She wanted to... remember him.
Implying that he was - or would be - nothing more than a memory to her. A mere collection of pictures and sounds and scenes in her head, to be cherished as something precious, but by-gone.
Perhaps it was better this way... That he should fade slowly away from her heart, from her life. After all, wasn't that what he had wanted when he had asked Verdandi to create that hairpiece?
He clenched his fist, staring at his own reflection in the mirror, the rays of the rising sun casting it in shadow.
That, he decided, was the biggest lie he had ever said in his life.
He didn't want her to get over him. Didn't want her to... think of him in the past tense. Ever.
That was the reason why he hadn't taken her memories of him. The reason why he had told Yamino-kun to explain the truth to her... The reason why he had given her the earring which could connect their two worlds momentarily. Had hoped that by doing so, he could make her keep him in her heart and bind her to him, in some inexplicable way.
He smiled mirthlessly.
Because he had known, deep down inside, that she, in all her innocence and mortality and eagerness for life, had bound him to her, as surely as he wanted to bind her to him.
He closed his eyes as he finally allowed himself to put into words what he had known for so long.
The Norse god of Chaos and Fire was... in love.
With a human girl.
Who was about to get married, that very same day.
He could almost have laughed at the absurdity of it all, except that the pain was threatening to engulf him, and he found himself blinking back a burning prickling at the back of his eyes instead.
Too late for regrets, indeed.
VAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA
Yamino stared, teary-eyed, at the mirror. "Loki," he blew his nose noisily into a long handkerchief, "-sama..." Above his head, Ecchan wailed unhappily, her own tears pattering down on Yamino's head.
"Che." Fenrir looked away from the mirror, his pose one of disdain. "For that silly girl?" The way he turned his head carefully away from the others was terribly suspicious, however.
Even Skuld seemed to be holding back tears, although she was scowling crossly at nothing in particular.
Urd and Verdandi exchanged a grave nod. Standing up and giving her skirt a few demure pats, Verdandi announced, "I guess that's my cue."
Waving at the rest of them, she touched the mirror and shimmered. And when the rippling light had died away, she was gone.
VAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA
"Loki-sama."
The trickster god's head snapped up, his eyes narrowing in recognition. "Verdandi."
They regarded each other wordlessly for a second.
His voice was cool and emotionless as he spoke. "Another prediction, I assume?"
Verdandi shook her head. "No."
"No?"
She lifted her bell; and at its tinkling, a large, scintillating orb of blood-red fell into Loki's hands. He contemplated it for a while, then raised an inquiring look to the Goddess of the Present.
"This time, you have to make your own future, Loki-sama." She scrutinized him, her expression unreadable.
He lowered his gaze back to the jewel of jaki, and when he next met her eyes, his own were filled with a renewed fire. "... I see."
Her answering smile, this time, was one of ageless wisdom. "However, remember this, Loki-sama. Fate will allow one only so many chances, before she passes her final judgment."
He smirked at her. "Did I not say, once, that I don't believe in fate?"
She laughed. "So you did, Loki-sama." Giving him a thoroughly mischievous smile, she asked, "Do you like our reward?"
He grinned.
She laughed again, and the air around her shimmered.
Her last words, carried on a breath of wind, floated to his ears. "Good luck, Loki-sama."
VAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA
Mayura stared blankly at herself in the mirror, clad in a wedding gown of virginal white.
I'm marrying Keiichi-kun.
The words thundered through her, as though they were a life sentence. And in a way, they were.
The charm which contained the pieces of Loki's earring hung around her neck on a thin cord, its slight weight heavy on her breast.
Nearly a month ago, when she had called out to him, and he had declined - so coolly - her invitation, she had wept. Wept because that chapter of her life was, she thought, irrevocably and at long last, closed.
Then, he had appeared. As suddenly as he had the first time, and with as little warning.
And she had become confused all over again.
Reaching out a hand, she touched the veil of gauzy chiffon lying on the dresser. As her fingers ran absently through its stiff folds, she recalled the shock that had barraged through her when she had seen him in his child's form next to Keiichi.
Shock, and something else which she could not name.
Dared not name.
Not when she was this close to proclaiming herself Keiichi's.
She trembled at the thought. Keiichi-kun's. Not Loki-kun's.
She nearly choked on that idea. It was laughable. Loki-kun was a god! There was no way he could want to... Even if...
Just two days ago, she would have been perfectly content to wed Keiichi. Happy, even. Now...
She wasn't so sure.
Drawing a deep breath, she shook herself mentally. Keiichi-kun is a good man, she told herself firmly. He's been faithful to me for four years, stayed by me even when I rejected him. Helped me through the times when... Loki-kun wasn't...
