Closing your eyes, you slide further down into the warm, scented water as Loki's hands tenderly massage the gardenia-scented shampoo into your hair.
After your 5 minutes was up, Loki had slipped back on his pants and shirt and carried you to the ornate washroom, running a bath for you in the massive golden tub. He had tested the water thoroughly to ensure that it was warm enough for you before sliding you gently inside.
When you asked if he wanted to join you, he had laughed and given you a suggestive smile, but ultimately declined. Being late to a meeting with the Allfather was not an option, he had stated. But you noticed how he winced in discomfort each time he slipped his hand beneath the steaming waters to check it. Instead, he rolled up his sleeves above his elbows and sat on the edge of the tub as you soaked for a long while. After the water cooled, he started gently washing your hair, working his fingers through your locks using soaps that smelled of gardenia, lavender and honeysuckle.
"Perfect," he purrs, finally out of shampoo to use. "Now lean back," he croons.
Obeying without question, you lean your head back to stare up at the ceiling. Loki takes a small, clear bowl from nearby and fills it with clean water to rinse out the shampoo. As he does, he places a single hand on your forehead to ensure no soapy water runs into your eyes. Your heart flutters at his small gesture of thoughtfulness.
Once thoroughly washed, his hands drift to your neck, your shoulders, and down your back. They are firm - strong. Yet soft, as each touch conveys loving intent.
Loki continues dragging his touch down your chest until he cups your breasts. For a moment, he fondles you, his fingers finding your nipples and squeezing gently, playing with them. Each tweak sends a jolt of electricity through your thighs.
"Loki," you warn, "I will pull you into this tub."
Loki only lets out a small, quiet laugh in your ear as he releases your sensitive breasts. But his hands continue to travel further down. He stands behind you now, hovering over you as he plunges his arms in deep, the water traveling up to his elbows, wetting the edges of his rolled up sleeves. His fingers dance across your stomach and around your thighs until he reaches between, finding your most sensitive spot.
"Loki!" you gasp, legs snapping closed.
Loki cranes around your face and places his lips on yours, silencing you as he uses both hands to pry your legs apart beneath the water. With determined touch, he makes small, gentle circles with his finger. You squirm underneath his ministrations, still sensitive from your orgasm less than half an hour earlier.
But Loki is persistent, and slides a single finger inside him dragging a moan from your lips. He kisses you fervently as he uses his fingers to tap and rub your clit, slightly increasing the speed but remaining gentle. After a moment, he slides not one, but two more fingers inside of you.
"Oh god," you cry out , breaking the kiss as Loki's fingers fill you. You desperately cling to his arm, the warm water in the tub sloshing and splashing as you writhe under his control.
"Lean back and kiss me, my heart. I love the way you taste," he sighs into your ear.
You lean your chin back and your lips find Loki's once more. But as Loki's hands move faster, your hips begins to roll and buck and squirm.
"One more time for me, darling. Come for me, my love."
Letting out a cry of pleasure, you orgasm around Loki's fingers, squeezing your thighs and clenching around his hand as he presses soft kisses to your temple.
"Good girl," he whispers in a low, deep voice.
Slowly pulling his fingers from inside you, you take a few moments to catch your breath as you hold Loki's arm, and he gently runs his fingers through your wet hair. Once you regain your steadiness, you let out a small laugh.
"What about you, Loki?"
Loki smiles and presses a kiss to the top of your wet head before standing, and turning to grab a big, fluffy towel from nearby.
"You need not ever worry about me, my love."
"At this rate, you should have just gotten in the tub," you smirk.
He laughs and holds up the towel, beckoning for you to stand.
You do as instructed and step out of the bath, allowing Loki to wrap you up in the towel. Once he does, he picks you up and carries you into the bedroom. You let out a laugh. "I'm sensing a pattern here," you say. "I am capable of walking, you know."
"But I so prefer to have you in my arms," says Loki, nuzzling your wet neck. "Now, what shall you wear?"
Placing you on the ground in front of a massive oaken wardrobe, Loki pulls open both doors to reveal dozens of beautiful gowns, all hanging in order by color. You gasp and reach out to run your hand along the beautiful fabrics, stopping on a light blue one and pulling it out slightly.
"What about this one?" you ask.
Loki pulls it fully from the closet, holding it up and looking at it for a moment before tossing it aside.
"Absolutely not, my love."
You feel your cheeks grow red as Loki turns his attention back to the wardrobe, and he himself begins assessing the options.
