That evening, Loki found it unusually difficult to fall asleep. Tossing and turning throughout the night, he struggled to find a comfortable position. Growing increasingly agitated, a soft groan escaped his lips. He reached over to the nightstand, flicking on the lamp to illuminate the room. Sitting up in bed, he tried to gather his thoughts, but they remained elusive. The weight of everything was weighing heavily on him—his arrest, the seemingly lenient sentence he was serving, and now the revelation that Sylvie had encountered an ally of the Avengers. Someone close to Tony Stark, no less. Doubt crept in, and Loki couldn't help but wonder if Sylvie would betray him again. How could he even be upset with her? That kiss they shared, that intimate moment back at the pub—it simply didn't exist for this version of Sylvie. Was their plan misguided? Unable to bear these tormenting thoughts any longer, Loki knew he needed a distraction. He couldn't allow the negative thoughts to continue flooding his mind, causing his heart to ache even more. With determination, the god swiftly rose from the bed, slipping into a pair of dark jeans. He grabbed a flannel in a deep shade, leaving it unbuttoned to expose his skin, and quickly laced up his boots. Making his way down the stairs, he stepped out into the stormy night. Rain poured heavily, drenching everything in its path. Ignoring the downpour, Loki sprinted towards the barn, seeking solace within its familiar walls. Surely, amidst the chaos of the storm, he could find a task to occupy his weary mind and grant him a moment's respite.
Drenched by the relentless downpour, Loki sprinted into the dimly lit barn, causing the livestock to stir from their slumber. Seeking solace from his troubled thoughts, he scanned the barn, desperate for a task to distract him. His eyes fell upon a set of tools hanging on the wall—a reminder of the farm work that needed to be done. Without hesitation, Loki reached for a sturdy pitchfork. Gripping it tightly, he stepped towards a pile of hay, his mind still flooded with a certain memory with Sylvie. As he plunged the pitchfork into the hay, his movements were mechanical, devoid of the usual rhythm and purpose. But try as he might to focus on the task at hand, his mind kept drifting back to that brief, unexpected moment of intimacy they shared. The memory of their passionate kiss, born out of their initial fight in the presence of He Who Remains, lingered vividly in his thoughts. It was a fleeting connection, a glimpse of something deeper between them, before Sylvie shoved him through the time portal, abandoning him to his fate. The weight of that stolen moment weighed heavily on Loki's heart, intertwining with the doubts and fears that plagued him. Did Sylvie truly feel something for him, or was it merely a moment of vulnerability amidst chaos? The uncertainty gnawed at him, fueling his inner turmoil. With each stab of the pitchfork, the hay bales scattered around him, mirroring the scattered fragments of his own emotions. The task that was meant to distract him only served to amplify his confusion, leaving him more entangled in his thoughts than before.
As Loki continued his futile attempt to find solace within the barn, a faint noise caught his attention, piercing through the relentless downpour outside. His ears perked up, and he turned his gaze towards the front of the barn. To his surprise, the barn door, which he distinctly remembered shutting behind him, now stood slightly ajar. Curiosity mingled with caution as he set aside the pitchfork and conjured his trusty dagger, prepared for any potential threat. Slowly and silently, he made his way towards the door, his heart pounding in his chest. As he pushed the door open further, his eyes widened in surprise and concern. It was Sylvie, completely drenched, her delicate frame shivering from the cold. Her short navy satin nightgown clung to her body, barely providing any protection from the elements. Loki's expression remained stoic as he took in her appearance. "Sylvie? Bloody hell, your drenched! Get back inside!"
Sylvie looked up at him, confusion etched on her face. "I heard you storm out, I was worried. Is everything alright?" She asked. Loki's voice was dry, devoid of emotion. "I needed to clear my mind." Sylvie's brow furrowed, her confusion deepening, but before she could speak further, Loki turned away from her, dismissing the conversation.
