"How could your father do that?" Loki asked softly, shaking his head.

Jadis also shook her head, blinking quickly. "I don't know. He is the cruelest man I've ever known. I hate myself for it, but sometimes I wish he would die. Or I would die. At least then I wouldn't have to put up with him and pretending to be his caring daughter."

"This is no life for anyone," Loki agreed. "Not even misanthropists like me." He smiled weakly. Jadis flashed a quick, small smile back, but it faded as quickly as it came. Loki wished he could bring her smile back. It wasn't right for a woman as beautiful as she to be so sullen. But she had good reason. "Well, now that I have your side of the story, I suppose you'll want me to go?" He stood, setting down his glass of water.

Jadis felt a flash of panic. She didn't want him to leave. He was the only person who had been able to speak to her in years, even Selene was only allowed limited contact. She had buried her need for companionship, but it sprung up again like a new daisy as she spoke with Loki more. If he left, he wouldn't come back. He would be gone forever, and she would be alone forever, always hungering for the social life she once had.

"No!" she said, standing quickly. He looked at her oddly, and she cleared her throat. "Please. Don't leave. I can't bear to be alone again." She looked into his green eyes, realizing she found a sort of comfort in their unfathomable depths. They weren't light brown, like her father's, or warm brown like Kaz's, or light blue like Selene's. They were entirely different, and entirely beautiful. She hadn't realized it before, but she was coming to love those green eyes.

Loki smiled a little. "You know, you are a very honest person, Jadis. You are very unlike your father."

"Thank you." She glanced down at her hands. "When I met Kaz, I did my best to imitate him. He changed my life in many ways."

"I can tell." Loki glanced around the home. "Why don't you give me the tour? While we're walking, we can discuss how I can talk your father into letting me visit you more often."

Jadis furrowed her brow a little. "Visit more often? You mean, you want to come see me again?"

He smirked. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I don't know, I just... I was hoping you would, but I don't know how you are going to get my father to agree. He's... stubborn. Not to mention possessive. If you keep coming to see me, you might meet the same fate as Kaz." Jadis started walking and Loki followed.

"Well, I was thinking he might like for you to learn a new skill, such as an Asgardian song and dance that you could show off to him." Loki put his hands behind his back, peering with interest at a painting of the city on a wall. "Seems like something he might enjoy."

Jadis stared at the painting as well, thinking. "That... could work. I'm sure he would enjoy seeing me do something interesting for a change. But you'll likely have to use all of your sweet talking to make it work."

"Luckily, I have a large supply of that," Loki said.

She chuckled just a bit. "Have you always been like that, or did something kind of make you that way?"

He continued to follow her around the house. "I think I've always been like this. My brother is the strong, important one, so I've always defended myself with words. I like to think I'm the witty one of the family."

"You have a brother?" she asked.

"I do. A big dolt named Thor. It actually turns out that I also have a sister named Hela. But I'm adopted, so they're not really my siblings."

"I see. I've always wanted siblings, but I've always been thankful that I don't have any. What about your parents?"

"My mother was the light of my life. I adore her above all else. But she was killed by a Kursed dark elf." Loki didn't look at her, but Jadis could tell he was feeling an incredible amount of guilt. What could he possibly feel guilty about his mother's death? He seemed so carefree about everything else.

She lightly brushed his arm. "You don't have to feel guilty. It's in the past now." He glanced at her and she half smiled. "I know a few things about guilt. I was almost consumed by it when Kaz and the twins died. If Kaz hadn't met me, he would possibly be still alive, brightening up someone else's life. If I had just kept it a secret, my babies might have been able to live for longer than an hour." She glanced away for a moment.

Loki nodded slowly. "I... it was... my fault, at least in part. I unwittingly pointed the beast in the direction of my mother. I was blinded by revenge; I didn't even consider that they may go after her. Because of me, I lost the one thing in my life that I loved the most." His jaw shifted.

"I'm so sorry," said Jadis softly. "I understand though. That guilt is... crushing sometimes. It takes a long time to have it fade to even just a feeling that doesn't cripple you at night."

"I agree," he said, his voice barely at hearing range.

At the end of the visit, Jadis stood with Loki in front of the door. "I don't expect to ever see you again," she said. "Although I hope I will. But for now, this is goodbye, Loki."

"And I am confident that this is only a temporary goodbye," he told her drolly. "But, if not... a farewell kiss?"

She rolled her eyes a bit, taking a step back. "I am not in the habit of kissing men I have only met twice. Not even if I'm never going to see them again."

He raised an eyebrow. "And I'm not in the habit of being refused." He grabbed her arm, drawing her close so he could snake his other hand around her back and press his lips to hers in one motion. Jadis's eyes widened, but she didn't pull away. In fact, she leaned just a bit closer, closed her purple eyes, and rested her hands on his chest. Even if he wasn't Kaz, it was a familiar feeling, one that she missed.

It was a simple kiss. Loki slowly pulled away after a moment and looked down at her with a smirk. "Was that your first kiss in ten years?" He knew very well that it was.

She pushed his chest lightly. "Well then don't do it again."

"Ha." He drew a lock of her hair towards him through his fingers. "You'll be begging for another kiss from the god of mischief."  

Awww, first kiss! What do you guys think of their relationship so far? Please be sure to vote on this chapter and check out some of my other fan fictions! 

Stay happy!

~AJ.