Holy shitake mushrooms. 7 months since I updated...? I'm so sorry! T.T Hopefully you've occupied your time with other awesome Avenger fics while waiting for this. Don't worry guys I'm still alive! Going on a Killzone Shadow Fall fanfic spree since the PS4 launch returned me to the world of FF. Now it's BlackFrost time. Please enjoy.
Chelsea Grin (21)
Come Together
Nataha didn't know how long she could keep this up.
Everyone was bound to realize that Loki was gone. Despite her affinity of being a gifted liar, Natasha found herself restrained by her conscience every time she felt tempted. It just didn't feel right to lie to her friends, especially Thor. But it was just as bad if he found out.
"You've been staring at the sky an awful lot, Natasha. Is something wrong?"
"No...I just love looking at it. Loki showed me what it was like during sunset."
She immediately regretted what she said. 'Crap. I mentioned Loki.'
Thor smiled. "I heartily agree. It is a truly magnificent time."
He turned his attention back to Jane. Natasha bit back a sigh of relief. The others were busy sightseeing and chatting. She took advantage of this and went her separate way. She was good at slipping away unnoticed. Natasha decided to spend most of her time alone in the palace garden. Surrounded by nothing but beautiful flora soothed her a bit. Even as a native of Russia, she can't imagine how cold and harsh it must be on Jotunheim. At least there was a bit of green where she was born.
Natasha meandered through the palace garden, though much of its beauty was lost on her. She plucked out a star fruit and nibbled at it, staring off into space and feeling anxiety gnawing at her gut.
Natasha considered the worst scenario. What if Loki had to fight? She had seen his considerable power and magical prowess when he defeated Surtur. But that was ice against fire. What could he do with ice against ice? The Frost Giants would overwhelm him by sheer numbers and brutality.
She gritted her teeth and shook her head. 'I need to stop imagining things. Loki will win them over with words. I have to believe in him. Everything will be okay...'
"Hello Natasha!"
"Wha-" Thor's booming voice almost made her drop the fruit. She whirled around to see him smile sheepishly.
"Forgive me for startling you. Say, where is Loki? Shouldn't he be with you?"
Natasha froze. There, he jumped the question. She couldn't say Loki was resting in his room. She couldn't even say she didn't know, because she did. Years ago she would've easily come up with a smooth lie. Now it was different. Natasha found herself unable to properly respond.
"He's...away," she finally said.
"Where?"
Instead of replying to him right away, Natasha rose and walked out of the garden. "Sorry, I have to go," she muttered.
Thor trailed behind, much to her dismay. "Why are you so reluctant to tell me, Natasha? What's going on with Loki?"
Natasha briskly made her way through the palace. She bit her lip, determined to ignore Thor despite his heavy footfalls that doggedly followed her.
"Natasha!" he boomed.
She spun around, her green eyes flashing. "I can't say!"
The God of Thunder looked deeply concerned. "Is Loki doing something beyond my notice? Without telling me? Please, Natasha. Tell me where he went."
She clenched her fist. "It's not for you to know."
She wished Thor didn't have to back her up into a corner like this. But if he was going to pin her down, naturally she'd lash out in response. He was her friend, a fellow Avenger. Still, a part of her feared what would happen if he reached a breaking point. He seemed dangerously close.
Loki came back to Asgard feeling like...well, a king.
When he passed by Heimdall, the Gatekeeper acknowledged him with a slight bow. He didn't need to be told what had transpired. He already knew. Loki thought he saw a rare glint in Heimdall's eyes. Like he was proud of the former Asgardian prince.
Draugur still waited faithfully outside the Observatory. Loki mounted and gave him a gentle pat on the neck. "Come on, old friend. Good news call for a swift ride!"
Spurred by the reins, the black horse galloped to the palace of Asgard. Loki dismounted at the steps and climbed them as fast as he could without making a fool of himself. He approached the great double doors, guarded by sentries on both sides. When they saw Loki, their eyes widened. They were about to open their mouths and ask. Then they thought twice as they caught the urgency in his eyes. They bowed and let him through.
Loki was on his way to Odin's throne room when he heard Thor's shout of outrage.
"He did what!?"
Loki instantly made for the room on the right. Thor and Natasha stood inches away from each other, obviously locked in a heated argument.
"What's going on?" Loki snapped. The two turned, completely taken aback by his appearance. He flashed an angry glare at Thor. "Why are you yelling at Natasha?"
The prince of Asgard took a step back. "I regret to make you think that I am the one to blame. But I couldn't help but overreact. She just told me that you went away. To Jotunheim, alone! And I didn't know!"
