Kiss Me Better

17

You'd gone back to your room and locked the door behind you, unsure of what had just happened. You grabbed a change of clothes and headed to your shower, blasting music as loud as you could stand it to drown out your cries. Everything you'd been through, the good times and laughs you shared, meant everything to you. Once you were all cried out, you curled up on your bed and tried not to think on your shattered hope for a friendlier relationship with Bucky, or on how much you already missed his child version.

"Miss Y/N?" FRIDAY sounded in your room. "Sergeant Barnes has caused extensive damage to the men's locker room."

"What?" you sniffled. "Is he ok?"

"Yes, Miss. He's in his room now. Shall I call a repair company?"

"No. Shut off the water supply to the room, I'll hang a sign and get it fixed." You reached for a sheet of paper and some markers, writing 'OUT OF ORDER', and made your way to the gym to place the sign on the door.

You tried calling Loki, but he wouldn't pick up. Giving up, you sent him a text asking him to get his ass to the tower ASAP. Though if he really was in Asgard, there was no way of knowing when, or even if, he'd get the message.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

For the next three days, you and Bucky did all you could to avoid each other. The few times you crossed paths, Bucky wore his usual scowl while you did your best to prevent eye contact. It was aggravating how you two managed to find yourselves in each other's presence considering the size of the tower, but the encounters were brief. The team was due back in a few days, but it seemed like a lifetime with the tension hanging in the air.

"Hello, love." Loki looked around curiously. "Where's your Sergeant Barnes?"

You gave him a sardonic smile. "How the hell should I know?"

"Darling, what happened?" He teleported you both to your room and led you to your bed. You told him everything: how he would hardly speak to you, how his attitude changed, when you woke up alone, and your exchange in the training room. "Just when I thought there couldn't be anyone more stupid than Thor in existence..." he grumbled.

"What was the purpose of this? What did you think was going to happen?" You hated that you had to ask. "And tell me the truth."

"I did tell you the truth." Though he prided himself in being the god of lies, he was mildly hurt at the insinuation. "It was merely meant to ensure you spend time together; for him to get to know you."

"What else? How did it affect him?" you asked. "How much of him was in there?"

Loki cocked his head in concentration for a moment. "It should only have been physical. Whatever limitations he had, were due to the undeveloped state of his body."

"He couldn't speak properly! He could barely read!" You stood and began to pace. "I think something went wrong."

"Do most children at that age?"

"No."

"Then he shouldn't have, either," he dismissed. "He would have known he should have been able to, but the words wouldn't have made sense to his minuscule brain."

"Oh god. No wonder he's furious..." You began to tear up again, and Loki pulled you in for a hug. "How much will he remember?"

"Everything."

"He's never going to forgive us," you sniffled.

"He will," he assured, remembering the revelation during his last visit. "I'll speak to the oaf and-"

"No, you didn't see him. Please, don't do anything else. Just leave him alone," you begged.

He could see the heartache in your eyes, and the beginnings of guilt began to form in his chest. "Perhaps I should have changed you instead," he whispered somberly. "I bet you would have turned that fool's hair grey." You laughed softly, but he could tell it was forced. "Did something else happen?"

"Yeah, actually. I need you to fix a wall in the gym and the locker room." You began to pick at your nails, "Bucky went kinda crazy in there after we spoke and made a mess."

Loki raised a brow at you. "Why didn't you call someone in? It's not like Stark can't afford it."

"Because then everyone will find out he did it."

"You'd still protect him?" Loki was aghast. "After the way he's treated you?"

"I'm protecting you, too. Don't forget you're the dumbass that cursed him in the first place," you scolded. "You should probably clear FRIDAY of all traces of what's happened while you're at it."

He rolled his eyes, "Fine, I'll clean up the beast's mess. Though I do wonder if this would have become habit had everything worked out."