Sophia was still groggy as she rushed off to work thirty minutes later. Waiting up for Loki had made her late. That day, the day after, and the next, Loki warred with herself in front of the mirror.

'Damn. DAMN! Why did I say that?! What in Hel possessed me to swear a vow to her?!' If anyone in the Nine knew the binding power of such things, it was Loki; so why? She glared at herself.

'Have I truly lost all sense? I should know better than this. I do know better than this! Attachments are weaknesses, they serve only to endanger me! It nearly killed me the last time I yielded; so why can I not stop myself now? Why concern myself with her opinion? Why does her pain burn also within me?'

'Because she loves you,' a kindly voice whispered in the back of her mind.

Loki knew it was not real, but the words lingered, nevertheless. 'No,' she argued, 'Sophia loves Lani, not I; not Loki...' A familiar misery gripped her and she dropped her head. By her own design, Loki was once more in the shadow of someone else. First Odin, then Thor, now Lani. She scowled as she combed her hair, torn.

Lani was more than another form, she was a mask; and Loki had donned her willingly. It kept her hidden, safe, alive, but also trapped.

'I cannot escape this… Every detail of that dratted woman thrills me. I cannot afford to wait, and yet, I do not wish to part so soon…'

Loki blinked at her reflection, appalled with herself. A walk; that would clear her head. She locked the door behind her and took to the sidewalks. She knew which turns to take based on the fade of the missing persons' posters on the various poles, the state of the abandoned cars she passed, and the shattered designs of the empty shop windows.

Her plan to leave for Norway alone and be done with this was best. She knew this in every fiber of her being, but she could not resist an opportunity to have even a little more time in Sophia's company. It mattered not that her love was for a lie, that delaying things would agonize them both, or that Loki was being egregiously selfish.

'Peace, Goddess of Mischief, this too shall pass,' Loki told herself. 'It's just a game, like all the rest. Besides, it is Sophia's own folly for allowing herself to develop an attachment! Her own fault if this pains her!' Loki thought, trying to place as much blame at Sophia's feet as she could. 'Our relationship is purely platonic. I have indicated nothing else.'

Loki refused to recognize this was all a defense mechanism, so she did not have to feel. Such "necessary evils" came second-nature to her as means to her ends, like when she tried to hand Thor over to the Grandmaster on Sakaar. 'The reward truly would have set me up nicely for quite some time, had I chosen to stay,' she thought bitterly. Thor did manage to give Loki a bit of advice that day, however. She had grown complacent with the success of her designs and had not realized her own predictability.

'The same old tricks bare the same bitter fruits,' she considered. 'Perhaps even the oaf can have a moment of clarity now and again. Perhaps…a bit of change, something different, would do me good.' Loki stopped at the crosswalk, hand over the signal button. 'And Sophia has mentioned several times how she would enjoy a trip outside her home country. Her continued insight would be useful. I would be foolish to deny myself such an advantage.'

Despite the practicality of her plan, Loki knew it was all a ploy to keep in her friend's company a while longer. So long as she did not say as much, however, it would not be known. So long as it was unknown, Loki would not need to bear the weight of such sentiment. She slipped her hand back into her pocket, turned on heel, and made her way home.

She had decided.

When Sophia returned that Friday afternoon, Loki had sketched out a rough itinerary for Norway on a pad of paper for her to review. The mortal woman scrutinized it for a moment before she turned a confused eye to Loki.

"I… I'm not quite sure what this is supposed to mean, Lani. Are you taking someone with you? Why is there a return trip on here?"

"I thought, perhaps, it would be reckless to, as you say, leap without looking. It is one thing to view an image, something completely different to walk the halls of a prospective home. And you have mentioned many a time how you long to visit somewhere other than this country. Considering how often I hear you disturbed or kept awake by the needs of your project, perhaps another vacation has come due."

Sophia blinked, slowly taking in Loki's meaning. "A vacation; with…you?" Loki nodded. "To Norway?"

Loki smiled. "I have already calculated the additional costs and determined the prime travelling season."

The other woman laughed. "Um, yeah, I see that here. I usually spend the Snap Day holiday with my family…" she trailed off when she saw Loki's saddened expression. "…But I think enjoying the festivities elsewhere might be good all around."

Loki lit up again. "It is agreed, then? You will come with me?"

Sophia sighed and threw up her arms. "Fuck it, why not? Let's visit Norway!"

Loki could see the pain slithering beneath the surface of Sophia's contrived gallantry but chose to ignore it. She was a rational woman of great fortitude, surely this trip would be a simple enough thing for her to brush off.

'Besides, it's all just a game.'

'You're being stupid, you're being selfish, you're being childish; knock it off,' I told myself in the mirror every morning leading up to the trip to Norway. 'This is to help out Lani, as a friend and nothing else. She's already gone, so just let it go!'

But I couldn't, not when she was every day in my head, in my house, bringing delight and comfort at every turn. Before, this place had been a simple construction of wires and drywall and rooms, a place to survive the hardships of a world rent asunder by the whims of an otherworldly being. In no time at all, Lani made it a real home, reminiscent of the times before.

The thought of letting her go was acid in my veins; but so, too, was the abhorrent desire to hold her prisoner here. The strings of my heart were tightropes now, and I had no idea which way I was going to fall.

