"Heimdall." Loki gives a polite wave, a big smile on his face as he walks into Himinbjorg.

The first thing Heimdall says to him is an incredulous, "Are you really going all the way to Midgard just to get a book?"

Loki chuckles. "Oh, Heimdall. You know I love it when you invade my privacy."

Heimdall raises an eyebrow. "You're in a good mood today."

"I am," he says. "I've had a very good week — but I'm sure you know that already."

"Yes, a very good week that you've spent almost entirely in your chambers," Heimdall remarks.

Loki shrugs. "I've been enjoying it." That's where Zarina is, after all. Why wouldn't he want to spend the day there?

"I've noticed," he says. "And so has everyone else."

Loki cocks his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"You know I won't talk about what other Asgardians are doing," Heimdall says, which Loki has been told many, many times, "but if I were to talk about what other Asgardians were doing, I would tell you that your mother and father have been talking about how they rarely see you around the palace."

"Or, let me guess," Loki says, his good mood slipping away just like that. "My mother has been talking about it and my father never cares."

Heimdall doesn't answer that, which is all the confirmation he needs that he's right.

"For once, my father is right," Loki says. "But I'll find her at dinner if you think it will make her feel better."

"I do," Heimdall says. "She doesn't know there's a fairy in there. As far as she knows, you've all but been in isolation."

"Then I will assure her that I'm okay," Loki says. "But first, I'd like to go —"

"Get your book," Heimdall finishes for him. "I know, I know." He activates the Bifrost. "Go ahead."

Loki grins, his good mood returning in an instant. "Thank you, Heimdall. I can always count on you."

