The light from the sun makes my eyelids red. I open them slowly, sit up and run my fingers through my thick hair. The warmth of the sun against my body feels comforting in a way. All I know is today will be the second good day of my life in four-hundred years, give or take. And that makes my smile and throw myself out of bed. I dress in a black dress embroidered with gold geometric pattern. It has a gold neckline, belt, and hem. I place the crown I received as present when I was young on my head and walk out of my room. On my way to the throne room I stop because I here Sif and the others talking in another room. I put my ear up against the door and listen.
"... I told Odin that we were going to Jotunheim." Loki says.
"You must go to the All Father and beg him to bring back Thor." Sif demands.
"No, you saw how he was back there. He's dangerous and arrogant." Loki replies. Sif sounds tired and hurt. As if she has been grieving for… Thor? "I have a feeling that this act is out of more than friendship." Loki taunts, coldly, "What is it, hmm? Sentiment maybe? You're a warrior Sif, sentiment will destroy you. It will destroy all of us."
"And what will it do to you?" Sif spits.
"Make me stronger than ever." He replies, mischieviously. He comes through the door and smiles at me. "Did you hear?" He asks.
"Yes." I reply.
"So…"
"Why do you have to be so… cold?"
"And to you, Sig." He says slyly.
I punch his the arm as he's wrapping it around my waist.
I sit perched on the armrest on the right side of the throne while Loki sits in it. "How does it feel?" I ask him.
"Oh, I could get used to this!" He replies.
I smile at him in return and he leans in closer to me. I bend myself so our faces are almost touching. He closes his eyes and I swipe the golden helmet off of his head. "Hey!" He says. But I'm off of my perch and standing at the bottom of the steps of the platform that the throne sits on. I removes the crown I wear and place his helmet on my head. It's heavy and fits weirdly on me, it falls slightly to the side of my head. Loki laughs at me and tries to take it back but I duck and he misses. I stick my tongue out at him and he starts to chase me around the room, I feel like we're kids. He finally catches me and throws me over his shoulder, I'm holding the helmet to my head with my hands. We're both laughing hard and he drops me unceremoniously onto the throne and fake-punches me in the gut. While I'm laughing hard enough, he steals his helmet back. I roll out of the chair and return to my perch on the armrest. Almost immediately after we've calmed down I hear Sif's voice saying, "All Father, we must speak with you at once." Loki and I stand in response. Sif looks horrified. "My friends," Loki says
"Where is the All Father?" Sif demands.
"He has fallen into the Odinsleep," Loki says sitting down with a look of mock-concern, "Mother fears he may never awaken again. You may bring your matter to me, your king." He says the word king as if he enjoys saying it. I can tell he does.
"You must bring back Thor." Sif states.
"My first command cannot be to undo the All Father's last." He replies, sounding bored.
"But…" Volstagg starts.
"No." Loki asserts.
"Ca…" Fandral begins.
"We're done!" Loki
"It's nice to know that you're poisoning the mind of your own sister." Sif says, giving me a disgusted look.
"He's not poisoning my mind, I chose this. And I'm not his sister." I reply turning blue, Jotun blue. "I'm his lover." I say. Sif looks as if she just someone she loves betrayed her even though we never really liked each other that much, slowly she turns around and walks away with Hogun, Fandral and Volstagg in trail. "I take it you enjoyed that?" Loki says to me. "What, you mean grossing the hell out of Sif? Yes."
"No, not that. Although, that does seem enjoyable to everyone."
"Quite right and yes I did enjoy getting the fact that I'm in love with you out to another person. Is that so wrong?"
"No, no. It's not."
"Loki, can I ask you something?" I say looking serious.
"Yes, of course. Anything" He replies shifting to face me.
"How long have you…"
"Since I first saw you." He says, knowing what I'm asking. "I tried to find any possible way around it, being related to you. But, since I thought there was no way, I wanted to be as close to you as I could get. You've always understood me like no one else and you are the only one I would lay down my life to protect." He's standing in front of me now, he puts his arms around me. I close my eyes and say, "I want to hear you say it, in three words."
"I fear you, I need you, I love you." He replies.
"That was nine." I say teasing him. My face goes serious, "Is that the truth?"
"And nothing else."
"Good." I say. I guide his face down so it meets mine and kiss him softly. His lips are small and soft, he moves in sync with me as if we are one person. His hands on my back are cool and dry, as if his hands have been at work for ages. He holds me carefully and gently, as if he's scared he will break me. I've never kissed anyone before, never thought about it, never wanted to and judging by his caution, he hasn't either. In this moment with what I have, where I am, and who I'm with, there's nothing I'd rather have, nowhere I'd rather be, no one I'd rather be with. He pulls away from me slowly and looks directly into my eyes. I've never been able to see the vibrancy and intensity of them up this close. It looks as though there are two icy galaxies with a black center swirling in a sea of white. He places his fingertips above my right eyebrow and runs them down my face, over my temple, my cheekbones, jawbones and my chin. He paces his hand under my chin and guides my face towards his, and between kisses he whispers, "Are you scared?"
"Yes." I say and he kisses me harder.