Unbroken (Loki x Reader)

"Will you please stop pacing like that? You're making me nervous," you say from your comfortable position in bed. The immediate pain has passed, and you are comfortable once more.

Loki stops pacing about the room, but you can sense his thoughts still running a mile a minute. He had shielded both of you in order to speak plainly of the issue at hand, but after a few seconds of trying to walk through the options with you, Loki had grown frustrated with your inability to think as quickly as he. Thus, the pacing.

"The obvious answer is to bypass Asgard completely," Loki says.

"Agreed," you answer. But Loki doesn't seem to hear you as he continues to mumble beneath his breath. His arms are crossed and his eyes dart from side to side as he runs through all sorts of calculations and theories. Having been inside his incredibly detailed mind before, you can only imagine the disarray he's put it in trying to sort out this mess.

Occasionally you catch a word or two within his incoherent mumbling. Things like "allies", "healers", and "risks". But Loki is clearly processing at a speed faster than is possible for you to follow. So you remain quiet, watching him in fascination.

"Loki?" you call to him after a few minutes. But he has resumed his pacing, and doesn't seem to hear you.

"Loki Laufeyson?" you call out, once more trying to get his attention.

"MIDGARD TO LOKI!" you shout, causing Loki to look up, a slight trace of amusement on his face, which is quickly replaced by exasperation.

"What, darling?"

"Could you be wrong?" you ask.

Loki looks at you for a moment, a strange expression on his face. "Wrong?" he asks. "What could you possibly mean?"

"I'm feeling better," you answer. "And this has happened before, right? I mean, not as bad. But...before we panic, maybe there's a human explanation? Like Braxton Hicks contractions or something. I read that they can start around this time and...," you trail off as Loki moves to your side and takes your hands between his.

"It is possible that the pain you just experienced resulted from a mortal cause, yes," he says, gazing deeply into your eyes. You can see the sense of importance and urgency in them as he keeps his voice soft, and gentle. Almost as if coaxing a frightened animal. "But even if that is the case, I fear that you will inevitably begin to struggle as the baby continues to grow," Loki says.

You take in his certainty, and realize that your pain doesn't come as a surprise to him.

"How long have you known?" you ask, meek in your questioning. "How long have you known that this would happen?"

Loki remains silent, his gaze fixed on your intertwined hands. 

"How long?" you ask again.

Loki's cheek muscle twitches, and he exhales heavily through his nose before bringing his gaze to yours. "Since Heimdall sent word of your condition," he admits quietly.

You inhale sharply in surprise and betrayal. "And you didn't tell me?" you ask. "You didn't think my inevitable death was worth mentioning?"

"Enough," Loki frowns. "Don't speak like that."

"Is that why you really came back for me?" you push. "Is that why you used dark energy?"

Loki's jaw twitches, clenched so tense it may crack. "I knew you were in danger and I had to-," Loki's voice breaks, but his face remains a perfect, emotionless mask.

You steel yourself for your next question, uncertain you want the answer. But you have to ask it. You have to know.

"If I wasn't in danger, would have ever come back?" you ask in little more that a whisper. "Or would you have left the baby and I behind?"