The last thing Loki sees before he leaves is the rare smile on Heimdall's face.

~~~

Loki spends a while on Midgard — longer than he'd expected, at least. He never actually told Heimdall where he wanted to go, so it took him a little while to orient himself. He ended up near a bookstore in London that he's visited quite a few times over the last few decades. It's oddly heartwarming to know Heimdall remembered it.

He finds a lot of books that he wants to read. He has to pick and choose which ones he wants the most, if only because he knows that if Thor saw him walking around with a giant stack of books, he'd never hear the end of it.

Most of the books, of course, are plays. He and Zarina have really been enjoying watching them. He'd originally been playing them as closely to the script as he could for an authentic theater experience, but every now and then he'd throw in an extra joke or add a little humor to the visuals, and it would crack her up every time. Now the plays take a little bit longer than they should, with a lot of time built in for laugh breaks. It's become the best part of his day. Hopefully he can find some moments for a good laugh in these new ones, too.

He also takes a few minutes to just walk around. Asgard is beautiful and all, but he's spent so much time there. Sometimes it's nice to take in the fresh Midgard air when he gets the chance.

And then he returns to Himinbjorg, books in hand and ready to go back home. He says "goodbye" to Heimdall and he heads for the door. It's not that he's in a rush, per se; he would just really like to start these plays soon. He's sure they'll be just as fun as the other ones. Besides, he feels bad leaving Zarina alone for too long. She always says it's okay, but he's sure she gets bored.

"Loki," Heimdall says, sounding much more serious than he did before Loki left.

Loki turns to look at him, confused. "What is it?"

"Your father would like to see you in the throne room," Heimdall says.

Loki rolls his eyes. "Did he tell you to tell me that?" That's just like home. He can't even get in the door without getting a lecture about something or other. It's absolutely ridiculous.

"He hasn't asked for you yet," Heimdall says. "But he will. I suggest you don't leave him waiting."

Loki furrows his brows. He really does appreciate the occasional heads-up Heimdall gives him about what's happening around Asgard, but it's usually small things, like when his mother would appreciate a check-in (as was the case this afternoon). This — whatever 'this' is — seems bigger. Heimdall usually stays out of big things, so it's concerning, to say the least. Either it actually is something small and Loki's just overreacting, or it's something really big and Heimdall felt the need to get involved. He really hopes it's the former.

"Is everything okay?" Loki asks cautiously.

"We'll find out soon enough," Heimdall says, which is so incredibly ominous.

"Alright..." Loki eyes him warily. "I'll just bring my books to my room and then I'll —"

"Maybe you should leave those here and go find your father instead,* Heimdall says.

Loki pauses, then slowly puts his books on the floor. "I'm assuming this is not going to be a fun conversation."

"I'm assuming the same," Heimdall says, a little apologetically.

Loki sighs. "Well, thank you for letting me know. I have a feeling I'll be back very soon — and not just for the books." There's nothing like a stroll around Midgard to clear his mind after a fight with his father.

He makes his way to the palace, uncomfortably aware of the fact that Heimdall is watching him long after he's out of eyesight.

It's not a fun walk home. Loki does his best not to show that he's nervous. He carefully avoids eye contact with everybody he passes, but hopefully subtly enough that no one realizes it's on purpose. He just doesn't want to talk to anyone. He doesn't want to acknowledge anyone.

Almost as soon as he's made it to the palace, someone tells him that his father is looking for him in the throne room. He thanks them as if he didn't know that already and makes his way to the throne.

He hesitates outside the door. He doesn't usually mind these conversations too much. They're annoying and unreasonable, sure, but he's fairly used to it. This one is different. He doesn't even know what it's about. He hasn't done anything lately that would warrant a talking-to.

But he won't feel better after standing out here all day, so he takes a moment to prepare himself before he pushes the door open. It's now or never, right?

Loki opens the door and glances around the room. As he'd expected, Odin sits on the throne, and Loki doesn't let his gaze linger long. The expression on his father's face is not pleasant, to say the least. By his side is Frigga, of course, which makes him feel a little better. It's always nice to have his mom around.

And then there's Thor. If Heimdall's warning was the first sign that this was more than a routine "Loki, you messed up" conversation, this would be the second. Thor is rarely present when Odin gives his disappointed lectures (and thank god for that), so seeing him here is strange in the worst way.

And the third and final sign that something is very, very wrong is when Loki looks at his father's hand, lying flat on the throne's armrest with his palm facing the ceiling, and sees Zarina curled up in it, hugging her legs into her chest. When she looks at him, all he can see is the fear in her eyes, and he freezes where he stands.

"Brother, you're back," Thor remarks, a small smirk on his lips. He's going to enjoy this way too much. Loki can already tell.

Loki looks around awkwardly, hoping someone else will speak.

They don't.

"What, uh..." He swallows hard. "What's going on?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing," Odin says, his voice booming in the otherwise silent room.

"Oh?" It's such a stupid response, but he's not sure what else to say. He glances at Zarina, who seems to be trying to make herself as small as possible. What's he supposed to do?

Odin raises his hand, and Zarina slams her hands down to steady herself as he moves her. He doesn't even seem to notice. "Did you know there was a fairy in Asgard?"

