Dehydration

After your conversation with Loki, a few hours later, you've fallen asleep on one of the couches in the main room.

While you sleep, Loki watches you intently, tapping his middle finger on the countertop of the kitchen island.

"They will not disappear the second you look away, Brother," Thor comes and stands next to Loki.

However, Loki says nothing in return, just maintaining his tapping at the same rhythm and interval.

"And for the love of God, stop tapping!" Tony pleads as he works on a laptop.

"Would you prefer it if I used your head instead?" Loki remarks, never turning his gaze from you.

"It would be a headache either way," Tony mumbles.

Thor changes the subject and continues to talk to Loki, but he pays him no mind.

Meanwhile, you've started dreaming that you're back on Thanos' ship.

Thanos is holding Loki by the neck, just like when you were there, but now he looks directly at you with a grin, "Let me show you what should have happened."

You're paralyzed as you hear the snap of Loki's neck by Thanos' hand.

Back in the tower, Loki feels a slight sting on his mark.

Everything fades away like sand, and you're left in darkness, the only sound being your breathing echoing around you.

Loki feels another, stronger sting this time, and then he sees your face turn to a pained frown.

Thor notices that Loki's finger has stopped tapping, "Have you been listening to a single word that I have bee...?"

"Move!" Loki pushes past Thor to your side.

You spin around a few times, but only see darkness around you.

Loki gently touches your arm, "Darling. Wake-up."

You hear Loki's voice, but it sounds miles away, "Loki?" Your own voice vibrates around you even though you see no walls, "Loki!" You scream louder.

"What is it?" Thor slowly approaches the couch.

Loki shakes his head, "I do not know. I can feel..." Now Loki sits down on the edge of the couch, next to your hip.

"Loki!" you call out again, but nothing.

This time you say Loki's name aloud, and the second Loki touches your shoulder, you jolt awake and into his arms, "I've got you."

You grip at Loki's shirt trying to catch your breath.

His hand runs up and down your back at a soothing pace, "I could feel you. Talk to me; what happened?"

You grip tighter to make sure Loki is really there.

Loki shifts closer to you, his other hand going into your hair, "I am right here."

"N-nightmare," you swallow, still resting your head under Loki's chin.

"The car accident?" Loki asks.

You shake your head, "Thanos."

Loki quickly brings your forehead against his, "What?"

"He made me watch...while he..." you try to keep your gaze on Loki, but he gets blurred by the tears filling your eyes as you recall your nightmare.

Loki doesn't need you to finish your sentence, he simply cradles your head back against him, "Shh. It is alright. You saved me. We are together."

"But..." 

Loki shushes you one more time, before pulling you onto his lap, "Excuse us."

You know Loki is talking to Thor and Tony, but before you can say anything to either of them, you see your surroundings change to those of Loki's room.

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You wake a few hours later, with Loki's arms in their usual position, wrapped around you, and you need water, so you nudge his arm.

Loki hums a little, "No. You are to stay right here."

"I just need some water and tylenol, Loki."

"You have used magic before to bring it to you," Loki pulls you closer, eyes still closed.

"And how exactly would one drink water while laying on their side?" you say with a humorous tone.

Loki groans, "You have 20 seconds, Mate. I need to be touching you at all times."

When Loki releases you, you lean onto the nightstand next to your side of the bed, "Demanding prince."

Loki's hand starts at your shoulder and travels down your side, "And you will be rewarded greatly for following said demands."

You peak over your shoulder with a smirk, "And if I don't follow them?"

The corner of Loki's mouth curls, while his hand gets to your hip, "Then you will find many forms of...delayed gratification in your future."

Your smirk fades, and your throat suddenly becomes dry, "Yes...well...." Your hand fumbles with the drawer for a second, "Right, Tylenol."

Loki's hand rubs circles on your hip as you reach into the drawer.

You take 2 from the bottle and are about to close the drawer when you see a small box, about the size of a ring.

"Time is nearly up, Mate," Loki's hand dances across to your other hip, ready to pull you back to him.

You pop open the box, and inside is the grape-like piece from Heimdall. You touch it quickly before closing the box once again, "Sorry. All good." You close the drawer and take the Tylenol.

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Two weeks later, you're in the kitchen with Loki, Nat, and Thor preparing dinner.

"How much longer before the meal is ready?" Thor peers over your shoulder once again.

"Maybe 40 minutes max. Now we're just making the salad," you get some tomatoes out.

"Could Loki simply...?" Thor waves his hands over the table.

"Make it take even longer? Yes. So do watch your impatience, Brother," Loki replies as he leans on the counter next to you.

You and Nat exchange a laugh, and you start slicing a tomato, but as you do, your vision becomes blurry and your hand starts to shake.

"And that's when Y/N became my favorite Stark. Right, Y/N?" Nat had been talking to Thor. 

You try to focus on steadying your hand, but wind up dropping the knife into the sink.

Loki vanishes the book he was reading, and moves the few feet to your side, "Are you alright?"

When you don't answer, Loki turns your head to his, cupping your face in his hands to search your eyes. You keep blinking, and finally get Loki into focus.

"Y/N," Loki says more sternly.

You nod, "I...it's probably dehydration. I just need some water."

Loki moves one of his hands to make water appear on the counter next to you, "Drink. All of it."

You sigh but follow Loki's instructions.

"When Y/N has finished, Natasha, would you mind completing the meal? We will come for some later," Loki turns to look at Nat who nods.

Before you can protest, Loki is leading you out of the main room and back to his.

Author's Note: Hi, all! I'm back from my vacation and ready to write! Hope you all have been well. Anyone else going to NYCC this year?? I'll be there Friday and Saturday! Please keep commenting and liking your favorite parts! We're just shy of passing 90,000 reads, and this story has been in the #1 and #2 spots for 'Thor' for the last few weeks! You guys are AMAZING xx