The Morning After
In their expensive suite of The Beekman hotel Loki and Sylvie slept peacefully wrapped up in one another. While their amorous love making had provided the catharsis they needed, it had also been both physically and emotionally draining.
Loki had finally felt that Sylvie trusted him completely: with her confidence, her body, and with her heart. She had let go of any lasting fear or hesitation and it had meant more to him than Loki could’ve imagined.
For the first time since she was a child Sylvie finally had someone in her life who would do anything for her. She had never had a partner in any sense of the word and as Loki held her she felt safe in a way she never had before.
Sylvie woke first, stirring softly in Loki’s arms. She sighed and turned gently to nestle under his chin. Sylvie kissed his neck lazily as he made sleepy grumbling noises.
“Mmmm, Sylvie…” he murmured.
Sylvie nudged his jaw and mouthed at his Adam’s apple making Loki moan softly.
“Mmm m’asleep Sylvie…” he breathed softly.
“Then I suppose… I’ll just have to… take advantage of you… in your sleep…” she whispered between kisses.
“Ahhh yes please…” he sighed.
Sylvie caressed his skin as she explored his body sensually. Loki savored every moment under her attentions. It was the best way he had ever woken up and he couldn’t help wondering if every day could be as blissful as this.
They tangled together, kissing leisurely as the sun rose outside their window.
“We should probably get up…” Sylvie sighed against Loki’s lips.
“Says the woman who ensured my legs no longer work,” Loki smirked fondly.
Sylvie grinned and kissed him affectionately, “Mmm, that’s too bad… I was going to invite you to join me in the shower…”
“Ahhh, you’re wicked…” he hissed softly.
“And you love it,” she smirked mischievously.
“I do, almost as much as I love you…” he murmured breathily.
“Then I guess you’ll just have to wait for me…” she breathed smugly before climbing off the bed to head for the shower.
“I’ll always wait for you, my love” he whispered under his breath as he watched her go. He smiled softly before collecting his strength and getting out of bed to join her in the shower.
After another round of lovemaking in the shower they cleaned each other gently. They kissed and smiled softly as they shared smitten looks of affection.
Once toweled off Loki conjured fresh clothing for them and they prepared to head downstairs. They had a quick breakfast and checked out of the hotel with another thirty minutes to spare before the time Happy had said to be ready.
Loki and Sylvie ended up sitting on a comfortable sofa in the posh lobby as they waited. They held hands, Sylvie caressing his long fingers idly as they spoke in hushed voices. Loki smiled faintly as she spoke distractedly about potential places she’d like to take him.
It was such a privilege to see her chat so easily this way. She seemed especially relaxed in a way that was new to him. Her voice was light and casual, her shoulders relaxed against the sofa back, and her eyes looked well rested and refreshed.
Loki wondered absently if he appeared different after last night. If anyone else would notice the change in Sylvie, or if perhaps no one else would examine her so closely. Natasha might. He thought briefly and felt a sudden flush of embarrassment. She was incredibly perceptive, and it only stood to reason she would notice the difference. Perhaps she’ll assume we merely needed some time away…
Loki didn’t imagine their sleeping together would come as any surprise to her, but he felt oddly exposed at the idea of people knowing they had just slept together for the first time.
Eventually they heard the telltale honking and irritable shouting which meant Happy had arrived and it was time to go. They got to their feet and Loki pulled Sylvie close for one last tender kiss before they walked out of the lobby hand in hand.
When they arrived the two thanked Happy who merely grumbled and waved. They headed upstairs stealing furtive glances and grinning at each other like idiots. In the elevator Sylvie pulled Loki down to kiss her eagerly, delighted as his hands held her tightly against him.
They parted breathlessly as the elevator came to a stop, but continued to blush and smile faintly at each other. Just as the doors were beginning to open they suddenly closed and the elevator began to descend again of its own accord.
“That’s odd—” Loki stepped to the panel of buttons, perplexed as the floor they had selected remained the only one illuminated while it inexplicably descended.
“Push the button again, I’m sure it will return once it reaches whatever floor has requested it,” Sylvie said with a confidence she didn’t feel.