Loki sighed. "Of course you didn't. Frankly you would be a danger to us all if you went."
Thor looked hurt for a second. Then confusion crossed his face once more. "You worried me half to death. If you didn't show up, I would have went straight to the Bifrost. Whatever possessed you to do such a thing? What happened?"
While immensely relieved to see Loki alive and well, Natasha wasn't one to rush over to him with tears streaming down her face. Something about him changed. That much was obvious. The moment she heard his voice...she heard the authority ringing through the hall before she even realized it was Loki.
Footsteps echoed down the hall as the Avengers and their friends bustled in.
"Hey, we heard all this noise from outside," Tony said. "What's up?"
"Loki, we haven't seen you all morning!" Pepper exclaimed.
Loki looked around. Amusement replaced the anger in his eyes. "I see that an explanation is in order."
"Yes, please." Thor looked quite impatient.
Loki said nothing for a few seconds, prompting a suspenseful silence that hung heavily in the air. His face glowed with triumph. And he finally said, "I've been made the king of Jotunheim."
Shock took hold of everyone in the room.
Thor was incredulous. "Y-you have...?"
Tony clapped him on the back. "Wow, Loki. It's a dream come true for you! Whoo, you're cold!"
Volstagg laughed. "Not many return from Jotunheim in one piece. Hardly any return as a king."
"A king...as you've always wanted," Sif mused. But there was no hostility in her eyes as she looked equally impressed as the others.
"Finally...Jotunheim and Asgard can have a future of friendship and peace..." Loki looked past Thor. "It's what you had wanted from the beginning, after all."
Everyone turned to see Odin approaching them.
"Father, you knew?" Thor asked.
"Of course." A ghost of a smile flitted across Odin's lips. "Huginn and Muninn wouldn't stop making a racket about it as soon as the Jotun elders had accepted him."
"I'm glad we could settle it peacefully," Loki said. "Negotiations were no easy feat...but by some miracle, I've established my right as the heir and forged a truce between the two realms."
Suddenly he felt tired. The weight and stress of today's events finally caught up to him. "I've had enough excitement for one day. I'd like to retire to my room." Loki glanced at Natasha, wordlessly inviting her to accompany him.
Their professional facade fell away as soon as they were left to the privacy of his room. Loki and Natasha fiercely embraced, passionately kissing and falling into bed together. After being in the cold for what seemed like years, Loki loved pressing close to her warm body. Natasha ran a hand through his hair, feeling bits of frost that hadn't melted yet. She kissed his cold lips and moved down to nuzzle his neck, evoking a low moan of pleasure out of him.
Natasha pulled back and smiled. "A king, huh? Of all the men I've been with, or pretend to, I've never been close to a king."
Loki smiled back, half modest and half embarrassed. "I'm not so different from before. I'm still Loki, the man who fell in love with a mortal after he failed to take over her realm."
"You failed to take Earth...because you were made to reclaim your home."
Loki tilted his head. "You think so?" he murmured.
"I know so."
Natasha looked to the window, to the starry sky. "When will you start rebuilding Jotunheim?"
"Probably tomorrow." Loki sighed and let his head sink into a pillow. "My realm cries for reform, and I'll see to that as swiftly as possible and to the best of my ability."
"You'll do great. I believe in you."
When she moved to lay next to him, Loki tenderly kissed her forehead. "That's all the comfort I need."
The next day, while Loki was away to help his people rebuild Jotunheim, Natasha remained in Asgard. Though she felt very happy for him, a part of her wanted Loki all to herself. The Jotuns may have claimed him as their king, but Natasha had claimed him as her lover first. She felt selfish for thinking that way.
Having the Jotuns accept him not only as one of their own, but as their king, was a big step for Loki. But while he was fulfilling his new, hefty responsibilities, perhaps he would be too busy for her. Natasha situated herself at a balcony overlooking much of the golden palace and the silver river. Looks were deceiving; underneath her calm exterior she felt anxiety and unrest.
"Good evening, Lady Natasha."
She spun around to see Frigga. Hiding her flustered surprise, she bowed deeply. "Good evening, your majesty. Please, just call me Natasha."
"As you wish." The Queen of Asgard offered her a warm smile as she joined Natasha by the balcony. "I see that you are up here alone. May I ask why you aren't with the rest of your comrades?"
"I enjoy the solitude," Natasha admitted. "I have room to think, to breathe..."
'To pine after your adopted son like a lovesick girl.' But that was something she dared not confess.
Frigga gently laughed. "Loki was the same way. Always to himself, away from the boisterous clamor of Thor and his friends."
