Loki and Ava woke early the next morning to the sound of their baby crying. Ava was trying to climb out of bed, but Loki pushed her back. "I'll get Nora." He said, getting up and walking over to the cradle. He gently lifted Nora and held her close. "My sweet one, don't cry, Daddy has you." He spoke gently to his daughter.
Ava smiled as she watched Loki with their daughter. He came and sat down on the bed next to her and passed Nora over to her, figuring that she was hungry. Ava held Nora close and nursed her once again. She finished feeding her and then burped her.
"You look tired, my love." Loki observed. "Here let me take Nora and you get some rest."
Ava leaned over and kissed Loki's cheek. She then passed Nora over to him. "I told you you would be a great father."
"I think it's still a little early to say that." Loki replied.
"You're here, you're holding her, and loving her." Ava countered. "That's what matters."
Loki kissed his wife. "Will you just get some rest? Let me bond with our daughter? You've had a bit of a head start on that since you shared a body for the last few months." He teased.
Ava grinned. She kissed his cheek and then laid back on the bed and closed her eyes. She didn't allow herself to drift off to sleep just yet. She wanted to listen to Loki interacting with their daughter.
Loki held his daughter close and kissed her forehead. "Nora, my sweet one, I love you so much." He spoke to her. "I will do anything for you. I will be here for you and protect you always."
Ava smiled as she listened to Loki with their daughter. She could hear Nora cooing as Loki spoke to her.
"You're so beautiful, just like your mother. I am so lucky to have the both of you. You and your mother are my world." Loki said to Nora. He then brought her closer and kissed her again. It was then that he smelled something foul. "What...what is that?"
Ava laughed and opened her eyes. "She needs probably needs a diaper change." She said, setting up. "Here, I'll change her."
Loki shook his head. "No, I'm her father. I'll do it. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of her."
Ava grinned. "I never said that you couldn't. I just figured you rather wouldn't."
"I can do it." Loki replied, getting up and taking Nora over to an area that had been set up for changing her. He removed the old diaper. "Oh...that's..." He muttered.
"Would you like help?" Ava asked.
Loki shook his head. "I've got this." He then held his breath as he cleaned up his infant daughter and placed a fresh diaper on her. He disposed of the dirty diaper and then returned to sitting on the bed with his wife. "See, I got it all taken care of."
Ava looked at Nora and she laughed. "Loki...you did a great job...but you put the diaper on backwards."
Loki felt his cheeks flushing slightly from embarrassment. "Well, I can fix that." He then laid Nora down and removed the diaper, turned it around the right way, and did it back up. He then picked his daughter back up. "See, fixed it."
Ava grinned. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "You're doing great."
Loki grinned. "Well, I do have a great partner."
There was a knock on the door just then and Frigga and Farbauti were peaking their heads in the room. "How are you doing?" Farbauti asked.
"We're great." Ava answered.
"Are you ready to get out of the healing room and go back to your own chambers?" Frigga inquired.
"That sounds wonderful." Loki and Ava answered together.
The two mothers helped Ava get into a robe and then they all headed back to Loki and Ava's chambers. Once they were settled in, Frigga and Farbauti left, though they wanted to spend time with their granddaughter, they knew that Loki and Ava needed their time alone with their daughter.
Loki carried Nora into the nursery. "This is your room." He said. "And Mommy and Daddy will never be far." He then laid Nora down in her bed as she had fallen asleep in his arms. He stood there for a while, just watching her. It amazed him how much joy and love his tiny daughter had brought to his life in just the few short hours that she had been a part of it.
Ava walked into the room and wrapped her arms around Loki. He responded by wrapping his arms back around her as well and kissing her on top of the head. "We made a very beautiful baby." Ava said.
Loki grinned. "Yes we do." He agreed.