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He was just sitting there. Sad eyed, nursing a coffee, and wearing clothes that screamed he wanted to be invisible. The clothing options did not work well as people still gathered and gawked at him. Some with fury on their faces and others with a lustful need in their eyes. Cameras flash and his shoulders droop even further and his head hangs a bit lower. You walk up to the chair opposite of him and sit down. You're an empath, and the swirling flood of emotions flowing from this pained individual is like a gut-punch to your soul. He barely glances at you before sighing and returning to his previous posture, although a bit more sunken now. You place your hand on his shoulder and softly tell him that it will be okay. A flash of insult dances in those green eyes as he turns to you, “And what would you know of it?” “People either see you as an enemy or a sex object, or even just as a curiosity from another world. You want them to see you for you, you feel like no one ever has, save for maybe one or two in your centuries of life.” Shock flickers in those emeralds before he disguises it, “Ah, but you, only you know the 'real' me hmmm? Only you can save this damaged being... You humans are all the same, thinking you are different from everyone else. Seeking to be special. You know not the pain that lives within me mortal. You could never grasp at...” he stands abruptly and the crowd jumps forward a bit “I am best left to my pain and grief alone. I will not burden anyone with... wha!?” He is silenced as you go over to him and hug him tightly. You feel the coiled pain and the need to release the heartache and find some solace. He relaxes a bit under your unrelenting attention, although he is suppressing it with all his might, you can feel the edges of sob like shakes, but when you look up his face is perfectly blank and void of emotion, but you can 'see' the true face that he hides, tears streaming down his cheeks. He jerks from you and hastily walks down the street trying to escape the emotions that had risen in his soul. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That night you toss and turn as you think about that person you had met on the street. It was not the words they spoke, but their... aura that left you wondering about them so greatly. You had never met anyone with such an air about them. Empathic abilities were clearly evident, and it is unsurprising that such an ability would be present on Midgard, especially considering the powered individuals you had already met here. Part of you hates how easily this person brought you to tears, and part of you ached for their presence, to be able to pour out your heart to someone finally. You know, intuitively, that they would not judge you, even if you opened up about the deepest and darkest things you had experienced and even the vile things you had done. Your brother had freely forgiven you, but you could never tell him all you had been through. You wanted to neither pain his heart nor have him pity you, but you needed to share this with someone. The need to simply speak through all that happened with another soul, to be able to share the burden of all that had been, weighed deeply on your mind. The chances of seeing that person again in an area as populated as this were very slim, but that small chance, that hope, it helped you uncoil enough to fall into a sleep that though it was not without its fitfulness, was still sleep. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When the raven haired man had left your gut had told him the best thing for him was for him to go and be alone. Having him in your arms felt so right somehow. Not in a romantic way, but in a way you fought to find words to describe. The feeling was almost an extension of your abilities. You were still finding new aspects of things you were able to do. Most of your discoveries were brought on by your innate intuitive nature. Everything in you told you that Loki needed you. He needed you to lean on, to be a respite and sanctuary against this cruel world. You always felt like you were the one who needed. You never fit into society, you always seemed to need to rely on people to survive. People didn't see a disabled person who could accomplish so much if given the options to use their abilities, but rather someone who couldn't do the menial and readily available work that was available. They only saw a broken husk. You buried away your passions because no one valued them. No one cared that you could have been so much if only the doors had been opened for you. Now, though, you finally felt like someone needed you. Purpose finally flowed through your veins and it felt good. The only odd thing was this tendril, this cord of energy that remained after your embrace. Its almost as if you both became connected, intertwined from your short interaction. This living God desperately needed emotional support and they weren't getting it. Everyone should have at least someone to lean on, to confide in. People only saw Loki as either a villain or as some dominant sexual object they wanted to be in submission to. You could see so clearly that neither were true, and you worried if Loki was beginning to wonder if those were his only options of what to be, though you could sense he yearns for more. He has a deep need to make right all he had done wrong, to mend the bridges he had burned and to become the hero his heart wants to be.
