Cam, my first "love" and my first real heartbreak. The man who had chosen my once best friend over me. The man who stood in front of me right now, acting as though I was in the wrong for having someone with me.
I looked over his tanned skin and short, dirty blond hair. His dark brown eyes shifted from Loki to me, filled with shock and betrayal. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. It had been a year and a half since we'd last spoken. After so long forgetting rather than forgiving, I felt strangely apathetic towards Cam.
"Ebony! Who is this?" He demanded.
I fought the urge to step closer to Loki. This was my fight; I could handle him. Nonetheless, Loki stepped closer to me.
He answered before I could open my mouth. "I am Loki. And you are?"
Cam glared up at him. "I'm her boyfriend."
"Ex. Ex-boyfriend." I said through gritted teeth.
My hands folded slowly into fists. Closing the door, I flicked on the rest of the lights and turned a glare to Cam. "Can I help you?"
He came towards me. "Eb, baby, I told you we just needed some space. I told you I'd come back once I'd sorted myself out. You don't think I stopped loving you, do you? I was always going to come back to you. I made a mistake, that's all." He frowned and held his hands out in a pleading manner.
I frowned. "Sorry, I'm pretty sure I told you never to step foot in my house again. You never did give me back my key." I held a hand out. "I'll take that."
He laughed but it was hollow and almost panicked. "Come on, just hear me out. Can we talk? Without him?"
Loki huffed and folded his arms. "I won't be
leaving you with her."
I kept my hand held out. "Key. I don't want to talk."
That pleading look turned to offense and he looked between me and Loki again. I almost laughed. As if he had the right to be offended. "You're just gonna shove me over for this guy? After all we had?"
I raised a brow. Okay, so had he forgotten that I caught him in my bed with my friend? Was that just water under the bridge to him now? Screw that, I wasn't about to be walked over. "What did we have, Cam? A six month relationship and then four months of you cheating on me? Save me the apologies and excuses. Just give me my key and get out."
"Eb-"
"Out!" I shouted, grabbing for the keychain on his belt loop. He jerked away and glared at me. I clenched my jaw and slapped him. "I said give me my key and get out! Or I'll call the police! Now, Cameron!"
He rubbed his cheek, his brown eyes flashing with an all too familiar anger. "You little-"
"Don't you dare." Loki growled.
Cam paused and glanced at Loki. "Stay out of this."
Loki stepped forward, standing chest to chest with Cam. They were almost the same height but Loki was taller by a few inches. Cam tried to look unaffected but I caught his eyes scanning Loki, trying to decide if he was a threat. Slowly, almost unconcerned, Loki unclipped the key and threw it over his shoulder. I caught it and threw it on the table. Loki tilted his head. Cam reared back enough to pull his arm around for a punch. Loki ducked under it and spun, stopping behind Cam. He pulled him into his chest and wrapped one arm around Cam's neck. Cam choked and tugged at Loki's hand. I could see the sudden fear and surprise in his eyes.
Skinny and wiry though Loki was, he kept a lot of strength and power hidden inside. His arm tightened. His voice was nothing more than a low growl. "Listen to me and listen well. I have no qualms about ending your insignificant life. I would relish the feeling of your windpipe collapsing under my hands as the light fades from your eyes and your lungs scream for mercy. Do you understand me?"
"Yes." Cam replied meekly. Loki released him, throwing him to the door. Cam ran for his life, not even bothering to look back. Loki raised his eyes to mine. His breathing was ragged, frightened but his gaze met mine with coldness, his green eyes reserved and waiting for hatred, horror and fear.
There was a sudden chill in the air. I wrapped my arms around myself. "Loki?" I wanted to escape his eyes so my gaze fell on his hands. His fingers were turning a bright blue and it was spreading slowly up to his palms and wrists. "Loki...your hands."
He looked down, gasped, and hid his blue-tinted hands, turning on his heel and disappearing into the bathroom. The last I saw was his emerald eyes filled with disgust and fear. I called for him and rushed to the door but he slammed it in my face.
I set my hands against it gently. "Loki?"
"A moment, please. I-It's nothing. I apologize."
I swallowed. "Then come out. What was that?"
"I..." He sighed loudly. "I saw his face and I knew he would try to hurt you. I saw what he had done to you all of a sudden. He hurt you didn't he?" His voice was closer now, right inside the door. I rested my forehead against the cold wood. "Didn't he, Ebony."
I closed my eyes, nodding though he couldn't see me. "Yeah, once. It was my fault though, I kept nagging him and he had had a really bad day. It was only once, he never did it again."
"In what way was that your fault?" He huffed. "He hit you, he was unfaithful to you. And I could see it, he was going to hurt you again. I-I just reacted, I'm sorry."
"Okay, but I don't care about that. I'm glad you did. I was talking about your hands."
"Oh that!" He chuckled. "An Asgardian stress response, worry not. It is rather disturbing, I did not want you to see."
I frowned. "You're not Asgardian. Frost Giant sounds like a people who would be blue. Do you revert to your original-"
"Please, Ebony. Leave me be?"
"No." I shook my head. "No, I want to see you. I'm not scared, honest."
"You'll be disgusted. It's very different from what you're used to."
"Loki, this is the real you. If I can't stand to see it, then this isn't going to work, whatever we're trying to have together." He hesitated. "Please?"
There was a long moment of silence. I sighed, starting to turn away. The door opened slowly, creaking on its hinges. He backed away until he hit the sink. Cerulean hands folded shakily in front of him and he looked over my shoulder, blood red eyes refusing to meet my gaze.
I moved slowly, afraid of startling him. He looked the same as always, just blue. Shaking my head, I shrugged slightly. "What's so terrible about it?" I reached out slowly, going to take hold of his hands but he jerked away, skirting around me.
"Don't touch me!"
Immediately I held my hands up. "Whoa, okay. It's okay."
"No, no I'll hurt you."
The panic in his voice nearly broke me. Tears pricked my eyes. Odin had taken him in to prove that he was not a monster. And for all that, what had he raised but a man who feared himself? "Loki you're not a monster."
"No I mean it." He stepped away as I tried to move closer again. "Frost bite."
"Oh! Oh that changes things. Um, can you not control that?"
He shook his head. "I don't know how." It was a wretched sound, the way his voice cracked when he said it.
"Try." I stepped closer again. He closed his eyes. I brushed his cheek, keeping my touch light just in case. But his skin was just as smooth as always, slightly chilly like always. He opened his eyes and frowned. I smiled, wrapping my arms around his neck. "See? I'm fine." He swallowed and nodded. "Why are you so afraid of me seeing you like this?"
The blue was weird and his pinpoint pupils surrounded by that startling red would take some getting used to. But it wasn't so bad, really.
He looked away. "I'm a freak. A child's worst fear."
I shook my head. "Well, Asgardian kids need to man up. Will you stay like this sometimes? When we're alone? I want to know you as you are. Besides, it could be good for you."
He shifted, his arms hesitantly coming to rest around my waist. "I'm afraid I have no choice. I seem to be unable to change back at the moment." I frowned. "Stress, most likely. I will be fine by morning."
Smiling, I planted a kiss on his cheek. "Well then. To bed with you, sir. And thank you. For dealing with him."
He smiled softly. "Thank you." I started to go to my room but he called me back, shifting nervously from side to side. "Have I... Have I ruined it? Tonight?"
I shook my head. "No." We had played twenty questions during dinner and I had told him - at his request - a secret of mine. I'm afraid of being in skyscrapers. I just really hated the thought of being in a building that high with all those windows. Loki had changed the subject before I could ask him for a secret. So I smiled now. "You finally told me your secret."