Chapter 1
London, England 2021
Sylvie was having a crappy day. Her alarm failed to go off, she had known she had to replace that damn thing and probably should have done it before it made her late on the biggest day of her life.
But now she was late, not too late but the busy streets of London she was now running through weren’t helping her pick up any time. This was the day Sylvie could finally make it big, if she could only get there on time, that is.
Sylvie had been sought out at one of her local art showings (it was really at her friends cafe but she managed to sell one painting and that had covered the food bill for the next two weeks) but today, today she was scheduled to meet with one of the biggest modern art galleries in London. She was being offered a place to showcase her work, this really could be it.
But when a day starts off crap it tends to keep getting worse, and for Sylvie it did.
As she was gliding her way down the crowded streets, trying her best to keep out of the morning rush of people, her phone starts to ring in her pocket. Pulling it out she takes her eyes off the path in front of her for a mere second. Sylvie collides with a tall man with broad shoulders she notices as he sends her flying to the ground, his freshly brewed coffee spilling all over her new white blouse.
"You have got to be kidding me!" Sylvie shouts, the hot coffee now seeping through her clothes burning her skin slightly underneath.
"I’m so sorry!" the tall man apologizes in true British form, offering a hand out to the woman on the floor.
Sylvie pushes his hand away, pushing herself up with coffee dripping off her. "Why the hell are you just standing in the street? Don’t you see people walking here?"
"I believe you were the one to crash into me, wasting my perfectly good coffee!" the man claims, slight salt coming off his tongue.
"Your 'perfectly good coffee' just went all over me, so thanks for that!" Sylvie tuts pulling her bag back over her shoulder and picking her art folder off the floor. Her phone is still ringing and as she glances at it she sees the time. Shit she’s now twenty minutes late. She lets out a frustrated sigh before moving around him and continuing to speed walk through London.
"You might want to watch were your walking next time!" the tall man shouts from behind her.
Sylvie held in her urge to flip him off from behind her but she needed to get a move on and she was covered in coffee. It would be a miracle if they let her in the building, let alone give her a spot to showcase her work. It was all going so wrong.
•••
Loki's morning was going to plan like always, he had made his way down to east London to grab a coffee before heading into work. Today was going to be a busy day. The gallery was set to open a whole new showcase, out with the old and in with the new as his co-owner and brother would say. Looking for new and inspiring art was always hard. Letting Thor pick with their workers what would be best to showcase and Loki’s peaceful mind.
Loki loved art. Classic, modern, abstract, everything he could get his eyes on. But lately, lately it was like nothing clicked for him. He couldn’t see anything in the art like it no longer spoke to him. He wished to find that peace again, being able to stare at a painting and closely look at the fine line work the story told which he could make from every dot.
So letting his brother chose the new artists was best, instead of Loki staring hours on end at a single peace trying to find something worthy of it; something, anything. With the new season coming in meant new showcases with things that were new and exciting and Loki was excited to find that spark again.
God he hoped to find that spark again.
Heading out of the coffee shop into the busy streets of London, Loki took a second to take in the new crisp in the air as autumn set in. His blissful moment was cut short as he feels something collide into the side of him, not hard enough to push him off balance but enough for him to lose grip of his coffee.
Looking down, Loki sees a small women sprayed on the pavement, his coffee running down her blouse. He offered to help her up but the small woman quickly refused before gathering her things and storming off with some choice words to say as she does.
"You might want to watch were your walking next time!" Loki shouts after her, shaking his head as he does.
•••
Sylvie had finally made it to the gallery, looking at her reflection in the window she looked like a mess. Her hair was somehow now everywhere, coffee stains all down her top, now thirty minutes late.
This was her shot. 'Let’s try not to blow it,' she told herself, pushing the gallery doors open and going inside. The gallery was filled with beautiful paintings from floor to ceiling, canvases and sculptures in so many different styles and works. Sylvie was lost for words trying to take it all in.
"Can I help you?" someone asks from behind her, a snarky tone in her voice.
"Oh sorry, I’m here for an interview. Sylvie Lushton. I know I’m late but if you woul-"
"Your interview was thirty minutes ago and you missed it. There’s nothing more I can really do," the woman tells Sylvie, cutting her off before gesturing back to the door. She was tall and beautiful but had a look in her eyes Sylvie didn’t like.
"Ms. Lushton, you made it!” A man full of delight said from behind them both. Sylvie turned as the man gave Sylvie the once down, furrowing his brows at the stained clothes
"Mr. Odinson, I’m so sorry I’m late and look like, well this," Sylvie waved her hand in front of her. "I was running late and some twat ran into me, dumping his coffee all over me and I just tried to get here as fast as I could."
