Giftless

Chapter 28

"Darling, it's getting late," Loki told you late that evening. You were half asleep in his arms after your third or fourth movie together. You'd lost track of both movies and time at some point. You mumbled something in reply that wasn't coherent to either of you and just shifted more comfortably to use him as a pillow. "Dearheart, that means you have to get up and go to bed," he told you, chuckling softly at your antics. With more cajoling, he finally got you to wake the rest of the way up.

"Loki, you were comfortable," you mumbled sleepily. He pulled you to your feet and wrapped an arm around your waist so you could lay your head on his shoulder while he steered you to your bed.

You recognized that he wasn't carrying you. And some part of your mind realized the reason and appreciated that he wanted you to feel safe with him. And a male, even a safe male, carrying you to bed after what you'd just been through might cause a traumatic reaction.

"You will be more comfortable sleeping in a bed. You are still healing and a couch is not where you should sleep," he reminded you gently. You knew he was right and you were too tired and raw to argue with him, though you wanted to. He helped you into your bed. You couldn't help stiffening when he did. For all that he was safe, he was still male and the memories were too raw and new. All Loki did was make sure you were safe in your bed and tucked the blankets around you. "You will be alright, my darling. I know it's hard now, but you will heal, and I will always be here for you. I will help you through it, whatever you need," He kissed your forehead. "I love you sweetheart, now get some sleep," he bid you warmly, gently.

"Are you staying?" you asked, more scared than you wanted to admit. You didn't want to be alone.

"I will be on the couch," he gestured to the sittingroom. He was close enough to stand guard, but not staying in your bedroom where you might not feel safe. He left your magic dagger sheath next to your pillow before he left. He also made sure to leave the door open a crack and you fell asleep listening to the sounds of the TV from the other room.

You should have known you wouldn't be safe from the nightmares that night, especially when your defenses were already obliterated from everything else that had gone on. You weren't surprised about the nightmares, not really. You were more surprised that it was the nightmare of the fire, not a nightmare about the party.

You woke coughing and sat bolt upright in your bed. There was a strange orange glow surrounding you and too much heat. Way too much heat. The air was fogged. No, not fogged, filled with smoke. you jumped out of the bed. You fell to your knees instantly, coughing from the smoke. It took a minute of sucking in the cleaner air on the floor of your room before you were able to move. You got back to your feet and stumbled a few steps toward your door.

You had to get downstairs.

Downstairs was the way out.

You vaguely heard laughter from outside as the villains celebrated as you managed to get your door open.

You stared in horror when you saw that your entire world was covered in flames.

You turned to go back in your room, to try to get out through the window, but the way was cut off there. On your knees, you made your way to the staircase. It was the only way to breathe in all of the smoke. It was a fight to breathe and you were terrified you were going to die.

That was the only thought that kept you going.

You had to get out or you would die.

You clutched onto the banister for support and ran down the stairs as fast as you could. They would give out soon if you didn't move quickly. The stairs led straight into the foyer.