Nancy slowly opened her eyes the next morning, squinting at the dawn sunlight. It poured in through the sheer curtains, giving the room a hazy, golden glow. She sighed, remembering the events of the previous night.
She hadn't meant to upset Loki. She'd simply misunderstood his meaning. When he called her extraordinary, she assumed he'd meant she was extraordinary because she was his. Her extraordinary status was a direct result of his possession of her. But, upon further thought and analysis of Loki's sudden shift in mood, Nancy was left to conclude that Loki's statement had been a compliment all along. Not the claim of power she'd originally taken it as.
Nancy rolled to her side and lay there, watching Loki sleep. A slight smile crossed her features as she watched him. The gentle rise and fall of his chest. His soft, steady breaths. How peaceful he looked. He wasn't the villain everyone made him out to be. He wasn't heartless. He just needed a friend. A companion to care for him. To be the only one on his side, when the rest of the world turned against him. She wanted to be that person. Wanted him to allow her to be that person.
"You are mine, and therefore you are extraordinary."
She moved her attention to the window and gazed out at the dawning sun as his words resounded through her mind over and over again. Logically, the way his sentence was constructed, she'd assumed correctly. 'Therefore' was a clausal word. It denoted the effect of something. The effect of his possession of her was that she was extraordinary. She was only extraordinary because she was one of Loki's pets, as if that status gave her some sort of unspoken rank. And while it might be true that her status as a pet did allow her some rank, as shown by the bowing and respect the handmaidens gave her, her extraordinary-ness was not a result of her status. Loki had never meant that. Rather, he'd meant the exact opposite of his cause-effect construction. Her extraordinary-ness was not dependent on his possession of her, but rather his possession of her was dependent on her extraordinary-ness. In short, she was extraordinary, and therefore he made her his. He took possession of her because she was extraordinary, and he simply had to have her as his own.
Nancy brushed a tear away as she thought on his words and meaning. She'd been so cruel to him, throwing his words and actions back at him. But she would put everything right again. She had to.
The soft sound of rustling covers made her turn her attention back toward the bed. Loki stirred slightly, as if he was waking. Nancy took this opportunity to slowly approach him. His eyes were still closed and he still breathed steadily, obvious signs of sleep. Slowly, and as softly as she could, Nancy crept onto the covers and lay gently on his chest. She kissed the side of his neck and whispered a soft, "good morning". She had to apologize for all the wrong she'd done. And this was a good way to start.
Loki breathed deeply and opened his eyes. He couldn't say that was a bad way to start a morning. He had specifically driven her back to the chaise the night before, but he wouldn't quibble over such a trivial matter. She had returned to him, as he had hoped she would, and not lay next to him with great sorrow in her eyes. What guilty conscience she must have dealt with to be so apologetic? What thoughts had graced her beautiful head in the night to drive her back to him? He knew she overthought many things, and perhaps in this instance that had proven more to his advantage than he expected. When the night had begun, he had intended to fall asleep with her braced against him. He wished it could have been that way, but then again perhaps she had needed the time to really think through what he had said. What she had said in return. Either way, this looked promising.
Loki looked down at her with a smirk, his eyes barely open yet his mind fully awake. "And who gave you permission to freely kiss me whenever you so desire?"
Nancy glanced up at him and saw his smirk. She gave him one in return, shrugged, and moved down to his shoulder. "Do you want me to stop?"
No. He didn't. He sorely wanted to see where she would take this little charade of hers. "I said no such thing."
Nancy sat up slightly and gazed down into his beautiful green eyes. "Master, I want to apologize for last night. I shouldn't have lashed out like that. I… I suppose I misunderstood your meaning. But I've thought about what you said. And I understand now. That was the nicest thing anyone has said to me in a long, long time. So, thank you. And I am sorry."
Her charade had ended too soon, but she was a quick study, Loki decided. Angering him was a terrible idea, and the apology was welcomed. Although, she still felt in charge. He needed her to realize she wasn't. He wrapped a leg up and around her hip and used the momentum to flip them over so that he hovered above her. "Do not do so again. Do you understand?"
