Sorry for the long wait but real life was getting in the way a little bit and writing was actually pretty difficult.
There is a lot of fluff in this chapter and I have only planned two more chapters after this, so enjoy
"Loki while you're out today can you please pick up another book? Not a difficult one but one with more depth this time." Zoe asked as she dried her hair with a small towel. "And something with a happy ending." She added as Loki exited the tub and mimicked her actions. "Maybe one without monsters this time… I don't know, I'm not really into the whole good guy bad guy thing."
Placing down the towel and standing in front of the mirror, Zoe put her long, slightly damp, locks up into a bun on the crown of her head as she rambled on. "Not a romance one either because they're so cliché…" She continued, giving her hair the quick once over before turning to face a now fully dressed Loki.
"Must you talk so fast?" The God inquired as he tried to suppress a grin.
"Yes, and you better get used to it because it looks like I'm going to be here for the foreseeable future." Zoe mocked as she skipped past him into the bedroom, her silk robe flowing slightly behind her. Loki had to admit that the thought of spending the foreseeable future in the company of Zoe wasn't actually that bad of a thing, in fact he would even be willing to say that he liked the idea, although not to Zoe of course.
The two of them had become good friends since they had first agreed that that was what they were. Growing up, Loki's only friend had been Thor. He had never really cared much for Lady Sif or the Warriors Three. They had gotten along fair enough when they had been children, but Loki never considered them friends in the way that Thor did, so having Zoe as a friend gave him a constant feeling of warmth.
Whenever he had a bad day or if he was irritated, Loki would come back to his chambers and Zoe would always give him a hug and cheer him up. Her rosy scent would instantly calm him, and he would bury his face in her long mass of hair. Loki knew that it was her job to act this way with him but even he could see that her concern was genuine and he knew that she cared about him just as he did her.
"I'm thinking maybe a comedy? Or adventure!" Zoe mused out loud as she paced the room, and Loki noticed how she looked like a caged animal. He did feel bad that she was stuck in his room all day while he got to go out and release his energy. No wonder she had trouble sleeping. "Oh I know! An adventure comedy!" The Goddess finally shouted, causing Loki to let out a quiet chuckle.
"I'm not wholly convinced that is an actual genera, Darling." Loki's voice was casual, however he was internally scolding himself for accidentally giving her a pet name.
"Darling?" Zoe questioned with a quirked brow. "Who are you calling Darling?" She continued, smirking at Loki, whose face was unreadable which usually meant he was trying to play it cool and not give anything away.
"I didn't call anyone Darling." Loki stated as he pulled on one of his leather boots.
"Yes you did, you called me Darling." Zoe pressed, raising both of her eyebrows.
"No I didn't." Loki repeated as he slipped the other boot on.
"Yes you did!" The Goddess chimed.
"Didn't."
"Did."
"Didn't!"
"Did!"
By now the two of them had crossed the room and were standing face to face with each other, both of them grinning at the other. "Just admit it already." Zoe narrowed her eyes at the God who stood before her.
"Admit what?" Loki questioned innocently, causing Zoe to roll her eyes and turn away.
"Anyway, like I was saying I want you to get me an adventure comedy book when you next go to the library." Zoe half stated, half asked.
"Get it yourself." Loki smirked as he threw a dress at the Goddess.
"What?" Zoe's tone was obviously confused.
"Get dressed," He prompted, also throwing a pair of sandals to her feet.
"But I can't even leave the room… Is this some sort of joke?" She inquired, unsure of what Loki meant.
"Get dressed before I change my mind, Zosime." Loki's tone was blunt but not angry, and Zoe complied although she still wasn't sure if it was a joke or not. Slipping the dress over her head, the white material floated down to cover her feet.
The dress was made out of a light material and had a V shaped neckline which didn't show off too much cleavage and also covered most of her shoulders. The sandals were plain like the ones she usually wore, and Zoe slipped them onto her feet and fastened the small buckles on the sides.
"Okay… But how?" The Goddess continued.
"I put the chains on you and only I can take them off," Loki stated. "However I'm not going to take them off, I am simply allowing you to accompany me to the library, but you must stay within several metres of me or else you will get a surprise." Loki smirked.
"So you're putting me on a glorified lead?" Zoe huffed as she rolled her eyes. "What happens if I go too far away?" She then asked as the two of them exited the room.
"You get a surprise." The God repeated, not giving Zoe any clues as he strode down the hall. Overcome with curiosity, Zoe slowed her pace and walked slowly backwards as Loki continued forward, fully aware of what she was about to do.
"OOOOOUUCH!" Zoe exclaimed as she ran up behind him holding her wrists. "Well I don't know what I expected but that hurt!" Zoe whined.
"You didn't think it would be a good surprise did you?" Loki questioned as they walked.
"No." Zoe admitted as she struggled to keep up with Loki's long strides, intent on not receiving another sharp jolt of pain.
Zoe couldn't deny that leaving the room filled her with a little anxiety, and she kept as close to Loki as she possibly could, often ducking behind him to avoid the watchful gaze of servants and various other people who they passed by. Having spent a good month or so in Loki's chambers, the Goddess was not used to socialising with people other than the Trickster, and the thought that she might have to converse with someone else was unwelcome and strange to Zoe.
