You had a quiet evening in the tower and spent all of Wednesday catching up on chores. You also spent the entire weekend talking with Jarvis and making him your friend. Humans were already space orcs that pack bonded with anything according to the internet and werewolves were even more so, since they actually were pack animals. Needless to say, Jarvis soon became a really good friend, even though he was AI. He was soon sending you silly pictures and videos of the team to try to cheer you up.

You had somehow acquired the habit from your mom of cleaning when you were anxious, so all of the common rooms of the tower were spotless by Wednesday night.

You had dinner with the other campus refugees on Thursday at a little diner one of the kid's parents owned. They fed you all for free and you did the dishes in return. They asked why you weren't spending the holiday with the Avengers, so you had to explain that they'd all gone home, but you couldn't go with them since you'd have to miss work.

Thursday night you spent in Thor's bed. Where Loki's room was the cool comfort of curling up in blankets on a chill winter's night, Thor's was the comfort of basking in the sun on a beach in the summer.

Friday, you braved the crowds to get everyone's Christmas presents. With your combat boots and werewolf aura, you didn't have too much trouble, even on Black Friday. Friday night, you looked for a room to steal that smelled like one of your family. Bruce couldn't share, the Hulk didn't allow it, so his room was out. Clint had a wife and kids, so his was the last resort and only to be used in true desperation. Cap's was military clean and orderly, there was no comfort to be found there. Tony's...looked like a small child had been building robots in it. You didn't even dare try to enter. Nat's bed was comfortable once you'd found the spot in the middle of her hoard of weapons where she curled up catlike to sleep.

You fought off the growing melancholy on Saturday by prepping everything you could for the Thanksgiving feast you were making Sunday to welcome everyone home. That took up your evening after work. The preparations done, and a note on the fridge telling everyone to keep out in case they snuck in on you, you curled up on Loki's bed with a book and a cup of tea, excited to see everyone when they came home the next day.

*

The sound of the bedroom door opening when you weren't expecting anyone to be home had you awake. Instinct and experience kept you from moving or altering your breathing. You breathed in the scent of the intruder and recognized at once that it was Loki. You relaxed and opened your eyes, propping yourself up on an elbow when you did, a smile on your face. "Loki! You're home early!" You greeted him brightly.

You froze at the expression of utter disgust and hatred on his cold, cruel, face, and burning from his eyes. Had you misunderstood? He had said you were welcome anytime. What was wrong? You moved to sit up, to face him properly, to find out what was going on, to...apologize for being here?

He was on you in an instant with a snarl that would have made a wolf proud. He had you on your back, pinned to the bed, sitting on your hips, one hand pinning your wrists to the bed above your head in a grip that would bruise even your skin. "Loki?" you asked softly, fighting back your own fear. Fear wouldn't help right now. Fear would excite the predator. You had to stay calm. Besides, Loki wouldn't hurt you. He wouldn't. You knew he wouldn't. You just had to find out what was wrong with him before whatever it was made this worse.

"So, another wanton whore has slithered her way into my bed. Why this time, I wonder? Why would you risk angering me, little whore? Surely you have heard the stories of what happens to those who seek my bed without permission..." his voice was a malicious purr as he considered you, his voice filled with contempt and barely controlled rage. "Is it the conquest of a prince? Of a god? Or is it ambition that brought you to my bed uninvited? Is it pity? Do you look to tame the monster? Or maybe foolish love; to try to thaw the ice of my heart?" you saw it then, in his eyes, saw the mask slip enough to see the truth. Your Loki wasn't there, not really. Loki wasn't seeing the present. He was caught in memories of pain. The old wounds had to be deep if he didn't know where he was or who he was with

"Loki, it's me; it's Y/N," you told him softly, carefully, gently. It took effort to control your voice, to hide your fear. Loki wouldn't hurt you. You had to trust that, even if he didn't know or understand where he was and what was going on. "I'm sorry I upset you," you added carefully. "I was lonely, you said you didn't mind-"

"A softhearted fool, then, nothing but a mewling quim. You think I'll fall for a tender touch and a little kindness? You think you can tame the monster within?" he demanded, tightening his grip on your wrists so the bones actually protested. You bit back a cry of pain. That wouldn't help. He shifted to Jotun form, trying to scare you, trying to show you the monster, trying to punish you for being in his bed, no matter how innocently you'd been here. His hand was instantly colder than ice on your wrists. The cold burned, soon turning to pins and needles, and soon after, turning your wrists and hands numb. That wasn't good.

