Giftless

Chapter 50

Loki was looking more and more anxious the week leading up to your anniversary. You tried to reassure him that whatever was bothering him would be ok, though he wouldn't tell you exactly what that was. He always gave you a smile in return, but it looked wan and he refused to tell you what was really bothering him. You cuddled more firmly against him, hoping your touch would calm him. He smiled and leaned down to kiss the top of your head.

The night of your anniversary finally came. Loki still wouldn't tell you his plans or where you were going. Instead of telling you, he just used magic to change your clothes to the same outfits you had been wearing during the soulbinding ceremony on Asgard. The outfits were gorgeous and drew the attention of all of your friends when you went downstairs. There were cheers and catcalls and plenty of pictures taken. You blushed and tried to hide your face in Loki's arm from all the attention. He wouldn't let you as per usual.

"Stand up straight, darling. You're a princess," he reminded you gently. His silver words worked well enough that you were able to stand tall and submit to the embarrassment from your friends. Loki led you out of the tower after that.

You stared in shock at the horse-drawn carriage waiting for you at the tower's front door.

Loki chuckled at your shock before he helped you in to it.

Your first stop of the evening was an excellent dinner at the fanciest restaurant in town. It was Loki's favorite place to take you, so you weren't at all surprised. He had a special table reserved for you right in the kitchen. It was the table of honor and a VIP table and you found it amazing to watch all of the chefs work. You watched them like they were a show, an entertainment. Really, it was just great to see how well they worked together. Everything came out perfectly and you figured that over dessert was the best time to give Loki his gift. You summoned the box and handed it to him. He looked shocked that you had gotten him anything.

"What is it?" he asked as he took the box from you.

You laughed. "If you take the shiny paper off and open the box you'll find out," you replied, giggling.

He opened the box and pulled out your simple gift. It was a silver pocket watch/compass combo. On the top it read 'For our adventures, love Y/N Kathryn Stark'. Inside the lid was the best picture of the two of you that you could find. You had plenty to choose from.

"It is wonderful, darling. Thank you," he finally said when he had words again. He carefully put it in his pocket, attaching the chain properly. "Your gift will come later this evening," he added. You weren't expecting anything on top of your awesome night out, but you couldn't honestly say you were terribly surprised either.

The next stop was a park that looked over the gorgeous skyline of the city. It was there that Loki pulled out a small box. He spoke before he handed it to you, before you could get the wrong idea. "This is not an engagement ring, not yet. This is a promise ring. I am beyond honored that you chose to spend the last year as my beloved. My promise to you with this ring is this: I will always love you. I will always care for you. And I promise that I will do my best to be worthy enough of your love that one day you might consent to be my wife." He opened the ring box and dropped to one knee. "Will you accept my promises, my love?" he asked with all the seriousness of this being a proper engagement.

"Yes!" you told him excitedly, even though as he had said, this wasn't an engagement ring. He slid the ring on your finger. It could have been confused for an engagement ring. It was a simple single diamond silver ring. Thought the diamond was smaller than a traditional engagement ring. Loki stood again and you wrapped your arms around his neck. He held you to him and you kissed for a long time under the stars.

"One more adventure tonight," he announced when your kiss finally ended.

Your last stop was a full-out ball. You don't know how he arranged it. Balls just weren't a normal occurrence in this day and age, but you loved every moment of it. You danced the night away, spinning to waltzes and Loki leading on the other court dances as well. You didn't fall behind, since you had the knowledge of the steps from the soulbond.

It was a fantastic end to a wonderful evening.

It was after midnight by the time you got back to the compound. Loki was looking more and more distressed the entire ride home. "Loki, what is it?" you asked when you were safely inside the compound. "Something's been bothering you all week. Please tell me what it is," you bid him, desperation in your voice. You hated seeing him hurting like this.

"I did not want to ruin our anniversary..." he finally said, hedging.

"Loki, what is it?" you demanded, worried now. It wasn't like Loki to keep things from you.

He sighed, but took a deep breath and finally answered. "I have to return home," he finally said, speaking the words too quickly, forcing them out.

"A visit? That's not a problem. I can get time off to go with you," you told him, excited to go back and see your friends and family on Asgard.

He shook his head and your heart dropped. "There is trouble at home. I have been ordered to come home and help deal with it..." that would be harder, but not impossible for you to get time away for. You could get that much time off.

"I'm sure I can get the time off to come with you-"

He shook his head again, cutting you off. "You cannot come. Not this time. I don't know how long this will take. It could be days, weeks, months, even years before the trouble is settled. I can't take you from your home and your life for that long..."

"No, you can't go home and just leave me here!" you protested. "We're soulbound. We're in this together, whatever is going on."

"I have to, my darling. There is no choice here. I have to go and you must remain here. Live your life. I will return to you the moment the trouble at home is settled. I will return," he promised. You looked up at him with tears running down your face. You didn't even remember when you started to cry. You wrapped your arms around him, desperate to keep him with you, though you knew it was too late. He held you and kissed you and finally, after as much procrastinating as he could, opened the portal behind him. "Goodbye, my love. I will return as soon as I am able." He promised, somehow disengaging himself from your grip.

"Loki, no!" you cried as the portal shut behind him. You stared at the empty space where he had been standing, with tears running down your cheeks. He was gone. He was really gone. In a daze you went up to Tony's room and barged in.

"Kat?" he asked. "What's wrong?" he demanded, wrapping you in his arms as you sobbed into his chest.

"Loki," you told him. You couldn't get any other words out that one was hard enough.

"What did that asshole do? I'll kill him."

You shook your head. "He left," you sobbed. Tony held you while you cried your soul out.

You swore to myself when your tears slowed that you wouldn't be Bella Swan. You weren't going to fall into depression over your boyfriend leaving. You weren't going to become a useless shell of a person. But for tonight, tonight you would allow yourself the tears, allow yourself the heartbreak.

Loki was truly gone and it felt like your soul was bleeding.

The End...for now