A Rainy Day in Asgard

Chapter 24

When we get to the tree, Loki looks up from his book as he closes it. Other than his paleness, and the corset, you wouldn't suspect he'd been injured "I was wondering where you had gone off to! To no surprise, it was Midgard!" he scowls, before taking Hel from Jormungandr and looking at her "I thought she had gone with you! Worried me sick!"

"I'm sorry, my queen." I give a weak smile, before asking "How are you feeling, after everything?"

"I can tell you one thing." Loki states, before chopping down on a piece of bread with leaf butter on it "I'm high as a fucking kite."

"Yes, the leafs are rather intoxicating, as I remember." I state, before smirking "Is that why you always got hurt in battle?"

Loki scoffs, before licking his lips "It's far too easy for me to get my hands on it! I'm sure I still have a stash of the leafs in my old chambers!"

"What are you doing out of bed, anyway?" I ask and he holds up his book "We have books in our chambers."

"I've read them all!" he declares, before standing up and supporting himself against the wall "Take Hel." he huffs and Jormungandr takes her as Loki starts carrying himself down the hall.

"Loki, you don't have to play tough, we can get you a chair." I state and he waves me off "Just wait a moment and I will get you one."

"Chairs are for the crippled!" Loki hisses, as he continues walking "I am far from crippled, believe it or not!"

With a look at Fandral, I order "Get a chair." As he runs off, I force Loki to sit on the table, then turn to Jormungandr "Give Hel to Natasha, then you two go and explore."

He does and the kids run off. When he is out of sight, Loki starts unbuckle his corset and gasping for air "You can show weakness from time to time, you know?"

"Shut up, you insufferable oaf!" he hisses, as Sif walks towards him with the bread. As he shoves it down his throat, his breathing slows and starts to relax.

"I love you, too." I smirk and he glares at me "I'm sorry you're hurting, Loki. I really am. But you need to stop acting like you're not. And stop unbuckling!"

He nods, before taking deep breaths and rebuckling the corset "This hurts, but childbirth..."

A thought crosses my mind and I frown "Wait, can you have regular childbirth after all of this?"

He shakes his head, before panting for air "No, I must have a child ripped from my womb." he states, before sighing "Two more pregnancies, and I tap out. It's too risky if you have a fourth, for both babe and mum."

"I know you wanted a big family." I give a weak smile and he grovels "Well, maybe we'll get lucky and have triplets, or something."

Loki shakes his head "One babe, maybe two, but there's no fucking way, we're keeping up with three wrecking balls."

He smiles at me and I smile at him, before I take his hand and place a kiss apon it "Let's hope for two sets of twins. Hopefully boys."

"I want Hel to have a sister." Loki states as Fandral walks in with a wheelchair "My chariot awaits!"

When I try to help him up, he stop me and I frown "What's wrong?" He stays completely silent, until I ask "Come on, what's wrong?"

Before he answers, he phases down to an Asgardian size. When my friends give him an odd look, he gives a weak smirk "Haven't you ever heard of a shapeshifter?"

As I help him into the wheelchair, Tony asks "So, if Hel is a siren, and Fenrir was a lycanthrope, then what is Jormungandr?"

Loki takes Hel as I start to wheel him out "Jormungandr is at creature of his own. Nothing, in my thousand years, has come close to be related to him."

"Then what species is he?" Steve asks as we turn a corner.

"He is a god, from both Asgard and Jotunheim." Loki states as he messes with Hel's hair "Heimdall gave me his name. Odin, would have cast him down to Midgard, to circle the oceans and protect those from megalodon, kraken, and other creatures that run through those waters."

"So why the name Jormungandr?" Barton asks and Loki is about to answer, only Jane beats him to it.

"It means Serphant of Earth." Jane states and Loki looks to her, giving a neutral look, before giving a short nod.

"A loose translation, yes, but I grew to love the name, and it fits him quite well." Loki states as he yawns.

"Can he take down a kraken?" Banner asks and Loki nods "Jesus Christ, how big is he?"

"Haven't measure, but he'll only get bigger with time." Loki smiles, before sighing "By the time he's my age, he'll be longer than two miles, and about a thousand feet around."

My friends give a shocked look and Loki shrugs, before Banner asks "What will he eat, when he's that big?"

"Jotunheim beasts, most likely." Loki sighs "Now, he just eats the fish in Asgardian waters."

As we enter our chambers, a palace maiden smiles weakly at Loki "My queen, I am here to replenish your herb."

"Great." Loki sighs, before I help him into bed and he looks to me "I'll keep Hel with me. You go have the best of fun. As tomorrow, there would be any, father."

I smile at that, before placing a kiss apon his lips "Rest well, get well." and with that, I lead my followers out.