All those years ago back in Germany during the War, the base hadn't been very big so naturally everyone knew everyone and it was very rare new soldiers came through so conversation with new people had been rare, and on Olympus Zoe had avoided people completely. The only people she even wanted to talk to were Zeus, Athena and Eileithyia. However when she had moved into the African Tribe Zoe had had a particularly difficult time getting to know the tribe members. Not all of them had been as accepting as the elders were, and it had taken her a long time to win everybody's trust.
Sensing Zosime's discomfort, Loki wrapped a reassuring arm around her waist and smiled as he felt the Goddess physically relax. It felt good to protect Zoe, even if it was just wrapping an arm around her, and he noticed how proud he felt at being able to do so.
Instead of walking straight to the library as he had originally planned, Loki decided that instead he would take her on a tour of the palace as he wasn't quite ready to let go of her waist just yet. The two of them walked in comfortable silence as Loki lead her around the intricate maze of corridors and side passages, until eventfully they came to a large balcony with huge double doors made of glass and white wood. Loki opened the doors and when they had walked through them and onto the balcony, he closed it silently behind them. Zoe walked straight to the end of the large golden structure to peer over the edge.
"Whoa Loki, this is so beautiful," She admired, leaning her elbows against the ledge and gazing over Asgard. "Is that the Rainbow Bridge over there?" Zoe pointed off into the distance.
"It is," Loki confirmed, stepping up behind her.
"It looks so beautiful!" She marvelled, completely in awe of the beautiful city beneath her.
"Look," Loki softly turned her face slightly to the left and pointed with his other hand to where a forest lay off in the distance, surrounded by beautiful meadows and fields of flowers. "The most beautiful place in all of Asgard is in that forest over there. In the clearing is a beautiful lake that I often used to swim in when I was younger." Loki continued.
Zoe smiled as she felt Loki's chest pressed up against her back, and she listened intently as he told her stories from his childhood of how he used to run away to the forest every time Thor or Odin had upset him and relax in the clearing. He even told her how he used his magic to build a little fort on the ground, to which Zoe laughed a little as she could imagine Loki as a child building a fort. Loki had transformed into his child self once in front of her and he was absolutely adorable, and when she had voiced that opinion he glared at her which caused her to laugh at the sight of ten year old Loki giving her daggers.
The two of them stayed on the balcony as the late evening sun slowly lowered, and as the sun began to set on the horizon, the talking gradually came to an end and Loki's arms wrapped around Zoe's waist as the two of them watched the sun slip behind the mountains. Zoe marvelled at the sight and decided it was somehow more beautiful than the sunset over the planes of Africa, although maybe the man who was currently holding her helped influence her decision slightly. Zoe blushed at the realisation of just how fond she had become of Loki recently.
When the sun had gone down and the moon began to rise the two of them reluctantly left the balcony and Loki's arm resumed its position around Zoe's waist, although the proximity between the two of them had increased. Zoe rested her head against Loki's shoulder as they walked further around the palace until eventually they came to the library. The giant room was usually devoid of people, save for a few people trying to find a quiet place to get acquainted with one another during the day, but by night however it was completely deserted which was exactly why Loki had chosen to take a detour to the balcony in order to not overwhelm Zoe, as considerably more people had been in the corridor than usual today in order to get a glimpse of the famous Zosime of Olympus. Loki knew how uncomfortable large crowds made her.
As Loki opened the door to the library using his free arm, he gently nudged Zoe inside with the one that was wrapped around her waist. He couldn't help but notice the distinct feeling of loss that occurred when she walked forward into the library. Zoe's jaw dropped in surprise as she admired row upon row of ceiling high shelves stacked to the brim with books. The two of them stood there for a moment as Zoe gawped at the vast array of literature, wishing she could read every single book in sight. Loki watched intently with a neutral expression although on the inside he was smiling to no end.
"Come, I shall show you where the Vanaheim books are kept." Loki guided Zoe through the library. The Goddess never stopped admiring the books and more than once she would stop dead in order to get a closer look at something, which resulted in Loki having to gently push her in the right direction. The two of them walked slowly over to a large corner of the library. The tall shelves were stacked to bursting with books of all sizes and colours, and Zoe automatically headed in the direction of the furthest shelf, Loki following closely behind her as to not give her another painful shock.
Zoe ran her fingers over the worn leather spines, closing her eyes and sighing deeply. Suddenly a silver mist appeared and a few books came floating down off the tops of the shelves and landed gently in her hands.
"Adventure comedy," She grinned at Loki, who quickly returned it. He had been watching her closely the entire time they had been in the library. She was so beautiful and looked so innocent, it was almost mesmerising. The feeling of pride never subsided and the more Zoe smiled the more the feeling within him grew.
"Surely you aren't going to read them all at once?" Loki laughed gently as he watched Zoe walk to one of the large tables, the books floating in a line behind her.
"I don't know if I'm going to like them yet." Zoe pointed out as she sat down on a hard wooden chair and proceeded to read the blurbs of each of the books in turn and placing them in a pile to her left.
