I've been sitting around, wasting my time, wondering what you've been doing

Oh, but it ain't real forgiving, it ain't real forgiving, sitting here picturing someone else living.

But, I, I still need you! But what good's that gonna do?

Needing/getting, OkGo

Loki had no idea how long he'd been chained to the boulder. Days? Years? Minutes? There was no way to tell, either, since the drops fell at irregular intervals, so he couldn't even time them. He suspected it didn't matter, honestly. Sigyn would come for him.

The first droplet of venom that landed on his face was agonizing, and Loki screamed at a shameful volume and pitch as the acid slowly, excruciatingly slid down his cheekbone eating at the skin. The chains only allowed him enough wiggle room to be able to move enough for the droplets to fall directly into his ear canal, and sit there. Causing him immense pain for hours. (probably) No matter how hard Loki shook his head, it wouldn't slide out, only sit there until it had entirely dissolved, so after three droplets in his ears, he decided it was less pain to just let the venom fall on his face. With every drop that fell into his eyes, the light at the mouth of the cave grew dimmer, until it was entirely imperceptible, and Loki's world was lost to darkness. He assumed the venom had entirely blinded him. No matter. Sigyn was coming… right? Of course.

Of course, Loki couldn't help but wonder. He was a monster, a killer of his own family, after all. Perhaps Sigyn wasn't coming? Perhaps she thought he deserved his fate? Perhaps… she was happy he was gone? No, that could never be. Sigyn loved him. (And he'd dearly loved the twins, yet betrayed them…) Between the falling poison, Loki had plenty of time to think on his actions. What had gone wrong? Loki wasn't sure, but it was his fault. He hoped he'd repented, but how could he prove it for sure? Maybe he didn't deserve to be released. Maybe he'd just have to stay here until the venom eventually killed him.

Soon, though, another problem presented itself. Loki had no food. He was empty, his gut twisting inside him, desperate for some form of sustenance. Often, it was all he could think about. Well, that and the pain from the falling acid. As time went on, he often forgot his mouth was sewn shut, because of the other two, much more agonizing pains to worry about.

He tried to think of what could possibly be taking Sigyn so long, but easily became distracted by the thought of Sigyn herself. She was truly an amazing woman, strong, fearless, confident, and downright gorgeous. No matter that he couldn't remember exactly what she looked like, he could remember the highlights. She had red hair, and she was short, only coming up to Loki's chin. (Or was Loki just tall? He couldn't remember.) Her ears were adorably pointed from her elvish heritage, and her hazel… or was it brown? Probably brown eyes positively lit up when she smiled. Loki wished she was coming. Perhaps she'd have food… He didn't even want to be set free, anymore. He just wanted a kind hand to stroke his hair, and whisper sweet words of comfort into his ear. And he wanted to be fed. He so desperately needed food.

Not long, (or possibly very long) after Loki lost his eyesight, a tiny, annoying part of his mind started to wonder if there ever had been anything else, and if he'd possibly just dreamed Sigyn up. Perhaps he'd been born into this darkness. The rest of his mind shoved that idea down, dismissing it as madness. Ah, yes. Madness. Loki knew he was slowly succumbing to insanity, laying there in the dark, the only sounds being his labored breathing, the hiss of acid burning through flesh, and the soft scratching of scales on stones. It was only to be expected that he'd lose his mind. Further than it had already slipped, of course. Loki doubted he'd ever been truly sane.

He slowly dozed off, dreaming of a red-haired elf, dancing in the sunlight. Soon, he was awoken by another drop of acid falling on his face. Norns, it burns! He twisted against the chains, letting out a hopeless groan.

"Thor! Don't just stand there gaping like a fish! Do something!"

Oh, look at that, Loki! The annoying corner of his mind simpered. You're hearing voices! Look how far you've fallen… Loki shushed his mind, desperately straining his ears to hear anything else, anything that would assure him that he wasn't truly going mad. Footsteps. A wet thump, followed by the dying shriek of the snake. And the boulder shook slightly.

It was… real? Or perhaps he was much more lost than he'd previously thought. He lifted his head wearily, making confused noises in the back of his throat.

"Loki!" It was the same voice, and a soft hand cupped his cheek. "Thalionen, can you hear me?"

