Frozen soul

Chapter 24

I DON'T OWN PICTURE

Chara and Loki stay quiet whole journey back to compound. Chara wonder what is so bad for Loki to react that way. She didn't push it. Loki open her the front door and Chara nod for thanks. "WHAT?! YOU'RE GOTTA BE KIDDING ME?" Chara hear Thor yell loudly. Chara frown and speed up her pace. When they come in view Chara see how Thor wave his arms around in air and mumble something she didn't quite catch. Chara shrug and walk toward kitchen. "WINTER!" Thor suddenly yell and rush to her. Chara turn to look at him and raise her eyebrow. Before he could touch her Kiba start to growl. Thor stop and look at her shocked. "Did Midgardians really treat women so badly in past. Like weaker sex and such?" He ask outraged. 

Chara stare at him and burst in laughter. Everyone turn to stare at her confuse. Chara calm down eventually and wipe her eyes. "Yes Thor. Women are seen as weaker sex in here. In past women aren't allowed even own anything in some countries." Chara explain to Thor calmly. Thor stare at her mouth open, shocked. Chara shrug and turn to go in kitchen. "Is that what you mean yesterday?" He ask while following her. Kiba stay strictly between them staring at Thor warily. Chara nod while taking some omelettes ingredients ready. "So you really nurse your own leg when it got severed? You really has nursed your every injury by yourself?" Thor continue to bomber her. Chara growl and glare at him while she hit the pan on kitchen island. "YES THOR! I cut rest of my leg's flesh by myself and freeze it so I won't bleed out. THEN I killed my birth mother. I have look after myself for over 1000 years by now. I have nursed every single cut and broken bone. I. Never. Had. Anyone." Chara tell him with cold, harsh voice. "End of story." She spit out lastly and start to make omelettes.

Everyone stare Chara shocked, she could feel pity forming in air. She growl and glare toward them. "I don't need or want your pity." She snap at them. Loki stare at her in back with cold mask on. Chara fry omelettes for herself and Loki. She put them on plates and sit down on bar stool. Soon Loki slip next to her. Chara peek toward others and roll her eyes when she see that they still stare at her. She wave her hand and made mirror from ice so they won't see them. "Annoying." She mumble and continue to eat. They ate in silence, Chara use magic to clean after them before vanishing her wall. "Winter, I-" "Don't" Chara refuse to hear Thor's apologies. "You weren't there, you didn't even know I exist." She continue and walk out of room with head held high. 

Chara walk steadily to upstairs, she peek over her shoulder and didn't see Loki. She frown in confusion but let it go. He has right to decide what he want to do. He probably don't want to see me after this morning. Chara think little sad and sigh. She open her room's door and let Kiba inside too before closing it. She lean her forehead on door for a moment. "Everything fucking hurts." She mumble to herself before pushing to stand straight. Chara decide to take a bath and walk to bathroom. She use her magic to run the bath. She vanish her clothes and gently take off her bandages. She grit her teeth couple times but manage to do it eventually. She look herself from mirror, her wounds are closed already but her body is still littered in different sizes and colored bruises. Chara huff tired and lower herself slowly inside bathtub. She lay there, letting some herbs she put on water to ease the pain.

Chara slowly and with some difficulties managed to wash herself. She rise from bathtub and wrap towel around herself. She has opened little braids Loki made yesterday to wash her hair properly. She wrap other towel around her head and step out from bathroom. She sit down on couch and take her vibranium prosthetic off. She lay it on coffee table and use magic to make her toolbox appear. She start to do some maintain care. She is middle of one complicated part when someone knock on her door. "Come in!" Chara yell automatically, open her barrier and continue her doing. She hear how someone enter and close the door. That person stay silent and on their spot. When Chara get that part ready she turn her head to look at comer. "Oh, hi Loki." Chara greet surprised. Loki stare at her coldly. Chara frown and tilt her head confused. Loki stay silent. 

Chara sigh and turn to continue her care. "Sit down if you are going to stay for longer time." Chara say and nod her head shortly toward spot next to her on couch. She soon feel how Loki sit down. Chara is ready after 10 more minutes and lay her prosthetic on table and vanish the toolbox. She sigh, roll her shoulders and lean fully on backrest. "What is wrong?" Chara ask from Loki and cross her arms. Chara stare at him, he stare at vibranium leg on table. They both stay quiet for a while. 

"Why you told that to Thor?" Loki finally ask. Chara rise her eyebrows on surprise. "Told him what?" Chara ask confuse. Loki glare at her. Chara frown. "About your past." Loki continue. "Oohh, that. He bring some food for me yesterday and ask how I was ready to do the surgery myself if Banner didn't agree to do it as I wanted." Chara answer and shrug. "I snap for him and blurt out more than I intended." Chara continue calmly. She see how Loki's shoulders relax a little. She frown again. "Why?" She ask warily. Loki didn't answer. Chara see how light blush creep in his face. Chara start to smile gently. "You're still my favorite person inside this building Loki." Chara say him. Loki blush even more. Chara chuckle. She grab her prosthetic and put it back on. 

Loki follow it's path and look of shock spread to his face when he see scarred skin around Chara's knee. Chara just put it on place, when she see Loki's hand reaching toward her knee. She frown but let him touch her scars. She feel how Loki gently caress scar tissue below her knee. "It is old one." Chara whisper. Loki snap out of his trance and quickly pull back. Chara smile sadly. "It was worse before Wakanda's doctors operate it." She tell with quiet voice and rise to her feet. "I need to put some clothes on." Chara say and walk toward bathroom. Loki see all her scars that towel didn't cover again and frown. 

Chara quickly put on some blue shirt with snowflake print front of it and black sweatpants. She also throw both towels on laundry basket. She grab her hairbrush and go back to couch again. She sit down on her spot and rise her arm to brush her hair. Loki snatch hairbrush out of her hand. Chara look surprised at him. "Let me?" Loki ask softly, sadness in her eyes and voice. Chara look suspiciously at him but shrug and turn sideways so Loki could brush her hair. Loki's gently fingers slid through her hair and massage her scalp. Chara sigh in pleasure after a while and Loki chuckle quietly. 

Loki use magic to dry her hair properly while brushing Chara's hair. He braid her hair on one big braid, starting for her forehead. "Done." He whisper. Chara turn to sit back properly and lean on couch rest. "Thanks." She say and smile to Loki. Loki rise corner of his lips but drop it back down soon and put brush on coffee table. Chara tilt her head, asking silently what is wrong. Loki lean on backrest too and stare front of him. "You really don't prefer Thor over me?" Loki whisper quietly, scared. Chara stare at him for a moment, thinking is Loki joking. "No, I don't. Thor is too loud and bubbly for my taste." Chara eventually answer. Loki glance at her quickly. "Honestly?" He ask quietly, unsure. 

Chara push herself to her feet and move to sit down on Loki's lap. Loki gasp in surprise and stare Chara shocked. Chara grab his face between her hands and stare sternly at his eyes. "Loki Laufeyson. I don't prefer Thor over you. Don't beat yourself for that. You are not any lesser than him, no matter what everyone tell you." Chara say calmly. She stare at Loki trying to convince him she is telling the truth. Chara see many emotions swimming inside his eyes. Eventually Loki sigh and lean his head on her hands. "You're the first one." He mumble. Chara kiss top of his head and move to sit back next to him on couch. "Then I'm clearly wisest one." She answer and smile widely. Loki smile a little back to her. "Perhaps." He answer.