Chapter Eleven - He lets himself get a little distant, sometimes.

Hattie woke with a very stiff neck. It was pitch black. It must have been the middle of the night.

She got up, shivering, then switched the light on and blinked. It was near half-past three in the morning. She groaned, then drifted off to bed and nestled into the covers, closing her eyes.

When she opened them again, it was half past seven. She rose in a much better mood than she was in yesterday and drifted her way into routine. After showering, she went to make breakfast, pausing only to open the door to collect bread and milk.

What she didn't expect was to find Loki Laufeyson passed out on the doorstep, looking as though he had narrowly escaped the shell of an explosion.

She raised her eyebrows, blinked, then sighed, not strong enough to sustain anger towards another for so long.

"Wakey-wakey." She bent down and shook his shoulder, then grinned. "I'm sorry, Sir, you can't sleep here."

He started and was on his feet with a flash. After taking a look at her, he was inside with another, then leaned against the wall with one hand around his middle and his other pressed over his mouth, quivering.

"Spare it." He managed, rising, after she had followed him in. "Commenting on my every move is unnecessary."

He wouldn't meet her eyes.

"I wasn't going to." She said. "But I still stand beside my original idea. Eat something, Loki Odinson."

He straightened and looked at her jauntily, eyes flashing.

"Or what? You'll summon the guards and have me bound and gagged?"

She hated the cold in his eyes and smile. She found herself staring at his lips, as though willing for the smile to change into the one she longed for. To her surprise, he frowned and moved away from her.

"You regret opening my mouth." He said bitterly. "You would rather I was kept silent, like everybody else wishes."

"I would rather you stop causing chaos in your spare time." She replied, but kept her voice steady.

"Don't give me that." He smirked emptily. "I can read it from your face. You're disappointed. You wanted somebody else. The perfect Odinson who towered above you when you were still young. Well, I've got news for you, little girl. You're never going to get anybody else. This is what Loki Laufeyson truly looks like in his Aesir form."

His face hardened as he approached her to look down into her eyes.

"Oh, yes." He mocked. "Disappointment. Resentment. I should have kept him silent, bound him like a little lamb. No, stop that. Don't give me that."

She had tears in her eyes, but she didn't look away. His expression softened a little.

"None can trick the Silver-Tongued, for he knows the minds of others-"

"Shh." She pressed a finger to those unknown lips. "You're talking nonsense."

"I'm not." He removed her finger firmly. "You know it. You marked my cheek for that precise reason."

"Loki of Asgard." She reached up and caught his head between her hands. "Look at me."

His eyes darted away, as though embarrassed of the warmth she offered him.

"No. I'm being serious. Look at me. Listen to what I have to say. You may even be surprised."

After a moment, his eyes flickered to her. They were a little more blue than they had been when his mouth had been closed. Hattie read them. They weren't all his, just a small part, that was quivering at the thought of her confirming his words.

"I just don't want you or anybody else to get hurt. That's why I got so angry yesterday. I could never hate you or wish silence upon you."

"You lie." He said, although doubt laced his voice.

"Do I, Lie-smith? Would Henrietta Knott lie about a matter like this?"

She didn't wait for an answer, realising she had gone about this the entirely wrong way. This soul was complex. It didn't trust easily. It was tender and hurt, pushed away and broken so many times before. She needed to approach it like a child does an adult, not a rival.

"Don't push away, Loki of Asgard." She drew herself closer and leaned against his chest. "It's not what I want. And I already told you that I love your words. Especially if they aren't directed at me."

She didn't know it, but the sickness grew disgusted at her touch and lessened its grip on his mind a little. Loki chuckled, touching her elbows gently with his open palms as she rested against him, feeling the throb of warmth from her with some pleasure.

"You are the perfect size for me to rest my chin upon your head."

He did just that, even though he didn't quite dare touch her with sincerity, so he shifted into what didn't involve confrontation and gave a low laugh.

"Little Henrietta's standing very close to the serpent." He sang, tilting her chin and grinning. "The serpent wishes to kiss-"

"No, he doesn't." She said firmly, putting her hands over his mouth again, although she blushed beautifully. "The serpent is confused and wants food. And he's not a serpent, for serpents are evil."

Loki hid his discomfort with another grin and chuckle.

"In that case, he has to go away again, for he isn't eating anything that aren't maiden kisses."

Henrietta sighed and reached out towards the decorations on his chest.

"Loki of Asgard. Why are you so against food?" She whispered, looking down, playing with his collar.

