the sun will shine on us again.

𝐌  𝐀  𝐒  𝐓  𝐄  𝐑  𝐋  𝐈  𝐒  𝐓 :

(Nᴇᴡᴇsᴛ ғɪᴄs ᴀʀᴇ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴛᴛᴏᴍ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪsᴛ)

Precautionary Surveillance

Or, That Time You and Loki Became Friends

platonic

💚

Those Who Matter

Or, That Time You Touched Loki’s Heart

platonic

💚

What Haunts Us at Night

Or, That Time You Comforted Loki After a Nightmare

platonic / fluff

💚

The Risks We Take 

Or, That Time Loki Almost Lost You

angst / fluff

💚

Cool Down

Or, That Time You and Loki Had a Spa Night

platonic / fluff

💚

The Thin Line Between Life and Death 

Or, That Time You and Loki Saved the World

PART ONE

PART TWO (coming soon!) 

angst / fluff if you really squint hard

💚

I Will Carry You, Always

Or, That Time Loki Was There to Comfort You

angst / comfort-y fluff

💚

Music Heals the Soul

Or, That Time Loki Discovered His New Favourite Pastime With You

nothing but fluff

💚

The Heatwave

Or, That Time You Saw A Different Side of Loki

comfort fluff with a hint of Jotun!Loki

💚

The World’s Tiniest Galaxy

Or, That Time You Painted Loki’s Nails

platonic fluff 

💚

A Remedy For Insomnia

Or, That Time Loki Used Magic (and a song)  to Help You Sleep

fluff

💚

Headcanon of the Day (various Loki x reader situations) --  click here!

𝐓 𝐇 𝐈 𝐍 𝐆 𝐒   𝐈 𝐍   𝐓 𝐇 𝐄   𝐖 𝐎 𝐑 𝐊 𝐒 :  (Rᴇǫᴜᴇsᴛs ᴀʀᴇ ᴀʀʀᴀɴɢᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏʀᴅᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʀᴇᴄᴇɪᴠᴇᴅ) 

Starting anew! Feel free to send in requests for either Loki or Namor :)

“I create illusions,” Loki explained slowly, rolling his eyes at you as if this was basic information he was explaining to a child. “You’re asking me to tear apart the very fabric of space itself. That’s madness, even my own powers have limits.” 

“Alright, then I guess we’re going to have to go with Plan B: how loud can you yell?” 

“Don’t be ridiculous, that won’t work. We’re trapped in metal.”

“Oh please. Let’s be real, you just don’t want to make a fool of yourself, right?”

The annoyance in the air was palpable as Loki rolled his eyes at your retort. “By the gods, Y/N, pray tell… how in the Nine Realms did you guess?”

You cracked a hint of a smile at Loki’s thick layer of sarcasm as you sank down slowly until you were curled in the corner of the elevator. You rested your head against the cool metal, letting a tired sigh slip out quietly. Loki peered down at you, raising an eyebrow.

“Giving up so soon?”

“Someone in the Compound will figure out pretty soon that the elevator’s broken. No one takes the damn stairs in this place anyways.” You shrugged, crossing your arms over your chest. “Might as well get comfortable while we wait it out.” 

You expected Loki to scowl at you, or bite back with another one of his bitter remarks, but to your surprise, the god stepped over until he was beside you. Without a word, he sank down to match your position on the floor. 

You couldn’t fight the curious glance you shot him as you observed how Loki kept his gaze fixed on the elevator doors in front of you. 

“I thought you hated all us Avengers. After… y’know, the whole house arrest thing Tony put you under and all.”

“I hate most of them.” Loki corrected you slowly, a hint of a smile pulling at the corners of his lips. “I must admit, however, some of them have pleasantly surprised me.”

“And who might those be?”

Your question earned another eye roll from the Asgardian.

“You’re not half bad yourself, Loki. In fact, I think you’re becoming one of my favourite people here.” You voice almost seemed to reverberate against the metal walls of the elevator after a moment’s silence. Loki’s eyes narrowed at first, but then his gaze softened slowly as he took in your words. 

“I must admit, Y/N, I’m surprised and… honored?”

You chuckled at Loki’s loss for words.

“Maybe it’s all the sleepless nights we’ve spent together,” you continued. “But you make good company. Even now, when we’re stuck in an elevator.” 

You couldn’t take your eyes off of Loki’s slight smile. Hell, you couldn’t seem to take your eyes off Loki. Maybe it was the suspiciously good lighting in Tony’s piece of crap elevator, but something in Loki’s eyes almost seemed to sparkle. 

Loki was sitting so close to you. The two of you had fallen asleep together accidentally on the couch before, surely it wouldn't be the end of the world if you moved your hand just enough to touch his-

Before you could think any further about moving your hand over, Loki beat you to it. Without saying a word, his hand was suddenly resting gently on top of yours. If you hadn't known Loki as well as you did, you would've almost thought it was an accident, the way his hand brushed over yours and stayed there.

