C H A P T E R   55 :   M I S C H I E F   M A N A G E D

"Devil, devil
Clever devil devil
How quickly they do sell their souls
For the feast and the promise of gold
But devil that won't be me

Devil, devil
Bones of metal metal
You torture saints with a single glance
Make them think they ever stood a chance

You take the shape of
Everything that I'm drawn to
But your eyes
Are dead and red
Red as rust"

Early June

It was one of those promising days of June when the sun shone through the clouds, claiming the sky and our skins for itself, the birds chirping casually on the treetops, the shadows of the wheeping willows spilling over the calm waters of the river. But it was still early in the morning, so despite the slice of sun the park received, it was cold, and not many people were seen around.

I had chosen this forgotten, peaceful place, away from the flood of curious tourists in Central Park, to wait for Logan, who was getting the last few details right at the mansion before we could finally go on our not-romantic-but-exclusively-exploratory trip.

I went to the only café in the park and sat outside on one of the tables of the terrace, alone. The few people that were indeed around were either inside the coffee shop or running or riding bikes on the trails with astonishing energy.

Morning people. No matter how many years passed, I'd never get them.

I asked for a Caramel Mocha to the waiter and leaned back on my chair, enjoying the beginning of my free time, the start of a new era in my life. I was determined to do better, to do good; but for now, I really just wanted to have fun, and I really just wanted it with Logan.

I inhaled deeply, absorbing the magnificent view and the scents of spring around me, the lotuses and the purple mallows, the water gently running around the rocks in the river, the wind rustling the willow's fallen leaves. It was a moment of pure beauty and peace, reminding me I could have them in my life if I just sat back long enough to notice and cherish them.

My eyes were closed, but I didn't hear him coming either.

"Excuse me, milady. May I sit here?"

My eyes opened abruptly upon the question, upon the historical, antique formality on it, and I felt myself being taken away from my moment of peace as soon as a shadow covered the sun that had been caressing my face. I immediately frowned. Even if I was immersed in the nature surrounding me, I should have heard his steps approaching me.

The first thing I noticed about the strange man in front of me was that his voice had a foreign accent to it, and his appearance didn't seem to belong in this country either, or this century. Wherever he went, I knew he'd stand out. He was just one of those people that naturally did, whether they intended it or not. A little bit like me.

The second thing I realized about him was that he was tall, very tall. To meet his eyes I had to look higher than I normally would with a regular person. He was wearing a black peacoat, black trousers and some black, fancy shoes. Underneath his peacoat, a dark green shirt lurked, and he had a grey scarf adorning his neck. This man definitely knew how to dress elegantly. He definitely knew what clothes to wear to make his attractiveness stand out even more.

Because hum, yeah, this guy was gorgeous.

He had a lean, slender body that reminded me of a snake, but beneath his classy clothes I could see how strong he was. His skin was as pale as snow, his hair was slicked back, so black a raven would be jealous.

But his eyes were undoubtedly the most impressive feature about him, they were this shade of mischievous blue that wasn't afraid to play with grey and green, light and shadows, mixing them all to create art. It was as if the whole sky was reflected on them, as if this man knew the answer to every mystery of the universe. Something about him made me believe he did.

His face resembled that of an angel, beguiling and pure, but my senses were telling me otherwise. I sensed his charm hid dangers and trickeries, as if he had some of the Devil inside him. Maybe even all.

Both my mind and gut were telling me that this guy was up to no good, and even if I usually followed my intuition, I wasn't famous for giving rational thinking much credit. And I wouldn't deny, the sudden appearance of this eccentric man ignited something in me. I wanted an adventure. I just didn't know it would come this soon, in this form.

Like I said, I was always definitely, absolutely, utterly attracted to trouble, like the parts of me that had the Devil wanted to meet the parts of him that did too, see which one of us was the closest to hell. Maybe it was some kind of allure working on me; or maybe it was simply my passion for danger and challenges, for all the things I should run away from instead of into.

But I could also sense something in the back of my mind, very quietly and vaguely, was trying to warn me, as if I should remember something that I simply couldn't. It was like something, or most likely, he, was somehow blocking my memory, preventing me from recalling something important. And of course that only sparked my interest further.

