Work Text:
You move about the kitchen, humming gently to yourself, setting the table with the last few minutes of cook time. The owl shaped timer goes off and you use two old, worn pot holders to pull the large roast from the oven. Breathing in the savory rosemary and garlic aroma, you smile to yourself as you set the meat to the side to rest. You take some of the drippings and prepare a gravy to go with the roast. Once that is done, you carve and arrange the meat on a moss green ceramic plate. You flick your fingers out towards the table, a soft lavender glow emitting from them as the candles on the table lite. The last finishing touch? Opening a bottle of wine, of course.
“Perfection, nearly.”
That was very much your style; nearly perfect, rustic comfort. It showed throughout the small house that you lovingly decorated with vintage and modern pieces, hand made gems, and found treasures.
You moved around a lot due to your powers, but those same powers allowed you the ability to take with you those things that really meant the most to you.
One such item hangs in the small hallway of your house. An heirloom, passed from generation to generation. You make your way to it, stopping directly in front of it and smile, breathing deeply in preparation to use your galdr. Looking at your reflection in the small framed mirror, you repeat the sentence thrice. The one that you’re confident will bring your guest of honor for tonight’s meal. Something you have been looking forward to for quite some time, even if it might not be the most conventional way to invite someone over.
“Loki is not a villain. Loki is not a villain. Loki is not a villain.”
The mirror’s surface ripples with magic as you finish speaking, bringing a pleased smile to your face.
You return to the kitchen, checking everything over once again before pouring the wine into two large glass goblets.
Your skin erupts in goose bumps as you feel a trembling wave of magic pulse through the air.
A small smile breaks across your features; he must have arrived.
A loud knock sounds at your door and you move towards it, pausing to listen at the muffled confusion and cursing from the other side. Chuckling, you unlock and open the door with a small smile.
“Well, hello.”
You take in his appearance: the worn yet cared for leather that adorns his shoulders and is strapped across his chest, the dark forest greens and blacks that play a delightful contrast to his pale skin, making his green eyes stand out even more.
“Would you like to come in?” You ask, moving to the side and motioning inside. “You’re just in time; supper is ready.”
“You were expecting me?”
“More so than not.” You chuckle as he looks you over, trying to discern what exactly is happening as he takes a step inside.
“Forgive me, I failed to introduce myself. I’m (Y/N).” You hold out your hand for him to shake.
His assessing eyes become softer, taking your hand in his, he lifts it to his lips and kisses your knuckles. “(Y/N). I’m delighted. I am Loki, though I imagine you know that already?”
You hum your acknowledgement paired with a small smile as you move back to the kitchen. Loki follows and says, “Pray tell, where are we? Midgard?”
“Yes, though I haven’t heard it called that in a long time. Wine?”
“Please.”
He takes the glass you offer and takes a sip, humming in approval.
“Sit, please,” You motion to table. “Everything’s ready.. besides, you’re making me nervous just standing there.”
“My apologies.” Loki says, eyes gleaming with mischief.
“Sit anywhere you li–“ You get cut off as a flash of green envelopes you and suddenly you both are sitting at the table.
Your sudden movement causes you to chortle, oh yes, this evening most definitely was going to be a good one. It has been far too long since you’ve been around anyone with their own seidr.
You start to dish out the food, putting plenty on each plate. You take a bite and realize Loki hasn’t moved since you put the food in front of him. His eyes drift from the plate to you and back again.
“It’s not poisoned.” You jest, making him eye you skeptically, but he takes a bite regardless of your words.
Loki hums in delight. “This is rather good for Midgardian, what is it?”
“Cow,” you laugh, knowing it might irritate him somehow, though how exactly you’re not sure. “You know, big animal with the bendy horns?”
A genuine smile breaks across his face, he laughs, “Yes, I am familiar with such beasts.”
As the evening continues, conversation flows easily, just as the wine does.
“You honestly turned into a horse?” You ask, with a shocked laugh. “I was really hoping that was one of the stories that wasn’t true. What would you have done if someone bridled you?”
“Mare, actually. It was a calculated risk; I may be an idiot, but I’m not stupid.” Loki counters with a chuckle, your laughter contagious. His face turning serious before he continues, “You’re no ordinary Midgardian are you?”
“Not exactly.” You say with a pained smile, “No.”
You hold up your palms, allowing purple magic tipped with blue to swirl from them like flames. As the magic flows, your smile grows, “Ordinary people are just so boring.”
“Hmm,” Loki nods his approval. “And what else can you do, darling?”
Your eyes light up at his simply stated challenge. You smirk as he is encumbered in a wash of purple sweeping mist of your magic, leaving him in black skinny jeans and a lazily buttoned plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled to the elbows. “You look pretty hot in plaid.”