You glanced over at the Asgardian to see he was waiting for you to meet his gaze with a small smirk. In reply, you squeezed Loki's hand gently, and let out a laugh when he squeezed your hand back.

"Maybe it's a good thing the elevator stopped working?"

"And why would that be?"

"Well..." You nodded towards your intertwined hands. "We wouldn't be able to do this without getting the third degree from everyone else."

Seemingly right on cue, a whirring noise filled the air as the elevator came back to life, beginning its ascent back up to your original destination.

"That was surprisingly fast," Loki remarked as he helped you up to your feet.

"Like I said, no one here likes taking the stairs."

Before Loki could reply, the doors of the elevator opened to reveal a somewhat flustered Thor waiting expectantly at the entrance.

"Took you long enough!"

"Thor? How did you fix the elevator?"

Thor blinked at you in surprise. "I thought it was just slow... I hit it with a lightning blast, and..."

Thor trailed off as he noticed your hand intertwined with Loki's. The three of you exchanged anxious glances before Thor's face broke into a grin.

"Maybe I should have left you and Y/N in the elevator a while longer, brother."

_

Namor is extremely observant, and he'd notice right away that something was off with you

It was your eyes, the way you seemed to almost disappear despite still being right in front of him

Then he notices your breathing pattern shift, and he knows right away something's wrong

That being said, I really feel like Namor would be able to stay calm through it all whilst trying to help you

He's been alive for centuries and has had to bear the weight and responsibility of protecting as well as overseeing an entire nation

that man's never gotten a break in his life let me tell you

So while he may not understand specifically what you're going through that caused your anxiety, he knows the feeling very well

He'd be by your side immediately, wrapping his arms around you and pulling you close

Namor would also guide you gently so that you're leaning into his chest in such a way that you'd be able to hear his heartbeat

It's like an anchor of sorts for you, keeping you grounded in the present just enough to not let your anxiety get the best of you

low constant whispers to remind you he's right there, that you're not alone through this

"Breathe with me, in yakunaj, I'm here. I'm with you."

This is something Namor would repeat over and over until he can feel your breathing slowing and returning to normal; it would sort of be like a mantra for you, to bring you back out of your anxiety

also lots of gentle forehead kisses

sometimes he'd also hum songs to you, to draw your attention away from your anxiety and focus on something soft and beautiful instead

When Namor notices your body relax and your breathing slow down, he'll still keep you in his arms and rest his cheek against the top of your head for a while

it feels protective, but part of him is also just relieved you're back and you're okay

also that man gives the best hugs i mean come on have you seen his arms

and he will not let you go until you feel you're ready to get up

even then, he'll maintain physical contact with you in some way, usually placing a hand protectively over yours or caressing your cheek gently

"Is there anything you need right now, in yakunaj?"

Namor will always make sure to ask you this before anything else

and he'll always put you first -- listening to your request and taking action right away

whether it's getting you a drink of water, a warm blanket, or even just staying with you to cuddle, that man is on it faster than you can say Líik'ik Talokan

sometimes Namor will also ask if there's anything you want to get off your chest

other times, especially if it took longer than usual to help you come back to yourself, Namor knows better than to ask

some things are just too painful to speak about

so instead, he'll bring over a blanket to wrap the two of you in, and he'll pull you protectively back into his arms without a single word

sometimes he'll quietly sing you a lullaby his mother would also sing

it made him feel safe as a child, and he wants that same feeling for you in any way he can give :')

Your eyes widened at your grandmother’s words, and you couldn’t help the small gasp that escaped. 

“You died!? Chiichi, how?” 

“No, no,” The light that lit up your grandmother’s eyes was contagious as she smiled at the awed expression on your young face. “I didn’t die. But that is a story for another time, when you are older. For now, sing with me. Shall we play your father’s favorite, Algo Contigo?”

You nodded, unable to keep the smile off your face as you heard the first few familiar notes begin on the guitar. Your grandmother nodded towards the ocean as her fingers swept over the frets of her guitar almost effortlessly. 

“Sing loud with me, in yakunaj,” she winked. “I believe the ocean will enjoy this song very much.”

the present

For the first time ever, the guitar felt ever-so-heavy in your hands. 

It was your first time back in Yucatán since childhood. All those summers of visiting your grandmother and spending hours singing songs together by the sea stopped abruptly as life grew more and more complex. You had spoken with your grandmother over the phone, listened to her songs from afar, and promised her time and time again that you’d make it back to visit and sing once more together by the sea.

You weren’t expecting your grandmother, your mysterious, magical chiichi, to pass so soon and leave you behind in this life. 

When that time finally came to go back to Yucatán, you weren’t expecting to sing alone.

If you held your guitar just right, and rested your cheek against the curve of the wood the same way your grandmother always did, you could almost feel her right there next to you.

If you closed your eyes and concentrated hard enough, you could almost see her smiling at the horizon, her gaze sweeping across the wide expanse of blue in front of you.

