Loki Misses the Asgardian Prison System

Chapter 76

Steve heads to the kitchen for a quick snack. He's not sure what he's thinking about. Grapes? Crackers? Something of the sort. Sometimes filling but healthy.

He gets a little distracted by the floating cup under the ice dispenser.

Steve glances around the room. "Loki?" He's got to be around here somewhere. Cups don't just float unless there's a certain mischievous god behind it.

Loki appears by the fridge, a perfect picture of poise and grace, which is how Steve knows it's not actually him. There's always something wrong with him. Something small, usually, but something. He looks too perfect. (That, and if he was real, he'd probably be holding the cup.)

Steve raises his brows, an amused smile on his face. "What are you doing?"

"Getting some ice," Loki says. "If my water warms itself any further, it will burn my mouth."

"And, what, you couldn't walk all the way down to the kitchen?" Steve asks teasingly.

"I am not moving today," Loki says. "I will melt where I stand."

Steve huffs a laugh. "Yeah, I hear that." He jerks his head toward the cup, now sitting on the counter and nearly overflowing with ice cubes. "How'd you manage that?"

"Telekinesis," Loki says. "I've never used it in this way before. It's been an interesting learning experience."

Steve cracks a smile. "Want me to bring your cup up?"

"You don't have to do that," Loki assures him.

"I don't mind," Steve says. "I have nothing better to do."

"In that case," Loki says, "you are more than welcome to, but I'm afraid I can't quell your boredom, if that was your intention."

"Yeah, that's fine," Steve says. "I'll figure something out." He can doodle or something. Maybe he'll read a book. Who knows?

Steve grabs the cup of ice, and fake Loki follows him as they head toward his room. It's kind of weird, walking alongside someone whom he knows isn't truly there, but he tries to focus more on the fact that he's with Loki than that he's with an illusion.

"And how are you today, Captain?" Loki asks.

"Pretty good," Steve says. He looks over at the illusion. "You?"

"Well, it is hotter than the fires of Hel," Loki says, "but I'll live."

"It's not that hot," Steve says, amused.

"Oh, I beg to differ," Loki says. He looks at Steve warily. "Is this a normal temperature on Midgard? I'd assumed this was just an abnormally hot afternoon and it would cool off soon."

"I mean, it's not usually quite this hot," Steve says, "but yeah, it does get hot." He shrugs. "Welcome to summer on Earth."

Loki groans. "I hate this realm."

Steve chuckles. "You'll be fine." It's just a few unreasonably hot days a year. It'll cool off before he knows it.

"Does the heat not bother you?" Loki asks.

"No, it does," Steve says, "but Tony's got the AC blowing like his life depends on it, so it's not too bad." It was far worse when he was growing up. Times really have changed in the last few decades. Now practically everyone has an air conditioner. It's crazy.

"And the AC is...?"

"Air conditioning," Steve says. "It cools the building off."

Loki stares at him in disbelief. "So it could be hotter?"