Loki's mood had not improved over night.
His highly intelligent, overactive mind had been working overtime throughout the night, tormenting him with unwelcome thoughts and preventing him from sleeping.

Keeping Sif here had not exactly worked according to plan.
Initially when he had had the idea to capture her, it was to throw Odin and S.H.I.E.L.D off his scent. Ideally, he had hoped to break her will, rendering her helpless and by her becoming submissive to him, he could have kept her like his own little pet in this gilded cage of an apartment.

But she'd unwisely attempted to play mind games with him...He of all the Aesir, the chief game player.
There was a fine line between bravery and stupidity. And whilst he admired her gall for daring to try and beguile him with her feminine charms, her impudence angered him.
He had warned her, but her persistence resulted in him having to teach her a harsh lesson.
Yet alarmingly, it hadn't had the desired effect. Surely her reaction was just part of her plan? Could one feign sexual attraction in such a way?

What also concerned him was the way in which he'd struggled to control his own carnal urges. He was absolutely furious with himself for succumbing to temptation.
He had been weak. And he chided himself for being so pathetic.
All he should have been feeling was anger and indignation.
Not this maddening desire....maddeningly obvious desire. He hadn't had such an uncontrollable physical response to a woman in years, not since his youth.
And for the shield maiden as well, she who had once toyed with him by frequently sliding him sideways glances. She who had regularly met his eyes, only to avert her gaze with a look of pure disgust visible on her face. She who had been his brothers lover, which left him feeling even more inadequate than ever.

Thor always had the best of everything. He was popular, he was the golden prince, the future king whom the people adored and the most beautiful woman in Asgard loved.
...what did Loki have? Nothing. None of that. And he never would.
And because of that, he detested them all.
Sif included...he had to.
He had a reputation to uphold. A reputation for being harsh and unforgiving.
If none would respect him, then they must fear him. It was the only alternative.

Drumming his fingers on the arm of the sofa whilst blankly staring at the television, he continued to sit idly seething.
When he heard her approaching, he felt his jaw clenching in agitation.

Moving slowly as she walked across the living room, she noted the way he was sat deliberately avoiding looking at her.
She was temporarily relieved, as she was reluctant to have his eyes on her...
....those wonderful changeling eyes which were like deep aquamarine pools which she could easily drown in, if she allowed herself to hold his gaze for too long.
She inwardly scolded herself again for letting her imagination run riot.
Perhaps it was some bizarre side-effect of this damn mind gem pendant.
Since she arrived, her thoughts had been running increasingly wild.

Admittedly, she had always secretly admired some aspects of Loki's character, such as his dedication to his craft; a trait he shared with Frigga. Along with his highly articulate mind.
She also begrudgingly acknowledged to herself that he was undeniably handsome.
She had even dreamt of his dark hair and slow smile more than once in her youth. Never having been aware of his 'other' attributes.....had she known all those years ago, of the taut, sinewy body which lay beneath that leather armour, she would probably never have gotten any sleep at all. 

Her cheeks flamed yet again with the familiar heat of embarrassment.
Embarrassment and.....something else.
Embarrassment was not fatal; she'd proved that too many times over these past few days. But longing.....or dare she even think it, attraction...to him, would be utterly disastrous, not to mention heinous.
His character and behaviour, appalled her. He was an enemy of Asgard, and would willingly take pleasure in destroying it.
She, on the other hand had sworn an oath to defend it with her life...
....they were like oil and water....

Turning to look at the television screen, she attempted to break the awkward silence, with idle conversation.
"What is this?"
She asked.

Keeping his eyes firmly affixed on the screen, his reply was curt.
"It's a film about the Trojan war."

Perching down on the edge of the other sofa, Sif joined in watching the film.
The way in which the mortals portrayed Gods and their legends amused her no end. And she was rather enjoying it up until the part came where Polydora gave in to Achilles' touch, and they began making love in his tent.
Apart from making her feel slightly uncomfortable watching such a scene, the unexpected turn of events perplexed her.

"Why would she do that?"
Sif blurted out, without intending to.
"He is her enemy, he is a Greek, that would not happen."

