#Yes he's reckless and foolish but he's also stubborn and prideful and hates being told what to do so there's that lol

[sysig]

Go play pretend on your own (Patreon)

[imagine-loki]

Unofferable, Part II

TITLE: Unofferable, Part II

CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Chapter 8, Jotunheim AUTHOR: unofferable-fic ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine courting Loki in secret for a number of years. While you’re both more than happy with the arrangement and are genuinely in love, you can never make your relationship public because of your status as a mortal servant.

RATING: M

NOTES/WARNINGS: Angst, language, mild violence, Thor being a grumpy idiot. Playlist: “Unforgettable” — Nat King Cole, “In One Piece” — Tennyson, “The Way You Look Tonight” — Frank Sinatra

There were multiple signs that reinforced the idea that Thor’s plan to go to Jotunheim was awful. One, was that his ever-loyal friends considered it suicidal. Though Ellie knew why events had to go this way, she couldn’t help but agree with them.

As Fandral questioned Thor’s declaration right away, Sif, who obviously cared for the Thunderer dearly, was perturbed. “Thor, of all the laws of Asgard, this is one you must not break.”

“This isn’t like a journey to Earth,” Fandral added. “Where you summon a little lightning and thunder and the mortals worship you as a god. This is Jotunheim.”

Volstagg’s attention lay on his plate of food as he spoke. “And if the Frost Giants don’t kill you, your father will!”

“My father fought his way into Jotunheim,” Thor declared with pride. “Defeated their armies, and took their Casket! We’d just be looking for answers.”

Ellie hesitated before speaking herself. “Thor, I knew I’m not on your level, and it’s kinda risky for a servant to speak out against a prince, but you’re also my friend and I can’t encourage somethin’ like this. You were the one who told me the Frost Giants were monsters! Listen to your comrades; they’re tryin’ to keep you safe.”

Sif insisted. “Even the young Midgardian agrees that your idea is reckless. It is also forbidden!”

As Thor chuckled and approached his friends, Ellie and Loki exchanged a nervous look. She noticed his clasped hands and wished she could reach out to touch him, but knew better than to risk all that they had built for one moment of reassuring affection.

“My friends, have you forgotten all that we’ve done together?” Thor asked them with his usual charismatic enthusiasm. First he turned to Fandral. “Who brought you into the sweet embrace of the most exotic maidens in all of Yggdrasil?”

“Well, you helped a little…”

With a hearty laugh, he turned to Hogun. “Who led you into the most glorious of battles?”

“You did,” Hogun answered with the smallest of smiles.

“And to delicacies so succulent,” Thor continued, placing a hand on Volstagg’s back. “You thought you had died and gone to Valhalla?”

“You did.”

Thor laughed in delight before finally turning to Lady Sif. “And who proved wrong all who scoffed at the idea that a young maiden could be one of the fiercest warriors this realm has ever known?”

“I did,” she replied without an ounce of uncertainty.

“True, but I supported you. My friends, trust me now. We must do this. You’re not going to let my brother and I take all the glory, are you?”

Loki was immediately startled, his eyes briefly flitting to Ellie before he whispered. “What?”

His surprise made Thor’s face fall. “You are coming with me, aren’t you?”

Ellie’s jaw dropped, looking between the pair of them as Loki turned to flash a brilliant smile at his brother. “Yes, of course!” He got to his feet and stood proudly by his side. “I won’t let my brother march into Jotunheim alone.”

Loki! she hissed in her head. What are you doin’?

Play along, love, his voice replied. Act like the nervous lover once Thor’s friends leave, alright?

She didn’t get much of a chance to say anything aloud about the matter bar a distressed exhale of Loki’s name, because Volstagg spoke up in favour of Thor, much to their friends’ chagrin. “And I!”

Even though he had been completely against the idea at first, Fandral was the second one to fold. “And I.”

Next was Hogun. “And I. The Warriors Three fight together.”

