My house is lit up like a Christmas Tree and I feel like Santa but my "elf" is 6'3 or 6'4 and would kill me if he thought I'd compared him to a small pointy-eared mythical creature – mind you as he's the proto-type for a Norse god he can't really talk can he?

Oh god he also seems to have kind of mythical powers – being able to travel great distances in the blink of an eye (mind you he assures me it's all science). Maybe he can also read my thoughts? I'd be dead or at least in a lot of trouble if he could. I cast a shifty eye sideways but he's looking impassively out the window. So I'm safe- for the moment.

I sigh, it's louder than I would have wanted it to be and Loki turns and gives me a sly lopsided grin. He's sussed out that we won't be alone tonight that one – or it looks like both – of my flatmates/ friends, are home. I wonder if the "god of mischief" thing is real – he's certainly the god of snark and inappropriately tight clothing. From some pieces I've read he's the god or goddess of sex (which explains the clothes), a shapeshifter and not a god at all. I'm just hoping he's a good boy tonight whatever or whoever he is.

"Play nicely," I say resisting the urge to sigh again.

"Don't worry Princess Caitlyn of the six families and goddess of the arts I won't embarrass you in the slightest," he giggles jumping out of the car as I motion towards the gate.

"What the actual fuck?" I say to him as he leaves. Actually I was going to say Frig or Frog because I'm self conscious now what with the whole princess thing and my family's uncanny ability to be able to hear things from (literally) light years away but I'm so flustered by the whole "goddess" thing that I'm caught out – sorry Grandma!!! But what the fudge is that my full title? Holy crap.

He's laughing as he opens the gate, so I'm not so sure, but there's a mix of dread and pride as I ease the car down the drive way and down to my car port at the back. The other's must have realised I'd be home tonight and left their cars out so I could get to where I needed to go.

Loki is still laughing as I park and get out. My feet touch the gravel driveway just as the back porch light pops on and my friends stream out at a fair pace for two women tottering in heels.

"Yay the third musketeer – let's get this party started!" Sarah says brandishing a bottle of champagne (probably not her first of the night given the tottering) as she heads towards me. It's been a couple of weeks since we've all been home together and there are a lot of hugs and a bit of jumping up and down and promises of pizza or a night out before I can ask what the hell they are doing here or introduce my travelling companion.

But then I don't really have to say anything because as we are doing the girly greeting thing Loki pipes up and with, "do you want me to grab your bag too Cait?".

Heads swivel like a kid on an office chair as the two girls, one blonde, tall and blue-eyed, one redheaded, tall and blue-eyed, turn to look to see where the low male voice came from. Loki is on his side of the car with the back passenger door open and his backpack over his shoulder. His hair is loose and sits just to his collar, he has a bit of scruff on his face from the days travelling and a couple of days of running around organising said trip and he looks like a god or a bloody male super model.

Funny that.

Jaws drop.

I see the green eyes glint.

Bastard.

Hannah and Sarah swivel their heads from me to Loki and back like those open mouthed clowns at side-show alley. I don't know whether to laugh or be mortified. Before I can do either, Loki's catlike reflexes have him around the side of the car and in front of my friends, extending a hand like he always meets two mini-skirted (half cut) women in Sydney backyards.

"Hi I'm Luke Lawson – a friend of Caitlin's family and you must be Hannah and Sarah!" he says in his best low registered charm your knickers off voice (not that I know that from experience!! – Just saying). (Oh god I REALLy hope he can't read minds).

They hold out their hands and he takes each one in turn but of course this is Loki – no handshakes when he can kiss a hand or two and work his magic, turning my friends into giggling schoolgirls.

They swivel back to me with eyes as wide as saucers and I roll my own eyes nonchalantly.

"Luke and my grandmother were visiting mum and dad when I got home – grandmother was going on to Perth to visit relatives but Luke was heading home so we're going to fly together," I say surprised at how easy it was to lie to my two best friends in the world. But what was I going to do? Tell the truth? Yeah –his name is really Loki- you know as in the god of mischief – turns out I'm a princess and well- what was I saying before about straight jackets? Loki's accent isn't quite English but it's probably as close as Asgardian gets to any "human" accent. He has similar cadence and inflections to an upper-class Englishman and his partrician gives him the air of English aristocracy. The accent thing is weird - if I was thinking of a Norse god I'd expect him to sound more, well, Scandic but he isn't a Norse god is he? He's the ruler of a far away planet with a Shakespeare first folio in his reading collection so.............. I'm over thinking this – these are all things for another time. For now I have to survive the King of Snark and god of tight clothes getting to know my two best friends.

