sanctified.

Darcy laughed, shaking her head as she watched Loki gather the files. "Oh, of course. Royalty privileges and all that," she said with a playful roll of her eyes. "And marrying Hill's brother? That's one way to get on their good side, I suppose. Just make sure the wedding isn't as chaotic as your last few escapades. Pretty sure the entire city's had enough chaos for a while." She was referring to the incident they had been researching, and as much as she wanted to solve the mystery of who was behind that event she was so very glad to see Loki put the files away. "How you feeling about the whole marriage thing? I mean, you seem cool and collected about it, but if I've learned anything from watching Love is Blind, it's that there's always a million things going on in the bride's head before the wedding, so," Darcy tilted her head to the side. "If you wanna talk at all, I'm here to listen. Also, not that I need to tell you, but if I"m completely off-base, feel free to tell me to kick rocks."

"Mhm. Future king and all that." He winked over at her, before shaking her head. "No, no chaos. Guest list is small. We're not getting married in Asgard. My father's not coming. Which will cause problems, but that's a future issue." Loki walked back with her to his office. "Because I'm obviously the bride in this situation," he asked, before looking up at her. Loki smirked, "I'm kidding. Please don't do that babbling backtrack thing you do. It's much too late for that, darling" He unlocked his file cabinet to put the files away. "But we already live together. Already have a kid." Loki flipped through the folders to make sure they'd gotten them all, before placing them inside. "We're just putting it on paper and making it official. I'm not really worried about it. I'm more worried about what will happen to his ego when he becomes a prince."

She watched him walk away for a moment before responding, her voice carrying a hint of intrigue. "No All-Father at the wedding? How scandalous," she mused, her eyes glinting with mischief. "And as for my behavior, dear brother, you know I can be as civil as the occasion demands. Besides, I wouldn't want to steal the spotlight from you and your beloved. It's your day, after all." Hela crossed her arms in front of her, an amused smile on her lips. "Wherever this mysterious wedding is happening, I'll be sure to make an appearance. Can't miss the chance to see you officially tied down, can I?"

"I've done worse. Besides, I have the queen's blessing. I don't need the king's." Loki looked over at her when she referenced his fiancé, waiting for the your human, but smirked when she said beloved instead. "No, you can't. And all the teasing you'll give me later." He rolled his eyes, fondly, before adding, "Though you have extended your stay here well past what I thought you would. I'm a little surprised."

"You're nauseating," Clint hissed as they slid into the backseat. The intern who was driving gave them both a very confused, very eager look, but wisely said nothing. They put the partition up and Clint loosened his tie as the car started moving. "And I'm pretty sure you made up that 'God of mischief' thing just to get away with stuff. Peggy's a friend. I mean, a good friend, sure. Probably one of my closes-- just shut up. Don't even look at me, go back to hating my existence, that was better."

“Great comeback,” he deadpanned, allowing Clint to slip in ahead of him. He casually shrugged off his suit jacket as he followed in behind him. Loki snorted at the remark about his title, loosening his own tie as he glanced over at the other man. “Oh, please, birdbrain. If I could pick what I was god of, you wouldn’t like what I said.” Arching a brow at Clint’s tragedy of an attempt to backtrack, Loki quipped, “How many brain cells did that cost you? You know you’re running low.” With an eye-roll, he reached up to remove his earpiece. “I was just kidding, but now that you’re acting like a 12-year-old girl with her first crush, I see I struck a nerve.”

Edward didn't do much protesting, even when his fiancé tugged him down, ruining the peonies he'd just so meticulously brought back to life. "You fucking better," he murmured, rolling his eyes in response as he shifted himself more to the side. "Bitch," he said, running his hand through his hair to get the petals out of it. "You know, I'd be more glad your mother is not popping in unannounced anymore," Edward mused, giving him a look, though he meant it all in a joking matter. "See, the thing is, mi rey, I genuinely asked you what can I do to make you feel better, without any hidden agenda. So, if anyone's completely insatiable, it's you. But your wish is my command," he smirked and kissed him again before getting up. "Come on, time for a shower. I know your bitch ass is going to complain about the bugs," Edward said as he reached his hand out for Loki to take. And even though that shower left them dirtier than before, they finally emerged out of it, clad in their bathrobes. "Are you in a better mood, though? Enough to talk to me?" Edward asked, his expression softening, and he handed Loki his coffee cup. "Eisa's gone for the whole day, we've got plenty of time," he added with a teasing grin, his other arm wrapping around his soon-to-be husband.

