Hello my dears! Thank you times a zillion for your lovely lovely reviews, wishing me happy times and things I was srsly touched and warm fuzzied :-)
Young BlooAngels asked if Izzy was able to get attention by, say, tugging on Odin's cape... all I can say to that is MUHAHAHA and also wait and see.
Frostivy couldn't remember when our heroes had made the lipdance (kissed) and I think it was Chapter 8, One night to speed up truth.
Really though all soooo much, I wish I could express my love / gratitude in more than just words, but the best I can do is this:
poptarts and pink milk dot tumblr dot com slash image slash 39658330471
apologies if it kills you, it did me and i am writing this from beyond the grave.
also thanks to miss poptarts etc, whose tumblr I accidentally got obsessed with last night for about *cough* four hours *cough*.
ANYWAY! ON WITH THE STORY! (which p.s. I am a bit nervous about re this chapter as it may be a bit OOC but... yeah. hope you like it!)
xXX
Perhaps fuelled by my two cups of mead, I decided to dress up for the occasion. Which means…. Yes, I was tiptoeing around Lady Sif's room again like a stalker nutcase. But when I had nicked the boots, I had seen an amazing deep blue dress that I had coveted. So…. I was going to at least try it on.
It was a little tight, but we can't all be super-toned warrior women. As long as I didn't eat too much at the feast, I would be fine. I was smiling at my lack of a reflection when Sif's door opened and she came into the room, followed by a handmaiden. I gulped and jumped out of the way, barely missing hitting her as the material of her stolen dress swung out. She reached into her wardrobe and pulled out a shiny golden gown.
Oh. I didn't see that one in there.
"Oh, my lady," the handmaiden gushed, clasping her hands like a Disney princess. "Prince Thor will be unable to take his eyes off you in that."
Sif laughed, pulling her hair out of its usual severe ponytail. "I hope so, Lilith. Can you prepare my bath?"
"Of course, Lady." Lilith tripped off into the other room, and I followed her, curious.
Lilith set hot water streaming into an enormous bath, and started to tip fragrant oils into it. They smelled amazing. I sniffed them one after the other until I found one that smelled like sandalwood; I dipped my finger in it and drew a line on either side of my neck, each wrist, and straight across my chest, just below my clavicle. I mean, why not? This might be my last night on Earth. Well, not Earth, but, you know, alive. There was a dressing table at the side. I looked at all the little pots, and recalled wistfully the days when I could spend time putting on make-up. Of course, I had no reflection now, so it was safer not to. But I could always put mascara on without looking. I found a pot of something inky and blackened my eyelashes, then smeared a little of the pinky stuff I took to be blusher across my cheekbones. Not too much. I could not be absolutely sure of avoiding clown face. Of course, only Loki could see me anyway.
I felt myself blush. He would know I had put on makeup for him. I reached for a cloth to wipe it all off, then stopped, and threw it back down. So what. He knew how I felt. If I want to wear makeup I'll damned well wear makeup! I turned, feeling feisty. Lilith was testing the temperature of the bath. She sniffed the steam and nodded, obviously approving, and I beat a hasty retreat as Sif came into the room.
I wandered through the corridors, enjoying the confusion of those I passed as they sniffed the air. I made my way into the Great Hall and sat by the fire. The servants were laying out a grand feast, and lighting candles in the hundreds. I wished I could take a photograph. I wished I could hug my sister and my mother. I wished I could eat a peanut butter Twix bar. I had discovered them my first day in America and now I would never have one again probably. I sighed. Self-pity party. Well, if this really was my last shindig, I would make it memorable. I spotted the wine being brought in, and laughed internally. Actually, I would make sure I remembered nothing.
xXx
Loki was dressing carefully, trying to calm his mind. He was about to go to a feast where the majority of people had thought he was dead and were not pleased to find that they were wrong. To put it mildly. He would have to sit under their stares, and his mother's sorrowful eyes, and Thor's…. Thor-ness.
Isobel would be there.
Perhaps he should just get drunk. Unfortunately however, this had never been an option. Some part of his biological make-up seemed to quash the effects of alcohol; he became mildly tipsy, but never so far as stumbling or squinting. He sighed. This was going to be a long night.
xXX
I had been filling up on finger food, and was slightly bored waiting for the last of the guests to arrive. Finally some guy in a metal skirt banged a gong.
