Lilies Say Sorry

It was funny how one drink could turn into two drinks, and how two drinks could turn into three, and so on. Or, well, maybe it wasn't so funny given Amelia's troubling history with alcohol, but it certainly was interesting how quickly one could lose the logical side to their brain when faced with a distressing conundrum.

Alcohol did well to lessen the emotional suffering in Amelia's mind - it dulled her senses to the point where her plaguing thoughts did not yield the same level of torment and affliction as they did when she was sober; everything seemed just a little lighter and less significant when she was drunk - which she was.

She would deal with the shame of her relapse in the morning when her thoughts were not swathed in liquor, along with the thrumming headache that would only work to empower her feelings of failure - for now she was content to throw her problems out the window, curl up on the couch and imagine that her life was not a cruel amalgamation of stress, unbalance and bitterness.

Amelia blinked her bleary eyes, trying to fight the way her vision seemed to ripple and distort - were there really eight bottles of alcohol on her coffee table or was she just seeing double? - and her stomach gave a discomforting lurch as she shifted slightly, but thankfully managed to refrain from emptying the contents of her belly.

Her apartment was cold and the material of her pyjamas was thin; she wholly regretted not dragging her duvet out into the living room to join her on the couch before consuming a ridiculous amount of alcohol, because she sure as hell wasn't going to make it to her bed in her current condition.

She wriggled her icy cold toes, wondering if the numbness in them was a result of the low temperature in the room, or something to do with the copious glasses of booze she had knocked back; there was a contrasting warmth in her lower chest, almost burning, but not quite in a way she could describe as pleasant.

Amelia groaned, rolling onto her side, tightly clawing at the cushion she was using as a pillow, and closed her eyes; she would hate herself when awoke in the morning.

The feeling of something brushing against Amelia's ankle brought her back to consciousness, and she found that her mind was clearer now than it had been when she fell asleep. She blinked her eyes open, quickly retracting her foot with a short jerk, and let out a soft noise of nervous confusion; squinting through the brightness of the ceiling light, Amelia caught sight of the vague shape of a person sitting across from her on the opposite side of the sofa.

A yelp caught in her throat as she made the sudden movement to recoil away, but grew still the moment she recognised the man before her.

The identification of his face brought with it a painful ache in Amelia's chest, and her hand flew to her heart as she felt it pump furiously behind her ribs; the man wore a sympathetic smile on his face as he looked at her with eyes so deep and drowning in melancholy.

Tidy, short brown hair, sleek and rimless glasses, blue eyes she had not seen in so long; Amelia's mouth fell open, shocked surprise culminating in an incoherent babble as she tried to force words from her mouth.

"Ah- Aaron?"

Amelia blinked a few times fast, her eyes darting around the room briefly before once again landing on her brother. Her dead brother, who was sitting right in front of her. He looked very much alive, dressed in a typical pair of black jeans and a blue shirt, dimples either side of his cheeks as he beamed at her like nothing was out of the ordinary.

"Hey, Ammy."

It had been so long since she'd heard her brother's voice in person, and even longer since he'd called her by his favourite nickname; Amelia felt her eyes well up at once, her breath stunted with the heavy emotion building in her throat, and she cupped her mouth with her hand as tears flooded down her cheeks.

"Oh, God", Amelia whimpered, "Am I dead? Did I drink too much?" She pulled her legs up, hugging her knees as she shook with crippling uncertainty.

Aaron frowned, eyes widened just a fraction before he shook his head, forcing a smile back in place, "You're not dead. You're very much alive, Amelia. But yeah... you did drink too much", he kept his voice light, but Amelia could tell there was something else underlying his tone, and she hoped it wasn't disappointment.

"I'm sorry", Amelia whispered, sniffling as a sob tore from her throat, "I'm sorry, I just…" she didn't have a good excuse, she'd simply been too weak to resist falling back into her alcohol-dependant ways.

"It's alright", Aaron said, shimmying down the couch so that he was sat closer, and he placed a tender hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently to offer comfort, "You're alright, it's okay", he attempted to calm her, but Amelia's chest felt tight, and the creeping sensation of failure was inching up her spine, which made her brother's words practically useless.

Amelia coughed out a sob, and flung herself at him, repeating a litany of apologies at her shameful state, and immediately Aaron closed his arms around her and rubbed her back soothingly, allowing her to wail until she tired herself out and fell quiet, except for the occasional hiccup.

