Nine Days Of Loki

'What the fuck is happening to me?'
That was the first thought that entered Loki's sleep-fuddled head as he awoke to the all too familiar 'ping' of his mobile cell phone, alerting him to the fact that he'd received a message.
Fumbling in the half-light of his room he reached for it, rubbing the sleep from his eyes in order to focus on the screen.....Oh deep joy.
There was not one, but three messages from Lorelei and as he opened the first one, his eyes momentarily hated his brain for being able to read.
Typical, she was reproaching him for yesterday's shenanigans.
Quelle surprise!

However, as much as he despised being lectured he knew deep down his resentment and indignation was due to her having hit a nerve.
He could see her point. It was all well and good playing a part, but falling victim to your own game was not something he'd bargained for.
Things had inexplicably taken a monumentally unexpected (but not necessarily displeasing) turn over these past few days. But now it was seriously getting out of hand.

Screwing the life-long object of your desires was one thing....it was basically a boyish fantasy come true, especially when the odds of it becoming a reality had always been stacked against him.  And the only 'L' word he'd ever heard Sif use in reference to himself was 'loathe'.....so throwing around those three words 'I love you', was a whole different story.
He had definitely not seen that coming.

He had desperately tried not to dwell on it. They hadn't spoke further of it since, so perhaps she hadn't heard him. He pacified himself with the theory that it had been a mere moment of madness on his part; brought on by the euphoric post-orgasmic haze that could sometimes cloud ones judgement.
He hadn't misheard her. She had said she'd loved 'it' but he couldn't be sure if she was simply sharing the delicious piece of information with him regarding the sex. Because it was undeniably good. Yes admittedly it was rather enjoyable....
....oh who was he kidding? It felt incredible!

He'd never been so overwhelmed by the act of coupling before. And his insatiable appetite for her was both luxurious and yet deeply troubling.
"I love you" he had declared, like a love-struck teenager who'd just lost his virginity.
Why? What had possessed him to say such a thing?!
He was losing his mind. He was losing his grip. His self censor was becoming increasingly impaired.
He'd even had the song "I Want To Know What Love Is." stuck in his head ever since, which was worrisome in itself.

And what if, as wild as the thought was, Sif had meant she loved the intimacy of their rapidly evolving relationship. If that was the case, and she 'loved' what was now transpiring between them....did that mean she could possibly love him?

Running his slender fingers through his tousled hair, he found himself replaying the previous day's events in his mind;

After their 'steamy' session in the wet room, they had thrown on some clothes and headed back downstairs.
Dressed in a long pair of black Calvin Klein lounge pants, he'd smiled and poked fun at her for having slipped on one of his shirts. But secretly, he'd felt a twinge of..something....deep inside.

It was a simple innocent gesture, she'd chosen to wear an item of his clothing simply because it was his. Usually he would've poured scorn on anyone for acting so clichéd, but now that he was actually encountering it for himself, he found it inexplicably touching.

Feeling ravenously hungry, he'd then suggested they eat, to which Sif agreed, having apparently worked up an appetite for something other than just his wicked self.
She sat on the kitchen counter joking that he was a man of many hidden talents, as he impressed her by making delicious cheese omelettes, which they ate at the table.

Once they'd finished, he invited her to play a game of pool with him.
Although she did master the concept of the game quickly, he still beat her which vexed her so much she accused him of using sorcery and trickery to cheat.
Feigning offence, he accepted her challenge to a rematch, but amidst the laughter and banter he became increasingly distracted by her inadvertently flashing her lacy lingerie each time she leaned over to take a shot....

Needless to say, they didn't get to finish the second game.
Her, or rather 'his' shirt was unbuttoned, her underwear came off, and his pants came down, and once again they were hard at it.....panting for breath with hearts pounding and pulses racing.
Flipping her onto her back with ease, he'd thrown her luscious legs over his shoulders, enabling him to plunge himself into her more deeply than ever before.

Even now the memory of them going for it unashamedly on his prized pool table like a pair of feral animals during mating season, was enough to cause a subtle stirring in his loins.
His pale skin now bore several more scratch marks from where she'd sunk her fingernails into his waist, frenziedly pulling at his narrow hips, spurring him on as he ground against her with such fevered enthusiasm that the table shook with the force and strength of his vigorous movements.