"Our gracious King, Odin!" he shouted. "His beautiful Queen, Frigga! The mighty Prince Thor! The Lady Sif! And our lost Prince, Loki!"
Cue fanfare, as they all walked in. The people around me were clapping, but when I saw Loki I was rooted to the spot and unable to move. He wore a deep green shirt with billowing sleeves, a long green cape trimmed with gold, black boots and trousers and a black leather jerkin, also trimmed with gold. His eyes were clear and he surveyed the crowd with contempt. After a while I remembered to breathe. It felt so good to be able to see him again; the relief of it washed over me like sinking into a warm bath. The honoured ones took their seats at the dais and the crowd around me chattered as they sat at the long tables. I sat near the back, and helped myself to food. And wine. Somehow I was sitting on a table with a load of warriors, who each told more fantastical stories than the last.
They couldn't see me laughing, nor hear my witty observations (including a priceless placement of the phrase 'that's what she said!'), but it did make me feel less alone.
The fact that I was soon maybe a bit drunk helped too.
Four hours into the feast and it was in disarray. My warrior friends were making nice with some ladiez, Thor was having an eating contest with Sif cheering him on – she looked nauseatingly stunning in her dress, by the way – and Odin and Frigga seemed to have disappeared. I grabbed my 6th – or was it 7th? cup of wine, and wandered unsteadily up the room, full of people drunkenly dancing and kissing and laughing and talking at god-like volume. Read: loud.
Loki sat up on the dais, alone, just down from Thor tearing flesh off a huge drumstick with his teeth. I made for the empty seat next to him.
"You can't ignore me forever," I told him, standing over him. He looked up and his eyes slid down my figure. Yes! I knew it was a good idea to steal Sif's dress.
"Go away," he said, returning his eyes to the large cup of wine in front of him. I frowned, and set my cup down hard on the table next to him. I still felt feisty, and the wine helped.
"No."
He sighed, and his fingers clenched around the stem of his glass.
"I could make you," he hissed.
"Stop threatening me. You're going on a godawful quest tomorrow, and you know I have to come with you. I might even be helpful. So you're going to have to suck it up, and look me in the eye!"
I was leaning over him, and I gave him a good –poke- in the shoulder to emphasise my last point.
He stood, and seemed about to do some sort of anger-expressing activity when Thor, evidently having eaten the entire beasty, clapped him on the shoulder.
"Loki!" he said drunkenly. "You're talking to yourself again. I know you're not drunk, because – hic! – that never happens to you, but you need to just – to just – as Stark says, you need to just chill the fuck out."
He started laughing hysterically, and his friends laughed too. Loki rolled his eyes, but he sat. I sat next to him.
"Did I ever tell you," Thor began, "about the time I got was being chased by a really enormous bilgesnipe, and the only weapon I had on me was a small fruit knife?"
As entertaining as that story sounded, I had to take my chance; Loki may not be drunk and therefore more relaxed about my presence, but he had not yet sent me away by force or magic, so I had to say my piece. I gently felt for our bond, and breathed a little warmth towards him.
"Loki," I started, ignoring Thor's tale ("…. The knife was blunt so you can imagine it took a very long time…."), "you can't leave me here, you just can't. And you can't send me back to Earth! I know we'll be under attack soon…. and I'm powerless. But I might be able to help you – you know how I –" crap, this part was hard to say even in my head. "How I feel about you. I want to help you. You can't just leave people on random planets with no speech and no way of getting home and no Twix bars…." Did that make sense? I was starting to feel really drunk. I reached out and grabbed his hands. They were cool to the touch.
"C'mon, you bound me to you. You can't just let me go." Some distant part of my brain observed what I had just said, how I begged my captor to keep me captive, and judged me hard.
Loki looked up at me, his eyes slightly unfocussed.
"What have you done to me?" he slurred. I pulled back, concerned, then looked down and saw that our bonds were wide open, shining brightly between us. I felt the energy flow between us.
Whoops. I made him drunk.
"You bitch. What have you done?" he said, slamming his hand on the table. Thor stopped talking, then began to laugh. The others followed suit, but I couldn't laugh, I was too worried.
