A New Life: LokixReader Chapter 23

“…”

“…”

“…Pffffff-Hahaha.”

You snapped your head to Loki so quick it almost caused you whip-lash. You glared at him in outrage. “Are you seriously laughing at me right now?”

His shoulders shook as he laughed, reducing to quiet chuckles behind a closed fist. His eyes were crinkled in amusement and you just dropped your jaw in shock. He was laughing at you. You were being completely serious and in no mood for Remy and his stupid games so you cussed at him. Apparently, Loki thought your swearing was hilarious. How he could switch emotions from being angry to amused was beyond you. Was it really that funny? You frowned at his reaction and turned back to Remy. Unlike Loki, he was glaring at you with a deadly glint in his eye.

“Excuse me, young lady?” Remy ground out lowly. He clenched his jaw as he took a step towards you. “Do not forget that I can control everything right now. I can make your worst nightmares appear before your eyes,” he threatened venomously.

“I don’t give a shit what you can do. You can take your dream device thingy and stick it up your ass.”

You heard Loki let out an uncharacteristic bark of laughter. You peered at him behind you to see him coughing into his hand to compose himself. He walked up next to you and placed a hand on your shoulder. He looked down at you with a small smile that he was trying to flatten.

“[Name], do refrain from speaking so vulgar. It does not suit you,” he said not harshly. You huffed and pointed at the glowering Remy.

“I’m so sick of this guy! He keeps appearing in my dreams,” you complained, fed up. Loki’s eyes widened a fraction and all laughter dropped from his face. He narrowed his eyes at the silver-haired man and cocked a head to him, challenging him.

“You harass [Name] in her dreams?” Loki asked him coldly.

Remy smirked and waves his arms around the surrounding area. “Why, yes. Little [Name] and I have had quite a few conversations here. I originally tried to persuade her to join my cause, but after hearing that language I decided against it. It’d be better just to kill you both and not have you become a problem later.” With a nonchalant shrug he smiled deviously at you both. You tensed, but nothing happened. For a whole minute nothing happened. You glanced at Loki to see him looking very cocky and victorious. “What? How are you doing this?” Remy shouted out in anger. You saw him looking around confused, waving his hands this way and that. “Why isn’t the dream changing? What have you done?” He yelled angrily at Loki.

Loki crossed his arms, pleased with himself. “You think your mortal devices could best a God?”

“A God? Are you insane?” Remy retorted with a scowl. “Now tell me how you’re preventing my power. [Name],” he looked at you with a sickening smile, “you’ll tell me, right? We had such good times together.”

You stuck your tongue out at him and flipped him off again. You were being extremely rude in your opinion but this man had not deserved your civility from the start. You actually had no idea how Loki was stopping the dream was contorting into monstrous images. You figured it was a magical spell or something similar. He is the master of magic, after all.

Loki eyed you with a warning glance. “That behaviour really does not befit a lady.” His voice was gentler than you expected and it made you blink. You looked to the side and bit your lip.

“Sorry, I’ll stop,” you muttered lowly. You still felt angry but seeing Remy lose his confident composure helped you calm down a bit. He deserves it.

You heard the man yell out in frustration and charge towards Loki, Loki didn’t move. Instead, Remy passed right through him and fell on the ground. To your surprise another Loki appeared out of nowhere and dismissed the decoy. “Pathetic,” he stated before booting Remy in the stomach. He grunted and glared up at you and Loki.

“You’ll pay for that. Not now, but later. You’ll see.”

With that the cement walls faded into darkness and you found your ghostly figure back outside in the forest. You let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding and bent down over your knees to catch your breath. Usually, you forgot everything that happened when you were visited by Remy in your dreams, but this time it all stayed. You heard Loki walk towards you and you straightened back up to look at him. He was analyzing you with narrowed eyes.

“Why did you not speak of that man entering your dreams?”

“I never remembered them after I woke up,” you answered honestly. Loki looked at you in disbelief. You sighed. “Do you really think I would keep that to myself if I remembered it?”

He shrugged. “Perhaps. You humans are such odd creatures. Although, you do talk quite a lot.”

You ignored the insult and started walking the path you originally set out on before being interrupted. Your previous question was long forgotten in your mind as you trekked on. Instead, it was filled with different questions. Loki trailed behind you once more, weaving his way through the branches as he followed.

“So, how did you do it? Stop him from manipulating the dream, I mean,” you asked while you walked.

“A warding spell. Quite simple really.”

“So, are we safe?”

