Loki and her mother had been less than thrilled when just the next morning after arriving, Kagome announced they'd be setting off for New Asgard right after breakfast. She would admit that wasnt particularly thrilled either, but Thor would need help getting the rest of the newly returned Asgardians settled in, and as she'd been the one doing most of the royal leg work, she didn't expect him to be able to just pick up those reins on his own. The sooner they got it done, the sooner they could return and stay there for more than a week.
She was so looking forward to staying somewhere for more than a week.
Her longer stint with the Avengers building time machines didn't count, she wanted to rest.
Shortly after landing on the docks, she discovered she needn't have worried.
Thor stood proud and tall in the midst of his people, helping sort out the chaos of such a large influx of returned citizens.
Dala nearly steamrolled her, a blubbering mess of snot and tears as she tried desperately to thank her for the return of her husband and child. Kagome returned her embrace and held her while she cried, and then welcomed Dala's returned family, who had long ago become family to her as well, with warm affection.
She then immediately jumped right into helping organize the mayhem with Loki at her side accepting the admiration of his people with all the good graces of a well mannered prince as they welcomed him back as well.
After making it through such tumultuous times, they were all ready to lay the past to rest and look to their prince as well as their king for guidance as they embraced their new futures.
Kagome and Loki even found a little cottage for themselves. It was small and out of the way, the perfect bit of privacy for when they found themselves staying amongst the Asgardians. With only one little bedroom and a small kitchen, it hadn't been much of a contender for the families that made up the group of people looking for homes. The sun had long gone down by the time the last of the returned had been been sorted into a place to rest their heads and then they turned to planning out the construction that would need to take place to make enough homes for everyone, and their feet had dragged all the way to their new door after bidding an eternally glowing Thor goodnight.
He came knocking bright and early the next morning, bidding them to sit down, and the seriousness of his expression alarmed her after how happy he'd been the night before.
His aura was somber and his voice was grave, but the news he delivered was not quite as surprising as he imagined they thought it would be.
"I feel I am no longer meant to rule."
They took his admission in stride and easily accepted his explanation.
"I've changed so much since my failed coronation and I... I am not who I was."
Pride threatened to run out of her eyes and down her face as she beamed at him, knowing exactly how far he'd come and how much he'd changed. Kagome tightened her grip on Loki's hand to stop herself from launching herself at Thor and throwing her arms around him before he'd even finished his speech.
"I came to ask if you two wanted-"
"No." Loki answered abruptly, and the conviction in his voice with just that one word was a shock.
"Are you certain Brother? You have both proven yourselves to be more than capable of leading our people, and they would follow you both proudly."
Loki squeezed Kagome's hand, met her eyes, read clearly the happiness, the pride, the confidence she held for him in them. She'd support him in this, as she had always tried to do before.
But he knew what she wanted, and he was ready to want it for himself too.
"No. We don't want it. I don't need it."
A silent understanding passed between the former princes of Asgard, that shining, golden kingdom in the sky, and the deep scars of the past that had been rent between them were finally on their way to healing.
Thor smiled, his ageless eyes, one now brown instead of blue, glimmered with an excitement that he hadn't felt in far too long. They all stood, Thor and Loki grasped each other's shoulders fondly, and then Kagome was swept up into a crushing hug by her favorite big brother.
"Well, shall we go deliver the news to our new queen?"
Freedom, possibility and relief followed them out of the little cottage. The chains that had tied them all to that throne were gone, and it hadn't been apparent just how heavy and burdensome they'd been until they'd been shaken off.
And now the mantle would pass to one who'd lost it all defending that very throne.
She would do it justice, she would do their people justice, and more wrongs of the past would be made right.
The former royal family bowed out together to make way for the new Queen of Asgard-
Queen Brunnhilde the Valkyrie.
Life slowed to a pleasant crawl. The air buzzed with noises they'd all taken for granted when they'd been stolen away, and though their act of bringing all the souls Thanos had stolen had caused many problems for a world that had had five years to try and move on, things in Kagome's world were sweet and peaceful.