“I fear we’ll live to regret this,” Sif simply added before placing her fist on her chest and turning to take her leave.

As the Warriors Three followed her out, Volstagg gathered some of his food and added. “If we’re lucky!”

The trio were finally left alone. Thor laughed in delight before he made to leave as well, Loki close on his heels. They were both, however, impeded by Ellie, who was not having any of this.

“What’re you playin’ at?” she demanded, her gaze firmly fixed on Loki.

“What, love?” he asked innocently.

“Don’t ‘what, love’ me. You’re mad to go to Jotunheim and you know it!”

“You know Thor is right. If we do not confront the Frost Giants they will do it again!”

“Bullshit they’ll do it again! Let Odin handle this; it’s literally his fuckin’ job!”

“Oh,” Thor exhaled, mildly amused. “I have not seen you two engaged in a lovers spat before. This is an interesting sight to behold!”

“That’s enough out of you,” she growled, a finger raised at the God. “You’re the reason my lover is goin’ to Jotunheim in the first place.”

“It is not my fault that the Frost Giants attacked Asgard!” 

“But it’s your idea to go and confront them!”

“Ellie,” Loki’s voice murmured as he placed his hands on her shoulders. “You must calm down.”

“How can I stay calm while watchin’ you two idiots do somethin’ incredibly stupid and excessively dangerous?”

Thor shrugged. “That is a fair point, brother…”

“They would not dare to lay a hand on us,” Loki explained. “And that is beside the point — we will not go into Jotunheim with axes and swords swinging left and right.”

There was a beat of silence before Ellie spoke again. “Right well, if I can’t stop you’s from goin’, then I guess I’m goin’ with you’s.”

It hadn’t been part of the plan. She knew that.

Loki would hate it. She knew that too.

And yet that was how she felt. She didn’t care if convincing Thor to go to Jotunheim was imperative. She didn’t care if they would never even get to step foot outside of Asgard, if Loki’s promises were anything to go by. And even still, she wasn’t going to let him go off and be an idiot alone. Just in case there was ever a small chance of them going to Jotunheim, Ellie wasn’t leaving his side, even if he hated it.

“What?” the brothers exclaimed together, Thor is surprise and Loki in horror.

With a shrug, she turned to leave. “I’ll go get my weapons.”

“Ellie!” Loki shouted, stomping after her. “You are not coming with us! You are staying right here where it is safe.”

“I am in my hole stayin’ here! I have to make sure neither of you end up dead.”

“You are staying here whether you like it or not!” he insisted, grabbing her arm to halt her progress. “I won’t have you step foot on that realm!”

She met his green eyes and sighed. They were filled with confusion and anger. This wasn’t part of the plan seemed to be the message they conveyed, but she just shook her head. “Sorry, Loki, but you can’t stop me.”

“Ellie, please—”

“Have you forgotten her training, brother?” Thor intervened. “And that she will be in the company of Asgard’s fiercest warriors? She will be fine.”

The younger Odinson was clearly upset, and she hated that she was making him feel this way. “If anything were to happen to her, I do not know what I would do.”

“Nothin’ is goin’ to happen to me, alright? If we stick together, we’ll be fine.”

“I wish to speak with you about this.” He shot a glance at Thor. “Alone.”

“Of course you do…”

As she strode out the door, Thor’s voice called after them. “Just so you know, I am on your side, Ellie!”

No sooner than when they were in the halls did Loki drag her into a deserted alcove. He used his body to firmly trap her against the wall. “We did not agree upon you coming to Jotunheim.”

“We didn’t agree on you goin’ either,” she replied, keeping her tone far more calm than it had been inside. “If you go, I go.”

He rolled his eyes in dismay. “We will not even reach the realm before Father—”

“Then what’s the big deal?”

“If anything were to happen to you,” he began quite earnestly. “Because of me, I would never forgive myself.”

“You said it yourself, nothin’ is goin’ to happen to either of us. Remember how we agreed to stick together through this? That’s exactly what I intend to do. I’m sorry, but you can’t change my mind ’bout this.”

