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darknight3904 · 1 year ago

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Like We Used To

Masterlist / Main Masterlist

This marks the beginning of Part Two of This Love.

Warnings: Slight references to male masturbation and dirty dreams. Nothing wild.

Asgard 2013

"Are you sure you want this?"

"Hush, Fandral, she can make her own decisions."

"Yeah, I can make my own decisions, and I have decided to change it to blue."

"HA! You're such an idiot!" Volstagg cheered, slamming his final card to the table which erupted into loud groans

Astri and her friends had been playing a Midgardian game Thor had brought back from New York, it was called Uno and Astri was inherently terrible at it.

"He can not keep winning like this," Hogun said tossing his hand into the middle of the table.

"He has to be cheating," Sif whispered

"We could always rig the cards against him," Fandral suggested

"But then, is it a fair victory when one of us wins?" Astri asked

"It is if he hasn't been winning fairly this whole time." Sif pointed out

"Pass the cards out, I plan to win again." Volstagg declared

"Cheater," Fandral whispered as he dealt the cards again.

⋆��˚｡⋆

Loki didn't realize how mind-numbing his time in the dungeons would end up being. The first few weeks had been a blur, Frigga had sent furniture and books to him and he spent time rearranging and figuring out the best angle for his bed. Now, he was out of furniture to rearrange and the endless books were becoming boring. He had begun to stew over his loss on Midgard but felt his mind slipping away from his humiliation. As he lay there, he realized he missed the feel of the sun on his face and the way the wind would slightly blow through his chambers when he left the balcony doors open. Loki missed horseback riding through the dense forests of Asgard and the way the stars looked down at him at night when he couldn't sleep. Most of all though, he missed Astri and everything that came with her. He missed the way her laughter would carry through the castle when he made a bad joke. He could imagine the way her long hair would shine whenever the sun streamed into the huge library windows. Loki swore he could smell the soft scent of Astri's fruit-smelling perfume as he lay in his cell.

He couldn't believe she hadn't visited him yet. At first, he had presumed Odin had banned visitors but after asking Frigga who said Astri was free to visit him as much as she wished, he was saddened by her absence. Every day when his meals arrived he swore he heard the soft clicking of her shoes, instead he was met with the same guard over and over again. Loki tried to imagine what she could possibly be doing without him. They had spent nearly every waking moment together as they grew up. Was she with Thor or Sif? Was she rotting away in the library, learning a million different spells? Or perhaps she was with the Aesir fellow she had met in the damn markets? Loki had felt jealousy swirl in his stomach at the idea of the last one. Aesir wasn't necessarily terrible but he just seemed so droll. The way he just mindlessly complimented Astri whenever he saw her, it was like he was grovelling for her when they barely even knew each other. Loki doubted he even remembered what Astri wore each time they saw each other. Did Aesir know Astri's favorite foods and that she hated red flowers? Clearly not since he brought her bunches of them all the time and brought almond cakes when Atri clearly liked lemon better.

By the time his supper had arrived, he had decided that Aesir was possibly the most boring Asgardian who ever lived. Beyond his flat personality, he has terrible style. Loki had peered into Astri's mind the other night and found the most recent memories of Aesir. He had been dressed in the worst possible outfit. The way the silver in his armor contrasted against his skin made him look rather yellow. He felt Astri's embarrassment as they had strolled through the gardens when multiple handmaids had passed and giggled at Aesir.

"What's on your mind?" A soft voice asked

Loki swore he had never sat up quicker than in this moment.

"What's wrong, you look like you've seen a ghost." Astri asked, "Is there something on my face?"

"I didn't think you'd ever visit," Loki admitted crossing the cell to where the golden barrier separated them

"I wasn't planning on visiting today. I was going to make you sweat it out for a few more weeks but Volstagg was driving me insane and I needed a break." She explained

"What did he do that's annoying you so much?" Loki asked

"He keeps beating me at this Midgardian game Thor showed all of us." Astri sighed

Loki felt his mouth twitch slightly into a smile. Even though he wanted to be mad at her for not seeing him sooner, he was, as usual, finding it to be impossible to be angry with her.

"I also brought this..." Astri said pushing a tray of food through a designated spot in the barrier.

"Aren't you hungry?" Loki asked

"No, Thor and I have been eating our suppers together for the past year and I swear spending time around him has fattened me up. It's like his huge stomach is affecting me too." Astri admitted

"I think you look great." Loki complimented, he felt jealousy roar in his chest at the idea of Astri sitting across from Thor in her chambers, laughing at jokes and eating her favorite cakes.

"Aesir said that a few days ago. I'm sure you already knew that though. You know you're not entirely undetected going through my mind like that at night. You show up in my dreams and that's how I know you're searching my memories, seeing what I've been doing with my days." Astri said

"Anyone has a right to know what their best friend is up to. And how else would I know when I thought you had resolved to never see me again." Loki countered, surprised that she was able to sense him.

"Oh please, you never thought that. You knew I'd show eventually." Astri knowingly said

Damn, she knew him well.

"Has it occurred to you that maybe I missed you?" Loki asked honestly

"It's crossed my mind. Although I'd like to think that you don't since then I'd feel guilty about not spending my every moment with you." Astri said

"Like we used to?" He asked

"Like we used to." Astri parroted with a soft smile that made Loki's heart beat just a little quicker.

Silence fell as he stared at the girl across from him. While she claimed to be fattening up with his "brother", he swore she had lost weight. Perhaps it was the lighting or maybe her dress was ill-fitting? No. Astri was definitely smaller than usual, her arms were normally more defined with muscle than they were now, exposed by a soft yellow gown she wore.

