I survived! The weekend was super tiring and mostly boring, but not half bad. But to the stuff that matters - I was originally going to skim over Christmas completely, but then I realized that I have an opportunity to keep the story going longer if I put it in. Besides, Wynn met Loki's family, sooo... :D Also, thank you guys so much for leaving reviews and for supporting me even though I left for longer than I ever have. -sob-
I have more fanart links! Boreale did a gorgeous portrait of Wynn, and xLettuce drew an adorable piece involving Loki, Wynn, and a circle of salt. They're both definitely worth checking out. Copy/paste lines in my profile. :)
Disclaimer: Only the OC(s), the rest is Marvel's.
Wynn woke up cramped and chilly, but surprisingly more comfortable than she had been in a long time. Loki's knee was digging into the back of her calf and his hand was so cold on her breast that she was sure it was going to fall off, but Wynn wasn't about to complain. She would rather be freezing, held in the cocoon of his body, than not be held at all.
"You may as well get up now," he said, his breath tickling her ear. "We'll be departing soon."
Wynn almost jumped when she realized that he was already awake; even more frightening was the fact that he knew she was awake and she hadn't moved anything aside from her eyelids.
"Not enough time for another bath?" she asked.
"I'm afraid not."
"Disappointing. I guess it's for the best though; I almost drowned in that tub last night. Those things could hold, like, three Thors. You really should have been there, but you were too busy scheming," Wynn said. He pressed his lips to the small round of her shoulder bone and sighed, "Perhaps next time. Now, rise."
"Pushy," she grumbled, but wiggled out of his loosened arms and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Loki rolled over onto his back and sat up, watching as she shuffled across the room to retrieve her green dress, washed and left by his door sometime the previous day. Wynn unfolded it and shook the fabric out (even though it was perfectly pressed) before glancing over at Loki.
"Stop staring at me, you creep," she snapped, but the acid she had intended to inject in the statement fell short due to her embarrassment. When she wasn't caught up in the moment, being naked in front of him was just slightly mortifying. It was always impossible to tell exactly what he was thinking when he cast his gaze upon something, and she was positive that she didn't want to know what he thought about her body.
"I think it's a bit late for modesty, Wynn. Besides," he said, propping his chin in his hand and curling a smirk at her, "I find that I quite enjoy admiring you like this."
"Yeah, right," she muttered, a bite of heat gnawing at her cheeks. She yanked on her underwear as quickly as possible, followed by the dress in a rapid succession. She heard Loki get up and wander around somewhere behind her, but didn't bother turning. Slipping from the room, she rushed down the hallway to the bathroom, which shocked her with its glamour just as much as it had the first time. It was a bathroom, but it looked like its own little palace.
The tub was huge and golden, with a rippled bottom that massaged the feet when you stepped in. Of course, the toilet was worth more than most items on the black market, so Wynn felt like she was defiling it somehow by even sitting on it. She scrubbed her hands with a sweet-smelling herbal soap and rinsed her mouth before smoothing her hair in the mirror. It had been neat and washed after her bath the night before until Loki had thoroughly tangled it in several different directions.
By the time she got back to the room, Loki was dressed and had concocted another disgusting elixir. Wynn took the vial from his hand with a sneer and pinched her nose before throwing it back, the liquid sizzling down her throat softly.
"So gross," she shuddered, and clicked her tongue a few times to try and rid of the taste.
"I believe the taste of that is more bearable than birthing a child," Loki said, and opened his hand for her to lay the empty container back on his palm.
"True. We would have cute kids, though," Wynn replied, and gave herself a mental pat on the back when he was momentarily speechless, as if contemplating how to respond.
"I'm just saying," Wynn laughed. "Don't worry, I wasn't hinting or anything. It was a compliment. I mean, you could have sex with a brick and the child would still be gorgeous…or in your case, I guess it would be a h-"
"Don't you even dare to finish that sentence," Loki growled, and Wynn held up her hands in mock surrender. With a sigh, he laid his hand on the small of her back and guided her toward the door, saying, "After the Allfather gives us the sword, we will go back to Midgard and begin to prepare the tower for attack."
