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villainousshakespeare · 2 years

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Therapy Fit for a God Chapter 21

Loki/OFC Rated E: Trigger Warnings: Smut, Sex, Oral Sex, Angst, talk of suicide, therapy, unhealthy family dynamics, mention of torture and mind control, touch starved, drinking

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16, Chapter 17, Chapter 18, Chapter 19, Chapter 20

Loki’s plans to conquer and rule Midgard have come to a disastrous end. After being captured by the Avengers, he is being held on Earth. Odin has refused to interfere, and the outlook for the God of Mischief appear bleak. His only hope may lie in one mortal woman, a Psychiatric expert brought in to interrogate him.

Dr. Caroline Thorpe is intrigued by Loki and thinks that more lies beneath his actions than is commonly known. Can she find out the truth before he is shipped off to die for crimes against the Earth? And can Loki bring himself to care?

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Okay, so a few things: 1. I know it's been almost a month, and I apologize. It was a stupid month, complete with a panic attack and a move. I really hope not to take this long between chapters again.

2. TRIGGER WARNING!!!! Part of the reason I had to wait to write this is it is a dark chapter. There are memories of abuse, and both Loki and Caro are in very angsty places. Please do not read it if this will be bad for you.

There was no physical pain, not the way it had been with the Tesseract. Her body did not ache or feel as though it had been torn into a million pieces. No, this time it was her heart that bore the brunt of the Infinity Stone's damage, and it was a million times worse.

Caroline had only a dim memory of being brought to the room where she was now. She was vaguely aware that there had been an argument about it. Tony had stood up to his technical superiors and demanded that she be taken to the suite he maintained on the base instead of to the jail where Pierce had insisted she belonged. She should be grateful she supposed, but in truth she didn't much care where she was. Her mind would follow where her body went, and her brain was a much more profound prison than even SHIELD could construct.

She had not protested as they carried her here, nor had she struggled when they injected her with a sedative. She was too busy crying to even notice the needle going into her arm. It was only when her mind began to grow fuzzy that she even realized what had happened. Tenaciously she held on to the picture burned into her brain - Loki on the floor, body lifeless and eyes unseeing - as the world around her faded to oblivion.

It was still there, that image, when she awoke.

"Try to stay calm, and breath," a distantly familiar voice suggested. "I've given you a heavy dose of tranquilizers, so you're going to be hazy for a while. My advice, don't fight it."

"What," her voice croaked, throat sore and dry, and she swallowed and tried again. "What are you doing here?"

She wasn't really interested, but it seemed polite to at least feign curiosity. After all, they all seemed to be trying to help her for some reason.

"Tony contacted me. Over half a dozen Phds and they all treat me like I'm a medic."

"Sorry," she rasped, knowing it was what she was supposed to say.

"No, I'm sorry," Dr. Banner awkwardly adjusted his glasses. "I don't mean to add to your worries. And I get it. I wouldn't trust SHIELD doctors either. No offense."

"I'm not SHIELD," she protested without the usual force she put into her denials. Who cared if she technically didn't work for SHIELD when she had carried out their execution as efficiently as any of their trigger happy agents.

"Right. Tony said you were a freelancer too. In fact, he's suggested a couple of times I set up an appointment with you."

"I wouldn't," she laughed without humor. "My current track record with patients advises against it."

"Hey, don't do that. You can't blame yourself for what happened. There were intergalactic forces beyond human understanding involved."

"And I was egotistical enough to think that I could overcome them."

"Did you? Did you go into that room thinking that you would be immune? Because from everything I've heard, and Tony gave me a detailed rundown, you were all well aware of what the probable outcome would be. So, what were you supposed to do? Let an egomaniac with a God complex go in instead?"

"Are you talking about Loki or Tony?" She asked, a trace of humor despite it all.

"Either way," Bruce gave a lopsided smile. "Either of them, or Thor, or god help us me would have ripped the universe apart. You didn't."

"No, I just ripped Loki apart instead."

The spark of humor left, and she buried her head in her hands as tears she did not know she had left fell from her eyes. Bruce, after a moment of uncomfortable shuffling, crossed the room and sat next to her on the bed, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"It wasn't your fault."

"I killed the man I love."

"You don't know that. Loki was alive when Thor took him to Asgard. If there's a way to fix him, they will know it there. I mean, he survived me smashing him repeatedly into the floor and was making bad jokes just minutes later."

