These are a pair of lovely drawings that @Inej-Ghafa_6 made of Mira and Loki!
The others departed an hour later, just like they'd said. The farewell was hard to say to T'Challa, but other than that, those we were closest with were remaining. Having the others around made the next months go by and it certainly made everything easier for Loki and I. Anton had a little extra work with the groceries, but given that Tony had helped him get into one of the most prestigious engineering programs in the country, he was more than happy to do it.
Ever since the baby had started moving, Loki had grown even more possessive of me, and the bigger I got, the less he would stray from me. He didn't like it when I was alone with the other guys, but didn't seem to mind when at least one other female was present. Something to do with another male stealing his mate. I didn't feel quite the same way he did though. The only things that really bugged me beyond the physical were when someone other than Loki or myself touched my belly or when they came near the den. They'd figured out my rules pretty quickly though.
April first and I was beyond pregnant. Fourteen months, give or take, and we were expecting the baby any day now. Eir had moved here about a week ago in anticipation of the difficult labor. My bump was so large now that I couldn't even get out of bed without serious help from Loki. My back was constantly throbbing and I couldn't have my wings inside my body without major discomfort either. I couldn't see my feet, hadn't been able to since Christmas, and part of me told me that was a good thing, that I didn't actually want to see how big they were, but the rest of me just felt like an overstuffed blimp.
Right now, I was sitting in one of the large gray chairs in the basement kitchen, my wings bent almost uncomfortably so they wouldn't be crushed. Going up the stairs was such a challenge now that I just couldn't go up more than a floor without help from two of the men, as well as a rest in between floors, so I didn't do them if I could absolutely avoid it. Nat was making me some oatmeal and Loki was standing behind me, massaging my shoulders.
"Did you sleep any better tonight, Mira?" The baby had been moving constantly, and it wasn't just little cute movements either–blows to my organs and elsewhere that startled me awake. Loki had tried to use his sedir to try and calm the baby, but Eir banned it as soon as I told her he was doing it.
"No. And to top it all of, I nearly wet the bed. Very well-timed kick to the bladder." In fact, I was feeling the urge to go now.
"Loki."
"Yep. Ok." He came around and held out his hands. As we walked, Loki placed a hand on my back using just a tad of his Jotun powers to try and help with the pain.
The oatmeal was ready when we got back to the kitchen, and as soon as I got ahold of it, I put in brown sugar, some blueberries, almonds, and nutella.
"Can you make me a bagel too please?"
"Of course." Using my wings and free hand as balance, I made my way back to the chair and sat down as smoothly as possible, balancing the bowl on my belly.
"Loki."
"Hm?" I reached for him and he came over, "Yes my love?"
"Am I still beautiful like this?" He sat on the arm of the chair and ran a hand through my hair.
"Absolutely radiant, my love." The toaster popped and Loki left to fetch it.
"Good morning all." Steve and Bucky came in.
"How did you sleep?"
"Badly, as usual."
"Hopefully not for much longer." Eir entered, "If you don't go into labor by tomorrow night, I'm putting you on bedrest until you do." My heart tightened. Bedrest was her absolute last resort, so she obviously thought this baby would be here soon.
"Are you alright?" Loki resumed his post on the arm of the chair, as well as massaging my shoulders. Using a wing, I persuaded him to lean down enough for me to kiss him.
"This is all happening so fast. I feel like I've been pregnant forever, but at the same time like we only found out yesterday. I'm scared, Loki." Aside from Eir, nobody had mentioned any labor difficulties I would face.
"As am I. I cannot wait to meet our child. I promise you that I will be a better father than Odin ever was to me."
"And I will try to be an adequate mother."
"You will be far more than that. I have mothered before, I will help you." I sniffed, "Do not cry, my doe, my sweetheart." Only once he said it did I notice the tears streaming down my cheeks. I'd barely begun and already was finding myself short on breath.
"Guys, let's give them some space."