"Okay, but you do know that we'll be back before Christmas, right? I know I said I wouldn't go anywhere, but I didn't think we'd be back so soon."
Loki paused and grabbed her hip, turning her slightly so that they were face to face.
"So you'll be leaving, then," he stated, and if Wynn wasn't imagining it, he sounded slightly bitter.
"Well, yeah, I have to go see my family sometime. I haven't seen any of them for nearly a year, my mom for nearly two years. And I really would like to make it, because…I mean, just in case our next meeting with Lilith doesn't go well," Wynn told him, brows raised.
Loki made a soft 'tsk' sound at her last statement, but released her so that they could continue their walk down the hallway. Wynn was quiet for a moment before dredging up enough courage to ask, "I'm sure Fury would grant me permission to leave, and you could stay, but would you want to come with me? It won't be a big deal, just a couple of days, and Montpelier is really pretty, so it won't be awful."
"It matters little to me," Loki responded, and Wynn rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, okay, but it's still up to you."
"Is it your wish that I go with you?" Loki asked, and Wynn grit her teeth. He just had to make everything difficult.
"Yes, Loki. Believe it or not, you're actually tolerable most of the time."
"Your romanticism astounds me, Wynn," he said, and she could practically taste the sarcasm.
"You're welcome. Maybe I'll buy you a box of half-eaten chocolates for Christmas."
He scoffed, but before he had a chance to reply, a familiar voice rang down the hallway.
"Hey, Wynny! Scar!"
At Stark's greeting, she spun on her heel and waved at an approaching Stark, Banner, and Steve, all of whom seemed to be walking with their legs slightly parted. Apparently, the long hours of riding from the day before had not been kind to them.
"Hey, guys. A little stiff?" Wynn asked, and Stark squinted at her.
"Yeah, but you know how that feels, am I right?" he retorted, and Wynn flexed her jaw, giving him the silent woman warning to shut his mouth.
"Thor said to find you all and go to the throne room," Banner told them, and Loki gave him a short nod before waving them forward. They followed along, and the walk would have gone by a lot faster had Stark not been humming the tune to every iconic sexual song that he knew. By the time they got to the stairs for the throne room, Wynn was ready to strangle him and Banner was sighing repetitively in a calm effort to quiet Stark down.
"My friends!" Thor called from the floor below, Jane standing beside him and waving. They all loped down the steps and bowed at the bottom for Odin and Frigga. The Allfather rose from his seat and met them halfway, a sheathed weapon held carefully in his hands.
"I trust Brunhild already informed you of the item I am about to present you with. I hold steady that it is the one trustworthy weapon that many slay Herja for good."
Odin held the sword out to Thor, who nodded his head and took it into his grip. He stared at Thor with what seemed to be well-hidden concern, but when he spoke, his voice was steady.
"Herja is dangerous, but I know that you and your allies are fully capable of handling yourselves. I only wish that when you kill her, you come back to us and tell us of what you have done. I give you all of my luck and thoughts."
"Of course, Father, thank you," Thor agreed, and the Allfather put a large hand on his shoulder. That seemed to be the cue for Frigga to move forward and embrace Thor, whispering something in his ear. When he pulled away to take Jane by the arm, Frigga moved on to Loki. Wynn could hear her say something to him in their native language, and he nodded.
"It was a pleasure meeting you all. Please, you are always welcome in our home. I wish each and every one of you the best of luck," Frigga told them all with a small smile. They gave a chorus of thanks and good-byes, slowly backing away from the throne and turning to chase after Thor. Once they were out of the throne room and were heading past the windows, Stark piped up, "So we're out of here? Damn, I'm going to miss this place."
"You are welcome back; my mother has given you her blessing."
"Did you say good-bye to Sif and them, Thor?" Jane asked, and he nodded. She smiled and reached out to hold his hand, which he gladly accepted. For a split second, Wynn felt a pang of jealousy before quickly dismissing it. The idea of her and Loki holding hands was ridiculous – it was a gesture for couples, not two people who…what?
Oh, God, I've entered the No Label zone, Wynn thought, and grimaced to herself.
