The Mischief
She was doomed.
If she hadn’t known better, Zozo would have thought that the prince is genuinely excited to hear her sing. But of course, this was no more than Loki’s oldest trick, and she knew him well enough to recognize that playful spark in the eyes of his younger self. Oh how she loved the sight of that expression, it meant that sooner rather than later she would either get to make fun of his attempt at pranking her, or they could cause some mischief together rather than looking at boring files, and she had yet to decide which option she liked better. This time, however, the choice was not up to her. Through their days spent together, she came to realize that there was never really a way out of Loki’s pranks, especially ones that revolved around humiliating someone. Oh well. If she’s going to be the victim of his judgement, so be it, at least there was no one else in the room.
After picking a gorgeous looking instrument that most resembled a guitar in her opinion, she cleared her throat and sat down on the floor.
“I’ll have you know that the guy who wrote that song did this a lot better than me. It's been a while since I last played, and my singing is uh... well, I’m definitely not the bard type.”
“Yes, clearly you are more of a talking type.” The prince smirked, “Will I ever get around to actually hearing my birthday gift?”
Asshole. But charming, lovable asshole.
“Right. Well, I hope you like songs about corpses. Because that’s what it’s about.”
Zozo wasn’t sure if any humans had been to Asgard yet at this point in time, or if any human songs have been heard echoing in the halls Valaskjalf before, but to her, there was definitely something magical about the knowledge that in this timeline, “Like Real People Do” was first played and sung hundreds of years before Hozier was born to compose it. It was special. And only Loki was there to hear it, while everyone else was busy having fun and drinking at his birthday feast. Perhaps unknowingly, she’s given him a much bigger gift than she originally planned. And perhaps the prince could feel it, as he sat there, eyes practically glued to her face, unemotional and yet the spark of mischief was replaced by something else completely. A fondness of sorts. And though Zozo had dedicated a large portion of her life, almost half of it, to him, she still couldn’t quite figure him out like she would like to. Thor was right, she thought, as she stared back at the god before her, a blush creeping onto her face again, This man is a damn mystery.
Maybe that’s why she picked that song after all, not just because it was the only Hozier song she could play. Maybe this was just a song that reminded her of Loki deep down. Maybe the little mystery made it all fun. Maybe the way this Loki put his hand in hers made her happy, and maybe this was a slight infatuation after all, and maybe if he did attempt to take things further, she would appreciate his advances.
No. She scolded herself, looking away from the prince. He's a variant of your friend. You can’t romance a variant of your friend.
Zozo forced the unappreciated thoughts out of her head, and after she had played the melody for the final time, she dramatically stood up, and bowed as if she were an actual performer, causing the prince to erupt into laughter.
“Well, you weren’t lying about not being a bard type.” He commented, once his guest came back to his side, “but it was still a rather decent performance. I do, however, fail to see why such a... romantic song would be about corpses. Wasted potential if I were to be honest.”
“I fail to see why it wouldn’t.” Zozo responded with a smile, putting the guitar back into its original place. “There’s nothing more enticing than the mixing of something so glorified like love, and something that directly contrasts that glory, like a corpse. It makes you see that love is, primarily, an emotion that defines our personhood just the same as our mortality.”
“I suppose you’re right,” the young god muttered, “the true beauty of life can only be seen when one knows how quick it may end, and nothing brings out the beauty of love as a reminder of how suddenly death may come to claim it.”
“Yes, exactly!” The girl exclaimed, letting out a pleased chuckle, “Though I suppose this song in particular is a lot more... mild, compared to the one I love the most. You’d love it, it’s kinda gruesome but it’s the most romantic song I’ve ever heard, absolutely gorgeous. And their voices... oh their voices will leave you yearning.”
“Yearning for what?”
“Just yearning. I can’t describe it to you otherwise, you’ll have to experience it.”
There was a spark of something in the prince’s eyes at that phrase, and Zozo couldn’t quite pinpoint whether it was desire, curiosity, or simply a sense of belonging and warmth. Wherever it was, she enjoyed every second of it. Almost as if he sensed it, the young god grabbed her hand, and brought it up to his lips to press a gentle kiss on her knuckles.
