Soulbonds and Fairy Dust

Chapter 4

Even though the hug felt like home, it eventually had to end. Neither of them wanted it to end, they wanted to stay in each other's arms forever, to not lose that feeling of home that they'd both so desperately been looking for.

Loki eventually seemed to remember his propriety and his grip on Sigyn loosened as he took a step back. Even Thor could see just how much effort it took and how much he just wanted to hug her again, to hold her in his arms so he wouldn't have to risk losing her again.

"What does this mean for my future?" Sigyn asked them warily when she'd taken a step back, when she'd shaken off the feeling of home and comfort of being in Loki's arms. She knew they weren't just going to let her leave, especially not Loki, especially not now that he was so overly excited to have his best friend back from the dead. She didn't blame him. she barely remembered and she couldn't help feeling ecstatic to have him back too.

She didn't want to leave them. Not really, but she still had to know what they intended for her.

"You do not have to change anything, unless you so wish. You may do as you please. Though I am sure there are people who miss you back on Asgard. You would be welcome there," Loki told her, his voice gentle and caring, though he still seemed in shock that she was back from the dead.

Sigyn rolled her eyes and huffed at him. That seemed familiar too, such a usual gesture of annoyance at him. "You already brought me here to change my life, remember?" she reminded him with a bit of temper in her voice. They had dragged her here and her life was going to change, whether she wanted it to or not. They wanted something from her. No matter what the Lord of Lies said, she wasn't free to do as she pleased.

Loki inclined his head. "At the very least, you do need to speak with the team. Thor will go with you... they do not exactly like nor trust me," he said a bit sheepishly, as if he felt bad about that now. "After that, you decisions are you own. They will not force you to do anything. I will not allow it," he told her firmly. He would protect her, despite any consequences to himself.

Sigyn gave him a disbelieving look. "Didn't you say that they're making you work for them?" she asked him, wary of the whole situation she found herself in.

He sighed and inclined his head. "As retribution. I don't exactly have a choice in the matter. Besides, it was the Allfather who forced me, not the team here," he explained. That made sense, then. The Allfather was way more powerful that these Midgardians, though if he didn't have a choice, she didn't see how she'd have much of one either. Not really.

Sig jumped when the rest of the team came into the room. On instinct, she had automatically summoned a blade as long as her forearm in one hand and a purple bolt of magic in the other. Loki placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder to calm her. "Stand down, Lady Fae. They will not harm you. They would not, but even if they were to try, they cannot do anything to hurt you as long as I am here," he told her gently. "You're under my protection," he reassured her, pleadingly.

She was still wary, still afraid, but she vanished her blade and bolt of magic and turned to face the rest of the team. It was Cap who greeted her, who introduced the team officially. He also asked her for her story and she couldn't see a good way or reason to avoid telling them, so she shyly told them about the fae taking her as a child. She told them how they tried to turn her fae and had succeeded at least partly. She didn't realize she had absently tucked her hair behind her ears as she was talking, letting them see her pointed ears, sidhe-red hair, and tri-colored eyes clearly. She conveniently left out her newfound revelations about her heritage. They didn't need to know about that yet, or possibly ever.

As she was telling her story, she unconsciously took a step closer to Loki, nearly tucking herself against his side as if he would protect her from the others. She was under his protection, but it felt like more than that.