Loki watched silently as he sat down on the table opposite Zoe. Her eyes scanned the pages quickly and Loki thought about how her reading had definitely improved. She very rarely needed his help now, which in all honesty the God did not like. He enjoyed teaching Zoe and relished the time she spent so physically close to him. Recently Zoe had begun to sit between Loki's legs with her back against his chest as they read on his bed. This meant that Loki didn't have to keep reaching over every time she got stuck on a word, although often Loki found himself unable to focus on the words flowing out of her mouth as he always ended up idly playing with her soft curls and daydreaming. He was pretty sure Zoe noticed he wasn't paying attention although she never called him out on it and always continued to read out loud.
"Okay I want to read them all." Zoe stated, causing Loki to jump slightly as he was pulled out of his own thoughts.
"There must be at least seven books there, Zosime." Loki pointed out as he moved to stand behind her chair and examine the books she had picked out, a few of which he had read.
"I know and I want to read them all." Zoe smiled as she turned slightly to look the God straight in the eye.
"Hmm, maybe just take one for now and then we can come back when you have finished and get more?" Loki mused out loud. He had enjoyed their outing today and it was definitely something he wanted to do again.
Zoe smiled and nodded as she picked up a large book and waved the rest away back onto the shelf. She didn't quite know what to say to Loki's offer. Of course she was glad to get out of his room however she was also anxious about running into people. She had hated all the whispers she had heard as she walked down the large halls that day.
"Shall we head back now?" Loki asked after a particularly loud yawn from Zosime who suddenly realised how tired she actually was. The two of them must have walked around half of the palace that day, which is an enormous distance for anyone let alone someone who hadn't been doing much walking in the past months.
"Yeah," Zoe yawned again "I think I need to go to bed." She continued, rubbing her eyes.
Loki's hand found her waist and he took the heavy book from her and tucked it under his other arm, before he lead her out of the library and back to his chambers, taking all the short cuts and secret passages that he had discovered when he was a child. Back then he had used them in order to sneak out after bed time to the library to read. Frigga would often catch him hiding away in a little cubbyhole in one of the shelves way past midnight. More often than not she would sit with him for a while whilst he read and carry him back to bed once he'd fallen asleep.
Once back in Loki's room, Zoe automatically headed for Loki's bed and her long dress transformed into a small nightdress made of chiffon. She slid straight under the covers waiting for Loki to join her, and when he did she covered them both completely with the dark green sheets.
"I've really enjoyed today Loki, thank you." Zoe whispered as she snuggled up to the God and rested her head on his chest, her legs entwining with his.
"As have I, Zosime." Loki agreed as he placed a light kiss to the top of her head and wrapped his arm around her, keeping her close. It didn't take long for Zoe to fall asleep, which was unusual for the Goddess who seemed to lie awake until the sun rose before she would drift off into sleep. Smiling to himself, Loki moved a few stray curls from Zoe's face and tucked them behind her ear. It had become something of a routine for the two of them to sleep like this, and although Zoe was always the first into bed she was normally the last to fall asleep.
With Zoe beside him in bed, Loki found himself completely at ease. The feeling of her body pressed up against him brought him a great amount of comfort which enabled him to sleep peacefully instead of being plagued by awful dreams and horrific memories of New York and the Chitauri.
Tonight however, Loki recalled how he was "rescued" from the abyss after countless days of seeing nothing but black. No food, no water, no nothing. Remembering the terrible dark feeling that overcame him whilst floating there, trying to come to terms with his true parentage made the God feel physically sick. Spending that much time completely alone will drive you crazy and that's exactly what had happened.
When the Chitauri had finally found him they had manipulated him in his darkened state and convinced him that claiming the Earth for his own would show Odin that he was more than just a stolen relic. They had offered him the means to do so which he had accepted. Looking back on it Loki knew he shouldn't have done it. Midguard was precious to Thor and his actions had upset his brother deeply. Even now Thor had not fully forgiven him and an extreme feeling of guilt washed over Loki whenever he thought about the God of Thunder. Thor, his brother, his only friend hadn't even known his Jotun heritage and upon finding out had been nothing if not accepting of him, and how did Loki repay him? By almost killing him and destroying Midguard. Why had it taken him this long to realise his mistakes? Because that's what his attack on New York had been, one giant mistake. How he wished he could take it back and regain Thor's trust.
"Hey, Loki are you okay?" Zosime suddenly whispered quietly, slipping her hand up from his chest to gently cup his cheek, pulling him out of his thoughts once more.
"Hm? Yes, fine. Go back to sleep Zosime." the God waved off, momentarily holding her hand against his cheek and revelling in the comforting feeling, allowing his muscles to relax. He hadn't even realised he had been so tense.
"If you want to talk about anything, I'm here remember." Zoe reminded him, tilting her head up to place a gentle kiss on the underside of his chin.
"I know." Loki replied quietly as Zoe drifted off back to sleep.
How grateful he was to have somebody there for him. He was glad she hadn't pressed him into talking about how he felt. He wasn't ready for that conversation just yet. Instead he lay there, both arms wrapped around the sleeping Goddess, letting her rhythmic breathing slowly soothe him into a peaceful sleep.