Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel. Obviously.
Claimer: I own Nard. Clearly.
In this chapter, Loki is non-binary and uses "ze/zim/zir" pronouns. In the flashback, Loki is masculine and uses "he/him/his" pronouns.
There was a pit of dread in Loki's stomach as ze walked in, Frigga's hand still on zir shoulder. Odin was sitting behind the desk, looking up at them.
"Sit down, Loki," he said and glanced at the chair opposite him. Loki sat, Frigga moving to sit next to Odin. "We're going to talk about the conditions of your healing process," he said once everyone was settled. Loki's eyes darted to Frigga, who smiled.
"What about them?" Loki asked, glancing back at Odin.
"Healer Evyn seems to think that it would be better if you joined us for meals twice a week rather than every evening," Frigga said. "But we wanted to make sure that would be alright. You could choose the days you come, it doesn't matter so long as it is twice a week."
Loki swallowed, looking at zir hands. "That's fine."
"Along with that," Odin said, "you would be required to eat at least one full meal a day."
"Yes, sir," Loki said, not looking up.
"Loki, darling, is there anything you'd like to put in?" Frigga asked. Loki looked up at her for an instant, brows furrowed in confusion.
"What do you mean?" Ze asked.
"Is there anything you'd like to compromise on?" She asked. "Do you have any questions?"
Loki looked back down, rolling zir stone in zir fingers. "Do I have to eat with the whole family, or just one person from the family at any time of the day?" Ze asked.
"You may eat with one person from the family so long as you eat the meal served," Frigga said. Loki nodded.
"Okay."
"Anything else?" Frigga asked. Loki shook zir head.
"May I go?"
"Yes, darling," Frigga sighed. "You may go."
Loki scooted zir chair back and stood, walking out. The moment the door was shut, ze all but fled to the gardens, definitely not hiding under a bush, however it might have seemed to anyone watching.
The bush had long since been Loki's not-so-secret hideaway. As ze had grown, so had the bush, and ze was one of the few who could get in and out without the thorns pricking zim. Therefore, Thor could often find zim, but he could never actually get to zim.
It was perfect.
Loki crawled under the bush and sat with zir knees to zir chest, eyes falling on a trail of ants. After a while, ze noticed a humming coming from close by. Blinking, Loki crept to the edge and peered out, seeing the gardener close by. Not wanting to be found here, like a child, Loki crept out of the bush and sat down in front of it instead, watching the gardener. His name was Nard.
As if sensing zim, Nard paused in his humming and glanced around. He raised an eyebrow when his eyes landed on Loki.
"What're you doing there, boy?" The man said, his voice gruff. There was stubble on his cheeks and chin. Loki shrugged in reply, standing and walking over.
"This a 'no talking' day?" Nard asked, raising an eyebrow. Loki knelt in the dirt next to him and nodded. Nard shrugged. "Well, feel free to help. There're gloves in the basket if you want them."
Loki nodded again and ignored the gloves, pulling weeds and throwing them into the basket. The man went back to his humming and Loki almost smiled. If you asked Nard what he was humming, he would always frown and say "What're you talking about now? I don't hum."
It was a fortunate thing that Loki knew this tune. Ze hummed along under zir breath and Nard glanced up, raising an eyebrow.
Then again, it seemed like Nard had a permanently raised eyebrow. Loki ignored him and glanced over at what he was planting, recognizing the bluish bulbs. They had to be replanted every year and Nard usually took that job. Loki liked planting them.
They worked on in silence, Loki switching from weeding to planting as they carried on through the row.
"Rumors are that you're not feeling particularly well, kid," Nard said when they began the second row. "That true?"
Loki shrugged. "'S nothing."
"Mm. But you haven't been this quiet in ages," Nard said. "And I haven'[t seen you for an age either."
"Been busy," Loki said.
"So I've heard," Nard said. There was a stretch of silence before he added "Y'know, there're plenty of people willing to listen to you if you wanted to talk. Myself included." When Loki didn't reply, he pushed "Do you need to talk to someone?"
"No," Loki said. "Thanks. I'm— I'm good."
"Alright," Nard said, shrugging. "The offer still stands."
Loki nodded. Ze didn't return to humming, even when Nard began to sing under his breath. When they finished, Loki stood, brushing the dirt off zir hands and picking up the basket. "Come on, kid," Nard said. "Let's get something to eat."
When Loki was fifty-three years old, he had seen a gardener grumbling to himself about invasive vines. Loki ran over and said "Hi!" Making the adult jump.
"What the—" The gardener looked up, lifting a hand to shade his eyes against the sun to get a better look at Loki. "Who the Hel are you?"
"I'm Loki," Loki said, grinning. "What's your name?"
The gardener studied him for a moment before saying "Nard."
"Nard," Loki tried the name out before grinning again. "It's nice to meet you. What are you doing?"
"Gardening," Nard replied shortly.
"Gardening what?" Loki asked.
"The garden."
Loki giggled and crouched down to peer at the dirt. "Those are viliminus flowers! I like those, but I wish they didn't have to be planted every year. Why can't they just stay in the dirt?"
"The winter kills the bulbs if they're not taken out in autumn," Nard replied.
"Ohh," Loki said, nodding. He was silent for a moment. "Can I help?"
"Help what?" Nard replied, raising his eyebrows.
"Can I help plant them?" Loki asked, then shook his head. "May I help plant them?"
Nard gave him an incredulous look. "You want to help plant bulbs?"
"Yes!" Loki said, nodding. "Very much so, sir."
Nard's lip twitched upwards at that. "Alright, here's a spade," he said, reaching into the basket and pulling one out. "The hole needs to be three inches deep. Put the bulb in with the point facing up and push the dirt on it again. Don't pat the dirt down or the bulb won't grow."
Loki nodded, a serious look in his eyes as he accepted the spade and began work.
"And don't put the holes too close to each other or they'll strangle each other," Nard added. "Leave about five inches between them."
"Yes, sir!" Loki said, nodding as he worked at his hole.
About halfway through the row, Frigga had found them, looking for Loki. The boy had jumped up and had run over, showing her the spade and bulb he had been about to plant with pride before taking her hand and dragging her over. Frigga had raised an eyebrow at him.
"Loki, have you been bothering the nice man?" She asked. Loki shook his head, eyes wide.
"No, Mother," he said. She smiled and ruffled his hair.
"Alright then. Go get cleaned up before dinner, you've a streak of dirt on your nose."
Loki rubbed at his nose with a still-dirty hand, only managing to spread the dirt before putting his final bulb in and covering it, giving the spade back.
"Thank you for letting me help, Mr. Nard!" He called as he hurried away. Frigga grinned and shook her head.
"Thank you for keeping him," she said. "I hope he wasn't too bothersome?"
Nard huffed. "Seemed fine to me, Majesty," he said, then mumbled "Asks too many damn questions, though."
Frigga laughed. "That's Loki alright," she said and shook her head again. "Thank you again," she said and hurried off after the boy, calling "Loki, don't get dirt on the walls, please!"
Nard watched after her and huffed, rolling his eyes. He began to hum as he went back to work.
Notes:
Loki's about nine years old in the flashback from Nard's POV.
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