Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 14

Loki's illusion had come back. If only for a moment. Just from kissing this amazing woman.

Why had it come back?

Why had it vanished again?

Morgan noticed the change in his emotions, his slight tense. "Something wrong?" she asked him, confused. He had just said he'd liked the kiss. Actually, he'd said 'wow' so what was wrong now?

Loki shook his head and was so close that Morgan felt him move. "Nothing at all, darling," he reassured her with a grin in his voice.

He leaned in and kissed her again, not in hopes of his illusion coming back, though of course he couldn't help the hope, but just because he needed to taste her again, needed and craved that touch and affection. Her arms went around his neck and he pulled her closer, one arm around her waist, the other in her hair, holding her to him and kissing her deeply.

They got lost in the kisses for a long time.

Morgan ran her fingers through his hair and he turned into putty in her arms. The peacock was obsessed about his hair and overprotective over it, but he melted and purred when those he trusted played with it. That was usually his mother brushing it out and that hadn't been in more years than he cared to count. Now his lovely lady was stroking his hair and he absolutely loved it.

Morgan eventually broke the kiss to catch her breath, breathing frost. Loki couldn't help smiling at the giddy dazed expression she had. "Dad is definitely going to kill you for that," she teased him.

Loki laughed. "Let him try. He'll just get thrown out the nearest window," he replied nonchalantly. He was a bit concerned that it might strain things between them if he and her father couldn't stand each other.

She burst into laughter too and Loki absolutely adored the sound. "He may put a real fight up on this one," she warned him, still teasing. They'd likely just throw each other out the window, drink themselves silly and be done with it.

"I can handle your father, darling," Loki reassured her warmly and kissed her forehead.

"That's good, because kissing you is quite enjoyable," she informed him and he chuckled as she leaned up to kiss him again softly, cupping his cheek in her hand. He sighed into the kiss and didn't even notice as her thumb caressed his cheek and ran over the raised markings on his skin.

She broke the kiss again quickly, though. She didn't want to go too far too quickly, especially when they were expected at dinner.

Loki gave her a warm smile. "Come on, darling. We need to head to dinner before Mother sends Thor to get us," his tone made it clear he didn't want his brother coming after them.

Wise man.

Morgan laughed. "I do not want Thor to come get us," she agreed. "I've been thrown over his shoulder enough times. I don't particularly feel like going to dinner that way," she grumbled. Thor had a terrible habit of throwing people over his shoulder and taking them where he wants them to be.

Loki chuckled. "I'm quite sure you would not. And neither do I." Morgan laughed at his mournful tone and took his arm. He kissed her cheek before he led her from his chambers to make their way to the dining hall. They chatted about light things as they walked, mostly Morgan's interest in learning healing magic and the distinction of the master magician.

It didn't take long to reach the dining hall. Thor greeted them when they arrived with a laugh. "About time, brother, mother was about to send me to find you," Thor told them jovially. He wouldn't have minded throwing them both over his shoulders to bring them to dinner. He paused and took Loki off to the side where they'd be alone, letting Morgan go with Frigga to the head table ahead of them. Thor paused, staring at Loki. "Brother... are you alright? Your eye-" he said softly, keeping his voice low so they wouldn't be overheard.

Loki's brows furrowed. "What? What's wrong?" he asked wary and confused. His eye? What could be wrong with his eye? It felt perfectly find.

Thor leaned in closer, not wanting to draw anyone's ears, especially not Morgan's. "Your left eye is green," Thor told him softly, his voice full of concern.

Loki's eyes went wide and he summoned a little hand mirror. "That's not possible," he said as he stared at his left eye, which was indeed the green of his illusion. "Well, that's not odd at all." He commented dryly. It was beyond weird to see a green eye in his Jotun form. Especially when the other was still scarlet.

"Not at all," Thor agreed.

Loki sighed and closed his eyes to try to drop that part of his illusion. He didn't want to draw anymore attention to himself. Unfortunately, the green eye wouldn't go away. Loki growled softly. His curse just kept getting worse and more weird. "It appears I am starting to regain access to my Asgardian illusion. Though I am unsure how," he told Thor softly. He knew that Thor had been scouring books to try to help him too. He glanced to Morgan and saw that she was chatting happily with his mother and he sighed in relief that she was safely out of earshot.

"That is a wonderful news indeed, though I wish we knew how..." Thor replied. He wanted nothing more than the help his brother.

"As do I. I wish to feel normal again. I call way too much attention to myself looking like this," Loki gestured to his Jotun form. It was worse now with the green eye.

Thor nodded his understanding. He'd tried to comfort and reassure his brother, but it was difficult when they had been raised to hate the Jotuns. Thor was supportive, but Thor alone could only do so much. "Any idea when it happened? That might help point us in the right direction for a way to break the curse," he suggested. Any lead could be helpful.

"I believe it was around the time I kissed Ana," he said, sparing a fond glance at the girl.

Thor noted Loki's purple cheeks when he made that admission. Whether his brother wanted to admit it or not, he loved the little mortal.