Something was stirring her awake, she could hear the faintest whisper of her name but couldn't identify where it's coming from or whose voice is it.
"My love, wake up." The voice was so... alluring and sweet that it warms her heart. Just the sound of it makes her feel safe and comforted. But it's odd how she can't remember or know who it is. Surely she can't feel something like this with some random stranger.
She tried opening her eyes but it proved to be difficult, it felt like it was sealed shut.
"I can't open my eyes." That sounded idiotic. The stranger let out a deep chuckle and it sent out lingering vibrations through her body. Darcy then realized she was nuzzling the stranger's chest and he was spooning her. His arm is wrapped tightly around her waist and his other arm is used as a pillow for her.
"It's because you don't want to wake up, my love. Try harder." The stranger then placed a soft kiss on the top of her head.
Lifting her hands to her eyes, she tried prying them open but it won't budge. What the hell's happening? She's getting frustrated by the second, her need to see this man's face was eating her up and her weird sealed eyes are not helping. Why isn't she panicking though?
All she's feeling right now is contentment and happiness inside this man's arms. Except she's minutes away from transforming herself to a She-Hulk due to the predicament of her eyes and not knowing who the man is.
"I think my eyelids are super glued to my eyeballs. I swear I can't open them and I really want to right now." She whined.
This time the man laughed and pulled her body tighter to his. She could feel his nose nuzzling her hair and she sighed, hugging his chest closer to her face. Whoever this man is she better hope he's not a rapist or something.
"You really are an unusual woman, never failing to amuse everyone else especially me." He said. He's placing butterfly kisses all over her face, leaving no patch of skin untouched by his lips. Darcy can't contain a giggle and sighed contentedly. But his lips hovered over hers, the last place to be kissed.
He leaned but she stopped him. Placing her index finger on his bottom lip, she traced his lips and felt his kiss on the pad. She touched and traced his face, anywhere she could reach as an alternative sense for her loss of sight. The man leaned in her caress and gave a deep hum of approval. She chuckled, he reminded her of a cat. The angular places and lines of his features were prominent and the thought of an aristocratic face popped into her mind. Her fingers found his lips once again and she leaned, a hairsbreadth away from both their needs.
"I can kiss you, right?" He answered by placing his lips on hers hard and impatient. Her mouth gave in without much of a fight to his tongue, dancing with hers in intense passion. The need to taste more of him was riveting so she grabbed a fistful of his hair and deepened the kiss and was rewarded by a guttural moan. He gripped her waist then his hand slid to her thigh leaving a trail of heat in its wake. It was getting harder to breathe but she doesn't want to end the most amazing kiss ever. He bit her bottom lip, nibbled it and was followed by a swift lick. She moaned and pulled back her head, both of them gasping hard for air and clutching to each other like an anchor to a reef.
And the last thing she saw were a pair of startling green eyes half-lidded with lust and want before it disappeared in a blinding flash of white light.
And the last thing she felt was the profound misery of losing him.
"Darcy's seems okay," Jane said with a quick accusing glance at Loki who was sporting his ever passive expression on his face, bored as always. "But she's got a fever so I'm going to cook something for her. Alert me when she wakes up, okay?" She walked towards Thor then kissed him for an unnecessarily long time, probably to make Loki uncomfortable. Breaking the kiss she glared once more at Loki then proceeded to the kitchen, shutting the door leaving him alone with his brother once more.
Pulling away from the longing look casted on Jane's retreating form, he assessed his brother one more time and concluded that nothing seems amiss. Or maybe that's what he likes to think so.
But Loki is his brother, and he missed him terribly.
Taking two long strides he reached out to his brother and hugged him. Loki was genuinely surprised by this and he didn't bother masking it. With a triumphant smile on Thor's face he clapped his brother's back and welcomed him back. Loki broke out of his surprise stupor and hesitantly returned the gesture. He was the first to break the embrace, backing away to put as much distance between him and Thor.
Thor regarded this silently, unconsciously turning his hands into fists. His nightmares are yet to subside.
He saw Loki raised an eyebrow at him. Thor blinked and loosened his fists, smiling pensively at him.
"Brother, I am truly glad to see you again. Though it saddens me that you haven't contacted me or our parents for a while, we worry about how you fare." said Thor.
"Having a nomadic life is something you'll never understand, Thor. But do not ever beget that I have forsaken our family." replied Loki.
A big grin plastered itself on Thor's face. "Careful, brother, I believe your affections are showing."
Loki just rolled his eyes at him. "You do look and sound like an idiot right now, you big oaf. How you disgrace me so."
"Ah, why do I keep tolerating your hurtful words, brother?" He meant this as a joke, pushing Loki to converse with him more. But all he got was a mirthful smirk and then nothing. He shuts himself again, staring at the window with a wistful gaze.
"Brother, what has made you come to these parts of Midgard?" he said. Cool and calculating green eyes met soft and questioning blue ones.
The last time he met his brother they were smothered in blood and chaos, fighting side by side and almost losing their lives in the process. The city of New York once again became a battlefield where the remaining forces of the Chitauri, an armada of Kree warships, and Thanos himself laid havoc and vengeance upon the realm. All of Earth's mightiest heroes (and even some supervillains) were assembled with one single purpose: Protect the Earth from hostile forces and defeat them at all cost.
