Loki did not come back.

The feast was prepared and Thor arrived, full of the tales of his adventures.

Frigga listened to him, but she could not help noticing how Sigyn's eyes wandered away to the dark edges of the room.

The remainder of the trip was not as the beginning had been.

Thor was jovial, as though he did not notice the lack, or perhaps was striving the harder to overcome it.

Sigyn was more quiet than she had been, though she responded amiably to Thor's company.

Frigga remained happy for both of their sakes. But she wondered what in the Nine could have happened to drive Loki away. She found herself looking forward to their return home, when she might have answer from him.

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Answer, was something Loki was unwilling to give.

After three days and fewer sightings of her younger son, Frigga lost her patience. She went to his rooms and as there was no answer, she whispered the works and twisted the lock aside. She went within and found him in his study. She rapped on the doorframe.

He turned from the shelf, "Oh," he said distractedly, "Hello. What is it?"

He would have been more jarred had he truly been unaware of her entry. He barely looked up at her from the book opened on his palm.

Some of her frustration softened. "I'm worried about you," she said.

He moved nearer the desk, perhaps checking some thing written on one of the papers against the book in his hand, perhaps only feigning it. "And why is that?"

She came over next to him, leaning over to look into his face.

He turned his back on her, closing the book and conveniently sliding it back onto the shelf.

"I think you might know," she said.

Loki 'hmm-ed' noncommittally. He took a book from the shelf, flipped it open, slid one finger down the page, closed it, laid it aside, and reached for another.

Frigga closed the distance between them and took his wrist. "Look at me," she said. She brought his wrist down and around so that he would turn and face her. He let himself be moved. "You are not acting like yourself," Sliding her hands down to hold both of his, she searched his face, "What are you not telling me?"

The smile that flashed on his face did not touch his eyes. "Nothing. Mother," he said. "I've been a bit preoccupied recently. I'll try and…"

He let it go as she dropped her eyes to their joined hands. She traced her thumbs over the back of his palms. Then she looked back at him.

"I thought you promised never to lie to me," she said.

He closed his eyes and all the pretense he'd held since she entered fell away. Not an illusion so much as an act. He looked so tired.

"What happened, Loki?" she asked. "What came between you and Sigyn?"

A muscle in his jaw moved as he turned away from her.

"She told me she never saw you at the market. All we got was your note. And I am only speaking with you now because I forced your door. Loki," she gave a soft exasperated breath, "What's happened?"
"Nothing."

She considered for a long moment, then she closed the little distance between them. She put a hand high on his arm, by his shoulder, exerting the slightest pressure that might make him turn and face her. "Loki,"

He drew a long breath, "I –" then he gave it up. "By the time I'd woken she had already left." He spoke in the dull monotone of something recounted a thousand times. "So," he said, "I went after her. She, never saw me. I only saw her from behind," he shrugged a little, "No one else has hair that color. She was with another man and I didn't," his arms folded across his chest. "I didn't want to come between them."

"Loki," she breathed. Grasping what hope she could offer from her own confusion she said, "Perhaps it wasn't as you thought it was. Perhaps an uncle, or a cousin."

He was half looking over his shoulder, so she saw the way his mouth tipped, sarcastic and biting, "And perhaps a lover she snuck out early to meet at market."

"Loki!"

His teeth locked and he turned his head.

"You don't know that," she gentled. "She might have a perfectly good explanation –"

"You didn't see them."

"Perhaps," she ventured slowly, "I needn't have. I saw you, and more than that –"

"She loved him, Mother," he cut her off, bitter and hoarse and quiet. "Let that be the end of it."

Gently she pressed, "Have you tried speaking to her?"

"I can't," he said. She felt the breath hitch in his chest, "I can't,"

"Oh Loki," she put her arms about him and rested her head against his shoulder, "I'm so sorry."

Her hands were clasped at his collarbone and he held them there with one of his own, using the other hand to smear the tears off his face. He laughed shortly, turning to face her. "I'm a fool, aren't I?" he asked.

She put her hand against his cheek, then kissed the fresh tears from his face. She drew him against her. "You're young, Loki," she whispered. "This will all pass in time."

"So," he spoke against her shoulder, "I'm a young fool, then?"

She released him and stepped back, sliding her hand down his arm she gripped his hand. "Don't hide from me, Loki," she said. "Don't burn bridges you'll one day regret."

He looked at her, one moment, level and blank, then jerked a nod. He looked away.

"Come here," she said.

He let her hold him. And she wished that she might fix this for him.

But those days were over. He was no longer a child. She could comfort him, but he would have to forge his own path.

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A while ago, I was reading a book of psychological oddities. One of those listed was the fact that most people who are afraid of rejection, reject everyone who gets close to them, because they're sure it's going to happen one way or another and, that way, at least they're in control of it. The author used romantic relationships as an example.

I never wrote all of my original idea for this story.

The fic (which I felt was a failure and I have not published) was a 'Thor' au, where Loki drops off the Bifrost and lands on Earth and "learns his lesson" without all the drama from 'The Avengers'. There were a lot of memory sequences – which is a large part of why I went back to writing prequel things. But. As I went I came up with THIS sequence, and I thought maybe I'd write a sequel, where he ends up re-accepted into the Asgardian royal family and runs into Sigyn again.

Spoiler being: It comes out in conversation that it was a long-lost cousin that she had run into.

I don't think I'll ever really write it, but a.) I might and b.) there it is.