Work Text:
Sif used to hate working Friday nights.
On Fridays, the smokey little bar where she was employed had live music and women drank for half price.
Starting at 9 p.m. the small room would fill with boisterous strangers and she would be constantly swamped with orders for the rest of the shift.
Those nights, she had to work until two in the morning, all while listening to mediocre local bands shout like they were playing at The Madison Square Garden, rather than a foot high platform in the corner of a dive bar.
But ever since his band had started attending, she found Friday nights easier to cope with.
The “him” in question was a tall, pale young man by the name of Loki Odinson. He and his brother Thor, along with a few friends, made up the new wave rock band known as The Asgardians, and while a few of their songs were weak, they were miles above all of the other bands that played. In fact, if you were to ask Sif, she would say they had a decent chance of real, commercial success.
Thor, a muscular, golden haired young man with a warm, husky singing voice was the natural frontman, and an obvious favorite amongst the young women who giggled in clusters around the stage. He was friendly, always leaving a decent tip when he drank, and clapping for the other bands. However, to Sif, Loki was the true star of the group.
There was something hypnotic about him that she couldn’t put into words. The way he tossed his stark black hair as he played the drums, the way his lips moved when he sang backup, the way, before their band went on, he always seemed to be standing apart from the others.
Sif knew what it was like to stand apart from the group…
Sure, she hadn’t had a proper conversation with him beyond taking his drink order and telling him what slot the band would be playing, but she felt she knew him. She felt that there was something in him that also resided within herself.
Or perhaps she was lonely and hadn’t had a date in a while.
Regardless, the guarantee of Loki’s presence secured Friday nights as her new favorite shift.
She also had a soft spot for her job when the holiday season rolled around: local bands covered the same 5 Christmas songs, garlands wound up barstool legs, everyone entering the bar had rosey cheeks and blushing noses, and most of all, eggnog was an easy drink to serve.
So this year, when Sif learned that Christmas Eve was falling on a Friday, she hardly felt like she was going to work at all.
When she arrived at 4 p.m., the small, brick building was still mostly empty, with a few people sitting at the bar eating fries and sipping mid-afternoon beers. She nodded at her coworker, who looked thoroughly delighted to be relieved as she strode into the back room to clock out.
Drawing the clipboard from beneath the bar, Sif looked over the bands that had signed up to play that night. Or, to be more precise, she skipped over the list until her eyes found The Asgardians. She always told herself she wouldn’t be too disappointed if they weren’t playing, and yet, when her eyes lighted upon their name, it felt like fireworks were erupting in her chest.
The live music started at 9.
They would likely arrive at 8 for pre-show drinks.
She smiled to herself.
Only four hours…
A quarter after 8, Thor came strolling through the door, announcing his presence with a jovial laugh and a wave.
Looking up from the bar she was cleaning, Sif nearly snorted in amusement.
The tall young man was wearing a Santa costume, unbuttoned so as to show off his muscular torso. He had seemingly grown out his beard for the occasion, and wore the coordinating hat on the top of his head.
Next came Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg, all wearing Christmas sweaters and various festive hats.
And finally, Loki appeared, hauling most of the band’s equipment. He wore his usual gray sweater and leather jacket with a forest green scarf around his neck. However, on his head was perched a headband sporting large antlers with bells. Thor’s doing, more likely than not.
Sif shouted hello to the young men from behind the bar and they all returned the greeting as they made their way to the stage to stow their instruments away.
Sif busied herself filling five steins with frothy beer and adding them to their tab.
She had the drinks waiting for them on the bar when they returned.
“Not too crowded tonight, is it?” Thor commented, seating himself on one of the stools.
“No,” replied Sif, looking around the room. It was busier than when she had arrived, but still wasn’t nearly as packed as usual. “I don’t think we will have many people here tonight. Christmas Eve is never busy.”
“Are you working until 2 again?” Loki asked, surprising her.
He remembered her schedule.
Of course he remembered her schedule. He was here every Friday until that time. It didn’t mean anything...
Meeting his gaze, she instantly felt a nervous warmth fill her chest. “Yes, I am.”
He grimaced, “My apologies.”
“No, don’t be sorry. I’m actually quite fond of Friday nights.”
“Really?”
“Indeed.”
Eyebrows raising, he smirked, “Ah, because you get the pleasure of listening to our highly acclaimed band perform free of charge?”
Yes, that is exactly it , she wanted to say.
Instead, she opted for a matching grin, “No, because as a woman, I drink for half the price tonight and the buzz helps me get through your performance.”