Thalionen… Sigyn was the only one who called him that. She was… here? He nodded, bewildered.

"Oh, thank the Norns!" She gasped happily. "Listen, Thor and I are going to get you out of here. Just hold still while he undoes the chains."

He was… going to be free. He'd feel the sunshine on his skin, and hold his beautiful Sigyn in his arms, again. One by one, the manacles clicked open, and Loki reached up with shaking fingers to feel Sigyn's face. She was smiling, he could feel her dimple, but her cheeks were wet. "Mm?"

"Hush, Beloved." She whispered. "We're going to take you back to the palace, and lady Eir will take the stiches out. Then you can say whatever you'd like." Loki felt a pair of strong arms lift him up off the rock.

Thor? But… Thor hated him! Loki ran his fingers over the man's face. He certainly had Thor's beard.

"Loki, I can't see where I'm going." Thor's deep voice rumbled. He didn't sound angry, or even irritated, just remorseful and a bit concerned. Loki quickly dropped his hand away from his face, not wanting to anger his rescuers.

"Mmm?"

Sigyn took his hand gently. "Do you want something, Love?"

He nodded, and ran a hand over her mouth.

"I don't understand." She apologized. "You want to kiss me?"

Well, yes, but that's not what he'd been going for. He nodded, then shook his head. How was he supposed to tell her to keep talking? He'd been starved of hearing her voice for far too long, and if she continued talking, even meaningless prattle, he'd have something to ground him to reality.

Suddenly, he felt the rush of teleportation, and the atmosphere changed from being outside, to indoors, with the smell of books and pine wood. They were in his room. Thor gently set him down on his bed, as Sigyn ran a hand through his hair. "Lady Eir and your mother are here. They've been waiting for your return."

Loki squeezed her hand, and groped blindly through the air to feel for his mother. Her cool hand took his, and he instantly calmed, as something bumped from under the bed. "I'm here, my son."

Loki would've cried from relief, but he didn't know if his tear ducts still worked, or if they'd been eaten away. Eir's skilled hands were gently examining his mouth, and a sharp knife cut through the leather cord, and gently extracting it from his lips.

"I'm…" He croaked. Someone held a glass to his lips, and he swallowed gratefully. The blessed water slid down his throat, making it far easier to speak. "I'm so sorry, I truly am!"

"Loki." Frigga's cool hand smoothed his hair. "We've all forgiven you."

Loki hesitated. "Truly?" That came out far more desperate than he'd like.

"Of course." Sigyn told him. "It was an accident, Loki. We're sad, of course, but you're hurting, too."

Loki was silent, considering this.

"If anyone must apologize, it is I, Brother." Thor spoke up, near the foot of the bed. "I… should've stood up for you. I'm so very sorry."

Loki remained quiet. "There's something under the bed. Something alive."

"What?" The queen gasped.

Sigyn slipped off the bed, and the room went deathly silent. Loki could feel the awkwardness, and didn't even know what had been under there. The mattress sunk as Sigyn placed the object, no, person on the bed next to him.

"Hello, Father." Vali murmured guiltily.

"Vali?" Loki gasped happily, gathering the six-year old into his arms. "You're bigger." He noticed. "Why are you all so quiet, all of a sudden? Did he grow a tail in my absence?"

Vali giggled, nuzzling into Loki's chest. "Yes. I'm a monkey, now."

"Ah, I see." Loki smiled, carding his fingers through his son's hair.

"Loki…" Thor spoke up. "That's your bastard."

Loki frowned. "Correction. He's my son. I'm the one who gets to decide that, right?"

"No, that's your father's call." Frigga corrected.

"Oh? Tell me, Mother. If Odin had said I wasn't your son, would I be?"

Frigga was quiet for far too long of a moment.

"He would be, Mother!" Thor protested. "What are you trying to say?"

"No, he wouldn't be." She responded quietly.

"Would Thor be?" Loki asked with venom dripping from his voice. Frigga stood up, and quietly walked out. "I love you, Loki."

There was a pregnant silence filling the room as Eir cleaned the acid burn on his face. Broken, of course, by Vali. "What's a bastard?"