"It's just a film Sif, you're taking it too seriously."
Loki piped up, sharply.

"Yes because I find the entire concept insulting and offensive. No self respecting woman would debase herself with a man who had done such terrible things to her country and her people."
She pointed out.

"Perhaps it depends on the individual, not everything in life is simply black and white."
He retorted grumpily.

"She was enslaved...."

"But he has not mistreated her.."

"He is still her captor!"

"Well she clearly desires him in spite of that!"
Loki shot back, raising his voice and rendering her silent.
"You're so judgemental Sif, and self righteous. Has it never occurred to you that certain aspects of life cannot be controlled?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, not all people allow themselves to be restricted by the unrealistically high moral standards set by society. These two characters are both passionate, consenting, and willing to give in to their desires. They obviously share a mutual attraction which has proven to be irresistible...." 
His words trailed off as he became painfully aware of the startling comparisons to his own current situation.

He reluctantly slid his eyes over to her for the first time since she'd walked in and the way she returned his startled expression spoke volumes.
His words, along with the scenario in which the characters on screen found themselves in, had struck a chord with her too.

She blinked back at him with her large brown eyes, mouth slightly agape.
He cast his gaze to her full lower lip, which begged to be kissed and the way her hair cascaded down over the creamy skin of her shoulders.
His fingers involuntarily twitched at the memory of its soft, silky, lusciousness....
Desire be damned.
Anger. He reminded himself, he was better served to channel this wasted emotion into anger.

She despised him. Yesterday she couldn't even bare to look at him or be in his company after he had forced his attentions on her. She had soon yielded to him, but then spurned his company.
Well, she was not worthy of his company now.

She saw his expression harden, and his eyes glaze over.

"Why have you suddenly decided to grace me with your irritating presence?!"
He snarled at her.

"I, I thought perhaps we ought to discuss...certain...things.."
She admitted reluctantly,

"There is absolutely nothing that I wish to discuss with you, I grow weary of you and have no desire for your company.."
He ranted, without pausing for breath,
"..so might I suggest you stay out of my sight and if I see you down here again, I shall strangle you with my bare hands and throw your worthless carcass over the balcony myself!"

Visibly shaken, Sif leapt to her feet; she was wearing figure hugging denim jeans and a simple white vest top, enabling him to notice the movement of her bosom as she jumped up.
....'fucking concentrate'....he inwardly screamed at himself, his fingers gripping the arm of the sofa so tightly his knuckles showed white.

"What precisely is your problem all of a sudden?"

"You!"
He roared, louder and with more poison in his voice than she'd ever heard before,
"You are the problem, you mewling quim!"

Was that his teeth she heard grinding? He was grinding them so hard she found herself fearing for his back molars.
"Do not insult me with your obscenities, or bellow at me Loki, my hearing is perfectly adequate!"

"Your hearing may be, but your understanding is seriously lacking. Otherwise you would have removed yourself from my presence, madam!"

"I will gladly do so! Your moods are capricious, you're like a petulant child. Being around you is like a fate worse than death!"

"And being around you, is a fate worse than life!"
He riposted, folding his arms sulkily.

"Well I would rather die than be subjected to another moment in your company-"

In an instant he was on his feet, but she didn't back away from him as he circled around her oppressively.

"Threaten me all you like, I no longer care....you have already taken away my freedom and my dignity, by sullying me with your foul touch!"

"My foul touch? You retuned my affections!"
He scoffed,

"I suffered your affections!"
Sif fired back,
"Despite you having already coupled with that mortal woman, you still attempted to seduce me. I assume she was not enough to satisfy your needs!"

"Keep fooling yourself Sif, I merely retaliated to your pitiful attempts to seduce me. I am no fool. And if you believe I actually wanted you, then you're even more naive than I thought."
He stood before her now, his thin lips twisting into an evil smirk,
"Why would I lower myself? As if I'd be interested in Thor's castoff, his sloppy seconds....I may have been labelled a liar but believe me wench, I wouldn't fuck you with a stolen dick!"

