Eagle (A Loki love story)

Chapter 119

After we wound down with MarioKart, the remainder of the day was a quiet affair, hanging out in loose groups chatting. I think a few people went to work out a some point, but I didn't, although I did go into the pool for a bit. As for dinner, everyone just scavenged from the fridges. It wasn't until after Loki and I had gone to bed for the night that he confronted me about my comment earlier, and it became one of the times I wished he wasn't so forward. When I emerged from the bathroom in my nightgown, I found him leaning against one of the pillars of my den with his arms crossed.

"Mira, are you having image problems?"

"What?"

"Are you developing a negative image of yourself?"

"Huh? No."

"You're being too defensive, doe. And I heard the comment you made to Natasha earlier, about you 'getting fat'."

"Oh, that. It was–"

"Too self-deprecating for my tolerance, and don't try to tell me you were being anything less than serious."

"Loki–"

"I know it's not something I can just order away, so I am going to help you." He opened his arms, "Come here."

"You don't have to–"

"Mira." He gave me a little warning with a hint of his commanding tone, so I went to him. Loki took me in his arms, and placed a gentle kiss on my head. Then he pulled back a bit and placed a hand on my stomach.

"Do you see this?"

"Loki–"

"Mira. Let me help you. Do you see this?"

"Yes."

"Do you know what it is?"

"It's my baby bump."

"And why do you have it?"

"Because I'm pregnant."

"That's correct. Because you are carrying my offspring. You body took what started as a cell from you and a cell from me and it is creating new life. A fragile, innocent life. As you have said numerous times before, the realities of creating this new life are not pretty or easy. This extra weight that you have gained is a sign that your body is doing its job properly." I shook my head a bit, my eyes squeezed closed, him trying to explain this to me on a biological level just wasn't working.

"Loki, I know you mean well, and I understand why I've gained all this new weight, but that isn't going to instantly make me feel better about it."

"Then what would?"

"Honestly, at this point, what bugs me most is that I'll only get bigger before I get smaller."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Not really." I felt guilty for saying it, but it was true. There wasn't anything he could actively do to help my image of myself.

"Hey." He tipped my chin up to look me in the eye, "This is a process, and I realize that I cannot instantly change your opinion of yourself. I just want you to know that I am here for you."

"Thank you, my love. The only thing right now that I can think of is feeling movement. I feel like once that happens, it'll become more real for me. I still can't quite wrap my mind around it." I felt Loki's smile against my skin.

"Now that will change as soon as you get a scan."

"Don't remind me. We still haven't figured out where or how we're going to get that done!"