Suddenly, Nancy found herself cocooned in his sheets, with him above her. She blinked and swallowed. "Yes, sir. I understand." Timidly, she leaned up and gave him a soft kiss. "Could we do something together today? Just me and you? I want to see Asgard. And the palace."
"I have business to attend, pet." He pressed closer to hover inches from her lips. Teasing, taunting. "But after that... we shall see."
Nancy gasped softly as she realized how close his lips were. All she had to do was press her lips to his, and she'd have him for her own. "I'll wait for you." she whispered, leaning closer and nearly closing the distance. She slipped her arms out of the covers and let her hands rest on his back, feeling his skin beneath her fingers. "Now, about my breakfast… what will this get me?" Nancy closed the distance and let her lips find his. She acted on instinct, letting their former passionate kisses be her guide. Her love and desire for him poured into the passion of the kiss, drawing her deeper.
Oh, she was learning. And he would not complain. He returned the kiss, just as passionately. His hand fisted into her soft, pliable hair. She had no idea the things she awoke in him. Things he had long thought dead. A thawing in the area of his heart had alerted him to these feelings he held. She didn't realize how sorely she tested his self-control and patience. How much this temptation called to him, and how restrained he forced himself to be so she would not frighten and skitter away. Working on his own instinct, he moved to straddle her completely so he could deepen the erotic kiss.
This was all she'd ever wanted. To be equal with him. To know his true desires. His passions and dreams. To know his heart and soul. Nancy let her hands wander up to his shoulders and neck. Oh, how she wanted this moment to last forever. How she longed to tell him how much she wanted him. How she wished she could be his lover instead of his pet. Finally, needing air, she was forced to pull away. Not quite finished kissing him, however, she gave him a few more soft kisses. Anything to make the moment last just a little longer.
Loki didn't move from his position atop her, but rather chuckled at her boldness. She should know better than to tease him. Still, he answered truthfully the question she had posed, "Any meal you bloody well please." He kissed her again, even more passionately if that were possible.
Nancy wrapped her arms tightly around him, as if she could keep him from leaving again. If only she could make him stay. Or if only she could go with him.
And then she felt a hand on her hip. A hand fisted in her dress. "Wait. Please." she gasped, pulling away from him. "Not yet. I do want this… but not yet."
He hid his mischievous smile. She had brought this entire thing on herself. Yet, in her coy game she had revealed the truth. A truth he had longed to hear from her. "Do you want me to stop?" he parroted her earlier words. It didn't matter if she did or did not. He liked to make her squirm, even if it was ever so slightly.
Oh, that was such a difficult question. Her heart told her no. She didn't want him to stop. But, for now, logic would win. Their relationship was one of pet and master. She wasn't his lover. Knowing him and his tricks, he could simply take what he wanted from her, then lock her away again until he had some use for her. Or he could sell her or shun her. Or, worst of all, kill her. She knew what he was capable of. And knew he was insane, with the added danger of a hair-trigger temper.
Nancy gazed up into his eyes, wanting nothing more than to kiss him again. Wanting to feel him against her. Wanting to be his equal. "Yes. Please stop. For now."
He ran a finger down her arm, testing her true desires. He could sense every intake of breath, every quiver of muscle under his touch. Though she had started this, wanted it even, something in either her training or her rambunctious thoughts wouldn't allow it. How he wished he knew the hindrance. Instead, he would have to work more patiently, toil through more days without her complete devotion.
"For now," Loki promised. In one swift move, he was up and off the bed, heading for the washroom. He couldn't stay, or he might do something they would both regret. If she did not want this, he had best distance himself from her until he could control his own desires. An hour, maybe two, and he would return to normal. The facade would return. He would be the Loki she knew. The sane Loki, because only his insane, chaotic side would continue to tell him this whole game was a good idea.
Nancy blinked at the suddenness of his departure. In less than a moment, he was gone, the distance between them returned. But it had been such a sweet moment. And in that moment, he had been hers.
As Loki prepared to leave, Nancy moved to the edge of the bed and sprawled on her stomach, letting the panels in her skirt reveal her legs. "Don't forget about my breakfast." she reminded him, "I'll take some toast, eggs, and sausage. And some juice and coffee, too. If you don't have coffee, I suppose tea will have to do." She grinned at him, "And please hurry back, master. I'll be waiting for you."