A.N.: is updating every 2 days too often? I have well over half of this story written and ready to go and I'm just so antsy and excited to get it out there and WHAT ELSE do we have to do right now right? RIGHT?! To the commenter who referred to Kagome as Lokisexual: sweet lord, aren't we all?
One last note: this chapter was inspired by the fact that I'm currently reading THREE Hades/Persephone web comics right now lmao
In the quiet lull of the evening before dinner, when the light of day faded to a warm golden glow and the hustle and bustle of life slowed to a lazy crawl, Kagome ordered a cup of tea to be brought to her in the library. It was the most glorious evening to sit and read for a while, so she made her way to the small, private library in the family wing, chose a book at random from the romance shelf, and entered the little alcove off to the side that always had a roaring fire in the fireplace, and soft cushions couches and chairs.
She bounced in humming quietly under her breath but stopped abruptly when she found she was not alone.
Occupying one of the armchairs nearest the fire, his own cup of tea steaming on the side table, Loki sat with his own book open on his lap, one leg crossed and head tilted, resting on one of his fists.
His eyes flashed up to meet hers as she entered and she faltered for a moment, embarrassed to note her heartbeat picking up.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt..."
"You didn't. Come sit." He gestured to the chair across from him and she shuffled inside and sat down, pulling her legs up and folding them under her. A kitchen maid came in then and placed her tea down. Kagome thanked her quietly and cracked her book open to see what she'd blindly chosen.
She chuckled quietly, pleased to see it was a tale from another culture entirely, a little amused to see just which story it was.
'Hades And Persephone, eh? Well at least I like this story.'
She made it through a few pages before her attention began straying to the god sharing the reading nook with her. The fire had limned his features in a soft, flickering gold and her breath fell short at how beautiful he looked. Her heart skipped again and she could feel her cheeks heat with a blush.
'Thank Kami he cant hear my heart beating faster. A definite plus side to no longer being around Youkai ears.' She thought, looking back down at her book, missing the way Loki's mouth twitched up in an amused grin.
She did her best to ignore him as she read some more, and truly she was fascinated by her book even though she knew the story already. Having met Hades herself lent a whole new dimension to it since she had a face to place on at least one of the character. Her curiosity ignited again and she snuck another glance at Loki. He had probably met them before, Thor had said things here and their that led her to believe that all the seperate pantheons had had at least some contact over the eons, and now she itched to ask questions.
"Um..."
He looked up at her immediately, expression open and inquiring, and she blushed again before quietly clearing her throat.
"So Uh, have you met them?"
She held up her book so he could see the title page and he took a moment to scan over it before his eyes lit up in recognition.
"Ah, Kore and Aidoneus. Yes, I've met them."
"Oh? How interesting." She chirped, sitting up straighter in her seat, and Loki snapped his book closed with a wry smile.
"I take it you have a thousand questions. Alright, let's have it."
Kagome clapped her hands together, and then repositioned herself and Loki smiled a little despite himself at how excited she was.
"Thank you so much! Okay, what are they like? Have you met any other Greek Gods?"
"I've met most of them. Kore and Aidoneus are less objectionable than most of the others."
Kagome giggled, not surprised to find he didn't like most of them.
"I met Hades during my brief visit to Olympus. I liked him much better than Zeus and Hera, that's for sure. Alright next question, did he really kidnap Persephone, or is that more Earth stuff we got wrong?"
Loki shrugged and picked up his tea, taking a sip of his tea.
"I don't know. I don't care enough to meddle in the personal lives of others. Does it matter?"
"I don't know, I guess not. It's just, we're told he did. We're also told they love each other. I've been kidnapped a few times by people who wanted to marry me and there's only one person that wouldn't have been a disaster with so, I guess it's a good thing it turned out okay for her. Unless they aren't in love?"
Loki eyed her in shock.
'She's been kidnapped for marriage... more than once?' He found himself once again curious about the life she'd led before she'd been dropped in all of their laps. But that was for another time.
"They seemed content enough last time I was in their company."
"Alright. Are all the gods the same species?"
He was a bit caught off guard by the abrupt shift, but this was something he was better equipped to answer over questions about the messy personal relationships between gods.
"Yes. We're all the same."
Wide eyed, Kagome leaned forward a little, completely rapt.
"Even the ones that don't look... well... like you?"
"You mean like a human beings?"
She giggled a little and shrugged, it was as good a way to describe it as any.
"The answer is yes, even those who look very different are all the same. I am a shapeshifter by nature, and can therefore take any form I please for any reason, but all gods have at least some small bit of control over their appearance, and can take at least one alternate form, depending on which aspects they embody. Some I se this ability more liberally than others, as I'm sure you noticed. It's why my father appears old despite being as immortal and ageless as the rest of us. He enjoys how 'distinguished' he thinks it makes him look."
He rolled his eyes and Kagome laughed, amused that it seemed that Odin had a similar flare for drama as his youngest son, though she would never say that out loud.
"I had wondered why he looked so old compared to the rest of you. How funny. So, what kind of occasions do you have to see the other gods? Do you go visit?"
He wrinkled his nose and she erupted in another fit of giggles.
"Certainly not. We don't generally like mingling too much, we're all pretty well meant to stay in our own territories. But every once in a while we all come together out of necessity. Well, those of us who have anything to do with humanity anymore. I usually skip it unless it's held here. Come to think of it, I believe it is our turn to host the next Council of Gods. That should be coming up soon. You're in luck."
He found himself smiling again at how starry eyed she looked, excitement making her face glow. His own curiosity got the best of him then.
"Now, as I've answered all of your questions, I'd like to ask some of my own."
She gulped and sat back, spine rigid with nerves and he noticed she began picking at the trailing hem of one of her sleeves.
"Oh? Questions? For me?"
"Yes. Who kidnapped you?"
"Which time?"
"Any time."
She met his eyes and he could see the deeply buried agony shimmering dangerously, threatening to spill over and run down her cheeks. It was a breathtaking swing from her previously bubbly mood.
"I... um. I just, I haven't spoken of... that time in so long. I've been so scared if I do, I'll lose all the progress I've made here. They are... bittersweet memories, heavy on the bitter. I don't know if I can share them... not yet."
He could tell she was embarrassed, probably for being so emotional in front of him. He knew he wasn't always the easiest person to talk to, and he'd given her a hell of a time speaking with him in the first place.
"Was it not you who reminded me of the importance of story telling? Of its life saving abilities as well as its use in entertainment? Memories are only stories we have lived ourselves, sharing the heavy ones can not weaken us, it simply lightens the load on our shoulders."
Her blue eyes lit up like she'd had an epiphany, and he could admit to himself the way they sparkled was charming. She seemed to make a decision then, meeting his gaze with determination. She opened her mouth to speak, and a servant interrupted them to inform them that it was time for dinner.
The atmosphere between them was shattered, but as Kagome took his offered arm and allowed him to escort her to the dining room, she smiled up at him gratefully.
"Thank you Loki."
He simply grinned back, and they continued on their way.