This Is Stella's Reality

May 17, 2015

Loki laughed, "You think Odin will ever let me leave this place even if I am out of this cell?" There was malice in his voice so cold it sent a shiver through me.

I turned to him. "Would you ever want to leave?"

He regarded me for a moment. His blue eyes were reflecting the red hot flames beside him. "I would rather be anywhere but this golden façade," he said bitterly.

We watched each other for a moment before I nodded and turned back to his shelves. "My fiancé already hates you," I commented.

"Fiancé?" He asked. "I thought you had two boyfriends."

"I'm getting married to one of them."

He chuckled, "A bit complicated, no?"

"More than you know," I sighed. My feet had ended up behind him. I peeked over his shoulder at the book he was reading. The language was unfamiliar to me and unlike anything I had ever seen.

I leaned on the back of his chair, bringing my head next to his so I could inspect the letters more clearly. He winced and recoiled away from me. I grinned, "Do you want to see the ring?" I knew he thought I was annoying.

My hand jumped in front of his book which he closed with much annoyance. But he humored me and lifted my hand so his eyes could better see the deep blue sapphires of my engagement ring.

"Not bad," he remarked. "It is quite beautiful. Now, go away, you're annoying me."

I laughed, "Do you think we'll ever be friends?" My eyes were caught on a beautiful plant up on a high shelf. It was a lily of some sorts with huge petals and bright white.

"If you continue to pester me, no," he said casually.

"Shame," I sighed. "I've been told I'm quite the annoying brat."

He hummed, "So I see."

Just as I was about to ask about the lily, I sensed Steve stumbling drunkenly through the door of our guestroom. I waited, making sure he slid into bed safely beside Bucky and I.

He did, pressing kisses to each of our sleeping foreheads and murmuring I love you before drifting to sleep.

I smiled to myself and blinked back to the library. Loki was watching me. "You've gotten quite good at that." A compliment. Rare.

"Something else I may be good at," I said wishfully.

A smile pulled at his lips. "To be honest, darling. I do not think you will have difficulty with much that I have to teach you. You're quite skilled." His eyes watched me for any change in expression. I tried my best to hide my delight.

"Why do you think so?" I asked.

He paused, "Something about you." His voice sounded far away.

I frowned and leaned on the back of his chair again. He winced once more and refused to turn to me. "What about me?" I asked quietly.

His head shook, "You will learn in time." He brought his hand to my face and gently pushed me away from him.

"But what does that mean?" I practically pleaded.

Another laugh reverberated through him. "You are very impatient. No wonder those boys of yours need to punish you so often." His voice was too casual.

I turned to him with my jaw dropped. He did not look at me. "Excuse me?" I asked, scandalized.

He hummed.

"How many of my thoughts do you read?" I asked.

His eyes met mine with a shit-eating grin. "I know more about you than I care to," he said blankly.

I sucked my teeth. "I am going to have so much fun reading your memories in the morning," I said lowly.

He winced and rolled his eyes. I brought my hand to his shoulder with a fake smile on my face. "Get some sleep, stupid boy. I'll see you in a few hours." I winked at him and willed myself back to bed before he could respond.

My eyes blinked open, and I looked on either side of me. The boys were snoring. Cute. My heart hurt a bit remembering our dilemma. A problem for after we get the scepter.

I sighed, closing my eyes and trying to fall back asleep. It came easily with the fresh and cool Asgardian air drifting over my face, and my boys cuddling around me.

The morning promised to be long, and there was no guarantee it would be easy. But for all of our sake, I had to try.

I thought of Loki's future. Wandering the seemingly endless corridors of the castle, reading and rereading every book in his library time and time again, watching Thor take the throne with bitterness in his heart.

And when Thor takes the throne, would he be allowed to have Bruce at his side? I hoped so for their sake. They were deeply in love; I didn't need them to tell me that.

All issues for a later time. Right now, all I needed to worry about was freeing Loki. And that could start tomorrow. For now, I fell into a deep sleep with pleasant dreams.