A/N: We'd like to thank you guys for putting up with us through the summer months. It's harder for us to get these chapters ready and up, but we're far from done on this little fic! We've got some surprises in store for you ;) Stay tuned and thanks for being faithful readers!
It was well into the night when the pain began. A slow ache at first, dulled by the stupor of sleep. But then the curse kicked in, and Nancy was thrust awake. Immediately, the ache intensified into a sharp, searing pain. She gasped softly and gripped at her ankle, near tears.
Loki slept fitfully that night, though deeply. He dreamed of nothing but what he could have done to save his most cherished woman, and each ended the same way. He stirred only slightly at her soft noise in the night, then rolled over toward her and continued his night terrors.
Nancy glanced to Loki when she felt him shift beside her. She didn't want to wake him, but the pain was just too great. Trying to remain as quiet as she could, Nancy ripped madly at the bandages, a soft whimper finally rising to the surface in place of a scream.
Something shook him, as violent as an earthquake and as frantic as a hurricane. Loki propped up on one elbow, nearly half asleep still, and pressed a hand to his head as he narrowed his eyes against the light. "What's wrong?"
"My ankle!" Nancy screeched, still fumbling with the silken wrappings, "It's swollen! Agh! It hurts!"
Loki shot to a sitting position as reality gripped him. Had he realized how violent she became when in pain, he would have taken precautions. Given her a sedative. Anything to keep her calm. "Calm yourself. Calm!" Loki grabbed her wrists to keep her from hurting herself further. He could do very little, but he swore to do what he could. "Allow me. Ice, isn't that what you need?"
Nancy panted softly and whimpered again, the pain still great. She tugged a bit to free her hands, but he was holding her too tightly. "Yes. And it needs to be elevated. Could you grab my pillow from the chaise?"
In an instant and a brief flash of green light, the pillow appeared under her foot, propping it high above its normal elevation. Loki looked her over, then met her gaze. She had to understand this was not how to handle this situation. "If I release you, you are not to panic. Just trust me."
Nancy studied his eyes in the dim, green light. What was he going to do? Why did he need her to trust him? She nodded slowly. "I do trust you."
"Good." Loki released her wrists and took a deep breath. He would do what he must. He lightly rested a hand on her unwrapped ankle. She was in pain, and he must ease it. He could do it.
She winced from his touch and reached out a hand to stop him. "Wait! Not directly." Nancy knew what he was doing. He was going to shift to his Jotun form to cool her ankle. "It'll freeze my skin."
"No, it won't. I've seen to that." Loki cooled his hand against her skin, leveling somewhere between Jotun and Asgardian, a space well set for icing but not burning. He would never hurt her again, if he could help it.
His hand was the perfect temperature. A bit weird, but perfect nonetheless. Nancy gave a sigh of relief and melted back into the pillows, closing her eyes as she did so. The chill was quickly dulling her nerves and bringing the swelling down. "Mm. I like your tricks."
"Well, I am glad someone appreciates them. How long must I continue this?"
Nancy's eyes quickly shot open again, and she nibbled her lip nervously. "You're not going to like the answer. Can't you just conjure some?"
"I prefer to personally see to your happiness. Every. Little. Thing." Loki would have tapped her nose with each syllable, but he was a bit busy at the moment.
"Then you're going to be sitting there for hours." It was the truth. If he wanted to be her personal ice-pack, he would be there until her ankle healed. There was no way around it.
"Hm. Well, I'm awake now. Would a... bath help your healing? I could wrap your ankle in a cold compress." He didn't like her frowning, so Loki chose innuendo to lighten the mood.
Nancy smiled and briefly reflected back to her life on earth. Midnight baths were one of her favorite nighttime activities. Whenever she couldn't sleep or had a particularly difficult case on her mind, she'd slip into a bath full of scented salts and soak her cares away.
"Yes. I'd really like that." she finally admitted, smiling up at her lover.
