Loki: One-Shot Collection

☬ Bloodline ☬

Everyone was celebrating Stark's birthday in his tower. As usual, he had planned a big party with loud electronic music and all sorts of rich and pretentious guests wandering around his house like it was a museum, admiring his stuff and presumably stealing the occasional ashtray or small decorative objects.

Although it wasn't their environment, all the Avengers were there, including Loki. Surprisingly enough, he was already used to uncomfortable and noisy parties thanks to his brother and was coping quite well, until someone spilled a drink on him by mistake and he had to come up for air to calm his discomfort.

From the moment he reached the top of Stark Tower, his ears rested from the commotion and he was able to focus on the sounds of the city, and more specifically, a sweet, intoned voice singing softly, but he was close enough to hear it clearly. It was you, sitting on the edge of the building, the wind hitting your face softly as you sang, oblivious to the rest of the world.

"I didn't know you could sing," he interrupted, snapping you out of your thoughts. You jumped back in shock.

"Loki! You almost killed me," you brought a hand to your chest, your breath hitching.

Then he noticed. That tune you were singing was quite sad, and your eyes were full of tears that you tried to wipe away discreetly, but it was impossible not to notice because of your swollen eyes.

"Why are you crying?"

"What? Don't you know what it's like to be moved by a song?"

"No, I'm not really a singer," he replied. But he noticed that you were lying, your face was too distressed to be just that. You had been crying for at least half an hour. "But I am the god of mischief and lies, and I know when someone is deceiving me."

You held your breath at the sight of your discovery, ducking your head as you bit your lower lip and held back the urge to cry inconsolably, but a tear managed to escape from one of your eyes, making its way down your cheek. Loki reached out his hand to you, touched and broken by the sadness on your face.

"I know I'm not your favourite person, but I hope you know you can count on me," he murmured. It's true that he sometimes got on a bit too much with you and made jokes that, while you played along, could get tiresome at times.

"Thank you," you replied dryly, averting your eyes. You didn't want to tell him what had happened, you didn't want to talk about it with anyone. But having him so close, and being so considerate of your feelings, you suddenly decided to tell him the truth. "Today my last living relative, Loki, died."

You couldn't look him in the eye, your pain was too much and it came through in your voice, if he saw the look in your eyes you would end up making him cry too.

Loki opened his eyes wide, his lips parted to say words of comfort, but he couldn't. He was immortal, just like you, and he knew the kind of grief that came with living long enough to see everyone you loved die. He was lucky enough to have an equally immortal family, but you had lost your entire immediate family and now the last in your bloodline was gone too. In truth, there were no words that could heal that wound.

"I am so sorry," he put his hand on your shoulder. "I'd like to tell you that it gets easier with time, but I'd be lying to you. I can only tell you that it helps to have someone to share it with, and I hope I can be that person for you."

You had been that person for him. He could share anything with you without fear of you judging him for his actions or thoughts. You were his best friend, the woman he loved, and though he had never had the courage to tell you that, he tried to show it every chance he got.

"Thank you, Loki, I really appreciate it."

Tears continued to stream down your cheeks, you brought both hands up to cover your eyes so he couldn't see how upset you were. But Loki didn't care. He hugged you against his chest, stroking your hair with nothing more to say. He just stood there, silent.

You didn't know how much time passed, you only saw the sun suddenly begin to rise in the sky, ending your first day as the sole survivor of your bloodline. Loki looked at your profile illuminated by the colours of dawn, smiling inwardly at the thought that one day, if he decided to propose and you reciprocated, perhaps you could both continue your lineage, perhaps you could have children from your love, which would never die and would be immortalised in that intimate moment that meant so much to both of you.