“I am, but you are not,” he answered with a subtle undertone of emotion. “It will only work in close proximity. Therefore, I would have to be nearby your physical form for it to take effect.”

“Kind of like my barrier,” you mused. You did not have the power to project it in long distances, but only when you were in contact or close to another.

“The concept is similar.”

“So, what you’re saying is that I’m a sitting duck tonight.”

He made a low sound in his throat that sounded like some sort of growl to you. You glanced back at him in question to find him staring solemnly at nothing as he walked. Oh yeah, we fought. He’s probably still upset with me. You groaned suddenly and face-palmed. Here you were, acting like a complete idiot. As usual. Loki just saved you from possible mentally scaring images and torture right after you chewed him out. You didn’t even thank him. You may have put on a brave face as you insulted Remy, but in truth you were scared of what he could do to you. You felt extremely grateful that Loki was present to protect you. You didn’t know how to fight a dream.

“What are you going on about now?” Loki drawled apathetically as he heard your groan.

“I’m an idiot,” you said. Loki raised his eyebrows mockingly and you could see the words behind his expression. ”And you just realized this now?” Oh, you smug, sexy, God. You rolled your eyes and smiled a little. It felt good to smile again. “I mean, I didn’t say thank you. So, thanks.” You let out a breath and stretched your arms. “Ah, I think we’re almost there. I’m starting to remember the area.” With your back turned to him, you missed the softened gaze he gave you as his eyes followed the movements of your arms and back as you stretched.

You broke through a wall of trees to step into a large opening of grass. You immediately spotted the rubble of the lab in the distance and smiled. You managed to lead Loki back to your home. Your house was still a bit away but at least Loki could now manage to find it easily. You stopped walking and Loki ended up beside you. You two stood there in awkward silence for a moment before Loki’s eyes widened.

“[Name], are you alright?” You blinked at his sudden concern. You felt fine. You peered down to your body to see it starting to fade away. It didn’t hurt, but you didn’t want to particularly go anywhere. You liked this lucid dream state.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I guess I’m just returning back to dream land.” Loki seemed to relax a little at your words. You decided to end the night on a good note before you completely disappeared. You held out your fist lazily towards Loki and he stared at in confusion.

“That is a really poor attempt to hit me,” he commented wryly.

“No, it’s a bro-fist. It means that we’re good. We’re good, right?” You asked him hopefully. You wanted things to go back the way it was before, even if it means him not having any romantic feelings towards you at all. You just wanted to joke around with him again.

“What am I to do?” He asked curiously as he eyed your hanging fist.

“You just tap it with your own fist.”

He let out a breathless chuckle and shook his head. “You humans have the strangest customs.” He closed his hand into a fist and tried to bump it with yours. It passed through your fading figure but you couldn’t help grin. It was the thought that counts. “We are ‘good’. As you put it”

“Awesome,” you responded happily. You gave him a quick wave before you disappeared completely. You were thrown into an actual dream where random things happened for no good reason and you continued your night there until you woke up.

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“[Name], if you do not awaken I will consume all of your breakfast,” a gentle voice spoke out and arose you from your slumber. You cracked your eyes open to peer up at Loki sitting on your bedside, poking at the tray of food a nurse must’ve dropped off. You were surprised to see him so soon, and sitting so close to you as well. Wait, we’re good. So this is okay.

You sat up and yawned tiredly, rubbing your eyes from sleep. “Don’t you dare eat my muffin,” you warned him sleepily.

“Too late,” he confessed with pleased smirk on his face. You gawked at him and then stared at the tray. No muffin. He probably already had breakfast too. Greedy, little… You pouted angrily at him and his smirk grew wider as he took in your appearance. “You are so pretty,” he commented sarcastically, motioning to your bird’s nest of bedhead and the dark circles under your eyes.

“Ha-ha, you are really a jokester,” you replied, just as sarcastically. “Why are you here so early?”

He picked up a piece of toast and bit into it. “Your parents came to retrieve you and dragged me along. They are just speaking with the healer now.” He answered, taking another bite.

“Stop eating my food!” You complained while laughing. You couldn’t keep a serious face as he leaned away and pushed your head back with his hand, palm covering your face. His hand obstructed your view of his amused smile crossing his face as he held you at arm’s length.

“I think you could afford to skip a meal,” he teased. He just did not a fat joke. He so didn’t.

