A Gods Favor

Hope

Elora stood stiff backed along the wall of the Grandmaster's parlor. The dress he'd sent, that Loki had to beg her to wear and play the rulers game, was not only uncomfortable but also ridiculous. The silver sequined skirt was floor length but so thin it was nearly see through. While she wasn't exactly pleased with that fact she could live with it if it weren't for the top, if it could even be called that. The bodice draped loosely over her and the sleeves dragged along the ground, a poor design in her opinion, but thst still wasn't the worst part. All that connected the garment in the rear was a single tie across her shoulders leaving her back completely bare and as someone who had grown used to wearing a corset for over a thousand years she didn't enjoy the feeling.

"You could at least pretend to enjoy yourself." Loki's voice was velvet soft as he came up beside Elora, handing her a drink.

She eyed the glass cautiously before taking it. "I don't see why I should." She took a small sip and hated that she enjoyed the sweetness on her tongue. "If he thinks I'm having a good time the Grandmaster might force me to attend more events like this."

He laughed unprompted and slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her in close, as he scanned the room. "He is going to force you to come whether you enjoy yourself or not, El." His smile didn't falter but his tone did not match his words and she looked up to find a glare of warning behind his eyes. "If you play along he will be less likely to single you out."

"I cannot pretend to be happy with these people, Loki. Even if it would be for my own good."

"Then just pretend to be happy with me." He leaned down, lips grazing along her cheek before whispering quietly in her ear. "Let them think you and I are so enamored with each other it would be useless for them to try and steal our attention."

He wrapped his other arm around, forcing her to place a hand on his chest when he pulled her in tighter. She felt her heart flutter, the most life she'd felt since landing on this planet, when his thumb began to run back and forth over the small or her bare back but it was not enough to bring her spirit back to life so she simply pressed her forehead to his shoulder without a word.

"I am trying my best to protect you how I can here but," cool fingers slipped under her chin, making her meet his gaze. "Until I figure out a way to get us out of here I can no longer do it alone. There are too many eyes on us now so please, for me?"

Elora's eyes had gone wide. She thought Loki had accepted they were stuck here. He'd slipped into life with the Grandmaster so seamlessly she had no clue he would ever try and leave. "You're trying to-"

"Dance with you all night," he cut her off and began to pull her toward the center of the room, his over exuberant smile returned. Though then he pulled her close again and began to sway to the strange music again his eyes conveyed a deeper message than what his words said. "Anything in my power I can do to see you happy, Lady, I will."

-

When they finally returned to their rooms late that night Elora entered first, biting at her nails as Loki closed the door behind them.

"I think that ended up going surprisingly well," he clapped, rubbing his hands together.

"I'm sorry," Elora blurted out before she whirled around to face him.

He paused a moment, slightly shocked before holding his hands up questioningly. "Apology accepted but just to be clear...what is it for?"

She laughed; the sound humorless as she ran her hands over her face. It was a long list and even though the night had ended up being almost enjoyable, she was still so tired the thought of getting into it all was terrifying. "Our timing has never been right when it comes to each other and as a result I think we've hurt one another. You, I think mostly unintentionally and me..." she leaned back against the small bar, looking at him for a long time before continuing. "After you came back, when I had lost my healing magic, I harbored mountains of rage and resentment for the life I lost and I laid it all at your feet. The things I did to you as a result are the cruelest I have ever done and they were very much intentional."

"I am not blameless in all of that," he took a few tentative steps toward her.

"But you were not the only one to blame. And you had every right to hold my anger and actions against me yet you never did."

He closed the distance then and took one of her hands. "I have been truly angry with you only once and it led me to making one of the worst mistakes of my life. I sabotaged my brother's coronation because I needed to lash out and we both know how that ended for me."

"You know," she laced their fingers together, unable to meet his earnest glare. "Stark created a being from the stone inside your scepter and from what he could recall, New York was not your fault."

She peaked up at him through her lashes as he bit his lip.

"No, I suppose it wasn't entirely."

"Will you tell me what happened?"

Loki shook his head quickly and she could see his throat bob as he swallowed nervously before he sighed. "There is only one thing I care to recall about that time. Even on the darkest of days I always had with me a reminder of brighter times." He smiled faintly before running a thumb across her cheek. "I should have given it back to its rightful owner many years ago but it had been such a source of comfort, a reminder that there was a time before everything went wrong, I couldn't bear to part with it."

The hand on her cheek pulled back and he twisted his wrist in the air, a small green blanket appearing in his grasp.

"Is that," Elora stood and reached for the tiny scrap of cloth that she'd thought had been lost forever. He let her take it without hesitation and she held it up before her. Nin cuil, nin mel, nin emel painstakingly stitched along the edge let her know that this was in fact her mother's blanket.

"My life, my love, my heart." He wrapped his arms around her waist as she hugged the cloth tightly to her chest. "You were the hope that I held onto these last years and now, I want to be yours. I will get us off this planet but I need you to keep fighting for me until I do."

Elora's lips crashed into his and Loki let his joy overtake the nagging feeling in the back of his mind at what he had not said. He would get them off of Sakaar that was true, to stay here would mean watching her die slowly. But if Hela was still on Asgard he would do everything in his power to keep himself and Elora far, far away from it. He had lost too much, and they had lost too much time, he would not risk losing anymore.