Laney climbed up into the overly large bed after Loki had sat the tray of cookies down on the mattress and had gotten himself comfortable. "What do you want to talk about?" she asked as she grabbed a cookie and took a bite.
Loki nervously picked at a cookie. "Well... I was hoping you might stay in here with me tonight... not anything like that, just to snuggle." He said, being honest about his intentions. "Just a sleepover like we used to have."
"I would love to," she responded happily after she swallowed her bite of cookie. "I'm not sure if I will be able to not give you kisses though," she added, happy to be able to openly flirt with him.
"I will always happily accept any kisses you wish to give me," Loki said with a cute grin. "It's hard to believe you still picked me, after all I've done."
She leaned across the tray of cookies and surprised him with a sweet kiss to his lips, then grabbed another cookie. "Well, you believe it mister."
He smiled into the kiss, then gave a content sigh. "Is there anything you want to talk about?" He asked and dunked his cookie into his glass of milk before taking a bite. This was one of those rare moments when the world felt perfect.
"Well... what are you thinking about everything that's happened in the past couple of days?" She asked as she finished off another cookie.
Loki finished his cookie while thinking about her question. "It was an accident, but I learned that Odin is also part Jotun. I think it was harder to learn that than to learn that I am Jotun." Loki admitted.
Laney's eyes widened. "That's... huge. It would have to be far back in the bloodline," she stammered, "I'm sorry Loki. I hope that things start looking up for you... for the both of us."
Loki gave a little nod. "It is farther back, but the fact that he has any amount of Jotun blood and treated me so horribly for being Jotun... that is a hard one for me to wrap my mind around." He sighed, picking up another cookie. "I did learn something very good as well. So it hasn't all been bad."
"What is the good thing?" she asked with a smile as she moved to lay on her side after she finished her glass of milk and placed it on the tray.
"There's this girl, well, woman now... the most beautiful, special woman in all the realms. I've been in love with her forever, and I just found out she loves me as well." Loki leaned over and kissed her softly.
Laney smiled into the kiss and ran a hand through his hair before she deepened it. When she pulled away, she felt breathless. "If you're going to kiss like that, you might want to move the food."
Loki grabbed the tray and half tossed it onto the bedside table, in record time. As soon as it was out of the way, he pulled Laney onto his lap and kissed her deeply. He was careful to control himself, but still got lost in the sweet taste of her lips.
She laughed into the kiss as both hands wrapped into his hair, all while she moved to straddle his lap. Feeling bold by his actions, she decided to nip his lower lip before she licked the same spot to soothe the bite, causing Loki to give a soft moan and part his lips. His hands slowly moved down her back, feeling her curves, but he stopped at her hips knowing he had to wait for anything more. He pressed his lips back to hers, pulling her into a more passionate kiss.
Laney responded instantly, letting her tongue delve into his mouth as she pushed onto his chest, making him lay on his back and her lay on top of him. She slowly pulled away, her breathing now heavy. "I have waited a long time to do that."
"Well then, don't stop now." Loki grinned, and met her eyes. Lifting his hand, he ran his fingers through her hair. "I have waited a long time to call you mine. This day was a dream for so long."
"I've been waiting too," she replied softly as she leaned into his touch. "When the announcement is made, I will have to write to my father and let him know. I want him to know that I'm staying here. Asgard is my home."
"Do you want to tell him first, before we make a public announcement?" he asked, thinking it might be more respectful. "You could even invite him here so I could tell him personally, man to man." He suggested, twirling a lock of her hair around his finger.
Laney shrugged. "I'm not sure. My father has been kind of strange as of late and keeps wanting me to do everything his way. I think all of the years in the army have made him into a different person," she said with a sigh. "I actually had my own tiny place in Yamir above a bakery, so I could live my own life."
Loki gave her a concerned look. "Are you certain he is well? Perhaps the loss of your mother has been weighing heavily on his mind?" He wondered, not wanting her to worry too much if she didn't have to.
"It's possible. That's when it started to happen if I think about it," she answered. "He's not the same man you remember Loki."
"I'm not the same man he remembers either. I will leave it up to you then, as to how we tell him." He said, trusting her judgement.
"How about we see where things lead. Maybe we could ask your mother for advice on that."
"We can ask her when she visits tomorrow." Loki promised, rubbing his hands along Laney's sides, feeling the curve of her hips.
