It's about time for an update. Sorry for the wait, I have a life outside of story writing. But alas, it is time, the crossover is getting in full swing with Blood Thirsty Angle, so I may suggest reading The Contract to get a better idea of Neena. Hope you enjoy the chapter!
They had fallen asleep in one another's arms during the night after their little affair. Ana woke up in an empty bed, sprawled out under the silk sheets, still naked. The doors then opened to Loki's room and he strode in with a tray of food and a kind smile on his face, lighting up slightly when he saw she was awake. "Good morning, Darling. I seem to recall you had a bit of a rough night," he smirked.
Ana huffed and rolled onto her stomach, still exhausted. "You could say that," she mumbled into the pillow, feeling Loki sit on the edge of the bed and snatching the sheets off of her. "Hey!" she hollered, trying and failing to cover herself without success, forgetting she could have used magic to dress herself.
Loki stared at her again, taking in the sight of her, which made her blush, suddenly self conscious of her body. "I would offer another round," he laid a soft hand on her thigh, "but we have business to attend to shortly."
"And what would that be?" she inquired, crossing her legs to ward off his wandering gaze.
"The queen retrieved the girl from the feast. I must say I am curious to learn more, are you not?" he wondered, placing the tray of food in her lap, from which he stole a few slices of meat.
"I've been a bit preoccupied," she retorted, finally using magic to clothe herself in black skinny jeans and a flowing dark green tank top, mostly to please Loki. She took her pendant from Loki's outstretched hand and placed it back on her arm, thankful he kept it safe for her.
"You look lovely," Loki complimented her, stealing another slice of meat from her plate before she could slap his greedy hand away. "Do finish quickly, I do not wish to miss this," he told her before walking out onto the balcony.
Ana's eyes followed him, noticing his stride was more confident for obvious reasons, but he held his shoulders in a way which looked painful. It was easy to deduce that all of the times she had dug her nails into his back had caused a decent amount of damage. "Let me see your back," she requested of him in between bites of her brunch.
He sighed, but did as she wished, walking back to the bed and sitting next to her, the top part of his armor disappearing so she could see the cuts in his skin. He had washed earlier in the morning so the blood had been washed away but her nails left clean cuts from his shoulders to his lower back. She placed her hand on his back to heal him but he pulled away, "I'll keep them as a reminder," he smirked, unfazed by the injuries, wearing them almost like battle scars. Ana, on the other hand, remained unscathed since Loki was gentle with her, at least for their first time. He eventually put his armor back on, asking her "Are you finished?"
"Yes," she rolled her eyes before sliding out of the luxurious bed. "Where to?" she grabbed his arm as they exited his chambers, oblivious to the looks of the servants as she appeared at his side.
"My mother's private quarters. Where you first kissed me, if you don't recall," he reminded her even though she remembered it vividly.
As they made their way to Frigga's quarters they saw Thor appear across the hall, holding a bag in his hand and a huge grin on his face, one that couldn't be explained solely by the fact he would be king. Loki ignored his brother's greeting, allowing Thor to enter first.
"Mother! I have eaten one," he held up the bag to show it to Frigga. "They are delicious!" He turned the bag to read the label and directed his question to the black haired girl, "What are these Tacooos?" The girl cringed at the word 'tacooo,' but Thor was oblivious as he brought one to Frigga, "Mother, you must try these delicacies," he exclaimed vibrantly. "Here, eat one," he held out a taco for her.
"I'll try one later, my son," Frigga dismissed his offer. "Right now I am speaking with Neena," she gestured to the girl standing across from her by the balcony.
"Mother," Loki began, leading them further into the room, "Did Father permit you to release the prisoner?" He exchanged a suspicious glance with Neena who then glared at him angrily.
"No," Frigga answered easily, placing a gentle hand on Neena's shoulder. "Young ladies do not belong in prison. And didn't get Ana out of prison, Loki?" she questioned him, not expecting him to come up with an excuse.
Loki rolled his eyes at her question, "Thor and I agreed upon the conditions of her release," he countered, clutching Ana's arm tighter. "We did not agree to have this child released as well," he stated snarkily.
"You did not hesitate to release Ana," Frigga narrowed her eyes at her son.