"I feel all…. wibbly," he said, twisting his hand in the air in front of him.
"Friends, my brother is feeling the effects of too much wine! Loki, this is most unlike you. Has your time on earth weakened you?" Thor giggled, his massive shoulders shaking.
Loki swung around, and fixed me with a hard stare from his piercing green eyes.
"'S'all your fault," he said in the firm tone of the very drunk. "You made me…."
Thor stopped laughing, and stared at him.
"…. Feel for you," Loki continued, inside my head. I blinked at him in shock. He looked so angry. "How did you do it? Little useless mortal and you did your best to wrap me around your littlest finger….Feeding me LIES!" he shouted aloud. I flinched, and so did Thor. The room fell silent. Loki took up his glass and took a large swig.
"Oh, what are you all staring at," he said off-handedly, gesturing at the room before him, the eyes on him. "You can all go lie with the bilgesnipe for all I care."
There were a few outraged exclamations, but Loki simply drained his glass, then stood and threw it at the wall where it smashed into a million pieces.
He slumped back down, then reached for me and, grasping me tightly by the back of the neck, he pulled me towards him. I gulped. He laughed, then grabbed my breast, rolling my nipple hard between his fingers. I gasped and shook, half in pain and half in – well - and he removed his hand to hold my jaw tightly. He looked into my eyes. I could not move.
"It was only ever that," he spat. "Don't fool yourself. You're nothing but a – a little bird I've trapped, and one day I might set you free." I was staring at him, transfixed. He grinned, showing his teeth.
"Or I might eat you."
He released me and I dropped to the floor, my breath coming in gasps.
Thor broke the silence.
"Friends," he said thickly. "Forgive my brother. He sups too deeply into his wine…. cup. I will take him to his bed." He stood, and hauled Loki to his feet, then dragged him out of the room. At the last second Loki reached out and snagged my arm; he proceeded to drag me bodily after Thor, who didn't seem to notice the extra weight. We reached Loki's chamber and Thor kicked the door open, then pulled Loki up and to him in a hug. I lay on the floor, rubbing my sore arm. Loki stood, his hands by his sides whilst his brother crushed his ribs with affection.
"Loki," Thor boomed, finally letting go. "I have never seen you get drunk before. It was frightening. I wish you luck on your quest. Come back better."
Loki was standing, swaying, staring into space.
"I miss my brother," Thor said, wistfully. He clapped Loki on the back, and left the room. Loki sank onto his sofa, and leaned his head back, closing his eyes.
I sat up, leaning my back against the wall, but remained where I was. I was getting a pounding headache.
"I'm drunk because of you, aren't I," he said eventually, eyes still closed. "You are the worst kind of bird."
He opened his eyes and stared at me. I looked up and met his gaze, then dropped my eyes again.
He chuckled, shutting his eyes again.
"At least you don't twitter incessantly."
I got up, made my way into the bathroom, and filled two glasses with fresh, cold water. I took a long sip, and had to refill mine before I brought Loki's out to him. I sat next to him on the sofa until he opened his eyes.
"Drink this," I said. "It will help with the…. morning."
He sipped it, then drank greedily. I brought him a fresh glass and he drank half of it, then put it down and sat, looking at me again. He held my face in his hand, bringing it up to meet his eyes.
"It's an interesting feeling, this," he said, gesturing up and down his body. "I feel strong. I feel…. " his gaze dipped to my chest, visible in the low cut dress. "Stand up." I did as he asked.
"You look very well indeed. Is this all for me? Hoping for a repeat of my little trick in the Great Hall?" He chuckled, and pulled me down onto his lap, then ran his thumb lightly over my covered breast, lingering on my nipple. I was still fairly drunk, and my reactions were stilted; before I could stop myself I had writhed on his lap, biting my lip and throwing my head back, exposing my neck. He laughed aloud, properly. I fought to get my mental faculties back, pushed his hand away, and said firmly in his head, "I wore the dress for ME, not for you. If this is my last night alive, I wanted to make it special."
"Ah-hah," he nodded, several nods too many. He was clearly still drunk. "Well, it was a wise choice. It's a shame I am the only one to see how fine you are. And you are very fine….."
