Always wanted to know the truth behind Loki's hatred toward his brother and father? Loki has a perfect, happy second life on Earth, pretending to be a mortal so he can be with Jane. Unfortunately, Odin has other plans for Jane Foster; she needs to c...
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Five years earlier:
Jane poked at the peas on her plate, boredom settling in. She couldn't quite grasp why she had agreed to this outing. For three long weeks, Darcy had been hounding her, pestering her to go on a date to prevent the woman from setting her up with someone—or worse, putting her profile on a dating website without her consent. Finally, to appease her friend, Jane had reluctantly declared she would go out with Dr. Jacob Mitchell.
Dr. Mitchell wasn't an astrophysicist like her, but he did hold a doctoral degree in physics and mathematics and worked for NASA, managing satellite orbit calculations. They had met at a seminar about the Einstein-Rosen Bridge. Jane had been engrossed in the professor's explanation of wormholes that could lead to other worlds or even time. Meanwhile, Jacob had dozed off half the time, only to interject with sarcastic comments when he was awake. Despite his fascination with her, Jane had tried to avoid his gaze. But once the seminar ended, he had rushed over to ask her opinion on what he called "the multiple-universe bullshit." Although she had found it interesting, she had expressed skepticism and mentioned her intention to study it further. At that point, she had only managed a few words, as Mitchell had dominated the conversation, waxing poetic about the singularity of the Milky Way, his own importance, and how humanity depended on technology that he helped facilitate. He had a certain charm—intelligent yet narcissistic, and decidedly narrow-minded.
Darcy, knowing Jane too well, had insisted she text Dr. Mitchell to confirm their date. To Jane's astonishment, he had eagerly accepted.
"It will be good for you!" Darcy had squealed, her eyes sparkling with excitement at the prospect of Jane finally going out with a real man again. Jane had groaned in frustration, feeling as if she were being pushed into a corner. Darcy had announced the news to everyone, including Erik, who called to congratulate her.
Really! It was just a date! Hopefully, not her last, though she suspected it might be if it continued with Mitchell. Her last relationship had been a disaster, too. Dr. Donald Blake, a medical doctor, had excelled at his job but had been a terrible partner, frequently forgetting their dates. After ending that relationship, Jane had spent two years focusing on her work, which she deemed far more important than searching for a man.
"...But if the orbiting body enters the atmosphere, the standard assumptions no longer apply, and we have to adjust our calculations. Do you understand?"
"Hm?" Jane muttered, not really paying attention. She had merely asked how to calculate satellite orbits, but she hadn't expected him to ramble on uninterrupted for over half an hour.
"Do you understand?" he repeated, his gaze expectant.
"Oh yes, sorry. I'm really tired. Should we settle the bill and head home?" She forced a smile, trying to mask her disinterest.
"Of course." Mitchell nodded, signaling the waiter, who promptly brought the check.
"Thank you for the lovely evening," Jane said, attempting to be polite as they stepped outside. Just as she was about to say goodbye, he grabbed her arm. "Let me take you home," he insisted, gesturing toward his car.
"No, thank you," she replied quickly, eager to shake him off. "I enjoy walking."
"Alright then, I'll walk with you. I can't let you wander around New York alone at this hour." His insistence was irritating, but Jane sighed and accepted. At least it was only a few blocks to her mom's house, where her lab was located, which meant she wouldn't have to endure his company for long. After her mother had passed away from cancer when Jane was nine, her father had moved to Philadelphia. She had transformed her parents' home into her lab. Following her father's tragic car accident two years ago, she had been living alone in Brooklyn.
The rain-soaked streets glistened under the low-hanging clouds. It was a mild February evening, and she buried her face into her scarf, walking quietly while letting Mitchell talk.
People rushed past them—families with children, couples walking arm in arm. Jane instinctively increased the distance between herself and Dr. Mitchell, not wanting him to think he could do the same. Most pedestrians were in a hurry, as always in New York. Some sat against walls, begging, while others snapped photos of the city, likely tourists, she thought.
Nothing about the scene was particularly strange, but then she noticed a man who immediately captured her attention. He was gliding down the sidewalk, exuding an air of confidence that suggested he was someone important. His shoulder-length black hair was slicked back, revealing a strikingly attractive face. There was something about his demeanor—kind yet enigmatic—that drew her in, despite an underlying darkness that intrigued her.
As he passed by, their eyes locked for a brief moment, and Jane felt a jolt of electricity course through her. It was as if time had slowed; the world around them faded away. His intense green eyes seemed to peer into her soul, and she was both captivated and unnerved by the connection. He smirked at her, a confident expression that sent her heart racing. Flustered, she quickly tore her gaze away, feeling heat rush to her cheeks, and continued walking to avoid revealing her reaction.
What had just happened? This strange, intense feeling was unlike anything she had ever experienced. Confused yet exhilarated, she turned to catch another glimpse of him, but he had vanished into the crowd.
"Are you alright?" Mitchell asked, concern etched on his face.
Jane snapped back to reality. Right, he was still there. "I'm just tired and have a slight headache," she lied, eager to deflect his attention. "Ah, we're here!" she exclaimed, spotting her childhood home. "Thank you for walking me back." She quickly extended her hand for a shake, hoping to deter any thoughts of a hug or kiss. "Bye!"
Finally alone, she sighed in relief as she slammed the door behind her and kicked off her shoes. The chaos of her home mirrored her mind—magazines about astrology littered the living room floor. Tiptoeing around the mess, she sank onto the couch, replaying the evening in her mind.
This night would certainly not repeat itself, she was sure of that. And yet, the mysterious man had left a lingering impact on her. Who was he? What power did he possess? She couldn't shake the feeling that he had an undeniable self-assurance, unlike anyone she had encountered, even the so-called royalty she had seen on television.
Shaking her head, she chastised herself. Why was she even dwelling on this stranger? Didn't she have more important things to do, like continuing her research on black hole theory? She didn't even know him! Determined to shake off her thoughts, she rose from the couch, tiptoeing to the bathroom to take a shower. She would not let herself think about him anymore; she needed to focus on her work and accept that she would probably never see him again anyway!
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A/n: Hm.. I think I know who that stranger was... hehe ! Well of course I know, I'm writing the story, lol!
Oh and I am writing after the movies, not the comicbooks, just so that everyone knows. And well I don't know according to the movies where Jane's parents are, so I threw in a slight info from the comics and my own imagination.