Hurt and enraged by his cruel jibes, Sif brought her hand up and slapped him incredibly hard across the face. She did it with such force he reeled backwards, only just managing to stay on his feet.
"You are crude and insufferable. I abhor you, you revolting, loathsome wretch!"
She yelled.

Her hands were shaking in temper, in spite of only showing a fraction of the anger she felt. She stood watching him regain his composure, awaiting his response, more than eager to deliver him another blow.

But then suddenly there came a sound which she did not recognise.
Loki's head whipped around, the imprint of her hand already beginning to form in angry welts on his left cheek.
The slap really must've been vigorous. Her hand was stinging now as well.

"There's someone at the door..."
He supplied, unexpectedly.
"Stay there!"

The pendant glowed around her neck, indicating that this was a command that she could not disobey.
The man had some nerve, first telling her to get out of his sight and then in the next instant, ordering her to stay.

She heard voices ringing out, female voices. One of which sounded particularly over excitable....perhaps the mortal temptress Laurel had returned.
'Good' Sif thought. 'She's welcome to him'.

When he swaggered back in he was accompanied by not one, but two women, neither of which were Laurel.
What was it with him and random women? They seemed to be drawn to him like bees to a honey pot.

"Um...Sofia, may I introduce you to Chelsea.."
He mumbled, gesturing towards a painfully thin, platinum blonde with a voluptuous bosom that made her look ridiculously out of proportion.
"...and her sister, Annabelle"

He was dating sisters now?! Did he have no shame whatsoever, or moral compass? And wasn't Chelsea an area in London?!

"Chelsea, Annabelle...this is my sister, Sofia."
He continued, forcing a strained smile which didn't meet his eyes.

Sif was beyond furious now, but when Annabelle; a pretty looking, petite red head with what appeared to be a small metal bar through her left eyebrow and hoop through her nose, smiled warmly at her, she was temporarily taken aback.
"It's so nice to meet you Sofia.."
She declared, in an almost sing-song voice,
"..please, call me Anna. I work in a pub that Luke frequents. I never realised he had a sister, I don't think he's ever mentioned you."

Sif bit back the urge to say "that's hardly surprising" and instead returned her smile,
"It's nice to meet you, Anna."

Unlike her sister, and despite the odd jewellery which pierced her face, this girl seemed incredibly nice. Chelsea, though piercing-free, had quite a severe face, which made her look unapproachable. She wasn't smiling, and she'd completely ignored her. Instead she seemed completely absorbed with Loki.

"So like, we're going out to this club's drum and bass party tonight in Shoreditch, and I like, wanted to invite you. It's going to be like, so awesome....but I only have one extra ticket."
She spoke quickly, Sit noted, and had a fondness for overusing the word 'like'.

Most of what she had said was lost on Sif, but she understood the gist of it. Chelsea was inviting Loki out, and making a point of letting her know that she wasn't welcome.
The nerve. As if she would want to go anyway.
She could see her eagerly awaiting Loki's reply and when he feigned his most apologetic look, Sif could see the disappointment in her face.
"I'm sorry Chelsea, it sounds fantastic.."

'Liar' Sif thought. She'd been around Loki long enough to tell when he was blatantly lying. In fact he was most likely being facetious.

"...but regrettably it's a bit short notice, and I already have plans."
He said politely.

"Oh, what are you up to?"
She asked, and Sif half expected him to bite her head off for her insolence.

"I'm taking Sofia out to dinner, being as she's just arrived in town."
He supplied without a moments hesitation.
He really was a talented liar.

"That's so sweet.."
Anna chimed in, grinning from ear to ear,
"...I wish our brother would take me out to dinner. I wouldn't even get a McDonalds from him!"

Chelsea clearly didn't share her sisters enthusiasm, she was looking utterly deflated.
"Can't you do that tomorrow instead?"
She persisted, sidling up to Loki in an attempt to persuade him.

Sif almost admired her persistence. She saw Anna shake her head disapprovingly.
Loki's smile was thinning, his agitation beginning to seep through his facade of politeness.
"I'm terribly sorry, but the restaurant is already booked. Besides I'll get nagged to death if I don't take her."

