Queen of the Superficial. NC-17.
Title: Queen of the Superficial
Series: #3 in Walking Yggdrasil
Author: Eustacia Vye
Author's e-mail: eustacia_vye28@hotmail.com
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Not mine! Characters you recognize belong to Marvel, and I've incoporated some comic back story into the movieverse. Title from Muse's "Supermassive Black Hole." You tell me who the title is referring to. ;)
Summary: Loki had always said he wanted to be in control. Now that he has the opportunity, however...
Galion was a beautiful, tropical planet. Its trajectory around its red sun meant that temperatures were easily in the eighties to nineties across its entire landmass, and the thick jungles provided the building materials, vegetation and wildlife to sustain its humanoid population. The Galion males were larger in size and musculature, with deep brown or almost black skin and hair, and startlingly light colored eyes. Clothing they wore was almost sheer in deference to the heat, but the embroidery on the tunic shirts indicated rank and position in society. The females of the species were smaller, slighter, and had uniformly pale gray skin and dark black hair, with the same startlingly light colored eyes. Most males kept females in the home complexes to breed and care for younglings or maintain the household. Occasionally, if they did the market shopping, the brands on their hands identified who they belonged to. They were kept uneducated and often were barely clothed at all. If they were, they wore sheer white robes with no ornamentation at all, indicating their lack of status. Even the males considered progressive and forward thinking had no intention of educating their females.
There was also a third sex on the planet, the juul, which were the bankers, traders and crafters that did not procreate, yet enjoyed a lot privileges in the society without the restrictions of the male or female genders. They could be of either skin coloring, but were middle-sized, and wore bright red clothing to stand out and proclaim their status. Galion society was very rigid, with little opportunity to escape the class structure except by becoming juul. The process was never openly spoken about, though there were far more light skinned juul than there were darker skinned members.
Because the juul didn't have status enough for artifact trades or dealing with antiquities, posing as that intersex gender wouldn't help Loki or Natasha. As he had mentioned, posing as a male and female Galion would be better for looking into where an Infinity Stone might be.
The various translation spells Loki had placed on Natasha meant that she could understand the languages spoken on Galion. It was tonal, and also contained a number of clicks and phonemes that she was unable to pronounce. She was not expected to converse with the Galion, which was good for her. Translation spells didn't mean she would be able to speak the language around her, just understand it.
They were looking for the Soul or Time Stones, and Loki wasn't sure which would be present on the planet. He hadn't been able to say how long it would take for him to ingratiate himself into the antiquities community on the planet, which meant that her status as his slave was also going to be an indefinite tenure.
If anything, he looked vaguely ill when he had relayed that to Natasha.
Loki set himself up as a Halation tradesman, as that planet frequently interacted with the Galion and often were allowed into their homes and customs. A fair number also had Galion females as their concubines, especially if they held homesteads on Galion to trade from. He didn't have to disguise his height or lithe frame, and the Asgardian skin coloring would still be allowed. His eyes were red and veined, his nails thick and black, almost like claws. He wore the translucent beige tunic shirts and wide legged pants of the Galion males, embroidery on the front of his tunic indicating his Halation background, antiquities tradesman profession, lower high class status and permission to reside on the planet.
As his concubine, Natasha's hair was changed into the same deep black of the Galion females and her pale skin was tinted gray. Her green eyes remained the same, well within the range of light colors that the Galion had. Loki insisted on the sheer fabric robes that were all Galion females were allowed, as if he was discomfited with the thought of her walking naked, or bowing and scraping to fulfill his every need.
His name in this guise was Prince, which sounded similar enough to the Halation word for shallow pond waters that was often used for naming second sons. Natasha didn't need a second name for this covert mission; Galion females carried names privately, and were not referred to by name in public for any reason. They all were called female or girl, even by those males kind enough to care for their females, though sometimes there was an occasional pet or little one for a female especially beloved.
Inside the estate that Loki commandeered, he called her Natasha, and his eyes were strained but kind as he looked at her. He seemed almost embarrassed by the nakedness beneath the robes, and insisted on her wearing them at all times. Galion females didn't have menstrual cycles but an estrus, so Natasha's lack of bleeding blended in well with the female populace. She was allowed into the markets, eyes and ears open, listening to the talk between tradesmen, black hair obscuring her face as her head bowed in deference to Loki's long steps. Several Galion males were known for their antiquities and oddities, curiosities gathered from all over the planet and nearby ones; most Galion males were disinterested in the galaxy at large, but some of the higher ranked politicos liked to have artifacts to prove their worth as the ruling class.
"Only one female?" one tradesman clucked at Loki soon after he had arrived in the open market to introduce himself to antiquities dealers. "But you are allowed up to three with your status. Unless you plan to breed the other two on that one?"
"I am newly arrived on this planet, though obviously I am familiar with your customs," Loki replied in flawless High Galion. "Once I am more settled, I may consider it."
"I have five," the tradesman boasted, chest puffing up with pride. "One is even breeding, and the High Healer thinks it may be a male."
"Joyous felicitations," Loki told him graciously.
"The last breeder only had a worthless female," the tradesman continued after nodding in acknowledgement. "It didn't even live past the first five days."
Loki's eyes flicked toward Natasha, but she didn't even react to the callous wording. "A shame."
"The breeder was pretty. The female might have fetched a good price at market."
"Was?" Loki asked.
"It took ill," the tradesman said with a dismissive wave. "Sudden and quite messily, in fact, right after the paltry infant died."
"I see," Loki murmured, nodding. "And your others?"
"Hale and hearty. They would fetch a good price if I have the mind to sell them. Most aren't buying in our class, however. They'd rather breed them up or exchange if they overstep the limits allowed them."
"Exchange?" Loki asked with some interest.
The tradesman laughed. "You may want to visit Thanakar Usan in the Stirling district. Quite the connoisseur of antiquities and females. Because of the advisory status he holds, he is allowed a larger number of females, and is often looking for trade goods."
"My colleagues back home are interested in very specific artifacts," Loki replied with a smile meant to hint at potentially unsavory practices. "The more rare and unique the artifacts, the better their collection will be."
"Thanakar Usan is definitely the male to converse with."
Natasha was sent into the markets for victuals at that point, and she automatically understood Loki's unspoken command to listen for that name. Much like the other females, she pointed to items and displayed the brand on the back of her hand for payment. Chatter amongst the males in the market didn't mention the name Thanakar Usan until she was in the section of the market that sold higher quality foodstuffs. Apparently one salesman had to order a cart to deliver the items his female indicated that he wanted. "It must be for the banquet," the salesman mentioned to the carter. His laughter was harsh, perhaps a bit bitter. "I wonder which of Thanakar Usan's favored associates will taste of the bounty this solar. Sier Kenzan boasted of his privileges for a full moon after the last one."
The carter simply shrugged. "Not in the same class, I won't get an invitation."
"If it wasn't for his collection, no one would listen to a thing that fool says," the salesman said bitterly. The fingers of one hand fingered the edge of his tunic, and Natasha noticed an empty space where other tradesmen in this sector of the market had sigils embroidered. "He taunts the rest of us however he can."