"I actually wasn't imprisoned at all, if you remember correctly," she brought up, finally meeting the girl's eyes again. "How was your night in prison, Neena?" she inquired with a bit of sass.
"It fucking sucked," she responded flatly. "What did you do to get on the old pirate's bad side?"
Ana raised a brow, slightly impressed by Neena's spunk. "I attempted to kill him upon our first meeting," she shrugged, "Not such a big thing in the grand scheme of things." She could sense Loki's internal amusement at her bluntness, but he knew that Odin started the fight.
"Wow, that's fucked up," the girl stated frankly. "And you're with tall, dark, and creepy?" she asked, referring to Loki.
"You could say that. Draw what conclusions you may," Ana shrugged again while Loki rolled his eyes, both remembering their first night together. She couldn't help hinting at it in public, adding to the excitement of the event.
"So you're together? And pirate guy approves," she rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Doubt it."
"The All-Father does not really have a say in what I can and cannot do," Ana smirked, noticing how Loki straightened his posture, clearly growing uncomfortable with her innuendos.
"So you're screwing the All-Father's son? Wow, you're more of a skank than I thought," Neena sassed, her words hitting Anastasia rather harshly. "Can I go home now?" she asked no one in particular.
Ana's eyes widened, "Come here and say that," she broke free of Loki's arm and took threatening steps forward. It wasn't normal that a child's words could agitate her so much, but she had just spent the night with Loki and she was a tad bit sensitive on the subject. Part of her wanted to say that it was because she had true feelings for him that she was offended by Neena's calling her a skank, but now was not the time for critical thinking.
Neena stepped forward as well, raising her chin in boldness, "I said that you're a skank. Or would you rather prefer the word slut?" she spat.
Ana conjured a silver baton attached to her pendant and closed the distance between she and Neena before taking a swing and smacking her knees, sending her buckling to the ground. "Watch yourself," she warned.
"Fuck you, you psycho bitch!" Neena cried, grabbing at her injured knees. "Fuck, that really hurt!"
Ana rolled her eyes, twirling the baton in her hands, "No shit. If you can't take what you dish out, I suggest you stop your bitching." She could feel all eyes on her, Frigga's disapproving, Thor's shocked, and Loki's impatient. She couldn't help it. The way she was taught was that when someone attacks or challenges her, it was cause for violence, even though she knew deep down it was wrong.
"Anastasia, that is enough," Frigga stepped in between the two, looking to Ana's baton until it disappeared. "Neena, are you alright, child?" she asked, kneeling down next to her.
"Dammit, I'm not a child!" Neena shouted.
Frigga cast a withering look at Ana, "Heal her. Now."
"Get that bitch away from me!" Neena yelled as Ana knelt in front of her, beyond agitated with the girl's attitude. There was not an ounce of respect or thought put into her words, which was not acceptable in her opinion.
"Get over yourself," Ana backhanded her across the face, not meaning to, the action just happening. There was no regret though, as she grabbed her knees and quickly healed them. As soon as her knees were healed, Neena lifted her right leg and landed a swift kick to her face. She could hear the weak gasps around the room as she wiped her nose, seeing the blood dripping on her hand. "That's it," she snapped, grabbing Neena by the arm and lifting them both easily to their feet and slammed her up against the wall, bringing her dagger next to the girl's face. "I am trying really hard not to kill you right now," she growled.
Loki stepped up behind her, prying her arms off of Neena. "That's enough, Darling," he murmured into her ear in attempt to calm her down, but it didn't work. She allowed him to pull her away, but then he continued, "Don't let this child rile you up." Immediately Ana turned to him and slapped him firmly across the face before backing further away. "Alright then," he mumbled to himself, clearly pleased, stretching out his jaw.
Neena then proceeded to slump against the wall, hitting her head in the process. "What the fuck is happening?" she wondered to herself.
Frigga placed herself between Neena and the rest of them, "Can we please have a grown up discussion?" Frigga asked of them all, not pleased one bit. "Ana, you are over eight hundred years old, grow up. Loki, you are responsible for Ana; you should keep a better eye on her. Thor, stop eating the poor child's tacos," she reprimanded all of them.
They all look at her, dumbfounded. Ana was cross, not enjoying the idea that someone was responsible and now she was being chastised like a child. "Are you implying that this is my fault?" Loki inquired, clearly offended.