"Excuse me ladies," he says bowing low – I can just about hear their knickers drop at that one – "Cait if you take my bag I'll grab yours". This is said as he swings his backpack off and plonks it in my arms. He's at the back door of my Rav and unloading my bag before you can say OMG those pants are pulled tight over his arse. Sarah – who is almost more single than me- hands off the champagne bottle to Hannah and rushes over to "help". She's handed a basket of goodies that my mother packed for us for the trip and she starts to ask him questions about where he's from in the UK and if he liked Hay while Hannah threads her arm through mine and guides me to the back door before I get to hear much of the conversation (so far he's doing okay - London – yes he'd like to go back and have more time but his business is calling (ie being ruler of an entire planet). –I don't know what he tells her he does but it was obviously impressive because she's touching her hair and giggling like a school girl. Instead I'm being dragged away by Hannah – at speed even.

"Don't worry," she says as we reach the back wire door leading onto our covered in back verandah. "She'd have to just about drop to her knees in front of him and peel those incredibly tight pants off him (sigh a minute in and she's noticed his arse) to have any chance given the way he looks at you," she whispers. I flush red – it's another "what the frig" moment.

Looks at me? He doesn't look at me, he just gives me snark!!

I roll my eyes at her and grumble that he's like a brother to my father – an uncle.

"Yeah a much younger, insanely gorgeous totally freaking hot, not at all related younger brother," she giggles. I sigh. I'm going to get good at that around Loki, I can see that. Maybe I can get him into bed before they spend too much time together.

Oh god I don't mean. I can feel myself going red just thinking about what I just thought about – fudge it's going to be a long night – why couldn't they be off doing stuff like they were supposed to. I voice this. I REALLY REALLY hope he can't read minds now.

"Why are you home – I thought Robert was taking you to the Hunter for a romantic weekend?" I say as we slide open the internal door and step into the open-planned living, dining and kitchen area – a new edition to this turn of the previous century house but one that has an old world feel – lots of wood and wood panelling and big over stuffed couches – ahhhhhhh it's good to be home. Well sort of.

Loki/Luke is still holding court with Sarah in the back yard.

Hannah sighs this time.

"He had to work – the sports master broke his arm and well we're hosting this major athletic meet and it's a step up – he's looking after the whole thing," my tall gorgeous red-headed friend said.

I slip a supportive arm around her shoulder, though I angle myself so I can still see Mr Love God, Hannah laughs.

"You've got it bad," she whispers.

"My grandmother would like me to I think."

She raises her eyebrow and looks surprised.

"I've never heard you talk about your grandmother in all the time I've known you."

"I'd never met her before to be honest – the UK is a long way away and my dad well, let's just say I've learned things I never knew about my family – my head is still spinning," I sigh and it's Hannah's turn to comfort me.

"And having what's his name hooking up with the soapie star at the Logies would have been a bit of a blow," she says quietly.

"So that's common knowledge?" I ask looking at her (while still keeping half an eye on Loki and Sarah who are now making their way across the yard, with Sarah sending out ALL the signals and Loki looking attentive but still casting an eye towards me). Hannah nods giving me a "where have you been" kind of look

"It's been all over the tabloids," she adds.

"Wow you are really out of the loop, mind you given your current travelling companion I don't blame you."

"I've been at the other end of the universe remember," I say and I know she will think I mean Hay and I kind of do – it really is at the other end of the earth – but I've also spent the past few days living with aliens (or in my case – my relatives).

She nods and adds "Looking at that fine piece of man though, I don't think you have any need to be too heartbroken!" I roll my eyes just in time for Sarah and Loki to make it to the back door.

"Oooh I know that look, let me guess you're talking about me?" Loki laughs.

I roll my eyes again.

"Yes that's definitely my look darling," he grins. My friends laugh too, traitors.

"So how long are you with us?" Sarah asks as she places the basket of provisions from mum on the wide wooden kitchen bench.

