To Love a Prisoner (Loki x GN!Reader)

Part Three- Acquainted

(Word Count: 1684)

I finally gathered everything needed to help Loki. I had everything gathered in a basket as I traveled back to him. No doubt he was waiting for me to return to him as promised.

I was certainly eager to return. However, upon entering the cave I hid in a hurried motion. Loki's screams cut through the cave, unlike anything I'd heard before. Though, hopefully, it was just my close vicinity or the enclosed cave we were in.

I peeked out from the darkness, noticing my father standing in front of him with a twisted smile. Jormungandr was above Loki, the snake's acid dripping into his eyes. It was clear that Loki had no energy for his screaming.

It lasted several more painstaking minutes before Hades finally left the dark cave, and Jormungandr once again comfortingly draped around Loki's shoulders.

Loki's breathing was labored as he was trying to collect himself from his torture. Jormungandr hissed lightly and Loki muttered between breaths, "I know... Thank you, Jormungandr..."

I took in a breath to collect my thoughts as I walked before Loki, making my presence known in the cave. He slightly looked up at me and said not a word. It was apparently an effort to just lift his head.

I waved my hands in front of me, uttering a few silent words as a ball comprised of light was then floating between my palms. I set the light near the wall to where it wouldn't be an inconvenience to Loki or myself. His eyes were probably sensitive enough without the added light.

As I looked at Loki, his features became defined enough to where I could see every cut and bruise that he had gotten since he had arrived. Scars and unattended wounds were left scattered across his shirtless frame. No doubt his skin would continue to grow paler as each long week passed in the darkness.

I took the basket which was hanging from my arm and placed it on the nearby shelf made of dark stones. Without the light, it would have gone unnoticed against the darkness of the rocky walls.

I looked at Loki, contemplating what to do first. But my hands caught a bowl of water and a towel from the basket. He was in too terrible a shape for me not to clean his wounds. I dunked the towel in the water and wrung it out before gently wiping his raw and injured chest. Just by merely touching, I could feel the strength of muscle beneath my hands. It must have been work to capture this man. Glancing at my serpent friend, I ordered in a soft voice, "Move along, Jormungandr." He slithered off of Loki in understanding my motives. We stayed in silence for a while as I cleaned his upper body. He hissed in pain every time I tried to clean an open cut. I sighed but continued cleaning and didn't bother to glance up at his face upon my muttering of "I'm sorry."

He tried to sound as genuinely nice as possible but he only managed to hiss out between his clenched teeth, "It's fine. It's just a few cuts-"

"Not that," I quietly interrupted him, "For Hades. I don't know what you did to get on his bad side but no one deserves to go through the pain you're going through. Have they even shown you a hint of care?" I looked up into his dull-spirited but vibrant green eyes as I re-soaked the towel.

He shook his head and quietly admitted, "I am sincerely grateful for that which you risk for me."

I swallowed the lump which had formed in my throat. Every part of me screamed sorrow and sympathy. It was obvious that no one had given him such tender attention as I had. I almost had to question myself on what kind of monsters would regard him as any less of a living person. He had such sad eyes for someone who looked to be powerful once upon a time.

I silently continued dabbing his sensitive skin with the damp fabric, removing any soot from his upper body. He did look bad. In fact, he looked as though he were dragged across the gravel ground. There could be no other explanation for it.