Laney soon found herself hiding her face into his chest as she yawned, but she didn't want to go to sleep yet. "What would you like to do tomorrow?"
"There isn't much I really can do, being confined to our chambers. I'm sure we can figure something out." He said as he held her close. "Rest now darling, we have an eternity together now." He said softly, pulling the blankets over them both, content to have her sleep on him.
She smiled as she snuggled against him. "There's so many new firsts for us now," she murmured sleepily.
"Sweet dreams, my love." He whispered, ready to doze off himself. He had not felt so safe and relaxed in a very long time and knew he would sleep very well with her so close.
Laney grinned wider at hearing the endearment and was soon fast asleep in his arms.
The following morning Laney woke before Loki and found herself curled into his side while he lay protectively curled around her. She looked up at the window to barely see the sun coming through, telling her it was still pretty early in the morning. I wonder what woke me? She thought as she tried to stretch out, only for Loki to grip onto her tighter. Well, getting up to pee is going to be difficult...
Loki groaned softly, not wanting to wake, but feeling Laney move. "Too early to get up," He mumbled, barely forming a full sentence.
Laney giggled as she looked over her shoulder at him. "But I have to pee," she argued.
"Mm okay." He yawned and released her. "Hurry back." He managed to say before dozing off again.
She giggled again as she climbed out of the bed and went to the bathroom. When she returned she decided to strip off her trousers, leaving her in an oversized shirt. It's hot under the blankets... plus it'll be a bit of a surprise, she thought as she climbed back under the blanket. She snuggled against Loki and entwined their legs, feeling as he wrapped his arms back around her.
Loki pulled her close, and ran his hand down her side. When he realized she wasn't wearing pants anymore, his eyes shot open. "Laney..." He said, doing his best to not blush.
"Hmm?" She asked drowsily. "Something wrong?"
"N-no. I just... did you forget your pants?" He asked, now blushing softly.
Laney felt herself smirk. "I got hot. I can put them back on if you want me to."
"No, it's fine. I mean, I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable," He said truthfully. "But you're right, it is hot under here now." He teased, grinning at her as he brushed his hand over her hip.
Feeling his cool fingertips on her skin caused her to bite her bottom lip and look up at him. "Exploring?" She asked softly.
"Maybe just a little. I can stop if you like." He chuckled, feeling her warmth through the fabric of her shirt. He leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to her neck, just under her ear.
Laney sighed at the contact. "I think I'll let you explore," she murmured as she ran one hand up his chest. She felt as he moved his hand low enough to find the bottom of her shirt and rested his hand on the bare skin of her outer thigh. The contrast between his cool skin and her warm skin felt pleasant to the both of them. She leaned her head back and let him kiss along her neck. "Do you mind if I explore too?" she asked in a whisper.
"I don't mind at all. You can do to me whatever you want." Loki said softly. His lips were still so close they lightly brushed the soft skin of her neck when he spoke.
Oh my, she thought as she gulped. Laney grinned as she found the hem of his tunic and slowly placed her hand against the cool skin of his stomach, feeling him jump at the contact. "Is this okay?"
Loki closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her warm hand beneath his tunic. "Yes!" He answered a little too fast. "I mean, it's fine. Just be careful to not tease me too much." He joked, knowing they had to wait to do much more than they already were doing.
Laney chuckled as she kissed his forehead, then his cheek, before she then kissed the corner of his mouth while her hand slowly travelled up his chest, her touch feather light.
Loki leaned into her touch. I'm glad she didn't say there... things would have been a bit too noticeable if she did, he thought.
She felt him take a large intake of air as she caressed along his collarbone, his shirt completely ridden up along her arm. I love how reactive he is, she thought, It just makes me want to see what else he will do. "Let me know if things get to be too much Loki... we're both exciting each other," she murmured quietly as she pecked his lips gently.
"I can handle it." He assured her. "If my tunic is in your way, we can take it off." He offered, ready to accept whatever she decided. Too bad we have to wait to take yours off, he thought, but knew she was worth waiting for.
Her hands took a hold of the fabric and gently helped him remove the offending clothing before she tossed it to the floor. "Is that better?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
Loki laid back on his pillow and relaxed once he was free of the fabric. "Much better." He grinned, then took her hand and guided it back to his chest. "Now you can explore properly."
