Innocence Found
Chapter Three
No, oh no! This was not happening to her. It couldn’t be. Snarky, bitchy, pain in the ass Loki she could deal with. She had learnt how to ignore his stupid ass comments and she had come to terms with the odd way he referred to her and the other team members. But this? This dark haired, green eyed, hyperactive bundle of happiness was definitely going to break her. What was she meant to tell Thor?! Darcy tried not to get ahead of herself and she took a deep breath and the small child sat crossed legged on the bed in front of her and Darcy closed her eyes tightly and hoped that maybe this was all a horrible dream and that she’d wake up and big sized Loki would kick her butt for being in his bed and send her on her pathetic mortal way! Yes. That is exactly what is going to happen. She slowly opened her eyes again and was met with a part of sparkling green eyes and the child’s head tilted to side silently questioning what she was doing. Darcy was brought out of her revere with a sharp poke to her shoulder. The boy was now kneeling in front of her staring into her eyes.
“Lady, do you know where my mummy is?” The young boy’s eyes looked hopeful as if to say to Darcy that on word from her would bring his mom to him and all would be well. Like one word would change his entire world. So much like Loki. He relied on the words of others around him. Ever since his return to Earth he was no longer his own but his existence relied on those around him. He could not even go to the café opposite the tower without the say so from above. The idea that this little boy, so innocent, would become Loki in however many years made her heart hurt. The look in his eyes she wanted to memorise and keep locked away from harm. However the longer Darcy stayed silent the more the boy became fidgety.
The brow on his young face became furrowed as he looked at Darcy and tears began to form in his eyes “Did I do something to anger you Lady? Is daddy punishing me? Why can’t I see my mummy?” Tears began to rain down on his pale cheeks and Darcy’s heart clenched in her chest. She hadn’t realised she had been so quiet for so long and her heart went out to the little lost boy in a sea of covers. Darcy hadn’t meant to scare the little Loki. She thought he didn’t look more than three or four and he just missed his mom which was more than understandable after waking in a strange place.
“Hey. Hey, little dude. Don’t be scared. My name’s Darcy. What’s yours honey?” Darcy held out her arms in front of her, stretch out to the little boy in front of her. He rushed in for a hug and Darcy wrapped her hoody, from the day before, around his young body trying to provide some kind of comfort to him. She noted the lack of body heat and guessed that the boy must be very distressed. She remembered Thor telling her that when Loki ‘s feelings became heightened that he struggled to control his inner Jotun.
The boy sniffed and wiped his nose against Darcy’s hooded jacket and looked up at her through wet lashes. “My name is Loki Odison. Son of Odin and Frigga. Brother to Thor. And I am this many’s!” He spoke like she was assume an Aesir would at this age but he had a touch of innocence surrounding him. She looked at his fingers splayed out. Four. Hm. Her guess was right. He was quite tall for his age. But being Frost Giant it didn’t surprise her. The clue was in the name really. “Now will you tell me where my mummy is?” Darcy thought for a second and squeased Loki a bit tighter. She knew she had to tell him something about his mom but she couldn’t think of something that wouldn’t freak him out. She knew honesty was the best policy and since she wasn’t sure how long Loki would be a Little Loki for she settled for something her own father used to tell her when her mom went on benders.
“I’m sorry Loki, I don’t know where mommy is.”
“Oh curses!” Loki’s eyes widened as the words fell from his mouth and he blushed. Speaking like that in front of a lady was sure to earn him a telling off from father. He didn’t want to stand in the corner of the Throne room again. It was awfully warm in that room. Much warmer than his own bedroom and he did not enjoy it one bit. “I’m sorry Lady Darcy! Please don’t be angered. Please don’t tell mummy!”
It was too much for Darcy and she let out a small giggle. Little Loki threw caution to the wind just like his counterpart but he had the charm and those damn eyes to get his own way in the end. Hearing Little Loki say curses just like Large Loki just made Darcy smile and she resigned herself to the fact that this was definitely Loki and not just a cruel prank played on her.
“It’s ok Little Loki. I promise I won’t tell mommy. But you can’t use that word again. Ok?” Darcy smiled down at the small boy in his arms and he nodded his head enthusiastically at their new deal. He was very relived Lady Darcy wasn’t angry. It wouldn’t do for mummy to come back and find that someone else was angry at him as well. Darcy smiled, she couldn’t help but think that Little Loki was 100% adorable but she needed to find out what had gone wrong and how she could help fix it. She wasn’t sure how quickly he would age on Earth but she doubted Fury would be too pleased to have a 4 year old heading his research department for the next century.