“Very well then,” he murmured, his breath still warm on her hand, “I don’t suppose you’d be inclined to show me, will you?”
Despite the butterflies and the racing heartbeat, Zozo kept her composure, and smiled warmly at the cause of her state. Damn his innocent-looking, deceiving eyes, making it so hard for her not to be infatuated.
“No, I don’t suppose I will. I already conquered my stage fright and sang for you, it’s only fair if you do something for me in return.”
The prince chuckled, pressing another kiss onto her hand.
“Madam, the word stage fright incorrectly insinuates that an empty music room is the equivalent of a stage.”
“And isn’t a prince such as yourself worth more than a thousand eyes? I’d hate to disappoint such a demanding audience, especially on his birthday.”
Once again he let out a short chuckle, and pulled the girl’s hand from his lips, still holding it tightly and rubbing her fingers with his.
“Demanding could be one way to put it. In that case, what would you like me to give you in return? I don’t suppose someone who’s idea of a gift is music, would be inclined to wish for anything less than an experience, so, what would you like to experience with me?”
For a brief moment, their eyes met, and Zozo found herself feeling very, very uncomfortable with how close they were standing. Has she taken the flirt game too far? She wouldn’t want him to get the idea that she was some fawning noble, nor would she like to find herself in a situation where her companion gets fed up with her and forces her to come back to the TVA before the end of the night. He’s having so much fun as Thor though, would he really mind? Regardless, the Loki in front of her wanted an answer, so why not allow him to provide? She cleared her throat before she spoke, in a rather extravagant, comedic manner.
“I would like to be taken to your favorite place in this palace, your majesty.”
Whatever it was that this Loki expected, it clearly wasn’t that. He blinked in surprise, then flashed her a teasing grin.
“Favorite places change over time. They do not always remain the same.”
“I’m well aware.” Zozo said. “Take me to the most recent place that brought you the most joy. I wish to share it with you, even if it’s temporary.”
From what little information Loki had given her during their boring days in the TVA, she knew he always craved to share his joy with someone. Thor wasn’t very attentive, and while Frigga was, she was also busy and couldn’t exactly be in many places at once. If her Loki took her here, she might as well do his younger self a favor on his birthday, and give him what he always craved.
And he clearly craved it, as after a moment of thinking, his eyes lit up and he offered her his arm as they walked up to the library once more. This time, however, instead of going to some hidden, cozy corner, Loki took her to a dark room on the right, with stacks of plush chairs pushed back and only enlightened by a glowing ball in the very middle.
“There you have it.” Loki whispered proudly, pointing his hand at the golden ball. “My most favorite place as of recently.”
The closer they got to the object, the more Zozo recognized the structure and patterns on it. It wasn’t just a ball. It was a globe. A globe of the Earth.
“Is that…” She whispered, reaching her hands out as if to grab her home and embrace it. Beside her, Loki chuckled.
“Midgard. Father had this made from king Eitiri to see what the mortals are up to, but rarely uses it. Nowadays, it is I who uses it most. Would you like to get a closer look?”
When he brought her finger up to the globe, it was as if he read her mind. Or perhaps Zozo was just looking at the lands of her own country so much that he could sense where she truly wished to explore. Regardless, the moment her finger, guided by Loki’s steady hand, made contact with the cold surface of the ball, an image popped up above it, of a man with a bushy mustache and a heavy-looking red cape, wearing a heavy, focused expression. Somehow, he felt familiar, and Zozo’s eyes widened as she realized what exactly it was she was looking at. This was a coronation. And the familiar-looking man becoming king before her very eyes…
“They call him Bolesław the Brave.” Loki explained, “His father, Mieszko, was a worshipper of mine. I helped him unite a couple of Slavic tribes in this little region right here, into a country called the Duchy of Poland. Then those countries in the West basically forced him to convert to Christianity, and his wife Dobrava raised this young king,” He gestured to the projection of Bolesław, who was now most definitely far from young, “to be a boring Christian man, basically a servant to the pope.” Feeling slightly braver, he put his arm around Zozo’s waist, not daring to look her in her eyes, still wide in awe, “However, I doubt this Christianity thing will stick. The Poles, as they call themselves, are incredibly resilient. You see, Mieszko also had a daughter. They called her Sigrid the Haughty. She was brave, and proud, and refused to give up her ideals for the sake of keeping someone else’s peace. She had a fire in her that I enjoy, one that I see in the spirit of this young nation. I wonder how it’ll fare through the years.”
