Loki was defeated, and we had gone back to Asgard, Thor bringing me along because of my help in finally subduing him.
(Flashback)
"Loki, stop!" He turned to look at me, surprised that I had managed to sneak up on him.
"And why should I?" He tried to smirk, but it wasn't as convincing as it could have been. I knew he cared about me, he had shown it, though most wouldn't have notice. The fleeting glances, with a spark of admiration, the jealous anger when Thor and I talked.
"Please. You know you're losing, Loki. It would make everyone's life easier if you just stopped this now."
"But I only ever seem to make life harder, don't I?" His voice wavered a little. I could sense the hurt that came with that statement. I walked forward, gently laying my hand on his shoulder. His head was bowed, and his hand tightly gripped his scepter.
"Loki, if you surrender willingly, admit your wrongs, the punishment may be less." I pleaded. Willing or not, I could not deny I had grown to care for him, too.
"Why does it matter to you?" his voice was barely above a whisper.
"Because…," I paused. "Because I care about you, Loki."
"Care about me?" he turned to face me. His eyes were emerald again, as they had been when I first saw him, free from the control, it seemed, of the Tessaract, no longer that cold blue.
"Yes, Loki. I care about you. I don't want you to be hurt."
His eyes went to the floor. "Even if I deserve it?"
"Even so." I gently put my hands on his cheeks, and his rose to cup mine, leaning into my touch.
"I will surrender. Because you want it to be so." He shut his eyes, defeated. I smiled slightly.
"Thank you." Then, I put my arms around his neck, pulling him to me and hugging him. He buried his face in my hair, his arms going around my waist. We stood like that for a few moments, before suddenly, Thor burst into the room. I knew he had seen, but he wisely chose not to comment.
"I will surrender." Loki's cool voice filled the silence. He had stepped away from me, and I found myself wishing he hadn't.
Thor nodded. "Let us go, then."
(End of flashback)
Loki had received his punishment from his father. He was to be kept in the prison. I wasn't sure how long. Perhaps forever. All I knew was that it would end when he became better. No one knew what had truly happened on the rooftop, except maybe Heimdall, and I kept it that way. I had begged the Allfather to allow me to visit him, and try to help him. Odin had agreed, but I was the only one who was allowed to see him. Every day, I would walk down to the dungeons, and every day I would leave, having made no progress. Every day, I was met with the same silence, and no matter how hard I tried, I could not break it. Days turned to weeks, weeks stretched into months.
It was Monday, and I headed again to Loki. Again, the guards let me into his cell. Again I greeted him, expecting no answer, and receiving none. I couldn't stand it anymore. "If you don't wish for me to come, then you might as well just tell me so. I wouldn't want to be wasting my time!" I snapped at him. He turned to look at me.
"But you are wasting your time here, mortal." He said after a few moments of silence. I had missed hearing his voice. But I was angry, and frustrated.
"Then I may as well leave, no?" I asked.
He closed his eyes. "If you wish." I could tell I had hurt him.
"Loki-"
"No. I know why you are here; to 'make me better'. But I will not bow to Odin's will so easily!" He shouted, angered. He had kept this in for a long time. I stood calmly, and waited for him to get it all out. "Odin wishes for me to be like Thor, has always wished so! For millennia I have lived in the 'Golden Son's' shadow! Always second-best! He always favored Thor, but I never knew why! He left me to find out for myself!" He took a breath.
"Find out what?" I asked. I had not heard this part of the story.
"Find out that I was never truly his son, like he'd always claimed! That I'm- I'm the monster children are told to fear! A disgrace to my true species, and a disgrace to Asgard!"
I walked towards him. "Loki, you are no monster, unless you choose to be one."
"You don't know what I am, though, do you?" He whispered.
"No, I don't. Show me."
"What?"
"Show me." I repeated.
"I… No. I will not."
"You fear that I will hate you as they do." It was not a question. He nodded almost imperceptibly anyway. "I will not," I stated firmly.
He looked at me as though he wanted to argue more, but then seemed to decide against it. He closed his eyes, and blue crept over his skin.
I let out a slight gasp when he opened his eyes. They had changed to a blood-red color from his usual green. I couldn't think of the words to describe my thoughts. The effect was frightening, to be sure, but also beautiful. He frantically searched my face, trying to understand my reaction. I stepped forward slowly, moving close enough to be able to reach my hand up and trace the marks in his skin. His eyes closed and he leaned hesitantly into my touch. His skin was ice-cold, but I didn't mind. "Loki," I spoke finally, and his eyes snapped open, fear filling them at my indiscernible tone.
"You fear this. I am a monster, and you see it now." His tone was filled with despair. "Please-"
"No, Loki, I don't see it. All I see is beauty. It is slightly frightening, yes, but I know it is you, and I will not cower in fear like you seem to expect."
"What? But-" He was completely confused, but there was a spark of hope in his gaze.
"Shh," I advised him, pressing my lips to his. I felt the chill in the room fade as he returned to his Aesir form.
He pulled away after a moment, and I could tell he planned to protest again, and I cut him off before he could.
"Loki, stop. I love you. Nothing could change that. You won't push me away no matter how hard you try, so stop trying, okay?" My hands cupped his face and I stared into his green eyes.
He sighed in defeat, giving a small smirk. "You are very persistent, mortal." At my halfhearted glare, he smiled, pulling me into his arms and kissing me. "I love you, too."