Loki X Reader || Girl With The Gold Earring

28 | Bleary Eyed And Dishevelled

Y/N whiled away the remainder of Saturday sketching, and then whiled away the first few hours of Sunday sketching as well, using up three wax sticks before falling into bed. Her stomach ached with an empty feeling that she knew had nothing to do with hunger, and she woke early from a shallow sleep. She spent the rest of the day helping Arne man Frode's stall over the weekend shift. Arne appreciated the help and Y/N appreciated the distraction. Even so, while she handed vials to customers, or refilled bottles with tonics, she still found her mind wandering to Loki. She hoped that, after the announcement yesterday, he had sought the company of his brother, or mother, or anyone else that would bring him some source of comfort. But she knew him well, and predicted that he had not.

Several times, she wondered about finding a way to sneak up to his chambers and be with him. She'd have an excuse ready, should she be stopped and questioned---

'His Royal Highness requested that I work a few hours on weekends.'

'I was given silver to polish and I've finished, so I'm returning it.'

'The Young Prince summoned me to clean up a spill of wine.'

But all these statements seemed so flimsy in Y/N's head they'd probably fall to pieces if she tried to bring them into reality. Some small part of her was glad for that; she was almost scared to go up to Loki's chambers when he wasn't expecting her, just in case he had been at the wine. To see him in such a state would break her heart.

-- ❈ --

Eventually, Monday dawned, and after a quick scrub in the washrooms, a chewy breakfast of dark bread, and a quick sprint to Aasta's stall, Y/N grabbed her bucket and mop from the storeroom.

The trek seemed to take longer than usual; had Y/N not known better she would have suspected the hallways to be playing tricks on her; elongating and curling around and in on themselves just to watch her scurry down them like a ladybird over a child's hand.

The door to Loki's chambers opened as her hand reached out to take the handle.

He stood there, bleary-eyed and dishevelled. Y/N nearly wept to see him in such a way; his hair and clothing usually impeccable like well-preened feathers.

"I haven't been sleeping well," he explained before she could ask, and Y/N's shoulders loosened thankfully.

At least he hadn't been drinking. She knew spirits would have little effect on him, and yet the possibility of him forming some kind of unhealthy vice still gnawed at Y/N's brain whenever she had to leave him alone for the night---or, in this case, the weekend.

Loki must have noticed Y/N's obvious relief, because he frowned at her as she entered his chambers. "Thank you for the sympathy."

"No, I'm just glad that---" not wanting to give him any ideas, she bit that sentence off rather hurriedly, "Never mind."

Loki's curiosity would usually have prompted him to enquire further, but he didn't, he just nudged the door shut with his foot and rubbed at one eye with his bony knuckle.

Y/N's eyes roved his chambers, but found them to be more or less in order. In fact, they were more in order than usual; no dirty laundry waiting to be freshened, no balls of parchment strewn like snow, no ashes in the fire and no dirty pots from preparing a meal.

Y/N frowned. "What have you been doing for two days?"

He shrugged. "Nothing."

"Have you eaten?"