Chapter 6
Ty,
That was really nice of everyone to send me that. Say thank you to everyone from me. Bucky happened to be there when I was watching it, since I borrowed his computer. I don’t feel so weird staying with Bucky’s parents, even if I’m pretty sure Becca Barnes tries to blow my head up with her mind every time I enter a room.
Is Thor and Loki’s sister really as scary as people are making her out to be? Natasha and Bruce seem like they’re really worried, and don’t even get me started on Pepper. I mean, in my experience, the scary older sibling is normally a softie. But Rhodey told me that Tony told him that even Sif is afraid of her.
Even if what Sif told Tony is true, based on what you’ve told me about your cousin, she doesn’t sound like she scares easy. Natasha and I Googled some of the animals you’ve said she’s kept as pets over the years, and every last one of them scares the shit out of me. Especially the bilgesnipe. How did she even get that thing in her house?
You’re probably right about Natasha. I mentioned something the other day, and I’m starting to think Bucky knows something that I don’t. About Natasha, not about aliens like usual. He’s got really weird interests. I know way too much about aliens and it’s all Bucky’s fault.
He tricked me into doing math once. I still don’t know how he did it.
- Clint
Ty was all of a sudden overcome with concern for his cousin. And yes, he was hard on Loki, but he’d been doing that ever since he’d met Loki. Hela was significantly more unpredictable than Ty. And Ty didn’t know Hela very well, given that she was older and Ty had always been closer to Thor than to Loki.
Ty walked up to Sig after school. She was talking to Bryn and Ridley, totally oblivious to the shitstorm coming her way.
“Hey, is Hela really coming home this weekend?” asked Ty.
Bryn and Ridley both widened their eyes in horror as Sig nodded calmly.
“And you’re not worried?” asked Ty.
Sig grabbed Ty by the ear and dragged him away from Bryn and Ridley.
“Of course I’m worried,” she whispered harshly, “it’s Hela. She’s super protective of Loki and I don’t think she knows we’re dating yet. Thor and Frigga are one thing, but I’ve never been sure that Hela even likes me.”
Ty spotted Loki approaching the two of them from behind and didn’t point them out.
“You...really care that much about what their family thinks of you?” asked Ty.
Loki raised an eyebrow.
“I care that much about what everyone thinks of me. But I can’t put those insecurities on Loki.”
Loki opened their mouth to speak, but Ty interrupted them.
“Why not?” asked Ty.
“Because I don’t want them to think I’m going to run away.”
“Signey,” said Ty, “why do you think they would-”
“That’s the thing, Loki would never. But anxiety’s a bitch. The sad thing is, that Loki could probably make me feel better about it, but I still can’t bring myself to bring it up with them.”
“I may have just saved you the trouble,” said Ty.
He took his cousin by the shoulders and spun her around to face Loki.
“Minä aion tappaa sinut,” said Sig.
“Kill me later,” said Ty, giving Sig a gentle shove.
#
Ty walked away, leaving Sig there, scratching her elbow. Loki took a few
steps closer to her, not looking hurt but not looking too happy either. Sig was worried. And she seriously was gonna kill Ty. Loki reached out and took Sig’s hand.
“Loki-”
“Didn’t you say I could make you feel better?” asked Loki.
“I said probably,” said Sig.
Loki started walking, maintaining their hold on Sig’s hand. Sig followed willingly. Loki
lead them to their house, and sat them down on the sofa.
“Alright,” said Loki, “you’re worried about my sister. You weren’t worried about Thor or my mother, so what’s makes Hela different?”
“Thor and your mom always liked me. Hela never has. She only likes you.”
“It’s okay if you’re scared of stuff that’s about us, Sig,” said Loki, “I’m not gonna worry that you’re gonna take off or give up.”
Sig hated suspecting that of other people, of herself. But she did it anyway.
“Why?” she asked.
“Because for ten years you’ve been my best friend and you’ve stood by me. Even when people said I was bad or that I didn’t belong or that us being friends meant that you had to make me good. Because you knew I was good already even if I didn’t feel like it.”