"No," Frigga began, "I am implying that it is all of your faults," she corrected. She helped Neena to her feet, looking at her sternly, "And you need to watch your mouth before Ana or someone worse rips it off."
"It would be a complete shame if she didn't have it, I agree," Ana couldn't help but remark, now sitting in a chair that was slightly behind Loki, earning the middle finger from Neena. She admitted it was refreshing to have an argument with a Midgardian, the pathetic way in which they spoke was entertaining.
"And it would be a shame if you didn't have your boyfriend to keep a leash on you!" Neena sneered, against the queen's advice.
Ana began to rise from her seat, but Loki prevented her from stepping forward, "Darling, she is only a child. She will learn her manners eventually." He then turned to Neena, "I suggest sooner rather than later."
"And I suggest you put your bitch on a leash. I suggest sooner rather than later," Neena challenged, ignoring the rage painted over Ana's face.
"You've done it now," Ana hissed, shoving Loki aside and trudging toward Neena, grabbing her by the throat and immediately began draining the life from her. She realized that she was losing control, feeling her eyes change their shade and her body taking control, but she couldn't help it. It's how she was trained; it was a habit. "Anything else you wish to say?" she asked Neena, hoping she dared to speak once more.
"Fuck you!" she croaked before Ana swung with her free hand and knocked her unconscious, her body falling limp to the floor.
As Neena was lying unconscious on the floor, Ana finally began to cool down and Loki gave her much needed space so she wouldn't snap at him. Frigga immediately turned her attention to Neena, saying something to her but it went in one ear and out the other. She couldn't hear anything, only the thoughts running through her mind, the feeling uncomfortably familiar. It was one of those moments where she lost control, returning to the person she once was, or still is.
The girl's words meant nothing to her, but being attacked snapped something inside of her, triggering that reflex that said kill. All the emotions she was feeling were overwhelming. Firstly, there was the love building inside of her for Loki that left her vulnerable, which put her on edge. Then there was the fact that the pendant she was wearing was a lie, though she did not yet know its secrets. And finally, here was a young girl in almost the same position as herself that she had just attempted to kill, or at least critically injure.
That part of her that belonged to Thanos was raging, her body craving bloodshed and the strong energy of a youthful soul. He would have told her to savor the process, make it slow and painful, never faltering or questioning her actions, yet the other part of her knew that what she had just done was wrong, but she didn't feel the guilt, only a small portion of it. She couldn't force herself to feel something that she was incapable of. One life was meaningless to her, as awful as she knew it sounded.
"The girl," Anastasia muttered, sensing the girl's energy inside her. It was odd, but not the same way as Loki's was. Hers was contaminated, not fully Midgardian like she thought. "She is part Asgardian," she glanced at Frigga who had been attempting to speak to her for some time. "That girl," she glanced around, noticing that her body had been removed, "She is a halfbreed."
"That cannot be," Thor interjected for the first time, the bag of tacos still in his hand. "Interaction with Midgardians is outlawed across the Nine Realms," he stated cluelessly.
"Not everyone follows your laws," Ana retorted, naturally snappy. "Someone had other ideas," she trailed off, glancing in Loki's direction, wondering if he knew his own secret.
"I must attend to her," Frigga nodded to Ana, still upset by her actions, but thankful for the insight on the black haired girl.
Ana's eyes were locked on Loki, her mind racing as she stared blankly at him. He was one of the most proper Asgardians she had ever met, knowing the diplomacy of the Nine Realms and using that to protect the universe. He spoke like an Asgardian, fought like one, thought like one, and cared like one. Yet underneath his pale skin was a Jotun, and he didn't even know it.
Jotunheim was once a powerful world of advanced giants with a certain taste for war. Ana had done extensive research on the people and culture of the Jotuns at the request of Thanos for reasons she never found out. Nowadays the world was shattered, its once staggering cities fallen to the ground in a barren and cold wasteland since their power had been taken from them.
Thanos had introduced her to the new world when she was young, setting an example of how he could transform an innocent child into a monster. He now sent her back to Jotunheim with a mission and an alliance to offer. Ana hadn't spoken with King Laufey before, but with the help of Thanos's training, she was not afraid in the slightest.
