The Witch's Familiar

Chapter 18

 "Lady Y/N, have you seen-" Thor started, knocking softly on your open bedroom door. You were laying on top of the blankets on your bed. You had been reading, but had evidently fallen asleep and now had a Lokitty curled in your arms like a plushie. Thor had managed not to wake you all the way. Loki squirmed out of your arms and hopped lightly off the bed. "Brother, you turned back? Why? I thought you were happy!" Thor's voice was so sad, heartbroken.

You made a soft noise and cracked your eyes open. You saw a shimmer of Loki's green magic and he was human-shaped again. He gave you a soft smile and tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear before he summoned a blanket to tuck around you. "Close your eyes. Go back to your nap, darling, I'll see what my idiot brother wants," he told you softly and kissed your forehead. You smiled and let your eyes close again.

"I turned back briefly for her sake," Loki told Thor after he stepped away from the bed. "She has been without a familiar for too long and it is straining on her health. She has been doing a damn good job hiding it from all of us, too, stubborn little sorceress..."

"And you can correct it in that form-?"

"Briefly, I can mask the symptoms for her briefly. What did you need, Brother?" Loki asked.

"Stark and Barton wished to see you downstairs to ask for your assistance with something. Apparently you know the inner workings of the tower better than anyone but Stark,"

"Very well, I'll be down in a moment," Loki hesitated before he spoke again. "Can you convince the others to allow her to have a cat, without complaining or teasing? I fear she will continue letting her mental and physical health deteriorate instead of imposing on the team..."

*

You didn't know how long it was before you woke again, but you finally felt back to normal when you did. You were surprised to find there was no Loki anywhere in your room when you woke. That was very unusual. You sat up and finally saw the piece of paper on your nightstand surrounded by a shimmer of green magic. You reached out and picked it up, recognizing the magic as Loki's. The shimmer was just to get your attention.

Don't fret, love. I did not abandon you while you slept. The team simply needed my help with a project and I did not wish to wake you when you so desperately needed the rest. ~Loki

You smiled, touched that he thought of your feelings, thought that you'd worry if he wasn't here when you woke from your nap. You set the note back down and got out of bed to go find your wayward trickster.

You found him in Tony's lab, perched on a stool while they both looked over something on Jarvis' screens. "Lokitty, Stark," you greeted them from the doorway. It was prudent to announce yourself before you entered the lab. Things tended to explode otherwise. Loki looked over at you and smiled.

"Hey kid," Stark said without looking up from what he was working on.

"What're you boys up to?" you asked, stepping over to peer over Loki's shoulder. Stark had issues with personal space, but Loki didn't mind. His arm snaked around you and he pulled you into his lap. You squeaked in surprise.

"There isn't another seat," Loki explained as he held you securely on his lap. "And you would protest if I gave up mine," he added logically. "We are looking over the security footage of the man who entered the tower to try to talk to you, looking for flaws in the system," he answered your original question.

"Admittedly, Reindeer Games is good with technology, and is...nearly... as smart as I am," Stark explained. "Though how he's so good at technology when he's a mage is beyond me,"