“Mm. But I never said I wasn’t,” he replied. Loki raised an eyebrow as his fiancé stood, rolling his eyes fondly at the suggestion. “See? Not subtle. And definitely was not an innocent invitation, darling.” He smirked, though he paused before taking his hand. Instead, Loki turned, letting his magic swirl in green and gold tendrils around the garden, bringing the flowers back to life—again. Only then did he reach up and lace their fingers together. “Lead the way.”

Despite everything, the simple wave of Loki's hand, his familiar magic, and his gentle teasing words brought a smile to Thor's face. A shadow of his usual grin, but still enough to clear some of the clouds overhead. "No one can quite like you, little brother." But then there was a pause, and Loki's eyes met his and there was something in them that made Thor's chest tremble. When Loki spoke again, pointing to his own head, the sky echoed the rumbling. But it wasn't an angry sound -- it was just an ache. The rain fell anew, a drizzle as Thor stepped forward, growing more and more persistent. "Nothing will wedge us apart ever again, brother. It would take an army greater than any in the nine realms or beyond." Words, just words. Proclamations, declarations, promises -- Loki was right, they were easy to make. Thor pushed back wet hair from his forehead, and pulled his brother into an embrace, holding him tightly. Not for forgiveness, not because it would fix anything, but simply because Thor needed to. And he suspected Loki might need this as well. "If Odin still needs proof after all this time, then he is blind as well as a fool. And if he wishes to dole out punishment, I can think of far more appropriate targets than you, brother." He pulled back, keeping his hand on the nape of Loki's neck. "He will never face what Thanos made you do, I know it now. Because he would also have to face what he did to you first, what led you on your path. He is too proud to admit when he is wrong, the hurts he caused... but I am not." He paused, making sure that Loki's eyes were on his. "I am sorry, brother."

Loki chewed on the inside corner of his lips, remaining silent as the rain picked up around them. He anticipated Thor’s action a moment before it happened but chose not to stop him. He might have him about fifteen minutes ago when the idiot crashed into the backyard. Now, he simply let out a breath and let his head fall forward onto his brother’s shoulder. Because honestly, that was all he needed all along. “I guess this is a good time to say he’s not invited to the wedding?” Loki teased before sighing and continuing more seriously, “Father gets mad when he doesn’t get his way. He can’t use me—control me—like he thought he could.” When Thor placed his hand at the back of his neck as he always did, Loki lifted his head to look at him. “I told you, I’ve made peace with all of that. If I had been left in Jotunnheim, I would have died. And,” he paused before continuing, “when I let go that night on the bridge, I didn’t want to survive it. But I’m glad I did, even if I survived it by ending up on Thanos’s ship." Loki nodded towards the house where Edward and Eisa were. “Because I'd do it all over again if it meant ending up where I am now. But I’ve taken responsibility for the actions I controlled and moved on. Father hasn’t. He remains blameless and pulls everyone around him down for his own selfish purposes and his own wellbeing. I don't even think it's Asgard's anymore." Loki met Thor’s gaze when he searched for his. “I’ve never doubted your love for me. You’re the only one who knew I wouldn’t do the things I was doing. But that’s what I need, Thor. Actions, not words.”

"Will you ever stop objectifying me?" Edward rolled his eyes fondly and kissed him again before letting Loki pull away from him. He watched as he brought the peonies back to life, honestly just wishing that making his fiancé better was just as easy as that. He was going to try his hardest, though. "You still have the blueberries and a forest to fix," he murmured and moved closer to stand behind Loki again. He stood on his tiptoes to press a kiss to his shoulder and wrapped his arms around him. "I know, darling. I know," he sighed. "Is there anything I can do?"

"I don’t think I will,” Loki said, tilting his head with an amused smile. When Edward wrapped his arms around him from behind, he leaned back against his chest and savored the stillness of his fiancé’s embrace as his magic gracefully faded away. With a chuckle, Loki echoed, “Is there anything you can do?” Turning slightly he pressed his lips against the side of Edward’s neck. “You're not very subtle, kjæreste.” Loki trailed a line of kisses up the length of his neck before stepping away. "How about this. I’ll stop objectifying you when you stop being completely insatiable.” He smirked and nodded at him. “Come here.”

