4 comments/ 8551 views/ 28 favorites Loki and Simarra Ch. 01 By: EroticLitKitty Hi Everyone! It's been a minute, hasn't it?! Well, to answer a big question, Jason's isn't finished. There's at least one more chapter there but it's disjointed and I'm having the damnedest time getting it together. He just won't let me go! In the meantime, I've developed a bit of an obsession that I have to get out of my system, and that's where this story comes in. I remember when 'Thor' came out, I barely knew who anyone was and the pic for Thor just didn't sit right with me (it was the fact that they dyed his facial hair!). After watching the movie for a few minutes I realized how wrong I was, but I also started to notice that Thor/Chris Hemsworth was hot, but Loki/Tom Hiddleston was fucking smoking! For me, if they're not Gingers; Brunettes are the next best thing and don't even get me started on that voice...good gravy. As the movies progressed, Loki's hot factor kept turning up, and when 'The Dark World' hit let's just say it was a little uncomfortable sitting next to my husband at times LOL! For a visual reference; this Loki is Tom Hiddleston's/my Loki...because really, is there another Loki? I get the feeling that if Loki found a woman, or THE woman; to feel that kind of love that he so craves, it would bring the good in him. Maybe Simarra is that woman, let's find out...and please be kind - I'm sure I'm a bit rusty :-) Thanks for reading, Kitty She found herself drifting. Drifting through space with an incredible sense of loss that she was having a hard time placing, and the only real memory was that of a name; Simarra. It was her name she supposed and Simarra had no sense of how long, or why she'd been drifting, just that she was. Sometimes it seemed as though she'd been out here for an eternity, and other times it only seemed as though it had been just a few days or weeks. She was truly lost, but then she sensed that she wasn't alone. There was someone out here that was more lost than she, and that had seemed all but impossible only moments before the realization struck. *****)_)***** After releasing Thor's hand and drifting into the unknown; Loki wasn't sure exactly what would happen to him, and he didn't know what he wanted to happen. There was plenty of time for him to wonder if he would die (in the very beginning), or if he would drift for eternity, and after he'd gone through all of those hopeless thoughts, he had time to focus on how best to repay the perceived wrongs heaped upon him by Thor and his father. That focus is what kept him going for the first few months, a strange connection kept him going through the rest. He'd been drifting for a little over three months by his estimation when he felt a presence that seemed to be observing him. He sensed no danger or animosity, just curiosity which in turn peaked his own curiosity. He decided to act as though he hadn't noticed anything, and see if the presence would purposely make itself known. He wouldn't have to wait long. "Where are we? Do you know?" He was surprised because it was a raspy female voice that came from behind him. She was very near, but also sounded quite distant, and that there wasn't a hint of fear in that voice. He began the process of turning toward the direction of where the voice came from while he began answering her question. "I'm not exactly sure. We're somewhere between realms..." When she came into view, his reply died on his lips. She was ethereal in the truest sense of the world. Whereas the two of them may have been drifting between realms, she looked to also be drifting between worlds. While he could see her, he could also see through her and it was a little disconcerting. He watched her facial expression change as his must have. "What?" she asked while giving herself a once-over. "Do I have something on me?" He looked at her closely, and he could see that she was a beautiful creature, but he'd never seen one of her kind before. The fact that she spoke English intrigued him, and that she sounded like the Americans of Earth was even more puzzling because there was no way she was an Earthling; they didn't possess the kind of power this female had. "Wh-what are you?" When she looked at him with a raised eyebrow and a look as if he'd grown another head, he couldn't help but smile. "What do you mean 'What am I?"