A Second Chance // Thorki

Chapter twenty five

She was dressed in what she'd worn that fateful night, blue robes with silver armour, clean and beautiful and brilliant, just as she had been. Her hair was half braided up, while half flowed down her back, bright eyes calculating and intelligent as she looked over the man who stood in front of him. She looked so alive and real, her smile genuine.

"You've changed, Loki."

"You haven't, mother."

Loki bowed his head in respect as Frigga took a few steps forward, a familiar hand finding its way to the back of his neck. It was soft and warm and god, Loki found his heart aching so terribly. 

"I've missed you, my son... your hair has gotten so long," she almost laughed, and Loki tilted his head up, meeting her eyes with his own. "You've gotten a lot stronger... bigger, body wise. You used to be so small, look at you now... oh, you've all grown up." She covered her mouth with her hand as she looked him up and down, Loki finding himself almost smiling.

"You're just as beautiful as the last time I saw you, mother..." his words were just above a whisper, eyes glassy as she pulled him close, her touch feeling so real and wonderful and comforting as she held him in her loving embrace. "I've missed you dearly."

When Frigga pulled back, her smile was bright and cunning and it made Loki ache even worse.

"It's my fault." He uttered, adverting his eyes, "It's all my fault, I shouldn't have-"

"Hush, Loki. My death was not your fault," She promised, "No one is at fault but me... now, do you know why you're here?"

"I- I'm dying, aren't I?" Loki found himself almost whimpering, "I'm dying, that's why I'm seeing you. Or am I already dead?"

"You're dying, but that's nothing to be afraid of. It isn't your time, not yet. That's why I'm here to speak with you." Her voice was soft and loving, and her hands on his shoulders were perhaps even more so.

"You didn't speak with me when I was drowning." Loki came to the sudden realization rather quickly, eyes wide as his brain went a mile a minute. "That must mean-"

"There was no point in speaking to you when there was nothing to say. I could have waited until you joined me, with how close you were. But now... now is much more urgent. Now, it's up to you wether you live or die, not necessarily up to the actions of others. Now is not your time."

Loki fell silent. All his life, he'd wished for death, never really been afraid of it, but now... now, he was shaking, sweating, and terrified. He didn't want to go.

"I want to live," he decided, "You said it yourself, it's not my time. I want to stay with... with Asgard, and Thor, and..."

Frigga smiled, warm arms pulling her son close, "Then promise me, Loki, do not move from where you are. Your brother will find you, I promise."

"Why must it always be Thor who runs to my rescue? Why can't he be close to death, and I run in to rescue him? These past few weeks have been like a poorly-written drama."

//because that's exactly what this is.\\

"You're still recovering, and yet you're constantly being thrown into danger. Don't forget, you're a frost giant. Heat affects you, A lot more than it does him." She brought him down and pressed his head to her heart, which was eerily silent, "You need to follow my instructions exactly, and stay strong. Don't remove it, no matter how much you want to." She didn't explain what she was referring to. "I love you, my son. Now, listen. And learn."

———————

Korg was unhurt by the impact, simply a little shaken up. He gathered up his broken pieces and had soon enough started on his way, though it must've been only a few minutes that he'd been walking before he'd come across something... strange. Something he wasn't surprised to find, though was still caught a little bit off guard by.