Looking at the self-effacing doctor it was hard to imagine that the raging beast was hidden within. She felt a sudden kinship with him that she would not have expected. Her time under the sway of the Mind Stone had shone her the dark thoughts lurking beneath the surface.

"How do you do it?" she asked tentatively.

"Do what?"

"How do you live with what you do when you're the Hulk? I'm sorry, that's unfair. I didn't mean..."

"No, it's okay," he quieted her as she fretfully began to backtrack. "It's not easy. The first few times, before I learned to control it more, I caused a lot of damage. I have to own that. But I also know that I was not fully responsible. I do what I can to repaire the damage I caused, and work to keep it from happening again. You don't have to worry about that. The Mind Stone is gone, taken to Asgard where you never have to come in contact with it again."

"Along with Loki."

"Look, I don't have all, or even any answers. But you're not going to help Loki by beating yourself up. For all we know, he could be up and driving all the Asgardians crazy by now. Or he could be convalescing in a bed of flowers being fed nectar and ambrosia, or whatever they do up there. But either way, he'll need you to be strong in order to help him finish healing. So the best thing you can do for him is take care of yourself."

"Or he could be dead," she said dully.

Bruce took off his glasses and cleaned them on the edge of his shirt. He didn't meet her eye, and he didn't say anything. After all, what could he say?

***

Loki drifted to consciousness on a wave of pain. Where there had been only numbness once, now it was as though a billion microscopic pins were piercing him, deep into the subdermal tissue of his body. Was he out of the void then? He had thought for a moment that he might be lost in it once more, but it seemed he was not to be so lucky. Sweet oblivion was once more denied him and torture seemed to be once more in his future.

"Hush, dear one," he heard a soothing voice say, as something cool brushed his forehead.

No, he was not going to listen to the voice or acknowledge the small moment of relief when his brow was touched. That was the way to more heart ache, as he had been forced to learn during his time in prison with The Other. He steeled his mind to shut it all out, focusing instead on the physical pain. That, at least, he could endure.

"You are alright, Loki. Just lie still and let yourself heal."

He heard a pathetic mewling noise, and to his horror it was coming from his own mouth. The cool contact from what seemed to be a cloth caressed his face, and then slid down to his neck. It was a small thing but done with such gentleness that he found himself leaning into it in spite of himself.

With a low groan he fluttered open his eyes. He had a feeling what he would see, the voice had not been strange to him, but it was still with a constriction in his chest that his Mother's face resolved itself to his view. Friga's eyes shone with concern, and he thought unshed tears might be lurking behind her eyes. It cut him to the depth of his soul.

"You... you are not her," he rasped, voice little more than a grating of his vocal chordes, none of the smooth charm he was known for evident.

"Do not exert yourself, my son. You need time to recover."

"Stop it," he begged, flinching away from her touch. "You will not deceive me again. I will not buy in to your lies only to have them snatched away again."

It was among the worst of the tortures he had endured. The one that began with hope. Hope was the mortal enemy where he was now. He had to keep it at bay.

"Loki, it's me. I'm real. I'm here."

"Please," he was weeping now, desperate. "Please do not make me watch her die again. Please. Just kill me. Kill me and let me go."

"Oh, Loki. What have they done to you?"

The hand returned to his forehead and Loki felt blissful oblivion swallow him once more.

***

The pain was less the next time he returned to consciousness. He was in the same room, a sick room on Asgard. The bed beneath him was soft, as were the clothes that encased him loosely. He was still sore, and felt as weak as a kitten, but the intense stabbing pain had abated.

What had happened to him? His memory was appeared to be one large haze. A nagging flicker of a thought buzzed in the periphery of his awareness, but no matter how he tried to concentrate he could not focus his mind. With a groan, he raised his head and looked around him.

"Mother," he said, attempting a smile when he saw Frigga sitting in a chair in the corner.

"Loki," her voice was relieved, and he wondered how long he had been asleep.

"Watching over me like when I was a child. What have I done to deserve this?"

Perhaps she would fill him in on the reason for his convalescence and save him the embarrassment of asking. No need to let others know his memory was porous as a sponge.

"There is no question of deserving," she chided him gently. "You are my son. I will always watch over you. How do you feel?"

"I feel as though I spent the day battling an ice dragon," he admitted ruefully. "And without my knives."

"I wish that was all you had been through," she said, frustratingly vague.

"Well, no doubt your healing hands were all I needed."

"I only wish that were true. Eir herself has been here multiple times the past few days. You gave us quite a scare, my son."

"Days?" the word slipped out in a gasp before he could stop himself. "How long have I been unconscious?"

