Summary:

Natasha must gain the approval of Frigga before courting Loki and then she puts her plan into motion.

Notes:

Beta: mischieffuckingmanaged

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Frigga would get propositioned constantly for both her sons. It was the curse of being a mother of two princes. She had to admit, Thor was more sought after than Loki. That wasn't because Thor was necessarily the better husband, truth be told she felt Loki would be the better husband. Sure Thor was more attractive in and very Aesir way, but Loki was more attentive, loyal and though it was rare that he loved, when he did it was whole heartedly and at times suffocating.

But since the attack, Loki started become sought after despite the fact that Loki was no fighter. He was a thinker, he was a joker, and though he could fight, as he demonstrated during the Fire Giant attack, it was always as a last resort. And if these women didn't want Loki before his breakthrough performance on the battlefield, then they wouldn't have him now.

But when Natasha came in, dressed in full armor requesting permission to court her youngest son Frigga was intrigued.

Frigga always wanted Loki to bond with a warrior woman and not another witch only because she knew he'd grow bored. But she never thought a Valkyrie would take interest. For one, they rarely mate for life and for another, Loki had made it his life's mission to personally piss off every Valkyrie he came in contact with. Cutting their hair, stealing food, telling them he was a male and there for their master until he came screaming from the woods and into the safety of the palace. She never thought in a million years that one of them would think themselves up to the task of taming him.

"You are interested in courting Loki?" The surprise was evident in Frigga's question and her regal face.

"Yes my Lady." Natasha answered respectfully. "I believe we would make a… suitable couple." They would be the match of each other. He would keep her on her toes making sure he was doing what he was supposed to be doing and she would keep him on track and focused.

Frigga scoffed at the very idea. "Suitable? You're a Fire Giant. He's a Frost Giant." But then Frigga remembered a day, so very long ago when Loki was just a toddler, where both he and Natasha wanted a cookie from a nearby table despite the fact that both she and her servant that was caring for Natasha said no. Little Loki, in all his disrespectful glory, figured he didn't need his mother to get him a cookie. Instead, he went down on all fours and little Natasha climbed on his back and pulled the table cloth to get the cookies. When Natasha got a cookie, she climbed down and broke the cookie in half to give it to Loki. They sat there smiling and eating cookies.

Perhaps they weren't really that different.

Natasha nodded. "We are from opposite realms but I believe opposites attract."

There was truth to that, Frigga knew. After all Odin was rash and cold at times where she was warm and patient. "And why now?"

"I've asked myself that for a week now and I believe that before the attack I never took Loki seriously. He's so silly and I could always rely on him being unreliable. But then… then he took control of a frantic situation and fearlessly defended a home that hasn't always been kind to him against a race that have been known to defeat his natural father on many of occasions. I realized that Loki could be reliable, dependable and even loyal, to the right cause." And she wanted to be that cause.

Natasha's words were true. Loki makes it hard to take him seriously. Everything was a joke to him, even himself. He'd make promises which he knew he wouldn't keep and got people into situations only to desert them. But when the attack started, Loki suddenly became the only voice of the palace and people responded forgetting that he was the child of their most hated enemy and looking to him for the first time as Odin's son.

And no, Asgard had not always been kind to him. He was different, weird, more feminine than masculine, more smart than brawn, but as different Loki was, he made a home for himself there and the truth was, he was missed when he went on his own travels.

It was nice to see someone else appreciate all the sides of Loki.

So with that, she gave Natasha permission to court Loki though Frigga was unsure if Loki was going to actually decide to be courted by her. She knew her son to be hard to pin down much to the frustration of many witches of all realms.

But after two weeks went by and Loki never mentioned a new bedmate, she figured Natasha lost interest or lost her nerve.

So when a servant came in holding small box and announcing, "A gift for the prince." everyone thought it would be Thor's as he received many gifts often.

Loki looked at the small box being handed to him. "Who is it from?"

"Forgive me Prince Loki," The servant started. "But I was told not to tell you who it was from."

Odin whistled. "Someone has a secret admirer."

Loki tapped the box. "How do I know there isn't a crab inside the box ready to clip my nose?"

The servant frowned as Thor did. "Is that a thing on Jotunheim? Boxed crabs?"

Odin nodded swallowing the last bit of his meat. "Actually it is. They come in all shapes and it seems a running joking to find new and interesting ways to gift one."

The servant took a breath to answer Loki. "It is no boxed crab Prince Loki."

"Says you." Loki answered quickly.

The servant stalled for a moment before saying, "If I may, I have a letter that I am to read if you become difficult."

Oh that caught Loki's attention. "Difficult?" Who would dare call him difficult? Who did this secret admirer thing she was?

"May I?" The servant asked again.

Loki gestured for him to continue.

The servant cleared his throat. "If Prince Loki becomes difficult and refuses to open the box remind him that there is no more room on Asgard for cowardly men."

Outrage mixed with amusement twinkled in Loki's green eyes. "Cowardly?" He looked at Thor who was laughing as well. "Is this your doing?"

Thor shook his head putting up his hands to gesture neither his nor his left had anything to do with this. "It is not I brother."

Loki sighed picking up the box and opened it slowly. Inside lay a beautiful gemmed necklaced linked together with a metal Loki recognized from his Dwarf friend's work shop. It was no cheap material and the craftsmanship was superb.

He released the servant and sighed, trying to figure out who could have sent it. He had many dwarf friends but didn't think any would be interested in him. They mostly stuck together in matters of the heart. But it was apparent that whoever had it made used a dwarf's services.

"Pardon me mother," Loki started without taking his eye off the beautiful necklace. "I must visit Tony." He vanished before she could respond.

She glanced at Odin, who looked at her and smiled.

Notes:

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