Of Greater Sires

Raeyn’s first night in Stark Tower really was not all that bad. The level was beautifully decorated: white soft carpet, chandeliers spreading plenty of light, fireplaces all around and windows opening all the rooms up fantastically. Not to mention that the bed was brand new and the softest thing Raeyn had ever touched. Compared to most of her life, this was more comfort than she had ever allowed herself, and she couldn’t seem to get used to it. When she woke, she found that there was a fully stocked kitchen with enough food for an Asgardian like herself, and for some reason, it contained plenty of Pop Tarts. Popping a box open, she wandered over to the panel of windows to look out onto her new city while the sun was still rising.

It was now evident that footage that the news had been broadcasting was quite old -- the city, in only a matter of weeks, had managed to pick itself up once more and try to carry on life. One thing about the mortals that continued to amaze Raeyn was their resiliency. The rubble was mostly cleared off, bodies had been moved, and even a few memorials could be seen from the high floor of Raeyn’s building. As had some of the people back at school, there were already some workers on their way to work; but now, instead of the classic on-my-way-to-work look of staring at their shoes, they had a tendency to look up -- anything to be able to avoid the destruction around them for a little while longer.

The days mostly passed in a blur. The goddess spent most of her time discovering the hidden technology all throughout her apartment -- it was of Stark’s, naturally -- and yet she couldn’t bring herself to be happy. Even with Loki just feet below her, she felt more alone than ever because here she was Raeyn of Midgard, companion of Loki and not even the mortals would be in her company. It wasn’t until a couple of weeks had passed, however, that she finally stopped the elevator at the level directly below hers and stepped out.

The layout was nearly exactly like hers, she realized quickly. The feel of it was quite different, however. While hers was soft and warm, his was sharp and handsome, even. It was quite a bit darker, certainly, as well. Straightening her posture, she had peered around one corner after the next until she finally found a large room with several long tables covered in papers. It was here that Loki was speaking quickly to several Chitauri in a language that had never graced Raeyn’s ears. They motioned to the papers laid out before them animatedly as they spoke, yet it was only after a moment that she stood there before Loki noticed her. He cut off one of the Chitauri with a few words before moving over to Raeyn’s side of the room in just a few quick strides.

“My Lady, what is it that has caused you to grace us with your presence?” he asked formally, a little worry lying in his tone.

“I am well, you need not worry about me,” she said quickly, blowing off any of his concerns with a wave of her delicate hand. “And if I am interrupting something of importance...” she gestured to the Chitauri warriors behind them. Loki turned to see what she was speaking of before shrugging it off.

“No, no, it was nothing. Nothing that cannot be put off another day.” He turned and with a quick word to the Chitauri, he was leading her out of the room and into a sitting room.

“I would speak to you about... about how we are living,” she said quietly. Now that she stood next to him, his confident aura nearly palpable, she did not know which words to say how lonely she felt. “If you are sure that it would not be an interruption. Really, not that large of a problem at all, and quite silly and vain...”

Suddenly his icy hand was resting on her shoulder and he had stopped, stopping her as well in midsentence. “Anything that is concerning you is something I would like to hear,” he said gently, tilting his chin down to give her a meaningful look.

She nodded and swallowed, still trying to calculate the “correct” way to express herself before her king. Loki was still peering down at her, and realizing where her hesitation was rooted, rested a soft hand on the small of her back and began to guide her to the elevator once more.

“Let’s take a walk, shall we?” he asked softly as he pressed the elevator to go down. Raeyn, surprised still, said nothing for a long moment.

“Do you not think that we could draw unnecessary attention to ourselves dressed the way we are?” she finally asked quietly, shifting uncomfortably in Loki’s touch.

He blinked in surprise and even dropped his hand. “I have no fear of going about the way I look now, but if it would suit you to look more mundane then of course I will comply.”

Raeyn glanced up at him through her lashes, and even as he spoke, the green and black armor faded to a blue button-down shirt tucked into black dress pants. Her gaze flickered back to his profile, and his hair was now quite short and even a little curly. A small smile crept its way onto her lips as he turned to gaze down at her questioningly.

“You look nice,” she said lightly, her smile creeping into her voice now as well.

Unexpectedly, Loki smiled down at her kindly as well. “I am glad you think so.”

Turning back to face the elevator doors, her gold locks morphed back into her dull cropped hair, and her extravagant yet worn dress changed back into jeans and a red and black college sweatshirt.

By the time they stepped out of the elevator and into the lobby, they were almost unrecognizable. Loki once more offered her his forearm for her to take, but this time she wrapped both hands around him, more like a couple would in order to blend in.

