Hey readers! I'm SOOO sorry for the delay. Exams and lack of inspiration are to blame, but please don't think I've given up on this story. Thank you so much for your faves and reviews by the way. I'm not going to waste your time anymore. Here it is, chapter 8!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything but my OC, Mandy. Loki and any other Marvel characters I add later on belong to Marvel or wherever they truly belong to.
Loki P.O.V.
I took the opportunity to bathe in order to feel fresh in the "new" clothes I received. Thanks to my earlier investigation, I already knew where the bathroom was. Mandy remained in the kitchen to finish up the work she had left off.
Just before I stepped into the shower, I took a peak at my back. The bruises had begun to heal. They were no longer dark and purple. They were lightening up and did not hurt as much as they had the night before. I knew however that the bruises were not the only things that my magic had to fix. I had probably broken a bone or two that was using up most of it. There was no certainty that I would regain my powers soon.
Though the bathroom was so much smaller than the one I had been accustomed to, it was bearable. There were bottles of washing substances and such on a counter where I placed my things on. Just as I expected, there seemed to be a specific order for everything.
Cold water struck my skin as I turned the shower on. I did not feel bothered by it though. Ever since I was a child, I was always alright with the cold. It angered me now that I knew the reason why I was so. Frost Giants were used to this. In fact, they were practically made of it. They were beasts of frozen darkness, with no soul or remorse. They were monsters.
I am a monster.
I increased the volume of water to a point that I felt I could drown myself in. I desperately wanted it to wash away everything: my thoughts, my pain, my past, my disgusting heritage.
If only it was that simple. It would take more than that to erase them all completely. At the very least, it could numb me from those things for the moment. And I was going to make it last for as long as I could.
Mandy P.O.V.
As I was finishing up with the kitchen, I heard the shower in the bathroom turn on. I suspected that Loki was taking a bath, since he left after I gave him his clothes. I decided to fix his bed while he was away.
Strangely enough, it was already done. Except for a small area, most of the cover was already smoothened out. The blanket was neatly folded and the pillow was fluffed up. When did he do this? I thought. Wasn't he resting until before I arrived?
I was starting to think Loki did not do what I told him to, after all. But then again, I did not know him well enough to assume he would actually listen. Lesson number one, Loki is not as obedient as I had hoped.
As much as I wanted to confront him, or at the very least ask him what he really had been up to, I could not. I told him that I trusted him and doing that would mean that I doubted him. I reminded myself that I agreed to take the risk of letting him in.
Realizing it was useless to worry about it, I returned to my work.
Loki P.O.V.
I probably spent over an hour in that shower and my skin would have been wrinkled if I was a mortal. I was also certain that I would take a long time to dress in the clothes I was given. An additional difficulty was the fact that my body ached as I put each piece on. What was good, though, was that the garments were much lighter than the ones I normally had.
I did not know whether Mandy intended it or not, but most what she gave me were colored green, my favorite color. I looked into the bathroom mirror to see how I looked like. I would not consider it vanity, but I had to admit I looked alright. The only time I ever dressed like a Midgardian was when I met with Thor during his banishment. Though I preferred their formal wear, the clothes Mandy provided me were suitable.
I left the bathroom as soon as I was changed. At first, Mandy was nowhere to be seen. There were no sounds to indicate where was. A little worried about her sudden disappearance, I looked around the house for her.
The kitchen, where I had seen her last, was empty. Her place on the table had been cleared out and only a sandwich was left on mine.
I continued to search until I realized that there was one place I had forgotten to check.
Mandy's room was closed. I tried to twist the knob to see if it was locked. Fortunately, it was not. I opened the door as silently as I could, and found her inside. She was lying on her stomach on top of her bed. It seemed as if she was playing with something in her hands, but I could not make out what it was. As I opened the door further to see what she was doing, it creaked, thus signaling my presence. Mandy tensed up upon hearing the sound. "Is anyone there?" she called out.
