QOTC: have you ever dyed your hair?
Yes, I just did a few weeks ago actually that's why I'd like to know if you guys have :) I bleached my hair so I went blonde. Yikes lol
Enjoy guys :)
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Loki's POV
"I WANT EVERY LOOPHOLE TO ASGARD CUT OFF. Close off every porthole and teleporter. No one leaves Asgard, and no one is coming in," I said to the soldiers obediently following behind me.
"Yes, sir," they said in unison before splitting off into different directions.
"Father," Thor approached me.
I shot him a look. "What do you want?"
He looked out of breath and disheveled. "I can't find Heimdall anywhere. There's someone else at the gate, but they told me he was relieved from his position... did you do that?"
"Yes," I said hardly.
Thor's eyes widened.
"Why?!"
"He was useless; he has no worth to me anymore. Heimdall has one given order, and that is to protect Asgard. He's failed twice now. I was lenient the first time. I lost my queen and you lost your mother. I shouldn't have forgiven that. But Tessa Stark's mother showed up in the throne room, and came close to defeating me-"
Thor shook his head. "W-wait. Mother Nature or-"
I interrupted. "No. Layla Stark."
"I don't understand. She was dead... that's at least what Tessa thought." Thor wondered. "But, where is Heimdall? What did you do with him?"
I shrugged once again. "I told him to go home."
Thor's eyes squinted as he studied my face. Suddenly, he lunged forwards and my Odin-form shimmered away to reveal me.
"Loki!" Thor yelled.
He pushed me against a pillar and held a knife to my throat. I chuckled nervously, but he looked very upset.
"What is wrong with you?!" He screamed in my face. "You let Tessa believe you died?! You pretended to die for...WHAT exactly?!"
"I don't have to explain myself to you," I said calmly.
He pushed the knife harder. "You know what, Loki? Mother is gone. It seems that Father is gone, considering you've taken his place for the last week. Keeping you in the dungeons only causes more havoc. And Tessa thinks you're dead-"
"That's the point," I muttered, but Thor seemed to hear.
He gave me a horrific look. "Why?"
I rolled my eyes. "She wasn't good for me. She made me weak-"
Thor stopped me with his booming voice. "Those are lies and you know it!"
I shook my head. "No. When I think it through, that's exactly why I let her go."
"So you left the one good thing in your life because you don't want to admit you love her?" Thor pushed.
I felt an immediate headache appear, and my hand flew to my temple to rub little circles. I could also feel the sting of tears in my eyes, but I blinked them away.
"I do love her," I whispered, "-but she didn't want this life anymore. I do. So I let her go."
"That's no excuse, Loki." Thor retorted.
I looked up. "For what?"
"She deserved an explanation. Tessa. She thinks it's all her fault you're dead and blames herself for not saving you. I'm going to bet she hasn't left her bed since she returned to Midgard," Thor said.
Both my hands flew to my face and I cupped them around my eyes, shielding my face from Thor.
He's right.
"So what are you going to do to fix it?"
I glared. "Excuse me?"
Thor shrugged. "You're not leaving her on these terms. I'm sorry but I won't allow it-"
"Well, I'm sorry but I don't think you, of all people, should be giving me relationship advice."
"I didn't let Jane believe I was dead. I didn't brainwash myself into thinking I did it because it was best for her. You're only doing this for yourself. You left her because it was best for you."
"That's not true," I seethed through my teeth.
Thor sighed. "Where's Heimdall?"
I didn't say anything. Thor just stared at me, but I'm sure he noticed the guilt in my eyes. All of a sudden, Thor became enraged.
"What did you do, Loki?!"
"I banished him, okay!" I yelled back. Thor was silent. I inhaled sharply before saying, "And he's somewhere where you won't find him and where he can't return."
Suddenly, Thor swung at me and punched me square in the nose; blood instantly started to pour. My eyes narrowed at him but I didn't know what to say.
He was right about everything; about Tessa. She made me too weak, and I couldn't have that, so I devised a plan for us to part ways. She didn't deserve someone like me anyways. I knew she was just chasing love, me, but I could tell Rogers loved her and he would do better than I ever could.