When you had stepped into your grandmother’s small home after the funeral, you were surprised to find her guitar resting almost expectantly against the sofa. Tucked carefully into the strings was a short note, written in the loops and curves you still recognized to be your grandmother’s after all these years.

Cántame jump'éel k'aay asab, in yakunaj, it said. Swallowing a twinge of shame, you had to bring the note over to a neighbour in order to translate it. You had grown so used to speaking English and Spanish at home, that the Maya your grandmother taught you was little more than a fragmented, distant memory. 

Sing me one more song, my dear. 

You opened your eyes, lifting your cheek away from the guitar to glance up at the ocean. Admittedly you felt a little silly sitting on the sand with your grandmother’s guitar, playing to no one except the open air and the ocean she so greatly admired. Part of you wanted to just get up and begin the long walk back to the village. Grief, and something bigger – love – held you back, however. 

You had to do this. One song. For Chiichi.

"Pasa el día, Pasa la noche..."

Your voice felt foreign to you as you began singing slowly. Every note took so much more effort as you felt the tightness in your throat begin to grow and the familiar sting of tears blooming in your eyes.

You let the music carry you through your grief, allowing your eyes to close as you continued through the short song. You knew the notes by heart, but the sadness made playing the guitar feel as though you were struggling to find your way through a dense fog.

As you ended the song, you could almost feel the warmth of your grandmother sitting near you. Perhaps it was just your imagination and a side effect of the grief, but even with your eyes closed it felt as though she was right with you, listening closely to your song.

"There used to be two voices that would sing at this beach, no?"

You jumped at the sudden question, your grip tightening instinctively on the guitar as your eyes snapped open. Crouched no further than five feet in front of you was a man.

You tried your best to calm your racing heart as you took in the stranger in front of you. His hair was still wet, and you figured he was most likely a nearby swimmer you didn't happen to notice earlier.

At least, that's what you tried to tell yourself as you glanced anxiously at the gold and jade jewelry wrapping around his arms and chest.

"You used to come here with someone else, didn't you?" The man tilted his head in curiosity, but you noticed there was something deeper lurking in his eyes. Some kind of darkness.

"Yes..." You answered slowly, trying your best to inch backwards without making it seem too obvious. "A long time ago, my chiichi would bring me here. It was our tradition... to, uh, sing to the ocean."

The darkness seemed to intensify in the man's eyes. "And did she speak of what the ocean did for her?"

"Only that it saved her. That's all I could ever get out of her."

The darkness faded from the man's eyes, and in its place, some sort of warmth replaced it. He took a step back, allowing you the space you had been trying to gain, and sat down across from you in the sand.

"Where is she? Your chiichi?"

You had to look away as the tears threatened to spark your eyes. Your voice was barely more than a whisper as you answered.

"She's not here anymore. She, uh... she's..."

The stranger's face softened as you kept your gaze fixed on the golden sand. You felt heat rush to your cheeks as you hastily blinked away tears. It was silly really, how you couldn't even gather the strength to speak out loud that your grandma had died.

"My deepest condolences," the man said, bowing his head slightly in respect. "For your loss."

All you could manage was a small nod, a silent thank you, as you set your grandmother's guitar down beside you.

"You're the one from the ocean aren't you?" You asked quietly. "The one who saved my grandma?"

The few seconds of silence that lingered between the two of you felt like an eternity before the man finally nodded ever so slowly.

"I am known by most as Namor. To your chiichi, I was K'uk'ulkan."

You had to hold back a gasp as you connected the name to the stranger in front of you. You vaguely remembered the name K'uk'ulkan being spoken by your grandmother when you were a child, often in small whispered prayers you'd catch when she thought you were asleep.

So the legend was real, after all.

"Did she ever tell you what happened? The accident?"

You shook your head. "She'd only ever tell me it was a story for another time."

Namor glanced down at the guitar, the faintest trace of a smile playing on his lips.

"She was fierce. Foolish, but strong. She would swim in the ocean often, trying to find the entrance to my city."

"City?" You asked incredulously, earning a chuckle from Namor.

"A story for another time." He answered with a wink. "Your chiichi once swam too far, too deep. I was lucky to have been nearby when I saw her in the water. She was only a child, I couldn't simply let her die. So I brought her back to shore, and made sure she never spoke of it to anyone. I made her promise to never seek out my city or my people again."

"So you're the one who saved her." You whispered, unable to stop the tears that slowly began trailing down your cheeks. Before you could stop yourself, you placed your hand over Namor's in gratitude. He tensed for a moment, before softening when he took in your tears. His free hand came to rest over your own, a warm feather-light touch.

"Ni'... Ni'bo..." You frowned as you searched for the word your grandmother used to say thank you. "It's all drifting away from me, everything Chiichi taught me."

"Ni'bo'olal?"

You nodded in gratitude, unable to hold back the small sob that escaped your lips as the word immediately brought back memories of your grandmother.

"Ni'bo'olal, Namor. Thank you for saving her."

He stroked the top of your hand slowly as he nodded in solemn acknowledgement.

"Thank you for the songs."