"Now, now, call me Thor," he smiles, "and lucky for you I’m free all morning so we can go ahead with your interview now if you’re ready?" Sylvie nods.
Thor holds his hand out, leading the way to his office. The gallery was huge, different sections for everything you could ever want. There was a work shop and a lot of offices. Thor lead to his office pulling out the chair for Sylvie before taking a seat.
"So why don’t you show me what you brought?" Thor smiles behind his desk.
Sylvie pulls her drawings and paintings out of her folder and hands the messy pile over to Thor on the desk. It feels like it’s been hours by the time Thor looks back at Sylvie after examining her work ever so closely.
"I’m going to be truthful with you, Ms. Lushton."
"Sylvie, please."
"Sylvie, I’m going to be honest." Sylvie took a deep breath, ready for another rejection. "I loved your work when I saw it in the cafe, I knew you’d be the right fit for our next showcase."
"Wait, what?" Sylvie said, dumbfound and confused. No one’s ever liked her work like this. Well, no one other than her roommate but that was different.
"I want to offer you a formal spot on our show case at the end of the year."
Sylvie tried to take every word she could in, still shocked.
"So will you take it?" Thor asks, her seeing the shock and confusion written over her face.
"Yes! Sorry, yes of course I would love a spot!" she smiled brightly. Things were finally starting to look up for her.
"You can come in when or if your wish to use the work shop, you may see other artists dotted around doing work or my brother and co-owner," Thor tells her as he pulls paper work and keys out of the draw handing them to Sylvie. "Fill all those out for me when you can," he points to papers in his hand.
Sylvie cant wipe the smile off her face, not that she wanted to. She packed up her art work and took everything from Thor. She thanks him again before going to leave his office.
"Oh Sylvie, one more thing. We're having a party here tonight. Just a small gathering of all the artists, nothing too big. You may bring someone if you wish." Sylvie nods before leaving his office.
She pokes her head into the workshop quickly, getting her bearings of the place before she came to do her work here. It was so big much bigger than her shared two bed living room.
Sylvie felt excited, more excited than she’s ever felt. Leaving the gallery, she pulled her phone out to text roommate the good news. Heading from the gallery she started her text, a little jump in her step until she came in contact with broad shoulders once more sending her to the ground. This time landing on the same spot of her ass as she did last time, causing more pain.
Letting out a groan, Sylvie looked up to see the bright blue eyes of the twat who’s coffee she’s wearing. "You cannot be serious!" She sighed, trying to scramble all her art pages that had scattered on the floor. "Are you stalking me now? And do you like to push women to the ground or something?" she grunted, pushing herself back off the floor for the second time today.
"Do you ever watch where you’re going?" he countered, "and I should be asking if you’re the stalker seeing as this is my gallery," he states.
Sylvie’s face went pale, this dude was the other co-owner? Coffee twat is the other co-owner. 'Oh fuck' was all Sylvie could think.
•••
Slamming her front door closed behind her, Sylvie let out a frustrated sigh, throwing her bag and folder on the table. Hearing the loud bang, Wanda quickly stood up from the sofa making her way to her friend.
Wanda Maximoff, Sylvie’s best friend. They met in college at 17, bonding over their hatred over their creative development teacher. Wanda owned a cafe down the road from their flat, Sylvie working part time as she continues to work on her career as an artist.
"Syl, how did it go? Did they love it? They gave you a spot, right? Wait, why is your top that color? Oh no, what happened?" Wanda fired off question after question.
"Some jerk ran into me on my way to the interview making me later than i already was… well i ran into him? Not the point. Anyways, his coffee went all over me staining my top and I had no time to come back and change so I just had to go with it. I kept running and by the time I got there I looked like a bird had taken up my hair for a new nest" Wanda led her to the sofa as she kept rambling on. "And then I got there and that receptionist lady was not nice at all. She was all snarky telling me I was late like I didn’t already know that. Did I look like a person who was on time? No. Then the owner came out, you know the guy who bought the painting last time? Him. He gave me well, kind of an interview. But then you wouldn’t believe this: when I was on my way out trying to text you, who do I run into again? Literally the guys who’s coffee I’m still wearing! And he sent me flying to the ground again! I wouldn’t be surprised if I bruised my tail bone or something but it gets worse, Wands! He’s the co-owner. Yep I work for that idiot kind of, I just-"
"Okay let’s take some breaths before you decide to pass out." Sylvie nods, realizing now how little she actually breathed while rambling on. They both took deep breaths, Sylvie finally calming down.
"Now you skipped the most important part. Sylvie, what did he think of your work? Did you get it?" Wanda asks.
"He said he in fact loved it in the cafe when he first saw it!"