What were they? Friends with benefits? Two rejects who found comfort in each other? Both, maybe. Or maybe it was nothing, just something in the Asgardian water that had prompted him to kiss her that night. But she didn't mind giving him her affection, not a bit, because whenever she imagined him floating in space, in the dark, something deep in her ached. It was worth it to give him her touch and her acceptance, even if she couldn't hold his hand.
Wynn held a hand to her forehead as they left the House of Odin and was blinded by the sun.
When they arrived on the top of Stark Tower, Darcy ran out in her pajama pants and slippers, yelling, "Hey! Three days till Christmas, are you guys my presents?"
"I'll wrap Cap up in a bow for you," Stark said, jabbing a thumb at the man, and high-fived Darcy as he practically ran inside – or as fast as he would slosh through the snow. Pepper had been smart and stayed in the building, choosing instead to wave at him through the glass. Beside her, Nanook barked so loudly that Wynn could almost hear him; she waved at him and his tail wagged even harder. She saw Thor shove Jane toward the doors, scared to leave the tiny girl out in the snow for longer than a minute in case she got a sudden case of frostbite.
"Hi, Dar," Wynn said as the girl hugged her tightly, moving aside to let Banner and Cap pass.
"So glad you're back, dude. Tumblr is awesome, but it's sad when you're not there staring over my shoulder making comments," Darcy said in her ear, and Wynn laughed loudly.
"Well, I'm back for now. We can do that tonight."
"What do you mean 'for now'?"
Wynn released her and said, "I need to go to Vermont and visit my family for Christmas. I was thinking we'd leave tomorrow morning."
"Oh. Well, it's nice that you'd invite me, but I have family to go visit too. Sorry, I just got confused for a second."
"…Darcy, you're still confused," Wynn told her, and pointed over her shoulder at Loki. "I'm taking the Evil Overlord. Maybe decorating a tree will be stress-relieving."
"I heard that," Loki spat, and Wynn turned around long enough to bare her teeth at him before returning her attention to Darcy.
"I see how it is," Darcy sniffed, and Wynn shrugged apologetically.
"Sorry. But we'll hang out tonight for a while, okay?"
That appeased her, apparently, because she saluted before running back for the tower entrance. Wynn heard Loki shuffle up to stand beside her and he asked sourly, "Evil Overlord?"
"Seemed appropriate."
"I could be much, much more cruel," Loki said, and without warning, stuffed his hand down the front of her dress. Wynn screamed as the fistful of snow he had just deposited began melting into her bra and down her stomach.
"Why would you do that?" Wynn shrieked, flapping the hem of her dress to try and fling the water out. She kicked a pile of snow at him, which he deftly avoided, and as he sauntered to the tower doors she heard him yell, "I do what I want!"
Wynn breathed out hard and sucked her stomach in tight, as if that would help her skin escape the ice water that was now soaking into the hem of her underwear. She glanced up and froze, dress bunched in her hands as she watched Stark have convulsions behind the glass, cell phone in hand. She would never hear the end of it.
The day passed rather quietly. Thor showed the ones who hadn't gone to Asgard the sword, and explained the events that had occurred. Clint and Natasha didn't have much to say, only volunteered to go to the nearest hardware store and buy a five-gallon drum of rock salt. Darcy had freaked out as per usual and insisted that she hold the ring of briars that was currently in Jane's possession, and Pepper was…Pepper. She took it in stride, and vowed to keep a close eye on security.
And since she had Pepper, she had thought of everything – while they had been in Asgard, she and Darcy had gone out and bought a mammoth evergreen tree. So the afternoon was spent in Stark's large, cushy living room, decorating the largest Christmas tree Wynn had ever seen. Loki had dipped out, claiming that he would have to participate in "pointless Midgardian traditions" when they got to Vermont anyway, and she gave him that one.
Thor was allowed to help decorate until one of the glass orbs kept slipping off and he attempted to punch it onto the branch, nearly tipping the poor tree over. After that, Jane made him sit on the couch and string popcorn with Darcy, though he fed most of it to Nanook. The rest of them managed to put the decorations on the tree like sane human beings until Stark told Banner to lift him so he could put the star on top.
