Loki's brows furrowed and his fists clenched. "Amora? What are you doing here?" he demanded as he stalked into the room, though he tried to keep his voice quiet so he didn't draw the attention Morgan sleeping in the next room. She needed to rest and didn't necessarily need to meet Amora yet.

Amora grinned with her usual air of mischief. "I heard you were back and wanted to see my old friend," she told him warmly. She grinned. "Stop fretting so, you'll get wrinkles, you know I can't cause true mischief since Odin collared me like a dog," she indicated the silver chain around her neck, runed to limit her powers. She was a powerful witch in her own right, but little to no morals and kept trying to enchant Thor for some strange reason. But she and Loki had been friends for centuries and had learned magic together. "Besides, my abilities never worked on you anyway,"

Loki chuckled, relaxing that she clearly not there to hurt anything. He would've heard the lie. She really just wanted to see her old friend. "True. You're good with magic but not good enough to fool the man who taught you your illusions," he teased her warmly.

She smiled at him in reply, but sobered as he took a seat on one of the other couches. "Still haven't ditched that pesky curse? And the rumors are that you picked up a Midgardian pet on your travels," she commented. She sounded truly concerned that even Loki with all his knowledge and magic hadn't managed to break the curse on him.

"There isn't any way out of this damn curse," Loki growled, magic sparking around his hands in frustration. "I've tried spell after spell. Nothing sticks," he glared at Amora for her other comment. "And Ana is not a pet. She's the daughter of Lady Brunhilde. You remember her, don't you?" he asked her coldly. He couldn't blame Amora for having the same prejudices against Midgardians and mortals as the rest of the Asgardians had. Though he could correct her on this one.

"Aunt Hilda is alive?" Amora demanded, shocked.

Loki shook his head sadly. "Based on what Ana has told me, not anymore. It appears she fled to Midgard and fell in love with a Midgardian inventor. I know the man personally. How she fell in love with him, I have no clue..." he grumbled. He really didn't like Stark and couldn't imagine why any Asgardian would want to be with him.

"Love wasn't involved. It was a one night thing," came a soft voice from the doorway to Loki's bedroom. Morgan had been woken by their conversation and laughter. She didn't seem upset and was speaking Asgardian in deference to Loki's guest, not knowing that Amora was perfectly capable of understanding English. "Dad was on a business trip, mom was the pilot, he was a bit of a... I don't know the Asgardian word... is there even a male equivalent to the word "slut"? This was back before he became Ironman, well before he and Pepper became a couple. Anyway, he was rich and attractive enough and well, one thing led to another and they didn't see each other again until I was 14," she paused and looked toward Loki, feeling him by his magic, since he'd been helping teach her. She could feel his presence. "Everything ok, Liam?" she asked, concerned, and hoping beyond hope that this wasn't a previously unmentioned girlfriend visiting.

Loki nodded. "My apologies, darling. I didn't mean to wake you. This is Amora. She's an old friend of mine," he left it there, not quite sure how else to explain Amora's presence.

Amora smirked at Loki. "Liam?" she teased with a laugh, but looked over the blind girl who hadn't bothered coming further into the room. "It's nice to meet the daughter of Aunt Hilda," she finally replied.

Loki gave Amora a pointed look. "It's one of the aliases I used when I used to visit Midgard centuries ago." He looked at Morgan, standing by the doorway and stood to escort her into the room. "Come here, darling. Amora doesn't bite," he teased, trying to elicit a laugh from her, and was glad when he succeeded as she took his arm.

Amora laughed harder. "That doesn't explain why your new friend is using it, old friend," she teased him.

Loki led Morgan over to the couch he'd been occupying, the one across from Amora and the two took a seat. "Liam is simply the name she chose for me. It's the name her mother used to use when she told Ana stories about Thor and I. It seems Lady Brunhilde did not wish to divulge that she was Asgardian."

Amora nodded, accepting that answer. She watched curiously as Loki led the obviously blind girl to the couch, curious as to what his interest in the girl was. Especially when the little Midgardian tucked her feet up under her and cuddled up with Loki. Cuddled? With Loki??? That just didn't happen.

Loki caught the look in Amora's eyes and gave her a pointed look not to dare ask. She smirked in reply, watching on with glee. "So, little midgardian, did Aunt Hilda tell you why she left Asgard?" she asked, knowing that Loki was too polite to do so.

Loki groaned. "Must you ask such personal questions, Amora? My apologies, darling. It appears Amora has been spending too much time with Thor's idiot friends and has acquired a case of the stupidity," he added, glaring at Amora to make her shut up.

She didn't shut up, being immune to Loki's glares. "Like you aren't curious too. I just don't have to be polite enough not to ask," she reminded him with a smirk.

Morgan shook her head. "No, I didn't even know she was Asgardian until a couple of days ago," she told them, trying to gauge the relationship from the conversation. "You two seem... Close," Morgan added, hoping one of them will explain.

"We've known each other for centuries. I even taught her some of her magic," Loki told her, trying to force his tone to indicate that he and Amora were nothing but friends. Perhaps if he tossed Amora off of his balcony? Then she would stop asking embarrassing questions. And Morgan would know he wasn't courting her. Perfect solution.

His answer was less than reassuring to Morgan, but she thought better than to press with Amora in the room. Loki was more likely to be honest if she cornered him alone. "So why was my mother 'Aunt Hilda'?" she asked Amora instead.

Amora answered, amused by the little Midgardian. "Because she and the Allmother, known back then as Mama Frigga, taught me and Loki magic. She was called 'Aunt Hilda' by all of us kids: me, Loki, Thor, Sif, the morons three." Loki nodded in appreciation. Amora was helping fix the issue her presence caused by making it sound like she had grown up as practically a sibling.

