"No Matter What Happens" Ingrid and Loki Fanfic #3.

Pre-Thor still. Ingrid is interested in Infinity Stones, and Loki doesn't want anyone else researching them. He tries to set up Sif and Thor, but in the end, he just ends up getting sick from all the stress.

No Matter What Happens by Sarah B. Priest

Out of breath, I burst into the palace library and throw my book bag on the ground with a loud thud. Thor looks up quickly then goes back to whatever he and Sif were laughing about over a book. I don’t usually see them in the library, but I go over anyway. “How’s the research?”

          “Not going well since Thor showed up,” drawls Sif glancing back over her shoulder. “What are you doing here anyway? Need a sparring partner?
          “No, thank you. I’ve sparred enough. I just found something—” I breathe excitedly, then halt. Do I really want to share it with them, or do I wait until Loki comes back? I decide to share, because this is just too good to keep aa secret, even for Loki. I open the book quickly, flipping to the page I have marked and memorized. “Infinity stones!” I jump up excitedly pointing at them. “Look at them!”

          “We all know what infinity stones are, Ingrid,” sighs Sif, “May I go back to my research.”

          “She’s talking about molecular energy. Interdimensional activity. Everything that can be achieved through the imagination.” Thor looks up from the book and turns back to me, “Is that right, Ingrid? You want to know how to harness the power of infinity stones?” Thor laughs and turns back to his book.

          “What did you find? I’ve been searching for days for this stuff. Is it good?”

          “Loki,” I sigh, “Don’t make this more complicated.”

          “So, I make things complicated now? What are you doing with my brother.”

          “Why are you late?” I snap back. “You were supposed to be here earlier! I showed them because I was too excited—”

          “You. Don’t. Look. At. Those. Books. Thor, Sif, any of you! Back off!” he seizes the book out of my hand, and for good measure, raids everything in the room that Sif might get her warrior’s fingers on.

          “It’s in the library archives, brother,” says Thor calmly, “Perhaps you should consider that Sif and I have as just as much right in here as you.”

          “Perhaps you should exercise that right! Doing mindless swordplay all day. At least I’m learning something!”

          “You need to get outside, brother! Get some air!”

          “And deal with you? And Sif? And whoever the rest of your worthless friends are? You expect me to stoop so low as to be around such beings?”

          “Loki—”

          “I don’t care! Don’t do that! I said put the books down!”

          “You just told him to read more.” Sif looks up from whatever she’s laughing at now and turns back to Loki. “I’ll fight you if you want.”    

          “Oh please, Sif. That won’t be necessary…” begins Thor.

          “Fine. Step one—” Sif dodges the blow easily pinning him to the wall. “Think twice about coming back in here while Thor and I—”

          “No, SIF!” I can hear Thor getting ready to punch her straight in the face, but Loki quickly uses a shield charm.

          “Yes, brother. I would like to know, wouldn’t I? What are you and Sif doing in the library exactly? Perhaps a quiet place to—”

          “Don’t even think about it, LOKI! WE’RE ONLY RESEARCHING!”

          “I can hear you, brother. You don’t have to shout.”

          “YOU WERE IMPLYING THINGS, LOKI! WE AREN’T DOING ANYTHING!”

          “I’m telling father that the two of you got naughty in the library.”

          Thor looks at Sif, speechless, then silently turns back to his book.

          “I don’t want Thor acquiring more knowledge than me,” whispers Loki, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to have a word with Odin—”

          “Don’t even think about it.”

          “Ingrid? Are you standing up for him? Just when I thought someone cared—”

          “No, it’s not like that at all! It’s just—”

          “I don’t know, maybe you’re jealous of Sif?”

          “What?” Sif looks up quickly, then returns to her reading.

          “No.” I say quietly. “I don’t believe in lies. You don’t have any evidence.”

          “STAY OUT OF THIS, INGRID!” I can feel every word, just inches from my face as I figure out how to defend myself. But the blow never comes. He backs away quickly then looks back at me. “You’re right. Like always.”

          “I don’t claim to be always right, Loki.”

          “Ingrid?”

          “What?”     

          “Maybe I won’t bother father about this. It doesn’t matter to me what Thor and Sif were doing. What matters…” his voice drops, “Is that I make them look bad. Set them up for failure. I want to be king, and if I can’t impress my father with my own wits, then perhaps…”

          “No. You shouldn’t cheat your way to the throne, Loki.”

          “All right. Come on. Come with me to dinner. That will at least make Father watch someone other than me. I feel like I’m constantly being judged when I’m in his presence.”

          “Did you ever ask Thor how he feels?” I ask it. Loud. Thor looks up, from the book and begins, “You never did ask me, Loki.”

          “I don’t feel well.”

          “We’ll discuss it over dinner then. Come on.”