Sif scowled, and folded her arms,
"You're intolerable!"

Anna let out a small, awkward giggle, but then fell silent when she suddenly noticed his face.
"Ooh, that's gotta hurt! What happened?"

Turning away quickly, he headed into the kitchen area in an attempt to swerve the subject,
"Where are my manners? Would either of you care for a drink?"

He was good. Sif had to give him that. He should've been an actor.

"I would have loved one sweetie, but I'm due in work soon."
Chelsea said, begrudgingly.

Sif noticed the way in which Anna had watched Loki leave the room, and now she was studying her closely.
Sif blinked at her, and at that the girl simply shot her another bright smile.
"Hey, I know!"
She spoke as if an idea had just struck her like a gift from the Gods.
"Why not both come over to the Globe tomorrow? I might be working but it probably won't be that busy."

Loki had returned now carrying two steaming cups.
"Well..."

"Oh go on, Luke! I'd really like to chat with Sofia properly.."
Anna cut in,
"...she can dish all the dirt on you, there must be some. You're too perfect too be true!"

Sif grinned slyly as Loki shot her a look,
"Oh, there's plenty....and I'd very much enjoy that. Thank you."
She saw his face twitch and had to stifle a laugh.

"That's awesome!"
Chelsea exclaimed, brightening considerably,
"We'll see you tomorrow then."
She was clearly addressing Loki, who looked like a child who was being forced into doing something he didn't want to do. His shoulders sagged forwards as he leant against the doorframe, still clutching the two mugs.

"Right, well we'd better get going.."
Anna chirped, and began guiding her love-struck sister back the way they had came.

Loki made a half-hearted attempt to move, but Anna stopped him in his tracks,
"No need to show us out Luke, you guys finish your coffee. Sorry to have disturbed you. See ya' later."

And with that, they were gone.
Loki didn't move until he heard the front door open, then close. Then suddenly he was standing very close to her, as if she had blinked and somehow missed it. He proffered one of the cups to her.
"Take it, I made it for you. Call it a peace offering."

Sif eyed him suspiciously. He really was the most complicated person she'd ever had the misfortune to meet.
When she didn't respond, he practically thrust the handle into her hand,
"Just take it before it burns my fucking fingers!"

"Am I to presume this is your way of apologising?"

"You shouldn't be too presumptuous."
He said jokingly.
"You're not drinking enough. You could be at risk of becoming seriously ill if you're not properly hydrated."

"And why the sudden interest in my well being?"
She asked dryly, slowly taking the cup from him at last.
Their fingers accidentally brushed, and bang! There it was again. That inexplicable spark that was always present each time they touched, no matter how briefly.
And it warmed her more than the coffee cup.

He withdrew his hand sharply, as though he'd been scolded. Perhaps he had.
Or perhaps he felt what she felt....how was she ever to know?
She didn't want to know.

"I don't want you dying of thirst, I'm not particularly well practised in the art of disposing bodies."
He huffed, though his eyes twinkled now with mirth.

"I find that difficult to believe. Besides, maybe you should take your own advice. I haven't noticed you drinking any water. Too much alcohol and caffeine could be detrimental to your own health."

"Why Sif, I'm touched, I didn't realise you cared."
He sniggered, then quite unexpectedly playfully bumped her with his hip.

Her entire body went rigid, her muscles tensing. His simple act of playfulness was surely innocently meant, so why did it feel so intimate? She was at a loss. Not knowing how to respond. Her mind was quite at odds with her most basic instincts, as her stomach began to do an alarmingly familiar yo-yo of lust.

"Don't get familiar, sly one."
She half-joked.

"I wouldn't dream of it, my lady."
He shot back.

"Anyway, if I were to meet with an untimely end, would you not just throw my worthless carcass over the balcony?"
She allowed herself a wry smile, but kept her tone even.

He took another swig of his coffee, his eyes coyly meeting hers over the rim of the mug.
"Sounds too exhausting."

She raised an eyebrow, and pretended to sound offended.
"So I'm no worth the effort?"