With a sigh he studied her face and reached to gently cup her cheek. “Have you always been this stubborn?”

“Have you always been this attractive?”

“Honeyed words will do little to sway me,” he said with a laugh.

With a brief glance around to make sure they were still alone, she pulled him into a soft embrace. “I learned from the best.”

* * *

Outside the palace, Thor, Loki, and Ellie met with Lady Sif and the Warriors Three, though the latter seemed completely baffled by the mortal’s presence. Everyone had changed from their formal attire to more practical wear in case of any fighting that they may face in their impending journey.

Fandral had no problem voicing his concerns. “What exactly is the mortal doing here?”

“You’re as foolish as you look, Fandral,” Ellie began, securing her quiver to her back. “If you think I’m lettin’ those two go to another dangerous realm without me.”

“But you cannot possibly accompany us?” he insisted. “You will slow us down and get yourself killed—”

“She has been trained by us for years, you imbecile,” Sif cut in as the group reached a bench where the rest of their gear lay waiting. “She can hold her own, lest you have forgotten the events on Alfheim.”

Ellie sent her an appreciative smile before adding. “Alfheim is another reason why I’m comin’. You all helped me when I needed you’s, so I should return the favour.”

“The little Midgardian will be fine,” Volstagg agreed with a grin. “Plus, she will be in the company of Asgard’s fiercest warriors! She will have nothing to fear.”

“Exactly,” Thor added as he picked up his weapons. “I will take all the help that is offered to me. Now, we must first find a way to get past Heimdall.”

“That will be no easy task.” Volstagg eyed his friends before declaring quite confidently. “It is said the Gatekeeper can see a single dew drop fall from a blade of grass a thousand worlds away.”

Fandral found great amusement in that and added sarcastically. “Yes, and he can hear a cricket passing gas in Niffelheim.”

“Jest not! He heareth all!”

“Please. Getting past him should be simple enough now, since he seems to be letting Frost Giants sneak by under his nose.”

“Oh, forgive him,” Volstagg proclaimed to the very sky above him. “He meaneth no offence!”

While Ellie chuckled at their exchange and once they were a safe distance away, she felt Loki lean over her shoulder and whisper in his ear. “Go on with them and distract them for a moment, love. I need to warn the guards of my brother’s intentions.”

“On it,” she assured him, before striding after the group while securing her vambraces. “Volstagg, where has this sudden fear of Heimdall come from?”

“You speak of it as though he is not formidable,” he answered factually. “You have lived here for the majority of your short life — you know he heareth all and he probably knows were are on our way right now.”

“You worry too much! We’ll be fine.”

“You seemed to have changed your tune from earlier,” Sif noted. “I thought you would be as adverse to this as I am.”

“If you want my honest opinion, I think what Thor is doin’ is insanely stupid, but I suppose friends stick by friends even when they’re bein’ incredibly dumb.”

“That’s the spirit!” Fandral agreed, giving Thor a slap on the back for emphasis.

As they reached the attendants holding their mounts, Ellie added. “That and I can’t let my boss die out there and leave me unemployed.”

“Such a loyal servant you are,” Loki snickered as he rejoined the group and hopped on to his horse, knowing that she was only jesting.

With skill acquired over the last couple of years, Ellie hoisted herself to her own horse, a mare named Mór-Ríoghain that was gifted to her by Loki on her twenty first birthday. Once everyone was ready, they set off galloping through the streets of Asgard and soon found themselves racing down the Bifröst. As they drew towards the Observatory, they spotted Heimdall standing there, clad in his armour with his massive sword, Hofund, in front of him. He stood as stern and still as ever, blocking their way. At Thor’s signal, they slowed their horses and stopped some distance away. As everyone dismounted, Ellie naturally drew close to Loki and decided that speaking to him through their soul bond would be safer than whispered words.

They’re gonna ask you to speak to Heimdall, right? she thought, directing it to Loki so only he could hear. So you can lie for us?