"Lasan Vies," the carter hissed, looking concerned. "Bury the hatred in your heart. The Drasil would not want you to continue. They preach against vengeance and anger. And Thanakar Usan has mighty friends. You would be sent down to my status if you do not hold your tongue."
Lasan Vies sighed, then had to visibly calm himself. "Of course, you are correct. I am pleased you still have concern for my welfare despite your status. If I curried favor, I could improve your lot and status."
"You know I am not after the status," the carter replied, shaking his head. "I will deliver the goods promised to Thanakar Usan."
"Perhaps afterward, you may partake in a female," Lasan Vies offered. "It is the least I can offer to repay your reminder."
The carter smiled warmly and bowed. Natasha was starting to get the feeling that it was a common occurrence between the two males, given how scripted their speech was, and Lasan Vies' bitterness and anger would sooner or later get him into trouble on this world.
She and Loki could possibly speed that along.
***
Thanakar Usan was more than happy to invite Loki to his banquet, as he liked the idea of knowing all of the antiquities dealers on the planet. He also clearly wanted to show off his collection at his estate. He found it odd that Loki would bring Natasha with him, as none of the other guests brought any of their females, but let the matter drop when Loki insisted that he meant no disrespect to Thanakar Usan's collection of females. "It is custom on my world not to presume upon the host. If it is not in your will to allow use of a female from your collection, then I would have my own. It is no insult, but rather to avoid insult or discomfort on your part if my presence is not as welcome as we both would wish."
With that explanation, Thanakar Usan was far more obliging. "Ah, these planetary niceties are quite problematic," he declared. "Of course I am no miserly host. All may partake of the females in my household however they wish. Any damages to them are expected, as tempers may rise hot and full."
"Do they?"
"I have quite a collection of implements that truly can create artistic patterns on flesh. Blood against gray is quite striking."
"Or against brown, perhaps?" Loki asked. "A lesser creature, of course, none of our august company," he added at Thanakar Usan's startled expression. "It would be quite the display of power and dominance. Such things do happen on other worlds."
Now Thanakar Usan looked downright eager. "Do tell. There are those seeking to rise above their station of birth and wealth, and it is unconscionable to let it remain so. A fair few could do with reminders to remain in their place. The world works, and the world works best if all know their place and remain in place. So says the Drasil."
"Of course," Loki replied. At his side, Natasha could see the tension in his wrist and hand. As soon as she touched him lightly, that tension seemed to ease. "I have heard tales throughout the market for moons that your standards are quite exacting, and your collections vast and beyond compare. I do hope you could honor me with a view of them."
The male laughed and nodded. "After the banquet, of course. As we digest the bounty of victuals our minds can digest the bounty of my collection."
Loki radiated tension again, and Natasha wondered what was irritating him so much. Thanakar Usan was no different from any other grandiose blowhard that was powerful and thought himself better than everyone else. Maybe he reminded Loki of someone else. Natasha couldn't be sure, not knowing enough about Loki's inner world, but it made her wonder what it was exactly that had Loki uneasy about this entire mission.
"I would very much like to see how your female performs," Thanakar Usan told Loki, glass of wine in hand. "The markings are different."
"I am not Galion," Loki reminded him.
"I suppose," Thanakar Usan murmured, lips beginning to turn down into a frown.
"Why? Did you want to borrow her?"
Thanakr Usan looked startled. "You would not want to trade the female?"
"I am rather attached," Loki told him regretfully. "My first gift upon my arrival on Galion. Sentimental reasons, you understand."
The tradesman nodded. "I understand. My first gifted female was never traded away, either."
"So you understand," Loki said, relieved. "I felt welcomed here. A part of society and not merely tolerated for the goods I could procure."
Grinning, Thanakar Usan nodded. "For we are the enlightened in the system, of course. Come. Show me what she is like, and I'll show you part of my collection. Most here have seen it, but the novelty of your reaction will flatter me."
Unable to think of a way to avoid it, Loki gestured for Natasha to come closer. "Time for the show," he told her in English.
She nodded and stood in front of him. "I serve my Prince," she murmured softly. It was interesting to her how reluctant he was to do this, how he seemed to apologize as he spun her around and bent her over the table. Most males in the room weren't even paying attention to them, indicating that this was that common an occurrence at Thanakar Usan's parties.
A thread of magic had Loki hard and her insides slicked with lube, making his thrusts into easier to tolerate. There was nothing truly sexy about the performance, but Thanakar Usan seemed to see it that way. Natasha remained utterly silent, and that seemed to only make Thanakar Usan watch her that much more avidly. She was different, and like the Collector on Knowhere, he wanted to possess anything different.
Thanakar Usan didn't want Loki to clean her up afterward, and insisted that the robe be removed in his estate. Jaw clamped tight, Loki nodded and went to remove it. Natasha felt a weight settle on her chest, though she couldn't see anything. Possibly a warded magic item of some kind. "Call me when you find it," he murmured in English.
"Don't worry about me," Natasha told him in a low voice.
It wasn't safe to say anything else; Thanakar Usan was watching them too closely, and greedily took hold of Natasha's arm. "It must be a challenge to make the female make a sound."
"Sometimes. There's a trick to it, of course," he said in challenge, something that had Thanakar Usan laughing merrily.
"I'll discover it and return her to you."
"Perhaps," Loki replied. "Your collection?"
Thanakar Usan was glad to show Loki a a few rooms in the estate that house his collection. While they were certainly interesting objects, none of them held the sense of magic or power of an Infinity Stone. Thanakar Usan enjoyed holding onto Natasha, his grip painfully tight to keep her at his side. Loki refused a trade of females, or even to borrow one of Thanakar Usan's females to keep him company in the meantime. "I'll return for her."
"When I tire of her," Thanakar Usan replied, still holding Natasha's arm possessively. His smile was almost feral. "Maybe there will be something for you to get back."
Loki protested, but then guards materialized to escort him from the estate. "This is hardly sporting of you!"
"I run the trade guild. The ruling class supports me. there is no need for giving sporting chances." Thanakar Usan's greed was clearly showing now, and Natasha could see the irritation flare in Loki's eyes. Oh, but he hated playing the sycophant, hated being left unable to move against this idiot. Natasha was his, no one else's, but he had to bow and scrape and act the fool, as if he truly was below Thanakar Usan in rank.
But it got her into the estate. Natasha had to endure Thanakar Usan's touch, being forced into one of his beds in the harem or into his playroom, where he whipped and flogged her. he was unable to achieve any kind of erection without inflicting pain first, and her silence made him falter and grow limp. That tendency of his explained the large collection of females he had; sometimes his attentions were too dangerous to their flesh, and he had to let them heal before he could play with them again. The females murmured about those that scarred themselves or sabotaged their healing to avoid returning to his side.
Every night, Natasha prowled the halls, looking through the collection rooms. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, exactly, but remembered what it had felt like to hold the scepter or stand next to Vision. Nothing gave off a similar sensation for her, though she did make note of what artifacts might be useful to steal later.
Thanakar Usan was frustrated by Natasha's silence and the unhappy complaints Loki began to leave daily with Galion politicos. Whispers at market or in social circles began; while Thanakar Usan didn't care about fairness if it didn't suit him, he was starting to understand that few of the antiquities dealers were willing to attend his banquets or trade with him anymore. The lower classes couldn't openly accuse him of being a thief, not without consequences, but the whispers spread. With few leads on new antiquities or males willing to attend his banquets, he angrily took it out on Natasha. Her continued silence enraged him, and the playroom wasn't good enough anymore. Now he dragged her into his bedroom, where none of the females had ever been before. He grabbed her and tied her to one of the bedposts to whip her bloody.
