Punishment

Inuyasha-Avengers

Kagome-Loki

Comedy, Romance

Series

For his misdeeds on Midgard, Loki was given only one punishment: Kagome.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the Avengers, Inuyasha, or Norse Mythology. Also, I'm sorry if there are lots of facts that are wrong, or don't make sense and stuff.

Chapter 20: Home

When Kagome arrived at the palace later in the afternoon, Thor was standing at the gates to greet her.

"Kagome!" He shouted to her, waving his arms enthusiastically the moment he saw her gliding up the steps, "Congratulations! Welcome back!" Though his smile was innocent and composed enough, Thor could not help but find himself slightly flustered by the revived beauty of the woman approaching. "Training has graced her with a wondrously bright glow, which has made her quite attractive," He couldn't help but think with a reproachful clench of his fist.

Kagome smiled, and skipped up the stairs with an ease and alacrity that seemed to surprise Thor. "Thor! I've missed you!" They embraced, and Thor warmly kissed the crown of her head. They parted after a moment, and he began laughing.

"Freyja has grown quite fond of you! She spoke very highly of your resolve and, what she calls, your "human virtues."" Kagome giggled at the expression, and Thor placed a large hand on her hair affectionately. "But you have been well missed here in the castle. By myself, of course, but especially by Loki, who seems to have been counting the days until your return. He has been quite restless since the morning time."

Kagome smiled fondly at her friend, "I've chosen a God."

"'Tis my brother, no doubt!" Thor said, laughing at Kagome's modest blush. "I should be saddened by the lost opportunity to gain such a wonderful priestess."

"Yeah, well, I'll always be your friend, and—if I play my cards right—I may be your sister one day too!"

"Yes," Thor said with a slight delay. After another quiet moment, despite her eager eyes, hungry for news of his brother, he asked, "I hear that your tale is quite remarkable—though, you did not impart the full story to Freyja—and that you age almost as we do!" His smile was dimmed, and Kagome had the feeling he was not allowed to welcome Jane into the fold of Asgard.

"Yes, well, I will tell you my full story some day soon. I'm sorry about Jane," she finished quietly.

The melancholy in Thor's countenance made Kagome's heart overflow with sympathy, and she placed a hand on his arm. "I made the request," he said. "But after a long consideration, Father decided that we should not make an exception for her; she would have not a productive duty in our halls." His eyes looked toward the Rainbow Bridge. "I do not doubt that I loved her more than any man—God or Mortal—could, however, I understand why Father's ruling was at it had been, and I took care of her until the day she found a mortal man who would do the same until their dying days." Thor smiled contentedly, but Kagome bit back her tears, and leaned forward to, once again, embrace her friend, in an effort to provide comfort to his aching heart. "Ah," he sighed, "do not mourn for me, Kagome. I loved her to the absolute, and I enjoyed being with her and learning from her until the moment of our parting. I could not have asked for a more wonderful romance." Thor rested his hand on the small of Kagome's back as she pulled away, and he guided her toward the main hall where he told her that she could find Loki. Smiling, he pounded a fist upon his chest, and waited until Kagome was several yards away before he spoke again, "It may be my turn to pine for you for a moment, dear Kagome, but this irregular beating of my heart will quell itself, surely, when I see the effect of your appearance upon Loki." Thor watched wistfully as her ethereal, white silken gown—a near exact copy of Freyja's, save for the color—beckoned behind her, dancing with the tendrils of the winds upon Asgard.

As for Kagome, when she walked through the door to the Great Hall, her heart pounding in her ears, her whole body thrummed with a feeling she had been searching for since the moment she had been abandoned by the Feudal Era. She saw Loki—who hadn't spotted her yet—distracted by his pursuit to glare his dopey guard to death, and she felt a single tear gather at the corner of her cheek.

"I'm home."

xxx

mb: well, well. Oopie daisy, Thor. Too bad about Jane, but I just really couldn't be bothered. Not that I don't like Jane or Thor, I just wasn't having any of it this time. Also, I thought that it would be interesting to switch their roles—in the beginning, Kagome hopelessly pined for Thor, and now (for just a little while; I'm not cruel) Kagome has caught Thor's fancy.

Five chapters and an Epilogue to go. Happy reading!