"Twins?!?" Loki asked, shocked and confused as you sat up in the bed. Loki was looking paler than usual at the news. You thought he might faint. He'd never imagined being a father, at least not for centuries yet. Now? Now he was going to have two children.
"Yes, darling, twins," Frigga replied patiently, amused by Loki's shock and surprise. "You two are remaining on Asgard for the duration?" she asked, but her words were more a demand than a request. You were staying on Asgard, whether you wanted to or not.
You both nodded. "Yes, Mother. We will be remaining on Asgard. I believe Thor and Sif are planning on remaining as well," Loki told her. Frigga nodded, accepting that her son was behaving and doing the right thing.
You were still stuck on the thought of twins and couldn't help laughing. "Looks like the Midgardians got something right," you teased Loki. He looked over at you, confused, since your words hadn't quite broken through his shock over not just one, but two children in your future.
"And what did the Midgardians say, darling?" Loki asked you, curious more than anything. Even shocked, he paid special attention to you and to your words and feelings. You were amused, so it couldn't be too bad. Frigga looked interested as well.
"In their tales, Loki and Sigyn have twin boys named Narvi and Vali," you explained to them. Loki smirked and kissed your forehead.
"You are choosing those names regardless of the gender of the children, aren't you, my love?" he asked. He knew you well.
"Damn straight," you replied with a grin and leaned in to kiss him. He accepted the kiss eagerly, always willing to show you affection and even after all these years he still cherished every touch and show of affection from you. He always acted as if you would punish him with denying physical contact, which told you more about his childhood than his stories ever could. You knew Mama Frigga wouldn't do that to him, but Odin? Odin had undoubtedly denied the child Loki, leaving the adult bruised and heartbroken. Loki was always afraid of losing your affection and treated you as the most cherished person he had ever met. And never took you for granted for a single moment.
"I expected nothing less," he told you warmly when the kiss broke. "We're having twins," he told you warmly, still not over his surprise.
You giggled. "Yes, darling. Twins,"
You weren't sure you were prepared to deal with one child, much less two.
Two children. Two infants.
At the same time.
It was an overwhelming prospect at best.
You thanked the Norns that you lived in a palace with full staff half the time. You would have help.
But the children?
Twins?
Would they both feel loved, or like Thor and Loki, would one feel slighted their entire life?
You didn't want either of your children to feel less loved than the other.
Wait.
Two children.
Two half-jotun children.
That thought seemed to have occurred to both of you at the same time. Loki turned to Frigga. "Mother, have you heard of Asgardians and Jotuns having children together before?" he asked her softly and you could hear the fear in his voice. You knew where his mind had gone: would you survive the pregnancy?
Frigga shook her head. "Our peoples were at war for centuries. Even after the treaty... well you know how your father conditioned our people to think of the Jotuns. Even if relations were better between our peoples, they would never consider meaningful relationships between the two," Frigga's words were diplomatic, but you knew the meaning behind them. The Asgardians and Jotuns hated each other. That was putting it lightly. Before you and Loki, no one from either culture would have even considered dating, marrying, or even having sex with someone from the other. "There have been no cases I know if in recorded history," Frigga continued and you heard that she had figured out and shared your concern.
Jotuns were frost giants.
Their bodies ran colder than the Asgardians. Much colder. Even in Loki's Aesir form he ran colder than you. In Jotun form it was worse. If he wasn't careful, he could frostburn anyone and anything he touched in that form.
"I will see what I can find out, darlings. We will figure this out and we will take every precaution," Frigga tried to reassure you both. You weren't sure you were reassured by that.
"Jotuns run colder than Asgardians do," you spoke up. Even after all these years, it was rare for you to speak up, especially if you weren't agreeing with her. You could speak your mind in the mage's council meetings, when you were running the healing wing, Hel, even from the throne of Asgard when Loki had gotten sick one day and you'd ruled in his stead. You still had trouble speaking up against Frigga and wouldn't dare to Odin. He would smite you where you stood. "Are the children going to be able to survive in my body?" you asked her, pressing the subject.
You dreaded the answer.
What if you and Loki could never have children?
It wasn't the end of the world, of course.
But it would be heartbreaking and terrible regardless.
Especially considering the twins you carried now.
Frigga gave you a warm, reassuring smile. "Dear, between magic and science, we can find a balance that will not be too difficult on your or the children," she reassured you, but you heard the hint of worry in her tone. She was sure it could be done, but wasn't quite sure how to accomplish it.
You weren't even sure it could be done.
Not safely anyway.
How were you to cool your body enough to be habitable for half-jotuns?
Especially without your magic?
How would the babies survive to term?
Would it even be possible?
