Loki watched Rose carefully, a small smile on his face. She was standing in the doorway of their living room, watching the little girl eat her breakfast, a brand-new backpack by her side. Rose was smiling as well, the child's enthusiasm contagious.
She had told her mum and dad earlier about all the things she was going to learn about, from the way the universe worked to the stars that both her parents had seen up close. No one would believe it, of course, but she knew it was true. They had decided against explaining to her that she wouldn't be learning about the stars for several years—children her age weren't usually able to read and write. No, she would be bored for the first few years, reviewing the letters and numbers she had known for over a year already, the skills she had used in creating stories about her parents traveling through the stars, something they had never done together. But she had heard enough bedtime stories about their individual pasts that she could easily come up with scenarios where they would all travel through space together.
He approached Rose from behind, wrapping his arms around her and speaking softly into her ear. "She'll be fine."
She smiled, looking up at him and kissing him lightly. "If she's anythin' like you, I know she will."