As Loki turned away from Sylvie, ready to retreat back to his task with the pitchfork, he brushed off her presence, hoping she would understand his need for solitude. But Sylvie, agitated by his dismissal, couldn't let it go so easily. "I'm sorry, but I don't believe I was finished speaking to you," Sylvie asserted, her voice laced with frustration. She refused to let him brush her off. Loki paused, his grip tightening on the pitchfork, his face displaying a mix of annoyance and weariness. "Sylvie, I am really in no mood to start an argument with you," he replied, his tone laced with a touch of exasperation. A fire ignited within Sylvie as she watched Loki continue to ignore her, his focus solely on his task with the pitchfork. Determined to express her frustration, she took a few steps closer to him, her agitated voice cutting through the air. "An argument? What for? Have I even done something to you?" Sylvie's words dripped with a mix of confusion and irritation, her eyes narrowing towards the gid, her arms crossed against her chest. Loki remained silent, his back turned to her, seemingly unaffected by her words. This only fueled Sylvie's aggravation. She couldn't comprehend the hostility she was receiving from him. "I am so confused by all of this hostility towards me," Sylvie continued, "And now you're attempting to give me the silent treatment?"
Loki let out an exasperated groan, his grip tightening on the pitchfork. "Sylvie, stop..." he muttered, his voice laced with a mix of frustration and resignation. "No, no, I won't stop!" Sylvie's voice rose in defiance, her frustration reaching its peak. She refused to back down now. "I have a right to know why you are treating me like this if I have truly done nothing to you!" Loki remained silent, his back still turned to her, his stance firm. Feeling a mix of anger and hurt welling up inside her, Sylvie took a step closer to Loki, her voice now laced with determination. "You can't keep pushing me away—" As Sylvie began to express her frustration, her voice rising in defiance, Loki couldn't help but feel a surge of emotions well up within him. Before she could finish her sentence, he whispered to himself, barely audible, "Like the way you did me..." Sylvie paused mid-sentence, her brows furrowing in confusion. "I'm sorry, what did you just say?" she asked. Loki's expression hardened, and he quickly composed himself. "Nothing," he replied curtly, brushing past her and retreating towards the barn's entrance. Without hesitation, Sylvie followed him, determined not to let him slip away. "Loki!" she called out, But he continued walking, seemingly unaffected by her plea.
The rain soaked them both, drenching their clothes and adding to the weight of the moment. Sylvie quickened her pace, closing the distance between them. "Loki, please!" she pleaded, her voice filled with a mixture of desperation and confusion. Loki stopped abruptly, his back still turned to her. In the midst of the storm, Sylvie's words hung heavy in the air, echoing through the rain-soaked night. Loki paused, his back still turned to her, the intensity of the moment palpable. Slowly, he turned to face her, his eyes meeting hers, filled with a turbulent mix of emotions. The rain continued to pour, drenching them both, mirroring the intensity of their inner turmoil. Loki's voice trembled with a hint of sadness as he spoke, his words laced with a tinge of resignation. "Even if I were to tell you, Sylvie... you simply wouldn't understand," he said, his voice barely audible over the storm. "So just...just let it go." But Sylvie's determination burned fiercely within her. She couldn't simply stand by and allow him to walk away. With a resolute grip, she reached out and grasped his arm, refusing to let him slip away again. "No, no, I'm not letting you just walk away after you were just a complete arse to me!" Sylvie's snapped.
As Sylvie clutched Loki's arm tightly, her anger radiating off her in waves, his mind became a battleground of emotions. The weight of their shared memories, that she would never be able to recall, the anguish of losing her, and his own inner demons clashed within him. The flood of thoughts overwhelmed him, leaving him unable to control his next words.