"Thor brought you back eight days ago. You were barely hanging onto life. I have never seen him so beside himself. We feared we were going to lose you."

"Eight days?"

What possibly could have rendered him incapacitated for that long? He knew from experience that he was not an easy creature to kill; gods new enough people had tried over the centuries. Why couldn't he remember?

"Do not trouble yourself, about it," Frigga suggested, bringing him a cup of sweet water. "You are on the mend now, that is all that matters."

"Is Thor still here?" he asked.

Perhaps his brother could be led to reveal what had happened. Loki was not sure why he didn't want to admit his lack of memory, but something inside was urging him not to trust anyone, even his beloved mother.

"He is not at the moment, but he will return soon," she assured him. "Your father sent him on an errand."

"Odin," Loki spoke the name, once more beset by a strange emotion of unease.

"He will be so pleased to see you awake once more. You have given us all quite a scare."

"I'm surprised he noticed."

"Loki!" Frigga reprimanded.

He should have known better. No matter how close he and his mother were, she would never hear a bad word about her husband. Over the years Loki had learned to avoid voicing his grievances; it hurt too much to have them explained away. He knew Frigga meant well, that she only wanted to see the best motives in those she loved. She had the same blind spot when it came to himself. Still, just once he would have loved to hear her condemn Odin for his treatment of his younger son.

"Well, I notice he is not sitting by my bed side."

"He has been here," she informed him. "It is only matters of state that keep him busy."

"Of course."

"Do you think you can eat? You need to regain your strength, but I don't want to rush your recovery."

Loki did a quick assessment and realized with some surprise that he was ravenous. Oddly, he had a sudden craving for venison stew. He doubted the kitchens of the palace were preparing anything so rustic. He could not even remember where he had eaten it before. No doubt on one of his clandestine adventures with Thor and the Idiots Three. That would explain why he had blocked it out.

"Loki?" Frigga sounded concerned. Had he been thinking too long?

"I am famished," he told her truthfully.

"I will send to the kitchens. Lie still and try to rest until I get back."

She gave him a quick kiss on the forehead and slipped from the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Something was wrong. He could not put his finger on what, exactly, but he knew that his mother was acting strangely. If nothing else, he had caught her worrying at her left hand as she sat looking otherwise serene. It was a tell that they shared, betraying in a way that voice or gaze never would that something was bothering them.

Why was his mind such a blur? He tried to focus on the last thing he remembered, but it was all jumbled. They had held Thor's coronation he knew that much. But then Odin was still King, sending Thor off to run errands for him. Which meant that something had happened to interrupt it. And anyway, that had been some time ago. He knew that time had passed since the big day. He just could not, for the life of him, recall what had occurred during that time.

He was missing something. More than just the time and the memories, he knew there was something in particular that mattered. Mattered more than anything else in his world. There was something he needed to be doing, some place he needed to be. It was vitally important and completely forgotten. He had to find out what it was. Somehow, he knew his happiness depended on it.

***

"She's still not eating much" Bruce said quietly to Tony, glancing over to where Caroline sat at a table picking at her food.

"It's only been a week, give her time," Tony advised.

"It's hard to believe that this melancholy is all over Loki. I guess there's someone for everyone."

"Kinda gives you hope for you and me, huh? I know it doesn't make a lot of sense, but I saw the two of them together. Call me a sentimental idiot, but I got to say, it looked like the real deal between them."

"Have you heard anything? Thor check in at all?"

"Last I heard he was taking the Mind Stone to some secret location. Keep it out of reach of power hungry hands."

"So we have no way of knowing if Loki survived."

Caroline stopped listening, unable to take anymore. She knew she was worrying her friends, but she couldn't help herself. If Loki was alive, and she prayed to any and every God she could think of day and night that he was, she would never know it. None of the outcomes she could foresee were good. There was every chance Odin would lock him up for his perceived crimes. If so, it would be her fault for insisting they go after the Mind Stone and then losing herself to the point where she shot him.

All she could hope was that by some miracle he had survived and persuaded them of his innocence or slipped free of Odin's punishments. She still held out no hope that she would see him again. Why would he return to this place that had been the sight of nothing but pain for him. The base was full of his enemies. Pierce had been held off so far by Tony and Bruce, but he still yearned to have his revenge. She was confined to Tony's suite of rooms, a guard at the door ready to arrest her if she ventured out. She was bait, she knew. A pawn in the Secretary's plan to capture and kill Loki. Loki would know it as well. He was far too clever to fall into Pierce's trap.

