Loki had picked up some midgardian habits as he spent more time on that planet. One habit that he particularly enjoyed, and rather excelled at was music. The trickster god had a good ear for music, picking up any instrument that happened to be lying around the tower. I had noticed though, that he would actively hunt out any guitars that had been left in a place that he could get to. He shied away from bedrooms, but anywhere else in the tower was, in Loki's opinion, fair game.

That was how I came home one day to find Loki sitting on the bed, guitar sitting on his lap and thoughtlessly strumming at the strings. It was a tune I recognised, not from my childhood in Asgard, but from my time on Midgard. Then abruptly the tune changed, suddenly becoming more complex. This was nothing that I had ever heard before, and it took me a while to realise that he was playing a tune from in his own head. It was soft and melancholy, rising and falling like the ocean tide, yet there was something else. I stood in the doorway, enchanted by the sound and the sight of him sitting there lost in the music. He hadn't looked so carefree and relaxed in many years. In fact, the last time I had seen him so calm was before I was sent to Midgard the first time, when we were both much younger.

Eventually he finished playing, and looked up to see me standing in the doorway.
"Hello," he smiled softly, "I did not hear you come home."
I smiled back, "You didn't even hear me come up the stairs."
He gently placed the guitar on the bed beside him, standing to give me a hug.
As good as my day had been, nothing is as good as his hugs. He smelt like leather and wood smoke and something entirely his own, and his arms were warm and comforting around me. His additional height meant that he could totally envelope me, keeping me safe in his arms.
I stood there, wrapped in his embrace for a few moments before trying to pull back.
Loki kept his arms around me, stopping me from going too far. His face was so close to mine, a smirk on his lips. On impulse I reached up on tip toes, and kissed him soundly on the lips before pulling back.
"Sorry," I whispered, not certain why I was apologising.
"Why?" Loki replied, smiling down at me, before pulling me closer for another hug.
I could stay like that forever.

Later that night, I walked up to the bedroom intending to get some sleep. Instead, I found Loki half lying on the bed. The guitar was sitting beside him, and he was staring at the ceiling, his legs bent over the side of the bed. His arms were stretched above his head, top riding up just a little. I had to resist the urge to poke him, knowing how much he disliked it. Instead, I shifted the instrument quietly and sat gently beside him. His green eyes stared into mine as I leant down to kiss him.
"I'm going to bed," I whispered against his lips, before sitting up.
Loki turned his head, eyes sparkling, "But the bed is right here," he smiled, before wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me back down to him.

Later that night I was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling sleepily when a thought came to me.
"Hey, where did you get the guitar from?"
Loki chuckled, "I think it was Barton's."