Coming Home (Sequel to This Time Around)

Chapter Forty-Three

"It's almost over, baby," Loki whispered, brushing a kiss over his son's forehead. "Easy now, darling boy, it's almost over."

Selig nodded even as tears trickled from the corners of his eyes. Eir caught Loki by his upper arm to urge him back. "Go over there and take his hand, Loki. I need to work now."

Loki nodded, skirting the table to Selig's right side, where he flicked his fingers to make a low stool appear, and sat, slipping his hand beneath Selig's. When he closed his hand, Selig's disappeared from sight, but he squeezed his father's hand. Without thinking, Loki brought it to his lips and kissed the back of it. "My brave boy..."

Selig turned to look at him, his blue eyes bloodshot, but wide. "I'm scared, Daddy."

"You don't need to be scared, Selig. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere."

"Promise?"

Loki nodded. "I promise." He kissed the back of Selig's hand again and with his free one, reached through the webbing to brush Selig's hair away from his forehead. "I'll stay right here until you tell me to go away, all right?"

Selig nodded slowly. "Okay."

"Here, watch this." Loki wiggled his fingers and fireworks shot from them to explode up near the ceiling in a burst of purple and gold. They rained down over them and without waiting, Loki sent up more, this time in shades of silver, pink, and green.

"That's so cool, Daddy. I wish I could do that."

"Someday, when you're a little older, I'll teach you." Loki gave another lazy swish and the fireworks morphed into a dragon with silver scales breathing dark blue fire.

Selig's eyes lit up and he actually smiled. "I love dragons. Another one, please?"

"Of course. What color?"

"Um... gold and green." Selig's gaze fell on Loki. "Your colors, Daddy."

Loki smiled, ruffling Selig's hair with his free hand. "Am I a fierce dragon?"

"Yep." Selig's eyes took on a mischievous glint. "Unless you make a mommy dragon. Then you aren't fierce at all."

Loki chuckled. "A mommy dragon?" The green and gold dragon let out a roar that made Eir jump. "What colors would a mommy dragon be?"

Selig winced. "Ow..." Then he scrunched his face in thought. "Pink. Pink and silver."

"Pink and silver it is." A second dragon appeared over their heads, breathing silver fire as she neared the green and gold one. "And now, daddy dragon goes soft."

And with that, the green and gold dragon flipped onto its back, all four legs in the air. Selig giggled, then winced, and then sighed. "He looks dead, Daddy."

"Sorry." Another flick of his hand and the green and gold dragon was on its feet once more, breathing pale orange puffs of smoke. "Should I make him kiss the mommy dragon?"

"Ew, no." Selig made a face. "Can I have an Unca Thor dragon?"

Loki sighed. "If you must." A red and blue dragon appeared. "How's that?"

Selig nodded. "Good." He lay quietly for a few minutes, wincing every now and then as Eir moved around him. Then, he said, "Daddy? Is Mommy sick?"

"Mommy?" Loki peered down at him, shaking his head. "No, why?"

"Last night, I had a bad dream and was going to come into your room, but it sounded like Mommy was sick."

"Sick? How?"