And why would he even be tempted? She had shot him at point blank range.

"You okay Doc?"

Blinking, she realized that she was crying again. She had been doing that far too much lately. Lifting watery eyes to Tony, she stood up and pushed her plate away.

"I'm just tired," she said wistfully. "I think I'll go to bed."

"It's 7:30," Tony pointed out.

"Good night."

"Okay, that's it," she heard him say as she walked away. "Time to take matters into my own hands."

"Tony, I wouldn't" Bruce worried.

"I know, that's we're lucky I'm here."

With a sigh she closed her door. She didn't know what he had planned, but it didn't matter. Nothing much mattered to her now.

#Therapy Fit for a God #Loki #loki fanfic #Loki/ofc #loki in therapy #past torture #angst #romance #mutual pining #heartbreak #loki needs a hug #loki recovering #Tony Stark #Bruce Banner #Post Avengers Assemble

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villainousshakespeare · 2 years

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Therapy Fit for a God Chapter 7

Loki/OFC Rated M (may go up to E in future chapters) Trigger Warnings: Angst, talk of suicide, therapy, unhealthy family dynamics, mention of torture and mind control

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6

It took about a day before Caroline's body had recovered from the shock of traveling by Tesseract. She had spent most of that time sleeping. If she had suspicions that Loki's magic might have subtly nudged her towards rest, she kept them to herself. The luxury of untroubled sleep was such a pleasure for her that she simply smiled and curled up into his very comfortable bed.

It also helped that he was just a fantastic cook. Of course he was, she sighed to herself. She had the feeling that Loki would be good at anything he set his mind to, and those few things that he didn't have instant mastery over he would avoid doing until he had secretly perfected them. The venison he had prepared was just the sort of hearty meal, excellently seasoned and accompanied by a full bodied red wine, to induce a food coma of the highest order.

After making quick work of the meal served to her on a tray in bed, Loki had suggested that Caroline return to sleep. She was more than happy to comply, uncharacteristically putting off confronting what had occurred for another day. She was too tired, and most likely a little in shock her professional brain whispered, to do more than agree with him.

"Don't worry darling," he had said softly, turning off the light. "You'll get used to this form of travel soon enough."

The implications of that statement were another thing she decided best handled after a full night's sleep, so she closed her eyes and surrendered to darkness.

By the time she woke up, it was midday. A crisp ray of sunlight fell through a spotless window that had appeared boarded over from the outside. As she sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, Caroline could see snow falling softly but steadily, already rising to almost the height of the glass. She gave a huge stretch and pushed off the puffy comforter, ready at last to face the day and both the rash decision she had made and the unintended journey that had resulted from it.

Loki, apparently as good a host as he was a chef, had left a long green robe and slippers hanging on the back of the door. Considering that she was still embarrassingly dressed in her button-down work blouse, Caroline was grateful to be able to pull on something comfortable. She made quick use of the bathroom, including availing herself of a new toothbrush sitting on the sink and doing her best to make her riot of hair look like it belonged on a human being. Once she felt somewhat presentable, she made her way out of the bedroom suite, ready to determine the path for her immediate future with the alien God with whom she had however inadvertently cast her lot.

Unfortunately for those plans, Loki was nowhere to be found. Caroline searched the other rooms, an easy feat considering they consisted simply of a living room, kitchen with dining area, half bath, and a wonderfully large closet that in her youth she would have assumed led to Narnia, so filled was it with coats and boots and other winter needs.

As she looked around, she was struck with a wave of guilt. She had not given a thought to where Loki was to sleep last night, so exhausted had she been herself. She supposed he must have made use of the sofa sitting before the merrily crackling hearth in the livingroom, but upon inspection there was no way his long limbs would have fit comfortable onto it. She, of course, had occupied his bed, selfishly taking up all that comfortable room herself. Well, if they were to stay here longer, that would have to change.

Circling back to the kitchen, she noticed that a pan was sitting towards the back of the stove. Lifting the lid, she was assailed by the delicious smell of bacon, and spiced potatoes. Her stomach gave an embarrassing grumble, making her realize just how hungry she was. Grabbing a plate from a nearby cupboard, she piled a heap of food onto her plate. Surprisingly, it was still warm as if it had just been prepared. She supposed one of the benefits of having a magical host was that food would always be served just as intended. After pouring a large cup of coffee from the obliging pot on the counter, she sat down and had first class mid-day breakfast.