Shortly after crowning their new queen, Thor had run off to explore the universe with promises to come back and visit soon, and Loki made it clear he wished to return to the shrine and her mother where he was "finally receiving the appreciation he deserved."
She'd rolled her eyes, but back to the shrine they went, which pleased her mother greatly.
Souta moved back out into a nearby apartment with his fiancé, and Inuyasha came and went with Shippo and Natasha, but for a very peaceful, leisurely time, Kagome and Loki were fairly permanent fixtures.
She'd been a little surprised when Loki had taken to helping around the house and shrine with chores that were more physically demanding. Kagome had always known he was strong; aside from coming from a race of beings gifted with greater physical strength and longevity, he'd been a trained warrior as well. But above all he'd been a prince with a full staff to tend to the chores. And yet, when he wasn't with her he was busy with some menial house task. Lifting furniture, moving boxes, hauling groceries, if Mama Higurashi asked, Loki did it, and accepted her doting and fussing in return.
He seemed settled and content, and his aura always stayed warm and quiet, and when Kagome would remember the painful start to the mess that pulled them apart she couldn't believe the place they found themselves together and happy again.
But they were happy. That was a miracle she would never take for granted again.
It was a very typical Tuesday afternoon.
Mama sat in the living room catching up on her shows and leaving the "young people" to chat in the kitchen. Kagome sat with Inuyasha and Natasha at the kitchen table catching up on things that had happened while they'd been living in near seclusion on the shrine grounds while Loki and Shippo leaned against the counter and traded tips for illusions and tricks. They'd been endlessly entertaining in the shenanigans they got up to together, and Loki often lit up in the boyish smile and laughter he'd often had so long ago when he got up to mischief when he and Shippo spun their Magics. There was often multiples of each running around and when they worked together they could cast even bigger, grander illusions than they could alone. So far Kagome was the only one they hadn't been able to trick, and Mama Higurashi was the only one they left willingly alone, and she rewarded them handsomely for it with extra desserts and affection. They were ignored by those at the table while they plotted, particularly by Kagome, who had no desire to remotely acknowledge the havoc they were attempting to rain down on their poor victims for sport. She simply sipped her tea and enjoyed the company of friends.
Her phone chimed, alerting her to a message from her brother.
"Oh mama! Souta and Hana picked their wedding rings today! Come see!"
Her mother hurried in and took the phone, enlarging the photo and admiring the shiny new rings where they sat in their boxes.
"They're lovely! They'll look so nice with them when they can finely wear them in a few months."
"Won't they? I'm excited for them."
"You know Kagome dear, I've been wondering."
Set immediately on edge, Kagome sat up a little straighter and narrowed her eyes at her mother. She had used her meddling voice, and there was very little one could do to escape Mama Higurashi when she was in the mood to meddle.
"Um... wondering what, mama?"
"Why you and Loki don't have any nice wedding rings of your own?"
"Wedding rings aren't really an Asgardian tradition Mama."
"Well, you aren't on Asgard anymore."
"...I guess not."
"Perhaps you both should go get some. I do have that fund set aside to help pay for your wedding. I didn't get to use it for that purpose and I don't expect you to throw another wedding just to use it up, you should use it for some nice wedding rings."
"Oh Mama, you don't-"
"Nonsense, I insist. It was always for you to use, anyway. Son-in-law!"
Immediately Loki was at her side with a fond smile.
"Yes mummy?"
She beamed at him and Kagome feared her eyes might roll right out of her head.
"I was just discussing with Kagome that I think it would be a good idea if the two of you go get yourselves some wedding rings."
"Wedding rings?" He asked, looking to her for clarification. Kagome sighed and turned the phone so he could see the sparkly bands still on display on her screen.
"Human custom. They symbolize a marriage relationship between two people."
"I see. Would it please you to have such a thing?"
