"I made you a promise, Valkyrie," whispers Loki in your ear, as he comes up behind you and swats your shaking hands away from your braid, pulling your golden ribbon through your hair, tying it himself. "You'll be back here with your son in no time."
"Will you stop saying it like that?" you hiss. "We'll both be back here, Loki."
Loki reaches around your waist, placing a kiss on your cheek before stepping away and conjuring his Asgardian robes. You glance once more at the photo of Loki and Anthony, folding it and putting it in your back pocket before twisting your silver bracelet, allowing your suit to materialize over your clothes as Loki moves to the bedside to grab his weapons belt, securing it around his waist.
"Are you ready, elskede mín?" Loki says quietly, admiring you from across the room.
"No," you say softly. "But we don't have a choice."
You look at yourself in the mirror and glance up at Loki's reflection in the distance behind you. The last few days have been paradise, despite Steve's scare.
They have been simple. Easy. The family has been together, and happy. And now it's being torn apart. Again. You close your eyes for a moment as they begin to water and you force yourself to try and reimagine this sunset as a sunrise.
When you open them again, Loki is behind you.
"Come," Loki says, holding out his hand.
You turn to take Loki's hand so he can teleport you both up to the balcony where your family waits to say goodbye. But as you reach for him, time seems to slow. From this point on, every action counts. Every second means something. Every moment matters on your journey towards the end.
And this end is dreaded as deeply as it is desired.
Your fingertips brush against Loki's, and in a flash of green you're gone. You reappear in the early morning sun to find your entire family standing before you on the balcony.
"Mama!" a tiny voice calls out as Anthony wiggles from Tony's grasp, demanding to be set down.
Tears come to your eyes as Tony puts him on the ground and he runs to your legs, clinging to them. You pick him up as he grabs fistfuls of your hair and giggles. You hold him tightly, taking deep, shuddering breaths. Willing yourself to stay calm.
"Are you ready, brother? Lady Y/n?" calls out Thor, who steps forward holding two sets of Asgardian manacles.
"Absolutely not, Thor. Not in front of my son," you say, handing Anthony to Loki who holds him just as tightly as you had.
Loki would never allow his emotions to show as plainly as you had, but you can see in how he bites the inside of his cheek and how he curls his fists that he's fighting to stay in control as the little boy plays with his father's raven locks.
"Very well, my lady. But we must make haste. Say your goodbyes, and then we depart."
YOU ARE READING
Undaunted (Loki x Reader)
Fanfiction'The end may justify the means, my Valkyrie - but only if there is something out there that justifies the end itself.' With the nine realms now facing a threat far greater than you could have imagined, you and Loki are sought by those once considere...
