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Much to Summer's surprise, once Loki set her down, he left to the master bathroom, not saying a single word. Seconds later, he came back out with a first aid kit and a wet washcloth. He sat on the bed by her trembling legs and placed the items he brought beside him. He reached in the kit and pulled out bandaids, gauze, and tweezers.
She honestly forgot she had cuts on her legs, teetering between shock and exhaustion. With gentle hands, he grabbed hold of her ankle, making her jump and recoil at his touch.
In that moment she remembered about the "punishment." Could this be it? Would he stab the tweezers into her leg? Would he make this as painful as possible?
"Please don't." She rasped so quietly, she barely heard the plea herself.
He slowed his movements and frowned, then straightened her leg and placed it in his lap. She just sat there, shaking like a leaf, and watched him with wide eyes. She winced when he took the warm washcloth to lightly wipe away the blood. It didn't hurt too bad, but she knew the next part would.
After a few minutes, satisfied with his work, he picked up the tweezers. Pieces of twigs dug into some of her cuts. Thankfully, not too many, but the few she had were quite big. She grabbed the pillow beside her to hug it to her chest and hide her face in it. She was queasy when it came to these things.
Loki's sunk at the sight. He didn't want to hurt her, but he knew it was for the best and it would help her in the end.... just like everything else he's done for her.
He counted three twigs and decided to start with the smallest one to see how she'd react. One hand, he placed on her knee to keep her still, and with the other he got to work. As gentle as he could, he took hold of the twig and tugged on it. He heard her let out a cry, but he kept going.
Yes, it hurt, but the emotional trauma on top of the physical pain made it all a lot worse. The blood. It matched the same blood as Ally's when he slit her throat. So much blood.
One after the other, he managed to get them all out. He apologized to her every time she winced and placed a kiss to her leg with each twig he removed. The last one was the worst, and it was all just so overwhelming to her, she couldn't help but cry. Finally, he removed it and hurriedly gathered her into his arms, wishing he could just take the pain away from her, unaware she was mainly crying because of him.
"Hush, darling. It's all over now. I'm so sorry, please don't do this again." He pleaded as if it were her fault.
She shoved him away and scooted backwards to get away from him. Her stomach twisted into painful knots, bile rose in her throat.
He reached out to touch her, frowning when she flinched away. "Every time I touch you, there's a moment where you look like it will hurt." He whispered, his eyebrows furrowed. "Don't look at me like that.... like you're afraid of me."
Her bloodshot eyes met his, her jaw tightly clenched. "Why wouldn't I be?"
He looked taken back at her bold words, confused and hurt by them. "After everything I've done for you? To prove my love for you?"
"After everything you've done for me?" She repeated with a sneer. "You killed my friend! The only person that's been there for me! And my dog! And I'm sure other innocent people! A-And now my animals are probably dead because you haven't let me out! You kidnapped me, invaded my home, kiss me-"
"I DID IT FOR YOU!" He roared, and immediately her hands covered her face to protect herself. "Has that not proved my love for you!? That I'd kill for you- to protect and provide for you! All you need in this world is me! And you dare call my affection for you assault!?"
Though a frightening chill shot down her spine at his rage, she fought back this time. "I don't want that! I want my home back! I want my life back! To choose the one I love! I want my freedom-"
"You don't need freedom if I give you everything you need." He scoffed and stood from the bed to angrily pace around the room.
"Why me!?" She screamed, hoarsely, surprising herself with her sudden burst of courage. "What do you want from me!?"
He halted in his steps and just stared at her. His gaze was sharp, but quickly softened the longer he looked at her. Finally, he confessed, "I just want you to love me the way I love you."
"I'll never love you." She whispered, harshly. "How could someone ever love a monster like you?"
He took a step towards the bed and she couldn't help but feel she was in a cat and mouse situation. He toyed with emotions, switching back and forth from scary to sweet, giving her a false sense of safety before he pounced. "You could learn. Isn't that what people do?" He questioned, softly. "Learn to love each other? Could you not learn to love me? You- you who has so much love for the world, and everything in it?"
She turned her gaze away, jaw tightly clenched in attempts to stop anymore tears. He's insane.
"I would never hurt you or be unkind to you." He persisted, suddenly in front of her. He cupped her face as his fingers stroked her jaw. "I would never."
"Holding people hostage in their own home is unkind."
