Mayura stole a peek around the pillar to see her father sweeping the courtyard, all the while mumbling an incessant stream of curses, and sighed.
One whole week, and he still showed no signs of calming down!
Mou... And Loki-kun hasn't contacted me at all either...
Somehow, the thought made her feel achy inside. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, but...
She hugged herself, remembering the day he had come back to her, the final kiss they had shared just before he left the temple. The certain reassurance in his words, and more importantly, in his touch. The day he had claimed her for his own.
It was all just so terrifyingly blissful.
And she knew that there would be consequences, sooner or later. One just did not consort with a god without some sort of ramification... But she was willing to take the risks, if it meant she could stay with Loki-kun.
Her arms felt suddenly empty and cold, and she found herself longing for his steady warmth around her, only to blush at such brazen boldness.
Releasing a frustrated breath, she gazed up at the blue sky. I wonder what he's doing...?
VAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA
"Is the darn thing broken?" Fenrir bounded up onto the chair before the mirror.
Yamino pushed his spectacles up on his nose. "Urd-sama, why is the mirror blank?"
Urd frowned, perplexed. "I'm not entirely sure... It is supposed to be able to show anything on Midgard, is it not, Verdandi?"
Verdandi looked heartily offended by the insinuation that anything she created could ever malfunction. "Of course, Urd onee-sama."
"Then-"
"Then, perhaps that's because the object of your interest... Isn't on Midgard?" A low, richly amused voice suggested from behind them.
All activity in the room screeched to a standstill as they turned to gape at the new arrival.
"Loki-sama!"
"Daddy?"
"Loki-tama!"
"Hello, everyone. Having fun?" He lifted a mischievously innocent eyebrow at them.
Urd recovered after a single heartbeat. "Loki-sama, weren't you and Mayura-san progressing quite... ah... nicely?"
This earned Urd a very deliberate sort of look. "I didn't know that the Goddesses of Fate had gone into the match-making business, either."
She merely looked virtuous. "Why, we just felt that you needed a little encouragement to get things going."
"Hmm." Loki's expression bespoke much skepticism, but he accepted the answer with minimal comment. "Well, I can't say that I'm exactly unhappy about the way things turned out." He gazed contemplatively at the scrying device.
Yamino seized the lapse in conversation to put in his own question. "Loki-sama, then why did you return?"
Loki looked at his son as though he was being absurd. "To bring all of you back down as well, of course."
"... Ah." Yamino's eyes widened in understanding.
He considered Yamino for a while, then inquired, "... Didn't you watch me proposing to Mayura?"
Ecchan floated to her customary spot on top of Loki's head and settled down happily, shaking her head. "No, we didn't, Loki-tama. We were having tea downstairs."
"I see. In that case, I should probably inform all of you that we will be departing for Midgard as soon as possible. Yamino-kun?"
"Yes, Loki-sama?"
He grinned at his younger son. "Could I trouble you to make the necessary arrangements in my place? I rather suspect that Mayura's getting impatient by now."
"Of course, Loki-sama."
"In that case..." Loki walked over to the mirror, and invoked the spell which had cast him into Midgard two days before. "I'll see all of you soon. Oh, and Urd, Verdandi?"
They looked questioningly at him.
"Look forward to receiving a wedding invitation."
VAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA
"Mayura."
The pink-haired woman stared, dumbstruck, at the man in their courtyard. "Keiichi-kun...?"
"I... We need to talk." He stared at her almost beseechingly, the entreaty in the brown of his eyes making her want to squirm with guilt.
She shook her head mutely, and they glinted. "Yes, we do. If you don't feel comfortable here, we can go to the woods."
Mayura shut her eyes tight, not daring to look at him. "Keiichi-kun, don't do this. Please. There's nothing else to say."
"Dammit, Mayura! Did you really think that I would smile, nod, and walk out, just like that?" He paused to draw a breath, exhausting in its length, then pleaded in a softer tone, "Please?"
"Mayura, go." Her father stepped up to them, his arms folded across his chest.
"Papa?"
He looked resolute. "You started this, Mayura. It's your duty to end it properly."
Despite her chagrin, she knew that he was right... It was only fair to Keiichi-kun, after all. And so, after hesitating for an instant, she nodded.
VAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA
Loki walked out of the portal, much relieved to find himself on solid ground this time. Ignoring the cat that he had frightened out of its wits, he strode briskly in the direction of Mayura's home, Ecchan still bobbing up and down on his head with each step.
Idly, as a way to fill in the distance, he brooded on the notion of a god actually marrying a human. Flings and the occasional paramour, yes, but marriage? It was a ludicrous idea at best, an impossible concept at worst.
There were just so many complications.
The most chilling of which was the looming issue of her mortality. What was time to an immortal, whose time stretched endlessly before him? Yet, he could feel the seconds slipping inexorably through his fingers right now; the very same seconds which were counting down her lifespan.
He had known that they would suffer, but he had chosen this path, anyway.
Briefly, he wondered about his sanity.
In fact, it was - to be truthful - the issue concerning their union. And the worst thing was, he could see no satisfactory way around it.