Loki grimaced. "Nice going, Thor. A bastard, Va, is someone who's parents were not married when they have him."

"You and Mother aren't married." He noted. "Am I a bastard?"

"Yes and no. In all technicalities, yes, you are. But most men don't want their bastard children, and I certainly want you. So, you're my son."

"You're still seeing that witch, Angrboda?" Thor asked, disgust in his voice. "Does Sigyn know about this?"

Loki glowered impatiently. "Angrboda is my friend. There was never anything between us. Sigyn's her friend, as well, and if, for once in your life, you'd listen to-"

"How can you say there was nothing between you, when your offspring is sitting directly next to you?" Thor interrupted.

Loki sat up, his hands clenched into fists, and his voice trembling with rage. "Get. Out! Now!" He seethed. "And don't come back until you can respect me and my family!"

Loki laid back against the pillows when he heard the door close. "Sigyn. You know I didn't do anything, right?"

"Of course. It's not biologically possible." She responded, taking Vali's hand, and taking him off the bed. "Come on, Va. It's your bedtime. I'll be there to tuck you in shortly."

"What do you mean, it's not possible?" Loki asked. "The reason nobody believes the truth is because it sounds like the least possible thing to have happened!"

Sigyn sat beside him, as Eir quietly left the room. "Jotnar mate for life. If you'd have done anything with Angry, she'd be emotionally attached to you for the rest of her life, and she'd be incapable of romantic feelings for anyone else. She'd most likely follow you around, begging for your affections and attention, as you're obviously not doing anything with her, anymore, and she'd resent me as a competitor for you, and probably be way more protective of you than she is. But, as she's now engaged to that young Jotun, what was his name, Thyrstr, and she likes me pretty well, that's obviously impossible."

Loki smiled at the memory of Angrboda's enthusiastic narration of her courtship to her fiancée, and their plans for the wedding, sometime in the future. "How do you so much about the Frost giants? I mean Jotnar?"

"There's a Jotun population on Alfheim, remember? It's required that I know of their biology, and their culture, as second in line to the throne." Sigyn explained.

Loki snorted. "Well, too bad I couldn't care less."

Sigyn probably rolled her eyes, and went to go tuck in Vali. After she came back, she helped Loki wash himself, and then sat him cross-legged on the bed as she spooned warm soup into his mouth. Loki was very content, his face bandaged, feeling the warmth from the fire as his wet hair dripped into his clean sleep wear, and knowing Sigyn was within reach, and was feeding him soup.

"This feels very surreal." He commented.

"How so?" Sigyn asked.

Loki slid the silk of his shirt through his fingers, almost reverently. "Well, for the past… however long I was in there-"

"Six months." Sigyn interrupted.

"Six months!" Loki exclaimed. "It felt longer. Anyway, I… almost gave up hope that you'd come for me at all. But here you are. And here I am."

Sigyn spooned more broth into his mouth. "Loki, I will always come for you. I love you."

"Still?" Loki asked. "After all I've done?"

"Always!" Sigyn agreed. "I was devastated when you left. I wept for hours, on your birthday!"

"Ah, yes, I did have another birthday, didn't I?" Loki asked.

"That's right. You're seventeen, now."

Loki licked his lips nervously. "Well, I'm sorry you were upset, but not as much as I probably should be. I was so afraid you'd… forget me. Or… be happy I was gone."

Sigyn kissed his cheek below the bandages. "I would never even think of it, Thalionen. You're the light of my life. The sun is dark in my eyes without you."

Loki blushed happily. "Really?"

"Of course!" Sigyn replied promptly. "Are you tired? There's no more soup."

Loki nodded eagerly, and Sigyn gently lowered him onto the pillows. "You are terrifyingly thin." She murmured.

"Sorry…"

"It's not your fault, Melleth." Sigyn assured him, pulling the covers up to his chin. "I'm just concerned. Now, sleep well."

And Loki did. A deep, dreamless sleep of pure exhaustion, such as he hadn't felt since before the accident.

Next time, we shall have... Legolas! And... Sigyn! and... depression! Yeah, lots of stuff to look forward to...

Hm, let me think of a good pair, here... A heart will allow you to feed Loki soup... a review will let you sing him to sleep.

TheOnlyHuman.