?" I'm a woman...hello! I know my voice is deeper than your average Jane, but I'm pretty sure it's obvious that I'm female," she said gesturing to her spectral yet voluptuous form. A form that he hadn't yet taken the time to peruse. "Indeed you are," he replied while taking his time and admiring what he could see of her body. "My apologies, I should've phrased that question a bit differently. You see, I'm Loki of Asgard and you are?" "Oh, I've never heard of Asgard but I'm terrible at geography so that's not hard to believe. You sound British so Asgard must be in the UK then. I'm Simarra of..." she realized that aside from her name, she didn't know anything else about herself. "I'm sorry, I don't know what city I hail from so I guess Earth will have to do," she said with a smile and a laugh that slowly died on her lips when she saw the expression on his face. "Simarra; Asgard is a realm, not a city and Earth is also part of a realm called Midgard." He watched as confusion marred her beautiful features, but continued on. "But I don't understand how you could possibly be from Earth." "What do you mean? I mean, I may not know what city I'm from right now, but I know that I'm from Earth...I know what planet I'm from!" "If that's true, then how is it that you're out here who knows where, with me?" At this question, they just looked at each other because neither of them had an answer. *** "Loki, how long can you go without food or water?" "I don't know, I've never really tested the theory but since I met you I've thought about food and drink less and less," he replied with that charming smile. She couldn't help but return his smile, and try to tamp down her feelings. She was starting to worry about him; he was starting to look thin, well in his case thinner. "I am worried about you, but I can't say that I'm sorry that we met. I was terribly lost and lonely before I found you," and you are quite handsome and devastatingly charming, she thought to herself. "Simarra, I surely would've gone mad by now if it weren't for you. If only I could kiss your hand to show my gratitude." "If only," she smiled. "So you really don't know why you're out here then?" She tried again to remember something, anything but as usual nothing came to her. "I really don't. I'm not entirely sure that Simarra is my name, I just feel very strongly that it is. The only think that I know is that I'm from Earth. I don't know what I'm doing out here or how I'm going to get back," she said in exasperation. "First of all, you're not really out here...well, you're body isn't..." "What are you talking about?!" If they'd been on solid ground, Simarra would've gone from about five feet away from him to within 6 inches. It happened so fast, she startled both of them. "You see darling, I'm flesh, blood, and bone; I can't do that - not our here anyway. I suspect that your life energy is a bit detached from your corporeal form..." the wide-eyed look she gave him stopped him from continuing. "Are you saying that you think I'm...dead?" she asked in a low voice, afraid that if she said the words too loudly that act alone might make them true. "No, that's not what I think at all. Simarra, I can see you but I can also see through you. You're here with me but I think your body is somewhere else, I guess its back on Earth. You may live on Earth, but I don't think you're human. I don't think you're dead, not at all and I wish that I could touch you very much; if for no other reason than to hold you and let you know that I believe that you're going to be alright." She looked into his eyes, and he watched as trails of sparkling light ran down her cheeks. He knew that she was crying, and he also knew that he felt something for her that he'd never felt for any of the other women he'd been with before. Simarra was a sight to behold, even in her semi-transparent state. With his limited interaction with human women; he'd seen that most of them were on the short side, but he would have to guess that a standing Simarra would have to be at least 5'9" and a healthy 165 pounds. Her skin looked to be anywhere from a milk to a dark chocolate, with matching almond shaped eyes. Simarra's mouth looked larger than normal, with full lips and when she smiled one would be hard pressed not to smile along with her, and her ethereal hair would have to be past her shoulders; black with caramel highlights constantly floating around her face, Loki's feelings were intensifying for her with each passing moment. "I can't be dead Loki. Dead people don't make new friends, dead people don't have feelings do they?" She looked up at him and he was agreeing with her by shaking his head no. Considering her proximity, she decided to try something while speaking to him. "Dead people can't touch the people they've come to care about," she picked up her hand as Loki looked on, and she touched his chest. To both of their surprise, she felt his chest and he felt her hand. She jumped at his sharp intake of breath, and he reached up and took her hand into his own and held it to his chest, while he reached around her waist with his other hand and pulled her close to him into a hug. She relaxed into the hug as they drifted together for a few silent moments. "If you were dead, we definitely couldn't do this. It also proves my point as well." She didn't even look at him, she just left her forehead pressed against his