You very, very carefully shifted just your ears to the fluffy wolf ears on top of your head. You couldn't risk shifting more. You couldn't risk your teeth and claws here. You wouldn't hurt him unless you absolutely had to, but you also wouldn't risk turning him into a monster like you. The ears would have to be enough. "Loki. You're not a monster any more than I am," you repeated the words you had spoken to him the day you'd met, when he'd first shown you his Jotun form.

"You think I'm not a monster?" he snarled, his grip tightening again.

You yelped and whimpered in pain, then. "Loki, it's me. Your little wolf, the annoying puppy who licks your nose and is an incorrigible cuddler. You swore to protect me the day we met," you told him with tears in your eyes, afraid you were going to have to hurt him, to force him off of you. He blinked quickly, thinking, fighting the haze of memories. You were almost through to him. Redirect. Redirect him from the pain, from the anger, back to protection and care. "Loki, please, you're hurting me," you whimpered, allowing the fear and pain in your voice now. It was a cheap shot, but he was hurting you and you needed to get through to him. "Please! I love you." You told him firmly. His eyes cleared a little more.

You did something then that you hadn't done since you were a child and something you would never consider doing for anyone else. You closed your eyes and tilted your head back, baring your throat to him. It was the ultimate act of submission, surrender, and trust from a wolf. You offered the gesture to him now, and trusted that he wouldn't hurt you.

"Y/N?" his voice was soft, gentle, confused. He sat back on your legs, his grip on your wrists loosening, and then gone. You risked opening your eyes. His skin was turning back to normal. He was suddenly off of you, kneeling on the bed next to you. "Oh gods, Y/N!" he pulled you into his arms, cradling you to him. "I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry. Are you alright?" he demanded as he held you even more tightly to him.

"I'm ok," you told him, letting your hands fall into your lap. You were starting to get feeling back in them, though it was the annoyingly painful pins and needles feeling. "Are you? I'm sorry I was in here. I thought-"

"No, love," he told you softly and kissed the top of your head, rubbing your back to reassure himself as much as you. "It's not your fault. I told you that you're welcome anytime, and that remains true, whether I am here or not. I'm glad you sought safety and comfort here, truly. It's just..." he paused, searching for words. You shifted, your back against the headboard and pulled him into your arms, letting him rest his head on your shoulder, rubbing his back. He needed the comfort. "Damn Omega," he grumbled at you halfheartedly as he let you pull him into your arms. "I'm supposed to be taking care of you after that..."

You laughed, brightening the despair that had been clinging to the room.

He caught a glimpse of your wrist. "Oh, gods," he shot up again and took your hands in his. "Your wrists are black," his voice was a pained keening. You wrists were black in a mix of frostburn and bruises.

"Loki, it's fine. It'll be healed by morning," you reminded him. "Tell me what happened," your voice was gentle, but you had no intention of letting him out of telling you. You had to know what had happened and more importantly why. That hadn't been your Loki. He growled in frustration, but saw that you wouldn't let him help you until you knew what had happened and why.

"It was a rough visit home..." he started. You looked at him with sorrow in your eyes. You'd had so much hope that he'd have a good time. He'd been away from home so long and he had actually been looking forward to seeing his mother again. "Visiting Mother was lovely, and even spending time with my idiot brother's dumb friends was not awful, and of course I had missed the feel of home and the food and mead that are just not available here," he amended quickly. "But I had...not forgotten, but repressed maybe...some of the more unpleasant aspects of court. Women..." he hesitated. He didn't want to discuss this, you could tell, but you needed to know. You rubbed his back gently, stroking his long hair. He hadn't noticed you pulling him back into your arms. "They've thrown themselves at Thor and me since the time when we were barely old enough to possibly appreciate their attention," you were starting to get the picture. He'd been hurt by all of those women. "They want nothing but the prestige and power that would come with... conquering...one of the princes. I could hear the lies every time they spoke to me, claiming love, or whatever benefit to the courtship they claimed I would have... They want nothing but power for themselves with no regard for the man they would be using to get it," his voice held pained contempt. "While I was home...one of them tried the same trick I accused you of tonight." He shuddered, remembering.