“Of course,” his voice replied, while his eyes remained firmly fixed on the Gatekeeper. “But I will make sure to fail in my task. That should give Odin more time to reach us as well.”

“Keep your weapons sheathed and your mouths closed,” he said aloud, addressing the group. He smiled at Thor as he stepped forward. “This is going to take subtlety and sincerity, not brute strength. You leave this to me.” As the group approached Heimdall, Loki stood in front of his brother and smiled pleasantly in greeting. “Good Heimdall—”

“You are not dressed warmly enough,” Heimdall said evenly.

“I’m sorry?”

“Do you think that you can deceive me? I, who watch all? I, who can sense the flapping of a butterfly’s wings a thousand worlds away?” He fixed his gaze on Fandral. “Or can hear a cricket passing gas in Niffelheim?”

A completely gobsmacked Fandral stammered in response. “That was, eh, just a bit of a jest, really…”

With a laugh, Loki went into damage control. “You must be mistaken. We were—”

“Enough,” Thor boomed, silencing everyone as a result. He stepped in front of his brother, his gaze firmly fixed on the obstacle in their way. “Heimdall, may we pass?”

“Never has an enemy slipped my watch until this day,” the Gatekeeper answered. “I wish to know how that happened.”

“Then tell no one where we have gone until we have returned. Understand?”

Without another word, Thor strode passed Heimdall, the group following quickly excluding Loki and Ellie, who stood together and waited for the others to go ahead.

“What happened?” Volstagg teased Loki as he walked by him. “Silver tongue turn to lead?”

Loki sent him a very pointed glare while everyone shared a laugh, but Ellie was quick to defend her friend. “Get me off this bridge before it cracks under your girth.”

“Pay them no mind,” Loki muttered to her, but she knew he would struggle to take his own advice. With a nod to Heimdall, the pair walked around him and joined the others within the Observatory. As the group stood together, Heimdall ascended the large control apparatus at the centre of the room and readied the Observatory for travel. As was customary for the couple, Ellie smiled slightly when Loki offered her his arm to hold on to. As the dome around them came to life with its cracking white lightening, she gladly accepted his gesture and wrapped her hand around the crook of his arm.

As she waited, she glanced over her shoulder and expected to see Odin barrelling up the bridge to stop them. Alas, the bridge was deserted bar their own horses left behind. She gulped and quickly sent Loki a thought.

Loki, shouldn’t Odin be here by now?

“Yes, he should,” he replied, the worry evident in his voice.

But you told the guard, right?

“Of course, but he should be here by now.”

“Be warned,” Heimdall announced loudly. “I will honour my sworn oath to protect this Realm as its Gatekeeper. If your return threatens the safety of Asgard, the Bifröst will remain closed to you, and you will be left to die in the cold wastes of Jotunheim.”

Loki, I’m startin’ to get worried…

“It is alright, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

But we’re not meant to get this far!

“Couldn’t you just leave the bridge open for us?” Volstagg suggested as the Bifröst’s energy began to build, the rainbow vortex appearing before them as the Observatory’s turret moved into place.

Heimdall’s explanation was blunt. “To leave the bridge open would unleash the full power of the Bifröst and destroy Jotunheim with you upon it.”

Ellie looked over her shoulder again. There was still no sign. She couldn’t help it — she was panicking. This wasn’t part of the plan.

Loki, he’s not comin’. What do we do?

“It’s okay, love. We will have to make do.”

We can’t just make do! We can’t go to Jotunheim!

“What choice to we have now? If we leave to get him, we will rouse suspicion. We must remain here and hope he comes soon! He has to…”

“I have no plans to die today,” Thor said with an excited grin.

“None do.”

As Ellie heard the sleek noise of Heimdall inserting Hofund into the control panel, Loki pulled her closer and whispered. “Hold on, little one. I won’t let you go.”