She teleported herself instantly to the center of the city, before the empty throne of the king. She wrapped her leather coat around her tightly, pulling up the fur-laced hood to shield her ears from the cold wind. "Come out, come out, wherever you are," she chimed, glancing around the city center at the destruction that remained. The snow was falling lightly from the deep blue sky, the whole situation feeling cold and desolate.
Suddenly a figure appeared from behind the shattered wall, deep orange eyes glaring at her, "I have been waiting for this day," he spoke plainly. "Are you not cold, child?" he smirked, his low voice echoing the vicinity as he sat upon his throne before her.
"It's hard to be cold when everything inside you is dead," she shrugged, "You should know."
"What may I do for you?" he inquired suspiciously, reclining back in his throne as he stared her down.
"I have a proposition for you," she began before Laufey interrupted.
"I do not associate my people with the Mad Titan," he snarled, disgusted at the very thought of Thanos.
"It's my proposition, I assure you," Ana took a few steps closer, removing her hood so he could see her clearly, her eyes black and empty. "I am certain you remember the Casket of Ancient Winters?"
Laufey's eyes darted up to hers, urging her to go on.
"It is locked away in the vaults of Asgard, as you may well know," she paused, making sure she had his full attention. "I have a feeling I could be of some assistance retrieving said casket in the foreseeable future."
"Why should I believe you?" Laufey questioned, definitely intrigued, yet not wanting to get hopeful only to be disappointed once more.
"What if I told you that many years ago, a Frost Giant babe was taken back to Asgard after the war? And I know for a fact that this very child is residing in Asgard under a disguise." Ana looked up at the king, seeing the thoughts racing through his thick mind, pleased that he was so easily coerced.
"And what would you desire in return?" Laufey sat up in his throne, thoroughly considering the possibility.
"A mere favor in time is all I request," Ana smiled sweetly. "A girl can never be certain of when she may need the aid of a Jotun," she continued, leaving the rest up to Laufey's imagination.
A smile crossed the giant's lips and he stood up slowly, making his way over to where Anastasia was standing, unmoving. "Prove to me you are capable of this task," he told her, his tone revealing that he already knew what she could do.
"Bring me your finest warrior. I don't wish to kill a king such as yourself," she smirked, her scepter appearing in her hand. The truth was hard to admit, but she enjoyed flaunting her power to those who doubted her, seeing the fear in their eyes as she stole the life force from another living being so effortlessly. That was the monster in her.
As soon as Laufey lifted his hand a larger, more intimidating Jotun appeared from nowhere, fists already covered iced daggers. Ana glanced back up at Laufey, rolling her eyes at how easy of a task it would be before strolling over to the other Jotun carelessly. The giant immediately took a swing at her which she ducked away from before maneuvering herself in such a way to cut him across the chest with her sharp scepter. He laughed, thinking that her weapon was too weak to penetrate his thick skin, but his smile faded as soon as Ana lifted her hand, the energy seeping from his wound into her body. She held Laufey's gaze the entire time, watching him flinch only for a second before remaining unfazed by the sight of his most triumphant warrior slowly die from a mere flesh wound.
"Are you pleased?" Anastasia questioned sarcastically as the giant's body fell limp on the cold, hard ground with a thud. When he grinned at her she added, "I've never had a Jotun before. You are all so… cold," she smirked wildly.
"And you will assist me in retrieving the Casket?" he asked, reassuring himself of their deal.
"I will locate the Jotun in Asgard and request his assistance in gaining you passage into the realm. Give it time, Laufey, patience is truly sacred." She walked over to confirm their deal, extending her hand for a traditional Midgardian handshake, "What do you say?"
"You would make a fine Jotun," Laufey nodded to her, impressed by her power. He took her hand and sealed the agreement. "I will wait for the day," he added, his eyes full of mischief and malicious intent.
She knew she could never break her promise to the Jotuns since it was the first one she had made, but she didn't think anything negative could arise from creating chaos in the Realm Eternal.
