"Sigyn. What do you need from us?"
She glanced over to where Thor and his friends were talking to see who had spoken; it was the blond, Steve, looking the oddest mixture of unsure, confident, guarded, and kind. He doesn't know if this is the right thing, helping Loki, but I think he's more confident that helping me is the right thing to do. I know the kindness is definitely not directed at Loki. Sigyn smiled with her lips closed, shifting so she was sitting properly on the couch rather than laying down; Loki remained beside her. "At the moment? Nothing more than refuge whilst we decide which course of action to take." Her smile became wry. "And whilst I recover." Let them say no to that. It wasn't a lie, though; she would need at least the night to feel herself again, if not more time, and it did feel nice to simply lay with her husband like nothing had changed in the past months. But this complacency was a dangerous as Thanos himself, she knew. She couldn't let herself get lost in the peace and forget their true purpose here.
"We can do refuge," Tony sighed, waving his hand dismissively. "Unless, of course, whoever locked Reindeer Games up decides to come looking for him."
"They will not," Sigyn replied quickly, having already prepared for this argument; it would've been one of her first questions too if she were planning to harbor an escaped prisoner. "My husband was already defeated here once, by you very Midgardians; they would look to his daughter's realm of Niflheim first, or my own home, Vanaheim, or even the barren wastes of Svartalfheim — of all nine realms, Midgard is the last one they would search."
"I still don't trust him," Natasha said suddenly, bluntly. She held up her hand to stop Sigyn's protests. "I know you do, but I can't have the same faith in a lying bastard like that. I need proof."
Sigyn glanced at Loki out of the corner of her eye. "Proof? What kind?"
The redhead shrugged. "He should have something. Otherwise we're done here." Despite the fact that this was not her home, she seemed pretty confident that her promise would be kept.
"This is up to you," she said gently as she tucked his hair behind his ear. "Show them what I see in you." Please. Or else we've come here for nothing.
He exhaled deeply, his eyelashes fluttering. "I do not wish to do this." His voice was low. "And you will wish the same when it is done."
"Will it prove your honesty?"
"Beyond a shadow of a doubt."
"Then do it," she said firmly. She reached down and clasped his hand, intertwining their fingers. "I will be right here; I am not going anywhere."
"That is what worries me," he muttered under his breath. He closed his eyes completely now, and then with a pulse of energy his veil, a veil Sigyn had never seen or thought to look for, fell away like gossamer. She almost wished the illusion had remained.
Gone was his beautiful pale skin, smooth and unblemished, that she had spent countless nights kissing and caressing: his body was wartorn. A jagged gash slashed across his face. Puckered burn scars covered his mouth and stretched down his neck. His hands were mottled and distorted, violent shades of red clashing with the pink of new skin. Raised bumps and knots, pale lines, tiny half-moon incisions and blistered brands were scattered across what parts of his body were exposed, leaving no more than the tiniest swatches of skin unmarked.
Her heart crumbled and her body shook, her vision turning red as it filled with tears. Anger and sorrow swallowed her whole. She knew she should be calm, she knew she needed to be strong right now, strong for him but how? How could someone do this to him, take knives and fire, twist him and mold him and reshape him into a vessel for pain and suffering? He didn't deserve this, no one deserved this, no one except for the monster responsible for hurting him so.
Sigyn didn't realize that her hands had turned to fists that clutched the fabric of her dress like a lifeline. Tears streamed down her cheeks even as she growled, "I am going to kill him. By the Norns I will destroy him, justice be damned." She didn't need Odin's judgement anymore: for what Thanos had done, that monster deserved to die.
She fell into Loki, embracing him tightly and pressing her face into his chest. The anger was still there, but sadness had welled up to challenge it. "My love, my love." Her words came out as broken sobs. "Is it everywhere? Did he leave any of you unscarred?"
His arms wrapped around her, firm and strong, and she felt his hand stroke her hair. "No," he swallowed.
"Why did you hide it?" she whispered as she looked up at him with watery blue eyes.
"To protect you. I knew you would be fuming and sorrowful, and I feared….I feared you would look upon me with despair."
"I am looking upon you with despair," she murmured, reaching up to caress a silvery scar on his cheek. "That Thanos did this to you….my heart has not hurt like this since I was told you were dead."
Loki shook his head, swallowing once more. "Not like that. I did not want this to be the first thing you saw when we were reunited."
She laughed, but it was a broken sound. "Oh my Loki. You think my love for you is based upon alabaster skin or raven hair? You truly believe that is your only worth in my eyes?"
"A broken man does not deserve a radiant princess."
Sigyn silenced him with a kiss, though she was gentle now that she had seen his wounds. "My heart weeps, love, but not for your shattered visage; I ache for your pain, for your suffering, but I love you no less for the marks your body bares. How could I, when what I love most lies beneath the skin?"
But even if she could look past his now-scarred appearance, it was evident that he could not; and why should he? Every mark was doubtless a reminder that would call his mind back to his time under Thanos's power. She tried to steady her mind and still the sobs that still wracked her body. This would be….dangerous.
"Thor, can you come here?" she said in a low voice.
"What do you need?" His words were likewise thick with emotion, and though he was trying to keep his face passive, the prince was clearly concerned for his little brother.
"Give me your hand. Do you remember how it feels to share your energy?"
