Disclaimer: I don't own Thor.
"You're here again," Hela said and sat down next to her father who was trying to pull himself from the undignified position from which he was lying.
"Yes, well, I wanted to see you," Loki said. Hela smiled even though she knew that the answer wasn't entirely truthful, then again most of the things her father said weren't entirely truthful. He was more truthful with her and her siblings than he was with anyone else though.
"It was quite sloppy letting yourself be killed like that," she said reproachfully. Loki nodded and looked at the floor the cold hard black marble floor of her palace. It was not the most inviting, then again she hardly entertained guests.
"Well I needed a break," this she believed, she shifted slightly and readjusted her long black dress accordingly.
"It's been a difficult few years for you," she said sympathetically. Just because she was the ruler of the dead, didn't mean she didn't see what was going on in the realm of the living. In fact, she was pretty sure she knew more than even Heimdall did about her father. Her father shrugged.
"They have not been the most pleasant years no," he admitted.
"You really should tell them about Thanos," she said even though she knew what her father's response would be.
"They would never believe me," Loki said with a short laugh. "I'm a liar you know," he said then looked at her carefully, his face void of expression.
"How much did you see?" he asked. Hela looked at her father she knew enough over the many years of dealing with him that he would not respond well to sympathy or pity so she just said,
"Enough," she was glad that she was the queen of the dead or else she doubted she could make her voice sound so detached. Loki looked down at the floor. Hearing her father's screams of pain still sometimes haunted her dreams, she would one day get her revenge on Thanos for his actions.
She wanted to hug him to give him comfort but knew that her father wouldn't accept it. At least, not right now and if she tried he would probably flee. Her father was certainly not an uncomplicated individual. Even she didn't understand him all the time, and she was pretty sure one of the few people Loki talked so honestly with. Again, Hela was filled with anger and sadness that she had been cast down here, any time she wanted to see her father he had to be dead. The enormous hole in his chest was a reminder of that, but it didn't hurt at the moment.
Hela was aware of her father imperfections. She knew that her father had a temper and was very good at deceiving people, trying to rule earth and apparently quite good at attempted genocide. However, she also knew another side of him, one that other people rarely saw. The side that honest, kind and caring. It wasn't always apparent, but she knew without a doubt that her father loved her.
"How have things been since I've last seen you?" he asked guilt leaking into his voice, she knew her father wished that he could see her more often, but she hated that he had to die in order to do it.
"About the same," she admitted.
"I'm sorry it's been 30 years," her father added.
"It should have been a few more," she said reproachfully, even though she had a little bit of a hard time keeping her voice stern when she enjoyed being with him so much. "I cannot keep resurrecting you indefinitely," she said. Her father smiled slightly at her and she shook her head.
"You're incorrigible."
"Perhaps," he said his smile growing slightly larger, she bit back the laughter that wanted to escape. It wouldn't do for her to show it, it would only make her father more careless in the future.
She frowned as she realized she had some questions for her father. Even though part of her didn't really want to ask them and just keep things easy and light between them, she also knew she wanted the answers. Sometimes treading lightly had it's merits, but she doubted that this was one of those times.
"So you're a frost giant," Her father looked shocked at first, then angry. He opened his mouth probably to unleash a slew of insults before he closed it.
"Yes," he said instead his face and voice void of any and all emotions.
"You tried to destroy them all," she added even though she knew the answer to her question.
"Yes," her father added in the same tone.
"Why?" she asked.
"They are all monsters," Her father said rage evident in his voice. She nodded and kept that in mind. She didn't ask about Midgard since she already knew more than she wished she did on that front. Her father was not terribly virtuous, but he hadn't given in to Thanos and The Other immediately. They had to persuade him to do their bidding. Their method of persuasion still gave her nightmares. Others might still fault him for that, but she didn't. Her second question was more intriguing to her, but she had asked the first one beforehand to gauge whether or not her father was likely to give an honest answer.
"Do you hate Uncle Thor?" Hela asked. Her father looked angry and rigid before he deflated, looking tired and exhausted. It was strange seeing her father this way when he was usually composed. Then again, he had said he wanted a break.
"No, honestly it would be easier if I did." Loki moved and got up from the floor. Hela didn't and just watched as he started pacing up and down the black marble. Hela hesitated for a long moment wondering if she should just stop now, if she really wanted to know the answer to her next question. She did.
"Then why do you keep on trying to kill him?" she asked, her father froze. He was facing away from her, so she couldn't see his face. His back was stiff and the rest of his body was rigid. Hela wondered whether her father was going to tell her the answer, or just change the subject the way that he usually did when he refused to talk about something. Her father was silent was so long Hela assumed that he wasn't going to answer when he said in a voice barely audible.
"Because if he's dead then I won't have to care about him anymore." That was the most screwed up logic that she had ever heard and her father was full of screwed up logic. Hela sighed and got to her feet.
"Father, why do you do this to yourself?" she asked as she made her way over to him as he was still facing away from her.
"I don't know," he said as Hela turned so that she could see his face. It was blank, all except for his eyes which held an inner turmoil that she didn't know how to make go away, no matter how much she wanted it to. Her father noticed her gaze and looked away from her trying unsuccessfully to hide it. Hela knew better than to try to make him talk more than they already had; she knew that if she pushed any further he would shut down.
"How is your kingdom?" he asked and Hela sighed knowing that she was right.
"Fine," she said and two of them settled into a lighter conversation. They talked for hours until Hela sighed.
"Father, you know that your time is running out," she said referencing the fact that she could only keep him there for a short time unless he was to live there permanently. Her father nodded his dark head that looked identical to her own dark hair, except that his was shorter. He looked down at his still gaping chest and then to her, she could practically see the wheels turning behind his eyes.
"Father you cannot stay here," Hela said even though she knew that he should have stayed the first time he had died after she been made ruler centuries ago.
"I don't want to leave you," he said. Hela found herself smiling despite herself. Her father may not be a good person, but he was her father and a good one at that. Others may not agree, but she knew.
"Father you need to go," she could feel the gap closing on the time that he could be returned. Part of her wanted to keep him there, but she was not his only child, and it wasn't fair to her siblings to keep her father to herself. Her father looked like he was going to argue, but slumped a moment later and just nodded. Hela nodded as well and put her hand on the wound in his chest. She started the chant that would return her father back to where he had been before he died. A bright green light started to build around the two of them drowning the two of them in the light. Hela stopped chanting and looked at her father trying to memorize his features in case it was a long time until she saw him again.
"Are you going to tell them you're alive?" Hela asked, even though she was pretty sure that she already knew the answer. Her father simply smiled confirming her suspicion. And ran his fingers lightly through her hair.
"Try to not make a mess of things this time." she told her father reproachfully as the green light continued to build up.
"No promises," he said with a laugh in his voice. He said the same moment his form became one with the bright light. "I love you," then the light and him were gone, leaving emptiness again.
"I love you too." she said to the now empty room.
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