Archive of Our Own

Many Moons Ago

Sif shoved Loki against the wall and kissed him hard as they stumbled into her chambers. A voice at the back of her mind told her that she had had too much to drink and that was a terrible idea but by the gods, how did that silvertongue manage to get past her defenses and make her feel so good? She was pressed against him in all the right spots as he tried to battle her for dominance. He definitely wanted her as he was trying to keep up with her enthusiasm.

Loki moaned against her mouth as she tangled her fingers into his hair and pulled the strands loose from being so perfectly slicked back from his face. She was determined to unravel him but first, she had always wondered if his lies were as honeyed as the words seemed. “Lie to me,” she murmured between kisses.

“I liked you better as a blonde,” he answered as best as he could as she stuck her tongue in his mouth. She was surprised the lie was so bitter and was curious if he spoke the truth, would the words taste differently?

“Tell me the truth now,” Sif tugged on his hair again as his hands traveled so freely caressing every curve of her body.

“I’m so glad that I freed that dragon on Muspelheim since it led to this,” he murmured as she kissed him again. He pulled away from her mouth to kiss at her jaw and that was when his words sunk in. She pulled back from him with a confused look on her face.

“You freed the dragon?”

“Come now, Sif. We can discuss this later,” Loki grabbed her wrist to pull her back to him.

Sif took a step back, pulling her wrist out his grasp, and held up her hand. The effects of the wine and his lips upon hers was beginning to fade as the realization set in, “You mean to say that it was you that freed the dragon? The dragon that caused our little group in the healing chambers for sixth months. That was you?”

“Sif…” Loki began slowly as she moved away from him.

“Do you know what I hate more than dragons, Loki?” Sif asked him, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “It’s being stuck in the healing chambers for six months! We could have lost an eye or a limb or limbs! Do you realize how dangerous-”

“It’s a dragon. Of course, I know how dangerous a dragon is,” Loki rolled his eyes as she tried to scold him.

“Any one of us could have been killed! Is that what you wanted?” Sif was angry that he didn’t see the issue with freeing a dragon to hunt your friends down.

“You all were complaining that there wasn’t anything to do or anything that was a challenge to fight! I gave you what you wanted!” Loki yelled back at her.

“I didn’t want to fight a dragon!” Sif yelled at him. He raised his eyebrows in disbelief and Sif threw up her hands. “Fine! I did! It doesn’t make what you did right by any means! What if someone had died? What if it was Fandral?”

“He didn’t-” Loki tried to answer but Sif interrupted him.

“What if it had been Volstagg or Hogun? Were you going to tell their families that you freed the dragon and set it on them? What if it had been Thor? You would have murdered your brother!”

“Thor has his miracle hammer. He can handle a dragon!”

“What if it had been you, and don’t you dare say that you’re too clever to be killed!”

“Then the realm would mourn me and celebrate Thor’s defeat of the dragon,” Loki answered simply, rolling his eyes again.

“Are we that disposable to you? Do you truly not care if we had died?” Sif asked him, keeping a good distance between the two of them now that she had sobered up. “Would you have mourned if it had been me? If that creature had killed me, what would you have done? Would you have attended my funeral and then celebrated my death?” Loki’s eyes widened at her question and he stepped toward her with an answer that died on his lips as she spoke again, “Get out.” She pointed to the door. Loki opened and closed his mouth as he struggled to find his words. “I said get out of my chambers.” She swallowed hard as she glared at him. Loki closed his mouth and she watched as he straightened himself out and pushed back his hair before going to the door and left.

Sif exhaled the breath she had been keeping in and wiped at her eyes as tears fell from them. How could he? She wondered to herself as she locked the door behind him. She resolved herself to never trust him again. There was no way she could after he had set the dragon free and endangered her and their friends.

Loki leaned against Sif’s door as he sighed to himself. Of course he had ruined this. It was too good to be true. Things never went his way. The universe was determined to ruin any chance he had at happiness. It wouldn't be long before Thor was announced as king but Loki couldn't stop wondering what would happen to him. What use was he going to be if Thor was in charge? Couldn't he be allowed a tiny bit of happiness? Just a tiny bit of love? He could care less about Thor if there was one person who could love him. He had just set his hopes too high in thinking that this…. thing between him and Sif could be what he needed- what he wanted.

Loki rubbed the back of his neck as he glanced down the corridor before heading back to his own chambers alone.

 Present

Loki glared at them all over the rim of his wine glass. Another conquest, another celebration. It was worse now that Thor’s mortal was here with his friends. All of them held a distrust for him after what had happened on Midgard and were less than pleased to see him out and about instead of being locked up in a cage somewhere. Frigga had managed to convince Odin that Loki should have to pay for what he had done and her punishment, he believed, was far worse than whatever Odin had planned for him.

He was at least glad that he could drink throughout the whole wedding event even though he was expected to be helping with the decorations and the rest of the event. He could still probably have a little fun of his own and moved to stand next to the wedding party at dinner tonight. Thor, Jane, and The Warriors Three did not notice him as he approached them. It would be so easy to charm Thor’s drink into snakes and Thor loved snakes oh so much. He wondered how loud he would scream this time and the thought caused a smile to grace his lips. A hand gabbed his shoulder before he could get any closer and he looked over his shoulder to see Sif behind him. Her other hand rested on the sword at her waist.

