*That terrible, horrible, terrifying, heartrending moment when your Wi-Fi_33 goes out at your house for weeks on end. *drops to my knees and wails bitterly* WWHHHYYYYYY? So I had access to the internet on my phone, but I could not at all post any new chapters and I hate writing PMs on my phone, for those of you who I talk to regularly, that's why I've been kinda AWOL (lol imagine me trying to write those super-long PMs I sometimes get into, but using only my phone… *shudder*).

Anywho, I had so, so, so, so much hoped that I would be able to post this on October 24, but I didn't get the chance… *sniffle sniffle* If you are wondering why so specifically on October 24, 2015, it is because… October 24 is the birthday of this story. Isn't that so crazy? A little over a year ago, none of us knew Noir… we didn't know Marron or Blanc. Loki didn't have his little neko thief a little over a year ago. That is so bizarre… anyways, I am really sad and sorry that I couldn't post this chapter actually on Banditry's Publishday (the anniversary of its first being published on FF), but I did want to observe it's one year since conception. Thank you all who have stuck with me for an entire year, and thank you to all who joined us at some point along the journey. We still have more FrostThief and Thorron to come in the future, but I'd like to tell you all how much I appreciate your being with this story thus far. I had also wanted to wish you all a happy Halloween when it came around, but alas… *sniffle sniffle* So sorry about my lack of updates and stuff.

Thank you all, and enjoy the chapter.

Morality

Marron bit down on her lip as the needle pierced her flesh, sending a sharp pinpoint of pain out from the crook of her elbow. Her other hand tightened around Thor's fingers, and his hand squeezed hers comfortingly.

"It will be over soon, my lady," the novice healer assured with a frown. "Your vein just rolled. I'll get it in a moment and then I'll draw the blood, and then it'll be over."

"Breathe," Loki advised in a terse voice, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "When you don't have as much oxygen, your veins shrink slightly. Breathe and she can get it."

Marron forced herself to slowly breathe in and out steadily, and Thor gently stroked his thumb over the back of Marron's hand, making her breath hitch slightly in her throat.

"There it is," the healer smiled with pinched lips.

Marron licked her lips and stared at the blood flowing out of her arm, through the flexible tube into a container. The dark red liquid seeped out steadily. It almost surprised her to see it coming out. She couldn't feel it leaving her, really. Just the ache of the tube invading her arm.

"Alright there?" Thor asked quietly, looking down at her concernedly.

Her eyes flicked away from her arm, and she forced a tight-lipped smile and nodded.

He nodded back and then glanced towards Loki. All of them were gathered in a room just down the hall from where Noir lay. Frigga was currently watching over the neko while the other three friends were in the other room.

When Marron, Thor, and Frigga walked into Noir's room, Loki had been kneeling at the bedside trying to stave off his tears at the bleakness of the situation. And then he had looked up to see Thor and Marron, looking stricken at the form of Noir lying half-dead on the bed, and Frigga had swept past them and informed Loki that Noir had a chance. And that chance was Marron's blood.

Quickly the healers had been informed of the idea, and they confirmed it would work, transfusing Marron's blood with Noir's to strengthen the black neko. As the healers had run off to get the proper equipment, Thor and Marron had fallen upon Loki, demanding the details that Frigga hadn't shared. Loki filled them in, and then they'd been told that they could now take Marron's blood. Frigga ushered them out and promised to keep an eye on Noir while they were out for a few minutes… but then she would have to go and speak to the king about what was happening.

And so now they stood, watching Marron's blood and Noir's salvation trickling out into a container through a tube trailing from Marron's arm.

"There we are," the healer soothed softly as she pressed her thumb against Marron's arm and slipped out the tube. A moment later, she firmly pressed a soft white cloth over the bead of blood that had welled up at the puncture site. "Hold that there, and you should be just fine."