"Sylvie, I love you," Loki blurted out abruptly, his voice cutting through the tension like a lightning bolt. Sylvie's grip on his arm slackened, her eyes widening in shock and confusion. She took a small step back, her features twisted with disbelief. "What?" she questioned, her tone heavy with bewilderment. They stood in a charged silence, their eyes locked in a poignant exchange. Loki's chest rose and fell with a heavy sigh, his gaze never wavering from Sylvie's bewildered expression. "I have loved you... for quite some time," Loki finally confessed, his voice laced with vulnerability. "I... I have tried to not love you, but it's simply an impossible thing to do. From the moment I've met you, you've been a bloody thorn in my side. Yet, since we opened up to each other, by the lake in Lamentis... I've known that I do not wish to live another day without you, Sylvie." His words hung in the air, a fragile declaration that held the weight of their tumultuous journey. The storm raged on, echoing the tempest of emotions swirling within them. Loki's heart raced, his fear of rejection mingling with the desperate hope that Sylvie might feel the same.
Sylvie's mind spun with a whirlwind of emotions, her heart pounding in her chest as Loki's words echoed through her being. The shock of his confession reverberated within her, leaving her feeling both exhilarated and terrified. She gazed at Loki, her eyes filled with disbelief. A part of her had always wondered what love felt like, but it had always seemed like an intangible concept, something she had been deprived of. How could she recognize love when she hadn't experienced it in its purest form? As her thoughts raced, memories of their shared moments flooded her mind. The way his touch made her feel, the comfort she found in being around him, the inexplicable connection they shared. It was all so confusing, so foreign to her. Was this what love felt like? Were these strange sensations the butterflies in her stomach that people talked about? "No... it's not possible to love me, Loki," Sylvie murmured, her voice filled with self-doubt. "I'm nothing but a chaotic mess. Falling for me is just a nexus event waiting to happen—""Her words trailed off as a realization struck her with sudden clarity. The moment they shared by the lake in Lamentis, the vulnerability they both displayed, it was considered a nexus event by the TVA. That was the moment they had both fallen in love, the moment that had set them on this path of uncertainty and undeniable connection. A mixture of awe and fear washed over Sylvie, her heart racing as the pieces fell into place. The odd feelings she had been developing for Loki, the way he made her question everything she thought she knew, it all made sense now. The chaos within her matched the chaos between them, and in that chaos, love had bloomed.
"Oh my god..." Sylvie whispered, her voice barely audible. The weight of her realization hung heavy in the air, both terrifying and exhilarating. She glanced up at Loki, her eyes filled with a newfound 's breath hitched as fear gripped her heart, causing her to take a step back from Loki. The overwhelming rush of emotions threatened to consume her as doubts and insecurities flooded her mind. The mere thought of being loved and then suddenly abandoned sent shivers down her spine. It was a concept she couldn't fathom, a concept she couldn't trust. Her mind raced with questions, her thoughts spiraling into madness. Could she allow herself to be vulnerable? To trust in the possibility of love, only to have it torn away from her? The chaos within her threatened to drown out any semblance of reason, leaving her feeling lost and afraid.
But as Sylvie took that step back, a look of determination crossed Loki's face. He couldn't bear to see her retreat, not when they had finally reached this crucial moment of understanding. Closing the distance between them, he took a step forward, "Yes... yes, that nexus event," Loki said, his voice filled with urgency. "I tried to tell you, Sylvie. Right before I was pruned, I tried!" The memory of Loki's pruning resurfaced within her mind, haunting her thoughts like a dark specter. It had been a moment of unimaginable pain and loss, burned into the depths of her mind. "So... it really wasn't one of your idiotic pep talks you were trying to tell me?" Sylvie choked out,
Loki couldn't help but let out a small, bittersweet chuckle at Sylvie's words. "Yes, yes," he said. "I have been trying to say it for quite some time now."
