I hadn't seen the Avengers when I came in, I was focused on Loki to keep my nerves down, so I was surprised when I saw them so close to me. I hadn't expected to meet Cap's eyes either. I felt a pang of panic as I could see a small amount of recognition in his eyes, but I keep my expression blank, no need to give him anymore clues than he already has. I look away from him to face the 'Priest' who's talking to Loki, giving him half of my attention as the other thinks about the Avengers and what they must be thinking right now. I'm pulled away from my thoughts to the Priest as he mentions something I hadn't been told previously.
"-your wife must be with child within the first few months of your marriage as part of tradition and to bind all remaining ties together between the two of you." He finishes and I stare at him in shock before managing to regain control of my mouth.
"What?" I ask shocked, he looks at me in surprise, probably unaware that I hadn't known about this.
"You were not told about this?" He asks me and I shake my head in response when Odin and Frigga walk up to us.
"We were going to tell her afterwards, we thought it best not to overwhelm you with too much information." Frigga says looking apologetic. I'm about to say something when I remember Cap and the other Avengers being near us. I turn around and Clint and Bruce looking anywhere but here and I can tell that they'd been watching our interaction carefully, my eyes narrow as I spot Natasha moving discreetly towards us with Cap by her side clearly trying to figure out what's going on from Thor who's standing near us, laughing slightly. I turn my glare on him which only makes him struggle to hold in his laughter ever so slightly and I end up giving up and joining him quietly. The Priest and Thor's parents quickly joining in to cover up what we'd been talking about from the Avengers, and I guess that they must have been speaking another language that isn't known or has been forgotten on Earth so that they wouldn't understand what was going on thankfully.
I hear Cap asking Thor what's going on and he gives an answer that I don't pay attention to as I think about what Frigga and the Priest just said. "When do we-when does the banquet start?" I ask trying to get away from any confrontation, however unlikely, and to distract myself. I look at Loki as we're led to the banquet hall and I can see that he's just as surprised and nervous as I am. But I'm not going to get pregnant without having a long talk with him first.
The banquet hall was already packed full of people by the time we got in, there was plenty of food, probably enough to feed all of New York for a week. There were toasts made and some gifts given from each of the Nine Realms which surprised me, I hadn't expected the Avengers to bring a gift. Though I expect Thor made them. Surprisingly the present is a communicator with a note saying 'Just in case you need any help' and I can see the double meaning behind the words. There's one for both of us and surprisingly they were made by Bruce to withstand any magic attempting to destroy or damage them. That in itself is impressive.
After a few hours, Frigga leads me and Loki separate rooms to change out of our wedding clothes before being taken to our new room together which has my nerves returning again. Once we're in the room and Frigga has left we both turn around and observe our surroundings. The bed is in front of us, the headboard facing us so that when we lay in the bed we'll be facing the overlarge window, that is basically a whole wall, overlooking the gardens at the back of the palace. On our left is a small library and small sitting area and to our right is a door leading to what I guess would be the bathroom and wardrobe area.
Curiously, I walk towards the bed to get a clearer view of the gardens and I can almost see the grove that we'd been in only a few hours earlier as twilight began to settle over Asgard. "Don't worry," Loki's voice causes me to jump slightly which gains him a small chuckle. "No one can see us. Only we can see in and out of this room. It was personally designed that way for us. This is our little space only for when we're in Asgard." I relax a little at his words, thankful that no one will be able to spy on us. I feel his hand on my arm and I turn to look up at him, he's five inches taller than me so I have to bend my neck back a little so I can see his face clearly. He looks like he wants to talk, but is unsure of what to say or how to start. I smile softly and lead him to one of the sofas by the library and sit down, making sure that we face each other.
"Why didn't you tell me it was you Loki?" I catch him by surprise with my question, and it takes him a few minutes to be able to respond.
"I... I didn't want you to hate me, I thought it would be easier if you didn't know it was me." He says quietly, his fingers playing with my hand, not sure what else to do it seems. I watch his hands for a few minutes, remembering the way he would do this when he nervous, play with mine or his own fingers, trying to decide what to say or do. It seems strange to see a gold ring on his left hand and two on my own. I'd never had much hope of getting married after he left. I grip his hand tightly in my own as I remember the day that he left.