It was the only warning she had before she felt her body being sucked into the vortex. The journey was swift, as it always was, and it took Ellie a lot of effort to keep her eyes open and focused ahead. The massive ice mass of Jotunheim was approaching quickly, and in an instant they touched down, the Bifröst hitting the cold ground and kicking up flurries of snow upon impact. The comfort of having her feet firmly fixed on a flat surface only calmed Ellie for a moment before she looked up and took in the world around her. Loki steadied her slightly wobbly form while she gazed around at the icy wasteland. The first thing she felt was the cold. They stood on the edge of a sheer cliff that was surrounded by nothing more than a black abyss. From the ground jutted jagged shards of rock and ice, while massive sheets of ice and the ruins of a Jötunn city lay in the distance. The only noise around them was the eery howl of the wind; it was as if nothing stirred within the frozen wasteland.

“We shouldn’t be here,” Hogun stated gravely.

Ellie couldn’t help but agree and sent Loki an anxious look. He looked no better, but said nothing.

“Too late now,” Thor replied.

“Actually, it’s not,” Fandral said. “We could turn right around, hop back to Asgard, share a mug by the fire. Could be nice?”

Thor was having none of it. “Let’s move.”

Ellie looked at Loki is desperation. We have to do somethin’ to delay him so that Odin can get here!

Loki nodded slightly and spoke up. “Perhaps we should wait.”

The God of Thunder turned back and demanded impatiently. “For what?”

“To survey the enemy. To gauge their strengths and weaknesses from a distance.”

“That’s a far better idea than goin’ in with hammers and axes swingin’,” Ellie agreed. “This way, we can plan an attack.”

“I’m liking that,” Volstagg added. “Gauging, surveying. Particularly the distance part.”

Thor’s disagreement was immediate, and it left his friends with no choice but to follow him into the abyss. “We know all we must. It’s time to act.”

Sif expressed her concern under her breath. “He’s just got to swing his hammer…”

The group slowly trudged through Jotunheim, the realm mostly quiet but for the crumbling of rock that every now and then broke the silence with a distance crash. None of them said a word — everyone seemed to know that it was in fact a terrible idea to come here. Ellie couldn’t stop her heart from thumping in her chest knowing that they were never meant to get this far in the first place. Each of them seemed freezing, trying to shield themselves against the biting breeze. She resorted to pulling the hood of her cloak over her head and sticking close to Loki. She gazed up at his anxious profile, noting that he seemed unfazed by the chill in the air.

“Are you not cold?” she asked, he breath becoming visible as she spoke.

He shook his head. “I manage just fine.”

She exhaled. “Just another reason why bein’ a mortal is kinda shit.”

“It feels good, doesn’t it?” Thor asked his friends, clearly invigorated. “To be together again, adventuring on another world?”

Fandral scoffed as he tugged his furs tighter around his shoulders. “Adventuring? Is that what we’re doing?”

“What would you call it?”

“Freezing!”

“Starving,” Volstagg added.

“Whining,” Sif sighed.

“How about a song to lift our spirits?” Thor suggested, rising a groan from everyone.

“No,” Hogun disagreed. “Not that!”

“Please don’t make us sing again!” Sif implored, nearly losing her patience.

“If I have to listen to Volstagg’s singing voice one more time,” Fandral bit out. “I’ll fall on my own sword!”

Sif suddenly shrugged. “Well, now I’m onboard.”

“Quick, Volstagg!” Ellie called. “Do it before he has time to go back on his promise.”

Eventually, the group reached a plaza on the edge of a large city, its icy ruins towering above them, worn and damaged from battles waged long ago. Before the plaza lay a temple.

“Where are they?” Sif inquired.

“Hiding,” Thor replied. “As cowards always do.”

“Stay close to me,” Loki told Ellie, both of them noting the figures that stalked around them in the shadows. “No matter what happens, stay by my side, alright?”

“Alright,” she answered, not looking to disagree with him over her safety. She held out her pinky finger to him. “I promise.”

