Both Monsters (Loki X Reader)

21. Endre

Y/N's POV:

"Endre, where are your parents?" I was still unsure why he was so far out here alone, but as I asked the question his body started shaking and he quickly buried his head in his knees again, sobbing loudly. Choking out every cry as if it had been building up inside him for years and yet he couldn't be any older than six. Shuffling myself closer against the tree next to him and wrapping my arms tightly around Endre's small frame, only now realising that they may no longer be around. The boy clung to my neck with his tiny hands crying into my side. I didn't have a clue what I was supposed to do, I couldn't leave him here on his own. In the back of my head I could hear her voice taunting me about how I was never able to care about another being other than myself. That I should just put him out of his pain. I hastily pushed those vile thoughts away. I'd proved that nagging voice wrong so many times before, I could do it again.

Lifting the small boy up onto my lap, gently wrapping my cloak around us, as I softly rocked him from side to side. Letting him sob in my arms. "It's alright. I'm right here. You're safe. I'm not going to let anything hurt you." I hushed, drawing soothing patterns on his back.

"Please don't go..." Endre mumbled, clutching onto me as if I were his only life line. I shook my head, raising my hand to stroke his messy hair, resting a hand on his cheek as I swiped away the waterfall of tears.

"I wouldn't do that, Endre. I'm not going to leave you here." I reassured him as he slowly began to calm down again. His body eventually stopped shaking as he relaxed into me more. I didn't have much to comfort him with, other than my cloak and trying to keep him tightly wrapped up. The buns I brought from the baker earlier, maybe one of those might help. I reached round next to me, Endre's eyes following my movement as I lifted up the brown bag to show him. "Would you like one of these?" I asked, as he looked at me. His hair was still a mess and in the bright morning sunlight his eyes were large and round; full of wonder and sorrow. He nodded his head slightly as his lips turned into a sad smile. I used a part of my cloak this time to dry his eyes some more, before handing him one of the buns.

...

"I don't like crying. My dad always told me that I would never be strong if I kept crying." Endre muttered as he took another bite out of the bun. I looked at him confused as a frown pulled at the corners of my mouth. Shaking my head I pulled him closer to me, rewrapping him in the cloak. Using a finger to swipe away the very last of the tears on his reddened cheeks.

"These tears? They are not your weakness. In fact they're the opposite, they show how strong you are and how strong you have already been. Never let other people tell you your own weaknesses." I booped the top of his nose as he started grinning at me; his first genuine smile.

"Do you have any magic to bring my mama back? You're from the palace right? They have magic there." I sighed not knowing what to say, it broke me to stare into his glistening eyes. I couldn't lie to him. In fact I refuse to lie.

"I don't think the palace has that kind of magic, I'm sorry. But how about you tell me about her?" I softly replied. He looked at me confused as he spun round to face me, his legs either side of my lap.

"Will that bring her back?" he said, hope in every word. I smiled, wiping the crumbs from around his face, shaking my head slightly.

"Only for us. For a little while. Stories are the best kind of magic. Besides, she will always be here with you..." I pointed to his chest. "As long as you remember her." He looked a little confused but began nodding his head slowly.

"I will never forget her. She was kind and loved people. She always held me at bed time and told me stories about far away galaxies and how she wanted to travel to the stars." Endre got more and more gleeful with every word he said, as he pointed up to the sky, occasionally looking back at me. "Will you tell me a story?" I nodded, as he leant his head on my shoulder, once again getting comfy under my cloak.