The street outside of Stark Tower was completely deserted; unlike the rest of the city, the rubble and remains from the battle were still strewn all over, and no one seemed to dare to enter it. Both gods dropped their heads almost out of instinct as they skirted about the shadows of the desolate road. It wasn’t until they had walked a few blocks that they finally began to start seeing people -- first it was the rugged, homeless vagabonds sleeping in alleyways and doorframes and then nervous street vendors here and there and then many, many civilians. It seemed that they liked the comfort of numbers after the hell their city had been through.

“It is odd,” Raeyn began quietly so only Loki could hear. He bent down a little so her words could reach his ears more clearly, “how they continue life here so easily.”

Loki nodded and took a moment to answer. “I told them that they may continue life as it was before. Chaos would not take over their city, nor the rest of the realm with the Chitauri policing them. Most of them must continue their working in order to take care of themselves and their families, I assume.” He spoke softly and quickly, and not a mortal around them heard a word.

They continued their walk as the sun set and the stars began to appear in the sky. It didn’t take long for them to reach Central Park, where hundreds of tiny candles lit the trails following. The number of people had thinned after dark, yet they were certainly not alone yet.

“They must be memorials,” Loki said quietly, more to himself than to his companion.

A long moment went by and it didn’t seem that Raeyn had a comment before she spoke, her voice quite a bit more sure of herself than usual. “Or they do not like to face the dark alone any longer.” She could relate to that quite a bit.

They walked in silence for a little while until all of the mortals were gone. The sun had completely set and the moon shone brilliantly on the two gods as they sat on a bench in the middle of Central Park. Since no was else was out, neither needed to keep up their disguise yet Raeyn did not let go of Loki’s arm. It was a comfortable silence as they soaked in the beauty around them.

Slowly, Raeyn tilted her gaze upward towards the heavens. For a moment she simply sat in wonder of the stars before Loki turned to follow her stare.

“I used to look up at the stars,” Raeyn whispered, “and wonder if I truly was alone: if there really was an Asgard up there. Or if I really was just an unnatural creature, destined to walk the planet alone, forever.”

There was a small moment of silence before Loki whispered in return. “It really is there, Raeyn. And we are not going to be alone anymore.”

We. He had said “we.” Yet how could a princeling be alone in hisown kingdom? Raeyn did not know how else to respond, so she moved herself closer to Loki as a small show of companionship.

“What is it like?”

Loki immediately tensed. The breath caught in Raeyn’s throat as she swiveled around to face him with wide, apologetic eyes. He continued to stare forward, yet with unseeing eyes as his jaw clenched.

“I’m sorry, I never-!” she whispered quickly, trying to take back the reminder of his old home.

She never finished her sentence because the king eventually relaxed, his shoulders sagging and his eyes closed briefly.

“No, it is fine. I should have been surprised if you were not curious...

“It is beautiful,” he said after a long pause. “I could not wish for a better place to be raised. The city glistens with its own legacy, and the sky is bluer than you could imagine...” he continued for quite some time, depicting his childhood home for Raeyn. Slowly, as time wore on, his expression lost its tension and a dreamy look almost took to his eyes. Once he finished, he was even almost smiling.

Raeyn sighed, a small smile even lighting up her face. “I am sorry I will never see it, then.”

Loki nodded sadly, and they sat in silence for a while more.

“You wished to speak with me about something?” Loki finally asked, turning to look at Raeyn.

She blinked at him in confusion for a moment before replying. “Yes, I... I wish to do things like this more often. I wish to see you more often. I know that I am here because you would keep an eye on me, but I am here because I don’t like being alone, yet these past days I’ve felt more alone than I have in quite some time.”

Loki looked a little surprised before standing and offering his hand once more to Raeyn.

She stood silently and once more they began their path back home; this time however, it was quite a bit cooler than when they arrived, and without holding onto Loki’s arm as he waited to answer gave Raeyn the shudders. Looking down at her carefully, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders to keep her warmer. For some reason, though, he was just as cold as the air. Perhaps she was feverish?

“I believe,” he began carefully, nodding along with his hesitant words, “that something could easily be done about that. Now that you have brought it up, it had been quite some time that I have seen anyone but the Chitauri. Perhaps... perhaps we could begin eating meals together, yes? And I have several extra living quarters on my floor in which you could stay. Unless that is too forward, of course, and in that case you may forget all that I have said so far...” A grin crept along Raeyn’s features as Loki’s formalness quickly turned into nervous rambling. She rested a hand softly on his wrapped around her shoulders.

“That sounds lovely,” she said softly, smiling up at him. His tense expression quickly disappeared into that of contentedness as they strolled back together.