Marron held the cloth to her arm, watching the tiny spot of red blossom through the cotton where the blood soaked in. "That's it?" she asked hoarsely. "Will that save Noir?"

The healer didn't answer right away, and she smiled weakly. "It should help, my lady. She has lost much blood, but this should help her get going again. We may take more blood later. We don't want to weaken you by taking too much from you."

"Take all you want," Marron pleaded. "Take all that she needs-!"

Thor rested a hand on Marron's shoulder. "Marron," he murmured. "She'll be fine. You've done what you can."

Marron slumped back into her chair, and Loki went to kneel at her other side. "She'll be fine," he murmured both to himself and to her. Marron silently took Loki's hand in hers, and she squeezed both Thor's and Loki's hopefully. They squeezed back, and none of them said anything.

00000

Later, the three friends sat silently in Noir's room. Loki sat on one side of the bed, holding one of Noir's hands. Marron sat on the other side, biting her lip as she held Noir's other hand. Thor sat perched on the foot of the bed, merely watching with a pensive expression.

"How is keeping her company supposed to help her?" Thor asked quietly.

Loki shrugged, not looking up. "They say that in certain kinds of comas, the patient might be able to hear and feel what's going on around them. So… we're supposed to keep her company and try to give her outside stimulus—touch, sound…" he trailed off and sighed. "It might help," he murmured.

"It will help," Marron echoed shakily, sounding less certain.

"Your father wants to come in and talk to you."

They jumped slightly and looked towards the door. Frigga stood there, lips pinched and face drawn.

"Father?" Thor repeated in shock.

Frigga sighed. "He had to be told. I will not lie to my husband, your king."

"What did you tell him?" Loki asked immediately.

"I told him that Marron's friend, another neko who has betrayed the rebellion, has come to us for help, and is gravely injured. I also had to tell him that you all are acquainted with each other." Her eyes lingered on Marron. "He knows that you are friends with the princes."

Marron glanced down and nodded dilatorily.

"He just wants to come in and get the rest of the story from you." Frigga gave them a weak smile and stepped out.

Moments later, the figure of the Allfather filled the doorway, his gaze travelling between the four figures in the room.

Loki's hand had discreetly let go of Noir's—his father didn't need to see him clutching at the hand of a neko. He and Thor both stood, and Marron quickly followed suit.

"I've heard you have been hiding things from me," the king said in a neutral voice.

Thor swallowed and opened his mouth to speak, but Loki spoke first. "Not so much hiding as merely keeping you out of the loop," the younger prince clarified.

Odin's brow furrowed slightly. "Do explain, Loki." A bitter edge crept dangerously into his voice, making Marron cringe with trepidation while the two brothers simply stood up straighter, as if determined to show their worthiness.

"We weren't hiding our friendship with these two young ladies from you," Loki forced a smile, gesturing to the nervous Marron and the unconscious Noir. "We just didn't have the chance to tell you. Also, it just slipped my mind that I had rented out a room for the two of them to stay in until tension between the Aesir and the nekos let up a little bit because Thor and I wanted to keep our friends safe. And we were so busy getting ready for the ball that I forgot to tell you I would be bringing my friends. And everything's just been such a rush that we didn't get to mention how we know our rebel informant personally, or that you couldn't send the army to attack the rebels because our other friend might get hurt. But you see, since now I had to bring my friend here to the healers' wing to be healed, Mother finally realized that we really should tell you about all those things we just hadn't kept you up to speed on."

"You've a talented tongue for spinning your story into something naïve and innocent," Odin sniffed. "But you know that you have been hiding this from me. So how long have you been keeping this from me?"

Loki paused, having to think hard to figure that out properly. It would have started that day he went to find Noir to ensure she hadn't been put in jail. That day, the next (when the decree for nekos to leave the city was set), then the day before the ball, the day of the ball, and now today. "Less than a week," Loki said in surprise. He glanced at Thor and Marron in confusion. "…Has it really only been five days?" he asked in bewilderment.