The logic of Amelia's mind caught up with her, and she realised that nothing about this scenario was possible; the last thing she'd done was fallen asleep, so it wasn't too arduous for her to put two and two together. She had not yet awoken from her liquor-enveloped nap, but that didn't mean she would give up the chance to embrace her fallen sibling.

"I miss you", Amelia breathed, inwardly grappling for control over her tremulous inhales, but all that came out were sharp, involuntary gasps.

"I know", Aaron replied, "I'm here now", and it sounded so insistent, like he was truly back from beyond the grave, but Amelia knew better - she wasn't that naive. Ghosts weren't real, were they?

"But not forever", Amelia murmured, rubbing her wet eyes against his shoulder in a vague attempt to dry them, "You'll be gone tomorrow."

Aaron breathed a sigh, the hand patting Amelia's back having slowed to a stop, "I know it's difficult, Amelia. It's hard to let go, but you must", his voice was soft and his words were delicate, expressing his remark as carefully as possible, as though he was afraid to speak too forcefully.

"I don't want to", Amelia sniffed, "I don't want to forget you, you're my brother, I can't just forget you", she squeaked; she did not like the way Aaron spoke - as if there was any way she could just abandon the memory of the only person who had been consistently there for her when she needed him - up until he'd lost his life.

"Not forget, Ammy, never forget. But you cannot spend the remainder of your life dwelling on the loss of mine", he explained carefully, his tone warm with kindness and solicitude, "It cannot be changed, unfortunately, but I do not want you to waste your time wishing things were different."

Amelia swallowed thickly, pulling her head away from Aaron's shoulder to press her hands to her eyes, trying to persuade herself to stop crying, "You don't know how hard that is when I have no one else." She looked up at him with wide, glistening eyes which were quickly becoming puffy and sore.

A flicker of guilt flashed through Aaron's eyes and he shook his head slightly, "You aren't alone, Amelia… you're never alone."

"But I am alone", Amelia weeped, fresh tears spilling from her eyes, "I've been alone for years. My life fucking sucks", her voice cracked on the last word and she hid behind her hands again, "I… I don't know what to do now."

Aaron fell completely silent, and after a few wordless moments, Amelia thought he had disappeared, as was usually the case whenever her brother popped up randomly in her dreams, but when she lowered her hands, he sat there still, watching her with a look of determination and understanding.

"I know that moving on after experiencing such a heavy loss is by no means straightforward, Ammy, but I also know that you are strong, and that you want to push through it - you are not as helpless and lost as you think you are", Aaron smiled encouragingly, resting his hand back on Amelia's shoulder, "You are entitled to happiness, Amelia. Contrary to what you might believe, you won't find it in the bottom of a bottle of whiskey."

Amelia shook with a bitter laugh, shaking her head at her brother's whimsical-sounding words, "I know. I know, but it's not that simple. I tried to chase happiness and it didn't end well. Everytime I find something good, there always seems to be a catch", she sniffled, pinching the bridge of her nose to try and alleviate the pressure behind her eyes, "Any happiness I think I've found just turns to sadness in the end."

Aaron shook his head, a meaningful glimmer in his eyes, "That's why it's important that you don't give up", he expounded, "Keep reaching for it, eventually it will stay with you."

She sighed, rubbing her hands over her damp face, "You're just talking nonsense", it didn't surprise her that she was having trouble grasping the words her brother was telling her - they didn't belong to him anyway, every utterance from his mouth was just a spurious attempt at insight from her own unconscious and intoxicated mind.

A slight simper pulled at Aaron's lips, "Ahh, I'll try and be clearer", he declared, before humorously raising his voice as if he were speaking to somebody who was hard of hearing, "Don't sit here and drink yourself to death. Get out of this apartment and pursue what makes you happy."

Amelia snickered at his rudimentary attempt to make her laugh while trying to squeeze some sort of life lesson into his words, "I can't", she stated plainly.

"Why not?"

"It's like two o'clock in the morning."

Aaron rolled his eyes, blowing air out of his mouth in theatrical frustration, "You know what I meant… dummy."

Amelia tried to force herself to smile, but her expression fell of its own accord and her eyes slipped shut defeatedly as she let out a sigh, "I can't."

"Yes, you can, Amelia."

"I can't", she contended rather miserably.

"Why, Ammy?"

Amelia stopped trying to quell her tears and just let them fall freely, allowing the coalescence of lamentation and suffering to seep out of her alongside her next few words, "Because he killed you."

The room fell silent, and Amelia could hear the atmospheric sounds from the streets of Manhattan all the way from the eleventh floor of her apartment building, even at the late hour; her heart pounded suddenly as she became aware of the strangely distinct detail of background noise.

