Thor said nothing, he stalked past me on the beach and I was left staring at Loki, the very much alive God of Mischief.
He had only to look at me for a moment more, meeting my gaze with his questioning one before he stalked after Thor, his strides long to meet Thor's angry ones. I followed, not sure of what else to do or where to go, supposing Thor was heading back to the palace.
'I assume that you're angry with me, dear brother.' Loki said speaking to Thor, 'But can you not admit you are also happy to see me?'
Thor said nothing, let out a gruff mock of laughter and continued to stalk down the beach. I was able to keep up with the two of them and within earshot to hear Loki's words to Thor as he turned to walk backwards so that he could face Thor as he spoke,
'I have my reasons. You can't say you aren't impressed that I managed to fake my death, nonetheless convinced Thanos of it-'
Thor stopped walking and tossed Stormbreaker to his side where it landed heavily in the sand. Thor's hands were on Loki, grasping his shirt tightly as he grated out his words,
'What part of this is humourous to you, Loki? Asgard has been destroyed, our friends lost their lives to fight for the Nine Realms and you return after it all to think I wish to welcome you back with open arms? Not this time.'
Though he had finished speaking, Thor did not let go of Loki whose own long fingers pried Thor's hands from him. His face grew serious, leaning into Thor with a deep-set frown as he spoke,
'What do you think would have happened if I had returned?'
'You could have helped,' Thor said and shook his head at his brother. 'You could have not been so selfish.'
'Yes well, you and your costumed friends seemed to have managed well enough.' Loki said, crossing his arms over his chest, throwing a look in my direction. I had thought he would continue to ignore me but he moved past Thor to hone in on me. Thor turned his entire body to watch Loki, his eyes narrowed and untrusting.
I wondered if it was a distraction from Loki, to put the focus on me and keep it away from the conversation of his betrayal. I was ruffled by it, annoyed that he couldn't apologise for his death or lack thereof. I had seen Thor's grief, I had witnessed it from afar. Though I think perhaps the appearance of my own family would have had me befuddled, I would not hesitate to embrace them and cry tears of joy.
Though Loki had done this before, no doubt Thor did not understand the punch line.
'I'm not sure you belong here, darling.' Loki said, standing before me.
He was close enough I had to tilt my chin up to look at him, a game of his to inflict intimidation. But I was not intimidated, I was intrigued. Not only by the purr in his tone or the half-upturned smirk on his mouth but by how devastating he was.
I had become accustomed to Thor's handsomeness quite quickly, though it was a fact. The sky was blue, the earth was round, god's were beautiful. But Loki was other. He was chaos in the form of a man. Though I had wondered if this was partly to do with his Jötunn heritage, the coolness of his character probably connected to the ice in his veins.
Maybe it was the contrast of his blue eyes and black hair, his flawless skin or maybe the smile lines around his eyes; but Loki was never to be confused as anything other than a God. Though the word demon came quicker to my mind.
Not wishing to be wordless before Loki, I spoke confident words which had Thor hiding a smile, 'For someone who has so desperately wished to be king, you lack the courage to face your enemies.'
This seemed to rile him, something dark flashed in his eyes, some memory maybe. His hand snaked forward to grasp my chin, lightly to force me to look into his eyes. The softest brush of his fingers against my skin had me releasing a breath I had wished to be a hiss, instead, it had sounded like a pleasurable exhale. I felt my cheeks burn.
'Are you indicating I should make an enemy out of you?'
Thor stiffened behind Loki, though Loki was the only thing in my vision. I could see the sky darken further, I heard the brush of the wind as it broke against Loki's back and brushed past to ruffle my hair again. With it, I caught his scent, light citrus and deep leather, fresh and alluring.
'Loki,' Warned Thor, but Loki enjoyed the teasing, attempting to have me fight or flee. I would do neither. Loki leant in with a broad grin, his cool cheek caressed my own as he moved in to whisper in my ear.
'I would so delight in you meeting my blade.'
I pulled back from him and caught Thor's disapproving gaze, his face screwed up in dismay. Loki chuckled,
'I take that as a no? Another time, perhaps?' his gaze lingered on me, moving down my body, hesitating on my hips, lingering a second too long on my breasts. Though I had in recent years grown to notice the stares from men on my body, I didn't appreciate it. I had only enjoyed the attention with alcohol in my system for confidence - even then I relied far more on my face to attract them. But the way in which Loki looked at me was more than a look of lust or want, it felt like praise.
It should have made me feel disgusted. Instead, as his blue eyes met mine again, I could have sworn I saw the faintest red blush in his cheeks - I was captivated.
Finally, Thor's hand reached forward to grasp his brother's shoulder firmly. Loki shrugged him off in annoyance and Thor once again shoved his brother toward the palace.
'We need to talk,' Thor said.
'I don't think we do,' Loki said 'I'm not overly fond of small talk.'
'You might want to understand how the people of New Asgard will greet you,'
'With open arms and tears of joy, no doubt.' Loki turned to wink at me and I began to follow the two of them in silence.
'Your welcome here will not be as you wish it to be, I want you to understand that.' Thor continued onward, fingers stretched behind him to summon Stormbreaker back into his hand. A small crackle of blue on the blade followed and soon the dark sky eased into orange afternoon light.
'The scenery is quaint, but I'm sure I can make do.' Loki shrugged.
'You still act as if you are second in line to the throne,' Thor sighed.
'Well, I am.' Loki came to an abrupt stop as Thor did, tutting at his brother, hands firm on his hips.
'No, you're not.' Thor said with a shake of his head, his gaze landing on me.
Loki rolled his eyes, turned his gaze also to me, 'What, don't tell me you've married this Midgardian.'
'Eva is not my wife.' Thor said eyes lowered to the sand. I felt the scrutinising gaze of Loki as he tried to assess the relationship between Thor and myself.
I went to answer, to lay out the truth before Loki before he could begin to devise ways to rid me from New Asgard. Loki placed a hand over his heart,
'Am I to be an uncle then?' He smirked and Thor's face screwed up in disgust.
'Not in the way you assume.' Thor uttered, Loki frowned, confusion clouding his face.
'I'm certain I understand the way in which a child is produced.'
'I'm his daughter,' I blurted out, sick of their incessant bickering.
Loki's smile dropped from his face, Thor straightened his shoulders, meeting Loki's exasperated gaze, soon turning to a frown and then his head shook wildly.
'Absolutely not!'
'She is.' Thor shrugged.
'She's a child.'
'I'm twenty-five.' I crossed my own arms across my chest.
'Exactly!' Loki threw his hands in the air, and ran his hands down his face, I tried to straighten my posture as if to prove I was a woman and not a child. Though I suppose in their eyes I was, they had millennia of life already lived. I had less than three decades.
'Either way, Eva is my daughter. It was prophesied.'
'You can't prove that.' Loki spat.
'It was prophesied.' Thor said again.
'Prophecies aren't real. She could be anyone's child.' Loki moved toward Thor, not breaking eye contact, his hands placed upon his brother's shoulders as if to convince him he was making this all up. I wish he was, I wish I was not on this beach listening to two gods bicker about my parentage.
Loki spoke in hushed tones to Thor and I lifted up my hand and Thor caught the movement, releasing his grip on Stormbreaker as it flew from his hand into my own. I stumbled slightly with the force of it, the weight of it in my hand comfortable but substantial. Pure power. Divine power.
Loki had stopped midsentence to cast his eyes upon me, standing with Stormbreaker in my hand. My own gaze was firm on him, Thor had a grin plastered on his own face at the sight of me - his daughter - wielding his weapon.
'Well,' Loki breathed, 'I think we might need to have that talk.'