To Roam Into the Unknown

Aurora stood on the balcony of her bedroom in her white tiny shorts and black tank top, looking out at the black harbor. She could just make out the red lights of the buoys that stood as warning to the ships. A warm breeze flowed around her, sending her hair blowing gently around her. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply through her nose.

She exhaled slowly as a pair of cool hands snaked around her waist. She could feel his body press against her back in the gentle embrace. His breath was hot on her neck as he trailed kisses from behind her ear to her shoulder, sliding the strap of her top down.

His grip around her waist tightened slightly, pressing her body closer to his. Aurora laid her head back against his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his neck.

His hands trailed up her sides pausing briefly at her breasts, then he spun her around to face him.

Loki stared down at her, his green eyes hungry with desire, lips hovering inches away from hers. She gave the slightest nod, undetectable to anyone else but him. He pulled her to him, crashing his lips onto hers. Aurora let out a soft moan and locked her arms around his neck. He grabbed her hips and hoisted her up onto the banister. As if acting against her will, her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist. She leaned her head back as his lips made their way down her neck.

“Loki..” she whispered.

“Say it again.” he breathed against her neck.

“Loki…”

He grabbed a fistful of her hair and gave it a yank. She cried out.

“Again.” He growled, pulling it harder.

“LOKI!” she cried.



Loki was just beginning to feel himself slipping into unconsciousness when he suddenly felt as if he were falling. His body gave a hard jerk, waking him immediately. He lay staring up at the ceiling, listening to the sound of rain tapping gently on the windows. What was more, he could barely hear the sounds of moaning. He looked around the room for the source before he quickly registered that he was alone.

Slowly his eyes adjusted to the dark and he looked up at Aurora’s room. That’s when he heard her.

“LOKI!”

He threw off the blanket and was on his feet, staggering over to the stairs. Without paying any mind to the pain, he hurried up the stairs and into her room, throwing the door open.

Aurora bolted upright in her bed with a gasp.

“Aurora…?” he huffed, trying to catch his breath.

She screamed, jumping so violently that she tumbled out of the bed in a tangle of sheets.

“What in seven hells?” he asked, hurrying over to her. “Are you alright?”

Aurora’s head popped up from the sheets, wide eyed. “Loki?? What are you doing in here?” she asked, looking up at him.

He looked confused. “You were calling my name. Is something the matter?”

Aurora felt her face flush, thankful that it was still quite dark outside. “I was having a…nightmare.” she said, attempting to stand. He took her arm and pulled her to her feet.

“Must have been some nightmare. You‘re shaking. Are you alright?” He said. Her skin tingled where his long fingers held her arm.

She ran a hand through her hair. “It was intense to say the least.”

“Do you want to talk about it-”

“NO!” she said, a bit too forceful. “I’m sorry I woke you up…”

He smiled. “It’s alright. I couldn’t sleep…” he said, rubbing his lower back.

Aurora rubbed her eyes and sighed. “What time is it?” she asked.

Loki looked around her room for her clock. “Just after two…” he replied.

She picked up the blankets and tossed them back on her bed. “Why don’t you sleep in my bed?” He looked at her, eyebrow raised.

“I will sleep on the couch.” she added quickly.

“It’s a kind gesture Aurora, but I won’t do that to you.” he said.

She yawned and flopped back onto the bed. “If you insist…” she said quietly, her eyelids drooping sleepily.

“I insist.” he said quietly, laying the cool sheets over her. “Goodnight, Aurora…” he whispered, closing the door softly.



She woke to the sun shinning in her face and the smell of bacon. Bacon?

She sat up and looked around, sniffing. Kicking the blankets off, she jumped out of bed and bounded down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Loki stood at the stove, watching over a pan of sizzling bacon.

“Morning…” she said with a yawn.

He turned and smiled. “Good morning. How did you sleep?” he asked, turning off the stove.

“Well enough I suppose…”

“Any more nightmares?” he asked. She felt her face flush and shook her head.

She looked at the counter littered with eggshells and smiled. “You’re making breakfast?”

He grinned wide and ducked his head down as he laid the bacon on the plates. “I thought you would want to sleep in…” He wiped his hands on a dishrag and tossed it back on his shoulder.

She reached to pull out the chair but Loki beat her to it. “Allow me…” he said.

She sat down, still smiling. “I didn’t know you could cook.”

“Funny thing…” he picked up the plates and set hers in front of her. “Neither did I…” He took his seat across from her.

Aurora wasted no time, immediately tearing into a piece of bacon. “It’s really good, Loki.” she said. “Thank you.”

He took a sip of his coffee. “You’re quite welcome.” He watched her as she ate, occasionally glancing up at him.

Once their plates were clean, he retreated to the kitchen and set them in the sink.

“Do you want to get out of here today?” she asked.

He leaned against the counter, arms crossed. “And where would we go?”

Aurora shrugged her shoulders. “How is your leg?”

“Tolerable.”

“I don’t know where we would go. But lets get out of here. I’m getting cabin fever.” She said, standing.

“What kind of fever?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Figure of speech. I’m going to go take a shower.” He watched her with a smirk as she walked up the stairs.



“What is this place?” he asked as they got out of her car.

“The Nature Observatory. My sanctuary.” she replied, looking around.

“It’s so…green.” he said, looking around. The sky was bright blue with cotton-ball clouds scattered throughout. The sun only sparsely reached the ground for the thickness of the foliage. A warm breeze rustled the leaves gently.

“Green is the color of life.” She said with a smile. They began to walk into the forest and up the mountain trail.

Loki looked up at the trees looming over them. “It is also the color of jealousy and misfortune…”

She pulled her hair into a ponytail. “Only if you let it. It’s somewhere to get away from everything and just…be.”