"Oh, I wouldn't say that exactly."
He smiled now without showing any teeth. It was one of his boyish smiles which made him look shy and almost innocent, and she was struck by the sheer beauty of it.

His smile suddenly faded though, as he continued to hold her gaze.
She found herself swallowing hard.
Serious Loki...

"Listen Sif, if we're going to be housemates.....then perhaps we both ought to make more of an effort to get along. Otherwise it's going to be unbearable for us both."

She heard what he was saying loud and clear, as he spoke articulately enough. But she couldn't focus on anything other than the way his lips moved when he was speaking. The small dimple that appeared in his left cheek as he smiled. How his eyes suddenly seemed more blue than green. She'd never seen them look so blue before. Like a cloudless sky.
Why was she suddenly noticing all these little details?

"Um, yes. I suppose so."
She mumbled distractedly in response.

Although she didn't exactly trust the trickster, she knew she should at least play along. Just for now at least.
Because he had made a valid point, little would be gained from the pair of them continuously butting heads all the time.

Perhaps he was hoping to lull her into a false sense of security, but he seemed genuine enough about not wanting to quarrel anymore.
There was however, a lot of this deep staring going on. Which unnerved her.
His eyes seemed to be glued to hers, and they were still standing awfully close.
Close enough to make her shiver in a way that wasn't entirely unpleasant.
It was as if he affected the air around him, and she could feel the way he changed the energy around them. Sending subtle ripples of simmering tension through the air that crashed into her and crackled against her skin.

She desperately wanted to remain guarded and angry with him, but for some obscure reason.....she was finding it increasingly difficult to do so.

***********************

They had drunk their coffee out on the balcony. It was the first time Sif had been out there and she had been pleasantly surprised when Loki suggested it, though it was curiosity which compelled her to agree.
It was Autumn here on Midgard and the sun was low in the sky, casting a shimmering, golden glow over the murky surface of the Thames.
There was a brisk breeze rolling in from the river, but it was warm standing in the sunlight.

For want of something to talk about, Loki told her about the history of the docks, the old Clink prison, and pointed out several places of interest; such as the railway line, St Pauls Cathedral, the Gherkin, and London Bridge.
They stood outside idly chatting for over an hour, until the sun began to set and it became chilly in the shade.

Once back inside, Loki declared he was going to introduce Sif to the delights of Midgardian 'take-away' cuisine, and proceeded to ring in for pizza.
A lot of pizza. He ordered several of them, each with different toppings in order to find at least one that she would like.
By the time it arrived, he had put one of his Xena: Warrior Princess DVDs on, and arranged a huge, fleecy throw-blanket on the floor for comfort.
So they sat eating, drinking beer from bottles, and giggling at the way Loki jokingly drew comparisons to Sif and the  'warrior princess' television character.

It was surreal. She was actually enjoying his company, as much as it pained her to admit it to herself.
And he found himself forgetting. She alone, made him forget himself and the situation entirely.
It was something that had never happened to him before. Forgetting absolutely everything, as if all his cares had miraculously lifted from him.
They were both relaxed and surprisingly at ease with each other. Which was hardly believable, given the bad blood between them from the past, and the altercation they'd had only earlier that day.

Two hours seemed to fly by like mere minutes, and it was quite sobering for Loki when his mobile cell phone suddenly bleeped with a message.
Sif registered the instant change in his expression the moment he looked at the screen. His face had been smiling, that innocent, genuine smile that made him look almost angelic.
She hadn't seen him look like that since the day they had set off to Jotunheim to confront the frost Giants.
He actually looked like the old Loki. The Loki she remembered, before everything turned hideous. Before he turned hideous.
Then in an instant, that Loki was gone, and a fleeting pang of disappointment and sadness washed over her. She had liked the old Loki. Actually, now she was reflecting on it, she realise she had liked him very much. Back then she'd found her eyes wandering in his direction on more than one occasion.
She digested this with a start, along with another dramatic realisation.
She missed him. The Loki she once knew.
All that remained was the brittle hearted, damaged Loki, who was just a mere shadow of his former self.