"No! Don't go, I'm fine." I put a spoonful of oatmeal in my mouth, "'S just hormones." Hormones or not, Loki began to croon ever so slightly. That was enough to stay my tears and level my breathing.
"Loki." Eir's tone was of the warning sort, "You know that is specifically for her comfort during labor." He rolled his eyes, but stopped regardless.
"Thank you, my love."
Later, we were watching the Sound of Music when Ash and S'more finally decided it was time to come sit with me. Loki and I were huddled together, and we'd pulled my shirt up over my bump so we could see the movements of our baby as clearly as possible. They were as active as ever, making movements every few seconds. It was something we should've found so boring, but we couldn't get enough of it. However, then the fluffy gray blob that was Ash hopped up. With cautious paws, he climbed up onto me and sat on my chest. He wasn't that heavy, but the weight was still enough to make me wince.
"Do you want him off?"
"No, he's fine." I used my free hand to pet him and the fingers of my other were entwined with Loki's. Then S'More hopped up, but then the only place left for her to sit was against the curve of my side that Loki wasn't on. Ash was so sweet, giving my face little licks and nuzzling through my hair.
"They can totally sense the baby." Bucky observed. Cinnamon was lounging on his lap, jealous of the attention he was giving to Steve. She'd been sweet on him ever since his first visit here. But it was true, until a few weeks ago none of the cats had really paid me any special attention, and now these two made a point to sit with me at some point every day. Angel would join occasionally, but only when Wanda wasn't available to sit with.
"Climb every mountain, search high and low."
"You're so beautiful like this." Loki murmured, "So pure. What did I ever do to deserve you?"
"Follow every highway, every path you know."
"You were a good man, you were charming, and you took care of me."
"Follow every rainbow, 'til you find your dream."
"Anyone could have done those things. So why me?"
"A dream that will need all the love you can give, every day of your life, for as long as you live."
"Because my heart chose you, and because I say so." Ash's rough tongue brushed against my cheek, making me giggle. Loki reached up to give Ash a scratch.
"This one was always your favorite, even as a kitten."
"How do you remember these things?"
"I remember everything related to you."
"Follow every rainbow! 'Til you find YOUR DREAM!" Suddenly, the baby let out a flurry of movement, stronger than any other this afternoon. I gasped, and the combined action scared Ash off my chest. Loki's hands flew to my belly just as the movement faded off.
"What was that?
"I don't know." I replied breathlessly.
When the movie ended, Nat paused the credits.
"We think you two should go out to Da Domenico's tonight, just to have one more couple's night out."
"But what if–"
"Don't worry about being seen, we've been talking to the owner, and while tonight is normally her night off this week, she agreed to have just you two come in."
"You explained our situation?"
"We...implied it. Come on. You deserve it." Loki examined my face.
"The decision is ultimately yours. I do not feel comfortable having you so far from here this late, but I do agree that one last night out as a couple would be very nice."
"I don't feel comfortable going that far from my den either, but when will we be back here next? I know we can make gorgonzola sauce here, but it's just not the same.
"So it's settled then." He shooed S'more away and Steve rose as well. Together, he and Loki hauled me to my feet.
The car ride and getting into the restaurant was incredibly stressful. The seatbelt was too tight around my belly to buckle, and I had to hide my wings in my back, putting me under an extreme amount of internal pressure. The walk into the restaurant wasn't much better, but as soon as we got in, I used sedir to close the heavy shades that adorned the windows.
"Oh my goodness, look at you!" The owner rushed over the us, "You look about to pop!" I let my wings out. She gawked for a moment, but made no verbal comment. I let out a relieved sigh at the release of pressure.
"It's good to see you again. You haven't had any trouble since you hosted us, right?"
"None at all. Will it be pizzabrot, two tortellini gorgonzolas, and a tiramisu for you then?"
"You remember us so well." I laughed. We'd barely sat down!
"And apple juice for you and what would the father-to-be like?"
"Actually, I'll have the same."
"I'll be right back with those, then." She left and Loki reached across the table, taking both of my hands.
"This is the booth we sat in, the first time we came here. Do you remember that day?"