When Loki still had not returned by the time she had finished eating and taken a long, steamy shower, Caroline began to grow fret. She had no idea where she was, after all. He had left her food for the day, and she was sure there was more in the kitchen, but she had no money, no means of transportation, and no way of communicating with the outside world. If something had happened to him, she would be in something of a predicament.

No, she decided. She would not worry yet. It was still light out, and for all she knew there was a town quite close that he had gone to for supplies. SHIELD might be - would be - after them, but they had no idea where to begin looking. Thor was the only one who knew Loki's habits, and thanks to Pierce's maneuverings, he had not been on the base when they had disappeared. It would be some time before they would have to worry about discovery. Loki would return when his mercurial mood prompted him, and she would just have to make the best of things until then.

Making the best of things began with rooting through the drawers of the large armoire in the bedroom until she found clothing that she could conceivably wear. A comfy sweater of hunter green was by far too large for her, but the cuffs were narrow enough that she could push them up and have them stay above her wrists. The bottom half was more troublesome, but she eventually found fleece lined leggings that while again far too large could be rolled up to make do. A quick glance in the mirror showed her to look like a child dressing up in their parent's clothes, and she chuckled at the sight good naturedly. She would think of this as a winter holiday, she decided. A recess from the real world.

That thought led her to another decision. It was a veritable winter wonderland outside; why not enjoy it? Pulling on a pair of wool socks two sizes too big, she made her way to the closet and pulled out the smallest pair of boots she could find. Stuffing the toes with more socks, she bundled up in borrowed parka, mittens, hat, and scarf and went out to play in the snow.

The weather was not too terribly cold, the falling snow taking the worst of the bite out of the air. She tromped around a bit, making snow angels and enjoying the freedom of solitude. A quick test with a snowball proved it to be excellent packing snow, and she gleefully began rolling a large ball to make the base of a snowman behind the cabin.

She was quite ridiculously proud of the gentleman she created, towering even taller than she was. She had gone inside and found two large, pieces of green melon for eyes, a carrot nose, and then in a spirit of mischief grabbed green throw blanket from the closet and fashioned it into a cape. A quick scan of the surrounding trees was enough to provide her two relatively similar curving sticks, and she stuck them into his brow to make a pair of horns suitable for God's helm.

All in all, she thought her snow God was quite an accomplishment. It was with a happy feeling that she went back inside, determined to look through the kitchen and prove that she too could make a decent meal.

***

Loki was relatively pleased with himself and the state of affairs. Caroline had taken as well as could be expected to being transported with no advanced notice to a random place away from everything she knew. Yes, she had been in a state of shock or sleep for most of the time, and he had aided that sleep with a bit of magical suggestion to give her time to shake off the worst of the aftereffects, but he was reasonably certain he could rely on her to keep a calm while they figured out a plan of action.

He had passed a not terribly comfortable night on the sofa it was true, but it was far more restful than either the bench in his glass cell or whatever they would have given him at the raft, assuming he would even have been alive to see the night. There was time to work out the sleeping arrangements. A new, longer sofa could be obtained if necessary, but Loki had other thoughts on the situation.

Caroline had looked so inviting, snuggled under the comforter in his bed, hair like a living creature spread out on his pillow, that he had longed to slide in next to her and share her warmth. Briefly he had considered doing so. Alas, centuries of indoctrination on the rules of decorum from his adopted mother could not be so easily sloughed off. The woman was a guest in his home, or one of them, and he had rendered her deeply unconscious. He would not force his presence on her in such a state.

In any case, he thought now as he walked back to the cabin, leaving no footprints in the snow to show his progress, the game of the seduction could be a joy in and of itself. He would not deprive either one of them of that. The thought of slowly breaking down Caroline's resistance, breaking through her professional reserve and bringing out the woman underneath was enough to warm him in the falling snow and quicken pace.

There were a maze of footprints in the snow as he neared home, and for a moment Loki knew a jolt of fear at the thought that someone had found them so quickly. Fortunately, reason soon took over. There were no signs of approach, and only one set of boots had made the marks. It appeared that his lovely guest had woken up and decided fresh air was in order. That was fine, as long as she didn't wander too far afield. His subtle inquiries in the nearest town had confirmed that the cabin was still a site where no one ventured. They should be able to hide here for some time.

A smell of cooking met him as he entered. He made his way to the kitchen and was greeted by the beguiling sight of his previously buttoned up therapist dressed in a motley collection of his clothes, hair curling wildly around her head as she stirred a large pot on the stove. She was quietly singing something to herself, and seemed every bit at home as she cooked.

