ephemeral ━━ 𝘓. 𝘓𝘈𝘜𝘍𝘌𝘠𝘚𝘖𝘕 ✔

□ explanations

When those lips curved, Loraine couldn't help but hugged him in relief. He was safe. He was alive. His own powers had stabilized him. And Loraine gave them back. It was his to keep anyway, and she realized that he was already trustworthy enough.

Loki was still lying on the floor. The debris and the glass were still around them. It wasn't the perfect scenery for their kiss, yet it didn't matter to her. What mattered most was his health.

"You gave them," Loki whispered, his lips grazing her head.

"Yes," she nodded and hugged him closer. "Yes, I-I had to," then she pulled away and stared at his chest. "You were dying Loki...Y-your heart was beating, so, slow. I didn't have any choice, and my healing powers....They weren't enough. I...almost lost you."

He smiled at her, savoring the emotion of relief from his lover. Silently, he placed a finger on her chin. He tugged it up and saw Loraine's beautiful purple eyes staring back. "You're already capable..." She continued.

Quickly, with the help of his hand, he kissed her again. She kissed him back with a hunger that thrilled her. Loki felt sentiments floating between them and he lingered to it. Their kiss went deeper, both of their needs now satisfied.

Suddenly, Loki pulled away from her and laughed a deep drawl of laughter. She stared at him in confusion as she gasped for air.

"My dear," he started as he grasped her arms to steady her balance atop him. "Don't be too fast on me."

Loraine blushed at the compliment. "I-I wasn't..." She slapped his chest playfully and chuckled along.

He kissed her softly, in reply and smiled against Loraine's lips. "I know..." He whispered. "I would give anything to endure this moment..." Loraine smiled back.

And right on cue, the doors from the courtyard busted open with such stern that the cool air outside managed its way on the hallway. Standing in front of the doors were Frigga, Thor, Odin and Freya.

"What preposterous action is this?" Odin yelled.

Loki's eyes widened as he stared at the Deities across from them. Both of them quickly struggled to stand.

"I can explain - " Loraine started but Odin caught her off.

He ambled towards Loraine. It was as if the hallway had shaken with his strides.

It wasn't vague to see Odin knew Loraine gave him his powers. Odin could see Loki's skin paler than before, and Loraine's skin less farer. He stared at the Amulet on her neck, blank in color.

"You dare think I don't know what's happening?" He pointed his stubble fingers on them.

"No," she snapped. "No, you don't know."

"Ridiculous. You gave him his powers, did you not?"

"Yes, my king, I did."

"It wasn't her fault, I -" Loki tried to speak but Odin stopped him with his eyes.

He furrowed his eyebrows and gave Loraine a hard gaze. "I had given you that responsibility to keep it from him so the world will be safe. Yet you failed your task." He shook his head. "I was right all along that you, Liv, are not to be trusted so much more as he."

Freya gave Loraine a baffled look.

"My lord, I apologize but you do not seem to understand what happened," she defended. "I had to give it to him "

Odin scoffed."This is idiotic. He swindled you and seduced you."

She gasped."He...didn't seduce me. Please, with all due respect, don't say to me as if I'm an abnormality of a girl who cannot think straight," she was walking closer to Odin now. "Need I remind you that this is what you have brought upon me."

He remained silent.

"Trust me when I say that it is alright. You chose me for a reason my king."

Freya looked at Odin with a stern look as if she was trying to unravel his thoughts.

"He was dying," Loraine continued.

Thor's face wrapped in confusion and Frigga, Loki's mother gasped.

"And how can I, we be sure of that?"

"An enemy had attacked us here," Loraine replied and pointed at the fallen Chitauri. "It shot him and he...he was dying slowly. I couldn't heal him. It wasn't enough" She walked back to Loki and stared at him.

She looked at him as if he was the only picture she wanted to see, and the three deities looked at the two of them.

"But I learned him. " She continued. "I knew him all along and I was right, Odin. Please, he's just afraid." She explained. Loki stared back at his 'family'. "I gave him his powers back, knowing that it would stabilize him to full strength," Loraine explained.

Silence.

Yet Odin managed to cut it down again. "Do they speak of the truth?" Odin turned to Freya.

"Yes, my lord," Freya spoke. "Loraine is telling the truth." She closed her eyes and the goddess gleamed. "I can sense it..." She inhaled. She opened her eyes and everything went to normal."As the goddess of love, I can sense it here... I can sense the emotion... Between the two of them. She isn't lying my king."

Loraine nodded and looked at Odin.

Frigga held unto Odin's arm. "Perhaps she is telling the truth," she whispered to the king. "My love, I wouldn't have liked to see a dead son in front of me. If it weren't for her," she looked at Loraine. "We could've lost him."

Odin cleared his throat. He had a lot of doubts inside his head. However, his wife was right. Loki was still one of his sons. Odin wouldn't have liked to see his beloved in tears and in pain at the sight of a dead son.

So he looked back at her.

Loraine tensed. "I apologize my king," she started. "I had to do it...In desperate times."

He continued to stare at her but Thor spoke for him, "Thank you."

He knew that it was only a matter of time for his brother to come back from who he once was.

And now he was.

Still, he hoped Loraine's goodness came along with his powers.