Ablaze (Loki x OC & Thor x Balder)

Part Seven (FINAL)

"Thank you..."  Loki whispered.  The girl could feel his warm breath on her ear.

Though she was comfortable nestled in his embrace, she craned her neck so her emerald orbs met his metallic gaze.

"You do need to talk to Balder and Thor, though."  Eir stated, wearing a half-smile.

A sigh escaped the fiery-haired boy's lips.  He nodded slowly and frowned.  "I know..."  His grip around her stiffened before he let go of her and stood up, offering a hand to her once he was on his feet.  "Will you... come with me?"  He averted his eyes shyly and wrapped a strand of hair around his finger.

"Of course."  The brunette nodded, her dark locks dancing around her shoulders as she did so.

~-<+>-~

Balder paced across the room frantically as he had been for hours.  He hadn't spoken to Thor since returning to their dorm after Loki had come across them.  The turquoise-haired god leaned on the top of the stairwell, crossing his arms over his broad chest and looking at the ground in seemingly deep thought.

Both of their heads snapped to the door when it clicked open, revealing the other two Norse gods.

"Loki! Le -" The blonde began, approaching the shorter boy quickly.

But Loki held up his hand to stop him.  "Let me speak first." His tone was uncharacteristically serious.  "I overreacted. I felt like I had been abandoned, and I didn't want to go back to how I lived before I met you two..."  He averted his determined silver eyes.  "But I've come to realize that you two... are two of the people that do truly care about me, and that you two won't ever truly leave me alone."

Tears threatened to spill from Loki's eyes when he looked back at the two other gods.  Behind him, Eir smiled sweetly as her own green orbs became watery.

"But the way that you two seem to love each other..." He chuckled softly and exchanged a short glance with the brunette goddess.  "... is not the same that you love and care about me."

At this point, Thor joined Balder and they also looked at each other briefly.  A wide grin spread across the blonde's face.

"Does that mean that you forgive us?" Balder asked hopefully.

"There's nothing for me to forgive you for.  Part of the reason we were brought to this academy is to learn about love."  Loki smiled, gripping onto Eir's small hand behind his back.

Thor's stern lips curved into a smile as he pointed at the fiery-haired boy.  "Lover-boy."  He accused, immediately causing the silver-eyed god to blush deeply.

"What?!" He yelled defensively and let his hand slip from the shield of his back, letting the two gods see his secure grasp on the young goddess's hand.

Balder's face softened.  "I'm glad you're back, Loki."  He said, removing the attention from the young god and goddess.

"Yeah, well..." Loki began to huff as he tugged on Eir's wrist.  "I'm not gonna stay here tonight." He declared, dragging the girl to the door.

"Hey! Where do you think you're staying?!" The goddess finally voiced.  A pink colored became dusted on her cheeks.

"You're place." He shrugged nonchalantly.  "I like it better."

"N-no!" She began to protest, but Balder and Thor sent them off with a wave.

They also left with a quick, teasing remark.  "Don't be too naughty."

Which Loki jokingly responded with his own statement and cheeky smile.  "The same goes for you."

~-<+>-~

Surely, Eir and Loki weren't particularly "naughty" that night.  The young god just hugged the girl tightly, gave her a sweet goodnight kiss on her forehead, and they both drifted to sleep not too long after they collapsed onto the mattress.

Balder and Thor shared their own passionate moment before falling asleep as well.  They peacefully shared each other's warmth with assurance that their companion was back to his old, mischievous self.

~-<+>-~

The next day, each of them sat in the classroom, listening to the Egyptian god, Thoth, lecture about something-or-another involving humanity.  None of the Norse gods were paying attention.  Eir, of course, was trying to absorb everything possible from the lesson.

That was, until Loki stood abruptly, causing his wooden chair to tumble to the ground with a loud, interruptive noise.  He quickly leaned over the desk next to him, where Eir was giving him a disapproving look.  Disregarding her expression, he kissed her deeply.

They had become the center of the attention.  The single human and every god and spirit became silent as they watched the scene.

Loki finally released the girl's lips and pulled her from her seat.  He carried her as though she were a bride and gave Thoth a mischievous smirk.

"Your lesson is lame, teacher.  I don't feel like staying around any longer."

"Loki!" Eir yelled with a blush decorating her face.

"And I'm taking her with me."  Loki chuckled at the girl squirming in his arms.

Much like his usual self, the fiery-haired god pranced out of the classroom, leaving everyone within it as they erupted in a fit of laughter that was impossible for the knowledge god to contain.