Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 27

Loki paused, waiting for her to freak out at the horns on his head.

He waited

And waited.

But she didn't freak out. Why wasn't she freaking out?

Loki finally had to speak first. "I assume you have questions?" he asked tentatively. Was she just freaking out and not saying anything? He had to get her to talk in order to fix this.

He had to fix this.

He couldn't lose her.

Not now.

Not ever.

He saw her consider his question and consider her next words carefully. Gods, what was she going to say? She finally spoke. "Would you prefer to keep pretending that I don't know?" she asked him gently.

What did that mean?

It didn't matter yet. It was time to come clean. He sighed heavily and prepared himself. He'd known this day was coming. Now he just had to deal with it. "I knew you would find out eventually. I swear I was going to tell you. I just-" he sighed and looked for the words he needed. "I didn't know how to explain, how to tell you. I was just-" he stumbled and tried again. "I was just scared I would lose you," he finally admitted.

"I know, Loki," she reassured him. The use of his real name signified how important of a conversation this really was. "It's alright. You're not going to lose me over this. I wish you had told me instead of keeping it a secret, but I understand that it was an uncomfortable subject for you," she really did understand. Of course she'd wished he'd told her, but he would have told her eventually. She'd been giving him the time he clearly needed. She paused a moment before she admitted softly. "I've known for awhile now..."

His brows furrowed and he was horrified by that. She'd known? She knew what he was and was still with him? She hadn't been horrified and left? She had been waiting for him to find the courage to tell her? "You have?" he finally asked her softly, nerves clear in his voice.

She nodded. "I've known since your mother helped me remember what I saw in the first vision I had," he tried to remember what it had been besides his mother in danger. That had been the only important part to him. "There were four jotuns in the throne room in the vision, one of whom was trying to save your mother. I put the pieces together. And you obviously weren't ready to talk about it, so I didn't make a big deal..."

"And you aren't afraid? Or angry with me for not telling you sooner?" he asked, amazed that she wasn't either. She seemed perfectly calm, taking this in in stride.

She shook her head firmly. "I'm not. Why would I be?" she seemed truly confused about why she would be hurt or angry or afraid.

"I'm a monster," he told her simply.

"No you're not," her words were firm, but her tone gentle. "You're just not human. Or Asgardian," she replied and reached up to cup his cheek. He leaned into her touch, letting out a heavy sigh as he relaxed. She smiled warmly at him. "Besides, who am I to care what you look like?" she reminded him as she caressed his cheek. He nodded against her hand, relaxing through his disbelief.

"You're right, as usual, darling," he purred, his voice soft and relaxed.

"Is this the curse you mentioned?" she asked him gently.

He nodded. "I do not usually appear in Jotun form. For some reason I am trapped in this form and cannot reclaim my Asgardian one," he explained, trying to keep his words soft to soften the shock, to soften the blow of the curse. "And it is not something I wish for many people to see," he added, explaining his aversion to leaving the tower.

She nodded again. "I understand how you feel, but you don't have to hide," she tried to reassure him, though knew it would fail. "You didn't have to hide it from me," he could hear the hint of hurt in her voice, though she tried to hide it. She was being supportive, but damnit, it had still hurt that he hadn't felt he could trust her enough to tell her.

"Darling, I've been hiding my whole life. The only reason my Jotun form is visible is because I was cursed," he told her gently. "I was going to tell you, truly I was. And I didn't mean to keep it from you. There was no good way to bring it up. It's no excuse, but I just hadn't gotten the courage, or figured out how, to tell you properly. I am beyond sorry for that, my darling, and I swear on my mother's life that I will not keep anything like that from you again,"

She nodded. "I know, Loki, and I understand," she reassured him. She let that sink in a moment before she asked. "You haven't found out how to break the curse?"

He shook his head and she could feel it as her hand on his cheek moved. "Not yet, but I will," he said firmly. He would figure out how to fix this. He just wish he had some clue how to break the curse on him. Besides kissing her. He'd done plenty of that since and nothing

"I hope you find it," she said sincerely, "Though it doesn't bother me either way," her words and tone were reassuring and Loki relaxed completely. She wasn't going to turn him again.

He nodded. "Thank you, darling. Thank you for staying by me. I was worried that you would think less of me if you knew. Or worse, that you would be afraid of me,"

She shook her head. "I could never be afraid of you, my Loki," she purred and leaned in to kiss him softly. He kissed her just as softly in return, finally convinced with that act that she wouldn't leave him.