"Sure." I nodded, shrugging casually, as if my mind wasn't working super fast to try and realize the intentions of this guy. I wasn't stupid, and I wouldn't neglect my instinct just because I wanted some fun. Plus, we were in a public space, and I needed to keep an eye on this stranger if he was to make any wrong move.

The man's thin lips stretched into a small smile and without hesitating, he sat on the chair across from mine. None of us was able to do anything else because the waiter brought my drink and asked the man in front of me if he wanted something. He wanted tea, and so the waiter left with his order, leaving me alone with the stranger.

We stood there, silently, just watching one another, me trying to figure out what he wanted, him probably evaluating me as well. Closer to the man, another unsettling and odd feeling that had nothing to do with his charm or danger tangled itself around me, and one single word flashed in my head like a neon sign. Alien.

Seriously? One could no longer grab a cup of coffee in New York without running into an interstellar, maybe celestial being?

Yep. I'm definitely in danger.

But damn, the danger in this man is strangely, deliciously exciting.

I noticed his eyes flickering with mischief while discreetly roaming over me. I was wearing a black leather jacket that contrasted with my platinum blonde hair, and I wondered if he wasn't feeling hot, with that coat and that scarf, because I certainly was upon his glance. He seemed interested, but not particularly impressed, as if he had seen a different and greater form of beauty wherever he was from. And it didn't feel like he was checking me out; it felt like he was seeing right through me just to catch my soul.

The thing was; I didn't want my soul to get caught. After all, good souls are bad souls that haven't been caught, and I had every intention to keep mine that way.

I wondered how different he thought my outside and inside to be, since it felt like he was reading both.

"I hope you will not mind the fact that I interrupted your tranquil moment. It looked like you were in peace of mind." The man did not smile this time: instead, his lips curled up into a perfect smirk that hid just as many secrets as his eyes, and it was a sly, mischievous smirk, as if he was not bothered at all for disturbing me.

"Why did you decide to approach me, then?" I questioned, mimicking his smirk, which only made his own widen. I felt as if we were suddenly stuck in a smirk contest, and whoever stopped first would lose. I was pretty sure for the first time that would be me.

"You were the only one brave enough to sit outside in this cold." The man shrugged. His voice sounded like I imagined silk would sound like, if it could speak. "That sparked my interest. And immediately told me some things about you."

I took a sip of my Caramel Mocha before talking, letting the warmness of it wash over my senses. Suddenly outside it was even colder, as if the man himself had dropped the temperature a few degrees.

"Such as?"

We were once again interrupted by the waiter who brought the tea. He harshly placed it on the table in front of the man, as if upset by the fact that he had to come outside to serve his drink. Maybe it was my imagination, but he didn't seem that bothered when he went to collect my order and deliver it to me. The waiter eyed us both suspiciously before heading towards the inside of the café, where I was sure it was warm and cozy.

"You are not afraid to face the cold, neither are you scared of being alone. Two traits that are unfortunately disappearing these days, and that people tend to despise instead of cherish."

"I have a feeling you are not included on those people." I said, watching him take a sip of his tea. Every gesture of him was graceful, as if he had been taught from an early age to behave like a prince. His mother would be proud of him.

"I am not. Solitude is not about having people around us or not. It's a state of mind. And you were alone, but you did not seem lonely. That's incredibly rare; and incredibly remarkable."

The way he spoke, it was the first time I had the feeling he was actually telling the truth and speaking with his heart. His tone was genuine, almost hurt. I tried once again to focus on remembering the information I seemed to have forgotten, but without any luck.

"The way you speak, it feels as if you wish that for yourself too. To be able to be alone without feeling lonely."

Upon my words, his angular face closed into a cold, harsh mask, instantaneously reminding me of Logan when he didn't want to reveal what he was feeling or thinking. Or me. Or James. Or even Harry. One way or another, we all wore our masks, and sometimes we got lost in the limitlessness of them, that's why we needed to take them all off once or twice, see inside of who we really were, so we wouldn't forget.

"It's my most punitive battle." He ended up saying, in a tone so dark and melancholic I couldn't help being drawn to it. Then, slowly, to his face returned his perfectly carved smirk, and he stood so pale and enigmatic he looked like one of Michelangelo's sculptures, distant and unreachable.