"No." Loki spoke suddenly, firmly. "I know you what you are planning, Sigyn — "
"Then you know I must do it," she protested. "You do not need to be reminded of your suffering every time you look in the mirror. Thor is strong, and I am not yet spent."
"But you will be if you heal me. Think of our child, love."
"I am thinking of his father!"
"Why not tomorrow, when you are stronger? I will make it through the night."
She blinked. "Fine." It felt odd that Loki, the one who had been beaten and torn and had the marks to prove it, was being the more reasonable of the two right now; maybe she was as fiery and volatile as he'd said. She just didn't like waiting, that was all. She wanted to solve his problems now so he wouldn't be in any more pain. Her hand rubbed absent circles on her growing belly and she repeated, more gently, "Fine. But you have to let me once I am replenished."
"Of course," he said with a tender smile, cupping her cheek in his hand. "I would not dream of trying to stop you."
"Good." Sigyn placed her hand over his, sending a pulse of energy through his body to dull any pain he might be feeling. She bit her lip and smiled mischievously when he noticed and reacted with a frown. "It's too late for you to stop it. And besides, I want you feeling your best for tonight." It will do him good to be loved when he feels he is so unworthy of it. Not to mention it's been months, and all of our teasing kisses have only made me hungrier. Thanos can wait for one night. Right now it was more important to see her husband confident again; Thanos would come later. She would not forget, though. She would never forget.
"What's happening tonight, and why wasn't I invited?" Tony asked with a completely fake air of innocence.
Sigyn responded only with a withering look.
"I'm not leaving him alone." That was Natasha, of course.
Thor spoke up on Loki's behalf this time, his words still carrying the emotion that his face did not reveal. "I believe he has provided satisfactory proof of his honesty."
"She has a point," Tony conceded. "He doesn't exactly have a history of being trustworthy."
"He just revealed his vulnerability to you and you still refuse to trust him?" she said through her teeth. Objectively speaking, it probably was a smart move for anyone other than her to not put much faith in Loki's reliability, but Urðr be damned it was annoying.
"It's less a matter of trust than it is over caution," Steve explained. "I know I'd rather err on the side of safety."
Sigyn and Loki traded a glance. How much was this fight really worth? She rolled her eyes and sighed loudly, the picture of exasperation. "If you really wish to spend your night watching my husband and me make love, be my guest. It might be an enlightening experience."
The prince chuckled at that, leaning in to nip at her lip. "No doubt it will be most illuminating."
"I will leave you both to that," Thor said stiffly before exiting the room, prompting a giggle from Sigyn; she could never quite get over his complete discomfort with their open displays of affection.
"I volunteer for guard duty!"
"No, Tony," Sigyn said, her tone scathing. "Either of the others can, I care not which, just not you." She had a feeling he would get far too much enjoyment out of the whole affair, and she liked him far too little to allow it.
Now it was Natasha and Steve's turn to trade looks. "I'll do it," Steve sighed, resigned. "I need the least sleep."
"Not that anyone here will be able to sleep," Sigyn said slyly, her deep blue eyes glittering with the implication.
"She never was the quietest lover," Loki mused.
That sparked a laugh. "As if you are any better, my love; your pleasure is just as audible as mine."
He swept her into his arms (she squeaked with surprise), and stood, nuzzling her face. "Let us put that theory to the test." Loki looked at Tony, and Sigyn was proud to hear how bland and nonconfrontational his voice was. "Do you have a room?"
"Down the hall, second one on your left."
"Thank you."
As soon as they entered that bedroom, everything was forgotten; her weariness, his scars, even Steve standing stiffly against the wall. All they could focus on was each other. There was nothing of tenderness in their movements at first, no lingering touches or unhurried gazes; Sigyn tore off his armor, Loki ripped her dress, and their heady destruction continued until there were no clothes left to remove. This was a passion born of long-awaited desires and savage carnality, where patience had no place.
They did pause in their rush for one moment, however, to admire the bodies neither of them had seen in months. Sigyn's eyes looked past the welts, lavishing in the angles and hardness of his body, a hardness which extended to that much-beloved place between his legs. She felt his own eyes linger on her womanhood, trace the soft curves from thigh to waist to breast, then return to the arch of her stomach where their love was given physical form.
Then they collided. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he twisted his fingers into her hair, pulling each other close. She caught his lip in her teeth bringing out the sharp taste of iron and he responded with a growl, pushing her onto the bed so she lay prone, facing him.
He ravaged her body, starting with red lips and trailing his rough kisses down her neck, collarbone, plump breasts and even rounder abdomen, bringing bliss wherever he went. His hands likewise found purpose, though they did not travel as far; by the time his lips reached between her legs she was ready, and so was he, though he could've begun far sooner.
It would've been fair to give him the same treatment, to awake every fiber of his being the way he had awoken her, but the waiting would drive them both mad.
"Do it." Her voice was breathy from pleasure, although her spread legs would've been invitation enough.
She groaned when he obliged, her body quivering with warmth and delight as he entered her with the ferocity she craved. Soon they were both screaming, their voices winding together in the air, and no one in that tower could doubt that he belonged to her and she to him.
In one beautiful moment their screams crescendoed and their pleasure rivalled that of Valhalla. He fell to his back next to her and sighed deeply. She gave one last moan as a smile touched her lips.
Bliss.
Finally they got to do more than kiss. Please review if you have comments, praise and/or criticism, and thanks as always for the support!
