章 20: Loki and Julia

Loki walked toward Julia feeling tired. He did not expect Julia to overwhelm him so much. The way she handled her ice skills was ruthless and calculated. Every attack she did, was for one single moment when she could imprison Loki with an unbreakable ice barrier. While it is true that Loki managed to get free on his own, however, he was still tired and very vulnerable. If this were a real fight, he would be dead already.

"Jeez. You don't hold your punches at all." Loki said while panting heavily.

The only thing that made Julia seem less menacing was the faint smirk playing on her lips, showing off her white teeth. She turned around from where she was standing, looking at the ice wall separating them. Loki took this time to get back on his feet.

"I thought you wanted to see my full power," she smirked. Her eyes were still glowing silver despite her not using powers, but they did look slightly softer than when she fought against him earlier. "What's wrong? Can't take another beating?" Julia chuckled humorlessly and then laughed loudly.

He had a hard time understanding what she was saying but noticed that the laughter sounded genuine.

Loki stood up straight and looked directly into Julia's eyes. "You're so cute when you show your true self."

"Eh?!" Julia was taken aback by such a comment.

Loki grinned and shrugged his shoulders before walking toward her. He stood next to her with their faces mere inches apart. He placed both hands on the walls of icy wall and leaned close almost enough to feel her breath against his skin. Their noses were barely touching as he looked deep into her eyes. "I mean it."

Julia's eyes stopped glowing, and she returned to her usual. She began to blush and looked away. "You're way cuter!"

She smiled sheepishly but still refused to make eye contact. She started to melt the ice walls that separated them away. After that, the floor was filled with puddles of water. When Julia finally finished melting the last layer, she let go of the wall.

Loki took a step forward toward Julia and took her hands. He couldn't express how he felt—seeing a girl as ruthless as he made him feel tingly inside. He had never felt this way before. This feeling was not something he had ever experienced before. It was so new and confusing. All he knew was that he didn't want the feeling to disappear.

"Thank you, Julia." Loki smiled as he was genuinely grateful to show that the world still has stronger people than himself. "You're amazing."

Julia smiled back. She was never praised after a fight before due to her personality shift. Even her parents called her a monster after she awakened her superpowers. She was never ridiculed or mocked, but not because of the respect. It was because people feared her. However, just as she expected, Loki was different. She knew that he would be the one person who would treat her like someone special instead of fearing her and making her feel worthless.

Loki hugged Julia tightly. He buried his face in her hair, inhaling her scent. She smelled sweet, like apples or vanilla.

Julia tensed at firsts but relaxed soon after. She closed her eyes, trying to enjoy the hug. Her heartbeat increased its rhythm. She blushed, realizing how safe and happy it felt to be to him.

"Loki... I-" Julia stopped herself as she tried to find words to say. But instead, she raised her arms, hugging him back. She smiled and closed her eyes. She waited for the kiss; instead, Loki patted her hair and let go of her.

"Uh?" Julia tilted her head, confused as to why he did not kiss her yet. "Loki?"

Loki healed himself using golden mana, while Julia stared at him speechless.

"What?" Loki chuckled as he saw her facial expression. "Is there something on my face?"

"...no!" Julia yelled, blushing hard. Loki laughed again and then held Julia's hand, walking out of the gym. They went downstairs straight to the exit. They headed toward the nearest train station and boarded the train.

They were still in their gym clothes, and Julia's hair was messy. They sat close to each other, sitting side by side in silence. Both of them were enjoying the comfortable silence between them. They were enjoying each other's presence, even if it seemed like there was nothing more to say.

It was awkward to sit together like that since neither knew where the conversation should go. Julia knew they should talk about what happened earlier, but she wasn't sure if she should bring it up.

"So..." Julia broke the silence. "When did you awaken your powers?"

"I was born with them," Loki mumbled absentmindedly. He looked at his lap and then looked at Julia. "...I just never used them."

Julia blinked. "Huh? Why?"

Loki awkwardly stretched the back of his head and answered honestly. "I assume because I was afraid of my power." This was why the original Loki was against using his power. Just like Julia, he was afraid of it. However, unlike Loki, Julia embraced the power she possessed and accepted her shift in personality.

"I-..." Julia paused for a moment, thinking about Loki's words. "I guess I understand..."

Loki nodded. "I was a coward..." Loki whispered. He kept staring blankly ahead of him. He respected Julia. Despite being labeled a monster and feared by people, she refused to give up and continued getting stronger and stronger. She was everything, original Loki was not.

"Don't say that!" Julia suddenly spoke.

Loki glanced sideways at her, surprised at her outburst. His eyes were wide open and slightly widened in surprise. He quickly averted his gaze back to the window, hoping to hide his red cheeks from Julia.

"Even if you were a coward," She added. "you're no longer are one!"

Loki felt Julia's hand grabbing his. They both looked down at their intertwined fingers. Neither one said anything, but both felt some connection, similar to a physical form. Their hearts were racing; they felt the heat and coldness running through their fingertips as they unconsciously released the mana. They could practically hear their hearts pumping wildly.

"I-..." Loki muttered softly as he looked into Julia's eyes. However, before he could start the sentence, she leaned toward him, kissing him slowly. It was gentle at first, but it grew bolder and more passionate after a few seconds. As their kisses became more profound, Loki's lips moved against hers.