"How could I forget? You didn't know what a pizza was."
"So much is different now."
"Didn't we have a conversation along those lines that day too?"
"We did indeed, and I must take this moment to reflect on it again. We got married, I pretended to die, you were given two amazing new abilities, the Avengers splintered, I got you pregnant, and we put the team back together. Mostly."
"Well, when you put it that way..."
"How's the baby?"
"Quiet, sleeping I think. Tonight in going to be hard." Loki's eyebrows knitted themselves together, "What? Have to sleep at some point."
"Right. Of course."
"Cut the crap, Loki."
"It's just that–"
"Here you are." The owner placed our drinks and the small pizzabrot between us, "And your food will be out soon." Loki put a smile on his face, showing no indication that we'd been arguing.
"Thank you so much."
"My pleasure!"
"I'm not going to drop this." I said as soon as she walked away.
"It's just a feeling. I do not want you to worry needlessly."
"How long is it going to take for you to trust me?"
"I do. But you must also trust me. I do not want to trouble you with unfounded concerns." I cocked an eyebrow, but dropped the matter, savoring the taste of the tomato sauce and spices on my tongue. It had indeed been too long.
Dinner went smoothly, I put aside half of my meal to take home, in favor of fresh tiramisu. Just as I was about to bite into the dessert, my back decided to bug me again. There was a sharp twinge, and I must've reacted enough for Loki to notice.
"Are you in pain?"
"It's just my back. I think from my wings." He seemed to accept my reasoning.
"I'll pull the car up when we leave, and you can stretch out in the backseat."
"Ok."
My back didn't bother me again until we were home. I was brushing my teeth and as I shifted my weight, the twinge came again. I grumbled, reaching back and gently pressing against the aggravated area.
"I have something to show you." Loki came up behind me, arms wrapping around my midsection and chin resting on top of my head. I spat in the sink and rinsed my mouth.
"What is it?"
"Come with me." He led me outside our room, and I noticed the change right away. Just down and across the hall from us, before we got to the kitchen, there was an offshoot that I'd never seen before. It was a little hall that had a half dozen steps up halfway down it, and ended with a door.
"I told you to leave the nursery to me." He opened it and my eyes fell instantly on the beautiful crib carved from dark wood against the far wall. Then, on the windows.
"The way the land lays here, there was a natural dip in the rock. I increased it just a bit and elevated this room so we could have natural light." The entire floor was a fluffy white and gray carpet. There was a rocker and footstool in one corner, with a sofa and wooden table next to it. There was also a wooden trunk right by the windows, and the walls were a light gray color.
"You made this all for me?"
"For us. Do you like it?"
"Loki...." I ran my hand over the wood of the crib, "It's beautiful."
"There's an identical one in our chambers in Asgard. I carved them." My head snapped back to him.
"Really?"
"With some help, but not much." I wrapped my arms around him.
"This is wonderful, Loki. Thank you."
"We may not use this as much as you anticipate, I would like to live in Asgard for a time now."
"What are we going to tell them? When I come back with a baby."
"Asgard is prospering under my rule. I believe they will have their suspicions, but look the other way."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive, love."
"And what about Sif, Hannah, and the others?"
"You are closer with them than I am. Tell them what you will. I trust you." I yawned.
"Come, let's get you to bed." We walked back to our room, and Loki masked the door when we exited. When we reached the den, Loki got down first, knelt, and held his hands up for me. I took a deep breath in, grasped his arms at the elbows, and we worked together to lower me onto my side. As I exhaled, my back twinged a third time.
"Are you certain you're alright?" Loki laid down facing me.
"Yeah. I'm sure." I kissed him, "I love you."
"I love you too." Loki kept one hand on my belly, but the other snuck around my back, resting Jotun on the spot that had been bugging me. I wasn't expecting to fall asleep as quickly as I did, it must've been that going out had made me more tired than I'd thought.
The possibility that those three twinges could be a warning sign never crossed my mind.
I think you can all guess that the next chapter holds!