"Only until Sunday morning and then we have to fly to the UK – I have an audition and Luke has to get back to work," I say quickly. At the moment our flying arrangements are still under review. I have a ticket on a flight to London but Loki is insisting he uses whatever "science" it is he uses to "pop" us over to the UK. He doesn't like the idea of me sitting in a plane for hours and hours like some sort of canned mallard but we just survived the trip from Hay to Sydney without anyone trying to kill us (well I might have liked to do him in a couple of times). I see his point, but well you can't just pop into another country can you? There are visas and things and I have plans in place, I can't drop everything can I just because someone took pot shots at me? I don't even know what all that was about yet and surely aliens have better things to do then try and kill me - again?

"Earth to Caitie?" I hear Sarah say and I'm brought back to the kitchen in Sydney away from Asgard and my weirdo family.

"Sorry what?" I ask shaking my head like I can make everything normal again by a toss of my head.

"We were just saying that since we have so little time together before you jet off again that maybe we should go out and celebrate, show Luke Sydney – take our minds off everything," Sarah says looking at Hannah (I wonder now if there is more to Hannah being home and vow to myself to chat to her before I leave).

"I don't know," I say staving off a yawn that comes from nowhere in the way that they do when you are suddenly faced with plans to be awake for another six to 10 hours despite being up and concentrating since 5am. Surprisingly it's Loki who comes to my rescue, he moves towards me and puts his arm around me, yawning in sympathy.

"Sorry ladies can Caitie and I have a raincheck, as you could imagine it's been a long day on the road and I think what we both really need is a nice meal, a hot shower and early to bed," he says. I blush.

"Not together though, Luke can have the spare room," I add quickly.

Hannah giggles.

She will die if she keeps this up. It's bad enough that my grandma is already planning the wedding and probably picking out drapes for the castle or whatever you call where they live without Hannah joining in.

"Pizza and Netflix it is," Sarah says taking Loki's arm. "Come on Luke I'll show you where you're sleeping, it's next to my room." I think I see a wink and a little feeling comes unbidden into my head. I shake it away and sigh – well at least she's not trying to set me up with Loki – though I feel a little put out that she wouldn't at least think there was a chance that I'd land someone like him.

I rub my face and suddenly actually feel really tired. It's been a long and very weird week – it's hard to think that time last week I was excitedly preparing for my first Logies and blissfully unaware of my extended family. It seemed like another life time ago. I yawned – for real this time – and excused myself from Catie, trundling my bag down the hallway, to go have a shower and wash the trip off my body.

Twenty minutes later I emerge again from my ensuite, now dressed in my "best" trackie dacks and my oversized rugby shirt, my hair up in a messy ponytail and no slippers or socks, even as a kid I wasn't a big fan of shoes and socks. I grew up on the clay pans and plains around Hay, and while there were burs, bindies and the odd tiger snake, I liked the feeling of dirt under my feet – and I still do – though there's no dirt here just beautifully polished floor boards but they feel good. I'm more human now, still tired and part of me just wants to just curl in my bed and go off to sleep but part of me isn't game to leave "Luke" all alone with my girls. Not that I don't trust them (well I wonder when was the last time Sarah had a bit of man action – not that I want Loki for myself but well there are enough complications in my life now without explaining why "Luke" won't return her call).

As I walk down the hall I hear voices and laughter coming from the back room and I figure they've already started without me. In fact when I get to the back room I find the king of Asgard with a red wine in his hand (the good stuff I was saving) holding court and charming what ever he can off my two best friends. I roll my eyes at him and he laughs putting down his own glass and handing me another fuller one. I take it and sip from it, closing my eyes, it is the good stuff and it tastes divine after a day on the road. I'm feeling a little relaxed now and more relaxed with every mouthful of the Peterson's Shiraz that I take in.

"We were waiting for you to order sustenance and set up the Netflix," he says and I try not to laugh, he is trying his hardest to fit in but his alien-ness shows out every now and then.

"We thought Pizza and a movie," Hannah says handing me the menu. I don't even have to look – this is a regular Friday night special for us (on the now rare occasion that we are all home at once) and I'm hanging for the "Drops of Jupiter" – curry base, chicken, capsicum, onion, mango and cheese.

"The usual ," I say handing the menu back to Hannah who nods and smiles. Mmmm.

