Hi again :) It took me longer this time, but I had some troubles writing the next chapter and I did not want to upload until I figure that out. But I hope you will enjoy this one and if you do, please leave a review! :)

Let me know if there are some spelling or grammar mistakes.

I own nothing but my OC and plot.

VI

Loki was sure about one thing and one thing only - he loved her. And just for a little while, he allowed himself to enjoy the pleasant feeling. He let himself be Loki, the man with new home and not Loki, the lost prince of Asgard. He gave himself a permission to live.

They went to that restaurant Milla mentioned before. He got her a rose and she kissed him on his cheek. He wished her sweet dreams every night and she woke him up with a good morning every day. They spent hours in silence, reading, Loki on the couch and Milla on the ground. Or she was writing, and Loki studied her concentrated face, letting all details sink into his memory forever. She usually looked at him after a while and either blushed or insulted him and smiled. When their eyes got tired, one of them started playing the piano. They never looked for sleep, so they sat on the terrace and were silently talking about nothing. He loved listening to her voice, he loved those sparkles in her eyes when she was talking about something she enjoyed, he loved those little wrinkles that appeared when she smiled. He loved how she got mad when she hit a bad key on piano keyboard, he loved the way she looked at him after he was silent for longer time, checking if he was asleep. For the first time ever, he felt needed when she curled up on his chest and fell asleep. She was a mystery for him to solve. Like the moon - a part of her was always hidden.

He was falling for her harder and harder every second of every day.

And yet, they never kissed although there were many opportunities.

That was the only act he denied himself.

Because he will eventually, let her down. Something will happen, doubts and dark memories will come back and he couldn't bear to be the one to fail her. And a real kiss is a vow, a promise, even for him. And she was the only person whose promise he would never break.

"What are you thinking about love?" she asked in whisper. A fine breeze was cooling the air and the full moon illuminated living room. She was playing the piano once in a while. When he didn't look at her, she looked back at the sky in front of her and smiled. "You are here for more than two months."

"It feels like seconds," he relied quietly.

"A lot changed during those seconds," she stopped pressing the keys and looked at him. "The self-centred, cruel and underrated king of lies, God of Mischief and prince of Asgard, bloody from the battle and full of distrust turned out to be witty and intelligent Loki with caring heart, the man that saved my life and the one I trust with it."

They were looking at each other without a word. His body craved her so much it physically hurt. He ached to discover every curve of her body, to taste her, to feel her blood rushing through her veins. But it was just foolish.

He closed his eyes as he heard her walking towards him. She leaned over and kissed him on a cheek, gently. He clenched his fists to prevent grabbing her around the waist and forcing to stay. "I'm going to bed now, love. Good night." Yes. He will hurt her. And at that moment, he hated his life for taking him to this world.

For the first time in years, Milla found herself looking forward to wake up in the morning. She buried all her worries deep in the back of her head and focused on the important. But that was hard too - with her mind filled with those sweet little things her prince had been doing recently. He made her want to be with him for every second of every day and she was sure it was without him realising. Loki changed her by making her live again and not surviving the days in self-pity. Colours were more vivid and smiles more genuine, food more delicious, motions easier and words louder and everything else was unimportant. And she enjoyed every moment like there was no time left. Because she knew who she was and she was sure this happiness won't last for long. That something will occur and take her back in the dark places.

But not now.

"Where is everyone?" she shouted when she stopped reading and looked around. She realized there was no motion for a longer amount of time now and that was suspicious. Her subconscious was immediately creating catastrophic scenarios but thankfully just for a few seconds. Till she looked over the stair-rail and saw just the people she wanted to see sitting on cushions and pillows on the floor in a small circle. They were all looking up on her.

"What is going on?" she asked curiously.

"We are getting drunk," said Andrea, coming from the kitchen with a few bottles in her hands. Milla cried in surprise and ran down the stairs to hug her. It was so good to see her especially after those horrible events.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was shopping and Felix dragged me here with his sweet words. Like, really Milla, where did you find him? I want one," she sighed dramatically and sat on the floor next to Emma, who was silently laughing.