"I must go."
He spoke suddenly, shattering her thoughts.

"Now? Must you?"
She asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

He was up now on his feet, pacing back and forth whilst hurriedly jabbing at his phone.
"Yes now. I forgot I have a...um, I have a.....date."
He faltered slightly, not looking up.

Sif could not comprehend why she suddenly felt such overwhelming disappointment. It actually pained her. Poking and prodding at a place she never allowed her emotions to go.
"I see. With Laurel I presume. And yet, you forgot?"
She managed, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

He merely nodded distractedly in response, whilst continuing to pace for another few moments, his agitation increasing with each step he took, until he finished typing. Flipping the phone shut, he stuffed it into his pocket and went to retrieve his shoes and coat.
He hadn't even left the building yet, and she already felt a strange sense of loss.
The television was on, but without the sound of his laughter the room seemed a lot larger, colder, and more empty.

He left in such a hurry, he never even bid her farewell.

Attempting to focus on something else as a distraction, her thoughts turned to how these dates he went on would've presented the perfect opportunity to escape, if it wasn't for the damn pendant.
Then suddenly a thought struck her.....
Whilst she wasn't able to escape, Loki's commands did not stipulate any restrictions against leaving the apartment.....or  following him.
She reasoned with herself that it might be a ridiculous thing to do, but her curiosity got the better of her.
Throwing on her boots, she went back out onto the balcony and scaled the railings. Thanks to her strength and agility, she was able to jump and climb from one balcony to the next, until she reached ground level.

Stealthily, she tailed him from a safe distance as he made his way briskly on foot to the Southbank via several streets and passageways.
It was busy out, and the view of the city, along with the millennium wheel, were all lit up, which was rather a striking sight.

After several minutes of walking, she saw him go into a building.
She hung back for a moment, then slowly edged her way towards it.
It had large windows which were set slightly higher than street level and was illuminated outside with soft pink and green lighting. There was seating outside, and a smell of spice in the air, clearly it was an eatery of some kind.
She almost felt a strange sense of smugness, knowing that Loki had already eaten and his date was none the wiser.

Desperately trying to not attract attention, she slipped between the tables and chairs, in order to steal a look through the glass.
This was madness. Why was she even doing this?
It wasn't going to achieve anything, she felt utterly foolish. Yet at the same time, her instincts were often correct, and she was driven by the need to sate her morbid curiosity.

It was then she glanced upwards and caught sight of his familiar slender frame, slipping off his coat and hanging it over the back of a chair.
Her eyes then darted to his companion, a slim, curvaceous woman with an ivory complexion and waves of loose chestnut curls.
She felt her chest tighten. It certainly wasn't Laurel.
Nor was it Chelsea, or Annabelle......this woman was eerily familiar.

"Lorelei.."
Sif gasped out loud, and in her state of shock momentarily forgot herself as she stood gaping in disbelief.

All it took was an instant. Loki turned to his left and his eyes fell on her through the window.
Oh Hela.
For a moment he looked completely winded, his eyes widened and his face fell.
Lorelei herself now turned to investigate what her 'date' was peering at, and incredulously she brazenly shot Sif a sickening smile.

She then saw Loki turn and disappear, which was Sif's cue to leave.
She had two options; flee back to the apartment and demand an explanation from him when he returned....or stay and confront the pair of them together.
She chose the first option, in order to avoid causing a commotion in such a public place.
Perhaps this way they would both follow her and she could lead them away to a quieter area. Somewhere where she could kick Lorelei's teeth in without an unwitting member of the public calling the authorities.
Someone was bound to get injured, and she wanted to limit the damage.

Loki was out on the street now, yelling her name. In his haste, he even used her real name. He scanned the embankment, saw her running back towards the road, and gave chase.
She had just darted out into the road, when he called out for her to stop.
Her legs involuntarily ceased moving so abruptly as the pendant glowed, that she almost fell over.
She turned back just as he reached the curb, but she didn't register his sudden look of horror.
He yelled out something, which she didn't hear due to the sound of the screeching brakes of a car.
She hadn't seen the black cab in the confusion, but she did feel its impact.