Plus, my last relationship ended horribly. I know Sigyn is after Tessa for revenge against me. At least I know if she's on Midgard she will be protected from her. Probably better than I ever could.
"Just-" I started, wiping the blood from my lips. "-give me some time. I don't need to explain my reasons to you."
"Tell me where Heimdall is," is all Thor had to say.
I shook my head. "He's gone, Thor. It's for the best."
"No, Loki! I know you. Something made you upset, and you couldn't control yourself so you banished Heimdall without thinking. It's alright. We can still fix this, me and you. We can go retrieve him and bring him back."
"Get out of my sight," I seethed through my teeth, holding back tears, and swung the Odinstaff and Thor disappeared.
I wish I'd never have even met her.
* * *
Tessa's POV
"Would it offend you if I said I didn't want to talk about it anymore?" I sighed. My eyes trailed to the plate of untouched food, then to Steve sitting directly across from me. His hands were folded in front of him and he leaned into the table, hunched over a little bit.
"I can't make you tell me. All I can do is wait for when you're ready," he said simply.
I nodded, biting the inside of my lip a little. He seemed to really care about me. The one person I explained everything to died the next day. I couldn't tell the last time I was around a motherly presence and felt safe, secure, and home. Her aura was so inviting and pleasant I wanted to tell her everything. I knew she was going to give me advice, or assure me everything was going to be okay, or even just tell me what I should do.
I'm not saying Steve's aura isn't inviting or makes me feel safe. Loki's death left an empty hole in me that I'm not in a hurry to soothe. The wound is still fresh. I hope Steve can understand that I'm not looking for love now, and I hope that he can be there for me until I'm ready.
He's the only one I want for that position.
"So you don't know anything that happened after I left for Asgard?" I asked. I might as well start off with what he knows.
"I saw about it on the TV. You were in London or something, and they showed alien warcrafts, so they called it, in the sky and destroyed a whole city. You and Thor were there to stop it. I can't remember if you were on the TV though... I don't know what happened in Asgard, but I remember you wanted to train and be able to control your powers. Considering you're not from this world, I wasn't expecting you could be trained by the Avengers," he laughed. "None of us are magical, and Thor comes from a planet no one's ever heard of. So it was just right to send you to Asgard, and be trained by people who are used to this stuff and could really help you."
I nodded. "I guess you're right. Do you remember our last talk before I left?"
"If I'm going to be honest, not really. All I could think about while you were gone is 'come back'," he said sheepishly.
I huffed slowly.
"Well, Loki all that stuff that he did in Manhattan and with me, was, I guess, considered illegal in Asgard. As soon as we got there he was sent to the prison. It's all such a blur... something happened in the prisons and everyone thought it was Loki, but it was really the guy who was controlling the 'alien warcraft'," I snorted, "and he was after this thing called the 'Aether' or whatever. It somehow got in Thor's girlfriend Jane, so me and Loki's mom tried to protect her. But... they killed his mom... and I tried to stop it but I was powerless..." I trailed off.
I wasn't going to cry again. I have to push it all behind me.
"I'm sure it wasn't your fault," was all Steve said.
I looked up at him and he was staring intently. He was really listening.
"They destroyed most of Asgard. Thor's dad, Odin, was just heartbroken over Frigga's death, so he wasn't much help. It was up to me, Thor, and Loki to bring Malekith to his end," I said.
Steve's eyebrow arched. "Is that the guys name?"
I nodded. "He was real scary looking. White hair, red eyes, and just overall looked evil. Thor and I broke Loki out of jail because we needed his illusion powers to trick him. We went to this planet and Loki acted like a traitor. He cut off Thor's hand and held me hostage, giving Jane as a sacrifice so Malekith wouldn't kill him. The plan was to have Malekith suck the Aether out of Jane, so she'd be free, and then when it was vulnerable, me and Thor would attack it and hopefully disintegrate it, and Malekith would have nothing. But it didn't work," I started to get choked up. I was about to tell Steve about Loki's death.
Something I haven't said out loud since it happened. I didn't want to accept it. I wanted to believe it was another one of his tricks, but why would he do something like that to me? I thought he...loved me. He told me he did. They were his last words.
