Loki's fall (sequel to loss and Loki)

Turn You Back Into A Stranger

"And I'm not even really a fan of talking to myself. One sided conversations aren't it." I shrugged, pulling my knee up to my chest as I pressed the silky petal I had caught between my finger and thumb, feeling the ache that had hollowed me out for far too long lift a little, if only for a little, and for the slightest moment.

"That being said, I think I've been sat here for two and a half hours already." I smiled weakly, checking my phone as I felt the warmth of the day begin to wane a little. The sun was creeping back to the safety beyond the horizon and I looked up at the multitude of colours it had splashed out across the sky. And I chuckled. The slightest laugh escaped me, rusty  and hoarse in its time of disuse, but a laugh no less.

"Kinda funny how I've probably spoken more words to your fuckin headstone than I've said to you while you were still here." I smirked.

"Well...more depressing than funny but it brought a laugh outta me didn't it?" I shrugged and reached up to push my hair safely over the left half of my face again, worrying the wind would brush it back like it knew exactly what I was trying to hide.

"You wouldn't mind me laughing at your grave would you? Nah course not. You'd pretend to be offended but you'd laugh as well." I grinned.

"If you were here..."

I swallowed thickly and look down at my clenched fist, opening it to see the torn up petals, of one of the flowers Id bought, scrunched up in my palm. I sniffed a little and tossed them over the freshly churned up dirt, letting out a shaky sigh.

"Sorry I ripped your flower." I muttered, resting my chin on my knees as I stared at the nameless headstone they hadn't got round to engraving yet, feeling the pain twist round my heart and fill me with a needle like chill that spread faster and colder than the evening breeze whispering through the seams of my hoodie.

"Eh...you have like ten more you're not gonna miss it." I smirked, groaning as I pulled myself to my feet and looked on the scene I'd been watching for the past few hours once more before I shook myself off and blew out another breath.

"I'm heading off now kiddo. I promise I'll be back soon to wash the fuckin bird shit off your grave." I grinned, running my fingers over the smooth marble a final time before I headed back to the road to grab a taxi to the hospital.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"How's the little gremlin?" I grinned as I opened up the door and was greeted with a chorus of shushing noises. I swiftly shut my mouth and quietly slipped in, accepting the hug off my brother before he could get a proper look at my dirty boots and soiled knees.

But it took him a grand total of a few seconds after I pulled back anyway, to take in my state as a frown pulled at the creased features of his face. I sent him a look as he watched me carefully, staring deep into my eyes with a look of sympathy he tried so very hard to mask. For my sake I supposed.

"You've been back haven't you?" He uttered quietly, sighing as I rolled my eyes and headed over to the hospital bed to greet his wife. She looked a lot better today and held a happy flush in the high points of her cheekbones as she smiled at me and patted the chair next to the bed for me to sit down in.

"How is he doing?" I whispered, looking down at the bundled up creature against her chest, fast asleep and swaddled up in blankets between his mothers arms. He let out the slightest mewl in what seemed like an answer, and his little hand reached out beyond his blanket cave like he'd somehow sensed my presence.

"He's great, the doctors say his lungs are working fine on their own now and he should be home in a couple of days." Abby smiled wearily, looking down at the screwed up little face with a glimmer of awe pooling in her gaze. I smiled and nodded, happy to have some good news after the month I'd had.