Fix You (Loki Romance)

Chapter 30

So...Out of my inability to figure out where to go for the next few chapters...we're going to skip around a bit through Kenna's firsts.

----------
(At nine months)

Loki's POV

Loki paused beside an armchair in his room and looked at the cane that lay across it. Eir had been working him off of it and he had stopped taking her medicines three months ago. And though his tendon continued to pain him, he could walk without the cane now - so long as he rested often. Deciding to go the whole day without it, he looked behind him as he snuck out of the room. Ebony slept quietly. He smiled to himself.

It had been a year and a half since Thanos had taken control of Loki and forced him to attack Ebony in her home. A year and a half of trying to build something from the ashes only to have it torn down again by Thanos' meddling. Eighteen months of dancing around each other, tiptoeing on thin ice, nervously pulling each other back in. The dusts had settled. They were safe again and very nearly happy.

With Kenna finally asleep and their busy schedules meeting to bring them together for an evening, Loki did something he had been afraid to do for eighteen long months. He kissed his wife, slowly, longingly. And he didn't stop.

Waking up this morning with the thrill of a new step taken and the gentle thrum of pleasure in every limb, Loki had been reluctant to leave Ebony to wake alone. But he'd gotten this idea stuck in his mind and knew he had to do it while she would sleep for some time.

He smiled and opened the door to Kenna's room. She was waiting for him, having felt his mental nudge to wake her. He smiled down at her, his hand resting on the bar of his old crib. She held her hands up to him, smiling. He shushed her and picked her up before sneaking into the hallway.

When they finally made it outside he smiled at her. She had her hands balled into fists, gripping his shirt tightly. She looked over his shoulder, almost as though she was keeping watch. He shifted her into a more comfortable position against his chest and turned for the stables. "If you ever tell your mother about this, she will kill me. We have to make sure you have a bath before we go back otherwise she'll smell you."

Kenna wrinkled her nose as the smell of the stables reached them. A stable hand smirked at him. "Lady Ebony will have your head, your highness." Loki flipped him a coin.

"And I will have yours if you say anything."

The lad pocketed it and ran to get Sleipnir. There was a lot of excited whinnying and snorting and then Sleipnir came out, huffing. Loki rubbed his nose. "Good morning to you too!" He grinned as Sleipnir nudged him impatiently. The stable hand gave Loki the reigns. Kenna craned her neck to stare at the grey horse before her. Sleipnir froze and stared back, looking deep into the green eyes so much like his mother's.

Loki smiled and turned Kenna. "See, love? This is your big brother Sleipnir." Kenna gave him a wide eyed look. She reached out slowly, a tiny noise that sounded like nervousness coming from her. "Yes, I know he doesn't look like us. But he's a good boy."

She reached out and tugged on the fluff of hair that fell over Sleipnir's forehead. He snorted and tilted his head to her. She giggled and tugged harder. Loki pulled her back. "Now, don't hurt him. See? Gently." He stroked Sleipnir's nose and smiled as Kenna pressed her palm to the warm fur. She stared at her brother with fascination in her green eyes. Finally, Loki walked around him and mounted, struggling to keep his balance as he held Kenna securely against him. She looked down at the ground. "Don't worry now, he's safe."

Sleipnir bobbed his head in what could be taken for a nod. Loki flicked the reins and let them fall over Sleipnir's neck, feeling no need to guide him. They rode out of the stables and towards the back of the palace grounds. Hills rose high to the west of the palace, perfectly situated to watch the sun rise over the golden city.