Worthy

Part 47 - Your Forgiveness

Deciding that now the time was better spent for everyone to get to know each other better Tony sets up dinner for everyone; you're shocked to find that even Fury has joined in too. Albeit its not the glam affair that he had set up the night before, the Avengers and the Guardians enjoy the evening. You spend some time getting to know your brothers friends. Gamora more so than the others. You can see the gleam in his eye as you and she get along; and you can't help but feel relieved he has someone. You can tell from the way he looks at her; she clearly feels the same way about him, just less keen to show her affection around others.

After some dinner and a few drinks you decide its time to head to bed, the long day finally catching up with you. With no need to explain, you meet Thor's eyes with a smile before heading towards your room; needing some time alone to catch up with your thoughts and feelings about today. You just needed some breathing room.

As you make your way towards you room, you find Loki waiting for you just outside the kitchen, reading a book. He quickly jumps at your arrival, looking embarrassed and nervous. "Is everything ok?" You ask, voice filled with concern.

"Yes," He smiles, though it doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Much like you I needed some time to gather my thoughts." He looks over your shoulder, listening in to the camaraderie that's still going on behind you.

"And you thought you would just hang out in the hallway?" You ask sarcastically, but with a smile, getting one in return.

"Actually I wanted to give you this." He hands over the book to you. "I know that it's custom to give someone a gift to celebrate their birth. I would have been a fool not to follow the tradition, especially..." He hesitates, making you turn your attention back to him.

"Especially?" You can see the struggle behind his eyes. Clearly something was going on in that head of his, and you weren't sure if you should push him any further than you already had to admit his feelings towards things.

"Especially since you have taken great pains to forgive me for my actions towards you."

"Loki.." You start, putting a hand on his arm.

"Please, let me finish." He clears his throat, before placing his hand on the book. "I'm sure you have read many Midgardian tales about me, the god of Mischief." He gives a sly smile, clearly impressed and happy about them. "Some of which are true, some I won't dignify with an answer." He smiles, catching your raised eyebrow, clearly knowing you were going to question him on them. "And then there are the tales that my beloved oaf of a brother has told you, which are closer to the truth, but then again some what embellished by his keen enthusiasm."

"The one about the snake?" You ask with a smile, looking up at him.

"Ah yes, well, not my finest moment. Albeit entertaining." He grins back. "One thing ever present in all of those tales is my cruelty, my darkness and my mischief. And while again, mostly true, there was reasoning behind it." He hesitates. "You know my relationship with Odin, my true lineage. But it has all come from their words, not mine. Your pushiness into telling the truth seems to have caught on Kate." He gestures to the book again. "I have decided that the time is right to tell my story, the way it should be written." He smiles. "And I would like you to be the first to read it. Maybe then I could have the confidence of knowing that somewhere out there, someone I trust knows the truth of Loki Laufeyson." His head drops as he says that name. "Or Odinson, if you'd prefer."

"What would you prefer Loki?" You ask, a tear coming to your eyes at his words. He looks at you shocked, as if he had never been asked that question before. Taking a while to answer, he finally smiles, this time the smile reaching his eyes.

"I'd prefer you just call me Loki," He looks back down the hall, watching as his brother and your brother stand talking. "I've never seen him this happy, you know." You turn to follow his eye, seeing the sight for yourself, making you smile even wider. "Even when he was the arrogant, self centred Thor, that wasn't his true happiness." He turns to look back at you. "You are."

Reaching up and giving Loki a hug, once again surprising him. It takes him a while before he finally wraps his arms around you, returning the hug. "I wish for you to be that happy Loki. Thank you for trusting me with your story."

"Thank you for your forgiveness." He once again looks over at Thor. "Maybe one day you could even call me brother..." He laughs slyly before walking away. You simply shake your head at his comment and continue to your room.

Placing the book gently on your dresser, you decide to shower before delving into Loki's story. The hot water calms your mind from the crazy day you've had, before you put on some shorts and an old t-shirt as pyjamas, just quickly towel drying your hair as you just want to read. As you throw your towel into the laundry basket, the cassette player Parker had given you catches your eye, making you turn back to your bedside table at the mixtape Thor made. A small flutter starts in your stomach as you remember his delight in giving it to you.

Feeling slightly bad that your not now reading Loki's story, you can't help but desperately want to listen to it. Getting comfortable on your bed, you laugh to yourself at the nostalgia of working with a cassette tape, loving the slight crackle that comes through the headphones.

The first song reminds you of Thor's earlier words: songs from your past, present and future. As the tones of Elvin Bishop's "Fooled Around and Fell in Love" come through, you sink into the bed, reliving the memories of your mum dancing around and singing this with you and your brother. You close your eyes to try and keep the memories in your head, as song after song goes on.

When you turn the cassette to the other side you're suddenly startled as AC/DC blasts into your ears, a stark contrast to what you were listening to before. Clearly Tony had had a hand in creating this mix. In fact almost every member of the team has had a hand in putting songs on this tape, as you recognise songs that Steve among others had sung around you.

Suddenly the mood of the music instantly changes as the sounds of Wicked Game plays in your ears, clearly one of the songs that Thor had chosen to put onto the tape. Clearly describing the mixture of feelings that were surrounding the both of you during the time that Loki had deceived you both. The words start to swirl in your mind, making you realise that this was exactly how you had felt during that time too. A tear comes to your eye, remembering how heartbreaking that phase of your life had been.

Other feelings start to stir in you as well. As you stop the tape and pull the headphones from your head, you realise that you had to see him. Because you needed him, because you wanted him.

***

A/N: Recommend listening to the Daisy Gray version of Wicked Game, I feel it really fits in with Kate and Thor's feelings from before!