His Mortal(Loki x reader)

Chapter 34

I land with a thud, Loki making sure I didn't topple over. "I'm so sorry." I apologize after nearly falling on him. He just hums and looking me over to make sure I'm okay. "I'm alright. I'm alright." I says dusting invisible dirt from my pants. I look up at our surrounds. We were just on the outskirts of town. I could already see there were less buildings than when I first left. Some were even in the process of being rebuilt. I look back at Loki and his attire has completely altered. He was now dressed in black slacks and a black button up shirt with black loafers. He had a gold tie and gold pocket watch. His hair was nicely slick back and his face wore a nonchalant expression as he fixed his cufflinks. I was speechless. He was so handsome. Much more handsome than I originally thought. He looked mortal. Like any other man. Though no ordinary man. He resembled a wealthy man. A noble man.
"I... I- I um...hi." I blush hard immediately looking at the ground shyly. He smirks.
"Don't tell me you're only getting smitten now, love." He says walking up towards me. He holds his arm out for me. I take it shyly not daring to look his way. He's only going to distract me. I try to keep my robe as closed as possible as to help give the disguise I am wearing a thin dress. A woman in pants is looked down upon and would only cause talk and more attention than I can afford. We enter the town I pull the hood of my cloak over my head. I made sure to stay close to Loki as we pass by pedestrians and beggers. There was something new. There were a lot more homeless and beggars. There were big gaps where houses once stood and the residents sitting in front of them having nowhere else to go. There were also desperate people. People who had sketchy looks in their eyes and would do anything for a scrap of money or food. They stayed in the shadows brooding.
"Where shall we go?" Loki asks. I thought for a moment before deciding. The kids are parentless. That means they must be in an orphanage.
"We're going to go up this street here to Greystone Orphange." I nodded towards the street and Loki  nods still taking the lead despite not being familiar with the area. We turn left and walk down the street and there at the end was the talk house-like building surrounded by a large stone wall and a gate in front. The orphanage itself had obviously suffered from the attack. It was barely standing and there were cracks in the wood walls with panels of the roof missing. It was covered in soot and dirt. As you got closer you could here the mischevious nature of children. You could also feel the solemness. Loki opened the rusted gate letting me enter first. I frown at the building as approach the porch. It hurt my heart to think those poor children were in a place like this. I stand in front of the door afraid to even knock. I was nervous to see the children. Loki took the inneciative to knock. Dirt immediately sprung from the door when he hit it. I coughed waving the dirt from the air in front of my grimaced face. There was no answer. I glanced at Loki confused. I was going to knock on the door again or ring the door bell, but the door opened before I could. There was a young girl with straight blond hair and freckles who opened the door. She was so young that the door knob was almost taller than she was. She wore a light pink dress with a few dirt stains on it.
"Yes?" Her high pitched voice said.
My heart broke. I look at Loki who only wore a confused expression. I bent down to be on her level more.
"Um... Hi. What's your name?" I ask kindly.
"Ariel." She says.
"Well, Ariel. Can you tell me where an adult might be?"
"You're looking for Ms. Higgans."
"Ms. Higgans?"
"I...am Ms. Higgans." A tall skinny woman says coming to the door. She dressed as nun. She seemed to be older and she wore a rosary around her neck.
"Oh. Um..." I look back at Loki who seemed very done with the interaction already. "Hello."
"Hello. What can I do for you?" She asks blandly. She clearly was a strict woman who has seen life for what it was and was not impressed.
"I'm looking for some children."
"Clearly. Infertile, miscarriage, still born, preferred adoption, or additional member?" She asks.
"...excuse me?" I asked sort of offended.
"Your purpose for coming here. Are you here because you cannot have children, lost a child, or-"
"We're here to see specific children." Loki tells her.
"Oh?" She raises an eyebrow. "And who might you be looking for?"
"Langston Nelson, Carmen Nelson, and Casey Smith."
She was silent for a moment. "Are you with the law or child services?"
"No." I say slightly concerned now. She nods opening the door more and stepping aside while pulling Ariel back to let us through. We enter and the inside was only slightly better than the outside. There was dust and dirt everywhere and the place was lit with candles that dripped wax onto the floor. There were already two other children with brooms trying to clean up as much dirt from the floor as possible, though only barely noticeable. I saw Loki had a look of disgust for everything around him. This type of time in my home town didn't represent mortals very well to Asguardians. If anything it would make them look down on us even more so.
"This way." Ms. Higgans say leading us up the center stairs. We followed quietly. The minute we got up the stairs we see three more children chasing each other around laughing and hiding together. All of their clothes were dirty as well and they ran with no shoes on the creaky wooden floors. It warmed my heart and made me smile. Loki noticed my happiness towards the children and gave a small smile of his own. Ms. Higgans snapped her fingers at them.