All the while, she stared at the green gem worked into the headboard of his bed. It seemed to pulse with energy, almost like a beacon drawing them in, and Natasha knew it had to be the Infinity Stone.
She couldn't reach the invisible pendant around her neck, not while bound, but the magic in it seemed to have activated with her intent.
A portal opened, and Loki stepped through it. Enraged at the sight of Thanakar Usan whipping Natasha in an angry frenzy, he used Lasan Vies' knife to slit his throat.
Loki's hands were gentle as he cut the bonds from Natasha's bloody body. "You didn't scream."
"I've been through worse."
Somehow, her blasé tone seemed to bother Loki even more. "I do not approve of such tactics."
"Not the first time I've had to use them."
"If I wasn't here..."
"I'd've killed him later," she said with a shrug. That loosened the cuts on her back and shoulders, sending more blood welling to the surface.
"No weapons here," Loki pointed out.
"I am a weapon, Loki," Natasha reminded him.
Loki touched the blood on her back and sides where the whip had cut into hers skin. Neither bothered to look down at the cooling body near them, pool of blood widening from his opened throat. "There are bruises. Layers of bruises."
"He was an asshole," Natasha replied flatly. "Not a fan of not getting what he wanted."
"I suppose I was mistaken in thinking humans were only good for kneeling."
Natasha smirked. "You'd have to earn it if I did that for you."
Loki rubbed the drying blood between his fingers and then traced a limrunar on her forehead. A whisper of added power, and she felt the wounds heal, bruises fade, and effects of sleeplessness disappear. She felt stronger than before, as a matter of fact, and thought perhaps her reflexes would be faster as well. That was interesting.
He was drawn to the headboard without needing to be told it was likely the stone. An unsticking spell got it out of the wood without marring it, and Loki held it in his hand. The way his eyes shifted looked odd, and Natasha approached him slowly before touching his arm. "It's the stone, isn't it?" she asked.
"The fool used it as a mere trinket. He knew nothing of its true nature."
"Good. So we can hide it, right?"
Loki looked at her, that same odd look in his eyes. "Do you know what this is?" he asked, an almost hysterical edge to his voice. "How it works?" She shook her head, not bothering to speak.
"The Soul Stone is sentient," Loki murmured, holding the green object in front of them on his flat palm. "It draws others in, seeks to add to its collection of souls. They live inside it. Most are unaware they even had been possessed rather than are possessors."
"How do you know this?" Natasha asked, voice sharp.
Loki blinked, as if he had been unaware of what he was doing or saying. "I don't know. I know I want to touch the Stone. I want to possess it. I would claim it, use its powers and the skills of the souls trapped inside it. With its power, I could rule Asgard. I could attack others."
Natasha laid a hand on his arm. "Or it could corrupt you. It could change who you are, what you are, and destroy you."
"I'm no fool. I'm not weak," he said, lips twisting with bitterness. Somehow, it was touching on a nerve, maybe the same one he wasn't willing to discuss with her.
She rubbed his arm gently, soothingly. "Don't let it take your soul, Loki."
"Who said I had one?" he replied snidely.
"I can recognize when people do."
"The better to manipulate them?" Loki snarled, as if trying to hurt her feelings.
"Yes. So let's get out of here, my Prince. We got what we came for. There are other things we can take with us that would implicate other tradesmen, and it would mask our disappearance. We don't have to do this anymore."
"You don't even know why I dislike this so much."
"No, I don't. And you don't have to tell me if you don't want to," she said briskly, seeing the flare of relief in his eyes. "This hurts you, Loki. Now we can put this away, and the hurt will end."
"It won't. I want to end this planet. I want to burn it all down. And the Stone wants me to. It wants souls. More and more and more..."
Natasha grasped his face in her hands. "The people I used to be will have to be enough."
Disconcerted, Loki could only nod and open a portal to his hideaway.
Loki was obviously reluctant to place the Soul Stone on the warded shelf, but he did so. Natasha could see the air shimmer around it, and looking at the other two Stones now saw a faint shimmer around them as well. What had he done with his healing spell? How could she see magic now? She had no doubt that was what the shimmering meant, a concealment charm of some kind, as he said that no one could see it thanks to the power he drew from Yggdrasil itself. She had always thought of it as a fairy tale, something mythic, but apparent it was a real thing, whatever it was, and bound together the nine realms of its stories.
"There were the other objects of his collection-" Natasha began.
"It doesn't matter."
"I know which ones to take-"
"It doesn't matter." The tone of his voice stopped her, and she nearly took a step back and away from him. Her expression remained carefully blank, and she merely looked at him evenly as he struggled to control his temper.
There was a shimmering effect to his skin that she could see. What the hell?
"I took them all," Loki told her abruptly, stalking toward a hidden door she had been unable to see before. Now the edges of the door unsealed themselves, and she followed him through the door. Beyond the frame was a massive room, its walls gleaming white and extending in all directions, almost like its own little pocket universe, and Thanakar Usan's entire collection was housed there, even the trinkets and artifacts that he had never shown the public or any of his rivals in an effort to shame them.
"You're going to start a war on Galion. Besides framing that merchant that hated him, now you've started all of the upper class to hating each other."
"It will tear their world from the inside out. They deserve it," Loki snarled. "They have no benevolent leader. They have nothing of what they claim. It's all lies. It's far past time for all of them to be exposed for what they are. Let their souls be stripped bare for the galaxy to see. Let them all pay for the crimes they've committed."
"Okay," Natasha said quietly. He whirled to face her, surprise on his features for a split second before they smoothed into impassivity. "Are there clothes here for me? This place isn't a tropical paradise and it's not temperature controlled."
His eyes naturally gravitated toward her pebbled nipples and bare skin, the goose flesh indicating she was cold. Still, she stood at regal attention, every inch a queen even without a stitch of clothing on, the illusion of being a Galion female still covering her.
"By the Tree," Loki muttered under his breath, shaking his head.
He grabbed her arm, but it wasn't with the same possessive kind of agitation that Thanakar Usan had. He ushered her through a different set of doors, one she was sure didn't exist prior to a moment before. Then they stepped out into a separate area, more warm and inviting than the storage facility where Loki was keeping the artifacts.
When he let her go, Natasha was drawn to the windows. The sky was full of periwinkle and gunmetal gray clouds, the sun struggling to shine through them. In patches, she could see the clear blue sky beyond it. Below the sky was an open sea, the waters blue-green and serene. "It looks like Earth."
"It shows you what you need to see."
Natasha turned and faced him. "Where are we?"
"Somewhere safe," he murmured, approaching her with slow steps. "The spell healed you on the surface. I don't know how deep it goes. I've never put the rune on someone not Asgardian."
How much did it cost him to admit that to her?
Loki touched her skin, fingers moving over the areas where every bruise and lash had been. The skin had knit together, and he pushed into the seams she couldn't see to be sure the flesh beneath her skin had sealed as well. "It seems whole," he murmured, more to himself than for her benefit, then leaned in to press his lips to the areas her wounds had been.
