Twisted [Degenerate Series, Book 1][Blackfrost] ✔️

Chapter 21

The days that slipped by after that passed in an uneventful blur.

Loki and I frequently took walks, at least one a day, but they were always quiet and boring. Though I knew they helped to strengthen any bond or relationship between us.

I knew I spent more time with him than I did with anyone else these days.

Still, despite that, Loki refused to tell me anything. I understood this, now. I tried not to bring up anything about the deadline that was less than three weeks away, or what was at risk. My job, our relationship, Loki's safety. I knew that Fury would transfer Loki to someone who would likely try to torture the information about of him, which I was very much not happy with.

But, as soon as I realized that there were only twenty days until Christmas, I knew I had to at least come up with a plan, bring up what was at risk. Do something.

"Loki," I said. We were talking a short walk around the block, down the street from my house. My hands were jammed in my pockets. It was freezing outside.

He glanced at me and raised an eyebrow.

"There are less than three weeks until Christmas. And...if you're not going to tell me what happened to you, I'm going to have to lie because I just...can't live with myself if Fury transferred you to someone else. I don't know what they would do to you, but I know they wouldn't show any mercy for someone like...like you."

I saw Loki's eyes flare when I mentioned the deadline. He scoffed when I finished and said, "I'm sure you would be fine without me. And vise versa." That made me flinch.

I wasn't sure what to say. "Yes...but I wouldn't be fine if I thought I could stop something bad from happening." It was true. I could live without Loki. Despite how much time I spent with him, I knew what he did in the past. I knew he was a murderer, a liar, and I had lived quite happily without him before. Still. If could prevent whatever tortures Fury would assemble, why would I not try?

"Oh, how kind." Loki said sarcastically. I rolled my eyes. I hated when he was being sarcastic, because it was sometimes so hard to tell if he was actually joking or not.

"Yes, well, I've got red in my ledger. I'd like to wipe it out." He glanced at me, clearly recognizing my words. I had said it the first time we talked, back when he had first arrived on Earth. Though it had backfired on me in turn because at the time, he was turning all of my words against me in an attempt to get under my skin. So much had changed in the time between then and now. "What better way to do that then help someone? Even if that someone is you..."

He chuckled and began to speak softly, "I see where you're coming from. But...I don't want you to lie for me." I glanced at him in surprise. For the god of lies and mischeif, I thought he would be inclined toward doing my plan. "You said it yourself. Since I arrived in your life, everything has been going downhill for you." I blinked sadly, remembering my words. I didn't really think he would take them to heart.

"So...what do you think we should do?" If my plan wasn't good enough...what did he have in mind?

Loki stopped walking and I did, too. I faced him as a nervous smile grew on his face. "I think I should suck it up and tell you what happened to me."

And so, twenty minutes later, we were walking into Loki's bedroom. I watched as he walked over to the closet and pulled out a simple gray t-shirt. He began taking off his other shirt and I straightened up and blushed. "W-what are you doing?"

"Changing." He turned toward me and smirked at my expression. He indicated the discarded shirt. "I quite like that shirt, and I wouldn't want to ruin it." I was staring at his bare, sculpted chest with my lips parted slightly. I felt warmth creep up with neck and into my cheeks. I met his gaze as evenly as I could while he pulled on the t-shirt. He then went into the bathroom and soaked a few towels with water.