They both frowned slightly, thinking. "…I think so…?"

"Five days," Odin repeated.

"A very eventful five days," Thor added. "You can't blame us for being so busy that we forgot to omit—"

Odin sighed in exasperation and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You cannot think me so stupid to believe that you merely forgot to tell me about this. You expect me to believe that?"

Loki hesitated, considering. "…Father, I'd just like you to believe that we had no malicious intentions.. We were honestly just trying to help our friends. They're innocent and needed the help of Thor and me."

Odin's eye flicked between Marron and Noir. "No."

Thor's shoulders slumped slightly while Loki tensed up. "But Father—" Thor protested.

"Silence," Odin interrupted.

"Your Highness, if—" Marron tried to speak up.

"You," Odin spoke over her. "You should not be here. Thor, take her back to her chambers. She is not to leave them."

Thor clenched his fists. "But—"

"Now."

None of them spoke for a moment. Odin nodded his head towards the door, and Marron meekly began walking towards it, her head bowed and eyes downcast. Thor hurriedly followed her, and their footsteps were audible as they retreated down the hall.

The only ones left in the room were the king and his second prince, and the comatose neko who had started all of it.

Loki felt his heartbeat speeding up, uncertain and half-afraid of what might come next. "Father…"

"Loki," Odin returned curtly.

Loki licked his lips and swallowed, taking a deep breath to try and calm himself as he tried to think of something else to say. "I… I'm…" Why would nothing come to his mind? All he wanted to do was be able to make his father understand him—to not punish him—to not punish Noir for Loki's own actions. He wanted to make this all right. He didn't want his father to be angry with him for disobeying his orders, and he wanted his father to understand why he had to. He wanted his father's understanding, his forgiveness if he would give it. Just anything but the reserved and chilly stare he was being given now. "I had to do this."

Odin sighed. "Loki, why would you ever have to do something like this?"

Loki's gaze dropped to the floor. "I… I couldn't let her be harmed. I took her in because I didn't want her to leave the city. She's no rebel."

"A moral choice?" Odin queried. "Saving her because you perceive her as undeserving of the punishment I set for her kind?"

"Only… only partially," Loki admitted uneasily. "It's not just that. She's my friend. I didn't want her to go."

"Your friend?" Odin repeated.

Loki sighed and nodded. "My closest friend."

Odin frowned slightly. "Truly." It wasn't so much a question as a statement, but Loki nodded again anyway, hoping he wasn't blushing.

Slowly, the king sank into the chair leaning against the wall and considered his younger son. Hesitantly, Loki sat down again on the edge of Noir's bed, reminding himself to rest his hands on his knees and not lace his fingers with Noir's.

Odin's lips twisted into a small bitter smile. "Loki, I thought…"

Loki quickly looked at Odin, raising his eyebrows slightly. "You thought…?"

"I thought perhaps you had done all of this just to spite me. To make some kind of statement and show that even if I didn't agree, you would still get your way."

Loki blinked. The thought hadn't even crossed his mind. "…No. Of course not. I don't want to upset you…"

"And yet you still went against all of my orders," Odin pointed out.

"But not because I was doing it out of spite," Loki countered. "I was doing it because I had to. I would have preferred you didn't find out about it, actually, but—"

"Why would you not want me to find out about this?"

"Because you would disapprove." Like always, Loki added silently to himself.

"And you don't want my disapproval."

Loki frowned. "Of course not." All he wanted was for Odin to listen, to approve. To take his ideas seriously and not dismiss them.

"So you have a true comradery with this neko?"

Loki glanced to Noir and automatically began stroking her hand with his. He vaguely wondered if she really could hear everything that was going on right now. He wasn't sure if he wanted her to. "…Yes, I do."

"Hmm. You always did have an odd choice in friends."

Loki quirked an eyebrow. "…I've always chosen to never have friends."

