𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 - 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒑𝒖𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈

10

The next morning, Tom was the first to wake up.

He stole a glance at his phone that was plugged up on the nightstand and saw that it was almost nine, but they would be missing the rest of summer school so it didn't matter that they woke up late. His mother had told him last night that she called the school and made it to where Loki and him could take their tests from home. The only thing they'd have to do was pick it up from the school sometime during the week and drop it off in the front office once they finished.

Tom was glad his mother was letting him miss school with Loki. He couldn't bear the thought of leaving him all alone.

He reached a hand out and gently brushed the loose strands of hair from Loki's forehead. The two were asleep facing one another, legs intertwined. It seemed that Loki needed his touch to be able to do anything, but that didn't bother Tom in the slightest. He wanted to be the one person Loki trusted if he didn't trust anyone else.

Tom scooted closer and carefully wrapped his arms around him, tucking Loki's head underneath his chin and smiling when the raven immediately curled up to him and buried his face into his warm neck.

Then he stiffened.

"Tom?"

"It's me, darling."

He felt Loki let out a breath of relief and snuggle deeper into him, lashes fluttering as he was still in between being asleep and awake. Tom smiled and cupped his cheek, pulling his face away from the warmth of his neck to look him in the eye, "You're beautiful, you know that?"

Loki smiled weakly and Tom felt so relieved that he was still himself somewhere in there. He knew it would take some time before Loki was back to how he was before.

"You remind me of those Norse goddesses that were worshipped hundreds of years ago." Tom said softly, so soft that it was almost a whisper.

His words piqued Loki's interest.

"Which one?"

Thomas grinned, "Nyx. She was the goddess of the night. She had hair just like yours, pale skin like yours.." He slowly brushed his hand through Loki's hair, "She was also known for being the most beautiful goddess, and very mischievous."

Loki's smile widened and he leant into Tom's touch, "Did she have a husband?"

"She did. His name was Erebus and he was the god of darkness."

"I think you are more of Baldr. He was the god of light, joy, and summer." Loki said softly, snuggling deeper back into Thomas's embrace.

Tom chuckled, "Then we can be Nyx and Baldr."

Loki smiled and curled his arms around Tom's torso, "We can."

A comfortable silence fell over the two for a while until Loki spoke again.

"If we're going to do our work from home, I'll need my backpack from my bedroom." He said quietly. The thought of going back to his house- the one place everyone is supposed to feel safe at- where his own brother had tried to rape him..

He grimaced.

Tom frowned and nuzzled his nose into Loki's hair, "Are you sure you want to go get it?"

"I am, but..I want to stay here after we get it. I feel safer here with you and your family."

Loki smiled at the thought of Tom's sisters who had come to check on him last night some time after Thomas fell asleep. The girls had been at a sleepover the night it happened and immediately comforted him and even offered to have a girls day out with him when he felt ready to go back out in public. The thought of spending time with them doing makeup and pedicures- oh Loki was so giddy.