“You have a sinister look on your face. What are you planning this time, Loki?” Sif asked him.

“A wedding, dear Lady,” Loki answered smoothly, turning to face her. “The concept must surely be foreign to you since no man would ever wed you.”

“And no woman would dare align themselves with you so what business do you have in planning a wedding? You are going to be a bachelor for the rest of your life,” Sif inquired, ignoring the slight directed at her.

“My mother asked for my assistance as any sensible person would. For a wedding, it should be the most magical day of any woman’s life. As you know, I am a Prince. Any woman, save you, dreams of becoming a Princess. I could have any woman I want if I so cared to marry. It is a pity that I love none,” Loki remarked coldly as he removed the hand from his person.

“Such luck be to women that you love no one or else they would have to put up with your unflattering appearance your lead tongue while you grace their presence, but they could only rejoice when you leave them,” Sif took the wine glass from his hand and threw back the rest of the contents.

“Brother, you’ve stopped sulking in your corner!” Thor remarked as he took notice of Loki’s arrival and clapped a hand on his shoulder as he stood beside him.

“I came to speak with you and your bride. Mother had asked me about the flower arrangements but I think that they would clash terribly with the table decorations,” Loki told him as he turned away from Sif.

“You’re really on board with all of this?” Thor asked him, a small bit of suspicion in his voice.

“A wedding should be the most magical day of a woman’s life. Your mortal deserves that before she’s stuck with you for the rest of her life,” Loki smirked as they approached the Warriors Three and Jane.

“He’s got a point there,” Fandral laughed. “Our Prince is a very loud snorer. There’s been too many times that we have contemplated smothering him with a pillow just for a good night’s sleep.”

Sif stepped up beside the Warriors Three with a fresh glass of wine, Loki noted, as she spoke, “Which Prince are you referring to Fandral? I have thought about smothering our trickster Prince on many occasions so that the realm could breathe a sigh of relief and sleep well after his tricks have ended.”

“Well if it isn’t our neglected Shieldmaiden. Are you feeling left out because we’re not here for your wedding, dear Sif?” Loki inquired as he took a glass of wine from a passing tray. “Your name may mean bride, but you are hardly bride material.”

“Loki, please, don’t start fighting-” Thor said to his brother.

“She started this. If she doesn’t like this game-,” Loki began to tell Thor as he gestured to Sif.

“Why are you still talking, my Lord? No one listens to your lies anymore,” Sif interrupted him.

“Oh, the Lady wounds me!” Loki exclaimed as he tossed back his drink, “Well, I mean… she would if she could best me on the training grounds, but alas I remained unwounded by her.”

“Only a coward knows not to show his face if he is going to be beaten by his superiors. Thus, the Prince locks himself away in his room and hides his nose in a book,” Sif grinned as everyone around the two of them laughed at her slight.

“Best to keep my face hidden away than to be scratched and scarred by that sword of yours, especially with the way you swing it! There should be at least one man who can escape the Crimson Dragon- I mean, the Lady’s wrath. It is a miracle that even Fandral can keep his good looks when you enter the training yards during a bad week or two.”

Fandral snorted at the joke but quieted under Sif’s glare. She turned back to Loki and took a sip before she spoke to him again, “Why a scratch upon your face, Loki, could not make it look any worse. I mean, if that is what you are wondering, my lord. It could use an improvement.”

She smiled as the others laughed again at their seemingly harmless battle of wits. Even Loki was surprised by how well Sif was keeping up with him. She had learned much in the last few years.

“Well, well. It seems that the Lady Sif is no longer as slow in wit as my brother. It almost matches with my own. You should be careful or someone might be apt to suggest that you now share the bed of a different Prince especially since your bed is now cold and Thor is engaged to his mortal.”

Sif’s grin faded immediately as Thor choked on his drink and Jane patted his back lightly,

 “Loki..” Thor tried to warn him in a low voice between coughs.

Loki turned to face Thor, “Twas only a jest. The Lady Sif’s bed has always been cold as no man would have her and the Lady is too prideful to share her bed with another.” He turned back to Sif, only for her drink to be thrown in his face. Apparently, the drink was not enough humiliation as Sif slapped him across the face next. “You shouldn’t have played with me, dearest Sif, if you did not like the outcome,” he said as he wiped the wine away from his eyes and off of his face.

"A Frost Giant you may be, but your heart is so cold because no could love a monster like you,” Sif hissed before she turned and left the group.

"Well, the Lady does have a few tricks up her sleeves after all,” Loki smirked as he touched his cheek gingerly.