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You surprise yourself with how you hasten your pace to get to the cafe this morning. Usually you walk slowly, dreading the inevitable crowds that would either be awaiting you, or would gather soon after your arrival, of course you could just change your routine and go to a different place, or even prepare your own beverages at home, but between your stubbornness to yield to this injustice and the fact that this is the only place where the server respected you and made your favorite drink to perfection, you chose to continue to go to this place and deal with the stupidity with which these humans decided to act with. A knot finds its way into your throat as you get close to your destination. You are both excited and anxious at the prospect that the person from yesterday might be there. You also dread the possibility that you will never see them again. Being near them felt like having someone see through all your many layers of emotional armor. It was almost how mother could always see through your facades straight to how you were really feeling. You felt emotionally naked as you crept around the last corner, your need to be able to bear your soul and fears of not being able to cause you to stop before you can actually see if they are there. A deep gulp tries to swallow down the emotions caught in your throat as you attempt to compose yourself before continuing. Clearing the corner you see their smiling face as they waved at you, sitting at your favorite table. The crowds do their usual obnoxious routine, but today it does not bother you in the slightest. You are able to hold your head high as you walk past them to the door of the cafe. You wave to your new found friend and point to the inside of the cafe to let them know you are going to get your drink. They give you a thumbs up, and you feel a genuine smile plastered on your face and something akin to joy in your heart. ------------------------------ You know he is coming. It's as if that string between you shortens as he nears the cafe. His anxiety rolls off him in waves as does the desire for respite. You feel them almost as clearly as if they are your own emotions. People eye you after your silent interaction with the small giant. Some scoff in jealousy assuming your brand new friendship is something out of their own fantasies, while others look as if you are conspiring with their mortal foe and thusly you are their enemy as well. A few even look as if they want to physically attack you, but you know if they try that a certain God would most likely kick their asses and you feel safer. Probably the reason they never dare to get close is because they know they stand no chance in a fight with Loki.He comes out of the cafe sipping his beverage with a calm look of satisfaction on his face. The crowd starts to get loud, the many voices drowning each other out as they got more angry, hostile, and even louder. In a surprising and smooth motion Loki simply turns to the crowd and flips them off with a huge grin on his face before leaning over to whisper “Should we go somewhere a bit less... chaotic?” You nod and grab you coffee and other things before following him away from the crowd.You had heard about the Asgardian embassy that was in the area, but you always avoided it due to the throngs of people there out of curiosity or the desire to meet a God or another Avenger, or one of nearly infinite reasons to be there. The crowd parts for him as he walks through. A small child runs up to him and hugged his leg, he surprises you by kneeling down and giving the tiny being a hug before he tells them to go back to their parent. You feel a warm, golden glow of emotion flowing from him. A contented smile had taken over his face as you both walk up to the gates of the sanctuary. He gives a small wave to the guard at the gate who points to me and asks Loki if I'm with him or just trying to slip by, silently he guides me in front of him, nods at the guard, and the guard opens the gate for us and quickly closes it before another person behind us tries to slip through. The area you enter is filled with gorgeous gardens. You're led through the unfamiliar paths to a quiet area far from the walls that partition the area off from the rest of the world. You see a bench nested in tall bushes and Loki notices where your gaze lands and begins to alter your course towards it. Soon you are both sitting there, though still in silence. You feel the emotions dancing in his psyche as he tries to pull a single thread to begin a conversation over. You put your hand on his shoulder and he begins sobbing, uncontrollably and not even trying to hide it. So much pain in one being, some flavors you recognize in your own life, but others are so mangled and horrific that you wonder if you would be able to help him through those unimaginable emotions. He drops his cup on the ground as he loses all sense of composure and his head and shoulders droop before his whole form almost curls into a ball. You move closer so you can wrap your arm around his curled form. Looking up for a moment you notice a shimmering barrier around the small cove where you sit with the weeping being beside you. You have a strong feeling he never lets anyone see him like this. No, you know it, somehow, you know he has never allowed anyone the opportunity to see him in a way in which he, himself viewed as weak. You sit there together as the sun's light changes from mid-morning to noon. Several times he tries to stop the flow of tears and emotions, but as soon as he begins to get a grasp on it, another memory or emotion wracks through him and causes him to double over once more and convulse into a deep pouring out of emotion and shedding of many tears. Suddenly he stops and sits up bolt straight. “Fuck.” he looks straight at you and his face is covered with the wetness and stained with the salt from dried tears, his face is red with emotion, but something else is there. It takes you a few moments to realize he is surprised by something and is trying to compose himself for some reason as of yet unknown to you. A deep voice nearby bellows “Brother... are you here? The noon meal is about to begin and I was told you had been seen in this area” it dawns on me that Loki really did not want Thor to see him in this state. A shimmer of green forms around your companion and he now looks perfectly composed and as he did when you first saw him this morning. The shimmering veil around us vanishes and Thor sees us and comes over. “Hello, you must be a new friend of Loki's! Wonderful! I am so glad for you brother” as he says this, he firmly patted Loki on the back, to which Loki just rolls his eyes. “Would you like to join us for the meal?” You glance at Loki, but he gives no indication of whether or not he wishes you to join. “Only if it is okay with Loki, I am quite hungry, but if its any bother I can just get something to eat on my way back home.” Although his face didn't show it, you could clearly feel the excitement flowing from him as he said in a flat voice: “Don't be ridiculous, we would love to have you join us. We always have more than enough food prepared.” He picks up the fallen cup and disposes of it in a trash can on the way into the building. You clearly feel a 'Thank you my friend' thought towards your. Several other people had come to the dining hall at the same time as us, they all look you up and down with curiosity, but considering you had come in with Loki and Thor, no one asks any questions. A large and rotund man thrusts out his hand and introduces himself as Volstagg, another introduces themselves as Fandrall and takes your hand to kiss it and make themselves seem as charming as possible. At this Loki rolls his eyes so hard you are surprised it didn't cause an earthquake. The woman simply nods at you “Lady Siff” is all they say. The other man does not introduce himself, he just grunts a bit and turns toward the door to the dining hall. “Don't mind Hogun, he takes a while to warm up to people.” Thor explains. Lady Siff scoffs with “If he ever does.” You feel a bit like a deer in headlights as Loki leans down and softly informs you that this is perfectly normal behavior for them. You all enter the grandiose hall you're taken aback by the size and glamorous decor. Thor excuses its small size and modest furnishings and how this was only a quiet echo of the original. Apparently Loki could feel your astonishment at the room, and shock of the words you heard and you feel a small laugh come from him. He guides you to the large table and pulls out a chair for you and takes occupancy in the one beside it. With everyone now seated, you feel your own nervousness grip your senses and take over your ability to even think. You're in a room full of Gods, and aside from Loki, you're the only one who seems not quite dressed for the occasion. An emotional nudge pulls you from your anxious spiral, Loki wraps you in what feels like a comforting blanket of comfort, like a hug from a friend trying to quell the thoughts plaguing you. It would seem that this newfound friendship will be of great emotional benefit to you both, and you audibly sigh with the contentment of wondering what could possibly be in store on this journey at hearing your sigh, Loki gives a slight crooked grin, though no one else had seemed to notice. Clearly something wonderful had just began, and you both are excited to see what lies beyond the next turn.