Ave Maria

Nine

Chapter 9

Maria stirred from her dreams, her brown furrowing before she'd even open her eyes. "Ouch." Her hand lazily trailed to her head and her fingers sleepily brushed over her forehead, tracing lightly around the thin cut above her eye. She groaned and slapped her hand down again.

Finally she stopped fighting the heaviness that tugged on her eyelids, and surrendered to the comforting warmth that embraced her body. She wriggled her hips and rolled her shoulders, slipping her hand under her cheek as she set her head down to sleep again. Why couldn't she always sleep like this? It was wonderful! She didn't know what it was that warmed her like this but she didn't care. It was just so...comforting. Like being in a hot bath, or hugging a hot water bottle. It tingled at her hips and waist and back, at her front, at the side of her neck, as if the very air itself was heated up just for her. She revelled in it.

Smiling groggily, she trailed her hand down her body, searching for the particularly focussed heat at her waist, longing to delve her fingers in the warmth. Her fingertips touched skin - and she froze.

Her eyes snapped open staring widely ahead at the living room in front of her. Her mind was static with panic, her body going numb. Mouth slipping open in dread, her fingers finally found enough courage to explore. Her hand lightly traced around her waist - but it wasn't her skin she was touching. Her hand flattened tentatively over a long, thick bulge draped across her waist, it's heat enflaming the skin at her side. Her bare side, she realised with horror, finding her nightshirt crinkled up at her ribcage.

A small, frightened squeak escaped her lips.

Suddenly she became very conscious of the heat over her front and beneath her palm. Terrified, she lifted her head from her hand, and crept her eyes upwards.

Words failed her as she stared up at Thor's sleeping face.

The god was sprawled over the couch, head propped up on the arm rest, with Maria's body stretched over his, his arm wound protectively around her waist. Maria hardly dared move for the petrifying fear of waking him, frozen in position, curled up on Thor's chest.

She snatched her hand away from above his heart as he inhaled a deep slumbering breath.

Oh my God, Maria screamed in her head. Her alarm only grew when she glanced down and realised that Thor didn't just have his arm around her waist, but his palm was flattened against her exposed, flat stomach. Even in his sleep, his grip was firm. There was no way she was getting out of that unnoticed!

She was too shocked for even tears. She hovered in place, her head peeled away from the god beneath her. Her hand trembled over Thor's, pressed possessively at her middle, as if she could levitate his palm away from her skin.

Her brain started swearing when the arm tightened. Her eyes shot to his face, eyes so wide it hurt as she watched him stir. Oh God, her mouth formed soundlessly, oh dear God! His head tilted back against the couch, arching his neck so his adams apple stood out boldly. He groaned, and the sound reverberated through his chest, rumbling deeply beneath Maria.

She couldn't bring herself to move. Not that she could if she wanted to; Thor's arm at her waist locked her body to his, even when the rest of his stretched out, his body arching from the couch, his hand moving up her warm back as he stretched his tricep, hugging her tighter to him than before. Finally, he slumped limply in the couch and stilled.

Maria released a long held breath, praying it was over.

Then Thor's head lifted and she instantly found his bright blue eyes, squinting with sleep. He blinked at her a few times, Maria just gaping at him, horrified.