A/N: Merry (late!) Christmas to you all. I bring you a Sleipnir-centric fluff chapter. This is probably set a while after the main part of the story, I haven't really decided yet. But I had fun writing it. Enjoy!

(Virtual Christmas cookies to those of you who catch the "War Horse" reference!)

Darcy bounced over to Loki. The trickster looked up from his book, hiding his irritation and amusement.

"What is it, Darcy?" he asked.

"Well, I met three of the kids, but what about the other one? You told me you had four. I want to meet Sleipnir. Please?" Loki glanced back down at the book in his hands.

"Why do people always interrupt me when I'm reading?" He snapped the tome shut and stood up quickly, startling Darcy.

"Is that a yes?" she asked. Loki chuckled as he brushed past her.

"It wasn't a no, if that's what you're wondering. Come along. It's time I visited my son, anyways." Darcy grinned.

"Sweet."

They walked down the stable corridor, and stopped at what was possibly the largest stall of any in the building. A large black horse thrust his head over the door and nickered eagerly. Intelligent brown eyes watched as the two figures drew nearer. Loki reached up and scratched under Sleipnir's chin.

"Good morning to you too, my bonny boy." Sleipnir closed his eyes contentedly, letting Loki pet him and scratch the itches he couldn't reach on his own. Darcy watched the two of them, smiling.

"He's gorgeous…" she whispered. Loki smiled at the compliment to his son.

"Indeed, and you haven't even seen all of him." Loki undid the latch, and opened the door wide. Darcy gasped, afraid for a moment that the horse would bolt, and she wouldn't have a chance to see him. But her fear was for naught. Sleipnir stepped out of the stall gracefully, arching his neck as he lipped Loki's hair. "I guess that's his version of a kiss" Darcy thought. Loki kissed the tip of the horse's nose, and began walking down the hall towards the feed-room.

"Sleipnir, stay with Darcy. Make sure she doesn't get lost." The horse snorted. Darcy stared at the animal.

"What did he say?"

"He says he'll do his best, but he makes no promises."

"Ha, very funny."

After a few seconds Sleipnir cautiously reached out and sniffed at Darcy's hair.

"Sorry buddy, I know it smells like it, but there's no apples there…" He seemed to understand her, which really wasn't all that surprising. The horse nosed around her jacket pockets, presumably looking for any treats she might have hidden there.

"What, are you looking for these?" Darcy said, holding out her hand. Sleipnir squealed a little, and quickly snagged the two small peppermints from her palm. "You like those, don't you?" Sleipnir bobbed his head, and gently nudged her shoulder again. Darcy rubbing his nose the way she had seen Loki do it just moments before.

Loki came back a few minutes later toting a small burlap sack. Sleipnir's ears pricked forward, and he pranced up to his mother, nickering excitedly. Loki held the sack just out of reach.

"Not now. You smell of peppermint. These are for later." The horse pinned his ears back, and snorted, before snuffling at Loki's hair again. "If you think affection will win me over, think again, my son." Sleipnir responded by gently head-butting Loki in the chest. Loki moved back a step. "Enough. I brought you into this world, I can take you back out." Darcy laughed.

"I'd almost forgotten about that." She stared at Loki, sizing him up, comparing him to the massive stallion that was his son. "What was it like?" Loki had a guarded expression.

"What exactly are you referring to? If you mean 'What was it like being a horse?' I'll have you know it is actually rather fun. The freedom of running, to feel as though you were the wind itself…it is one of the few truly remarkable joys I have experienced." He smiled "However, if you are referring to Sleipnir's birth, I will only say that I am never doing any more 'favors' for Freya."

"Painful?" Loki raised an eyebrow.

"Four forelegs. What do you think?" he said, causing Darcy to blush. Loki smirked before becoming serious again. "I wouldn't trade him for all the realms, though. Giving him to Odin as a mount was the only way I'd be allowed to see him. Else Odin would have disposed of him." His eyes had a faraway look in them as he picked hay out of the horse's mane. "But that is an entirely different topic, best discussed elsewhere." He glanced around, a smile breaking out again. "Would you like to ride?" he asked. Darcy looked a little surprised.

"I've never ridden a horse this size before…I'd be afraid I'd fall…"

"Nonsense. I won't let you fall. Neither will Sleipnir."

"Loki…no. I couldn't just treat him like some common horse…"

"Oh, don't be like that. He lives to run. He carried Odin for years, a wisp of a girl like yourself would be hardly noticeable." Darcy glanced down at her generously proportioned figure.

"Wisp? Really?" Loki rolled his eyes and laced his fingers together as a step for her.

"Asgardians are three times denser than the average human being. You are practically a feather compared to Odin decked out in all his battle gear." Darcy stepped up onto Loki's hands, and he lifted her a little higher. She glanced down, realizing how far away the tiled floor was.

"Wow…um...Oh, God…he's tall…" She clung to his mane, hugging his neck to keep from getting dizzy. Loki laughed a little.

"Only 16 hands. There are other war horses taller than him. I'm afraid he gets his height from me."

"Yeah…whoa…Loki, help." She tipped a little. Loki held up a hand to steady her. Suddenly she felt his arms around her, and she looked to see him sitting behind her.

"Is this better?" She could tell he was smiling.

"A little…" Loki clicked his tongue, and Sleipnir stepped forward, starting out at a slow walk.

"And now?"

"I'm still not so sure about this…" Loki grinned. What he was about to do seemed so cruel…but Darcy might forgive him later.

"Hold on."

"Hold on? Wait, what? NO! No, no, no, no…" He tapped Sleipnir's sides with his boot heels, and they took off across the courtyard. Loki tightened his arm around Darcy's waist, and grabbed a fistful of Sleipnir's mane as they sprang over the gate, and raced out onto the plains beyond.

Later that afternoon, the trio returned to the stable, breathless, and one of them more than a little miffed. But Darcy had to admit…

That had been one freaking EPIC ride.