You stuck out your tongue and licked the palm of his hand. He pulled back his arm so quickly that you almost fell forward. He looked at it and then you with an expression of disgust, and some other emotion you couldn’t decipher. You laughed at his reaction and lunged forward for the piece of toast. He leaned away and held it up high so you had to press against him and stretch up to try and reach it. You felt the tug of the IV on your wrist to remind you of its presence. You kept laughing as he kept it out of your reach and waved the toast tauntingly.  You heard a throat clear at the doorway and turned your head to see Stan and Josie gawking at you and Loki with wide eyes.

You looked down and saw that you were practically climbing on him to reach for a simple piece of toasted bread. You blushed slightly at the closeness you managed to achieve and sat back away from Loki. You laughed awkwardly as Loki stared at them, not pleased with them interrupting his little game of keep-away. They looked between you two, confusion colouring their features. You could understand their surprise. Just yesterday you were crying and Loki was storming out of the room in rage after a nasty fight. Now, you two were horsing around like best friends. They couldn’t possibly fathom what happened last night to make you and him suddenly make up. You also seemed to be even friendlier with each other than before.

“Hi guys, came to visit?” You asked to snap them out of their staring. “I’m being released soon so we can all hangout later. I’m really itching for a shower though so I think I’ll just relax at home for a bit. This guy,” you jerked your thumb over to Loki, “keeps stealing my food. He took my muffin. My muffin! Guys, you know I love muffins. I really want one now.” You were rambling and you knew it. They were definitely going to be asking you questions and you didn’t feel up to answering them. ’Oh yeah, so I walked through the woods last night in dream form and helped Loki get home. But on the way we were interrupted by the leader of the Cosmos. Loki made him back off and protected me. So we made up and now we’re friends again.’ Yes. That would go over so well. When did my life get so weird?

Loki rolled his eyes at your whining and stood. “Fine, I’ll go retrieve one since you keep going on about it.”

You beamed happily at him and waved him goodbye. “Thank you.” You didn’t expect he would actually bring one back. He probably just wanted to leave the room to escape the analyzing stare of your friends. You noticed the smug smile he gave Stan and Josie as he walked past them. Once he was gone they rushed to your side, eyes wide and mouths flapping.

“What happened? When did you two make up? Just now? [Name], you never cry! He must’ve done something pretty fantastic for you to forgive him so easily,” Stan was questioning you, leaning close to your face for emphasis.

“Or do you just love him that much that you can forgive him like that?” Josie asked and snapped her fingers at the word ‘that’. You blushed red. So, she saw through me, eh? Well, after yesterday I wouldn’t have been surprised if they suspected my feelings.

You scratched your cheek and laughed awkwardly. “We didn’t really talk about it, but I can’t stay mad at him. He forgave me too so it’s all good. Don’t worry.”

“Oh, so are you two a couple now? We saw that play-fighting,” Josie asked, crossing her arms with an eyebrow raised. Why do I feel like I’m getting the third degree? You didn’t like her tone and frowned slightly.

“No, we’re not a couple, Josie. You and I play-fight all the time,” you added, feeling defensive.

“It’s not the same,” she retorted.

“Sweetie, I’m super happy that you’re feeling better,” Stan offered and patted your head affectionately. “Why don’t we just drop it? Hmm?” He eyed Josie. “Right, Josie?”

She huffed, her curiosity not yet satisfied. She gave you a little reassuring smile though. “Fine, subject – dropped.”

Good timing too. Loki walked back in the room and your right hand to God he was carrying a muffin. He took your hand and placed it in your palm, a triumphant smirk crossing his features. “There, your pastry. It was not nearly as hard to get as you made it sound.”

You blinked at the muffin in your hand, a grin breaking out on your face. “You seriously just went out there and got me one?” He nodded and you burst out laughing. He didn’t understand the hilarity in the situation but was content with your happy demeanor. “Where did you get it?”

“There was a child that appeared to have had many desserts as it is. A missing pastry would do well for his health,” he said in all seriousness. You stared at him, waiting for him to crack a smile and tell you he was joking. He was not.

“You stole this from a kid?” You gaped at him in horror.

His brow wrinkled in confusion to your disapproval. “I do not see why you are becoming upset over this matter.”

“Loki, you don’t steal muffins from kids. You don’t steal anything from children,” you reprimanded him.

He rolled his eyes and gave you an annoyed stare. “Do you want the pastry or not?”

“Woah, hey now. We’re talking about you, not me.” You took a bite of the muffin and smiled at its deliciousness.

“[Name]!” Josie scolded you.

You gave her a shrug and self-justifying look. “What? It’s not like he’s going to give it back to the kid. Might as well eat it.”

She shook her head and sighed in resignation. “You’re unbelievable.”

“I know.”