She tilted her head, studying Loki with a mixture of affection and intrigue. "Fine, I suppose I can refrain from calling him 'your human,' even if that is what he is." She sighed dramatically, her expression softening. "I have to admit, domesticity suits you, so I suppose I can adapt to this new, more civilized version of you. For now."

"I mean, yes. It is. But it sounds weird." Loki turned to face her, brow raised at the uncharacteristically soft expression on his sisters face. "I'm a prince, kæra. I'm always civil. Until I'm not." He smirked and leaned over to kiss her cheek. "You can attend the wedding without concern of whether or not your behaviors will be civil or not," Loki continued, walking around her. Glancing back, he clarified, "We're not getting married in Asgard and Father's not coming. He's not invited, I should say."

Darcy smirked at Loki's suggestion, shaking her head in mock exasperation. "Oh, so now you want me to clean up your messes too?" She chuckled, leaning forward to grab another folder from the table. "Also you seriously haven't done your paperwork since Christmas? Really? How do they let you run anything around here?" She teased, mindlessly flipping through the folder she'd grabbed. "I don't know... sounds like I'm getting the short end of the stick here."

"I offered. I didn't say you had to. There's a difference. And no, I do not do my paperwork in a timely manner, but it gets done eventually, though. Mostly." Loki snorted and lowered his coffee, looking over at her. "They let me do whatever I want because I'm royalty, darling. And I'm marrying Hill's brother so he's stopped being a gigantic bitch and has been downgraded to a medium-sized bitch." He hopped off the desk to gather the files they were most definitely done looking at this late. Or early. He really couldn't tell anymore. With a smirk, he continued, "They're also scared if they piss me off, I'll try to take over the city again."

Frigga laughed, the sound light and merry, because she knew it to be true. "You were always a fickle child," she teased, her voice gentle and sweet. It would've been more true to say that Loki sometimes denied himself what was truly good for him -- but some things a mother kept to herself. Loki's next words knocked her out of her brief reverie, she tilted her head as she listened. She felt the last sentiment before he spoke it, lingering in the air before it struck. For a moment, she just inhaled sharply and held her breath. She reached into the air and plucked the floating flower between them, spinning it in her fingers. "The world is a very different place now, darling. Things are not as they once were in the realms -- when chaos and calamity and wars raged on. When sacrifice was necessary, when love meant little next to survival and responsibility." A certain face flashed through her mind, but she pushed it away and continued. "Our people, we've upheld the traditions that kept us alive, that have carried our children into adulthood. There were many times," she said softly, her eyes flicking over to meet his. "When I've had to do things that I wished I didn't have to do. For the good of the realm, of my people. Or for my children." Her hand came to his cheek, cradled it gently. "But I did that in the hopes that you would be spared that," she said firmly. She took the flower in her other hand and threaded it through the buttonhole of his suit. "Things are changing. Quickly, more rapidly than I have ever seen the realms change. And while some might use that as an excuse to cling to traditions more tightly than ever -- perhaps it is a sign that it is time to move on." She smoothed his lapels and smiled up at him. "This is your time, Loki. You and your brother are young and vibrant, and you will do great things. And you will do them in your own way. You do not need your father's blessing for any of it," she said firmly. She rose up and kissed his cheek again. "Nor mine. But you have it," she promised.

Loki looked down at Frigga, studying her expression. He could tell by her reaction that she knew what he was going to say before he said it, but he still let out a small breath of relief when she spoke, clearly accepting his decision. He smiled as she slid the flower into his buttonhole and caught her hand before she dropped it, raising it to his lips to kiss the back of it. “Thank you. Honestly, I’m not sure I could go through with it without your blessing,” he teased, gently releasing her hand. “I can’t imagine you not being there. I wouldn’t do it if you couldn’t be. And I hate that there’s a part of me that still wants Father to be there.” He sighed. “I wish I could say I don’t want him there without feeling that lingering part that wishes he could be, but he can’t. I can’t do that to myself, especially not during my wedding.”

