Possible Meeting #248-B

A Curious Relationship

It was a train going somewhere in the Midwest of the United States. Lori wasn’t going to worry about where it was going exactly until the train stopped. It wasn’t a very full train, so there were several private booths that were open and she could have for herself. She walked through the aisle, deciding on which one to take, only slightly paying attention to the few conversations going around her.
“… Man, first New York and now London?” A young man commented toward another as they read the stories as they scrolling through their phones.
“I know, where will these aliens invade next?” His friend replied.
“… They’re blaming the one named Thor for what happened in London.” An Elderly woman said.
“I doubt it was even real.” Said another. “Other worlds.” She scoffed. “Just another tabloid article that got more attention that what it should have.”
Lori mentally shrugged. She wasn’t caught up in the Battle of New York or the London Incident, so she couldn’t really say anything for either side, and with how the Media was becoming more obsessed with ratings instead of facts nowadays, who’s to say who were right and those that were wrong?
It was the last bunker before another portion of the train began. It was secluded, a perfect place for her to get lost in the world of a book. She did just that as she slid in and bringing out the paperback. She pulled her feet underneath her as she sat crisscross on the fake leather seat, finding where she had left off somewhere in the middle of the book. The gold bracelet that mysteriously appeared on her wrist blinked with light, but she figured it had reflected the light of the sun as it came through the window. She flipped to the next page.
“… I see you like the bracelet…” A voice broke through the silence. “Otherwise you would have removed it from your hand.”
She had stopped reading the moment she heard the voice. She hadn’t heard it in a while, but she knew she would never forget it. Lowering the book, she went from surprised to concerned by the passenger that had appeared before her in the small, two person cabin.
Loki
He still looked the same as the day she met him a year or so ago aboard the Helicarrier. Only, he had seen better days. Loki had been pale to begin with, but his complexion was somehow paler than ever. His eyes, though still swirled with thoughts and his intellect, seemed duller, tired. He was still clean cut, save for his hair being longer, well past his shoulders, and his attire had not changed save for a few details here and there. He was still, rigid, within the seat he filled opposite to her, as if expecting her to shout at him, to tell him to go away and to never see him again.
She closed the book completely and put it aside. “And here I thought you were just a dream.” She said. Her smile was brief, but the concerning frown came back. She studied him like the healers would when he was young and he and Thor would get into trouble. “Geez, you look worse than death.” She reached out and cupped his cheek. “Are you okay?”
He took her hand and leaned into her touch, breathing in the faint scent of the lotion she had used earlier. “I will admit I have been better.”
“What’s wrong?” She asked, her look softening in the most delicate of ways. “You can talk to me.”
Relief washed over him and a weight lifted from his shoulders. He relaxed, lowering her hand to hold it in both of his, rubbing his thumb over the cloth of the fingerless glove she was wearing. He lowered his gaze.  “I have been wanting to see you for so long…”
Lori listened patiently as he explained what had happened since their meeting aboard the Helicarrier.  The blank space that had been her memory not long after was filled as he told the stories. She had stayed with him up until he had to go to Stark Tower to start the battle to conquer the Earth. He purposefully wiped her memories so that she wouldn’t go back to New York as the battle progressed, and he didn’t want her to get captured by the Avengers to be used against him. He talked about his defeat, and how a fog had been lifted from his mind once he was back in Asguard. He held himself as best as he could when he spoke about his mother and how she had passed away while he had been held captive, briefly going over the part where his brother got him out and they went after the Dark Elf that killed her, which resulted in the Battle the Battle of London. He finished with the London part, but she could tell that there was something else that was causing him stress.
She didn’t push it. If he wanted to talk about it, then he would talk about it.