"How many times have I told you to quite running in the house and quiet down?" She hisses at them. They withdraw from her voice and leave quietly sulking.
"Must you direct them in such a harsh manner?" I ask frowning sadly at the children walking away.
"Children will never learn if all you do is baby them. Here, I will teach them responsibility and manners." She says.
"They still need to be children. They need to run and play and be happy." I tell her. She sighs heavily and stops turning to me.
"Now, Mrs...."
"Uh... Thomason,  please."
"Mrs. Thomason, you have walked into my establishment. These children are under my care and I will not have you meddling in how they should be taught and cared for. It is not your place. It's only obvious these children would be running wild under your care and you are showing you are hardly fit to raise any of these children."
I glare at her. "Mr. Higgans, you have no place in establishing my raising skills. I'll have you know I was caring for kids and they have turned out just fine. They are strong selfless children with kind hearts and manners. They did not need to be taught in such a way as you do, so do not question how I care for my kids. I assure you that my kids will turn out much better than yours."
"Agree to disagree." She sneered.
"Please. Just take me to the kids I'm looking for." I say standing my ground while doing my best to stay in the realm of politeness.
"I don't think-"
"Now." Loki says in a deep threatening tone. I have to admit it was very attractive. Ms. Higgans immediately shuts her mouth looking at Loki. He had a hard glare on her and she nods beginning on her way again. We follow her down to the back of a long corridor. It was the last door on the right. Before she even opened the door I could hear little Carmen crying. It immediately alarmed me with worry and I took the initiative to open the door before she could. When I walked in the boys were sitting on their beds. Langston sitting at the edge of his bed trying to calm a crying Carmen by bouncing her on his leg and rubbing her back. Casey sitting in front of the window above his his bed side quietly with his knees tucked to his chest. I sigh in relief in seeing they were mostly okay. "Kids." I say the word through a sigh. They look up and immediately grins grew from their faces. Before I knew it the were nearly knocking me over with hugs. Langston, holding Carmen in one arm and squeezing me in the other, was speaking quickly and incoherently. Casey was just sobbing into my cloak as he hugged me. Carmen recognizing me had now been crying louder with snot runnimg down her nose and reaching up for me to pick her up mumbling my name multiple times to get my attention. I kneels down hugging all if them together. Carmen immediately lached onto me leaving me no choice, but to carry her now as she sniffles and quiet down. I stand up and Casey wouldn't let go of my leg. Langston was still speaking a mile a minute though now I could get the gist of what he was saying. He starts stuttering as tears start flowing from his eyes as he rapidly tries to tell me the events that had happened up until our separation. These kids were clearly traumatized and were now happy to see a familiar face they can now be reassured by.
"And then they took my dad and... and... We thought the killed you too..." He starts to cry hard burrying his face in his arm.
"It's okay. It's okay." I say placing my hand on his cheek. He looks up at me and I try to give my best reassuring smile. Carmen lays her head on my shoulder quietly sniffing. Casey just continues to whimper as he laches to my leg. "Boys look at me." They both lift their heads. I run Carmens back to sooth her.
"How long have you been here?" I ask.
"I don't know. It seems like forever." Langston  say wiping his eyes.
"Months..." Casey mumbled.
"Casey, where's your mother?"
"Work."
"Are you serious?" I sigh frustrated.
"She works more. She wants money to adopt Casey, but the police won't let her because of her job." Langston says.
"So I've heard..." I hummed.
"She's still trying." He says.
"I bet she is. She won't stand by with Casey away from her." I nod. "So I suppose I should go to the usual place to see her?"
"She actually goes to clients houses during the daytime now. She works the usual at night." Langston says. Carmen had wore herself out and had fallen asleep. I gently walk over and set her down on the bed. "Then I suppose I have to wait until tonight." I sighed pinching the bridge of my nose. "Well I suppose I will stay here until tonight, if that is alright with you."
The boys nodded quickly not even thinking about it. I smiled. "Alright then.
"(Y/n), can I speak with you for a moment?" Loki says suddenly. He was silently watching from the background until something had grabbed his attention. Now he seemed slightly irritated. Ms. Higgans had ling since left. He gestured for the door. The kids looked confused at Loki.
"Who're you?" Langston asks.
"I am...Mr. Thomason." Loki tried looking at me with a smirk. "I'm  (y/n)'s husband."
"What?!" The boys and I say in unison.
"You're married?!" Langston exclaimed.
"Why didn't you tell us?..." Casey says sadly. "Is that where you've been? With your new husband? You left us?"
"What? Nonono. We aren't married. He's just being silly. I've been in hiding."
"Hiding? From what?" They ask.
"From the monsters. They're after me and I have to hide to be safe, which is also why I can't stay long."