Aaron stared at her, a tight knit in his eyebrows, his gaze imploring for an explanation.

The tears on Amelia's cheeks began to cool uncomfortably against the heat of her skin and she used her arm to brush away the salty streaks trailing down her jaw, "I'm a horrible person", she whispered.

This further confused her brother and he shook his head adamantly, "Now you are the one who's speaking nonsense."

Amelia released a sharp, sour laugh, her chuckles enfolded with shameful weeps and whimpers, "I'm the worst sister ever", she sputtered, self-deprecation flooding back so naturally to her - it seemed as though it had been a lifetime since she'd last uttered any sort of deplorable insult towards herself, so it was about time she jogged her memory of how screwed up she was.

"That's enough, Amelia. Calm down", Aaron told her, his cadence firm but ultimately caring.

She hadn't realised her breaths had started coming out a little quicker; her face scrunched up as she attempted to steady her respiration, eyes shut tight as she tried to push back the need to admit what was creating such a troubling conflict in her mind.

There was one thing - one thing so desperately bothering her. It had sat bubbling in her mind ever since she'd stormed from the Avengers Tower in anger and heartbreak; she hated herself for it - but she had to get it off her chest. Aaron was sat before her - Amelia didn't know for how long - so this may have very well been her last chance in a long time to get this plight off her chest.

"Aaron", Amelia murmured, her throat spasming and twitching uncomfortably as if her body was trying to force her not to assert what she so desperately needed to confess, "I still love him."

She covered her face to avoid the judgement she expected to see in her brother's eyes; Amelia wasn't sure she could survive the pain Aaron must have felt from her statement - to love the man that ended his life? Surely, he would feel forsaken.

The atmosphere seemed rigid all of a sudden, and another sob threatened to rip itself from Amelia's throat; she wondered if her brother would be gone the next time she lifted her head - he was a patient man, but Amelia doubted that even the fictional visage of Aaron cooked up by her own mind would sit by and offer comfort after such a declaration.

When the quietude became too much, Amelia peeked through her fingers to find Aaron's squinting blue eyes, filled with heed and surprise from the revelation, resting heavily upon her, and immediately she began to shake.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry", she whispered, "I'm sorry Aaron-" She was struck with panic and self-hatred, a rising fear within her exuding from the fact that she had greatly wounded the man who had always treated her with unconditional love and care.

Amelia felt his hands grip tightly around her upper arms, and flinched reflexively, shutting her eyes tightly as she prepared for an onslaught of loud, cruel words, or maybe even a slap across the face - perhaps in order to knock some sense into her - but of course, nothing like that came. Aaron had never been violent in his life, nor had he snapped at Amelia in spite; sure, they had had the odd skirmish like any normal siblings, but her brother had never - would never - intentionally hurt her, even if she said or did something to hurt him.

"Amelia", Aaron shushed her, "You are not a horrible person, or a bad sister. Please do not ever think that about yourself", he held her securely, making sure she could see the truth in his eyes, the undisguised honesty on his face, and Amelia's shuddering breaths took a pause.

"You… you don't hate me?"

Blue eyes softened, "I could never hate you."

It felt as though a weight had been lifted, and Amelia's mouth fell open with incredulous relief; of course Aaron - good, benevolent, compassionate Aaron - could never harbour any ill will for his little sister, especially when she was so lost and torn up over her own feelings.

Having calmed herself a little at Aaron's lucid affirmation, Amelia nodded, breathing deeply as she regained control of her ever-fluctuating emotions.

"I just feel stuck, I don't know what to do, Aaron", she admitted softly, "I want to forgive him, but I… all the things he's done… I don't know if I should." She bit her lip, trying to reach some sort of elucidation that would ease her troubled mind; she felt more composed now, the impregnable hold of her brother somehow enforcing a sense of calm within her. "Do you think Loki deserves my forgiveness?"

Aaron's eyes briefly fell, his thoughts running like clockwork behind his gaze, and he appeared to be carefully searching his head for advice that could offer Amelia's unsettled mind some respite; after a few soundless minutes, he tentatively opened his mouth and replied, "That… is for you, and you alone, to decide."

Amelia's face scrunched up, wishing she could get a candid, non-cryptic answer from her dear brother, "That doesn't help", she mumbled, releasing a weary sigh.

"Alright…" Aaron continued, "Ask yourself, Ammy… is he worthy of your love?"

