A/N: Hello lovelies =] Can I just say that you guys are amazing? Because you are. True story.
Also for the purpose of this story… the ancient Scandinavian "fot" rhymes with "ought" Not sure if it does, but while reviewing this story I realized that fot probably is "foot" and would be pronounced the same. 1 fot=12.16 inches.
Hope you like.
**Announcer speaking** Last time of Days of Our Lives… (just kidding, but seriously)
"So. Who's your family then? There were so many contradictions."
Loki's eyes dimmed and he looked up at her and spoke truthfully. "I don't know."
If Annie thought the answer was strange, she didn't show it. She just looked understanding as she waited to see if he wanted to talk about it. Loki looked deep in her beautiful brown eyes, weighing something in his mind. He parted his thin lips, paused and closed them again. His tongue traced the outline of his closed mouth, before he tried again.
"I was raised by Odin, King of the nine realms, and his wife Frigga. My older brother is Thor. I believe you mortals would call him the god of thunder. Growing up in Asgard was nice, I suppose. The realm is magnificent. Gilded towers stretch out into the sky farther than you can see. And the Bifrost! A vast bridge that spans many fots..." Annie looks confused.
"Fots? Bifrost? You're just making words up now to try and impress me aren't you?"
"A fot is one of your units for length. Last trip to Midgard, we all learned your customs. I remember fots in particular, because Thor and the Idiots Three quarreled a whole week about how many fots their," he paused embarrassedly trying to think of an appropriate word, "Umm… nether-regions were."
Annie laughed at this. "They sound like a bunch of dumb jocks." She continued "When was the last time you were here?"
"Approximately a millennia ago. What do you use for measurement at this time?" He sounded interested.
"A lot of things really. Smallest is probably an angstrom that measures things on an atom's scale. Most day to day things we use, inches, feet, miles or if you're anywhere outside the US it's centimeters, meters, kilometers." She felt like she was babbling. "But seriously, it's not that interesting. In fact, learning about that nearly bored me to tears in school. Tell me more about the Bifrost and how you got here."
Loki chuckled at her impatience, before sighing.
"It was beautiful. It was smooth as glass, but had every color in the spectra. When you stepped on it, it would brighten momentarily, even after your foot left it. It's how we have gone from world to world for eons. At the end of the Bifrost was a giant golden sphere where Heimdal, the gatekeeper, stood watch. He was the one to transport us to the different realms."
"Why past tense? It's still there isn't it? How else could you get here?" Annie pondered aloud.
Loki swallowed hard. "It's not there, because- of me." His shoulders fell and he looked ashamed. Annie looked concerned. "I was so angry with Thor, with Odin, with myself. I couldn't come to terms with the truth about myself and I wanted so badly to do something to make my father proud."
Annie looked perplexed, but she didn't say anything. She didn't want her words to stop him from getting what he needed to say off his chest. She just listened.
"He never told me that I'm not an Asgardian. I am Laufey's son! He took me from the battle grounds like he stole the relics that gave them power. I went years feeling different and never knowing why. Besides, Sif I was the only person in all of Asgard with black hair and frankly, her hair was charmed that way. I did not have the strength that my brother did. I am no warrior. I can hold my, don't mistake me, but I have to rely on magic and my wits, whereas, Thor can walk into Jotumhiem with his hammer and his arrogance and be unscathed. I began to resent him." Loki did not sound bitter, but his words were rueful.
"I was angry when I confronted Odin. Angier than I've ever been. I was yelled at the All-Father when he fell into the Odinsleep." He saw her expression and elaborated. "It's a kind of sleep where he rests for an unknown length of time. He can hear and he knows what is going on, but he cannot act. It's the worst kind of purgatory, if you ask me." He looked at the table, avoiding eye contact as he continued his story.
"Thor had already been banished to Midgard and the role of king fell to me. I relished it. I was cruel, Annie. I did all I could to keep Thor from returning home. It was I who sent the Destroyer to earth." He shook his head in disgust. "I could have killed my brother. When Thor was finally able to return, I goaded him into attacking me, but not before I tried to use the Bifrost to destroy Jotunhiem. Thor realized what would happen and he broke the Bifrost. The force of it nearly threw us both off the edge of the Bifrost, but Father caught us both. He was tiring and I let myself fall."
Annie sat patiently trying to take in everything he said. Earlier that night he explained things slowly, now he was just talking to unburden his heart. He looks so defeated. Annie wanted to reach out for him, but decided against it when he continued again.
"I'd do anything to reverse all that I've done. I just wanted to make him proud. I don't think that I can ever go back." His voice cracked with this admission.
"Because of the bridge?" Annie barely whispered. Her family didn't always get along, but she couldn't fathom never being able to see them again.