After hammering her into the table until they'd both reached the point of no return, and the head-spinning, leg-trembling effects of the big 'O' subsided, he'd kissed her tenderly and suggested they move to a more comfortable spot.
They shifted to the larger of the sofas in the living room. It was one of those squishy, oversized numbers, complete with lots of huge cushions; which provided maximum nestiness. Not that he'd ever curled up together in such a way with anyone before. It had been surprisingly comforting, feeling her damp hair against his bare chest as they lay like two spoons in a drawer, watching television whilst sharing ice scream from a tub.

The hour had been late when Sif began yawning, and by mutual agreement they retired separately to their own rooms.
They were both extremely tired and he couldn't guarantee he'd be able to keep his grabby hands to himself if they had shared a bed. Especially after having spent a good portion of the evening locking lips like a pair of hormone-imbalanced teenagers.
Had they gone to bed together the outcome would've been painfully predictable....in more ways than one, being as Sif was now incapable of sitting down without wincing due to their repeated acts of passion.
Knowing that he was responsible for her discomfort made him feel slightly guilty but undeniably proud, in an immature sort of way. She seemed to have that effect on him though. She alone, unlike anyone else, made him feel young at heart and carefree.

Except that things were looking dramatically different now.
Waking up in bed alone on a cold, rainy Monday morning to disapproving texts from Lorelei was sobering, because regardless of how tranquil the previous lazy Sunday afternoon had been, he wasn't carefree.
There were problems that needed addressing. Frankly there were....issues. Serious issues. And it brought him back down to earth with an unforgiving, abrupt bump.

Firstly, Lorelei had messaged to remind him once again not to get carried away.
Yes, he knew he had to remember who he truly was. He was the god of mischief, not a god of domestic bliss.
But then reluctantly he began reading the other messages, and his stomach dropped like a broken elevator hurtling downwards.
It was bad enough her complaining about him engaging in coitus with Sif, but knowing she was creeping on him with her damned sorcery, which was proving to be more of a hindrance than a help, made his teeth itch.
Curse that bloody ring. It was almost like wearing a tag, or being under surveillance and not knowing when you were being watched....

The next message was the worst, it was informing him that S.H.I.E.L.D had indeed detected Sif's presence here on earth.
Damn. Damn. Damn it!
Damn S.H.I.E.L.D, damn Lorelei, damn everything!
He'd been unable to maintain the cloaking enchantment he'd cast over Sif, due to becoming too engrossed in their sexual exploits.
Resisting the childish urge to launch his phone at the wall, he took a deep breath in order to calm his jangling nerves.
Why was this news grieving him so? Surely he had been prepared for this eventuality after having removed the necklace from her? Such feelings were irrational. He was being absolutely bloody ridiculous. And he knew it.

Turning his attention to the final message, which simply demanded him to call as soon as possible, he heaved a heavy sigh, pressed the dial button,  and forced himself up out of the bed.

"What took you so long?"
Lorelei's voice hissed into his ear, catching him off guard by answering almost immediately.

"Good morning to you too Lorelei, where's your manners? Don't forget that I am still royalty after all.."
He drawled, attempting to sound as unfazed and casual as possible.

"Don't be a smart arse with me Loki, what in the name of the Norns were you thinking? Or are you thinking only with your d-"

"That'll do, Lorelei!"
He cut in gruffly,
"I'm in no mood to be read the riot act by you."

"No, all you seem to be in the mood for lately is nailing the shield maiden. What are you, quim-struck?! Since when has the wicked Loki ever been rendered helpless by the mere power of what lies between a wench's legs?!"

"That is enough!"
He boomed, possibly perforating the sorceress' eardrum,
"Do not push me Lorelei. What, or indeed 'who' I choose to do is none of your business! If it wasn't for your perverted prying and that infernal crystal ball of yours, then you would be none the wiser!"

"And if it wasn't for my crystal ball then I would never have been able to inform you of Sif's location when she first arrived!"
She fired back angrily, choosing to ignore his scathing remark about being a pervert.

Loki fell silent at the memory of Lorelei having shown up that evening over a week ago now, stating she had a surprise for him, smiling wickedly as she placed her crystal ball on the table in front of him....

"And I wouldn't be able to warn you about S.H.I.E.L.D having discovered her whereabouts.....you have very little time Loki, you need to leave immediately. They still can't detect you, but they're already en route tor her on the bus -"

"The what? Did you say a bus? They'll have a difficult journey! Tell me, how exactly are they hoping to cross the Atlantic?"
His voice was heavy with sarcasm, but he couldn't help letting out a quick guffaw as a mental image of agent Coulson and his cronies aboard a red double-decker bus flashed through his minds eye.