Zozo couldn’t take her eyes off the image before her, Loki’s words giving her chills so much that she barely noticed his hand snaking around her waist and pulling her close. Now that she knew what she was witnessing, she recognized King Otto the third of the Holy Roman Empire, and when King Bolesław bowed before him, she nearly shed a tear as the emperor placed the crown on his head. No history book or movie could truly capture this moment, and no words could ever describe what she felt like to be witnessing it, which she was painfully aware of, as she knew she would have to share this with her mother over the phone when the evening would end. Thankfully, they still had time.
“This is amazing.” She whispered, allowing Loki to embrace her from behind, and stroking his hand gently. “It’s like… history, happening before your very eyes.”
“Everything is history happening before your eyes, when you think about it.” Loki whispered, his breath so close to her ear that Zozo could practically feel his lips moving against it. “Especially when it comes to mortals.”
Mortals. Bolesław the Brave was just a mortal to him. So was his father, Mieszko. And so was Zozo. This Loki has just seen her nation rise, and will see it fall, and he will live long enough to meet her in New York. Her Loki was once this young man, and he lived to bring her here so she could witness the birth of her country, and only visibly aged maybe ten, fifteen human years. The fragility of life really did make it seem more poetic. And if Zozo was to be another mortal, who will only exist for a brief period of time and be gone forever, she will cease what remains of her days. At least that was what she decided to do on Asgard, in the arms of the god of mischief.
They spent the rest of the afternoon going back and forth between all of Loki’s special places in Valaskjalf, laughing and talking and exchanging opinions, while the rest partied along. This Loki was different from the Loki she previously knew. Unburdened was the word that kept ringing in her mind as she reveled in his flirtatious touches. It saddened her that she couldn’t save this adorable, carefree young man from the pain he will experience, but hey, he won’t save her either, so it was best to enjoy themselves now. And they enjoyed themselves very much.
“Tell me, my lady,” Loki asked, holding her close as they watched the sunset through a large window near the dining room, from which they could hear loud music and people cheering, despite the heavy doors. They weren’t meant to stop there, but the view was so pretty that she practically begged him to stay and enjoy the setting sun right there. “Do you know that dancing song they are playing?” He seemed very satisfied when Zozo shook her head. “It is a traditional love dance. You get your partner, and you hold their hand like this,” he held out Zozo’s arm, entwining their fingers together, her back still turned to him and pressed into his chest, “and then during the high notes, you spin them, and during the low ones, they spin you. When they play together, you have to close your eyes and dance together, or keep one partner’s back turned away. Then by the end, when the music slows, if you end up opening your eyes before it ends, you must kiss.”
“That sounds like fun. I can’t imagine the chaos this love dance must be like, combined with considerable amounts of your ale.” Zozo laughed, pressing her back into Loki’s chest. “Where I come from, there’s not many energetic love dances like this one. A love dance is usually slow and sensual. And you get to stare at your partner’s eyes for the whole time, and it’s very romantic. But we don’t typically treat dances as games.”
“We should try to mix it up, and create a new thing.” Loki suggested. “We’ll use your slow music, and apply my rules. We’ll make it a game, but better, because it’ll only be us. What do you say?”
What she said was that she would be honored to share a dance with him on his birthday, which was true, and that this was a lovely idea. What she didn’t say, as she took out her phone and started scrolling through songs, while Loki looked over her shoulder curiously, was that she wouldn’t mind returning to the feast, and the scar on her hand reminded her of how much she missed the Loki that brought her here. The one who was more open, and cuddled her with no ulterior motive, because he knew she wasn’t important enough to be used for anything other than entertainment. It was flattering to have this Loki openly flirt with her, but it was also scary, and she was well aware that whatever this attraction was, it definitely wasn’t anything remotely close to love. And yet the connection was there.