"Oh, in fact he found me, walked in without invitation," she walked to him and kissed his temple as a thank you. "So, why wasn't I invited?"

"I asked you, but you were in another world I guess," Johnatan answered, showing you an empty place between Emma and Loki.

"Yes, Shakespeare makes me want to get back to Earth sometimes."

"Shakespeare? I read that, it doesn't make sense," said Erik while opening something that looked like really old rum. Milla forgot she had it.

"Because you are not reading it right, darling," Andrea giggled. Both Milla and Emma rolled their eyes. Andrea was a really good actress and a bit flirty when it came to men. They both knew she had never read any of Shakespeare's books and maybe she even had no idea who he was. But either way, they didn't tell that to anyone.

"Right, you must read between the lines," Emma continued, saving Andrea from questions she had no answers to.

"This above all: to thine own self be true," Milla quoted silently, winking at Andrea.

"Fine, enough of the intelligence, we have better things to do," Johnatan interrupted while standing up and walking to the table. He took an empty wine bottle and placed it in the middle of their little circle. "Spin the bottle it is."

"Love that one," Andrea sat more comfortable.

"Of course you do," Erik nodded and made everyone chuckle. For some reason, those two could not stand each other. Maybe there were too many differences between them.

"What are the rules?" Loki asked, leaning against his elbows.

"We spin the bottle and whoever two people it points to, must answer a question from the others. The one with the less interesting story drinks. Clear?" Andrea responded again.

"I'm so gonna win," Johnatan smirked and reached the bottle.

"Not so fast handsome. Have I ever told you how I got this house?" Milla smiled and pour the first round into the glasses.

"I don't think so," he frowned confused.

"I won it a drinking competition," she informed him with a large grin.

"No way."

"Oh yes. Lovely headache though."

It took them another couple of minutes while till they finally settled down the rules and Johnatan spun the bottle. Milla used those extra seconds and allowed Loki to read her mind for a little while.

I never imagined you at gaming nights.

You have no idea what gaming nights I have been to. Countless possible pranks.

You are quiet though.

Maybe I am waiting for my moment to shine.

She started giggling but tried to hide it behind cough. But Loki wasn't hiding his pretentious grin. The bottle pointed at Emma and Johnatan, witch made Milla feel so happy. They clearly liked each other, different as they were. Maybe they won't be so shy with the raising level of alcohol in their veins.

"Wonderful!" Andrea was smiling loudly. Milla noticed half of her glass was already empty. The girl was tough but she never lasted long. "Tell us about your first love."

"Love questions already?" Erik raised eyebrows, clearly thinking about every possible love question and the answers.

"That means you won't get a word from me," Loki gave them a notice.

"Yes, you have to ask him about sex," Milla teased him.

"Now we are talking," he looked at her with a fire in his emerald eyes ant it made her blush.

"Fine, they gave you the time, stories, now," Andrea stopped laughing and looked at Emma and Johnatan.

Emma said nothing and drank the whole glass. A disgusted grimace appeared on her face and she had to take a few deep breaths to get over the taste of what looked like whiskey. "I haven't been in love," she explained while everyone looked a bit shocked.

"Fine. Moving on," Johnatan was still looking at her, amazement and amusement on his face when he spun the bottle. It pointed at Erik and Emma again.

"Let's make men drink," Milla was thinking about a question she knew Emma had a better answer to. "Tell us about your recent dream."

"I won," Emma smiled. "You can't beat this one. I dreamt about being a queen of the nine realms, possessed the power of Gods and let me tell you, I was beautiful. I set it as my new goal in life. Especially the bedroom part, I have never seen so much gold."

"You still look beautiful," Erik raised his glass and drank. "My dream was about getting drunk so I guess I will follow its orders."

Another spin picked out Loki and Milla. That one created an excitement in everyone's' eyes and they both pretended they didn't notice. The rest four people were discussing the right question for a couple of seconds before turning to them again. During those moments, Milla suggested a bet that the question will have something to do with their relationship. Loki disagreed.