"Now is no time for jesting, my dark prince!"
She snapped in response, unamused by his lack of seriousness,
"It is a military transport aircraft, a mobile command station."

"Yes thank you for clarifying that, I had forgotten you're familiar with it.."
He responded impatiently,
"...but haven't you forgotten that you bewitched those men once before? Make yourself useful woman and use your powers of seduction. Problem solved."

"No, I refuse to put myself at risk in order for you to keep your pet! It's time to move on and let her go Loki, I warned you of the dangers of keeping her around, but you wouldn't listen you stubborn fool."

"There's no need to get personal Lorelei, one might be inclined to presume you want rid of Sif merely because she's your arch nemesis. Perhaps it's time for you to move on and leave the past where it belongs....Or are you still seeking revenge for her having previously apprehended you?"

"Since when have you become so forgiving and adverse to acts of revenge?"
Her voice shrieked down the phone, filled with indignation,
"Yes she is my sworn enemy, but you are my ally, so at present I am more concerned with your change in behaviour and character, which has been caused by her. You have always had a weakness for her. You cannot deny that. That is why Odin himself forbid her from ever becoming personally entangled with you.."

"Lorelei, why don't I hang up now so you can call someone who actually gives a shit? I already know that is the reason the crafty old dog specifically sent her to take me back, I know....but I'll wager the old fool did not anticipate she would end up falling for me, and disregard his orders."

"And I'll wager that he did! He knew exactly what would happen, as it was written in the stars, woven in your destiny by the Norns themselves that you two would gravitate towards each other if given the opportunity!"
Lorelei was ranting now, barely drawing breath or pausing between words.

Taken aback, Loki's brow furrowed in bewilderment,
"What do you mean?"

"You're a harbinger of chaos Loki, she is a goddess of war....together those two elements thrive. You're drawn to each other with an intense magnetism. That is why Odin went to such great lengths to segregate you from each other once you both came of age, and he planted the seed in Sif's mind that she would make a worthy wife for Thor."

For a moment Loki almost dropped the phone with shock as this revelation hit him like an eighteen wheeler truck. Swallowing hard he took a deep breath before speaking again,
"So, if we were practically made for each other and are a veritable match made in Valhalla, then why were we kept apart?"
He was finding all of this immensely confusing.

"Some people will go to extraordinary lengths for love Loki, and there are no men like you. You strive relentlessly to achieve your goals, no matter the cost. And with your destructive nature, there's no saying what you'd be willing to do for your shield maiden. Your pairing has the potential to break worlds."
She spoke ominously, a distinct air of foreboding in her voice.

"You speak of love, yet you yourself said lust is not the same emotion!"

"No, but you do love her, I heard you say it....as she loves you also."

"She did not say that-"

"She didn't have to. What began as a mutual physical attraction, blossomed into an intense sexual attraction due to you having been in such close proximity with each other. And now it has escalated into something far more meaningful. You may be the master of lies, but you cannot lie to yourself, Loki. So save yourself whilst you still can, get as far away from London and....her...as possible!"

At that the phone actually fell from his hand. Slipping from his grasp like in a scene from a film, as he stood motionless in a daze of horror.

"Loki?"
Lorelei's distant voice rang out from the floor,
"Loki, are you still there?"

Suddenly he heard the sound of Sif's bedroom door opening, which prompted him into action.
He crossed the room in two strides, kicking his phone to one side as he went, and threw open the door with such force he almost took it off its hinges.

Sif visibly jumped at the commotion, and upon seeing him in an absolute frenzied state of agitation, raced across the landing.
"Loki! What has happened?"
She gasped as she ran into his extended arms, returning his embrace.

"Sif, they know where you are and they're coming for you."
He informed her, with all the calmness he could muster.

Pulling back in order to look up at him, her face filled with panic.
"How long do we have? We must leave-"

"No, I will not subject you to a life on the run like a common criminal.."
His hands went to her shoulders, as he held her at arms length, meeting her eyes,
"....you must remain here, I will go alone-"

"No!"
She cried, her expression now sorrowful and she grasped his arms fearfully,
"I shan't leave you Loki, I....I can't, not now."

"There's no other option Sif-"

"There is and you know it!"
She shouted, fighting the temptation to physically shake him in the hope that it might shake some sense into him,
"You can come back with me, Loki....we must convince the Allfather to be merciful, if you surrender willingly he will show leniency-"

"But he still won't show leniency in regards to us..."
He pointed out tersely,
"...whether I remain on Midgard or not...either way.....this must be where it ends..."