cheek when she asked, "What point would that be?" "If you were human, we absolutely couldn't do this. Now we need to find a way to reunite your life force with your body, and figure out why this happened and who and what magnificent creature you really are..." "And what happens to you," she asked while pulling away to look up at him. She realized in that moment that the thought of him being alone was worse than her being dead. "I don't want to leave you all alone." Loki smiled his smile and put his hand under her chin. "I will find you. No matter how long it takes, no matter what I have to do; I will find you my love." Simarra's eyes widened at his admission and then Loki pulled her close again and brushed her lips with his own. It was a tingly sensation, but one that she wanted more of and she ran her fingers through his hair as he gripped hers to deepen the kiss. As he slipped his tongue into her mouth, he was assaulted with a jumble of images; a vehicle, the sense of being jolted and spun around, being cut and then seeing a poorly disguised angel carrying a baby bassinet before he heard Simarra scream. "Loki! What's happening?!" She was crying as her body shook and she doubled over in pain, and before he could reach for her; she disappeared. He looked around frantically but she was nowhere to be found. "SIMMMAAAARRRAAAAA!!" He was alone again, but this time he would be driven to the brink of madness before he would find what would be disguised as salvation. ********** 1.5 years later Simarra sat outside of the Parisian café and watched the people walk by. The young couples obviously in love, enjoying the "City of Love" and the people just seemed happy to be alive. She used to long to have that feeling again, those feelings again, but since Brian and Joey had been cruelly taken from her; the only function that her heart provided was pumping the blood necessary to keep her alive. Simarra had been an emotional zombie for the past year and a half. She'd shut out her family and friends after the accident, went through the grueling healing and rehabilitation process on her own, and once she was able to return to work; put in for an assignment abroad. She worked at least 60 hours a week, worked out about 15 hours a week, and spent the rest of her time either eating or sleeping. Simarra wished that she had died along with Brian, Joey, and her faith, but she was cursed to exist on this godforsaken rock. Simarra looked at the scar on her left ring finger; where the symbol of her love had saved her life while almost severing her finger, when she went to pick up her croissant to take another bite. The times when her heart ached and tears burned her eyes were far behind her. The memories of the years they'd spent together started to succumb to being hidden away in the far recesses of her mind, and she could almost forget his face - the sharp lines, thin red lips, jet-black hair, and those heavenly blue-green eyes. She could almost forget his face, but she could never forget his face. *** The sky went dark, and the wind started blowing ferociously completely out of the blue. The day had been beautiful, sunny, and calm and now it was threatening to burst forth something wicked. The clouds collected so quickly that they blocked out the sun, and for a moment; the city went black. There was a loud crack and a lightning strike the likes of which she'd never seen. It was linear and cylindrical, more like a tube of light instead of the run of the mill lightning, and it disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared, but something was left in its wake. Someone was left in its wake. Something wicked had burst forth from the storm, but it wasn't weather related. *** Simarra sat still as the mystery man in the interesting costume climbed the steps leading to the large fountain. She couldn't make out his features from that distance, but she knew that he was tall and had a commanding presence about him, and on anyone else it would've looked ridiculous, but he was working the hell out of that flowing green cape. She noticed that the people who'd been looking up at the sky moments before, were now starting to gather around him; mesmerized looks all over most of their faces. Before she could finish wondering what was going on; he spoke, and it sounded as though he was sitting right across from her, no more than a quarter of a mile away. "Good afternoon my fair Parisians and visitors to this wonderful city. You all have the distinct honor of being the first in this miserable realm to come under my rule, and if you cooperate; your future may not be as bad as some. If you choose not to cooperate...well, let us say that things will go poorly for you." She watched as throngs of people walked toward the fountain, and she made up her mind that she would stay right where she was. Simarra leisurely took a sip of her latte and a small bite of her croissant before going back to reading over her magazine. 