Disclaimer: Don't own Thor, Loki, or any other such related content. Talin is mine.
Loki sat at the edge of his bed, fidgeting with one of his many velvet bookmarks. Talin had conjured them for him, and he could still remember the look of pure joy on her face when it had been successful. She had many of his talents.
Loki felt a bitter sadness fill him. Her birthday was in just a few days, and he would not be able to see her. He had been there for every single one. He smiled as he remembered her fifth birthday. For weeks and weeks beforehand, she had battered him with requests for a pony. Apparently it was a very popular demand of many girls on Earth.
So, on her fifth birthday, he conjured a pony. The pony would not age, and needed no maintenance, no food. It was there to please her. She had squealed with joy, but instead of running to it to attack it like he had expected, she ran to him instead. He lifted her into his arms, and she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.
"Thank you daddy." She said sweetly, and kissed his cheek.
Loki pressed a cold hand to his cheek, his smile fading. He could only imagine the pain she had experienced when he had been lost in the universe, when he had fallen from the BiFrost. You let go. His conscience snarled at him. He hated himself every moment for that single decision. In that moment, in all the desperation and pain he had felt, he had forgotten everything that was dear to him, and he had let go.
On that first day, when he had finally made it to Earth, he was in no rush to get everything moving along. He had gone straight to her once everything was settled enough. She had dove into his arms, nearly crushing him, and she had cried. He hated it when she cried.
He still hated the way she had looked at him, not understanding, when he explained where he'd been, and what was going to happen.
"You want to take over Earth? But why?" She had asked.
They'd argued over it, and she had thrown him, quite literally, back through the portal he had used to get there. It amazed him sometimes, still, her gifts. He had never been able to reopen a portal once it had closed, only created a new one, or used ones already present. Portals were complicated things, yet she knew them as if she had created them all.
He missed her terribly, even her wild temper that would beat Thor's any day. Loki wondered how Thor fared on Earth with his daughter.
Thor landed heavily, staggered, and struggled to catch his balance. This form of travel was much less smooth than that of the BiFrost. He wondered how Loki could do it as often as he said he has. His landing kicked up a cloud of sand that attacked his airways, and he took a moment to cough and clear his lungs. He squinted at his surroundings.
He was surrounding by frozen orange waves of blazing sand. The wind blew erratically, but it was scorching hot, even for Thor. He could only imagine how miserable Loki was when he came here, being a frost giant. But Loki had told him Talin was most comfortable here, alone in the heat. Now where was the girl?
Out of nowhere, a flash of black and red erupted before him, and he barely had time to block a dagger as it slashed at his chest. The girl crouched low before him, holding the dagger with the prowess of one perfectly knowledged in the art of combat. She glared at him, before she suddenly froze.
She had the same thick black hair as Loki, with the same high cheek bones, pale skin with the glow all gods and demigods possessed, and eerie green eyes, though hers had golden flecks that seemed to almost dance. She had a well toned figure. She was a beautiful creature.
"Thor?" She spoke the single word, a question and accusation all at once.
"Aye. Your father sent me-" He began.
"Shhhh!" She spat at him, glancing around.
Her eyes scanned every inch of the horizon around them, before she flicked her hand at him once to follow. She took five steps, and suddenly disappeared. Thor stopped dead in his tracks, staring at the spot.
"Are you coming or do you wanna stay out there and fry?" She questioned hotly, from the spot she had vanished.
Thor took two hesitant strides, and was suddenly in a large room. It looked like a modern dwelling of Earth, the "living room" as Jane had referred to it. There as a kitchen off to the left, and a hallway at either side of the other end of the room. He glanced behind him, staring at the sand.
"The house is glamoured to mimic the landscape. Surely my father has played such a prank on you, hiding things in plain sight?" Her voice was sarcastic.
Thor finally found her in the dim light, in the kitchen. She approached him and shoved a glass of water into his hand.
"Drink it. Trust me." She said seriously, and then seated herself on one of the couches of the living room.
A moment later he suddenly felt as if he'd been wandering the desert for days without a drop of water. What was this? Thor chugged the entire glass down in a second.
"The form of travel you just experiences does odd things to your body, sometimes. The most common is the sudden feeling of absolute dehydration. The others are... much less pleasant." She said absently, fidgeting with a loop of cloth at the bottom of her shorts.
"What has become of my father?" She asked after a moment.
"He has been imprisoned, for an indefinite amount of time, for his crimes against Asgard and Earth." Thor replied.
She stared at him, and her eyes had the same effect as Loki's. They saw him, saw everything, looked into him, and right through him.
"I see. He can't use his magic to escape?"
"No. Odin has blocked him from using his powers. That's why he sent me."
"To do what, exactly?" She asked hotly, crossing her arms.
"Protect you from SHIELD, and from Odin." Thor answered.
"So you're going to be living here?" She asked, sounding irritated.
"No, not exactly. I'm just taking Loki's place. I'll come every few days, make sure you are safe. Unless you feel it is better I stay?"
"No, by all means, I prefer unexpected visits." She groaned sarcastically, and leaned back, closing her eyes. "How long are you staying today, Thor?"
This girl was ridiculous. Thor felt himself becoming irritated with her quickly. He was here to protect her, yet she treated him with hostility, like he were a nuisance. They were family after all.
"We are NOT family, Thor. I'm sure my father has tried to get it through your thick skull a few times now."
Thor gawked at her. That was new.
"Yes, I can read minds. Well, hear thoughts is more accurate. It takes a lot of work to break into someone's mind. Now, answer my question."
Thor ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. What had Loki gotten him into?
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