Toxic

16 | Siv

••• three months later •••

"Don't give your mommy too much trouble." Loki teased in a hushed tone, smiling down at his daughter in her mother's arms. He placed a gentle kiss to her forehead, hesitating before doing the same to Summer.

Summer appreciated the pause, knowing he was checking she was alright with it. It's been three months since they've had their baby girl, Siv. Summer still had a hesitancy with her husband, but nothing like it was before.

With a child involved, she did her best to make the best of things without getting too close to Loki. They had to raise a daughter together, after all. Though there was underlying resentment, she feared if she put up too much of a fight that her daughter would face the consequences. On top of that, she had no proof of the events that unfolded three months ago.

The little fights she did put up, to her surprise, had no large effect on Loki. It was like he was going about everything a completely different way. He either wanted to prove he could change, or it was a manipulation tactic again. This confused Summer and her feelings entirely.

This time around, Loki didn't push her too far. He wanted her to get to a point where she wanted him. It was only a matter of time before she would give into the potion completely regardless.

Loki knew exactly what he was doing and found more clever ways to give her the potion; the IV, a drop or two in her water, a couple of drops in her food, a drop here, a drop there. It made the process longer, but he remained patient. He believed even without the potion, she'd listen to him because of Siv.

Little by little everyday, Summer showed signs of the potion kicking in again. When she's sleeping, she'll cuddle against him at night. There will be little moments when her gaze lingers, admiring him. He catch her gaze, making her blush and quickly look away. He complimented and praised her often. There were even moments when he purposely let her catch him admiring her, making her all bashful.

Today was a good quiet day around their home. Night time was a time Loki looked forward to everyday so he could spend one on one time with Summer.

"I'll be back." Summer whispered so she wouldn't wake Siv.

It didn't take her very long to lay Siv down to sleep. It was only around nine at night, but Siv had the habit of waking every couple of hours or so still. Loki and Summer would relax in their bedroom, sleep an hour later, and take turns checking on Siv when she woke throughout the night.

Summer sleepily padded back into their bedroom, heading straight for the master bathroom. Her husband was already in there, brushing his teeth. They made eye contact through the mirror and couldn't help but smile.

Leaving a small amount of distance between them, she started her nightly routine as well. With a stunning marvel double sink, she did her usual things at her own sink, such as cleansing her face, brushing her teeth, and combing her hair. She was almost done with her routine when she realized Loki had been done for a little while. He just stood at his sink, admiring her through the mirror.

She set her hair bush down and shyly mumbled, "I'm gonna go change."

He gave a hum in acknowledgment, not doing anything to hide the fact he was watching her intently. There was just pure admiration in his eyes and a dopey smile on his lips.

With a blush, she scurried out of the bathroom and headed to her dresser. They had a walk in closet, but Summer avoided that at all costs. Being in a confined space, especially a closet, would set her anxiety off.

She was only slight mad at the effect he had on her. She knew it had been growing as the days, weeks, and months went on. The potion made her believe that maybe, it was okay. Maybe it was okay to give in again. Maybe they could live a normal lives together.

Later that night, Summer sighed at the sound of Siv crying for the umpteenth time that night. Loki stopped her before she could crawl out of bed. "I got her," he whispered.

She fell back against the pillows and watched as he left, but not before sending her a sleepy grin. Things had been good between them. Too good. She couldn't help but wonder when it would all get disrupted again and what that would mean for Siv, despite how good Loki was with her.

Even though Loki was kind enough to tend to Siv so his wife could sleep, she was wide awake now. She took a peek at the clock and it read 3:17 am. Unable to go back to sleep, after a few minutes, Summer got out of bed and made a beeline for the kitchen.

She opened the fridge door and cringed at the bright light that came from it. She rubbed her tired eyes before searching for a late night snack.

She felt his presence before she heard him, always as quiet as a mouse. His front was pressed against her back, his hand settled on her hip. "Can't sleep?" He asked quietly.

She was too tired to be tense as she normally got during the day. The warmth radiating off his body was far to welcoming, she had to fight leaning into it. "No," she whispered, her eyes scanning over all the items. "Can I have an apple?"

He reached past her and grabbed the best looking one for her. With an arm hooked around her waist, he guided her to take a seat at the countertop while he took a cutting board out. He effortlessly chopped the apple up, plated it, and slid the plate over to her. Then he opened a cabinet and took a container of caramel sauce out.

She couldn't help but smile at the gesture. Yes she enjoyed eating healthy, but she always preferred her apples with caramel to dip into.

She thanked him as he presented the open container to her and she didn't waste any time dipping the apple into the sweet sauce. Silently, she slid the plate to him, offering him a slice.

He took a seat next to her and took a slice, dipping it in the caramel. "She always goes down easier for you." He said, quietly, his eyes searching hers. "She always prefers her mother."

A breathy laugh escaped past her lips. "That's because of these." She said and gestured to her chest. She was still nursing Siv.

"I don't blame her." He teased with a knowing grin. He reached across her for another slice and she quickly leaned backwards.

"Relax, sweetheart. I'm not going to jump on you." He laughed at her discomfort. He knew it hurt her every time she pulled away. He knew the effects the potion made him have on her. It would be so much easier on her and him if she just gave in.

With a breath hitched in her throat, she silently stared at him. His eyes darkened as they trailed down her body and back up. He leaned in to say, "not unless you ask me to, anyway."

Her eyes drifted up to his and it was over. They met each other half way. He caught her lips in a hard kiss, nothing gentle about it as he caught her face between his hands. The potion swirled through her veins as every thought in her head exploded as a dark desire twisted inside of her, breaking off her last bit of fight and restraint.

She tried one last time to pull away. "No," he said against her lips and brought them back to his.

Just like that, she was back under his spell.

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