'Crazy Brits,' she thought to herself. "What makes you think you'll be successful this time? The last time you got a few boots in your ass, and I for one can't wait to see it happen again" Simarra heard a woman say, and was surprised to see that she had to be in her late 60s to early 70s. 'Who the hell IS this guy, and why is there something so familiar about that voice?' she thought before watching the mystery man throw his head back before letting out a deep, sinister laugh. "Oh madam, you'll not see that happen again. First, because I'll not allow it, and second; because your life is forfeit," with that he cracked his staff against the step, and a beam of frighteningly bright light shot out from the staff toward the woman, and she was gone as soon as it hit her. "Now the rest of you can kneel or die! I only offer you the choice once you pathetic humans." He watched with a smile as they started to kneel; several at a time, when a sound in the distance caught his attention. He snapped his head in her direction just as she removed her hand from the cup, leaving it to sit on the saucer. When she met his eyes, she looked at him with what could only be described as indifference and went back to reading her magazine. "It is that interesting of a read?" Without sparing him a glance she answered, seemingly unaffected by the fact that he'd just teleported from the fountain, to the seat across from her. "Not especially, but I have to be at work in about 30 minutes so I might as well finish now," she stated as she turned the page and adjusted her glasses. "I don't know when I'll get the chance to look at this again if I don't finish it..." He slammed his hand against the table, and was frustrated when she didn't even flinch. He leaned forward before speaking again in a deathly calm tone. "Do you not know who I am? Do you not fear me?" Simarra sighed and looked at her watch, still not looking at his face. "No and no. Frankly, there's nothing that you can do to me that would make me afraid..." Before she could finish, Loki had wrapped his hand around her throat and pushed her against a nearby wall; pressing his body against her to keep her in place. She didn't struggle, cry, or whimper, and he was becoming increasingly frustrated. "I could end you where you stand," he said in little above a whisper, his hot breath fanning the side of her face. "Do it then, you'd be doing me a favor," and with that declaration, she finally turned her head to look at him. The look in her eyes froze him in place, his face so close to hers their noses were almost touching. She was beautiful, hauntingly beautiful. Her skin the color of dark chocolate with a hint of cinnamon, her eyes so dark brown they almost seemed black, and her hair cut very short and styled with stiff curls and spikes at the top. He took advantage of their proximity to study her; the smooth skin of her face, marred slightly by scars on her left jaw and the left side of her neck. His eyes followed the lines of her long, graceful neck down to the hint of cleavage peeking out of her white blouse; over her breasts and the dip of her waist, the generous swell of her hips, and the long legs leading to perfectly sized feet in heeled sandals. His gaze lingered on the deep scar that he saw on her left thigh; peeking out of the bottom of her skirt, and that coupled with the scars on her face, neck, and that haunting, vacant look in her eyes told him that her scars were more than just what was visible. They ran deep. Loki slowly brought his eyes back up to her face, and though she was looking at him; she was basically looking through him. There was something about her that called to him, and he was sure that he didn't like it. "Look at me," he commanded. When she didn't adjust her gaze, he moved his hand up from her neck and roughly cupped her jaw. "You will look at me!" She looked into his eyes then, really looked into them and not just in the general direction of his face. When she paid attention to him, she noticed that he was excessively handsome, he was indeed tall, and his eyes were a beautiful shade of blue-green. A very familiar shade of blue-green. "The lady does comprehend the English language," he said with a wicked, toothy smile. "I was afraid that I would have to take more drastic measures to gain your attention." Her eyes flashed with some emotion, and then went cold again in the span of a millisecond. Watching her internal struggle made something flicker in his heart. He was studying her face intently when he noticed that her lips were moving. "What was that?" "I said, if you're waiting for me to kneel before you then keep dreaming. If you plan to kill me then let's just get this over with," she said with little passion in her voice. For some reason, her blatant