After a moment, Loki pulls out a an emerald green, full-length dress with off the shoulder taffeta sleeves and a corseted waist. Its beautiful golden accents laced throughout the layered skirt cause your jaw to drop.
"Loki, this isn't...too much?"
"My darling, you're meeting a king on the arm of a prince. This is perfect."
He pulls the dress and a matching set of delicate golden slippers from the closet. Waving his hand in front of you, a warm static encompasses your head and you realize that your hair is now dry, and styled. A quick glance in the mirror shows you exactly what he's done. He's smoothed it - tamed any frizz all while pinning a few front pieces back with elegant twists held by pearl and emerald pins.
"Wait," you say, waking over to your pants, discarded on the floor. Digging into your pocket, you pull out Loki's golden ribbon, and walk back to him, holding it out. "Please?"
Loki looks at you, stunned, before a smile quickly spreads over his face.
"Turn around, darling."
You turn, and Loki laces the ribbon into the twists in your hair, tying it into a beautiful, neat bow.
"Perfect."
He then waves his hand once more, and beneath your towel something soft and satin materializes. He extends his hand for your towel and as he tosses it aside you see that he has conjured a set of dainty undergarments in the same shade as the dress he now holds. He helps you to step in before pulling it slowly up your body and lacing up the corseted back, placing gentle kisses on the nape of your neck as he does so. You smile as his fingers dance across your back, tying off the strings of the corset one by one, each gentle touch leaving tingles behind.
Once fully laced, he helps you step into your slippers before fastening them for you. When he is finished he stands, admiring you.
"You are...radiant."
You feel yourself blush under his lingering gaze.
Loki then holds out both his hands, which glow green for a moment, and his body shimmers. His wet shirt and brown leather pants are replaced by his Asgardian armor, but this set is different. This set matches your dress down to the detail.
With a sneaky smile, Loki walks up to you and offers you his arm.
"Shall we, my lady?"
You slip your arm through his with a smile, as he leads you through the palace - to a set of impossibly tall golden doors where Thor awaits, pacing.
"There you two are! By the Gods, I was worried I'd have to come and get you myself! Loki you know better than to-," but Thor's rant stops as soon as he lays eyes on you. His face grows red and he begins to stammer. "Lady Y/n! I-I-I...you look...you look beautiful. Stunning, my lady!"
"Contain your drooling, brother," Loki sneers, letting your arm fall as he snakes his own around your waist.
Thor watches Loki's movement and turns even redder, looking away and facing the doors, clearing his throat.
"Ahem. Yes, well. Are you ready brother? My lady?"
"Let's just get this over with," says Loki with a sigh. You're intrigued by his sudden attitude shift.
Thor pushes the grand doors with a mighty heave, and you're stunned as they open into a massively majestic golden hall. You eye the large steps ahead, with a throne at the top. A white-haired man and beautiful woman sit at the peak.
"My sons!" booms a loud voice from the top. "I am thrilled to have you both back in Asgard."
Loki takes your arm once more, and gently pulls you forward. The three of you approach the stairs, and climb them slowly. The two brothers kneel as they reach the top, and you quickly move to curtsy, but the woman steps forward, taking your arm and pulling you from your awkward attempt at genuflection.
"My dear, I am Frigga. Mother of Loki and Thor. I am so pleased to meet you," she says in a honey-sweet voice, quietly in your ear.
"I am honored!" you reply. "Thank you, for allowing me to accompany Loki back here."
"We would have it no other way, dear," she says, giving you a kind smile.
"Rise, my sons," bellows Odin.
Thor and Loki stand. Loki casts a glance at you. You have been pulled to the top of the stairs by Frigga, and now stand by her side as Odin stands before Thor and Loki. Loki looks nervous. Thor looks excited.
"Loki," Odin says, addressing him directly. "I never believed I would see the day you would return to Asgard. But you have waged a noble and mighty war my son. One not of bloodshed and battle cries, but one of inner tranquility. And you have triumphed!"
Loki barely conceals a scoff. But you catch his eye and flare your own in silent warning to behave, and he quickly stiffens, focusing back on his father, who seems not to have noticed his momentary show of disrespect.
"You were willing to sacrifice your own life for that of this mortal woman," Odin says, gesturing one large hand toward you. "But not only for her, for those she cares about. Your selflessness earned you back your seidr, my son. As well as your rightful place in Asgard."
