You Have Heart

Chapter 4

You looked around the room with fresh eyes, though you were understandably overwhelmed by everything that was going on. "This is really the Avengers' tower?" You asked the first stupid question that came to your mind. Your mind was reeling and trying desperately to keep up with everything that was going on. It was failing. Miserably.

But you saw the skyline from the windows of the tower and recognized the view. You also saw familiar things lying around the common room you were standing in: Clint's quiver of arrows, a Jarvis interface screen that was open to Jarvis, Cap's shield in the corner, a couple of guns on the coffee table that looked like they were in the middle of being cleaned. It definitely looked like the team lived there.

You looked up at Loki again, sure your eyes were wide. Your heart felt like it was going too fast as was your breathing. Was this what hyperventilating felt like?

Loki gave you a gentle look. "Breathe, drotning," he said gently. "Focus on me," his voice was a purr, but was no less an order and you couldn't help obeying, focusing your breathing on his. Slowly, as you breathed together, your heart rate slowed and your mind started to calm. "Better?" He asked when you were calm again.

You nodded and gave him a sheepish look. "Yes. Sorry,"

Loki's smile was gentle and... awed. It was as if... as if he'd never thought he would find his soulmate. "I understand, drotning. It's a lot to find one's soulmate. Then to be teleported to the Avengers' Tower of all places... Trust me, I understand,"

He was a lot different than you expected. Much more gentle and caring.

"I have waited a thousand years to find you, drotning," he continued. That could definitely explain why he was being so kind and gentle. He was in just as much awe as you were.

"For me? But I'm just..." you were a no one. You had no skills, no abilities. You had a useless degree, a dead-end job, and more importantly, you were mortal. What could you possibly have to offer a god?

Loki smiled. "You're my soulmate, drotning," he replied. He reached for the gauntlet on his left arm and unbuckled it carefully. He removed it, then vanished it in a shimmer of green magic. You were awed by more magic use. You couldn't help it. Magic was so rare on Earth, and real magic was unheard of. Though the team could do some amazing things, none of them could do real magic. Loki could and you found it absolutely amazing.

Loki pushed up the sleeve on his left arm to display the words tattooed there. They were lit up the same as yours were, the same glowing green, the same gold sparkles. But they were the words you had spoken to him earlier. 'Oh gods, it really is you' the words read, but without tone, without inflection.

Had Loki misunderstood your awe for all those years he waited? Had he thought that his soulmate would deny him?

When you looked up into his eyes, you knew you could never deny the soulmate bond. You couldn't deny this god. It was amazing that he was your soulmate. He wasn't evil. You felt it, and he had been mind controlled during the battle of New York.

"I can't believe we finally found each other," you said softly. "I thought... I thought you'd returned to Asgard after the battle?" You knew that was what happened. Your question was how he was back.

Loki inclined his head. "I did return to Asgard to face the Allfather's mercy for my crimes against Midgard-"

"Crimes that were mind control," you replied defensively.

Loki chuckled and nodded his agreement. "I like you already, drotning," he said with a smirk. "The allfather decided that my fate was to rot in the dungeons of Asgard for the rest of my days. Mother talked him around and he eventually decided I could come to Midgard and work with the Avengers as a form of penance,"

You nodded your understanding. That made sense. It also explained your sudden fascination with the Avengers' Tower. Loki was in there and the soulmate bond drew you to him. The soulmate bond could apparently transcend the realms if your soulmate was from Asgard. "What...?" You paused, stopped, tried again as you gathered your words "What happens next?" You asked him softly.

Loki looked sheepish. "There are some things we need to discuss first," he said gently and led you over to one of the couches. You followed him and took a seat. There were things to discuss. Your entire life had just been upended. "Thor is currently explaining the situation to your friend. He will meet us here and bring your things. So you do not need to worry about that," he reassured you. "I don't intend to destroy your life, but," he hesitated and picked nervously at his hands. "I'm afraid there are some things that will have to change for you, being my soulmate," he made it sound like a curse, being bound to him. You saw how bruised and easily hurt he was. Instinctively, you wanted to make it so he was never hurt like that again. You knew that was the soulmate bond talking. It drew you to each other, made it easier to get to know and care for the person on the other end of that bond. No one quite knew how the magic worked, just that it did work.

"Like what?" You asked suspiciously. You didn't like how this was sounding. Yes, you'd found your soulmate, and you were planning on getting to know him and building a relationship, but that took building and work, even for soulmates. You still had a life, still had an apartment, a shitty job (ok, you were willing to give that one up, especially for something better), and a life. You weren't just going to give those things up.

Loki hesitated before he spoke again. "I don't wish to take your independence, nor will I, but... I do have quite a lot of enemies, drotning. I wish to know you're safe for one thing," that was fair. All the Avengers had enemies. You only knew of one who had a soulmate and that was Tony and Pepper. Pepper usually lived in the tower and had security details when she was working. "And for another..." he hesitated, then reached for your hand. "May I?" He was perfectly polite.

You didn't know what he was up to, but you gave him your hand. There was no harm in that. When you did, power flared between you and you felt it not just from him. But from within you.

"As I thought, drotning. The soulmate bond has given you the gift of the seidr, of Asgardian magic,"