Chapter 2
"Did you have a nice time with the professor?" April asked innocently.
Protective Loki's heart leaped into his throat until he remembered that she was using her own code words for the therapy session. She didn't actually know about his two meetings with Tina, the Spanish professor. He smiled to himself when he thought of her. She was just so lovely.
"I did. He was quite interesting."
She frowned. "Was he helpful?"
Again, Loki thought of Tina and the unbelievable sleep he'd enjoyed the previous night. He hadn't slept that soundly since his creation. He didn't know he was capable of such slumber.
"Undoubtedly. May I see he- him again today?" He knew he didn't have to ask, especially with everyone else simply leaving the house whenever they chose, but he felt a certain loyalty to April that the others didn't seem to feel.
"Of course! If he's able to-- lead you in the right direction, then by all means."
Her Loki sat at the other end of the table looking back and forth between the two of them as if he was thoroughly confused by their exchange. Protective Loki found his expression comical, especially since he usually knew everything that was happening before anyone else did.
That afternoon, he stood outside Tina's classroom waiting for her to emerge. He was nervous because he hadn't exactly asked if she wanted to see him again, but she'd kissed him the night before, so he thought that was a good sign. Her lips had been so soft, and her touch was better than anything he could have imagined. For so long, he'd been focused on April; on keeping her safe and impressing her in whatever ways he could. He hadn't dreamed he could meet anyone for himself. Tina had stepped out into that hallway and completely changed his life.
"Loki!" She smiled, seemingly happy to see him.
She watched as her students filed out of the room before walking over and wrapping her arms around him. There was a tiny part of him that felt edgy and panicked when April hugged him. He worried he wouldn't be able to stop an accident from occurring. But when Tina's arms were around him, he felt completely at peace. He sighed into her hair and kissed her neck without even realizing what he'd done until he felt the goosebumps rise on her arms.
"I'm...sorry. I--"
Tina wasn't sorry at all. His lips on her neck gave her chills, and the closeness of his body made her want to groan out loud. She pressed her index finger to his lips.
"Don't be. I liked it. Do you want to go somewhere else?"
Loki nodded, thrilled that she wanted him there.
"Do you have any suggestions? I'm off now, so I'm free for the evening."
Tina had spent the entire night thinking of Loki, and even though she'd chided herself for behaving like a teenager, she couldn't help the way she felt about him. He'd been nothing but a complete gentleman, so she had no reason to think he was anything less. Right at that moment, she desperately wanted to spend the entire evening with him, and she hoped he felt the same way.
His eyes lit up, and he grinned at her.
"I actually don't know where to go, but the place doesn't matter. I only really care about being around you."
Before she could talk herself out of it, she took his hand and started walking toward the subway.
"My place, then. How does that sound?"
"Norns, what is this place?"
There were people everywhere, and Loki suddenly felt a familiar panic wash over him. He squeezed Tina's hand until he heard her let out a soft cry next to him.
"I-- I'm sorry. I just..."
He began feeling around in his pockets for the dagger he'd been allowed to carry, and he knew that one dagger would never be enough. His chest felt constricted, and his vision was blurry, and--
"Are you alright?!"
As soon as Loki let go of her hand, Tina knew something wasn't right. He'd nearly crushed it in his grip, but then she noticed he was weaving on his feet; taking shallow breaths and blinking hard. When he looked over at her, his normally dark, myterious eyes were wide and glossy with fear.
Tina. Loki saw her face and took a deep cleansing breath. It was as if she alone held the power to give him oxygen. He looked at her and he was safe. Everything was okay. Taking her hands, he nodded.
"I'm...I'm fine."
It was her. He had to protect her.
When they arrived at Tina's place, Loki was still a bit shaken, but he was far more concerned with what she would think. He couldn't stand the thought of her not wanting to talk to him anymore because he was a coward or a freak.
"I'm sorry about what happened back there. I've never been on the ah, subway before," he muttered, looking down at his shoes.
Tina took his hands and squeezed them.
"Loki, where are you from? You said you didn't know your way around. You had that hand-drawn map when I first met you, and you've never been on the subway. Plus...I may have Googled that beautiful dagger you carry. It's really old."
Loki knew that if he didn't tell Tina the truth, their relationship couldn't possibly progress any further. He also knew that if he did tell her truth, she might not believe him. The risk was so great that he already felt crushed. He was already imagining how he would feel as he sat at the table throwing knives at the wall once more. He sighed.
"If I tell you, you may think I'm mad, but if you trust me I can prove that I speak the truth."
Tina couldn't imagine why she would think he was mad, especially if he was simply from another country.
"Just tell me, Loki. I'm really not as mean as my students think I am," she laughed.
When Loki didn't even smile, Tina became very anxious.
He sighed again, looking down.
"Tina, I'm a clone. I'm a clone of Loki Laufeyson. He's--"
Tina's expression told him that she already knew who he was.
"--a Norse god?" She asked in disbelief.
"Actually, yes. He made six clones of himself. I'm one of them. That's why I don't know my way around here, and I've never been on the subway. I'll leave...if you just give me directions back home?"
Loki's face was so distraught that Tina almost cried. She didn't want him to leave, and for a moment she couldn't figure out why he would even offer. She placed her hands on his shoulders, hoping her touch would make him understand how she really felt.
"Loki, I don't think you're mad! I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay and talk with me. I... I really like you. I don't care if you're a clone."
To emphasize her point, she stood on her tiptoes, took his face in her hands, and kissed him. His lips were tense and rigid at first, but when he realized what she was doing, he melted against her. His hands went to her hips, pulling her body against his, and he groaned.
"Tina."