Ch. 6
Darcy and Loki
Being pregnant was never easy.
Being pregnant with a baby whose father was from another realm really wasn't easy.
Being pregnant on an alien planet far from your family? Now, that was a real challenge.
It didn't help that Darcy had a rough first trimester. The first few weeks were fine. Then the morning sickness (which really should be renamed "all-day misery") hit. She spent most of January running to the restroom, barely keeping anything down. Even the usually cheerful healers had been concerned.
The worst incident had happened when they were having a small, intimate dinner with Odin, Frigga, Thor, and Jane. Darcy ended up next to Odin, for some reason. Then, halfway through dinner, she had emptied the contents of her stomach onto Odin's lap. Odin looked horrified as servants rushed to clean him up. Darcy fled the room, completely mortified. Loki burst out laughing. At Frigga's exasperated glare, Loki was forced to confess their secret, that Darcy was expecting.
Thor, Jane, Frigga and even Odin had exploded into a chorus of congratulations and hugs. Loki had been quite taken aback. Loki had expected everyone to be pleased, but it would be no exaggeration to say that they were overjoyed.
Frigga sent the healers to Darcy and Loki's bedchambers to examine Darcy. Once they returned, they declared both Darcy and the baby to be of sound health, but Darcy's embarrassment prevented her from rejoining the group.
Darcy spent the next few meals holed up in their room until she finally ventured out. She met Jane in the corridor on the way to the informal dining room.
"I'm so happy for you. For both of you," Jane said, enveloping Darcy in a tight hug. It had taken Jane months to warm up to her brother-in-law, so it meant a lot to Darcy to hear her say that.
"I can't believe I pulled a George Bush on Odin of all people," Darcy confessed.
"George Bush?" Jane asked quizzically.
"Yeah. The dad, not the son. Threw up on the lap of the premier of Japan. Didn't you study anything other than science in college?"
"Sorry, Miss Poly Sci. I must have missed the day we went over vomiting presidents in class," Jane said dryly.
"Your loss. Best lecture of college," Darcy said with a straight face.
"Can I just say I am so glad you're here with me? I couldn't handle Asgard by myself," Jane said, giving her another fierce hug.
"You and me both, sister," Darcy said, returning the hug. "You and me both."
00000
A few months later, on the first of April, Darcy was waiting at the healing rooms for her regularly scheduled prenatal appointment. Everything was progressing nicely, even though there was still some uncertainty about what was considered normal for a half-human, half-Jotun baby. Darcy had felt a bit guilty that her parents still didn't know about the baby, but it wasn't like there was an easy way to let them know. She supposed she could send some type of message with the Bifrost, but it was the kind of news she really wanted to deliver face to face.
All of a sudden, Hogun rushed into the healing rooms, a crazed smile on his face. "I can't stop. I can't stop smiling. The pain! The pain!" he shouted.
The healers dutifully rushed over to him and began to guide him to the soulforge for examination. Darcy didn't mind waiting as Hogun seemed to be in genuine distress. Five minutes later, Fandral burst in, in a similar state of upset. He didn't say anything to the head healer, instead rushing to a male assistant. "I am under some type of enchantment. I am unable to communicate with the fairer sex. It all comes out as a hideous croak."
Darcy stifled a giggle. She had to admit, she could think of no better enchantment to put on Asgard's resident Lothario.
"This is most vexing. It seems as though we are under some type of mystical attack. All of Odin's clothes now become transparent when they touch his body. And Thor cannot find Mjolnir anywhere. I can't imagine who would do such horrid things," the male assistant informed Fandral.
Darcy felt her stomach sink. She knew exactly who would do it. But why today of all days?
She stopped one of the healers rushing by. "Hi, do you know what day it would be on Midgard?"
The healer looked at her thoughtfully. "Let me see. It would be the end of . . . March. No, no, I'm sorry. The first day of April."
Darcy rolled her eyes. "Can you please let the head healer know I'll be back later? I need to have a conversation with my husband."
00000
"Loki, what the hell did you do?"