"What was your celebration of becoming of age like?" Emma asked. Milla laughed and hid in embarrassment behind Loki, while he, to their surprise, blushed. And they knew this will be a good one.

"Ladies first," Milla calmed down and started remembering, still with a wide grin. "I was a young village girl, don't forget that, my mind was stupid. No fancy clothes, just an old skirt and some shirt. We had this beautiful meadow in the middle of the forest. So everyone in my age took a lot of alcohol, food and we spent a night there. Let's say it didn't take long until I had no control of my movements and my memories blurred into one witch includes fire I created and kind of burnt the forest," her voice was lower with every word and she looked down with the last one. She expected surprised questions, but they started to laugh instead. "I'm glad I made you happy, but it was really horrible experience," she hid behind her palms again.

"You are laughing now!" Andrea said.

"Yeah, well, I also kind of met my husband there," with that, she really started to smile, restoring the old memories. "And if you are wondering, no, he was not the only one who was dancing around the flames," she said ironically and the image made them laugh even harder. Milla couldn't stop too.

"It seems I am drinking," Loki interrupted the buzz in the room. "Mine was also loud and drunken and messy, but the only thing on fire was me. Literally," he took his glass. "I threw a few candles off while dancing."

"Fire soul mates. Bless you," Andrea took another sip. Milla lost the bet, so she took her glass of rum too and drank. So did Loki.

"I would hate you back then," she whispered to his ear while the bottle was spinning.

"I wouldn't even notice you," he replied, with a suggestive smile. Her breath speeded up just from his husky voice. Loki poured too much rum in her glass and made her drink. He was trying to get her drunk again but this time, she did not resist.

The game went on. They were telling stories about the best night of their life, about the worst argument, describing the perfect partner, the perfect day, something they would like to do someday, explaining how they got there, creating their perfect cocktail, telling the least important secret, and as the night went on and the bottles were emptying, they started to describe colours without using the name, singing instrumental songs and Andrea had a dance off with Milla. The more they drank the less they cared. They asked philosophical questions like why Asgard do not look like Mitgard and what make people want money and power. The talks were quieter and motions slower. They forgot about the bottle.

"If you had to die, how would you want to die?" Emma asked, her head resting on Johnatan's knees. That made Milla look up from Andrea and Erik sleeping on the floor. She felt Loki's muscles behind her tense and she automatically reached for his hands around her waist.

"Why would I want to die?" Johnatan spoke quietly, reaching for another pillow to put his head against. He was nearly sleeping too.

"It's just a question, silly," Emma laughed. "I don't want to be afraid. It better be a surprise."

"Then I don't want to be surprised, I want to know when," Johnatan continued.

"I almost died of poison, blood lost and thirst but I didn't really care what caused it," Milla spoke slowly. "I only didn't want to be alone."

"Morbid topics. But I would rather die alone than see others reactions," Loki murmured. Milla was probably the only one who heard him.

"You don't think they would mourn," Milla turned her face to him, studying his drunk emerald, still beautiful eyes agreeing with her statement. "Then don't die. That would be my biggest disappointment," she winked and stood up. But he grabbed her hand and pulled back down. The movement was so sudden, she screamed in surprise, woke up both sleepers and while she was expecting a hard fall against the floor, she landed on Loki. He grabbed her around her waist and rolled over, so she was trapped under him. She heard laughs and maybe some commentary from probably Andrea, but it was too distant to understand. All she could think of was his body pressed against hers, his breath on her face and a little bit faster heartbeat against her chest.

"I would not disappoint you," his husky voice made her body temperature rise immediately. He was staring at her lips now and she bit it, only to make it worse for him. Butterflies in her stomach were excruciating.

"Are we still talking about the same thing?" she breathed to his mouth.

"Maybe. Maybe not," he brushed his fingertips along her thigh and made her hold her breath. Without even realising it, she dug her nails into his shoulders. She was almost trembling. And this devil was grinning, not letting her move.