Though Natasha was startled, she didn't say anything. His lips were soft and gentle, fingertips ghosting across her skin. "There's a salve that would likely help, if you trust me to put it on you," he added. She couldn't tell what he was feeling in the tone of his voice, but it was a vulnerable note she hadn't heard before.
"I trust you."
The surprise in his eyes was worth it, and she followed him to the bedroom area. There were soft linens, furs and fabrics, soothing to her skin when she laid down at his direction. Lying on her stomach on the pile of softness, she closed her eyes and imagined she was lying on a cloud. Loki soothed the salve across the skin of her back, shoulders, arms and legs. His fingers hesitated slightly on the curve of her ass, but his touch finally firmed. "Why do you trust me?" Loki asked finally, voice husky.
"I believe you when you say you want to fight Thanos. I believe that you don't want anyone else to harm Asgard. And getting the stone from the Collector was easy."
"You trusted I would return for you on Galion."
"It was all to get the Stone."
"You trusted I wouldn't leave you there. That I wouldn't simply kill you myself."
"There's nothing in it for you if I die."
"You shouldn't trust me."
"I didn't say it was a blanket trust," Natasha told him dryly.
That made Loki laugh, and he pressed his lips to the nape of her neck after pushing her hair out of the way. There was no edge to the laughter, nothing but a soft, bitter sound, as if he had suddenly realized how alone he truly was if he didn't have her. He had driven everyone else away, and all he had with him was magic, magic artifacts he couldn't use, a human that could get under his skin and kill him (probably), and several planets full of people that would cheerfully kill him if they got the chance.
Regret was an awful, awful thing. It hurt more than any ledger ever could.
Turning her over onto her back, Loki massaged the salve into the skin at the front of her body. She didn't remind him that she wasn't scarred from Thanakar Usan's whips, but he paid attention to the bullet wounds that the Winter Soldier had given her. Lips soft and tongue gentle, he laved the skin of her scars. His eyes flicked up at her, as if asking permission before doing anything more than that. She shifted her position beneath him, parting her legs, and smirked at him. "You are wearing far too many clothes for this."
Loki nodded and bent his head down to her body again, lips pressed to the scar on her lower abdomen. He took his hands from her in order to peel off his boots and clothes, tossing them aside. It seemed to trigger some kind of memory in the back of her mind, a half forgotten shard from a persona she had used once upon a time. But then his mouth moved to the juncture of her thighs, and it was better to focus on that sensation than a jagged bit of memory that didn't matter to anyone anymore.
He mouthed her sex as if he was a starving man at a feast, lips and tongue everywhere, hands holding her thighs steady as soon as they were free. Natasha threaded her fingers through his hair, realizing that the glamours over their bodies were completely gone. The shimmer was there still on his body, but more hazy and diffuse. An older spell, if she had to guess, something he wanted to remain in place.
Touch gentle, Loki brought her to climax before sliding his fingers inside of her slick passage. He moved slowly and deliberately, telegraphing every movement clearly, treating her as if she was made of spun glass. He didn't resist when she pulled him down on top of her, hooking a leg around his waist and opening herself up to his erection. Eyes fixed on her face, he slid inside her slowly, slowly, moving with a calculated deliberateness to drive her half out of her mind with want. This wasn't the frenzied fucking when she was in control, the battle of wills that extended to the way she had to pin him down. This time, there was a reverence in his touch, as if she was special to him, as if he truly did care for her wellbeing.
If she had to label his actions, she would say that he was being tender and grateful, that he had some kind of emotional connection with her.
Burying his face in the crook of her neck, he moved deeply in her, mouth over her pulse. His eyelashes fluttered against her skin, and she could feel the way he tensed above her. He was close, far closer than her, everything in him trembling as he tried to hold off on finishing before her. "Natasha," he moaned.
"I've got you," she whispered, running her nails down his back. "I'm right here."
That seemed to be all the encouragement he needed to come with a shudder, breath gusting out of him. He fell still on top of her, and Natasha stroked his back until his breath returned to normal. Loki kept his face tucked into the crook of her neck, as if ashamed of his behavior, of how erratic he seemed to be.
"The Soul Stone," he said finally, a trace of hesitance in his voice. "It changes all who come into contact with it, particularly if there is an affinity for magic. The pull of it..."
"And what about those without that pull?"
"It would still affect them. Corrupt them. Try to draw them in."
Natasha nodded, chin bumping into his cheekbone. She stroked his back still, nails lightly running down the length of his spine. His hands tightened on her for a moment, then he forced himself to relax. "This is more difficult than I thought it would be."
"If it was easy, I'm sure Thanos would have gotten the Stones himself."
"He could have. But it's ego and a sign of power to have minions do it for him."
Wisely, Natasha kept her mouth shut and didn't call him one of Thanos' minions for trying to retrieve the Tesseract from Earth. Instead, she held her tongue and kept silent, moving to stroke his scalp and neck in a soothing manner.
"They said it of Asgard," Loki said abruptly, voice harsh.
"Who said what?"
"That we were a shining beacon in the galaxy, the leader of all the realms. Those fools on Galion said the same thing about their planet, yet they willingly tortured and defiled half of their race simply because they could."
"Many cultures on Earth did and do the same thing," Natasha murmured. "I'm as effective as I am as a spy because no one suspects me of anything more than what they see."
"Even I had fallen for that one."
Natasha smirked at him. "Don't take it personally. I've fooled many a man that thought himself better than me."
Loki pushed himself up onto his elbows, hovering over her. "It's going to get worse before it gets better. Even with the power of Yggdrasil, the power of collected Stones will be too much to hide. I think the protections here are too thin. I feel the pull of the Soul Stone even now."
She traced the shape of his lips with a forefinger. "If we can't do it alone, then who can we call on for help?"
"There is no one."
"What would you do with all of the Stones, Loki? You couldn't have thought you'd handle them all on your own."
By his mulish expression, she could see that he had.
"What happened with this mission?" she asked, still stroking him. She didn't think he would answer her, or at least not honestly, but there was nothing to lose simply by asking. "You've been different about it from the start. I don't think it's only the Stones."
"I think," he began, voice fracturing slightly. "I think I could love you."
Natasha managed not to freeze in place. "Loki..."
"You are the Tsarina," he murmured, fingers skimming across the surface of her arm. "You are Natasha. You are the potential for a thousand people I will never know. And yet, there is a kinship. An affinity. Is that not what people call love? A connection that they don't want to sever? A caring and concern for welfare?"
"Some would," Natasha acknowledged.
"I do not wish you harmed in any way. I thought I could see you dead if this failed. I thought I could sacrifice you to the dangers of the galaxy."
"Did the Stone change you?"
"I don't know," Loki replied, voice agonized and raw. "Yet part of me can't care. There has never been a connection to another like this, and I don't wish to lose it."
She continued her same slow stroking, knowing full well that she didn't feel the same way about him. It was an agreement, a means to an end. It was never going to be more than that on her end, but she knew also that she could never tell him that.
"If we're careful," she said softly, "you won't."
That satisfied him, and he fell asleep in her arms. Natasha stayed awake for hours afterward, her arms still around him, thinking.
