Lokasenna

Two

Another yawn left (y/n), hands aching from scrubbing the sticky countertop. Her legs hurt, core pulsing with each step she took. The bruises he had left on her body hadn't faded just yet, lingering on her skin for days. (Y/n) couldn't help but admire them in her small bathroom mirror, she felt proud of herself, not once had she felt guilty of luring the preacher in, of laying with him as earth was falling.

The scent of freshly brewed coffee stuck to her, she kept on refilling cups, hoping to satisfy her new customers. Thursdays were her favorite days, each Thursday people from other towns would come by, towns that had television receptions and their own papers, towns that knew what was going on in the world, not as isolated as (y/n) and the other residents.

Sometimes if she'd have enough time she would listen to their conversations as she would run around the diner, hoping to catch something exciting. But on most Thursdays all they would talk about were new cars and music, nothing she could use to imagine how the rest of the world looked like.

If she would have enough time (y/n) would lay in bed and try to paint herself a picture of how her life would be like if she would live in a big city. A city away from her father and the memories she had made, a city that would offer her new chances and possibilities. A city to call her home.

"(Y/n)!" Her name got called from the kitchen, forcing her to pick up her speed, rushing to table six with her hands holding onto the overly filled plates. Just as she turned away from them they picked up their conversation once again, talking in hushed voices, not noticing that she was still around.

"I heard they were looking for him, a criminal through and through." The man whispered as the other men nodded their heads. "Apparently he looks like the preacher of this town, Mary told me she has seen him before."

Preacher Laufeyson? A chuckle threatened to rumble through her, the man was a saint, took care of his community like no other, he couldn't hurt a fly, even if he wanted to. She began making her rounds with her coffeepot, smiling at the men and women that didn't spare her any attention.

But as another table dropped the name Laufeyson she slowed down, anxiously chewing her gum as she listened to the lies they began spreading. Her throat burned from the gastric juices that pooled in her mouth, how could they talk about him like that? Didn't they feel ashamed of themselves for gossiping about a man of God?

"His brother is part of those superheroes, the ones that have damaged Mike's car as he was down in New York City."

Brother? She could remember him talking about his brother, he would talk about him in his afternoon mass, and would tell his community all about him. Sometimes he would speak about them growing up in a town far away, how his brother had always been loved more than he was, a jealous trait he had confessed to God in the storms of the night.

(Y/n) hadn't ever asked any questions about his family, scared that she would push him away from her, scared that she would cross a line she couldn't retreat from. But now she cursed herself for being that careful, otherwise she could defend him, could assure them of his innocence.

"He killed one of them, and now they want their revenge, they've even used a picture of him in the newspaper the other day." The rustling sound of paper hallowed through the diner, almost drowned out by the loud voices that got mixed up. One look over her customer's shoulder told (y/n) enough.

All air got punched out of her lungs, eyes staring at the picture of the man that had kissed her lips hours ago. Could it be? Could it be that she had slept with a criminal, a murderer, that she had fallen in love with a man that had betrayed his own family? Tears welled up in her eyes as she used the back door to exit the diner, pressing her forehead against the cold bricks. Trembling hands searched for her cigarettes, trying to light it up with her tears dripping down her cheeks.

She had to see him, had to ask him about his crimes. (Y/n) couldn't help but pray that they had confused him with another man, a man that was dark and sinister, not as full of life and love as her preacher.

---

Time didn't seem to move by, the hands of her clock barely changed their position whenever she would stare at them. (Y/n) tried to come up with anything she could say to him, anything she could ask him, but the possibility of losing the man she loved broke her heart in two.

With the keys in her hand she locked the diner, counting her steps as she walked to the church, taking turns here and there, waving at the people she crossed paths with. Her heart raced in her chest, lungs burning, insides churning in confusion.

Carefully she pushed open the doors, catching his frame in front of the altar, placed on his knees. A smile tugged on his lips as he met her eyes, a smile that began to fade as she shook her head, allowing another sob to claw through her. Loki met her in the middle of the church, freezing in his step as she flinched, not giving him a chance to hold onto her.

"Is it true?" (Y/n) choked on her words, hands trembling as she tightened her grip on her bag. "What are you talking about?" Loki's voice stayed calm, not suspecting the question she would ask him.

"Did you kill somebody? Is it true that people are looking for you?" She sank down on a wooden bench, glassy eyes studied him, waiting for his reply. Her gaze met the cross around his neck, the cross that had once belonged to father Josh. Was he even a preacher? Was everything he had told her just another lie?

"Who told you that, dove?" This time she couldn't move away fast enough, his hand met her chin, forcing her to stay seated. Anger dripped from his voice, he was angry that his cover had been blown, angry that all time he had invested seemed to be redundant.

"They've talked about you in the diner, they had your picture." Her eyes fluttered close, not bearing to look at him any longer. Within moments her world had crumbled to pieces, losing her faith in his words and promises, she had not only disappointed the father above but herself. She was no better than the sinners that walked in and out of his church every morning.

Loki pulled her onto her feet, staring at her with burning eyes, piercing right into her mind and soul, reading her every thought. She was afraid, wondering if he would kill her like the other people he had silenced. Her gaze flickered to the door, if she would be fast enough she could make it out alive, not once had she suspected that he was a god, a god that could kill her with the snap of his fingers.

"You don't have to be afraid of me, (y/n)." His cold thumb stroked her lower lip, he had her trapped, she belonged to him, like the holy words belonged to the bible, like wine belonged to bread, like Asgard belonged to Loki.

"Let me go, please." Maybe she would catch one of the travellers, could tell him about the preacher and where to find him, maybe she could make her wrongs right, maybe God would forgive her for lying with the devil. But could she betray the man her heart longed for? Could she go against the man that had kissed her body with each rising of the moon?

"We both know that you won't tell them about me, dove." A small smile began to spread on his lips, hands cupping her face, pulling her closer to him. His scent crashed upon her, wrapping itself around her like invisible handcuffs, making her aware of the power he held upon her.

"Why shouldn't I? You are a murderer." The words burned on her tongue. A murderer, a murderer, a murderer - a broken record that began to repeat itself in her mind over and over again.

"Because I'm your only way out of here."