Sara walked down the stairs in a pair of warm, sheepskin lined snowboots, her wool and fur fairy coat, and a pair of black, leather gloves. Loki was sitting in the Den, a book in his hand and he raised an eyebrow at her as she waved to him. He stood up, walking toward her and stopped her before she could open the door.
"We need more firewood, the power will be out for a few days, and we are running low on the porch." She said, and he shook his head as she stood her ground. So, he had given her an orgasam the night before, he was not about to boss her around.
"Let me help you, please, we talked about this. It is also below freezing out, and as warm as you are in here, it is colder outside." He said, and she gave him a smile as she nodded. She unlocked the door, and showed him the plastic sled she had propped against the wall on the porch from the basement.
"We can load it with more wood, and use it to bring it over to the porch. We can then stack it under the cover to store it. It would be smarter if both of us work while we have a break in the snow." She replied, and Loki ran up the stairs. He returned with his boots on, and he put on the coat he was carrying over his hoodie. He checked her zipper, and put the hood up on her head and smiled at her.
"You are learning to be a bit wiser Bugs." He said, and she giggled at his use of her nickname. He helped her down the steps, and she began shoveling them off to make a path for them to walk easier through the accumliation. She worked fast, despite the cold, and she heard him returning from the woodpile with a load. She watched him, his hands, covered in a pair of deerskin work gloves pulling the load as his muscles strained. She felt heat rise to her cheeks, and she hurried over to help him by pushing the load he had.
"I will... will cut some into kindling while you get another load of wood. This should keep us warm. There is eight cords out there, I can always order more if the winter gets harder." She said, and Loki began dumping the logs and split pieces of wood onto the porch. She stamped her boots off, proping the shovel against the wall and started stacking the wood so they could get it easily.
"I will get more, stay on the porch, there are branches coming down from the trees." He said, and she heard a crack as a branch fell from the Pine Tree that stood over the house, proving his point. She silently agreed, and he pinched her chin. "You look like a Light Elf in that coat."
She blushed at his compliment, watching as he dragged the sled back to the woodpile and began loading it again. She wondered if it would be easier if he could use magic, but he did not seem to mind. She got that load stacked, and she took the hatchet and began cutting three of the logs into smaller pieces on an old cinderblock. She almost had the kindling bucket filled, when she saw him return with more. He dusted the snow off his hair, and she scrambled to help him unload the sled again.
"I think I can manage another load before the snow gets too heavy." He said, and he stopped her. Her nose was bright red, and she then began to realize that her fingers were going numb. "Go inside and wait there Sara, you look half frozen."
"What about you, you need help so you don't get cold too." She asked, and he gave her a laugh. She opened the door, and took a knit beanie off the coat hooks and put it on his head. He smiled at her, and he kissed her softly as she stood in the snow.
"I am Half Frost Giant, cold does not bother me as it does you. Remember?" He asked her and she nodded. He headed back to the wood pile, and he shouted over his shoulder. "Go back in and get warm until I return! You can help stack, the snow is coming back!"
She went into the foyer, watching out the window and waited. She tapped ger feet, the falling snow getting heavier as she squinted through the flakes. She could make out the vague shape of him, and a gust of wind rattled the windows. She tried to see if she could see him, but didn't.
Fifteen minutes became twenty, and then it became more. She pulled the hood up, and slipped her gloves back on. She was getting ready to go out the door when it opened, and he stepped in. He looked at her, and she felt relief wash over her as she stood in front of him.
"I already stacked the wood, I will bring some in in a moment." He took his boots off, leaving them on the mat for them to dry and took the hat off and then the coat. She stood in hers, and he gave her a smile as he knelt down and removed her snowboots and set them next to his.
"I was going to look for you. I thought you got lost." She said, and he gave her a smile as he helped her up the stairs. She went to her bedroom, opening the closet and laying her gloves in their place. She took the coat off then, and she blushed at him watching her.
"I have a good sense of direction, and I followed my tracks back." He said and she nodded, giving him a hug. He held her back, and his fingers touched hers to see if they had warmed up. She never had anyone care about her like this, and it felt nice. He cupped his hands around hers, and blew warm air on them and rubbed them gently. "Better now?"
"Yeah. I just worry, this is new territory for me. I don't even know... how to... well you know. What if it doesn't feel good for you?" She said, heat creeping up the back of her neck, and he laughed at her.
"I am a man Sara, you could fall asleep during sex and I would still enjoy it. The trick is ensuring that you enjoy it." He said, and he lifted her up and held her in a reverse piggyback. His hands braced her thighs, and she laughed as he held her up. She giggled, her arms around his neck as he held her. She felt nervous then, worried that he would want sex right then and see her body and be disgusted by it.
"I hope you are not grossed out by my body when you finally see all of me." She said, and he shushed her. He gave her a stern look, and she blushed as he stared at her.
"You are sure to be quite beautiful Sara." He said, and she blushed again. "Why don't we make a warm drink, and sit downstairs by the fireplace and read together?"
"Sure. That sounds amazing!" She said, and he set her down. She put her bunny slippers on, and they walked down the stairs together.
--
The snow still fell outside, Sara enjoying the closeness of him as she read her book. She learned quickly that Loki was very into touch as she leaned against him. Giving her gentle squeezes, or caressing her arm through her sweater. She liked all of it, and when he pulled the blanket over her, her brain almost turned to mush when he said he wanted her to stay warm.