Thor wasn't so sure unscathed was the right way to say it -- but Loki's point was clear enough. His pain was clear enough. "As I said, the repercussions will have to come through me to get to you," he said simply. "I have not always been timely in my protection of you, brother. I admit that. But I have always managed to be there eventually." He let out a breath, tension and exhaustion mixing in his veins, and he shook his head. "It would be nice. But I suspect it would do neither of us any good," he said, so quietly it surprised himself. He wanted to reach out and clasp Loki's shoulder, hold him tight, assure himself with physical validation that they were okay -- but he didn't. "I ask for nothing else from you, brother. But whatever you ask of me, you will have it." He paused a moment, glancing around the damaged trees and the singed ground. "Pass my apologies onto Edward and Eisa, for the disturbance. If you need me, you know where to find me."

The argument died on his lips. He didn’t want Thor caught in the middle of this mess, not after everything he’d put him through, especially not after Thor had watched him fall—let go—on the bridge. But there were many things he didn’t want. He didn’t want to deal with their insufferable father, but that was unavoidable. He didn’t even want to be king that much. Never had, but it was inevitable now. “Your niece is psychotic, and Edward knows what he’s marrying. And I,” Loki began, raising his hand as his magic mended the damaged trees and restored the singed ground to vibrant green, “am used to cleaning up your messes, big brother.” He turned to Thor with a small, but there smile. Loki paused, looking at Thor. “I can’t fix this,” he said, gesturing towards his own head. He sought his brother’s gaze. “Because he…” Loki trailed off and said instead, “I can only learn to deal with it.” His eyes drifted back to the house. “I haven’t even told Edward half of it. I don’t know if I can. But you know. You’re the only one who does.” Loki looked back at Thor. “And I feel like Father knows that. Maybe he doesn’t and really is just an idiot, and the timing was a coincidence, but it didn’t seem like it.” He leaned against the tree behind him. “It felt like he was trying to wedge us apart again, or punish me for everything Thanos made me do. And I’m tired of trying to prove to him that I didn’t want any of that to happen.”

"Don't I?" Thor asked, and for once, his voice was incredibly quiet. No louder than the gentle drizzle falling around them. "He may have held me up as his chosen heir, but he lied to me too, brother. I cannot deny it was a sweet lie at times, but it was still a lie. He still sought to use me. He took all that was real and good in my life and twisted it and --" His voice was raising now, and he knew that despite Loki's spell, the sound would carry. He took a breath. "And I allowed it to happen," he said finally, staring at his brother. "I keep allowing it to happen, because I am a fool. But no longer. You wish for action, brother? Then I will give you action." He steeled himself, placed a hand on Mjolnir, though his eyes stayed steady on Loki's. He lifted the hammer to the sky and lightning crashed around them. A branch fell to the ground with a mighty crack! And on the remaining end, the jagged part that jutted out from the tree, appeared a raven. It looked angry somehow, its dark eyes gleaming in the rain. "I am done," Thor announced, to the bird. "I renounce you, father. I may be a prince of Asgard, and for now you are its king, but we share no other ties. Do not think I announce this by raven out of cowardice. I do it, to show you that I will no longer leave my brother Loki's side for you, no matter the reason." He nearly said no matter the cost, but he found it wasn't true. There was no cost to this. If it meant his crown, so be it. He would serve his people in whatever way he could, but his family, his brother, their children -- they came first. With a wave of his hand, he sent the bird off. It took off into the night with a loud cry, disappearing into the air, and Thor turned back to Loki. "If my actions tonight start to make trouble for you, I will intercede," he said, strangely calm. "I will stand between you and any fallout that might come. But until you need me, brother, I will do as my wife says -- and give you space."

“You did,” he replied with a nod, his tone icy and unwavering. “But you emerged as the unscathed golden boy.” Loki tilted his head to the side, looking at him. “I wasn’t so lucky.” His gaze fell to the hammer. Loki opened his mouth to stop him, knowing what was about to happen, but it was too late. “And I’m the dramatic one,” he deadpanned, slowly shaking his head. Arms crossed over his chest, he watched as the bird took off. “That’s not going to have any repercussions at all.” At one time, this might have been enough for him. He would have continued to push it all aside and moved on. But a lifetime of secrets, lies, and broken promises had built up and weighed too heavily on him now. “So, what?” Loki raised his hands, gesturing between them. “Am I supposed to run into your arms and forget all of this?” He dropped his hands to his sides and looked at his older brother, exhaling deeply. “I accept it. And I’ll see if you live up to it. That’ll determine my direction from then on.”

