Two of a kind: Fanfic Sif/Loki - part 9
Rating: Teenage, adult
Fandom: Thor (2011), Sif/Loki
Pairing/Characters: Sif/Loki, Frigg, Thor, Warriors Three
Genre: Romance, angst
Status: Finished story, 9th chapter out of 11+epilogue
Summary: Sometimes, a moment in the past of two peoples can impact on their life, long after it had happened.
Background: The story is placed after the first Thor movie and after the (future) Avengers movie.
Part 9: Even hope can die.
Loki’s recovery was slow. Frigg wondered if it was the worry about Sif’s prolonged absence that so weighed on her son’s mind... He was restive most of the time and she could see he wasn’t sleeping well. He was keeping a straight face, but she noticed how it would quickly decompose when away from the crowd of the Palace.
‘Did you hear something about Sif?’ This question would come almost every day that Frigg came to see him. And each time, she had to disappoint. She could not answer him, simply because she did not know. And because Sif had asked her, specifically, to not tell Loki where she was going. Sif was visibly worried he would try to come after her... And Frigg wasn’t absolutely sure he wouldn’t try. But even she was beginning to worry for the Shield Maiden. It had been too long since the last time Odin had received news from her... She hoped the young woman would be alright, for her sake, but mostly for the sake of her son’s heart.
Loki was wandering aimlessly. He had guards following him around in the Palace, but he didn’t care. He could have escaped, or tried to... But he didn’t have the heart. All he could think of was Sif’s words, her face while speaking about fighting for him. She had meant every word, she had been pained by what had happened to him. He could not go away now... Sif, her first kiss, her promises, this hope she had given him, this second chance, had been the strongest chains he had ever met... And he knew he himself had closed them around him... He would not escape before he could even explore what she had offered. It was too unexpected, at this moment in his life; he would not throw this chance away. And, most of all, he wanted to know where she was, how she was doing.
His mood was dark and he had tried to avoid all visitors. Not that the traitorous second son had received many... So, it was without great pleasure that he noticed his brother, the mighty Thor, coming in his direction. He sighed. Since his incarceration, Thor had never come to see him. He wondered what had changed, what his brother would ask of him... Perhaps he had come with questions from his little Midgardian friends... Loki wanted to get rid of him as quickly as possible; he wasn’t in the mood to squabble with his brother.
‘Greetings, brother...’ Thor’s voice was strangled.
Loki did not even spare a look at him, ‘What do you want, brother?’ He kept looking at the fountain in his mother’s garden, a place dear to him, for he had often sneaked in it as a child at night, with Sif by his side... He could remember every place where they had hidden.
Thor sighed, trying to keep his calm. He was troubled, clenching and un-clenching his fists. ‘I need your help, brother....’
Loki was still ignoring him, knowing perfectly well that Thor would lose it and, rather than hit him, would leave him alone. Something Loki was wishing with all his heart... He felt a hand on his shoulder; Thor, forcing him to face him.
Thor tried again, struggling to contain his rising anger, ‘Please, brother, it is of the utmost importance...’
Loki’s face was set in stone; he would not give anything away to his brother. He had nothing to say to him. They stared at each other for a moment longer, then Thor lost his calm and seized him by the arm, raging in his face, ‘Mother told me you had changed, that you would be willing to help me in this!’ He then released him brutally, sending Loki a few steps away. Thor then breathed deeply, and added in a disgusted voice, ‘But you’re still the same. You care for no one but yourself...’ Looking down at him, he said, regrets creeping into his voice, ‘And here I thought you would help me in finding her...’
Thor was turning back when Loki grabbed his arm in return, ‘What did you just say?’ Seeing Thor hesitate, he lost his own cool and grabbed Thor by the front of his clothes, ‘What did you just say?’
Thor’s hands pushed him away without difficulty, a scowl on his face, ‘I said I was hoping for your help in the rescue of Lady Sif.’
And the world of Loki darkened again; he stumbled back, as if struck... Thor quickly realized something had just gone wrong for his brother and he put a solicitous hand on his shoulder...