“Perhaps…” Loki said distractedly as he pressed the button again.
The lift slowed and opened on an empty floor seemingly at random. Loki stepped forward cautiously and looked around before turning back to Sylvie.
“There’s no one here… let’s just—”
“Not quite,” a deep voice said from somewhere outside the elevator.
Sylvie’s brow furrowed with confusion as Loki held a hand out briefly, indicating she stay in the elevator. She rolled her eyes irritably and pushed past him to see who had commandeered their elevator and why.
Stepping out Sylvie felt herself on the offensive, looking around for the voice they’d just heard. After a minute a tall man wearing a red cloak and a large golden amulet stepped around the corner.
“What exactly is the point of redirecting someone’s lift only to hide from them when they arrive?” Sylvie asked impatiently.
“I hear you’re quite the wild card, best to avoid any preemptive attacks without seeing first that you’re unarmed,” the man said dryly.
“That can be remedied,” Loki said dangerously as he stepped up beside her, conjuring his daggers quickly.
“Again, really? Do you always start conversations that way or am I just special?” The man said in a bored tone of voice.
“What do you mean, ‘again’?” Loki asked suspiciously, pointing one of the daggers at him in question.
“It doesn’t matter—different you, so you wouldn’t remember,” he said casually.
Loki quirked his head, opening his mouth ready to ask more questions but Sylvie placed a hand on his arm gently.
“Look, I don’t care who you are or why you effectively kidnapped us—but if you don’t get to the point I promise I’m going to become a lot less agreeable,” Sylvie said coldly.
“You’re really not in a position to be making threats, Sylvie, so if I would advise you take a seat.”
Armchairs suddenly appeared behind Loki and Sylvie.
“My name is Dr Stephen Strange and I am the Sorcerer Supreme, tasked with protecting this world and it’s plane of existence.”
Loki glared at him irritably, flicking his wrist to transform the chairs into finer ones resembling those in the palace of Asgard. He pointedly left Strange’s chair as it was and sat down with a smug air of superiority.
Sylvie rolled her eyes and sat down as well, crossing her arms in annoyance at their pettiness.
“I have come to understand that the fluctuations in reality are in some way related to the two of you, is that correct?” Strange asked sternly.
“We don’t have to answer—” Loki began but Sylvie cut him off.
“Yes.” Sylvie stared at Strange, boldly daring him to challenge her.
“Are you aware of just how strongly you’ve compromised this reality?” Strange was beginning to lose his patience.
“All timelines and realities are now in flux, wizard. I set them free from the bureaucratic tyrants who would control them,” Sylvie said calmly with a hard edge to her words.
“I see,” Strange said as his face paled with comprehension and distress, “and do you even comprehend just how foolishly reckless it is to then visit one of said timelines and start messing with its natural order of events?”
Sylvie’s eyes flashed dangerously, “It is only the ‘natural order of events’ which were prescribed by those who kept time prisoner to their petty whims.”
Strange sighed with exasperation and pinching the bridge of his nose, “yes but when the timeline is so unstable, choosing to then pull the proverbial rug out from under it is a colossally idiotic blunder.”
“Tread carefully, Strange,” Loki said in warning.
“You put all our realities in jeopardy then chose to unbalance the natural order for your own ‘petty whims’. Tell me, how exactly does that make you better than—”
Loki clenched his fist in anger and four daggers suddenly appeared pointed at Strange’s throat. The sorcerer supreme looked bored and waved a finger idly turning them into delicate feathers which he blew away easily.
Loki’s eye twitched and he twisted his hand slowly causing snakes to wrap around the man’s throat and arms to pin him to his chair. Strange huffed irritably and closed his eyes while murmuring an incantation to make the snakes drop to the floor and hiss at Loki.
Strange then circled his hand in the air to create glowing magical binds which wrapped around Loki. The God of Mischief quirked his head at him and flexed his arms to break them easily. Strange looked mildly surprised and whispered another spell while clenching his hand.
Suddenly the air squeezed from Loki’s lungs and he gasped alerting Sylvie’s attention. Loki conjured an illusion of a brunette woman in scrubs who fell to her knees in front of them, gasping as he did.
