**DISCONTINUED**Crave ((Loki Fanfiction))

6. Worth

Loki stirred, his eyelids fought with him. He could still feel the haze, the high lingering in his system. It made him lethargic

, something he embraced, something he had been feeling for quite some time. There was a difference to this sensation however, this somnolent feeling helped him sleep, and something the other feeling did not allow him. Maybe, he thought, it was due to the fact that he'd succumbed to the girl's warmth, her comfort and company. He succeeded in opening his eyes, seeing a dim light crawl into his bedroom. The falsity of the glow, the inaccurate imitation of true light, exposed a body standing before his window. The muted lights of the streetlamps wrapped around her nude form. She was justly beautiful, as though it were some right that had been placed upon her. The impressions on her skin reminded him of his own, the ones that were visible when he was that monster. The shameful shade of cerulean that replaced his pale reflection, the azure lines that interlaced over his body, they were foul, menacing and revolting. Yet, the ink on her skin, was striking, they had a charm about them. Loki spotted a rather large, dark image carved into her side. So she had replaced the tattoo. Loki slipped out of the covers silently and made his way toward her.

Blanche was taken from her thoughts as a hand lay itself on her side.

"You got it changed. When?" His words echoed in her ears even after they were heard. His voice was as chilling as the empty coldness in the room.

"The day after I saw you." Blanche let herself lean back into him, moulding herself to him. His touch was toxic, something she couldn't get enough of.

She felt him pull away from her, taking a closer look at it. "It's not what you said it would be?"

"It's not done. I changed it, I figured this was more suited, well... more me." She smiled as he trailed his fingers over the outline. "It's funny 'cause I can't even pronounce -

"Yggdrasil. The tree of worlds."

"How did you - well I guess by your name..." her voice faded.

"Let's just say, my parents were... devout." His voice was elating, she wanted to hear him speak some more.

"Tell me about them." She whispered keeping her eyes focused on the road outside. She felt the him hold her, pull her into him. His hands wrapped carefully around her, a comforting gesture.

"Well," his voice was deep and his breath tickled at her ears. "I'm not very close to my father or mother." He paused, kissing the back of her neck. She heard a slight intake of breath before he spoke, "And my brother and I....we used to be so close." Blanche heard his voice crack a little. Blanche suddenly felt as though she were intruding and without noticing, she'd started to tense.

"What's the matter?" Loki said softly, running his hands up and down her arms.

"Nothing. I just felt odd. I don't know. For some reason I feel like I'm intruding." She blurted out the truth without thinking.

"Well, you could say that. But if I didn't want to answer your question, I wouldn't have." Again, his voice sent shivers underneath her skin, soothing her nerves.

Blanche took this as a good thing, she grabbed his hands, pulling them around her body once more, she squeezed his hands reassuringly. "Well, if it means anything to you, I'll keep this between the two of us. It'll be our little secret."

Loki smiled into her hair and kissed the top of her head. He knew exactly what she meant. In saying those very few words, he had exposed himself. It was not what he had said that gave him away, it was in the way he had said it. If only she knew how much he valued her silence.

"Let us go back to bed my darling."

That following day, Blanche decided to take the day off. Monday was usually a "very quiet and tedious day anyway." Loki was pleased with her decision to spend the day with him. It was nice to distract himself with her presence, in fact it was trouble-free and unproblematic. She was flexible and did not disapprove of any of his proposals. She was more than happy to put together a meal for them in the late morning when they finally woke. She was quite domesticated and yet, there was something about her, an alluring façade perhaps? Whatever it was, Loki couldn't help but be entranced by the girl. She was so young, the youth was evident in her features, her skin supple and precious. The way she walked, her hips swayed a little, he loved to watch her walk. Her skin was rather darker than the women of Asgard, sunkissed and speckled with beauty spots. Her hair fell without effort, to her lower back in soft, natural curls. It was an exquisite russet colour, rich and thick. She turned to look at him, a smile brushing at her eyes. It was a genuine smile. There were hardly any lines etched into her face, she was kissed by the fountain of youth. Blanche's face was sprinkled with beauty spots as well, Loki hadn't even noticed before this moment. Taking in her features, he scratched the image into his mind, remembering every miniscule line, every imperfection, the way her lips curled and the way her hazel, doe-like eyes squinted happily as she smiled. She looked nothing like the women in Asgard, like him she was different. She had decided to wear nothing and in doing so, Loki found it empowering, it showed the confident side to her that he longed to see more of. Loki let himself imagine, taking her to Asgard, to see where he was brought up, a place he once called home. Surely she would be left speechless, the place they were in now was nothing, it was a mere spatter at the bottom of his boot. Her eyes would light up, her smile would grace her face and she would fall in love with it at first sight. But of course that was just a dream. He vowed that he would go back to take everything, to take away everything Odin had taken from him. The oracle had spoken of the prophecy, he did not know until now, that it would come true. He would be the cause of Ragnarok, he accepted his fate, the burden that he held. He was Loki Laufeyson, burdened with glorious purpose.

Loki ate his fill of the brunch Blanche had prepared for him. But there was a change to him, like he had closed up again. Was it something she said? Or was it something she had said? They were at the beginning again, Loki seemed like a stranger while they ate. She attempted to kiss his neck but he showed her no emotion. Blanche was wrong about Loki, she had thought that he would be different, he seemed so deep, so troubled, as though he had been through hell and back. She wanted so badly to just have him accept her kindness and comfort. She thought for a second that it may have been love. No, of course not. They didn't even know each other and Loki was such a strange man, she could never tell what was going on in that head of his.

"Is it alright if I take a shower?" Her voice was hushed, for some reason, she was pained.

"Of course darling." Loki got up swiftly. He led her to the bathroom and pointed out some new towels on a shelf for her to use.

"Thank you." She said, watching him walk out of the door.

Without Loki, her body felt lifeless. She felt so sad all of a sudden. Blanche wanted to feel his touch, to have him embrace her. She wanted nothing more and nothing less than his love. It must have been love, she hadn't felt this strongly for someone in...... never. She'd never felt a pull of this magnitude. Normally, she would be the one who wanted space, needing space. She was never the clingy type, to be so attached. What was so different about Loki?