Loki did not even realize, his mind racing with images of Sif in danger, wounded… worse... He felt dizzy... What he had so dreaded...‘Where is she?’
Thor looked at his brother’s face; there was something new in there, his green eyes searching for answers, visibly worried... Thor wondered about this. Could it be? He said, trying to appease his brother, ‘She was on a mission in Jotunheim...’
Loki closed his eyes then, devastated at the idea that Sif had been in that terrible place and was now in danger, all because of him. Jotunheim, no!
‘Brother, are you alright? You do not seem well... Perhaps you should get some rest... I will come back later.’ Thor’s voice was anxious now, seeing Loki reacting this way had put doubts in his mind. He had known Sif was the one who saved his brother from the traitors. That she had spent almost all her days before leaving at Loki’s bedside. But now, Thor was wondering if his little brother might have fallen again for their childhood friend. An idea that would have been comforting if not for the danger Sif was now in.
Loki’s hand gripped his arms, ‘No. I won’t rest while she’s in danger. While she may be wounded or... ’ His last word caught in his throat, no, he could not say this. He looked at his brother, his eyes determined, ‘I want to come with you.’ He saw Thor hesitate. His grip convulsively strengthened around his brother’s arm, ‘Please...’ His eyes earnest now, not able to beg with his words, but hoping his brother would understand.
He saw him sigh, slumping slightly, ‘Alright... You can come with us.’ He gave in, but couldn’t stop himself from saying, ‘But, I would have preferred you to be safe here, using only your knowledge of this realm...’
Loki had relaxed when Thor had agreed to his demand. He bit back an answer, trying not to anger him now. He needed to go there, to see for himself where she was, to help her... He said, in a low tone, ‘To be safe here? Or to be caged here, without being able to help anyone?’
The two brothers stared at each other, the guards around them shifting uneasily.... Finally Thor lowered his eyes, ‘I wish only for my friend Sif to be safe. She has been missing for too long.’
Loki swallowed, looking away now. Biting his lower lip, he said, ‘And I wish only to do for her what she has done for me...’
A hand slapped him on his shoulder and Thor, smiling now at his brother, gestured for the guards to follow them while they walked back to the palace. ‘Aye, brother, we’re going to Jotunheim, you and I, as in the good old days...’
-------
It had been worse than they thought. Visibly, Sif’s faction had fallen into a trap. The two brothers, the Warriors Three and a company of men in arms had gone to the Frozen Realm. And they had found only death. The battle had been terrible. Bodies of Frost Giants and Asgardian warriors were lying intertwined.
Loki was desperate now; there was no sign of Sif anywhere. Had she been taken away? He could not imagine her at the hand of his captors. To think they might do to her what had been done to him... No, he would go crazy.
Thor’s face was a mask of grief. They were searching for survivors, for something or someone who would be able to help them find the Lady Sif. And they were hard pressed for time. The longer they stayed at the same place, the riskier it was to be found by a Jotun party.
After some time searching around the battle ground, they found traces of a fight; two people moving away from the main battle. Hogun discovered the body of the last of his captors, but Loki did not even spare a glance for it. He was focusing on the small pile of clothes he could see further away... There was so much blood, he felt his heart stop. She had been slashed very badly, but he realized she must have been alive at the end of her fight, for she had tried to protect herself from the cold before losing consciousness.
With trembling hands, he reached for her, taking her limp body in his arms and began to gently rock her. Her face was white and small bubbles of blood had dried at the corner of her nose and mouth. His own hands were cold with dread and he fumbled with the clasp of her cape to reach for her neck. Feeling the faint pulse there, her skin still warm under his fingers, made him giddy with relief, a faint moan escaping his lips... Closing his eyes, fighting the tears that were threatening to appear, he tightened his embrace around her. He would never let her go away again, never. Oh Sif, don’t leave me now...
A light hand touched his shoulder, and he met the gaze of Thor. When he saw his brother moving to take Sif from his arms, he jerked away from him and scooped her up into his arms while standing up. He would not relinquish her to Thor, not again.
Thor said nothing, staring as Loki’s chin rested lightly on Sif’s head, his arms tightening around her. He turned to his other companions and gestured for them to move.