Loki hesitates. Saying "yes" would surely get him in trouble, but saying "no" may put her in danger. He opts to go for the neutral option. "Where was she?" He'd thought they had a deal. She would stay in his room, and he would come back with sustenance and entertainment. It wasn't great, he'll admit, but they were having a lot of fun together. The fact that she left his room, knowing that the rest of Asgard wouldn't welcome her the same way he did —

"In your chambers," Odin says.

Oh. Maybe she didn't leave.

"On your bed," Thor adds. "Reading your book."

Loki furrows his brows. "Were you in my room?"

"I —"

"Why were you in my room?" he demands.

"I was looking for my throwing knives," Thor says.

"I didn't have your throwing knives!" Loki says. "Why would I have your throwing knives?"

"You take my things all the —"

"I have my own throwing knives!" he continues as if Thor never spoke. "Much better ones than yours, might I add. So why would I —"

"Enough!" Odin bellows, and the boys shut up at once. He looks to Loki and asks, "Do you know this fairy?"

Loki hesitates for the briefest moment. It's the same predicament as before — claiming ignorance may save his ass, but admitting he does would save hers — but this time, he can't think of an easy out. He's not sure he can get around the question this time.

So, with a lot of fake confidence, he says, "I do. She's my friend." Maybe if he assures his father that they get along and that she's a good person —

"A friend from Midgard?" Odin asks, and it's very clear in his voice that this did not make it better.

"Yes, a friend from Midgard," Loki says.

"Then why is she here?" he demands.

Loki braces himself for the worst as he says, "Because I invited her here." Which is, of course, not at all what happened, but admitting that she snuck her way into Asgard and guilted Loki into letting her stay would not help either of them right now.

"You invited a Midgardian to Asgard," Odin repeats, and even though he doubtlessly already knew that, having heard Loki say it himself really seems to piss him off. "You know you are not supposed to —"

"That was never a rule," Loki says quickly. "You have never once said I couldn't —"

"Don't feign ignorance," Odin snaps. "You know it is not allowed. I know you know that; otherwise, you wouldn't have hid her."

Loki grits his teeth. He's usually very good at lying, but he can't think of anything to get both him and Zarina out of this one. Lying is so much easier when you don't mind throwing someone under the bus.

"Why does it matter?" Loki asks. "She's not hurting anybody."

"Not yet, but —"

"Yet?" Loki scoffs. "She's the size of my hand! I could step on her!"

"It's the principle of the thing," Odin says. "You cannot bring a Midgardian to Asgard — especially to the palace!"

"But she's my friend," Loki insists. He glances at his mother for help, but, per usual, she remains silent. Her sympathetic expression is enough to make him feel better, though. At least he knows she's on his side — or at least not completely against him. To his father, he adds, "Thor's friends practically live in the palace."

"Thor's friends are some of the best warriors in Asgard," Odin says. "Your 'friend' is a little woodland pixie."

Thor snorts at that, and Loki shoots him a glare. With just a little bit of magic (that he's sure his mother regrets teaching him by now), he turns his brother into a little rat.

"Loki!" Odin yells.

"Turn him back," Frigga says, sounding more exasperated than upset.

Thor squeaks at him, doubtlessly saying the same thing.

"What?" Loki says defensively. "If he's going to act like a rat, he might as well —"

"Loki!" Odin yells again.

Loki has absolutely no desire to turn his brother back into anything with fully functioning vocal chords and he would be more than content to wait it out until his mother finally steps in and does it herself, but then Zarina speaks.

"Loki, this isn't helping," she says.

Loki is very much aware that he's not helping his situation right now, but the reminder that she's still sitting in the palm of Odin's hand, terrified out of her mind, is enough to convince him to reel it in. With a sigh, he turns Thor back into the asshole he usually is.

"Thank you," Frigga says quietly. Loki assumes it's directed to him (though why she would thank him for undoing what he just did, he doesn't quite understand), but a look in her direction shows that she's actually looking at Zarina.

Zarina glances at Frigga, but without any type of response, she looks back to Loki, as she has been throughout the conversation. She looks even more scared now than she did before. He didn't even know that was possible.

"This fairy is not staying in Asgard," Odin says.

"But —"

"She is not," Odin repeats. "This is not a debate."

Loki ignores that last remark, because this very much is a debate and will be until he gets what he wants. "But she has nowhere else to go."

"That's not your problem," Odin says.

"Yes, it is!" Loki insists. "It's my fault! You're always telling me that I need to take responsibility for my actions. Well?" He spreads his arms helplessly. "That's what I'm doing."

"This isn't 'taking responsibility,'" Odin says. "It's irresponsible. You invited a Midgardian to the palace. That is dangerous in any form."

"Not in the form of a tiny fairy!" What's the worst that could happen? She leads an army of fairies in a march on Asgard? The Asgardians could kill them all just by walking. Volstagg has been known to flip tables; he could crush them all at once.

"In any form!" Odin repeats. "If you are to be king, you cannot —"

"But I'm not going to be king!"

The room goes silent. The shift in the atmosphere is so sharp, he almost can't believe it. No one else is going to speak — no one else would know how to — so he continues.

"I was never going to be king!" Loki says. "It was always going to be Thor! I know it; you know it; all of Asgard knows it! So stop holding it over my head every time I don't live up to your unreasonably high expectations!" His voice cracks as he nears the end of his small rant, his face heating up, and he has to force himself to stop talking before he works himself up into tears. He's not sure which would be worse: crying in front of Thor or crying in front of his father.

Though Loki knows it to be true, part of him hopes his father will tell him he's wrong. He hopes he'll hear that he's been misreading everything; that his father has only been hard on him to prepare him for a throne he may still earn. He doesn't want it, but he'd like to hear that there's still a chance. He'd like to hear that Thor's not the favorite — or at least not by too much. He'd like to hear that his father really does love him, even if it doesn't always feel like it.

