Frozen soul

Chapter 21

Loki and Chara both stay quiet on their way to her room. Chara let Loki inside her barrier so he could open the door. Kiba rush inside too and Loki kick it shut after him. "Now I'm inside my room, but me down." Chara demand angrily. Loki glare at her and walk to lay her on her bed. Chara growl to him. When Chara is out of Loki's arms she turn to glare at him. "I'm not some damsel in distress that you should help." Chara say angrily and cross her arms. "I'm perfectly capable of looking out of myself. I'm not defenseless even in this state." She continue. Loki stand there quietly for a moment. "I know that." He whisper and glance at her right leg. Chara see that and snort. "I have take care of myself for 1000 years and I have to do that in future. I don't want your pity." Chara tell him with harsh and cold voice. Loki glance at her without a word and nod. "I know." He answer and walk out of her room. What was that? Chara look confuse after him.

Chara nap for couple hours. She just rise slowly to her feet when someone knock on her door. Kiba rise his head and look warily toward door. "Come in!" Chara yell and open her barrier. Thor come in with food tray. Chara hide her surprise that he came. "What are you doing up?" Thor ask angry and try to usher Chara back to bed. Kiba jump between them and growl to Thor. Thor step back. "I will eat on couch." Chara say calmly and wave Kiba to go back to his spot on blanket. Kiba growl to Thor again but obey. Chara sit slowly down and bite back hiss of pain. Thor lower the tray front of her on coffee table. "Thanks." Chara say and start to eat. 

Thor stare at her. Chara get more irritated as seconds went. "What?" She ask and glare at Thor. "You had punctured lung." He state. Chara frown and nod. "How you are already up? How you even get back to compound?" He continue. Chara sigh. "I can teleport, I have survived from worse." Chara answer and continue to devour that delicious chicken soup. "Banner told us that you were ready to cut that piece out yourself if he didn't agree to do it in local anesthesia." Thor say worried. Chara swallow and groan. "I hate to be that defenseless. Never again." Chara tell him and turn to look at Thor in the eyes. "Who you think nurse my leg or all my other injuries? I have been fought for centuries Thor. I never had the luxury to go to someone else with them." Chara say and smile sadly to him before turning back toward her bowl and continue to eat. 

Thor sit there in silence. "Why?" Thor eventually ask. Chara swallow rest of her soup and drink her water. She sigh again. "You really don't know lots about Earth's history." Chara answer. "Ask from Stark or Captain. They will tell you. Now I like to rest some more. Thank you for food." Chara continue with smile and wave toward tray, it disappeared. "That is convenient." Thor say smiling and walk out of her room. When Thor close the door after him Chara let her smile drop and crunch her face for pain. "Everything really hurts." She mumble to herself. Kiba rise his head and whine. "I'm okay." Chara say to him and lay down on couch. Chara make piece of ice top of her right arm and around her chest to ease the pain. Kiba walk to her and lay her head against her arm gently. He stare at Chara worried and whine quietly. "I'm fine boy." Chara whisper and pet his head with her left hand. Kiba eventually lay down next to couch.

Chara has fallen asleep on couch. She stir awake when Kiba go down from her ice bridge. "Fuck." Chara murmur and push herself to sit. She turn worried to look at balcony door. She rise to her feet and walk to look outside. Kiba stay close to compound and Chara sigh in relief. She turn around and move to sit down on edge of bed. It is almost midnight already. Chara gently lean on her left arm on knee, she hiss in pain when stitches stretch. She quickly pull back. "Shit." She curse. Suddenly Chara hear quiet plead to stop. Chara turn to look at door and rise to her feet again. She walk to door and open it. Scared, pained plead come again. 

Chara realize it came from Loki's room. She rush as fast as she could across hall. "Loki?" She ask while knocking his door. "No, please. No more." Chara hear Loki's broken voice. She open the door and slip inside. She soon see how Loki toss in bed sweat on his forehead. Chara rush to him. "Loki, LOKI! WAKE UP!" She command while shaking him for shoulders. Chara ignore her pain. Then Loki's eyes snap open and he push dagger against Chara's throat. Chara freeze. She slowly soften her grip on his shoulders. "Loki, shh. It is okay. It was nightmare." Chara whisper. She feel how dagger cut little her skin while she speak. "Winter?" Loki ask after blinking couple times. "Chara?" Loki whisper again and then he realize dagger in his hand. He quickly vanish it. 

Chara breath out and relax. She let go of Loki's shoulders. "You okay?" She ask softly. Loki look at her horrified. "Am I okay? I just hold dagger at your throat." He answer harshly. Chara wipe little drop of blood from her neck and shrug. "Not my first or last time." She answer indifferent. Loki stare at her ashamed. "Hey, not your fault. Nightmares can be tough." Chara assure with smile. Loki didn't answer. He turn his gaze toward his lap. He start to pick his hand. Chara huff. She sit down front of Loki and lay her hand top of his, making him stop. "Don't do that. It wasn't your fault. You are not a monster. If you need it I forgive you even if there is nothing to forgive." Chara say. Loki nod but still refuse to meet her eyes. Chara lift Loki's head with her finger. "You are not a monster." She say gently again. One tear roll on Loki's cheek before ragged sob escape.