ᛏᚱᚢᚨ ᛗᛁᛅᛅ

@helvitisbrokentoy

D took the napkins gratefully, choosing to sit on the ground as he wrangled his emotions to something more manageable. “What’s the point of me talking?” he asked. “To defend myself? You’re Sigyn’s husband, you love her. My side of the story, my facts and reasoning aren’t…they’d be hollow words to you. I know they would be to me if someone hurt Dwayne.” 

His voice was more constricted than usual from his crying, which hadn’t entirely stopped yet. He rubbed at the scar on his throat uncomfortably. He didn’t look at Loke, staring instead at the crumpled napkins in his hands. “I don’t know what you’re looking to hear. Just disown me as your son-in-law like she did and ban me from your halls or…fuck I can’t remember what she said.” His face twisted briefly but he was quick to hide his face wiping his eyes again. “It doesn’t matter what I’ve got to say.”

   The expression on his face was impassive, unimpressed, with a vague hint of annoyance. If their wasn’t one thing Loke hated, it was people putting words in his mouth or creating decisions for him. It was beyond insulting: it was stealing his free will, his ability to think for himself.

         “Are you done?” he demanded, irritated. “This pity party of yours, end it. I am not going to coddle you. I will treat you as an adult, nothing less.” Brows drawn low, Loke pegged D with an austere look that was unshakable.

   He lowered down until he was at better eye level with D, arms folded atop his bent knees. “You’ve no idea what I will choose—don’t pretend you do. It matters to me what you have to say. Better to defend yourself than leave a foul image in my head. Take this opportunity I rarely have.” Because up against the Æsir, against the Alfaðir, what Loke had to say meant very little if it wasn’t in the interest of  Ásgarð.

“Well… a little.” Sigyn decides it’s best to be honest. “I meant what I said before, about you knowing so many other interesting people and places.”

Sigyn stops short at the sight of the flower in his braid. An unfamiliar warmth starts from her chest and expands outward, and Sigyn’s not entirely certain what to make of it. Except that she feels a strong urge to undo Loke’s braid and run her fingers through his hair.

Gripping her basket tighter instead, Sigyn returns Loke’s smile with one of her own. He brings it out of her easily. His is so warm and inviting that she can’t help it. If only there wasn’t still that hint of sadness about him… though maybe today it’s not as deep as it was the first time they met.

“Oh, um… I was mostly going to clean out the weeds today.” Sigyn shrugs apologetically, certain he’ll leave now. Even she doesn’t find today’s task that interesting. “I hate to do it to the poor things, but I haven’t figured out how to keep them from hurting the flowers yet.”

         “I find you plenty interesting.”

   More than that, she was refreshing, peaceful... lovely. She was the breath of air after drowning underwater for so long. Perhaps that made him foolishly romantic, yet it was true to him, to the pull of his heart and soul whenever he was around Sigyn. Loke wouldn’t deny himself her company. He refused.

   Stepping forward, he stood beside her to glance over the weeds that would be evacuated. A thoughtful hum buzzed his lips as he nodded. “Weeds are stubborn,” Loke smirked wryly. “They will do as they please at the expense of ruining your garden. Such is their nature.” He crouched as he reached down, fingers wrapping around the base of a bundle of weeds, and he gave one sharp tug, taking the plant killer out by the roots.

D had many faults - pride being one of the most forefront. He was the only child of one of the wealthiest and most influential men in the Northeaster United States, after all. His childhood had left many marks on him, and “spoiled” didn’t even begin to cover the basics. 

His chin lifted slightly as Loke spoke, but D hesitated. Not because he was prepared to launch into a speech, nor because he thought himself too lowly to answer. He hesitated because…this was Loke. Not the god, he’d already proven he didn’t give a shit about a person’s status, but the being. The father of his husband. The man he remembered rooting for in the myths. Who he learned (from Dwayne, and then from his recorded memory of the conversation) transgender and nonbinary people looked up to. 

Someone D trusted. D opened his mouth, closed it, then squinted briefly before…he burst into tears. Ever elegant and reserved, this kid was.

    Slowly, Loke tilted his head toward D, simply gazing at him while tears flowed from his eyes.  That wasn’t expected. They had barely began and yet already—this. Was it due to the reason of their meeting or something else entirely? It was hard to determine when D said nothing.

   Reaching into his pocket, Loke slipped a small pile of napkins out and offered them to D. The only sympathy he showed for this outburst, otherwise the Jötunn was largely unmoved. If anything, he found the display melodramatic, unnecessary.

[ ϟ ]—– With each inhale he savors the crisp air, lungs expanding to fullest extent as he revels in the quiet of post storm landscape. It was a soothing silence, the sort that had fire within veins subside and left an odd sense of contentment, as if every atom in his being approved the return of peace. A brief sensation he knew, for quickly would the urge arise once more, the heavy drum of pulse would emerge, and thrill of thunder roaring through the skies would rumble within chest and nerves.

Barely does he intend to move onward, only one step able to be taken when contentment is disturbed then, by touch upon back and the trickster coming into view. A sly emerging that has him mildly startled, blinking at the view of overly casual and all-too-familiar individual.

‘ I was not aware you were in such dire need of me Loke…’ Which is drawled out lazily, as if attempting to match the casual nature of the other’s tone, whilst wonder emerges in the god’s expression. ‘ My intent was to venture further up north, the mountains there seem quite appealing this morn.’ Heights were sought whenever restless nature demanded more release, and he quirks a brow into a faint arch, curiosity rising whilst a query is returned.’ Would you care to accompany me?’

   The mountains, no—that was where the Dwarves were, the ones who won Thor’s Hammer in an ill-placed bet by Loke. Dread sunk his stomach, churning it nastily as Loke held down his breakfast. He was sure the god wouldn’t appreciate vomit along with the bad news. It was good Loke mastered concealing his true emotions, otherwise panic would’ve been writ all over his face.

         “Marvellous idea, truly,” he agreed through a friendly grin. “Solace can always be found in the mountains.” Except perhaps this time. He needed to come out with it already.

aetlaendi 🙏 loke 

Being unable to see the range of emotions reflected in her godspouse’s eyes unnerves Saoirse, bringing her nerves and uncertainty right to the prickly, uncomfortable surface of her skin. One hand cupping the top of her arm while the other nervously picks at anything it can: fluff balls, thread, anything is fair game. 

“ I–I think it went really well. She made me a big cake which was nice but also—stressful. She was really nervous but I think we worked past it. … I didn’t upset her or hurt her feelings, did I? ”

   Listening, He noted how nervous she was without bringing attention to it. Although not His intention, part of Him couldn’t deny the satisfaction in watching her squirm. Expression still in hard lines as she answered, Loke only softened when she finished, easing very slowly like air whistled from a balloon. His lips curved upward, His gaze sparkled with approval, never leaving Saoirse.

@aetlaendi | we disturb not the trees, we embrace them

                         “ how is it so many come to despise this change of season? there is nothing more beautiful than the declination of a thing in its natural way. mortals have no sense of true treasures. ”