Thor 1. Chapter 1: The Chase

Heart pounding, footing and breathing unsteady, mind reeling.

The chase was on.

Loki had given you a head start of about 20 seconds, before you disappeared behind a large, seemingly never ending hedge cut into intricate patterns and designs.

The beauty of the gardens was almost enough to distract you from the task at hand; hiding from him. _Don't let him find you._

Nearing a collection of marble statues, you decided this was your best bet for now, as you were all too familiar with the ferocity the prince would be hurtling himself at in order to find you. He was always so competitive. A trait he had retained since childhood.

Before you allowed yourself sink back into a false sense of security, the boy, or should you say 'man' created a distinctive sound of heavy leather boots stomping aggressively against the gravel as he neared you.

His implied foul mood made your stomach o involuntary flips and your legs began to shake.

"Aria, I know you're out here somewhere~" he sang, cruelly. Completely revelling in your terror.

He knew you hated being hunted down like an animal, so he made it his mission to do so on every possible occasion.

You gripped your mouth firmly, a meagre attempt to interrupt your chattering teeth, which would almost definitely give away your sacred position. That was the last thing you wanted.

Loki always found joy in the pain and suffering of others, yours in particular, which you would be eternally grateful for…if not for despising his guts at this moment in time.

Luckily, as you finally regained the capability to move your shaking limbs, you bravely decided to peek around the smooth edge of the stone figure that had been concealing you for the past few agonizing minutes, seeing the back of Loki's head disappearing behind the hedge that you had just hurtled around.

Taking this as a sign from the gods that you should take your leave, you gathered your skirts into your shaky palms, putting one foot in front of the other, you were ready to propel yourself from the floor with an almighty speed when a firm hand held your arm in a vice like grip.

He heaved a heavy breath along the column of your throat before letting out a breathy chuckle.

You ceased to breathe.

"Caught you, little lamb."


	2. Chapter 2: Hunted

Catch Me

Chapter 2: Hunted

You couldn't find the words.

"Adorable. Is this not where we would spend the days of our youth? How romantic." He stated, taking on a deeper, smooth tone which worried you to a great extent.

"L-Lo-!" you managed to choke out, void of oxygen. Void of thought.

"Hnn?" he acknowledged coolly. "Speechless? Well that _would _be a first. Honestly Aria, did you not think that I wouldn't know to look here first?"

'That would also be a first' you mused.

Try all you might, you found it impossible to turn your head to face him. You couldn't begin to fathom what you would be faced with if you did. 'Games' like this always brought out the animalistic side of Loki…the main reason behind why you always insist that he didn't request for you to participate. The idea of hunting always did seem to enthrall the young prince.

Perhaps the reason behind his insatiable desire to hunt you down, was a result of all the missed opportunities to accompany Thor and his father when they ventured outside together annually.

You almost pitied him.

Maybe if he didn't currently have you in a very compromising position, in which you felt extremely uncomfortable if you might add.

"Would it hurt to at least loosen your grip?" you venture, curtly.

"Hmph."

_Did he honestly just scoff at you? __Scoff at __**you?**_

Well at least his fingers had slackened around your indefinitely bruised wrists.

As you hastily rubbed at your sore wrists in a vain attempt to lessen the pain inflicted by your _friend_, you again began to ponder on the thought of escape. Looking past Loki's infuriatingly smug face, you spotted the clearing through the trees that had been your original destination.

Could you make it?

No way in Hel. Loki caught up to you in _less_ than 20 seconds…and there was a considerable distance between the two of you when you began this childish activity.

As your heartbeat again began to become erratic, you dared to look him in the eyes.

_Yes, indeed. 'Friend' is a strong word._

That damned shit eating grin was back. Plastered across his face as if it had never been absent.

"By the gods, Loki…how did you ever catch up to me so fast?"

Hoping to at least distract him enough for his grip to cease entirely.

Instead, he only stared at you.

You honestly lost all thoughts of escape in that moment.

Never in all of your years had you seen him look at you like this.

Not since the Royal Ball…

Memories flooded back, almost drowning you in the beautiful atmosphere of that night.. how he had searched for you through the floods of red dresses. How his eyes continuously found yours. How your heart fluttered. How guilty you had felt for letting your interest develop into infatuation.

He was a prince.

You were bought to be his friend.

Lady Seeva had been very clear on that. Nothing would come from the time spent together with the young Loki.

So you ran.

As Loki had affectionately let his long, smooth fingers trail delicately up from your wrist to your shoulder, before his heat had clawed its way into your heart once more, you severed the bond, leaving him standing there..looking hollow.

And you did not look back.

Not once.


	3. Chapter 3: Promises

Catch Me

Chapter 3: Promises

Your voice came to you as a ragged breath. Laboured and hoarse from over excursion.