Technically, as a god, he could bestow immortality on her... But forever was a long time to bear, and even more so for a human. Should he let Mayura remain what she had been born to be? A mortal who would flare brightly and beautifully in the short candle of her life? Or should he take his chances and pray that she would not submit to the madness that would plague most humans?
Fool that he was to have disregarded the voice of reason; but he found that he couldn't bring himself to regret his momentous actions of the previous few days... Even with the certain knowledge that Mayura's death - his mind shied automatically away from the thought - would tear something irreplaceable and essential from him.
He reached the steps of the temple, and thrust the unpalatable thoughts into the back of his mind to meditate upon later.
When he rounded over the top, he was surprised to see her father, apparently alone, clearing up the fallen leaves in the yard.
"Mayura-papa?"
The priest started, then scowled at him. "It's you."
"You've gotten your emotions under control, I see. May I ask where Mayura is?"
The man paused indecisively, and that sparked suspicion in him. "Where did she go?"
They stared at each other for a while, before her father sighed and muttered, "She went out with Keiichi-san... To talk."
"I see. Do you know where, precisely?" Loki was rather bemused to feel a fierce tendril of jealousy uncurling in himself.
Misao glared at him. "Can't you just let them talk?"
Loki shrugged. "Mayura gets into trouble far too easily for me to leave her alone. I'm sure you understand, do you not?"
This elicited an unwilling snort of rueful agreement. "... Fine. They went to the woods north-east of here. But don't disturb them, you hear?"
"Unless it's necessary. Thank you." He turned to leave.
"... Wait."
"Yes?" He stopped in mid-stride and looked back over his shoulder, to see Misao contemplating him, his eyes troubled.
"Are you serious about Mayura?"
Loki swiveled back round to look fixedly at her father. "If I wasn't, after I spirited her away on her wedding day, none of you would have heard another word from her... Don't you agree?"
"... I guess not."
VAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA
After driving her to the edge of the woods where they had gone so often, Keiichi led her from his car, and they walked in silence, all the way to the glade where they had first met.
As he paused at the gully at which bottom a small, but rapid river flowed, Mayura began. "Keiichi-kun... I... We..."
He interrupted her, "Did you ever really love me? Or was I just a substitute for that Loki?"
Substitute...? "I... I really don't know. But now..."
"He's a god, Mayura. This whole thing is just so... unnatural!"
She clasped her hands together, her nails digging into the skin, as he gave voice to what she had told herself so many times during those lonely years when she had just discovered her feelings for Loki-kun. "I... know. But..."
He stalked over to catch her shoulders in his hands, giving her a frustrated shake. "Mayura, he will live forever. You won't. There's no way you can be happy together... Don't you see?"
Her breath caught in her throat as the burning words lodged painfully in her chest. She lowered her eyes. "But... I am happy. With Loki-kun. I don't know how far I can... can go, but I will try my best. So..."
His eyes glittered strangely, and the next thing she knew, he was dragging her forcibly into his arms and crushing his mouth to hers. Harshly, vengefully, and she recoiled from the punishing nature of it.
Above all, it felt so utterly wrong, after Loki-kun's kisses. For a moment, Mayura couldn't respond for the shock; then she pushed hard against his chest. "Keiichi-kun, stop!"
He slid his mouth away, and asked in a gravelly whisper full of hurt betrayal, "Why, Mayura? Why?"
She stared at him, her head spinning, then shoved at him with all her might. "I'm sorry, Keiichi-kun. I... love Loki-kun. I'm sorry."
He released her at the force of her exertion; and she stumbled backwards, her foot slipping on the mossy rocks.
Everything happened so fast.
VAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA
Loki's heart nearly stopped when he heard her cry, the scream piercing in the quiet forest.
Mayura!
He raced towards the sound, swearing under his breath. If that Keiichi has done anything to her...
A flash of the man himself, kneeling next to a crevice. Immediately, he stopped and burst through the wall of dense foliage, cold dread spreading through his limbs. "What-"
Keiichi glanced helplessly at him.
Pacing over to the rocky edge, his fears coalesced around him.
A pair of crimson, fear-stricken eyes stared at him from the bottom of the gully, its owner clinging desperately to the side of the ravine. "Loki-kun!"
Loki fought the maelstrom of panic in his own head, and dropped to one knee. "Mayura, stay there, and hang on tight!"
She nodded, coughing up water.
Never had he cursed his intolerance for water more. What should I do...? Dammit!
Ecchan - who had long since been forgotten - took off from his head, and he stared uncomprehendingly at her for a second. "Loki-tama, may I go?"
Loki's eyes widened, then narrowed. "Thank you, Ecchan. Be careful."
The shikigami trilled trebly in the affirmative, and dove into the gorge.
Mayura's precarious hold on the slippery rocks loosened.
Perhaps, if he had actually stopped to think, he would have been horrified at what he was doing and its possible consequences. As it was, though, Loki didn't stop to think.
A blazing barricade of crackling flame roared up the walls of the ravine upstream of Mayura, blocking the running water for the few precious minutes Ecchan needed to retrieve the drenched girl and bring her to safety.