Loki studied Ana across the table from him, leaning his cheek onto his hand as he contemplated his next move. Chess was not his favorite activity since he could never find a worthy opponent, that is until Anastasia came along. She sat in the large velvet armchair, one leg propped up on the chair with a hand wrapped around it while her other hand gingerly traced her bottom lip. The more he watched her, the more he was entranced by her. Her small gestures revealed much about her that he hadn't noticed, including her habit of tracing her fingers along her neck and jawline, as if unconsciously reassuring herself she was safe.
Her blonde hair hung loosely around her face and he felt the odd desire to push it away so he could see her clearly. It was hard to imagine the maiden before him was gifted and trained to kill. Seeing her now, her blue eyes resting on the chess table, plotting a move that would counter all of his advances, she was someone who felt deeply. The way she watched the sky, spoke her words, and touched the walls showed that she saw the unseeable, that she had the ability to look past all of the evil in the universe, and be true to herself. Anastasia understood the value of silence and of a simple glance or smile. She would meet his eyes for a moment, seeing the thoughts race through his mind, and look away with a slow blink and a faint smile sprawled across her lips.
The night was quickly approaching as the room began to get increasingly dim, but he couldn't stop thinking. Earlier he had stopped at the infirmary to check in on Neena, who was not in great shape after her conflict with Ana, but that was to be expected. The young girl's sass definitely entertained him, but he was unsure of what to do with her. Odin had agreed to notify her father on Midgard of her presence in Asgard, then Frigga ordered him to take her to the dungeons for her own safety. After a short distance and a decent amount of complaints on Neena's part, he ultimately decided to throw her over his shoulder the remainder of the trek.
He remembered their brief exchange as he set her down outside her cell:
"Damn," Neena sighed, "Why does bad shit always happen to me?" she asked aloud as he stopped to set her down.
"'Bad shit,'" he began, "normally happens to those who ask for it," he retorted without thinking. The same moment he said it, he regretted it. Anastasia didn't ask for her life to turn out the way it did and she did not deserve it either. But his ignorance got the better of him and he would not apologize for saying it.
"Not always," she said darkly, pain instantly flashing across her eyes. "Man, it's cold down here. And I'm hungry," she quickly changed the subject to his relief.
"I will have the guards bring you blankets and a warm meal. Does that sound good?" he offered, not sure of exactly how to properly provide for a Midgardian child.
To his horror tears began to form in her eyes, "No, I would rather go home." She gulped, clearly frustrated, "I want to go home. My dad… he's all I have." Her lip began to tremble, on the verge of tears, "Can you take me home? Please?" She looked up at him pleadingly, making him beyond uncomfortable.
Instead of trying to comfort her, he scooted her inside the cell awkwardly, avoiding her saddened eyes, "I'll send for the blankets and food," he told her before exiting the dungeons.
And that was it. In only two minutes she managed to make him uncomfortable.
He moved his pawn forward, which Ana immediately snatched up with her bishop. The focused expression on her face made him wonder whether or not chess was part of her training for strategy with Thanos, since she ignored his stares.
"Anastasia," he leaned forward in his chair, her eyes snapping up at him. He didn't speak once he held her gaze and simply looked at her eyes, wanting to ask her what exactly happened to her. "I think you should speak with Neena," he blurted after several minutes of silence.
She continued to stare at him, searching his eyes for something, feeling as though there was a new distance between them, like she was waiting for something to happen to him. "Why?" she asked quietly.
"You and she are not so different, Darling. You could both use someone who understands," he looked away, moving yet another pawn without hope.
"Sympathy and understanding are not to be confused," she mumbled, taking his bishop with her knight, working on clearing a path to his king. "Suffering is relative, but not one fully understands another, nor should one want to," she trailed off.
Loki rose from his seat, Ana following him from the corner of her eye. "You are not completely honest with me," he said plainly, opening the curtains to the balcony before stepping outside.
"You would be dead if I were," she said solemnly, following him out on the balcony. "My words may be false, but my actions are true," she placed her hand atop his on the railing overlooking Asgard.
"Talk with her, please," he told her sweetly, placing a kiss on her forehead.
He could have sworn she rolled her eyes, but she nodded in agreement. They stood a while longer until she broke the silence, "I've always dreamed of falling." Ana looked over the railing, analyzing the distance to the ground. He could sense there was more to what she said, but he couldn't put a finger on it. "Free of strings and attachments. The only force is that of nature and I am at the disposal of something greater than myself. I want to know where I stand," she continued. There was something that she wasn't telling him, and he didn't want to pry it from her lips unless she willed him to.