Loki winced to hear his wife bellow as she entered their room. He had spent the morning watching his various tricks manifest via an enchanted mirror. It had been the first time in years that he had indulged his mischievous side so thoroughly and he had been amused to no end. Ever since Darcy had mentioned the Midgardian custom of April Fool's Day, Loki planned out all the various tricks and enchantments.
"Loki!" Darcy said when she saw him in front of the mirror.
"Hello, my dear," Loki said smoothly. "How did everything go at the healer's?"
"They were too busy to see me. It seems some colossal jerk put half the palace under enchantment."
"It was hardly half the palace. The Warriors Three, Odin, and Thor."
"I heard about the others, but what about Volstagg?" Darcy asked.
Everything he eats tastes like ash and soot," Loki smirked.
"That is so incredibly gross." Darcy curled her lip in disgust.
"No, you misunderstand. AsH and sOOt."
"Oh . . . well, that's a bit better. But, still, hon, what possessed you to do it? People are still getting over the whole invading Earth thing."
"I just wanted a bit of fun," Loki said petulantly.
"Yes, fun for you, but agony for everyone else. Pulling pranks like this is hardly going to make you any friends."
"I have no need for friends," Loki said disdainfully.
"Well, I do," Darcy snapped. "I want our kids to play with Volstagg's kids. I want to be able to hang out Jane without her being upset that you snatched Myeuh-muh."
"I didn't steal Mjolnir. I just made it invisible," Loki countered.
Darcy gave Loki a stern look. "Undo it all. Now."
Loki huffed. "Very well," he said and, with a wave of his hand, all the enchantments were undone. "Are you quite satisfied, my dear?"
"Yes. Thank you. Now, tell me, why didn't you prank Sif, Jane, or your mom?"
"I cut off Sif's hair once, centuries ago. She actually used to be a blonde. Thor was so enraged. He made me go to the dwarf realm to get her a replacement," he recounted.
"Wait, so that's a wig?"
"Well, it grafted to her scalp. Unfortunately, it wasn't blond. She's never forgiven me," he admitted.
"Never mess with a woman's hair."
"So, I've learned," he said ruefully. "I didn't prank Jane because it would have been cruel. I'm well aware that she's having a hard time adjusting to Asgard."
"And Thor would have beat you down."
"And Thor would have thrashed me," Loki confessed.
"And your mom?"
Loki shuddered. "My mother is far more skilled in magic than I. I wouldn't want to try her patience."
"And me?"
Loki smiled down at his wife, taking her in his arms. "Never prank someone who can get to you while you sleep."
"Wise words."
He leaned down and kissed his wife, tracing the curve of her collarbone with his lips. "I know," he breathed into her ear, a cocky grin on his face.
00000
Later on that day, once everything had gotten back to normal, Darcy went back to the healing rooms. Loki accompanied her as today was the day they would found out the baby's gender. The head healer performed all the usual tests and then used the soulforge to determine whether they were having a boy or a girl.
"Let's see. You will be having a . . . boy."
Darcy beamed, imagining a little Loki running around.
"Thank you. Thank you very much," Loki said to the healer, his enthusiasm evident for all to see.
"Loki," Darcy said tentatively as she rose from the table and approached her husband. "We need to go back to Earth. I haven't seen my folks since Christmas. They don't even know I'm pregnant. Easter's in a few weeks. Maybe we could surprise them."
Loki thought for a moment and then nodded. "By all means, my dear. I'll arrange it with Thor so that my diplomatic duties will be covered."
"I love you," Darcy said,wrapping her arms around him.
"I love you, too," he said as he hugged her, realizing, in a blinding moment of clarity, that he held his family in his arms and that he had never felt more complete.
Author's Notes-
I hoped you liked this little story. Let me know if you'd like to read "Loki's First Easter".
If haven't read my other Loki/Darcy stories in this series, the first one is called "Lima Syndrome".
Also, if you like Avengers and romance, my absolute passion at the moment is "The Captain's Bride".
Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews!