"You want Ásgarð's Throne? No problem."
Loki contemplated the deal that the demonic little automaton was offering them. While he would have been immediately tempted by such trinkets in the past, that's not who he was now. None of those things mattered to him anymore.
But then he looked over at the one thing that did matter to him, Sylvie. Sweet, beautiful, fiery Sylvie, who'd had her life stolen by the TVA before it could truly begin. She deserved far more than revenge and endless death across a thousand worlds.
He knew then what decision to make.
"Alright Miss Minutes, I'll take your deal for Ásgarðs throne."
"Well great! Let me just..."
"But not my Ásgarð."
Miss Minutes gave him a look of confusion.
"I'm not sure I understand."
"It's quite simple, really. You robbed Sylvie of her life and home, so you're going to give them back. Revive her Ásgarð and send us there."
"Loki, what are you doing?!" Sylvie hissed as she grabbed his arm, "have you gone completely insane?"
"Possibly, but think about it. This is our chance to get back everything the TVA stole from you...to have something besides hatred and despair."
"But even if this 'He who remains' can grant such a thing, that would still leave you without a home on the timeline."
Loki gave a weak chuckle before reaching up and cupping her face in his hands.
"Haven't you figured it out by now, Sylvie? You are my home."
Then he pressed his lips to hers and everything faded away in that moment except for the two of them. Sylvie's sword clattered to the floor as she threw her arms around him in a desperate attempt to meld their bodies together.
A loud clapping noise interrupted them before they could deepen things further. The Góðs slowly broke apart and turned to see a man in dark purple robes approaching them.
"Man oh man, I have been waiting a long time for this."
"I take it you're the one referred to as He Who Remains."
"It's one of the things I've been called over the centuries, most people just refer to me as Kang."
"Well then, Kang," Sylvie snarled as she recalled her sword to one hand while threading the fingers of the other between Loki's, "What's the catch on this deal of yours?"
"Oh there's no catch. In fact, I was hoping this would happen. The TVA has been making mistakes for far too long."
The Góðs looked at each other in confusion before Loki turned to address Kang.
"What are you talking about? The TVA was your creation was it not? Isn't pruning innocent timelines all part of the job?"
"Well, not exactly. You see, a long time ago, variants of myself discovered that there were universes stacked on top of each other, and formed a peaceful alliance to share knowledge and technology. However, one of them made designs on being a Conqueror, and nearly destroyed all of reality in his quest. To prevent that, I created the TVA to ensure that the only me that existed is the one standing in front of you. They were never suppose to destroy as many realities as they did."
"Say we believe you," Loki said as he slowly lowered his weapon and signaled to Sylvie to do the same," how do we know you can even uphold the bargain? Our realities were erased!"
"Oh that's a simple fix!"
Kang grabbed a circular dial off of a desk and began tuning it to a certain pattern.
"After the little lady's daring escape from my hunters, I un-pruned her world and maintained it away from the agencies radar."
"Why...why would you do that?"
"Because the cracks in this citadel are no accident, the TVA has smashed too many timelines together with their methods and I'm going to have to unravel that, one reality at a time. It's as you Ásgarðians say...time for Yggðrasil to spread it's branches?"
The orange portal popped up in front of them, and Sylvie looked from it to Loki with a simmering nervousness she'd never experienced before.
"Loki, it's been so long, what if none of my family recognizes me?"
"Then we'll remind them of who you are...together."
She gave him a shaky nod and a watery smile before they stepped through the portal and into the unknown.
*
"I look ridiculous."
It was the day of Slyvie's coronation as Queen of Asgard, and she was not happy to be stuck wearing a dress.
"I think you look lovely, like a silken dagger."
"You are still terrible at metaphors," Sylvie smirked as she leaned into his embrace, "I shall have to call you the God of terrible puns, oh Loki of nowhere."
It turned out that Sylvie's family remembered her after all. Óðin had gone on to Valhalla some time ago, leaving Thor(who in this world was the younger brother) to take the throne, a position he declared temporary as he still hoped to find his sister.
While it hurt for his brother to not know him, finally seeing his lover get the family she so desperately needed was completely worth it.
Besides, the twinkle in Frigga's eye when she saw them told him she knew full well who he was.
Today he would once again be declared Loki of Ásgarð, but instead of the miserably shadowed second son, he would be known as prince consort and husband to the Queen.
With a flick of his wrist, Loki conjured up a silver diadem inlayed with emeralds and runes.
"What's this?"
"A crown befitting the Enchantress of my heart."
Sylvie rolled her eyes, but still smiled when he placed it upon her head.
The sound of trumpets signaled the beginning of the ceremony, so Loki moved away and held out his hand.
"Are you ready?"
"With you? Always."
She took his outstretched hand and together they walked towards the future.