There was a sense of wonder that filled you as you realized this man was the entire reason why you'd sing to the ocean.

If only chiichi could be here to see this, you thought to yourself. You never thought you'd be sitting here, hands intertwined with a god who just happened to save your grandmother when she was young.

"Will I ever see you again?" You asked as you tried your best to hastily wipe away your tears. With a chuckle, Namor reached forward and gently brushed a stray tear off your cheek.

"That depends. Will you sing more songs?"

You couldn't help but laugh lightly at Namor's cheeky response.

"I think I can do that. How about tomorrow evening?"

There was a light that lit up in Namor's eyes, an ancient kindness mixed with almost childlike excitement.

"I'll be listening."

_

You shook your head in response. “No, not really. I’m sorry I woke you by the way.”

“I’ve had far worse nights, darling.” Loki dismissed with a shrug paired alongside a warm smile. “The more important question is, are you alright?”

You nodded as you tugged the sleeves of his sweater further over your hands to keep warm. “Yeah. I was just planning on reading in the living room for a bit. I was hoping that would make me tired enough to sleep for a while.”

Loki sat up, leaning against the headboard of the bed while beckoning for you to come back. Extending his hand, he summoned a small orb of magic, which bathed the room in a subtle yet rich emerald green.

“Don’t spend the rest of the night by yourself,” Loki whispered, nodding once more towards your empty spot beside him in bed. “Come back, at least let me keep you company.”

As Loki’s magic illuminated the room, you could see his tired eyes held a sparkle of warmth in them. You realized, as the two of you exchanged a steady gaze, that as much as you wished Loki would go back to getting the sleep he deserved, the god wouldn’t relent until you were where he wanted you to be.

In this case, it was back in bed beside him, sharing his company.

With a final sigh, you shook your head in defeat before carefully crawling back under the covers beside Loki. After pulling you close and placing the softest of kisses on your forehead, Loki snapped his fingers abruptly. You watched as the glowing sphere of magic he held in his hand began to hover in the air, before bursting into teeny tiny stars with a whoosh. Completely awestruck, you gazed up at the ceiling wide-eyed as a mint-green galaxy began to twinkle across your ceiling.

“It’s beautiful…” You murmured, shifting closer to Loki so you could lean your head on his shoulder. You felt a chuckle rumble inside his chest as he pulled you closer to him.

“My mother used to leave me these stars at night as well,” Loki whispered. His voice was tinged with a bittersweet note of nostalgia as he spoke. “It made the dark seem much less intimidating when I was a child.”

“Tell me more about her,” you encouraged, sneaking a glance at the Asgardian to find he wore the faintest smile as he gazed up at the ceiling. “Your mother sounded so kind.”

You noticed the grip around your shoulders tighten ever so slightly at your words.

“No one in my family was perfect.” Loki’s answer was slow, calculated. “My mother included, I must admit. However, she never failed to help me fight my fears, even on the darkest of nights.”

Silence enveloped the two of you slowly, and you looked over to find Loki deep in thought, his brow furrowed.

“Tell me what’s on your mind.” You encouraged, reaching over to rest your hand comfortingly atop his. Your gesture earned a small smile from the god as he brought your hand up to his lips, before kissing your fingers softly.

“There was a tune,” Loki began, his eyes clouding over ever-so-slightly as he lost himself in a memory. “I can’t quite remember all of the words, but it was a song my mother used to sing to me on nights when I was restless, much like you are tonight.”

“I’d love to hear it. Do you think you remember the melody at least?”

Loki’s eyes fluttered closed as he nodded, before bowing his head solemnly in thought.

He began to slowly hum a melancholy tune. You sat completely still as you listened, afraid that even the slightest movement might disturb Loki from his memories and throw him off.

The song sounded like a mix between a lullaby and a song of mourning. It made you feel as young as a child, and as ancient as a forest at the same time. The song filled you with a strange feeling, as though you were feeling and experiencing a sadness that didn’t quite belong to you.

“Det er den største dårlighet…”

Your eyes widened in surprise as you turned your gaze to Loki, who had begun singing in a voice no louder than a whisper.

“…i verden væra må, Å gjeva bort sin kjærlighet til den man ei kan få, Hva tenkte du så mang en gang du vennlig meg mottok, Du tenkte gjøra meg stor skam og halde deg for god…”

Loki trailed off as he turned to gaze at you, a small smile paired with rather apologetic eyes.

“I don’t remember the rest,” he said quietly. “But that verse has always stayed with me.”

“It was beautiful,” you answered, reaching forward to tuck a strand of raven hair behind Loki’s ear. He closed his eyes instinctively as he relished in your touch.

“What was that song about?”

“The tune is much more beautiful than the words themselves.” Loki warned you with a slight chuckle. “The song speaks of betrayal. From those whom we hold most dear.”

“And it’s an Asgardian tune?”

Loki shook his head in reply. “Actually, no. Long ago, when Midgardians still prayed to us, my mother would often visit those in need. She heard this song being sung by a young girl as she was passing through a town once. My mother was so touched by the song, she passed it on to me.”