Darcy chuckled at Loki's theatrical rant, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms. "Hey, I'll have you know my 'unhinged vibe' is part of my charm," she retorted with a playful roll of her eyes. As Loki dismissed the possibility of a new recruit being the culprit, Darcy nodded in agreement. "Fair point. It's probably not a newbie. They've got enough hurdles to jump through just to get here, let alone pull off something this elaborate," she conceded, setting down the folder and leaning forward. "But you're onto something with the revenge angle. People don't usually go rogue without a motive. Tony's got a knack for rubbing people the wrong way, and knowing him, he's got a long list of people who might want to make his life difficult."

“Same,” he said with a wink, tossing the folder aside. “Yeah. Especially from before the whole Stark Industries rebrand.” Loki shrugged and picked up his coffee. “If not him, it has to be one of us.” He thought it over for a moment, then turned his gaze back to her. “You know, while you’re in this crime-solving mood, you should take a look at the mountain of paperwork on my desk I’ve been ignoring since Christmas.”

Edward was very well aware that his fiancé had been watching him for the better part of the hour, which pissed him off even more. He was fiddling with the peonies, assessing the damages done and muttering angrily to himself, loud enough for that smirky asshole across the backyard to hear him and his very colourful Spanish. I hate you," he rolled his eyes when Loki used magic to bring the flower back to life but soon his expression softened as he looked at his fiancé, taking his hand in his. "I knew what I was getting myself into the second I had my first thought of marrying you, mi rey," he smiled and leaned in to kiss him. He pulled back after a few moments, his eyes firmly looking into Loki's. "Are you okay, darling? It looked all kinds of intense last night."

“Oh, please.” Loki shook his head. “You’re outside—sweaty, shirtless, and swearing in Spanish. I wasn’t about to ruin any of that for me.” He smirked, letting his fiancé pull him into a kiss. But the amused look on his face changed at his next question. Loki shrugged and took a step back, turning to the garden. He waved his hand, enveloping it in a cloud of shimmering green and gold. The flowers almost instantly reverted to their previous state, looking completely untouched by the explosive lightning from the night before. “I’m okay,” he finally replied. “I love him and I know the idiot means well. I’m just tired of people doing that to me.” He looked at the flowers for a moment longer before turning back to Edward. “I’ve had too many people make me feel crazy for being pissed when I have every right in the realms to be.”

Klara had little to no recollection of what had happened - as if she was on an autopilot and all her instincts took over when she saw her baby girl in that woman's arms. When it was finally over, she just took to hiding in the nursery, not letting anyone in and not leaving Lovisa out of her sight. The baby was now sound asleep in her arms but she still could not get the sound of her crying out of her mind. A gentle knock on the door brought her back to reality and she was just about to let them know to get out but seeing her best friend was honestly what she needed. "Find us a new realm where nobody can find us?" she asked, immediately falling into Loki's arms. She sat there quietly for some time, not really sure how much, just staring at Lovisa. "I should have done it," she eventually spoke, "I didn't stop her and now she's going to do something worse. But I couldn't, I--," she sniffled and shook her head, hiding even more in his embrace. "I wouldn't be able to look Ella in the eyes."

Loki smiled slightly despite the situation. “Don’t tempt me. I could find a way.” He stepped back and looked down at her, his hand coming up to gently rest against the side of her face. He sighed and leaned forward to press a kiss to her forehead, falling silent at her words about not being able to do what she wanted. He couldn’t deny a sense of relief that she hadn’t done it. “I’m glad you didn’t,” he admitted. “You have to live with that choice forever. It changes you, no matter the situation.” He shook his head and continued, “She’s not going to come near her again, darling. We won’t let her. I won’t let her. I don’t care about her connections. If Rafael and Edward can’t get around it, Lovisa’s of Asgard. I have the legal authority to make her life hell.”