Loki had not considered that mortal air travel was little better than packing one of those cans of "fish" and hurling it at its destination. She was grateful to Sophia for purchasing seats in the "First Class" section, but the extra space and comfort did little to alleviate her anxiety. Loki enjoyed flying, but only if she or another competent pilot was in control. When they finally landed in Oslo, Sophia's wrist and forearm had bruises with Loki's fingerprints.

"I still can't believe you've never been on an airplane before, Lani," Sophia laughed.

"Nothing so unwieldy," Loki clarified. "At least, not where I was not piloting."

"Yet another of your hidden talents."

As Sophia had traveled more often, Loki followed her lead through the airport navigating the multilingual signs, managing their rental car, and finally taking them to their temporary residence. Sophia had insisted on surprising Loki with it, and at first, she was not impressed, even if it was a preferable cabin-style home. Space was limited compared to what either woman was used to, not even half the size of Sophia's family cabin with all the amenities crammed inside.

"Air BnB for the win, I suppose…" She tried to joke, and Loki gave her a humorless side glance.

"Is this really where we are staying?"

Sophia grinned. "I'm certain you'll find something you like about it soon enough. We should stay awake until local sundown."

Loki groaned. "I could sleep on my feet, Sophia…"

"Me, too, but if we're going to be alert for the trip, we have to adjust our schedules the hard way. Jet lag is a cruel mistress."

Loki was too exhausted to argue. After a full day in a metal tube, she felt disgusting and insisted on taking her shower first. When she finished, she found Sophia had prepared a plate of sliced fruits and tea in the small kitchen to tide them over. Loki helped herself and gave in to her curiosity while Sophia took her turn in the bathroom.

The living space was hardly fit for a servant, and since there was little to it, Loki moved quickly to explore the exterior. A small table and a pair of chairs sat on the narrow veranda. Further down was an open shower and steps leading down to a band of green and wildflowers. Beyond was the rocky lake shore. To the left and right of theirs were similar abodes. Gazing out over the view, Loki was struck by its beauty. Fertile and snow-capped mountains rose gently on either side and in the distance where the vast lake disappeared. The sky was clear and open, unobstructed by mortal trappings or forest canopy. The scents and sounds of the city Loki had grown used to were absent, allowing her whole being to give a sigh of relief as she took it in.

'This is why Sophia chose to lodge here,' she thought. 'Odin was right: this is home.'

Her companion quietly joined her at the lakeside once she, too, was clean and dressed, tea in hand.

"This time of year, the day-night cycle is fairly even," she explained. "The days will grow longer here soon and there won't be nighttime. I thought you'd want to see it while there was still darkness."

"And why is that?" Loki glanced at her.

Sophia just smiled. "You'll see if you stay up with me."

Loki decided to indulge her after all.

The weather and temperature in Oslo were like Sophia's home this time of year, but the lake made it a touch cooler and moister. They pulled blankets and spread them on a flat section of rock at the edge of the lake, lounging comfortably as they watched the wisps of cloud glide lazily across the blue and other visitors bustle about their own cabins or dive into the water. A few swam over to the reclining women, all blonde hair and blue eyes, fascinated by the visitors. They attempted conversation, but Sophia didn't understand their language. Loki did, however. 'It is similar to Old Asgardian. I should not be surprised.'

When they left, Sophia gave Loki a weary side glance and commented. "Yet another hidden skill in your arsenal…"

Loki shrugged noncommittally.

The day finally waned, and the air grew cold. Sophia pulled another blanket for them to huddle under. Loki followed her motion to the darkening sky, and they both watched as it filled with a sea of stars.

'The constellations are different, but this is not so different from the view I had from my balcony at the palace…' Loki thought, nostalgic.

It twisted lightly in her chest, and she nearly looked away too soon. The sensation was swept away as colors flickered across the sky, blooming into great serpentine ribbons.

Greens, purples, blues, and reds bled like watercolors, fading and repainting themselves as soon as Loki had the chance to appreciate their designs. The sky reflected in the water, reminding her of the Bifrost, and pricking her with homesickness.

It was bittersweet, watching Lani stare in awe at the Northern Lights. She watched the sky and I watched her, the rainbow designs shimmering in her eyes and making it all the more exquisite. I etched this moment in my memory, trying to capture every fleeting detail. I knew that, all too soon, this would be the only part of her I had left. My eyes burned and I labored to breathe against the weight of our impending separation. I dropped my gaze to the surface of the lake and leaned back on my hands. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't bear to watch Lani anymore.

'What the hell did I think was going to happen, coming here with her?' I scolded myself and shoved my selfish attachment into a deep, dark place where I wouldn't feel it; at least, for a while. I was doing well, my eyes were dry and my breathing was free; and then Lani chose to recline as well. Her fingers laid across mine as she leaned on her hand. I bit my lip until I tasted blood, fighting down every sentiment that tried to boil back to the surface. My body betrayed me, and my fingers slipped to lace with hers. She did not pull away.

'Well…Fuck…'

Just as I thought I would break, Lani's head began to droop, and I was thankful for the distraction. I felt the exhaustion clawing at me as well. I sent her inside while I cleaned up, letting the solitude clear my head. By the time I bedded down, she was already asleep, and I happily followed suit soon after. I was proud of myself, though. I'd made it through day one without incident…sort of…