Amelia had never seen such a concentrated, serious expression on her brother's face; she swallowed as she mulled over the question.

Loki had lied to her, assumed a fake identity and lured her into a false sense of security, he'd snapped hurtful words at her when she'd confronted him at Avengers Tower, trying his utmost to push her away, and he had yet to apologise for the grim fate that had befallen her brother at his own hands.

But when Loki had shown his true form to her, he had also inadvertently bared the hurricane of emotions storming behind his vermilion eyes, revealing a window into his soul that Amelia saw through as clear as day - she had seen the pain and remorse fighting to escape the strong barrier he had erected in his mind, if only he'd cast aside his pride and expressed his regret.

Loki had saved her life and comforted her when she needed it so desperately, he'd made her laugh, brought back a spark of hope that had fled her mind, and Amelia had had so much fun in his company, feeling wanted and appreciated.

He'd made her feel like she was worth something.

"I- I… I don't know", she gritted her teeth together, frustrated with her inner dispute, "I've never felt for anyone the way I feel for him… what if I turn away from him and never find anyone else? I don't want to spend my life alone, I-"

"Amelia", Aaron grounded her before she could careen into another fit of anxious panic, "Do not ever doubt your worth", he told her with resolution. He smiled, but his eyes were doleful, "If you choose to decide that Loki is due your forgiveness, then make him work for it. Don't make it easy for him. Make sure he knows that he has a lot to atone for - and if he ever makes you feel anything but irreplaceable… show him how wrong he is."

Amelia felt her lip quiver as she heard her brother's praise. She truly had missed Aaron so much, and to hear him speak once again, as he did when he was alive, made her heart pump with admiration.

"Do not go to him just because you don't think anyone else in this world would be lucky to have you. Go to him only if you wish it." His assertion resonated in Amelia's mind, and she sunk against him, pining for a consoling hug, which he promptly gave her; she felt so much better than she had before she'd fallen asleep.

"I wish this was real", Amelia murmured softly, rubbing her cheek against the soft material of Aaron's shirt, "this is all just happening in my head, isn't it?"

Her brother was quite for a few suspiciously long moments, before he answered with a smile in his voice, "Of course it's happening inside your head, Amelia. But why on Earth should that mean it is not real?"

Amelia blinked slowly, the room around her growing blurry, and she steadily became aware of the pleasant warmth that completely encompassed her; her eyes slipped closed, the world around her becoming dark as she felt her surroundings gradually dissolve away into a peaceful sleep.

When she awoke the next morning, wrapped comfortably in a blanket, to the sight of the copious bottles of alcohol on her coffee table having been replaced with a simple glass of water, Amelia realised that it had not been a dream at all.

When evening came around, a soft and subtle knock made Amelia pause - her mug of coffee suspended halfway between the table and her mouth - and she hesitantly set it back down, drawing her gaze towards the source of the gentle tap.

She knew of only one person who rapped so considerately against her door.

Amelia rose cautiously, gathering the courage to make her way timidly to the entrance of her apartment, and took a deep breath; she had been expecting this, and with her hand as steady as she could make it, she opened the door to find… nobody.

She blinked, a flutter of disappointment passing through her, because she had been so sure that Loki would come - hoped that he would garner the nerve to finally apologise for all he had done to her - except, no, all that greeted her was an empty hallway.

Not entirely empty, she registered after a few moments as she noticed something sitting in her peripheral vision; looking down, she stared at the bouquet of white lilies lying virtuously at her feet, and her cheeks grew warm with unbridled sentiment. Her eyes became glossy of their own accord, but a few controlled blinks banished the moisture away - she had shed enough torturous tears, and she would not cry anymore, not out of sadness.

Amelia picked up the flowers so delicately, afraid that they would break apart should she handle them too roughly, and breathed in their light, floral scent; it was no great mystery as to who had left these flowers outside her door, and while a searching glance down the hallway revealed nobody, she could sense Loki's presence, could feel his green gaze on her as clear as crystal.

"Loki", she said, "I know you're there."

Silence.

"Will you show yourself, please?" She kept her tone balanced, concealing the wavering emotions all weaving uncomfortably together in her stomach.

More silence ensued, and just when Amelia had begun to think she was genuinely talking to an empty corridor, there was a flicker of green light; there he stood, near the corner that turned to the elevator, in his hallmark black suit. Loki.

He stood with his arms at his sides, a detached and aloof visage, but Amelia knew better, biting the inside of her cheek as she took a step back into her apartment and held the door open. She didn't need to say anything, he took the invitation and approached, passing by her and into the apartment as Amelia's heart hammered in her chest.