The sight of his brother with ice-blue skin and pale blonde hair at first set Thor's teeth on edge. He hated that it did, even though it lasted only for a second. A habit he had been taught, but one he no longer believed. He opened his mouth when Loki turned back to him, but stopped at his brother's words. Then he just listened, listened as the accusations and the truths pierced him more coldly and deeply than any weapon or spell ever had. "I... I am -- Brother, I..." But Thor trailed off, snapping his jaw shut. For a long moment, he stayed silent. Dark clouds swirled overhead, blotting out the starlight and the moon. No thunder. No lightning. No rain. Then slowly -- slowly the clouds began to thin. The moon peered out between wisps. "Thank you," he said finally, voice thick, husky. "For your honesty, brother. For telling me I needed to hear. No one else has ever been able to make me listen as you do. Not mother, not Jane -- not even Heimdall, brother." Certainly not their father, though that perhaps didn't need to be said. Thor tried for a half-smile, but it wouldn't stay on his face. A more serious expression took its place instead, his eyes searching to meet his brother's gaze. "I told myself that I hoped it would help -- change things, or that it would prevent him from doing something worse -- But... I knew. As you said, brother, in the back of my mind. I knew." He stepped forward, moved to place his hand on the back of Loki's neck. Slowly and deliberately enough that his brother could move or shift or tell him to stop, and Thor would. "This is my journey. And it is a harder path than I expected it to be, but it is my burden to bear, and unlike our crown -- it is not one I ask you to help me carry." He took a deep, solid breath. "All I ask is that you do not give up on me, brother. Because I hear you. And the next time Odin calls me to stand at his side, I will tell him that I am already at my king's side. Our reign may not begin until he is gone, but my loyalty lies with you, brother." And only when he finished did a gentle rain, like a whisper, began to fall.

He noticed the moment, brief as it was, when Thor’s reaction betrayed discomfort at seeing him out of his Asgardian form. Loki raised an eyebrow, silently challenging him to comment, but Thor said nothing. If he wasn’t still angry with his brother, he might have acknowledged that growth. He saw how slowly Thor reached out to him and, though he had time to move away, he didn’t. Though his cold, unwavering gaze remained fixed on Thor. “You’re getting better with your words and how you string them together, big brother,” he mused. “But that’s all they are to me—words. Words you’ve said in some variation dozens of times over the past four years.” Loki took a step back, not enough to dislodge Thor’s hand, but enough to create some distance between them. “I am grateful to you. For being the only one who realized I wasn’t in control of my own mind, for getting me off Thanos’s ship, and for clearing my name when we returned home. Those are actions I appreciate, but the rest are just meaningless words unless you do something to prove otherwise.” Now he stepped completely back. “I know you’re hurt and your journey is your own, but you have no idea what it feels like to look into the eyes of your father and realize your entire life has been a lie—that you were only there because he wanted to use you for his own selfish purposes. To have every moment where he treated you as second best suddenly make sense because you finally understand your place. I know you couldn’t do that to Astrilde.” Loki looked at him for a moment longer before continuing, “So how do you think it feels for me, knowing all of that, to see my big brother—the one person who has always been on my side and taken care of me my entire life—go back to him time and time again? My head’s been fucked with enough, Thor.”

"What kind of god are you then?" Clint asked, wrinkling up his nose. "Besides," he added, falling into step beside him. "There was once a time when you would've begged to be in a small confined space with me for twenty minutes. Don't think I've forgotten that." He gave his friend a crooked grin. When they reached the stairwell and Loki taunted him -- both with words and with his futzing longer legs -- Clint stopped. He grabbed a railing and vaulted over the side of it without thinking too too long about it. He landed a step or two behind Loki, in an all right pose, though his knee whined and creaked in a concerning way. "What girlfriend?" he asked, eager to distract from his less than stellar landing, standing up as quickly as he could. "You mean Peggy? That's hysterical, yeah."

"God of mischief," he replied with a smile, tilting his head to the side. "I might be able to fix you, but I never claimed to be a benevolent god." Loki was on his way down when he heard an ungraceful thud behind him. He glanced back to see the result of Clint's attempt to get behind him and rolled his eyes, making his way to the waiting car. With thirty seconds to spare. "Please. The look on your face is nauseating."