additional notes: god, i love loki. anyway. here’s a lil drabble for him. my favorite snake. my daisy. my cinnamon apple.
“A what?”
“A catnap,” you repeated. The elevator doors opened, and you stepped out, Loki at your heels. “You know, short sleeping sessions during the day to relax and recharge. But to be honest I’m usually more tired afterward.”
Loki wrinkled his nose. “Sounds useless.” He could admit that he was like a cat in many ways; he would sleep seventeen hours daily if it weren’t for you or the rest of the team urging for him to make the most of his day. He didn’t see any point in dozing for a short while, falling into a deep sleep, and having to drag himself out of it again.
“I told Thor about them a week ago. I thought he might tell you. He loves them! Wakes up feeling refreshed. Maybe you’ll like them too.”
His scowl deepened. “I suppose you bring that up to make me jealous, hm?”
“Not at all!” You widened your eyes at him, feigning innocence, but he saw right through you. “I just know that you like sleeping a lot, so naps could be good for you! Trust me, I’d sleep the day away, too, if I could but it’s…It’s not the best.”
Loki frowned, remarking the note of shame in your voice. He’d spoken to Thor; he knew of your past, how hard it had been for you when you were first discovered by SHIELD and brought in to join the team, how you had spent most of your time in your apartment and were little more than a ghost when you were outside of it. You were, as you put it, “fine now!” but he had his doubts, and if this meant easing a bit of your conscience…He couldn’t say no. “Fine. Let’s try it.”
Your eyes lit up. “Yay! Okay, let’s go.” You held out your hand to him; he merely stared disdainfully at it. “Group naps are better, trust me. We can sleep in my room, that way no one will bother us.”
He rolled his eyes and took your hand, allowing you to pull him down the hall and into your room. He had been in your quarters before; you were always inviting him in for some reason or another: to watch movies, to read in peace together, to laze around on hot days because his Jötunn-level coldness was a good match for your elevated temperature. Once, you’d jokingly called him your personal popsicle, but Bucky and Sam had (lovingly) given you so much shit for it that you refrained from ever calling him that again. Your room had become a sort of second home for Loki, and he would never tell you, but he was grateful for it. He tried to express his gratitude in subtle ways, like by taunting you a bit less or trying whatever food you brought for him to try. By far the most generous he’d been was when he let you take him to a mall and find Midgardian clothes for him.
“All right, what side do you want?” you asked him, rummaging through your closet for an extra pillow.
“This one.” He sat on the side closest to the door.
You turned around, pillow tucked under your arm, and grinned knowingly. “So protective. Willing to put yourself between me and whatever danger comes to find us.”
He rolled his eyes and took the pillow from you. You snickered, crawling across the bed to take the other side. You curled up with your back to the wall, drawing the covers around you until you were all but cocooned within them. You blinked up at him expectantly. “Go on. Get comfy.”
Loki lay down, turning onto his side to face you. You looked ridiculous. “Are you going to share the blanket or am I to freeze in your ice chest of a room?”
Resentfully, you relinquished some of your covers, allowing him to arrange them comfortably over his legs and waist. Then you smirked, wiggling closer to him. “I can keep you warm,” you crooned.
He grunted and closed his eyes. “The blankets are enough, thank you.”
He could practically hear your disappointment.
You were shifting around in your sheets.
He waited a full five seconds before opening his eyes. You were staring at him with those pitiful doe eyes, lower lip poking out in a pout. “Get over here,” he relented, opening his arm to you.
Your face lit up, and he pretended that it did not please him immensely. You scooted over to him until you were cuddled up against him, tucked safely under his arm. You lay with your head tucked under his chin, your knee bent over his hip. You were warm, and soft, and perfect. He sighed into your hair, feeling finally at peace.
“Sweet dreams,” you murmured, draping an arm over his waist.
“Mm. Whatever.”
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“Y/N, my friend, do you know where—” Thor stopped in his tracks, eyes widening at the sight of you and his brother wrapped up in each other, sleeping soundly. You were absolutely clinging to Loki, and he to you. From the looks of it, neither of you had awoken at the sound of Thor’s admittedly loud entrance.
“By the nine,” Thor muttered under his breath, shaking his head not with disappointment but with disbelief. “Congratulations, brother. You’ve found yourself a beloved.” He could not approve more. He saw your cell phone lying on your nightstand and briefly considered taking a photo of the two of you. Not sharing it with anyone, just leaving it on your phone for you to keep. He decided against it. He was still new to Midgardian technology; who knew what trouble he might run into. He was a good brother and an even better friend, after all.
So he fetched the Falcon and the Winter Soldier and got them to do it instead.
Toad's Cave 