"You're leaving us again?" Casey's mouth starts to quiver.
"Yes. I'm so sorry, but it will keep you safe if I'm not around you...." I kneels down in front of them putting my hands on both of their cheeks. "I'm afraid I won't be coming back either. It will be goodbye.... forever..."
They immediately started to have more tears.
"No!" Casey yelled. That was the first time I've ever heard or seen such a loud reaction from the boy. He's usually so quiet and reserved, but now he shows true anger towards me. "You come all this way to see us only to leave again with your stranger husband! You don't care about us!"
"Casey, that's not-"
"Shut up! Leave me alone! Just leave and don't come back! I... I hate you!" Casey says running out the room. That stung. That stung very much. I stood again looking towards the floor. My heart broke a little. I never wanted these kids to hate me. I feel like I betrayed them.
"He doesn't mean that. We don't hate you. We love you too much to hate you..." Langston says. Langston was different now. He was more low then high like how he was before. He seemed skinnier than normal and he had dark circles underneath his eyes. A child shouldn't look this way. "Langston,... are you alright? You don't look very well..."
"Actually... I -"
"(Y/n), I need to talk to you. Please." Loki said cutting Langston off. Langston peered up at me with his tired eyes. I smiled at him whiping a smudge of dirt from his cheek.
"It'll only be for a moment. I'll be right back." I tell him and he nods going back to check on Carmen. I leave the room with Loki him closing the door behind us.
"You were only suppose to check on them. All of this wasn't a part of the deal." Loki says.
"Well. They aren't okay. Very far from okay. Have you looked at them? They are a mess and incredibly traumatized. They need my help." I say back.
"The longer you stay here. The more you are putting everyone in this town at risk again."
"Loki, I'm not going to have this conversation now. I'm staying. That's it." I say trying to walk back into the room, but he moves to block me.
"I knew you were going to do this. I knew if I brought you home then you weren't going to want to leave." I sighed frustrated. "I shouldn't have let you come."
"Are you kidding me? These are my people." I argued.
"These were never your people. You don't belong here. They don't want you here. I knew that from the money they first brought you to Asguard all those years ago when you were only an infant. The bruise that covered half your face, and to this day still marks it, showed how much they didn't want you."
"Shut up."
"But we do. These mortals shouldn't matter to you when there are gods that want you. I want you. I want you so bad, which is the only reason I agreed to let you come down here. Because I wanted to show you how much I love you." Loki sighs moving out of the way. "It's clear that it does not matter. It seems you will never love me in return." Loki now seemed to have given up. "On second thought... you stay. I'm going to find us a place to stay for the night..." He starts walking down the hall. I reach out to him. "Loki..." He brushes past me.
"I still love you... all I wanted was for you to be happy." He continues down the hallway leaving me alone. I wanted to cry, but held myself together. I took a deep breath and headed back inside the room. Langston was sitting on Casey's bed looking out the window. I quietly shut the door and sat beside him.
"The night is growing near." I say. He only hums in response. I sit in silence with him.
"(Y/n)...can I tell you something?" Langston asks not taking his eyes from the window.
"Of course." I say gently.
He hesitated. "I don't want to be here anymore."
"I know... but I will find a way to get you boys out of here and into a better place. One that's-"
"No. You don't understand. I don't want to be here... as in like... I don't want to be alive anymore." He pulls his knees to his chest.
"Langston... I..."
"I'm so tired, (y/n)... I feel like the only reason I should still be here is because of Carmen..." his eyes started to well up with tears.
"Please don't say that. It's not true."
"We've been poor all our lives. My mum is gone and now my dad. He died right in front of me. I can never forget it... now we're here and Casey's mum isn't even trying to get all of us. Just Casey. Carmen and I are completely alone and I don't know how to raise a baby.... and... you're leaving again." He lowers his head into his knees and begins to sob."I can't do it, (y/n). It's too hard. I just want to go to sleep and never wake up again."
I pull him into my chest. Tears were running down my cheeks. I honestly didn't know what to say. "Please stop saying that. It's going to be okay, baby." I kissed the top of his head and rock him back and fourth trying my best to comfort him. We stayed this way for what seems like hours. Langston eventually fell asleep from crying so hard. I let him sleep on my lap as I rubbed his back. Casey eventually came back in and apologized. I just smiled and opened my arms for him to lay with us which he immediately came and made a place for himself in my arms. I kissed the top of his blond head holding him to me. I looked out the window to the rising moon.
"Everything's going to be okay."

Hello, everyone. So this had more darker themes and I thought I'd test the waters with you guys a bit. So let me no what you think. I do read the comments. It helped me out a lot last time, so thanks. So I still have somewhat of a plan on what's happening next. I'll try my best to deliver. Until then, I will see you in the next chapter. Toodles!