Then everything went dark.

Loki watched as everything seemed to move in unforgiving slow motion. The car skidded into her, and she bounced like a rag doll off the bonnet and onto the asphalt.
He ran and threw himself onto his knees beside her, not even caring that he was wearing a £300 suit.
He immediately checked to see if she was breathing, and to his immense relief, found that she was.

"Fuck, no! Sif? Sif can you hear me?"
He cried, touching her gently on the shoulder.
Suddenly he was aware of a crowd gathering on the pavement.
"Call an ambulance, damn it!"
He roared furiously, at no one in particular.

The driver of the cab came running over, completely panic stricken,
"Oh, Christ, is she okay? Let me take her to the hospital, put her in the cab-"

"I think you've done quite enough!"
Loki spat, his voice dripping venom, and in his blind fury he gripped the driver by the throat and hoisted him off his feet. Blinded by fear and fury, he was oblivious to the shocked and terrified stares he was attracting, as the man began to cough and splutter.

"Ambulance is on it's way to take her to the hospital."
A voice called out from the onlookers, possibly in an attempt to distract Loki, who seemed intent on throttling the man slowly to death.

"An ambulance won't save you, not when I throw you into the traffic. You're going head-first under the wheels of the next bus, you careless bastard!"
He hissed, baring his teeth like a rabid dog.

"L-Loki, don't.."
Came a weak voice.

He recognised it as Sif's, and immediately discarded the hapless man, tossing him with great ease, as though he were nothing more than a piece of litter being blown along on the breeze.
The crowd gasped, but Loki paid no attention. He was back at Sif's side, cupping her face gently in his hands.
"Sif, just hold on...I'm going to take care of you."
He soothed, in a tender tone that she'd never heard him use before.

"I heard....someone say, hospital.."
She winced, her back and left leg were causing her a great deal of pain.

"Yes, they will tend to you."

Sif shook her head weakly,
"No, I mustn't go there. They will discover I am not mortal, and possibly you also. The same thing happened to Thor-"

Loki's jaw clenched. In his panic, that had completely slipped his mind.
Sif could see the concern in his eyes, but he plastered on a fake smile in an attempt to reassure her.
"It will be fine. You have to go, they can take care of you, and assess your injuries-"

"You said you were going to take care of me.."
She interrupted, her eyes gazing at him imploringly.

"Yes I did, but I can't heal you if you're badly wounded. So please don't argue with me. It's so bloody typical of you to still be obstinate even when incapacitated!"

She managed a wan smile, but he could see the doubt visible in her eyes.
"If you won't help me, then I'm going to have to stand by myself or crawl away if I have to, because I refuse to go with them."
She made to move but he placed his hands against her shoulders gently, urging her to stop.

"No, you mustn't do that. If you've broken something, you need to keep still."
His voice was firm now, his determination unwavering.

But Sif also had a will of steel. And she wasn't prepared to take no for an answer.
"You said you'd take care of me, I trusted you."

Loki blinked, cocking his head to one side in a puppy-like fashion.
He wasn't quite sure what he was hearing. Did she actually just say that she trusted him?
Sif could see the apprehension and bewilderment in his face.
His face. The Loki she once knew, who looked vulnerable and unsure. Not arrogant and enraged.
She was appealing to that Loki.....having seen glimmers of him, she knew he still existed. He was just hiding behind the mask of indifference and superiority that he'd chosen to wear in order to keep everyone at bay.

"You shouldn't trust me. Foolish wench!"
He half-joked, forcing a weak smile.

They locked eyes and Loki saw the pleading look in hers.
She really did trust him.
This was a novel experience. He rather wanted to savour it, but he knew in order to do as she wished, he'd need to act fast.
Alarm bells were sounding in his own head, as he carefully lifted her up and into his arms. Unlike the previous time he'd carried her however, this time she wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him. Wanting to be cradled in his arms.
She closed her eyes and buried her face against his chest. .

"Don't worry Sif, I've got you......just, stay with me, please. I'll protect you. I promise."