"You got it?" Wanda says trying to hold in her excitement.
"I got the spot!" Sylvie smiles the reality now finally starting to set in.
"You got it!" Wanda jumps up screaming with excitement for her best friend. "We should go out tonight to celebrate!"
"I can’t, they’re having some sort of welcome party for the new artists."
"Oh that’s even better, we can snoop on the other artists."
"Wanda, this isn’t some competition you know."
"I know but still, it will be fun," she smiles before pulling Sylvie in for a hug. "I’m proud of you, Sylvie. You worked hard for this." Sylvie smiles, she really did work hard for this. Everything had been leading up to this moment, it’s really all she could ever want.
"Now let’s go see what we can wear to this fancy gallery party then we both have a shift in the cafe before tonight." She pulls Wanda up from the sofa dragging her to her room.
•••
The gallery lights were low, people chatting to each other pointing to various pieces of work are the room, glasses of champagne in their hands.
"You look amazing by the way," Wanda tells Sylvie before entering the building. Sylvie smiles, picking the end of her green silk dress off of the floor in hopes she wouldn’t end up on the ground for the third time today.
Wanda and Sylvie walked around trying to mingle with everyone they could, meeting the new artists that Sylvie would get to know a lot more over the new few months. Everyone she met had all separate styles from the others, so many different creative minds flowing in the same room. This felt like it could be a happy place for Sylvie.
"Ah, Ms. Lushton!" Sylvie heard from behind her causing both her and Wanda to turn around.
"Mr. Odinson, how lovely to see you," she smiles before being pulled into a surprise hug from him.
"Thor, please," he laughed.
"Then please call me Sylvie," she gestures to Wanda, "this is my best friend, Wanda."
Wanda holds her hand out to Thor, "how lovely to meet you."
"And you, have you lovely ladies had a chance to look at the works still here?" he asks them both.
"We have, we were both discussing how we loved the abstract pieces in the corner."
"Those are some of my brothers favorites. Oh, and here he is now." Thor turns to Loki, "brother come, let me introduce you to one of our newest and greatest artists,” Thor smiled. Loki walked over joining his brothers side. "Loki, this is Sylvie and her friend Wanda. Sylvie, Wanda, this is my brother Loki."
Wanda reaches out her hand to shake his, both of them exchanging hellos.
“You’re not going to shove me to the ground again, are you?" Sylvie asks him with a straight face, Thor’s eyes widen looking between them both.
"You’re going to look where you’re going tonight? Not waste anyone’s drinks?" Loki counters with the same amount of sass Sylvie gave him
"You’ve met?" Thor asks them both, confusion written over his face.
"We have, I had the privilege of being covered in his coffee for most of the day," Sylvie says with the fakest smile she can muster.
"Oh, so you’re the twat that poured coffee over her, brother?"
"You called me a twat to my brother?" Loki questions.
"I believe I did" she smiles for real this time. "Now if you don’t mind me, me and my friend are going to continue to look around," Sylvie tells them both before interlocking her arm with Wanda’s and walking away.
"Oh wow, the sexual tension is dripping off of the both of you," Wanda musses.
"Wanda, please."
"I’m telling you it was there, and honestly girl, you could do with getting some," she laughs.
"Hey not funny!" Sylvie laughs a little, pushing Wanda’s shoulder.
•••
The rest of the night went off well, both Sylvie and Loki stealing looks all night long, trying and hoping for the other not to see.
As Sylvie and Wanda got back to their flat, kicking off their heals, Wanda waved good night and headed to bed leaving Sylvie up to the early hours sketching and re-sketching though nothing seemed right.
It had gotten so late that Sylvie hadn’t noticed her eyes starting to droop and the pencil falling out her hand until she fell asleep on the sofa.
The Isle of Asgard, 1564,
The ballroom was bouncing with energy, the guests dancing to the music that flowed through the halls of the castle, others talking amongst themselves, gossiping over the new king.
Loki’s stood next to the throne, his throne. Many people still looked to the new king in disbelieve. The thought of Loki on the throne caused horror in their eyes.
Loki kept head high as told by his mother, keeping his eyes glancing across the ballroom. His coronation was going as smoothly one would like. He was still in disbelieve that the heavy crown now lay on his head.
Loki’s disbelieve wouldn’t come to an end any time soon with members of his own court despising the idea of the rebel and foolish prince now sitting on the throne. But with the sudden death of his brother, Thor, this was Loki’s duty now. His duty to his people, to his country was to be the king they deserve.
People had flooded in from across the sea to witness the crowning of the new king, some hoping to witness his demise as he took the throne. But Loki kept his head up, his mother’s words in the back of his head repeating them 'keep your head up, my boy. They'll see how strong you really are.' Having his mother by his side on this day was what helped him make it through it.