Thinking of Loki again made Natasha's heart ache. She rested her elbows on the balcony and tried to say nothing.
But Frigga seemed to notice. "Something's on your mind, my dear."
Was her mask of indifference that easy to penetrate? Natasha was quick to reply: "No. Not at all, your majesty. I've enjoyed the festivities and the heros' welcome. Really, I did. It's just..."
She trailed off, unable to finish her sentence. She bit the bottom of her lip and unconsciously clenched her fists. "I must ask you something. Now that Loki is the King of Jotunheim...what happens next?"
"Well...perhaps he will take the next step. To wed a woman so that she will become his queen."
Natasha looked up to meet Frigga's gaze. The queen of Asgard was staring right at her. Perhaps she knew. Natasha couldn't say anything to that. There was no way...no way in the world.
Frigga's voice lowered to a whisper. "I have seen the way my son looks at you. He loves you, Natasha. And I rightly assume that you love him as well?"
Tears tugged at her eyes. Natasha's reply was even softer than Frigga's. "I do. Very much." She shook her head. "No...it can never work. Loki has a duty to his people. Just as I have mine on Earth. We'll be worlds apart. If it comes down to it...if Loki really has to marry...He will just have to find someone else." Her throat clenched, making her feel choked.
"Do not despair, my dear. I will see what I can do."
Surprise replaced some of Natasha's sorrow. "You're willing to help me? A mortal?"
Frigga reached out to touch her arm. "You are the key to Loki's happiness. That alone is enough for me, mortal or not."
With each day, Natasha sensed her time on Asgard would draw to a close. She and the Avengers would have to return to Earth, and she would have to part ways with Loki.
Her worries and stress were supposed to subside whenever she spent time with him. Instead she just got more agitated. For a while she was good at hiding it. But Loki knew her so well that he could sense her turmoil eventually. She never brought it up, so he decided to confront her on the matter.
"I feel that you're not all that happy..." he said softly. "What's wrong, Natasha?"
She bit her lip, hesitating to answer. 'Loki's got enough to worry about. I don't want to trouble him any further. I shouldn't add to his worries with my own.' Finally she said, "Nothing."
"I'm sure there's something," he prompted. "Now tell me. What troubles you?" His voice was gentle but firm.
She looked up to see that he was genuinely concerned. Then she sighed and turned away uncomfortably. "It's just...Director Fury's got a handful of missions for me to do once I get home." Natasha felt a flash of anger at herself. 'Why the hell did I say that? My missions are nothing compared to what Loki's going through.'
Loki nodded in sympathy. "That's understandable. Well...if you'd like me to leave you alone-"
She pulled at his arm before he could go. "No, please don't. I'm sorry...I didn't mean to sound so dismissive. I'm so glad you could come back to see me. It won't be long until I..."
She couldn't help but gaze at the Bifrost, and the Observatory perched at its end. Loki drew her to a comforting embrace, though even her head against his chest did little to lessen the sadness he shared with her.
His time with Natasha would come to an end, while his time with the Jotuns would still have to persist. He had come to know them quite intimately since his resolve to aid their restoration to glory. The Frost Giants were more sophisticated and civilized than Loki had expected. Centuries of oppression and humiliation had not been kind to them. They simply did whatever they could to survive. Even if it meant splitting into nomadic tribes, and having their lives dictated by the movement of their food. This kind of lifestyle frequently led to raids and wars among the tribes. They squabbled over food and territory.
Now Loki wanted to unite them under his name, and not all of them took kindly to that. Rebuilding an entire realm was no easy task. Even with the help of Asgardian architects and masons, and the Jotuns' collective strength, patience and diligence must be well exercised among them.
While on Jotunheim, his thoughts always drifted to Natasha. Unease stirred inside him. Now that he was king, he would have to part ways with her as he reigned in Jotunheim, and she returned to Midgard. Would that mean he will never see her again? It was a frightening and upsetting thing to imagine.
'You could marry her,' a little voice whispered at the back of his mind. 'You could make her your queen if you wished.'
Hope flared in him for a moment. Then dejection quickly filled his heart to dampen his wishful thinking. Marrying her would also mean stealing her away from her realm, her friends, her allegiance to S.H.I.E.L.D. It would be so rude and selfish of him to do that. He had already done enough harm, and he was striving to do the opposite for a change. He would hate to make Natasha miserable in a world unknown and cold to her. She may be Russian, but the everlasting winters of Jotunheim made those of Russia feel like summer.
It would be more practical to marry one of his own kind. That would cement his loyalty to Jotunheim. But as quickly as he dared to think it, he instantly rebuked the idea. It was inconceivable to imagine himself with someone else. He remembered what Odin once said to Thor ages ago: A king must not dwell over selfish ambitions.
