Love, Magic and Lies (COMPLETE)

Chapter Eleven; Only A Game

Sif stared down at Loki's peaceful, sleeping form. It occurred to her that Heimdall would not be so impressed with these actions, but her earlier resistance had melted like ice beneath a flame.
Perhaps this is what Loki had been hoping for, but in spite of herself she could not close the door and leave him outside on the cold stone floor.

He had been far heavier than she had anticipated, taking all her effort and strength to drag him in from the hallway. She considered leaving him on the floor, at least he was now on the rug in her chambers. But against her better judgement she found herself heaving him onto the bed.

He never stirred, just continued to snore softly.
Her bed was quite large, spacious enough for her to sleep in it also without being too close. She sat on the edge now, hesitating for some reason. As innocent as her act of kindness was, she could not shake the feeling that to share her bed with the fallen God would be far too intimate.

Sighing, she leaned back against the ornate headboard and swung her legs up onto the bed. Arms folded defensively across her chest, as if subconsciously creating a barrier between herself and him, she attempted to sit up straighter.
She decided to stay awake, that way she was at least resting but felt more comfortable with the notion of not actually going to sleep.

She watched Loki sleep for a while. He looked vulnerable, almost angelic, and startlingly beautiful.
Her eyelids were growing heavier but she fought to keep them open. However her struggle was in vain, as finally she slipped in to a deep sleep.

She awoke from her slumber with a start, upon feeling a movement in her bed. She could feel the warm body lay against her back, shifting slightly. She turned over slowly and just as she did, his eyes opened.
For a moment they just stared back at each other, neither of them moving or speaking. Loki's dark brows knitted together in puzzlement. Sif was momentarily angry at herself for falling asleep.

She suddenly became aware of the heavily charged silence, their close proximity and the way the air seemed to have thickened between them.
Instantly uncomfortable and momentarily wondering if he also felt the heavily charged atmosphere that cocooned them, she slid backwards away from him as subtly as she could.
This caused him to snigger openly, which immediately riled her but she tried not to show it.
He cleared his throat and muttered something inaudible under his breath, before swinging his long legs off the bed, and slowly sitting up. Wincing as he did so, he gingerly rubbed his temples with his fingertips.

"Feeling delicate?"
She asked, shattering the silence the tense atmosphere.

He did not respond.

"Hardly surprising, considering the amount of alcohol you consumed last night."
She continued regardless.

He shot her a long sideways glance with a hint of eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips,
"I must have consumed a staggering amount for me to not even remember how I came to be here... in bed with you my Lady."

Sif stiffened, and was about to reproach him when she realised he was toying with her.
In spite of this she sat up quickly, suddenly feeling vulnerable and exposed in her thin night dress. She clutched at the sheet, bringing it high up over her until it was beneath her chin.

Laughing to himself, Loki rose from the bed and attempted to adjust his rumpled attire. Sif watched him button up his shirt and rake his hands through his tousled hair.
He glanced up and caught her eyes on him, which made her face flush slightly.
"What?"
He enquired, with a quirk of the eyebrow.

She cleared her throat,
"Nothing...."

Hastily she attempted to draw his attention towards a different subject.
"Do you recall assaulting Balder?"
She huffed, quickly turning away.