Loki woke up, staring at the roof of the train with confusion. Then his eyes darted to Lori and he realized that his head was on her lap. She had those earmuffs on and was reading her book, completely content with letting him use her as a pillow. Once she realized that he was awake, she marked the page of her book, closing it before taking the earmuffs off.
“Have a nice nap?”
“How did I…?”
“Uh… I believe you finished with Thor’s victory in London and then you fell asleep.” She answered with a smile. “Which was probably for the best since you look way better than what you did before.”
He said nothing as he slowly sat up, wondering how he managed to get it into the previous position in such a cramped space, but he did feel a little better. Sleep had been eluding him as of late, and it felt nice to just be with her, comfortable enough around her so that he could be at peace. Lori shifted, getting up to sit opposite of him again.
“… Where are we?”
“It was announced that we’re about thirty minutes out of our destination.” She replied.
“And what is the destination?”
Lori shrugged. “Second star to the right and all the way to morning?” She giggled at his confused face. “Not really sure, honestly, but we’ll find that out when we get there.” Her smile faded. “Unless… you have to leave now?”
He knew he probably should, there were things that needed to get done. He briefly thought about taking her with him back to Asguard, but with the chaos of it all, he couldn’t risk it. However, he didn’t want to leave her just yet.
“I will stay with you for a little while longer.” He informed, happy to see her smile return.
“Great! I think once we get there, lunch should be the first thing we get.” She suggested.
He nodded. Then something came to his mind. “… You are not afraid of me?”
She stared at him curiously, tilting her head slightly. “Um… no, I guess not.  What makes you think I would be?”
“With everything that has happened, the war I tried to start, the blood on my hands.” He said. “And yet you sit there, happy that I am here, why?”
She didn’t answer that right away, and he could tell she was truly trying to think of a proper explanation for him. It seemed like it stumped her as she rested her chin in the palm of her hand, developing an otherworldly gaze as her thoughts tried to come together. Would she lie? It was impossible to lie to him, being the God of such things allowed him to see through many a façade. But what truth could she possibly come up with.
She lowered her hand as her eyes focused on his again. “I, well… I just don’t feel it. I know I should be afraid of you, you’ve been deemed an enemy to many, and everyone else on this train would probably call for the Avengers if they knew you were here. But… when I look at you… I see someone who… who is a friend. You never harmed me, not then and clearly not now. You talked to me when I was isolated on that ship. I just feel… comfortable to be around you.”
Had he been lonely for so long that her words practically evaporated the ice around his heart? Had he been so desperate for acceptance that the words of a mortal woman made him feel valid? Was he so endlessly tormented by grief that those words were enough to make him feel happiness again? He didn’t care. He would be forever grateful for those words.
He took her hands in his, barely keeping his voice level. “… Thank you…” A tear slid down his cheek. “I thought I would never hear such kindness ever again.”
She smiled, moving to wipe away the one tear. “That’s what friends are for.”
Friends, he thought he would never have them, not after what happened with his brother. There was still a hole in his heart, but part of it had been filled by her kindness, her friendship. His smile was not of mischief or of the all knowing smirk he was known for, no. It was a genuine smile that matched hers in every way. His desire for a companion that saw him, and not the monster that others could see. He might hate the rest of what this planet may offer, but she would be the one exception. She was in his inner circle, and would probably be the only one with the privilege.
The train stopped not long after. They were one of the last to part from the train, however just before they left their little bunker.
“Uh… you might want to change your clothes.” Lori remarked. “Wouldn’t want them to recognize you with all that gold.”
He nodded and a glow engulfed him. He was in a green button down and black pants when the glow disappeared. “Is this… better?”
“Oh yeah, much better.” She laughed, and she led the way out of the station.
Okay, so maybe their food wasn’t that bad either, so that was two things about this planet that he didn’t hate. The two easily spent the rest of the day of wandering around, spending time with one another, just simply talking. This was just one of a handful of times of them being together, and yet, it felt like they had been friends for as long as Thor and Loki had known each other.
The sun was setting, and they had settled onto a bench in a park, watching what few clouds there were pass over the fading sky.
Lori leaned back and sighed. “… You’re gonna leave soon… right?”
His heart sank. “… You have no idea how badly I want to take you with me.”
“But…?”
“But now is not a good time.” He answered. “There are things, several things that I must get done before it is calm enough to retrieve you.” He got up from the bench and faced her, taking her hand and placing it over his heart. “But know this, the moment everything settles, I will come to get you. This I vow.”
Would there be others that would call her crazy? Definitely, but there wasn’t much for her here, and despite what she knew she should do, reject him and call SHIELD or whoever was willing to get him locked up, his eyes showed a man she had known for a long time, and not the psychopath the news labeled him as. As long as they were together, they were in their own little world of safety and peace, and that was enough for her.
“How long will it take?” She asked
“I am uncertain.” He said. “I am confident, however, that it will not be long, and we will be together, provided you wait for me?”
She giggled. “I can’t guarantee that I’ll wait for you here.”
He grinned. “No worries.” He gestured to the bracelet he had given her. “I will find you.”
She sighed once more, cupping his cheek. “… Go on. The sooner you get things done, the sooner I get to see you again.”
The kiss that happened next was sudden, but natural. She was in love with the maniac that wanted to conquer the world. He was a God that fell in love with a strange mortal. An odd paring to say the least, but who gave a damn about what others would think?
Just like the sun, he disappeared.