of him. "But to answer your question, I work for Stark Industries." He gives her a confused look. "What? Never heard of them?" she smirks, knowing you'd have to be living under a rock not to have, and even then it'd be iffy.
"No, no, I've definitely heard of them. I'm just wondering how we haven't met before. I am employed there myself."
"Really? I mean, I work at Stark Tower so maybe you're at a different-"
"No, same. Stark Tower."
It's her turn to look confused. Not many people work directly in the Tower. She was lucky enough to get in on the coattails of Jane. "I…I don't know. Maybe we work different shift. I am usually there during the night." She smirks. "I like to mess with the guys up top using the old com system."
His eyes widen in surprise and Darcy knows she's just been caught. "You're…you're Lou?" he stutters out.
"Guilty as charged." She replies sheepishly, waiting for a reprimanding. What she doesn't expect is him nearly doubling over in laughter. The waitress appears with their food just as this happens. Darcy thanks her, giving an apologetic smile.
Loki starts winding down and looks up at her but just laughs harder, tears leaking from his eyes. Darcy doesn't know what to do. She understands the surprise and humor of it all, heck, she was the one playing the prank, but she doesn't see why it's so funny to him. She picks up an onion ring and starts munching on it.
"I'll admit it's funny but I didn't realize it was that funny."
He finally meets her gaze, wheezing, "You don't know who I am yet, do you?"
She shrugs, "Loki, from what I've gathered."
"Yeah, Loki. Loki Odenson." He lets that sink in, her eyes widen into saucers, her cheeks burn as bright as the catsup on her plate, and she sits up straight as a pencil.
"Oh, crap." The onion ring falls from her fingers. "I…I am so sorry. Oh my god. Am I fired?" She is now regretting every prank call, every joke, pretty much everything in her entire existence.
He shakes his head, "Not really my call but I won't even if it was."
"I didn't…how have we…oh my god." She sinks into the booth, suddenly losing her appetite.
It was a night, about a month ago, that just oozed boredom. Darcy had made a few prank calls to the guys up top before but this time she wanted to go a little further. She'd heard they got a new supervisor in, Odensen or something to that effect, but she hadn't met the guy yet. She was usually confined to Jane's lab and the coffee room; perks of being clumsy and nosey. She decided to give the new guy a Darcy welcome. She called in on the com, making sure the whole level could hear, and pretended to be a call girl that had been left quite unsatisfied by Mr. Odenson. She was having quite a nice time, monitoring the reactions through the opposite speakers she had activated on the level, when Jane had barged in. Her friend was not very happy to find out what she'd been doing and banned her from further exploits.
"Please don't feel sorry. While I may have been a bit frustrated at first, we up toppers had quite the laugh after that incident. We were a little disappointed when you didn't call again after that."
"Yeah, Jane wouldn't let me."
"Foster?" his eyebrows quirk upwards.
"Yeah." She refrains from rolling her eyes. Everybody knows Jane. He's probably going to go on a ten-minute rant about her amazing work and how much he admires her blah, blah, blah.
"That would make you Taser."
"What?" only three people know that nickname for her; her, Jane, and Jane's fiancé, whom she tasered when they first met. Long story, don't ask. "How did you know that? No one knows that." She can't help the worry that creeps in. A guy knows one of your most secret nicknames; you'd get worried too.
"I'm Thor's brother."
"Tricks?" she slumps back, shocked.
He reaches a hand across the table to her, "Very nice to finally meet you."
She shakes his outstretched hand, "How the hell do we not know each other yet? I mean your freaking brother is marrying my best friend."
"Well I have been out of the country on business for some time. I came back at the request of my brother and Mr. Stark. They were in need of an expert, per say, in a certain field and I guess I fit their qualifications."
"Weird." She picks up her burger and begins munching on it. He follows suite. "So, Tricks, what do you do outside of work?" she asks after swallowing.
"Hmm." He takes a drink of water to wash down his burger. "Not much. Work has been a bit tiresome lately. I do enjoy the occasional book, when I have the time."
"Ah, a nerd, huh?" she smirks.
"I wouldn't go as far as that. I prefer classical literature; Shakespeare, Dickens, Hemingway."
"The boring crap?" Darcy offers.
It causes a small laugh from him, "Yes, the boring crap."
"Well, when you're done with your broody books, I'll lend you some real crap."
"Oh?" he smirks at her.
"Yeah, like, well I don't actually read a lot outside of my textbooks but I bet I can turn you to the dark side."
"Really? I would like to see that." He replies teasingly.
"Oh, it's on then." She pushes her glasses up on her nose.
"How about Saturday at four? The new Star Wars movie is showing."
She's taken aback by his offer. She thought they were just making conversation. As much as she would have liked to, she didn't imagine him wanted to hang out with her again. "Um…sure."
"It's a date then." He smiles around his burger.
"But…" she sets her food down.
"Unless you had plans or…or something." He looks up at her worried.
"No, I don't. It's just I thought you were just being nice, stepping in for my douche of a boyfriend. Ex-boyfriend. I didn't think you were actually…" her words trail off.
"Hey," he picks up her hand and links their fingers again. "You are an amazing, beautiful women who deserves so much better than being stood up. Plus, you tasered my brother; you already have my respect." He smirks at the last bit and Darcy can help the blush that blooms in her cheeks.
"Thank you."
He gives her hand a squeeze. "You are most welcome."
The waitress comes by and drops off the check. Before Darcy can even reach for her purse, Loki has handed the girl a credit card.
"What are you doing?" she asks, still fishing out her wallet.
"Paying for dinner." He replies nonchalantly.
"Here," she waves some money at him. "For my half."
He just smiles and shakes his head, "Now why kind of boyfriend would I be if I let my girlfriend pay?"
She smirks, "I'm not actually your girlfriend."
"Well, I'm hoping I can change that."
The waitress returns before she can reply, setting the check book on the table. "You have a wonderful evening." She comments before scurrying off.
Loki stands, slips the card back into his wallet, and offers Darcy his hand. "Shall we?"
She takes his hand and he slides it under his arm. The two walk of the restaurant, headed towards a future that is sure to excite them both.