Loki held up a finger and muttered a spell to conjure a circular, icy compress around her ankle. It hugged it snugly, but not too tightly, and he checked the temperature against his own skin. It would do. "Good. Because, as I've told you, this is what I've wanted from the very beginning."
Nancy smiled brightly. He was so loving and honest now. If only she'd seen his true intentions sooner, she would've saved herself a lot of heartache. "I already gave myself to you once." she teased, "Isn't that enough?"
"Not hardly." Loki slid off the edge of the bed and stretched his tired muscles for a moment. "I want all of you over and over again, until you can't help but think of me every waking moment." He reached to pick her up, an easy feet with her newly diminished weight and his Asgardian strength. "So... shall we?"
With a grin, Nancy wrapped her arms around his shoulders and leaned her head against his. "But I already think of you every waking moment. And every sleeping moment. I have for years."
"Then let this be a culmination of all your deepest desires." Loki chuckled as he headed into their washroom. Funny, how suddenly everything had become both his and hers.
Nancy continued grinning. This was everything she'd ever wanted. Every dream come true. "You are."
The bath awaited them already. Baths on Asgard always awaited princes. There was no sense in having to wait for something so simple, especially after a lengthy battle or… other activities. Loki shook his head slightly and settled Nancy on a bench near the bath itself. "Then for Valhalla's sake give me a good reason to go through with this."
Nancy grinned wickedly and motioned him closer. When he approached, she whispered in a thick, silken voice: "You get me."
"Mm. I do like the sound of that. And now you've made me eager. Let's get on with it."
With a scoff that came out as more of a snort, Nancy sat back and crossed her arms. "Well, there's romance for you." She dropped her voice an octave and mimicked his accent, "Let's get on with it."
"Don't make me go monstrous..." Loki knelt beside her, overtaken with her unique scent and just the beauty of being close to her. He planted a kiss on her knee, then up her thigh. Every inch of her excited him.
"Oh, I wish you would." Nancy mused, finally relaxing enough to close her eyes and enjoy the sensation of his kisses on her leg. "Sometimes I miss the man in the steel and glass trap." So much had changed since their first meeting. They'd both grown so much. And yet, in a way, she still missed the man she first met. His power and mystery. She'd always been addicted to the thrill of the chase. It's what originally drew her to S.H.I.E.L.D... and to him. Those first moments of verbal sparring were fond memories for her. She'd finally met her equal in Loki, but missed the challenge nonetheless.
Loki's kisses continued, starting on her other leg and moving higher still. He pushed aside her skirts as he went, the original intent of putting the slits there finally realized. It made him quite happy. "If you want, I will."
"Mmhm. Just don't hurt me." Fully enraptured with the feeling of his lips on her thigh, Nancy leaned her head back against the wall behind her and tangled her fingers in his hair. "I thought we were supposed to be taking a bath."
"Mm." Loki stopped his kisses to close his eyes and savor the moment. Who knew how long it would last before she began to scream and shout at him again? "I can arrange that." Suddenly, water sploshed around them as he settled into the bath with her. It took no more than a flash of a second.
Nancy gasped and gave a breathy laugh as the warm water suddenly overtook her. "How did you do that?" she continued laughing, wiping at the water on her face. She glanced next to her and saw her dress crumpled on the bench. In less than an instant, he'd managed to strip her and teleport both of them into the water.
"Tricks, pet." Loki lowered his head to her neck and brushed his lips along it. Then his tongue. And his teeth. Anything to taste her sweet skin and please her to no end.
Nancy leaned back again and closed her eyes. "That doesn't explain how." She ran her wet hands through his amazing black locks and down his shoulders, glad she'd waited for this. If she'd given in to him all those months ago, it wouldn't be nearly as special as now. Now, they'd grown close and trusted each other. Their connection was stronger than ever... and certainly worth waiting for.