When the familiar deposited Mayura into Loki's arms, she was unconscious from pure trauma. Holding her close to give her his own warmth, he rubbed her freezing arms feverishly, and called her name.
Eventually, her eyes fluttered open, drowsily. "Loki-kun...?"
His insides melted with hot relief. "You idiot! What were you doing?"
She stuck out a tongue wearily at him, and that amused him, as much as it worried him. "It's alright now. Go to sleep, Mayura." Closing her eyes again, she put her arms around his neck trustingly, and obeyed.
After ensuring that she was otherwise uninjured, he got to his feet, taking utmost care not to wake her.
"... Loki."
"Is something the matter, Niiyama?" The trickster god did not bother to turn.
He could hear a faint rustling behind him, as though the man was running his hand through his hair. "... I'll drive. Come on." The sandy-haired man sounded oddly neutral.
Loki looked down at Mayura, nestled in his arms, and sighed resignedly.
VAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA
"... I didn't know you were prone to car-sickness." Keiichi was obviously holding back laughter.
Loki accepted the cup of tea he proffered, and shrugged dismissively. "Mayura needed medical attention."
Her ex-fiancé took a seat across him, and persisted, "I didn't know that gods could get car-sick." The man, damn him, was grinning openly.
Loki almost glared at him. Almost. "Look at it this way. At least you've never had to witness gods splashing mud on each other, or getting fired from part-time jobs on a regular basis of about four times per week."
"Really?" Keiichi looked genuinely interested.
"Oh, yes." He was distracted from further elaboration by a soft sound behind him, which indicated that Mayura was waking up.
"Mayura?"
She blinked sleepily. "I... Loki-kun? Where..."
"You don't remember?" Loki touched her forehead, smoothing back the stray strands of her hair.
"Wait... the glade... Keiichi-kun!" She bolted upright and immediately wavered from sudden dizziness. He caught her deftly, and eased her back onto the futon.
Keiichi knelt down next to her. "Mayura... I'm sorry. I won't do... something like that again, I promise you."
Something like what? Loki glowered purposefully at Keiichi, only to be blithely ignored.
Keiichi cleared his throat. "And... uhh... We need to go down to the marriage registry together to... dissolve our marriage."
It took a while for that to sink into Mayura's fuzzy mind. "You're willing to...?"
The man nodded, bitterness tinging his features. "I see that your heart is with... Loki, and I won't stand in your way." He took in her delighted smile, and his expression clouded further. "But. I'm still angry with you, so don't bother asking me to your wedding, you got that?"
Before either of them could form a reply to that, he stood and bowed, a little jerkily. "Good bye, Daidouji-san."
Misao stood outside the door watching them, his face inscrutable. "Keiichi-san, I'll walk you out."
Keiichi hesitated, then nodded. "Thank you, Misao-san."
When he was sure that they were quite alone, Loki tugged her literally into his lap. "And what did Keiichi do to you, Mayura?" He mock-frowned at her as her cheeks flared at the position.
"Ehm..."
"Never mind." Loki nipped her nose, and she startled at the small bite, flushing still hotter. "Mou, Loki-kun!"
This time, he rapped her head in admonishment. "Silly goose. Do you know how worried I was?"
Her bright, crimson eyes blinked adorably, and then she smiled. "You were worried?"
He laughed indulgently. "Don't make a habit of it." Holding her securely, he twisted and fell back on the futon so that she was sprawled on top of him. She yelped, then wriggled into a comfortable position and sighed contentedly. "If Papa comes in now, he'll have a fit."
"I don't think he'll come back for a while, you clueless girl." He stroked her hair gently, loving the way their bodies accommodated each other so well, his sharp angles fitting easily against her soft curves.
"Why not?" She sounded almost half-asleep.
He laughed again, and tucked her snugly against him. "Because I believe our relationship just got sanctioned by him."
"Thank goodness..." She relaxed completely against him, and promptly dozed off.
After watching her peaceful countenance for a while, he carefully rolled to place her back on the sheets, and drew the blanket up around her. Staying just long enough to lay a kiss on her cheek, he went to find Misao.
No doubt he'd have to do a little fast talking, but he was fairly sure he could get her father to agree. He was counting on it.
VAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVAVA
Authoress: I hate this chapter. Before any of you
start thwacking me over the head with a beanie, I'd like to explain why
I took them to those woods, weak as my reasons may be.
I actually wanted Loki to rescue Mayura in some way; and the first thing I thought of was a fire (my clichéd, typical mind with zero creativity), but Loki could simply snap his fingers and put it out, since he's the God of Fire. Which would be boring. Hence, a river was the logical choice of medium. Also, the place he demonstrates his godly powers had to be desolate, which ruled out anywhere in the city. And the only place I could think of that satisfied those two requirements was in a forest of some sort.
If I can rouse myself enough, I'll write something about Keiichi and Mayura and how they first met. Probably in those woods, since it's special to them... And I -am- working on the Yamino one, although it seems to be turning out quite... uhh... angsty.
Anyway, the next chapter will be the last, and will be more of a wrapping up loose ends, than anything else. /waves/ Till then!