Loki: Where Mischief Lies

by Mackenzi Lee

Loki felt the burn of jealousy at her fearlessness—the way she didn’t seem to feel any shame when Odin or Karnilla scolded her.

How did Thor manage to win over every man he met with just a smile?

If you would stop thinking of me as nothing more than the enemy you saw in the Godseye Mirror, perhaps you would have as much patience and forgiveness in your heart for me as you do for Thor.

To have intimate physical relationships between two men.” “Oh.” Loki didn’t know what to say. He knew what it was to be cast out and unwanted and taunted for the fabric you were stitched from. To want to find strength and pride in the things that made you you in spite of the world telling you that you should hide them. It was a particular kind of dissonance that was hard to understand until your ears rang with it.

Why waste a cell—why waste your time—trying to punish someone for something that wasn’t a crime?

“It’s nice...” Theo repeated, his thumb skimming the rim of his teacup. “To know that there’s somewhere out there in the cosmos where people like me don’t have to be afraid.”

“I’d have a look before you cut your heart from your chest and offer it to the humans. You are no more a hero to them than you are in Asgard. You never will be. It was written in their mythology long before they met you.” “What are you talking about?” he asked, his voice hoarse. “You’re already the villain in everyone’s stories, Loki,” she replied, dropping her veil over her face. “Why not start playing your part?”

Loki waved a hand. “You come up with that part—you started with SHARP and worked backward. I assume you’d be capable of such mental gymnastics again.” Theo shook his head. “It’s sort of violent, don’t you think?” “What about something protective then? What about SHIELD?” “SHIELD?” Theo repeated. “You think SHARP is daft and you’re suggesting SHIELD?” “I like SHIELD, because there’s an L in there, so you can work Loki into it.”

They looked at each other. Theo’s eyes were shining. “I wish I could make your world want you,” Theo said. “Yours too,” Loki replied. Theo pushed himself forward, onto his hands and knees, then leaned across the space between them and pressed his lips against Loki’s.

Theo held his gaze, his face etched with stubborn determination. That brilliant stubbornness that had kept him alive in a world that had cast him out.