For Better or For Worse (Loki x Reader)

Chapter Nine

Hope you enjoy this new chapter, and as always, requests are welcome!

Sighing loudly, I pulled the girth tighter around Mischief's middle, making sure it was good and tight so I didn't fall off in the middle of our ride. It had been a week since I had gotten sick, and this was first day I had been well enough to get outside. I was going to take full advantage of it. It also gave me some alone time to think about what had transpired over the past few days.

Every day that I was sick, Loki came and spent time in my room. We normally spent the time reading, but occasionally he demonstrated some magic for me when I got restless. The medicine I was forced to take kept me pretty sleepy, but that didn't keep me from becoming restless. Now that I was cleared to go outside, there was nothing that could stop me from doing just that.

"So," Thor said from beside me as he tightened the chin strap on his horse's bridle. "Why did you ask me to come with you again?" he asked, glancing over at me. I looked over at the blonde prince before sighing and pulled the stirrups down from the saddle.

"I'm still not allowed of the grounds without someone else with me," I told him, leading Mischief over to the fence.

"What about Loki?" he asked, sounding genuinely curious. I froze in my actions of stepping up on the fence but quickly recovered. "Don't you normally go with him?"

"Yes," I said shortly, planting my foot in the stirrup before swinging my leg over the saddle. "But, well-I-" I wasn't sure how to explain to my husband's brother that I needed time away from the dark haired prince. I was confused by the emotions I was feeling and needed some alone time to think. I wanted to be out in nature, just riding Mischief through the woods, but I wasn't allowed to do such things by myself.

"It's okay, (Y/N). I won't press," Thor said, mounting his massive white stallion. The horse, named Spade, was even larger than Mischief. It suited Thor. I nodded my thanks and nudged Mischief forward. I was quick to steer my horse toward the woods, taking him down the ragged trail Loki and I usually took on our rides. It was familiar, and I didn't have to do much work. Mischief knew the way by now.

Sighing, I leaned back in the saddle and laid down, my hands behind my head. I stared up at the canopy above me, watching the birds flutter from tree to tree, and the fluffy white clouds move slowly across the blue sky. I sighed, lifting my hand, imagining that I could touch the clouds. I wished to climb the trees lining the path, swim in the deep rivers, scale a mountain like I had done back home. I sighed again and let my hand drop to rest on my stomach.

"You should ask Loki to bring you out here more often," Thor said gently. "He likes it out here more than he lets on," he said, glancing over at me. I hummed in response, letting him know I was listening. "You know," he begins. I look over at him, waiting for him to continue. "I've really seen a difference in Loki since you've come to Asgard," he admitted. "I never thought I'd see Loki happy again." I blushed and looked up at the sky.

"Thor?" I said after a minute.

"What is it, (Y/N)?" he asked kindly, letting me know I had his undivided attention.

"What changed?" I asked, letting my arms fall from the behind my head as Mischief walked along slowly. "With Loki I mean," I explained. "Why is he so cold?" I asked. Thor smiled a little bit at that before a frown took over his features, and he shook his head ruefully.

"You understand that he was adopted right?" he asked. I narrowed my eyes and sat up in my saddle.

"I've never heard about that," I admitted, fully intrigued now. The blonde prince sighed and ran a hand through his hair.