“Well that’s certainly different.” Loki says shifting slightly, moving to admire his new clothing. “Do you have mirror? I don’t think I’ve ever worn anything similar to this before.”
“Yes, down the hall,” You say, surprised that he seemed to like it. “Let me show you.”
Making your way down the hall to your room where there’s a full-length mirror, Loki stops in front of the small mirror you used earlier in the evening to call him.
“Loki?” You stop in your tracks when you realize that he’s no long following you.
“That’s quiet the piece..” He mumbles mostly to himself. “Where did you get it?” He asks, his eyes never leaving the small mirror and detailed frame.
“It was my Baba’s and I suppose her’s before that.” You whisper back, his interest in the piece making you uneasy.
“I don’t mean to pry, (Y/N). But is that really all?”
Loki raises his hand to touch the edge of the frame but stops when a glow of purple magic swells from your hands, further lighting the dimly lit hallway.
“Please, don’t.” You say, worry washing over you.
He drops his hand and turns fully to you, his features soft. “My mother has something similar in Asgard. Though it is much larger, I’ve used it before, it’s no where near as powerful as this one.”
With his words, the flickering lavender light of your magic fades out, leaving you both in the growing shadows of the hall.
“What?”
“It’s rather common with powerful beings, at least elsewhere, to have such treasures.. I haven’t heard of it happening as often here, not without great struggle. This,” he looks to the mirror, turning back to you, words dripping with sincerity. “Your Baba. You even. You’ve been through a lot?”
“To put it lightly.”
Loki takes another step closer to you, nearly closing the space between you. His fingers entwine with yours as he peers into your eyes.
“This might be considered sudden, but I’d like to help, if you would allow me.” Loki says, his words barely higher than a whisper.
You nod your head, finding yourself getting lost in his green eyes full of hope and sincerity.
“I’d like to keep you close, help you grow in your abilities. You could be stronger than Frigga, stronger than myself even.”
“You’d help me, but why?”
“You are far too irreplaceable for this realm. That and you have that relic, and I suppose it helped you call me here? That alone shows how wonderful and powerful you truly are.. Beyond that, if I may be so bold, I feel somewhat drawn to you. And, these,” Loki says, pulling your hands up into his, cradling them, holding them between you. “I don’t think I could bare to see these in any danger, nor used against your will. I know that far too well.”
Compassion and trust swell between the pair of you, to an intensity that’s nearly palatable. Loki’s eyes flicker to your lips for an instant just long enough for you to catch it.
“May I, May I ask something of you?” He asks, suddenly in a timid manner you thought not possible for him.
“Yeah.”
“Would you allow me; may I kiss you?”
A steady smile spreads across your features as you nod your head. His nerves dissipate as he smiles, tilting his head towards yours, releasing one of your hands to cup your jaw as your lips touch. The kiss is soft, slow, full of promise and adoration. You rest your forehead against his, smiling with your eyes closed, still lost in the moment.
“(Y/N), darling, look.” Loki whispers, causing you to open your eyes.
You gasp at the sight around you. Shimmering, floating beams of magic in soft purples and greens float around you both in the small hall. Casting few shadows, highlighting and giving the place a soft glow with the aroura created by your combined magic.
“What is this? Is this what I think it is?” You ask, in awe.
“I believe it is.” Loki says breathlessly.
Your quest to the larger mirror long forgotten, you spend the rest of the evening on your velvet sapphire settee chatting the night away. As time flows, you move closer to each other, until your head rests on his shoulder, your legs draped over his. Talk has slowed into softly spoken tales. A calm story, whispered from Loki is all it takes to draw you into the land of sleep
“And then we.. oh, darling?” Loki looks down and sees your eyes shut, a small smile gracing your lips.
“Come on, darling, up to bed.” He whispers into your hair, placing a kiss to your crown.
He could use his seidr and whisk you efficiently to bed; you’d be tucked and nestled into your bed in the span of a breath. Instead, he scoops you up into his arms, cradling you to his chest, humming softly to keep you in your dream world. On his short walk to your room, he nods at the mirror hanging in the hall as he passes it. It shimmers in reply.
Loki smiles as he tucks you in, placing a kiss to your forehead before turning to leave. You catch his fingers as he takes his first step away.
“Stay, please.” You say, voice heavy with sleep.
“I..”
“Please?” You ask again, patting the bed beside you, stifling a yawn with your hand.
Loki hangs his head, shaking it softly but smiling. “As you wish.”
The bed dips with his added weight as he lays beside you. You scoot closer, knotting your fingers together. You drift quickly back to sleep, not feeling Loki’s kiss to your knuckles, nor his words softly spoken to you as he followed you to River Dream.
“Good night my sorceress, my wielder of lavender glam, enchantress of my heart.”