I see you || Loki

7. Icy Interlude

You may have created a monster.

You sat at your favorite table in the library, the one near the massive pane windows that overlooked the gardens. During the spring, you could see the trees bloom. In the summer, you watched the birds flit through the branches. Fall brought the change of the leaves and the crackle and rustle as they fell. And now, in the winter, snow and ice glinted from bare branches as if diamonds coated the bark. Bookshelves backed it, blocking you from view and hemming you in with a cozy wall of old friends. The chair was smooth, the cushion worn, but not too soft. Here, you were perfectly positioned so that the sun fell across you during the afternoon, but never glared directly in your eyes. It was a lovely table and normally just sitting there brought you a sense of peace, like all was right with the world. Not today though. Today, it had been invaded.

"Why are you here?" you asked, finally breaking down and acknowledging Loki's presence in your space. He had sat on the other side of the table for the better part of the morning, chin propped in his hand, watching you.

"Do you wish me to leave?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Pity." Loki stretched, a long flex of muscle that made your mouth go dry. He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest, still looking at you with an appraiser's eye.

"You're not even reading," you said. "You're just staring at me."

"I'm admiring the contrast."

"What contrast?" you asked, peeved and trying to go back to your book (a history of Asgardian architecture).

"Between this demure woman hiding behind her books and the wicked vixen who so ruthlessly used me a few nights ago."

You burned. Of course Loki would bring that up. "You snuck into my room as a cat with nothing but indecent intentions."

Loki smiled. "True. My intentions were entirely indecent. And I still have them, since you thwarted my plans. I'm rather vexed with you for that."

You rolled your eyes. Loki looked about as vexed as a cat with a bowl of cream in one paw and a canary in the other. "You loved every second of it."

"As did you. Which brings me to my lingering question." Loki reached across the table and pulled your book away. He took your fingers into his, absently running over your knuckles with his thumb. "Why is so much passion locked away, gathering dust here with all these books?"

"I'm not gathering dust." You snatched your hands back. "And I'm not locked anywhere. I want to be here."

Loki looked away toward the window. For a moment, it seemed he would return to quiet reflection, but then he sighed.  "Come with me," he said, standing and offering his hand to you.

You looked at his hand, skeptical. "Why?"

"Just come."

"No."

Loki pressed his lips together in a thin line. "I get the feeling, love, that you still don't completely trust me."

"I don't trust you at all."

"That's probably wise." He grabbed your arm and pulled you from your chair. "Come along."

You stumbled after him, his pace too brisk and his grip on your arm too strong for you get your feet under you properly. "Where are we going?"

"The gardens." Loki didn't look at you as he spoke, his attention fully on his path ahead. He opened a door that led to the outside and pushed you through in front of him.

"It's cold," you protested.

"It's lovely," he said dismissively, taking hold of you again.

Loki led you through a maze of bushes and trees until you weren't sure anymore where in the gardens you were. An alcove sheltered a stone bench. In the summer, it would be covered in full vines of climbing flowers, but now only icicles grew on the awning.