Pairing: Loki x Reader (named Asa cause I still hate writing Y/N)

Rating: General

Word count: 1,988

Summary: Loki takes his pranks and mischief too far when he pulls a prank during a feast in front of the entire court that has you questioning whether or not a courtship with Loki is worth the effort.

The following morning, Elkie and Runa have managed to pack all of your stuff in record time and at the crack of dawn you and every member of your household are set and ready to go home. Queen Frigga gave her permission last night for you to leave whenever you were ready; Odin even agreed and apologized that the courtship didn't end the way anyone had hoped.

Word had even been sent back you your mother and father that you were leaving Asgard and would be arriving home soon.

"Are you sure you want to leave so soon? You haven't even spoken to the Prince yet. Shouldn't you let him know that you are leaving today?"

"Why Runa? Why should I let him know? He wanted this. He wanted me to leave, to call the courtship off. Why would I want to see the look of joy on his face knowing that he has run me off? Why should I let him see that he won?"

Runa grabs you by your arm, "Then don't leave, don't run. Stay and keep your head held high. Prove that you won't stoop to his level of immaturity. Don't let anyone make you feel like your are worth less than you are, including a Prince. Lady Asa, you are not a coward who backs down without a fight, your father raised you better than that. Prove it."

She's right. Your father is a top general for the Vanir Army and had raised you to never back down from a fight. To always stand up to any challenge and defeat any enemy who stands in your way. Something you have always lived by. But yet this time, you can't seem to scrounge up any fight in you. You just want to go home and find comfort in your mama's arms; hoping your dad doesn't try and go kill Loki for the shit he pulled.

You give Runa a small smile, "I just can't Runa, I can't stay here and see him everyday. This is one time, I just don't have the fight in me. I want to go home."

Runa heaves out a sigh, giving your arms a squeeze, "Please, just give it a day or two. Right now you are running on emotions from last night, this could be a rash decision and one your regret. Talk to the Prince and he might…"

"Runa! Enough! I know you want to stay but I can't stay here! I cannot be here and deal with the heartbreak of knowing that the man I love can't stand the sight of me and turned his mischief against me! I'm not going to do that Runa, I'm not. If you want to stay, then fine, stay. But I'm leaving and I'm leaving now!"

You say nothing else and storm off away from Runa and everyone else. You manage to find yourself in the garden of the palace, in a secluded area where it is doubtful anyone will be able to find you. And there, in that small little section of the garden the tears start to fall once more. A sob is ripped from your throat as you double over, crying your heart break out into the silence.

Why? Why did Runa have to keep pushing the issue? Why can't everyone just leave you in peace and let you run away with your tail tucked between your legs? This is one fight you don't want to fight, one battle you feel you have already lost. You're grasping tightly to what dignity you have left, but Loki hasn't left you much to hold on too.

"Asa?"

You go stiff at the sound of the gentle, velvety voice that comes from beside you; a voice you were not in the mood to hear at the moment. Discreetly, you wipe your cheeks to try and hide the fact that you were crying. Straightening your back, you stare ahead and refuse to look at Loki.

"Prince Loki… Come to dump something else on me? Or did you figure out another way you can humiliate me?"

Loki sighs hearing the venom in your voice, "Oh Dear heart."

Your head snaps to the side to glare at him, "You have NO right to call me that! Do NOT call me that!"

Loki feels his heart break seeing the look of hatred in your eyes. Eyes that once held adoration and something close to love, now stare right through him to make him feel he has been shot right through the heart. He really has fucked up.

"Asa. Please, give me a chance to explain."

You shoot up, fists clench at your sides, "Why?! Why should I give you the time of day? I should not even be standing here right now after the shit you have pulled on me! You do not deserve for me to waste another second on you!"

Loki rushes over to you, taking ahold of your hands to make you sit back down, "Please, five minutes Asa. Just five minutes. You deserve an explanation to my behavior."

"Oh, like I can trust anything the God of Lies has to say?"

You watch his face fall, the light in his eyes dim and you feel bad for saying that, because you know that despite the mischief he causes, Loki has never lied to you.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. I know that you'd tell me nothing but the truth. But Loki, you broke my heart. I thought, I thought maybe…"

Loki brings your hand up to his lips, kissing your knuckles, "I love you Asa. I'm not lying about that, I truly do and I'm sorry my actions of late have not shown that."

Your body relaxes, tears fill your eyes once more, "You say you love me, but why treat me as you have? I have a hard time believing you, though I know it's not a lie."