He pulled me in closer, and ran his fingers down my neck. I swallowed hard, I couldn't help my reaction; his touch left sparks on my skin. He leaned in, and began to kiss my neck softly. I bit my lip hard to stifle a moan I could not even sound. He scraped his teeth over my skin, and I tightened my thighs, trying to will away my arousal. Then there was his tongue on my sensitive pulse points and I found myself clutching his shoulders, digging my fingers into him. Little fluttery kisses all down my neck and over the tops of my breasts where they were visible above the dress, and his hand tracing patterns on my side, and his other hand hard on my thigh…. Little licks and nips back up my neck, and when he bit me then I really did moan in my head, pushing against him.
"I knew you liked it rough," he said, smirking against my skin. My drunk mind finally reeled back to reality and I jumped off him.
"Stop it, Loki! Just put me out of my misery. Are you going to kill me, leave me here, or take me with you?"
He stared at me for what seemed like the longest time, a slight smile on his lips.
"Oh, I need my little birdy," he said eventually, standing up and advancing towards me. I backed away until I hit the wall. "You're the only thing I've got that's still totally in my power."
He reached me and simply leaned his head on his arms, braced against the wall above me. I stared up at him, his sad green eyes. I was feeling a little nervous at how quickly sad Loki, angry Loki and horny Loki were switching places. Note to self: don't drink with him around.
"Okay. Good. Thankyou. We should probably get some sleep. Big day tomorrow, questing, and all that."
He didn't move, so I was still trapped.
"It is true, though," he mused, and I wondered if he had heard me. "You have something on me, too."
I blinked.
He looked down at me, and smiled. "Bedtime, birdy." He grabbed my arm and hauled me across to the bed, then pushed me down on it and knelt by my feet.
"You can't sleep in your boots," he told me seriously as he proceeded to strip my feet. Lord, spare me from cute drunk Loki.
"Or your dress," he added, pulling me upright, then pulling off my dress in one fluid motion over my head.
I gasped, and covered my bare breasts with my hands. Lord, spare me from horny drunk Loki.
"Whoops!" he covered his mouth and giggled like a naughty schoolboy. I leant heavily on my smile and managed to suppress it.
"Now do me!" he said, lifting his arms in the air and looking up towards the ceiling. I gingerly began to unlace his jerkin, but he wouldn't put his arms down to let me push it off his shoulders, so I just pulled it over his head with his green silk shirt. Of course it got stuck on his head, and he flailed about for a few moments. I was glad my laugh was soundless because I was doubled up and couldn't breathe at the sight. Whilst he was otherwise occupied I searched desperately about for something to wear over my semi nakedness, stumbling slightly. I was still drunker than I realised. I finally came across a soft cotton tunic, which I slipped on.
I helped Loki disentangle himself and he grinned at me and began to undo his trousers. I looked away politely, and tossed him some loose, soft trousers I remembered him wearing in bed before. When I was sure he was decent, I turned around, only to be tackled by shirtless Loki. He picked me up and threw me onto the bed, then jumped on after me. I was laughing again, soundlessly, but gasping for air.
"This is fun," he chuckled, bouncing up and down. "I feel really silly."
"Don't worry, you can't tell," I told him, grinning. He lunged for me and pinned me to the bed, arms above my head.
"Shush, you. Or I'll make you. I have ways and I know you'll like them."
I gulped, barely resisting the urge to struggle, to wrap my leg around him, to encourage him in any way. Whatever my inhibitions-lowered drunk horny body was saying, that would be a very, very bad idea.
His eyes were intense on mine, and I could feel his hardness against my thigh.
"We should get some sleep, Loki," I thought, and tried to send him feelings of sleepiness. He remained hovering over me like a lion over its prey for a few moments, then sighed and sank down beside me. I relaxed, and tried to calm my stuttering heart, turning my back to him.
Suddenly his arms snaked around my waist and he pulled me back against him, then slid his hand into my panties and stroked me. I arched against him heedlessly, my breath hitching, and he pulled his hand back out.
"Knew you were wet," he said triumphantly in my ear, then wrapped his arms tight around me and buried his head in my neck.
I floundered for a moment – several moments - trying to regain my sanity. I suppose this whole night could have gone worse, overall.
xXx