You curled up against Loki as he spoke. The combination of the lullaby along with the stars that still sparkled above your head were doing a remarkable job of settling your nerves.

“There’s another song, this time from Asgard, that I know of…”

You heard Loki trail off, and you looked up to find him smiling warmly down at you as you burrowed further under the covers and into his embrace.

“You’re tired now.” The god observed as he stroked your hair. You managed to nod as you tried to fight to keep your eyes open. Everything around you was starting to feel warm and heavy and safe.

“Thank you, Loki.” you mumbled, feeling the familiar fog of sleep begin to settle upon you.

Loki wrapped an arm protectively around you as he pulled you close. His steady breathing behind you felt like a quiet ocean.

“Sweet dreams, Y/N.” He whispered, just as sleep finally pulled you under. “I love you.”

_

POST-FIC A/N: here's the english translation of the verse:

“I didn’t do them myself,” you giggled at the puzzled expression on Loki’s face. “I go to a salon to get them done. They’ve got an arsenal of small tools to paint tiny details like this…”

You trailed off as you thought about what Loki had just told you. He often wore nail polish as well. In the time he had been living in the Compound with you, you had never seen him paint his nails. With how intrigued he was by your own nail art, you decided you’d take him to get his own nails done.

“We should go together!” You exclaimed as you set your book to the side and grinned at Loki. “It’ll be fun, you can get tiny art on your nails too, and then we could match-"

You faltered as you caught a glimpse of Loki’s expression. As soon as you had mentioned your idea, you noticed that Loki had immediately shut off from you. His face, previously filled with awe and wonder, was now a stony and unreadable mask.

"Is that... not a good idea?"

"Other people work on your hands?"

"Yeah..." You answered slowly, still unsure of where Loki was going with this. "All you have to do is sit back and relax and let them do their thing. Is that okay?"

Loki's gaze dropped down to his own hands, and you noticed how he suddenly began pressing his thumb repeatedly into his palm.

He was anxious.

"Hey..." you soothed, leaning over to wrap your own hands gently over Loki's fidgeting ones. You tried to get him to meet your own gaze, but his eyes stayed locked on the floor, deep in the heart of a memory no person should have ever experienced. "We don't have to go if you don't want to, it's alright."

"I want to try this," Loki answered slowly. He frowned as he tried to choose his words carefully. "However I'm not quite fond of the idea of others..."

He trailed off, but as his faraway gaze fell on his own hands, you understood everything.

"You don't want them touching your hands." You observed gently. Loki sighed, giving you an almost imperceptible nod as his eyes finally reached yours. Even from just a few moments of reliving a memory, he looked so tired.

"Would you be alright with me doing your nails instead? I've got some nail polish of my own?" You asked carefully, stroking your thumb slowly over Loki's hands in an effort to help him stop fidgeting. A wave of relief washed over your heart as Loki gave you a soft yet grateful smile.

"I believe I'd like that much more."

You beamed at Loki as you dashed off to your bathroom, but not before instructing him to stay put for a few moments.

You remembered, as you searched through your nail polish supply in your bathroom cabinet, that Loki mentioned he'd often paint his nails black back on Asgard. You felt it wasn't enough to go for just black, and to your absolute delight, you found a package of tiny silver star stickers.

They weren't the flowers Loki had admired on your own nails, and yet... these suited him much more.

You stepped back into the living room, a few bottles of nail polish in one hand and tiny stars in the other. Loki sat forward eagerly as he saw you approach the couch, excitement making his lips quirk up in a smile that reminded you of a happy little dog.

"You have black paint." Loki observed, a hint of nostalgia entering his voice as you set everything down on the coffee table before settling in beside him. You kept the package of star stickers hidden, however, as you felt it would be a nice little addition to surprise the Asgardian with at the very end.

"I also brought a few different colours, in case you wanted something other than black," you nodded towards the little bottles clustered together on the coffee table. "Maybe dark blue? Or green?"

Loki frowned, deep in thought as his eyes scanned the various colours. A smirk formed on his features a moment later.

"I believe I'm still most fond of black, if I must be honest."

You nodded, reaching for the bottle of nail polish before beckoning for Loki to extend his hand. His fingers brushed over yours, and a small part of you noticed just how gentle and soft he was -- not just his hands, but his entire being.

It was nearly impossible to believe this was the same man who tried to take over New York years ago.

Neither of you spoke as you carefully painted Loki's nails, your brows furrowed in concentration as you tried to keep your hand as steady as possible. You didn't look up, but you could feel Loki's gaze burning into you as he watched you work.

One thing you noticed about the god beside you was that he was incredibly twitchy. Even though Loki sat perfectly still in silence without an issue, he'd often move his fingers ever-so-slightly whenever you took a break to dip the brush back into the bottle.

"Hold still," you mumbled just as a sudden fidget nearly caused you to paint half of Loki's finger. "I'm nearly done."

"Sorry." You could almost hear the smirk beneath the muttered response Loki gave you.

