The Witch's Familiar

Chapter 19

Loki's hands dropped from your arms and he took a step back shocked. Utterly shocked. You blanched and clapped a hand over your mouth, horrified and unable to believe you'd just said that. You hadn't realized what you said. Hadn't planned it. Hadn't thought.

And now.

You said it first.

After only one date.

Which was yesterday.

It was the kiss of death to a relationship for the woman to say those words first. It was even worse after just one date. You'd ruined everything before it had even had a chance to begin. You felt tears in your eyes when you realized just how badly you'd blundered.

"You... you love me?" Loki asked, dumbfounded and disbelieving. Your hand dropped from your mouth while you frantically tried to think to do something that just stand there stupidly. There had to be a way to fix it.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean- I meant-" you spluttered trying to come up with any explanation, anything at all that would help, or possibly fix this.

Your panicked terrified spluttering seemed to have broken through his shock. He chuckled, smiled warmly, and placed a finger against your lips, silencing your spluttering, though fear left tears in your eyes. "Do not think to start lying to me now, my dear. You meant exactly what you said. I find that people are most honest when they speak from emotion. Now, based on your reaction, you seem to expect that I am displeased by your words, when that cannot be further from the truth. I was simply surprised at your declaration, in no way upset by it. So tell me, what has you so frightened, little sorceress? Surely, you know I will not hurt you." He removed his finger from your lips so you could answer.

You thought for a moment on how to explain. He waited patiently for you to gather your words. "Males on Earth are stupid," you finally started.

He laughed. "Yes, darling, but what bearing does that have on this conversation?" he asked lightly.

You tried to give him a tentative smile, but it was hard. You were afraid that his words and reassurances were just words. "One of them would be calculating how to most quickly end the relationship had I made the same mistake," you told him softly. He raised an eyebrow, so you continued. "They get... bent out of sorts, if a woman says those words first and would flat out run away screaming had they been said after just one date, especially when that date was yesterday," you admitted, your voice small and afraid as a single tear fell. You didn't want to lose him over something so stupid.

"Midgardian males are stupid," Loki agreed gently, wiping your tear away delicately with one long finger. He pulled you into his arms and held you to him. "They are morons indeed to claim that they wish for a lady to love them and they break her heart for daring to state that love in words. Would that I could meet the men who had hurt you so. I would gladly remove their tongues from them for harming you and frightening you so, my darling," he kissed your forehead and ran his fingers through your hair, purring for you until you relaxed, until your fear that he would leave you had finally faded. "Let me enlighten you on a little secret, love," you looked up at him and his gave you his mischievous smile. "Yes, last night was our first official Midgardian date, but I have been courting you since I returned to this form. To hear that you love me is a joy and something I never thought would happen," he told you warmly, though you heard the bruise in his words, the fear that he would never find love. You knew he was bruised by his family on Asgard, except his Mother, but you hadn't appreciated the extent of that bruising. "I love you as well, my darling," he whispered into your hair.

"You're not-?" you tried to find the question, but it wouldn't come, wouldn't finish.

"No, dearest, I am not going to leave you, never, unless you wish for me to," he promised you softly. You sighed in relief, finally able to release the fear that you had messed everything up. "Now, will you kindly tell me how we find you a new familiar? I dislike seeing what the lack is doing to you. I promise not to be jealous of the creature," he teased that last part and you couldn't help smiling.