2 | 𝐁𝐔𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐃 ▹ LOKI LAUFEYSON

xxvii. the occupied

A M O R A

"I see your concern for me has returned."

Amora closed her eyes and stifled a sigh at Loki's sardonic words. He lay sprawled on his sofa, having just stopped tossing a cup in the air repeatedly, a bored habit he had acquired.

A few days had passed since the Tesseract incident and Amora had been occupied with both professional and personal business. The healers has worried over her thoroughly before promptly pushing her back into treating the last returning company from Alfheim. She also had the task of appealing to a begrudging Theoric who was extremely unhappy with her secret excursion with the trickster.

She grimaced at the memory.

"What were you thinking?" Theoric asked almost as soon as they had a moment of privacy.

"It was necessary," Amora shot back with equal intensity. With little sleep and the complication with Loki still on her mind, she had little patience.

"How could you think that I would approve of this?" Theoric ran a harsh hand through his hair.

"I didn't. That's why I did not tell you."

"So you ran off with a criminal that you used to be...involved with, even though you knew that it would vex me?"

Amora stared at him with her mouth agape for a moment. "Do not be absurd. Loki and I were never 'involved'. And this mission was about the Infinity Stones which, I'm sorry, but take precedence over your feelings."

Theoric grew silent, his jaw clenched. He glanced down and attempted to loosen the tension in his muscles. "I'm sorry," he said lowly, but Amora did not believe the apology was entirely genuine.

"Were there any...issues?" Theoric asked, his eyes taking a quick scan for any injuries, "Were you hurt?"

Amora paused. Should she tell him about the incident with Loki and the Soul Stone? If she were to tell anyone, should it not be him, her future husband? He unknowingly played such an integral part in the events.

Shaking her head, she simply said, "No."

An uncomfortable silence fell between them, and Amora instinctively wrapped her arms around herself.

"Well," she cleared her throat, "I should go find Frigga."What the Stonekeeper had said about the seidr still gnawed at the back of her mind.

She moved to leave, but a gentle hand wrapped around her arm along with a soft voice. "Amora."

Theoric swallowed. "I am relieved and thankful that you are back."

This time, his words were unmistakably genuine. Amora gave him a smile but no more, but walking away.

"I have been busy," she said to the lounged Loki.

"With Theoric?" The way Loki drew out the name in distaste made Amora wince, but bristle nonetheless.

"Yes," Amora said coolly, "I would ask if you have been busy, but I'm sure you're already concocting another scheme to escape."

"Oh, don't worry," Loki looked up with an acidic smile, "I'm sure you'll be right there to betray me again."

Amora tensed. "'Betray you?' I tried to help you, to warn you, but you hardly heeded my words. Instead you tried to steal the Tesseract," she bit out.

With a huff, she shook her head. "I would have expected this a year ago, but not now."

Her whole demeanor softened at the thought of the past months--all of the medical appointments, the hours spent researching the Infinity Stones, the endless conversations--and she spoke with only wistful sorrow. "I thought you had made progress."

"Progress to what?" Loki asked, tossing the cup to the side and standing, "To the poor prince who lingered in the shade of his brother's enormous shadow? Back to the old Loki? Well, I'm sorry, Amora, but he is gone. You cannot get him back."

"I do not want the old Loki," Amora implored, causing Loki to grow quiet, taken aback, "I want to help make a new Loki, a better Loki. Isn't that what everyone strives for? To become a better version of themselves?"

Amora sighed, taking a step closer to the guarded man. "The old Loki was a quiet and scared boy; you have grown beyond that." A soft smile formed on her face. "Why would I want to undo that?"

A blank mask remained over Loki's face, but Amora could practically see the gears turning in his mind as he stared at her. She ducked her head, not out of discomfort; Loki's gaze was not of its usual oppressive calculation. It was like he had just discovered something new and was taking in the sight for the first time.

But the true reason for her visit popped in her mind. Wishing to ignore it but knowing that she couldn't, Amora cleared her throat. She began slowly, "I wanted to tell you...that I've been given a battlefield healer assignment in Vanaheim."

She finally glanced up, and Loki only blinked at her before his brow furrowed. "Vanaheim?"

Amora nodded, and she thought she saw something flicker in his eyes. Was it disappointment? Concern?

"How long will you be away?"

"I don't know. Thor said that the attacks are severe and widespread."

Loki turned and sat on the edge of his bed. "I assume you're leaving in the morning."

"Yes," Amora's expression brightened slightly, "I'm going to be serving with Sif's battalion."

Loki's lip twitched up. "Well, she is not as incompetent as the others so that's a relief."

Despite the eye roll Amora gave, she could not fight the smile that creeped onto her face. Looking down at her bracelet and twisting it to where it showed the time, she saw that it was getting late.

"I should be going," she said, starting toward the barrier.

"Amora." Loki's voice stopped her. "Be careful."

She looked over her shoulder with a smirk. "Only if you behave."

"Deal."

* * *

This chapter was a little shorter, but it's a good transition into the final section of Part II.