l o k i

“Maybe if the gold has been spray painted on.” 

He was amused, and it was evident in the slight smile he wore. “It is still quite fashionable,” with a snap of his fingers, the horned helmet appeared before him, bobbing in the air. “How else would people recognize me?” 

“And what did you find?”

He indulged the mutant - mostly out of conversation than courtesy. “That the well is ever so deep. I know you’re powerful, but what you can do is just the beginning.” 

“Gray’s inevitable. Murder and forced enslavement isn’t the right thing, Loki, no matter how you spin it.” Sam shook his head. “Doesn’t matter now if it doesn’t happen again. We’re big on second chances around here but also being smart.”

“What’s the point of the power if you cannot use it?” It wasn’t a question for Sam to answer. He didn’t care to hear his opinion. “Is this a warning then?” 

“I read your file, you know.” Roz knew she shouldn’t say anything but couldn’t help herself. Not after all of the research she had done on the Asgardians. “People do change, obviously. I was just curious.”

“Have you now?” he tossed, feigning interest. “People are subject to their whims. Change is rare.” 

“Oh, no. I don’t want to know you. We’re work place acquaintances. I’m just bored.” Ripley smiled, saccharine. “And I like being up to date. Must be the ex reporter in me.” That was an exaggeration. She was a c-list journalist on a good day.

The corner of his lip twitched. “Delightful.” he took a seat, crossing his legs as he gave a flourished twirl of his fingers, conjuring a cup of tea. “If that is all, Star, feel free to be up to date elsewhere.” 

“Me? Prattling?” Natasha’s nose scrunched slightly. “Not usually.”

“Must sound different on my end.” 

“Rude. Funny, but rude. He’s looking a lot better ever since Thanos was defeated the second time.”

“He always was too sentimental for my liking.” 

“I’m a child of Hell. It didn’t take me long to win my war.” It wasn’t entirely true. Illyana had entered someone toddling and came out looking like a decade had passed. Which, it had for her.

“No, I gather it didn’t. It’d almost be pitying if it weren’t so useful.” 

“Why would I want to go anywhere else? There’s superheroes here, and I know basically everything. Like, you’re Tom Hiddleston in my world. Girls think you’re so freaking hot.”

A glint of humor flickered in his eyes. “So I’ve heard. Superheroes are dangerous work.” 

“I have an excellent hydrating cream, don’t worry.” Emma’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll forgive if I must, but I was raised to never forget. I have to thank daddy darling for that.”

He simply waved a hand at her, his gaze leaving Emma’s to settle along the walls. “So strong willed.” he hummed his words. “Not everything’s a fight, you do realize.” 

“I always wanted to be married. It was important to me.”

“Not important enough, it seems. Given your current status.” 

“Our marriage is annulled. Or, at the least, it’s going to be. There’s been nothing marital between us in a long time.”

“You seem rather concerned for a mere annulment.” 

“I bother myself with answers, and that is what I seek.” A cold determination settled over sharp features. “I’m trying to keep track of who to hunt down and punish.”

“Vendettas will give you wrinkles, Emma.” he intoned. “You really would do best forgiving and forgetting.”

“Well, I’ll be that person. Your hair is super greasy. You’d like great with a quick cut. I bet I can find some garden shears.”

“Brave girl.” Loki said offhandedly. “Gwendolyne Poole. What made you stay in this reality?”

“I don’t know. I like it. It’s cathartic.”

“You always were a child of war.”

“That’s a rude way of phrasing. Maybe he’d be happier if his brother didn’t have such an untrustworthy vibe.”

“Thor is happy if he has ale and a package of those little gummy worms that are all kinds of bright colors. My vibe is irrelevant.”