"We all have to have one." I responded, and the man's smirk deepened, as if he had had a suspicion I'd be a good person to talk to, and in fact that suspicion was turning out to be true.

"May I ask what's yours?" He inquired before taking another sip of the tea. His half-blue, half-green eyes glimmered with something other than mischief now: he almost seemed interested.

"Right now, I'm trying to remember something I shouldn't have forgotten. But most of my days are spent on trying to forget something I shouldn't even remember." My tone was at first challenging, daring, because I wanted him to know that I had realized he was impeding something in my mind from coming to surface, something I probably should be aware of. The second part, well, it was just me messing with him.

The man in front of me placed the cup onto the tea plate and carefully placed his elbows on the table, leaning towards me more than I would allow a normal person to do so.

"You're special."

"In what way?" I inquired, forcing myself to look him in the eye. It wasn't easy being so close to him and still have control over my words. All of him was disconcerting. At that point, I was pretty sure I wasn't dealing with a human. I had never felt so weirdly interested in anyone, so fast. I wondered if he had some kind of magnetic power, like Longshot or Gambit.

"You can see more of me than what I let people see." He smirked again and rested his chin on his crossed hands, his eyes watching me intensely. By his words, I realized he understood I was aware that he was messing with my ability to remember things, and he was taking the blame for his mind trick. By his tone, I also understood I was not supposed to realize he was affecting my discernment and memory. But apparently, he didn't know that I wasn't normal either, that I had powers and a sixth sense. I knew something was off with this guy. I had pierced through his mask ever so slightly, and he had detected my infraction. The question was: was he going to punish me for it?

He leaned even forward, so close to me I could almost touch the mystic halo that surrounded him.

Seriously, what was it with this guy and his clearly inability to respect personal space? He needs a lecture about it, said the angelical part of me.

As if you aren't enjoying this, thought the devilish part.

Shut up, both of you, demanded the neutral and smallest part of my brain.

"But not enough to know the real me." The words escaped his mouth like a secret left untold, his freezing breath caressing my face like liquid snow, and the handsome stranger leaned back onto his chair again, breaking his spell on me. I clenched my fists. He was right. I still couldn't detect what I needed to know, my power wasn't as strong as his. It was seriously driving me insane.

He was playing games with me, coming closer and then backing away, giving me a taste of his otherworldly presence, but then preventing me to prove it all. Playing cat and mouse with the Black Cat, not a good move.

"Maybe I'm fine with the way you are right now." My voice had a teasing, charged tone to it, as if I couldn't help flirting with him even if all of my senses were telling me to run in the opposite direction. Why am I such a big contradiction? Why do my paradoxes have paradoxes?

"Or maybe you're afraid of getting too close."

I tilted my head to the side, the smirk never leaving my lips. "You know what they say about ice. It burns more than heat. With hot burns one instinctively and automatically removes the hand. But with ice? The damage happening is nowhere near as noticeable. And when you finally notice it, it might be too late to save yourself."

"But somehow you managed to notice it more easily than a regular person would. I can see you're abnormally insightful. And I've always preferred perception and wisdom over strength." He stated, his attention and curiosity on me now bursting through his tone. "You're right. I'm ice. And I burn."

I had no doubt he meant that literally.

"Thank God I'm wearing a coat and drinking a hot drink then." I joked, and upon my words, his smirk turned into a bright grin, his white teeth showing, in a smile that could easily be featured in a Colgate ad. I wouldn't be able to look away even if I wanted to.

"What's your name, love?" His accent got even more perceptible with this words; if I didn't know he was extraterrestrial, I'd say he almost sounded British.

"Felicia." I said, shooting him a delightful, delighted smile.

"Felicia." He pronounced my name slowly, as if testing how it sounded coming from his mouth. Honestly, it sounded great. "Would you mind taking a walk with me? I promise I will keep the ice to myself. I promise I will not burn. I would not want to injure such an exquisite damsel."

He smirked once more; a short laugh escaped my lips. If he wanted to continue playing, I wouldn't be the one to finish the game.

"I hope you're not thinking I'm some damsel in distress, I'm afraid I will have to disappoint you."

