moonshadows

It was just a flash of blue and red seen from ten feet away, but it was enough that there was a knife in Loki’s hand before he realized what he saw – and didn’t see.

“Loki!” he called in a battlefield shout before the cosplayer could move away, and half the crowd froze. He pushed past them, towards that dark head with one blue ear visible. When his hand landed on her shoulder, she whirled around in surprise.

Blue paint. Red contact lenses. An impressive replica of his armor crafted from leather and plastics. It was close enough to make him uneasy, but on a human, it looked somehow innocent.

“You,” he said, voice shaking only slightly, “are the first Loki Laufeyson cosplayer I have seen, and I commend you.”

She looked confused, but then her red eyes widened. “You’re him,” she breathed. “Ohmigod, you’re the real Loki. No way.”

“Yes way,” he replied with a grin, Darcy having taught him the correct response ages ago.

“I didn’t think anyone would recognize me, even with the armor, because I didn’t do the helmet. Ohmigod, I’m sorry, I’m freaking out a little here.” Her hands shook as though attempting to dislodge something clinging to them.

He draped an arm around her shoulders and steered her towards the door, heading for the less-noisy lobby of the convention center. “Take a deep breath. Relax. It’s alright. What made you choose this costume?”

“I saw you. I wanted to stand out…did I do good?”

“It’s hardly common knowledge on Earth,” he started in a light tone, “but on Asgard, Jotuns – frostgiants – are…not exactly welcome. They made themselves an enemy of Asgard. When I saw you, I was ready to attack before I realized there could be no Jotun here.” He gave her a wry smile. “Aside from me, of course.”

They arrived at a quiet corner. “Wow,” she said in awe. “Really?”

Blue flowed over his skin, quenching his eyes with blood. “Really. Do you have a camera?”

“Oh, yeah.” She fumbled in her bag and brought it out, fiddling with the settings a moment. “It’s okay if I get a bunch of pictures? Of like, your hands and everything?”

Loki’s teeth didn’t gleam as he smiled. “That was the plan. I believe in rewarding dedication, and you could hardly be expected to improve your costume without accurate information to work off of.”

“Ohmigod, wow.” She beamed at him as she started snapping pictures. “My name’s Gina. You, like, totally made my entire year. Can I see your teeth again?”

He bared them, posing at her direction. “Gina, you are the first positive portrayal of a Jotun I have seen in over five hundred years. I believe that has done more for helping me accept this side of my heritage than all the kind words of support my friends have ever uttered.”

“Loki?” Darcy’s voice echoed through the lobby, drawing momentary attention of cosplayers clustered in small groups. “There you are,” she said as she jogged over to them. “Woooooow. Nice costume!”

“Excellent timing, my dear. Could you take a few pictures of Gina and myself?”

The sound that emerged from the cosplayer’s blue throat was high-pitched and composed entirely of vowels. She handed the camera to Darcy before shaking her hands again, then removing her bag and setting it to the side.

Darcy grinned. “Okay, give me a father-daughter hug.” Snap. “Alright, now Loki, on your knees and cower before your double.” Snap. “Good, now make like you’re proposing.” Snap. “Now pose like you’re fighting.” Snap. “Now hold her bridal-style.” Gina squeaked as Loki lifted her off her feet, and the camera snapped. “Gina, you have any requests?”

“I think I’m good,” she said in an unnaturally high voice.

Loki set her down again, but Darcy brought out her iPhone. “Then let me get another hug out of the two of you, okay?”

“Um…sure?”

Snap.

“You’re going to put that on my Facebook, aren’t you,” Loki said as he fished out his StarkPhone.

“Yep.”

He handed the phone to Gina. “Could you take a picture for me?”

“Sure, what o- oh.” As Loki swept Darcy into the kind of kiss that usually involved tangos and red roses, she snapped two or three pictures.

“Thank you,” he said cheerfully, reclaiming his phone as Darcy handed the camera back. “If you have a Facebook, please give your information to Darcy so that she can tag you correctly.”

While the two girls exchanged information, he released the Casket’s power with a sigh.

“It was a pleasure making your acquaintance, Gina,” he said when they were done, bowing over her hand briefly.

“The honor was all mine,” she replied in that same high, star-struck tone.

Darcy threaded her fingers possessively around his. “I’ll email you,” she called as she led Loki away.

“Jealous?” he teased gently.

She snorted. “Just making it clear that you’re not on the market. Not that I really needed to.” Slyly, she grinned at him. “I think we need to do a little more experimenting. That Jotunkiss was intriguing.”

Loki couldn’t help but grin. “Indeed? Then experiment we shall.”

Darcy made a pleased sound as they stepped back into the dealer’s hall.