“I have a friend that might be able to help us Little Loki! Shall we go on an adventure?!” Darcy grinned at the young boy. She hoped her enthusiasm would catch on and he’d want to come with her. She wasn’t sure exactly would she would go to but she knew she needed to find someone! His eyes lit up at the prospect of an adventure and she thought with a brother like Thor they were probably always on some kind of quest so he was probably used to searching out new things.
Loki was happy to be able to go on an adventure with his new friend. Thor would surely be very impressed with him that he brought such a beauty to play with them and he was sure, as tall as Lady Darcy was, that she would be a great asset to Thor in battle! Darcy couldn’t help herself, she reached out and stroked Little Loki’s pale cheek and he burst into another smile. She justified to herself that she wanted to see him smile as much as possible as his older counterpart was hardly a cheery person and she wanted to commit his toothy grin to her memory so that she could mercilessly tease Large Loki when he was back to his normal size. “Ok Lokes! Well, I need to just brush my teeth and stuff so are you alright to sit here for me while I do that?” She patted the bed beside her and Loki nodded, eager for her to get ready so that their adventure could begin. He continued to smile as he watched at Darcy left the room.
Darcy went into the bathroom adjoining Loki’s room and began to search through cabinets for a toothbrush. Once she had found one she began to brush her teeth. Thinking who she could go to for help, who would be the most suited. She didn’t want to bring Thor into it just yet, if she could help it, so Jane was out of the question and since this was either a magic or a science issue she guessed the next best person would be Bruce. She sent him a quick text to tell him she would be coming down to his lab in about ten minutes and that she needed his help. Less than ten minutes later Darcy emerged from the bathroom, hair brushed and into a ponytail, smelling fresh (she had stolen some kind of deodorant form Loki’s cabinet.) And with minty breath. Darcy didn’t expect Little Loki to be still sat on the bed, he didn’t get the title God of Mischeif for nothing after all and sure enough he wasn’t sitting on the bed but he was opening drawers to cupboards around the room and rooting through them. Darcy realised that he was still butt-naked and she really needed to fix that before taking him down to Bruce.
She went over to him and he smirked up at her. Holding out a green piece of cloth. “Lady Darcy. This is my colour! It is very large however. Are you going to wear it?” Darcy took the cloth off him and realised that it was a t-shirt. She glanced down at the young boy and found that she couldn’t deny him. She slipped the t-shirt on over her vest and was suddenly glad she didn’t follow Coulson’s rule of ‘black skirts/trousers’ for SHIELD employees. The t-shirt suited her old ripped jeans. Little Loki carried on grinning at her, wearing his colours. “This means you belong to me. Thor gives red to Lady Sif all the time. I’m glad I have my own Lady now. I get lonely sometimes.” Darcy’s heart broke once again for the young boy and she found herself gaining more and more insight into why Loki behaved so detached all the time. He was used to being alone.
“Then yours I guess I am Little Loki! Look, I’m sorry I don’t have any clothes that fit you but you can wear my hoody until I find you something. K?” She zipped up the hoody on him and pulled the drawstrings around the middle as tight as she could. She knew she was already going to give Bruce the fright of his life. She didn’t need to add seeing a Little Loki’s little Loki to that list too.
Darcy picked up her phone from the bedside cabinet and held out her hand for Loki to take whilst she pressed the button for the elevator. The little boy took her hand and began asking countless questions about the elevator and where the doors came from and Darcy tried to keep up with him as much as she could but considering Large Loki hardly spoke, just sneered, she was finding it surprising the tempo of Little Loki’s questioning. Once they were out of the elevator Darcy led Loki down the hallway and stopped at the door to Bruce’s lab. She looked down at Loki and smiled.
“Bruce is my friend. K? He won’t hurt you but he will ask lots of questions. Is that ok Little Loki?”
The small boy nodded, happily, once more. “Oh yes, Lady Darcy, no-one every wishes to speak to me so I shall be happy to talk to your friend Bruce.”