Why was it that those thoughts weren't in the least comforting now?
Why now?
Lost in her ruminations, Mayura failed to notice the slight rumble of swooning whispers outside her bedroom door. Failed to hear the door sliding open. Failed to see a young, devilishly handsome man step into her room...
Which was why, when she heard him call her name in that oh-so-familiar voice, she started, and turned to look disbelievingly at him.
"Loki-sama?"
"Loki-kun," he corrected, smiling at her.
As he stood before her, his deep green eyes dancing with the same impish blitheness as they had on that final day six years ago, she felt light-headed. Rallying with an effort, she blinked, disconcerted, at him. "Why are you..."
The smile faded slightly. "I needed to talk to you about something."
"Some... thing?"
She was staring, she knew. Helplessly, she traced him with her eyes, drinking him in; and he didn't seem fazed by the examination at all. Instead, Loki surveyed her just as thoroughly, a slight frown tugging at his lips, and she felt an irrational urge to cover herself. Preferably with something that could hide her face, as well.
Abruptly, he strode over to her and took her hand. "Come."
The word was a command, and she found herself stumbling after him, powerless against the compelling mastery of his voice and touch. As he pulled her past the stunned helpers, she managed to gather enough of her reeling wits to ask, "Why?"
He glanced back at her, his eyes scorching with a barely suppressed anger, and replied tersely, "I'll tell you later."
Mayura shivered.
VAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA
Fenrir barked with delight, his tail thumping on the floor. "That's Daddy for you! Kidnapping the girl on her wedding day; in full sight of everyone, no less!"
Skuld's eyes burnt a hole into the back of Fenrir's head. "I fail," she glared balefully at him, "to see what's so AMUSING about the whole thing, Fenris!" She seemed to struggle with herself for a while, then burst into tears.
Verdandi patted her sister's back soothingly, and shrugged resignedly at Urd.
Urd simply looked back at her, a satisfied smile on her lips.
VAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA
Amazingly enough, while they had had a great number of gawking spectators, none of the handmaidens had seen fit to inform her father, nor even to halt their progression out of the temple.
When they had gotten outside the shrine's gateway - with what seemed to be three-quarters of the temporary helpers hanging onto their every action - Loki had flagged down a cab. Some corner of Mayura's brain which wasn't in riotous turmoil recalled something about Loki-kun hating cars, and accordingly, she had opened her mouth to ask, only to have him bundle her into the backseat.
Then, he had gotten in next to her; and while he had immediately begun to look nauseous, he had given her a Look, which told her, quite plainly, not to even try.
And so, she had shut her mouth, and fidgeted uneasily in silence all the way to wherever it was that Loki-kun had had in mind.
Yet... There had been no real fear. Only a trepid anticipation, and the certainty that something was about to change. Something which had lain buried for far too long in the depths of her soul.
Finally, the cab pulled up alongside a hotel. Looking vastly relieved, Loki paid the driver (who was looking askance at the incongruous sight of a man dragging what was obviously a bride-to-be with him, from a wedding, and who had even gone so far as to venture a question, only to be quelled by an intimidatingly affable smile), and still holding her hand firmly in his, led her into the hotel.
And much to her own astonishment, Mayura discovered that she was quite content to let him do so.
She hesitated; then, walking faster so that he was no longer dragging her at arm's length, entwined her fingers with his. At that simple gesture of trust, Loki looked surprised at her for a moment, before his expression softened, and he smiled.
She smiled tremulously back, and he slowed to better accommodate her pace.
"Ne, Loki-kun...?"
"Yes?"
"Why..."
He stopped the words with a finger. "Shh. I'll tell you later." Only this time, his voice was gentle, and he was smiling at her, his eyes filled with an fiery brightness.
She frowned petulantly at him, and he laughed softly.
A valet came forward, and at an imperious nod from Loki, ushered them to a room.
He sat her on the single chair in the tastefully furnished room. "Stay here, Mayura." When she nodded in assent, he ruffled her hair, and left to deal with the counter staff.
Now, left alone, her mind having finally managed to sort itself out, the full understanding of what she was doing hit her in its entirety. Keiichi-kun... I left Keiichi-kun there! And Papa... Fighting down a rising panic, she rose, at the very same moment that Loki returned.
He frowned at the sight of her standing. "Mayura, I told you to stay there."
She shook her head erratically. "Keiichi-ku..."
Anger flashed for a brief instant in his eyes, and he stalked forward, till he was just in front of her. And while she had never thought of herself as being particularly short before, she couldn't help but think, rather irrelevantly, that he positively towered above her.
He caught her chin in his hand, and tilted it up to him. "That's part of what I want to talk to you about."
