The Scientist (Loki x OC)

Pt. 35: The Question

—————

A/N: First off: Happy Pride Month, children! Second, we made it to another chapter! Yay! Another set-up for future events, but hey, as long as y' all like it as much as I liked writing it, I think it's all fantastic any which way.

----------

Luna sat hunched over her microscope. This was a common occurrence for her in recent days. She would investigate her subjects, going from the C. elegans worms to the zebrafish embryo and back again. To her luck, the embryo was growing as expected, and at the rate it should be. Its hatching time was any minute now, and it held her at the edge of her seat.

Pulling away from the eyepiece, Luna shook out her hands and squinted at the clock. She huffed, still unable to see, and put on her glasses. Not yet lunchtime, but it mattered not. The homemade French toast with herbs and coffee she had for breakfast sated her well enough. She smiled, remembering how Loki enjoyed his and made a point to tell her twice – once when he was done and one more time as she was leaving. If they weren't already friends, it would be a call for suspicion on her end.

Taking her glasses back off, Luna yawned and leaned back over the microscope. The embryo twitched and wiggled inside the egg, teasing its urge to come out into the world. As it stilled its body again, Luna watched its little heart beat inside its body, and she smiled. She could watch it a million times over with a million different embryos, and they would all bring her the same amount of joy. The joy of creating life and welcoming it into existence.

"Come on, baby. You can do it," Luna muttered. It moved again, and she snickered, making fun it could hear her. "FRIDAY, are you getting this?"

"Of course."

"Excellent," Luna whispered. Excitement coursed through her veins like a fast-burning fire, but she kept her breathing even. No need to disturb the serenity of the tiny baby fish. She drummed her fingers on the table. Any second now.

With a final hard thrash, the embryo broke through the chorion and out of the confining space.

"Yes! Oh, yes!" Luna exclaimed. "Hi there, little one. Are you gonna make some ice for me, maybe?" As though it was listening, miniscule frost particles formed around where it swam. Her mouth split into a proud grin. "Very good. Good job."

She gazed at her new baby and recorded its every move. Appearance- and size-wise, it was normal. It moved comfortably in its space, and the yolk sac it retained was an appropriate size. Luna was content, feeling like she won the world.

"FRIDAY, are you able to get a read on the water temperature?"

"Right now, it is at room temperature."

"Alright." Luna pulled away from the microscope and slipped her glasses on, turning to look at the clock. It wasn't lunchtime yet, but she could take a few extra minutes. "Keep an eye on the little guy, will you? I'm gonna take my lunch break. Alert me if there are any changes."

"Will do."

She made one last note in her lab notebook before closing it and locking it in a drawer. The dish of fish eggs was placed in an inconspicuous corner, and the microscope turned off. Pulling off her gloves and lab coat, Luna hung it and grabbed her lunch, bag, and tumbler from the cupboard.

The upper kitchen was barren. Luna had it all to herself, assuming Tony was out to lunch or for the day. She looked this way and that. No sign of anyone approaching, so she took out her earbuds and put them in. Pressing 'play' on her music, the bass thrum of a Fleetwood Mac song met her awaiting ears. She whispered a victorious "yes" and closed the distance to the microwave.