Transparent ❅ Loki

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SYN stood on the cliff and felt the soft sting of salt from the waves breaking below her. Teetering on the edge and listening to the sea was peaceful. She enjoyed the solitude and reflection. Helping Brunnhilde manage the village and relations with the Midgardians was often tedious and tiring. These moments of reprieve were hard to come by and cherished when they arrived.

No one else, save one soul, knew about this sacred place by the sea. A few feet behind her was the soft rustling of grass. She turned, grip tight on a dagger of light. Her eyes scanned over a pale figure clothed in black leather with green accents. Syn stumbled back toward the cliff's edge and the light fizzled out.

This time she knew her eyes were playing her for a fool. It'd been years since Thanos was defeated and her return from the Soul Stone. She'd long given up hope he could ever come back to her. "Loki?"

The God of Mischief dropped the Tesseract, as if not believing he'd finally found the other half of his heart. He stepped up to her and caressed her cheek, needing to touch her to know she was there and tangible. "Syn," Loki breathed through a fleeting smile. He'd been searching for ages, and the culmination of all his efforts finally brought him back to her.

The Goddess of Truth stepped back to meet his cool gaze and knew something was off. There was still so much anger and hurt trapped inside him that had not been there before his demise. "You're not my Loki are you?" Syn dared to ask, voice trembling. The Loki that had promised to come for her was dead. Time travel couldn't change that. Nothing could.

"I suppose I'm not." He took a step toward her again and reached out, the back of his fingers brushing over the soft skin of her cheek. "But you're still my Syn." He could change for better or worse, but she was always constant. Loki held her face in his hands and let his lips touch hers, hesitant until Syn reciprocated.

His kisses had always been a paradox, much like he was. They were soft and loving yet rough and commanding and always left her yearning for another. This time was no different.

"Come with me," he breathed, desperate to have her in his arms again. The Goddess of Truth was his temper. Without her, he was reckless and drawn to darker dispositions.

She shook her head, not knowing where they would go or why they had to leave this place. "This is my home," Syn said. This was Asgard and though it wasn't golden and grand, she loved it. Syn pressed her hand against his hardened leather breastplate. He caught the glint of a gold ring on her finger. "This is your home," she told him, meaning it in full.

Loki stepped back, his face twisting in affliction. He had not forgotten what he was. Really was. And these people would not have forgotten a millennium of animosity between them and the Frost Giants. They would have heard about his attempted coupe and assault on Midgard. "These people could never accept me," he snarled.

Syn tilted her head and gripped onto his wrist. She would not look away from him as she stripped away his glamour, his strength.

"They did." It was a whisper, her fingertips dancing over the ridges of his face that had long been committed to memory. Loki looked down at her, dark red eyes tracing over the soft features of her fair face.

"Even knowing the truth of it all you died a hero to them." They had mourned him, had mourned for her until her return. Thor often told stories of Loki's last stand, how he stood against the Mad Titan. Syn stumbled at the thought. Thor. "We have to tell Thor!" She exclaimed.

"No," Loki hissed, pulling free from her gentle grasp. Blue and red faded, disguised by a pale complexion and piercing green eyes.

Anger swelled in the pits of her stomach. She could not deny Thor the knowledge that his brother was alive. The brother he'd mourned for more than five years. Lilac rimmed Syn's pale iris's and Loki took a step back, forgetting the power she possessed. "He's your brother!" The Goddess of Truth snapped. Perhaps they didn't have to stay on Midgard, but he needed to see Thor.

ஐ ஐ ஐ

Whispers swept through the small village like they'd all seen a ghost. Loki walked at Syn's side, gaze hardly straying from the path ahead, but he could still see the surprise on some of the familiar faces. So few are here he thought looking around at those who dared meet his gaze.

She stopped at Thor's cabin and knocked. Once, twice, thrice. On the other side, she could hear the God of Thunder trudging toward the door. Loki gave her pointed glare despite her brilliant smile. When the hinges on the door creaked and groaned, Syn vanished leaving the two brothers standing before one another.

Hours later, Thor found Syn on the docks, helping Erik repair his fishing net for the next trip out to sea. He'd told Loki everything he could, about their mother and father, the Dark Elf attacks, Ragnarök and Thanos. Some things though, he left for Syn to explain.

Loki's presence was still strong and distinct among the others. He was near despite having slank away to brood. "How did you find him?" Thor asked in disbelief, trying his best to untangle a section of the net.

Syn glanced up from one of the knots and shook her head. "He found me."

The God of Thunder lowered his gaze. He did that often when attempting to hide his sentiments. "If it weren't for you he wouldn't've come back," Thor uttered with a heavy heart.

She bit down on her bottom lip and finally noticed that Erik had left the two of them alone on the dock. Syn touched his scruffy cheek, bringing his downcast gaze to her. "We can't be sure of that," she told him with a passing smile. They were brothers after all.

ஐ ஐ ஐ

Loki sat next to Syn on the seaside cliff. A good deal of time had passed since his arrival and slowly he was working his way back into a relaxed rhythm of life in the village of New Asgard. She was twisting a golden ring strung on a thin chain about her neck. The ring was identical to the one she wore, only larger. Unclasping the necklace, she took the ring and handed it to him. Having kept it for so long made her feel guilty.

"What's this?" He asked even though his true question was why are you giving me this? Loki peered down at her hand once more and suddenly the realization came to him. "We married?"

She and Thor had told him most of what had occurred between his capture on Midgard to Thanos's attack on the Statesman. Though it seemed she'd forgotten to mention the impromptu ceremony that took place only a day before his death. Syn nodded and held her breath as she waited for his reaction. "So I do get to call you my wife," he mused with a fleeting smile.

He turned and kissed her temple, fingers combing through her silver hair. Syn leaned into him and felt her worries slip into oblivion.  She knew he'd likely never be the same as the Loki who promised to come for her on the Statesman, but he was real and he was trying to be better. And there was nothing more she could ask of him but to stay with her.

So much had been lost because of Thanos but much had been recovered and this was undoubtedly the start of a new beginning.

Thank you all for reading this story and supporting me even when I had writers' block. Hope you all enjoyed this journey.