Salt Skin - Thor X Reader X Loki

Chapter 13 - Virkeligheten

"Loki when you let the Frost giants into Asgard you used one of the many secret portals around Asgard, could you lead us through the one that leads to Vanaheim?" 

Loki pauses for a moment then lets out as sigh as he says, "I'm doing this for ________, not for you." Thor smiles as he and his brother head for a ship that will take them through the portal.

 After they commandeer a vessel and he and Loki make it Vanaheim Thor says, "What really happened in the dungeon?" 

Loki sighs as he says, "Just like I told you back in Asgard." 

Thor rolls his eyes as he says, "No, I know ______ better than anyone and I know she wouldn't just give herself over with provocation." Loki looks down at the ground a look of grief covering his face. "What really happened Loki?" 

Loki looks around the vast green forest of Vanaheim as he says, "We got into an argument, I said I knew how she felt being alone and she lost it. Telling me I wasn't alone, how I had mother, Odin, and you. She said that she would give anything to have her family back. Then she walked to the other end of the cell and," Loki pauses as Thor grabs him around the collar and says, "You brought up Freya and Od, have you gone mad? You know how she feels about her parents!"

Loki narrows his eyes at him as he says, "It's all my fault I know that, did you think I did not? The woman I love is stuck somewhere inside herself and I could not do anything to help her."

Thor's grip tightens on his brothers collar as he says, "You think you alone who loved _________? You had her tricks, but I had her trust!" 

"Trust. Was that her last expression? Trust? When you left her to rot in the dungeon!"

 "What help were you in your cell?"

 "Who put me there? Who put me there?!" Loki yells pushing Thor away from him. 

Thor comes back eyes wild with rage as he yells, "You know damn well! You know damn well!" Thor raises his fist to punch Loki but stops himself, "She wouldn't want us to fight." 

"Well, she wouldn't exactly be shocked." Loki says making both of them smile.

 "I wish I could trust you." Thor says as he stares into Loki's eyes. 

"Trust my rage." Loki says as they turn and look at the now abandoned castle of Vanaheim. "Let us hope we can save her." Loki says causing Thor's heart to clench as they set out for the castle.

When they reach the castle they could tell that the tree spirits had reclaimed it as part of the forest. Thor takes a deep breath as he slowly opens the door to see fresh footprints in the dust on the floor. "Loki," He says as he points to the floor a smirk forming on his lips. They slowly follow the footprints through the castle and down deep into a dark chamber cut off from the rest of the castle. As they make their way to the opening Thor's heart raises as he sees _________'s body standing next to a stone podium. "_________?" Thor asks hoping and praying that she was once again in control of her own body.

"I see you have come for her, too bad she doesn't wish to return to you." The disembodied voice says as she turns back to face them. 

"Give her back to me!" Thor says as he tightens his grip on Mjolnir. 

She starts to laugh as she says, "I'm afraid that isn't possible, you see the only way she comes back is if she wants to and in her heart and mind you two are the reasons she left. So I doubt she'll be returning anytime soon." 

"Then leave her body and let us hear it for ourselves that she doesn't want us around." Loki says his eyes now fully green. 

"You, do you really think that she would choose you over him? I have been with her since the night this castle fell to Thanos, it was I who protected her and in time came to love her as my own child. I will not let you two hurt her anymore than you already have." Her eyes start to glow bright gold as she says, "So if you don't mind. LEAVE!" All of the sudden a bright gold light shoots forward at them sending them flying backwards against the stone walls of the hidden chamber, "I will not ask you two again." She says as she turns back to the podium. 

"Should it not be her choice? Whether or not she wishes to remain in a state of unconsciousness while you parade around in her body?" Loki shouts out as he finds his feet. Her head snaps back toward them and an unseen force wraps around Loki's neck and lifts him into the air. Thor watches in agony as his brother fights for air. 

"Release my brother! I do not wish to hurt ________, but if I must I will." Thor yells out as he lifts Mjolnir into a defensive position. 

Her head snaps to him as she says, "You cannot hurt me, I am the most powerful being here. Your brother will die for all the pain he has caused _________."

Thor's heart clenches as he says, "If you want to kill someone for hurting ________, then kill me. If anyone has caused her more hardship it is I." 

She raises an eyebrow as she says, "Very well, I shall make it short and painless. That is what she would want." 

Suddenly Loki falls to the floor gasping for air and Thor feels a sharp pain in his chest and looks down to see the golden light forming a sharp dagger. When the light disappears he falls to his knees his heart slowing with every second. "Thor!" He hears Loki cry out in agony then blinking his eyes sees Loki holding his head. 

"Make her understand brother, and please... take... care of..." Thor's eyes go dark and he looks around to see a bright white light shining down on him. 

"Thor," he hears a familiar voice call out and looks into the light to see _________, holding her hand out to him a smile bright on her face. Thor smiles as he takes her hand and lets the world fade away.

Loki's POV

Loki stares wide eyed at his brother as Thor's eyes gloss over with death. "Argh!!!" Loki cries out in pain as tears threaten to form in his eyes. He gently lays Thor's head back on the ground and turning back to her says, "This is not what she would have wanted! She loved Thor more than anything else in the nine realms! You say you want to protect her because you love her like your own child but you just killed the only decent person that ever truly loved her!"

She raises and eyebrow as she says, "Do you not love her?" 

Loki narrows his eyes as he says, "I do love her but I'm not who she loves, her heart has always been Thor's." 

She nods as she says, "That is true but now that Thor is gone you could have her heart." 

Loki tilts his head as he says, "I will not take my brother's only love, no matter how much I want her for myself I love my brother more than that." She starts to laugh causing anger to grow in Loki's chest. "What is so funny?" 

"You, first you tell her you have no family but lose your brother and you are emotionally compromised. You deities are just like the humans, all confused and so emotional. I have no emotions so after I kill you I will feel nothing." 

"You have no emotions though you claim to love ________, is that not a lie?" 

Her eyes widen in anger as she says, "And who are you to give me a lesson on emotions? Do not answer I have had enough, I will make your death long and painful." Her body starts to glow gold as she disappears and then suddenly reappears beside him.

Loki quickly jumps out of the way and conjuring up two swords defends himself until he can somehow get through to __________. He just hoped he is not too late.