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You never once imagined that you would ever return to Asgard, but yet, here you were, standing in the market, taking in all the familiar sounds and smells. It felt good to be back. It almost like home again.
You bit your tongue, doing your best to be calm and force the bitter memories away. You didn't want to think about it. You didn't want to think about him. All of that was in the past and that's where it belonged. Even though the memories were ages old, it was all still very fresh in your mind. It felt as if everything had happened only yesterday instead of ten years ago.
That's when something caught your attention. You looked up and found yourself mesmerized. For a mere few seconds, the world suddenly came to a standstill.
There he stood. The former love of your life. The man who captured your heart. The man who made you feel alive. The man who pushed you away. The man who shattered your heart into a million pieces. Loki.
For a moment, you forgot how to breathe as he looked in your direction. When his eyes met yours, you could feel the tension rise. Your heart skipped a beat. You didn't know if it was from the small amount of love that you still held in your heart for him or if it was out of fear. Everything within you wanted to turn around and run, leaving Asgard forever, but you couldn't get your feet to move. Everything felt heavy.
You quickly pulled your gaze away and turned to leave, not wanting to cause a scene. Now wasn't the place or the time to discuss the past. There was nothing you could do about it.
"Y/n." An all too familiar voice called out.
You stopped in your tracks and slowly turned around, not wanting to face him, but knowing you had no other choice.
"Loki." You replied softly, unsure of what else to say or do. A million questions raced through your mind, but you couldn't get a single one out. How was he? Did he miss you? Did he still love you? Why didn't he ever try to contact you? So many thoughts, yet you couldn't bring yourself to ask them.
"How are you?"
"Good. You?"
"I am well." Loki answered. He wanted to say more, but was at a loss. "It's been awhile since you have been in Asgard."
"Ten years." You said.
"Yes...Ten years..."
"Things haven't changed."
"They never do." Loki grinned sadly. "Y/n, I am truly-"
"Don't." You responded, cutting him off. "Now is not the time or the place."
"Y/n, please..."
"No, Loki. It's all in the past and that's where it needs to stay." Loki gave you a small nod, respecting your decision.
Loki opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off when a beautiful woman walked up to him. She wore a bright, yellow dress that perfectly matched her dark brown hair and ocean blue eyes.
"Hello, darling." She smiled as she placed a tender kiss on his cheek.
"Hello, love." Loki replied with a fake smile. She didn't catch it, but you did. "Y/n, this is Alia, my wife. Alia, this is Y/n. She's an old friend." Loki instantly regretted using the term old friend, but like you had said, now was not the time to revisit the past.
"Hello, Y/n." Alia smiled, shaking your hand. "Loki has told be so much about you."
"All good, I hope." You chuckled.
"Always." She grinned. "You two had many great adventures, didn't you?"
"Yes, yes we did."
"So, what brings you back to Asgard?"
"I'm just here to visit old friends. I won't be here long."
"What a shame...The Midsummer Festival will be starting two days. Do you think that you could stay long enough for that?"
Before you could answer, a small boy came running up to Alia and Loki with a huge smile on his face.
"Mommy! Daddy! Look at what I made!" He exclaimed with joy as he handed Alia and Loki a small, blue clay jar with tiny green and orange designs.
"It's beautiful." Alia smiled, examining the jar.
"Great work, son." Loki grinned. "Y/n, this is Kohl, our son. Kohl, this is Y/n. She's an old friend of mine."
Kohl was the spitting image of Loki. There was no denying that he was his son.
"Hello." Kohl replied with a smile on his face. "My Daddy tells me all kinds of stories about you. Just last night, he told me a story about when you and him going to Jotunheim and slaying a Frost Giant!"
"Yes, that was many years ago." You smiled as you remembered that day.
That was the day Loki took you to the place where he was born. He wanted to show you who he really was. That was also the day he professed his love to you.
"Daddy also told me that you're from Midgard. What's Midgard like? Is it pretty? Are there a lot of people? I hope to go there one day. Heimdall showed me what it was like but-"
"I think that's enough, little one." Loki chuckled.
"Ms. Y/n has a lot to do today and so do you. You still have training to do."
"Can't I just miss one practice, Dad?"
"No, son." Loki grinned. "Go on to practice and your mother and I will be there momentarily, alright?"
"Alright. It was nice to meet you, Ms. Y/n. Goodbye!"
"Goodbye." You smiled as you watched Kohl make his way to the youth training field.
"Sorry for all of his questions." Alia smiled apologetically. "He can be very inquisitive, I'm afraid."
"It's perfectly fine. He's a smart boy."
"Just like his father." Alia replied as she leaned over to kiss Loki. "Well, I must be off. I have a few meetings to attend. Goodbye, Y/n, and hopefully we shall see you again soon." She shook your hand before she turned to Loki and kissed him once again. "Goodbye, love. I'll see you when you get home."
"Goodbye, darling." Loki answered, watching Alia leave.
"You didn't tell me that you had a family." You stated as soon as Alia was out of hearing. Your words sounded colder than you intended for them too, but for some reason, you felt hurt.
"I was going to tell you..." Loki replied almost hurt.
"When?"
"Right after you left."
"Why?"
For some reason, you felt betrayed. The thought of getting back together with Loki always lingered in the back of your mind, and seemed so real up until this very moment.
"Because I never thought I'd see you again." Loki replied hurt. "I was hurt and needed comfort, and Alia gave me that comfort."
"Do you love her?" You asked, doing your best to hold back tears.
Loki remained silent for several seconds.
"I asked you a question, Loki." You said, your voice breaking.
"She's a very lovely woman." Loki answered.
"I'll never understand you." You chuckled sadly, wiping a few stray tears away.
"Y/n, I-"
"Goodbye, Loki." You answered, taking a step back. "And this time...it's for good."
Loki stood there silently, watching you head towards the Rainbow Bridge. Never in a million years did he ever think that he would lose you, let alone lose you twice.
"Alia may be a lovely woman, but she's not you..." Loki whispered softly, his heart breaking once again.