It was hard enough to convince some tribes of his competence despite his small size. What would the Jotuns think if he wedded a human, and made her their queen?
Loki didn't think they would take it well. When he finally had the time, he consulted with the elders about his personal issue.
"I wish to marry," he said. "But not one of my own kind. I've fallen in love with a human...and I'd like to make her my queen."
He made sure to not say "I will." Unfortunately, nothing was for certain and it seemed unlikely. He only offered the best case scenario. Still, it didn't hurt to give it a shot.
"Is it possible for a Jotun to have a human mate?" Loki asked.
"I must admit that it's not a common practice," Elder Droga replied. "But yes, there have been a few instances during our history...during our better days...when we had friendly relations with Midgardians. It was quite a long time ago. Now the Jotun-human hybrid children are nothing but a myth."
That greatly intrigued Loki. Jotun-human hybrids?
Natasha was sparring in a palace training hall after Loki finished his duties for the day on Jotunheim. He met with her in the hall and stayed there, treasuring the little precious time he had with her.
Loki never mentioned marriage to Natasha. He hid his true intention by merely bringing up Jotun-human hybrids to her. "Are there any Midgardian mythologies or stories where hybrids would likely be mentioned?" he inquired.
Natasha furrowed her brow as she sized up the Asgardian knife in her hand. Her movements were smooth and deft. "Have you heard of The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri?"
"Yes...the Christian epics about the Inferno, Purgatory and Paradise. I remember seeing them in the New York public library. What about it?"
The blade moved without a sound in the air. "In addition to Christian characters and elements, Dante was known to include pagan figures in his poem too. He put famous giants in religion and mythology, like Nimrod, in the lowest circle of hell."
Loki looked skeptical. "I am not making the connection." He drew out one of his own daggers and made an inquiring gesture. Natasha nodded. They engaged in a very light spar, more concerned with their conversation than their weapons.
"Dante described the lowest ring of Hell as being farthest away from the light of God," Natasha continued. "A prison of ice, not fire, made to forever bind and silence traitors like Satan. And the giants. Could Dante be referring to the Frost Giants?"
Loki was stunned. "...It's possible. Dante's poems are true?"
"No, they're just allegories. But the giants of Hell could refer to biblical Nephilim: children born from the unholy union of angels and human women. They were giant and monstrous." Natasha stopped to switch out the dagger for a staff. She shrugged. "Some say the Nephilim might've went on to become infamous figures or monsters mentioned throughout mythology and history. Like the giants in Dante's poems. Nimrod was one of them. In the Bible, he was a king responsible for building the tower of Babel."
"Tower of Babel?" Loki used his blade to fend off Natasha's swings.
"Nimrod wanted to reach God and the heavens by creating the tallest building in the world. God punished him for his arrogance. He made everyone involved in the tower's construction speak in different tongues. No one could understand each other. With no proper communication, or collaboration, Nimrod's dream crumbled along with the tower."
Loki looked pensive. "Hmm, I see...If his name and existence was recorded in scripture, then that further proves that Nimrod had a human-like appearance." He narrowly ducked, noticing that Natasha became more accustomed to moving quickly on her feet. "How else was he able to be king of an ancient human civilization? Surely he wouldn't be able to do so if he was a towering, blue-skinned being. He may have been a human outside. But inside...his Jotun blood had fueled his ambition. He had to be a Jotun-human hybrid. I'm certain of it. And since he was a king...I daresay he was my ancestor."
"Where are you going with all this?" Natasha asked.
She lowered her weapon, and he did likewise. "I must also be a Jotun-human hybrid," Loki replied. "Not directly, but distantly. Both my parents were Frost Giants, but the human gene must be recessive. It came up once in a while down the line. And I happened to inherit that gene. That's why I'm much smaller than my brethren. But I am no less prideful and ambitious. Like Nimrod."
His deductions were amazingly insightful, but that didn't surprise her. She expected no less from an intelligent and thoughtful man like Loki.
Light seemed to spark in his eyes for a brief moment. "The slaves must be Jotun-human hybrids as well. The Jotuns make it a rule to enslave the smallest and weakest of their kind. If I can prove that even the king's lineage had a hint of human heritage, I can convince the Frost Giants to abolish slavery." Loki and Natasha put away the weapons and left the hall together, on the way to have dinner with the rest of their friends.
Then he sighed. "One daunting task after another...when will it end?"
She held his hand. "You can do this, Loki. I have faith in you."
