Winter's Hearts

Chapter 18

He had nightmares all night. You soothed them away, petting his hair, rubbing his back, using magic here and there to scare the nightmares away. You could go without sleep, for days if needed and had done so frequently during the trials. You stroked his hair and sang him old lullabies from home, soothed away his fears and the old memories.

You wished you could go back in time and kill that bitch yourself.

The sun was just rising when he woke properly. "Kyrie?" he asked softly, confused, scared, bruised.

"I'm here," you told him and kissed his forehead. "You're safe," you added. He still looked so soft and innocent and bruised. You ran your fingers again through his hair.

"I... she..."

"I know, darling. She is very, very dead and can't hurt you anymore," you reminded him. "Your Lady Mother wished to keep those memories from you for a reason," you added equally softly, wondering if she had been right, though you knew she hadn't. He deserved to know.

"She was wrong," he growled. You kissed his forehead again and smiled. That sounded more like your Loki.

"Come on, love, you'll feel better when you've eaten something," you told him gently and started to climb out of bed. He growled and his arms wrapped around you, holding you to him tightly. You sighed and rolled your eyes. "Loki~"

"You stayed up all night, didn't you?" he asked, finally seeming to remember how many times he woke during the night. "You were singing..."

"I tried to scare the nightmares away," you told him, knowing you weren't as successful as you'd liked. The memories had been too strong. "Come on, love, at least let's go get a cup of tea." He growled softly again. You sighed exasperated. "Or I can go get something for you if you're not up to leaving..." he was still so bruised, but you knew he'd feel steadier getting out of the room for a little while, eating something, stabbing Thor if that's what it took.

It took some cajoling, but you finally got him up out of the bed and down to your couch in the living room. You tucked a blanket around him and handed him a cup of tea. You kissed his forehead again and went to go make breakfast for you both. Thor came in at some point and greeted Loki. You didn't pay them much mind, focused on keeping the eggs from burning.

You took Loki's plate in to him and started to head back to the kitchen to get yours, but stopped short in surprise at Thor standing directly behind you. "Odin's beard! You should know better than to sneak up on me Thunderhead." He grabbed both of your wrists in one hand and backed you toward the nearest wall. "Thor? What are you doing?" you demanded, scared of the hatred and anger in his eyes. He slammed your wrists into the wall above your head, holding you off balance on your tip toes. "Thor!" you protested.

"What did you do to him?" he snarled, gesturing at Loki, who was scrambling off the couch, horrified, to come to your rescue.

"I didn't do anything!" You protested, trying to break his grip on your wrists. His grip just tightened. You hitched up a leg to kick him. "Let me go, Thor," you warned.

"Why is he like this?" Thor demanded instead and pulled you from the wall to slam you against it, jarring you from kicking him.

"He had nightmares all night, from painful old memories, if you must know. Now let me go," you snarled a final warning before you hurt him.

"What did you do?" he growled, lifting your wrists even higher, keeping you off your feet. You were eye to eye with him now. He was also pointedly ignoring Loki's dagger at his throat and Loki's threats. Also the dagger sticking out of his side.