Privacy
Arya and Loki ran as fast as their inhuman feet could carry them to Loki's secret storage unit he kept hidden from Thor. Apparently he was a very private person. Preferred to keep most of his most personal items he owned away from prying eyes. His unit was huge and he had a special key and code to open it. When he did Arya's eyes went wide when she saw a shiny black Harley sitting in the center, in pristine condition. She eyed him and he simply raised an eyebrow at her.
"I'm not getting on that thing." She said and Loki pushed passed her and pulled out a large wooden trunk from a high shelf in the far corner of the unit.
Loki was a vampire, so his strength was immense. But his slender form often had Arya forget he was just as much of a force as his brother Thor was. He opened the trunk and pulled out a black leather jacket. He tossed it to Arya and she caught it. As she smoothed her hand over the leather her finger tips found a patch embordered into the front panel of the jacket. It had a name on it.
"Sylvie." Arya read aloud and Loki turned away from her.
"You're about her size. I have no need for it. Wear it, for protection." Loki said stone faced.
"Who is she?" Arya asked and Loki began checking his bike over. He looked up to her and his lips were pressed into a hard line.
"An old flame. Try it on." He said turning and leaning on his bike and folding his arms across his chest.
She didn't press him further for answers. It seemed as though the Sylvie subject was one the brooding vampire didn't want to touch. And as much as she felt attached to the Odinson brothers, she had only known them a short while. So she decided now wasn't the time to bring up old flames, as Loki called it.
Arya pulled on the jacket and adjusted it on her shoulders. Loki looked at her with little to no expression on his face. She could sense he hadn't expected to feel any sort of way when allowing Arya to wear the jacket. So to ease the tension she did a little twirl and smiled wide at him. He laughed lightly and shook his head looking away from her.
"Badass huh?" She asked placing her hands on her hips. Loki walked up to her and ruffled her hair slightly then began combing the ends with his fingers. He let his hands linger for a moment before dropping them and crossing his arms.
"Now, your badass." He said and Arya turned and looked in the reflection of a small mirror. It was old and antique. Probably belonged to him when he was human.
The reflection looking back at her was not the person she expected. She was so focused on trying to control her bloodlust that she didn't take a single moment to really look at herself. She looked less sickly. In fact, she liked how she looked now. Possibly even more so. Her skin was evenly colored and her eyes were brighter, almost emerald. She placed her fingertips to her skin and examined the very prominent freckles that seemed deeper in color now. Even the color of her lips was a more vibrant shade.
"Everything is brighter, clearer, enhanced. You will see things in a new light." Loki whispered walking up behind her. She looked up at him through the mirror. "You will hear things in a new frequency." He said pushing her hair to the side and speaking softly in her ear. Arya felt a jolt run down her spine. "You will feel every touch as if it were the first time." He said running his nose up the side of her neck. Arya looked into his eyes through the mirror. Their eyes were the same shade of green. She felt her heart race as their eyes lingered on one another's. But before Loki could continue his whispered words of vampire ability Arya moved away from him in a flash. "I'm sorry." Loki said taking a step back and looking away from her.
"It's not you."
"It's Thor. Isn't it?" Loki asked and Arya bit her lip and tapped her foot nervously. She liked Thor. And although they hadn't been fully open about their underlying feelings for each other; it was obvious Arya felt for Thor and Thor for Arya. Being that emotions were heightened, everything felt more real. More constant.
"I don't know yet. But... I need to find out for myself if there is something there." Arya said and Loki nodded.
"Shall we?" He asked gesturing to the bike, not wanting to continue the current conversation. Arya nodded and made her way over to it. Loki sat down and started the bike as she climbed on behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"It's a seven hour drive." Arya said now realizing she would be on a motorcycle for an entire day.
"I can get us there in five." He said then brought the bike to life.
Loki sped out of the storage unit and clicked something that hung from his belt. The storage unit door closed behind him. Just before they hit the freeway he turned his head and winked at her. Arya tightened her grip and buried her face in his back.
As the bike zoomed Arya's heart pounded. She shut her eyes and willed her body to stay grounded on the bike. Loki occasionally yelled back at her asking if she was alright. She nodded in his back as the cold wind wiped at her hair. She did ask Loki for a helmet but he simply laughed at her. Stating she had to learn to "live without fear" as a new vampire. But just because she was immortal, didn't mean she was indestructible.
The bike came to a halt and Arya opened her eyes. Lifting her head and looking at her surroundings. The sun was high in the sky and birds were chirping. They had arrived to a quiet street filled to the brim with brick and stone townhomes and trees bursting with colorful life. Loki hopped off and Arya fell forward. He caught her and steadied her.
"Here already?" She asked yawning.
"I told you, five hours tops. You fell asleep." He said helping her off the bike and running his hands through her now tangled hair. He of, of course, looked exactly the same. No imperfection in sight.
"Where are we?" Arya said breaking eye contact and looking up at the tall brownstone before her. The numbers on the door reading "666."
"Little hide away in Brooklyn. Only Brunhild knows about it."
"You like your privacy huh?"
"I do." He said then lead them up the few stairs to the front door.
He took a key from his belt and inserted it into the lock. His brows furrowed as he removed it. He then opened the door slightly and his eyes went wild.
"Stay here." He said then zoomed past Arya into the home. A second later he returned and opened the door wider with an amused look on his face. "We have a guest. Come on in." He said and Arya slowly entered the home.
The home was beautiful. It was two stories. The first level had an open concept kitchen and living room area. The walls were white and the furniture was all black. Wide windows and plants on wooden shelves laced nearly every wall. No personal photos or items were seen though. Loki gave her a quick tour of the home, Arya keeping an eye out for their mystery guest. They walked up the hardwood floor covered stairs to a large loft with two bedroom offshoots. The loft in the same design of the rest of the home. Loki then lead her to the left bedroom and pushed the door open.
"Natasha?" Arya asked wide eyed and confused as she saw her long lost friend Natasha Stark laying gracefully on the bed with her arms folded behind her head. Her bright red hair splayed around her and a smirk playing on her lips.
"No idea you got turned. Glad I decided to visit when I did." She said sitting up on the bed.
"You two know each other?" Loki asked leaning against the doorframe.
"I know her sisters better. But you, I do know you hate vampires. Guessing your current state wasn't intentional?" Natasha asked and Arya looked away from her.
"Tony's fine. In case you were wondering."
"I wasn't."
"Okay... is this going to be a problem?" Loki asked now concerned.
"Not at all. Arya?" Natasha asked playfully.
"Let the past die." Arya replied and held out her hand. Natasha raced toward her and shook her hand.
"So, we going out tonight or what?" Natasha asked bouncing on her feet excitedly.