“It was cruel of you to imply that we were lovers or that she could only be as smart as you if she was sharing your bed,” Thor said to Loki as Jane squeezed his hand in reassurance. “Sif has only ever been a true friend-”

“As true of a friend as which? Fandral? Hogun? Volstagg?” Loki inquired. When Thor opened his mouth to speak, Loki continued, “The Lady had a crush on you in our youth. She stared after you constantly. She just could not act on her feelings in fear of losing your trust and friendship. Our dear Shieldmaiden knows nothing about love but longs for it still from where she cannot have it. I, on the other hand, do not care if no one loves me. No one has ever loved me before,” Loki turned and left before Thor could say anything more.

~ M & M ~

Frigga found Loki deep in thought in the middle of her gardens. This was the not the first time that Frigga had to comfort him after a fight with his brother and his friends. Ever since he had gotten in trouble for stunning his brother and turned him into a frog, he had always run away to the bell flowers whenever he was upset. As hard as he tried, Loki was utterly predictable when he was upset. She sat beside him and he turned to look at her before he looked away. There were tears this time. He had been hurt deeply this time. “Are you going to tell me why you are upset or do I need to ask your brother about what happened this evening?”

“There’s nothing to tell,” Loki lied quickly, not bothering to care that the lie was flimsy. Frigga knew him better than anyone else.

“Well, I guess it is good that your brother already told me what happened this evening. You are upset by what Lady Sif said to you,” Frigga set her hand upon Loki’s and rubbed soothing circles on the back of his hand with her thumb. “People often say things they regret when they are angry.”

“Her words were true. I may not look like a frost giant at this moment, but I cannot hide what I am: a monster and a villain,” Loki muttered darkly.

Frigga cupped his cheek gently, “You are always so perceptive about everyone but yourself. You helped fix the Bifrost under Heimdall’s careful observation. Lately, I have seen you sneaking out of the palace to help assist the artistic community, my dear son.” Loki opened his mouth to deny it, but Frigga continued, “I have always seen through your illusions and you have always loved theater, Loki. You are forging a new path out of the shadow of your brother and father. Thor has begun to look at you in your new light and has hope for the man you have become.”

Loki scoffed to himself, “I hardly believe that. There are no words of praise, only whispers about the damage that I have caused. I take great pain from their words, even when they believe that I am not around to hear them.”

“My son, no one is perfect, not even I. We make mistakes and we learn and grow from these experiences. It does not matter if they focus on your mistakes so long as you do not focus on them,” she squeezed his hand before standing to take her leave.

Loki grabbed her hand before he stood to hug her. “You are the best mother that anyone could have asked for,” he whispered and she hugged him back before leaving the gardens.

~ M & M ~

 Jane leaned her head against Thor’s arm and squeezed his hand as he worried about his brother. Truth be told, she had worried about Thor’s brother too but differently from Thor. She had been skeptical of Frigga’s insistence that Loki help with the wedding especially given that he was still being watched after what he had tried to do in New York. It had been weeks now and Loki hadn't done anything yet to prove he was unhelpful. Jane was surprised that he had actually helped her with some of the flower arrangements and some of the table decorations. They had talked a little about her wedding arrangements before her curiosity finally confronted about his magical abilities. He was amused at her questions and there wasn't much her sciences could properly convey about the workings of seidr. Perhaps, he was changing.

 Although, tonight worried her about Loki’s behavior. In his battle of wits with Sif, he had insulted Thor and her as well. She wasn't quite sure what to think of him.

Thor’s voice drew her back to the conversation at hand, “He said no one loves him, Jane. I’ve tried all I can to show him that he is loved.”

“It certainly doesn’t help when he argues with everyone!” Fandral exclaimed as he sat across from the couple on one of the couches in the antechamber. Hogun was tending to the fire and Volstagg was eating from one of his many plates of food. “Look at his argument with Sif tonight! The two of them squabbling like an old married couple!”

Jane laughed to herself, “Yes, the two of them going at each other reminded me much of one of my favorite stories. They were very Beatrice and Benedick-esque. It was like watching a real show of Much Ado About Nothing.” Thor and the others gave her a puzzling look. “It’s a love story about Beatrice and Benedick, man and a woman, who hate each other and how their friends trick them into falling in love instead. The characters have a battle of wits as they try to insult each other.”

“It sounds much like the two of them!” Volstagg agreed. “They’ve been at each other’s throats since that trip to Muspelheim when we fought that dragon and had to spend six months healing from the burns and several broken bones each.”

“I remember. We almost lost Loki on that trip. His wounds were the worst compared to everyone else,” Thor told them gravely and Jane squeezed his hand again.

Fandral gave a small laugh, “It was right after we were released that I thought I had seen the two of them together. I had had one many too casks of ale that night at the celebration.”

“You jest!” Volstagg exclaimed.

“I also thought I had seen Sif and Loki that night,” Hogun agreed and Fandral’s smile lessened but remained.

“No! Loki and Sif!? Impossible!”

“Tonight, I would have sworn there was something between them,” Jane replied and Thor looked at her curiously.

“Loki and Sif? They’re not…” Thor trailed off by the embarrassing thought of his brother and his friend together.

“No, it doesn’t appear that they’re together, especially not with that comment she made. It’s possible that they might still have feelings for each other, and are too proud or afraid to act upon them!” Jane gave him a grin. “We could trick them just like Beatrice and Benedick!”