He cups your face to make you look at him, " I'm so sorry. I just..."

He sighs and lets his hands drop way, looking down to the ground. "You always get this biggest smile on your face watching me, and taking part in any kind of mischief I get into. I always want to make you smile and laugh, and you would laugh when I would pull small pranks on you. I just, let things get out of hand. It stopped being about making you laugh to being how could I out do myself next. I… I stopped considering your feelings."

"You're ego got in the way." you bluntly point out.

The "young" prince at least has the decency to not argue your point, and even looks ashamed to know you are right.

"Yeah. I guess so."

You both go silent; Loki giving you a chance to assess his reasoning.

You're not really sure what to do with this new information. You know he is telling you the truth, you know in your heart he regrets it, and you hope that something like that would never happen again. But there is a small part, but very loud part, that is full of doubt and telling you to not trust him.

"So, where do we go from here? What you said, it doesn't help anything, it almost makes things worse because I now I have to worry about your ego coming into play in any possibly relationship we have. I can't constantly worry that your ego is going to try and ruin things for us again."

Loki huffs, "What then? You still leaving? You're just done with us completely?" he pauses a moment, his face twisting to something not happy, "You don't love me do you? That's why it is so easy for you to leave."

"NO! Loki, I do love you. I love you so much that's why this hurts so bad. I don't want to leave, but I can't stay here and be constantly reminded of the hurt and humiliation. I just can't do it Loki. I can't."

Loki wraps his arm around your shoulders, pulling you into his side and holding you close. He presses his lips to the top of your head, but just needing to hold you.

"So what do we do?"

You sigh, "I don't know. I really don't."

You just sit there with your head resting on his shoulder. Feelings have been hurt, prides have been bruised, things that most relationships cannot typically survive. But despite all of that, and even though you still want to run away and go back home, you don't completely want to tell Loki good-bye and move on. It would be a challenge to trust him again and want to come back… Wait.

"I got it!" you exclaim, jolting upright.

Your sudden movements causes Loki to jump in surprise, "What?"

You look at him, eyes bright with a smile, "You like challenges; you are a planner, a thinker. Well, I have a challenge for you."

You obviously have captured Loki's interest, you see that twinkle in his eye come back.

"What?"

"I dare you to win me back. I'm still going to go home, but I dare you to make me want to come back, to make me never want to leave your side again. This you are up for it?"

That smile that you love so much, takes over his face, making his eyes crinkle at the side, "Oh Dear heart, I am beyond ready. I'll have you back at my side before you can fully get comfortable. I will not let you be gone long. I promise you that."

You catch Loki by surprise, leaning up to gently press your lips to his. Quick and innocent, that little kiss is enough to make your heart skip a beat. He runs a hand up, cupping the back of your neck to hold you in place. His lips seek yours out once more, for a deeper, longer kiss.

You let out a small whimper against his mouth, clenching at his shirt.

A voice comes from behind Loki, pulling you apart,

"Well, I see that you two have talked. Does that mean you will be staying Lady Asa?"

The regal, gentle voice of Queen Frigga has you and Loki both flustered and scrambling to straighten yourselves out.

"H-Hello your Majesty. Um, no. I um, I'll still be going home."

"But not for long," Loki interjects. "Asa won't be staying home for long. She is coming back shortly."

You smirk up him, "Only if you can step up to the challenge and not blow it."

Loki's arms wrap around your waist, pulling your back to his chest and resting his chin on your shoulder, "Trust me Dear one, I will not disappoint."

Frigga smiles at you, "I'm happy that you managed to work things out, at least partly. But Asa, if you are still going to leave today, you should head out now. Everyone is waiting for you.

You break away from Loki's embrace and give Frigga a slight curtsy, "Thank you Queen Frigga. Hopefully I shall see you again soon. Loki, walk with me?"

"Of course Dear one. Mother, I'll come find you after I see of my fiance."

Loki takes you by the hand and guilds you off to the Bifrost.

"Uh, excuse me, when did I agree to marry you? I don't remember you asking me." you ask in a teasing manner.

"You agreed by giving me the dare to bring you back. The moment you are back here, we are going to start planning our wedding."

"You seem awfully sure of yourself Prince Loki."

Loki spins you around, locking his arms around you, "I'm sure of the fact that I love you and I want you with me forever."

"Forever is a long time."

Dipping his head down, Loki rubs his nose against your, his lips just a breath away from yours, "Forever isn't long enough."