Giftless

Chapter 12

You woke the next morning to find that you were using Loki's lap as a pillow. That was strange and not how you remembered falling asleep. You remembered that Loki had covered you with a blanket during on of the movies you'd watched the night before. You must've fallen asleep during it. Oops. You sat up, wrapping the blanket around your shoulders. You were fully dressed and in your living room, so clearly nothing had happened. "Good morning," he greeted you with a warm smile.

"Morning," you replied sheepishly. You were sure you were blushing all sorts of shades of red. "You could've woken me. I'm sure sleeping sitting up on the couch wasn't comfortable." You were babbling, which you tended to do when you were uncomfortable.

"Nonsense," Loki chuckled. "Besides, I was not sleeping,"

"You stayed up all night?" you demanded incredulously. That wasn't good for anyone, even a god.

He shrugged in reply. "I have mentioned before that I need less sleep than you do," he replied, his tone teasing. "I am also on twenty-four hour guard duty in case you have forgotten," he added with a smirk.

"They really don't expect you to sleep for days?" you demanded. That didn't seem logical. Even supers needed sleep. And you weren't that vulnerable while you were grounded.

He shrugged. "Perhaps I will be able to take a nap later, if you can promise to keep out of trouble after your combat training this morning," he told you with a smirk.

That got your back up. "Combat training?!" you demanded. You thought he had killed you quite enough yesterday.

"One day of training is not enough for you to be able to protect yourself," he reminded you far too logically. He was enjoying your distress. "But we will work more gently today. It will not help to wear your body down."

You didn't have an argument for that. "Also, point of fact, I am capable of keeping out of trouble," you grumbled at him. Seriously, you weren't a troublemaker. You were a teenager with no powers in a tower of superheros. There was only so much trouble you could get into.

"Sure you can, darling," he laughed as you spluttered at him, puffing up grumpily. "Your uncle is here, if you would like to have breakfast with him," he told you, changing the subject. "He was not pleased to find you sleeping on me last night, but I also reminded him that I am on twenty-four hour guard duty. He made the mistake of asking how I would guard you while you were using me as a pillow. I kindly demonstrated for him." He had his Cheshire Cat grin so you knew he was up to something.

"Oh no, what'd you do?" you asked, concerned that he might have hurt Tony. The two notoriously didn't like each other.

"I threw a dagger at him. Do not fear. He is unharmed, though I am surprised his yelling did not wake you. He did concede the point that I was capable of guarding you," he gave you his mischievous grin again, making you smile in return. At least Tony wasn't hurt. And had somehow let Loki stay in your room all night. The 24 hour guard duty had probably made Tony behave.

"I should go have breakfast with him," you told Loki, who nodded and stood. You had to reassure Tony that you were alive and well. Loki offered you a hand and helped you to your feet. You stretched, desperately needing it from sleeping on the couch all night and then took Loki's hand so you could walk down to breakfast together. You took your plate from Helene and sat down with Tony.

"Morning," you greeted your sleepy uncle.

"Morning," he grumbled. "Where's your guard?" he growled. You gestured to the doorway where Loki was entering with his breakfast. He sat at a nearby table, not disturbing you. "I better not find out he's shirking," he growled, intent on hating Loki.