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Loki was not a planner. She was a schemer.
She'd been teaching this mythology class for about 15 years now, and not once had she ever made a lesson plan. Sure, she had the perfunctory course outline to keep admin off her back, but the day to day of it was generally off the cuff.
The Greek myths were literary, very high brow. She liked to start the year there, draw the kids in. She always felt like the Roman versions, much like their statues, were just cheap, expressionless knock-offs, so she rarely did more than mention them in passing.
The syllabus really didn't put things in what might be called a logical order, and she often switched it up. Loki always started with Greek myths and ended with her own pantheon; talking about herself in the third person as if these myths were true, all the while laughing internally at how inaccurate they were. Yes, students knew her name was Loki, but in all this time none had thought it more than a funny coincidence.
Until now.
Michelle Jones had figured it out. She was very clever, and would be a dangerous enemy to have someday. So Loki used what had always been the best lie she could ever tell: the truth. It seemed far too ridiculous for her to so easily admit it that Michelle was doubting her own very astute observations. It was amusing to watch the girl try to figure out Loki's odd mannerisms, and really, how else does one pass the time? She had passed 30 years of the century she was banished here, her seiðr locked away. Since there really wasn’t hope of befriending these mortals, she needed some kind of hobby.
At least, that was what she had thought until recently.
The other student who now knew her secret, because he had one of his own. One thing about being the goddess of mischief and lies was that she could easily tell when someone was hiding something, and there was no way for Peter Parker to hide his enhanced abilities from one as perceptive as Loki. It didn't take much for her to fit the pieces together and figure out that he was the Spider-Man. Therefore he knew the Avengers. Therefore he knew Thor.
Was Loki a little upset that her brother had spent a great deal of time on Midgard over the last five or so years, and hadn't bothered to find her? Maybe a little. He knew she had been banished to Midgard after all. But, she supposed, he didn't know exactly where. And though she hadn't bothered to change her name, the oaf wouldn’t even begin to know how to find her, and probably hadn't even mentioned her to his human friends. Typical.
Parker presented an opportunity, though. She could at least let Thor know where she was, that she was fine, and maybe send her love to Mother. Her pride certainly wouldn't let her do more than that; she wouldn't ask him to visit or anything. Just since he was here, maybe he ought to know that yes, she's still alive.
She didn't miss him, not at all.
Egyptian mythology was the next unit. Ned kept muttering something about “Stargate,” Peter seemed a little too interested in the god Khonshu, and MJ felt her focus faltering. She could get through this; it was a shorter unit simply because there were fewer surviving myths, but it was still interesting. Still, MJ was having a hard time in class with Ms. Odinsdottir, and really she didn’t know what to think anymore— especially after the field trip. More than a few times she would walk up to find Peter and Ned discussing something in hushed voices, only for them to immediately stop and act casual when she asked what was going on. They were definitely hiding something from her, and it was suspicious.
She tried to pay attention to the slideshows. Tried to take notes. Tried to get through the readings. But as one day blurred into the next, she realized her heart just wasn't in it anymore. So when she got another “see me after school” on an essay, MJ wasn’t terribly surprised.
“I'm not actually the goddess of lies, you know.”
MJ wasn't sure how to respond, so she didn’t.
“The goddess of mischief, yes. The goddess of fire, well, wildfire mostly. Lies, though, that was what people called me because the truth I spoke made them uncomfortable. My silver tongue could charm people, made me good at politics and diplomacy. But as soon as I said something they did not want to hear, I was Loki Liesmith. As if it was worth my time to play tricks on them personally. It was not, by the way. People think the trickster in myth is a villain. But mischief is not inherently evil! I just get bored. Nothing funnier than a good-natured prank, in my opinion. The problem is that once rumours start spreading, once someone has a reputation, suddenly even the smallest things seem deeper than they are. I lost trust from the people I cared about most, and when they deemed I had finally gone too far, well,” Ms. O gestured around vaguely, “this is my punishment. A century without my seiðr, stuck among mortals so I can learn the consequences of my actions.”
MJ took a deep breath before replying.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“You do not believe me. Of course, why would you?” The corner of her mouth twitched up in an attempt at a smirk, that instead appeared as a sad smile.
MJ sighed, not sure what to make of this. Of course, she knew there were aliens and otherworldly beings out there, what with the Avengers and other superheroes running around. It's just… The idea that an alien goddess was posing as a high school teacher? And telling her of all people?
But then again, was'’t Thor one of the Avengers? Loki's brother?
