AN: This is a collection of related stories between Darcy and Loki from the new Marvel Thor movie. Ficlets and one-shots will vary in word counts based on challenges and claims at Livejournal. Enjoy!

EDIT - August 5, 2012: I cleaned up some tense shifts and revised this chapter.


Mischief and Tasers

Part One: every breath you take

Loki had been shadowing Erik Selvig for days when he noticed Darcy. Seemingly extraneous and hardly worth his time, he found something surprisingly intriguing about her - the way she formed her words, the mixture of fear and bravado in her threats, and the untapped potential of a woman undefined.

An idea struck him about Darcy, which gave him thoughts of possible schemes. Darcy, so close to Erik and Jane, and Jane, so close to his brother Thor, and wishing for him beyond the stars. Erik had more authority, more clout with this Nick Fury, but perhaps it was Darcy who people would never suspect.

A smile tightened at his lips. He watched her beyond unsuspecting window panes and docile mirrors. He was the ghost she sensed in her kitchen but told herself she was crazy - no one else was here.

Darcy turned around, a hitch of fear caught in her throat. She saw nothing. Her shoulders relaxed, and Loki could almost touch them, drawing lines over the soft fragile flesh like a teasing lover.

Darcy spun around again. She was angry; Loki liked it. She resumed her task, cutting an apple, and he watched her hands tremble. The lights flickered, and he sighed on the shell of her ear.

She tensed, but her hands ignored her fear. "Ouch!" she cried; the knife grazed her finger. She sucked on the blood, and Loki could smell the sweet rust.

"I swear to you, ghost or god," she mumbled, "I'm not above tasing you, whoever you are." She released the knife and ate her apple, glaring at the air before she departed.

Her reaction delighted him, and Loki was smiling with anticipation - hope for Darcy's potential. He slipped through the shadows again, following Darcy's trail.

Oh, yes, this Darcy was going to be fun.