Work Text:
"Loki, wait!," Jane called out to him. "I just--," she raked her fingers through her brunette locks with frustration as she struggled to find the words to reveal how she felt. Asking for help had always been an area of life that she avoided; the notion of allowing the people around her the chance to see her without all the answers one that left a bitter taste in her mouth. She wanted - needed, even - to be self sufficient and as much as she accomplished that personal goal, being with Loki made her realize how much damage she had caused. Here was someone who also rarely asked for help, but was willing to try given the vast amount of differences between Asgard and Earth. From understanding how to use a cellphone - Darcy helped a lot with that - to conquering the toaster, he had been willing to learn.
Turning away from their bedroom door gradually, Loki eyed Jane irritably. As much as he loved her, the sight of her struggling to push a newly purchased bookshelf against a wall in their bedroom drove him over the edge. Not only had he offered to help, he had even made it a point to be next to her during the building process; a process filled with her continuously refusing his help. Irritation pumping through his veins, Loki scooped Jane up before dropping her on their bed; sounds of her shock filled exclamations echoing throughout their home as he moved the shelf with ease. Once he finished the task, a decidedly foolish argument started up; its contents causing him to walk briskly toward the door in an attempt to clear his thoughts.
"You don't want help despite your willingness to overwhelm yourself? Or are you going to tell me how asking me for help is somehow demeaning," he uttered as his hands came together; the nail of his left finger scratching along his right thumb as anxiety prickled along his spine. He wanted to stop arguing, but he also wanted her to be all right with relying on him. As hard as it was for him to do so in the past, the rewards for allowing Jane to assist him were neverending. "We've had this argument from the beginning, Jane. How much longer are we to carry it on?'
She let out a soft wince as her past arguments were brought up. "That's not fair, Loki."
Letting out a low sigh as he acknowledged his tactics, "You're right, it wasn't. But, you cannot imagine how difficult it is to stand by while you needlessly put yourself danger time and time again. Today was my having to watch as you struggled to push a bookshelf; tomorrow could be you falling from the roof," he grimaced at the thought of finding her injured or worse. "I know you're strong and I know you're self-sufficient, but this - all of this - it terrifies me. Remember that week when you were sick? I spent the entire time anxiously listening to you cough and struggle to breathe. Ever since th-- mmph," the rest of his response was cut off as Jane's soft lips pressed earnestly against his in a surprising kiss.
Pressing herself against Loki as she stood on the tips of her toes, Jane focused her attention on temporarily silencing Loki's worries with a kiss. As she had listened to him, she was confronted with the simple fact that he was, in actuality, worried about her safety. He never once mentioned or attempted to control her; he only wanted her to come to him if needed. Was that so hard? People in her past had tried and failed to get her to ditch the life of a self-reliant individual. Loki was not one of those people. As he had continued to express his concerns, she knew it was up to her to relieve them; to give him a sense of peace.
Pulling away with the intention of finding out why she had kissed him in the first place, Loki chuckled happily as Jane attempted to capture his lips once more. Was it important for him to know, he mused, as he reached down to grasp at her rear and hoist her up? "Vixen," he whispered before closing the distance between the two of them as he conquered her lips this time.
End.