"I will not surrender myself, my Lady."

"I know." Came the clipped, snappy response from your aged guardian.

As harsh of face as she was, you could always sense a calming, maternal warmth radiating from her when conversing with you, no matter the subject currently being centred around was your 'relationship' with Prince Loki.  
"We do not need yet another incident, as such we have previously had the pleasure to experience whilst attending the last royal public gathering…do we now, Aria? You have learnt from your past mistakes, have you not?"  
An uncomfortably acidic sensation erupts from within your stomach, clawing its way up the inside of your throat, strangling the life from your words. Stealing them before your lips could begin to form them.

An agonizing pause that felt as though it lasted for hours ensued, finally broken by words that left even yourself unsure of whether they were truth.  
"No, Lady Seeva. I would not dare dream of it. The actions of a mere child such as myself should not even be considered by a Lady of such importance as yourse-"  
"-Aria. Look at me, girl."  
As you wrung your sweaty palms together uneasily, too aware of her scrutinizing gaze, analysing your every fibre to attempt to wipe them onto your dress, you hesitantly brought your wary yet curious eyes to meet those of the closest thing that you had to a mother.  
Oh, how you treasured this woman.  
You remained silent until she finally spoke up after taking slow, deliberate breaths. Finding the appropriate words to soothe you.  
"I have seen the way in which his eyes search for you, child. I may be but an old woman now, but do not take me for a foolish one."  
Her words left you taken aback.  
She paused.  
A gesture that never failed to increase your nerves and simultaneously, your erratic heartbeat.  
In a childlike attempt to contain your heart safely within your ribcage, you focused on keeping your eyes attached to the bottom of her dress, suddenly finding exponential interest in the shimmering golden embroidery lining the outskirts of the wine coloured ensemble.  
In that moment, you could not help but allow yourself to muse over how the dress was almost identical in colour to the one that you had adorned whilst attending the last royal ball.

When your eyes first found Loki's and his, yours.

A gentle yet authoritative clearing of the throat from your mistress cruelly dragged your wandering mind back to the present.  
Upon realizing that your thoughts would only continue to dance elsewhere, the stern-faced, elder Head Maid decided that it would be best, perhaps to continue the conversation another time. When you had both feet planted safely on Asgard, rather than whichever heavens you had currently graced with your racing mind.  
"Honestly girl, just look at you. And that dress was once so beautiful, too."  
Giving you a knowing look, she continued on;  
"We wouldn't want Prince Loki to catch you in such a state, now would we?" Came the good humoured parting words, swiftly whispered over her crimson-clad shoulder before elegantly disappearing behind a large burgundy, silk curtain, leading to who knows where.

What was important now was ensuring that you would be presentable for the royal family and their guests.  
As your excitement carried you up and around the endless numbers of stairs like a pleasant breeze, you had failed to take notice of a pair of all too familiar, curious emerald eyes, spectating from behind one of the many pearl pillars lining the halls you had previously been standing in, mere moments ago. Blissfully unaware.

And he had heard every word.


	4. Chapter 4: Flower

Catch Me

Chapter 4: Flower

"Ah, sweetling! There you are."

Hesitantly, you enter the brightly lit room with a childlike grace on unsteady feet. The brazen smell of paint invades you senses, hitting you like a wall.

Inconspicuously, you attempt to withhold the disdain that is causing your face to scrunch up in order to fight back against the piercing stench, stopping your eyes from watering.

"My Prince…" You're unsure of your purpose here so you find this an appropriate greeting.

Loki approaches you with careful, tactical steps, creating a sense of dominance. Dominance mainly, over the fact that you are the only one in the room, so it seems, to be completely unaware of why he had sent for you.

"Hetheron came to me this morning with the idea of having a portrait of myself painted here to hang on the walls, but made the observation that the image of myself sitting in this chair appeared too empty."

A deliberate pause.

"He proposed I added a flower to brighten the image…and here you are."

Your heart sank.

"But My Lord, surely someone else-"

You were interrupted by his breathy laughter echoing through the room, accompanied by a chuckle from Hetheron, a good friend of yours who clearly, had somewhat of a talent for the creation of beautiful things.

"Oh pleeeaasseeeee." Hetheron drawled out, finishing with an over the top sigh of exasperation.

"My Prince?" Hetheron gestured to the chair.

"If you would, please."

Loki nodded and calmly took his place in the armchair, leisurely leaning his back against one arm and draping his long, lean legs over the opposite.

He then looked to you.

Gesturing with a tip of his head to his lap.

"No."

It came out before you could stop it, earning a raised eyebrow from Hetheron and a snarl from Loki.