"What's wrong Loki?" I ask looking up from my book. I'm sat down at a picnic bench on the school grounds and see him looking nervous and upset. I immediately abandon the book and go over to him. Taking his hands in my own, watching as his fingers start to play with mine. Somethings wrong.
"I'm... I'm leaving Toni." He says quietly looking down at our hands, not meeting my eyes.
"Why?" I ask confused and a little hurt, scared that I'd done something wrong. "Have I... have I done something wrong?" I ask, almost afraid to look at him now.
"What?! No! You haven't done anything wrong Toni!" He reassures me, looking appalled that I'd ever think such a thing. "You haven't done anything wrong, I just have to go. I can't say why, but I have to go, my parents–" I stops abruptly, realising what he said. I look up at him suspicious now.
"You said you were an orphan." I say accusingly and he cringes at my tone and looks back at our hands.
"I was given the name Loki for a reason you know Toni." I pull away from him and he looks up at me startled, and I know my expression is one of betrayal. I thought he wouldn't be like the others. "It's not like that Toni! I wasn't trying to get to you or anything!" He starts, unsure of what else to say. I shake my head and turn away from him, walking back towards my bag starting to put my books in it. Instead of stopping me like I thought he would, he helps me pack them and I look up in surprise. His expression is pleading. I cave momentarily.
"Explain." I say abruptly. All emotion gone from my voice. He cringes slightly at my tone before sitting down on the bench sighing and putting his face in his hands before looking back up at me and explaining.
"My parents are good people with a lot of power, they didn't want me to grow up being a spoilt brat full of himself like my brother is. So they sent me here under the guise that I was an orphan, that way no one would target my family in case they ever found out. But they want me to return home now since I've gotten all of the degrees I wanted. I don't know if I'll be coming back." That gets at me and I freeze, staring at him like he'd just admitted to being a murderer. He looks up when he notices my silence and immediately stands up and pulls me into a hug, I hold him tightly refusing to let him go.
"Don't go." I whisper, he can't leave me not like everyone else has. "I love you." I'd always been afraid of saying that to anyone since I've always had my heart ripped out before I could. But now that he's leaving I'll say anything to make him stay. I feel him freeze in surprise before relaxing again and pulling away from the hug, I'm afraid that I've upset him when looks down at me, tears in his eyes.
"I love you too." He whispers back his hands resting the sides of my shoulders. I feel tears fall down my face, he's the only one outside of my family to see me like this, I'm showing him how much I trust him hoping that it might convince him to stay. Seeing my plan clearly, he sighs and pulls me back into the hug an dI can feel him crying along with me.
"Please... Don't abandon me too." I say my voice breaking at the end, he pulls out of the hug again and gently kisses me on my lips, I turn my head deepening the kiss holding him close to me, but unfortunately you have to breathe to kiss so we end up pulling apart and he's too tall for me to try and force another kiss. He looks at me placing his hands on either side of my head and speaking seriously.
"I won't ever abandon you Tony. I love you and nothing will ever change that." There's no joke in his eyes or tone and I believe him. He holds me again and we stay like that for a while before he pulls back again. "We won't be able to contact each other where I'm going, but I'll come back I don't know when or how, or who I'll be then, but I will come back I promise." He kisses the top of my head and passes me my bag before kissing me one last time and leaving me there still standing there years later, wondering if he'll ever come back.
"You came here every year to see if I'd come back?" I turn and Loki watching his retreating figure before looking at me.
"Every year. Mum and Dad died a few months later which didn't help much." He looks at me ashamed.
"I wanted to come back Toni, I honestly did, but Odin wouldn't let me and I had no way of convincing Heimdall to let me go. I'm sorry." He looks back down at his hands playing with his fingers, upset this time as well as slightly nervous.
"I know. But it didn't make it any easier. But I never forgot what you said Loki, I still loved you even when I was dating other men. I just wish you told me before." I say in response. I walk over to him and take his hands in mine again, before looking up at him and whispering, "I'm with you for all eternity, I'm not going to leave you." He smiles briefly before bringing his lips against mine once more, this time neither of us will be leaving.
Hope you enjoy this chapter, I'm currently writing the next one which may contain a little bit of drama with the Avengers. Thanks for reading!
