Believe in Magic [a Loki fanfic]

Losing Time

"She is not ready to leave." 

Loki leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, gaze lost in the distance. 

A shadow of sadness hung over him and even though he hid it well, the Goddess of Healing knew him better than most. Seeing how much he had changed since the girl had arrived in Asgard, she disagreed with Odin's decision just as much as Loki did. Here was an opportunity for the prince to heal and Odin had closed his heart to see it. 

"I am sorry, Loki," she said, gently putting her hand on his arm. 

"I do not need your pity. I know the Allfather well enough. The fact that he agreed to keep her in his beloved Asgard for this long surprises me. Odin will not change his mind and as much as I hate to admit it, he is right. She has been here longer than was good for her. She simply has not healed." 

The dark prince took a deep breath and his eyes shifted to the healer.

"How long?" 

"She has today and tomorrow," Eir said. "I tried to buy more time, but when he came here -" 

"He came to see her?" 

"He came to the Healing Quarters to enquire about her. Odin had his suspicions on why I kept her so he wanted to see for himself why she progressed so slowly." 

"And what did you tell him?" The God's eyes pierced her. 

"The truth." 

"And what exactly do you mean by that?" 

"That she has not healed", Eir replied. "And that you care for her." 

Loki huffed as he glared at her, 

"You. Did. Not." 

"I thought it necessary for the Allfather to know." 

"To know that I care about her? When did he ever care about how I felt, Eir?" 

Loki's voice trembled, if from anger or pain the Goddess was not sure, but his eyes mirrored the betrayal he felt. 

"Loki, he needs to know that you have changed", she said softly. 

"You had no right to expose my feelings to him."

Eir's heart grew heavy in her chest. Loki had trusted her. He had opened up, allowed himself to be vulnerable and now he felt as if she had stabbed him in the back. Betrayed him. And he was – with good reason – scared of Odin, who was known for his trickery.

"Loki, you misunderstand. I told him that you helped me with her healing. That you cared for her, not how much you care." 

Loki calmed down a little, turning away from Eir letting his gaze swerve out the window. He shook his head and muttered, 

"I should have known better than to get involved." 

Eir searched his eyes, but he was stubbornly ignoring her attempts. His face without expression, only the slightly tight lips betrayed the tension inside him. 

"Loki. However you think I have wronged you, do not let Ella suffer for my mistakes." 

His eyes finally shifted to meet the Healer's. 

"I would not. I would never hurt her." Without casting Eir another glance he left.