In the end, Midgard thrived and prevailed but the price paid for the sake of victory was enormous. They lost great and irreplaceable heroes, genocide was evident, the marks of destruction that cannot be erased, and the scars of battle that left heroes and mortals hollow and traumatized.
And Loki did not escape the plague of war.
Thor doesn't know exactly what transpired between Loki and Thanos but the sight of his mangled, bloodied brother surged great rage within him that he hadn't felt in all of his millennia of existing. The bonds of brotherhood can never be truly diminished, and though Loki has done 'things' that threatened the fate of the Nine Realms and their family he chose to believe in him and for that he's thankful for his unconditional love and unwavering belief. He couldn't bear to lose his brother again. He will not let him feel unloved and alone.
It has already been three years since the war and the last time they have spoken. How can he be a brother to Loki once more if he wouldn't even spare a minute of his time to talk to him?
"I was investigating some magical residue left by the Kree imbeciles. Apparently, S.H.I.E.L.D. is exaggerating over the matter so I have taken the responsibility to know what the fuss is all about," he paused then leaned on the windowsill huffing out a tired breath, "And as I thought, it is nothing but a folly."
"Building bonds of friendship I suppose? I have to say, I'm proud of you, brother!"
"Must you constantly conceive foolish ideas to that brain of yours? It sickens me to even think of befriending the organization that once tried to imprison me like an animal." Loki replied grimly.
"I meant no ill intention, Loki. Forgive me." Thor quickly retorted. He doesn't want to drive Loki away by saying such things, joking isn't one of his talents (and he was bantering with the famed Silvertongue).
Loki's gaze then dwelled on the door where Darcy is resting, his expression unreadable, "What happened to the girl?"
Thor blinked. "Steve Rogers, her betrothed, was recently killed during a mission. She was sedated by their doctors because of her persistent refusal to leave his side. We brought her home and when she awoke she immediately fled." He tried to find some ounce of reaction on his brother's face but was only given an acknowledged nod.
"Where did you find her, Loki?" Thor asked.
"Central Park, she was the only mortal I saw dumb enough to leisurely admire the wrath of rain in an open area." said Loki.
Thor sighed then crossed his arms over his chest, "Losing someone of great importance is difficult, you know how that feels, Loki, especially to immortals like us. Do not ridicule her way on how to grieve for her loss." Of all people, his brother was supposed to be the one who understands this but many things have changed and his mind is nowhere near comprehensible for Thor anymore.
Narrowing his eyes, Loki spat his next words at Thor, "What happened to the fool that got him killed?"
"Steve was my friend, Loki, have care of how you speak." After a pregnant silence and expecting no apology from Loki other than a glower he related the events of Steve's death to his once enemy, "As I said he was on a mission when he was killed. The mission was to stop Project Insight of HYDRA which could've started a mortal genocide. He succeeded but the unexpected interference of the Winter Soldier made him... wary." His gaze fell on Loki, a somber expression painting his face.
"Upon the realization that the Winter Soldier is his best friend he ceased his fighting in hopes to, by mortal references, knock some sense into him. But apparently—"
"He was too foolish to comprehend that the friend he knew was no more than a ghost, a figment of the past."
"Because he believed in something and he hoped. Just like me, surrender is not something he is familiar with. He was a formidable warrior and a great man. It was too soon to lose someone like him. Do not squander his final act of compassion towards the friend he wished to save." They didn't know who moved first but they were now standing face-to-face, too close for Loki's comfort, but unless someone backs down neither will yield for Asgard's two princes were raised to rule over the other.
The silent battle of dominance was suddenly interrupted by a loud thud from Darcy's room. Instantly, Thor rushed forward and burst the door open, slightly unhinging it. Darcy is curled up on the floor clutching her side. Calling Jane over, he gathered Darcy in his arms and placed her back on the bed. She was whimpering and moaning, probably from the fever and he didn't know what to do. He was no healer nor does he possess any magical qualities to lessen her pain.
But a blur of green caught the corner of his eyes and then suddenly he sees Loki kneeling on the other side of the bed nearer to Darcy's side. His hand is planted on her forehead and it immediately soothed Darcy unexpectedly. Thor watched with wide eyes as his brother's hand suddenly glowed in an ethereal blue hue, healing magic. He once felt this rare display of magic from his brother at the last war when a Chitauri weapon pierced his chest. He could still feel the pump of magic flowing to knit back muscles and tissues, desperate to close the gaping hole that was robbing the life off of him.
Jane's voice tapped him out of his reverie and whipped his head to see her appear on the doorway, eyes trained on Darcy and Loki. He was about to defend his brother from Jane's coming outburst of anger but when he turned back his gaze on him again he was gone.
And so was Darcy's fever.
Is it concern or mere curiosity?
A/N: Thank you for the follows and favorites. =) Sorry for all the grammatical errors and if there are misspelled words. :( I will edit it immediately as soon as I get some sleep!