Past, Present, Future

Fourteen

-Loki's POV-

        I'm sleeping - a book still in my hands - when I wake up to distressing sounds coming from Y/N's room.

        I shoot up and teleport to her room to see her thrashing about while crying.

        I sit down on the bed, discarding my book on the bed, then quickly taking her hand in mine in an attempt to calm her down.

        "Y/N..." I summon softly.

        I wipe her warm tears gently before her deeply disturbed eyes shoot open.

        "Y/N."

        She attempts to smile at me, but she bursts into tears again.

        It shatters my heart to see her in so much distress.

        "Shh, shh, shh... come here, darling," I whisper, wrapping my arms around her.

        She buries her face in my chest, making my frosty heart melt.

        "I-I'm so sorry!" She sobs.

        "Don't be."

        All I want is to help her. I want to mend her hurting soul, heal her broken heart, and kiss away every last tear that escapes her mesmerizing e/c eyes.

        I want nothing more than to comfort her to the end of time, until my very last breath.

        A moment of silence passes before I murmur in her ear, "Do you need me to stay with you?"

        "No..."

        My heart twinges in pain.

        What did I expect?

        I prepare to begrudgingly remove my arms from around this hurting angel since that's her wish.

        "...Y-Yes..." She sobs.

        I smile faintly and tighten my arms around her - being careful not to hurt her - as if she could disappear from my grasp at any moment in time.

        Now she's letting me. She's letting me comfort her, hold her in my arms, and soothe her aching heart... she's letting me.

        "Then I won't leave," I assure quietly before kissing her forehead and beginning to rub her back.

        "Y/N?" A voice I recognize as Sergeant Barnes asks from behind me in the doorway.

        Y/N lifts her head off my chest and looks to where the sergeant's voice is coming from.

        "Do you need help?" He asks.

        "Yes." She mumbles.

        She pulls out of my arms, going over to Sergeant Barnes, who wraps his arms around her, and she buries her face in his chest as she begins softly crying again.

        My eyes begin to tear up, and I feel as though she stabbed me through my heart with a dagger.

        Why did I think she'd go through with letting me comfort her?

        "Then I guess I'll go..." I mutter.

        I leave to my room, closing the door behind me.

        As I sit down to read, I remember I left my book in her room.

        I sigh and head back to her room, but when I open the door as carefully as possible, I see Y/N and the sergeant asleep while cuddling.