disregard for her own safety and life bothered him. "Why is it that you're in such a hurry to die? Surely there are those that would miss you," his nose touched her jawline as he spoke softly against the side of her face; fearful of looking into her eyes again. Loki and Simarra Ch. 01 "There's nothing left for me in this life, I'm glad that you're here..." "Why are you glad that I'm here? You said that you don't know who I am." She looked into his eyes then, and hers reflected the sorrow that filled her soul. They made his blood run cold at the intensity of the sorrow that passed from her eyes, and mirrored the feelings that he carried in his heart. "Of course I know who you are, or more accurately what you are since I don't know your name. You're the answer to my hopes and dreams, the one that's been sent to end my suffering. Please, just make it quick." She turned her face away from his and closed her eyes. She didn't squeeze them shut as though preparing for pain; they closed lightly, as if she was waiting for sleep or a kiss. "I'm afraid that I'm not the answer to your prayers my beauty, but we have much to discuss. It's a change of plan, but I find that I do tire of this realm." "Realm...realm? Why does that sound familiar to me? As in nine realms?" She felt him stiffen against her as she wracked her brain to try and remember why this seemed familiar. Loki had started breathing harder as a realization washed over him, he'd never seen her completely in the flesh and it had been so long - could it be? "Simarra?" Her eyes shot open while she began to shake when she heard him say her name and almost immediately after she made eye contact with him; they were surrounded by a blindingly white light. "H-How do you know my name?" It was the first time she'd shown a hint of fear in his presence, and she continued to shake as he seemed to mold his body to hers while his facial features softened and seemed to grow more sinister at the same time. "Oh Simarra," he said as he pressed his chest against hers, effectively trapping her against the wall with his body. He placed his left hand behind her head and gently drew her closer to his face, his breath fanning against her cheek. "I know more than your name Simarra, I know you. I thought I'd gone mad and imagined you, but here you are in the flesh and my my; what flesh it is." His proximity, his nose in her hair above her ear, and his breath on her face were starting to have an effect on her that she wasn't at all comfortable with. She was still shaking, but not as vigorously as she had been when he'd first called her name. It was as if she knew him from somewhere, but it was impossible that they'd ever met before. What could he possibly be going on about? "Who are you?" she managed to uncharacteristically squeak out as the light grew increasingly bright. "My dear Simarra, I am Loki," she had a brief image flash into her head of Loki drifting in the stars, smiling at her, and the last thing she could comprehend was the feel of his slight stubble against her cheek, and him wrapping his arms around her, pulling her closer before her world went dark. **********)_)********* More to come from these two...stay tuned and don't forget to vote! Loki and Simarra Ch. 02 It's good to be writing again, and while 'Jason' is still on hiatus - Loki and Simarra speak to me on occasion so I've been listening. This is a short one, so please forgive me for the length, but the endpoint seemed too perfect to continue and leave a classic "cliffhanger." There will be more, I appreciate the response (comments and emails - which I've finally started checking again) so without further ado...here's chapter 2. Thanks for reading, Kitty A note to new readers - this is not a standalone story and will not make sense unless you've read chapter 1 ***** Simarra turned over and snuggled deeper into the most comfortable bed she'd ever been in. She smiled to herself and had an inner-congratulations on a job well done, when her mind forced her to recollect something important. She wasn't on vacation, she wasn't in her apartment, and she wasn't in her room back home. Instead of freaking out...well, outwardly freaking out anyway; she slowly opened her eyes to take in her surroundings. The bedroom where she found herself was about twice the size of her apartment in Paris, and she could hear birds chirping nearby and water flowing in the distance. She looked out of the window and saw what looked like the tops of palm trees, and saw nothing but skies that were more of a lavender color than the standard blue; rife with big puffy clouds. "Where the hell am I?" she wondered aloud as she sat up. She slapped her face and shoulder hard thinking that some bug was crawling on her, and was stunned to see hair. Hair that looked very much like hers used to...before the accident. "What kind of fucking lunatic kidnaps