The End
Series: #3 in Walking Yggdrasil
Author: Eustacia Vye
Author's e-mail: eustacia_vye28@hotmail.com
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Not mine! Characters you recognize belong to Marvel, and I've incoporated some comic back story into the movieverse. Title from Muse's "Supermassive Black Hole." You tell me who the title is referring to. ;)
Summary: Loki had always said he wanted to be in control. Now that he has the opportunity, however...
Galion was a beautiful, tropical planet. Its trajectory around its red sun meant that temperatures were easily in the eighties to nineties across its entire landmass, and the thick jungles provided the building materials, vegetation and wildlife to sustain its humanoid population. The Galion males were larger in size and musculature, with deep brown or almost black skin and hair, and startlingly light colored eyes. Clothing they wore was almost sheer in deference to the heat, but the embroidery on the tunic shirts indicated rank and position in society. The females of the species were smaller, slighter, and had uniformly pale gray skin and dark black hair, with the same startlingly light colored eyes. Most males kept females in the home complexes to breed and care for younglings or maintain the household. Occasionally, if they did the market shopping, the brands on their hands identified who they belonged to. They were kept uneducated and often were barely clothed at all. If they were, they wore sheer white robes with no ornamentation at all, indicating their lack of status. Even the males considered progressive and forward thinking had no intention of educating their females.
There was also a third sex on the planet, the juul, which were the bankers, traders and crafters that did not procreate, yet enjoyed a lot privileges in the society without the restrictions of the male or female genders. They could be of either skin coloring, but were middle-sized, and wore bright red clothing to stand out and proclaim their status. Galion society was very rigid, with little opportunity to escape the class structure except by becoming juul. The process was never openly spoken about, though there were far more light skinned juul than there were darker skinned members.
Because the juul didn't have status enough for artifact trades or dealing with antiquities, posing as that intersex gender wouldn't help Loki or Natasha. As he had mentioned, posing as a male and female Galion would be better for looking into where an Infinity Stone might be.
The various translation spells Loki had placed on Natasha meant that she could understand the languages spoken on Galion. It was tonal, and also contained a number of clicks and phonemes that she was unable to pronounce. She was not expected to converse with the Galion, which was good for her. Translation spells didn't mean she would be able to speak the language around her, just understand it.
They were looking for the Soul or Time Stones, and Loki wasn't sure which would be present on the planet. He hadn't been able to say how long it would take for him to ingratiate himself into the antiquities community on the planet, which meant that her status as his slave was also going to be an indefinite tenure.
If anything, he looked vaguely ill when he had relayed that to Natasha.
Loki set himself up as a Halation tradesman, as that planet frequently interacted with the Galion and often were allowed into their homes and customs. A fair number also had Galion females as their concubines, especially if they held homesteads on Galion to trade from. He didn't have to disguise his height or lithe frame, and the Asgardian skin coloring would still be allowed. His eyes were red and veined, his nails thick and black, almost like claws. He wore the translucent beige tunic shirts and wide legged pants of the Galion males, embroidery on the front of his tunic indicating his Halation background, antiquities tradesman profession, lower high class status and permission to reside on the planet.
As his concubine, Natasha's hair was changed into the same deep black of the Galion females and her pale skin was tinted gray. Her green eyes remained the same, well within the range of light colors that the Galion had. Loki insisted on the sheer fabric robes that were all Galion females were allowed, as if he was discomfited with the thought of her walking naked, or bowing and scraping to fulfill his every need.
His name in this guise was Prince, which sounded similar enough to the Halation word for shallow pond waters that was often used for naming second sons. Natasha didn't need a second name for this covert mission; Galion females carried names privately, and were not referred to by name in public for any reason. They all were called female or girl, even by those males kind enough to care for their females, though sometimes there was an occasional pet or little one for a female especially beloved.
Inside the estate that Loki commandeered, he called her Natasha, and his eyes were strained but kind as he looked at her. He seemed almost embarrassed by the nakedness beneath the robes, and insisted on her wearing them at all times. Galion females didn't have menstrual cycles but an estrus, so Natasha's lack of bleeding blended in well with the female populace. She was allowed into the markets, eyes and ears open, listening to the talk between tradesmen, black hair obscuring her face as her head bowed in deference to Loki's long steps. Several Galion males were known for their antiquities and oddities, curiosities gathered from all over the planet and nearby ones; most Galion males were disinterested in the galaxy at large, but some of the higher ranked politicos liked to have artifacts to prove their worth as the ruling class.
"Only one female?" one tradesman clucked at Loki soon after he had arrived in the open market to introduce himself to antiquities dealers. "But you are allowed up to three with your status. Unless you plan to breed the other two on that one?"
"I am newly arrived on this planet, though obviously I am familiar with your customs," Loki replied in flawless High Galion. "Once I am more settled, I may consider it."
"I have five," the tradesman boasted, chest puffing up with pride. "One is even breeding, and the High Healer thinks it may be a male."
"Joyous felicitations," Loki told him graciously.
"The last breeder only had a worthless female," the tradesman continued after nodding in acknowledgement. "It didn't even live past the first five days."
Loki's eyes flicked toward Natasha, but she didn't even react to the callous wording. "A shame."
"The breeder was pretty. The female might have fetched a good price at market."
"Was?" Loki asked.
"It took ill," the tradesman said with a dismissive wave. "Sudden and quite messily, in fact, right after the paltry infant died."
"I see," Loki murmured, nodding. "And your others?"
"Hale and hearty. They would fetch a good price if I have the mind to sell them. Most aren't buying in our class, however. They'd rather breed them up or exchange if they overstep the limits allowed them."
"Exchange?" Loki asked with some interest.
The tradesman laughed. "You may want to visit Thanakar Usan in the Stirling district. Quite the connoisseur of antiquities and females. Because of the advisory status he holds, he is allowed a larger number of females, and is often looking for trade goods."
"My colleagues back home are interested in very specific artifacts," Loki replied with a smile meant to hint at potentially unsavory practices. "The more rare and unique the artifacts, the better their collection will be."
"Thanakar Usan is definitely the male to converse with."
Natasha was sent into the markets for victuals at that point, and she automatically understood Loki's unspoken command to listen for that name. Much like the other females, she pointed to items and displayed the brand on the back of her hand for payment. Chatter amongst the males in the market didn't mention the name Thanakar Usan until she was in the section of the market that sold higher quality foodstuffs. Apparently one salesman had to order a cart to deliver the items his female indicated that he wanted. "It must be for the banquet," the salesman mentioned to the carter. His laughter was harsh, perhaps a bit bitter. "I wonder which of Thanakar Usan's favored associates will taste of the bounty this solar. Sier Kenzan boasted of his privileges for a full moon after the last one."
The carter simply shrugged. "Not in the same class, I won't get an invitation."
"If it wasn't for his collection, no one would listen to a thing that fool says," the salesman said bitterly. The fingers of one hand fingered the edge of his tunic, and Natasha noticed an empty space where other tradesmen in this sector of the market had sigils embroidered. "He taunts the rest of us however he can."
"Lasan Vies," the carter hissed, looking concerned. "Bury the hatred in your heart. The Drasil would not want you to continue. They preach against vengeance and anger. And Thanakar Usan has mighty friends. You would be sent down to my status if you do not hold your tongue."