As you made one final swoop with the small brush, you caught Loki's wrist before he could raise his hands to admire his nails.

"One last thing," you added quickly. "And for this, I want you to close your eyes, okay? And don't open them until I say so."

Loki narrowed his eyes quizzically at the thought of your request, but to your relief he didn't argue and did as you asked.

"May I ask what you're planning to do?"

"No. It's a surprise- Loki, hold still!"

The smile that bloomed on Loki's face told you that that time, he fidgeted on purpose just to get a reaction out of you. Grabbing your pack of tiny star stickers, you swatted Loki's arm playfully.

"Seriously, now. No peeking, and no moving."

"What if I have an itch?"

"It can wait. This won't take long."

"Not even the smallest movement?" You could practically hear the teasing in Loki's voice at this point.

"No. I nearly ended up painting half your hand with how much you were fidgeting earlier-"

"Your hands were rather unsteady too, if I remember correctly. You nearly painted the couch a number of times."

"Loki! Seriously, shush! And keep your eyes closed!"

"As you wish, your majesty."

You rolled your eyes at the banter between the two of you, unable to keep the smile off your face. Loki could act like a real child sometimes, but you wouldn't trade your playful bickering for the world.

With as steady a hand as you could possibly manage, you began sticking teeny tiny stars to each of Loki's nails. Within a few moments, you had created what was probably the world's smallest galaxy.

"Okay," you whispered, setting the extra stickers to the side. "You can open your eyes now."

Loki's eyes widened as he took in the stars that now speckled his nails, and his smile was a beam of sunshine as he gazed at you.

"These are amazing, Y/N."

You couldn't help but grin back. "You like them?"

"I adore them. I can't take my eyes off the stars, they're beautiful."

Loki's gaze shifted away from his nails and over to you, and the excitement in his eyes nearly melted your heart on the spot.

"Thank you. I really enjoyed this."

"You're welcome. The stars suit you, actually."

In response, Loki reached forward and gently took your hand. He held it up beside his own, examining your set of painted nails before glancing at you with an amazed smile.

"What is it?" You asked, leaning in closer to him to get a better look at your painted nails side by side with each other. The combination of tiny stars and small flowers seemed to almost dance together.

"We both have slivers of beauty on our nails," Loki explained, nodding to your hands placed together side by side.

"The world's smallest galaxy next to the world's smallest garden."

________

You shifted your gaze up from your sprawled-out position on the floor as you heard Bucky’s angry demand. He was leaning so far in the freezer, he was practically lying in it.

A few halfhearted shrugs rippled their way throughout the handful of Avengers scattered around the living room with you.

“The ice tray was full an hour ago!” Bucky jabbed a finger accusingly at the now-empty spot in the freezer. “And there were five ice packs in here as well. They're gone now. Where are they?"

As if on cue, Thor lumbered into the living room with an ice pack, which he had fastened around his head using a T-shirt to keep it in place. The other four remaining ice packs were attached in a similar fashion around his arms and legs, bearing an odd resemblance to the floaties toddlers wear while swimming. As if that wasn't enough, Thor was also hugging a bag containing all of the Compound's remaining ice against his chest, as if it were a teddy bear.

Thor looked like, in every way possible, an absolute child.

You could almost feel the prickling anger radiating off the Avengers' glares as everyone watched Thor plop himself into an empty armchair. Or... maybe that was the heat making you feel itchy. At this point, it was so hot that it was hard to tell where the sun ended and where your body began.

"I swear on the gods," Thor mumbled absentmindedly. "It was never even this hot on Muspelheim. I'll bet Surtur himself would've rather died than endure this heat..."

"Are five ice packs really necessary, though?" You demanded, propping your chin up on your hands as you glared at the Asgardian from your position on the floor. "What about the rest of us?"

Thor simply dismissed you with a noodle-like wave of his hand.

"Your mortal bodies burn far less energy than mine." Thor reclined back in his chair, moving his ice pack so it covered his eyes like a sleeping mask. "You'll be fine. Myself, on the other hand-"

"Those ice packs had my name on them!" Bucky exclaimed, stomping into the living room. "I specifically said not to touch them-"

"If anyone deserves ice packs right now," Tony interrupted with a sharp glare. "It's me. I bought the fridge, after all. My kitchen, my rules."

"Well then, what about me, huh?" Bruce nearly sprung off the couch, and your eyes widened in alarm as you noticed the edges of his skin had a sudden green tinge. "I was the one who made the ice, I deserve the bag."

"Absolutely not." Thor tightened his grip on the bag of ice in emphasis. "I found the bag first."

"Oh my god, you guys." You sighed, pushing yourself up off the floor as you rolled your eyes. Even the little amount of physical exertion it took to get back into a standing position made you feel tired. "Just make more ice, it'll be ready in a few hours."

"That's too long of a wait," Tony answered, sprawling dramatically over his section of a couch as if to emphasize his point. "I'll have melted right into the floor before the ice is done."