someone and puts them in a wig, owwww...," she made the mistake of yanking the hair expecting it to come off, and became painfully aware of the fact that the hair was indeed her own. As she pulled her hand away from her hair; she noticed that the ring finger on her left hand was completely free of the scar that had become a part of her. Lacking a mirror, she ran her hand along the right side of her jaw, and neck while looking at her chest in search of her scars. Her skin was perfect, and she frantically ripped the covers from her legs and noticed that the deep scar on her left thigh was gone as well. If she hadn't almost ripped a chunk of hair out of her head; she would've been convinced that she was dreaming. "What the fu...," Simarra started to say when she heard the distinct sound of a shower being turned off, and she realized that there was so much to take in that she didn't even realize the shower was on. Knowing that there was nowhere that she could hide, she did the best thing that she could think of under the circumstances; she lay back down and pretended to be asleep. If whomever had her wanted to harm her, they already would have, right? When she saw him round the corner from the bathroom, her memory came flooding back. She caught herself before she gasped, and tried to see more clearly through the slit in the eye she was slightly opening. After she felt secure that he wasn't looking her way, she opened her eyes, and the gasp that almost escaped that time wasn't one of remembrance. He had a long towel draped low on his hips, and though he looked quite thin in his costume earlier; he was actually ripped. He had a swimmer's build, only more defined. She noticed that he gave the term "white man" a whole new meaning, or more accurately a quite literal meaning because he was so pale it looked as though he hadn't seen the sun in ages. She watched him towel drying the mass of jet black hair that fell past his shoulders, and as he turned toward the wall of closets; she noticed the black, tribal-style tattoos that swirled over his entire back. They were stunning and not your run-of-the-mill, overly-hyped tribals, but similar to those of the Māori of New Zealand - the tattoos of warriors. He opened the closet door and grabbed what looked to be a black t-shirt and dark green pants, draped them over the bar on the door, and put the towel that he'd been using to dry his hair over the other door. As his hands went to his waist, she knew that she shouldn't look but couldn't help herself. His back was still facing her as he pulled the towel from his waist revealing a perfect set of muscular and shapely legs and an ass to match. After a discomforting heat began to spread through her body, she did close her eyes and wait for the inevitable confrontation. *** She couldn't have noticed the wicked smile he sported as he slipped into his clothes, as he waited for her to say something to him. He almost laughed at her obvious intake of breath when he removed his towel, but he opted to allow her to continue her rouse. He desperately wanted to speak with her, but after discovering that she didn't remember their time together; he was willing to work through things at her pace. He turned to look at her after he was fully dressed, and although he'd initially forgotten about the healing properties of this realm when he'd chosen to bring her here; the removal of her scars didn't make her any more beautiful. That, he decided, was an impossibility because even though her outward beauty was breathtaking to say the least; her inner beauty coupled with her courage was what really set her apart. The change in her appearance only served to make her identical to his memories of her and he could understand now why his brother had been so taken with a human; although his instincts were still telling him that Simarra wasn't human, or completely human at least. *** There was a soft knock at the door and as Loki went to answer it, Simarra made a show of stirring in the bed and waking up. When he walked back into the room with a tray full of what she guessed was fruit, cheese, and juice; she was sitting up in the bed with a puzzled look on her face. Her hair was a mess, her cheeks were flushed, and the white top she was wearing made her beautiful skin appear an even deeper shade of brown. She was by far the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen. "Ah, the lady awakens. I've taken the liberty of getting breakfast for you. This might be a little different than what you're used to, but I hope you'll enjoy it anyway," he said as he carefully placed the tray on a bedside table. "You didn't kill me, why?" He was expecting the "why am I here?" and/or the "what did you do to me?" line of questioning, but he was grossly unprepared for what just came out of her mouth. "Why are you in such a rush to depart this plane of