The Fallen (Part One)

To hold

Loki held Nina across his lap as they sat on the couch she was tucked into his shoulder both were silent struggling with their own ideas of what to do. Neither wanting to give voice to what might or might not happen to one or both of them.
Loki's mind battled with itself he could not imagine her being any where near Thanos. Thanos was death itself a Titanian Eternal from the planet Titan created by Celestials as experiments to rule and create havoc to whatever they touched. There was no way he could escape him, he knew that if he refused ,Thanos would not kill him but torture him for as long as he lived. He was not afraid for himself he would manage to survive no matter what happened but Nina would not.
Nina listened to Loki's heart beat in his chest and could not fathom it stopping for any reason. He had told her more about Thanos as they sat together and she knew he was holding back how bad it really was. She had no plans on running she would fight for him or stand beside him no matter what, she would do her best to protect him.
"How long before they come?" She asked softly.
"Not today." Loki knew but he had no idea how.
"What do we do?" She looked up at him he stared straight ahead.
"Rest we will need it."
"We will go together." It was a statement.
"We will each do what we must."
Nina reached up to his face caressing his cheek he leaned into her touch a dark void of pain punching through his chest. He closed his eyes still trying to think of a way out but finding nothing wishing in that moment that Thor was reachable. The oaf was around when he was not needed but when he needed him he was unreachable.
"Come to bed." Nina slid from his lap offering him her hand which he took and stood to follow her to her room.
Nina untucked the sheet from around her letting it flutter to the floor as she began to undress him knowing the burden that was sitting on his shoulders. She wanted to remember every inch of him in that moment because nothing would be the same again no matter what happened.
Nina directed him to the bed climbing in beside him the night cool and quiet only their breathing filling the silence.
Loki looked at her as she settled over and beside him catching the soft light from the snow through the window in her blue eyes, he would do what he could to keep her eyes open.
She lowered her lips to his and he wrapped his arms around her burying his hands in her hair breathing her in.
Nina's hands passed against his chest pushing herself away from him.
"I love you, promise me you'll remember that." Her eyes filled with tears that trickled down her pale cheeks to drip onto his chest warm and wet. She felt panic rising in her and she needed to remind him.
Loki brushed her tears away his heart aching as he reassured her.
"I promise if you will do the same."
"I promise." She kissed him again. "Never regret coming here it's a step on the path you had to take. I'll never regret you coming." She whispered between kisses.
Loki did regret it if he could take it back so she would be safely tucked away in the cabin alone, he would give it all up to keep her safe. He could not tell her that but instead pulled her closer and lost himself in every touch and sound of her.