Unbroken (Loki x Reader)

Chapter 35 - Through The Roots

Ever since you and Loki decided to hedge your bets on Asgard, Loki has been focused.

Still, silent, and eerily focused.

He has been working relentlessly since the decision was made over a week ago. On what he has been working, you can't say. None of it makes much sense to you. But day after day Loki sits in the middle of the living room, furniture pushed back as dozens of maps lay sprawled out across the floor - most of them older than should be possible. And none depicting the city, as far as you can tell. Instead they're strange waves, glyphs, and lines. More akin to a constellation than a city. And he had pulled them out of a secret compartment built into the back of one of the bookcases. And when he rolled them out, you saw that they had already been marked with strange lines, circles, and doodles that might be words in another language.

And twice a knock had sounded at the door late at night.

Each time Loki had opened the door to a different face, who would look up at him with fear in their eyes before handing him a package and bowing, scurrying away down the alley never to be seen again.

You had only asked once who those people were. Loki frowned, and said only: "They are the Banished, darling. And you will not see them again."

Each day, shrouded in Loki's magical barriers of protection and safe from Heimdall's eyes, the two of you would sit in silence in the living room as Loki worked. Occasionally you'd hear a hum of satisfaction, or a growl of displeasure. Once, he had even pushed everything aside and demanded he start over.

But he's getting close.

You can tell.

For the past two days Loki has grown in animation. And yesterday, he left the apartment for the first time in a week and was gone all day, only to return late at night with a smile on his face, and a gleam of mischief in his eye.

This morning, he told you to get ready. That it would be soon.

With his warning, you decided to start packing and take a shower - gods only know what might happen when you get to Asgard, and you'd rather not worry about body odor on the way. And the hot water feels nice on your taught muscles. As the water hits your chest and drips down your shoulders, you take your time, lingering in the heat and breathing in the steam.

Until something furry tickles your foot.

With a small yelp, your eyes fly open and you glance down at where your foot had been only to spot a sopping wet knot of hair tangled up in the drain. The third clump of hair that you've found in your shower drain since going on the run with Loki, to be precise.

With an angry flick, you turn off the shower and Loki's own robe, hung on a hook of the back of bathroom door. Stomping down the hall to the living room, you spy Loki sitting on the floor, as usual.

"I know the concept of mortal hygiene is somewhat new to you Lo," you say furiously. "But ON GOD if you don't start cleaning your hair out of the shower when you're done, I'll braid it into a rope and strangle you with it myself!" you shout menacingly.

Loki looks up from his spot the middle of the carpet, tossing you an amused glance. He enjoys it when you get heated.

"I'd like nothing more, darling," he says suggestively, eyeing your damp, robed body up and down while biting his lip.

"Don't make me get my dagger," you scowl.

"But I do so wish you would, my love," he smirks.

"You're ridiculous," you say with ire as Loki stands, stepping around all his maps spread out across the floor. You notice a few are new, and have all been marked up in various colors, runes and symbols.