Author's note! Hey everyone. So sorry for the slower updates. I have some stuff going on in my personal life I need to deal with, hence the slower updates. Thank you for being patient with me. Prayers would be very appreciated 🫶🏻
I do sincerely mean when I say I appreciate all of you and especially the comments. When I see a comment, even something as simple as "I like this book," or even just a heart emoji, it makes my day. It makes me feel like I'm doing something right. Comments motivate me to keep writing and keep keeping on.
The updates aren't stopping, they're just a tiny bit slower than usual. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please leave me a comment if you do.
••• two days later •••
For two days he kept her in a closet. No food. No sunlight. No physical touch. Just her and her anxious thoughts.
From time to time she'd try to stand and stretch her limbs the best she could in the small space, but eventually she became unmotivated. She'd think back on old memories or replay movies she's seen in her mind to pass by time.
It felt like an eternity for her. She couldn't tell when days passed due to not seeing the sun. She reminded herself he'd let her out if she was good. He always did. Imagine her shock when someone else opened the door.
It was the maid. She hurriedly got Summer to her feet and made her eat. Her stomach couldn't handle too much food, but she ate the best she could. She asked multiple times where Loki was, and the maid would just say, "I have orders not to say until you're finished eating."
So she shoveled the rest of the food in her mouth and looked at the maid expectedly.
"I'm afraid it's not good news, your majesty."
Loki's come back hurt after his work multiple times, but he's a master at masking his pain. For the first bit of knowing each other, Summer never noticed when he was in pain. He always hid his pain from her, but she's never ever heard him admit he needed help.
"While he was fading in and out of consciousness with the healers, he was pleading for you." The maid explained.
She ran as fast as she could even though her weakened body could hardly hold herself up, but she pushed through. She didn't bother to apologize to the people she nearly plowed down along the way.
She burst through the doors and demanded, "where is he!?"
Before she could go very far, a guard was quick to stop her, "apologies, my queen. The healers ordered no one to go in just quite yet. In the mean time, I can tell you what happened."
She frustratedly brushed her tears away. "Please do."
He went on to explain Loki was out to meet someone (he'd never say who) when there was an ambush. He was badly bruised and shot in the stomach and right leg. He's lucky to be alive right now.
"Who would have done this?" She exasperated as she fell back into a chair.
"The Avengers, I believe were responsible."
Her eyes widened at the name. She sucked in a sharp breath and tightly screwed her eyes shut as she tried to collect herself
Hours passed and her leg hasn't stopped jumping up and down, her stomach in a twist. After what felt like days, a healer peeked her head out. She was quick to her feet, but she put a hand up, signaling for her to sit back down.
Summer didn't want to, but she complied and desperately waited for her to speak.
"He's okay, he just needs time to rest and heal."
She sighed in relief, but knew the battle had just begun.
"He needs to be on bed rest. You and I both know that's nearly impossible for him, but he listens to you. I'm going to write up everything he needs in the upcoming weeks, please make sure all of it is done. If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask." She explained with a comforting hand on her shoulder. "He hasn't stopped asking for you."
Summer felt immense guilt that she couldn't of gotten here sooner to see him before.... then again, it was him that locked her in the closet... but it was her fault that he had to put her in there.
She would make up for it now, being his at-home "nurse" for the upcoming weeks. She weakly jogged down the hall and didn't even bother with knocking before entering the room.
Immediately, his blank green eyes found hers. His lips turned up into a small smile that didn't reach his eyes as he held his hand out towards her. She flung herself at him, minding the places where he had injuries, and wrapped her arms around him. "Don't you ever scare me like that again." She cried into his chest, and his hand rose up to run his fingers through her tangled hair.
He chuckled softly and kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry, love." His voice was tired and shaky.
She pulled back to look at him, never hearing his voice be so weak before. He gazed at her sleepily, calmer knowing that she was here. He half smiled at her, his mind seemingly else where. His eyes slowly wandered over her face, wanting to admire each spot of it.
"I missed you." His voice cracked as his thumb ran over the tops of her knuckles. What he really meant was, 'I thought I was going to die and never see you again. I thought they were going to take you away from me.'
"I missed you too." She sniffled, her hand on instinct reaching up to wipe a tear that fell from his eye. "But I'm here now, we're both here. Now we just have to get you better again, okay?"
He sucked in a shaky breath and nodded his head, his body trembling, slightly. Never had she seen him so shaken up before. "Okay." He agreed in a quiet voice.
"Is there anything I can get you?" She questioned, trying to ease his mind.
He raised his arm up, inviting her in bed next to him. Before she could protest, he said, "you won't hurt me. I just want you.... please, love."
She smiled gently at him, carefully crawled into bed, and shuffled under the covers next to him.
He raised his arm again, making it clear he wanted her to cuddle him. "You won't hurt me."
