Krystal

86

It must be about three hours later when I wake up with Loki's arm still wrapped around me. He's still asleep, clearly having tired himself out, so I don't want to wake him and I wriggle out of his grasp.

I definitely need to freshen up after what we did earlier, so I head straight for the bathroom to run myself a bath.

As I lay in the water, I feel pretty sore, but I wasn't complaining. I'd equally enjoyed it when he was gentle and also when he was rougher with me.

If anything, I wanted to take control a little more like he'd let me do a couple of times before.

"Star?" I hear Loki looking for me.

"I'm in the bath".

"Would you like me to make a start on dinner?"

"Sure. I'll be down soon".

Once I'm out, I get dressed and go down to the kitchen where he's busy cooking.

"Hi" I say nervously.

There's no denying the atmosphere between us was somehow different now. I suppose it's because neither of us knows what the other is thinking about us having sex hours earlier.

"If you do not mind taking my place, I will go take a bath myself".

"Okay".

That was so awkward, but maybe he just doesn't know what to say about it because I sure don't.

I finish up making dinner and take it to the dining room where he soon comes back to join me. We sit in silence eating for a few minutes and the tension is killing me.

"I was too rough with you before" he says suddenly.

"What?" I'm so confused.

"There was blood on the bed where you had been sleeping".

"Oh".

If it's possible for someone to die of embarrassment, then I'd be dead right now. How did I not notice it?

"Are you alright?" he looks so worried.

"Excuse me".

I get up and leave quickly because I want the ground to open up and swallow me whole, rather than look him in the eyes ever again.

Presumably this body that was Krystal's, that's now mine, hadn't had sex in a while because I was suffering the embarrassing consequences.

It's getting dark outside so I can't even run away from this current situation, even if I wanted to.

Frankly, I'm too horrified to even go back in the bedroom where we'd had sex, but I know I have to change the sheets for the sake of my dignity.

Once I get the nerve to go back in there, I find that he's already done it for me and I don't know if that's worse, or if it's really sweet he'd be willing to do that for me.

Clearly noticing I haven't come back to finish dinner, he comes in behind me.

"What do you want?" I ask.

"Star, I did not mean to cause you any embarrassment. I thought you knew because you were bathing".

"Well I didn't, so thanks for that" I feel tears coming to my eyes.

"Are you hurt?"

"It hurts a little, that's all. Us having sex wasn't painful though, I thought it was perfect".

"So did I" he smiles when I finally turn around to face him.

"I feel stupid now".

"Why?"

"You had to change the sheets for me".

"Sometimes we will help one another no matter what the situation, and whether the other person wants it or not. That is what people in love do".

"Thank you, Loki" I kiss him on the cheek.

"Do you wish for me to ease your pain?"

I nod just before his hand reaches down between my thighs, and a warm sensation seems to rid me of any discomfort I had down there.

"Better?" he asks.

"So you heal me now, but not when you kicked the crap out of me in the woods?"

"My apologies, dear. Shall we go back down to dinner?"

After my initial horror, I think I'll probably learn to laugh about this one day way, way off in the distant future, but I think I appreciate Loki even more now.

He was raised as a Prince of Asgard, living in the lap of luxury his entire life and despite all that, he was happy to change the sheets so I didn't have to.

After dinner, he lights a fire while I clean up so we can cuddle up together. The house is always cold at night, but it seems particularly chilly this evening.

"We should sleep down here by the fire" he suggests.

"Won't the heat bother you? I know you like the cold".

"Not when I am like this".

After gathering blankets and pillows, we set up a makeshift bed on the floor. There's a television in here so I put it on, if only for a little background noise to filter out the sound of the wind outside.

"What is that?"

"It's a movie".

"A movie?"

"Yeah, it's kind of like a play, but they film it and show it on here or in movie theatres".

"What is the tale in this one?"

"This is one of my favourites. That man there went to prison for a crime he didn't commit, and spends the entire movie secretly plotting his escape once he realises there's no chance of him ever getting out".

"Does he escape?"

"You have to watch it and find out" I laugh at his curiosity.

Once the movies over, Loki looks confused as hell at how the movie ended.

"He literally crawled through human excrement for the sake of his freedom?"

"That's how desperately he wanted it I suppose".

"It was beautiful, in a hideous way".

"Just like real life can be".

"Our life together may have its difficulties in the future, but I promise you it will never be hideous".

"I hope not".

"It could never be anything but beautiful as long as you are in it, my love".

"Then be glad you're stuck with me".