"Your mother was a very talented magician. Because of her and my mother, I became the master magician of Asgard," Loki explained.

/Your Midgardian's magic is strong for a half-breed/ Amora told Loki. She didn't meant the term maliciously. It was just what all Asgardians called those who weren't pure Asgardian. /She hasn't been of any help with your pesky curse either? Or is it you haven't bothered telling the blind girl?/ she asked too knowingly.

/She is strong, I'll give you that. Strong enough to possess the gift of visions. But she has also had very little training. My curse is not her concern. I can handle it on my own/

/So you haven't told her/ Amora surmised with a smirk. They were still discussing with Morgan what being a master magician entailed, so she didn't realize they were speaking telepathically.

/No and you won't either/ Loki told her firmly.

/Teasing you is always such fun, darling/ Amora replied, tempted to tell Morgan anyway, just to cause mischief, but she really didn't feel like dying today, especially when she saw Loki's dark glare. He would kill her for disobeying and with the stupid collar from the Allfather, she couldn't defend herself.

"Being deemed the title of master magician takes hard work. You have to master every branch of magic besides healing magic. For that, you have to have at least a grasp on the concept. Healing is not my strong suit so I will probably not pass the healers trial if I ever decided to take them," Loki was explaining.

Morgan, however, looked really interested in healing.

Amora laughed. "It took him nearly a century to learn to heal a simple cut," she teased Loki.

Morgan couldn't help giggling at that. "One of the careers I was considering was to be a doctor, a Midgardian healer," she clarified for the Asgardians, in case they didn't know the word. She was considerate, Loki's little Midgardian.

"Then you might take to healing magic better than I did. If that's something you're interested in," Loki suggested. When she nodded, he added. "You should talk to my mother about it. She's the head healer,"

Morgan nodded, looking excited at the prospect. "I will. Though apparently I'm going to be busy tomorrow..." she mused dryly. Amora raised an eyebrow in question, forgetting that Morgan couldn't see it.

Loki nodded and turned to Amora. "Father offered her idun's Apple and she accepted," he explained simply.

Amora whistled in awe. "That's impressive for him to offer a Midgardian. Even a half breed like her. What'd she do to get him to cough up one do those?"

"She saw a vision that saved Mother's life from frost giants,"

"That would do it," Amora replied. "If the Allfather actually cares for anything it's his wife," she mused.

"And Thor," Loki added.

"And Thor," Amora agreed, but she'd noticed Loki's change of address in regards to the Allfather. They'd reconciled at least some.

The two continued to chat for awhile and Loki noted Morgan's exhaustion when she started dozing on his shoulder. He smiled fondly at her and shifted her a little so she was more comfortable. She needed rest before tomorrow and he wasn't going to fault her for it. Though Morgan would beat herself up when she realized she'd fallen so rudely asleep in front of a guest.

Amora smirked when she realized the girl was asleep. "I should probably go bother someone else for awhile, maybe Thor is up to being annoyed," she told Loki with a smirk as she stood.

"Do you want to be knocked out by his hammer again? Thor is still annoyed with you because of the many times you've enchanted him," Loki reminded her. He hoped she was past that annoying habit and had finally given up on his idiot brother.

She laughed. "Therein lies the challenge darling, besides, can't enchant him thanks to the allfather," she grumbled and left with Loki pondering the silver collar around her neck before he turned his attention back to Morgan in his arms.

Somehow Loki had fallen asleep too and the pair didn't wake again until it was nearly time for dinner. Morgan sat up from Loki confused and adorable. "Li?" she asked. Her tired brain shortened his nickname already.

He blinked his eyes open "Ana? What's wrong?" he asked her gently, looking for the danger or what had woken her.

She shook her head, more awake now. "Nothing... I just didn't remember falling asleep,"

Loki looked at the time. "We should get ready and make our way to the dining hall. Dinner is soon," he told her, glad she'd woken when she had.

She nodded and mock-pouted at him. "But this is comfy," she whined.

Loki chuckled and smiled warmly. "I agree," he told her fondly.

She sighed. "But you get grumpy when you're not fed," she teased him and stood, her Asgardian dress shimmering into place instead of her pajamas as she did.

"True. But being alone with you is certainly time well spent," Loki told her. He couldn't seem to take his eyes off of how lovely she looked in Asgardian attire.

She gave him a smile to melt his heart. "I can definitely agree with that,"

He stood as well and swept a loose lock of hair behind her ear. "I just want to do something, first," he told her softly, his voice full of nerves. But he had come to care for this woman and wanted to show her how much.

She tilted her head up at him, confusion in her expression. "Want to do what?"

"Close your eyes," he knew it was beyond pointless, but he was nervous and couldn't hold back anymore. He just hoped it didn't ruin things between them.

She rolled her eyes. "Liam~" she said with sarcasm in her tone, but obediently closed her eyes again.

He cupped her cheek and she leaned into his touch. He smiled, reassured before he leaned down, pressing his cool lips gently to her warm ones. She tasted of warmth and sunlight and magic and he never wanted to part from her again. After a slight shock, her lips pressed back against his, accepting the kiss. Though it remained soft and chaste and she wondered how he managed to taste exactly like a crisp winter's day.

He pulled away a moment later, not wanting to push her too quickly. He rested his forehead on hers. "Wow," he told her softly.

For a moment while Loki was looking at her face, thinking about this wonderful woman who he had just kissed, he saw his hand still cupping her cheek. His Asgardian illusion settled back into place. It stayed there for a moment, two, before it vanished again. His heart lifted in joy.

He was on the right track.

Just kissing this amazing woman nearly gave him back part of his illusion.