Distracted Heart

"For the first time since the Bifrost was destroyed, the nine realms are at peace. They are well reminded of our strength, and you have earned their respect, and my gratitude."

"Thank you"

"Nothing out of order except for your confused and distracted heart."

"This is not about Jane Foster, Father"

"Human lives are fleeting, they're nothing. You'd be better served by what lies in front of you. I am saying this not as the all father, but as your father."

His father was wrong, it was not about Jane Foster, he had forgotten of her long ago. His heart belonged to his baby, locked in a cell for his crime. He never realized how much he could miss someone. Loki must be so scared, he must be so tired, so lonely. He wished he could get him out of there and spend the day caring for him like he had years before.

***

Loki laid on his side in his cell, curled up, thumb in his mouth. He had cast a spell so people on the outside couldn't see the painful sight inside.

He missed his daddy...he has been fighting his little side for so long, he just couldnt help it anymore! Tears streamed down his face as he sniffled, sucking harder on his pruned thumb. He just wanted to be a baby again, he wanted his daddy to take care of him. He lifted his hand to cast a silencing spell as the first sob escaped his trembling lips. He allowed himself to fully cry. He didn't notice the puddle forming around his lower half, not that he would care anyway.

He heard footsteps approaching down the stairs and he saw his daddy. His eyes went wide but he kept up his illusion, not wanting to show him.

"After all this time, now you have come to visit me."

"Enough with the illusions, Loki"

Thor gave him the "trust me" eyes, which got Loki every time. He gave his face a few wipes with his sleeve before taking down the illusion.

What Thor saw broke his heart. Loki curled up, in very soiled pants, with a face covered in tears and snot. He acted natural as he opened the cell, helping Loki to stand up. He knew Loki would not want the other prisoners to know, so he shielded him with his cape as he led him to a large bathroom and locked the door.

"Okay baby, it's okay, come here"

Loki clung to Thor as he lifted him up, it felt so good to be held again. Thor turned on the water in the tub and added Lokis favorite bubbles.

"I know baby, I missed you too. We can cuddle, but first let's get you out of these icky clothes, yeah?"

Loki whined and fresh tears formed as Thor tried to separate him and get his clothes off.

"Shhhh it's okay, here let's free up both of your hands." He removed Lokis wrinkly thumb and replaced it with a bright green pacifier, which Loki latched onto immediately.

With Loki satisfied for at least a few moments, Thor quickly stripped off his wet, cold clothes. There was another mess in there as well, so Thor decided it would be best to just throw them away rather than try to clean them. They were rich, it's not like their clothes couldn't be replaced with a snap of the finger.

Thor noticed how bright red and irritated Loki's crotch and legs were. He winced, "lets bathe you, I will be quick I promise, then we can get you dressed and you can have a bottle." Thor smiled as he set him down into the tub. He leaned forward so Loki could press his head against his chest as he thoroughly bathed him.

As he did this, he noticed his baby's arms were almost completely bruised. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion, they would never beat Loki.

He managed to scrub all of his hair without him moving. Loki, settling more into his headspace, reached a hand up and fiddled with the ends of Thor's hair. Thor smiled, Loki loved playing with his hair whenever he was relaxed, so this was a good sign. Sometimes, when he got deep into his space, he would pull his hair a bit too hard. Sometimes pulling out some strands, but that's what babies do.

"See? Didn't I tell you it would be quick?" Thor said as he scooped him up Into a big fluffy towel. He made quick work of ruffling his hair dry under the towel, knowing Loki didn't like that part very much. The baby just sat with his eyes closed, thumb in his mouth, though he wasn't sleeping.

"You lost it already?" Thor chuckled as he looked in the tub and saw an abandoned pacifier. Usually he puts a strap on it, so these things don't happen. Loki tends to drop it when he gets sleepy and isn't laying down.

"Don't worry, well get you one in the bedroom" He carried his bundle, rubbing his back through the towel and bouncing him slightly as he made his way to the Nursery. He laid him down onto the changing table and lifted his legs, placing a diaper underneath. A quick brush of powder and he taped the diaper up, moving on to the onesie.

"Why don't we put on your favorite one?" Thor smiled as he slipped on a pair of green footie pjs covered in dinosaurs. He then gave Loki a new pacifier, this time being sure to clip it to the collar of his pjs. Loki looked down at himself and smiled, he loves his dino feeties!

"There, now you look more like my baby!"

His heart melted as Loki made grabby hands at him, clearly not happy with how long he's been apart from daddy. Thor happily obliged, setting him on his hip and walking into the kitchen humming sweetly.

He pulled a clean bottle, well, they were all clean since it had been so long. He filled it with milk and added some vanilla 'breakfast essentials'. They had found it on earth in Stark tower, and for some reason Loki became addicted to it. He now found milk too bland without it.

He walked to the nursery, bottle in hand, and headed for the rocking chair. One of the best things he had gotten, by the way. He sat down, sitting his baby sideways across his lap.

"Here you go baby, it's been a while since you've had one of these." He removed the pacifier and replaced it with the bottle. Honestly, he didn't think Loki noticed that anything had changed. He was so deep in his headspace, and so tired, he was practically asleep anyway.

He contemplated whether or not Loki would want to sleep in his crib or in his bed with him. He decided the crib would be best, Loki LOVED his mobile, and he could be surrounded by his favorite stuffies in there.

Loki didn't even get half way through the bottle before he started snoring softly, fingers still wrapped around Thor's locks.

He took away the bottle and pushed the pacifier back into his mouth. He continued rocking him, taking in the scent of baby powder and strawberry bubbles. When he was with his baby like this, nothing else mattered.

After a few minutes, he gently lifted Loki and put him into his crib on his back. He made a nice gathering of stuffies around him, with his favorite mint green bear by his side. Loki immediately rolled over onto his stomach, pressing himself against the bars. Thor smiled widely, it was so cute when Loki did that. He had no idea why his baby found that so comforting, but he always did it. He thought about the bruises on his arm, and it clicked. He probably tried to press against his bars every night in his cell, but there were none, and the poor baby would fall. After months of that, probably every night as well, it would definitely cause some bruising.

"That was no place for you, was it?" Thor said softly as he reached through and pet Loki's hair.

"Sleep well, little one"

Thor left the room and made a call. He couldn't stay here. Whether he liked it or not, Loki was still a prisoner. They would be safer on earth. He would call Steve and let him know they'd be using a nursery at stark tower, they had a few there. He couldn't wait to be worry free.