Darcy pressed the button to slide open the doors to the lab and led Loki over to the bench where Bruce was hunched over. She coughed lightly to alert Bruce that some-one else was in the lab and he span ‘round on his chair. Made eye contact with her and smiled and then when his gaze dropped to Little Loki, slightly hiding behind Darcy’s leg, his eyes widened.
“Your eyes say the same thing I thought but you can’t swear in front of Little Loki, Brucey!”
Bruce’s gaze shot back up to Darcy and his eyes narrowed at her as he sounded out his next sentence.
“Little. Loki?!”
“Lady, do you know where my mummy is?” The young boy’s eyes looked hopeful as if to say to Darcy that on word from her would bring his mom to him and all would be well. Like one word would change his entire world. So much like Loki. He relied on the words of others around him. Ever since his return to Earth he was no longer his own but his existence relied on those around him. He could not even go to the café opposite the tower without the say so from above. The idea that this little boy, so innocent, would become Loki in however many years made her heart hurt. The look in his eyes she wanted to memorise and keep locked away from harm. However the longer Darcy stayed silent the more the boy became fidgety.
The brow on his young face became furrowed as he looked at Darcy and tears began to form in his eyes “Did I do something to anger you Lady? Is daddy punishing me? Why can’t I see my mummy?” Tears began to rain down on his pale cheeks and Darcy’s heart clenched in her chest. She hadn’t realised she had been so quiet for so long and her heart went out to the little lost boy in a sea of covers. Darcy hadn’t meant to scare the little Loki. She thought he didn’t look more than three or four and he just missed his mom which was more than understandable after waking in a strange place.
“Hey. Hey, little dude. Don’t be scared. My name’s Darcy. What’s yours honey?” Darcy held out her arms in front of her, stretch out to the little boy in front of her. He rushed in for a hug and Darcy wrapped her hoody, from the day before, around his young body trying to provide some kind of comfort to him. She noted the lack of body heat and guessed that the boy must be very distressed. She remembered Thor telling her that when Loki ‘s feelings became heightened that he struggled to control his inner Jotun.
The boy sniffed and wiped his nose against Darcy’s hooded jacket and looked up at her through wet lashes. “My name is Loki Odison. Son of Odin and Frigga. Brother to Thor. And I am this many’s!” He spoke like she was assume an Aesir would at this age but he had a touch of innocence surrounding him. She looked at his fingers splayed out. Four. Hm. Her guess was right. He was quite tall for his age. But being Frost Giant it didn’t surprise her. The clue was in the name really. “Now will you tell me where my mummy is?” Darcy thought for a second and squeased Loki a bit tighter. She knew she had to tell him something about his mom but she couldn’t think of something that wouldn’t freak him out. She knew honesty was the best policy and since she wasn’t sure how long Loki would be a Little Loki for she settled for something her own father used to tell her when her mom went on benders.
“I’m sorry Loki, I don’t know where mommy is.”
“Oh curses!” Loki’s eyes widened as the words fell from his mouth and he blushed. Speaking like that in front of a lady was sure to earn him a telling off from father. He didn’t want to stand in the corner of the Throne room again. It was awfully warm in that room. Much warmer than his own bedroom and he did not enjoy it one bit. “I’m sorry Lady Darcy! Please don’t be angered. Please don’t tell mummy!”
It was too much for Darcy and she let out a small giggle. Little Loki threw caution to the wind just like his counterpart but he had the charm and those damn eyes to get his own way in the end. Hearing Little Loki say curses just like Large Loki just made Darcy smile and she resigned herself to the fact that this was definitely Loki and not just a cruel prank played on her.
“It’s ok Little Loki. I promise I won’t tell mommy. But you can’t use that word again. Ok?” Darcy smiled down at the small boy in his arms and he nodded his head enthusiastically at their new deal. He was very relived Lady Darcy wasn’t angry. It wouldn’t do for mummy to come back and find that someone else was angry at him as well. Darcy smiled, she couldn’t help but think that Little Loki was 100% adorable but she needed to find out what had gone wrong and how she could help fix it. She wasn’t sure how quickly he would age on Earth but she doubted Fury would be too pleased to have a 4 year old heading his research department for the next century.
“I have a friend that might be able to help us Little Loki! Shall we go on an adventure?!” Darcy grinned at the young boy. She hoped her enthusiasm would catch on and he’d want to come with her. She wasn’t sure exactly would she would go to but she knew she needed to find someone! His eyes lit up at the prospect of an adventure and she thought with a brother like Thor they were probably always on some kind of quest so he was probably used to searching out new things.