He smiled back, his mind still active and running from both their spar and their talk. The latter certainly took on an interesting tangent, filled with revelations he thought he'd never come to.
Being Asgard's silver-tongue, Loki masterfully weaved Natasha's stories into his forceful petition to absolve slavery in his realm. The petty squabbles and boundaries separating Jotuns must come to an end. The council of elders sanctioned new laws, and loyal soldiers saw to it that those laws would be obeyed. If the miracle of marrying Natasha ever became a reality, he could only hope the Jotuns have softened their opinion on humans over time.
Natasha woke up to sunlight stretched over her bed, but it did not warm her. This was it. Her last day on Asgard. In a few hours she'd fly through the Bifrost and end up back in S.H.I.E.L.D., ready to be deployed as the Black Widow once more. She packed up what little she had, feeling dejected. Last night Loki hadn't returned from Jotunheim. She heard from Odin's ravens that he had been busy suppressing a rebel tribe. Natasha stepped outside her room. She looked up to see Clint heading her way.
"Hey Nat."
"Hey Clint," she replied quietly.
"You ready to get back to work?"
"Ready as I'll ever be."
Clint knew that was an outright lie. His heart clenched at seeing the saddest smile he had ever seen on Natasha. He wrapped a sympathetic arm around her. "Everything's gonna be okay," he murmured.
Clint and Natasha joined the others in the hall, as they exchanged heartfelt farewells with the Asgardians. Director Fury stood a little away from them. He met Natasha's gaze and he called her over. "Agent Romanoff, do you have a minute?" As she approached, he drew her aside for a private talk.
"Queen Frigga had been talking with me for a few days. About you and Loki."
"Oh..." She dreaded what he would say next. 'He's going to tell me to get my head out of the clouds. My place is at S.H.I.E.L.D., not with Loki. I could see him whenever both of us had the time, but we can never be together. That's how it will be for the rest of our days.'
"The queen brought up many good points. The bond you and Loki share...it's a powerful thing. He saved your life. And you saved his. It's only right and clear that you two belong with each other." He put a hand on her shoulder, a gesture of affection he rarely gave. "You've served S.H.I.E.L.D. well, Natasha. We'll never forget what you've done for us. But I think it's time you move on to serve a greater purpose. With someone else."
Tears welled in her eyes. She hadn't cried like this in front of the Director since he finalized her membership into S.H.I.E.L.D. "Fury...thank you..."
She knew Clint had been listening the whole time.
He took in a deep breath, and let it out as a slow sigh. "Nat...above all else, I just want you to be happy. I see it now: Loki's the only one who can truly do that for you."
Her heart went out for him. "Clint..."
He looked away, but Natasha didn't miss the wetness glistening in his eyes. "Whatever you choose is fine with me," he said thickly. "I won't stop you. That's what friends are for, right?"
She seized him into a tight hug. "Clint...thank you so much."
He fiercely returned the embrace, feeling like he could never let go. "Promise you'll keep in touch."
"I will. I'll never forget you, Clint."
He pulled back with a smile. "Go get him, Tasha."
Just after he said that, a powerful beam of light emanated from the Observatory. Natasha knew what that meant. Loki had returned. She rushed past her friends and down the iridescent road, going as fast as her legs could possibly take her.
Loki burst out of the Observatory's entrance, fresh out of Jotunheim and looking quite frantic and devastated. "Natasha, I came as quickly as I could! I just had to see you before you-"
She put a comforting hand on his panting chest. She almost drew it back from the sheer cold on his armor. "Loki, it's okay. I'm not leaving."
That put him in a brief stupor. He blinked. "You're...not?"
"Actually, I wanted to ask you something."
"Oh." He looked down sheepishly. "Me too."
"You go first," Natasha said.
"All right. I've made up my mind." He seized both of her hands and locked his eyes with hers. "Natalia Alianovna Romanova...You have bewitched me, body and soul. Every fiber of my being compels me to be here before you, to ask of you something that would change both our lives forever. Once you give your word, that is. I ask...that you will be my queen, my lover...my companion for life."
She drew him into a kiss, feeling like she could just radiate boundless joy brighter than the Bifrost itself. "You don't even have to ask."
Yay, they're getting married! Welp, what do you guys think of the story so far? It's drawing to a close soon!
I know Thor 2 is out (which was great btw), but this fic and its sequel, Wolf Inferno, will not follow movie canon (much as it pains me, because I don't like diverging from the storyline). I didn't expect the Dark Elves to have futuristic technology. I already had them in my head as this weird occult-ish race. And I didn't expect the Vanir to look Asian! xD I guess I'll incorporate some of this into Wolf Inferno somehow.