Loki kept to himself, proceeding near the sofa but choosing not to sit, as Amelia advanced towards the small dining table where an empty vase was positioned - one that yearned so desperately to be filled with an aromatic sprig of beautiful blooms. She placed the bouquet in the decorative receptacle, promising to give them more attention later, and took a deep breath before facing Loki.

"I'm sorry."

Amelia's lips parted as she watched Loki closely, her eyes widening slightly as she perceived the two words that drifted so simply from his mouth; his face was somewhat distant, his gaze fastened so tightly on her that Amelia suspected he had tapped in to his natural aptitude for disguising his true feelings, and that his mind was not so calm as he outwardly appeared.

She waited, and Loki subsequently allowed another few words to spill from his lips.

"I am sorry I took your brother's life, and caused you so much grief and heartbreak", he said, but paired with cold eye contact, Amelia could not feel the legitimacy of his words, and her eyebrows drew together with a twinge of sorrow as she wondered whether this man would ever learn to express regret in a way that would be positively received.

At her silence, Loki visibly swallowed, "I am sorry… that I deceived you… lied to you, and tried to push you away instead of giving you the apology you deserved", he looked a little lost, unsure of what precisely to say, and for that reason Amelia could tell that he was truly trying.

"I'm sorry I hurt you", Loki finished, flexing his fingers at his sides distractedly.

Amelia watched him grow increasingly agitated by her continued quietness, feeling that the longer she refused to acknowledge his words, the more he would ascertain that his apology was subpar at best.

"I saw my brother last night", Amelia finally spoke, scrutinising the man before her as Loki raised his head a little, his face shrouded in curiosity, "I got drunk and passed out on the couch, and awoke in the night to find Aaron sitting across from me. I had an enlightening conversation with him… but you already knew that, didn't you?"

Loki's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and he lightly shook his head.

"He told me it was happening in my head, as I expected", Amelia continued.

"...sounds like an interesting dream", Loki remarked, intertwining his fingers as he began to fidget with them, dragging his fingernails against his palm idly.

"Except it wasn't a dream. When I woke up, I was wrapped in a blanket and had a glass of water by my side. Not my doing", she said, and narrowed her gaze on him, "I think you know what I'm getting at."

"I have no idea what you're talking about", Loki stated bluntly, holding his head up, looking ever so slightly affronted as he asserted that he had no knowledge of her implications.

"Of course it's happening inside your head, but why on Earth should that mean it is not real?" she parroted her brother's words from last night, "Do those words sound familiar to you at all?"

Loki shook his head, maintaining that her words did nothing but perplex him.

"It's from the Harry Potter books", Amelia answered, matching the fixed look he was giving her, "Does that jog your memory?"

Loki looked down at his restless fingers, "...from the final book. Albus Dumbledore delivers that line, I believe", he answered with a shrug of his shoulders, nonchalant and poised, "I do not see what this has to do with anything."

Amelia crossed her arms, taking a stance that her mother had often posed long ago, whenever she was caught with her hand stuck in the cookie jar, and attempted to appear offhanded, "Well, you see, my brother never read the Harry Potter books, nor did he watch the movies. He had no interest in it, and loved to hate it. There's no possible way he would've known that line", she explained, eyeing Loki with transparent inference, "But you know that line."

Loki cocked his head, clearly very ready to rebuff the implicit accusation, and his lips fell open to deny he had any part in Amelia's apparent nocturnal vision - and his mouth hung open for an extended moment, before slowly closing again when he realised that the worst thing he could do right then would be to lie.

He took an audible breath, eyes falling to his twitchy fingers, "I didn't- I wasn't…" he stammered, "My intention was not-"

Amelia's expression softened only slightly as Loki seemed to struggle to articulate himself - it seemed even his famed Silvertongue could fail him in the correct circumstances.

Loki licked his lips to expel the dryness of them, "I came last night, to bring the flowers and apologise. You did not answer the door and I thought… I was worried that-" his eyes darted between Amelia's face and his hands, "...so I came in and found you… as you were. I wanted only to help, so I took his form. I thought everything would sound better coming from him."

His teeth were ground tightly together, jaw clenched densely as he clarified his reasoning; Amelia tilted her head, observing his taut manner, and all she saw in his eyes was accumulating self-condemnation.