"Whatever that is, it smells divine," he said truthfully, setting down the bags he had been carrying onto the table.

Caroline shrieked and leapt back from the stove, spinning towards him. Red sauce splattered from her spoon around her, and her face contorted into a comically startled expression. Loki could not control the smug expression of amusement on his face as watched her breathing return to normal.

"Don't do that!" she said, glaring at him once she had calmed down.

"Oh, did I startled you?" he asked with a grin, stepping forward to wipe a blob of sauce from her face with his thumb and then popping it into his mouth. "How careless of me. This is delicious, whatever it is."

"Of course you did," she grumbled, refusing to be baited. "It will be ready in about ten minutes."

"Well then, I should wash up."

"Excellent. Maybe then you can tell me where you've been. And where we are. And what we are going to do."

"All that will require sustenance," he smiled, thinking that he had the answers for at least two of those questions, and a suggestion for the third that would take them at least until the morning.

"Well, go wash then. I'll set the table."

"Excellent."

He was about to go when his attention was caught by something outside the large window in the back door. Crossing the room, he got a closer look, mood darkening.

"What is that?" he demanded sharply.

"What? Oh, our sentry?" she laughed, joining him and opening him the door to better show him her creation. "I had some time on my hands today, since someone left without asking if I wanted to join."

"I see," he seethed, looking at the mockery of him fashioned from snow. "That's funny to you, is it?"

"Not funny, exactly," she replied, voice uncertain, "although the eyes to have a bit of a comical tilt to them now that I look again."

"You know, Dr. Thorpe, I would not have thought it of you," he growled, betrayal deep in his chest.

"Thought what?"

"You pressed me to open up, to share my feelings with you. My fears, my insecurities. And then you turn around and use them to mock me? Are you so cruel with all of your patients, or is this some way of expressing anger with me for our situation?"

"Loki what are you talking about? It's a snowman."

"Yes, I can see that. A Frost Giant, complete with horns. That is what you think of me, is it? That I am a monster?"

"Loki, no! It has nothing to do with that! I made it for fun, as we did when I was a child. The horns were just an afterthought, an homage if you will. I didn't realize it would upset you! I am sorry."

Drawing a deep breath, Loki's anger began to recede slightly. Caroline's face looked stricken, and it occurred to him that perhaps it was not meant as a reminder of his monstrous reality. It did seem to go against her character that she would pull such a vile prank on him, even if she was angry for her abduction.

"I apologize, Caroline. I saw a creature made of ice and snow fashioned to look like me and I... well..."

"You thought the worst. Given your history, I can understand why. But Loki, please believe me when I tell you that I would never do something like that to you on purpose! Here on Earth children often build snowmen for fun. When I was outside today, surrounded by all of the new snow, I decided to relive my childhood and do so again. Had I known it would hurt you I would have made a dog or a wolf instead! Maybe a snow leopard. Something less triggering. Please believe me."

She had come towards him, hands going to rest upon his chest. Her upturned eyes plead with him, nothing but honesty and regret shining in their depths.

"Of course I believe you," he said, realizing that he was being an ass. "I over reacted. Forgive me."

"There is nothing to forgive," she told him.

Her arms went to his shoulders, and without thinking he drew her to him. Caroline pressed his face against his chest and he leaned down to bury his in her hair. She smelled of his shampoo now, and while he missed the strawberries, a fierce wave of ownership swept through him at having her bathed in his scent. His arms tightened and he felt her body mold to his, small but well fitted in his embrace. Her pulse was racing, he could feel it pounding along him. The urge to kiss her overwhelmed him, he drew back slightly.

The high-pitched timer on the stove blared out, beyond loud in the silence their embrace had created. Caroline's head snapped up and she quickly pulled away, putting space between them in a quick, determined manner as she turned back to the stove.

"Dinner is ready," she said unnecessarily in an overly cheery voice. "Go wash your hands, and we can eat. I hope you like Italian."

Loki nodded absently and left to do as she instructed. He did, as it happened, like Italian. He had discovered that in his time on Midgard. But what he suddenly found himself hungry for, ravenous in fact, was something entirely different.

#Loki #Loki/OFC #Loki Fan Fic #Post Avengers #Loki in Therapy #Loki needs a hug #Loki GETS a hug!!#Romance #Slow Burn #past trauma #snow #mentions of past abuse #patient/doctor relationship #let's look at Loki's trauma #for real though #on the run #hiding out

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