Over the Edge of Insanity (Thorki AU)

Chapter 12

A few hours later, Loki walks out and I frown "Going to stab me again, or admit that it's dumb for you to fly away?"

Loki looks to my friends "Do you mind? This is personal." my friends leave and Loki comes to sit by me.

After a minute of neither of us speaking, he sighs "It's how I know how much power I have left to run the wall."

"What is?" I ask and he sighs, before looking to his shoes. Slowly, I pick up his legs and sit his feet in my lap.
 
When his shoes are off, he sighs "It's repulsive." he throws himself back and covers his face with a pillow.

When I pull off his socks, I gasp "It's far from repulsive." his feet pads are royal blue and a light blue watercolours the sides of his feet, leaving the tops porcelain.

A smile creeps across my face and I run my fingers over the bottom of his foot, causing him to pull his feet away and hiss "Stop!"

"I'm going to miss you dearly, while you're in Africa." I sigh and he moves the pillow from his face.

"It's only a month or two." he states, before taking my hand "What is a month of our lives? It's nothing."

"I need something to remind me of you." I state and he scoffs "Something to hold at night, whilst you're away."

He sits up and brushes his fingers through my hair "It's getting rather long, you know?" he asks.

"And nobody is cutting it." I declare and he nods, before standing up and leading me into his room.

When he leads me into his bathroom, his hand leaves mine, only to pick up a pair of scissors "I think we should give you a few braids."

"I'll try it." I nod and he smiles, before cutting off a lock of hair "Why'd you do that?" I ask as he shuffles through his cabinets.

"You'll see." he smirks, pulling me out into the living room "Sit in front of the couch." when I do, he pulls up my hair and starts braiding.

By the end of it, I have four or five braids in my hair. There's a Viking braid, a fish tail, and the rest are regular old braids. A lock of Loki's hair is braided into one.

~

After two months of Loki being gone, I stand in the game room, playing a game of ping pong with Rogers, when the elevator opens.

Thinking that it's Rominoff or something, I don't pay attention, until I hear a gasp "Did you forget about me already?"

The ball flies by me, as I freeze. When I turn, I find Loki is covered in dried mud "You're back!" I call out hugging him tightly "How was it?"

"Hands down, the most humbling experience, ever." he states, before shaking his head "The minute I got there, I was working. Five minutes ago, I was carrying a water barrel from a river, ten miles away from the village."

"Where were you, anyway?" I ask, leaning against the ping pong table to get a good look at him. He's as pale and ravenous as before, only caked in mud. His hair is pulled back into a bun. He wears black joggers, a black tank top, and black tennis shoes.

"A little village in Liberia. It's ran by women." He states, before shaking his head "Rather progressive in womans rights. Women are doctors, leaders, and warriors. But the men tend to be labourers. Building, hunting, teachers, staying at home to care for children."

"Did you enjoy yourself?" I ask and he nods, scratching his forehead "I'd bet you're tired?" I ask.

"Indeed." he replies, before scoffing "However, I believe I'll take a shower, before I go to bed." he stops himself, before giving a sigh of relief "Scratch that, a bath."

About half an hour later, I walk into Loki's room to find his bed empty. With a frown, I open his bathroom door and find him asleep in the bath. His clothes and shoes lay in the shower. A glass of wine sits, empty, on the edge of the tub.

I grab a robe and sit on the edge, next to his head "Loki, wake up." I insist and he gives a sleepy hum "Come on, you can't sleep in the bath."

Tiredly, he stands and I wrap him in a robe, before tucking him into bed. As I turn to leave, he yawns "I love you, Thor."

I stop at the door to find him fast asleep. A small smile creeps across my face and I speak softly "I love you, too."

~

A few hours later, Loki walks out of the elevator and starts towards the balcony to have a smoke, only I stop him "Hey, what's up?"

"I'm trying to have a smoke." he frowns "Why, can I not have a smoke?" He asks and I shake my head "Why not?"

"Because it's raining." I try to think of a good excuse, yet he points to the sunny sky in confusion "It was raining, earlier. I wouldn't want you to slip."

He scoffs, before placing his hand on my shoulder and declaring "I believe I can manage myself."

He steps outside and I follow him. We end up sitting on the steps, right outside "Did you sleep well?"

He shrugs as he takes a puff, when he releases, he looks to me "It was better than sleeping in dirt." he nudges me softly "Perhaps, I'll sleep even better tonight."

I smile, devilishly, before declaring "It would be of great honor to put you to bed tonight." he scoffs, rolling his eyes.

His eyes catch upstairs and he frowns "Why the hel is there a neon stripping pole in the common room?"

"Oh, umm, he had a party for his friend. Celebrating a birthday." I nod, not so convincingly.

He shrugs, before smirking mischievously "You know, I know my way around one of those." I raise an eyebrow to him and he whispers "Zaakar is very educational."