Sig pressed a kiss to back of Loki’s hand and smiled up at them.
“I love you,” she said.
“A horrible decision really,” replied Loki.
“Loki.”
“I love you too.”
Sig rested her head against Loki’s shoulder.
“Hela does have a protective streak, but she was the first person I told about us. Mom wasn’t home from work and Thor was skyping Fandral, and I needed to talk to someone who I’d never hidden from.”
“And what did she say?” asked Sig.
“She said ‘Loki Laufey Odinson you dumb gay bitch I hope you and that Finnish fuck make each other happy otherwise I’ll have to kill both of you.’ Then she hung up. She was probably uncomfortable, she’s not usually that emotional.”
Sig rolled her eyes.
“I’m assuming that’s Hela for ‘I really care about you two and sincerely hope and believe that you’ll be good to each other,’” said Sig.
“Yeah,” sighed Loki.
“I’m still gonna kill Ty.”
“He only did that today because he saw that I looked like a kicked puppy,” said Loki.
“Sorry about that, käärme, I was only kidding about committing parricide.”
“I never kid about parricide,” chuckled Loki.
#
Loki paced back and forth in the living room, both of their siblings watching them with unamused looks on their faces.
“Loki, you’ll wear a hole in the carpet,” said Hela.
“I physically can’t stop,” said Loki.
Thor got up off the couch and scooped Loki up in his arms. Loki squirmed for a few seconds, then crossed their arms.
“Feel better?” asked Thor.
“I feel undignified,” said Loki.
“Well, you looked like you could use a pick me up,” said Thor.
“You’re not funny Thor,” said Hela.
“Neither are you,” said Thor.
“I’m dry,” said Hela, “there’s a difference.”
Frigga and Sig walked through the door at that moment. All three siblings snapped focus towards them.
“I thought you two were over ‘get help,’” said Frigga.
Hela snorted. Frigga laughed, then walked into the next room.
“Thor, put me down,” said Loki.
“But you’re still nervous,” said Thor.
“Unhand me!”
Thor put Loki down. Loki glanced over at Sig, who smiled. Loki walked over to Sig, suitably embarrassed.
“You need me to protect you from the big scary theater nerd?” asked Sig.
“Yes please,” said Loki.
Sig laughed, and hugged Loki.
“All joking aside, I do have two fencing prodigies who will do virtually anything if I ask nicely,” said Sig.
Loki rolled their eyes.
“That’s because you’re adorable,” laughed Loki, kissing the top of Sig’s head.
“You didn’t tell me they were this bad,” said Hela.
“I didn’t know,” said Thor, “but yeah it’s pretty bad.”
Sig made a fart noise in Thor’s general direction. Hela chuckled. Loki recognized it immediately, not as Hela’s “I begrudgingly find this amusing” laugh, but as an evil snicker.
“You’ve fallen into my trap, little brother,” said Hela, “under normal circumstances, you would find this sort of behavior to be endearing, yet you seem almost as jaded as I.”
“I do not,” growled Thor.
“She’s got you now,” sighed Loki.
“Do quit frowning, Signey, Thor is truly happy for you and our sibling. He’s just unable to express it properly due to his own personal situation,” said Hela.
Loki gave Sig’s hand a quick squeeze. He knew what Hela was driving at.
“Say Thor,” said Loki, “how’s Bruce?”
Thor scrunched up his nose. Loki knew they’d hit the jackpot.
“Your penpal, Thor? Really?” asked Hela.
Sig sat next to Thor and patted him on the shoulder.
“Bruce must be really special,” said Sig, “after all, you’re only human.”
Loki continued to smirk at Thor, holding down their desire to look at Sig in favor of teasing their brother.
“Oh, shut up, Loki,” snapped Thor, “you gave your crush a frog.”
Loki’s resolve snapped and they met Sig’s eyes. They knew their grin was dopey, but they didn’t care. Not anymore.