Dark Stars [A Loki Fanfiction]

Chapter 12

Warning: very very brief mention of violence and abuse

Loki saw pictures of a family and a little girl. It was the same thing he had seen when they had met in the gardens not so long ago. But this time it was clearer and it lingered. He watched how the little girl was beaten up and abused in the most devious ways. He saw her getting older, looking more and more like the Ivy he knew now. He watched her being given away at a young age to a much older man who mistreated her and did unspeakable things to her. But he also taught her a peculiar kind of magic. Loki watched her magic develop into something strong and dark, it made him shudder. The things they made her do, despicable things, using her and her magic for the most horrific things. No one taught her how to handle the power she withheld. Then one day he saw her run away, still a teen probably, but she had suffered more already than anyone should throughout their whole life. He saw her become older, more independent and wiser in her decisions. She tried to make a living by working hard, but eventually the darkness within her would always reach the upper hand, leading her to destroy everything and everyone around her. Soon, she was feared all over the lands. No one would allow her to come near and thus she started to learn to use her magic not to destroy, but also to use it as a tool. She fought her way through life, until suddenly, there was a sharp cut. The pictures started back up when she was in the city of Asgard, trying to lead a normal life, enjoying every moment until the darkness surfaced again and she was alone once more. That's how it always was, and that's how it always would be. The last picture Loki saw was one of himself, dancing with Ivy. At that last picture he felt the crushing weight, the pain, the misery from before flood away and turn into something very close to happiness. Then everything went black and he opened his eyes.

He was at a loss for words, just like Ivy had been.

"You're not alone." She finally said with a small smile. "I'm just as fucked up as you are."

Loki let out a laugh, running his hand through his hair. "Yeah, seems like it."

Then Ivy laughed too. They laughed loud and harsh because there was nothing else they could do. Loki let himself drop to the ground, laughing like mad and Ivy followed his example soon after. After a few minutes when they had calmed down, they lay next to each other panting once again.

"Seems like we always end up on the floor..." Ivy snorted, turning her head towards Loki who lay so close to her that their shoulders touched. "Maybe that's just where we belong."

"Nonsense. We belong wherever we want to belong. We can choose our home to be wherever or whoever we want it to be." He also turned to look at her, with a curious expression on his face.

"I think I might just have chosen mine..." Ivy said quietly and hoped he would not get all weird again. But he only smiled at her so beautifully she felt like melting away into the night right there.

"I'll be yours if you are mine." He said lowly and it was the sweetest thing Ivy had ever heard. She smiled at him, then turned her head back up to face the stars. Maybe she would let herself love one more time. Maybe, she would allow herself to love Loki.

"Loki?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think there's wine left?" She grinned at him and sat up.

He rolled his eyes and they went back to sit back on the blankets. Ivy took a sip from the bottle she had started, smiling. Then, she looked at Loki with a light frown.

"What is it?" He asked once he noticed her eyes on him.

"Can I ask you something about your family?" She surprised him with the question, making him feel slightly uncomfortable. He had no reason to actually hide something from her. She had seen his life and felt his pain, condensed into a few minutes.