“You want to trick Loki into admitting he has feelings for Sif-” Thor began.

“-and trick Sif into admitting she has feelings for Loki?” Fandral finished. “This could go terribly wrong.”

“It could, but it could loosen Loki up and then he can’t sulk and claim that no one loves him,” Jane tried to persuade them. “It was as you said, they already fight like they’re a married couple. They just need a push in the right direction.”

“If this doesn’t work, they’ll be at each other’s throats for centuries,” Fandral pointed out.

“How would we trick them?” Hogun asked Jane. Jane smiled and clasped her hands together.

“I have an idea, but only if you’re on board,” She looked at Thor before grabbing his hand and squeezed it once more.

He stared into her eyes and was mesmerized by her determination. Jane had a point. He had wondered himself about the nature of Loki and Sif’s relationship over the years but never inquired because he was afraid of being presumptuous about the nature of their relationship. Loki was always protective of things that were his and he would be the same way if he ever courted anyone. Thor already had a shaky relationship with Loki after everything that had happened, but didn’t he deserve love too? He squeezed Jane’s hand back, “What’s your idea?”

~ M & M ~

Loki had been heading toward the library when he spotted his brother and his friends in one of the hallways leading to the library. They were facing away from him and speaking in hushed tones. Loki narrowed his eyes and began to make his way toward them.

“He’s following us,” Thor whispered to the others before he turned to Volstagg and adopted a serious expression as they continued down the corridor away from Loki. “Sif spoke to you as well about her… and Loki?” He said in a louder voice to catch his brother’s attention.

Loki froze as he overheard them speaking about him… and Sif? Well, she was their friend, but why was she speaking to them about him? Loki raised an eyebrow as he tried to sneakily follow them.

“Yes, we talked to her this morning,” Fandral agreed, turning to face forward so that he couldn’t see Loki hiding from them. “I just could not believe my ears when she confessed. I thought she was playing a trick on me! She continued to hit me until I stopped laughing! My arm still hurts!”

“When she admitted that there was something between the two of them long ago and the wedding has drug up those feelings, I was astonished since she gave no outerly affection toward our Trickster.” Loki paused as he shadowed them. Sif had told them about their kiss? And she still had feelings for him? After all this time? He was scarce to believe them but then, Hogun spoke and his thoughts were swayed.

“Sif has been careful to appear as if she truly hated Loki in order to hide the true feelings that she has,” Hogun supplied helpfully. “Better to hate him than appear weak for caring for him.”

Volstagg laughed, “I would do the same if I was in her shoes as would anyone else who truly cared that way for him.”

Loki nodded to himself in agreement. It made sense that she wouldn’t confess that she liked him in any form. He had tried to enslave Midgard and he wasn’t the best person to have feelings for.

“We just have to make sure that Loki doesn’t find out or she’ll have our heads,” Thor continued in his booming voice. Loki rolled his eyes. Thor definitely didn’t know how to be quiet to save his life.

“I just don’t see why Sif continues with the charade. Why pretend she still hates him if she were to confess and be with him instead?” Volstagg wondered aloud.

“My brother would hold it over her head and you heard him yesterday, Loki cares nothing for love. Poor Sif! Her affections wasted and you know as I do that he won’t return her affection!” Thor answered.

“He was right though,” Fandral pointed out. “Sif longs for love where she cannot have it.”

“She would suspect it to be some kind of trick if he started to court her now,” Hogun told them all.

Volstagg nodded, “And she would deny her feelings for him if he were to ask her about it as well. She would rather keep this secret until she died!”

“Well, enough talk. Jane will be waiting for me to escort her to luncheon with my Mother,” Thor said goodbye to his friends before they all went different ways.

Loki paced nervously in the hallway as he thought about their words. Sif. Beautiful, bold Sif cared for him? He had a childhood crush on her back in the day, a crush that carried over into his youth and now here into adulthood. Damn. He felt his cheeks flush red in embarrassment. He certainly had feelings for her even now despite his attempts to squash them. If she still felt something for him, he should try to win her over. But the others were right. If he tried to court her now, she would think it is was a trick and if he asked about her feelings, she would deny it vehemently.

His feelings for her were genuine, however. He just needed a way to prove it to her.

The next few days had gone terribly for Loki. In hindsight, he shouldn't have been as cocky as he had been. He had been hiding in the training yard watching Sif s routine and memorizing her forms so that on this day when he came to the training yards, he would challenge her with the intent of winning.

He should have come up with a better plan than challenging her to a fight with a prize from the loser. She stood over him now with her foot on his chest and her sword pointed at his face. “What were you trying to win from me?” She inquired, her grip tightening around the hilt of her sword. The blade touched his neck as she continued, “I want the truth.”

Loki remained silent as he debated which lie to tell her. She narrowed her eyes and pressed the sword down carefully, not enough to cut him but still painful.

“If I had beaten you, I was going to request a kiss, dear Lady,” Loki answered after he narrowed his eyes at her.