Would she never cease her questions and curiosity? He wanted nothing more than to be with her, and she only wanted to satisfy her curious nature! Loki sighed and moved his ministrations down toward her collarbone, another underestimated part of a woman's body. So beautiful, his Nancy. So perfect to him. "Magic."
"There's no such thing as magic." Nancy whispered with a smile. She peeked her eyes open to study his, mischief flitting across her features. "Although, the Norse did believe 'the gods' had magic. It's all just science, though. Science beyond our comprehension and stories told out of proportion."
"All fascinating, but..." Loki ducked under the water as his kisses took him lower, over parts that would only ever be his. His love poured out in a desperate display of both power and supplication as he explored their love with his lips and tongue.
Nancy gasped at the feeling of his kisses on her skin, but moreso from how he was doing it. How was he still kissing her for so long underwater? Finally, worried for his safety, Nancy sat up and gripped his shoulders, attempting to bring him back to the surface. "How are you still breathing?"
Loki surfaced with a deep breath and laughed at her question. Why should she care, at this point? "Magic." He moved her into his arms, face to face, as he settled against the back of the tub. These moments, these sweet, intimate moments, would forever live in his memories. His love and desire would forever unleash itself only for her. But, tonight, he wanted her to have anything she wanted. "Your turn. Make it good."
Make it good. Oh, he had no idea what she could do. Nancy gave another wicked grin and moved closer, careful to keep her ankle far enough away from his legs that it wouldn't be bumped.
As she hovered over him, she stopped to study him. This man she once feared and despised. How brightly the light now shone in him. Not only in his eyes, but throughout his entire soul. She let her lips ghost near his, then dropped down to nip at his throat: the one area he always left exposed... now hers for the taking. All of him was now hers for the taking. Finally... he was hers.
/ /
Nancy had no idea how long they'd been there, wrapped in each other's arms. She carefully swiped a wet strand of black hair out of Loki's face and smiled, feeling the rise and fall of his chest against her own. Their hearts beat fast against one another as the two tried to catch their breath.
Still cautious of her ankle, Nancy turned slowly and leaned back against her lover, pulling his arms tighter around her as she did so. With a soft laugh, she glanced around at the now soaking room. During their lively charade, water had gone everywhere. The floor, the walls, even the newly replaced mirror across the room. But it had been worth it. Definitely worth it.
As if the whole universe knew how happy and comfortable she was, a loud knock resounded on the washroom door, causing her to jump and give a yelp of surprise. Placing a hand on her chest to slow her breathing, she glanced behind her to Loki. "They have perfect timing, don't they?"
Before Loki could reply, a guard called from the other side of the door: "One of the prisoners says he'll talk, sir."
"A moment!" Loki sighed in a longsuffering manner and twirled a strand of wet red hair around his finger. The guards, and this entire blasted business with the dissenters, disheartened him and ruined all his fun. A king had to do what a king had to do, but it was harder when a king had a woman to love. "Well, what do you think about this timing? What if I wanted to go again?"
She could see the look in his eyes. The way he looked at her. He'd enjoyed every moment of their time together and would be just as pleased to do it again and again. He'd said so before, mere hours ago.
Nancy gave a nonchalant shrug, but her grin told him everything. "You're the king. Do as you please."
"You do realize he can probably hear us." Loki grinned mischievously, unsure whether he tried to cause her to react, or if he wanted to make the guard as uncomfortable as he possibly could. Probably both, he surmised to himself.
"Poor guy." Nancy frowned. "Send him away. I know what it's like to be one of those awkward guards." With a grimace, Nancy remembered her own days as a new agent, having to deliver unwanted messages to busy superiors. Being present during awkward confrontations and out of place at meetings. "It's not fun."
"Oh but it is!" Loki glanced quickly to where her dress was. In an instant, it disappeared. Loki frowned softly and traced a knuckle over Nancy's cheek. "But, alas, it seems your clothes are out in the bedroom."
The guard rolled his eyes outside the door as a clump of rags fell from midair and landed in a heap on the floor. "Not again…" he sighed quietly to himself, shaking his head as a blush rose to his cheeks.
