Loki's breath hitched as his arms finally moved to wrap around you tightly. He positioned his arms under your wings and pulled you even tighter to him. His breath was ragged, his arms too tight, too cold. He'd been losing himself to his emotions to let his skin get so cold. He usually controlled bleed through from his natural form better.
You felt his tears drip onto your skin as he held you. Heard his breath hitch again. "I thought you had died," he finally said, though no time had passed, it felt as though it had. "I thought I had lost you," he whispered against your hair. You heard the horror and heartbreak in his voice. He would have broken and been lost had he lost you. Loki needed you. He needed his queen by his side, he needed your ever lasting faith that he would make a good king, would make a better man.
"The twins?" You asked him softly. You had to know your family was ok, that the risk was worth it. Though you knew by Loki's tone and the surety that he would've broken had you not come back, that it was definitely worth the risk to you. Still, you couldn't even begin to think of explaining what had happened until you knew that the rest of your family was alright.
Loki pulled back just enough to look down at you, though he still kept his grip on you just too tight. As if he was afraid if he loosened it that he would lose you forever. "They're both perfectly fine, and absolutely perfect," Loki reassured you gently. "They're with Thor and Sif in the other room while Mother and I..." he trailed off. He and Frigga had been in here trying to save your life or bring you back to life.
You realized that the only reason Frigga wasn't here was because you'd died and she was letting Loki grieve in peace. Which is also why the twins were safely in the other room with Thor and Sif to watch over them.
Loki pulled you tightly back blush against him, nuzzled your neck, then kissed your hair, your forehead, your lips. "Witchling, not that I'm not beyond grateful, but there is definitely a story here, especially one that explains your lovely new wings. As I am the god of stories, I'd very much like to know what it is," Loki's words were calm, but you knew it to be a facade. He was using his old court tricks to hide what he was really feeling. He'd perfected those tricks in the years that Odin had hated him. He was using it now to cover that he as panicking, overwhelmed, and still unable to believe that you are really back and really alive. "I lost you, witchling. You died,"
Oh, like he was one to talk. How may times had he come back to life by now?
That wasn't the point though.
You looked up at him and saw the undiluted fear in his eyes. He didn't know how you'd survived and how you'd come back to him. He was afraid you'd be taken from him again.
"And now suddenly you're a valkyrie," Loki finished his thought.
Of course your valkyrie fanboy of a husband recognized your wings and tattoo for what they were.
"I did die," you admitted, gathering your thoughts into a coherent explanation. "One of the valkyrie-" at Loki's confused concerned look you had to pause and restart with more explanation. "The valkyrie are alive, rebuilding in Helheim. Anyway, one of them led me to Hela, the queen of Helheim-" you paused, but Loki needed the whole truth. He was training to be king of Asgard. He needed to know about this. "She's also the patron goddess of the valkyrie and Odin's daughter," you paused there, expecting that Loki would be shocked.
You weren't disappointed either.
Shock and confusion crossed Loki's expression. "Odin's daughter? But..." Loki's silver tongue failed him as he was slack-jawed in shock. You saw the thoughts crossing his mind, including the question of whether she was going to take the throne from him. She was the first born after all.
So you had to reassure him. You nodded and gave him a moment to process before you continued speaking. You told him everything that Hela had told you of her version of history, how the valkyrie had been forced to fight against her and been slaughtered for it all because of Odin. How she'd been banished for being too much like him and now ruled over Hel. "She let me come back on the condition that I do so as a valkyrie. She wants them to be able to return to Asgard where they belong. She's using me as insurance that they'll be safe and accepted," you finished your long-winded explanation of recent events.
Loki took it all in. "Because no one on Asgard would dare harm their queen," Loki said as he nodded along. "Of course the valkyrie are welcome back on Asgard. I'll send along a decree if that's what she needs," he said too eagerly to have the valkyrie back.
You laughed at his enthusiasm. "Fanboy," you teased him fondly.
Loki pulled you into a kiss and ran his fingers gently over your wings, which made you purr. It was a strange sensation, but felt extremely good. Your wings, it seemed, were quite sensitive.
You broke the kiss and looked up at him. He stroked your cheek. "You risked your own afterlife to come back to us? You could've gone to Valhalla..." Loki said softly, surprised you'd do that.
You nodded. "I'll earn it again. My family needed me here,"
Loki pulled you back into another kiss. "I think it's time you meet them, witchling," he said warmly.
You lit up in delight. You were finally going to meet the twins properly.
