Loki and Nym

Part 19- Do they know me?

Y/N POV

My head was swimming, the call had gotten so much stronger over the last few weeks, I felt sick and tired but unable to sleep. After Loki had put me on my bed I had slept for maybe 20 minutes before waking up and spending several hours looking at my true form in the mirror. It sounds crazy, Loki has been here a while now but I'm finally coming to terms with what this might all mean, and really honestly asking myself how long I can keep hiding for. I needed fresh air, I needed grass under my feet.

There was a cold wind, it whisked my hair away from my face, I let the grass grow over my feet to hold me in place as I looked at the stars. I wish my brother was here, I wish I could talk this through with someone other than plants or animals. Sure I had shown Wanda everything, but she couldn't understand it all, not really. I closed my eyes and let myself connect with life within the earth. I took in some deep breathes and opened myself to share energy with Midgard. It was so smoothly and most importantly; healing. I let out a silent prayer to the godess for wisdom, I needed help, I felt so isolated from my people. I have found such an amazing family here, but things seem to be building to an inevitable change, and I wanted guidance for what happens next.

"It's a little cold out here don't you think?" a low voice spoke behind me, sending shivers up my spine. Loki. "Are you following me Mr Laufeyson?" I asked, he laughed "don't flatter yourself darling, I just wanted to know if I was missing any fun" they replied playfully.

Loki tilted his head slowly to the side, their face lit by the moonlight. There was something on their mind, I could feel the weight of their thoughts, feel him debating whether or not to share. With a deep breath, they started to speak "I think I've worked you out little one". Worked me out? I panicked, I couldn't breathe. Loki couldn't know, there's no way, they hadn't seen me, they couldn't know. I tilted my head and raised an eyebrow, projecting an outside calm.

Raising their hands Loki began to rattle a list off, "An affiliation for plants and nature, unbearable and unwavering kindness, a deep understanding of people and what they feel, not wearing shoes, being so light on your feet, your room being so small, Barwen..." Loki paused to look at me, seeing the panic in my eyes he sighed "you, my dear, are Noldoli".

I stumbled back, I knew Loki would have been to Alsoi as a child, and I was sure he would have read up on the Ngoldathon. But it had always been Frigga to deal with our planet, and we so rarely involved ourselves with off world issues that I truly did not think Loki would work it out.

"Or of course, to use the language of the Midgardians. You are a gnome. Isn't that right little Noldoli?".

I stood stunned, my mouth open, they laughed softly, reaching for me to try and ease the panic in my eyes, that still doesn't mean he knows who I am, just what I am, I can deal with that.

"Don't be afraid y/n, I won't tell the avengers your secret, that's not why I wanted to talk. Though why a gentle creature of your race would feel the need to hide I couldn't possibly understand".

LOKI's POV

The Noldoli just watched me, in stunned silence, I shifted uncomfortably, I had been pondering over this for months, but it did not feel all that satisfying looking at her face. I had been to Alsoi as a child, seen the way the gnomes lived, in the forest, no cities, no money, no royalty. Just 'peace and harmony'. The Ngoldathon so rarely left their planet, that it had taken me months to put things together, but watching her use her magic so closely the last few days had put it all into place for me.

"Why are you here little Noldoli?" I asked, quieter, realizing that she was even more on edge than I thought she would be. I didn't like seeing her so uneasy. "It's a long story" She mumbled, not yet making eye contact with me.

"Then show me" I whispered, she looked up to meet my gaze.

Y/N POV

"show me". There was no harm in using my power to show Loki my story, I could omit what I needed to. I closed my eyes and extended my sight to cover us both, we were engulfed in my vision, back on Alsoi. "It started after the blip" I showed images of Umesco being ripped from Umesco, crying and screaming as our loved ones turned to dust in front of our very eyes. My brother, turning to dust while looking at me and his Votina.

"We couldn't cope, without each other's souls there were no babies, no new life, not enough to survive"

I closed my eyes, " I was lucky... I..." 

Am I really going to say this? 

"I may be 427 but I still haven't found my Umesco, I wasn't torn apart, I could go on" 

I showed Loki memories of me, still in human form, carrying broken people around, feeding the sick, tending to plants and parentless children.

"We survived for those 5 years, just about, and then they came back" I showed them Nilan returning, the forest shouting, the children running around, laughing and crying.

"So why did you leave?" Loki asked quietly, their throat welling with emotion from everything I was showing. Sometimes I forget that my visions tend to invoke emotion too.

I took a deep sigh, "Because I got the call, somewhere beyond my realm" Loki looked at me deeply "your Umesco? Your soul?" he asked in disbelief. I nodded "My pairing, my soulmate, as the humans would call it". I played the call out loud, just for a second, so that Loki could hear. I switched the vision to the elder telling me that I must travel to Midgard.

I couldn't manage to keep this up much longer, hiding bits was too hard and I felt so weak. The vision ended and snapped me back to reality.

We stood in silence "what is your name little Noldoli? Your real name" Loki asked.

I shifted, looking at my feet, before meeting his eyes "my name is Nym". I was blinking back tears now. I was going to tell him, but this was unexpected, I felt overrun with emotions, I couldn't answer a single question more.

Letting the grass and roots fall free from my feet I dusted myself off. "If you'll excuse me, I need, I need some fresh air" I began to walk away, but it wasn't enough. I broke out into a run, I headed fast and far into the tree line around the complex.

"We're already outside Noldoli" Loki called after me.

But I was already gone.