"Y/N! Y/N, wake up," Loki bid in the middle of the night, a frantic edge to his voice. "Thor!" he yelled in the direction of the other room when you weren't waking quickly enough for him. You opened your eyes, looking for the danger, but all you saw was your bedroom and no danger. The lights were coming on properly now that you were awake. Your arms were around Loki, holding him like a plushie while you slept, just as you had done last night. For some reason his arms were raised above his head, holding on to your headboard as if to keep from touching you.

"What's wrong?" you asked him, sleep still in your voice. You looked up at him and couldn't quite comprehend that his skin was blue, his eyes red. "Loki?" you asked confused, but not scared. Whatever was going on, this was still your Loki.

Thor came bursting into the room. It only took him a moment to assess the scene. "Lady Y/N, let go of him. Carefully. It is not safe," Thor said firmly. That was the wrong thing to say and just caused your half-asleep self to glare at Thor, while holding Loki tighter, moving so you were between Thor and Loki.

Loki sighed heavily. He adjusted carefully, obviously uncomfortable in the position he was in, but not willing to move more to get more comfortable. "Witchling, that is not what he means. He is not going to attack me, right Brother?" Loki addressed Thor.

"What's going on?" you demanded instead of moving. Thor came forward and carefully pried your arms off of Loki. "Thor! Get off!" you snarled at him, tempted to use one of Nat's nasty tricks to get him to let you go. He lifted you bodily from Loki and set you back on the bed once Loki had scrambled to his feet.

"I'm sorry, Lady Y/N. It really was not safe," Thor said while you reached under your pillow and pulled out one of the daggers you had also taken to hiding all over your room.

"One of the two of you better tell me what's going on very quickly," you grumbled at them. Loki was standing just out of reach, his arms wrapped around himself, embarrassed, and...ashamed? "Loki?" you asked softly, gently. "Just tell me," you bid him softly. Thor stepped to the side, assuming you were being reasonable since your voice was calm, even though you were now armed. Thor was used to warrior women always being armed. He was also hopelessly optimistic at times.

"I told you that my biological parents were Jotuns," Loki started softly, tears welling in his currently red eyes. You nodded and he continued. "I was adopted by the Asgardians as a baby. Most of the time I can appear as an Asgardian, but after last night..." he had used too much power and couldn't hold the form, you realized when he wouldn't finish his sentence. This was his Jotun form. You didn't care. He was still Loki no matter what he looked like.

Before either of them figured out what you were doing, you were on your feet in front of Loki. You registered the shocked look on his face as you stood up on your toes and kissed him, your hand brushing his hair back from his face and ending up on his cheek. He froze in shock and...horror? Horror was definitely not his usual reaction to your kisses.

"Y/N!" Thor yelled. He grabbed you around the waist and ripped you away from Loki. He stood you on your feet in front of him and started looking over your hand and face.

"Thor~" you grumbled at him. He wasn't a prude so what the hell was he doing?

"Where are your injuries?" he demanded firmly when he didn't immediately see what he was looking for.

"I'm not hurt, Thor. Let me go," you told him firmly. "Geez, you brother isn't going to hurt me just because he happens to look different than usual,"

"Witchling, that should have hurt you. A lot. You should have gotten frost bitten by touching my skin. You can't touch a Jotun's skin," Loki explained gently. You just looked at him. That didn't seem logical, besides, you'd just kissed him.

"With humans it happens in an instant," Thor added, finally accepting that you weren't hurt. "It takes longer with Asgardians unless the Jotun is trying to hurt us,"

"Maybe you should've led with that?" you asked them both. Silly boys causing way more drama than necessary. They both burst into laughter at the absurdity of your statement and the situation.

"Witchling, while I appreciate your reassurance that this form does not disgust you, would you kindly not display that reassurance in such a dramatic manner in the future?" Loki laughed.

"I'll see what I can do," you replied. You looked up at him, worried, and a little afraid. "You aren't going to come back to bed tonight, are you?" you asked him softly.

"That would not be a wise decision," he hesitated. "But you will be distraught if I do not return, which would make me a very poor guardian while you are powerless."

"Brother..." Thor warned. He wouldn't let Loki stay if he thought you would be in danger. "I will stay," Loki glared, "on the couch," Thor added quickly before Loki could stab him over suggesting that he would stay in your bed "and guard your kærasta" that was the second time you'd heard that word. You were going to have to find out what it meant soon. "Get some rest so you can change forms and do your duty properly tomorrow,"

Loki looked embarrassed again. You saw in his expression that he felt like he was shirking. You had come to him for safety and he was leaving you in his brother's care. "It's ok, Loki. Go get some sleep. You won't rest here if you're worried over my safety and we both need the rest after saving the kid last night." You touched his shoulder, trying to be reassuring.

"Very well, witchling," he said softly, but you could tell he hated it. "You will take responsibility?" he demanded of Thor.

"I will. Your lady is safe in my care, Brother," Thor replied with a small bow. Loki kissed the top of your head where your hair was between your skin and his before he reluctantly returned to his own room. "Do not fear, Lady Y/N. He will be back up to strength in the morning. He is one of the strongest sorcerers in our realm and since he will actually sleep for once, his magic will replenish quickly."

"Thanks, Thor," you said softly, fighting to tear your gaze from the door Loki had just passed through.

"Are you going to go back to sleep, or will you be making my job difficult?" he asked.

"I'm going back to sleep. I have school in the morning," you reassured him. "Are you sure you're ok on the couch?" you asked.

"I am fine, Lady. Get some sleep. I will stand guard," he promised. You leaned up and kissed his cheek, a friendly, familiar gesture.

"Thanks, Thor," you repeated, reassured by his promise of protection. He lifted your hand and bowed over it, kissing your knuckles before he left you to return to your bed and sleep. You were worried about Loki until he texted you that he was fine and to go to sleep. You texted him back a snarky reply that he was supposed to be sleeping too.

Sleep didn't come easily until you had three daggers in sheaths around you in the bed all within easy reach.