He stared at her, eyes open and soft and imploring, and she blushed a little. He smiled, taking it as all the answer he needed, and in moments they were out of the house and walking into a nice jewelry store. She was miffed to notice that he'd given himself a nice black suit to wear despite her casual appearance in jeans and a t-shirt, but Loki had always been more fussy about appearances than she was.
The place they chose was small and local, unlikely to have anything too ostentatious, and the clerk behind the counter was a young, smiling girl who eyed Loki's suit and saw only potential dollar signs.
She pulled out the sparkliest sets they had, and soon Kagome had a carrousel of glittering diamonds parade across her finger in an array of shapes. She wandered to a display case nearby to look at gemstone rings, favoring the emeralds that matched Loki's eyes, when a flash of confusion in said Husband's aura drew her attention.
"I don't understand, these don't look like the one's you showed her."
"Well Of course not sir, these are the men's rings."
Kagome stepped back up to his side and looked over the rings he'd been shown.
Highly polished gold and platinum, mostly plain, though some featured a row of small, inlaid stones, she had to agree that they didn't possess near of enough drama for the God of Chaos.
"Hm. Then I'll just take a closer look at the ones you've brought out for my wife then."
"Oh well, I have other options in the men's section sir, if you'll give me just a moment!"
The next round of rings were worse than the last. Evidently she'd pulled out all the stops and chosen the most expensive rings right from the start, and Loki was even more unimpressed than he was before.
"No, none of these will do. I'll simply have a look at what Kagome tried on earlier."
"But sir, like I said, those are the women's rings!"
His eyes narrowed and the magic around him shifted, and Kagome knew immediately she needed to step in.
"If I must be a woman to purchase something as silly and trifling as one of your paltry little rings then so be it!"
"Loki! Can I have a word with you? Please?"
His transformation halted and he allowed her to pull him to a far corner of the store.
"Do not turn into a woman right here in the middle of this store."
He sniffed and looked down his nose at her.
"I thought you liked me as a woman?"
She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.
'He can be SUCH a diva.'
"It's not about that. She's a regular human woman Loki. If you just transform in front of her you'll scare the daylights out of her!"
He glanced back toward the counter at the sales clerk and rubbed at his chin in thought.
"Very well. Let's go to the next place then, this one has nothing of interest anyway."
They made their excuses and went on their way, catching a train to another jeweler with great reviews, and this time when they entered, Kagome walked in on the arm of her very tall and intimidating wife.
While she could tell Loki was pleased to be shown more of the larger, sparklier stones usually intended for women, they ran into more problems when she decided that nothing in the store was quite large or intricate enough. Kagome tolerated Loki's pickiness for one more store before she drug her home, intent on solving this problem once and for all. "Inuyasha!" She called as she slammed the front door open, startling everyone in the house when she entered the kitchen with a stately woman instead of the man she'd left with.
"Inuyasha, go get tessaiga! NOW!"
"What the hell wench?! Who the fuck is that?! And what do you need my sword for?"
"We need an adamant barrage, stat!"
He simply stared back at her, mouth agape and blinking in confusion. Natasha eyed the strange woman glaring behind Kagome with suspicion while Shippo cackled like a fool at the table.
"Kagome honey, why don't you tell us what's wrong and introduce us to your friend?"
Mystified, she glanced back behind her for a moment before it registered that no one here had seen Lady Loki yet, and her stress rose just that much more for the explanations that were almost certainly underway.
"It's Loki you guys!"
Silence.
With an irritated huff she looked back once again at her silent spouse who was now smirking at her, clearly enjoying the bit of chaos she'd caused, chaos she had no inclination to help clear up.
'Well. Two can play THAT game.'
"Loki is a shapeshifter and can be anything that strikes their fancy. So sometimes I have a husband, sometimes I have a wife," she stared Loki right in the eyes, grinning as she watched suspicion curl through the edges of her aura. "And sometimes I have a pet snake."
Loki scowled, and Kagome simply stuck her tongue out childishly.
"Oh." Mama Higurashi broke the silence that has thickened in the kitchen. "Well, she's very beautiful."
