W I N T E R

Hunger

Oleald awoke, her eyes sharp and searching in their natural form. She groaned, shifting slightly on the large bed. Her bare back was exposed to the sharp air, and she shivered at the sensation of the draft. Her heightened senses searched the area around her, looking for she knew not what. She was unaware of the hand that moved to encircle her waist. When the warmth of Loki's skin met her own gray and cold flesh, she jumped slightly. As he had the night before, his touches were light and hesitant, though lightly less so now that he was only half awake. She didn't move away from his touch, in fact she did the opposite. The bed was large, and she was trained to sleep on the very edge of any bed. It was easier to spring to the ready if attacked. Now, she went against her training. Oleald shifted to the center, radiating towards the warmth of Loki's body. He made a soft noise as her made contact with his own to a greater extent. Oleald smiled to herself. She knew Loki was fully awake now. His breathing had increased, as had his heart beat. He remained silent, and she didn't dare break the calm. It was peaceful, and peace was something she hadn't had in her life often. Her thoughts wandered, and she closed her eyes. Loki pulled her closer after a minute or two. She leaned into his warmth, her cold gray skin searching for it. Her fingers brushed across Loki's bare chest, soft as a feather. He let out a sharp breath, and she craned her neck to gaze up at him. He was staring straight upward, his normally slicked back hair in disarray. It lay in front of his face slightly, though as she watched he lifted his free hand to brush the dark strands away. He shook his head then, closed his eyes. He opened his mouth, working his jaw. It was another moment before he spoke. His words sent tremors throughout her skin.

"If I'm to die before I hold you, know my arms were worse off for it. You are under my protection. You are mine; and if anyone else cares to dispute it, I will gladly free them of their tongue."

Oleald looked down, swallowing harshly. If she had been in her human form, her face would have turned a deep scarlet shade. In her natural form, she did not change shades. Still, she felt the heat of her blood rushing to the surface of her skin. She averted her gaze from Loki's searching green eyes. Her hand was still resting on his bare chest, and she took an impulse move. She looked up at the god again. He was smiling at her softly, his gaze searching and glinting with mischief. His own hand upon her tingling skin moved upwards, trailing the dent of her spine. His fingers rested upon her scars fleetingly. Oleald gazed back into his eyes, then leaned forward. Her lips met his smiling ones. Loki pulled away from her as his hand hit the longest and deepest scar upon her back. His eyes clouded over, his mouth turning to a frown.

"It's time to discuss these, then?"

Loki nodded, his face twisted into a pained expression. Oleald twisted so her back was facing Loki. He took in a sharp breath. The long scars were criss-crossing her back in violent lines. Loki traced one, and she told him the story of it.

"The long one. When I was first being trained, I was disobedient, weak. I didn't follow orders fast enough, and I was beat for it. They split my back open, so many times."

For each scar, she told him the story of it when he touched it. They sat there for long, as long as it took to describe the multitude of scars. Finally, Loki came to the last two, the two he had been saving for last.

"What of these two? They...they are fresher. The skin is a light gray whereas the other scars are dark."

Oleald looked down at her hands, lost within her mind.

"My wings. There were scars there before, when the Jotuns put them within me. When they were injured by the Avengers, I removed them. It was horrible, how deeply embedded they were within me. I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone."

Loki frowned, and removed his hand from her back. He was troubled by the wounds that laced Oleald's back. He was beginning to realize his feelings for her, and last night had cemented the poisonous yet perfect idea in his head. He cared for her, and the scars upon her skin made his heart twinge in ways that it hadn't for so long. He wanted to hold her in his arms like he had the night before. But he wanted to hold her every night, hold her close to his heart. It was where she belonged. They were both broken, and they both deserved to be loved. And that's what Loki felt for her. He loved her. He loved her. He wanted her. Loki looked down at the gray skinned beauty that sat in front of him. She trusted him enough to expose herself, but then again, there had been last night. Oleald twisted, and faced Loki. He leaned forward, and kissed her again, passionately. He searched for everything he longed for within that kissed. Oleald smiled against him, her fingers searching upward until they met his jaw. Long gray fingers brushed against his warm skin. Loki searched slowly with his fingers, clawing gently as Oleald pulled away from his embrace. He let out a small whimper, and she smiled softly. With a slow motion, she sat up, and reached over the edge of the bed. She retrieved the loosely woven Asgardian shirt with a single motion, and pulled it over her head. She ignored Loki's complaints, and stood. She moved away from the bed. Loki followed suit, his eyes not leaving her. Oleald looked away for a few heartbeats, running her hand over the soft Asgardian shirt. When her gaze rested once more upon Loki's face, the searching look within his eyes confused her. He spoke befroe she had a chance to question him. 

"Oleald, I have not known you long, yet you have revealed much about yourself. You and I are similar, in our different ways. You stayed with me when you didn't have to. Everyone else turns away from me with fear-except you. I see something different in your eyes when you look at me, something that was not there at first. Is it love? Perhaps desire? Come, my dearest, and tell me. Tell me I am a monster worthy of love, for I love you more than I ever have loved before."