Life in the palace took on a new normal. You returned to your duties, though you felt like you were forgetting something. Something you were supposed to tell Loki. You just couldn't remember what it was at the moment. You were planning a trip back home to visit your friends, though you had to wait until the twins were big enough to safely travel by bifrost. You knew it wouldn't be long. They were already bigger than their age suggested and they grew at an alarming rate.
Narvi accompanied you to your work more often than not. You didn't mind and he was quiet while he observed the healing wing. He seemed interested in the healing spells and the bustling healing wing. Most wouldn't think it an environment for a newborn, but you and Narvi made it work. He was perfectly safe, no one would hurt the princeling, and you were careful to keep him away from any sicknesses, but let him 'help' with injuries.
Besides, you weren't allowed near any sicknesses while you were still nursing the twins.
Vali, meanwhile, spent all of her time with Loki. There may have been people who would have made fun of him for having his infant daughter attend royal functions with him, but they were at least smart enough not to do so where he could hear them. It wasn't hurting anything for her to be there. Both of the twins were remarkable well behaved.
In that they were quiet and non disruptive. Though when they got bored, they had Loki's habit of entertaining themselves with mischief. They hadn't come up with anything harmful and usually just entertained themselves making little balls of colored lights. Which was perfectly normal for magical infants according to Mama Frigga.
*
Finally the day came when the twins were big enough to travel by bifrost. You packed them and the things you'd need up and stored the things in your dimensional pockets. Mama Frigga kept fretting over you leaving with the twins and triple checking to make sure you had everything you needed. You had to remind her that anything the twins needed, you could buy on Midgard. They would be just fine.
You reinforced their illusions for them before you left. You didn't want to scare the Midgardians if they took on their Jotun appearances. The team wouldn't be weirded out, but the regular humans might be. So you weren't taking any chances with the safety of your children.
Frigga and Odin both saw you off at the bifrost. Thor and Sif were coming home with you as well. That was all normal. What wasn't normal was Heimdall wanting to see the twins and cooing over them with babytalk. You'd never seen the stuffy guardian anything less than perfectly formal. Vali reached out to the man with the giant sword, fascinated by any new person who came her way. Heimdall plucked her out of Loki's arms before you husband could even react and you noted Loki's startled expression and how much he had to school himself and remind himself that Vali wasn't in danger with Heimdall before he could relax.
You knew Loki was overprotective, especially about you and the twins, though you never had reason to think he would lash out at someone like Heimdall. Maybe his temper was more volatile about the twins than you'd thought.
Heimdall clearly knew exactly what he was doing with an infant, cradling Vali and cooing over the little princess in his arms. Narvi watched with interest, but clutched onto you so Heimdall couldn't take him too. He was still so shy and timid. And so very much a mama's boy.
Loki eventually got Vali back from Heimdall, and you were surprised there hadn't been a fight over the baby. You hugged Frigga goodbye again. "We'll be back soon, it's only a short visit home," you reassured your mother-in-law.
"Our friends must meet the twins!" Thor agreed in a boom that made both Vali and Narvi shriek at him. Which was strange for them. They usually didn't voice their displeasure.
Both of their magic flared, green from Narvi, gold from Vali. Vali turned Thor's hair pink and Narvi placed some kind of bright green tape over his uncle's mouth to shut him up.
"Shut up, Thor," Loki said dryly while you tried to hide your laughter. You really couldn't encourage this behavior from the twins.
Sif couldn't help laughing though at her idiot husband.
"Darlings, that isn't an appropriate use of magic," you tried to scold, but there was too much laughter in your voice. Fuck. You tried really hard not to encourage them to be mean.
Narvi pouted up at you. /Uncle loud/ he protested.
"I know, and he's very sorry he scared you," you promised him. "But since he's so sorry, you have to remove the tape from his mouth." Narvi considered that, and since you were calm and collected and hadn't yelled at him, he did as you asked and removed the tape. Vali was being vindictive and protective of her brother and refused to turn Thor's hair back.
You sighed, but it was the best you and Loki could do with the stubborn twins. You'd fix it later if you couldn't convince her.
With that, you finally headed into the bifrost to go see your friends on Midgard and introduce them to the twins.