The words were ground out through gritted teeth, and she cowered instinctively under the force of his anger. Sensing her sudden fear, his grip changed. Gently, he sat her back down onto the chair, and knelt. "Mayura..."
He paused, his face indecisive and hesitant; two emotions that Mayura least expected from him. And unable to stop herself, she giggled.
His lips curved in wry amusement as he watched her. "What's so funny?"
Still giggling madly, she waved around her. "This. You. Everything."
"Really, now?"
She nodded, her helpless giggles taking on an edge of hysteria. "Me getting married, you coming back so suddenly after six years, still looking like a child, then turning back into your... your true form, then..." And to her mortification, she realized that she was crying.
He rose in front of her.
Unable to stop herself from babbling, she continued even as she shrunk frantically away from him. "Then taking me away from... from my wedding, then bringing me here, then..."
He pulled her up and into the shelter of his arms.
"Loki-kun, no..."
She felt him press his lips against her hair, and tuck her head securely under his chin. And in a soft, fervently passionate voice, "I love you, Mayura."
Such simple words.
She broke before them, and folding herself into him, sobbed like a broken-hearted child.
VAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA
Having borne witness to Loki's declaration, the room's occupants were silent for a while.
Yamino cleared his throat. "Umm... What say all of you that we go down to the dining room for some cake?" He smiled hopefully around at the others, who were unusually subdued.
Urd glanced at Skuld, who looked pale, and nodded decisively. "Yes, I'd say that would be a good idea."
Fenrir promptly trotted out of the room without a single word, and they filed out after his lead obediently.
None of them returned for quite some time.
VAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA
I love you, Mayura.
It stunned him, how easily he had said it. How honestly.
And as he cradled her in his arms, absorbing the trembling of her body as she cried, he knew it was true. Terrifyingly so.
He really hadn't begun the embrace with any sense of calculation; to be totally frank about it, he hadn't planned much beyond booking a hotel room, and getting her there, to have their talk in private. Hadn't even - a chill went through him - thought of what he would do if she... rejected him.
He felt her shuddering abate, and her sobs dwindle to sporadic hiccups. Cautiously, he loosened his arms about her. "Mayura?"
She wrapped her arms around him and shook her head.
He immediately gathered her closer.
After a while, she said, her voice muffled by his clothes, "... I'm an awful woman, aren't I?"
He stroked her pink hair. "What makes you think so?"
She sniffled. "I left Keiichi-kun at the altar. I bet everyone's looking for me now..."
A sharp stab of annoyance went through him at her fiancé's name, and sliding his fingers under her chin, he forced her to look at him. "That name is the one thing that I will not tolerate in this conversation, is that quite clear?"
She set her mouth in a stubborn line. "Keiichi-kun is a good person! He deserves better than... than this."
They glared at each other for a moment, before he sighed in defeat. "Yes, I guess so. As much as I hate to admit it."
She bit her lower lip, and her gaze dropped. "Loki-kun... Was... what you said... true?"
Bending his head, he kissed her swiftly. "Do you want more proof?" He grinned wickedly at her, his smile as irresistible as it was bent on seduction.
She blushed.
"I'll take that as a yes."
VAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA
Authoress : I'm not terribly confident of this chapter. Meh. Anyway, LokiMayu fluff!
clea everlasting > Aww, don't say that... I'm glad that you read and review, and thank you!
Pure Essence > Ah. Did this chapter answer your concerns:3
Loki Girl > Thank you for the reassurance. Just thank you, really. :)
Asteri-chan > Ahaha... I hope that Loki will remain in-character... /huge boulder of stress crushes down on her head/ I don't know, I find Loki-kun easier to write than Mayura. XD It's so hard to write her without making her 1) idiotic 2) ditzy 3) comical. I have a Christmas fic ready which features her in a much less serious role, and she's easier to write there. Muchies. >.> Oh, and I'll see what I can do about the Yamino fic, too. :3 Ah! And I want to read your fic as well! No pressure, of course. ;)
Aoko-chan > Thank you! Ahaha... seems a number of people want to read it... O.o
Manda-chan > Keiichi, ka... Actually, he almost feels like a less sarcastic Loki-kun/Koutarou-kun combined. >.> I'm not entirely sure the side-story will be humor, or not totally. Probably quite a bit of angst, as well. :o
Kuro1107 > Thank you:)
Inari > Whee! Another LM fan! It seems that the MaLoki pairing-fan community is ninety percent made up of either LM, or LokiHeimdall. :3
Ehm. I'm thinking of changing all the VAVAVA linebreaks I've been using so far to the rule break that fanfiction net offers. Maybe I'll go back and do over the previous chapters with the rule breaks...
Can't think of anything decent to say now, so I'll leave off here.