*The trust he gives her is one she has abused time and time again. Part of her expects him to learn from the mistake yet it always comes as a surprise when he lets her in once more, willingly nurses the viper in his home and brings it close to his chest. There is hurt and anger when she sinks her fangs in, though he never seems shocked that she has.

And then they repeat the process. Over and over. Always the same. He trusts, she betrays, they reconcile, she plays the role of good sister and confidante temporarily, and then the cycle begins anew. Their warped and twisted history doesn't make sense to most and she knows for a fact that his friends have admonished and counseled him against her often enough. Yet even they seem to grudgingly accept her back when Thor wills it.

It's with a certain amount of distraction that she takes the pumice to his skin and begins to scrub, pushing forward until she's settled between his legs, and content with the hands at her hips. Silence reigns while she contemplates her answers.*

What was done needed doing. If you had spared them they would only have risen up stronger. If not today, then tomorrow. More blood would have spilled then on both sides.