He put a hand to his chest, “You wound me.”
Then the door of the bar opened with a jingle and Sif was forced to attend to the newly arrived customers.
For the next hour, a steady stream of people came and went. A few stayed, seating themselves at the tables in front of the stage, but mostly they ordered mulled wine or eggnog, left a Scrooge-like tip, and made themselves scarce.
However, soon enough it was 9 o’clock, the lights of the bar dimmed, and things slowed down as the bands lined up to perform.
The Asgardians were on first.
Downing the last of their drinks, the young men readied themselves for their set. In a clamoring of boots and a rustling of fabric, stools were pushed back and faces were inspected in phone cameras.
“Break a leg!” Sif said, looking up from the drink she was preparing.
Her eyes locked with Loki’s, and nothing else around her existed.
“Thanks,” he replied softly.
She had said good luck to the entire band.
That comment had been for all of them...right?
It wasn’t simply intended for him, he was just projecting.
These thoughts shot rapid fire through Loki’s mind as he sat behind his drum set waiting for Thor to stop introducing the band.
Well, whether or not she had intended her comment to be for everyone, she only had one pair of eyes and he was the person she had looked at.
And he had looked back.
Oh God, had he held her gaze for too long? Or not long enough?
He supposed it probably didn’t matter to her. The beautiful, confident young woman likely interacted with hundreds of men every day. Why should she care about him? He was just another face in the crowd.
But...she had looked at him.
And her eyes had glimmered-
“-my brother, Loki, on drums!” Thor’s voice cut through his thoughts, reminding him to look up from his snare and smile at the crowd. There was some modest clapping. Normally the crowd was larger and louder. But as Sif had said, Christmas Eve did not tend to be a drinking holiday, so the bar remained at barely a quarter capacity. At least the people who were there were in good spirits.
Shaking off his infatuated contemplation, Loki hit his sticks together in a countdown and then the bad began to play.
It started out the same as any of their sets. Loki knew they weren’t the best band in existence, but they certainly weren't the worst, and on a good day, like this one, he was fairly confident in their sound. When he looked up from his drums, the faces in the audience seemed to be enjoying the music as well. He saw smiles and heads nodding and a few people clapping along with his percussion.
Then, his eyes wandered further back in the room and landed on Sif.
He fumbled and skipped a beat.
She was looking directly at him, her dark eyes reflecting the Christmas lights above the bar. On her lips was a smile, but only slightly. She seemed focused, like she was listening intently…
And she was looking at him .
As their first song came to a close, Thor asked for holiday requests from the audience.
They had agreed as a band to do a few Christmas songs, as those were expected. Initially, Loki had been less than thrilled about this section of their set. However, when he once again looked back to see if Sif was still watching him (she was) her eyes had lit up with anticipation. Her smile grew and she stepped out from behind the bar to hear better.
Damn, Loki thought to himself. Now he was going to have to put in effort for these songs. He didn’t want to disappoint her...
So, he proceeded to play with an enthusiasm likely unnecessary for Christmas carols.
The other bands played well, each putting their own spin on Christmas classics, but Sif paid little attention. It was but festive background noise to accompany her internal musing.
She could not get Loki out of her head.
He had played so passionately that night.
And she swore he had been glancing at her while he was playing.
But the bar was dark and smokey. He probably couldn’t see her from on stage.
It was wishful thinking…
Still, she thought.
After their set, The Asgardians had dispersed around the bar. Hogun and Volstagg had gone home early, paying their tabs and wishing Sif a happy holiday. Thor and Fandral had found two young women to entertain and retreated with them to one of the booths to drink and flirt. For a while, Loki had sat with them as well, looking bored but nodding politely when the ladies said anything to him. However, eventually, he had excused himself and made his way to the bar. He took a seat on the furthest side and seemed to be examining the wood grain of the top.
For a moment, Sif watched him, his thin fingers tracing the pattern on the dark oak, looking distracted yet tragically handsome.
Then, he looked up, catching her off guard.
His face softened into a smile and he nodded.
“Need another drink?” She asked, approaching him.
Waving her away, he nodded at Thor. “I’m afraid I need to stay sober. I am that fool’s ride this evening.”
“How about a seltzer, then? On the house?”
“Free drinks? If I didn’t know any better, I would think you were attempting to woo me, lady barkeep.”
“Who says I’m not?” Sif joked, turning so that he would not see the blush creeping up her neck. “Lime or mint?”
“Lime, please and thank you.”
Filling a glass with seltzer and adding a wedge of lime, she then slid it down the bar into his hand.