The man finished drinking his tea and smiled behind the cup. "I don't think such thing is possible, Felicia."

I smirked, finishing my own drink. I looked inside the café and called the waiter. When I was taking my wallet out of my purse, the stranger talked.

"Please allow me." His smile admitted no replicas, and he swiftly took some dollar notes out of his pocket, handing them to the waiter. This last male grumpily mumbled a thank you and quickly hurried towards the inside of the café. For the first time I thought maybe he wasn't bothered by the cold outside; just afraid of the man in front of me. Maybe I should be too. But I wasn't. Because in some twisted, odd way, danger made me feel safe. It was normality and boredom I was afraid of.

"I can pay my own things. No damsel in distress, remember?"

The man grinned again, and it was as if all the light in the world was inside those icy eyes, as if the lost city of Atlantis had reemerged in them. He raised himself from the chair he was sitting on and went to stand near mine, handing me his pale hand to take. Hesitantly, I did, feeling like the innocent child in an old tale.

"My mother taught me how to be a gentleman, especially with maidens." I detected an almost invisible tinge of pain in his voice as I got up and stood right in front of him. He was even taller than he seemed, and once again I had to look up to meet his eyes. The agony in them was palpable, even if I could see he was trying hard to cover it. I understood the hidden meaning in his words: he had lost his mother, and it looked as if he cared a lot about her. "I may have lost a lot, but not my manners."

His words reminded me of James in the wooden house. A person might forget a lot of things, but not the way they were raised. Maybe it was true; maybe more than our genes it was our upbringing we carried throughout our lives and passed down to our children.

"I'm sure your mother would be proud."

Automatically, his face closed, taking away his emotions and fears. But I knew it was just a defense mechanism, one a lot of humans used. I guessed trying to detach ourselves from our feelings, trying not to feel, not letting others know we were feeling and hurting, was a trait common not only to Earth but to other planets as well.

"I must ask you not to speak of what you do not know."

"Would I know if you stopped messing with my mind?" I narrowed my eyes at him, and his straight lips became another smirk as he leaned down to me. Suddenly the pull I felt towards him was even stronger, as if danger looked less dangerous up close.

"It's likely."

I swallowed hard, his words confirming my fears. Whatever information this man was withholding hid something I should be aware of. I just needed to find out a way to overpower his deceits.

"Well," I started walking away from the café, stepping onto one of the trails of the park. I knew it wasn't a wise decision walking in a deserted park with him, but I'd rather lead him away from people and deal with him myself if it meant making everyone else safe. "Can you at least tell me your name?"

The man started walking beside me, his hands crossed behind his back, long, pale fingers entwined, and he tilted his head to stare at me, an amused smile playing on his lips.

"Tom."

The way he said it made me sure that wasn't his real name, but I wasn't expecting him to give me either.

"Well, Tom... why did you invite me to this walk?" The café was no longer in our sight, hidden by the large trees. Two girls riding bikes headed in our direction, and I noticed how they slowed down when they passed by us, eyeing Tom as if he was a beautiful rose. With lots of thorns, that was for sure.

He didn't seem to give much thought to the girls and instead turned his head to face me.

"Perhaps for the same reason you accepted it. You are an enigma to me, and if there is one thing I love to do, it's solving enigmas. You interest me. I can't say the same about most things."

I nodded. Tom had this way with words, it looked like he could get anything he wanted just by using them. The same thing went to his smile. Once we got caught in it, there was no turning back.

"Okay." I said slowly, feeling initial hints of apprehension starting to invade me as we pierced deeper and deeper into the woods. "Then what are you going to do if you can't solve the enigma that I am? Or... if you do figure me out... what happens next?"

He stopped in his tracks, all of him in an observing posture. We had reached a darker part of the park, the tops of the trees merging together and preventing the sun from piercing through. At half light, this man seemed twice as magnificent, and thrice as deadly.

He turned to face me with a glint of ice in his eyes, matching his equally cold smirk, as if the shadows around us finally allowed him to reveal his true self.

"Believe it or not, I'm in the city to visit my father." His voice was neutral, concealed. "He's at the Shady Acres Care Home."

What he was saying was so harebrained I didn't know if it was true or false.