Sif stared at him in surprise, the blade no longer digging into his neck. Loki took the opportunity, grabbed her foot and threw her off him. The two scrambled back to their feet and now holding blades at each other.

“I guess it is a draw. No one wins.” Loki answered, his chest pounding wildly as he stared at a flushed Sif. He gently lowered his blades before stepping back and then leaving the training yard. Sif didn't relax until he was gone from her sight. She turned to look at the Warriors Three who looked as surprised as she did.

Sif excused herself from her friends as she went to the showers to clean herself up after this morning's exercise.

Sif was sure her friends would be in their usual antechamber before dinner but she heard something unusual as she approached them on this night.

"He really has feelings for Sif!" Fandral exclaimed to his friends. Sif paused as she almost entered the antechamber. Someone had feelings for her? "Why else would he suggest a kiss from her if he could beat her?" Fandral continued and Sif felt herself flush as she realized they were talking about Loki at the training yards this morning.

"He could have been subtler," Hogun chimed in. Sif could feel her heart pounding away in her chest as her friends spoke. She looked away from them to stare at the ground. He pointed to the door and the others looked to where he was pointing before quickly turning around.

"You don't think he's planning something?" Volstagg questioned the rest of them. It came out more awkwardly than he would have liked and he felt stupid for not being able to think of anything else to say.

"Do you mean something malicious? It is highly unlikely that he would involve Sif in his plan," Fandral continued as he tried to steer the conversation back to their goal. "H-he tries to hide his feelings for her but he's- Well, I mean he's been so obvious that he does care for her! I'm sure you've seen those fleeting glances toward her-"

"-and then those sharp insults at her so he can actually look at her for a change! Why insults they are not but a confession of his love!" Volstagg continued, sneaking a glance at Sif frozen by the entrance, staring at the ground. He turned back to them. "He hates having to insult her but it's the only time she'll look at him!"

"Poor Loki! Always unlucky!" Fandral continued, looking to Hogun for some kind of direction.

"Jealousy has driven him mad." Hogun added and Fandral clapped his hands together.

"Exactly! He's been jealous!" Fandral exclaimed. "He's jealous of Sif's friendship with Thor! That his brother is closer to the woman he loves!"

“It is a shame that Sif does not return his feelings. He'll probably do something truly awful before the wedding to make-up for the fact that she doesn't love him in return.”

“You shouldn't say such things.” Hogun supplied, looking away as Sif looked toward them.

“With Loki, you never know what will happen next! Look at this morning… he thought Sif would notice him if he went down to the training yards and challenged her but Sif clearly could care less. She doesn't love him and Loki was right. She is too prideful to give him or anyone a chance. I bet that she is afraid to be loved!" Fandral added, glancing out of the corner of his eye. Sif tightened her hands into fists, ready to march in there and prove that she was not afraid of anything when Fandral spoke again, "That must be why she pushed him away after Muspelheim. Sif is afraid of the fact that Loki loves her and she doesn't know what to do about it. He would proclaim his love to her in public but he knows that she'll rebuff him."

Sif loosened her fists and bit her lower lip. Loki must have told the Warriors Three about their very brief relationship and that she pushed him away after finding out that he freed the dragon. Sif had heard enough and she left for her rooms. She ran straight for her chambers and locked the door as she leaned against it. Loki was in love with her? It couldn't be...

...but they could be right. It would explain his odd behavior.

He hasn't come out to the training yard since... stars, she can't even remember the last time he was there. Yet he had known almost every move she made like he had been taking notes to fight her. Maybe he had been watching her when she wasn't looking. She had had feelings for Loki. She had been in absolute tears when they had brought him back from Muspelheim and he had almost died from his burns. It was the reason she had thrown herself at him once he had been freed from the healing halls and joined them in their celebration. She had tried to keep these feelings to herself since then. They were troublesome. Fandral was right... she didn't know what to do about her feelings for Loki. She hadn't even been sure that he cared for her in return but maybe she should watch him more carefully to see if he actually did care for her. 

~ M & M ~

Loki paced nervously in the hall before he knocked on her chamber door. He braced himself as the door open and Sif stared at him. "What are you doing here?"

"I... I...," he stuttered for a moment. He shook his head to clear it as he had momentarily forgot what he was going to say when he saw her. So instead, he said the next thing that popped into his head. "I was sent to fetch you for dinner."

"I know when dinner is," Sif replied, her grip tightening on the door handle.

"Well, Thor wanted you to escort me to dinner," Loki countered, screaming internally at himself. Thor wanted you to escort me to dinner? What in Hel's name is that response? Loki watched as she gave him a weird look. "He still thinks I need someone to watch me-" What am I eight years old again? Thor wants someone to watch me? "-a-and make sure I'm not planning anything. He knew you wouldn't tolerate any of my tricks."

"Oh," Sif stared at him blankly for a moment. She bit her lower lip as she tried to think of something to say but then she noticed he was staring at her lips? His eyes flashed up to hers and then quickly away. They were right. The Warriors Three were right! Loki had feelings about her! He had tried so hard on the training yards for a kiss this morning and she had beaten him up for it.  The walk to dinner was unbearably quiet. She felt like an idiot for not saying more earlier so she tried to recover the conversation. "There are some of your tricks that are tolerable... I-I mean useful in battle."

