Instincts (A Loki Fanfic)

Chapter Forty-Three

(A/N: Longggg and a cliffhanger. Next update on Wednesday. Enjoy! Thanks for reading!

WARNING!!! In this chapter there is a scene which may contain triggering themes for some readers. They are described after the °^° , and will be  discussed through the 44 and 45 chapters. [Spoiler: Kit starts her heat and a man tries to corner her. He is unsuccessful.] Read as you wish, and thank you!)

(Kit's Pov)

"This is fun." Kit said, sipping on a glass of cherry flavored sparkling water. The bartender said it was a Shirley Temple, but why anyone would name such a sweet drink after a place of worship she didn't know. The kitten glanced up at her charming prince, who was sitting beside her.

"A bit uneventful, but yes." Loki smiled, bringing his own drink up to his lips.

Kit giggled, nudging his side. "There are plenty of activities, and lots of people to talk to. Just because there's no mischief doesn't mean it's uneventful."

"But you are the only one with anything interesting to say." Loki smirked, drawing a blush from the kitten. Stark's party really has been fairly uneventful, especially compared to the rush of preparations the day before. At times it seemed as if he had a to-go party pack, the entire event set up within 24 hours of its announcement.

Speaking of the sudden announcement, since Loki's release the team has been very careful to apologize a thousand times over. Once they realised how Kit really loved him, and how Loki really loved her, they only wanted to support the happy couple.

Not that anyone at the party knew. It wasn't something they were hiding, but they weren't exactly shouting about their relationship at the top of their lungs either. A few people have figured it out, whether an Avenger filled them in or they simply saw the Kitten and Jotun's matching colors. Pepper and Peter heard from Tony, while Fury figured it out on his own.

"Oh my god!" A voice suddenly cried out, drawing the attention of the couple. So much for uneventful. A small crowd surrounded two individuals, although only the girl could be seen through the sea of heads. She held her hands to her mouth, tears brimming in her eyes.

The Avengers jumped up from their seats, running to see what the trouble was. Kit and Loki followed suit, breaking through the crowd to hear the last words muttered from her girlfriend, kneeling before her. Hands coveting a small velvet box. "...and love me till the end of time, so that I may do the same. I cannot picture my life without you by my side." The woman kneeling opened the box, revealing a diamond ring.

What... What was this? Why was she so emotional over a gift? The box didn't hold any special markers that Kit could tell, and quite frankly the ring mirrored the ones on many women's left hands. Kit watched in fascination.

By now the crowd was deathly silent, as they waited for her standing partner to answer. In this time Kit tried to process what was going on. It wasn't bad, and in fact seemed to be a joyful moment. She thought back to the heaps of information Jarvis had dumped in her head of Earth customs, the pieces slowly falling into place. Only, the Kitten never thought she would see one for herself in real life.

She looked up after the pause. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes! Yes I will!" The woman ran to her girlfriend, colliding in a hug. They kissed as the ring of people cheered, some couples even kissing themselves. The Avengers laughed off the threat, and the party moved on.

Kit searched for the word to describe this, looking up to her boyfriend. "Was that a proposal?"

"I think so." Loki watched the happy fiancees, a strange expression on his face. Kit thought it was amusement at first, but it almost seemed as if he was studying the interaction. Before glancing down to meet her eyes once more. "You've never seen one, have you?"