3 | 𝐃𝐎𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐃 ▹ LOKI LAUFEYSON

ix. the reunion

"It's not." Amora shook her head. "I've seen it. The Norns have told me of it."

She leaned back against a column, crossing her arms to hide the trembling of her hands. "Asgard is marked for death and destruction. A dark prophecy has been hanging over our heads for centuries."

A flash of fear passed over Loki's eyes as he looked out across the expanse of Asgard. "How..." He swallowed. "How is it going to happen?"

"Surtur." Amora wished she had spoken with more care when Loki flinched at the name of the fire demon. "He's going to burn it all."

"Do you know when?"

Amora shook her head. "I don't know. Soon."

Loki did not look back at her, only watching the people of Asgard bustle about below. His jaw clenched and unclenched. "We have to tell Thor," he said lowly.

"I've tried. I've been sending him dreams."

Loki turned to her, raising an eyebrow. "You can do that?"

A small smirk grew on Amora's face despite her best efforts. "The Norns have taught me many things."

"As if you weren't already terrifying before."

Amora scoffed, trying and failing to repress a smile. "I'm not terrifying."

"You are to me." Loki's voice held a new softness, and his words held a new weight. "You've always been terrifying. But in the best way."

Swallowing, Loki took a step forward, his eyes pleading, and he whispered, "Tell me you still love me."

Amora sighed. Whatever fight she had had before left her. "Of course I still love you, Loki."

The fear in his eyes melted into relief as he cupped her cheek with a hesitant hand. She leaned into the touch, the first in years. The familiar coolness as she covered his hand with her own nearly knocked her down with a wave of emotions.

Loki was alive.

His breath shuddered just before their lips met. Amora could not say if it was Loki who leaned in first or her. It didn't matter.

What mattered was that, while the kiss was soft, it made Amora ache more than anything. It was so natural, even though the two had only done it a few times. Her eyes squeezed shut as her arms wrapped around Loki's neck and he pressed her back into the column.

They just barely pulled apart, keeping their foreheads together.

Amora let out a shaky breath. "This doesn't mean that I'm not still mad at you."

Loki chuckled, still trying to catch his breath. "Of course."

He brought another hand up to cradle her face. "I missed you so much," he murmured.

"It was only four years."

"It felt like longer."

Amora opened her eyes to give him a wry look. "You've been gone longer than that in the past."

He grimaced. "It won't happen again."

Loki shifted and wrapped his arms around her waist. Leaning back just enough to see her properly, his green eyes taking in the sight of her.

"We could go off together," he said quietly, "Leave all of this behind. Asgard. Ragnarok."

Amora regarded him, running her fingers up and down the back of his neck. "You don't mean that."

"I do."

"No." Amora shook her head with a small smile. "You may have only been been king for four years, but you've grown attached. You could never leave."