"Apology not accepted." Poppy deadpanned. Loki was not expecting this reply. "But..." Loki had no clue what came next. He didn't know how to respond. "But, nothing. You have shown me time and time again that any faith or trust in you is just going to lead to disappointment. I don't forgive you because I know that if it happened again right now, you would do the same thing again."

Loki looked down to hands. 'She doesn't trust me.' It made sense for her not to trust him. But it still felt wrong knowing someone felt this way towards him. His whole life on the battlefield was learning to trust his fellow soldiers with his back and theirs with his. Trust was an essential thing to survive. Poppy didn't trust him. He had done so many things to earn her distrust but for what? Why did he do what he did?

He pondered this question as he left the clinic. He spotted Steven talking with a maid. She had a slight blush on her face. This wasn't anything abnormal but what made Loki feel the creeps was Steven's equally blushed face. Loki grabbed his assistant front his collar of his shirt and dragged him away. "I though I had the day off," Steven whined. "And you decided to spend it flirting with maids? I think work is a better use of your time." Steven's face reddened even more and Loki felt more grossed out.

•••

"So you apologized and she rejected it?" Loki nodded. 'How is counseling you a better use of my time?' Steven grumbled to himself. He sighed, "then she didn't forgive you. What's the problem here?" Loki didn't feel like that was a satisfactory answer. "Why did I try to kill her." Steven's eyebrows furrowed together. "I don't understand what is going on here."

Loki ran a hand through his hair. "I don't remember why I tried to kill her," he continued. "Where is this coming from?" Steven questioned. "She said that she won't forgive me because she knows I would do it again. Which is partially true. But I'm trying to remember what made me first dislike her. Why was I so against her in the first place?"

Steven stared at his master in awe. He has never questioned his own decisions even once. He did everything without thinking of the repercussions and no one ever stopped him. But now that the repercussion were biting him in the butt he was trying to face his actions. 'Oh sire, you've grown so much,' Steven wiped away a lone tear.

"Maybe because you saw her as a threat to your previous way of life. You have always hated unwanted change." Loki looked confused. "But why?" Steven laughed, "hell if I know." Loki frowned. Steven cleared his throat and pushed up his glasses. "So do you still want her dead?" Loki shook his head no. "She has never done anything to deserve my distrust." Steven smiled. 'He has finally realized that.'

"Then try and understand that forgiveness is something earned. You have to earn it. Prove to her that you are someone she can put her faith in."

Loki leaned back into his chair. It all seemed like so much work, but the guilt eating away at his heart was a solid sign he needed to make amends.

"Okay. How do I do that?"