Trickster Gone Soft [Completed]

On the way..

Carene and Loki had been driving in silence for about 10 minutes now. Carene was driving while Loki was in the passenger seat. He had to get to know her and the silence wasn't really helping.

"So have you always been a volunteer for calamity victims?" He asked.

"Well, I wasn't born a volunteer if that's what you're asking." Carene replied with a smile.

Loki gave her a look. "You understood perfectly well what I meant. Why do you always play with the words I say? Do you always do that? Or am I special?"

"You're special", said Carene with a very serious and sincere expression which made Loki think that maybe- just maybe- he would win her over soon enough. But just then Carene broke into a smile and then began to laugh.

Loki shook his head and broke into a smile too. No. This mission was going to take a while.

This girl was entertaining, he'd give her that. And so were all the other volunteers he had met. They had a streak for fun, just like him. They were witty too. They were more like him than his stupid oaf of a brother and all the other boring, serious Asgardians. Infact, if he didn't have a mission, he would have made these people his friends and stayed in midguard- king or not.

Woah! Okay. He should not be thinking like that. It could jeopardize his entire mission. He couldn't be developing a soft spot for his victims. But Loki didn't just develop soft spots. He was the God of mischief, for the all father's sake! No. He was probably just starved for interaction. He would still use Carene and betray her in the end. But there was no rule against him enjoying the company, in the process right? Right.

He glanced at Carene who was driving with her smile still in place.

"You never answered the question."

"You never asked a proper question to begin with", Carene shot back.

Loki didn't reply just looked at her, waiting for an answer.

"I was a volunteer for as long as I can remember" said Carene, giving in.

"But if I'm to be honest, I don't remember much before- the past four years maybe?" She said with a frown.

"What do you mean? How do you not remember?"

Something about the sudden interest Lesley displayed made Carene suspicious. It was probably nothing. But she had always found herself to be alert and suspicious over the littlest of things- almost as though she were trained to. Either way, one could never be too careful.

"I...don't feel comfortable talking about it"

Loki noticed her resistance to talk. He had probably made her suspicious. So he didn't try to push her.

"Alright."

They fell silent once again for the next few minutes and Carene began feeling bad for having turned down Lesley's attempt to talk.

"You know, I became a volunteer for calamity victims because of my family."

Loki looked her way, indicating that he was listening.

"They were killed in a flood when I was still in college" said Carene with a sad smile.
"It's just me"

"You have no one to belong to" Loki thought out loud, before realising that, that was probably not the best thing to say. Carene just smiled slightly and nodded without taking her eyes off the road.

"I apologise. I should not have said that." Said Loki.

"You don't have to apologise, it's true" said Carene with a shrug.

"How do you know? I mean about your family. You said you didn't remember.."

Carene simply glanced at Loki with a smile in a way that told him that she wasn't saying.

"Ah well..alright", Loki sighed.

"You know.." Loki began, hesitantly, as though he wasn't sure whether or not he should say what he was about to, "I have nowhere to belong to, either."

Carene frowned in confusion and looked at Loki- Lesley to her. But when she looked at him, she saw the sincerity in his eyes. She also saw sadness and loneliness. And seeing him display so much emotion through his eyes, suddenly Carene's instinctive distrust wasn't kicking in so strongly.

"How so?"

"My family does not love me or accept me for who I am." Replied Loki through clenched teeth.
"They aren't even my real family", he added after a pause.

Carene was observing Lesley, and seeing him, she knew he wasn't lying or trying to gain her sympathy. She also realised that he probably didn't mention these things about himself to people, which was why he found it so difficult. It must make him feel vulnerable, yet he was allowing himself to be vulnerable to her.
And that right there, was Carene's undoing. She felt for him. She wouldn't want to put a name on what she felt, just yet. But she just wanted to make him happy. She wanted him to feel loved and accepted. She wanted him to know that someone was there for him. She knew it was dangerous to feel so strongly, but she couldn't help it.

Just then she realised that Loki was looking at her, expecting her to say something.

"Oh..um..sorry..I..um..I was..just thinking..I guess. Uh... what do you mean that your family isn't your real family?" Said Carene quickly trying to get back to normal and continuing the conversation.

Here Loki stopped himself. He looked into Carene's eyes and grinned broadly, "I do not feel comfortable talking about it", he replied, quoting Carene from before.

Carene laughed softly, "Sure"

Few more moments past.

"Do you allow yourself to be loved, Lesley?"

Loki looked at her, pondering her question. "Love is but a passing sentiment. And sentiments make one weak. They are illusions we create for ourselves to make life livable. They cause us to deviate from our true purpose."

Carene nodded slightly.

"Aren't you going to try to patronize me?"

"Oh. No. I understand. You come very close to my opinion. Even though I may not be as critical. Feeling for someone makes you vulnerable. They can hurt you and break you and you would not be able to stop them. If they choose to use your love against you, you are completely in their power."

Loki smiled at Carene and nodded. He looked at her with newly found admiration. She understood. He realised how alike they were.

"But you know...Love is much more than just an illusion. It is a powerful force that can cause as much good as it can cause harm. And dare we feel it for those around us, I do believe that we can change the world for better, one heart at a time. If anything, it gives us purpose."

Loki was silent. He didn't know how to respond to that. He didn't agree with her- obviously. But he also knew that Carene wasn't some ignorant childish girl who believed in fairy tales. No- she knew the stakes. She knew the risk- and yet she chose to love and believe in it. Perhaps there was atleast some truth in what she said?

"Aren't you going to try to patronize me?" Carene asked with a smile.

Loki looked at her as though trying to figure her out. "I'd rather not" he answered.

Carene smiled at him fondly.

"Come on. We're here" she said, as she parked the vehicle and got out.

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Yay another chapter done! Oh finally things start to get real! I quite like these two! They're perfect for each other! What do you think? Vote and comment guys. Thanks!