Chapter 20
They kissed leisurely eventually slowing, not wanting to allow themselves to get too carried away again.
“Your food is getting cold…” Sylvie murmured as if casually discussing the weather.
Loki chuckled, “I’m sure it is, I should probably eat that before we go.”
“I’ll get dressed, I’m sure you’ll cheat and just magic your clothes on,” she teased.
Loki grinned, “I could do the same for you?”
“I’ll dress myself for the moment, thank you,” she said with faux haughtiness, making him smile harder.
“Are you ready aside from that?” She asked.
“Yes, though I had hoped to bid mother farewell,” he said absently.
Sylvie smiled kindly, “I’ll go find her, stay here, finish eating and I’ll be back.”
Loki smiled and accepted a brief kiss before she got up. She dressed quickly and departed leaving him alone in their bed. He sighed and finished his breakfast before climbing to relieve himself in the bath chamber.
Rolling his shoulders the green light swept down his body dressing him in fresh clothes. He heard the door open in the other room and went to greet Sylvie and his mother.
“Good morni—” he stopped short at the sight of his younger self closing the door gently behind him.
“I must say this wasn’t what I was expecting…” his younger self walked casually into the room as if unimpressed. His eyes flicked over his older self as if appraising him, looking for signs of enchantment or illusion.
“Sorry to disappoint, I’m afraid you weren’t who I was looking for either,” Loki said sounding slightly amused but mostly annoyed.
The younger Loki narrowed his eyes as he walked closer, hands clasped behind his back.
“She’s very pretty, I’ll give you that…” the prince of this Asgard feigned disinterest, “if a bit impertinent…”
The older Loki’s eyes flashed at his words but he attempted to calm himself and not be baited.
“Ahhh, protective are we? That’s sweet,” he mocked imperiously, “she seems to have had quite an affect on you—”
“—you as well,” he cut in, enjoying the way his younger self’s face dropped, “you didn’t encourage Thor to go to Jotunheim yesterday…”
“How did you—wha-what does that matter? He’s an idiot, and father certainly won’t concede the throne now—not after such an attack on Asgard” he reasoned defensively, “what difference does that make?”
Loki looked sympathetic, “it means everything… I know you planned to set Thor on a path of revenge,” his younger self paled, “I know that something is different now…”
His younger self looked shaken, but he pressed on, “I know because I was you. I made the mistake you narrowly avoided… you made a different call—because of her.”
The younger Loki tensed.
“And your path is different now…” he trailed off processing the words as he said them.
Something twitched in the set of his younger self’s jaw and the mask was back in place.
“So you’re what exactly…? My potential future? Some cautionary tale sent to scare me straight?”
“I didn’t come here for you,” Loki said flatly to his past self.
“For her?” The younger asked mockingly.
Loki hesitated, “…for mother…”
His younger self considered this, “…brought your girlfriend home to meet the parents?”
Loki shook his head idly, “No, she… found me…” he allowed the barest smile before catching himself, “she saved me… just like she saved you,” he looked at him intensely, voice solemn with conviction, “so you better not let her down…”
His younger self looked completely baffled by the seriousness of his tone.
“You actually… love her…” he studied him in disbelief.
Loki met his stare boldly, “Yes…”
His younger self mulled over this information in amazement. This future version of himself appeared fractured in some way, out of sync from his own sense of self. It seemed to him improbable anything could shift him so greatly—and that gave him pause.
“I have to go…” the younger Loki murmured absently.
“Yes, that’s probably for the best…” his older self no longer seemed concerned by the internal conflict of his younger self.
The younger Loki walked to the door and paused with his hand on the gold handle.
“—When Fandral claimed he’d seen me snogging a beautiful woman last night, I assumed he’d simply had too much to drink…” he looked at his older self with a sly smile, “I’m only slightly disappointed to hear he hasn’t completely lost his mind.”
Loki flushed, clearing his throat uncomfortably, “ah yes, sorry about that…”
“—if I had to be caught with a woman in a dark corridor, I certainly wouldn’t mind it being her,” he grinned mischievously.
Loki huffed a laugh as his younger self departed, “you have no idea…” he murmured softly.