A Whole Bunch of Loki's

Hush, Hush, Darling

The stabbing pain in the chest was always the worst.

How the stomach churns and the heart tightens as blood runs cold through the veins, colder than one would imagine.

It wasn't something I had ever experienced nor wanted to, I was always certain that I would get my own way.

Over the years we had shared glances and smiles, those to me had been signs that we had wanted the same thing and that perhaps things would truly work out in the end.

Until they happened upon each other and I never seemed to get a look in.

They were so wrapped up in one another that it felt as if we were drifting apart, that our friendship was unravelling and we were losing each other ever so gradually.

The pace was slow but neither of us could deny that it wasn't happening.

He was taking her from me and that was a hard pill to swallow, even worse when she would gush about him to me and I could do nothing more than sit there and act amicably in order to cherish what little bond we had left.

"I never believed that I would feel this way," she smiled radiantly, a glow about her unlike any other that I had ever seen before.

"I was more than certain you would have," I replied, trying to keep my face as straight as possible as to not give away my true thoughts.

"You really think that?"

"Of course I do, you're my best friend after all and it's my duty to wish the best for you."

"Very true, though I think that he is more than the best."

I glanced at her then averted my eyes back to the book I had been attempting to distract myself with, I knew that this would be the moment that she would start raving about him and all other subjects would be forgotten.

How I wished she would keep silent and let me admire her, just this once.

My deepest urges told me to silence her myself, but I am many things and a man who knows better is one of them, for the most part.

I wanted more than anything to show her how a true man would treat her and that he wasn't all that she thought him to be, people rarely ever were.

However, she was in love, or something more akin to infatuation, and that is the hardest state to convince people from.

I gave her a smile, the best one that I could muster.

"I wish you the best of luck with everything, you truly deserve all the happiness that he offers you."

Her smile never faltered, only seemed to brighten with my false compliment.

I wished that she could read through my lies, as a best friend should, like she used to.

"Thank you, Loki, I know one day you will find it too."

I kept my smile, despite the tight clench around my heart, and gave her an agreeing nod.

"Perhaps one day."