Loki couldn't take his eyes off her lips now, although something blocked him from reaching for them with his own. This woman had an air of sanctity about her that repelled anything unholy, telling it that it wishes to be treasured, first. He satisfied himself with placing a kiss on her hand instead.

"That's a good question. The answer, on the other hand, is less pleasant."

"But I want to know."

He pulled a face at nobody in particular.

"I was under the impression that Hattie could read minds."

"Reading minds without an invitation is nothing more than trespassing on private property." She said, smoothing his collar down and leaving it alone with a flourish. "It's up to you to tell me."

Loki considered. Her grey eyes were fixed into his, round and expectant, not scrutinising or hating as he feared. He thought he even found some warmth towards him within them, but did not like to hope, so he pushed that thought away.

"Last time I went so long without tasting real food," He started, looking at the window, his voice low, "I grew sick when it touched my lips. I don't want to go through such an inconvenience again. It's unavoidable, if I may add."

"Oh, Odinson-"

"No." He said, firmly, putting a finger to her lips, hearing that name one too many times. "That's not my name. It's Loki. Just Loki."

"Loki."

He liked the way his name rang from her mouth and nodded in approval. She studied him, then took a deep breath.

"You know that you cannot hold this off forever. It is more harmful in the long run. The faster you get used to it, the better."

Loki knew that, but he didn't like to be told he was wrong in any way, so he didn't say anything. He just gestured at the table, bowing his head, then teleported himself elegantly into a chair.

"You could have walked those five steps." She said, unable to keep herself from smiling. "You don't need to be so dramatic."

He laced his fingers together and rested his head upon them with a twinkle in his eye.

"Be locked in a prison for years without the ability to speak, let alone use magic that you possessed and loved for your whole life, then get it back suddenly. Once you've done that, we can discuss the inclination towards my dramatic, green flairs."

"Very well." She nodded. "You're right."

Of course, he thought, his chest swelling with pleasure, I'm always right.

Henrietta placed the two plates on the table and sat down, looking at him expectantly. He was fidgeting, leaning his head against his hand one moment then shifting and drumming his fingers on the table the next.

"Here you are."

He stared into the plate, going a little green.

"Thank you." He managed, his voice oddly changed, swallowing. "It looks delicious."

Henrietta turned and began to eat, trying not to watch him. After a few minutes of him staring into his plate without moving, she swallowed and egged him on a little.

"Just a bite. You don't have to eat it all."

"M-hm."

"Come on…" She wheedled. "Just a bit of toast."

Loki-not-Odinson shifted with a wince, then picked up the piece of toast. He glanced at her, winced again, then brought it to his lips…

"Lord…"

He dropped it and catapulted himself out of the chair towards the kitchen with a flash. Hattie sighed as he retched miserably into the sink, groaning and whimpering.

"Knew it." She heard him mutter weakly. "Accursed immortal balance system… bleurgh-!"

There was another flash and he disappeared from the kitchen, taking the mess with him. She got up and went to find him, thinking he didn't go very far.

She was right - he was on the bench outside, clammy and leaning against his hand with his palm pressed into his mouth.

"Did it take long, last time?"

He eyed her and sighed through his nose.

"No. A mere week, that is all. I suppose it got marginally better the first few days." He added, looking away, then at the floor, for Loki the cat was staring at him with round eyes.

"Strange creature." He said, as it leaped into his lap, causing him to flinch.

"Like you, Loki of Asgard." Hattie laughed. "You can pat him. He likes you."

"That feeling is mutually exclusive." He mumbled. "And you don't have to title me every time you say my name. Leave that to my enemies. There's plenty of them out there."

She bowed her head formally in reply, laughed, then went back into the house. Loki didn't stay long because the conversational topics were exhausted and he didn't like talking about the less-splendid parts of himself. With a flash, he disappeared, back to the place where he left off last time, to the place where chaos called his name.

Henrietta watched as he disappeared, knowing he would be gone a long time. She didn't roll her eyes, for it would have done no good, and matching Loki's sarcasm wasn't something she was built for.

Her phone dinged. She pulled it out, frowning, then relaxed.

Looking forward to Saturday, Andrew had written.

She thought for a while, then typed back.

Don't :p

She went and curled up in front of the television, choosing a film to distract her from the current turn of events. At least they had no acid between them now, but Loki wasn't going to be sincere with her anytime soon. Well, it was only to be expected. Honesty wasn't something he was used to, unless it involved a sharp tongue and an intention to gall.

But she had patience in the long run, and had a habit of forgiving rather than feeding offence. She would try. It was going to be a long project.

She would have never thought that it would end with the company of so much pain and grief, for she still knew innocence.