Lasan Vies sighed, then had to visibly calm himself. "Of course, you are correct. I am pleased you still have concern for my welfare despite your status. If I curried favor, I could improve your lot and status."
"You know I am not after the status," the carter replied, shaking his head. "I will deliver the goods promised to Thanakar Usan."
"Perhaps afterward, you may partake in a female," Lasan Vies offered. "It is the least I can offer to repay your reminder."
The carter smiled warmly and bowed. Natasha was starting to get the feeling that it was a common occurrence between the two males, given how scripted their speech was, and Lasan Vies' bitterness and anger would sooner or later get him into trouble on this world.
She and Loki could possibly speed that along.
***
Thanakar Usan was more than happy to invite Loki to his banquet, as he liked the idea of knowing all of the antiquities dealers on the planet. He also clearly wanted to show off his collection at his estate. He found it odd that Loki would bring Natasha with him, as none of the other guests brought any of their females, but let the matter drop when Loki insisted that he meant no disrespect to Thanakar Usan's collection of females. "It is custom on my world not to presume upon the host. If it is not in your will to allow use of a female from your collection, then I would have my own. It is no insult, but rather to avoid insult or discomfort on your part if my presence is not as welcome as we both would wish."
With that explanation, Thanakar Usan was far more obliging. "Ah, these planetary niceties are quite problematic," he declared. "Of course I am no miserly host. All may partake of the females in my household however they wish. Any damages to them are expected, as tempers may rise hot and full."
"Do they?"
"I have quite a collection of implements that truly can create artistic patterns on flesh. Blood against gray is quite striking."
"Or against brown, perhaps?" Loki asked. "A lesser creature, of course, none of our august company," he added at Thanakar Usan's startled expression. "It would be quite the display of power and dominance. Such things do happen on other worlds."
Now Thanakar Usan looked downright eager. "Do tell. There are those seeking to rise above their station of birth and wealth, and it is unconscionable to let it remain so. A fair few could do with reminders to remain in their place. The world works, and the world works best if all know their place and remain in place. So says the Drasil."
"Of course," Loki replied. At his side, Natasha could see the tension in his wrist and hand. As soon as she touched him lightly, that tension seemed to ease. "I have heard tales throughout the market for moons that your standards are quite exacting, and your collections vast and beyond compare. I do hope you could honor me with a view of them."
The male laughed and nodded. "After the banquet, of course. As we digest the bounty of victuals our minds can digest the bounty of my collection."
Loki radiated tension again, and Natasha wondered what was irritating him so much. Thanakar Usan was no different from any other grandiose blowhard that was powerful and thought himself better than everyone else. Maybe he reminded Loki of someone else. Natasha couldn't be sure, not knowing enough about Loki's inner world, but it made her wonder what it was exactly that had Loki uneasy about this entire mission.
"I would very much like to see how your female performs," Thanakar Usan told Loki, glass of wine in hand. "The markings are different."
"I am not Galion," Loki reminded him.
"I suppose," Thanakar Usan murmured, lips beginning to turn down into a frown.
"Why? Did you want to borrow her?"
Thanakr Usan looked startled. "You would not want to trade the female?"
"I am rather attached," Loki told him regretfully. "My first gift upon my arrival on Galion. Sentimental reasons, you understand."
The tradesman nodded. "I understand. My first gifted female was never traded away, either."
"So you understand," Loki said, relieved. "I felt welcomed here. A part of society and not merely tolerated for the goods I could procure."
Grinning, Thanakar Usan nodded. "For we are the enlightened in the system, of course. Come. Show me what she is like, and I'll show you part of my collection. Most here have seen it, but the novelty of your reaction will flatter me."
Unable to think of a way to avoid it, Loki gestured for Natasha to come closer. "Time for the show," he told her in English.
She nodded and stood in front of him. "I serve my Prince," she murmured softly. It was interesting to her how reluctant he was to do this, how he seemed to apologize as he spun her around and bent her over the table. Most males in the room weren't even paying attention to them, indicating that this was that common an occurrence at Thanakar Usan's parties.
A thread of magic had Loki hard and her insides slicked with lube, making his thrusts into easier to tolerate. There was nothing truly sexy about the performance, but Thanakar Usan seemed to see it that way. Natasha remained utterly silent, and that seemed to only make Thanakar Usan watch her that much more avidly. She was different, and like the Collector on Knowhere, he wanted to possess anything different.
Thanakar Usan didn't want Loki to clean her up afterward, and insisted that the robe be removed in his estate. Jaw clamped tight, Loki nodded and went to remove it. Natasha felt a weight settle on her chest, though she couldn't see anything. Possibly a warded magic item of some kind. "Call me when you find it," he murmured in English.
"Don't worry about me," Natasha told him in a low voice.
It wasn't safe to say anything else; Thanakar Usan was watching them too closely, and greedily took hold of Natasha's arm. "It must be a challenge to make the female make a sound."
"Sometimes. There's a trick to it, of course," he said in challenge, something that had Thanakar Usan laughing merrily.
"I'll discover it and return her to you."
"Perhaps," Loki replied. "Your collection?"
Thanakar Usan was glad to show Loki a a few rooms in the estate that house his collection. While they were certainly interesting objects, none of them held the sense of magic or power of an Infinity Stone. Thanakar Usan enjoyed holding onto Natasha, his grip painfully tight to keep her at his side. Loki refused a trade of females, or even to borrow one of Thanakar Usan's females to keep him company in the meantime. "I'll return for her."
"When I tire of her," Thanakar Usan replied, still holding Natasha's arm possessively. His smile was almost feral. "Maybe there will be something for you to get back."
Loki protested, but then guards materialized to escort him from the estate. "This is hardly sporting of you!"
"I run the trade guild. The ruling class supports me. there is no need for giving sporting chances." Thanakar Usan's greed was clearly showing now, and Natasha could see the irritation flare in Loki's eyes. Oh, but he hated playing the sycophant, hated being left unable to move against this idiot. Natasha was his, no one else's, but he had to bow and scrape and act the fool, as if he truly was below Thanakar Usan in rank.
But it got her into the estate. Natasha had to endure Thanakar Usan's touch, being forced into one of his beds in the harem or into his playroom, where he whipped and flogged her. he was unable to achieve any kind of erection without inflicting pain first, and her silence made him falter and grow limp. That tendency of his explained the large collection of females he had; sometimes his attentions were too dangerous to their flesh, and he had to let them heal before he could play with them again. The females murmured about those that scarred themselves or sabotaged their healing to avoid returning to his side.
Every night, Natasha prowled the halls, looking through the collection rooms. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, exactly, but remembered what it had felt like to hold the scepter or stand next to Vision. Nothing gave off a similar sensation for her, though she did make note of what artifacts might be useful to steal later.
Thanakar Usan was frustrated by Natasha's silence and the unhappy complaints Loki began to leave daily with Galion politicos. Whispers at market or in social circles began; while Thanakar Usan didn't care about fairness if it didn't suit him, he was starting to understand that few of the antiquities dealers were willing to attend his banquets or trade with him anymore. The lower classes couldn't openly accuse him of being a thief, not without consequences, but the whispers spread. With few leads on new antiquities or males willing to attend his banquets, he angrily took it out on Natasha. Her continued silence enraged him, and the playroom wasn't good enough anymore. Now he dragged her into his bedroom, where none of the females had ever been before. He grabbed her and tied her to one of the bedposts to whip her bloody.