“Is this that most romantic song you’ve told me about?” Loki asked her, when he saw her finger hovering over the song “In a Week” for just a bit longer than the rest. “The one you love most, about corpses?”
To hell with it, whatever this thing between them was, she would enjoy every second of it, even if it meant taking a risk and entering a weird game with him. She nodded, feeling a tightness in her chest, clicked play, and put the phone on the floor. Then, she closed her eyes.
“Show me how you play the game, my prince.” She uttered, feeling his hands on her waist and arm.
It was all surprisingly gentle. Through the entire first verse, it seemed as if Loki was guiding her through the tiled floor with not just his hands and feet, but his entire body. His hot breath by her ear, his chest pressed into her back, giving her support when she needed it, then his arms slowly twirling her and never letting her think she was alone, even for a second. It was as if every action of his was meant to tell her that she was safe, and he won’t let her go unless she wishes him to.
When they got to the chorus, Zozo felt him turn her around once more, adjusting their position in a way she recognized from dance class, when they taught her how to waltz. And though the dance was still quite different and unfamiliar, Loki never once let her feel anxious about it, whispering words of encouragement in her ear and rubbing her fingers with his thumb, which did, in fact, relax her. It may have possibly worked too well, as once the next verse came on, Zozo took on leading in the dance, and though her eyes were still shut closed and it was much clumsier than when he did it, it felt good to twirl Loki around as he did to her. They even exchanged a few laughs through the whole ordeal, and when the chorus came on again all too quickly, she almost felt sad about losing that control. Almost.
Perhaps it was the song and Hozier’s magical songwriting skills, or maybe it was that she wasn’t in a mood for competition anymore, or maybe it was Loki’s intoxicating touch, but during the bridge, when the music slowed down, Zozo felt her eyes slowly open. To her surprise, she was met with Loki’s familiar, blue-green eyes staring at her with affection and playfulness. He waited for her to open her eyes fully to stop dancing, the music still playing in the background.
“You peeked.” He whispered in disbelief, almost scared to drown out the song with his words. “I didn’t think you’d risk opening your eyes before the song ended.”
“Well, I did.” Zozo answered, sneaking her arm from his and placing it on his chest instead, inching just a bit closer. He truly was like a drug.
“You do know what that means, right?” Loki asked, pulling her in ever so slightly, and cupping her face with his hand. The girl nodded, giving him a warm, affectionate smile.
“I do.” She whispered. “Have you kept your eyes open for long?”
There was something incredibly soft in Loki’s eyes, when he whispered,
“Darling, I never closed them in the first place.”
And then his lips were on hers, and the world around them melted away.
Loki was a talented kisser. He tasted good, addicting even, just like everything else about him. Everything, from the way his hands felt on her cheek, to the tips of his fingers in her hair, to the way he moved his lips in sync with hers and the music, it was all perfect. Even his smell, which reminded her of hot leather car seats (probably because of the leather he was wearing) seemed to be designed especially for her. And though she knew what they were feeling wasn’t love, she also knew that a part of this Loki managed to sneak his way into her heart, and she would treasure that perfect, addicting kiss forever.
Then, seemingly out of the blue, just when she felt Loki guide her to the wall to deepen the kiss, another pair of hands grabbed each of them and forced them apart.
“What. Are. You. Doing!?” Thor-Loki asked, positively fuming as he stared daggers at both of them. Zozo gulped. The younger Loki looked bored.
“Something that is none of your business, brother.” He practically yawned, and his older variant rolled his eyes.
“I am not talking to you yet.” He hissed, then he grabbed Zozo’s arm and started walking away, practically dragging her with him. “What was that!? Why were you kissing him!? Are you completely out of your mind, woman!?”
Zozo tried to struggle against his grip, but to no avail, so she stared helplessly at the back of his head until he stopped for a breather.
“First of all, I’m allowed to have some fun.” She answered, trying not to look her Thor-Loki in the eye. “And second of all, he’s so sweet. You were having so much fun at the feast and he was so sad, and I actually made him feel better, like, you should be proud of me instead of scolding me.”
Thor-Loki did not seem convinced.