Strange’s eyes widened for a moment. He knew this was a trick but he couldn’t help the gut reaction to seeing Christine choking in front of him. He instantly released Loki and leaned forward to touch her, catching himself as she looked up at him with contempt.
“You fool,” she said coldly before transforming into Loki and suddenly disappearing.
Strange looked at Loki with rage and began to get up from his chair.
“That’s enough!” Sylvie said angrily and clenching her fists. Green energy burst from her and knocked the two men back in their seats.
She glared between them as the energy crackled and simmered.
“I was actually having quite a lovely morning before this little magical pissing contest, so if you two could manage to control yourselves for two minutes—”
“He started—”
“He was—”
Sylvie held up her hand to silence them both as they grumbled excuses.
“I don’t care who provoked who, you’re acting like children and it’s incredibly tedious,” she said firmly.
“Now Strange, I realize you feel some duty to maintain balance here on this timeline, but the extent of our interference is nearly concluded. I’ve given Dr Banner an algorithm to track the levels of nexus energy and don’t intend to create any further disruptions to the ‘sacred timeline’ now that we’ve done what we came to do,” Sylvie said calmly.
“And what about the imbalance of life you created?” Strange said deadly serious.
Sylvie narrowed her eyes at him, “you mean the one which helped bring you back from nonexistence, mortal?”
“The one which altered the course of events dictating the loss of Tony Stark and Natasha Romanov.” Strange said coldly.
Sylvie’s temper flared as her eyes flashed, “Any prescribed plan for their deaths has been rewritten and is not up for negotiation. I don’t know what petty vendetta—”
“It is entirely objective. I have no personal desire to see either of them dead, despite Tony’s arrogance. It is a drastic imbalance which reality is struggling to amend.”
“Who are you to decide who lives and dies?” Loki asked dangerously.
“I am the Sorcerer Supreme. And I care only about how events have disrupted this reality. It is my duty, my oath. I feel it, it nags and cries to be rebalanced. As a surgeon my oath was to protect every human life in my care… and now my responsibility extends to the fabric of reality which you so callously tore,” Strange explained with weary resignation.
Sylvie and Loki considered this, Loki still occasionally glaring at Strange.
“This imbalance…” Sylvie said slowly, “I presume it extends to our presence on this timeline…?”
“Indeed,” Strange said coolly, “a total of four lives which carry significant impact.”
“There are two of us, settle for half.” Sylvie said calmly.
“You intend to leave this timeline?” Strange asked slowly.
“Yes. We leave. They live.” Sylvie said solemnly.
Strange thought for a moment, his eyes closing to flick through potential impact. When his eyes opened they were calm.
“Acceptable. That will allow some degree of balance to reassert itself,” he said tiredly.
“But we get to visit,” Sylvie began at the brief look of sadness she caught in Loki’s eyes.
“No. Not part of the deal.”
“It is now. You want us gone, those are the terms. Take it or leave it.” Sylvie said firmly.
Strange stared at her for a moment, eyes unblinking, then finally snapped out of it.
“Fine. One day a year.”
“A week.”
Strange sighed, “One week. Once a year. Final offer.”
“Done.” Sylvie got to her feet and extended her hand.
Strange stood up cautiously, then took her hand and shook it.
“I have your word… and I’ll bind you to it,” Strange said firmly.
“And I you.” Sylvie matched his grip confidently before releasing his hand.
“We’ve been here three days, but we’ll cut our visit short as a sign of good faith,” Sylvie said calmly.
She looked at Loki who nodded in agreement.
“We’ll leave tomorrow. I owe my brother that much,” Loki said and Strange nodded his acceptance.
“That will have to do. Goodbye Sylvie, and Loki of Asgard… I hope we need never meet again.”
With that Strange created a portal and turned on his heel. He gave them a final stern look, “Honor our agreement. Break it, and I’ll know.”
“Not to worry, if it means never seeing you again I doubt that should be any problem,” Loki said dryly.
Strange nodded and walked through the portal which closed behind him with a whispy spark of golden light.