She chuckled as she moved to lay on her stomach , her body half laying on him. "What would you want me to do?" A smirk lit up her face as she let her hand trail across his collarbone.
That is a dangerous question... "You can do whatever you want, or nothing at all. It is perfect just being here with you." He said truthfully. Being as sly as he could be, he slid his hand under her shirt, letting his hand wander over the soft skin of her back.
The natural coolness of his skin made her gasp in pleasure. "That feels nice," she whispered, "I like how the coolness of your skin feels."
"Just as I equally enjoy the warmth of your skin." He said softly. Using his other hand to lift her chin, he pressed his lips to hers. Brushing the tip of his tongue against her lips, he silently asked her to part them. He smiled into the kiss when he felt her willing to open her mouth to him so he could delve his tongue inside. He pulled her to fully lay on top of him as a small moan came from her lips, making him grip onto her hips.
The thought of pressing her hips against him was strong, but she did everything in her willpower to fight the urge as she kissed him back, gripping into his midnight hair. When they pulled away to breath, she closed her eyes and rested her head against his shoulder. "Wow," she gasped.
I want you Laney... I need you, he groaned to himself. He barely let her catch her breath when he pulled her into another passionate kiss. His hands found her hips again and held them tight. He could feel his desires winning over his logic. The knock on the door was all that snapped him back to reality. "Go away!" He snapped towards the door after ending the kiss.
Frigga ignored her son and walked right into his room, carrying their breakfast tray. "I hope this isn't a bad time..." She said, both sarcastic and sincere.
Laney's eyes widened at the sound of Frigga's voice and quickly shifted herself to lay beside him, although she kept one leg over his middle, wanting to hide the erection she'd felt from his mother's view. She knew her face was now red and that she was still breathing hard. "Good Morrow Frigga."
"Good morning dear." Frigga said sweetly, walking over and setting the tray on the table. "I would ask if you slept well, but I find myself wondering if the two of you slept at all." She asked, though the implication was just her teasing them.
"Mother..." Loki groaned, blushing softly. He shifted to cover his middle with the blanket, though he knew his mother would know exactly what he was doing and why.
"We slept well. Thank you for asking," Laney answered, doing her best to hide her embarrassment, although she didn't pull away from Loki, too happy and proud to be able to move away from him.
"I am glad to hear it. We do have things to talk about, so would you two like to come have breakfast?" Frigga asked them both.
"I think I will just stay here." Loki muttered, still excited from Laney's teasing.
"My poor son, it is no secret what you are trying to hide." Frigga chuckled, knowing her boys far too well. The way Loki blushed only confirmed she was right.
"Frigga," Laney giggled as she watched Loki blush further and hide his head. "Could we eat in the sitting room and allow Loki to calm down?" she asked as she held onto his hand, which still held one of her hips. Mom's and their teasing...
"Of course. I will take the food in there so he can have a bit of privacy." Frigga said, and picked up the tray, carrying it into the sitting room.
Loki sighed in relief when his mother had fully left the room. "She has the absolute worst timing..." He chuckled, then slowly sat up, helping Laney sit up with him. "You can wear one of my robes if you like."
Laney grasped his chin and graced him with a lingering kiss. "They do... but we have all day dear," she murmured, using an endearment of her own for the first time. She then slid to the edge of the bed, stood and stretched her arms above her head, knowing that the sight of seeing her thighs and undergarment wouldn't help his current predicament. "A robe to borrow would be nice though."
Loki smiled at Laney's endearment for him. His eyes fell to her lower body when she stretched, taking in the sight of her thighs. "Robes are in the closet." He mumbled, then piled the blankets on his lap to hide his arousal.
She turned around to see his still flushed face. "You don't need to hide from me Loki," she said softly, then turned and walked to the closet and opened it to pull out a dark blue robe and proceeded to slip it on and tie the ribbon. "I don't want you to hide from me."
"I know... but I'm trying to control myself, out of respect for you." He admitted, then climbed out of bed and joined Laney at the closet to pick out a robe for himself. He settled on a dark green, loose fitting robe to better hide his excitement.
"It's okay," she replied, then stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. "Let's go talk to your mother and get something to eat."