He'd never do something like that...
"You don't have to tell me the next part if it's still too soon," Steve suggested quietly. "I understand if you're not ready-"
"No," I cut him off, "-I think it's good if I talk about it. I don't think I've accepted it quite yet... but... the whole plan was a failure. I tried to fight everyone I could; the Dark Elves, and even the Bull man I was terrified of. Thor insisted he take care of Malekith. When I got punched... Loki tried to save me, but the man didn't fall for his tricks. He... " I sucked in a breath. "-stabbed Loki right through the stomach. I watched his face literally fall apart... his last words were telling me that he loved me," I finished.
I felt my heart drop into the bottom of my stomach. The hole was still there. I suddenly got sick and the food in front of me looking like dog food. I don't think I'll ever have an appetite again.
My blood got cold and my face grew hot. Steve looked concerned but waited. He probably didn't know what to say.
"After that it's all a blur. We went to London to finish it, but I could've been stronger. I was too upset that I wasn't any help at all. I probably just made it a lot worse and got in everyone's way. Malekith almost killed me... and is it bad I wished he did?" I asked quietly.
Steve thought for a moment. "I'm not going to say that you're overreacting about it, because I am very happy that you finally got what you deserved: love. I'm so sorry it got taken away from you when Loki finally admitted to it. But I want you to know that all of us are so glad you're home, and safe. We love you too. Maybe not in the same way that Loki did, but we're all here to support you through it."
Figures. That's what anyone would say.
"When it was over I woke up in Asgard's infirmary. I was pretty beaten up. When I was okay enough to walk Odin told me I had no business in Asgard, and that I was the reason his wife was gone and his son dead. It was all my fault..."
"That's bullshit, Tessa, and you know that. If anything, it was Thor's idea to bring you there to be trained. He assured all of us you would be safe, and he lied. Nothing has been your fault. Just a few weeks ago you found out that you're the fricking daughter of Mother Nature and that you have all of these powers that you never knew about. No one would be able to deal with that besides you. You're one of the strongest-minded people that I know of," he told me as I nodded.
He's right. I need to let these words soak in. I can't always let my self conscious get the best of me. It's not always my fault...
"It gets worse," I mumbled. "I think I met my father."
His eyes widened and he motioned me to go on.
"I only saw him for a second. I made an... "acquaintance" while I was there, her name was Clio, and she just turned against me. It was like it was set up, like she purposely became friends with me... I'm not really sure but she made time stop and then my vision went dark. They literally took away my vision... I don't know how long later but I woke up on the throne room's floor with Thor, Heimdall, and Odin-"
"Who's Heimdall?"
I replied, "The guy who kinda controls the BiFrost, the thing I traveled to Asgard on. He can see all the nine realms and every soul in them. It seems really cool.
"But anyway Odin told me it wasn't safe anymore, because my father knows the loopholes into Asgard. Now that I think about it he probably wanted to send me back because he didn't want the chance of him returning... Maybe I should go to Natenheim and be with my mom. Considering they aren't together anymore then maybe he wouldn't follow me there," I realized.
It was silent for a couple seconds while Steve let me process my thoughts. I couldn't tell what he was thinking.
All he said was, "If that's what you want."
I nodded slightly. "Layla just paid me a visit as well. I don't think she'd follow me there. The only people I should be worried about is Sigyn and Thelion..." I thought aloud.
"Who's that?" Steve asked.
"I think they're brother and sister and they're working for Thanos, somehow. I think their goal is to capture me and Loki, but Loki's dead now. I don't see why I'd be useful to them, but I also don't know the threat they hold."
"Oh," he said.
"But I just got back! I could wait a couple days or weeks. I guess maybe eat a little and see all you guys, considering I've been gone for a couple weeks." I tried to smile.
Steve lightened up and pushed my plate of food towards me.
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Not sure when I wrote all of these but here you guys go. Senior year :) I've been so on top of my homework so far that I felt motivated to even write my book again.
I check everyday, even when I don't write, and watch "Loki"s reads just pile higher and higher every day.
I also joined a creative writing class that inspired me to just start writing again.
See you guys soon :) hope you've been alright
-gray Avery