"We could borrow a ship if you would like," he offered with a smirk, trying to get her to laugh her charming laugh. She only smirked.
"I'll talk to Neena in the morning," she sighed before retreating into his chambers. He was going to let her leave and retire to her own chambers, but she paused at the door. "May I sleep with you tonight?" she asked, the question absent of any hint of something more than sleep, which he didn't mind.
"Of course," he smiled, watching from the balcony as she used her magic to change into an oversized tunic before she crawled under his sheets, taking off her pendant and setting it on the nightstand and rolling over. It didn't hit him how strange it was that he felt so comfortable with Anastasia, that it seemed normal for her to spend the night casually.
Stepping inside his room he shut the curtains behind him and walked quietly to the other side of the bed, using his magic to change as well into loose black trousers before he joined her. It wasn't that late either, he just wanted to be near her, grabbing her waist and pulling her into him, her back against his chest. He could certainly get used to sharing his bed, her scent filling his head as he drifted to sleep, his arm wrapped around Anastasia.
Anastasia woke early in the morning, Loki's arm draped across her stomach limply, his face peaceful and dreaming. He was more than handsome, his usually tight lips were parted as he breathed and the tenseness in his jaw dissipated while his black hair was disheveled. She didn't want to leave him, but she slowly raised his arm off of her and snuck out of the bed before slipping out of the door, and cleaning herself up with a swipe of her hand as jean shorts and a loose cyan blue t-shirt adorned her body.
So many thoughts were racing through her mind, the top three being Loki's Jotun heritage, her pendant's mysterious reaction with her blood, and the half-blood Neena. She strode through the halls, bouncing energy between her hands absentmindedly as she pondered further. It was liberating not having to rely on her pendant any longer for 'protection,' but now the task was to find out the true purpose of her accessory. Pausing, the thought hit her: Why was she walking to the dungeons?
The next instant she was outside the main doors to the low security dungeons, impressed by her growing confidence in her abilities. As she pushed the door open she heard Neena's voice, "This is disgusting," she was talking about the food she had tasted. "That's it, when I get home, I'm going vegetarian."
Ana couldn't help herself and walked over to Neena's cell, "I tried that for 30 odd years. It was not one of my favorite experiences." Though it was the truth, the tint of mockery in her voice irked the young girl.
"Well look who it is," Neena began, her sass clear. The raven haired girl pushed her plate of food away and wrapped herself in her blankets thoroughly. "Did your fuck toy let you off your leash?" she grumbled.
The fact that the word 'fuck toy' was used amused Ana immensely, though she was slightly irritated. "Now I could go into a very long and in depth description on everything you are implying, but I'm afraid that won't get us anywhere. That is, unless you would like to hear about those matters?"
"Nope, I'm good," Neena answered quickly. "You're boyfriend tried to explain it, but I don't want to hear about alien sex."
"It isn't much different than any other species. I'd say better, in fact," she trailed off, her mind drifting to her own experiences. She had had relations with many people, but only Loki managed to make her see stars.
Neena flushed, "Are we really having this conversation?" She shifted uncomfortably then sneezed, wiping her nose sloppily, "Can I have another blanket?"
"If you don't want to hear about my sex life, you should probably stop bringing it up," Ana shrugged. Walking up the small steps to the cell and she conjured a blanket as she walked through the forcefield, "The Queen did say you might need this."
"Holy Shit! Did you just walk through a wall? I want to do that! Then I could kick the pirate's ass and get the hell out of here," Neena grinned, taking the blanket greedily and wrapped it around her. "Thanks," she nodded, her straight hair falling in her face before she flipped it away.
"You're welcome," Ana smiled. It was slightly amusing that she created a nest for herself with all of those blankets. "I would advise not trying to walk through that unless you want to be severely burned. It's kinda my thing," she laughed.
"Creepy," Neena eyed her, scooting away slowly as Ana leaned against the white wall at the back of the cell. "You're very weird, Barbie," she commented.
"It has its perks, wouldn't you say?" Ana retorted, glancing at her nails, ignoring the fact that she was called 'Barbie.'