Sylvie shook her head slowly, her eyes filled with a mix of disbelief and self-doubt. The fear and pain she had carried for so long threatened to overshadow any glimmer of hope that Loki's words might bring. "No... no, you don't love me," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "There's no possible way you could." A tremor ran through her, a combination of vulnerability and self-preservation clashing within her. The scars of her past, the walls she had built to protect herself, seemed insurmountable. How could she allow herself to believe in love when it had only brought her pain in the past? As Sylvie's words echoed through the tense air, conveying her belief that love was impossible for her, Loki felt a surge of determination well within him. Without uttering a single word, he took a decisive step forward, closing the distance between them. Time seemed to stand still as Loki cupped Sylvie's cheeks gently, his touch both tender and firm.
Sylvie's breath caught in her throat, her eyes widening in surprise as she felt the warmth of Loki's lips pressed against hers. It was a kiss filled with a passion that neither of them expected, a collision of emotions that had long been suppressed. She melted into the intensity of the moment, her doubts and fears momentarily forgotten. The weight of their shared histories and the uncertainty of their futures seemed to fade away, leaving only the raw connection between them. As the kiss deepened, Sylvie's heart raced, the walls she had built around herself crumbling in the face of Loki's unwavering affection. In that unexpected gesture, she felt a glimmer of hope, a sliver of belief that love was not as impossible as she had convinced herself. As the intensity of their passionate kiss began to wane, Loki and Sylvie slowly broke away from each other, their foreheads resting together as they caught their breath. Their embrace remained, their bodies pressed close, unwilling to let go of the connection they had just ignited. In the aftermath of their shared moment, a peaceful silence enveloped them. Their eyes locked, searching for answers and solace within each other's gaze. It was a moment of understanding, unspoken words passing between them, transcending the need for verbal communication. After what felt like an eternity, Loki finally spoke, his voice soft yet commanding. "The storm is worsening," he said, his eyes flickering towards the howling chaos outside. "We should return to the house." Sylvie nodded, her heart still fluttering from the overwhelming emotions that had consumed them. With a sense of reluctant surrender, she allowed him to guide her, their hands entwined as they made their way back towards the shelter of the house.
As Loki hurriedly shut the door, shutting out the raging storm, he turned his attention to Sylvie. Concern etched across his face, he searched the room for a blanket to shield her from the chill that clung to her form. Finally finding one, he draped it around her shoulders, ensuring she was enveloped in its , her teeth chattering from the cold, gratefully accepted the blanket, feeling its comforting embrace against her skin. She followed Loki's lead as he guided her towards the sofa in the living room, their steps synchronized as they moved together. Once settled on the sofa, Sylvie wrapped in the blanket, Loki couldn't help but chuckle softly. "You're a fool to run out in the rain, in something as thin as a table cloth," he teased gently, his voice laced with warmth. A soft chuckle escaped Sylvie's lips, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "I just needed to be sure that you were alright," she confessed. Loki's playful expression softened, his eyes filled with tenderness as he regarded her. "And I am," he assured her, his voice carrying a depth of sincerity. "I'm more than alright."
Sitting side by side on the sofa, Loki and Sylvie leaned into each other, their bodies drawn together as they gazed out the window. The storm continued its relentless assault, rain lashing against the glass, and lightning illuminating the darkened sky. Lost in the mesmerizing chaos, Sylvie couldn't help but speak, her voice carrying a tinge of nostalgia. "I haven't seen a storm like this since Haven Hills... when we first met," she admitted, her gaze fixed on the tempest outside. Loki turned his attention to her. Memories of their first encounter in Haven Hills flooded his mind, "That was quite the storm, wasn't it?" Sylvie smirked, her gaze still fixated on the raging weather ahead, "Only this time, I don't have to fear any store goods will be used to harm me." Loki playfully nudged Sylvie's arm, his eyes filled with amusement. "Hey now, let's not forget that you were the one who tried to take me out with one of those bloody Midgardian cleaning devices," he teased, a hint of admiration in his voice. "Impressive strength you possess, indeed." Sylvie couldn't help but smirk, her gaze shifting towards him with a teasing glint. "Ah, yes. What a way to remember... the day we first crossed paths amidst a hurricane in Roxxcart," she mused.