All the while, she stared at the green gem worked into the headboard of his bed. It seemed to pulse with energy, almost like a beacon drawing them in, and Natasha knew it had to be the Infinity Stone.
She couldn't reach the invisible pendant around her neck, not while bound, but the magic in it seemed to have activated with her intent.
A portal opened, and Loki stepped through it. Enraged at the sight of Thanakar Usan whipping Natasha in an angry frenzy, he used Lasan Vies' knife to slit his throat.
Loki's hands were gentle as he cut the bonds from Natasha's bloody body. "You didn't scream."
"I've been through worse."
Somehow, her blasé tone seemed to bother Loki even more. "I do not approve of such tactics."
"Not the first time I've had to use them."
"If I wasn't here..."
"I'd've killed him later," she said with a shrug. That loosened the cuts on her back and shoulders, sending more blood welling to the surface.
"No weapons here," Loki pointed out.
"I am a weapon, Loki," Natasha reminded him.
Loki touched the blood on her back and sides where the whip had cut into hers skin. Neither bothered to look down at the cooling body near them, pool of blood widening from his opened throat. "There are bruises. Layers of bruises."
"He was an asshole," Natasha replied flatly. "Not a fan of not getting what he wanted."
"I suppose I was mistaken in thinking humans were only good for kneeling."
Natasha smirked. "You'd have to earn it if I did that for you."
Loki rubbed the drying blood between his fingers and then traced a limrunar on her forehead. A whisper of added power, and she felt the wounds heal, bruises fade, and effects of sleeplessness disappear. She felt stronger than before, as a matter of fact, and thought perhaps her reflexes would be faster as well. That was interesting.
He was drawn to the headboard without needing to be told it was likely the stone. An unsticking spell got it out of the wood without marring it, and Loki held it in his hand. The way his eyes shifted looked odd, and Natasha approached him slowly before touching his arm. "It's the stone, isn't it?" she asked.
"The fool used it as a mere trinket. He knew nothing of its true nature."
"Good. So we can hide it, right?"
Loki looked at her, that same odd look in his eyes. "Do you know what this is?" he asked, an almost hysterical edge to his voice. "How it works?" She shook her head, not bothering to speak.
"The Soul Stone is sentient," Loki murmured, holding the green object in front of them on his flat palm. "It draws others in, seeks to add to its collection of souls. They live inside it. Most are unaware they even had been possessed rather than are possessors."
"How do you know this?" Natasha asked, voice sharp.
Loki blinked, as if he had been unaware of what he was doing or saying. "I don't know. I know I want to touch the Stone. I want to possess it. I would claim it, use its powers and the skills of the souls trapped inside it. With its power, I could rule Asgard. I could attack others."
Natasha laid a hand on his arm. "Or it could corrupt you. It could change who you are, what you are, and destroy you."
"I'm no fool. I'm not weak," he said, lips twisting with bitterness. Somehow, it was touching on a nerve, maybe the same one he wasn't willing to discuss with her.
She rubbed his arm gently, soothingly. "Don't let it take your soul, Loki."
"Who said I had one?" he replied snidely.
"I can recognize when people do."
"The better to manipulate them?" Loki snarled, as if trying to hurt her feelings.
"Yes. So let's get out of here, my Prince. We got what we came for. There are other things we can take with us that would implicate other tradesmen, and it would mask our disappearance. We don't have to do this anymore."
"You don't even know why I dislike this so much."
"No, I don't. And you don't have to tell me if you don't want to," she said briskly, seeing the flare of relief in his eyes. "This hurts you, Loki. Now we can put this away, and the hurt will end."
"It won't. I want to end this planet. I want to burn it all down. And the Stone wants me to. It wants souls. More and more and more..."
Natasha grasped his face in her hands. "The people I used to be will have to be enough."
Disconcerted, Loki could only nod and open a portal to his hideaway.
Loki was obviously reluctant to place the Soul Stone on the warded shelf, but he did so. Natasha could see the air shimmer around it, and looking at the other two Stones now saw a faint shimmer around them as well. What had he done with his healing spell? How could she see magic now? She had no doubt that was what the shimmering meant, a concealment charm of some kind, as he said that no one could see it thanks to the power he drew from Yggdrasil itself. She had always thought of it as a fairy tale, something mythic, but apparent it was a real thing, whatever it was, and bound together the nine realms of its stories.
"There were the other objects of his collection-" Natasha began.
"It doesn't matter."
"I know which ones to take-"
"It doesn't matter." The tone of his voice stopped her, and she nearly took a step back and away from him. Her expression remained carefully blank, and she merely looked at him evenly as he struggled to control his temper.
There was a shimmering effect to his skin that she could see. What the hell?
"I took them all," Loki told her abruptly, stalking toward a hidden door she had been unable to see before. Now the edges of the door unsealed themselves, and she followed him through the door. Beyond the frame was a massive room, its walls gleaming white and extending in all directions, almost like its own little pocket universe, and Thanakar Usan's entire collection was housed there, even the trinkets and artifacts that he had never shown the public or any of his rivals in an effort to shame them.
"You're going to start a war on Galion. Besides framing that merchant that hated him, now you've started all of the upper class to hating each other."
"It will tear their world from the inside out. They deserve it," Loki snarled. "They have no benevolent leader. They have nothing of what they claim. It's all lies. It's far past time for all of them to be exposed for what they are. Let their souls be stripped bare for the galaxy to see. Let them all pay for the crimes they've committed."
"Okay," Natasha said quietly. He whirled to face her, surprise on his features for a split second before they smoothed into impassivity. "Are there clothes here for me? This place isn't a tropical paradise and it's not temperature controlled."
His eyes naturally gravitated toward her pebbled nipples and bare skin, the goose flesh indicating she was cold. Still, she stood at regal attention, every inch a queen even without a stitch of clothing on, the illusion of being a Galion female still covering her.
"By the Tree," Loki muttered under his breath, shaking his head.
He grabbed her arm, but it wasn't with the same possessive kind of agitation that Thanakar Usan had. He ushered her through a different set of doors, one she was sure didn't exist prior to a moment before. Then they stepped out into a separate area, more warm and inviting than the storage facility where Loki was keeping the artifacts.
When he let her go, Natasha was drawn to the windows. The sky was full of periwinkle and gunmetal gray clouds, the sun struggling to shine through them. In patches, she could see the clear blue sky beyond it. Below the sky was an open sea, the waters blue-green and serene. "It looks like Earth."
"It shows you what you need to see."
Natasha turned and faced him. "Where are we?"
"Somewhere safe," he murmured, approaching her with slow steps. "The spell healed you on the surface. I don't know how deep it goes. I've never put the rune on someone not Asgardian."
How much did it cost him to admit that to her?
Loki touched her skin, fingers moving over the areas where every bruise and lash had been. The skin had knit together, and he pushed into the seams she couldn't see to be sure the flesh beneath her skin had sealed as well. "It seems whole," he murmured, more to himself than for her benefit, then leaned in to press his lips to the areas her wounds had been.