You shook your head, the fog of the heat sparking your irritation like a lit match to gasoline. "Maybe you should've invested in a faster ice maker then. Or at least a second freezer."

"Hey." Tony pointed a finger accusingly at you, only to be met by stifled giggles from the other Avengers.

"Better yet..." You swiped a hand over your forehead, cringing at the sheen of sweat that now stuck to your palm. It was too hot to even simply stand in one spot. "...you could've designed an air conditioning system that would, oh I don't know, actually work."

You must have uttered the magic words -- or perhaps 'cursed words' was a better term in this situation -- because a newfound wave of bickering emerged from your teammates, all of them buzzing in irritation like little mosquitoes.

Your patience had already been worn thin over the last few days. You didn't know how much more arguing you could tolerate.

You watched Thor angrily lob an ice pack at Bucky, only for his expression to morph into disappointed shame as Bucky triumphantly grasped the frozen treasure like a trophy, and you realized now would be a good time to go back to your own room.

It was a few degrees hotter in there, you thought to yourself bitterly as you walked down the hall, but at least you didn't have to share the space with these children.

As you passed by Loki's room, your pace faltered as you noticed his door had been left open.

He was hunched over on his bed, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he lost himself in the worn paperback novel that sat in his lap. Your eyes widened as you took in the god's outfit.

He was wearing a thin sweater and jeans. Jeans. In 100 degree weather.

"You're insane." You couldn't help but splutter as you continued staring at Loki in disbelief from the doorway. Loki smirked, setting his book to the side before getting up to greet you with a friendly nod. You caught him look you up and down, before his features creased into a slight frown.

"And you... look like a wilted plant. Y/N, are you alright?”

You gave Loki a small shrug. "The kids are arguing in the living room again, Thor took all our ice packs, it feels like we have heated floors everywhere, and to be honest, I've started to feel a little dizzy."

Loki sighed as he took in your burst of information. With a small smile, he guided you into his room with a gentle hand on your shoulder.

"What about you?" You asked, gesturing to Loki's outfit. "Aren't you ready to pass out in that? Did you open a portal to New York in December and not tell me about it?"

Loki chuckled, the sound a warm gift to your ears compared to the screeching that had gone on earlier in the living room amongst the other Avengers.

"I'm different, I suppose."

"Well, whatever it is," you replied, stretching out on Loki's bedroom floor in an attempt to cool off as best as you could. "You and Thor certainly don't share the same temperature genes. You should see him, he's whining like a baby and he's got an icepack on each limb."

Loki smirked at your words, and you could've sworn you caught a flash of nervousness behind Loki's eyes. You couldn't help but wonder if you had said something wrong, but the emotion vanished as quickly as it came.

"I don't know how much longer I can survive in this heat." You mumbled as you laid down on your stomach and rested your head on your arms. "I haven't slept in nearly three days, I'm losing my mind."

Loki was sitting behind you, out of your range of vision, but you heard him let out a rather ragged and conflicted sigh. You frowned, unable to discern what exactly was going through the god's mind.

"I think I can help you," Loki began, his voice sounding rather constrained. Soft footsteps padded over to you, and you looked up just as he extended a hand towards you.

"How?" You asked with a frown as he helped you back up onto your feet. "Have you got a human-sized freezer you're hiding in your bathroom? Or better yet, a working air conditioner no one knows about?"

You laughed lightly at your own sarcasm, but your smile quickly faltered as you noticed how tense Loki had suddenly become. You were close enough to him now that you noticed he was clenching his jaw, and he kept picking at his hands.

"Loki-"

"Icanhelpyou." Loki repeated, the words emerging out of his mouth in a jumbled mess. "I- I can help you. I can't bear watching you suffer in this heat. But you have to promise me something."

"Anything, Loki. You're my best friend, you know I'd do anything to help you in return."

"You must keep your eyes closed the entire time."

You blinked in surprise. You weren't sure what request you were expecting from the Asgardian, but it certainly wasn't that.

"What?"

"Promise me that, Y/N." Loki demanded urgently. His hands gripped your shoulders tightly as his wide eyes searched your own. "Swear on the Nine Realms that you won't open your eyes, no matter what."

There was something so solemn, so incredibly fragile that had surfaced in Loki's eyes that you didn't even think to question him any further. Whatever this was about, you knew it was serious.

"Okay." You whispered. "I won't open my eyes, I promise."

Loki nodded, pressing his lips together into a thin line. It seemed as though the thoughts in his mind were close to being physically painful, and it hurt your heart to watch him go through this.

"You don't have to help me, you know." You closed your own hand over his for emphasis. "I'll be fine, the heat will subside in a few days."

"No." Loki's tone was stern. Final. There was no arguing with him. "I want to help you. I will help you."

You nodded, giving the Asgardian's hand one final squeeze as an attempt at comfort. With a deep breath, you closed your eyes.

You could feel your heart begin to pound in your chest as a thick silence enveloped the two of you. You waited for any sort of extreme event -- maybe a bright flash of light or sudden noise -- but nothing happened.