existence?" He looked at her curiously, really wanting to know why she was in such a rush to die, and thankful that he hadn't granted that request. He also decided to hold off on trying to explain the fact that they'd met before, eventually she'd remember but in the meantime he wanted to learn all that he could about her. She looked at him as he sat down on the bed with her, and before she could stop herself; she was picturing him naked again. She shook her head before responding. "You can't answer a question with a question. Why didn't you kill me?" "Madam, I believe I did just that, but I will answer your question and then you will answer mine. I didn't kill you because there would've been no sport in it, and no satisfaction for me. Truthfully, there's something about you that intrigues me. You intrigue me like no other before, and I wasn't willing to let go of that feeling." She looked thoughtful as she pondered what he'd just said. Before she could put words to her thoughts, he spoke. "Now that I've answered your question; quite truthfully I might add, I want the answer to mine. Why are you in such a rush to die?" He watched her face void of emotions, and there was a resignation there as well. She was getting ready to reveal a part of herself to him. "About 2 years ago I was involved in a terrible accident. My husband and baby were killed, and by some cruel joke I was spared. We were hit in my side of the car while on a bridge, and as I tried to keep the car from careening over the guardrail, I felt my husband's hand on my thigh and I looked into his eyes one last time. I saw my sleeping baby boy in the backseat, and was jarred when we were hit again on the passenger side of the car. I...I struggled with the wheel as the shattered glass hit my face, and in a turn of events that I still don't understand; my hand went out of the window, and somehow my wedding ring caught on a bolt on the bridge. The car went over the railing, but because I wasn't wearing my seat belt, my finger catching on the bridge held me secure while the car and my life fell around me..." It had been quite some time since she'd told anyone that story, and though her voice remained somewhat steady; there was a heavy stream of tears flowing down her face. Loki was at a loss as to what to do to comfort her, and he subconsciously reached out and gently took her hand. "I was told that it was a miracle that I'd survived. It took the doctors hours to reattach the tendons in my finger, and more hours to stitch my leg back together; I almost lost both and I was in a coma for 6 months. They found my husband and my...my baby two days after the accident. It wasn't a miracle that I'd survived, it was a curse," she said as she angrily wiped her tears. "My internal injuries were such that I'd never be able to bear another child, and my heart died with my two loves, so I'd never want to have another child. How is that a miracle?" It was when she looked into his eyes again that he felt as if he'd been stabbed in the heart, as if he could see what she'd been through as it happened. It was in that moment that he wanted to see what joy would look like in her eyes, and this was a foreign concept to him. He hadn't wanted to inflict anything but mischief and pain for so long, this feeling of wanting to inflict happiness almost made him uncomfortable. "Weren't your family and friends supportive during this time?" She could see the concern etched into his face, and gave a mirthless chuckle. He was curious as to how she was all alone in this world, or seemed to feel that way at least. "My friends tried to be there for me, but their love and support was suffocating in its sweetness and purity, and in the end I shut them out. I'm adopted and once I lost faith in God, my parents started to distance themselves from me until we ultimately stopped speaking. It was a terrible time, and between my self-isolation and my parents' distance; I'd made myself alone in this world...well, in my world." Understanding a little more about why she was so strong and knowing that there was little that he could do to comfort her; he'd concern himself with trying to get her to eat something because she'd been sleeping for three days. Right on cue, she started asking questions again in a thinly veiled attempt to change the subject. "So where are we?" She watched as he picked up the tray of food and put it on the bed between them. He motioned toward the food with his hand before replying to her. "We are on Edda in the realm of Svartalfheim. I have friends here, and my family doesn't know of the existence of my home here. I visit when I want time away from the perfection that is my brother, the adoration of him by my father and our people, and when I just want to be with those that appreciate me for who I am, not because of my supposed lineage." She looked at the myriad of emotions