Back in the washroom, Nancy gawked at the empty bench next to the tub. "Master! How could you? Bring those back!"
"Absolutely not. You'll notice mine have gone as well." Loki couldn't help but grin. Games were much more fun with others to play with, and even he knew his lover enjoyed a good mischievous intrigue.
Nancy huffed and turned toward the door. "Leave us," she called in her most authoritative voice, "Tell the prisoner to sleep on it. We'll get to him in the morning."
Sleep on it? What could that possibly mean? What had they been discussing that could possibly relate to the prisoner? After a moment of wracking his brain and coming up with nothing, the guard cleared his throat and called back, "Sleep on what, miss?"
"Oh, you Asgardians! The topic he wishes to discuss!" Nancy snapped, more from embarrassment than anger, "It's a Midgardian expression! Leave us!" Fuming, Nancy turned back around and sank back into the water, a bright blush creeping onto her face.
"It will be a great pity the first time you fail to blush." Loki stood from the tub with her in his arms. It was a bit disappointing, that she had not played along longer, but still satisfactory as a reaction. Not to mention, once more he had flabbergasted one of the infernal guards. They were necessary, but so boring.
"I'm not blushing. The water is hot."
"Love, I know the difference." Loki turned for the bedroom, not bothering with towels or clothes. The guard was gone and if he was not, it was nothing he had not seen before. Loki was used to doing what he wished, when he wished, however he wished.
Love. How she adored that word. All other emotions slipped away, replaced with pure bliss. "Say it again. Call me 'love' again. It's so much better than when you call me 'pet'."
"Alright, love. Pet is my term of endearment, haven't you realized?" Loki set her on the bed, since she could not yet stand, and reluctantly released her. A pity that they had to separate at all.
"I know, but it still reminds me what I am." And just like that, the pain returned, bringing the sadness with it. Nancy's smile slid into a frown. "I want to be more."
"You are." Loki braced his hands on either side of her and studied her intently. Had she no idea how his mind worked, after all this time? "I would never do these things with just an animal."
"But am I still your pet?"
"Would you like to be? Cherished, cared for, protected?" His question was earnest. To be a pet, so eagerly loved and held close, was a great honor in his mind. It still baffled him she thought otherwise.
"Yes. But not if it means being equated with your cats or snakes or horses. I'm not something to be petted or ridden. I want to be your equal."
Loki laughed and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "dear pet, do you not know you already are?"
"What? You mean that?" Tears began to form in Nancy's eyes. He thought of her as an equal. After all this time… but, no… it couldn't be true. No matter how much she wanted it to be. "I can't be your equal. You're the king of Asgard." The king… of Asgard. She could never be equal with him. She wasn't even equal to his servants. She was a mortal, an animal, a pet.
"I would not join myself to someone of lesser stature." Loki wiped at the moisture gathering against her cheeks. Women were so strange, sometimes. Emotional beings who cried when they were happy and laughed when they were sad. He did not know how to take it this time. "Now, about those raiments..."
"Join yourself? What?" Nancy sat bolt upright and grabbed his hands, desperate to know what he meant. "Forget the clothes. What do you mean, 'join yourself'?" He couldn't mean what she thought he'd meant… could he? Why her? She was of lesser stature. So what did he mean?
"My heart. My soul. Me. I would never dream of someone who was not my equal."
"But... that term..." Nancy shook her head slowly and released his hands. "I'm sorry. I misunderstood."
Loki sank to his knees on the floor beside her, taking her hands into his to hold her firmly. His voice lowered, a gentle, soothing tone seeped into it. He wanted only to understand her and her hopes and dreams. "Explain to me, love. What thought you?"
Nancy turned her face away, her tears flowing freely. She'd been so stupid. Of course he hadn't meant what she'd thought. She'd overanalyzed again and made herself look like an idiot in the process.