"Can't we just get a ladder?" Banner had asked, but that was denied. 'No fun', apparently, which is how he ended up straining every muscle he had while Stark wobbled on top of his shoulders.
"If you drop me, I will kick you out of here faster than a noble gas rejects an electron," Stark hissed at Banner while he flailed his arm, attempting to get the star on to the point of the tree. Miraculously, it worked, if Banner's pulled neck and crushed shoulders were discounted. Stark attempted to apologize by ordering Thai food that night instead of shawarma, knowing that it was Banner's favorite.
They were sitting around watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas before Wynn excused herself to go pack. She stopped by Loki's room for a few minutes to annoy him before he shoved her out, eyes still trained on the dilapidated copy of Golding's Lord of the Flies.
As she packed her suitcase, she talked with her mother on the phone, who had screamed excitedly when she was informed that Wynn was coming up to Vermont.
"I'm already here! Are you bringing that boy? I'll tell Susan and Jeremy tonight," her mother rapid-fired, and Wynn had to lean away from the phone.
"Yes, Momma, I'm bringing him. And okay, just don't forget to tell Annabelle too."
"I won't, of course not. I guess you won't want me to put the old Elmo sheets on the bed if you're bringing a boy."
"…Oh my God."
"That's what I thought. So you'll get here at one or so?" her mother asked, and Wynn hummed an agreement before they said their good-byes. She sighed and threw the phone on her bed, thinking that the whole situation was just…odd, like a juxtaposition. One minute they were all being attacked and talking about black magic, the next they were decorating a tree for Christmas. This new life was certainly exciting, but Wynn wasn't sure that she didn't prefer her old role as report-writer and trainee. Now she'd have to go eat Christmas dinner with a Norse god sitting beside her, and smile even knowing that in a month they'd come to final blows with the succubi. Yeah. Easy. She bent down and stroked Nanook's head; he had been following her around all day, but managed to finally collapse on the floor and sleep.
A knock at the door sent her standing straight, and Wynn called, "Come in!"
"Hey, dude," Darcy greeted as she strolled in and plopped on the bed, jiggling the suitcase.
"Hey, Darcy. What's up?"
"Oh, nothing. You know, the usual," the girl said casually, and Wynn folded the hoodie she was holding slowly. Darcy was being was too calm; she had even knocked.
"Uh-huh. Did you guys finish the movie?"
"Yup."
"Oh. Cool."
"Yeah."
There was a beat of awkward silence before Darcy burst, yelling, "Did you have sex with Loki? Oh my God, I totally know you did!"
"Darcy, no, I didn't – I mean, I did but - shit!" Wynn replied frantically, and Darcy held the sides of her face, pulling down her cheeks.
"I knew it!" she hollered, and bounced up, springing on the bed, creating waves so large that the suitcase almost toppled off the mattress. Nanook scrambled up from the sudden noise and Wynn grabbed him by the collar, patting him reassuringly on the side. Darcy kept yelling, "I knew it, dude, I so knew!"
"How?" Wynn whined, and Darcy smirked.
"Um, he casually shoved his hand down the front of your dress – yeah, I saw that – and he keeps touching you. Like, more than before, I mean. Just something was different. Actually, when I accused you, I was only half-sure, but I totally knew you'd give it away. You're shit at lying."
Wynn sighed and massaged her temples before setting her attention on folding a pair of jeans. Darcy flopped down and stared at her intently until Wynn finally met her gaze and snapped, "What?"
"Sooo? How was it?"
"No, Darcy. Just no."
"C'mon, please? At least throw me a bone for being attentive for once. Just one little detail," Darcy begged, and Wynn rolled her eyes. As if she could avoid it, she led Nanook over to the couch and got him up on the cushions before returning, arms crossed.
"Fine, one detail. Um…" Wynn tried to dredge up something that wouldn't be too personal, and then thought about looking at the mirror in Asgard. "He's a hair-puller."
"Seriously?" Darcy laughed, eyes wide.
"Seriously. Not hard enough to hurt, but I could definitely feel it."
"That's kind of hot. One more detail. For Christmas."