She'd played over the incident in her head several times that day, previously drawing the conclusion that Loki's intentions had not been wicked in the slightest. He'd meant only to help heal her broken mind, remaining impartial as he assumed the appearance of her brother, telling her what she absolutely needed to hear. He did not attempt to manipulate her at all, did not try to persuade her that forgiveness was the way to go, did not take advantage of his manifestation, and although the given advice hadn't truly come from Aaron, Amelia firmly believed that Loki's words had been reminiscent of what her brother would have told her, had he really been there.

"Thank you", Amelia whispered, fighting tears once again, and Loki looked at her with surprise - eyebrows raised, lips parted - and blinked rapidly for a moment.

"You do not think me more of a monster?" he questioned with incredulity, and Amelia felt her heart fracture at the bitter crack in his voice, because a monster is what he believed himself to be.

"Oh, Loki", Amelia breathed, pressing her lips together narrowly, "I watched you save a child from dangerous people, held her protectively as she slept soundly, and even returned her stuffed toy when she dropped it - they weren't the actions of a monster, and neither was giving me one last chance to talk to my brother."

She may have imagined it, but Amelia thought she saw Loki's lip quiver.

"But I… made you think I was your brother- deceived you, and you weren't supposed to know, I wasn't going to tell you- I was just going to lie to you, again-" Loki sounded so self-critical of his actions, as though he knew it was, on some degree, a breach of privacy and obvious exploitation.

"Then why did you do it?"

"What?"

"Tell me why you did it, Loki", Amelia said calmly.

Loki's eyes twitched with uncertainty, before his expression evened out, "Because, I…" Amelia held her breath as Loki faltered, his mouth opening and closing a few times in succession, "...because I care about you, deeply."

A small, diffident smile pulled at Amelia's lips in response to his confession, but she quickly pushed it from her face - he may have revealed a heartfelt admission, but that wouldn't make up for his previously lacklustre apology.

"I want to believe that", Amelia told him, pursing her lips, "I really do."

Loki was quiet, clearly mulling something over in his head, because Amelia could see the cogs turning behind his eyes, and the flicker of apprehension that seemed to take hold of him; he took a tentative step towards her, barely lessening the distance between them at all, and Amelia swallowed thickly around the bubble of sentiment in her throat when she noticed, from the angle of which the light hit him, that his eyes had grown slick with unshed tears.

She had never seen his face so exposed as it was in that moment.

"I am sorry", he spoke, and it was an almost inaudible utterance, "I am sorry, Amelia, I am so sorry." Suddenly, there were waves of emotion on his face where there had been none before - the metaphorical mask around his mind lowered, revealing all the pent-up remorse and sorrow and shame that he had once tried so hard to rid himself of.

"If I could go back and change everything, I would. I'm sorry I made you suffer loss and heartache, I'm sorry I caused you so much distress and torment and that I was the reason for your loneliness. Amelia, I want to do everything - anything - to make it right. Please, you must believe me."

Amelia did not realise she had started crying again until Loki took another, more bold step towards her and lifted his hands, cupping her face to brush away her tears with his thumbs.

She sniffed, blinking her red-rimmed eyes, "I believe you."

The edge in Loki's eyes alleviated, and his digits continued to caress her cheeks even after her tears had dissipated.

With great ambivalence, Loki gazed at her, eyes alight with hope, "Amelia, can you forgive me?"

"No."

Loki's face fell, the uncharacteristic optimism evaporating in an instant, to be replaced with rueful acceptance, because even he knew that acquiring absolution would not be so easy.

"Not yet", Amelia added, because she could not stand to see Loki crumple in despair, and Loki's pain was assuaged as he took her addition for what it was - a potential for reconciliation.

Amelia stepped out of his gentle grasp, moving to the chest of drawers to retrieve something from within, and when she returned, she held in her hands the gloves she had gifted Loki the Christmas gone.

"Your hands are cold", she stated, unable to prevent the amused curl of her lip at her own consistent remark, and offered them back to him.

He took them, pinching the expensive leather between his fingers fondly, and smiled an oddly sanguine smile, "Come live at Avengers Tower with me."

Amelia blinked.

"I- I mean, would you like to come and live at Avengers Tower with me?" he remedied, a peppering of pink adorning his pale cheeks, "Because I know you are lonely, and perhaps, if we were closer together, we could-"

"Loki", Amelia interrupted, "how about we just take things one step at a time?"

Notes: Hey. Um. I am dead. Infinity War cornered me in a dark alley, stabbed me eighteen times in the chest, stole my wallet and left me sprawled on the floor, a bloody mess. I am so sad.