Loki's Pain

Chapter Sixteen- Dreams and Nightmares

Author's Note: Sex scene later in the chapter. If you have an issue with detailed sex scenes, you are hereby warned.

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Loki slowly began to panic, curling in on himself in as if trying to shrink into the ground. His hands crept to his head, covering his ears as he began to rock back and forth, his whispering voice muttering, "No, no....no. I can't...." He repeated it over and over, his body shivering in fear.

"Loki, Love, it will be all right." Ash comforted him gently, not even realizing the accidental endearment as he swiftly moved back to his side and rubbed his hand along his shoulder in an attempt to calm him once more. "It will only take a couple of hours to get there, and we will have people guarding us the whole way there.... It will be far safer there too, since Thanos and Maw will have no idea where we went...."

Loki moaned in terror simply from hearing their names, and Ash cussed himself out for even uttering them, their names left his tongue feeling somehow tainted. A flash of memory stung Ash's head in that moment, an image of purple skin and a massive hand choking him while the man it was attached to laughed in cruel amusement. Shaking his head to rid it of the foul memory, Ash forced himself to focus back on Loki.

"Please..." He coaxed gently, and slowly pulled Loki into his arms before beginning to stroke Loki's back like Ash's mother used to do for him so long ago that he had almost forgotten it, "It'll be all right Loki. I promise. We'll get thru this somehow, just wait and see..." Ash could feel Loki's body trembling under his palms, but it slowly eased up until it was barely perceptible, the caresses working as intended.

By the time that the sun had set, Ash had gotten Loki to sleep and busied himself with packing away the few personal possessions that they had managed to gather there in the Tower. Loki actually had way more than Ash had expected, mainly because of the many things that Thor had picked up after their battles and stored at the Tower. Ash himself had a few clothes and toiletries, but not much else. By the time he laid down next to Loki and closed his eyes, they were already packed for the move. He only hoped that the next day would allow enough time for Loki to prepare mentally and emotionally for the trip.

Ash, as exhausted as he was, he slipped into slumber almost between one breath and the next. The weight of Loki in the bed next to him swiftly disappeared from his consciousness, leaving him feeling alone and vulnerable. Next, he seemed to fall thru the bed and into a darkness as black as pitch and almost as thick. He struggled against it, panic blossoming in his chest when he realized he couldn't escape it's sticky grasp. A low, rumbling chuckle whispered past his ear from behind and shot terror thru his heart. He knew that voice, he remembered it, and it was always followed by pain. Within moments he was being tortured all over again, and he could not stop the scream that ripped from his throat. It was pain, fear, and anger all rolled into one. Despair and desolation added extra layers that would forever haunt the hearts of all who heard it.

It felt like forever until he was shook awake by several different hands, and heard the voices of most of the Avengers shouting at him, allowing him to finally realize that he had been dreaming. The panic and fear that had gripped him began to subside, the tension in his limbs slowly relaxing, until he realised that Loki was no longer laying next to him, causing it to flow back over him in full force.

"Loki!?" He shouted, the tension leaving his body as taunt as a drawn bow string,"Loki!!" His eyes darted around frantically until he saw Loki pinned to the floor by someone he had never seen before. The muscle-bound man looked young, with short blondish hair. Loki was struggling in his grip, his eyes filled with wild terror. Suddenly, Ash's panic was gone, and was replaced with blinding rage. He had never felt such fierce anger in his life. Ash felt his power begin to flow in a way it never had before, dark purple energy sparked to life in the dark room, and caused everyone to back away cautiously once they noticed his expression.