Loki beamed swept her mother-in-law into a hug.
"Thank you mummy. And the problem we're having is that none of those shoddy excuses for jewelry makers had anything up to our standards and Kagome simply doesn't understand that a princess of Asgard deserves far more than those measly little rocks masquerading as gemstones!"
"Loki, you aren't a princess anymore!"
Loki turned on her, eyes big and round and sparkling with tears, and though she knew the levels of manipulation she was capable of, Kagome was immediately ensnared.
"I wasn't talking about me."
That was all it took. Mama Higurashi wrapped her arms around Loki's waist in solidarity and Loki had the nerve to smirk over her head.
"See Kagome, she only wants what's best for you! You ought to be nicer."
She looked toward Inuyasha helplessly, gesturing wordlessly toward her current source of frustration.
He bit his lip to stifle his laughter at the messes she always found herself in, but in the end he shrugged and unsheathed Tessaiga from its hidden, enchanted sheath at his side.
"Well, looks like we're pumping some adamant today. Where are we doing this?"
—————-
Several weeks later, on a much more calm morning, Kagome wandered outside to find Loki reading underneath the Goshinboku.
The light of the sun, broken up by the great, spreading branches above, shimmered off his hair and skin, and Kagome's breath caught for a moment at the beauty of him. Centuries at his side and she still couldn't believe just how striking he could be. The sun also caught on the facets of the stone in his wedding ring.
They'd chosen a large chunk of adamant from tessaiga and had rings made to their personal specifications. She wore a simple diamond and emerald band, and Loki had ended up with a ring made of a thick band of gold carved to look like a snake's body coiled around a large, oval diamond.
It was dramatic, royal, and while it wasn't overly feminine in appearance like the engagement rings she'd tried on, it wasn't overly masculine either.
It was very balanced, and though Loki was chaos personified, it suited him right down to his soul.
But seeing it on his hand while he sat on her humble shrine home seemed out of place, and when he finally noticed her standing there, saw the unsure look on her face, he beckoned her to him with concern.
She snuggled up against his side and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, dropping a kiss in her hair as she got comfortable.
"Are you going to tell me what's on your mind? I can see there's something troubling you."
She took a moment to gather her thoughts and then clasped his free hand in both of hers.
"Are you happy here? Truly?"
"Of course. Why shouldn't I be?"
"It's just... you were raised in a castle, Loki. This is not a castle, and you've never even really liked earth all that much in the first place. I guess I'm just starting to realize how different your life is now. I don't want you to be miserable here."
He ran his fingers through her hair and snapped his book closed, tossing it over to the side before he scooped her up and placed her in his lap. She nuzzled up under his chin and sighed, feeling safe, secure and anchored.
"I don't care where in this universe I end up Kagome, as long as you are there beside me. I don't need palaces, I don't need subjects, I don't need riches or thrones or fancy parties. I've lost it all and I'd lose it again if it meant keeping you right here. Do you understand?"
She sniffed but let her tears fall, and then nodded silently, letting the matter drop and choosing to take him at his word.
He wasn't lying, couldn't lie, not to her.
"We don't have to stay here though, you know. We could go anywhere we wanted."
"I know, but I think you're mother appreciates having you close for a while."
"You mean you appreciate having her around to spoil you rotten."
He threw his head back and laughed, deep and bright and true, and she felt her heart perk back up at the sound of it.
"I'll not apologize for your mother loving me. It's not my fault I'm so charming and lovable."
"Yeah okay, whatever you say. But listen, something you said gave me a brilliant idea."
"I'm listening." He replied, attention snagged by the way her eyes shined when she was truly pleased.
"Thor is coming home in a couple weeks, and it's been a short while since we've been to Asgard."
"All true, so what are you thinking?"
She squirmed a little, about to burst in her excitement and he thought like he had countless times before that she had to be the single most adorable creature in existence.
"I can't give you back your palaces and riches and servants but we can do one thing... let's throw a party!"