Toxic

34 | Familiar But Different

It was the night of their 36th anniversary. They looked the same as the day the met. Summer shook her head and mentally corrected herself. They looked the same as the day he invaded her home and held her hostage.

They just had a wonderful meal Loki had requested from the finest chef on their planet. A planet she still didn't know the name of.

Loki's eyes flashed when they met hers, both finished with their meals. "Shall we retire to our room for the night?" He hummed, clearly not hinting at sleep, and outstretched a hand to her.

She bit her inner cheek and grinned back at him, taking his hand.

They retreated down the long hallways of the castle, Loki blissfully oblivious at the moment to Summer's change in mood. Or rather, he was ignoring it, hoping to put her in a better mood.

He had her pinned against the bedroom door the moment it closed. He kissed her so intensely, she forgot whose air she was breathing. He needed that breath she was holding. It belonged to him and he needed it back.

She gasped as her hands trailed up his arms and over his broad shoulders. He chuckled into the kiss but he noticed she winced when she pulled away. His lips drew into a frown and he asked, "are you okay, love?"

Her arms slid off his shoulders and she cringed as a sharp pain pinched her chest. "Umm, I think so. Must be heart burn." She cleared her throat and she rubbed her chest.

"Why don't you go relax and take a bath? I'll meet you there in a minute." He suggested.

She nodded and headed towards the bathroom. The farther away she got from him, the more she hurt. He watched her with dark eyes as she cringed and winced, making fear creep into him.

Unknowingly or not, after twenty years.... She was fighting the potion.

•••

Their bath was quiet and tense, neither of them addressing the elephant in the room. Mainly because Summer didn't know Loki was aware of the elephant.

She towel dried her hair and sauntered into the bedroom where Loki already was. She sent him a gentle smile that didn't quite reach her tired eyes.

He lifted the covers, inviting her to lay with him, surprising her. She expected him to pounce on her the moment she got close enough. She sighed and though she wanted to fight it, her physical pain told her to snuggle closer to him.

He cautiously rolled over to face her and gently shifted his grip around her waist as if he were afraid she'd break. She let her eyes drift away from the ceiling and into his. "I want you to know something," he started, softly.

"Hmm?" She hummed and searched his eyes.

His tongue poked out to nervously wet his dry lips and said, "I want you to be happy. I want your life to be as beautiful as you... You know I'll give you anything you ask," -unless it was freedom. "I just want you to be happy."

"I know that." She smiled, but he saw right through it. "Thank you, Loki."

He was quiet for a moment before he asked, "Is there anything?"

"Any what?" She hummed as he gently brushed her hair away from her face.

"Anything I can give you. To make you happy."

She went silent, fear secretly torturing her guts.

"Summer...." He drawled with a sigh. "I'm going to ask you something, and I want you to be honest. I promise you I won't be upset."