Though Natasha was startled, she didn't say anything. His lips were soft and gentle, fingertips ghosting across her skin. "There's a salve that would likely help, if you trust me to put it on you," he added. She couldn't tell what he was feeling in the tone of his voice, but it was a vulnerable note she hadn't heard before.
"I trust you."
The surprise in his eyes was worth it, and she followed him to the bedroom area. There were soft linens, furs and fabrics, soothing to her skin when she laid down at his direction. Lying on her stomach on the pile of softness, she closed her eyes and imagined she was lying on a cloud. Loki soothed the salve across the skin of her back, shoulders, arms and legs. His fingers hesitated slightly on the curve of her ass, but his touch finally firmed. "Why do you trust me?" Loki asked finally, voice husky.
"I believe you when you say you want to fight Thanos. I believe that you don't want anyone else to harm Asgard. And getting the stone from the Collector was easy."
"You trusted I would return for you on Galion."
"It was all to get the Stone."
"You trusted I wouldn't leave you there. That I wouldn't simply kill you myself."
"There's nothing in it for you if I die."
"You shouldn't trust me."
"I didn't say it was a blanket trust," Natasha told him dryly.
That made Loki laugh, and he pressed his lips to the nape of her neck after pushing her hair out of the way. There was no edge to the laughter, nothing but a soft, bitter sound, as if he had suddenly realized how alone he truly was if he didn't have her. He had driven everyone else away, and all he had with him was magic, magic artifacts he couldn't use, a human that could get under his skin and kill him (probably), and several planets full of people that would cheerfully kill him if they got the chance.
Regret was an awful, awful thing. It hurt more than any ledger ever could.
Turning her over onto her back, Loki massaged the salve into the skin at the front of her body. She didn't remind him that she wasn't scarred from Thanakar Usan's whips, but he paid attention to the bullet wounds that the Winter Soldier had given her. Lips soft and tongue gentle, he laved the skin of her scars. His eyes flicked up at her, as if asking permission before doing anything more than that. She shifted her position beneath him, parting her legs, and smirked at him. "You are wearing far too many clothes for this."
Loki nodded and bent his head down to her body again, lips pressed to the scar on her lower abdomen. He took his hands from her in order to peel off his boots and clothes, tossing them aside. It seemed to trigger some kind of memory in the back of her mind, a half forgotten shard from a persona she had used once upon a time. But then his mouth moved to the juncture of her thighs, and it was better to focus on that sensation than a jagged bit of memory that didn't matter to anyone anymore.
He mouthed her sex as if he was a starving man at a feast, lips and tongue everywhere, hands holding her thighs steady as soon as they were free. Natasha threaded her fingers through his hair, realizing that the glamours over their bodies were completely gone. The shimmer was there still on his body, but more hazy and diffuse. An older spell, if she had to guess, something he wanted to remain in place.
Touch gentle, Loki brought her to climax before sliding his fingers inside of her slick passage. He moved slowly and deliberately, telegraphing every movement clearly, treating her as if she was made of spun glass. He didn't resist when she pulled him down on top of her, hooking a leg around his waist and opening herself up to his erection. Eyes fixed on her face, he slid inside her slowly, slowly, moving with a calculated deliberateness to drive her half out of her mind with want. This wasn't the frenzied fucking when she was in control, the battle of wills that extended to the way she had to pin him down. This time, there was a reverence in his touch, as if she was special to him, as if he truly did care for her wellbeing.
If she had to label his actions, she would say that he was being tender and grateful, that he had some kind of emotional connection with her.
Burying his face in the crook of her neck, he moved deeply in her, mouth over her pulse. His eyelashes fluttered against her skin, and she could feel the way he tensed above her. He was close, far closer than her, everything in him trembling as he tried to hold off on finishing before her. "Natasha," he moaned.
"I've got you," she whispered, running her nails down his back. "I'm right here."
That seemed to be all the encouragement he needed to come with a shudder, breath gusting out of him. He fell still on top of her, and Natasha stroked his back until his breath returned to normal. Loki kept his face tucked into the crook of her neck, as if ashamed of his behavior, of how erratic he seemed to be.
"The Soul Stone," he said finally, a trace of hesitance in his voice. "It changes all who come into contact with it, particularly if there is an affinity for magic. The pull of it..."
"And what about those without that pull?"
"It would still affect them. Corrupt them. Try to draw them in."
Natasha nodded, chin bumping into his cheekbone. She stroked his back still, nails lightly running down the length of his spine. His hands tightened on her for a moment, then he forced himself to relax. "This is more difficult than I thought it would be."
"If it was easy, I'm sure Thanos would have gotten the Stones himself."
"He could have. But it's ego and a sign of power to have minions do it for him."
Wisely, Natasha kept her mouth shut and didn't call him one of Thanos' minions for trying to retrieve the Tesseract from Earth. Instead, she held her tongue and kept silent, moving to stroke his scalp and neck in a soothing manner.
"They said it of Asgard," Loki said abruptly, voice harsh.
"Who said what?"
"That we were a shining beacon in the galaxy, the leader of all the realms. Those fools on Galion said the same thing about their planet, yet they willingly tortured and defiled half of their race simply because they could."
"Many cultures on Earth did and do the same thing," Natasha murmured. "I'm as effective as I am as a spy because no one suspects me of anything more than what they see."
"Even I had fallen for that one."
Natasha smirked at him. "Don't take it personally. I've fooled many a man that thought himself better than me."
Loki pushed himself up onto his elbows, hovering over her. "It's going to get worse before it gets better. Even with the power of Yggdrasil, the power of collected Stones will be too much to hide. I think the protections here are too thin. I feel the pull of the Soul Stone even now."
She traced the shape of his lips with a forefinger. "If we can't do it alone, then who can we call on for help?"
"There is no one."
"What would you do with all of the Stones, Loki? You couldn't have thought you'd handle them all on your own."
By his mulish expression, she could see that he had.
"What happened with this mission?" she asked, still stroking him. She didn't think he would answer her, or at least not honestly, but there was nothing to lose simply by asking. "You've been different about it from the start. I don't think it's only the Stones."
"I think," he began, voice fracturing slightly. "I think I could love you."
Natasha managed not to freeze in place. "Loki..."
"You are the Tsarina," he murmured, fingers skimming across the surface of her arm. "You are Natasha. You are the potential for a thousand people I will never know. And yet, there is a kinship. An affinity. Is that not what people call love? A connection that they don't want to sever? A caring and concern for welfare?"
"Some would," Natasha acknowledged.
"I do not wish you harmed in any way. I thought I could see you dead if this failed. I thought I could sacrifice you to the dangers of the galaxy."
"Did the Stone change you?"
"I don't know," Loki replied, voice agonized and raw. "Yet part of me can't care. There has never been a connection to another like this, and I don't wish to lose it."
She continued her same slow stroking, knowing full well that she didn't feel the same way about him. It was an agreement, a means to an end. It was never going to be more than that on her end, but she knew also that she could never tell him that.
"If we're careful," she said softly, "you won't."
That satisfied him, and he fell asleep in her arms. Natasha stayed awake for hours afterward, her arms still around him, thinking.
The End