“How have the tips been tonight?” He asked, taking a sip.
“Typical. The holiday season does not encourage the generosity one would hope for.”
“I don’t know how you do it.”
“Do what?”
“Bartend for a living. I would start committing acts of violence after a single shift.”
“Got to pay for college somehow.” She shrugged, picking up a rag to wipe down the already clean bar (she had to look busy if she wanted to justify standing and talking to him while on the clock). “We can’t all be in ‘highly acclaimed’ bands.”
At the mention of the band, Loki shut down slightly. He took a sip of his drink as his eyes grew cloudy.
Sif noticed the change in countenance at once. “Is there...is something bothering you tonight, Loki?”
He looked back at Thor and then at Sif. After a pause, he said, “Do you smoke, Sif?”
Confused, she cocked her head. “No...do you?”
“No. Would you like to go take a smoke break with me?”
Sif grinned.
Five minutes later, there was a “Back In Five!” sign on the bar, Sif was wearing her winter coat, and she was standing next to Loki in the alley beside the bar. The air had grown colder since she had arrived at work and each breath she took produced a white cloud. Still, she hardly noticed the temperature because the man she had been admiring for months was barely three inches away from her.
Once they were both situated as comfortably as they could be on the metal fire escape steps, Loki spoke first:
“It’s gotten colder.”
“Mm. Winter tends to do that.” She nodded, smirking. She knew he was avoiding answering her earlier question.
“Well excuse me for making observations.”
“You’re stalling.”
“Stalling what?”
“You were going to tell me what’s bothering you.”
“Was I?”
“Well, if you are not going to spill your soul to me, then I had best get back to work.” She started to stand, but felt a hand on her arm stop her.
“Fine! Fine. Sit back down...” he then mumbled something containing the word stubborn and leaned back in his seat.
Sif smiled slightly and she felt the fabric of his coat brush against hers.
“Did you notice tonight...after we played, when Thor was saying each of our names so we could bow, that he received the most applause? And that I barely got three claps? It’s always been this way. In our band, he is the favorite and I’m...I...nevermind, that sounds petty-”
“No, it doesn’t.” Sif cut him off, “Continue.”
For a moment, he looked out into the night air before signing. “I suppose I just feel somewhat invisible. You know, half our songs were written by me. At least half. And yet I do not get a fraction of the accolades my dear brother is bestowed. And I know in every band the frontman gets the glory, but at least once it would be nice to feel like I’ve impacted someone.”
“Loki…”
“I played the best I've played in months tonight, and not one person noticed!”
“I noticed,” she replied before she could stop herself.
Turning his head sharply, Loki’s eyes met hers.
It was too late to backpedal now...and she didn’t want to. So, she continued. “In fact, I-I always notice you when your band performs. Since you first started coming, I have been impressed by your skill and passion. The band would not have its impact were it not for you.”
His gaze wavered, falling lower on her face, watching her mouth as she spoke.
“And tonight,” she continued, “I could not take my eyes off of you.”
There was a moment of electric silence, both quiet and thunderously loud.
Then, Loki took her gloved hand in his and squeezed it. “Thank you, Sif.”
“Just don’t tell any of the other bands that I have a favorite. That could affect my tips.” She joked, hoping to distract herself from the way her mind was shouting: he is holding your hand!
“Your secret is safe with me, good Sif.” Releasing her hand, he smiled softly. He then drew his phone from his pocket.
The time on the screen read 12:15 a.m..
“Would you look at that? It is officially Christmas,” said Loki. “Merry Christmas, Sif.”
“Merry Christmas, Loki.” She said back, pressing her shoulder to his. Then, she froze. “It is also 15 minutes since I went on break. Damn it!” Scrambling to her feet, she adjusted her sweater beneath her coat.
Loki stood as well, looking both concerned and amused. “I am terribly sorry for distracting you-”
“It’s not your fault you’re distracting.”
“You’re right. The curse of being handsome.”
Rolling her eyes, she grabbed his arm and pulled him through the side door.
Luckily, it appeared that no new customers had entered since she had left. She and Loki parted ways, her going to clean up the spilled drink on the bar and Loki to check on his (now very intoxicated) brother.
Loki had taken Thor and Fandral home, dropping them off at their shared flat and ensuring they had water and headache medicine by their beds. Loki knew his mother would be none too pleased if Thor showed up to Christmas with a hangover.
But then, instead of driving to his own apartment, Loki took a left where he usually took a right.
And he drove down the road which led to the bar he had left only an hour ago.
He glanced at the clock.
1:45.
She would still be there.