She was still as gentle as she could be as she snuggled up against his side and placed her head in the crook of his neck. She heard him mutter a quiet, "thank you," before he fell into what she thought was a deep sleep.
He didn't sleep though. He didn't want to yet. He waited until she fell asleep and just.... admired her. Reminding himself that he still has her and that the Avengers can't get to him. Now he has her in his arms, that's all he needed.
••• three days later •••
Summer silently wheeled Loki back to their living quarters as he moped because he wasn't allowed to walk there. He was stubborn, but she was even more so and he knew he wouldn't win this fight. The healers gave her a list of instructions of everything he could and couldn't do throughout the next couple of weeks, the list also consisting of things she'd have to do for him- such as changing his bandages, cleaning his wounds, and such. She owed this to him for disobeying him. She had to make things right.
She parked the wheel chair next to their shared bed, but he shook his head. "I want to take a shower."
She came around to face him and sat down on the bed. "I don't think you're allowed to stand that long." She murmured and ran her fingers through his greasy hair.
"Then I want to take a bath." He decided, cautiously looking up at her with pleading eyes.
She sighed as she took note of his greasy hair and beat up appearance. "You can't get your injuries wet."
"I don't care if I have to sit in an inch of water. I want to get clean." He emphasized, not backing down.
She squinted her eyes at him, only for him to give her his best puppy eyes he could muster. "Only if you let me help you."
Reluctantly, he agreed.
So, as carefully as she could, she helped him out of his clothes and to stand from his wheelchair and into the shallow bath water. It wasn't very much water, because again, it couldn't cover it injuries. She knew he wanted to be independent, so she handed him the soap and he did the best he could with the little energy he had. While he was busy with that, she decided to wash his hair.
"Can you sit forward a second?" She asked him. Slowly, without straining his side, he sat up- winded from just doing that. Poor thing was exhausted.
She grabbed the shower head- minded his bandages, and rinsed his hair. She knew he wouldn't mind help with this, he loved it when she'd touch or play with his hair. She told him he could sit back again as she lathered the shampoo into his hair and massaged his scalp, making him sigh in contentment.
"I love you." He mumbled, enjoying the feeling of her nails against his scalp.
She chuckled and placed a kiss on his shoulder. She continued massaging his hair longer than necessary, knowing he loved it. She helped him sit up once more, rinsing his hair. "Your hair's quite tangled. Can I add conditioner?"
With his eyes closed, he nodded.
Once she was done, he barely had the energy to get out of the tub. She toweled him dry the best she could and grabbed him a robe, then helped him into bed. Before she had the chance to fetch him some clothes, he gently caught her wrist. "Will you play with my hair some more please?"
How could she say no to that?
She crawled into the bed and he moved to place his wet head of hair into her lap. "Your hair is so soft now."
He hummed at that, slowly falling in and out of consciousness- fighting to stay awake.
"Sleep. I'll be here when you wake up." She told him, softly.
His eyebrows furrowed together and his eyes slowly opened back up. "I don't want to." He admitted, quietly.
She frowned and slowed her movements to stare at him, questionably. "Why's that? You need your sleep."
He remained quiet and just nudged her hand with his head, signaling he didn't want her to stop.
"Loki." She warned and tugged on a strand of his hair. Jokes on her, he liked it.
He sighed and rubbed his eyes with his fist. "I was just.... I was scared, Summer." He looked away as his hand dropped to rest on his stomach.
"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked after a moment of silence as her nails still lightly scratched his scalp.
"I thought they were going to take you away from me." He explained in a quiet, broken voice. "I fear they may kill you too.... you wouldn't leave me, would you?" He swallowed hard as fake tears gathered in his eyes.
She hushed him and softly traced patterns from his forehead to his cheeks and then to his lips. "We're still here, right? You won't lose me." She promised and leaned down to place a sweet kiss on his lips.
Although she was a lot smaller than him.... he couldn't help but feel safe with her in that moment. Safe in her arms, safe with her words, and safe with her touch. Everything just felt right. That's why he had to have her forever.
"They're terrible people, Summer." He explained further and visibly shuddered. All part of the act. "They have the world fooled.... and sometimes I fear the may have you fooled too."
She adamantly shook her head. "No... I used to trust them, maybe. But I trust you now. I mean, look what they did to you." Tears gathered in her eyes at his "weakened" state.
It was so easy to play with her mind. She was so naive- it was beautiful. If only she remembered what he was the god of. Lying certainly helped with his acting skills, as did his ability to shape shift.
"Sleep. I'll be right here when you wake up." She told him and helped him lean back against the pillows rather than her lap.
He lightly tugged her arm and brought her back to his side. "Promise?"
"Promise."
His chest drew up sharply as a yawn broke passed his lips. "Thank you.... I love you."
She couldn't help but smile at his delirious state and gave him a peck on the cheek, before making herself comfortable at his side. Then she uttered the words he's been waiting to hear all along. "I love you too."
•••
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