A Very Unlikely Tale // Loki

Chapter 16

   "Flora will you please just tell me where we're going?"

I roll my eyes, "No. Hush."

I'm walking a few paces ahead of Loki.  He's already changed into a clean set of clothes, and his hair is now slicked back and tidy instead of his usual disheveled state.  He reminds me slightly of a hedgehog, or a porcupine.

I smirk at the thought.

We pass Odin in the corridor, who stops me briefly and whispers in my ear, "Well done. It's beautiful."

I simply smile in response and continue walking.

Loki scoffs from behind me, "You know, Odin returned my magic to me," I stop and stare at Loki, who has just appeared directly in front of me. He smirks, "I could just make you tell me where we're going."

I walk through the clone, leaving a stunned Loki still behind me, "Now where's the fun in that?" I question.

I hear unintelligible grumbling in response.

We arrive in the gardens and Loki speeds up to walk beside me, "Flora..." he begins, "why are we here?"

I grab his hand and squeeze it in encouragement. "Don't worry, Loki.  It will make sense soon."

I go to release his hand, but he doesn't let go.

Let me tell you.

I am blushing like a schoolgirl.

"But Flora, this is the way to-" he stops, unsure of wether or not to finish.

"To the hidden garden where you and your mother would spend so much time together."

He looks at me in shock.

I shrug, "Odin." I say simply.

"I can't go in there.  It's bare and dead and cold now.  It isn't anything like what it used to be." He says as we arrive at the archway.

"Alright," I turn to look at him, "you don't have to go in.  I'm going to, but you can wait out here if that's what you really want."

I begin to pull away and he lets go of my hand.

I miss it.

Shut up, brain.

I sit on the ground by the little stream and listen to the quiet murmur of the water.

After a few moments, Loki timidly steps through the archway, and immediately his mouth drops open.

"I-I don't understand." He looks at me and backtracks, "I know you're very gifted but this is a garden with a magical core. It was linked to my mother. I couldn't even get it to live again."

"I guess I have my ways." I smile brightly, "Go on, look around! Tell me if there is anything I can do to improve it."

"No, it's perfect. Exactly as I remember." He approaches the little swing and pushes it gently, "Mother and I would take turns pushing each other here. After, we would read in the shade."

He turns slightly to look at him me, his voice a whisper, "The memories we made here are the best I have."

Do you hear that sound?

That's the sound of my heart.

Shattering.

I walk slowly up behind Loki and hug him gently. He stiffens slightly before turning around in my embrace and returning the gesture.

I feel him sigh in my hair, "I don't know how you did it, Flora, but thank you."

I squeeze him a little tighter, "Absolutely, Sunshine."

He begins to laugh and releases me, "Again with the name?"

I smirk and cross my arms, "Always."

"I shall have to come up with a name for you as well." He challenges.

I raise an eyebrow, "Go for it."

"Well," he begins, thinking, "the Midgardian Roman goddess of flowers is called Flora as well. Did you know that?"

No...

"Yes."

"Hmm." he raises a hand to rub his chin in the classic I-am-thinking-really-hard-right-now fashion, "you also have control over plants. Your name is Flora. Flora is derived from the Latin word 'Flos' which means-" he looks up and grins wickedly.

He better not-

"Flower. My little Flower." He smirks in triumph.

I let out a loud noise of complaint that vaguely resembles Dory trying to speak whale, "Because I've never heard that one before."

He rolls his eyes, "Oh well, Little Flower. It's here to stay."

I dramatically collapse in the grass and throw my arm over my eyes. I hear Loki chuckle and sink down next to me.

"How did you manage this, Flora?" He inquires suddenly.

I sigh, "It wasn't exactly easy." I turn my head to look at him, "I pretty much opened my soul to this place. I let it feel how much I loved my mother, how much it hurt to lose her. I let it feel the love I had for my tenants. Every friend I've ever had. John. The garden started changing. I felt it change. But it really started living when I thought of-" I snap my mouth shut, feeling the blood race to my cheeks.

"Hmm?" He asks.

"Nothing." I squeak.

Did I just squeak?

He looks at me oddly.

Yes. Yes I did just squeak.

Loki looks down suddenly, focusing on a particularly interesting blade of grass, "Flora, when Thanos was talking to you he asked you a question."

I nod, remembering.

"I never heard your answer." He mumbles.

I look at him. He still stares at the grass, almost as if he's afraid to hear my answer.

I sit up.

Well.

Now or never I guess.

"Yes." I whisper almost inaudibly.

His head snaps up, "What?"

"Yes. I um..."

Shit this is awkward.

He waits for me to continue and as I finally make eye contact I know he needs to hear this.

I take a deep breath, preparing myself for a barrage of rejection and demeaning insults, "Yes, I love you."

I stare at the stone bench across the garden, willing it to fly from its place and hit my head just hard enough to kill me.

At that moment every negative scenario crosses my mind. Loki laughing at me, oh I can almost picture his sneer. I imagine him walking away, refusing to speak to me again. I imagine him being disgusted. How could he, a prince in more ways than one, ever care for me, a glorified mortal, his babysitter.

It's been silent for what I know has only been seconds, but it feels like hours.

More tears threaten to escape my eyes and I fight them back.

If he's going to be mean about it then he should just get it over with. I don't understand why he has to-

"I love you too, Flora."

Oh.