"You're staring again," Astri said

"I haven't seen you since the cage on Midgard." He reminded "Forgive me if I'm trying to commit your face to memory. I don't know when you'll visit again."

"Maybe I will, maybe I won't," Astri said wistfully

She seemed sadder. As if someone had snuffed out her firey spirit Loki had come to love over the years.

"Would you be able to come tomorrow?" He asked

"What's in it for me?" She coyly asked

"I'll read to you for as long as you'd like." Loki promised.

"You're just tired of being bored in there," Astri said

"Oh, quite the opposite I'm having a wonderful time here." Loki lied

"You're not the only one going through their best friend's minds when they sleep" Astri smirked

When in the Nine Realms had she been doing that? Loki felt his smile falter as Astri laughed

"By the way, beyond your obvious boredom, your dreams of me undressing and then bathing are quite erotic. I feel bad for your hand, and the other prisoners." Astri laughed

That explains the dream he'd been having for the past week.

"You should not be going through my mind like that." He scolded, feeling his face redden

"Oh, and that gives you permission to go through mine?" She questioned

"What you saw is personal." He hissed, embarrassed at her knowledge of him

"Whatever you say, Loki." She laughed

God he missed that sound, it warmed the air around him and sent a smile to his face.

"I'll see you tomorrow. I hope whatever book you have is worth my time." Astri said standing

"You're leaving already?" Loki asked following her as she walked.

"It's getting late, I had a long day of losing to Volstagg. Plus I'm sure you need some alone time with your dreams of me." She teased

Loki felt his face go red, he was so embarrassed he bet even his ears were red.

"What a nice color on you, Loki!" Astri complimented before walking away

Loki sighed and watched Astri walk off, she was going to kill him one day. The funny thing was he'd be perfectly fine with it, dying for her no matter how ridiculous the reason.

Astri had barely closed the door to her chambers before Thor had her jumping out of her skin.

"How is he?" Thor asked

"Don't scare me like that ever again." Astri glared looking at Thor who was reclined on her bed

"Why? It's so fun." Thor smiled

"He's fine. He's bored and just as Loki as he has ever been." Astri said

Thor nodded as Astri walked to her vanity and began removing her jewelry and pulling pins from her hair.

"Aesir came calling when you were with Loki." He said

"Really? What did he want? I just saw him two days ago." She said

"Well, he left these." Thor gestured to a large red vase of flowers "I put them in water, no need to thank me."

Astri rolled her eyes, she definitely wasn't going to thank him.

"He say anything to go along with them?" She asked

"Well, he said his mother was going to make the almond cakes you liked last time and he said he wanted to take a horse ride through the forest in a few days time." Thor said

"How nice, I'll have to tell him I accept," Astri said picking her brush up

"Don't you hate red flowers, and you don't even like almond cakes, everyone knows you prefer lemon." Thor pointed out

"Maybe I've changed," Astri said

She looked at Thor through the mirror who gave her a 'Are you serious?' stare.

"Okay, you got me, maybe I didn't tell him those things." She groaned

"They seem like important things," Thor said

"Pfft.... no." Astri laughed nervously, when did Thor become so observant?

Silence fell over the pair as Astri brushed through her hair and every few seconds glanced at Thor who seemed to be admiring her patterned bedspread.

"Did Loki ask about me?" Thor asked

Astri thought about lying to him to make him feel better. But what good were feelings if they came from lies that would just hurt later down the road?

"He didn't. Our conversation was rather trivial today." Astri admitted

"Ah. Okay." Thor said

"I'm going back tomorrow night. Maybe he'll ask about you. If he does I'll tell him all good things." She said truthfully

"You better." Thor smiled

"I should really get ready to sleep so if you could you know...leave," Astri said, a bit rudely

"I came to you to talk about something more important than Loki and Aesir," Thor said ignoring her request.

"And that is?" Astri asked turning to him

"My father has said that I am too taken with Jane. He's pointed out that I'm better served with what is in front me me here." Thor started

"He better not be suggesting we court," Astri interjected, worriedly

Thor's silence was her answer.

"We are not getting married. I would rather die." Astri groaned

"That was rather rude." Thor pointed out "You don't have to worry I'm not telling you this because I want to court you. I'm telling you because I don't think he's right, I want to be with Jane but I also want to do my duty to Asgard."

"You know you're not king yet," Astri said, relieved that Thor wasn't interested in her.

"What does that have to do with Jane?" He asked

"It means that you should go out and live. Who cares what Odin thinks is best?" Astri smiled

"It's irresponsible." Thor pointed out

"When has Thor Odinson ever cared about responsibility?" Astri laughed

"Well there was that time I brought my brother back because he tried to take over Midgard." Thor pointed out

Okay he had her there.

"I am sure whatever is meant to happen will happen. If you end up with Jane, great! If not...well we aren't getting married but there's lots of other eligible maidens!" Astri said

"I suppose you are right..." Thor said

"I'm always right." She smiled "Now, get off my bed and leave so I can sleep, Volstaggs victories and Loki's silver tongue have worn me out."

Thor's eyebrow raised at the last statement from Astri.

"Astri! You don't want to court me yet you sneak around with my brother while he is locked away under the castle?! I ought to tell the whole kingdom!" He gasped, feigning a scandalized face.

"I didn't mean it like that, you idiot! I meant his wordy conversation is exhausting! Just go to your own room!" She blushed trying to pull him out of the bed.

Thor laughed and continued to laugh at her reddened face as Astri shoved him out the door and proceeded to slam it in his face. The Odinson brothers were surely going to drive Astri insane one of these days and hopefully, it wouldn't be for another thousand years.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes movie has changed my entire life. Suzanne Collins cooked again.

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