Loki bows his head, but from your angle you can see the conflict in his emotions play subtly across his face.
"That is why I offer you now this choice -."
"A choice?" says Loki, interrupting. "What choice?" he spits.
"You may remain here, on Asgard, with your love," Odin beckons to you once more. "Or you may return with her to Midgard."
Loki looks up at his father, surprise on his face. Something is wrong. After a quiet moment, Loki straightens, standing from his kneeling position.
"What are they then?" he snaps.
"Watch your tone, my son," Odin frowns, eying Loki disapprovingly.
"Tell me," Loki says through grit teeth, barely keeping his composure. "What are the terms?"
Terms?
You try to take a step forward - to reach Loki's side - but Frigga keeps hold of your arm keeping you back and casting you a warning glance. But it seems your motion has caught the attention of the king, whose gaze is pulled to you. For a moment, he looks confused. But then his eyes narrow as something dark flits across them while they travel up and down your body. It sends a sick feeling through your stomach as you wonder if your interruption has been seen as a sign of disrespect. You part your lips to apologize, but as quickly as his attention was drawn to you, it is pulled back to Loki who waits on the steps of the throne.
"My terms are thus," Odin bellows. "Should you both return to Midgard, you will be stripped of your powers indefinitely, those of magic and those of blood. You will live as a mortal, you will die as a mortal."
A look of pure horror crosses Loki's face.
"No," you let out an involuntary gasp.
"Should you both choose to stay in Asgard, then that will be final," Odin continues, ignoring your outburst. "There shall be no more journeying to Midgard. We have already broken Asgardian law countless times in interfering with Midgardian affairs on your behalf."
"If we stay, then she never gets to return home?" Loki says, growing angry. "She's condemned to living here, the way I was condemned to living the rest of my life on Midgard?"
"Condemned?" booms Odin, boisterously laughing. "She will be in Asgard, my boy! The home and hall of Gods! This is no prison!"
"If there's one thing I've learned, father," Loki spits. "It's that a prison can take many, many forms."
You're horrified watching the proceedings unfold between Loki and his father, and cast a glance at Thor who seems equally as stunned. You chance a glance up at Frigga, who stands only a few inches taller than you in her heels. You can see that she also has thin lines of disapproval subtly displayed across her regal forehead. Apparently Odin's terms have taken her by surprise as well.
"You have been given your options, my boy. Now go, you have three days to decide."
Frigga gives you a loving, motherly pat on the back as Loki walks up and takes your arm, leading you quickly and angrily from the hall. You're followed by Thor. The moment the doors of the throne room close behind you, Loki turns on Thor.
"Did I not tell you brother?" he sneers, getting in Thor's face.
"Aye, Loki," Thor says, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. "I am as surprised by these grains of salt as you." Thor casts a sorrowful glance between you and Loki. "Whatever you decide brother, you have my support."
"Your support?" seethes Loki. "I don't need your support, brother. I need my freedom. Why does that seem to be the only thing that this life does not afford me?"
Thor gives you and Loki a sad shake of his head and walks off down the hall, leaving you alone with Loki. You take his hand, and pull him to a bench nearby in the hallway. Sitting him down, you kneel before him, taking both his hands, and gazing into his sad and angry emerald eyes.
"Loki," you whisper. "I don't know what we're going to do, but whatever choice we make we'll be together. For me, that's enough," you say. "And if the choice that will make you happiest is to stay in Asgard, then that's what we'll do."
Your voice is strong and certain, but with every word you feel your heart breaking as the thought of never seeing your found family again crushes you. You can barely hold back the tears as you think about never hearing Pepper call you "honey". Never watching Clint beat Natasha at ping pong. Never training with Steve and hearing him cheer as you master new courses.
"No, my love. I could never take you away from those you care about," Loki says quietly. Softly. Bitter sadness piercing his words. "I have seen what they mean to you," he says, placing his forehead on yours.
"But I could never ask you to give up who you are," you say. "To become mortal? Loki, I would be asking for your life."
"My life?" Loki questions. "My love, I have known for some time now that it has always been yours anyway."
Loki looks at you with sadness in his loving gaze, and pulls you up to sit next to him. He takes your hands and looks you in the eyes, tucking a piece of hair behind your hair.
"We have three days, my love," he says quietly. "Until then, let us enjoy the time we have."
Giving Loki a nod, you rest your head on his shoulder, relishing the moment together, dreading the choice to be made in the days to come.