One-shots/Short Stories

Loki Laufeyson

Two Years, He Missed
Loki rested on the bench given to him in his glass cell, sitting with his back straight, legs crossed, his hands resting loosely on his knees. He had his eyes closed as if sleeping - when really, he was plotting ways to escape the cell swiftly while waiting for Barton and some men to create their plan.
   Loki opened his eyes when he heard the sound of feet pattering near him. He looked around from his spot and saw no one. Slowly, he got out of his seat and paced around his cell, looking around with narrowed eyes, his lips pursed.
   He continued walking around, only to jump in surprise at the sound of the glass being banged from behind him. He whirled around with a glare, ready to spit out an insult to whoever disturbed him, only to connect eyes with eyes that were similar to his; emerald green eyes. His eyes softened when he noticed it was just a little girl that looked to be only two.
   Her face was smushed against the glass, her hands on the glass as if looking at an animal in a zoo. She was staring at him curiously, her bottom lip jutted out as if pouting. She gave him a grin when he meekly waved at her.
   Loki smirked at the little girl's innocence, wondering which idiotic agent had not paid attention to their child and allow them in the same room with a most-wanted criminal. He gave the girl a smile but still stood in his spot on his right side, making him look to his left at her.
   "Hello darling," he said quietly, as if talking to a wild animal and you didn't want to scare it, "what is your name?"
   "Annabew Wee." she said in her small baby voice.
   "Annabel Lee?" Loki clarified. Annabel Lee nodded. "That's a pretty name." Loki smiled at her gently. He lost the smile though when her name reminded him of an old memory.

"This Edgar Allen Poe man is interesting!" she remarked. She showed him her copy of Annabel Lee. "If I ever get a daughter, I am going to name her Annabel Lee, after that beautiful poem." she declared. Loki chuckled and planted an affectionate kiss to her temple.
   "Whatever you say, love." Loki mumbled against her forehead.

"Your parents must love Edgar Allen Poe." Loki mused out loud. Annabel jumped in her spot, having removed herself from the glass, leaving a small smear mark on it.
   "Stowy! Stowy! Stowy!" Annabel started chanting. Loki raised his eyebrows at her.
   "What, Edgar Allen Poe?" Loki asked her. Annabel nodded eagerly. "Which one, Annabel Lee?" She nodded again. "I'm guessing you like this one because it has your name in it." Loki mumbled. She nodded again. Loki grinned, amused that she liked it, despite the poem being quite dark, her character dying and all. But then, she was just a child; she doesn't know what death is. . .yet. "Would you like me to recite to you the poem?" Loki asked her. Annabel nodded in reply, her face breaking into a smile. Loki couldn't help but take a step back in shock when she sat down crosslegged and gave him all her rapt attention. It had been a while since someone gave him that much attention willingly.
   Slowly, Loki made his way towards her and hesitantly sat down in front of her, the glass only separating them from their knees touching. Annabel rested her head on her hands, her elbows resting on her legs. Loki smiled genuinely towards her, his Tesseract blue eyes flickering back to his green ones momentarily. "Alright then, I shall begin. . ." Loki cleared his throat.

***

"Another! Another!" Annabel chanted. Loki stared at her with a raised eyebrow.
   "I just recited to you Annabel Lee." Loki stated. "Isn't that enough?"
   "Another! Another! Asgard!"
   "Okay, another one - wait, did you just say 'Asgard'?" Loki looked at her shocked. Annabel nodded, chanting the word again. "How do you know about Asgard?"
   "Mummy." Annabel said innocently. Loki frowned at her answer. Mummy? Who's her mummy?
   "Who's your mother, darling?" Loki asked her curiously. Annabel stared blankly at him. Loki cursed himself inwardly at his question. "Right, of course you don't know that. You're just a little girl." he mumbled to himself. He tried another approach. "What is your mother's name, little one?" Loki waited with baited breath at the small look of concentration on her face.
   "M. . .Mia!" Annabel grinned up at him at her success at remembering. "Mummy is Mia!" Loki felt his breath get caught in his throat. Mia? As in, Mia Morrelidottir? His only friend? His lover?
   "Mia as in Mia Morrelidottir?" Loki asked her eagerly. "Child, what is your full name?"
   "Annabew Wee Morrewidottir." Annabel said in her baby voice. Loki leaned back on his arms in shock, the breath taken away from him instantly. Mia, his lover, had a daughter? Where's Mia? Who's the father? Why didn't Mia tell him?
   "Who's your father?" Loki asked her through gritted teeth. Annabel shrugged in reply. "You don't know?" Loki demanded. Annabel shook her head. "Odin's beard. . ." Loki cursed. Loki decided to fully look over Annabel's physical characteristics. Pale, raven dark hair, emerald green eyes; it kind of reminded him of. . .