Loki wasn’t just watching the guests as the continued to celebrate, he had been keeping his eyes on the door knowing that at some point Thor’s future bride…'no' Loki thought, 'my future bride now.'
He didn’t know what he was looking for he had never seen Princess Abigail before in his life, not even when she was to wed his brother. But maybe he would know with one look. But then he saw her, a smile so beautiful it lights up the room, the sparkle in her eye he could see from across the room, her green dress flowing down her body so perfectly. Loki smiled somehow more.
"Who is that over there?" Loki asks his hand in a hushed tone.
"That is Princess Abigail, your highness,” his hand tells him, keeping his head lowered as he spoke. Princess Abigail, the woman he was meant to wed.
"Charlie, you can look at me when you talk. I won’t bite," Loki mused. Certain fear had run through the palace, no one wanting to get on the wrong side of the king like his father.
"Forgive me, your highness" Charles looks up at him, a slight shake still running in his hands.
Loki patted him on his back, " now, who may be accompanying her royal highness princess Abigail?"
"Those are her ladies in waiting, Lady Alice, Lady Yara, Lady May and finally Lady Sylvie," he informed Loki naming the ladies in order of them standing next to the princess.
Ah, lady Sylvie. Loki smiled, a beautiful name to a beautiful face. His eyes locked onto hers as she turns to look at him. Sylvie smiled to the king, unsure why he was looking and watching her. It had been a long journey here, maybe she’s delusional on the lack of sleep. Then she noticed the curl in his lip as he continued looking to her, a warm inside making her legs want to give in.
Sylvie had heard many rumors surrounding the spoiled prince who became king by chance, but he seemed more than that, more than the prince in those stories he was now king. Sylvie blushed, lowering her head in embarrassment as her cheeks reddened. She breaks the eye contact for the first time, the feeling of the king staring into her soul.
"You're staring," Frigga smiles softly keeping her eyes on the guests dancing in the hall as she joins her son next to the throne.
"Ah yes, Princess Abigail is very beautiful," Loki says still watching Lady Sylvie as she talks to her friends.
"Yes," Frigga agrees still smiling outwardly, "but that is not who has taken your eye my dear son."
Loki tries to hide his smile widening on his face breaking his contact with lady Sylvie looking to the floor like a caught little boy.
"You know they will not approve," Frigga sighed, stepping closer to Loki. "They have plans for you to marry Princess Abigail, just as Thor was meant to before you," she reminds Loki, pain in her voice from the mention of her eldest son.
"And what of free will, Mother?" Loki counters, "do I not get a say in who I marry? Who I love?"
"My sweet boy," Frigga turns to him. placing her hand on his cheek. “I wish that was the case, but you know just as I know how important marriage to certain people. It brings peace and trade."
"Marriage should be about love and trust, not about political alliances," Loki sighs, stepping back from his mother.
"And they are," Frigga counters, "just not for people like us." There’s a sadness in her eyes as she speaks but she quickly brushes it off. "Enjoy the coronation party, my dear. Let’s talk about the rest at another time." Loki nodded, turning his attention back to his guests. His eyes catch Sylvie’s so naturally in the crowd, she had been watching the discussion he had with his mother a curious look on her face.
"Come Sylvie," Princess Abigail said taking her hand along with the other ladies. " I wish to impress the king," she smiles leading them to the dance floor.
Sylvie and Abigail had known each other since they were just five, running the halls of Abigail’s castle, never leaving each other’s side.
They all kicked off their shoes before getting to the center of the dance floor. Taking each other’s hands they bounced and laughed as danced across the floor, everyone’s eyes on the beautiful princess.
But not Loki’s. His eyes firmly locked onto Sylvie as he watched her dance with her friends, the joyful pure energy she holds pulling Loki in more and more each time her lip curls up higher. Sylvie misses her step as she glances up to the king for a moment, falling into Abigail slightly. Loki chuckles watching her try and find her feet.
"Do you think he’s watching me?" Abigail smiles at Sylvie hoping to have the kings attention. Sylvie glances to the king quickly before looking to Abigail. " I think he is," she half smiles not knowing what else to say. The feeling the king was giving her once he laid his eyes on her even for a second.
Loki watched them dance until their feet gave out, the smile on Sylvia’s face never leaving. What was this girl doing to me?
Loki startled awake sitting up quickly, the embers of his dream slowly burning to dust but the feeling never left him.
And her smile.
The way her lip curled up into a smile lighting everything up, he knew that smile somewhere somehow, deep inside his soul he knew that smile like he had traced the creases it created every day for his whole life, like he had memorized every twitch and frown it had ever made.
Her smile.