"Really?" Loki was surprised. Had she truly just given him a compliment on his magic?

"You just need more practice before you'll be any good in a real fight," Sif continued.

And the insults were back.  But the others had said she was just trying to cover up the feelings she had because she couldn't believe he would love her back right? So, if she was insulting him like she had done the other night, then surely, she was not really insulting him. Perhaps, there was a clever double meaning in her words which meant he would have to continue this little game of hers.

Loki smirked before he spoke, "Is that why you are always practicing my Lady? Because you, yourself, are not any good in a real fight?"

Sif opened her mouth to quickly object at his slight but the words of her friends stopped her. Why insults they are not but a confession of love! He hates having to insult her but it's the only time she'll look at him!

Her heart hammered in her chest. Was he trying to gain her favor? It was a poor attempt. She should have slapped him for that comment. Instead, she said, "I practice because I do not have a worthy partner to practice with."

Loki rarely visited the training yards but this morning, she had called him a worthy opponent after their duel and Sif did not have him to practice against on a regular basis. Would that mean he is a worthy partner for her?

"Well, I imagine it is hard for you to find the right partner given your high standards," Loki replied, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. "I am sure you could find yourself a partner if you lowered your standards."

Sif supposed Loki must truly be jealous of how highly praised Thor is to suggest that she lower her standards to consider him as a partner. He should quit comparing himself to his brother. "I do not need to lower my standards," Sif answered, looking at him curiously.

Loki mused on her answer for a moment. He was a Prince with a high status. Maybe Sif didn't want to lower herself to find someone else. Loki was utterly convinced there was now a double meaning to her words. He would have to continue analyzing their conversation to find all the things she truly liked about him. “You could cut someone a break, you know, especially if you are looking for a worthy partner.”

Sif felt her face flush and looked away from him. “Who said I was looking for a partner? Perhaps, I've found the right one but they don't want to practice with me,” Loki almost tripped over his own feet but recovered quickly, just not smoothly.

“Not practice with you? That would be a shame,” Loki began, noticing Sif’s eyes slide back toward him with a suspicious look. “...for the women. Another pretty face unmarred by the Lady Sif. Whatever will the men do if not spar?”

“Stick their nose in another book, probably,” Sif smirked as she tossed the insult back at him.

Loki grabbed her arm and she stopped in her tracks to look at him as he spoke, “If the Lady desires a rematch, I can gladly acquiesce your request… for a price, of course.”

A price? Sif thought to herself about how he had barged into the training yards and then challenged her. She could feel the blush rising to her cheeks as she tried to innocently inquire, “Still trying to win a kiss? I'm sure if you're that desperate for some company, you could find someone willing if you lifted your head from your books.” The last bit she added with a grin.

“You would be surprised, dear Lady, by what it is in the contents of some books. Hardly innocent, I assure you,” Loki was acutely aware that he still had a grip on her arm but it was as if she hardly noticed.

“Nothing involving you is ever just innocent,” Sif retorted back at him. Her heart was flailing wildly in her chest. She was trying to remain composed but his hand on her arm was slowly causing a tingling sensation throughout her.

“I like the danger…” Loki began slowly as he moved his thumb in slow circles on her arm. Sif glanced down at her arm. “The thrill of planning something and getting away with it or the thrill of getting caught and then the chase. Mischief and danger go hand in hand. It can be more fun especially when you're playing with fire…” He tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and Sif noticed that he had moved closer to her. As much as he liked this game, Loki was tired of the insults between them when there could be so much more. “... you just have to be careful so you won't burn yourself. Trust me, I have been burned before.” His eyes bore into hers. He was hoping his message reached her.

Sif swallowed hard as she stared back at him. Was he talking about that moment between them so long ago? Had he really remembered whatever passing thing they briefly had? But in his words, he had also mentioned the only problem she had with anything that could ever happen. “And you expect me to trust you? After everything?”

She suspected this was a trick- “Sif-"

“I have been burned before too, Loki.” Sif murmured quietly. “What is the difference this time?”

Loki knitted his brows as he thought to himself about her question. He had been a coward last time. He had fled when he should have stood his ground. That was the difference this time. He would have stay and hold his ground. “There’s more at stake. Things that important to me, that I hold dear…” He cupped her face. “…beliefs that I will fight for.”

He was dangerous, a part of her reminded herself. Yet, the danger was one of the many reasons she was drawn to him... like how she was drawing closer to him now- The dinner bells rang and broke the spell of tension between them. Sif moved back away from him, "We should get to dinner before we're too late."

Loki took a breath and recomposed himself. He was filled with a sense of regret that he hadn't just kissed her and ended this awkwardness between them. Now they had to go and face the others with whatever was looming between him and Sif. Sif watched his careful mask slide back into place. "Yes, we should," Loki agreed as he turned and headed off for the dining hall.