They were going back to Asgard.
Fandom: Thor (2011), Sif/Loki
Pairing/Characters: Sif/Loki, Frigg, Thor, Warriors Three
Genre: Romance, angst
Status: Finished story, 9th chapter out of 11+epilogue
Summary: Sometimes, a moment in the past of two peoples can impact on their life, long after it had happened.
Background: The story is placed after the first Thor movie and after the (future) Avengers movie.
Part 9: Even hope can die.
Loki’s recovery was slow. Frigg wondered if it was the worry about Sif’s prolonged absence that so weighed on her son’s mind... He was restive most of the time and she could see he wasn’t sleeping well. He was keeping a straight face, but she noticed how it would quickly decompose when away from the crowd of the Palace.
‘Did you hear something about Sif?’ This question would come almost every day that Frigg came to see him. And each time, she had to disappoint. She could not answer him, simply because she did not know. And because Sif had asked her, specifically, to not tell Loki where she was going. Sif was visibly worried he would try to come after her... And Frigg wasn’t absolutely sure he wouldn’t try. But even she was beginning to worry for the Shield Maiden. It had been too long since the last time Odin had received news from her... She hoped the young woman would be alright, for her sake, but mostly for the sake of her son’s heart.
Loki was wandering aimlessly. He had guards following him around in the Palace, but he didn’t care. He could have escaped, or tried to... But he didn’t have the heart. All he could think of was Sif’s words, her face while speaking about fighting for him. She had meant every word, she had been pained by what had happened to him. He could not go away now... Sif, her first kiss, her promises, this hope she had given him, this second chance, had been the strongest chains he had ever met... And he knew he himself had closed them around him... He would not escape before he could even explore what she had offered. It was too unexpected, at this moment in his life; he would not throw this chance away. And, most of all, he wanted to know where she was, how she was doing.
His mood was dark and he had tried to avoid all visitors. Not that the traitorous second son had received many... So, it was without great pleasure that he noticed his brother, the mighty Thor, coming in his direction. He sighed. Since his incarceration, Thor had never come to see him. He wondered what had changed, what his brother would ask of him... Perhaps he had come with questions from his little Midgardian friends... Loki wanted to get rid of him as quickly as possible; he wasn’t in the mood to squabble with his brother.
‘Greetings, brother...’ Thor’s voice was strangled.
Loki did not even spare a look at him, ‘What do you want, brother?’ He kept looking at the fountain in his mother’s garden, a place dear to him, for he had often sneaked in it as a child at night, with Sif by his side... He could remember every place where they had hidden.
Thor sighed, trying to keep his calm. He was troubled, clenching and un-clenching his fists. ‘I need your help, brother....’
Loki was still ignoring him, knowing perfectly well that Thor would lose it and, rather than hit him, would leave him alone. Something Loki was wishing with all his heart... He felt a hand on his shoulder; Thor, forcing him to face him.
Thor tried again, struggling to contain his rising anger, ‘Please, brother, it is of the utmost importance...’
Loki’s face was set in stone; he would not give anything away to his brother. He had nothing to say to him. They stared at each other for a moment longer, then Thor lost his calm and seized him by the arm, raging in his face, ‘Mother told me you had changed, that you would be willing to help me in this!’ He then released him brutally, sending Loki a few steps away. Thor then breathed deeply, and added in a disgusted voice, ‘But you’re still the same. You care for no one but yourself...’ Looking down at him, he said, regrets creeping into his voice, ‘And here I thought you would help me in finding her...’
Thor was turning back when Loki grabbed his arm in return, ‘What did you just say?’ Seeing Thor hesitate, he lost his own cool and grabbed Thor by the front of his clothes, ‘What did you just say?’
Thor’s hands pushed him away without difficulty, a scowl on his face, ‘I said I was hoping for your help in the rescue of Lady Sif.’
And the world of Loki darkened again; he stumbled back, as if struck... Thor quickly realized something had just gone wrong for his brother and he put a solicitous hand on his shoulder...
Loki did not even realize, his mind racing with images of Sif in danger, wounded… worse... He felt dizzy... What he had so dreaded...‘Where is she?’