With a nervous expression, the Trickster returned the gesture and linked their fingers together. It wasn’t hard to sense the presence of the Frost Giants in the plaza’s walls surrounding them. Everyone gripped their weapons tightly and Ellie slowly channeled seiðr into her hands in case she needed to quickly conjure her daggers. As they reached its centre, a raspy voice echoed through the air.

“You have come a long way to die, Asgardians.”

Ahead of the group, the would be king spoke first. “I am Thor Odinson!”

“We know who you are,” the voice replied.

“How did your people get into Asgard?”

Above them on a balcony sat a hulking creature, veiled in shadow but for a streak of light that allowed his red eyes to glow. This, Ellie assumed to be Laufey, the King of the Frost Giants. It was surely obvious with the power and nobility he radiated. His deep blue skin was covered in markings and ridges, only adding to his overall intimidating presence.

Laufey’s answer was cryptic. “The house of Odin is full of traitors.”

His statement nearly made Ellie turn and call the Bifröst herself. It took all over her self control not to look at Loki in desperation, but she could feel Lady Sif and the Warriors Three looking puzzled.

Thor obviously did not appreciate the Frost Giant’s words. “Do not dishonour my father’s name with your lies!”

At that, Laufey leapt to his feet, revealing how truly imposing his massive figure was. “Your father is a murderer and a thief. And why have you come here? To make peace? You long for battle. You crave it. I see you for what you are, Thor Odinson. Nothing but a boy, trying to prove himself a man.”

Around them, the figures who had been slowly circling them came out from their hiding spots, revealing a vast number of Frost Giants that were ready to tear them apart if needed. Ellie glanced around, inching closer to Loki. Without any hesitance, he grabbed her hand.

I think we pushed our luck with this one, Loki.

“Well,” Thor began, unfazed by the dire situation. “This boy has grown tired of your mockery.”

On queue, the Frost Giants armed themselves, weapons and armour made of strong ice forming on their arms and legs with cracks and shrieks. Now in the light, Ellie saw that they were truly terrifying and stood over eight feet tall. The Asgardians were outmatched and outnumbered.

Loki immediately strode to Thor’s side, bringing Ellie along as he pleaded with him to stand down. “Thor, stop and think. Look around you. We are outnumbered.”

“Know your place, brother,” Thor spat in response.

“He’s right, Thor,” Ellie hissed. “If you make a move we’re all dead.”

“You know not what your actions would unleash,” Laufey drawled, almost with an air of disappointment and sadness. “I do. Go now, while I still allow it.”

Another Jötunn slowly approached the princes, firmly planting himself between them and his king. Though Thor was visibly thrumming with rage, Loki was quick to try to bring the mess to a close. “We will accept your most gracious offer.”

The silence that followed and the look of distain that Thor sent his sibling did nothing to ease Ellie’s worries. She simply followed Loki as he slowly turned and urged Thor to follow. “Come on, brother!”

Around them, their comrades looked at Thor imploringly and breathed a sigh of relief when he finally turned to leave. Perhaps had the Frost Giant not uttered the next few words under his breath, a lot of what followed would have been different. 

“Run back home, little princess.” 

Perhaps, had Thor not heard the insult, Ellie and Loki would not have to worry about the events that followed and how it would affect them forever. Perhaps they would have gotten away with their faulty scheme.

Beside her, Loki froze, his face white. “Damn.”

Thor swung Mjölnir in one quick move, struck the Jötunn, sent him flying across the plaza, and crashing into the temple wall. With a grin, he chuckled. “Next?”

Before anyone could stop him, he struck another Frost Giant in their path. Loki looked horrified, holding out an arm in front of his foolish brother in an attempt to prevent things from getting worse.

Perhaps, had Thor possessed more self-control, they could have escaped unharmed.

As all hell broke loose, Ellie took a deep breath and squeezed Loki’s hand. In her other, she conjured a dagger. As his green eyes met hers, she wondered what could have been.

Perhaps things would have turned out differently had they never come here in the first place.