An Act of... Love? [An Avengers Polyamorous Fanfic]

Chapter 63

I felt Loki's presence before I saw him as Thor watched the credits of the movie in fascination. I looked over to where he was standing and smiled. He was watching the two of us and I felt my heart flutter as I looked back at him.

Loki silently walked over to the couch and gracefully dropped down next to me, squishing me in between him and Thor. Only then did Thor notice he was there.

"Oh, hi brother!" Thor said with a wide goofy smile.

"What have you two been up to?" Loki questioned as he ran a hand through my hair which caused me to lean into his touch.

"We watched a movie," I responded breathlessly to him as I enjoyed the feeling of his hand running through my hair.

"Indeed! Before we were just talking," Thor commented.

"I'd love a chance to steal you for a conversation of our own, little lamb," Loki commented. I could feel myself melting under his gaze and looked over to Thor who smiled back at me.

"It was a pleasure to spend time with you, lady Ollie," Thor told me as he lifted himself off of the couch. Before he walked away, he affectionately ruffled my hair. Loki and I sat in silence until the elevator closed behind Thor, making eye contact the entire time.

"It's been awhile since I've had you alone, little lamb," he commented after the elevator closed. I blushed as I looked up at him. "But I do genuinely wish to chat," he whispered. Chills ran up the back of my spine and I nodded.

"Astrea," he commented. I nodded as I straightened up on the couch to face him.

"I figured you'd want to talk about it eventually," I said. I purposefully made sure I wasn't touching Loki so I wouldn't get distracted.

"You were in a different dimension, correct?" I nodded. "Alright... and it was just Astrea there?"

"Yes, she was the only one present. But she isn't the only one of her kind. She referenced others of her kind, loosely. She mentioned that I had appeared there many times in my 'current' life. She said that they all admired it, she used the word 'we'. I guess theoretically, she could have been referring to only herself. She did comment on how she did not have a preference of pronouns but allowed me to use she/her pronouns because it would probably be the easiest while she was in her female form."

"So, you've been reincarnating, which I believe we've known. But... it seems like, by the statement that they all admire it, that you... keep going back there?"

"In a way... it sounded like I almost... belong to them? Or I am one of them?" I could see Loki grow visibly uncomfortable at my mention of 'belonging' to them.

"You don't belong to anyone but yourself," he hissed out.

"I didn't mean it in a bad way, love. It's... Astrea holds great affection for me, from what I can tell. I'm sure Stephen saw it as well. She... cares? She's the one who sent me back to you guys early. I wanted to ask more questions, but she knew you guys were growing worried."

I smiled back to the memory of her calling them mine and giggled. "She kept calling you guys mine," I told him. "When Stephen visited, she called him 'my sorcerer'. She referenced all of you as 'my Avengers'. Although she did also reference you guys as my humans, once. I guess it's probably because most of you are human, but that didn't account for you or Thor."

"So, you're saying she was worried for us?"

"Hmm... not quite. I'm not sure she has much concern for the mortal realms, from the sounds of it. But she has concern for me. I think she knew I wouldn't want you all to be worrying about me for too long. But it is possible she was concerned for you all, I do not speak for Astrea." Loki nodded and sighed.

"I'm just... worried," Loki commented.

"I know, love, I know. But really... Astrea is not a bad entity. I get the sense that she wants what's best for me." Loki nodded before wrapping his arms around me and resting his head on mine, content to let the conversation lie there for the time being.