Author: foxmagic

Disclaimer: I don't own.

A/N: A one-shot Loki/Mayura! This is post manga universe, with older/Kakusei Loki. Yush.

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Fairytale

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Loki, no matter what future awaited him, no matter which form he took, or what degree of mortality bound him to this earth -was by all accounts a god.

He had always been one of the greatest among those dwelling in Asgard. A close friend of Odin, himself, he had braved the hardest of times and sailed sweetly through the better ones. He had fought giants, amazed Utgard Loki with his talents, outwitted the fames of even Thor and Balder, stolen from the craftiest of dwarves, fathered the goddess of the underworld, and even birthed a six-legged horse after playing "plan B -distract" in order to prevent Frejya from marrying that god-awful human.

Hey, someone had to stop those horridly annoying tears of gold.

He had accomplished things normal beings might only ever experience in the movies. Such as stealing golden rings of power from small hobbit-like men. And if only the mortals knew that their dear earth had actually been fashioned from the body of a dead giant. Loki personally tried not to think about it very much.

A god -a handsome, sexy devil of a god. The most attractive of the lot of them. Maybe not as beautiful as Balder, but Odin always did have an overly inflated ego when it came to his children.

He could have had any woman he wanted -and did, in fact, have any woman he wanted. Over and over again. Sure, his life in child-form had put a damper on things…but Frejya and Skuld had still seemed ready and willing.

Aside from that, his life before the fall had been nothing short of miraculous. As a god, he had been able to withstand the most horrendous of torture, he had dealt with the toughest of situations and always came through with a clear head. There was nothing at all that could phase him now.

Nothing -except this.

Perhaps all his proclaimed greatness meant nothing in the end.

"Loki-san!"

If all it took was one look from a mortal girl to send his poker face crumbling.

"A date, you say?" He looked back down at his paperwork. "Someone from school?"

"Yes! Oh, but papa would never agree to it! That's why…that's why I…" She fidgeted.

"Yes, Mayura?"

"That's why I gave him your address instead of mine!" She said in a rush, face flushed a pleasant pink. "I'm sorry, Loki-san! But if he were to pick me up at my house, then papa would…"

"I understand."

And boy, did he understand.

She was in her final year of high school now, all but grown and ready to conquer the world. He couldn't have expected her to stay away from dating forever. After all, it was a normal activity in a young person's life. It was important.

It made him snap his pen in two.

"Loki-"

"Eh?" He glanced down as the ink pooled onto his pants.

Great.

Quickly grabbing a cloth, she held it out to him. "Besides that…" She continued, causing him to glance up. "Besides that, there was one other thing…"

Oh yeah? One other thing? Bring it on, Mayura. Bring. It. On.

"I was wondering it…if maybe…"

Shifting, nervous.

"I was just wondering…" And she suddenly blurted it out. "if you would teach me how to kiss!"

He blinked as his world came to a screeching halt.

Whoa -what?

"I don't think that's such a good idea…"

"Loki-san! Please!"

"Mayura-"

Her expression suddenly turned fiery -a familiar passion he had come to associate her with. It was purely business. "I'm practically an adult now, and I've never kissed anyone before!"

He supposed that his, as well as Heimdall's unexpected attacks didn't particularly count.

She wagged a finger at him tersely. "How would it look if I were to fall in love with him, and he swept me up into his arms? But after finding out what a horrible kisser I was, decided not to take me away to his castle to live happily ever after? Loki-san, tell me -could you live with that on your conscious?"

"I think I could try."

"Hey!"

Really, she always managed to overreact about everything. But as he saw that he could not change her mind, he settled for staring lazily across his desk. She waited expectantly.

"Fine."

Mayura erupted in a shout of glee. "Thank you, Loki-san!" Her hands planted themselves together, clasped with relief. But when a few minutes went by, and he still hadn't gotten up, that smile quickly turned into a frown.

"What -now?" He asked incredulously.

"Yes now. Come on, get up! We're wasting valuable time -it's like…a mystery I need to solve, see?"

Ah yes -a mystery. Of course. Loki stood at last, straightening his shirt absently. It was buttoned wrong, he noticed.

Pulling him anxiously over by the arm, they now stood before each other, less than a foot apart. That determination in Mayura's eyes still hadn't died down, resolute and firm in her belief that Loki was -and always had been- her first line of backup.

"What do I do first, Loki-san?" She asked.

"Nothing." He shifted his weight, watching her with what appeared to be disinterest. "It's not the girl's job to make the first move. Not usually." It was out-dated thinking, but hey…what did she expect from him? He couldn't go around teaching her to attack boys. Never -ever, would he wish to release such a monster on the world.

Not that he personally disliked assertive women…

"Oh, okay. So then…then how will I know when he's going to…?"