His grip tightened. "Making people fall in love you and refusing to love them back is unkind." She sucked in a sharp breath, trapped in his harsh hold. He inspected her, eyes trailing all over her face, before he decided to let her go. "Kings and gods have bowed down to me.... what makes you think you can refuse for long?"
She turned her face away from him and spat, "you're a monster."
"How dare you keep speaking to me like that. Wash your mouth out with soap. Now."
And that's exactly what he made her do. It was humiliating being treated as such, but she couldn't fight him. She'd never win. Afterwards, he instructed her to get ready for bed. Of course, in her barely there nightgown.
"For what it's worth," Loki began as he slipped back inside the room. "You look radiant." He told her, handing her a single rose.
Her eyes casted down, not knowing how to respond.
"I hope that you will be happy with me."
"Happy," She murmured in a hushed but harsh voice. "You hope for me to be happy."
"Sincerely, yes," he spoke, prowling toward her as she backed away. "You'll be mine and I'll be yours forever."
"I'll never be yours." She spat.
He sighed and again took a step forward, and instinctively, she took a step back. "Come, lets go to bed. It's been a long day."
Oh, no. Sharing a bed is where she drew the line. "I'd rather die." She hissed.
"Would you really?" A clear warning in his tone. Her words hurt him, he was surprised she was that appalled by him. "Please, I'd rather not argue or have to punish you two times in one day. All I'd like to do tonight is sleep."
"That'd be awfully difficult to do while I'm kicking and hitting you." She seethed, and moved further away. "Because that's exactly what I'll do if you come anywhere near me."
His eyes darkened, and in a matter of seconds, he had her pinned against the wall. "Kick, punch, and claw all you like. Hit me. Curse the hell out of me. Scream, I don't care. You won't be sleeping anywhere but with me tonight." He promised, as his eyes slowly trailed up her body to meet her eyes. "But do so too long, and I'll give you something to actually scream about." With that being said, he dragged her to the bed, thankfully not having to throw her on it. She complied, scared she pushed her luck too far.
He hovered on top of her, shoulders rounding as he invaded her personal space. His eyes trailed over her form, studying her, yet she couldn't even bring herself to look at him. "What am I going to do with you, fearsome little human of mine." He mused in a deeper tone an eyebrow raised as if to challenge her.
She didn't meet his gaze, something that irritated him greatly. He wanted to see those beautiful eyes when he spoke to her. He placed a gentle finger under her chin to lift it. "You won't run off? Hmm? No more back talk?"
He took everything from her. She had nothing else to live for. So she rolled over and fell asleep.
{one month in}
He liked when she slept. She didn't fight him, didn't flinch away, didn't cry. He couldn't help but smile as he felt her small hand move subconsciously around his middle, warm and soft. In seconds her body was moulded to his own, making him stare down lovingly at her, nearly bringing tears to his eyes.
When her arms wrapped right around him, it brought a peace that he's never known before. A possessiveness. He could never let another person so close to him like this, but.... she's so different. There's a purity to her, a naivety that grows everyday, but she's the only flower in the meadow for his eyes.
She woke up to him lightly scratching up and down her back, making her shiver and turn away from him. His hand drifted to her hip, and it settled there to pull her closer, making her inhale sharply.
His hot breath fanned her skin as he nuzzled her neck with delicate kisses. "Good morning, beautiful." He hummed ever so innocently.
When she didn't respond, he nipped the shell of her ear- a warning.
"Good morning." She whispered, numbly.
He wanted her so desperately to find safety in his arms, but she saw them as a cage. He wanted her to find peace in his presence, but she felt fear. He wanted her to appreciate his protectiveness, but she saw it as possessiveness.... and maybe it was.
Soon, he decided. Soon she'll crave his gentle hands to touch her body. Soon she'll admire his pretty green eyes as much as he appreciates hers. Soon she'll give her heart to him as easily as he gives his. Soon, she'll love him too.
Loki was a patient man. He'll wait as long as it takes.
Even if it requires breaking her first.... and she was almost at her breaking point. She caved a little more each day.
"Would you like some breakfast, love?" He asked, and large hand tightened on her hip slightly.
"No." She breathed, body stiffening.
"You must eat, darling. I can cook you whatever you want." He practically purred, and pushed her body down to lay her on her back. He moved to hover over her, caging her in.
