Part 11

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"Cassie?" A knock was heard at her door the next morning, but she ignored it.

The person knocked again, and Cassie sighed, "What do you want?"

"Figured you'd want help with your 'girl stuff'," Cassie could now tell it was Natasha who was speaking, and the sarcasm was obvious in her voice.

"Nah, I'm good," Cassie went along with it.

"Don't make me break this door down," Natasha threatened.

"Fine, I'm coming." Cassie rolled off the bed and went to the door. She had to admit, she had a feeling she was about to be kicked out right then, but it wasn't likely that she would be able to hide for three days anyway.

Cassie put her hand on the doorknob, taking a deep breath before opening it. She didn't meet Natasha's eyes as the spy looked at her.

"You're..." Natasha seemed at a lost for words.

"Not human," Cassie interrupted. "Just not a wolf."

For those next three days, Cassie had no power, which meant that she couldn't stay as a wolf. So she was back to her original form, which made her look like an albino person, although with blood red eyes, and fangs. She also had a tail, but it was hidden behind her body at the moment.

Natasha seemed to get her act back together enough to ask, "Why?"

"Happens every month," Cassie admitted. "I don't know why, before you ask."

"You didn't look like this in the news though," Natasha pointed out. "Why?"

"I used my powers to hide my real form," Cassie explained, and Natasha nodded.

Cassie smiled nervously, although it was more of a frown, but it showed her fangs, "See why I didn't want to come?"

Natasha smiled kindly—and a little sadly—, "You really think that, out of everywhere, here, is where you'd be judged?"

"None of you look like me though," Cassie protested.

"Actually...I do know someone who might relate."

   *

"I swear to god, Loki, if you hurt her feelings I'll hurt you in more than your feelings," Natasha threatened.

"I still don't understand why you need me to comfort her," Loki protested. "You do realize that besides, maybe, Stark, I am likely the worst at that."

"This is more your area of expertise," Natasha explained vaguely.

Cassie giggled quietly as she overheard their conversation, but quickly went quiet as Loki entered the room.

Loki went still as he gazed at her, "You look..."

"Don't." Cassie growled. "Don't finish that sentence."

Loki chuckled, and slowly moved closer to her, "Well, I was going to say beautiful..."

"Don't lie to me," Cassie snarled, baring her fangs, then started to realize what she was doing, and covered her mouth with her hands, looking down. "S-sorry."

"No need to apologize," Loki said softly. "If anything, you're a lot more composed than I was."

When Cassie didn't say anything, Loki took that as a sign that it was safe to move a little closer.

"Look, I understand how you feel-"

Cassie snapped at that, her calm composure broken. "No, you don't! How could you? You're a prince! You're- you're-"

As Cassie stuttered to continue, Loki changed himself, and when Cassie looked back at him, he was...blue.

He had let his illusion down and changed into his Jotun form—blue skin with line etched all over his body, and red eyes, as well.

"Like you?" Loki helped her.

"You're...you're a Frost Giant." Cassie's eyes' widened in realization.

"So you've heard of me?" Loki asked, and now he was the one who looked nervous. "In what view?"

"Did anyone learn about them in a good light?" Cassie asked back, then added, "You look like me though—a runt. I look different than the rest of my kind. I'm smaller, a little less hideous, though not by much."

"Is that why you're on Midgard?" Loki questioned, and she nodded. After all this time of being on Earth, he still called it 'Midgard'.

"I was sentenced to be killed—'Too much work to raise, and not enough reward,' they said. I was sent out into the wild, days after being born. I was supposed to die, but a few days after wondering aimlessly around, I found a huge tree. Or really, it found me, it called to me, as ridiculous as that sounds."

Cassie took a deep breath before continuing, "All I did was touch it, mostly just for support to lean on, and closed my eyes for a moment to rest, and when I open them, I'm on Earth. Later on, Howard Stark finds me and takes me in." She said the last part with anger.

"Yggdrasil," Loki muttered.

When Cassie looked at him for more of an explanation, he said, "Yggdrasil is a tree that supposedly stretches around the entire universe, its' roots gateways to each realm or world."

"Oh," Cassie whispered.

Loki cleared his throat, trying to get them back to the conversation they were at before, "The team wants to see you and make sure you're alright. Can you come down?"

Cassie shook her head, looking down, "No. No."

"Please, they're worried about you."

"Only if you come down like that too," Cassie said, meaning his Jotun form.

"T-they've never seen me like this," Loki protested.

"That's the only way I'll agree."

Loki sighed, "Alright. Fine."

Loki stood up, then extended a hand to help Cassie up, but quickly took it back before she grabbed on, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I...I sometimes forget I can kill with just my touch."

"You can't hurt me," Cassie told him. "I can't be hurt by Frost Giants."

"Oh, alright then." Loki grinned, and held his hand out once more, which Cassie took, and let him help her up. She didn't let go of his hand after, instead intertwining their fingers as he led her out of the room.

Loki, kindly, let her go slowly, and get used to what she was going to do, as well as calm her nerves.

It, surprisingly, helped that Loki was clearly nervous as well. It showed her that she wasn't alone in this, and that, at least, someone would understand her.

Loki led her into the elevator, and it descended down, coming to the floor where the team waited for her.

The elevator stopped, and Cassie took a deep breath as the doors opened to show the Avengers.

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