Chapter Seventeen
AN: Sorry about the wait, here's the next chapter!
Tony woke up in a strange and unfamiliar settling. He was lying on his back on someone's bed, someone obviously wealthy because of the size and various exotic furs covering him. He tried sitting up to look around the room better, but as he did, he was met with the same horrible stinging pain in his stomach, only this time it was duller.
He almost started to panic, until the memories before he had collapsed returned to him. Putting two and two together, he guessed he'd been taken to either a guest chamber or someone's room to recover.
Ignoring the pain in his stomach, he carefully sat up, taking note that he wasn't in the clothes he'd arrived in. In fact, he wasn't wearing any. When he lifted the furs to check, he saw that he was lying there naked with only a bandage wrapped tightly around his middle. The bandage had a brown/red stain on it where the pain was located, so Tony figured that the suit must've caved in a little too much and caused him to bleed.
Turning his head, he saw a table next to where he lay, upon which was a pile of folded clothing (not his own though) and a mug of what Tony assumed was water.
Just as he was about to reach for it, a hand came along and took it away. Loki sat next to Tony on the bed and pulled him into an almost sitting position with his arm wrapped around Tony's shoulder. He silently pressed the glass to Tony's lips and helped him to drink.
He sipped some then held up his hand to tell him to stop, which Loki did. Once he'd swallowed, Tony turned his head to look up at Loki.
"Did I pass out?" He asked. It was an obvious question, but he wanted to confirm the answer.
"You did." Loki smiled, slightly amused. "Thor took my muzzle off and allowed me to take you to my own chambers. I am not sure about the captain, but your other friend has figured out we are... Together. That should save you at least one awkward conversation."
Tony nodded then glanced downwards and raised an eyebrow. "Can I ask, why am I naked?"
"You can ask, but I may choose not to answer." Loki smirked, putting the empty glass back down. "A better question perhaps would be what am I not naked too." Loki removed the simple white cotton-like shirt he wore with his usual black leather trousers and slid beside Tony under the furs.
"That is very true." Tony mused as he shamelessly watched Loki disrobed. "So what's happening with your trial and stuff? Does anyone else know you're... Pregnant, yet?" Tony asked, glancing down then guessing most probably no, as his stomach was flat. Either that or he'd been out longer that he thought and it had been born already. He felt a panic start to rise in him at that thought.
"The Allfather has ordered me to be confined to my rooms until the pregnancy is over. You, of course, can stay."
"Oh right, okay." Tony said, feeling released it hadn't happened yet. "Is that all he said? What about your crimes?"
"Well my crimes against Asgard are treason. But as I only allowed a small group of Frost Giants in, and they were all taken care of by the destroyer, I presume the Allfather may be lenient. However he may also be particularly harsh, I do not know." Loki pulled Tony's arm around him and rested his head on Tony's chest. "For now you need rest. I will attempt to heal you in your sleep."
"Thanks..." He paused for a beat. "Just curious here, but why haven't you removed that spell yet?"
He said, glancing down to Loki's stomach before looking at his face.
"It's taking a while to wear off." Loki frowned. "I'm slightly worried."
"What?" Tony sat up quickly, regretting it a second later as his stomach flared in pain. He bent over slightly and clutched it before glancing worryingly back at Loki. "What happens if it doesn't? Will they be alright?"
"I don't know. There is no way of knowing."
"Right..." Tony said slowly, and then carefully wrapped his arm around Loki and lay back down, causally stroking his side. "Um... I'm sure it'll be fine... Just give it time. I guess you, uh, held it in for a long time? Maybe it'll just take a while to wear off?" He said, attempting to comfort Loki.
"I only cast the spell a couple of hours ago." He hugged Tony back, curling into his side. "I'm glad you're here."
"Okay... It's not suddenly gonna make you, um, big is it? Like, when I go to sleep and wake up, are you suddenly going to be... Fully 7-8 months Pregnant?"
Tony could feel Loki's chuckles against his chest. "I don't know, possibly. This has never been done like this before. The spell is usually for young girls who go off to have a baby before their father finds out they were even pregnant. Come, I will sleep with you. I'm rather tired myself."
"O-okay then..." Tony said as he settled down beside Loki, thinking he might not be able to handle it if it suddenly appeared, as he was still freaking out a little about the pregnancy, but regardless, he managed to drift off to sleep again with Loki healing his stomach.
-Page Break-
When Tony woke up again, he was still holding Loki in his arms, who was fast asleep. He smiled, never thinking that he'd seen Loki this peaceful, or for at least a while. The covers had been pulled up to their chests, but Tony could feel something pressing into his now healed side slightly. He lifted the covers and his eyes widened dramatically as he saw the very clear baby bump that Loki now sported.
