Winter's Hearts

Chapter 12

"Come on, Kyrie," Thor told you impatiently.

"Take care of my Valkyrie, brother," Loki threatened again.

"Your lady is safe in my care," Thor replied, yet again.

"Would one of you two boys remember that I'm the bodyguard here?" you growled and stomped past both of them to the elevator.

*

You were limping, using Thor as a crutch when you stepped off of the elevator onto the main floor of the tower after the battle. You were all worse for the wear. Everyone was injured and you actually got off pretty lightly. Thor was the least injured, only because you'd healed him during the battle, perks of your duty being honor bound to his family. He got first dibs on healing after Loki.

Loki was in the living room, reading while pretending he wasn't waiting anxiously for the team to return. He looked up from his book and rushed over when he saw you. You pushed off of Thor to stand on your own. "Kyrie!" his voice was pained as he looked over your injuries, but quickly turned to anger when he glared at Thor. "You. You witless oaf. You were supposed to protect her," he had a dagger in his hand, at Thor's throat.

You sighed in exasperation and quickly disarmed Loki, taking his dagger and vanishing it. He glared and summoned another one. You took that one too. "Darling, I can do this all day. It's not Thor's fault. Everyone got injured on that attack. Now, will you kindly help me heal them and stop trying to kill your idiot brother? Sorry, Thunderhead," you added quickly.

He shrugged. "I'll accept it. This time. You were injured keeping that thing from smashing my head in," you sighed and took yet another dagger from Loki.

"Stop upsetting your brother," you scolded Thor. You took Loki's hand. "Stop trying to kill Thor. Help me heal our teammates," you reminded the stubborn god. Neither of you had strong enough healing on your own to deal with more than a cut or scrape, but together...

"Very well. Then you are letting me tend to you," he told you firmly. You nodded and you turned to the team.

"Hold still," you told them. They looked wary, but you saw Thor nod his approval. With skill gained of long practice, you and Loki combined your power and spread your healing throughout the team. Cuts resealed themselves, bruises faded, broken bones repaired, Cap's cracked rib repaired itself, the bullet wound Clint had taken healed, Tony's concussion was gone.

It only took a couple minute before they were all healed. You dropped Loki's hand, breaking the connection between your magics. "I didn't know you could do that," Nat said in awe. You used magic to change into your pajamas, wanting to be comfortable before Loki fixed you up.

"I can't, not alone," you told her and started to explain how you could only manage minor healing on your own. You shrieked an instant later when you found yourself folded over Loki's shoulder. "Loki!" you protested.

"You were stalling," he told you unapologetically. "Where are the medical supplies?" he asked the team pleasantly, formally. He was reserved around them, though perfectly open and friendly toward you, and sometimes Thor. When he wasn't actively trying to stab Thor.

"Lohk, you know I'll heal by morning," you grumbled, embarrassed at your current predicament.

"Hush, darling. You promised," he told you gently.

"That is the only reason I'm not stabbing you," you grumbled.

"I'll get the first aid kit," Nat told Loki. He inclined his head and thanked her. He carried you over to your couch and set you down gently. Nat handed him the first aid kit a moment later.

"Thank you, Lady Natasha," he repeated as he opened it. You sat still and let him close the cut on your head with a butterfly bandage. It would heal quickly. Probably before morning. He knelt in front of you and propped your injured ankle up on his knee. He probed it with magic. "Thank the heavens it's just bruised," he told you. His hand shimmered to Jotun, though he hid it from the others. You moaned in relief when he placed his blue hand on your swollen ankle. He smirked up at you and you saw the wicked comment on the tip of his silver tongue.

"Not one word, Trickster," you warned him. His smirk turned into a grin, but he silently returned to the task of bandaging your ankle.

"Is that everything?" he asked politely. He could use magic to find out.

"There's just another bruise," you answered, honestly. He would spot a lie. He gave you a look. He wasn't going to leave it alone until you showed him. You sighed and lifted your shirt so he could see the giant ugly purple bruise on your ribs. "It's just a bruise," you insisted. He placed his cold hand against said bruise. You winced, but the glimmer of his magic eased the pain for a moment.

"That, my darling, is a cracked rib, not a bruise," he told you dryly.

"Is it?" you asked too innocently. He glared. He didn't like it at all when you downplayed your injuries. He never had. "It'll heal by morning," you reminded him firmly before he could worry too much.

"My duty is to care for you," he reminded you just as firmly, though he softened it by kissing your forehead.

"Y/N, are you going to be able to go to the press conference tomorrow?" Cap asked. He saw how injured you were now, especially since you were just now pulling your shirt back down over the bruise.

"I will. I heal fast. I'll be fine by morning," you told him just as firmly as you told Loki. You turned to Loki. "Don't worry, Lohk, I won't make you face the mortals alone,"

"That is the least of my worries," Loki told you as he dug through the first aid kit.

"Are you looking for these?" Nat asked as she came over, holding a bottle marked in runes as well as English. "These are the only pain meds we've found so far that work on Thor," she explained.

"That is exactly what I was looking for," Loki replied with a warm smile for Nat. It was rare to see him be so warm and open to relative strangers.

"No way. Those things knock me out," you protested to them both. You'd had to take them after a nasty wound shortly after you'd joined the team and didn't want to repeat the experience. "It doesn't hurt that bad," you insisted. Loki gave you a look and touched your side. You winced and hissed automatically at the pain. He wordlessly read the runes on the bottle and passed you two of the pills and a glass of water. You hesitated, hating being knocked out by anything, especially drugs. It was hard to give up control like that. Especially when the pain wasn't that bad. Especially when the team, though they were opening up, were still mostly relative strangers.

Loki moved closer to you on the couch, tucked your hair back behind your ear. "Trust in your prince, little Valkyrie. You are in my care," his lips were against your ear as he whispered the words.

"Fine," you said softly, tired of arguing, just... tired. The battle had been long and you were injured and in pain, so you took the stupid meds that would drive the pain away. The meds kicked in before you finished sipping on the glass of water. Loki managed to take it from you before you dropped it. The pain had vanished, but so did your ability to brain or function. Your eyes were too heavy. "Loki," you mewed softly. You hated being like this in front of the others, but it was so very hard to stay awake.

"I know, darling, I know. I'm here, you're safe," his voice was warm and gentle. He stood and lifted you off of the couch into his arms. You managed to wrap your arms around his neck while you laid your head on his shoulder. You made a small soft noise, a whimper. You were both vulnerable if you were out of comission. You couldn't- couldn't leave him undefended. "Hush, love. Everything is alright. We're safe. Your duty is done. Time to rest in the nice shielded bedroom,"

He tucked you carefully into the soft bed and kissed your forehead. You had lost the time between him picking you up and arriving at the bed. Had he walked, or teleported? You couldn't be sure. "Rest, my little Valkyrie. I will be here when you wake,"