"What in all the nine realms are you doing?" A voice answered my previous question, and for the smallest moment I wondered if Huginn had been holding out on me and could actually speak this entire time. I turned towards the sound but green eyes met my own instead of Huginn's.

"I was getting food…." I answered trying to stop myself from swaying. It was fine to show the pain when it was just Huginn, but with Loki it was completely different. There was a small clack and that was when I noticed a certain bird perched on Loki's shoulder. "Traitor," I hissed at Huginn. He clacked his beak at me once more and I glared at him with all I could muster.

Loki made a small sound of displeasure which brought my attention back to him. He watched with a impassive face, but as usual something lurked underneath. It was then I realized that he was not disguised as Jaco.

"You look like you." I stated.

"You dazzle me with yet another astounding show of your wit," he said sarcasm dripping off of his voice.

"You know what I mean you ass." I automatically shot back. Was I going insane or did I notice a flash of amusement on Loki's face.

Loki took a few steps forwards his eyes scanning my face. "Forgive my carelessness." He somehow made the apology sound like he was mocking me. He had quite a talent for being unpleasant. "Imagine my surprise when I found myself looking for you. Needing to find you…because you were in pain. It is not something I can control," he added eyes narrowed. "And then your feathered friend here tells me of your reckless actions. Why must you be so dull-witted?"

The anger and loneliness of my time in Asgard came rushing forwards. "My reckless actions?" I took my own step forwards. "You couldn't be nice to me just one damn day?" I had never really yelled at Loki, I never really took it out on him. I usually just ignored him, but for some reason I couldn't swallow my anger….not this time. "You speak of being treated unjustly by your parents and yet you don't seem to shy away from giving abuse. I thought maybe you had some sort of hope. That maybe you were blinded by hatred and-" I stopped myself. I had, though the several months of being forced into contact with Loki, convinced myself that he was good deep down. That he cared. Not about me, of course, but about something. "I thought you weren't bad."

"What?" Loki's voice was subzero.

"I thought that maybe you weren't the villain. That maybe I shouldn't hate you for what you did. I thought you could be a decent person. That you had some sort of humanity."

"I am not some filthy human." Loki sneered.

I couldn't help the disappointment that surged through my veins. I wanted so badly for him not to be what he seemed. I thought that I had started to see past the façade that he constantly kept up. All of the small moments where he didn't hurt my feelings flashed through my mind. All of the small moments where he didn't seem quite as bad. I was suddenly tired, as if lead had poured through my body.

"No, you're not." I began to walk, and this time the pain wasn't that much of a bother. I could focus on it, and not the roaring in my head. "You're nothing but a spoiled misguided child who believed that he could be a king. You, who throws a tantrum every time the world is not handed to you on a silver platter, are not worthy of having humanity. You're a monster." I tried to push past Loki, and found myself being spun to face him. There was the ache of my ribs but a new pain made itself known to me. My back felt taunt and a new ache spread.

Oh that was right…I had a cut on my back. I looked to Loki and found a dark fury in his eyes that I only had fuzzy memories of. For a moment I saw him with his armor, a scepter in hand, watching me with an amused and distant look. Then I was back in the kitchen.

"How dare you speak to me in such a way?" Loki's voice was nothing but a growl. He was suddenly holding me by my upper arms. I glared at him even though fear had begun to take root in my stomach.

"Someone had to tell you the truth." I spat. The anger was unreal. I hated him, but not for the reasons I should. "Not that you care," I hissed. "Let go of me."

Loki watched me his hands never leaving my arms. "The truth?" He sounded so…quiet. I felt goose bumps creep down my arms and up my neck. "You know nothing of the truth."

I gathered my magic and tried to push Loki away, he easily knocked the attempt aside with his own magic. It was so easy for him, it was like breathing. "I don't care anymore." I whispered. "I'm done." Done with all of this. Done with Asgard, done with a life filled with people who only tolerated me, and done with being a prisoner. I was done. "Let me go."

Loki's grip only got tighter. "What do you mean?"

"I'm done with this!" I growled back. "I'm done with this stupid place. Done with magic. Done with Odin. And I am done with you." I let my gaze drop. "I'm done. Now let me go."

"You'll give up? Just like that?"

I didn't' say anything. I didn't have to. I wasn't willing to fight for what I was anymore. Why would I fight for an existence that held nothing for me?

"You surprise me." His voice was soft and mocking. And I hated him even more in reveling in my defeat. I didn't care, I told myself. It didn't matter. "After fighting so hard to survive?"

"It's hard to fight when no one cares about you." I pulled against his hold. He merely stepped with me. "Just let go, Loki." I took another step, and he followed. For some reason it reminded me of dancing. "I know you don't care. Just let me go. I'll go back to bed you won't have to worry about me." Another step, but this time he tugged me the slightest bit. I realized a moment after that he was saving me from the impact of hitting the wall. But why?

"So you've given up. You don't care what happens?" He narrowed his eyes. "No news to make you feel better?"

"Loki-"

"What about my brother's return?" He said softly. I couldn't help the sudden widening of my eyes. Thor, one of my few friends, was coming back? Loki smirked slightly. "Ah, that got your attention." But something else had caught my attention. How close we were. Loki usually kept his distance from me, and I kept my distance from him. My heart fluttered and I hated that it did. I shouldn't want Loki…I knew I should hate him. He was the cause of everything that was wrong in my life. But I couldn't ignore it anymore. I was attracted to Loki. Both physically and mentally.

Loki had been staring at me as I came to this conclusion. "You're not a monster." The words slipped out before I could think. His eyebrows raised a fraction. "You're not a good guy, but you're not a monster."

"That is where you are wrong." He said a strange light entering his eyes. "I am the monster that parents tell their children about at night."

"No. You're not." Loki stepped the smallest bit closer.

His eyes were the same strange green that I had never seen on another person. "And how did you come to this conclusion?" He asked a sort of smug and sad confidence in his voice.

For a moment I wondered if I could come up with something that he could not explain away with the bracer's curse. Then I thought back, and I realized. "The last time I slept. I've always had nightmares. I didn't. It was the first good sleep I've had since arriving here."

"And?"

"It was you. You did something." I reached up without thinking and touched where he had placed his hand. "I remember magic…" I closed my eyes trying to draw forward the fuzzy memory. "It was you I know it was. You didn't have to but-"

My words suddenly stuck in my throat and fingers lightly touched the side of my face. Loki's fingers had deftly moved between the spaces of my own fingers to touch my temple. I opened my eyes, and for the first time I saw Loki's façade begin to crumble. His gaze had followed his hand, but they flickered back to my eyes now. He didn't look angry, or plotting something. He was stunning.

"-you did." I breathed. Loki leaned forwards the smallest bit. "I just wanted to thank you…and…" Loki was even closer now, I could see the true color of his eyes this close. So many different greens twining together to make something incredible. His eyes were dilated, and he seemed to be studying me as much as I was studying him.

What was I doing? The situation crashed down upon me. I started to move away, but Loki caught me first. He had closed the gap between us. He kissed me and it affected me more than any kiss before it. My hand dropped from my face to curl around the back of his neck. He pulled back the smallest bit and I couldn't help the shocked look that crossed my face. Loki had kissed me.

It was as if everything had ground to a stop. Time itself held its breath as we stared at each other. When we kissed again I wasn't quite sure if he had kissed me or if I had kissed him. And honestly…I didn't care.