Sif fell into step with him and allowed the silence to set back in between them. Sif's mind was still reeling, trying to decode his words and his behavior. Surely, she wasn't wrong. He had feelings for her still! The Warriors Three were definitely right. She didn't know what to do now and her feelings and emotions were now a jumbled mess. He was dangerous, a criminal, and yet he was still the same Loki she had always known him to be. Loki who was mischievous and entertaining.  It was all she could think about during dinner and she kept glancing at him, but his composure remained even when Thor had spoken to his brother briefly and Loki nodded back at him.  She hadn't realized how much she had been staring at him until Jane had tried to capture her attention. Sif looked away from Loki quickly and looked to Jane instead, who was smiling at her. "I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention. What were you saying?"

Jane's smile remained as she repeated herself, "I asked if you would like to be part of a little gift giving exchange. We're going to put all of our names into Thor's helmet and then pick one out. Whoever's name we get, as long as it isn't our own, we'll secretly get that person a gift."

"That sounds like a lot of fun."

"Even Loki agreed to do it. I think everyone is a little worried about what he might give us but it'll be fun regardless!" Jane continued and Sif glanced back at Loki. She might get his name if sh were to participate in this little exchange. The others were simple enough to get a gift for. Volstagg would be happy with any kind of food. Hogun would love a new pair of boots as his have been worn down lately. Fandral would be easily placated with a bottle of wine and Thor would be glad to get some new bathing salts and soaps. Jane was fascinated with almost anything from Asgard especially the children's toys but Loki... What would she get Loki? But she might not even get his name....

"I'll do it," Sif agreed and Jane gave her a piece of paper and a pen. Sif wrote her name down and tossed it into the helmet. Jane went around to the group and had everyone pull out a piece of paper. Everyone checked to make sure that they didn't have their own name. Fandral had to put his slip of paper back after announcing he had gotten himself. Sif looked down at her own piece of paper before unfolding it...

Loki

Sif folded her piece back up and glanced at Loki, managing to catch his eye before he looked away from her. Did he know that she had gotten him? Sif grabbed her drink and took a generous sip. It was definitely going to be a difficult next couple of days. 

Loki stared at his piece of paper with his heart pounding in his chest.

Sif

He had to find something for Sif? Surely, she would like any kind of weapon but he wanted something more than that. Something more personal to him that he could give to her. He excused himself quietly and headed back to his chambers. The Warriors Three had said she would rebuff him if he tried to proclaim his love for her but perhaps if he proved himself to be sincere in his emotions, she would accept his feelings and confess her own? He tried to write down his feelings on a piece of spare parchment paper but then he thought that Sif wouldn't believe him if he just wrote down his feelings for her. He crumpled it into a ball, shoving it in his pocket as he tried to figure out what gift to get Sif. 

Thor and the others glanced at their own notes. Every one of them was marked Loki or Sif and they exchanged knowing smiles between themselves. 

~ M & M ~

At last the day came and Sif was nervous. She hadn't found anything that she thought Loki would like. She had even tried to write him a note confessing her feelings for him, but quickly shoved it into her pocket due to how terrible it sounded. She was giftless and it was so disappointing to her that he wouldn't have anything to open in front of the others. He was going to think that they excluded hims once again. She stepped into their usual antechamber where a table sat with a few boxes already. Sif went to one of the couches immediately and sat down staring at the fire. What was she going to say to him once it was his turn? I'm sorry but I couldn't find anything that I thought you would like? 

"Let's get started with the gift exchange!" Thor exclaimed happily as Jane put a bright red hat on his head with white lining. He headed toward the gift and looked them over as Sif looked away, fidgeting with her hands. "Where's Loki gift?" Thor inquired from them all as he looked at the gifts labelled with everyone's names. Sif felt the blood drain from her face. She would have to confess she hadn't gotten anything. She glanced at Loki and saw a flicker of sadness in his eyes before his mask slid back into place. 

"It's fine. I understand that I might be too fickle for someone to decide what to get me," Loki answered, and Sif felt her heart drop. She had to let him know that she had tried to find him something, but she hadn't been able to find anything. Mostly because her mind kept thinking about the encounter in the hallway and how they had almost kissed again because Loki wanted a kiss from her and that he had feelings for her. Loki stood and left before anyone could say anything more. 

"Actually, Loki does have a gift," Sif interrupted, feeling slightly embarrassed when everyone looked at her. "It's just...  Sif slowly opened her mouth to confess when her mind sparked with an idea. Loki wanted a kiss from her. The Warriors Three thought she was too prideful to ever give anyone a chance but this was a gift exchange. She could just give him a kiss as her gift. "It should be the last gift of the night. I mean...Well I just thought it would be better."

"The rest of these gifts can wait. Go ahead and go get him," Jane said to her. 

Sif flushed red in embarrassment. Fandral's words echoed in her mind about that she was afraid to be loved. That wasn't true. She was just unsure if he actually loved her or if this was just a game to him. If she was going to do this, she was going to do this. Sif stood and chased after him. He was moving slowly as he sulked back to his room. It was easy to catch up to him. 