"I didn't know Earth's retirement homes were known across the galaxy." I said, sarcastic dripping from my tone to let him know I knew he wasn't from here. "May I know who recommended it to you?"

An amused, glacial chuckle escaped his lips. "Let's say New York and I have... a special relationship. We have history, as you say around here. I wanted to come back and visit, see how things are going."

A sinking suspicion settled on me, but I decided not to act on it for now. Tom seemed thoughtful, lost in his own head.

"And let's just say whenever I visit my father, with whom I do not have the easiest of relationships, I need some... mental preparation first. So I decided to take a nice walk on the park, and there you were, looking splendid. I don't recall seeing such enthralling mortals the other times I visited, well, give or take one or two."

"That's all very interesting, but I still don't see what you could possibly want from me."

"Just company. Yours is enjoyable, and the same can not be said about the majority of your species."

"You look like your practicing your lines for a Spielberg or Cameron movie."

"I do not know who you speak of, but I'll take that as a compliment."

"Should I take it as a compliment as well? The fact that you chose me as your company? Or should I be feeling terrified?"

His face broke into a grin, his teeth shining more than a marble floor, and I felt as if I had just dragged myself willingly into a wolf's lair. Clearly, I wasn't thinking straight when I thought luring this man into a more isolated area was a good idea. And even if I was doing this to gain some time and find a way to get over his power and the illusion he was keeping me trapped in, to get back the piece of information he had taken from me, I had a feeling this man was just way too powerful for me to defeat.

"Even if you should, you don't, do you? Because you love danger, and danger loves you. And a requited love cannot be ignored."

"You know, instead of Hollywood, you should go to Broadway. Or to London. I can perfectly picture you in a Shakespeare production."

"That name I have heard. It amazes me, how your kind was able to produce such magic." He was standing right under a shadow, and everything in the dark seemed different; even the most innocent of things could be a trap.

"That's what art is." I agreed. "Just another form of magic. One that humans can have access to."

"You have it in you too, don't you? That ability to see beyond, to see what's not there. You want to know who I am, and you're frustrated you can't get there. Maybe knowing you are trying harder and being more persistent than most people and that I have to fight you harder serve you as console?"

"Not really, no. It's like when you don't win and people say what's important is to take part. But history never remembers participants, only protagonists. Whether losers or winners. Sometimes it's best to come last than to come second."

His eyes sparkled again, stimulated. He took two steps towards me, his tall physique hovering over me as if he wanted to make sure he was the one with the power. But I only saw a weakness in that: he was desperate to prove himself, to make a statement. He needed me to know he had the control, but a frantic control could easily fall apart.

"Even if you discover my name, darling, you won't know who I am."

I looked up at him, taking the smirk from his lips to place it on mine. "Do you?"

He leaned forward, his face inches from mine now, and the cold around me became unbearable to a point where I was having trouble breathing. Pierce through his walls, Felicia. Make his barriers crumble.

"Don't think you can win this, love. Don't strain yourself, don't try." An inch closer, and my lungs seemed like they were about to explode, my teeth starting to shake from the negative temperature. I knew what he was doing, a show of force so I'd know not to play with him, but I refused to give up. My power might not be enough to shatter his, but maybe it could create a breach for someone else to break in. "You should know that when I want something, I get it. Always."

My fists clenched harshly. No one had ever been able to block my power so well. It made me realize there were a whole lot of things out there I wasn't ready for, that humans in general weren't ready for. I couldn't win over him, and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to stop him from winning over me.

And then another voice spoke.

"I don't recall being always like that, Loki."

We both turned around abruptly, startled by the sudden appearance, and relief washed over me when I saw Logan standing there, his face a picture of wrath and protectiveness, his eyes pinning Loki's down like he couldn't care less that he was talking to an Asgardian, a Prince, almost a God.

But Logan was Logan; he didn't care about anything when the people he loved were in danger, and knowing I was one of them made me breathe less and shiver more than Loki's powers.

Then I noticed whatever control the Frost Giant had me in had vanished, shattered with Logan's words, maybe with Logan's presence, Loki's coldness abandoning me as I gained normal access to my mind and powers. I could see it now, clear as day, who he was, what he was. Of course Loki wouldn't be able to walk on this Earth normally after what he had done in New York. He had to use his tricks and deceits to mask his true identity. Actually, how dared he come to this city again after almost destroying it with the Chitauri invasion?