"My apologies, but I am needed elsewhere." Creating a weak excuse, desperately hoping that Lady Seeva would enter the room at any minute, whisking you away to the safety of the kitchen.

But she did not.

"Yes. You are needed." The raven haired prince spoke up.

"On top of me." Giving you an infuriatingly sly smirk to finish off his inappropriate remark.

By this point, you were a blushing mess. Your face heated to the most alarming shade of red.

Looking on at your prince as it seemed rude to stare at the floor any longer, you were instantly chastising yourself for doing so.

_He was patting his lap and licking his lips. _

_Beckoning you like an animal._

You took tentative steps forward, watching the floor move under your feet until you met the front of his chair.

When you made no further movements, Loki took the opportunity to grab you by the waist and hoist you onto himself with ease.

_Bouncing you on his lap._

Your breaths hitched simultaneously.

Being uncomfortable, having the metal of his armor digging into your inner thigh, you shifted your weight to cover the skin with your dress that had hiked far too high up your legs, creating involuntary friction between the prince's groin and your own.

_He jerked upwards._

Abruptly meeting eyes, you did not fail to miss the mischievous glint that flickered across his gaze, instantly killing the fire in yours.

What were you thinking, trying to show anger toward Loki? _Loki?_

As he took you by the waist a second time to reposition your upper half, displaying the curve of your back as you arched against him, trying to avoid any further adulterated friction, he carefully placed your head against his chest to listen to his heartbeat.

_You could feel it._

He may as well have been running for his life, with the pace it was ticking.

Feeling as comfortable as you could in this situation, you allowed your eyes to wander the room. Admiring the intricately painted images lining the ceiling of beautiful women with wings of gold.

You had reached the feeling of serenity, until heated words carried by an equally fiery breath reached your ear.

"_Caught you, little lamb."_


	5. Chapter 5: Eternities

Catch Me

Chapter 5: Eternities

As what felt like eternities passed, you began to feel even more uncomfortable than you did when Loki had first placed his right hand firmly against your behind.

'_Eternities of intimacy' you thought, grimly. _

_Squirming did you no good._

He, however found some twisted level of delight from your apparent discomfort from being in such close proximity to him whilst being embraced in such an intimate manner.

Silently willing Hetheron to make haste in completing what was sure to be a masterpiece, you made your best effort to remain completely still, as to not aggravate your prince.

_Do not draw attention to yourself. No good will come of it._

You twitched involuntarily everytime he took a breath; the ends of his hair softly tickling your cheek.

"_Do you fear me, flower?" _His voice, thick.

You remained silent, in fear of him finding your response unfavorable.

"_I thought as much." _He chuckled.

His silky laughter rumbling through him like thunder, rattling your ribs gently.

"_I find you overwhelming, my prince. I do not fear men." _

"_No men at all?"_

"_None, sire." _You replied, dryly.

"_I am to understand that even your king does not instill even the slightest hint of terror within your fragile, little heart?" _Dragging the last word out, rolling it along his silver tongue in a feral manner.

You could not even begin to comprehend how this _**man**_, speaking to you of fear in a clearly threatening manner sparked heat within you to such a degree.

"_Should I have reason to, My Lord?" _

'_**This is dangerous territory' **_you reminded yourself.

"_Oh my little petal, would you like that?" _

Your stomach twisted in disgust.

Was he attempting to entice you?

By taunting you with the possibility that his _father_ would unleash his almighty wrath upon you?!

A power play? This is what he wants?

The silver tongued prince had turned yours to lead.

You wanted to laugh.

Truly.

This was hilarious.

Without another word, you remained in your highly uncomfortable position, pressed tightly against the dark prince, enjoying the silence now more so than ever as your eyes once more drifted up and along the surrounding decorative walls, openly admiring each and every vivid image of beauty in its various forms.

"_My my, don't the two of you look cozy? I'm afraid, My Prince, that I may not be capable of capturing the beauty of the two of you together to its fullest." He finished with his famous toss of the hair._

"_My dear friend Hetheron, is there nothing that you cannot execute so perfectly?" _

'_Perhaps prisoners' _you thought, humorlessly.

"_I do make the very best of efforts for you, My Prince."_

"_Come little flower, do you not find this piece simply astounding?"_

Finally releasing a long breath that to your knowledge, you had not been holding, you gave a calculated reply;

"_Hetheron, my love…you have simply outdone yourself. You truly possess the gods given gift of bestowing beauty upon even the foulest of creatures."_

As you indulged yourself within the fine details of the still fresh portrait, you failed to catch the flash of rage that crossed Loki's features upon hearing your use of the intimate name uttered from your lips to address one of your shared oldest and dearest friends.

The prince, blissfully unaware of where Hetheron's heart truly lies…

_with men. _


End file.
