Dying is tiring. LOL Or maybe it was Loki proving how real he is.

Differences mentioned in this chapter: All of it.

Ariana bolted up from a nightmare of the trials mixing with HYDRA. She pulled her knees up, crying. Loki slowly opened his eyes and saw how distraught she was. He sat up and wrapped his arm around her, finding her shaking.

"Talk to me, my Queen," he said in a soft voice. "Do not hide your fears from me. Let me help."

She turned her head and looked at him for a moment before flinging herself into his arms. He had to brace himself with the force she unconsciously used. He ran his hand over her hair, trying to calm her enough to talk.

"My greatest desire," she said after a time, "in any form, is you being accepted and loved, Loki. Not just by me, but by everyone. But last night… I had HYDRA dreams invade them. They already hurt because I had to run past everything that I ever wanted for you… for us. But the nightmares made it so much worse."

He gave her a soft kiss before saying, "It is okay for you to feel this way. We knew the HYDRA dreams would be difficult when we healed you. You and Bucky are naturally good, and for evil to touch and influence you in such a way was bound to scar you deep in your souls. This was changing the makeup of your DNA on a fundamental level. As an Asgardian, what you have experienced affects you more strongly. We aren't known for half measures when it comes to emotions."

"Great, so now I'm going all weepy now?"

Loki chuckled at her attempt at a joke. "No, but they will be more intense. It's just new right now."

She kissed him, passion mixed with desperation. She moved to straddle him, now dripping core grinding over the hardening length of him. Loki pulled back just enough to lock the door before slamming into her. He guided her hips over him, his teeth skimming over her hardened nipples. Her arms wrapped around his neck, her fingers tangling into his hair in invitation. He needed no other signal as he suckled hard. She threw back her head, gasping out and chanting his name as an anchor.

"Loki!" she moaned. "I can't… too sensitive… I need…!"

He growled, "Then just feel, my queen."

He rolled so that she was under him. He began to move harder and faster. Her nails raked over him, meeting him thrust for thrust. She gripped him so hard, he was groaning. It was like she didn't want to let go and he was loving it. Neither wanted to stop, but they were fast approaching the precipice. To prolong it, he slowed down.

"Loki!" she begged. "Please!"

He loomed over her, staring into her lust-filled eyes as he asked, "What do you need, Ariana? What does my queen desire from her king?"

"I need to cum! Please! Let me cum, my king!"

He smiled, kissing her hard to swallow her moans as he picked up the pace again. The building pressure was too much for both of them that they fell over the edge. Her entire body quivered from the force of her climax, every jet he released into her sending more waves through her, adding to his own pleasure.

He separated their bodies, earning him a moan of denial and her body fighting to hold on to him. He pulled her flush against him, needing to hold her and make sure she was alright. He ran his hands comfortingly over her, summoning a warm cloth to clean her up. Through it all, he could feel her body tremble with aftershocks. However, during his menstruation, she began to moan.

When he reached her core, she stopped his hand and said in a breathless tone, "If you do that… after everything… I'll…"

He smiled as he said, "Ariana, it is selfish of me to ask you to wear me on you, and what is between shouldn't be that way."

She cupped his cheek. "It's okay to be selfish once in a while. I mean, I just was. I needed the horror of my nightmare gone and needed you to do that. I didn't ask you to, but you did it anyway, even when I didn't really say anything. I just…"

He smirked, realizing what she was saying. "So, I can," he ran his finger through her folds and collected some of their combined juices, smearing it over her skin, "in this instance, ask you to wear me under your clothes?"

"Is," she licked her dry lips, "is that you claiming me as yours?"

"Even without it, you are mine, Ariana." He began to suck on her neck, leaving his mark on her. "This is just making sure you remember." He moved back to admire his work and the flushed look she wore. "But yes, a show to all others that you belong to me."

She giggled. She went to entice him to do more to her when there was a loud knock on the door. Loki and Ariana groaned in frustration. Loki cleaning her had built her up for another round and she was aching to have him inside of her again. Loki was so full, just the thought of her keeping his seed on her skin had him needing to be surrounded by her again.

"Brother!" Thor called out. "Sister! You slept through breakfast! You must eat or Stark is going to burst in!"

"Just leave!" Loki called out. "Let me worship my queen in peace!"

Ariana took advantage and rolled so she was on top, lowering herself slowly onto him. She began bouncing as she leaned down to whisper, "Perhaps it is my turn to worship you, my king."