“This does not explain why you were kissing him like that, as he was preparing to take full advantage and take you to his rooms to… has your mother not taught you that young men want just one thing at that age? Norns, I never should have let you out of my sight.” He complained, oblivious to his younger variant behind him making exaggerated expressions and staring at Zozo with a smirk.
“If I were to be quite honest, I am far from embarrassed.” He said, alerting Thor-Loki of his presence. “And lady Zofia shouldn’t be embarrassed, either. She enjoyed our little kiss, didn’t she?”
The last part made Zozo’s face blush, and she nodded, a flustered smile on her face.
Thor-Loki growled with annoyance, but once he turned to his younger variant, he was like the epitome of a calculated, cold anger.
“You.” He said, in a voice that almost didn’t sound like Thor’s, “When I left the feast, I was searching for you. You ruin everything you touch, and even when you go away, you leave destruction in your wake. You poison every good thing to ever grace your life, and I cannot believe I used to-”
“Hey, stop!” Zozo called out, putting her hands over Thor-Loki’s mouth to physically stop him from speaking. “Don’t be mean to him. He’s a good one, he doesn’t deserve those words.” She looked at him, as if she wanted to plead for something, “You don’t deserve them, either.”
Something softened inside his eyes, as Thor-Loki sighed, and peeled her hands away.
“Darling, you don’t know what this little… what he did. If I had remembered all the details of that particular birthday, and knew you and I would have separated, I never would have brought you here.”
The younger Loki rolled his eyes.
“Oh brother, jealousy doesn’t suit you. Trying to get this girl, who already fell for my charms, won’t do. Try to, for once, admit to your defeat, understand that I am infinitely better than you, and perhaps, piss off. It is the least you can do on my birthday, you know.”
His older variant clearly had enough.
“See, this is precisely why you don’t have any friends. Zozo, listen, he bribed the guards at the entrance of the feast. In a moment, hundreds of warriors will make their way here to free the guests from this miserable little party. We need to get you to a safe place to watch the chaos unfold.”
“Well, we better hurry,” Zozo said, looking towards the dining room, suddenly all too aware of the angry noises coming from the feast. “We wouldn’t want the chaos to start without us, would we?”
“I wholeheartedly agree.” The younger Loki agreed, swiftly grabbing Zozo’s hand and twirling her closer to him, “If you wish for chaos, brother, which is completely unlike you because usually you are more boring than drying paint, I suggest we move to the staircase,” With that, he turned to Zozo with a flirtatious smile, “Would you like to witness the chaos firsthand, from the best place in the whole palace, my lady?”
To Thor-Loki’s disappointment and shock, the girl smiled widely, and nodded, clearly enjoying being in his arms.
“Hell yea!” She yelled, and turned to Thor-Loki with a poor attempt at puppy eyes, begging him to go to the staircase with them. And though her expression looked silly, Thor-Loki rolled his eyes again and yielded.
Soon enough, the three of them were standing by the staircase, with Zozo in between the two Lokis, who were glaring at each other above her head. It did not take long for the guards to start coming up, and the turmoil to begin, which while it was delightfully chaotic, was also way more anxiety inducing than Thor-Loki remembered. And while his younger self was having loads of fun watching all the warriors jumping at each other with swords, accompanied by some skilled guests like a young Lady Sif, he could tell that Zozo was growing restless and uneasy, covering her ears to escape the screams.
“Maybe I should take her somewhere else-” he suggested, but the variant of him scoffed.
“Nonsense, she is like this because she wishes to be more useful.” He turned to Zozo, ripping her hands from her ears to get her attention. “Say, wouldn’t you like to help them with the battle, my lady?”
Not really knowing what to do, and clearly growing more and more overwhelmed with every second, the girl blinked in confusion, trying to put on a brave face.
“Uh- sure?” She confirmed, phrasing it almost like a question.
“Great.” Young Loki grinned, then swept her in his arms like a bride.
