Misfits (Loki x Reader) Slow Burn

Chapter 19 - Hangover

Althea shot up. Scanning the room as the blearyness of sleep faded from her eyes. She held her breath, looking beside her. To her relief there was no one there and no indent to imply someone had been. Her eyes drew to the floor where the raven haired prince lay. He was on his side, holding onto a blanket as if it were a precious possession.

An intense aching returned to her head and the night before slowly came back to her in blurry pieces. She was mortified with herself. A groan escaped her and she instantly regretted it, seeing Loki stir.

She fell back, pretending to sleep. She couldn't face him. How many drinks did she have?

"Althea?"

She didn't answer him. He got up and went to the washroom. She heard him come back out and slump to the floor. She sat up, seeing him raking his fingers through his hair. His sleepy eyes met hers. She nearly melted at the sight of him.

"I'm sorry I burdened you." She said."I could have slept on the floor. You could've left me there for someone else to deal with." The stress started seeping in."I could get fired." She hopped off the bed rushing to get herself cleaned up.

The pounding in her head stopped her.

"Shit." She muttered under her breath, rubbing her palm to her forehead.

"You need to rest until the alcohol is out of your system." He guided her back to his bed.

She sent him a glare, but didn't protest any further. As she sunk into the mattress her anxiety began skyrocketing. If she was fired, she would be left to the mercy of Bjørn. After last night she did not want to know what that meant for her.

A glass of water materialized in his hand.

"Here." He offered it to her.

She took a moment to process what happened.

"It's not poisoned if that's what you think." He was guarded.

"I didn't think it was." She took the glass from him hesitantly.

The water felt like sand in her mouth. She downed it anyways, knowing it was good for her.

"How long till I'm permitted to leave?" She set the empty glass on his dresser.

His eyes darted towards it.

"How are you feeling?"

"My head aches." Althea shrugged.

"Just rest for a bit." He was tense.

"Will I have to leave the staff after this?"

"I'm sure my mother will understand. This week is hard on all of us." He paced the room.

Althea cringed at the thought of people having seen her outburst the prior night, and Loki had a front row seat.

"Thank you." She sighed.

He raised an eyebrow.

"For getting me out of there last night. And... You know." She burried her face in her hands.

"Anytime." His voice softened.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry you had to see that." She shook her head in shame."My behavior was completely unprofessional."

"When have you ever been proffessional with me?" She could hear the slight smirk in his voice.

"I wasn't just with you. I had responsibilities." She scolded herself.

"I don't blame you, Althea." His tone shifted.

She met his gaze.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. I know a relapse when I see one."

Althea's heart dropped. His eyes found their way to the large dent in the wall. She put her hands in her hair. Her cheeks heated up in complete shame.

"You must think me so childish." She scoffed.

"I think you're hurting like any other being." His eyes were still glued to her dent.

"Why are you helping me?" She waited for him to meet her gaze.

"Why do you assume I have no empathy-"

"No. Stop deflecting. You know that's not what I'm asking. Why have you taken pity on me?"

"It's not pity-"

"Answer the damn question, Loki!"

He finally found her eyes and let the moment sink in.

"We're the same. We ache for the day when someone will recognize us for who we are and not the shadows we live in."

"How do you-"

"I saw it in you when we met. You reject people before they can reject you."

"That's not-"

"You don't have to deny it. I do it too. I'm scared too, Althea."

She fell silent.

"I've built up walls and boundaries to keep myself safe from the pain. And I see that in you."

He sat beside her, gaze fixed on the dent. The pain and longing in his eyes made her heart lurch. She stared at him, trying to contain her undeniable urge and simply sit in the moment with him.

"I guess I hoped that if I treated you like a person and not a shadow, maybe you would see past the rumors and public reputation that cast over me. But..." He stopped himself.

"Loki-" her hand hovered over his shoulder.

He gently but swiftly grabbed her wrist, and met her eyes.

"You don't owe me anything." He sighed.

That hurt and longing was staring her in the face this whole time and still she didn't know what to do with it. She didn't know what to do with her own ache, let alone his.

"I see you." The words fell from her lips.

Her gaze never wavered from his. His expression was guarded, but his grip subtly tightened around her wrist.

"I sent your server dress to the cleaners last night." He sighed, letting go of her and shifting away.

Althea flushed. One more thing for Dalia to use against her.

"It'll be ready for tonight."

"Thank you." She said carefully.

He nodded and went to the washroom without another word. The glass of water on his dresser was full again. She took the silence she had to attempt to subdue her headache. It had dulled enough that she could function efficiently.

"I'll see you tonight?" Althea asked.

He didn't meet her eyes. He leaned against the wall with raven locks sprawled out where they pleased. He took a sip of water.

"It depends." He sighed.

She left without another word. She'd messed up. She'd ruined everything. Maybe it was something she said while she was drunk, or something she'd done. It may have been that he saw enough of her 'complexities' to realize he didn't want to see anymore.