"Come on, people," she heard Johnatan from far away. Thankfully, that caught Loki's attention and he turned to him to say something witty. Milla took advantage of the situation and used all her strength to roll Loki on his back. He was so surprised, he forgot about the rest of them.

"You know what they say about drunk sex?" she purred to his ear and softly bit his earlobe. He growled which made her smile. She was the dominant one now. "It is really good," she continued and started rocking her hips into his groin. She felt immediate reaction. "when you wake up and you are not sure if you got laid or beat up."

With those words she swiftly stood up and heard a laugh behind her. "You are wicked," he said, those hungry eyes still fixed on her. She hadn't felt so alive in a really long time.

Milla brought a glass of water from kitchen, already calmed down, but still smiling. She found a few new candles lit up and a bottle of wine opened. No one was sleeping anymore and they moved to the couch. Loki was the only one standing, leaning against the doorframe at the entrance to the terrace. She tried really hard not to go straight to him lock him inside her room.

Sadly, her mind walls were weaker than usual a before she realised he could hear her, she heard a silent laugh.

"Milla, what would your life looked like if you made one different choice?" Emma asked the moment she saw her, saving her from full embarrassment. She handed her a glass of wine and she gladly took a sip. Apparently they caught the second breath and decided to continue in a sleepy mood.

Damn you.

I would appreciate word fuck more.

Later, love.

"Which choice? There were so many," she sat on the floor again.

"Choose one."

"Fine. Well if I waited one more month to get married, I would have probably never seen this place," she said without any real emotions. She had thought about this question countless times and there were days when she was just too close to give up and find it out. She had a spell prepared, a spell that would show her the life she could have. And yet, she didn't. Because whatever hell she was going through, seeing the person she could have been and was not would be the last drop. And she was not sure if she could handle it.

"I would live in a small house, probably with only two bedrooms, one for me and Arthur and one for our children. Yes, I would have children. Two, both boys and I would be pregnant with third, that would be girl," she recited, eyes fixated on the glass of wine. That was Arthur's dream, three children. And the house. And a few horses he could take care of and train to sell them to rich men later. "My biggest problem would be what I should cook for a dinner. Not who wants to murder me or in what way should I threaten that bastard and most certainly not where the hell I should burry the body. I would have friends to invite for garden parties, but now I refuse to get close to people just to keep them safe," she looked up at Emma. She was playing with her fingers, Johnatan was looking outside and drinking, Erik was spinning the bottle in discomfort and Andrea was looking to the ceiling like there was something interesting.

"I'm sorry, this shouldn't sound that depressing," she found remains of laughter in her voice. "On the other hand, Emma would be probably dead, Andrea would never had the best babysitter of all time, Johnatan would never get out of jail and Erik would never get the soldier training he always wanted," thankfully, that made them wake up from the trance. "And I would never meet mister perfect here," she looked at Loki who never looked away from her.

"Let's drink to that. To making the best from the worst," Johnatan raised his glass and all six of them drank.

Milla was talking about the life she wanted but could never have. She was pushing all of her emotions away and saying only pure facts. The little he knew about her past easily gave away that this life was not what she expected it to be. She literally just made the best from the worst. And she changed her personality because of everything she had to get through.

She could move to the small house, she could find a man, she could do everything. And yet, she was sitting here, a noble rich lady with power beyond reach. She made a decision to make this her life.

Loki realised she never accepted how much she loved the danger this life brought to her.

At this point, she showed him courage he never possessed. He was raised to be brave and confident, a true soldier with wise mind and quick reflexes. But most of his life he created problems and the only courage he had shown was the courage to face the circumstances. He never used it to change the course of his life. Hell, he had never even thought if he, as a prince, had a chance to make a change.

And yet he lived in a very different world with new people around. He was treated as a regular guy, and even felt like someone special around the woman he probably fell in love with. And he liked this life, enjoyed it.

Loki had no purpose, but this wasn't him, not what he wanted. Not yet.

