Loki prepared carefully. He used a spell that he had recently learned but already excelled at, which allowed him to wrap shadows around his body. It wasn't as good as true invisibility, but he still hadn't quite mastered that spell and didn't want to risk it failing at the most inopportune time - because that was always when spells failed. He cast the spell in the safety of his room. Once he was satisfied that the spell was secure, turning Loki into an inkblot with no visible form inside.
Loki knew where the shadows ran long around the palace. He used the hidden ways he'd discovered - and in some cases improved - to leave the palace, creeping in the shadows. From there, he also knew the best ways to Sif's house, since he had often had occasion to go there for various tricks. Not that she knew most of them.
He climbed the tree outside of Sif's bedroom, to peer into the window. He needed to know the situation before he could decide what to do next.
She was in the bath. And naked. And this is the part where you should look away Loki dear god what are you doing lookawaylookawaylookaway SHE'LL KNOW AND SHE'LL SMELL IT ON YOU SOMEHOW AND THEN SHE WILL KILL YOU. But he couldn't look away. Because she really was the most beautiful thing that she'd ever seen. He felt like he couldn't breath, throat working uselessly to swallow.
And then she threw her towel at the mirror, and that broke the spell. He looked down so fast her almost fell off the tree branch. Thankfully, she seemed too upset to notice the movement of the leaves. But then he heard her crying. The sound hurt to hear, and he wanted to do... something, though he didn't know what. He clenched his teeth, clutching the tree branch so hard the bark cut into the palms of his hands. But he refused to look up until everything had gone quiet.
He glanced in the window tentatively, ready to look away again if necessary. But she was... sort of... dressed now, and apparently asleep. Silently, Loki crept along the branch and slipped into her room. He slipped a dagger into his hand from his sleeve, coming to her bedside.
He paused to whisper a few quiet words into Sif's ear, just to ensure she'd keep sleeping as long as he didn't do something stupid like cut her. Carefully, he gathered her hair up and sheered through it with the dagger. He kept the blade so sharp - and a little bit of magic besides - that it cut through her hair like a hot knife through butter.
Loki held the silky mass in his hands. It felt so strangely heavy. He wondered if he should burn it, or throw it away, but even if Sif had hated that hair, it was part of her. It didn't seem right. He dug two bits of string out of his pocket and used them to tie off the ends of the hair after he had woven it into a braid.
He looked back at Sif, at the graceful curve of the back of her neck. He'd never seen it before, it looked strange and vulnerable when nothing about Sif should seem vulnerable. His mouth suddenly dry, he leaned down and caught the scent of clean skin, the special spicy something that was Sif even when she was filthy and sweaty, but even more so with her hair still damp from the bath.
1/2
Loki knew where the shadows ran long around the palace. He used the hidden ways he'd discovered - and in some cases improved - to leave the palace, creeping in the shadows. From there, he also knew the best ways to Sif's house, since he had often had occasion to go there for various tricks. Not that she knew most of them.
He climbed the tree outside of Sif's bedroom, to peer into the window. He needed to know the situation before he could decide what to do next.
She was in the bath. And naked. And this is the part where you should look away Loki dear god what are you doing lookawaylookawaylookaway SHE'LL KNOW AND SHE'LL SMELL IT ON YOU SOMEHOW AND THEN SHE WILL KILL YOU. But he couldn't look away. Because she really was the most beautiful thing that she'd ever seen. He felt like he couldn't breath, throat working uselessly to swallow.
And then she threw her towel at the mirror, and that broke the spell. He looked down so fast her almost fell off the tree branch. Thankfully, she seemed too upset to notice the movement of the leaves. But then he heard her crying. The sound hurt to hear, and he wanted to do... something, though he didn't know what. He clenched his teeth, clutching the tree branch so hard the bark cut into the palms of his hands. But he refused to look up until everything had gone quiet.
He glanced in the window tentatively, ready to look away again if necessary. But she was... sort of... dressed now, and apparently asleep. Silently, Loki crept along the branch and slipped into her room. He slipped a dagger into his hand from his sleeve, coming to her bedside.
He paused to whisper a few quiet words into Sif's ear, just to ensure she'd keep sleeping as long as he didn't do something stupid like cut her. Carefully, he gathered her hair up and sheered through it with the dagger. He kept the blade so sharp - and a little bit of magic besides - that it cut through her hair like a hot knife through butter.
Loki held the silky mass in his hands. It felt so strangely heavy. He wondered if he should burn it, or throw it away, but even if Sif had hated that hair, it was part of her. It didn't seem right. He dug two bits of string out of his pocket and used them to tie off the ends of the hair after he had woven it into a braid.
He looked back at Sif, at the graceful curve of the back of her neck. He'd never seen it before, it looked strange and vulnerable when nothing about Sif should seem vulnerable. His mouth suddenly dry, he leaned down and caught the scent of clean skin, the special spicy something that was Sif even when she was filthy and sweaty, but even more so with her hair still damp from the bath.