"I found other ways to get to the other realms and back unnoticed. " He said shaking his head at her reason. "I can't go back, because, how could they ever forgive my actions? What I did—What I tried to do? It's reprehensible." A tear fell from Loki's deep green eyes as he looked at her with a look that begged for her not to hate him. He trusted her more in the past few minutes than he had ever trusted anyone. He was not a man to admit his weakness or his faults. Something about Annie reassured him that she was not someone who would ever judge him.
"Loki…" Annie said softly, trying to calm the broken man in front of her. "They're your family. Even if not by blood, they'll always be there for you. They'll always love you."
He nodded halfheartedly not believing the platitude.
"Seriously… I haven't done what you have by any means, but I've let my parents down more times than I can count. I've never doubted that they loved me, though. I think you're just scared." Loki looked annoyed with the word. "It's not unheard of to be scared once in a while, you know? I've been too scared to tell my parents that I left that loser, Jeff, and fled to New Mexico with no plan. I told them that I had a great job waiting for me here, because I couldn't bear to disappoint them."
Loki nodded understandingly and was about to say something before Annie cut in.
"I'll make you a deal… How about I tell my parents I wasted years of my life and sanity with an abusive jerk and you try to tell yours that you're sorry? You said you knew of other ways to get there, so don't tell me you can't. I'm not taking no for an answer" She said with a strong voice. She knew that he needed this and she did her best to hide her fear that he would leave and she would lose her only friend.
"I acquiesce." Loki nodded his head. Moments later he let out a small yawn. It had been a very long day and his body ached for rest.
"Come on. Long day. Let's hit the hay." Annie said trying to dissipate the dampened mood that the seriousness of their conversation had left them with. Loki merely nodded as she scurried about the apartment readying herself for bed. She emerged from the bathroom with her sheep pajamas on. Loki was on just able to stifle a chortle when he saw her put on slippers with little lamb heads on them. She was so perfectly quirky. She hummed as she went through her new dresser and smiled as she took out a black shirt and some elastic pants.
"This is the only thing I've got that will fit you. I think you'll find it kind of suits you" She said as she handed him the clothing. He looked confused. "For bed, you know?"
Loki changed in the bathroom, perplexed as he read the expression on his shirt. He chuckled. When he emerged he questioned her with mock gravity.
"And why might you think that this suits me?" He pointed to his chest with a hint of a grin that gave him away. The white letters stood out boldly 'I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good.' "Certainly you're feline would disagree with your assessment of my character?"
Annie looked confused for a moment until she heard a loud meow and saw her little cat, Daphne, scamper across the floor. Her cat's normally sleek black fur was now neon green.
"Put her back! Put her back!" She said completely flabbergasted.
"Or what?" He responded serenely. "I am a bit fatigued. I think I'll lie down now."
Annie marched up to him menacingly, mere inches between them and stood on her tippy toes so she would be on his eye level. Loki couldn't help but find her stance adorable. I wonder what would happen if…. "Oh no you don't! You change her back or I'll—I'll –"Annie unfortunately was unable to articulate what exactly she planned on doing because Loki had firmly pressed his lips to hers.
She leaned into him as his arms snaked around her thin frame. Her lips parted slightly, softly returning the kiss, gaining momentum as she lost herself to the wave of sensations that engulfed them. His lips were moist, not wet. His pace slow, but filled with intent as if he wanted to memorize each part of her. And then… he pulled back gently, a soft smile graced his features. Annie was left wanting more.
"A 'good night kiss' is customary, correct?" He asked a playful twinkle in his stunning green eyes.
Annie managed a mumbled and inarticulate "Uh-huh."
Loki strode over to the air mattress and was beginning to lie down when Annie was finally able to speak.
"You don't have to sleep there. You've conjured a perfectly good bed, right there."
"I come from a land where men are chivalrous; I cannot take the bed, while you lie on the floor." He responded, lying down.
"We can share." Annie offered timidly. One of Loki's eye brows wriggled.
"Not like that!" She admonished him. "Just two adults sleeping, that's all."
Loki contemplated his options. He did not relish the idea of sleeping on the floor, but he did not want to take advantage of the situation, either… She did look rather insistent, though."If that is what you wish."
They both lied down in the large bed. Each unsure and nervous. Annie brought the white comforter up to her shoulder's a let out a nearly inaudible sigh. That was some kiss.
A/N: Hurray they kissed. Hoped that didn't seem too out of the blue. Only 4 more chapters until you get to pick your ending. Next one Jane makes an appearance =] A super shout out to my always reviewers chatnoir1, Chick With Brains, fanningthings1, Miss Pookamonga, TCStark, TheInvincibleKay,