"My apologies for intruding, but it's only me." I told her calmly, hoping not to frighten her. She turned to face me and smiled. "Well hello, Loki. You took a while in the shower so I ate lunch ahead. I hope you don't mind." She said. I moved toward her saying, "No, not at all. By the way, you seemed to be doing something before I entered." At my statement, she picked up the item from earlier and showed it to me.
"I was sculpting." She said, holding up a formed lump of an unfamiliar substance. At closer inspection, it was shaped like a tree. I politely took it from her and examined it even more. The details were quite precise, with rough textures on the trunk and puncture marks on the leafy areas.
"I know I'm not so good at it but it does help pass the time." She told me while gesturing me to return it. After one last look, I handed it over. I did not want to verbally compliment her, but Mandy's work on that sculpture was stunningly amazing, regardless of the fact that the maker was blind.
She tenderly brushed her fingers on the tree before saying, "Well, say goodbye to it, Loki." I raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why?" Mandy smiled and said, "Because I'm going to destroy it." Before I could stop her, she had already crushed it into a disfigured lump.
"Why would you do that?" I asked, almost yelling at her. She was surprised at my reaction and justified her action saying, "The clay is reusable. If I don't destroy it, I can't make something else. Besides, it wasn't worth keeping, was it?"
If I wanted to be honest, I would have told her that it was a beautiful creation and it was a waste to ruin. Unfortunately for her, I am known as "The God of Lies and Mischief." With that being stated, I said nothing.
"Have you eaten already? I left some food for you on the table." She told me. "No, not yet. I am not famished." I replied. Actually, I was lying. I did feel hunger, but I did not want to show anymore weakness than I already had.
"But you still should eat. Do you want some company?" She offered, rising from the bed. "I suppose." I simply said to her. Mandy took my hand and led me out to the kitchen.
Normally, her insistent touching would have bothered me but after analyzing the way she acts, I understood why. All physical contact was her innocent way of recognizing her surroundings. It would be unwise to put any other meaning to her actions.
Once we arrived at the table, I sat myself down and began to eat. Mandy seated herself on her own chair as well. She then took out her clay and proceeded to mold again while went on with my meal. In between bites, I asked her, "What are you making this time?" She did not pause when she replied, "A cat. It's my favorite animal." I had heard of that Midgardian beast before and seen what it looked like. The sculpture was beginning to take shape and one could easily tell what it was, even without being told.
I still did not give her a compliment but instead said, "You are fond of making art, aren't you?" She smiled at my statement. "I am. I used to sketch before I became blind. Now, I just sculpt. I guess you can't really stop an artist, can you." She said with a soft yet slightly sarcastic giggle.
"So does it not bother you that you are no longer able to see?" I asked, though I somehow already knew the answer. Mandy was silent for a moment before saying, "I would be lying if I said that I was absolutely ok with it. The truth is I miss my sight. There are a lot of things I want to see." Her blind eyes were downcast and she stopped molding. It made me guilty, which was not a feeling I experienced often.
"It seems that I have made you distraught." I told her, hoping to inconspicuously console her. Suddenly, she looked up and said, "Don't worry about it. It just hurts to remember. Besides, I have to face whatever life throws at me." Mandy then picked up the sculpture and told me, "It's like this clay. Sometimes, you have to be crushed…" She squished the figure while she spoke. "…To become something new."
I contemplated at her words. They seemed to mean something to me as well. Was I being broken because I had a greater purpose?
"When you finish eating, would you like to join me?" She asked suddenly. "Join you in what?" I said in response. She divided the clay and pushed forward one piece. "In molding of course. Let's make something with what we have." She said with a smile.
We spent the rest of the afternoon forming things. We spoke few words, but the mere sharing of our creations was enough to keep us satisfied. Quite frankly, I enjoyed it. It was an activity we could both participate in without our secrets and pasts being question. Her hobby was our common ground, which we could do together and yet be ourselves while performing it.
We were creating something new.
End of chapter 8
Sorry if it's shorter this time. This was actually only half of the original chapter 8, but I decided to split it since the two events were kinda unrelated. Please tell me what you think, and don't EVER think that I'll give up on this.
Tip for those who want a faster update: review to me about anything you like or hate about this fic so I can improve it. If you have some ideas, share them with me.