Unfettered (Loki x Reader)

Chapter 10 - An Evening Visit

"No, my lady. I myself could not hear you. But there is one in Asgard who can. He relayed the message to me. I came as soon as my duties would allow."

"Oh boy," you slap your forehead, collapsing into the chair near your dresser. "I probably sounded like an idiot then. Because I called out to you."

Thor casts you a warm smile as he grabs a throw blanket from the bed and comes close, kneeling at  your feet as he wraps the blanket around your shoulders - left almost bare in only a tank top that matches your sleep shorts. 

"Do not let this worry you, my lady," he says. "You can call to me anytime. The message will find me, and I will come."

"Yeah, sure," you scoff.

"I do not jest," Thor says, reaching up and gently tucking a strand of stray hair behind your ear. "From what I am told, you have shown great kindness to my brother. A kindness that even I myself have failed to give as of late. I am grateful. And I am yours to command, should I be of any assistance."

"Oh," you exhale, overwhelmed by the sincerity in his gaze. And as his blue eyes stare into yours, a warm sensation flows from your chest through your fingertips. 

For the first time in a very, very long time, you reach for a hug.

A hug.

Thor, as usual, doesn't hesitate. He spreads his arms wide and accepts you into his chest. You breathe in his thick, warm scent and nuzzle further into his embrace. Your mind screams as your arms touch and your forehead rests against the column of his neck. But you ignore that skull-crawling instinct to link with him, and instead just enjoy the feeling of another body for the first time in years.

"Thank you," you whisper as tears threaten the corners of your eyes. 

"Are you alright, Lady Y/n?" Thor asks, bewildered as he holds you tightly on the floor of your quarters.

Suddenly embarassed, you pull away from Thor and stand from your chair. "Yeah, I...I'm sorry. I just don't usually...there aren't many people who...ugh," you sigh, struggling to articulate your own emotions as you move to the window, and glance out across the city lights below. 

Without regular Bleedings, you often struggle to handle your own emotional responses. They are vibrant and loud, and often manifest disproportionate to the situation. Just a few days ago you had shouted at Bruce for eating the last of the chocolates in the pantry. And the day before that, you had cried for almost an hour at the ASPCA commercial on the television. Without Bleeding, for the first time in years you're having to process your own emotions. Not outsource them.

Saying it's been a difficult adjustment would be an understatement. 

And that tearful hug you had just sought? Certainly an overreaction. An over-manifestation of the gratitude you feel at Thor's willingness to just treat you like a normal person. 

"My lady?" he questions once more, interrupting your rationalizations. "Have I upset you?"

"No," you say quickly, glancing up at Thor's reflection in the window pane and finding his eyes. "No, I'm fine, I just...I'm a little overwhelmed, I guess. I'm not used to having someone to trust."

"Why not?" Thor asks, genuinely curious.

Those tears you had fought back re-emerge, stronger this time. "Um," you say, lip trembling. "I just...wasn't lucky. I didn't have a lot of good people around as a kid. HYDRA didn't help," you say voice breaking as a single tear falls down your cheek. 

Thor's face darkens as his expression turns grim. "Beyond your powers, I was told very little of your life," he says. "If you wish to share, I am here to listen."