He smiled when she kissed his cheek, then took her hand to walk with her. When they entered the sitting room, Frigga had breakfast neatly laid out for the three of them, complete with an aromatic hot tea.
"Everything looks good," Laney said with a smile as she sat at the small table across from Frigga. She noticed that Frigga had opened the window and a cool breeze blew into the room.
"I wanted us to enjoy a nice breakfast." Frigga smiled and waited until they were both seated. Loki took the only remaining seat, between Laney and Frigga, but the round table offered them each enough room. "I have talked with Odin about the celebration feast..." she started, opening the conversation.
"I already know he denied it. He doesn't even like the idea of Laney and I being together." Loki mumbled, then picked up an odd looking slice of fruit from his plate.
Laney looked at Loki sadly and reached out to hold the hand he kept in his lap. "Loki, let her finish speaking."
Frigga gave Laney a small smile. "Odin has agreed, with the following conditions. You must agree to be with Laney or I at all times, and should you cause any significant trouble, Laney will be banned from visiting you." She explained to Loki.
Loki rolled his eyes, but took a moment to think about it. "If I have to be with one of you at all times, what if I have to pee?" He asked, just being a smart ass.
"You hold it." Frigga told him, but grinned, knowing he had agreed to the terms, then turned to Laney. "Now that we have it settled, do you know when you want to make the announcement? Thor is still insisting the celebration be with the evening meal today."
Laney couldn't help but to chuckle at Loki's antics. "If you have to use the bathroom, I'll go with you. If the other way around happens, I'll make sure to have you be with your mother." She looked over at Frigga in thought. "I assume that the sooner the better would be the best option. I think even though Loki has not been seen in a good light as of late, this news could lift the spirits of the people."
"That's not fair at all! You can see me drop my pants, but I get dumped off with my mother when you drop yours?" Loki teasingly complained.
"Hush and eat your fruit." Frigga told Loki, but was sincerely happy to see him in such a good mood. He's slowly coming back, she thought, smiling to herself, even though he rolled his eyes when she told him to shush. When she turned back to Laney, she nodded. "The people adore you dear, and always have. In truth, it is mainly royalty and nobility that take issue with Loki, he is in better standing with the general people." She explained to Laney. "Regardless, he will be greeted with respect."
"I hope so," Laney responded eagerly, although her smile was wide because of Loki's comment. She took a sip of her tea, then took a small bite of her eggs. "I don't want anyone to cause any issues while at the event." Under the table, she lightly pinched the skin of his hand to scold him playfully, but kept her smile on her face.
Loki's eyes went wide for a brief moment when he was pinched. "You have my word there will be no issues. I will personally make that announcement." Frigga promised Laney, then got a chunk of egg on her own fork.
"What is this? It smells funny." Loki said, still looking at the fruit slice he had been holding.
"Can you just make him eat it?" Frigga asked Laney, ignoring Loki's question for the moment.
"It's sweet," Laney promised as she picked up one of the slices on her own plate and popped it into her mouth. "You'll like it."
Loki glanced between Laney and Frigga, then took a small bite of the fruit. "It is actually really good." He admitted, then finished the slice.
Frigga took a deep breath. Here it goes... "I had it imported from Jotunheim." She confessed. When Loki glared at her and pushed his plate away, she instantly regretted telling him.
"Really?" Laney asked, now both amazed and curious. "How is it grown in such a cold place?" she added, ignoring Loki's actions at the moment and focusing on her curiosity.
Frigga furrowed her brow at the question. "I honestly don't know. We do have a trade contract with Jotunheim, so I asked the merchant to bring me some typical foods. I have often wondered if our traditional foods provide Loki with the right nutrition." She explained, sincere in her concerns for her son.
Laney furrowed her brow in thought. "So, you're wondering if the food from their realm will enhance any of his abilities then?" she asked as she popped another slice of the sweet fruit into her mouth. "It's as sweet as a candy," she added.
"I don't know about enhancing his abilities, but logic would argue that a traditional Jotnar diet is overall healthier for him than an Asgardian diet." Frigga explained. It certainly explains his love of sweets... she thought, but was just amused by it.
"And what about my feelings?" Loki suddenly asked them both. "I want nothing to do with the monsters!" It does taste good though... does that prove I'm a monster? He wondered to himself.
