AN: I think all of the chapter titles will be related to TØP from now on, the only title that wasn't connected to those artists was Life Support, a song by Sam Smith. Anywho, chapter six is here, wow I am so mean to Loki :/, I hope he finds serenity. ~Moonmilk
Trees
Jane came busting through the door that night. The feeling of the room changed once she opened her mouth.
"He's speaking, Miku."
Again. Miku had to act. "Oh, wow, great! Is he eating?"
"We didn't bring food this time, but the guards say that he won't eat their food."
"Jail food sucks, no one eats it."
Jane shrugged, she moved to the bathroom and took a moist cloth, removing her clumps of ebony eyeliner and chocolate eye shadow. "That's true. Maybe we can dig in a pantry, sneak some into the cell."
'I did, he only took small bites, it wasn't even like he was starving, but...by the look of his body..' Miku wanted to say it out loud, that she ditched the gathering, the wedding preparations just to see him.
"He ripped his Shakespeare books apart." Miku smirked at Jane.
"Well, I bet that offends you. It's interesting isn't it, that Odin retrieved those books when he traveled to his time. I think Loki likes them, he's just...lost y'know, bored, frustrated."
"Yeah...yeah I know." She bit her lip hard, her eye lids fluttered when she tried to shut them. "I feel like we should give him something to do, I can teach him things, like Earth customs. I know some things about my 2nd ethnicity, Japanese. I'm actually practicing the painting, Japanese calligraphy, using sumi ink. I only know a few words, but I'm sure he would be interested."
"That could 'umph' his spirits up a bit."
"And, I would like to go by myself,"
"Wha-, why?" Jane crossed her arms, pursing her lip at Miku's frantic response.
"He's just begun his speaking, right? One person in the room is enough, the idea of painting the letters and such might give him peace, and who knows, if he's up for it I can teach him a little."
"You have a point." Jane sat next to Miku on the bed. "The wedding is soon, and I think we've figured out where it will be set up. In the gardens."
Miku was happy for her friend, she was happy that her whole vacation will be spent at a kingdom, home of a famous hero. And even if Loki dismays her, or if his words cause him pain, she was still happy to visit. She had to keep her mouth shut about Loki, Jane didn't even know that she left while her and Thor were making plans.
"Oh. Great, I'm sure it will be...beautiful." Miku raised her eyes and glared at Jane's hazel ones.
"Miku, are you alright? You seem off,"
"No, no. I'm fine! It's just been an off day for me." Flashbacks of the dripping crimson on the mattress caused her to flinch. "Y'know I never got to do this," She reached into her bag and pulled out a DVD player. "We just had so much work to do and I forgot to mention I brought this." Miku reached in her bag and pulled out two movies.
Mulan.
Beauty and the beast.
"You want to watch?"
Jane chuckled. She has shared a few moments where her and Miku watched some cheesy movies such as the princess bride, or WALL-E, she always enjoyed a good Disney film every once and a while. After Jane agreed happily, Darcy arrive who accepted with full delight as well. Off came her burgundy scarf and into her night drapes.
The night grew long. Jane and Miku noticed Darcy already drifted off. By the time Belle found the Beast in human form, Jane insisted in stopping.
"We are still preparing. So, I will need to get up earlier."
"Oh, alright." Miku packed up and put the essentials back in her bag. It was not long until Jane broke the silence since she hopped into bed.
"You really want to go alone, and teach him those things?"
"Well, yeah." Miku shrugged. "It will be fun, for me and hopefully him."
"But, you know you two are completely polar opposites. Miku, I see you as a...well, let's bring work into this, a sakura dancing in the wind." Miku laughed at Jane's metaphors, she instantly thought of work and her boss Arima. "And Loki...he's this...crippled brown one...er, let me rephrase that, a pine tree, a still pine tree, slowly bleeding out sap."
"Yikes." Miku giggled, which caused Jane to mimic.
"Are you sure, if anything goes wrong I will be there, don't be afraid to call me." Jane placed a hand on her friend's. Miku hugged Jane instantly.
She let go. "I will grab the paints tomorrow, don't worry, I'll be fine."
...
