Beautiful Chaos

{part two | chapter three}

The sunlight was warm on her skin and the breeze was gentle. She did not know where she was but she did not think to care. Her body was covered by a long silk dress the color of fresh cream. Standing, she let her feet carry her around the field, wandering aimlessly. Something in the distance stopped her. There was a man, standing a few feet away in a black suit, his pale skin contrasting greatly against the dark fabric and his equally dark hair.

"Loki?" The man turned around at the sound of his name.

"Lilith." He walked towards her, slowly, and she met him halfway.

"Hello."

"Hello, darling."

"Where are we, Loki?"

"A place I'm quite fond of. I'm not entirely sure of what it's called though."

"It's beautiful."

"Yes. Beautiful." After a few moments of silence and only the sound of the tall grass dancing in the breeze filling their ears, Lilith spoke again.

"What do you suppose this means? You being here, that is."

"I'm not sure. But I think it has something to do with the scepter and the powers it possesses. It must've... linked us, somehow. Though I'm not sure why. We entirely despise each other."

"Loki?"

"Yes, darling?"

"I don't despise you."

"I don't despise you either." The pair stared out across the meadow in another comfortable silence. They weren't sure how much time had passed, but eventually Loki interrupted the quiet, "I think it's time to go."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure."

"Oh. Alright then. Loki?"

"Yes, darling?"

"I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you as well."

"I know you're not the real Loki, just a figment of my subconscious imagination, but I'm glad you don't despise me," after a moment she added, "And I'm sorry for what happened to you."

"Thank you, darling." With that the god cupped the mortal girl's cheek and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch before her eyelids fluttered open and she was back in the quinjet, several questioning looks being thrown her way.

"What?"

"You were talking in your sleep."

"What did I say?" She felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment as she recalled her dream.

"Oh, nothing really, Lady Stark," Thor answered, "Just a great deal about my brother, Loki."

"Oh. Anything in particular?"

"Just his name, mostly," Clint chimed in, "And something about... what was it?"

"Something about missing? I don't know, we didn't quite catch it."

"Yeah I was um... having a nightmare about what happened last year. I was saying something about the uh, Loki. And the scepter... going missing," She lied. They bought it and she felt her embarrassment ease slightly as they landed the jet on the roof of the Avengers Tower. The group split up and went to their separate rooms to rest. Lilith flopped down on her bed, fully ready to sit back and read a good book when someone knocked on her door. 

"Come in!" She called, sitting from the comfort of her plush, cream-colored comforter. Nat poked her head in and smiled at her young friend.

"Hi, Flower," Nat said, walking into the room and falling backwards onto the mattress.

"Hey Red."

"I swear I'm gonna dye my hair just to make you stop calling me that," Natasha laughed.

"No you're not."

"I might."

"You won't."

"Shut up," Nat laughed again, hitting the brunette lightly on her shoulder, "So. What's with the Loki dream?"

"I told you already. It was just a nightma-"

"I don't believe you," Nat said in a sing-song voice, "because I know you, and I know when you're lying. It makes you feel itchy and you always scratch your forearms when you do it."

"No I do-"

"Ahem." Lilith looked paused her denial and looked down at the hands, one of which had pushed up the sleeve of her tight, red, long sleeve and was still scratching at the already-red skin on the back of her wrist. She quickly moved her hands behind her back.

"I forgot to moisturize this morning..." the girl mumbled.

"Listen Lilith," Nat said, "Something is clearly going on with you. It's probably minor PTSD, but you would know that better than I would," she said, gesturing to the degrees hanging on the wall above Lilith's desk, "So tell me. What was the dream about."

"I..." Lilith let out a big sigh and caved in, "I've been having nightmares since the battle last year. They've always been the same, always about getting stabbed and then I wake up. But they've been different lately. The first time they were different, I was with Loki. We were," She paused, breath hitching at the memory of the cool, silk sheets and the soft bed, Loki's fingers trailing up and down her bare back. She elected to leave that part out, "On Asgard, I think. It felt like a memory, sort of. But it never actually happened. Or hasn't yet? I don't know."

"Weird."

"Tell me about it. The second time was today, in the jet. It was me and Loki again, Just the two of us again. We were in a field and we were just... talking. Like we were friends or something. It was really, really weird."

"Well. I'm no psychologist," Nat joked, "but it's probably just linked to what happened during the battle. You were trying to get inside his head last year. Maybe instead he got in yours?"

"Maybe. I don't know. I just want to get some rest before the party later. Say hi to Dr.Cho for me?"

"Of course, Flower," Nat said, kissing the top of Lilith's head, "You still want to borrow that dress?"

"Yes please."

Nat smiled, "I'll bring it in later. Love you."

"Love you too." Nat left the room and Lilith let out a huge breath. She stood from her bed and made her way to her bathroom, untying her long French braid and scratching her scalp. It had been a long day and she couldn't wait to take a hot shower and wash away her troubles.

Poor Lilith. Troubles don't go away so easily.