"I guess," Neena glanced at the prisoners across from her cell, "I suppose you aliens aren't as weird as the ones over there."
Ana shrugged, following Neena's gaze, seeing right past them, "Whatever makes you feel better. I've seen a lot of criminals, and those aren't even the worst ones."
"What kind of criminals?" the girl inquired, her attention returning to Ana.
"Some humans, some 'aliens.' The ones who kill and torture. Those kind," she explained vaguely, remembering her experience on another Earth before pushing it to the back of her mind.
"Wow," Neena situated herself further into her nest. "You must have seen a lot of shit."
"I've seen enough shit to last me a thousand lifetimes," she tried to smile, but the pain was not the sort of thing she found pleasurable.
"Aren't we supposed to be enemies or something?" Neena blurted out, confusion written across her face. "I mean, you tried to kill me yesterday," she sneezed again. "Fuck, I think i'm getting a cold. I need more blankets."
"If I was trying we wouldn't be having this conversation now, be grateful. It's a reflex of mine, just as yours is to out curse everyone in the room," she sat down next to Neena's blanket fort.
"It's a habit," she grumbled as she wiped her nose, "I have no filter."
"So we've noticed. And I have a temper. Welcome to AA, Neena," Ana nudged at her. Judging by how Neena flinched from the slight contact, she could tell that Neena still wasn't sure what she should think. It was a fair point considering Ana had almost killed her, but she didn't and that was enough to satisfy herself since she had always been trained to kill.
"I can see you have a temper," a small smile crossed the girl's lips. "Is tall, dark and creepy kinky? It looked like he liked to be slapped."
Anastasia couldn't contain her laugh, "I cannot confirm or deny that. But I will say it takes a certain type of person to be able to care about him." She found it somehow easy to speak with Neena so casually about the topic, granted that they were certainly being sarcastic and sassy to one another. She did care for Loki though, more than anyone she ever had.
"Well he's an asshole. His brother seems nicer," she paused, "Oh shit, he ate the tacos I was supposed to deliver! I am so going to get fired!" Neena's eyes darted frantically around the cell, but she didn't move from her blankets as she fretted over her job.
"I think you have a valid excuse as to why you've been missing work. You should be glad that Thor enjoyed them so much. Tacos are not my personal favorite though," she rambled on, recalling her time in Texas all too vividly.
"Well woopty fucking doo. I am so happy he enjoyed them," Neena grumbled sarcastically. "What does he want? More of them?"
"I'd say he does. Think, if you stay you can open a taco restaurant and bring all that Midgardian food to Asgard. Though, most of it can stay there," she suggested, fighting back the urge to nudge the girl again. It was strange how frail she was compared to herself in form, but it was obvious she was stronger than most Midgardians, regardless of the fact she was part Asgardian.
"Are you kidding me? I burn everything I cook. My Dad has banned me from the stove when I almost set the house on the fire," she smiled, her eyes brightening at the mention of her father before her smile faded. "The stains are still on the ceiling," she mumbled, looking off at nothing.
"Well, I don't know what you were trying to cook, but an evening with Volstagg and you'll have that shit down pat, I guarantee," Ana smiled, trying to brighten the mood since the gloominess was thick enough in the dungeons.
"Is he your other fuck toy?" Neena smirked, teasing eyes looking over at her.
"Gosh no. Loki is not a fan of sharing," she waved off the comment, poorly hiding her agitation. She had only been with Loki once, though it felt like a lifetime.
"I can tell," Neena hid her grin before silence fell between them.
After wondering how she could transition to a new topic, Anastasia conjured a penny in the air, letting it fall into Neena's lap, startling her enough she exited her blanket fort. "Penny for your thoughts?" she managed after she finished laughing.
"Uh, Odin looks like a pirate? And Loki needs to grow his hair out?" she stuttered as she gathered her blankets once more and moved to the corner. "And I want to see my Dad."
"I concur on the former, but I don't even know my father and it has been over 800 years, so I think you can manage," Ana leaned against the cell wall. That is, she thought to herself, if she had a father to begin with, pondering the idea that maybe she just appeared in the universe.