They made their way down a rocky trail. “You come here often, I take it?” he asked, leaning on his cane.

“I used to come here everyday. I haven’t been here in a few months actually.” she said.

“Why not?” He nudged a rock out of the way with his foot.

“The last time I came here was the day they brought you into the hospital.” she said.

“Ah…then I feel I must apologize for keeping you from this sanctuary of yours.”

“No need. It was for a good reason…” she said smiling at him.

He glanced at her and slowly a smile formed. “Your smile is too contagious.” he said.

“Good. You should smile more, it suits you Loki.” The comment caused his stomach to flip and he winced in response. The look on his face didn’t go unnoticed by Aurora.

“Are you alright?” she asked, gently grabbing his arm.

He nodded. “Yes, of course. It was just a twinge…”

“There is a sitting area ahead, you should rest.”

They walked the rest of the way in silence, save for the chirping of the birds. The sitting area was overlooking a rocky ravine. The sound of rushing water could be heard.

Loki sat down on the bench, looking out at the scenery before him. The particular landscape’s beauty rivaled that of Asgard and it made his heart ache for home.

Aurora stood at the very edge of the rocks, her hands on her hips as she looked out. Almost against his will, his gaze turned on her. She wore a pair of neon pink shorts with a bright blue running jacket. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail at the base or her neck and hung over her left shoulder. She was beautiful.

“What are you thinking?” she asked, turning to him.

He raised his eyebrows and shook his head slightly. “Nothing in particular. What about you?”

She took a deep breath and stretched her arms high above her head, causing her lower abdomen to show. “Nothing.” she smiled and sat next to him.

He fidgeted with the cane resting between his knees, staring off into space. “I can see why you enjoy this place. It reminds me of where I’m from.”

“You mean Asgard?” she asked. He nodded.

“What was your family like?” she asked.

The question took him off guard leaving him struggling to find the words.

Aurora looked over at him, his mouth was parted slightly and he stared down at his cane. “Do you have any siblings? A girlfriend or wife?”

He shook his head and gave a small laugh. “A wife, no. But I have a brother…Thor.”

“His name is Thor?” she asked. Again he nodded.

“And your parents?”

He took in a deep breath. “My father was always wrapped up in Thor. He was the oldest. Nothing I ever did seemed good enough for him. All of my accomplishments were compared to Thor’s. He was all brawn and would sooner fight than approach situations from a diplomatic perspective.” He glanced over to see Aurora had shifted in the seat to face him.

“What about your mother?”

The faintest of smiles played on his lips as he looked out once more at the ravine. “My mother…was the epitome of grace. She was beautiful and never spoke an ill word against anyone. She never let me think for one minute that I was not loved. She never held me beneath my brother, but loved us equally. It is she I miss the most.”

Aurora bit her bottom lip. “So why did you leave?”

“Because I was banished by my father.”

“Why?” she asked.

“We had…a difference in opinion.”

“Have you spoken to any of them?”

“They wouldn’t answer my calls even if I could speak to them. No. It’s better this way. I can live my life now, free from his scrutiny.” he said, returning his gaze to her. “What about you, Aurora Moreau?”

She looked down at her hands. “There isn’t much to tell.”

Loki shifted to face her, his arm draped over the back of the bench. “There’s always something to tell. You have parents I assume.”

When their eyes met, images of him trailing kisses down her throat flooded her vision and she looked quickly up to the sky. “I have my father. He’s an investment banker in New York City. I haven‘t seen him in three years.”

He nodded. “And your mother?”

“She died of cancer when I was twelve.” she replied with a sigh.

“I’m sorry.”

She shook her head slightly. “It’s alright. I am who I am because of her. She’s in a better place either way.”

“How do you know that?” he asked.

“It’s called faith. People have to have something to believe in otherwise nothing in this world would make any sense.” she said, tucking a stray strand of flaxen hair behind her ear. “I moved here to get away from city life. I wanted to start over almost as soon as she died. Once I came of age, I entered college in Seattle, graduated and here I am.”

“And do you have any siblings? Or significant other?” he asked. There was a low rumble of thunder and dark clouds loomed in the distance.

“No. I’m an only child. And there definitely isn’t a significant other, but there is the hope of someone.” she looked at him. He stared at her intently for a few moments until she couldn’t stop the blush from creeping onto her cheeks. “What it is?” she asked.

He smiled, shaking his head as if in disbelief. “You are…an extraordinary human being. I’ve never met anyone like you.”

“I hope that’s a good thing.” she said. Thunder rumbled, sounding as if it were right above them, startling her.

“I’m not sure yet.” He smirked.

The unmistakable sound of raindrops on the leaves halted any further questions. Loki pushed himself to his feet and offered her his hand. “We should seek shelter.”

Her hand was warm and soft in his own cold grip. Her warmth spread to his own hand, making him reluctant to release it, but he did and together they hurried as fast as they could down the trail. By the time they reached the end, the rain fell in torrents. The two of them found shelter under a small park information kiosk.

“My God does it ever stop raining here?” he asked, running a hand through his wet hair.

Aurora had her hair pulled over her shoulder, wringing it out. “No. It’s an everyday event I’m afraid.”

“I can see that…” he replied dryly.

Aurora gave a visible shiver as she crossed her arms over her chest. “It got cooler…We need to get you home. I don‘t want you to get sick.”

Loki stared out at the rain, watching the drops splattered on the gravel. “The cold has never bothered me.” he said.

Together they stood, shoulder to shoulder under the tiny shelter and he could feel her shaking. Without hesitation, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him tightly.

Aurora was taken by surprise at the gesture, but said nothing. Relaxing as his warmth enveloped her, she tucked her arms between them and lay her head against his chest. She could hear his hear beating like the thunder against his ribs and closed her eyes.