Although he had no plan for when he arrived, he did not second guess himself as he pulled into the tiny parking spot on the road.
Nor did he second guess himself as he strode down the ice-slick sidewalk towards the entrance.
However, he did pause when he opened the door and heard her voice.
“We’re nearly closed, so unless you want your drink to go-”
“I’d like a seltzer with lime, if it isn’t too much trouble,” he interrupted, walking through the small front vestibule.
When she saw him, Sif’s face melted into a smile, bright and genuine.
His breath caught in his throat.
“I’m terribly sorry, sir, but I’m afraid it is too much trouble. I just cleaned the soda gun.”
“Pity.” Approaching, he seated himself on one of the stools.
“Did you forget something?” Sif asked, turning to put away the glasses in her hand.
Finally, his thoughts caught up with his actions and he felt a pang of self consciousness.
What was he doing here?
“I...I thought I had forgotten my gloves,” he lied, pulling them from his pocket. “But um, here they are.”
Sif did not look convinced. “Well, as long as you are here, care to help me finish closing so I can leave early?”
“Hm, I don’t know...will I be paid for my labor?”
“You can have whatever is in the tip jar,” called Sif over her shoulder as she walked to the closet in the corner. “Do we have a deal?”
“Deal.”
“Great. Get a cloth and wipe down the stools!”
Picking up the tip jar, Loki found it completely empty. He chuckled. “Sif, it appears that someone has already cleaned out this jar.”
“I suppose you shouldn’t have made a deal blindly, then.” Her voice came from the closet.
“How stupid of me! I will refrain from making deals with you in the future.” Grabbing a cloth from the sink, he took to cleaning the stools one by one.
Sif gave him several other tasks to do while she turned off the lights around the building and sorted the back room out. After ten minutes, all of her closing duties were done and she and Loki once again were side by side as she put on her coat and gloves.
“That did go much faster with two people.” She smiled, fishing in her purse for the keys to the bar. “What would you say to sticking around every Friday?”
“I have learned my lesson about making deals with you. I shall give no guarantees.”
“Fair enough,” grinning, she walked towards the front door.
Loki followed.
He knew the evening was coming to an end. He couldn’t forcibly extend it any more.
After stepping out into the cold, Sif took to switching all of the locks.
“It’s snowing.” Loki commented, looking up at the light gray sky. Fluffy, white confetti fell in droves.
“Is it?” Sif asked excitedly, turning away from the door to look up as well. Her eyes lit up as they took in the storm.
Then, she and Loki both seemingly noticed at the same time: directly above them, hanging from the small covering over the door, was a little green plant with a red bow.
Sif did not address it, but he knew she had seen it for her cheeks grew rosey, beyond what the chilly air had caused. Putting her head down, she finished locking the last of the locks and put the keys in her pocket.
She paused for a long moment, her eyes on the floor.
Then, she looked up and said, “You didn’t forget your gloves tonight.”
“Are you calling me a liar?” He countered with feigned hurt, hoping the humor would conceal his sudden nervousness.
“I am indeed.” Leaning against the doorframe, she bit her lip. “No one would drive all the way back here for a pair of grey mittens.”
“Very well, then what do you think brought me back?”
“I think…” she started, suddenly shy.
“Sif-”
“I think you noticed the mistletoe a few moments ago, same as I.”
They looked at each other.
In Sif’s eyes, there was the same nervous anticipation Loki felt in his chest.
Then, Loki took a step forward.
Sif moved from the doorframe and placed her hands on his chest.
In turn, he allowed his hands to rest on her waist. Then, her lower back. Then, slowly, he leaned down and their lips met.
Sif’s gloved hands traced up his chest to wind around his neck.
He pulled her closer until her body was flush against his.
And he kissed her.
And she kissed him back.
And the snow fell, hushing the world around them.
Sif was warm, Loki thought as he held her. She was warm and tasted sweet and held him tight.
He didn’t want to let go.
So, he didn’t.
When their lips parted, her arms stayed around his neck and his around her waist.
For a long moment, they both stayed silent, listening to the other breath.
Then, slowly, their arms fell to their sides.
“Can I walk you to your car?” Loki asked finally.
“It’s not much of a walk.” She said wryly, nodding to the silver car parked barely twenty feet away.
“Still, it would be a pleasure.” He offered her his arm and she took it.
Once they had reached her vehicle they stopped and Sif rose on her toes and pressed a kiss onto Loki’s winter chilled cheek.
“See you next Friday?” She asked hopefully.
“Perhaps...perhaps I could see you sooner?”
“It’s a date.”