If it was possible for him to get harder, it just happened. He gripped her hips tightly as she picked up the pace, sitting up again to take him deeper. She bit her lip, trying to keep her moans quiet so that only Loki could hear.

"Good girl," he said through clenched teeth. "The music you make is only for me."

She felt the build-up deep in her stomach. She reached for it, but he stilled her hips, denying her. She looked down at him, whimpering in frustration. His thumb began to do a slow rub of her clit, causing her to have to cover her mouth to keep from gasping aloud. He began a slow, yet hard rhythm that had her gasping into her hand.

"Loki, you have worshipped her so much, she won't be able to walk to the dining hall!" Thor called, knocking again. "Or make me an uncle before the wedding!"

Loki and Ariana, however, were lost to the throws of passion and could no longer hear what Thor was saying. It took effort for Loki to concentrate on a gag for Ariana so that she could fully enjoy the pleasure they shared. Her hands on his chest began to claw down them as they once more built to a precipice that both were desperate to get to. When they fell, she screamed into the gag, taking him with her once more.

She collapsed on top of him. He had no strength to make the gag disappear. He barely had enough to untie it. Both were breathing heavily, unable to move. Well, that… he thought.

Exciting? Ariana asked.

Yes, but I will not allow others to see what is mine and mine alone. Even in his mind, he growled, sending shivers through her, both gasping when she clenched around him.

Don't do that! We won't survive a third time! She rolled off of him. Everything hurt now that she moved, but she loved every ache. She snuggled into him, falling asleep again.

Loki just managed to pull the covers up to her chin and over himself when, true to Thor's words, Tony burst through the door with his repulsers. Loki sighed, bringing Ariana close to him.

"She is still tired, Stark," Loki said, his voice betraying how exhausted he was himself. "Let her rest more."

"She needs to eat, Loki," Tony chastized, entering the room with Thor and, of all people, Frigga.

"My boy, she is still new to being Asgardian," Frigga said, going to Ariana's side. "She is now 1026, her body must adjust to the changes, and everything is stronger for her. Keeping her here, even if it is what you both desire, could hurt her."

Loki groaned. He knew they were right. His desire to show her how much he loved her had to come second to her health and safety. His own stomach growled, betraying how he had neglected his own body's needs. Frigga smiled.

"We'll leave you to get her ready," Frigga said, standing. "Come down as soon as you are able."

Loki nodded. They left the room as Tony shook his head at how easy magic repaired the door he had destroyed. Loki sighed and shook Ariana awake. She hummed, content to lay right where she was.

"Wake up, my love," he said, kissing her. "We have been summoned to lunch."

"I don't know if I can move," she admitted with a smile.

He chuckled. "I know, but we have to eat or we will continue to have visitors."

"I guess it's not healthy to skip meals." She sat up and he smiled at the marks on her body. "How long have we been in here, anyway?"

"I'd say about eighteen hours."

She shook her head. "Yeah, that's long enough. I just don't have the energy."

He clothed them both, helping her out of bed so that her Asgardian garments flowed around her. "I know the feeling, but eating food will give us the energy we need to continue where we were interrupted later tonight."

"Do you think we could get help for my nightmares?" she asked as they walked down the hall, her legs shaking so much that he had to hold her up.

"We may be able to lessen their strength," he admitted, "but only time can take them away."

She nodded. "I understand that. It was just a thought."

"I wish I could make the nightmares go away for you and Barnes, I truly do." He opened the door for her. "However, I can cure an empty stomach and lack of friends."

She smiled as they sat. Everyone welcomed them, though Loki felt out of place. He wasn't one for sitting like this with others, and many of those around them ignored him. Ariana remembered the temptation of him around a table like this and everyone engaging with him and joking.

Wanda moved to the other side of Loki, sensing Ariana's unease, and asked, "So, Loki, did you take care of my sister last night?"

Loki choked on his drink so that Ariana had to pound on his back, fighting her need to laugh. She glanced at Wanda in appreciation. Bucky sat next to Ariana.

"Wanda, I don't need to know what he does to my sister," Bucky said.

"I second that, Jazz Hands," said Tony. "Can we not talk about that?"

"What?" Wanda inquired. "She was stabbed in the heart, so I want to know if he made sure she wasn't in pain."

"Yes," said Ariana, sitting down again. "He made sure I knew I was back in reality and not hurting."

"Good," Wanda replied. "Though I'm sure by the way you walked in here, I can guess as to how he did that."

It was Bucky and Tony's turn to choke as everyone snickered. Ariana blushed but leaned into Loki. It wasn't the exact image of her temptation. It was better.