Desolated - book 3 •StrangeFrost•

A world where roses bloom

•Loki's POV•
"Loki? Loki please wake up please!"
I heard a familiar voice, though it sounded broken and cracked as the voice sounded like they were crying.
"Th-Thor?" I weakly mumbled. My voice was barely audible. Everything was still a blur and my ears were still ringing.

"No no no, Loki it's me! It's Stephen!"

My eyes were starting to focus, as the image of him in front of me started to get less blurred.

I probably would have freaked out if it weren't for the searing pain in the side of my head.
"Stephen?" I said weakly.

Stephen pulled my body close to his, feeling him start to sob into my shoulder.
"I'm sorry Loki! I'm sorry for forcing you to give him the stone! It's all my fault and I wish it didn't have to be this way but it was the only way!"

Everything around me became clear.
There was a bomb going off on my head.
"You-" I mumbled. "You don't think it was my fault?"

Stephen pulled away and held my head so I was looking at him.
"What? No! Are you kidding me? I was the one who made you give Thanos that stone! Don't you remember?"

I weakly coughed, looking away from strange and back at the battle around me.
The ground was coated in deep blue and purple blood, with droplets and puddles of red sprinkled everywhere.
I saw another warrior run towards us, but it was killed by and invisible barrier that was around me and Stephen. It glowed orange when the warriors hit it, and looked like it had burned its entire chest.
I looked back at Stephen. "Yeah, yeah I remember."

His eyes were glossy and I saw a teardrop escape from his eye.
All I wanted to do was make him feel better.
I cast an illusion around us that made bright green butterflies appear.

Stephen looked around, lightly smiled, then pulled my head close to his and our lips joined together.
I closed my eyes and weakly accepted it, my head starting to drift as a shiver shot down my spine.
I felt a wave of emotions hit me, like nothing I had ever felt before.
It was stronger than ever, a mix of tragedy, anger, and happiness all rolled into one.
Like I had been numb for years and now Stephen was the one to bring it all back.

But most of all, I just felt tired. Physically and mentally. I was tired of hating myself, tired of wanting so badly to just go home, even though I didn't know what home was.
Tired of feeling so low, and just demolishing all my feelings with alcohol and cigarettes.
Tired of being lost.

I felt Stephen pull away.

•Stephen's POV•
Loki went limp in my arms. I put my fingers to his neck to check his pulse, knowing fully well that the hit he had taken could have killed him.
He was alive, thank god.
I moved him so I was princess-carrying him, one arm supporting his legs, the other supporting his back and shoulder, and I lightly pressed my lips against his forehead.

Loki looked so different than before I got dusted. He was clearly thinner, his skin was a sickly pale color, his eye was for some reason now orange, his hands were bruised and scarred, especially his fingers and fingernails, and overall he just looked...worse.
I felt so bad for him. Whatever he went through over these past five years must've been rough.

"Doctor!" I heard Thor, who had started to run towards us. I took down the barrier around us, and stood up.
"Is my brother alive?"

I looked down at loki. He had a large cut in the side of his face, and blood had been dripping down it. It looked bad, but the bleeding had stopped.
"Loki's alright."