"I need to put another log on the fire." He said, and she sat up and waited for him to return. She had gotten far in her book, and she streched her back as he walked to the fireplace. He stirred the embers, and she watched him as he picked up the log and tossed it into the flames.
"Do you miss it, using magic?" She asked him, and he turned his head a bit and she saw hid shoulders tense. He relaxed again, and watched the log catch.
"It was helpful in some ways, but I am finding that physical labor has its own rewards." He said, and walked back to the couch. He sat next to her, and she leaned back against him. His arm wrapped around her, making her feel safe again.
"It feels weird for me to have it, like a kick in your teeth from the King." She admitted, and he gave her a smile. His hand rested on her arm, and she could hear his heart beating in his chest.
"You will get used to it, and manage it well. I worried that you would get hurt by not learning to control this power, that you would accidently cause an injury that would kill you." He said, and he picked up his book and opened it to where he was reading from. She opened her book, and began reading more of the romantic scene when she felt him shift next to her.
"You okay?" She asked him, hoping she was not accidentally digging an elbow into him. He groaned as he rubbed his side, but still smiled at her. She sat up a bit, and he gave her a kiss to the part in her hair.
"I need to relieve myself." He admitted, and she smiled as she sat up for him to go. Her stomach rumbled, the work from earlier having burned off all her calories.
"I will warm up the leftover stew from last night. I am getting hungry." She said, and he gave her a nod as he walked to the downstairs toilet. She set her book aside, and went into the kitchen her eyes having to adjust to the dimmer light through the windows. She turned on the lantern, setting it on the counter and taking the stew from the previous night out of the refrigerator. She would make Mac and cheese for dinner tonight, so she took out an extra pot to boil the noodles now.
She filled the noodle pot with water, setting it on the counter, and then turned the gas burner on carefully. She used a long wooden match, and held it until it lit and ignited the burner. She repeated the process with another burner, and set the pots on the stove to warm up. She didn't hear Loki walk into the room, and he leaned against the doorframe and watched her. She turned around, seeing him with his hands in his pockets, and giving her a wistful smile.
"I will have it done in a moment, are you hungry?" She asked, and he nodded a bit.
"I am, I was also thinking about how I could spend eternity with you. We could remain here, and have books, and music to fill our lives." He said, and she laughed at him. She knew he probably missed Asgard, and she shook her head in amusement.
"Wait until we offer our friends the serum, the six of us will really be chaotic then. We should wait until we can see them in person though, let them make the decision to take it or not. If they don'twant it, we can support their choice." She said, and he walked over to the counter and cut pieces of sourdough to go with the stew. She dumped a bit of salt, and then the noodles into the boiling water. "We are having Mac and Cheese for dinner tonight, the perfect food."
"I will trust you on that, and respect your wanting to be honest with all of our friends. They deserve that, and to make their own path, but I don't want them to grow old and die before us." He replied, and she turned around and wacked him in the butt with her wooden spoon. He jerked upright, turning on her and his eyes narrowed. She pointed the spoon at him, and his mouth fell open.
"They are probably going to say yes though, because they deserve it. They deserve a bit of our trust, and you need to remember that." She snapped at him, realizing what she had done. She dropped the spoon, covering her mouth with both hands, and he walked closer, standing over her. She had backed against the counter, and his arms were resting on the edge of it, caging her in. She knew she didn't hurt him, she was not that strong, but the grin on his face was dark.
"I am glad I make you feel safe, I want you to always feel that. However, that smack to my backside was rather out of character for you." He said, and lowered his mouth to her ear. "I like it."
"I... I... I am glad, because my brain has turned to mush and I can't think right now." She said, and he placed a kiss just below her ear.
"I also liked the way you tasted last night, you were sweeter than the finest honey." He purred, and she turned bright red at his words. She swallowed hard, and he tipped her chin up to him and she looked into his eyes. "I will show you how truly beautiful you are."
"Loki..." She whimpered, and his eyes went to the stove and he smiled at her and kissed the corner of her mouth.
"Dont burn the food, I am rather hungry." He backed away, her whole body alive with need. He bent over, picking up the spoon, and tossed it into the sink. He went back to placing the bread and butter on the table. She put herself back together, and shook her head as she dished up the stew.
--‐--
Frigga watched her Son in her meditative state, his dark hair over his shoulders as he walked the palace halls. He turned, hearing a sound, and smiled as twin boys ran toward him. He knelt for them, taking each on in his arms, and they hugged to him. Their black, curly hair bobbing as they giggled and he stood up.
"Where is your Mother?" He asked them, amd both boys turned and pointed down the hall. The shock that filled Frigga then, both boys had Sara's eye color. She saw his future, and it was with that innocent girl that served her tea in her home.
The girl walked toward him, and she smiled, her own black hair trailing down her back as she wore the gown of a Noble Woman. He smiled at her, and they two boys reached for her. She kissed each of them on the cheek, and they giggled as Loki watched her. Her love filling her with true beauty, and ger smile enough to melt the coldest of hearts.
Frigga had to stop Odin, had to stop his torment if Loki. He had to give him some freedom, he had to forgive his son.
She had to ensure he could protect what he had found.