A Tale of Mischief and Mutants part 2

A Rough Day and a Rough Century

—-Loki—-

I return home and find Sam nearly asleep on the couch.

"Hello darling."

"Finally get bored of wedding planning?"

"Hardly I'm just getting started. Though I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."

She doesn't smile at my charm like she usually would her mind seeming to wander as we talk.

"Eh, I've been cat napping for about an hour and a half."

Something seems off about Sam like something happened when she was in New York that she's trying to avoid talking about.

"Sam is something wrong love? You seem... off."

"I've just had a long day..."

She rubs the bridge of her nose seeming stressed.

"My biological father is running for president."

While this is surprising news I'm not sure why it bothers her so much, it's not like anyone could actually vote for someone so despicable... right? My expression must tell her what I'm thinking she shakes her head looking fed up with the notion of her father running for president.

"I know what you're thinking and yes Midgardians are dumb enough to elect someone like him... especially since they're scared of mutants. He promises them protection from us."

"But you're not hostile."

"That doesn't matter we're scary and different so at the end of the day we're a threat."

I sit down on the couch near where she's laying down. She naturally shifts so her head is on my lap and I stroke her hair absentmindedly as we talk. That problem hits close to home.

"I understand mortal. Just know that they're wrong they always have been and always will be."

She smiles softly with a hint of hesitation. It's slight, one could miss it if they were less observant.

"I know..."

Something else is bothering her I can tell by her subtle refusal to completely relax. She's making an effort to hide whatever's bothering her but fooling me takes a talent that she graciously lacks... she's not good at lying. Well, at least not to me... that I'm aware of.

"Mortal what else is troubling you?"

She shifts away from me slightly looking like she's been caught.

"The professor was in my head today..."

She spots my anger and quickly elaborates.

"He had my consent to be, he was looking through my memories for details that might help us find the people who had me. I don't want them to hurt anyone else."

I understand now why she seems shaken.

"And you saw them as he searched."

She nods sitting up and leaning against me.

"I felt them too, emotionally I mean, not physically, you know other than remembering the pain, I didn't feel it again though."

I can't help but feel she's vulnerable in this moment, that I need to protect her. I pull her closer to me and hold her.

"Sam my dear are you alright?"

"I... I had a panic attack... I didn't want to worry you."

She seems a bit ashamed of it like she thinks she should have grown some immunity to the involuntary reaction.

"That's alright love... I'm impressed by your bravery in allowing that, knowing what you were going to see."

"I couldn't say no, not when I might be able to stop this from happening to someone else."

'How did a heart so warm welcome someone as cold as me?' I plant a long kiss on her forehead just thankful for her. We sit for a while but inevitably I grow hungry.

"Have you eaten yet darling?"

She smiles a mischievous smirk. 'There's my Sam.'

"Maybe, maybe not what are you making me?"

I protest smiling at her.

"I already made breakfast."

"Yes you did."

I sigh.

"How about I order pizza or something?"

She nods. 

"Sounds good trouble."

———————————————————

As we wait for our food to arrive Sam tells me about everything she did today her telling me about acquiring some of her bridesmaids reminds me I still need to find about six people for groomsmen. I start to think and I'm surprised by how many I can think of off the top of my head. Peter, Heimdall, Bruce, Steve, and possibly Vision come to mind with little effort.

Tony briefly flashes through my thoughts as an option I could've picked from. It's not that I would love his foolishness at our wedding and wedding reception, it's just... I would love it. I would love for a lot of people to be there who aren't around anymore ...I realize that for things like this the list will only grow with the years.

"Lo' are you ok?"

I've zoned out of our conversation. I decide not to deflect her question. I don't want to cause her worry but maybe if I'm more willing to share she'll do the same when she's afraid of worrying me.

"I was thinking about groomsmen and my mind began to wander... I was thinking of Stark among others who won't be there because they were taken too soon."

She puts her hand on my cheek.

"You holding up ok?"

"I think so... death's just seemed to be relentless for those I care about this century ...I know it will only continue."

This fear had been a part of the reason I'd been so cold towards Midgardians if I hated them I couldn't be hurt when their short lives ended. She holds her arms open and beckons me to lean on her like I let her do with me.

"Come here."

I give in to my emotions and let her hold me both of us still curled up on the couch. She starts moving her fingers through my hair as she speaks to me soothingly.

"Yes we're both going to loose people we love within the next hundred years or less but you're stuck with me and your idiot brother for at least another few millennia and we're not going anywhere alright? You can't get rid of us we'll be here for you. ...I promise. ...We'll always be right here, you got me?"

'She promises?' I hope she's able to keep it Norns please allow her to keep it. My worry seems to melt away as Sam plants a kiss on the top of my head. I let myself smile slightly. 'Yeah I got you Sam.'

"Understood."