“What are you-” Thor-Loki asked, apparently too late, as his eyes widened in shock when he watched his younger variant throw Zozo down the stairs like a sack of rocks. Thankfully, about halfway down she fell onto some guards who softened the fall, and made them collapse one by one like domino pieces. Naturally, due to the innate strength of Asgardian skin and muscles this didn’t actually hurt any of the guards, and after a couple of seconds they all got up and continued their walk up the stairs. What upset him, was that Zozo was not of Asgard, and once the guards all stood up, she was left laying there like a limp doll, her face twisted in a pained frown, her left leg angled unnaturally in the wrong direction. And all his younger self did was laugh. This was enough to make Thor-Loki see red, and abandon his disguise to pin his younger self to the nearby column.
“What is wrong with you!?” He yelled, grabbing the shoulders of his shocked variant, and shaking him viciously. “Why would you do that!? She is fragile! And she trusted you!”
The younger Loki’s eyes went wide, in a mix of horror, confusion, and fear.
“Wha- who are you!?” He cried, his breaths getting more shallow as he took in his older self’s anger. “What is this, is this some kind of game-”
“It doesn’t matter, you dull, immature creature.” The older a Loki spat with fury, “If your stupidity has killed her, I will not hesitate to make you pay, and it matters not to me that you are young and a variant of myself-”
At that very moment, the real Thor burst in, Mjolnir in one hand and Charlie in the other, still quite dazed, as evidenced by his shaky walk. Younger Loki’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head.
“IS ANYONE HERE MISSING A SMALL DOG!?” Thor yelled, smashing Mjolnir into everyone he came across. Both Lokis sighed at his reckless behavior, though they were still slightly relieved that he was here and he was alright. Now he would take care of the problem and everything would go back to normal. And then, they also heard the familiar, feminine voice, shout.
“He’s mine! It’s my dog!”
Without wasting another second, both Lokis ran to be at Zozo’s side, who was weak and shaking with pain. She was staring at her left leg, the one that Loki presumed was twisted in a weird angle, which was actually broken just below the knee, causing the bone to pierce the skin and stick out. Young Loki looked as if he was about to gag as he stared at it. Older Loki only seemed relieved, examining his friend for any more possible injuries, and was satisfied when didn’t find anything significant. When Thor arrived downstairs to give Charlie back, still very confused about what was going on, both Lokis managed to hold Zozo upright, to save at least a part of her dignity.
“Wow, I really am good at making friends.” She whispered, a dazed smile making its way onto her face. Older Loki rolled his eyes.
“Have you ever doubted that?” He asked, fumbling for the tempad with his free hand.
The younger Loki, on the other hand, was much more focused on glaring at his brother tying Charlie’s leash to Zozo’s waist, than he was at the conversation between his variant and the girl he kissed. This was all very confusing.
“So am I to believe you are me from the future?” He asked, trying to process what exactly is going on.
“Not really.” Zozo answered instead. “He’s you from the future and from another timeline. I’m also from the future and from another timeline. The multiverse is real”
“Okay.” Young Loki said, unsure whether this reaction was because of shock, or perhaps because he was somehow more willing to accept that over any other theory his brain could come up with. And perhaps because he trusted Zozo, at least a little.
“Where are we gonna go?” Zozo asked her companion on the other side, staring at him with distress.
“To the only person I can think of, who is compassionate enough to take us in.” Older Loki responded, swatting his younger self’s arm away from Zozo, adjusted her so that he could comfortably carry her, then clicked something on the screen of the tempad and opened a portal. Young Loki simply stared at them, still too shocked to utter another word. Until he realized something crucial, that tugged at his heart and made him put his feelings aside for a moment.
“Wait, Lady Zofia!” He cried out, “When will I see you again?”
The girl’s head turned immediately, and he could clearly see the tears and heartbreak in her eyes as his older self edged her towards the portal. Despite what he had done, and the tremendous physical pain his reckless actions had caused her, the thought of leaving him still stung. Their afternoon was so nice after all.
“New York, 2012!” She yelled, knowing well that there wasn’t enough time to give him proper context. “I like your hat!”
And with that, they disappeared from Asgard, and stepped right into the dull, scary-looking walls of the TVA.
Neither of them hesitated when they begun screaming at the top of their lungs, for the only person who could possibly help them in such a situation.
“MOBIUS!”