that played across his face with his speech, and she realized that he was as passionate as he was handsome. And oh was he handsome! "I noticed that you mentioned your father but not your mother, why is that?" She took a bit of fruit and tried it. It tasted much like a mango to her surprise and pleasure, and she immediately took another bite. "Frigga; my mother, is one of the most wonderful souls in existence. She never made me feel like I was less than Thor, or...anyone else for that matter. She shared her time, her magic, and most importantly her love and her heart with me. She is my one great love in this world," he said with a pleasant smile on his face as he thought of her. "You're lucky to have her, but Loki; surely your father loves you, and I'm sure your brother does as well." Simarra stated almost as a question, but as she did she placed her hand back on top of his on the bed. This simple action caused him to look at her hand before he gently took it into his own again. He looked deeply into her eyes before continuing. "Of course I love my brother, I just tire of being reminded how great he is and how I pale in comparison. Deep down I'd like to believe that my father lov...cares for me, but after I learned of my true heritage; I just don't see how he possibly could." She watched as he looked down at their joined hands again, and realized that she might have just figured something out about the God of Mischief. "Now Loki, I'm not a psychiatrist but on Earth we have a phenomena called a self-fulfilling prophecy." "Sounds pretentious and preposterous...please continue," he interrupted with his trademark charm. She couldn't help but giggle as she continued, "okay, when someone is afraid of a particular outcome; they sometimes consciously or subconsciously do things to make sure that the outcome that they're afraid of, is the outcome that actually happens." She watched as he squinted his eyes and pursed his lips, obvious signs that he was thinking about what she'd said. "So what you're saying is...that "psychiatrists"," he made air quotes with his hands, "come up with this drivel as a chosen profession? Is that what you're saying?" She couldn't help but laugh at his humorous deflection, and nodded in agreement; anxious to see his smile again. He granted her unspoken request in short order, before changing the subject altogether. "Tell me Simarra, how is it that someone as gorgeous as yourself has managed to remain unattached. I mean I understand you not remarrying, but have I stolen you away from someone special?" Loki's thumb was moving back and forth over the back of her hand, the hand that he'd barely let go of since they'd started talking. This action coupled with his question caused a flutter in her belly that she wasn't ready for. "There have been...ahem," she had to clear her throat and look away from him, and he smiled at her discomfort, "a few guys who have asked but I couldn't even say yes to something as simple as a date. It didn't seem fair to them to let them believe that there was a chance, to let them believe that I wasn't too damaged to move forward. The short answer to your question is that there's no one special." "I should hope for your sake that someday, you'll allow someone into your heart again. I'm sure it's a lovely place to be." Before she could stop the words from tumbling forth, her heart spoke before her mind could stop it, and she was flirting. "Are you tossing your hat into the ring Oh God of Mischief?" She had a cocky smirk on her face as she asked him a question that she hadn't realized how impactful his answer would be. He pinned her with a look so intense that the smirk fell from her face, and she felt as though she might catch fire. He brought her hand up to his mouth, and she could feel his breath ghost over her skin. "Simarra, I would lay waste to any other man who attempted to make a play for your heart, how's that for self-fulfilling prophecy?" and Loki kissed her hand while maintaining that intense eye contact. "Oh God," flew out of her mouth on a harsh whisper as she splayed her other hand across her chest. She was held captive by those blue-green eyes framed by that damp jet black hair, and those red lips that she could only imagine kissing at that point in time. "No, not God; Loki," he replied, and then licked his lips, bit and sucked his bottom lip before smiling at her. His words coupled with that thing he did with his lips had to be one of the sexiest things she'd ever seen in her life, and she couldn't stop staring at his mouth. The flutter in her belly instantly became a roaring fire. ********(_(******** Okay, for those fans out there, the lip-licking, biting, and sucking thing - that's strictly a Tom Hiddleston thing that I find incredibly sexy! I HAD to make that a part of Loki, and it was just for me but I do hope that you liked it too :-D