She shuddered as his fingers traced up her stomach, ribcage, chest, stopping at her neck. His fingers laid across her throat and gently added pressure, just to stop again and trace patterns on her neck. Her body trembled and her eyes squeezed shut in fear. He wasn't hurting her, but it seemed he wanted to show her that he most definitely could if he wanted to.
"I'm not going to ask again." He said lowly, and twirled a strand of her hair around his finger before giving it a light tug.
"Anything is fine." Her voice cracked.
"Manners, love."
"Anything, please." She corrected herself, cringing as he started to place kisses to her neck.
"Hmm." He hummed and took a nip at her throat. "I rather like it when you say please.... do it again." To his surprise, she stubbornly said nothing, simply not in the mood today.
He huffed as he rose out of bed, and tied a robe over his body. He stalked over to her closet, that he had control over, and dug through the clothes to find a robe for her to wear.
He picked his favorite one, of course, the one that was the most revealing, and threw it at her. "Downstairs. Two minutes. Don't make me wait."
She jumped when he slammed the door shut behind him, making her begin to regret her decisions. Now he'd most likely be in a rotten mood the rest of the day. She quickly slipped on the rob he picked and trotted down the stairs, to discover her chair had been taken away, of course. She had disappointed him this morning, after all.
She stood in the doorway, awaiting instructions. He controlled everything she did. Everything. When she was and wasn't allowed to eat, go to the bathroom, shower and at which temperature, when she was and wasn't allowed to sleep in the bed, you name it.
He would tell her, "You don't get to decide anything, understood? I make the rules and you obey them if you want to remain unharmed."
He placed a bowl of mush on the floor next to his chair and gestured for her to begin eating. She dropped to her knees and stared in disgust at whatever the hell he just gave her.
"Not eating the food I give you is not going to make me give you nicer food." He told her, sternly.
She looked to her.... food, if she could even call it that, and back to his. "I'm sorry for my actions earlier, Loki." She said softly with her head bowed. He didn't like her looking at him when he was mad. Not unless he instructed her to.
He chuckled lowly and stabbed his food a little too aggressively. "Are you now?"
"Yes, I am." She responded, almost robotically.
"And why are you sorry?" He asked in a low tone of voice, eyeing her.
She kept her head bowed and listed off, "for not obeying you this morning. I was wrong. I'm sorry." She wasn't. Not even a little bit. She just did her best to play along to survive. Until maybe, someone rescued her.
He dabbed his mouth with a napkin and sat back in his chair to peer down at her. He seemed to ponder on what she said for a moment, and for a second she was scared if she somehow made him more angry.
He pushed back his chair and patted his lap. She timidly stood from the floor and sat on his lap, facing the table. He hummed and hooked a gentle finger under her chin to turn her face towards his. "Thank you for your apology," his other hand rested dangerously low on her back. "But I meant what I said. Take three bites of your food and I'll give you some of mine."
Go to hell, is what she wanted to say, but she didn't want to die. So, she did as told, nearly vomiting in the process.
"Good girl." He praised her and cut a piece of his pancake for her to raise it to her lips. She opened her mouth and welcomed it, wanting the horrid taste out of her mouth. "I have something I have to tell you."
She prayed she didn't take what he said in the wrong way and turned to look at him, internally relaxing when he didn't get angry at her for doing so.
"There's someone coming to join me for dinner tonight. I'm sure you'll be quiet, or I'll have to kill the guest again, and it'll be your fault." He said sternly but casually, and lifted another fork full of pancakes to her lips. He sweetened his deal with, "If you're good, you can shower with warm water tonight after my meeting."
Hesitantly, she ate the pancake. She chewed and swallowed, and told him, "I understand."
"That's my girl." He purred, kissed the side of her head, and patted her bum to make her stand. "Finish my plate. I'll be waiting in the bedroom."
Tear gathered in her eyes as left. It was insane how he could switch to be a manipulative monster at one moment, then the most loving, gentle, and caring man she ever met, seconds later. He always made sure she was taken care of in every way. It was all the mental games he played with her.
She was almost at a point where she wanted to give in completely. Not just play song, but someone adore herself to... enjoy this life. Reality was, no one was coming to help her. No one knew she was gone. On top of that, Loki already proved to her time and time again there was no escaping him.
Would it be that bad to give in? To try and love him the way he claimed he loved her?
No, he was controlling and manipulative. He was a monster, a murderer. He was making her lose her sanity. He was winning. She had to get out.
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