“I guess… It's just hard to tell. I love this class, and you're a fun teacher. But I'm starting to think that maybe you're a little lonely too? I mean, I never see you with other teachers, you eat lunch here, you stay late and get here early. I know students aren't really privy to their teachers' social lives, but…”
“Are you sure you would not prefer a psychology course?” That genuine smirk was back. “You are very talented at reading people. You should trust your instincts. What do they say about me? And please do not say what you think I want to hear.”
MJ furrowed her brow, trying to put all of the pieces together: what she found in the yearbooks, their interactions in class, her paper and the response, but most of all…
Peter. After he had been pulled aside by their teacher at the field trip, he brushed off all of MJ's attempts to get information from him. He had been skeptical, but at least willing to listen before. She had a feeling that he was hiding something from her for a while now, and maybe Ned was in on it if their recent behaviour was any indication.
“I… Don’t think you're lying, but maybe not giving the whole truth. But why should you? I'm a student. I think there is someone who knows more than me, though.”
“Oh?” Ms. Odinsdottir raised an eyebrow.
“Peter. Right? He started trying to steer me away from the idea that you were telling the truth after you talked at the museum. That's a total paranoia move on his part, trying to make me stop looking because he doesn't like the idea of what I might find out.”
“Incredible. I want you to be my TA.”
MJ was stunned. “What? Don't you have to be a junior for that?”
“They'll make exceptions when requested. But you probably don't have an extra period anyway, so instead I'm asking you ahead of time for next year, and maybe hoping you can volunteer after school once or twice a week this year? It would be great to have student input on the course. And it helps if I can be more open, as well. I don't exactly have anyone to talk to on this realm about my life.”
Suddenly a lot of this was making sense. If she starts a mythology course, she can openly talk without sounding too crazy - just really into the subject matter. Superheroes had been around for a while, but aliens? Those were relatively new in the public eye. Without her powers, she'd have to blend in somehow, especially for thirty years. Whose life is more overlooked than that of a public high school teacher, especially one that's childless and unmarried?
“What about your brother?” MJ asked. “Isn't he one of the Avengers?”
“Ah yes, Thor. He does not know where I am, I would assume. And really, why would he want to find me? He is surely glad I am gone.”
“Ms. Odinsdottir…”
She waved a hand. “Just Loki, please. I am getting rather tired of this façade, a title and a name I would rather not use. One thing that can be said for the modern world, it is not so strange for a teacher to be addressed by their given name. Never would have gotten away with that in the '90s.”
MJ was a little taken aback, but who was she to eschew the flippant nature of addressing a teacher by name?
“Loki. Are you sure? Shouldn’t you try reaching out to him?”
Loki grimaced. “I'm a coward. I sent along a message, if he wants to see me, he'll know where to find me.”
Something clicked. “Peter's internship.”
“See, I told you to trust your instincts.”
“So Peter, when were you going to tell me you work with the Avengers?”
Peter gaped at MJ. “Wha…what? I work with Mr. Stark, and he's an Avenger, I told you that already.”
“Right. So you're telling me you don't talk to any other Avengers? Thor, for instance?”
Peter blanched, and MJ thought she had him right where she wanted him. He was going to finally tell her that his internship wasn't with Stark Industries, it was with the Avengers.
He pulled her aside and whispered frantically.
“Did Ned tell you?”
“Ned knows?”
Peter nodded. “If it wasn't Ned, then who told you I was Spider-Man?”
That wasn't what she was expecting. She stared at him for a while.
“What the fuck.” Which she apparently said a bit louder than she meant to, as a passing teacher threatened her with detention.
Peter hung his head. “Uhh, crap. I shouldn't have assumed.”
“Were you ever going to tell me that? I thought we were friends.”
“I… Wanted to. I just couldn't figure out how.”
“But you told Ned?”
“Not exactly… He caught me climbing into my window.”
MJ sighed. “Well, we can work that out later. Loki asked me to be her TA.”
“She told you to call her Loki, too?”
“Yeah. She needs friends. And I don't think she'll admit it, but she misses her brother. She said she sent a message… Did you give it to Thor yet?”
“Wait, she told you she gave me a letter?”
“Not exactly, but I put two and two together, you dork.”
Peter shook his head. “Haven't had a chance to yet. Thor isn't around the tower all that much.”
“Make sure you do. Is it normal to be this worried about your teacher?” MJ twisted her face in concern.
“No,” Peter said thoughtfully, “but Loki isn't exactly a normal teacher.”