Hey lovelies. This is quite possibly the strangest installment yet to grace this story. Sorry!
I own nothing!
"You," Loki hissed. The darkness smiled.
You, it smiled in reply, the slightest hint of irony tainting its silver-tipped words.
Loki screamed. He screamed and screamed and screamed. Nothing, nothing, could have silenced him. Not when the darkness, with its burning eyes and sickening familiar smile loomed over him, running its icy hands through his matted hair. Its wraith-like fingers stroked his pale face, and its touch scalded his skin.
He couldn't see. The blackness within his mind grew deeper and darker, pulling him to a place, so far away from any light, any warmth, the boy feared he would never find his way back again. The ice gripped his throat, threatening to strangle him. His voice grew hoarse, faint, and yet on and on he screamed. Through the murk, he saw himself, doubled over upon his bed, alone and freezing. His slender arms, thin and brittle, gripped at his stomach, his nails leaving crescent indentations in his pale skin. Scarlet trails, red and raw, ran down his side. Blind-eyed, he raised his head.
"Do you see?" he gasped, hysteria rising through his chest. "I bleed! I bleed!" His head fell back again, sickening chuckle wracking his body. The darkness, as it stood before him, threw back its head, echoing the boy's maddened laughter with terrifying accuracy.
Yes, it hissed, you do bleed. Loki felt the darkness grip his wrist, tearing his fingers away from his savaged skin. With hollow, haunted eyes, it inspected the blood, caked beneath his nails. It touched the tip of its tongue to the droplets that clung desperately to Loki's palm. The boy shuddered, revolted, but found he was unable to pull away. He found he could no longer move. He could do nothing, but scream, on and on and on and on and on.
The darkness cackled.
Scream, little monster! Its grotesquely youthful features twisted into a snarl. No one will hear you!
But its taunts fell on deaf ears, for Loki's sanity had deserted him, and his mind had fallen into despair.
And still, he screamed.
The bed beneath his shuddering body shook, as he brought his fist down again and again. For the first time in his life – such a very long time, it seemed – Loki wished he would simply stop breathing. For then, perhaps, the screaming would cease. The sound, so full of sorrow, so full of pain, terrified the boy. But he could not silence his anguish.
"Loki!"
In desperation, he buried his face in the bed clothes. The soft material smothered his pleas.
"Loki!"
"No!" he cried, gripping the silk, so desperately it began to tear within his grasp. "No! Leave me! Leave me alone!"
"Loki! LOKI!"
Loki...
He felt arms encircling his convulsing frame. Terror threatening to choke him, he lashed out at the creature, dragging his bloodied nails through whatever they could scratch. In hands, much softer than his own, his slender wrists become enveloped. He tried to pull away, but those arms, so strong, drew him towards a warmth – a warmth that, in the depths of his despair, Loki feared he would never feel again. Crumbling, he let his head fall against that warmth.
"Why... w-why don't you h-hate me?" he choked. He felt his brother's fingers fall in gentle circles upon his shaking back. In desperation, Loki gripped Thor's arms, holding on with all his might, afraid to let the older boy go. "Why don't you?"
He heard Thor sigh.
"You are my brother, Loki. My dearest friend." His brother's voice, although shaken, was sincere. "I love you, my brother."
With a resounding cry, Loki threw his arms around Thor's neck. Without another word, Thor wrapped the younger boy in an embrace, the likes of which they had not shared since that night, so long ago, when Loki had once again, awoken, choking on his screams.
Why? WHY? WHY?
Why do you love me? Why don't you hate me? Why don't you fear me?
Why do you love me?
Did I mention, it was also the shortest? I hope you enjoyed it : )