She turned her face back and forced a smile. He deserved some sort of explanation, after all. With a breath to calm herself, Nancy choked out, "On Earth, 'to join oneself' is a term that means... 'to wed'."
"Oh, pet." Loki wiped away her tears again. Now he understood. Now he knew, what her brain thought of this. "I did not mean to cause you distress."
Nancy glanced away again, giving a half-hearted shrug. "I just misunderstood you is all. Forgive me."
"No. Forgive me. I should not have been so careless. I do love you. I do." Loki swallowed. She didn't understand the fears that swirled just beyond his calm exterior. Perhaps she never would, but he wished she would. "One of your Midgardians once called me a... how did she say it? Ah, yes. A commitment phobe." He attempted a lighthearted smile.
Nancy chuckled softly at his attempt to use her own 'Midgardian' slang. And it did make sense… his fear of commitment. All his years of getting whatever he wanted as a prince… he probably got bored easily and hopped from one thing to another, women included. After he got bored with her, she'd be thrown away like all the rest. Like he threw away Maija after their one-night stand.
"It's fine." Nancy finally stated after a moment, her voice still wavering. "I know you need to marry an Asgardian. I'm just glad to have you while I still do."
Except, that wasn't it at all. She didn't understand how frightening the thought of marriage was to him. What if he became like his Jotun father and left a child out in the cold? What if he became like Odin and neglected one son to the favor of the other? Would marriage change him for the worse? Loki sighed, having no way to express this to Nancy. "Sleep, then?"
"No." In that moment, Nancy wanted nothing more than to pull him down on top of her and have her way with him. He was hers right now and no one else's. "I don't want to sleep yet." She kissed him passionately, her love and desire pouring into the kiss.
Loki pressed against her, easily giving in to her passion and emotion. He wanted more, too. He wanted to hold her always, to love her eternally. He never wanted that with a woman before, and it caused him to return the kiss with extra fervor. "Again? So soon?"
But Nancy knew he was exhausted, especially after the day they'd had yesterday. And today would prove to be that much worse if they didn't sleep. "I just wanted to kiss you." Oh, but how she wanted him. She gazed up into his eyes, wanting nothing more than to stare into them forever. How she wished he had wanted to marry her. That she was truly his equal. Not his pet or consort, but equal in every way; forever his, and he forever hers.
Loki smiled at her and traced a finger over her fine, statuesque neck before he cupped it in his palm. He leaned closer to her. "Then by all means, kiss me."
Nancy kissed him as ferverently as she could, her every move claiming him and telling him how much she wanted him. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and buried her fingers in his hair, still cool and damp from their bath.
Loki pulled her firmly against him, careful of her injured ankle. Tonight, they belonged to each other, and wherever she wanted to take this little soiree, he would follow. Tonight, he wanted nothing more than her kisses and her words of love, because he knew she meant them.
"I am yours, forever." Nancy panted, finally pulling away and leaning her forehead against his. "Pet. Friend. Lover. Whatever you want me to be." As long as I get you, I'm happy.
"All of the above with the focus on the last one." Loki grinned his most disarming smile at her. "You know, we never did find those garments."
"We don't need them." she giggled, her joy real this time. Nancy leaned back against the pillows and sent her lover a beautiful smile, inviting him to lie next to her.
Loki practically leapt into the bed beside her, more than content to crawl under the covers and wrap his arms around her. "You are absolutely right. From now on, I propose we never wear them again."
"Now, don't push it. I know you're the king, but please don't be the king with 'the robe only the worthy can see'." Nancy grinned and leaned closer to him. "Have you ever heard that story?"
"Many a time." Loki pulled her to his chest, soft curves against hard planes, and nuzzled his nose into her hair to inhale its uniquely feminine scent. "I strive not to use him as a role model."
"Good." Completely happy, Nancy nuzzled Loki under his chin and sighed happily, only peeking one eye open with a mischievous glint. "Because knowing you, you would."
Loki laughed, for the first time in his life genuinely and completely happy.
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