That's exactly what Miku did. She got up early, wore earthly clothes this time, and asked the guards to carry her stand and cheap canvas from the Asgardian hall of arts. The barrier fell in Loki's cell, she entered. Same lips, same frail frame, same outrageous odor.
"Hey again!"
Loki was perched on the ground now, near his scratched white walls. His skinny legs were pushed against his chest, the scabs on his legs were healing, toenails were over grown. One of the guards put the stand and canvas up, one gave Miku her paints. While they were in her hands, she bent down, trying not to be too close to him.
"Hey..." She said in a quieter tone.
"Didn't I tell you not to com-"
"Yeah, I know I know I know. But, did you read it?" She looked at Loki's left hip, King Lear was perched against his left frail side.
"Certainly exquisite." He judged.
"So, you liked it?" Miku squealed slightly, clenching her hands.
"I suppose."
She squealed for real this time. "Sorry, sorry. But, wow, finally, someone who appreciates Shakespeare!"
"It has truly captured my attention at a young age, when your people were entering a renaissance, father was kind enough to loan me some pieces, I haven't read this one until now, I enjoyed it, thank you." His voice was small, nasally, bored.
Miku nodded and stood up, still gripping the black paint cans. "I think you could be my audience today."
"What for?" Loki sat up slightly, the he leaned forward.
"Where my ancestors were from, they practiced Japanese calligraphy, it's fun, I learned a little back in high school." She took a brush out of her pocket and dipped it in a new can of black paint. "So cat is spelled like this-"
"Didn't I tell you to leave and never return?"
"ネコ" Was Miku's plan, but at the ネ, her brush began to fall, the black trailed down the canvas and onto the floor, just like his blood. She was silent for a moment, then the brush fell in a heap of ebony splatter.
"I only wish to-"
"What's draws you here, you came to mock me didn't you? Gloating will not satisfy you."
"You know what I said yesterday. About kindness? I see you, sulking, hurting." She moved closer to the pale, grief stricken man. "I know your story, like your mother, like your brother, I see hope. I see a friendship, I wish to make you happy? Why would you turn down a friendly person?"
Loki pressed himself back against his wall. "You know nothing. You're a mere midgardian, stuck in a place where you shouldn't belong, none of your friends belong here, with Thor, nor my mother, nor Odin. You swine!"
That was it. Miku shot up, her black boots tramping against the ground. Black paint shaking once she stood up. "I am not a mere midgardian, I am Miku Kyoko, I work at a noodle shop, I am a friend of Jane Foster who is indeed, getting married to your brother. Do you want to know Loki? Do you want to know why I can't visit you?" Her brown eyes pierced his jade ones. She noticed that Loki's chest was inflating, up and down, up and down. Faster, faster, faster. "I don't want you to kill yourself!" She spat, tears forming in her eyes.
Loki clenched his fists and leaned forward, shaking as he screamed. "He's. Not. My. Brother~!"
"Do you want to know what I think of you, do you really want to know?!" Her voice began to crack. Loki fell against the wall, his snarled hair swinging back and forth.
Miku moved to her canvas again, not even worrying about the guards. With her hand she wiped "cat" free. Black dripping from her palm now. She picked up the brush and violently dipped the brush in. She picked it up, aggressively pressing it to the smeared canvas. Up and down, side to side, she painted. Loki watched, still breathing loudly.
With a few tears splashing to the dirty ground and a clenched hand, she finished. She threw the brush to the ground, it landed on his bed, staining black on the milky sheets.
She took the canvas, threw it to the ground and kicked it over to Loki. He didn't budge, but he eyed the canvas, still gasping for air. Miku swished her head, the barrier fell for her and the guards escorted her out with awe stricken faces.
Loki eventually lifted the canvas, his dark brows knitted together, his hands began to trace the unknown word. "悲しみ"
Miku didn't answer the guards, her boots pattered against the dark floor, her tears illuminated by the bright golden light of the cell barriers. She clenched her fist, and bit the side of her cheek. A sob was close to escaping her throat, she swallowed thoroughly, and walked faster.
The last things she heard was the faint screams of Loki. Nothing else, it felt like time stopped in the dungeon, no other prisoners talking, taunting, not the sounds of the guards pattering feet. Nor the chunkiness of their armor. Just a cry for help, words of regret, and a question, all wrapped in one.
"Who am I?!"