"Precisely my point," Odin smiled slyly, and amusement twinkled in his single eye.

Loki couldn't help but chuckle slightly. "And now I have a friend."

"And it's of the outcast race of Asgard."

"Right," Loki smirked.

Odin shook his head. "I don't know what I'm going to do with you."

"…Not punish me, Thor, Marron or Noir?" Loki asked hopefully.

Odin let out a slow puff of breath. "We shall see, Loki."

Loki forced a small smile. "Alright." Nervousness fluttered in his heart at the prospect of a possibility of punishment, but he didn't want to say anything else.

Odin stood again. "Noir is her name, you said?" He asked, tipping his head towards Noir.

Loki glanced towards her and unconsciously squeezed her hand. "Yes. Noir."

"I hope that Noir gets better," Odin said solemnly.

Loki looked up in surprise. "Wh—what?"

Odin started to turn away. "You are passionate, Loki, about her. You're normally so… distant and indifferent. Thor is always passionate. You are not. And I wish for your passion to continue. I hope Noir gets better." The king paused before he left, and he rested a hand on Loki's shoulder. "Take care of your friend."

Loki, stunned, stared. "I will."

The Allfather swept out of the room, leaving Loki alone with the belated realization that he had at some point taken Noir's hand in his. Odin had to have seen the affection. He hadn't said anything of it.

00000

"How'd it go?" Frigga asked hopefully as Odin stepped into the hall outside of Noir's room. "I heard you dismissed Thor and Marron… they didn't look very happy."

"I wished to speak to Loki alone," Odin shrugged. "I needed those two to leave."

Frigga frowned slightly. "Did you need to do it so rudely?"

Odin smiled faintly. "Interrogation tactic. Playing the villain so they would be more likely to show hidden anger for me if they felt it. Instead they left quietly, showing me that they truly meant to cause as little trouble as possible."

Frigga pursed her lips, still looking skeptical. "And what did you speak about with Loki?"

"The motivations behind his actions."

"He wanted to help his friends. Isn't that obvious?" Frigga asked.

"No, it wasn't obvious to me at first," Odin rubbed his temples. "I wasn't thinking straight. I thought he was just trying to spite me as some sort of rebellious lashing out… I see now, though."

Frigga sighed and stepped forward, taking her husband in her arms. "Why must you always assume the worst of Loki? All he wants is for you to value him, too…"

"And to help his friend Noir," Odin sighed, smiling slightly.

"And Marron," Frigga let out a breath of laughter.

Odin paused and considered. During his entire conversation with Loki… Loki had only referred to "her." Never to "them." Only Noir. And the fact that Loki had absentmindedly begun stroking her fingers, pressing his palm to the back of her hand, holding Noir's hand reverently. "He cares for Noir more than Marron," Odin observed to Frigga.

The queen laughed and linked her arm with Odin's leading him out of the healers' wing. "You'd have to be blind to not see that. He cares greatly for Lady Noir. You go attend to your kingly duties. Worry not about your sons and the neko girls. I'll take care of them."

"Please do," Odin said earnestly, gently stroking her hair and fleetingly kissing her cheek. "Take care of them."

Note from LoquaciousQuibbler: Well, this chapter proves to be a bit shorter than most of the others, but I really wanted to write a scene with Loki and Odin talking a little bit about Noir.

Uuummmm… I dunno what else to really say about this one lol. OOOHHH except that I feel terrible for Marron lol. I absolutely hate getting my blood drawn. I have to get it drawn like every four to six months, if not more often, and I have veins that easily roll or contract. Nurses hate my veins lol. So I feel bad for having to put Marron through getting her blood drawn… but it's helping Noir, so that's the important thing ;)

Once again I am so sorry it took so long for me to update, but it was not my fault—stupid Wi-Fi. Wish Banditry a happy birthday and leave a review :D

Love you all, and I'll see you next chapter. Please favorite, follow and review.