Cuts and Bruises

V

     It felt like it had been hours since she sat on the cold bathroom floor. Luckily it had only been an hour, a long tiring hour. Her pale shaky hands rested in her messy auburn hair her nails digging into her scalp; dry blood coated under her nails. She felt so scared but knew she needed to clean up before requesting to have the Mischievous God come to her room. She plants her hands on the floor pushing herself up onto her knees the healing skin touching the ground causing a hiss to escape past her lips.

     She really wasn't in good shape. 

     After a few more attempts of standing up, she manages to pry the rest of her sweaty clothes off her body aching for the warm sensation of water cascading down her back wrapping her body in a warm comforting embrace. Each second that passed by was agonizing, her sides stinging from the darkening bruises. Finally, she stands under the showerhead her hands gripping the handles twisting and adjusting to the perfect temperature.

     Her mind is blank as she cleans her skin and her hair wanting to get rid of the causes of the dream sadly that wasn't possible until...if Loki would help her. She had no way of knowing if the god would help or if he would publicly humiliate her in front of her friends and family. He was so secretive and just...he was something else. 

     She couldn't get a read on him like she could everyone else. At times, well since they met, she got a glimpse of what she assumed was really him but those moments were rare and gone in an instant as if none of it happened and it was all in her head. He pissed her off yet intrigued her. Ever since she could remember she liked to people watch, and study their movements. Humans really were interesting when they didn't think anyone was watching. 

     The feeling of the cold water pulls her out of her thoughts her hands fumbling to turn off the water. She reaches outside of the shower grabbing the towel resting on the silver hook her hands fumbling to pull the soft fabric over her wet bruised skin. After multiple adjustments, she steps out of the shower grabbing another towel to dry off her hair. After her normal morning routine, she steps out of the bathroom; damp hair covers her face, her towel clinging to her wet skin.

     She freezes seeing a shocked Loki sitting at the foot of her bed, his once pale skin shines a bright pink as his eyes roam over her body and then back to her face. Suddenly his green eyes snap towards her neck a look of pure malice and anger covers his face, he stands abruptly striding towards the frozen woman. 

     His cold fingers glide against her skin his eyes staring holes into her neck. What was with him? Why was he so...mad? He looks into her hazel green eyes her gaze looking away from his stern yet caring one. He softly grips her chin with his thumb and forefinger forcing her to look at him. "Who did this." It wasn't a question more of a demand. She swallows "I-I don't know.." She really didn't.

     His eyes stare into hers, analyzIng them as if he could tell if she was lying or not. After a few long seconds, he finishes analyzing them. He sighs brushing his thumb gently across her cheek, she shudders from his cold touch her warm skin becoming littered with goosebumps. 

     Oh, Gods.

     He grabs her hand pulling her towards the bed. "Sit Darling." She finds her lip between her teeth a faint blush tinting her cheeks at the small pet name. To say she was experienced in anything relating to someone being...well Loki, would be a lie. She had never met someone that scared her yet made her all flustered. He was something else. Gentle yet fierce. He was the very definition of a rose. Prickly but beautiful. 

     He gingerly runs his fingers across her throat a tingling sensation covering her neck as a warm green glow emits from his hand. A minute passes by of him running his fingers on her skin before he slowly pulls his hand away. "There, that wretched mark is gone." Hazel-green eyes blink rapidly. "I..." She clears her throat looking down at her hands, her nails picking at the skin on her fingers. He sighs gripping her chin forcing her to look back at him once again his gaze piercing yet welcoming.

     "Beautiful."

     His eyes look at her surprised, her face turns a dark red realizing the word that slipped out of her mouth. Oh, fuck this wasn't happening. How embarrassing. "Oh god I-I didn't mean to say that!" A smirk appears on the trickster's chiseled face one of his eyebrows arching. "Really?" He gets dangerously close to her face his warm breath fanning across her face. "Because I don't believe you." 

     She shudders feeling his hand run up her outer thigh towards her waist gripping it softly barely missing the bruise. He pushes her down onto her back his body hovering over hers. The door opens Natasha standing in the doorway her mouth open but instantly shuts. The three embarrassed adults stare at one another Nat closes the door. "Fuck." KyLea slips out from underneath Loki her hand holding up her towel rushing after Natasha.

     She grabs her arm whipping the woman around. "It wasn't what it looked like." KyLea states firmly hoping to god Nat doesn't blow what she just saw out of proportion. Honestly, she didn't know how she was going to explain what the redheaded beauty just saw. Nor did she really want to explain. Nat looks at her with an amused expression.

     "Right, total just didn't walk in on you basically naked and The God of Mischief on top of you." Nat luckily seemed more amused than pissed. "I know how bad that looked, believe me. But he was just being an ass trying to make me flustered." Nat gives a look of agreement. "Don't worry I won't tell your dad, just...be careful and don't let him play you for a fool." She mocks how he talks making a giggle slip out. "You should really get dressed though, hope your cramps go away." She winks walking away.

     I feel a cool hand grab my shoulder making me yelp in surprise earning a chuckle from Loki. "My aren't you easy to startle." I groan turning around. "You could've at least let me get dressed before you decided to be an ass." I huff as he once again chuckles his hand covering his mouth suppressing himself from laughing louder. "Sorry, you're just so amusing my pet." She looks him in the eyes "I'm going to pretend you just didn't call me 'pet' for your own sake."

     He smirks. "My sake? Darling, you really are something." he kisses the corner of my lips leaving me alone in the hallway with my thoughts and a damp towel. 

     Such an ass. 

Hope y'all enjoyed this chapter of small fluff and stuff.

WORDS: 1180