Loki Misses the Asgardian Prison System

Chapter 63

"Why do I have to show my work?" Harley whines. "It's obvious. It's five."

Loki shakes his head helplessly. "I haven't the slightest idea. Perhaps the rest of your peers are less intelligent than you are."

"Okay, and?" Harley says irritably. "It's not my fault if my class is stupid and can't do basically algebra in their head."

"I suppose it just means you have to spend less time on your work than they will," Loki says with a shrug.

"It's still more time than I want to spend on it," Harley mutters. He turns his attention back to the paper in front of him. "I could do these all right now. Look, it's five. Eleven. Sixteen. Four." He looks up at Loki with a frown. "This is so stupid."

"Yes, it is," Loki agrees, "but unfortunately, you must do them."

"Do I have to?" he whines.

Loki hesitates. "Probably?" How is he supposed to know? He's never been to a Midgardian school before. He doesn't understand their policies on homework. This is nothing like the Asgardian education system.

Harley groans and shoves his paper into his binder. "I'll do it later," he says. "Let's do something else before you have to go again."

"Is putting your mathematics homework off going to cause you any problems?" Loki asks hesitantly. He doesn't want to get the kid in trouble.

"Not if I do it tonight," Harley says.

"Alright, then I accept your proposal," Loki tells him, earning a grin from the kid. "What do you want to do instead?"

Harley thinks about that for a few moments. "I don't know."

Loki huffs a laugh. "I see this is a very well-thought-out plan."

"We could watch TV," Harley suggests.

Loki shakes his head. "That is one of the very few sources of entertainment I have in the tower. I would rather not overuse it."

"Okay, that's fair," Harley agrees. "Um..." He sighs. "I don't know. I want to build something."

"Then we should build something," Loki says simply. "What would you like to build?"

Harley's shoulder slump. "I don't know. I didn't think that far ahead."

Loki chuckles. "Well, what do you have to use?" He uses his telekinesis to float a box of parts over to them. It's not a long distance, nor is it a heavy box, but it's tiring nonetheless.

"Woah," Harley breathes, looking up at Loki with wide eyes. "You couldn't do that last week!"

Loki spreads his arms, a smile on his face. "I've been practicing."

"I can see that!" Harley says. "You know what you should do?"

"Hmm?" Loki hums.

"You should follow me to school tomorrow and pretend to haunt Antonio."

Loki snorts. "Harley, I'm not a ghost."

"Well, yeah, but he doesn't have to know that," Harley says. "Come on, it'll be fun!"

Loki shakes his head, amused. "As much as I would love to torment your bullies, that would be a heavy risk to take for such little payoff. You understand that I am supposed to stay hidden; that nobody is supposed to know I am here."

"That's why you don't tell him it's you," Harley says, like he's an idiot for not knowing that.

"That does not mean nobody would find out," Loki says. "I am sorry. I would love to help you, but you will have to live with your bullies without my assistance."