Dog Days

Chapter 8

As more and more people start to crowd the screen, announcing "It's Thor!", all I can do is smile through my agony.

It's not until Heimdall hands the phone over that I see my mother's beaming smile "Thor, darling! It's so good to see your face!"

I smile at her and rejoice "Hi, mother! I'm happy to see you too!" Tears come to my eyes and I can't stop them from rolling down my face. Loki steps over to me and hands me a box of tissues.

I take one with a thanks, and he runs his fingers through my hair as he welcomes me softly. Mother smiles at the screen and asks "Have you found a partner?"

Loki smiles as he steps back. He sits back in his chair and I smile at him "Yeah, and he's quite the looker."

Loki whispers "It's part of my job to be fuckable."

I roll my eyes at him and he smirks. Frigga hums, before declaring "I'd love to meet him."

I look towards Loki for permission and he gives a short nod. As I move the laptop over, we pull our chairs closer together and take a seat. He smiles at her and smiles "Hi, you're Thor's mum?"

Mother smiles "My name is Frigga. If you decide to join us on the commune, call me mum."

Heimdall buts into the video and states "Most of us do."

Mother smiles "Who are you, dear boy?"

He chuckles and looks down for a moment, before looking towards her and declaring "I'm Loki Laufeyson, but, around here, I'm First Sergeant Laufeyson, retired."

She furrows her brow and asks "That's the one right above Thor, right?" Loki nods and she asks "If you're retired, why are you there?"

He clears his throat and explains "I'm a former marine, but I now work for the government."

I furrow my brow and explain "My job is dangerous, but his is extremely dangerous."

He nods and mother asks "What exactly is it?"

He furrows his brow and explains "I'm not at liberty to say."

She gives a concerned look, before asking "Do you like it?" Loki shakes his head and she asks "Why do you do it?"

He looks down and explains "I was abandoned as an infant, and the government raised me to do their dirty work. I don't have the right to walk away."

She gives a shocked look, before asking "You have no choice?" He gives a sad expression, and she says softly "I'm so sorry, darling."

He furrows his brow and states "Thank you."

He looks towards me as I change the subject "He's actually one of us, at heart." Loki gives me a tired smile and I explain "He's vegan, and he smokes weed."

Loki points out "Almost vegan, and I smoke weed because I have three bullets in my spine."

Mother furrows her brow and asks him "Did that happen because of your job?"

He gives a short nod, before declaring "I've been shot fourteen times, stabbed nine times, and have been in an explosion four times." He chuckles as he looks down "I'm a cockroach. I can survive almost anything."

I furrow my brow at him "You survived fourteen gun shot wounds?"

He gives me a short nod, before declaring "Five of which should have been fatal. Pulled three out, myself. Three where through and through. Had to cauterize in the field, and continue onto my rendezvous point. Didn't even receive medical treatment for those six. Just moved onto the next place, and grabbed antibiotics when I went state side."