“How does it work, exactly?”
Having him around was strange, she had imagined it countless times actually, but never thought of the possibility of it actually happening.
She took the phone, showing the basic functions, trying to explain it clearly, she noticed she was unintentionally talking slightly fast, then calmed down, for some reason she thought her tone seemed like hia, when he taught her magic, as her magic was out of control.
“Thank you.” Loki said as the phone was handed to him, he slowly stepped to the couch, sitting on it, one of his legs crossed, she followed him, slower, she knew he observed, even as his eyes didn't leave the phone’s screen.
Her eyes slipped to the electronic anklet on his left ankle as she sat on his side, he would have to spend the next years in house arrest for New York’s attack, that was the best option their lawyer was able to get, no matter how many Loki saved, or the testimony from Banner and Thor, he was still pleaded guilty.
Her thoughts went to the phone on her pocket that ringed, she took it and checked, Loki had called her. “Well done.” she touched his wrist, his eyes stared at her hand, at her skin as pale as his, maybe it hurted him, one of his wrist was crushed by the purple man, she couldn't remember which one of them, her hand quickly retrieved, his eyes looked away, something in them she couldn't read.
“Does it hurt?”
“Only if I move it in the wrong way.” his eyes back to the screen.
It was awkward, somehow it seemed more ankwards than when they were in Asgard… He was dead, she heard he was dead, everyone told her he was dead, they told her Thor had to watch him die, and how the blond one couldn't look at her because of it. And the time she had with Loki in Asgard had to stay in a secret that only she knew about until recently… if her adoptive family hadn't been caught by the snap, those years wouldn't have been so hard…. And then everyone was back, Loki was back, later than the others, but he came back.
“What about the other wounds?” her eyes surveyed him, he seemed small compared to her since the last time she saw him, she grew up so much, she was half jotun, why was she so surprised?
“Mostly healed.”
Why did she try to approach? The last time she had no choice and had to stay with him, yet now it wasn't her responsibility, theoretically. Yet Thor was out of Earth again, who else would check Loki? He had spend three months in a high security prison for people with powers at the solitary, he didn't talk, didn't tried to get out, and when he was sentenced house arrest, he spent two days laying on the bed, until yesterday, when she received a late report about his lack of movement and she went to check.
“Have you eaten today?”
“Yes.”
He wasn't lying, she had checked the fridge before, and there was food missing, he also didn't seem weak.
The conflict in her head got raised as images of the uncle, Erik Selvig came into her mind, her uncle who was mind controlled Loki, the same Loki who taught her to control her magic before she knew what happened, before she knew what Thanos did to him.
“Does Thor have a device like this one?” his eyes stared at her.
“Yes, but he is not on Earth right now.” His only reaction was to slightly raise an eyebrow and look away, “What is the reason for your presence?”
“Does it bother you?” she knew the face he did even as his eyes stared at the turned off TV.
“No.” silence, he waited for her answer
“Why did you teach me to control my magic?”
“No one else would do it.”
“That is the answer for your question.”
Silence, the cursed awkward silence, her eyes went to the window, running away from his stare.
“Why?” why he asked? “Given the circumstances, past events.” why does he want to know?
Her eyes went to his face, “I don't know how to properly answer it without seeming like I am lying.” he only looked away, facing somewhere else, his silence made her want to walk away. Her hand touched his forearm, he didn't look this time, surprisingly he placed his hand upon hers, gently squeezing it, a gesture made by parents trying to comfort their children, or children trying to comfort their parents.
The silence filled the room again, so many questions she had, questions which she didn't know how to formulate, didn't know if she would be able to handle the truth.