Loki awake, blinking the sun out of his eyes. He wasn't sure what time it was but he knew, from the brightness of the sun that morning had passed. He closed his eyes and let himself relax completely against Steve's chest. He felt Steve mumble incoherently in his hair as he held Loki closer.
He wanted to stay where he was forever. He wanted the council to go away, but he knew that wasn't going to happen, he knew that they would be calling Fury soon to say that they had reached a decision. He knew that the best outcome that he could hope for was a swift punishment. He felt Steve's breathing change and he knew that the super soldier was awake. Loki turned in Steve's arms so that they were facing each other.
Steve moved so that he wasn't holding Loki any longer. His face flushed with embarrassment. He had wanted to hide his feelings, keep them secret and yet while he slept he'd let the cat out of the bag by holding Loki while they slept.
Loki bit his bottom lip. He's wanted to wait until the council had made its decision, until he was certain of his fate but now he realized that he had to know. He couldn't wait any longer. "Steve, can I ask you something?"
Steve felt lost in Loki's eyes. "Of course. You know that you can ask me anything."
Loki ran his hand through his hair. "It's not so much asking you something as it is telling you something. And I want to do this before I lose my nerve. So don't interrupt me, don't speak until I have finished. At first I thought my feelings for you were just from the gratitude I felt from the fact that you were willing to protect me. But as time went on I have realized that it's more than that. Am I grateful to you and your courage? Of course. But I have loved before. Been in love before," Loki took a deep breath. If his words failed him or if Steve did not return his affections he didn't know what he would do. "What I'm trying to say is that I am in love with you."
Steve took both of Loki's hands into his own. "I know how you feel. I've been struggling with the same feelings. I was trying to figure out how to tell you without coming across as desperate. I want you to know that no matter how this plays out; I will be here for you. If you do end up imprisoned, I will find a way to visit you. I want to be with you."
Loki smiled as he leaned forward to place a kiss on Steve's mouth. The kiss was soft, gentle and lazy. It wasn't the rush of feelings and desire that Loki had in his heart. He knew that he would have to take his time with Steve; to rush it would probably end in disaster for them both.
Steve was the first to pull back and initially Loki thought that he'd done something wrong. "What is it?"
Steve smiled. "Nothing, not really anyway. I just want to make sure that this is something that we both want. I've never been with a woman or a man before. And I think that before we go any further we wait until the council has made its decision. That way if this is something that we both want, we will have all the time in the world and nothing to worry about."
Loki stared into Steve's blue eyes and felt like he could drown in them. "I'll wait for you as long as I have to."
Steve smiled at Loki. Loki laced his slim fingers with the Captains and was content to let the other man hold him again. As he leaned against Steve's solid form he felt as if for the first time everything would be alright.