Wynn puffed a lock of hair away from her face and ignored her, choosing instead to zip her suitcase shut and move it to the door. Darcy's eyes followed her all the way to the bathroom, and when she finished packing her toiletries, Darcy was still lying on the bed waiting. It was the first time she had ever seen the girl desperate enough that she was actually patient.
Wynn stood by the bed and gritted, "One more, and then you're out of here."
"I agree to your terms and conditions," Darcy said, and sat up.
"You're enjoying this way too much. Get up and walk to the door. I want to make sure you follow through," Wynn told her, and Darcy scoffed, but got up anyway. Wynn trailed her over to the doorway and then said, "Open the door, and stand in the hallway."
"You're serious?"
"As a heart attack."
Darcy muttered something under her breath, doing as she was told, and Wynn held the doorknob. Darcy held out her hands and prompted, "So…?"
Wynn smiled, and said, "He's a biter, too. And all the proof is in places that I can't show you to prove it."
Then she slammed the door in a shocked Darcy's face.
Later that night, after Wynn had gone and said goodnight to everyone, she lay in her bed staring at the ceiling. She was too hot, too worried. As fun as the day had ended up being, anyone knows that lying in bed not being able to sleep is the worst time for thinking. Everything pressed down on her like a weight. Brunhild's warning, Lilith's threats, the impending battle. It made her mouth dry, like it was full of ash.
Quietly, she threw the covers back and left, pacing down the hall to Loki's room; she creaked the door open and slid in. It was dark, and she stood for a moment to let her eyes adjust. She gently closed the door behind her and paced to his bedside, laying her hand on the cool flat of his back. He turned his head to the side and whispered, "Were you not able to sleep?"
"No," she whispered back. "I keep thinking about all these awful things. Can I sleep with you?"
"You still believe that you have to ask?"
Wynn didn't reply to that, only climbed in over top of him and rested her head on his shoulder. His skin was refreshing against her flushed cheek, and she let her eyes close, listening to the steady thrum of his heart. Her hand lazily traced up his spine and found its way to his hair; she ran her fingers through the ink-black locks, surprised that she had never noticed how soft it was. Loki rolled onto his side without warning and she felt his hand creep under her shirt to lay in the dip of her waist. She kept her hand in his hair and ran her fingernails against his scalp gently, drawing a deep noise from his throat.
"I thought you wanted to sleep," he murmured, and she recognized the dusky tone in his voice.
"I do. Sorry," she replied, and felt him nod. She laid her head on his pillow, their faces so close that she could feel his breath on her lips, practically taste the peppermint. It didn't surprise her much that the smell was familiar and comforting to her now, lulling her into sleep like a hushed reassurance.
"So you'll call us when you get there?" Jane asked, and Wynn nodded, slamming the door of the Mercedes shut after Nanook had clamored onto the backseat. The car rocked slightly when Steve threw her suitcase into the trunk, followed by the bag that Loki had to grudgingly borrow from Banner.
"Text me, okay? I can't die of boredom," Darcy said, and Wynn hugged her shivering body so that she could run back inside. The girl gave her a wink before rushing for the door.
"Thanks again for letting us borrow the car, Stark," Wynn said, and Stark nodded, hands shoved deep into his pockets.
"This is your Christmas present. And by Christmas present, I mean return it without a scratch or I'll run you over with it," Stark grumbled, still half-asleep.
"Lady Wynn, Loki, have a joyous time! And brother, be kind to the other Midgardians, yes?" Thor said, to which Loki scowled. Apparently that was good enough for Thor, who slapped him so hard on the back that Wynn could see his teeth rattle. Thor crushed her in his arms next, and she had to struggle not to wheeze.
"Okay, we're out," Wynn told them after Thor had let her go, and she pulled open the driver's door, Loki doing the same across from her. As soon as she yanked the door shut behind her, she looked over to him and said, "I hope you're ready for nearly six hours of I Spy and Christmas carols."
"Thrilled," he replied dryly, and she grinned at him as the engine roared to life beneath the turn of the key. She waved our of the window as they rolled toward the opening door of the parking garage, and she heard Thor yell, "Be safe in your travels and Jane says not to converse with strangers!"
Beside her, Loki sighed and pressed his forehead to his palm.