Unfettered (Loki x Reader)

Chapter 11 - Fallout

For the first time in a long time, it's not a bad dream that wakes you. Nor had you simply tossed and turned all night. Rather, you float gently to the surface of wakefulness as visions of green eyes and pale hands tumble around your subconscious. As you stir, the images fade. You grasp for them, but by the time you realize you're awake you've almost forgotten them entirely.

A shame. It had been a nice dream. Whatever it was.

Stretching across the mattress, you let out a yawn. Frigid air kisses your skin.

Why is it so cold?

Eyes still closed, you reach out across your bed blindly, searching for your blankets. Confused when they seem to be missing, you crack one eye to see the hazy outline of the massive God of Thunder curled up in a warm, comfortable ball of sheets and blankets over an arm's length away.

You have got to be kidding me. A blanket thief? I never would have guessed.

You let out a quiet laugh at Thor's slumbering position and his snores - muffled by his face buried in your blanket. Your stolen blanket. But your amusement is short lived as the conversation from the night before slowly begins replaying in your mind.

After asking Thor about Loki's feelings of betrayal, it had been an awkward and uncomfortable several minutes of silence. But eventually the God of Thunder had opened up. The rest of the evening he had shared stories of their childhood and brotherly bond - detailing their heists and adventures together into the early morning hours.

"Where did you finally find him?"

"I was not the one to find him. A play-friend of his knew where he'd be."

"And where was that?"

"The gardens."

"The gardens?"

"Aye. The two of them oft hid in my mother's gardens together - Loki to avoid his princely duties, and she to avoid her lessons with the healers."

"And his friend gave him up that easy?"

"'Twas not easy, my lady! I had to promise her Fandral would leave her be for no less than three years. He was quite taken by her. Alas, she had no interest."

You had enjoyed each story, and had gotten to know the names of several frequently mentioned characters in Thor and Loki's shared history. And with each story he told, you felt closer to not only Thor, but Loki as well.

"Thor, come on. You have to admit that's kind of funny."

"It is no such thing!"

"But you can grow hair back. Was it really that big of a deal?"

"Sif was devastated, my lady. Her tears wounded me deeper than any axe ever has."

"Well...that's a bit dramatic."

While Thor spent most of the night detailing his brother's tricks, he also shared stories of his heroism and bravery. Like the time Loki had single-handedly fought back a band of angry Aesir that Thor had managed to slight at a tavern one night. And the time that he saved Thor's life by pulling him from a pond when they were children, and Thor was convinced he could breathe underwater only to nearly drown after getting caught and tangled in the underwater vines.

It had become abundantly clear in the way Thor's eyes lit up as he recounted these moments that he loves his brother dearly. But when you finally pressed on Loki's feelings of betrayal, that light in his eyes faded. And Thor was only willing to make one statement.