But all Odin says is a calm and quiet, "You can't rule Asgard from Midgard."

"I can't rule Asgard from Thor's shadow," Loki snaps.

He looks to his mother, trying to gauge her reaction, but she just lowers her head, concealing her face. He glances at Thor, who looks absolutely shocked at that. Did he really not know he was going to be king? It's been obvious for years. Or was it just that he didn't expect anyone to say it aloud? This is also the first time he's seen any expression on Zarina's face beyond fear; now she looks sad.

Odin's expression is unreadable. He's good at that: hiding his emotions. Loki's not even sure he has any. His emotional spectrum seems to range from upset to angry, at least where Loki is involved.

He doesn't even acknowledge the remarks about the throne. He just says again, "The fairy is not staying in Asgard. That is final."

"Fine," Loki huffs. "Then I'll take her to Midgard —"

"You are not to return to Midgard," Odin interrupts, but Loki continues like he never spoke.

"And I'll come back in a few centuries," he says. "Maybe by then, you'll be less —"

Odin smacks his free hand down on the throne's armrest, and the noise echoes through the room. "If you return to Midgard," he bellows, "you are not coming back."

Loki feels every muscle in his body freeze. He's always known his father didn't like his trips to Midgard, but he's never tried to put a stop to them. He's never done this. Loki doesn't even know what to do right now.

"Odin," Frigga says quietly. At least she disapproves. Loki can almost always count on her. He just wishes her opinion meant something to his father.

"It's his choice," Odin says, and though it's a response to his wife, his gaze never strays from his son. "He's either an Asgardian or a Midgardian. He cannot be both."

Loki looks down at Zarina. He can't leave her alone on Midgard. He definitely can't trust his father to bring her back safely. But he can't leave Asgard, either. Not forever. This is his home. He wouldn't know what to do on Midgard.

"Don't," Zarina says, and he furrows his brows. "I had to leave my home; I don't want you to do it, too." She forces a smile. "I'll be fine."

"You won't last a week alone on Midgard," Loki says.

"I'll be fine," she says again.

"We both know that's not true," Loki says. That's the whole reason she wanted to stay here in the first place. "Unless you think you can go home...?"

Zarina's silence is all the answer he needs.

This shouldn't be so difficult. He knows he can't leave Asgard. It's not even an option. But he can't just leave her all alone, either. He can't leave her to die, and a fairy alone on Midgard is nothing short of a death sentence. Getting adopted and then screwed over by pirates was one of the most merciful things the universe could have thrown at her.

"Odin, think about this," Frigga says softly. "Please."

"I have thought about it," Odin says. "And I stand by it."

Frigga gently lays a hand on his arm. "You know, he's not the first person to bring someone in need to Asgard to save their life."

Loki furrows his brows. This is a story he hasn't heard before. He glances at Thor, hoping he can fill in some of the blanks; the look on his face only fills in one blank and it's that he also hasn't heard of this.

"This is different," Odin says.

"Is it?" Frigga asks. "He's not just a pawn in your game; you love him. You knew you would when you brought him home."

Loki glances at Thor again, just as Thor is looking over at him. He mouths, "What are they talking about," to which Thor responds an equally puzzled, "I don't know."

"Can't you see that Loki cares about her?" Frigga asks her husband. "That he feels responsible for her? This could be good for him, having a little friend."

Odin looks down at Zarina, who's still sitting with her knees pulled into her chest and her gaze on Loki. She's completely oblivious to the fact that he's looking at her, which is probably for the best. Then Odin turns his gaze to Loki, who clasps his hands behind his back nervously. This is it. This is his one chance. If anyone can convince his father to change his mind, it's Frigga.

After a gruesomely long minute or two of consideration, Odin says, "You are not to return to Midgard."

"But —"

"You have spent far too long down there and it must stop," Odin continues, cutting him off. "As for your fairy..." He looks down at her for a few moments. "She can stay, but I expect you to watch her. If she causes any trouble —"

"She won't," Loki says quickly. "I promise, she won't." Oh, this is great! His mother came to the rescue once again. And the fact that his father agreed to it, too! Maybe he's not so bad —

Odin tosses Zarina through the air, and though she lands in Loki's hand with no problem, it pisses him off to no end. She's staying in Asgard. That makes her an Asgardian. And, more importantly, she's his friend. As a king and as a father, he should have more respect for her than that.

"Don't throw her!" Loki practically yells, fuming.

"She has wings," Thor remarks.

"That doesn't mean she can fly!" Loki turns and walks out of the room without another word, ignoring Thor's very confused mumblings about fairy-related flight tendencies.

Zarina landed face-down in Loki's palm, but as he quickly walks through the corridors of the palace, she pushes herself up. She sits down on his hand, her legs crossed in front of her, and all he can see is her shaking.

"Are you okay?" Loki asks quietly. He's glad the hallways are empty right now; this would look very strange from afar.

She nods. "Your family is really scary."

"I know, they're awful," Loki mutters. "How long were you with them before I got back?"

"I don't know," she says. "It felt like a really long time — but it's okay," she adds quickly. "I was fine. Your mother was really nice. Not to me, but in general."

"She always is," Loki says. "Now that they know you're here, you'll probably see a lot more of her."

"Am I going to have to see more of your dad and your brother, too?" she asks warily.

Loki shakes his head. "I'm going to try my hardest to make sure neither of us have to talk to my father after this."