Unable to tear his eyes from it, he let out a shaky breath and tentatively reached towards it. He gently placed his hand there, caressing the skin slightly in both shock and amazement. 'That's my kid...' He thought to himself, and for the first time since being told, Tony actually felt surprisingly calm about it all. In fact, he even felt happy. Really happy. He smiled fondly down at it and carried on caressing it, not noticing that his movements woke Loki.
"Gdmrng" Loki mumbled sleepily, smiling at Tony. "I see I had no reason to be worried."
"Yeah..." Tony breathed out, still not taking his eyes or hand away. "Told you so."
Loki swatted his arm. "C'mere I'm still sleepy."
Tony tore his eyes away and chuckled at Loki's expression. He removed his hand and instead moved his whole arm round to hug Loki. "What do you think it'll be?"
"Gender or species? Personally I hope it carries more of your attributes than mine. I don't much think a blue baby would be very welcome in Asgard. Which reminds me," Loki opened his eyes and looked at Tony properly. "It would be safer for me to revert to my full Frost Giant self and perform a C-section. You see... Frost Giants aren't like Humans or Aesir, they are not born. I forgot to mention this when telling you about how it will be born when I first told you because I thought it may worry you more. They... Burst out."
Tony froze. "U-uhm... I meant gender... What do you mean they 'burst out'?! Like in Alien?!"
Loki didn't understand the reference. "Like a chick forcing its way out of its shell."
Tony looked horrified.
"That is why I will be performing c-section darling. I've done it before."
"Oh- oh right, so it's not going to just burst out of your stomach then?" He breathed a sigh of relief. "I think I'd be traumatised for life if I saw that happen with the two of you."
"Well you won't be watching anyway as you will be in a different room. I don't want to have to worry about you fainting on top of everything else."
"Hey, I won't faint. It's not like I'm squeamish or anything." Tony pouted.
"Not yet."
"Not yet?"
"It is enough to turn any man squeamish to watch another cut himself open and pull a child out."
Tony shivered, not wanting to even have to think about that mental image. "Point taken."
"I feel I should be running for the smelling salts already." Loki teased, snuggling back into Tony again. "Although I must stay with my chambers, you are free to leave at any time. I hear your fellow short human has attracted quite a crowd at the observatory with all his equipment. The Aesir are quite amused with your species' womanly thirst for knowledge."
Tony laughed. "Yeah, I can imagine. I'm curious about the rest of Asgard... Would you be okay if I left you for a bit to explore? Am I allowed to?"
"As long as nobody finds out your connection with neither me, nor that I am confined to my chambers. Asgard thinks I am in a cell. And if you see Thor, send him in. I would like a word." Loki smiled at him and kissed his cheek. "And please try not to pick too many fights. No more than three. And make sure there is someone there to protect you if you do. I do not wish a squished Anthony to be returned to me in a box." Loki rolled off of him so that Tony could get up.
"Geez mom, so many rules." Tony said jokingly, then stood up with his hands on his hips and frowned. "Um, where are my clothes?"
Loki reached over and grabbed the pile Tony had first noticed when he woke up and threw them at him.
"Um... These aren't mine?" He said, looking slightly confused at the baggy red linen shirt, fancy leather and metallic black trousers and a long brown sleeveless jacket.
"I thought you'd appreciate the red. Your clothes were not exactly fit for the palace, having been torn open to get to your wound and covered in blood. I burned them." He said around a yawn.
"You... burned them?" Tony asked, mouth open wide in disbelief. "That was my favourite shirt..." He grumbled as he begrudging pulled the red shirt over his head along with the sleeveless jacket. There was a random belt to be put on too, and seeing as the trousers had no belt loops, he assumed it was to go around his waist, making the shirt more like a tunic. 'I feel like I'm in a freakin' RPG or something...' He thought as he did the belt up.
He then looked at the pile of clothing again (which was only the trousers now) and rose an amused eyebrow. "No boxers? You want me to go around comando, eh?"
Loki chuckled. "If you really want some, there're some in there." He pointed lazily towards an open door that looked like it led to a closet.
Tony glanced at the doors then down at the trousers again and shrugged. "Don't mind. It'll be a change. Easier if you want me later." He said as he pulled the trousers straight on.
Loki grinned into the covers as he made himself comfortable.
"So, uh, I'll be back later then." Tony said, standing awkwardly by the side of the bed as he considered whether or not he should kiss Loki goodbye. Despite the fact that they were having a child together, he still didn't know what exactly to call their relationship, or even if kissing him goodbye would be an acceptable thing to do.
After a few seconds of debating he just decided to go for it and crawled back onto the side of the bed. He reached for Loki's chin and tilted it up so as to bring their lips together.
Loki smiled into the kiss. "Go, bugger off." He grinned.
Tony mimed being hurt by his words before getting off the bed and walking out the room, only coming back for a second to ask where the others might be.
AN: I think the next chapter is one of my favourites... Not too sure when I can update next though :/