"Sometimes you know, and sometimes it takes you completely by surprise. It depends on their personality. In any case, you need to decide first and foremost that it's something you want to partake in, and not just for his sake. Don't ever let someone force you into anything, Mayura."

"Yes sir!"

He sighed. She was way too excited about this.

"What type of person are you, Loki-san?"

A grin slid across his face. He grabbed her wrists then, yanking her closer until they were merely a breath apart. She gasped.

"I've always preferred the element of surprise."

Mayura swallowed, eyes raising to meet his. "What…what do I do?"

"You close your eyes…" He whispered, the corners of his lips tugging upwards as she obeyed. "Then you lean in, pucker up, and…"

She waited expectantly, scarcely breathing. "Loki-san…Loki-ow!" Her exhalation turned into a fierce cry as she felt him pull at the sides of her face. "Ow, stop that!"

He laughed, giving her cheeks a final tug before his hands pulled away. "You're serious, aren't you?"

"Mou, Loki-san!" Mayura fumed. "That was really mean!"

"You thought I'd really kiss you? Silly girl."

She puffed out her cheeks angrily, and he gave her head a quick rub. Which messed up her hair and caused the bubbly teen to seethe even more. "You always treat me like a child." She pouted.

"Only when you act like one. Now call that poor kid and tell him the address to your real house."

"No!"

"Is this person someone that your papa wouldn't like?"

"No…"

Well that told him more than he needed to know. He sighed. "Knowing you, it's probably one of your fellow mystery friends."

"Is not." She stuck her tongue out at him.

He looked at her, face drawn uncomfortably even and expressionless. She stuck her tongue back in.

So much for not being childish.

"I'm going to go take a nap." Loki announced suddenly, punctuated by yawn, and he turned to walk away.

Blinking, Mayura watched his back silently as he retreated. He was…going to take a nap? What about her dilemma? What about his duty as her first line of backup? Oh, and to think she had even thought he might help her! Her face burned in embarrassment, confusion slowly seeping into frustration, and then finally…

Her smile had been set in a permanent frown, brows creased in some absurd wave of determination. She swallowed.

And then she lunged.

For a brief moment, Loki fancied that he had been struck by Odin, himself. Such was the force of her body as it slammed into his, causing him to stumble and muffle a shout as they were sent tumbling onto the floor. The rest was a blur -a flurry of limbs, and that throbbing pain that had erupted where his skull met hardwood. Her knees were digging unceremoniously into his legs, hands gripping, and gripping, and he was sure he had suffered a concussion by this point.

There was fire in her eyes. She would prove it, then! She would show him that she was grown up enough to handle something like this, without being babied!

"I'm not-" She began, but then he opened his eyes to stare up at her, green meeting crimson, and all that determination immediately disappeared. What…was she doing again? Another swallow, and then she offered in a weak voice, "I'm…I'm not a child, Loki-san."

"You tackled me, for god's sake woman-"

Oh, what had her papa always told her? Act like a lady, and never be too forward. Right…had that been too forward?

"Sorry…I'll just-" She made as if to stand up, but Loki caught her arm before she had a chance. Mayura glanced back down at him -a questioning look.

"Mayura…?"

She swallowed, glancing down at his mouth. Well…

She toyed with the idea of wresting her arm from his grip, of apologizing over and over again, telling him that it had all been some silly little joke. But she didn't, because it was now or never -and if she ever wanted to live happily ever after with the mystery-loving prince of her dreams, then she was just going to have to get the hell over it.

Moving, fingers fisted still tightly, tighter, she moved fast enough to leave her common sense spinning somewhere in the universe of what the hell are you doing, you idiot?

To his credit, Loki acted genuinely surprised and altogether flabbergasted when she finally stooped to press her mouth forcefully against his. And to her credit, his clear and calm resourcefulness that was so often bragged about was nowhere to be found.

Her eyes shut themselves tight, fingers loosening ever so slightly in the soft material of his shirt. That moment-

She stole his breath for the very first time.

Time slowed with the sound of her heart beating loudly in her ears, roaring, numbing everything but the sensation of his lips brushing lightly against hers. It was movement -some sudden motion that compelled her to follow, with a newness that was giddily delightful. All thoughts for future dates, for castles and mysteries and teenage boys were forgotten then, in the wake of this sensation caused by Loki's touch -fingers grazing skin, delicate.

When the doorbell rang, it wasn't answered. Though the visitor insisted with loud knocking and repeated calls, the occupants were otherwise engaged in affairs that required a one-track mind. And Loki preferred to keep it that way.

Later, she would complain about how her date never showed, and how her papa would murder her poor self for staying out so late on a school night. She would accuse Loki of taking advantage of her, though he'd know the truth behind that absurd lie.

Her plans had been ruined.

But…

Even so, Mayura supposed that she didn't mind it so much.

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FIN

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Love love! Please review for me, yes? X3

foxmagic