"I don't know who my mom is," Neena wrapped another blanket around herself as she scooted further into the corner. "Dad never talks about her. All I have from her is this ring,"
"Well," Ana thought for a moment. "I guess that makes two of us. You have a ring and I have a pendant," she said absentmindedly, beginning to plan out the rest of her day.
"Shit," Ana looked back to Neena who had apparently hit her head against the wall. "And supposedly she's here on Asgard, but doesn't even want to know where I am. And how am I even going to find her? Fuck this!" the girl huffed, slouching further in her blankets.
"Ideally she would be here," Ana straightened up. "It's always been an unspoken rule that no one is supposed to mess around with humans that way because it creates certain… complications. But if you cooperate while you're here we might actually be able to help you," she explained.
"I don't need anyone's help," Neena grumbled in return. "I can do fine on my own. I have always managed to get by without anyone's help."
"Mhm," Ana nodded, the poor girl echoing her own thoughts from when she was younger. Convincing Neena that it was acceptable to ask for help would be a waste of time if she was as much like her as she thought. Learning the hard way was her only option.
"I refuse to bow to Odin. Fucking pirate," she mumbled.
"I've only done so once, and that's only because I couldn't stand any longer," Ana snickered at the memory, forgetting temporarily how much pain she was in at the time.
"If you're over eight hundred, why don't you look old? What skin products are you using?" Neena interjected.
Ana laughed, rolling her eyes at her curiosity, "We age much slower than humans do. When we get a certain age it is like we stop aging altogether. And since you are a halfling, you might even have this trait."
"Who the hell knows," she grumbled again. "Why are you being nice to me? Did tall, dark and creepy put you up to this?" she inquired after glancing at her suspiciously.
Ana shook her head, "He suggested that I come talk to you, but I came down here of my own accord. Loki isn't exactly good with handling emotions."
"Well no shit," she puffed before giving a cough. "Great, I've got a cold. Why is it so cold down here?" Neena shivered.
"Because you're in the dungeons," Ana offered with an amused smile, moving her hair out of her face as she crossed her legs in front of her. "You have plenty of blankets, so I don't understand why you are this cold."
"I live in New Mexico. It never gets cold in New Mexico. I hate being cold," she vented, pulling her blankets tighter. "How long do I have to stay down here again?"
"Until you acquire some manners and abide by Odin's wishes," Ana replied, raising a brow at mere thought of listening to Odin. She couldn't take the man seriously, yet alone advise another to obey him. "At at the rate you're going, it could be quite a long time. You're not going to win a battle against him, so might I suggest you at least try and do what he says."
Once Neena fully thought over Ana's words she spoke, "I would like to get out of here," she admitted begrudgingly. "What are the rooms here like?"
A smile fell across Ana's lips. Neena's mind worked a mile a minute, just as hers often did. "The beds are luxurious, I'm not exaggerating," she admitted, shrugging. "The rooms are far too fancy for my liking, but I'm not complaining by any means. But the silk is amazing." Her thoughts momentarily drifted to her night shared with Loki, feeling as though she was lying on a cloud drifting through deep space.
"Sure," Neena nodded. There was a moment of silence before her stomach growled, causing Ana to smile again. The girl blushed faintly before clutching her stomach, "Which is safe to eat and won't kill me?"
"No person or thing is going to kill you here," Ana sighed, shaking her head. "I'd have to suggest those green leafy vegetables there and mix it in with the meat. If you get the chance, you must dine with Volstagg. The food here is much more nutritious as well as delicious than what I ate on Midgard. I did my shopping here," she smiled at Neena, her blue eyes looking at her with suspicion, but also with a hint of comfortability. She was making progress.
"Hey, leave McDonald's alone," Neena surprisingly laughed. Her amusement didn't last long as her smile faded and she looked grimly at Ana. "Did they notify my Dad?" she asked quietly.
Ana shook her head. "I don't know," she said softly. "I personally don't hold Odin to his word, but to put yourself at ease you can just assume so."
"And if they didn't?" Neena wondered, worry clear in her eyes
Ana stood up, smoothing out her clothes. "I'll let Frigga know you're willing to cooperate," she ignored the question, not wanting to know the answer herself. "A guard should come retrieve you later and show you to your room. Sound good?"
"Fine," Neena sighed, Anastasia feeling her pained eyes on her back as she exited the dungeons without looking back.
