The Mitgard Witch (Discontinued)

Part 8

Three weeks later. Avenger's base.

We stood on the sparring mat, sweat dripping from both of us. It had been thirty minutes since out last break, and we had seem to come to some sort of stalemate. His strength and cunning did not match my speed and agility. I was in my peak, but waning in energy. He still had not recovered from his time in ice and was slowing just the same.

Neither of us asked to draw. Or made a move to halt the match. We circled slowly, positions low and hands outstretched.

It had become tradition for me not to use my magic, simply betting off of our own individual capacity for combat.

We had been like this for three weeks. Each mornings filled with sparing, then breakfast, then more sparring and then chilled time he spent in the library under my close inspection or watching some random movie. It had been nice. And although I still remained in charge of his fate. We had settled into an easy, almost friendship.

Round and round we circled, until I threw myself in, going for a tackle. But he grabbed me by my midsection and tossed to to the other side, I scrambled, not letting myself fall as I rightened myself, his foot nearing my head. I ducked and pushed it as it passed me, sending him hopping to the side.

I attacked again, going for his face and meeting an open palm, which grabbed my hand and squeezed. I grunted and kicked myself up, the muscles in my back screaming as I jumped into the air, twisting over him and my hand from his grasp. I landed but a strand of hair whipped me in the eye, making me shut it and shake my head. An opening.

I felt strong hands grab me as Loki tackled me to the floor.

My head slammed against the mat making me hiss in pain, but before I could react my wrists were in his hands and legs pinned by his own.

I tried to launch upwards but to no avail. I was stuck.

"Ready to surrender?" His honey'd words an exhausted pant.

"You wish." I tried to laugh and failed, instead I stuck to dragging in breaths.

We stayed like that for a few long moments, each desperately trying to catch our breath first.

He succeeded, and grinned that damned smile down at me, "Trapped like a deer in headlights. Can't move Bambi?"

The world went quiet. My muscles relaxed and my mind reeled. How. He didn't- How did he know the name of that stupid deer? It was just a stupid kids movie how did he-

I started hyperventilating, shaking from head to toe. I couldn't. I hadn't heard that word for years. Had not had to face those memories.

Loki's grin faltered, peering down at me in confusion. "Lady Y/N. Am I pressing to hard?"

He jumped to his feet and offered me a hand.

I didn't take it.

My eyes simply stared upwards to the ceiling. Watching small particles in the air and the way the lights glared at my eyes.

But my head was somewhere else. Lying in that black cell. Hands broken. So alone. Trying to keep them bleeding. So I would fall unconscious or even better just bleed out.

"Y/N? Where are you hurt?"

That voice. A voice I had not heard in my cell. Was not a part of that dark past.

The light was hurting my eyes. I blinked, turning away. I was in the dojo. On a mat. 

A tall man with black hair and green eyes looked down on me, worry shining clear.

"I'm not hurt."

I sat up quickly feeling chilled, and brought my shaking hands up to my eyeline. Twisted them over as I searched for the broken joints there had been in that cell. Twisted bones and wet flesh.

It was just skin. Sweaty. But intact. My hands. Still apiece.

"Y/N? Will you take the barrier down?" A soft voice, suddenly muffled.

A semicircle of ice surrounded me. Brittle and thick. I blinked.

I was home. I was safe.

Gently waving my hands the ice shattered, falling down in small pieces around me.

I took a deep breath and stood, melting the ice into water and then vaporizing it back into the air.

Only then, I turned, timidly made eye contact with Loki. One hand was outstretched to me.

A chill crept over my skin again. Too much like the one in that cell. I launched myself into his chest. I knew he was my assignment. And over the last few weeks we had the start of a friendship. But we weren't close.

I didn't care.

I just needed the comfort of someone else.

Warm arms wrapped around me. And I just stood there. Eyes tight shut and hands gripped in a shirt. For how long I don't know. Just until I could breathe. Till everything just slowed. Till my mind became my own again.

Slowly I peeled away, hard arms letting me go without question.

"Sorry."

My voice was rough, and I went to wipe tears away but came away with dry hands. At least I didn't cry.

Breathing in I bent down and picked up my shoes a short way from myself.

"Sorry. I'm fine. I'm going to go take a shower." I began to walk away but a soft hand on my elbow had me halt.

"I know it's not okay. You may have an assignment to monitor me but that does not mean we cannot be friends. Cannot talk when something is so clearly wrong."

My shoulders slumped. And I turned to look at those sad green eyes.

"I have lived through trauma Y/N. I know what it can look like. Where it can take you ..." His voice was soft as his hand on my elbow. Tethering me to his room. This reality.

"Where did it take you?"

I shook my head, studying the soft orange of my leggings.

"Somewhere far away."

His voice was cautious as he spoke, "Was it a man?"

"No."

"A woman?"

"A group of people. I wasn't born with my abilities. They took me from a car wreck because I was the right age for them to implant it." I sighed, gently rubbing my hands together, calming myself in the movement.

"They made me test it on a deer once and-" I took a deep breath. "They called me that word. The name of that baby deer in the film. It just."

I flexed my hands. Elbow leaning into his touch. Any touch. The feeling of not being alone.

"I know." Suddenly there were soft, tentative arms around me once again. I stiffened, and then relaxed.

"Your never alone," he said, voice rough as he pulled back.

I could practically hear his grin as he said, "Plus were inseparable till you decide whether I'm free to go or not."

I laughed and turned to face Loki. "Really heartwarming stuff here."

He only quirked an eyebrow in response.

The soft buzzing of my phone which was tucked into my shoe ruined the soft moment. I fished it out, and flipped it open to answer. Yes I still had a flip phone. No I am not secretly 60.

"Hello?"

"Lady Y/N!! I am just entering your galaxy now to see my little brother. Are you at the base?"

I smiled. Thor.

"Yes. I'll see you in what? An hour?"

"Half. We fixed the jump boosters!"

I laughed and bid him a farewell, turning to Loki, "I've got a surprise for you."