Jane entered the palace, and she felt oblique emptiness.
"I'll go and retrieve my brother," Thor said to her, and she nodded.
She walked to the back of the palace, meandering through the main garden. She breathed in the cool evening air. She noted that the time seemed to coalesce with Earth's time, though Asgard might have been slightly earlier.
What would she do when she saw him?
Part of her wanted to punch him.
Part of her wanted to kiss him.
And part wanted to go and tear his clothes off and make love in the garden.
And a very, very small part wanted to make him suffer, and that part of Jane Foster told her to run and hide…
But she did not know his purpose, he could be simply asking her here to say goodbye, or...perhaps he wanted to chide her.
These possibilities did not make sense, however. They did not make sense in the way in which she knew him.
Jane sat on the ground and played with a flower.
"There is a story about a raven I think that you'd enjoy," said Loki's voice.
Jane's breath stopped for a second, but she did not turn around. "I love a good story."
And Loki sat next to her on the grass.
"Once, a very angry man lived in a modest house in Asgard. He lived there in relative peace, though his state never ceased. Children would walk by, for the house was happily situated, close to both the seaside and a forest, but the man would yell...insisting that they did not roam his grounds.
People feared the man, and rightly so. His temper would leave any opponent weak with trepidation.
One day, the man spotted a giant black raven sitting on a tree right outside of his immediate garden. The man threw a stone at the bird, causing it to fly away. The man thought nothing further of it, so he went inside for the evening.
The next day, he went out and two ravens sat on the tree.
Once more, he threw the stones, this time, hitting one in the wing.
They left, and the man went about his day.
The next morning, the man awoke with a sharp pain in his arm, and when he examined it, he noticed a terrible wound was there. He wrapped it, dismissed it, and went outside.
Three ravens awaited him.
The man was angry, more angry than he had been in quite awhile. He went into the house, obtained his bow, and shot one of the ravens.
The next morning, the man woke with an arrow sticking from his breast, and a woman, with inky hair, pale skin, long fingers, and large, black eyes, sitting with him.
The man was confused, and demanded to know who the lady was.
"I am the raven whom you shot with an arrow yesterday, and I am here to tell you that because of your blatant neglect of life and love, you shall live out your days as a raven, haunting those who lived as you once did, and watch forever as others live...whether it be in happiness, in sadness, or in vanity."
And so it was, the man became a raven, neither living here nor there...in constant search for his release."
Loki turned to look at Jane.
"What does it mean?" she asked.
"About 700 years ago," he continued, "I chased a raven into a black cave...I shot at it...I do not know if my arrow found it, but from that day forward, my hair will grow to this length the day following its trim."
She laughed. "Are you kidding me?"
His eyebrow cocked. "Perhaps."
"Why am I here, Loki?"
He rose from the ground and walked over to a tree.
"I have been unfair. I drove you away from here because I was fearful...I was angry...I still am, I may never shed that."
Jane now stood. "I know it."
"Do you? Do you know what it means to be so full of raw anger that nothing, nothing ever quells the onslaught of red rage?"
"No. But I know that you are angry."
"Oh, Jane. I do not know what I am supposed to do."
"With?"
"This darkness...this deep pit of despair I so often dwell in..."
Jane went over to him. "Let light in."
"How? And how can I ever...how can I hope to live without that which I've only ever known?"
"You haven't, though...you've known happiness. I know that you have...you simply don't remember."
He laughed. "You know not what you want...I am far from perfect."
"I don't want perfect."
"Hopelessly flawed, then?"
"I want my friend back," Jane said. "I want to see things with him, listen to his stories. I want to wake with him in the morning, and walk with him in the afternoon. I want him to tell me when he's afraid, and to comfort me when I am. I want to sip wine, I want to laugh, I want...to discuss things I don't understand, and to talk about that which I do. I love talking with my friend. He's funny, and brilliant, and interesting...and a bit, dangerous," she smiled.
