For Pity

Shit hits the fan

After that day, life seemed to flow more smoothly. There was finally a routine in place which Loki could follow, and Sigyn could drag him wherever she wanted, and no one could protest. Meetings, where he would sometimes whisper a quip in her ear that would have her red faced and holding back laughter, meals, where he would occasionally throw a grape and catch in his mouth simply because of the playful glare Sigyn would throw him, and bed, where they both had to admit that their constant company whilst sleeping reduced each others nightmares almost completely. Yes Sigyn awoke from the occasional predilection, but all in all she found his company to be very soothing.

One morning, however, she awoke to find no arm draped across her waist, no warm pillow to lie on, no Loki.

She turned over, trying to spot him either sat in one of the chairs reading, or perhaps looking through the wardrobe to find something different to wear. He did occasionally take some of her clothes but she found she preferred him in them than seeing them on herself. But nothing.

"Loki?" She hoped he was still within the room and should earn some sort of reply from either deep under the covers, or some hidden corner, however when a groan came from behind the bathroom door she was somewhat surprised.

Jumping out of bed she ran to the bathroom door, before pressing her hands against it in an effort to open it, only to find it was locked.

"Loki? Are you alright?" Another groan in response. Sigyn wasn't sure if he was sick, or simply unwilling to answer and leaving his state completely ambiguous and up to her extremely overactive imagination.

She fruitlessly went to try the handle again, giggling it to the same end as the first time. Why had he locked the blasted door? In any other situation she would have tried to unlock it with a spell of sorts, however this was Loki, and she was certain that if he needed anything, it was a choice to do something, than have it forced upon him. Privacy was most definitely one of those things.

Sighing, she kneeled down in front of the door, pressing her hands against it. She found it seemed to be colder than it usually was, and yet the temperature of the room was as usual. Dismissing it she thought back to Loki who had still not given any indication that he was alright in a sense.

"Do you need a healer?" Loki, behind the door, could hear the apprehension in her voice, as well as the genuine worry that was accompanied by it. He felt his heart hammer a little faster in his chest for fear of her, but not fear she would hurt him, but that he would hurt her.

He raised his hand for his own inspection, the blue covering it completely and destroying any evidence of the spell Frigga had cast upon him when he was first brought to Asgard. Something as simple as touching another should most definitely not ruin such a powerful thing.

Bringing back his shaking hand to his chest, he felt a reply bubbling in his throat.

"I'm alright, just feeling a bit... off." He said, trying to keep his voice as even as possible.

A sigh of relief escaped Sigyn's lips, so loud that he could hear it through the thick oak separating the two. He hoped to the gods she wasn't fond of this door, due to the frost which had spread from where he had laid against it all the way to the top. He hoped that by the end of the day it would be gone, if not then there was a serious risk that everything he touched should remain completely frozen when he was in distress.

Loki had been confused when he woke up, simply because he had been holding Sigyn as usual, except even within his ice giant form, not a single cold burn had appeared on her body, not even on her arm where there had been exposed skin.

He daren't look into the mirror, for fear of those blood red eyed which would be staring right back at him. His blood red eyes, but not his in the same way.

"Do you want me to get you some food?" There was that thumping in his chest again. He brought his hand up against his ribs, as if rubbing the area would silence the heart that was beating there. He was sure that if she could hear the way he stopped breathing at her every kindness, she would be far more worried about him.

"No, I just need a moment."

"Alright," Sigyn was now leaning against the door, finding herself somewhat able to relax now that she knew Loki actually had the ability to reply, "do you want me to stay?"

Damn his thumping heard. Damn his sudden catching breath. Damn every bodily function that ceased to work simply because of her soft voice. Damn all of it to the pits of Hel.

"If you want you can go." He managed to reply, a small smile betraying the entire situation and creeping on his face.

"Then I'll stay." He could hear the smile in her voice, could picture her with her head against the door with her eyes closed. Could see the way she would be gently relaxed against it. If his mother hadn't cautioned him against this when he was young, he wouldn't be sure what was happening to him.

Yet the way he was so instantly afraid of hurting her, how he jumped out of the bed as quickly yet quietly as possible, wishing to preserve her sleep, how he replied only to make sure she didn't worry, how his heart, his chest, his head became inexplicably inutile and almost painful to use, how she made him smile and calmed him without using her empath abilities.

Shit, he was in love.