Chapter 51

Bucky, Loki, and I shared a couch while everyone sprawled around us in chairs or couches. I felt this was going to be a long talk. I settled in on Bucky's lap and my feet up on Loki's lap. He looked like he was thinking hard and absently started to massage my feet. When his thumb hit my arch, I couldn't hold back a moan. It felt so good and my body instantly relaxed. Wanda and Nat looked jealous. I grinned at them and shrugged. 

"Hey, I didn't ask him to."

"Yeah, we know. That's why we're jealous." Nat laughed at me. 

"Damn girl. If that's some of the sounds you make, I can understand why... OW!!" Bucky had thrown a remote and hit Sam in the head. 

Loki looked at Sam. "I would choose your next words wisely, Wilson."

Tony looked impatient. "If we are finished with the massage talk, can we get more of an explanation about yesterday and this morning?"

Loki nodded and gave Thor a look I couldn't read. "What happened in the yard was the coming of magic. Think of it as a birth, if you will. It usually happens when you come of age. I think as Ariane is older than the age it usually happens is why it was so violent. Because of the soulmate bond we share, I believe that is why it was as powerful as I have the strongest magic in Asgard. It becomes a battle of wills as true magic is chaotic and wild, more primal in nature. It wants to run free and wreak havoc. If you don't master the magic, it masters you, and you become nothing more than a tool. I have seen it happen before. Ariane did well with the amount of power she had to tame. I personally haven't seen anyone master that amount of power. You are quite spectacular, my sweet."

"Loki's mastering was similar but not as powerful. Probably because he was only around eleven. He did take out the roof of the palace though since he wasn't outside like we were with Ari. He had no idea what was happening, but he knew by instinct that he had to master it, just like Ari. I thought Father was going to have a fit about the roof though. But Mother explained to us that it is normal for people with magic, even Frost Giants." He noticed Loki's startled look. "Yes, Brother. Mother knew of your heritage. But we never looked at you as anything other than Loki, her son, and my brother. She loved you very much and was always proud of you and how you grew as a man. She would have loved Ari and I know she would have been so proud of you in that you found the perfect woman for you and how special you treat her. I too am proud of you, Brother. You treat her like a queen, and I know your heart beats for her and only her, just as it should."

Loki bowed his head, and I could feel the emotions swirling within him. I set my feet on the floor and leaned over to him and lifted his chin with my hand. His eyes had tears in them from the amount of emotion he was feeling.

"You have always been worthy of love, Loki. You just never believed in yourself. Thor has always loved you. So did your mother, just as I do. Odin is a dick, but then from legends that I heard in my realm, that's the way he always was. I am sure he loved you as well in his own way. And look around you here." I gestured to everyone around us. "You have a family here that loves you too. Well, came to love you once you got over the whole 'take over the world' thing. It makes them happy to see you happy and how your personality is showing more and more as you become more comfortable with them and love them too. Here you are safe to be who you really are, the tough side and the softer loving side. That is what family is all about. Caring for one another and delighting in seeing the people you love being happy."

Moved and a little disbelieving, he looked around at everyone to see them all smiling and nodding. 

"She nailed it right on the head. Besides, life would be dull around here if it wasn't for you, Reindeer Games."

I rolled my eyes. "Tony, please, don't show so much emotion. It's embarrassing how gushy you are."

Tony and everyone else laughed and it was a very light-hearted moment. As the laughter died down, Wanda looked at Loki.

"She is quite right, you know. You shield yourself from us because you think we hate you and only tolerate you. If you open up, you will feel the caring we have for you. We see who YOU are now, not the persona you had when we first met you. You are kind and caring and you are part of our family."

Loki swallowed, overcome by what Wanda said. I felt him lower his walls. Tears slid down his face as he felt the love and caring from everyone.

I grinned. "See. Told ya so."

Loki cleared his throat. "That you did, pet." He looked around. "Thank you, all of you. For giving me a chance even after all the damage and evil that I did here."

"I just love the touchy-feely moment, but can we do it later? We need to understand what's happening to Ari." Tony smiled gently. 

Everyone gave a small chuckle, and I gave Loki a soft kiss before settling back into Bucky's arms.

"So, this magic. Is it anything like Wanda's?" Clint looked at Wanda and then back at me and Loki.

Loki shook his head. "No. It's more. Wanda's ties more into her telekinesis. Mine is pure magic." 

He held his hand out and the fireworks show played out above his hand just like he had shown me before. Suddenly he threw his hand into the air and fireworks were seen all through the room. We could smell the smoke from the gunpowder. As everything faded, I saw everyone looking at him speculatively. 

"Were those fireworks part of your illusions?" Sam asked. 

Loki shook his head. "Those were actual fireworks but contained so they set nothing on fire."

"You never told us you could do things like that." Steve sounded a little put-out.

"You never really asked, Rogers."

Tony looked at me curiously. "So, what will Ariane be able to do? And what else are you hiding about what you can do?"

"I am unsure what she will be able to do. The colors of her magic I have not seen before. I am assuming the green is from me as she inherited it from me. The purple... I can only assume that it may be one of her favorite colors and so the magic took on that shade."

I nodded. "Actually Mr. Ego, my favorite color was green before I met you. And yes, purple is my second favorite."

"So, what else can you do, Reindeer Games?"

Loki looked uncomfortable. "I do have the ability to shapeshift and to teleport myself or others if they are with me and I know where I am going. I can not just go to the Hydra base unless I actually know the physical location. Also, I do have telekinesis. And you already know mind-reading. If she has gained all of my powers, Ariane should be able to do all that I can. It's possible for her to have them more powerful than I or that she can do more than that." He gave a small laugh. "I'm sure Thor can tell you the story of us and the snake." We all looked over at Thor.

"Ass turned himself into a snake. I found it on the path and thought it would be a good pet. I was holding it and suddenly it changed into Loki. He yelled 'Surprise' and then stabbed me. We were eight at the time." Thor pretended to glare at Loki but then laughed. 

I giggled. "Yeah, I could see that. He is good with pointy things."

Everyone protested at once.

"EWWW I don't need to know that."

 "TMI again Kid."

 "That is something I do NOT need to know about my brother, Lady Ari."

I laid back until my head was on the armrest of the couch and just let go with a loud belly laugh. It felt so good to not have everyone looking at me like I was dangerous even with these new powers. Still giggling, I sat up and looked at Loki. "So, what do I do with this magic now?"

He smiled at me, pleased that I was happy and not scared of him or our magic. "Well, I train you, darling. It is the same as your mental power. Left untrained it can cause much damage."

"Okay. More training. Gotcha. Sooo... what about this illusion thing then?"

He looked thoughtful. "If you concentrate hard enough you can make people see what you want them to see. At least in the beginning you will need to concentrate. As you master that skill, it will be second nature to cast the illusion and you can do it without much thought." He grinned. "Much like your first night here in your bathroom."