All Work and No Play - Loki x Female Reader

Eight

"Loki, my darling."

Frigga's contagious smile already had his heart warming as she opened the door fully and stepped out, arms raised and out to envelop him in a hug, as was a custom of hers since he and Thor were children.

Even though he now towered over her, he still felt like that small boy whenever he was in her presence.

Warm, loved and protected.

Her arms wrapped around his torso and pulled him into her embrace, one hand resting between his shoulders and the other rubbing up and down his back as she gave a little squeeze.

"The weeks always feel longer after our dinners," she sighed softly, pulling away to look up at him with that smile he adored.

"I think you're being a little dramatic, mother," Loki smiled in return.

"Dramatics don't negate the truth."

"Ah, wise words as ever, I would expect nothing less."

Frigga laughed softly and stepped aside, giving Loki silent permission to enter the home.

"Thor hasn't arrived yet," she said as she closed the door.

"And to think he was the one telling me to arrive early."

"There's still an hour or so before he is 'late'."

"Then we should enjoy the silence while it lasts."

Frigga gave a small tut and an eyeroll, but her smile never slipped.

Walking past him, she made her way down the hall to the white-marble kitchen where Loki could see an array of ingredients already waiting to be prepper for dinner.

He eyed the assortment of vegetables as Frigga moved to the fridge, taking out a large, thawed chicken.

Loki knew how she was going to prepare the meal and the mere thought of it was already making his stomach growl, he loved his mother's cooking, it was clouds above any other that he had eaten and that included the food made by the palace chefs back in Asgard.

It was also something Frigga had really taken to upon arriving, trying a myriad of Midgardian recipes with a vigour that she seemed to carry for every task she had to execute.

Some were successful, some were not but seeing her excitement as she told him about a new meal to try always made him smile.

"Would you like me to help?" He asked, stepping towards the counter of vegetables.

"If you would be a dear," she said, setting the chicken onto a large tray, "I trust you now that you've learned from the expert."

Loki chuckled and shook his head, taking a knife from a drawer set into the counter.

As with his magic, Frigga had been more than eager to teach him the ways of the kitchen and would enlist his help for special occasions, be it a Midgardian holiday or a business meal held at the house.

Admittedly, the time he spent with his mother as she swanned about the kitchen made up some of his favourite memories beyond Asgard, just as the times he'd helped her in her ever-growing garden which she couldn't let go amiss from one realm to another.

Frigga took great pride in her home and it showed, the large house having more life to it empty than Loki's smaller place had ever had when filled.

Setting his chosen knife on the side, Loki then rolled up the sleeves to his shirt and grabbed a carrot to clean, peel and start chopping into chunks.

They talked merrily between themselves while prepping, Frigga telling Loki about her recent realm travels and Loki telling Frigga about the book he had finally finished, the only thing except his recent hook-up that he could tell her about that wasn't work related.