Loki was happy to be able to go on an adventure with his new friend. Thor would surely be very impressed with him that he brought such a beauty to play with them and he was sure, as tall as Lady Darcy was, that she would be a great asset to Thor in battle! Darcy couldn’t help herself, she reached out and stroked Little Loki’s pale cheek and he burst into another smile. She justified to herself that she wanted to see him smile as much as possible as his older counterpart was hardly a cheery person and she wanted to commit his toothy grin to her memory so that she could mercilessly tease Large Loki when he was back to his normal size. “Ok Lokes! Well, I need to just brush my teeth and stuff so are you alright to sit here for me while I do that?” She patted the bed beside her and Loki nodded, eager for her to get ready so that their adventure could begin. He continued to smile as he watched at Darcy left the room.
Darcy went into the bathroom adjoining Loki’s room and began to search through cabinets for a toothbrush. Once she had found one she began to brush her teeth. Thinking who she could go to for help, who would be the most suited. She didn’t want to bring Thor into it just yet, if she could help it, so Jane was out of the question and since this was either a magic or a science issue she guessed the next best person would be Bruce. She sent him a quick text to tell him she would be coming down to his lab in about ten minutes and that she needed his help. Less than ten minutes later Darcy emerged from the bathroom, hair brushed and into a ponytail, smelling fresh (she had stolen some kind of deodorant form Loki’s cabinet.) And with minty breath. Darcy didn’t expect Little Loki to be still sat on the bed, he didn’t get the title God of Mischeif for nothing after all and sure enough he wasn’t sitting on the bed but he was opening drawers to cupboards around the room and rooting through them. Darcy realised that he was still butt-naked and she really needed to fix that before taking him down to Bruce.
She went over to him and he smirked up at her. Holding out a green piece of cloth. “Lady Darcy. This is my colour! It is very large however. Are you going to wear it?” Darcy took the cloth off him and realised that it was a t-shirt. She glanced down at the young boy and found that she couldn’t deny him. She slipped the t-shirt on over her vest and was suddenly glad she didn’t follow Coulson’s rule of ‘black skirts/trousers’ for SHIELD employees. The t-shirt suited her old ripped jeans. Little Loki carried on grinning at her, wearing his colours. “This means you belong to me. Thor gives red to Lady Sif all the time. I’m glad I have my own Lady now. I get lonely sometimes.” Darcy’s heart broke once again for the young boy and she found herself gaining more and more insight into why Loki behaved so detached all the time. He was used to being alone.
“Then yours I guess I am Little Loki! Look, I’m sorry I don’t have any clothes that fit you but you can wear my hoody until I find you something. K?” She zipped up the hoody on him and pulled the drawstrings around the middle as tight as she could. She knew she was already going to give Bruce the fright of his life. She didn’t need to add seeing a Little Loki’s little Loki to that list too.
Darcy picked up her phone from the bedside cabinet and held out her hand for Loki to take whilst she pressed the button for the elevator. The little boy took her hand and began asking countless questions about the elevator and where the doors came from and Darcy tried to keep up with him as much as she could but considering Large Loki hardly spoke, just sneered, she was finding it surprising the tempo of Little Loki’s questioning. Once they were out of the elevator Darcy led Loki down the hallway and stopped at the door to Bruce’s lab. She looked down at Loki and smiled.
“Bruce is my friend. K? He won’t hurt you but he will ask lots of questions. Is that ok Little Loki?”
The small boy nodded, happily, once more. “Oh yes, Lady Darcy, no-one every wishes to speak to me so I shall be happy to talk to your friend Bruce.”
Darcy pressed the button to slide open the doors to the lab and led Loki over to the bench where Bruce was hunched over. She coughed lightly to alert Bruce that some-one else was in the lab and he span ‘round on his chair. Made eye contact with her and smiled and then when his gaze dropped to Little Loki, slightly hiding behind Darcy’s leg, his eyes widened.
“Your eyes say the same thing I thought but you can’t swear in front of Little Loki, Brucey!”
Bruce’s gaze shot back up to Darcy and his eyes narrowed at her as he sounded out his next sentence.
“Little. Loki?!”