Season of the Wolf

February

"I've added a ramp onto the outside so you'll be able to wheel yourself in, and a lift that can take you upstairs, of course if you're not comfortable with that, I can just carry..."

"Thor stop, it's fine,really," Loki said while trying to repress a laugh at his friend's rambling,"you've done more than enough to ensure my comfort, for which I'm very grateful."

"You know I'd do anything for you,Lo."

That statement held a deeper truth than Thor wanted to admit. For years he and Loki had been best friends, spending every day together up until the latter had moved away his sophomore year of high school. Even then, they kept in close contact through phone calls, text messages and video chats.

He was the first one called when the accident happened.

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

It was another slow day at the Sherrif's office when Thor's phone rang. What he heard on the other line made him drop it and run out of the office so fast that he nearly bowled the deputy over in the process.

An accident, caused by some kind of animal they said, that made the car Loki and his mom were in careen off of a cliff.

She was killed instantly, and Loki...his poor Loki...was in a coma.

Needless to say that was the fastest eight hour drive Thor had ever made in his life. He was willing to flash his badge to get into his friend's room if necessary, but luckily they had him listed as the emergency contact so he was able to pass through.

Seeing all those tubes and wires chilled him to his very core.

Thor had long ago come to terms with the fact that he was in love with his best friend, and while he'd yet to confess those feelings, he'd always assumed he'd have time to get it done.

The sight before him showed just how much time he almost didn't have.

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

For three days he sat by Loki's bedside, waiting for him to wake up. Thor prayed to any God that would listen for his love to be okay, and vowed that he would finally tell the other man how he felt if he would just wake up. Finally, on the morning of the fourth day, the blonde felt something squeezing his hand, and looked up to see a familiar pair of emerald eyes staring back at him.

It was an absolute miracle, one that Thor vowed to never let go of ever again.

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

Of course, the road to recovery wasn't going to be easy. In addition to the grief of losing his mother, Loki discovered that the accident had left him unable to walk, with no clear possibility of improving.

So after he was finally released from the hospital, Thor invited him to live at his house so he wouldn't be alone.

The fact that it would allow the older man to be closer to the object of his affections was completely irrelevant.

"Welp, here we are!"

"My my, the house looks a lot different than when we were kids."

"I did a lot of renovations after my father gave it to me."

"It definitely looks better than it used to," Loki said as wheeled himself up the ramp," where is your old man at these days?"

"Florida. He and mother decided to spend their retirement annoying my sister."

Remembering how moody and arrogant Thor's older sister Hela was as a teenager, Loki couldn't help but let out a laugh at the thought of Óðin constantly bugging her.

He took himself into the living room, and gasped at the sight of a large vase filled with his mother's favorite flowers.

"Thor, are those lilies?"

"Yes, freshly grown and picked.....from Mrs. Goldblum's garden that is..."

"Stealing flowers? Why Sheriff Óðinsson, that's positively criminal."

"I'll be a lawman again tomorrow, but for tonight,I'm just plain old Thor," he said as he got down on one knee and grasped Loki gently on the neck,"someone who cares about you and wants you to be happy."

"I'm not sure I'm able to feel too much happiness at the moment, but....being back here....with you.....I've not felt this content since the accident."

"That's more than I can hope for. Now come, it's been years since we've had a proper movie night and I want to show my newest film collection."

Thor stood up so he could lean down and pick Loki up out of the chair. As he trotted up the stairs, the younger man sighed contentedly.

Maybe the oaf would finally get over himself and ask him on a date this time.

Maybe.

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

On the other side of town, Stella Ransome was awoken from a deep sleep by a scratching noise on the window. She slowly got out of bed and walked over to see what was causing it, to find it was only a tree branch rapping against the glass.

Relieved, she started to head back towards the bed....

Only to let out a scream as a monstrous wolf crashed through the door and pounced....silencing her forever.