Thor looked at his brother’s face; there was something new in there, his green eyes searching for answers, visibly worried... Thor wondered about this. Could it be? He said, trying to appease his brother, ‘She was on a mission in Jotunheim...’
Loki closed his eyes then, devastated at the idea that Sif had been in that terrible place and was now in danger, all because of him. Jotunheim, no!
‘Brother, are you alright? You do not seem well... Perhaps you should get some rest... I will come back later.’ Thor’s voice was anxious now, seeing Loki reacting this way had put doubts in his mind. He had known Sif was the one who saved his brother from the traitors. That she had spent almost all her days before leaving at Loki’s bedside. But now, Thor was wondering if his little brother might have fallen again for their childhood friend. An idea that would have been comforting if not for the danger Sif was now in.
Loki’s hand gripped his arms, ‘No. I won’t rest while she’s in danger. While she may be wounded or... ’ His last word caught in his throat, no, he could not say this. He looked at his brother, his eyes determined, ‘I want to come with you.’ He saw Thor hesitate. His grip convulsively strengthened around his brother’s arm, ‘Please...’ His eyes earnest now, not able to beg with his words, but hoping his brother would understand.
He saw him sigh, slumping slightly, ‘Alright... You can come with us.’ He gave in, but couldn’t stop himself from saying, ‘But, I would have preferred you to be safe here, using only your knowledge of this realm...’
Loki had relaxed when Thor had agreed to his demand. He bit back an answer, trying not to anger him now. He needed to go there, to see for himself where she was, to help her... He said, in a low tone, ‘To be safe here? Or to be caged here, without being able to help anyone?’
The two brothers stared at each other, the guards around them shifting uneasily.... Finally Thor lowered his eyes, ‘I wish only for my friend Sif to be safe. She has been missing for too long.’
Loki swallowed, looking away now. Biting his lower lip, he said, ‘And I wish only to do for her what she has done for me...’
A hand slapped him on his shoulder and Thor, smiling now at his brother, gestured for the guards to follow them while they walked back to the palace. ‘Aye, brother, we’re going to Jotunheim, you and I, as in the good old days...’
-------
It had been worse than they thought. Visibly, Sif’s faction had fallen into a trap. The two brothers, the Warriors Three and a company of men in arms had gone to the Frozen Realm. And they had found only death. The battle had been terrible. Bodies of Frost Giants and Asgardian warriors were lying intertwined.
Loki was desperate now; there was no sign of Sif anywhere. Had she been taken away? He could not imagine her at the hand of his captors. To think they might do to her what had been done to him... No, he would go crazy.
Thor’s face was a mask of grief. They were searching for survivors, for something or someone who would be able to help them find the Lady Sif. And they were hard pressed for time. The longer they stayed at the same place, the riskier it was to be found by a Jotun party.
After some time searching around the battle ground, they found traces of a fight; two people moving away from the main battle. Hogun discovered the body of the last of his captors, but Loki did not even spare a glance for it. He was focusing on the small pile of clothes he could see further away... There was so much blood, he felt his heart stop. She had been slashed very badly, but he realized she must have been alive at the end of her fight, for she had tried to protect herself from the cold before losing consciousness.
With trembling hands, he reached for her, taking her limp body in his arms and began to gently rock her. Her face was white and small bubbles of blood had dried at the corner of her nose and mouth. His own hands were cold with dread and he fumbled with the clasp of her cape to reach for her neck. Feeling the faint pulse there, her skin still warm under his fingers, made him giddy with relief, a faint moan escaping his lips... Closing his eyes, fighting the tears that were threatening to appear, he tightened his embrace around her. He would never let her go away again, never. Oh Sif, don’t leave me now...
A light hand touched his shoulder, and he met the gaze of Thor. When he saw his brother moving to take Sif from his arms, he jerked away from him and scooped her up into his arms while standing up. He would not relinquish her to Thor, not again.
Thor said nothing, staring as Loki’s chin rested lightly on Sif’s head, his arms tightening around her. He turned to his other companions and gestured for them to move.
They were going back to Asgard.