[Loki settles back in his chair, very still for a moment. He stares at a point somewhere over Billy's head as he listens. It feels like the words build in his throat, fit to gag him. Why is this important? Why share it?

Because it means not being alone, in a way. Maybe he doesn't always have to be alone, in everything. And perhaps Billy doesn't either.]

I once offered Rogue my blood to pay for...something I had done. Blood for blood, you know. It is ancient. Elemental.

[He manages a small, strange smile.]

As you can imagine, she wasn't terribly pleased with the offer. [She'd been so hasty at taking the knife from him that he'd cut his own skin.]

But there was a part of me in that moment, that thought how nice it would have been, to just not have to be for a few days.