blue flame ➼ loki laufeyson

2

𝙞 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙞 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝.

---

A loud slam jumped Eden back to life. She smiled sheepishly up at Volstagg, who had placed a tankard of mead down in front of the spaced-out woman, not realising his own strength. The warriors three laughed at Eden's surprise, and raised their tankards to start a toast.

"For Eden, a long lost friend, returned to fulfil her greatness!" Sif smiled warmly at her from across the table. Volstagg, Fandral, and Thor all whooped in agreement before taking a swig of mead. Eden laughed uncomfortably and took a swig herself, shivering at the bitter taste which came with the strong drink.

The group of five spent hours telling stories of their childhood, laughing, and bonding. Thor held his head in his hands as Eden retold the story of he and Fandrals wager on the markets apple cart giving way, until Thor realised it wasn't going to give way before he predicted, so took matters into his own hands and kicked the back leg of the cart out when the poor farmer had his back turned.

"The apples went so far down the main street, it was like watching a colt trying to watch for the first time, the amount of people losing their balance." Eden snorted, feeling her cheeks flush as the mead began to slowly take affect.

"I would've won if it weren't for you Thor, you blithering idiot." Fandral rolled his eyes.

"I will never live that down. Especially the trouble mother got me in afterwards. My ears were red raw for weeks." He laughed, turning to Eden. "As much as you tell embarrassing stories, I really have missed you friend."

"Say Eden my dear, where have you been all these years?" Fandral asked, his words only slightly slurring as he used the table to hold himself up. She gulped, knowing this question was coming, and had practiced how she'd answer it. All of a sudden, the alcohol wasn't helping anymore.

"I was sent to Midgard." Eden smiled simply. It wasn't a complete lie. Her father struck a deal with Odin that they would travel to Midgard for a year to further Eden's training outside of Asgard. It didn't explain the other 11 years of being away, but they didn't need to know that.

"What's it like?" Volstagg questioned.

"Cold." Eden laughed. "Cold and busy. Yet so captivating. Something about it is more drunkening than the mead."

"Would you go back?" Thor questioned.

"In a heartbeat." Eden smiled. Her father had taken her, yet even he could not ruin the enticing nature of Midgard. She couldn't even imagine how it would be without the control of her father looming over her.

"What about your old man?" Fandral pressed, oblivious to Eden's immediate shift in discomfort. "No one ever told us he died. Only rumour. We found out officially not but a few years ago."

Eden gulped. She hadn't prepared for this question. It was as if a bee had stung her throat, as she felt it begin to swell. She could not get a word out. Thor frowned as the flames of the log fire illuminated her tear-filled blue eyes. A few painstaking moments passed, and as Fandral went to speak once more, Eden simply held a shaking hand up. Thor swore he could see something flying out from her fingertips, but as he tried to focus on them she pulled it away.

"Are you okay?" Thor said gently. She nodded and stood up, briskly walking into the shadows of the palace corridors. Thor stood up to follow her, but was pulled back by Sif.

"Was it something I said?" Fandral questioned.

---

Eden's fingers wove through her bright white hair, which had been let down from earlier that morning. She braided a small section and unbraided it, standing in one of the palace corridors looking out over a moonlit Asgard. She was exactly as he remembered her and more. She was a fully grown woman now, with a curvaceous yet strong figure. Her light brown skin almost seemed to glow under the moonlight, with her light blue eyes sparkling like the stars against the midnight blue skies. He could see from where he was she was shaking. Something was wrong. Loki frowned, taking a step back, however Eden caught the movement of the tall dark figure in her peripheral vision.

"Who's there?" She stated questioningly, her voice like smooth velvet soothing Loki's tortured soul. As she turned and the moonlight illuminated her arms, he noticed something different. Both of her arms had delicate white lining dancing from her fingertips to her shoulders, and wrapping around her back. He was entranced by the ancient-like patterns which twisted and turned around one another, like a couple waltzing in a ballroom. He was so caught up in her beauty that he didn't even realise she was getting closer. He took a step forward.

"Loki?" Eden gasped with surprise. Her stomach did a somersault as the young mans sharp and distinguished features came into the moonlight. He was just as beautiful as he was twelve years ago. She always had a soft spot for Loki, the calmer and smoother version of the two brothers.

"Good evening, Eden. It has been a while." Loki said softly, his throat so dry his voice threatened to crack.

"It... It has." Why was she so nervous? Loki was as close a friend to her as Thor was, yet this tension, this formality, was something the pair of them found difficult to overcome.

"How are you?" He asked cautiously.

"I am well." Eden lied, plastering a not-so-convincing smile on her face. It made Loki's heart pang softly.

"Are you?"

Those two words got to Eden. She dropped her façade. The tears began to brim her eyes again, as she turned back to the balcony and gently rested her hands on the stone pillars.

"I have learned a lot about the world, and myself, since I saw you last, dear friend." She whispered quietly. Loki walked next to her and stood silently, letting her drink in the presence without having to make conversation. He was always good at doing that. A beat later, he finally spoke.

"I missed you."

"I missed you, too."