A Whole Bunch of Loki's

No Promises - Guest Chapter by DesultoryWriter

(I am proud to present the competition winner for Warped Mind Games, I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I did!)

The day of his birthday came agonizingly slow, but it arrived nonetheless.

This was nothing, I told myself. I was just going to pop in, deliver Loki's gift, maybe hold a short conversation with him, and leave. Nothing extreme--just another step to further rebuild an old friendship.

Still, the thought of seeing the man who I avoided for months made my gut turn to lead. Even though we maintained a cordial correspondence, I couldn't help but feel that there would be some tension between us in-person.

The huge doors to the ballroom were suddenly upon me. The gift in my hands--a book wrapped in paper, nothing extravagant--nearly slipped out of my hands due to my cold sweat.

Cursing myself, I wiped my hands on my gown. This is nothing. He is nothing. I am not nervous.

With a deep breath and newfound strength, I threw the doors open.

The ballroom was several degrees warmer than the corridors. Some people scattered the room in loose groups of fours and fives while others danced on the ballroom floor, all clad in lavish finery. I inhaled deeply and was greeted by the fragrance of spices, and... was that the smell of chocolate?

As much as I had been half-dreading, half-anticipating this day, dancing did look fun. And the buffet table made my mouth water with a mere glance.

My maroon gown swished and swayed with every step. The swashes of fabric, rather than clinging to my body, sat elegantly on top of it. I chose the dress immediately because, while lovely and beautiful, it also held an air of modesty. Professionalism, even.

As the last dance ended and the guests applauded, a familiar face caught my gaze and beamed. Thor motioned me over.

"Y/n!" he exclaimed. "And here I was, half-expecting you not to show up."

"That would have been a pity," I replied, smiling. "The food looks divine."

"Indeed it is," he laughed, his eye catching my dress. "You look lovely."

I nodded in gratitude. "Thank you. And you look... well, like yourself."

Sure enough, Thor had been sporting his signature crimson cape and winged helmet, as was traditional for all ceremonious events. He plucked an invisible piece of dust off his cape and said, "What is that supposed to mean? I thought you liked handsome princes."

"Considering the handsome prince who courted me ended up stabbing me in the back, I've found that they're not my type," I fired back. He raised a brow and I winced. "Sorry. That came out harsher than intended."

"It's alright, I understand. Speaking of which," he indicated to the gift in my hands, "are you going to deliver Loki's gift personally?"

"Yes," I answered with as much confidence I could muster, "and hopefully clear things up a little bit in-person."

Thor grinned.

"What are you smiling on about?" I teased, unable to stop my eyes from crinkling as well.

"Nothing," he said. "I'm proud, Y/n. I thought you two would never stop sending letters. Quite frankly, I was starting to get tired of being the man in the middle. I'm looking forward to having both my friend and my brother back."

"For what it's worth, Thor, thank you," I said, my coy grin turning into a sincere one. "Thank you for being the man in the middle, and thank you for sticking by me the whole time." My face went solemn. "Some people walk away from their friends in a time of need and return only when they're better."

Thor matched my sincere expression, bowing his head. "Hardly a friend who would do that, I'd say." He beamed at me. "Go on, then. I'll leave you to it."

"Wish me luck," was all I sighed before venturing off to find Loki.

Finding the said man, however, was not difficult. He was exactly where I expected him to be: right where he and I would always meet at parties.

The garden. Away from everyone else.

Dressed in his own ceremonial attire (a green cape, helmet with horns, and the traditional leather-and-metal clothing typical of Asgard), he sat on a short stone bench. Though he was turned away from me, I could tell his eyes were cast skyward. He would have looked peaceful if it weren't for his knee bouncing relentlessly.

Nervous, then. Good. The bastard deserved to be a little nervous, considering how much deliberation it took me to even attend this damn party. As much as I hated to admit it, the thought of someone else's stomach to be in knots because of me was viciously satisfying.

After a moment of wallowing in my little triumph, I cleared my throat. "Happy birthday."

He whipped around, startled, and stood hastily. I suddenly felt awkward as he stared, taking me in for a split second.

"Y/n." He finally acknowledged. Hearing my name on his tongue made my stomach turn, but I kept my chin high. "I almost didn't expect you to attend."

"Thor said the same," I said, "but don't flatter yourself--I came for the food."

"I see."

"It was a joke, Loki. Please tell me we're at least on joking terms."

"After what I did, it would be understandable if you never spoke to me again," he said gravely.

I sighed, waving to the bench. "Sit."

He did as I told. I sat a healthy distance away, smoothed my skirts, and placed his gift between us. The cool night air filled me with a sense of tranquility. I was grateful for it, too; I was going to need it.

"As I'm sure you've also experienced, I miss our friendship," I said. "Thankfully I had help when I was healing, otherwise I might indeed have never spoken to you again."

"Thor?" he murmured, eyes forward.

"Yes," I said, "and once this is over, you would do well to thank him for everything he's done for you."

His lips tightened, but he nodded. His gaze was anywhere but on me. Despite Thor telling me countless times that Loki would do anything to see me again, he seemed to want nothing more than to leave. Than to not have to face the weight of his actions.

But he's staying, I thought. He might not have wanted to face his guilt, but it spoke volumes for him to tough it out in order to mend a broken friendship.

"Loki," I sighed, "please look at me."

He obeyed, and for as much as he tried to bite it back, he looked... scared.

"I forgive you."

His brows shot up. He blurted, "Really?"

"But," I said sternly, "even though I have forgiven, I will not forget it."

Loki rubbed his face. "Thank you, Y/n--truly. It's been awfully lonely. Your letters... they were a ray of sunshine in an otherwise gloomy day."

I smiled despite myself and stretched my arms for a hug. "Don't get sappy on me now. Let's go inside and have fun. It is your birthday, after all."

Loki hesitated at first, but allowed himself to break into a smile as he reciprocated the hug. His hands were cold, but, somehow, the hug was warm anyway.

"Just promise me one thing," I muttered into his collarbone.

He pulled away. With utmost sincerity, he said, "Anything."

"Promise me that you will not expect me to love you romantically again."

With a quicksilver but genuine grin, he held out his pinkie. I rolled my eyes playfully, wrapping my pinkie around his.

"I promise you no promises."