"It's alright. You're home now. It's safe here," you told him softly and kissed the top of his head, summoning the peace, calm, and happiness of having him back so you could share it with him.

"It's not alright," he shook, fighting tears, and you held him tighter. He trusted you with his vulnerability and you knew how very, very, rare that was. "Before I left, I had finally broken them of it, due to fear if nothing else. I lost it when she was naked in my bed. I didn't even know her. And I still... I still splattered the walls with her blood." You should have been horrified by that. Had you not been a werewolf you probably would have been, but werewolves were violent by nature and you'd seen and heard of worse being done for smaller offenses.

"You're allowed to defend yourself from unwanted advances," you reminded him softly, scared that you were unwanted as well.

He sat up and looked at you. "You're not scared? You don't think I'm monsterous?" he demanded, obviously not comprehending your reaction.

"You're no more of a monster than I am. I've splashed blood across my bedroom walls before in a very similar circumstance. Asshole survived the experience, since a little bloodloss won't stop a werewolf for long," you took a breath before you answered his other question. "I won't try to lie to you. That would be ridiculous and stupid. So I'll admit, yes, I was scared while you were trapped in those memories, while you weren't you, but I knew that even in that circumstance, you would never hurt me,"

"You trusted me?" his voice held nothing but shock.

"Yes, and I was right to," you replied with a smile.

"But you-" he lost the words he was looking for. He didn't believe you.

"Bared my throat to you in submission," you told him, standing from the bed. "I'm sure the meaning behind the gesture isn't lost on you," he inclined his head. "I have never willingly done that for anyone, nor would I ever to someone I did not trust completely." He couldn't argue with your words or the gesture. Neither had been a lie and the god of lies knew it.

You took his hands and hauled him from the bed. "Come along, silly trickster. You'll feel better with some dessert in you, and out of this room for a little while." He let you pull him from the room, but he stopped you in the hallway.

"You said you love me," he announced softly, as if he just remembered.

"Is that a problem?" you asked in reply, shyly looking at your feet instead of him.

"No, I do not believe it is, little wolf," you could hear the small smile return to his voice. You got him to take another couple of steps before he stopped again. You turned to him. "At least let me bandage your wrists?" he asked.

"When we get downstairs," you told him. You turned and tugged on his hand again to pull him with you to the elevator. He planted his feet again. You sighed and turned back to him again. "Lo, the desserts live in the kitchen downstairs," you reminded him overly patiently. You needed to get him off of this floor and away from his room. The memories were too powerful up here. He needed to regain his balance elsewhere.

"I forgot in the excitement," he started and held out a hand palm up. A small box appeared in his hand with a shimmer of green magic. "I brought you a present back from Asgard. Yes, I know I didn't have to," he added with a grin before you could scold him for bringing you back something. You stuck your tongue out at him and carefully took the offered box. Inside was a beautiful delicate gold necklace with a celtic knot pendant.

"It's gorgeous," you told him in awe at the lovely piece of jewelry. You'd never had anything so nice. You lifted it from the box. "And looks way too expensive for a simple souvenir," you added with an accusing look. He was behind you, clasping the necklace around your neck for you a moment later. You held your mane of hair out of his way.

"I am a prince, darling, " his words were a soft whisper in your ear, full of warmth and care, "cost is not a concern. And even if it were, any cost would have been worth your look of joy,"

"Thank you," you told him softly and shyly, slowly, unsure of your welcome after what he'd told you, stood up on your toes to give him a kiss. You made your movements slow and careful, until he got impatient and pulled you into the kiss. You melted into it, your arms around his neck. "I missed you," you whispered when the kiss was broken.

"I missed you too, little wolf," he replied fondly with a warm smile, finally all the way back to himself after the storm of emotions. He leaned down to your ear to add. "And I love you as well,"