And he heard his heart shatter into pieces when he decided to do something he knew he had to for a long time now. And now, he found courage.

"I was hoping for a goodbye at least," a soft voice made him freeze on the spot. Slowly, he exhaled and closed his eyes. This was the only scenario he feared. The only one he was not prepared for. He slowly turned, preparing to face her, but when he opened his eyes, she was sitting in the shadows of dining room a few steps from him. He could just turn around again and go. Without any explanation and above all, without seeing her hurt, or worse, released.

"I should have known," she continued, gently like she was talking about the weather. "I haven't really seen you for two days." Her gaze was fixed on a glass of milk in front of her. She knew and there was no point in pretending and lying. "There is no happy path in my destiny, is there?" she lifted one corner of her lips just to show how truly concerned she was. Loki found himself make a step closer, unable to stop looking at her and continue walking towards the door.

"How did you know? You don't see the future," he asked barely in a whisper that made her look at him. And what she saw made her muscles weaker and she had to bit her tongue not to gasp. He was wearing his asgardian clothes again, full of uncomfortable leather and metal and whatever hopes she had, they were gone. And yet even though it was hopeless, she found herself trying.

"No, there is no magic," Maybe he didn't notice how harder it is for her to breathe. "A coincidence. I couldn't sleep."

He looked at her, unable to focus on his goal, unable to say goodbye to her. It was physically hurting him to leave, every part of his body demanded to stay here, with her, forget old life and just start a new one, possibly a lot happier. But there was this last little remaining part of his pride that was telling him this was not what he deserved until he finished what he started. Until he makes a change. Until he is the king and Milla could be the queen, just as she deserves. And yet he could not tell her all of that, partly because he was sure she suspected it and partly because he was afraid she won't fully understand.

"Come with me." His voice broke at the last word. He knew the answer before she took a breath.

"No," she shook her head and slowly stood up. Her hand was still gripping the corner of the table for support. "You know I can't."

"You could. You did it before."

"Yes and look how it ended. Innocents died," she growled, not wanting to think about that.

"You could be my queen," it hit him out of the blue; that this could be the last time he will ever see her. His heart skipped a beat.

There was no joy in her laugher. First tears reached her eyes and she didn't fight them off. "I wouldn't be a good one. I can't stand beside you at the battlefield."

"Then it seems like there is no solution," he whispered, his throat dry. It took just one lonely tear to stream down her cheek and he forced himself to turn around. He wanted to remember her smiling and blushing and biting lips while she was working. Not sad because of him. Because of idea that he was not even sure about now. He stepped to the door again, determined not to look behind.

"You will miss me," her voice was shaking against her will.

"Why do you think so?" he stopped again, something in a way she said it made him stop. There goes his determination when it comes to this woman.

"Because I will miss you," she tried not to sob but it was hard, almost impossible. Every muscle in her body wanted either give up or gather all the strength and run to him. She could do neither.

He looked at her, tears now creating a narrow river on her face. She was so right. "You have other people. You will replace me easily."

"No. No I don't," she yelled and threw half full glass of milk to the ground. Milla stepped closer, shaking her head rapidly. She started to be angry because of the desperation of the situation. "I don't have a friend who I go and grab a coffee with and gossip about men, or complain about work and life in general," she was still loud. "I don't have a lover who I can talk to about how my day was. And I don't have parents who take care of me when everything else fall apart," she was now standing just two steps from him. "I have no one in this goddamned world and now you are leaving me too?!"

She was still fighting the sobs off, arms crossed at her chest and as she was standing there, slowly lowering her head in defeat, he knew he was the one who lost.

Loki reached and gently touched her shoulder. She looked up, confused, waiting. He stepped closer, reached for her cheek and dried those tears away. He never looked away from her eyes. He leaned closer, stopping just millimetres from her lips. He could feel her warm breath on his lips. She reached to his neck too, just a second before their lips touched in a gentle kiss.

Yay!

And I have a warning for you. The next chapter is the reason why this story is M rated. Again, leave a review if you enjoyed the chapter :)