I Don't Sleep Well
*Flashback*
‘I thought midgardians valued their sleep.’ The voice startled me, I spun on my heels and almost spilled the water from my glass in the process.
‘Jesus, don’t sneak up on people at three in the morning,’ I groaned when I saw it was just Loki, ‘what are you doing up?’
‘I could ask you the same question’ he smirked. With his hands in his pockets he leaned against the wall near the hallway on the other side of the kitchen. He was wearing sweatpants and a tee shirt. I’d never seen him wearing something so casual before, I couldn’t decide if it looked out of place on him or not.
I just shrugged, ‘I don’t sleep well.'
‘Neither do I’ he said back. He was staring. Not just at my eyes. His eyes grew quizzical, ‘what are you wearing?’
I looked down to make sure I remembered to put on pants, ‘oh, it’s just a robe’ I said.
‘It’s rather thin.’ It was an odd statement, I raised an eyebrow and shrugged again.
‘I didn’t feel like putting pants on.' His staring always put me on edge.
‘Aren’t you cold at night? I’ve noticed the compound isn’t the warmest place I’ve slept.’
‘I like the cold.’ I turned around and put my glass in the sink.
‘Well in that case you should sleep in my bed instead, Jotun's are known for being rather cold blooded’ his smirk still hadn't dropped.
I rolled my eyes and moved to walk past him, ‘maybe when Hell goes cold; or when I’m dead. Whichever comes first.’ I walked down the hall and even though I couldn’t see it, I could feel his eyes watching me walk away.
*Present time*
I sat up and everything was a blur. I couldn’t breathe. My hands gripped the cheap sheets under me and I gasped for air, willing my heart to steady. It was nearly pitch black.
I finally realized that someone was talking to me, with their hand cupping my face.
‘You’re alright, you had a nightmare. Hey, look at me.’
I found Loki’s face in the dark. My heart beat settled, I swallowed. I could breathe.
Just a nightmare.
I felt ridiculous very quickly. Embarrassed, I pulled my legs towards myself. ‘Shit, sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. I'm fine.’ I pulled my face away from his hand and fixed my hair.
‘You sure? You were screaming. The front desk might think someone is being tortured in here.’ It sounded like a joke but he wasn’t smiling, so I did.
‘Yeah, I’m fine. Seriously. I get them all the time.’ I reassured him, ‘I told you, I don’t sleep well.’
He placed a hand on my leg over the sheets, ‘in that case, I may have to take back my long standing offer of you joining me in my bed. Between the nightmares and the sleep talking, you can be pretty insufferable.’ He smirked.
I smiled back to solidify the illusion that I was fine. Truthfully, my dreams had been finding new creative ways to scare the shit out of me in my sleep for the better half of a decade. I got used to it though, and found that the hours between waking up from them and falling back asleep were some of the most peaceful times of my life. When the whole world was fast asleep except for me, it was a comforting calm.
I layed back on the bed in a huff, ‘go back to sleep, sorry again. For waking you. Usually no one’s around for me to bother.’ I slowly pulled the blankets back up to my chest and curled my body inwards.
I felt his hand gently push some of my hair away from my face as he said ‘you could never bother me’ before pressing his lips fleetingly to my temple. Before I could register the moment, I was already falling back to sleep.
When I woke up the next morning, the first thing I noticed was that my brain was throbbing against my skull, getting its revenge against me for all the alcohol I drowned it in the night before.
The second thing I noticed was that the room was aggressively bright. I squinted at the harsh sun beaming in through the open window. It was probably later in the morning and I had slept in.
The third thing I noticed was that Loki once again had wrapped his arm around my waist, and had buried his face in my hair.
Fuck.
My stomach lurched, either from the nerves of waking up with him like this, or from the drinking.
It might be from the drinking.
I had to get up to wash the alcohol off myself and find some Tylenol.
I winced, trying not to wake Loki as I pulled away from him.
Before I could move any more than an inch, I felt his body stiffen. I froze and held my breath. His body, still ridged, pulled me back in tighter to his chest. He made a sleepy sound as he let out a breath against my ear.
I kept holding my breath.
Fuck.
I’m gonna ignore that part of me that kind of likes the idea of being this close to someone, especially when they were unconscious. No strings. No talking. No emotional repercussions.
I really needed that Tylenol.
My phone went off.
That was my cue.
I jump out of bed, hoping the motion was too quick for Loki to register how he’d woken up, and picked up my phone.
I was getting a phone call, the words ‘Eat The Rich’ lit up my phone.
‘Morning, Tony.’
Tony being a 1%er and me being a leftist feminist killjoy was the base of our friendship.
‘Sabrina, have you killed each other yet?’ Stark took amusement in calling me various witch names. I never complained, people have called me worse.
‘I might have to kill someone if you can’t get us out of this Illinois hell today.’ I held the phone between my ear and shoulder to dig around in my bag for Tylenol.
‘Iowa,’ he corrected me, ‘well you can save that fun for another day, my pilot says skies are clear. Pack your bags and buy your souvenirs now. Tires up in two hours.’
Goodbye, Iowa. You will not be missed.