The Fates' Favorite (Loki Laufeyson)

Part 45

The next morning as I woke up, I immediately groaned at the throbbing in my skull.

Okay, Thor actually sucked.

Like, really sucked.

"Good morning." Loki's grin was condescending and annoying, the way it was more of a cheeky smirk at my pain.

"I hate your brother." I groaned as I cuddled into the blankets further.

"Don't worry, darling. I already stabbed him." Loki smiled, his hand moving to push some of the hair from my face. "You need some breakfast in you."

I frowned and pushed myself back into his pillows.

"Food sounds awful right now."

"Oh, I'm certain it does." Loki smiled softly, his hand resting on my forehead. Immediately, the ringing in my ears halted, the pain in my head reducing to a light, dull headache.

"Oh, that's nice." I whispered, nuzzling into his cold palm and earning a sweet laugh from the god.

"Good enough to eat now, Princess?"

I sighed, but nodded against his hand. Loki leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to my lips before he pulled me up to him.

"You changed my clothes again." I laughed as I looked down at the sweatpants and tank top I currently wore.

"Magic, darling." He hummed back as he pulled me up from the bed, forcing me to follow him to the commons. "I figured you'd want to be comfortable-"

"You just like dressing me."

"That too." He admitted with a chuckle, poking my nose. "You're still going to visit the child again today?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I got him a couple things for Christmas, and Fury is hopeful I might get him to relax a bit."

"Just Fury? Nothing-... nothing else is influencing your intrigue with the child?"

I raised my eyebrows as I walked alongside him, tilting my head. "What do you mean?"

Loki nearly cringed, the words coming out strangely. "I just wanted to ensure this wasn't... A Shadow situation."

I frowned, huffing as Loki brought the subject up. "No, Lo. My mind has been optimistically silent since the Shadow incident."

"Good." Loki nodded, "You'll let me know if that changes, though, right?"

"I've dealt with it myself my entire life, Loki. I think I'm alright."

Loki gave me a somewhat apologetic smile, before sighing. "I want you to be content, darling. I don't enjoy that you deal with... such strange methods of thought."

"Careful, mischief, you almost sound like you're caring." I teased, trying desperately to change the subject.

"I am." He responded shamelessly, which genuinely caught me off guard. He grabbed my arm, pulling me to face him right there, in the middle of the hall. "I do care... Far more than I'm even comfortable to admit, I do. Do not doubt that, now or ever. Understand?"

I could feel my brows furrowing, looking at Loki through blinking eyes. Nonetheless, his eyes remained firmly on me, demanding an answer, an acknowledgement.

"I understand..." I stated quietly. I simply wasn't sure where this was so suddenly coming from.

He relaxed at the acceptance, immediately releasing me as he began walking again, me in tow.

"For what it's worth, Lo... I care about you too."

"I know you do, darling; I can read your mind." He grinned cheekily once more at me, making me playfully swat his arm.

"Stop that!"

"I've tried a thousand times. Trust your thoughts aren't always ones I wish to ease drop on."

My raised brow made him giggle.

"We can discuss such matters later, love. For now, breakfast."

To say everyone was giving Thor a hard time would be an understatement. The poor guy was immediately bombarded by Tony and Loki both when he finally got up for the morning, no matter how many times he apologized or groveled to me.

Actually, he could barely even do that, thanks to Loki, who wouldn't even allow the thunder god to look in my direction without bombarding him with insults and threats.

"I will rip-"

"Stop it." I finally scolded him, smacking him on the nose with my napkin.

He looked at me with pure indignation on his every feature, but I only raised my eyebrows.

"It was an accident, I had a good night." I stated sternly, though I genuinely couldn't help the smile on my face at Loki's reaction to the playful swat.

"Of course you did, you were acting like a complete imbecile."

"Hey!" I went to hit him with the napkin, but Loki caught my hand quickly.

"Stop that at once." He muttered, glaring at me.

I was pleased anyway, his attention was momentarily focused on me rather than Thor.

"Sincerest apologies, my Prince." I teased with a grin.

Loki's hand, gripping my thigh went to pinch the inside's sensitive skin, making me yelp.

"Dickhead." I grumbled.

"Such poor language for a pretty mouth."

A quirked eyebrow was my initial response, but a glance at Thor's raised eyebrows, reminding Loki he was literally sitting beside us, earned a far better reaction from the trickster, who cleared his throat.

"Alright, I'm gone." I called out as I stood up. "I'll be home in a couple hours!" I added as I grabbed the two bags I had waiting by the elevator.

"You're sure you don't want company?"

"No thanks, Lo. Shadow will have far more use for you." I teased Loki as he followed me to the door, at the same time the wolf came bolting around the commons, his routine disturbed by the lack of Cap's morning run.

"Perhaps I'll take him on a hike."

"Isn't it a bit cold for th-" Loki's raised eyebrows made me rethink my sentence.

How I could forget about him quite literally being a giant born of snow and frost was a mystery to me, as well.

"Never-mind." I laughed a bit, feeling my cheeks turn warm as he chuckled at me.

"Right-o, darling. Be safe."