"Oh, crap. I can't believe I've been flirting with the God of Mischief this whole time." I let out, as Loki's eyes switched back and forth between Logan and me, the edges of his mouth curled up as if he was enjoying this deeply, and not at all bothered his prank had been exposed.

"Disappointed?" He asked at the same time Logan took some heavy steps towards us and stopped right beside me, not in front of me. I appreciated it, the fact he still thought me capable of defending myself even if he was racked with jealousy and trepidation.

"Not really." I answered, gaining an upset stare from Logan in response.

"Ingenious what you did back there. Opening a crack in my barriers so this angry gentleman could tear them apart." Never in a million years did I think I'd hear anyone refer to Logan as a gentleman. And like I thought it would, his reaction was priceless, his brows pulled together, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Well, it wasn't difficult for me to figure out who you were since all your attention and power was focused on my girl." He replied dryly. "And since I am not impressed with your appearance, it didn't have much effect on me, especially when Felicia was already trying to break it."

"That's what I call a match made in heaven." Loki said, and to my surprise his tone wasn't mocking but sincere.

"From now on, please try to be more careful with whom you flirt with." Logan asked me, his inspecting eyes scanning my body to see if I was alright. "I can handle Super Soldiers, but aliens are another thing."

"Ah, so you've met Mr. Patriotism too?" Loki asked with interest, the mischief sparkling in his eyes. "Such a righteous man. God bless Ameri—"

"What are you doing here?" Logan interrupted, not impressed with Loki's impression of Steve and taking a step towards him so they'd be face to face, and it was too much hotness for me to not look at it.

"Like I said, visiting my father. Which by the way, should be waking up soon, and it's better if I'm there. He has a tendency to wake up on the wrong side of the bed."

With a shudder of sudden realization, I realized he must be talking about Odin. Which for some silly reason made me hopeful I got to see Thor.

"With a son like you, I can't imagine why." Logan deadpanned and for a split second I saw Loki flinch, his eyes turning frost once again. "You're not going anywhere."

"Yes, I am." Loki retorted, his chin held high, his back straightened, and suddenly he didn't just look like a prince, he was one. More than that, he resembled a king. "It was nice meeting you, Felicia, it really was. Thank you for the company and the wise, thought-provoking words. Maybe humanity isn't all lost, maybe there's still hope for it after all. As for your... poor excuse for a man, I can't say the same. I thought, judging by your interest in me, you'd have good taste in men."

"You piece of—" Logan started, but then Loki smirked, and his eyes screamed 'Mischief Managed' as he snapped his fingers. My mind instantly blurred, tripping over itself, and when I focused it again, it was like someone had just disappeared but I couldn't remember who. I glanced at Logan, who looked as dumbfounded as me. "What just happened?"

"I don't know." I said, narrowing my eyes. "I just remember tinges of green and black, and this sense of cold. Am I high or something?"

"If you are, so am I, 'cause all I remember is this rage and jealousy that have no reason to be. It doesn't matter anyway, you're here and that's what counts." He shrugged it off. "What were you doing here alone?" He asked, his fingers reaching for my arms, caressing my skin, a million of promises of what the summer had to offer.

"Yeah, I don't know either, guess I just wanted to go for a walk before you arrived. All settled?" I questioned, bringing him closer so my lips could taste his. He lingered his on mine a little longer, and I felt the caramel on his tongue where it had previously been on mine.

"Yeah. The world awaits us, love. Ready to go?"

"With you?" I smiled, eyes glowing. "Anywhere, always."

"Rebel rebel
Call me rebel rebel
I walk the plank, not a tear in my eye
I won't go down your blushing bride
Under the water I'll be sharpening my knife

Do not try me devil devil
Cannot buy me devil devil
You won't make a fool of me, oh no
What makes you so special special
To think I would ever settle
For that devious dance between you and me devil devil"

A/N: Song is "Devil Devil" by MILCK and gif is Loki, played by the wonderful Tom Hiddleston. I love him so much, I had to bring him into this story!

One more chapter and the epilogue left ♥