"You have a gift! It's just... It's not the kind of gift you can wrap in paper and put a bow on it!" Sif said as she grabbed his shoulder and forced him to stop.

"Then, what is it? This gift for me?" Loki inquired, suspicious of whatever it was that someone was going to give him. To tell the truth, Loki felt insulted. He should have known better than to trust the others to get him a gift and he should have expected to get nothing. That was all he meant to them anyways. He was nothing. 

Sif sighed as she failed to find the right words to say but there was no way she was backing down just because he was looking at her suspiciously. Sif took a breath to calm herself before she grabbed Loki by his jacket and pressed her lips against his. She knew she had taken Loki by surprise because he didn't move until she ended the kiss.

"You wanted a kiss, I believe." Sif murmured, slowly pulling away from Loki.

"Did you mean that?" He asked her quietly and Sif nodded slowly. It was quiet between them as Loki's mind raced with a million questions. He shook his head- No, there would be no more thinking. He needed to act on his feelings.

Loki pulled her back into a kiss and Sif just wanted to melt against him. It had been far too long since she had had a kiss this passionate. Screw what everyone else thought, she had feelings for him and she wasn't going to let go of him this time. His arms wrapped around her, keeping her close. His heart soared as Sif wrapped her arms around his neck while she fought his tongue for dominance of the kiss. They stayed together for a few moments until the desperate need for air reminded them of where they were and they pulled apart their lips but remained wrapped in each other, flushed and grinning.

"I know you had feelings for me and I wanted to show you that I still had feelings for you," Loki said to her quietly. He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. "I wasn't sure what to get you so I had written this but I thought you wouldn't believe me if I wrote down what I felt which was why I got you your other gift back with the others." He handed it to her and Sif looked at it for a moment. 

"I want to hear you read it," Sif said to him, handing it back to him. "I want you to be the one to tell me."

Loki unfolded the note and glanced at her before reading it aloud to her, "My dearest Sif, I can in no longer in good conscious keep playing this game with you. The insults, the battle of wit, the snide remarks have been good fun ever since Muspelheim but I can't continue to be so mean to you anymore. I have feelings for you and I can't bear to keep them in any longer. It doesn't matter what you feel for me, I just needed to tell you that I care for you. I always will-" Sif pulled him back into another kiss and Loki wrapped his fingers into her hair as he deepened the kiss. He didn't want to pull away from her and it seemed that she didn't want to pull away from him either. "Sif, we can always continue this elsewhere-" He managed between kisses.

Sif broke the kiss to grab him by his coat and began to drag him back to her chambers. She paused for a moment, looking at him as she reminded him, "The others are probably waiting on us to return. If we dont return, they might try to find where we went. I would hate to be interrupted by Thor and The Warriors Three."

Loki nodded in agreement. "We can always continue this later when we won't be interrupted," He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her once more. They lost track of time again kissing each other until they heard a cough from behind them. 

They pulled apart to look at their friends smiling at them. "Well, it seems the two of you are enjoying your gifts from us," Fandral smirked. Jane slapped his arm. "Come on, they were all over each other!"

"Your gift?" Sif questioned.

"Jane noticed there was something unresolved going on between you two a week or two ago. We got you two to admit your feelings for each other instead of insulting and sulking about like you both have been doing lately!" Thor answered, wrapping his arm around Jane. 

"You got us to admit our feelings?" Loki asked skeptically as he tried to think of how it was possible that Thor and everyone convinced him to admit- "Wait, you didn't..." Loki covered his face with his hand. "The hallway. You and the others said Sif confessed her feelings for me to all of you so I went to the training yard a few days later and challenged her like a fool."

"But I never confessed-" Sif began to protest until realization dawned on her. "They said you had feelings for me which is why you challenged me in the training yard and they knew I was listening at the doorway..." Sif trailed off as she stared at Loki. He was looking at her intensely, probably wondering exactly what she was. What were they going to do now?

They both looked at Jane as she spoke, "We knew the both of you would be too stubborn to admit something had gone between you before so we gave you a little push." Jane continued for Thor, "You both deserve to be happy and you already bicker like an old married couple anyway."

Loki looked back to Sif and met her eyes. He swallowed hard. "We do bicker a lot," He admitted slowly with a small smile forming. Sif felt her heart beat faster in her chest.

"We do..." Sif agreed, a small smile forming on her own face. "...Just like we do have unresolved business." 

Loki's smile grew into a smirk before he turned to the others, "If you'll excuse us, we have to go unwrap our gifts." He grabbed Sif's hand and dragged her away from the others to his chambers.

Sif smiled at him when he glanced at her along the way. "You really do have feelings for me, don't you?" She asked once they were locked in his chambers. 

Loki pulled her into a short kiss. When he pulled away, He looked into her eyes with an expression she had never seen before on him. "I love you Sif. I always have," He murmured softly, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. 

Sif pulled him into another kiss which he returned enthusiastically. She pulled back and smiled at him, "I love you too. Now, I believe it's time to unwrap my gift." She smirked as she started to pull his clothes off of him.

Loki smirked as well as he began to strip Sif of her clothing, "Happy Holidays love."