---

“Still a week until the delegation from Vanaheim, Father?” Thor asks, taking another chicken thigh.

          “Yes, Thor. Only one week. I think you can wait,” Queen Frigga smiles, then quickly blushes, realizing that the question was meant for her husband.

          “I’m still hungry,” grunts Sif, under her breath.

          “How do all of you eat like that?” Loki asks, looking down at the plate-of-impossible-portions. “It just comes back up.” And it doesn’t help that Father is judging me the whole time, I’m afraid of not winning his favor, and this food is for warriors only. He doesn’t say it, but I know that’s what he’s thinking.

          “The delegation isn’t for a week yet. You may go,” Odin gives the command. Loki pales as he gets up from the chair and I follow him, having eaten my fair portion. “I’m glad to leave,” he says to me once we’re out of earshot, “But he let Thor stay. Maybe he wants to talk to him about the delegation. Probably because I’m not important to him,” he sighs.

          “I’m sorry.”

          “Can I go back to my room now?”

          “Do you—”

          “I’m sorry about earlier, Ingrid. I was just—”

          “It’s okay. I understand. I’m coming with you.”

          “Really? You won’t like it.” He smirks turning the corner to the bedchambers. “When we were little, Thor and I shared a room—once we were older, Father said it was best to separate us. I used to wake Thor when I had nightmares. Why am I telling you this?”

          “It’s okay. The dreams. I have them too.”

          “I’m sorry.” He flings open the door to the room, dimly lit and tidy, full of books. In fact, if I didn’t know better, I might think it was a small library.

          “I love it. It’s like a little private library!”

          “Well I’m glad someone has time to appreciate my work. Even if that someone is a crazy girl who comes into the library to get away from her crazier brothers and crazy dreams. You’re no crazier than me, really.”

          I smile and take a seat on the floor by the bed.

          “I really don’t feel well, Ingrid.”

          “You feel warm,” I say, feeling his forehead.

          “That’s strange. It’s cold in here. Do you mind if I lie down? And, I’m sorry for what I said earlier. You can read my books. Just put everything back—not that you wouldn’t just—”

          “It’s fine, thank you.” I pick up a book about interdimensional passages and loose myself in the depths of the universe as Loki falls into a fitful sleep.

---

I hear a quiet knocking on the door. “Loki?”

          “Queen Frigga?” I say tentatively, opening the door a crack. “I’m sorry. I wanted to make sure—”

          “Sit down, Ingrid.”        

          “He said I could read the books,” I say indicating the pile.

          “Yes, I heard about everything.” She says, sitting on the stool opposite.
          “About Thor and Sif?”

          “Yes,” she smiles, “I’m sure it was nothing, dear. If they wanted private quarters, there are plenty of bedrooms.”

          “Not mine,” says Loki, weakly from the bed.

          Frigga smiles. “No, I’ll make sure of that.”

          “Will he be okay?” I can’t help but ask.

          “Oh, yes. It’s just a fever.”

          “He hasn’t been well for a while now—I, we—”

          “You’re his best friend, Ingrid. I know you two spend a lot of time together. It’s not anything. Just like Thor and Sif. He should have a lady friend.”

          “He said he wasn’t hungry and didn’t want to eat months ago. He would take his food and feed the beast in the forest—did Odin tell you?”

          “About Loki’s pet? Yes.”

          “And later he said he couldn’t sleep, and he came to me in the night because something was troubling him. He said he felt like people were keeping something from him and they were scared of him…”

          She sighs, “No one is scared of him. All things will come to light in due time.”

          “I want to know everything, now!” I can hear Loki try to sit up then get disoriented and fall back on the pillows.

          “Shh, Loki. I brought you some broth.”

          “Thank you, mother,” he says weakly, “Asgardian dinners aren’t exactly for the feint of stomach.”

          “He’s making jokes Ingrid; he’s going to be just fine,” she smiles.

          “Yes,” I breathe. “I’m sorry, Loki I told her everything…I know you can hear me…”

          “It’s fine. I want her to know. She’s the only one—”

          “Shh, Loki. Drink this.” Frigga holds up the broth spoon to Loki’s lips as I hear my name called faintly from across the hallway.

          “That would be my brother,” I whisper quietly, “I have to go.”

          “Yes. I wish Loki felt the same way about Thor.”

          “Well, I don’t want to go.”

          “Then, don’t go. It’s your choice, Ingrid. It’s your choice where you go, what you do.”

          “All right then. I’ll stay. As long as someone tells Thor and Sif to go down the right staircase,” I laugh, “Maybe they’ll have fun sparring with my brothers.”

          “I’ll tell them,” murmurs Loki. “I kind of hope that your brothers finish them off.”

          “I feel the same way.” And that’s when I know: no matter what happens, no matter who lives, who dies, who becomes king, we will always understand each other better than the stars and the moon.