"Your eyes are closed?"

You couldn't help the small smile that formed on your lips when you heard Loki's question. His voice sounded so small, if it weren't for how serious he was being about this entire situation, you would've found it almost adorable.

"Yes, Loki, my eyes are closed. You can test me, if you like."

"...how many fingers am I holding up?"

"Three?"

"Wrong. Good."

You snickered, shaking your head at Loki's response.

The silence resurfaced once more, this time bringing with it a slight chill in the air. You sighed in relief, feeling your body relax ever-so-slightly as the air became cooler than it had been moments ago.

"If this is one of your illusions, I'm extremely impressed." You whispered. You were expecting Loki to chuckle, or perhaps boast even further about his powers, but all you got in reply was a bitter scoff.

"This does not merit awe or any such feelings." Loki mumbled. "Now, hold your hands out for me."

You extended your hands, perhaps a little faster than you had anticipated. Your fingers grazed something ice cold for a brief moment, the sensation feeling almost like a burn in contrast to the warmth of your hands.

You gasped as you jolted back, and as your reflexes kicked in, you accidentally opened your eyes.

The person in front of you was Loki, but then again... it wasn't.

His skin was now cobalt blue, with intricate markings spiralling their way up his hands and tracing the outlines of his cheekbones and forehead. His nails were such a dark shade of blue that they were almost black, and his eyes.

They were completely red, and filled with a mix of sadness and horror and betrayal as your gaze locked on his.

"I'm so sorry." You gasped, immediately squeezing shut your eyes once more. "I didn't mean to do that, it was a reflex, I didn't see anything-"

"Stop lying." Loki spat. "You can open your eyes. I know you saw."

Your eyes fluttered open slowly, but you kept your gaze glued to the ground.

"I'm really sorry, Loki." You whispered, feeling the sting of tears fill your eyes. It seemed as though his hurt expression had burned itself into your mind. "I broke my promise."

"Are you afraid?"

You looked up at Loki with a frown, his question catching you off guard.

"I'm sad that I hurt you. I regret moving as fast and as suddenly as I did, I regret not fighting my reflexes, but no. I'm not afraid."

Loki's gaze was unwavering, yet there was an absence in his eyes. It seemed as though he was somewhere far away in a memory.

"You should be."

You stepped forward, bridging the distance between the two of you, and held both of Loki's hands in your own. You inhaled sharply as your skin made contact with his and an icy chill coursed up your arms, but you didn't flinch away.

In fact, Loki was the one who tried to flinch away, but you kept your grip steady as you laced your fingers through his.

"I trust you with everything I am." You whispered. "I know you'll never hurt me. This is no exception."

"I'm a monster."

Loki's voice cracked almost imperceptibly on that last word. You shook your head, adamant to prove him wrong.

"This side of you is just as kind and loving as the other." You smiled softly, tracing a finger lightly across the ridges that marked his cheekbones. Loki turned his now-pained gaze to the ground as you caressed his cheek soothingly.

"You wanted to help me feel better, even if it meant revealing the side of you that you hated the most. No monster would do that, Loki. Hell, I don't even think some of the Avengers would be willing to risk their comfort levels the way you just did. And you did it all selflessly, because you didn't want me to overheat.

"In fact," you continued, smiling in awe as you studied the markings on Loki's face. "You're absolutely beautiful, both on the inside as well as the outside. You put Greek sculptures to shame, you're a work of art."

Loki let out a small choked gasp, and your heart skipped a beat as you noticed a few stray tears begin trailing their way down his cheeks. You brushed them away with a slow swipe of your thumb before leaning forward to kiss his cheek.

"Whatever events may have happened in the past to cause you to feel the way you do," you whispered, wrapping your arms around Loki and pulling him closer to you. "They're over now. The hurt ends here. I'll make sure of it."

"How?" Loki didn't even try to hide the disbelief in his voice. You pulled back from your hug, only to trail your hands down his arms and hold his hands tightly in your own.

"By being the first to love you as you are. Every part of you."

Silence passed between the two of you as Loki eyes allowed you to glimpse the war he was currently fighting internally with himself and his past. You knew this wasn't easy for him.

"You don't have to say anything, but I just want you to know that I'm here for you. This doesn't in any way change how I feel about you, Loki."

As silence settled between the two of you like little particles of dust, Loki stepped forward and caught you off guard. He pressed a delicate kiss to your forehead before wrapping you gently in his arms.

“Thank you for cooling me off, by the way.” You whispered with a small smile. “It’s only been a few minutes, but I’m already feeling much better.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“…Loki?” You asked as you rested your cheek against the god’s shoulder.

“Hm?”

“This is way nicer than tying ice packs around my arms and legs. You give good hugs.”

That earned a genuine laugh from Loki, and although he didn’t reply, he gave you a gentle squeeze in acknowledgement.

Despite the chill that ran through your body as Loki remained pressed up against you in an embrace, you had never felt such intense warmth inside your heart.

This side of Loki — his true form — was more beautiful than you could’ve ever imagined.