"Loki," Laney scolded softly. "I am curious about it too." She caressed his hand beneath the table to comfort him. "Try to be open minded."
"You and mother can be curious about it together, I want nothing to do with it." Loki said firmly, but turned his hand over to hold hers. I refuse to be the monster...
"Just let him pout." Frigga told Laney, in a tone of indifference. I know how to change his mind. "I brought several other fruits, but they need to be kept on ice, unlike that one." She explained, and lifted the lid of a small bowl. The smell of the fruit immediately engulfed the little table. The combined smells formed a sweet smell similar to Midgard's cotton candy.
Loki couldn't help but glance over at the bowl of sliced fruits. Why did I have to throw such a fit? Loki groaned in silence, now really wanting to see if it tasted as sweet as it smelled. Frigga watched him from the corner of her eye, knowing she had his attention now.
"I'm surprised that Jotunheim is willing to trade to be honest," Laney said absently as she took another bite of eggs. "Did you repair what you needed with them?" she asked, her mind overly curious, although she watched Loki with a small smile.
Frigga shook her head. "Trade with them is strictly business. If they did not absolutely need to trade us for the supplies they need, we would likely still be at war. They will never consider peace until a civil king sits on the throne." She explained, then took a slice of the iced fruit and bit into it. "You should try it, it's very sweet and juicy."
Loki glanced over at the bowl again. The smell of the fruit was quickly breaking his stubborn resolve, but he wanted to make his point. I will just sneak some when they have left the table...
Laney reached out with her fork and stabbed a piece from the icy bowl and put it in her mouth. The cold instantly lit up her tongue before it was replaced with a crisp sweetness. "That is very good, similar to our blackberries." She quickly stabbed another and held it out in front of Loki. "Taste it," she said gently.
I love blackberries... Loki carefully eyed the piece of fruit Laney offered him, and it was nearly irresistible. "No, I won't eat the food of those...," he started to say when Frigga shoved a piece right into his mouth.
"I had to feed him like that when he was a baby as well." She chuckled as she explained to Laney, amused by how Loki tried to glare at her. "Now that he has a taste for the fruit, he will eat it on his own." She told Laney, confidently.
Laney snorted in laughter before she could stop herself and cover her mouth. "I'll have to remember that," she laughed.
"That boy can be as simple as he is complicated." Frigga smiled, watching Loki slyly grab a fruit slice. "I really want him to accept who he is." She said with a sad sigh.
"I do too," Laney agreed as she squeezed his hand, still in his grip underneath the table. "But about the announcement event," she added, changing the subject, "How would everything be done?"
Frigga ate her last bite of eggs, then set her fork down on her now empty plate. "That would depend on how formal you want this. We can have a nice feast, or we can gather the kingdom and have a huge ball. Which would you prefer?" She asked, wanting it to be right for Laney and Loki. She scooted the bowl closer to Loki, letting him finish the fruit, pleased to see him enjoying them.
"I'm not really sure. I've never been the center of attention like this before," she answered honestly. "Loki, what do you think?"
Loki turned to look at Laney, his mouth full of fruit. After a moment to chew and swallow, he shrugged. "While I'm fine with whatever you want, I'm not too sure about having a lot of attention on me yet." He admitted, being open and honest with her.
"Then I think we feel the same on that front." She looked back at Frigga as she took a sip of her tea, her plate now empty. "I think a feast instead of a ball will be better for now."
Frigga nodded in agreement. "Very well. We will save the ball for the engagement." She said simply, making Loki choke a bit on the tea he had just sipped.
"Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves..." he mumbled, blushing. I don't even have a ring yet. Picking up his napkin, he wiped tea from his chin.
Laney's eyes widened. "Frigga, I love you, but we just got together officially as of yesterday."
Frigga chuckled at how they both reacted. "You have both spent your lives confessing your feelings to me, so don't act like you haven't thought about it a million times over the years. It has always been the two of you together and always will be." She said, both sincere and teasing, before turning more serious in tone. "Take your time with the details though. If you just want to be a couple for now, that is perfectly fine."
Frigga's words made Laney smile. "Thank you Frigga. For everything that you've done for the both of us over the years."
Frigga returned Laney's smile. "You have always been a sweet girl, and you have always brought out the very best in Loki. You can always trust me to be there for you both, no matter where the future takes you." She promised, sincerely and motherly.