"So two large pizza and a garlic bread?" she asks as she dials the number and we all nod. For a moment I wonder what the king of Asgard has on his pizza – I could pretty much tell you exactly what the girls will have. Hannah is the resident vegetarian and her pizza is capsicum, eggplant, tomatoes, onion and olives and Sarah is a super supreme kind of girl but Loki? What would Loki have? Something simple like a margarita or sophisticated like something from the gourmet range – dripping in anchovies? Does he even know what pizza is.

Is it weird that I'm actually holding my breath as Hannah orders – "One half super supreme half vegetarian and one Easter Comet."

What the actual fire truck? I look at him quizzically.

"Did someone tell you what I like?" I ask the man-god sitting next to me on my big overstuffed leather lounge. Hannah and Sarah sit across from us on the other lounge, though Sarah keeps looking over to smile at Loki.

He shakes his head with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Maybe we just have more in common than you think," he says as an eyebrow rises. Across the room Sarah sighs and Hannah laughs.

"Do they even have pizza and Indian food where you're from?" I huff back.

Sarah grumbles and shakes her head looking at me like I'm a bloody idiot. And I suppose I sound it if you don't know that the man next to me is pretty much ET in stretch pants.

"Geez Cait of course they have Indian food and Pizza in Chelsea – hell we have a pizza place in Hay these days!"

Loki puts his hand up to his mouth but his shoulders are shaking and I know he's laughing – sex god is going down (and not in a way that's good for him). I shoot him my best glare, it doesn't stop him. I sigh and Hannah jumps in to rescue the situation asking him what he does and where he lives. My eyes widen when he explains that he's part owner of an exclusive gallery in Chelsea, London, England, Britain, Northern Hemisphere – this realm!! (okay he just says Chelsea but still – what the fire truck? He knows about the exclusive London suburb? Has he been watching cheesy reality television on Asgard or has he been there? Is this actually true? Surely not? The ruler of an alien planet moonlights as a gallery owner in London? What the hey?).

I'm still contemplating all this as Hannah continues to engage Loki in conversation, asking about the gallery and where he lives (he has a unit above his work place apparently), he hates London traffic and congestion, but he has got to know some great artists and loves creative people. Sarah smiles at this comment – international pop diva in training that she is. Hannah, ever the curious school teacher then veers on to relationships- does he have a family? A girl friend? A boy friend?

My attention drifts out of my mind and back into the real world and I cock that eyebrow of mine.

"Work keeps me busy, so I haven't had time for a serious relationship in a long time plus it's hard when you travel as I do for work, but I'm hoping to slow down and take more time to enjoy life," he adds, looking pointedly at me, I blush and look away. Hannah sniggers and Sarah turns the conversation back to herself, that she's travelling and touring a lot over the next few months and coming to London soon maybe they could go out for dinner.

I've known Sarah most of my life and yes we've competed for boys before (let's face it the hottie pool out in Hay wasn't exactly teeming with life) but I've never seen her throw herself so obviously at someone before. Someone who doesn't seem that interested in her. Someone who keeps looking (unnervingly) at her best friend like he wants to devour her. Her flirting continues and I'm relieved when the pizza's finally arrive and we're able to eat and click on the pizza.

Friday night in my Federation Style house, in one of the more affluent Sydney suburbs and there's a teacher, would-be rockstar, would be actress and the proto-type god of mischief sitting on lounges scoffing damned fine pizza and bloody good wine and watching Deadpool and (oh god no Thor 2) – . I kind of hope they don't put two and two together (Thor wasn't my choice believe me) but why would you? I mean if I actually told my friends who he really is and who Thor is and what I am they'd have me certified. But still.....

It is kind of surreal though. Well it strikes me as surreal, surreal and eventually when I realise that we aren't about to be rumbled, relaxing, so relaxing that the next thing I know I feel like I'm floating and I realise I'm in Loki's arms with Hannah speaking in hushed tones "What time is it?" I ask groggily.

"One am sleepy head," Hannah says quietly. "You fell asleep on the lounge, during the most violent bits too – lightweight," Sarah says from somewhere behind me.

"Long drive," I sigh and I snuggle back into Loki's chest for someone who looks like a decent breeze would knock him down, the man is surprisingly strong and solid and warm (not a Frost Giant then).

Hannah pulls back the covers and Loki carefully places me down in the bed. I hear Sarah suggest another movie and more wine but Loki yawns and says he needs to sleep too and then they exit the room.

And I lay there looking at the ceiling.

Don't you hate that?