"You are a silly girl," he said playfully.
"I'm a woman," she whispered.
Loki swallowed. "Jane..."
"Yes?"
"My hair won't stay short. The story was true."
She looked quizzically at him. "Not really."
"Really," and he brushed her hair behind her ear.
"Loki."
"Hmm?"
"Why am I here?"
His hands cupped her face. He leaned forward, and kissed her mouth. "That's why," he answered.
"Oh..." and her eyes opened. "I want to hear you say it."
His hands fell and took her own hands in his grasp. "You are here, Jane Foster, because when you left, I felt empty. Because in these past weeks, in my cage in the bowels of the palace, you gave me comfort, and laughter. And you saw to my release, when no one else would. You are here, because I watched Thanos torture you, yet you remained steadfast and strong. You are here, because you sought my company when precious few did, and in that vein, I wished to give something back...and when we went to Hus, you were eager and rapt. And in the market, you were playful and smiling. And you gave me a gift...and I treasure it. And when we laid by the Falls, I wanted nothing more than to hold you, and to kiss you, and confess that, yes. I had fallen in love with you," he paused. "You are here, dearest, because in my fear, in my jealousy, I had discovered the depth of my want...that when I saw you with Thor, I felt it acutely, and I despaired most abjectly. I needed to make you leave, because I believed it to be best...little did I know that the pain of your absence would trump reason...but then, I suppose, that is how this works..." and he looked at her intently.
"Works?" she choked.
"Yes...love. Works..."
"I love you, Loki..." and a tear escaped the corner of her eye.
He kissed her forehead. "I hope you never regret that," he breathed against her skin.
"Take me from here," and she pulled away a touch.
The black pressed against her, and his entire hand was on her forehead, and then it was in her cheek, and his mouth was on hers...
And he laid her back onto his bed, and her clothes were gone, and he kissed every inch of her skin in worshipful embrace. And it was a communion most tender, yet passionate in equal measure...
And in the tangle of limbs which resulted, in the pulse of bodies and the sighs of consummation, Jane felt whole, and content.
Loki was undone by her body, by her mind, her very soul, and he marveled at what he experienced in her love.
The night found them in their action repeatedly, and not until morning threatened did they find sleep.
Jane stretched her limbs and smiled...she knew where she was. Loki was still asleep, for he had, she recalled, quite spent himself.
She got up in the morning light. She pulled her robe on, and went downstairs.
Out she went, into the cool air of Asgard, and she found the other Odinson there, looking into morning's dawn.
"Thor?"
He turned. "Good morning Jane."
"Do you always get up so early?"
"I do...Loki stays up late, preferring the company of the stars. I love the canvas of sky the dawn provides."
Jane reflected on that a moment...it was curious...she was more of a night owl herself.
"And how is my brother?" he smiled.
"Asleep," and she blushed. "I'm sorry, Thor. I..."
"Do not apologize, Jane. I understand. Truly, I feel as though I have regained my brother, and though I have lost you in the process, I harbor no regret."
Jane smiled. "You look magnificent in the morning light."
"He is light, Jane," came Loki's voice from behind her. "He always has been."
Jane turned and smiled at her lover...his hair unkempt and in his face. She loved that look.
"Loki. You look...well," and Thor smiled.
"I am..."
"Well. I should go," and Thor went to leave.
"Brother," began Loki, and Jane's and Thor's mouth hung open. "It should give me great pleasure to speak with you later."
"I look forward to it," and Thor left.
"Brother?" Jane snaked her arms around his waist.
"Well, as far as brothers go, he's not horrific."
She leaned her face into his chest, and Loki watched as the sky welcomed Asgard's star into its bosom.
"I love you, Jane Foster," and he rested his head in her hair.
A/N: thanks to everyone who followed, favorited and reviewed! I really enjoyed this story. A bit of everything! Thanks to jeadomized, who gave me the prompt. PM me if you have ideas for a story! Thank you!