Unbroken (Loki x Reader)

Anxiety twitters through your chest as the sun sinks lower and lower over the horizon. Thor had said he would be back. But it's been hours - and nothing. Nothing but the occasional cry and babble from your baby. No visits from Eir. No scraping of the guards' metal boots against the stone floors. Not even a breeze strong enough to rattle the stained glass windows. 

Only you and the baby. '

A shrill cry breaks you from your reverie, and you bounce Anthony gently as you sit on the side of the bed. You have just finished feeding him, and he's already beginning to yawn as his little eyes droop in exhaustion. Tiny little tired eyes that stare up unblinking, watching every movement you make with overwhelming trust. You realize in this moment that all of your love begins and ends right here, with the baby boy you hold so gently.

"My lady?" you hear a quiet voice from the doorway. Turning you spot the tail ends of Thor's long, blonde hair sticking out from beneath a dark hood. You stand, and make your way to him.

"Here, my lady. Put this on."

Thor hands you a dark cloak similar to his own before holding out his hands timidly. An unspoken offer to hold the baby while you drape it over your shoulders. But you refuse, adamant that no one hold the baby before his father.

Hurrying back to the bed, you lay Anthony down and fasten the cape beneath your chin, pulling up the hood. You're about to pick the baby back up, when a sudden thought occurs to you.

Reaching into the bassinet, you grab the brown blanket from within, tightly swaddling Anthony as he lets out a small, tired gurgle of contentment. Your heart swoons as you bring him back into your arms, concealing him beneath your own large cloak. You hurry back to Thor, giving him a nod.

"I don't think that's wise," Thor hesitates, watching as you conceal the baby's tiny hand within his swaddle. 

"Shut up, Thor," you snap - tired and anxious.

Thor looks like he's about to argue for a moment, but relents and reaches out instead. You instinctively take his hand. He pulls you along the palace hallways, careful to avoid any guards or servants. It takes time, and a few clever maneuvers from Thor, but you're now only one corridor away from the grand stairs down to the cells.

"Hells," Thor curses, peeking around the corner. "My father has posted guards at the dungeon's entry way."

Your heart sinks, when a small voice from behind causes you to jump.

"Your Highness?"

A sweet, familiar voice causes you to smile. Turning, you spy the young maid you had met many months ago - the one who had dropped the silver upon spying you and Loki in the halls.

You and Thor answer her at the same time, Thor cocking one brow at you. You shrug. She has addressed you this way before.

"Are you all right?" she asks you timidly.

You offer her a smile. "I've been better," you say sadly.

"Is it because you're losing?" she grins.

"Losing?" you question.

"Hide and seek!" she giggles, taking in yours and Thor's appearances. "You're not hiding very well."

Despite the circumstances, you can't help but be charmed by the little girl's infectious playfulness. But Thor shushes you both as he keeps an eye on the guards around the corner.

The little girl glances from you to Thor before peering herself around the corner.

"Oh," she says in some sort of realization. "You wish to see Prince Loki?" she asks. You nod in affirmation. The young girl takes a deep breath and slips quickly around the corner. You gasp, and reach for her, the edge of her dress slipping through her fingers as Thor yanks you back. You both watch in anxiety-riddled silence as the bounces past the guards. They don't even flinch as she goes. They must be used to servants walking through.

"What is she doing?" Thor hisses.

"I don't know," you answer, intrigued by the young girl, who disappears around the opposite corner on the far end of the hallway.

You and Thor exchange puzzled glances when out of nowhere a piercing shriek splits the silence. A series of panicked, frightened screams from some ways away continues, echoing down the hallway.

Thor lunges forward, but you grab him by the cloak, pulling him back before he can round the corner.

"Wait!" you say, keeping an eye on the two guards posted at the top of the stairs who peer curiously down the hall. When the screaming does not cease, they abandon their post, sprinting down the corridor.

"Quite brave, the little one is," Thor muses, taking your hand once more. "Let us go, my lady. Quiet, and quickly now."

Running down the hallway, careful to keep Anthony steady in your arms, you descend the stairs until you reach the bottom. Looking around, you're amazed by what you see. The Asgardian dungeons are not quite what you expected. Rather than steel bars and cages, each cell is protected by what looks like...nothing at all. If not for the faintest golden gleam as energy pulses through the transparent barriers, you'd think nothing at all was keeping prisoners in their cells. Prisoners who - by their lack of reaction to you and Thor, can't see out. Like one-way glass. 

"This way," says Thor, pulling you down the main hall.

It only takes a moment before you spy Loki's raven black hair and green robes, his back to you, sitting on the floor leaning against a white wall, a transparent glass flecked with golden lines keeping him locked inside. This cell is unlike all the others. This one is much larger, and sits separated from the other cells.

"Loki," you cry out quietly. His head turns, and his eyes widen in surprise to see both you and Thor. 

But you gasp in horror as he turns to look at you. Your eyes are immediately drawn to what looks like a metal gag in his mouth, completely covering the lower portion of his face. Unlike the other prisoners, Loki's gaze immediately finds yours. 

"What have they done?" you cry out in anguish, running up to the transparent wall and placing one hand flat against it. Loki copies your motion, pressing his hand up to yours on the other side.

"Thor, how do I get this thing open?" you ask.

Thor hesitates, but walks over to a panel on the side of the wall, hitting it a few times. The transparent wall falls, and you run into Loki's arms, careful to turn your body slightly to shield Anthony, who sleeps.

"Thor, get this thing off of him!" you seethe.

Without having to be asked twice, Thor removes the device. Loki immediately turns to Thor. "Brother," he hisses angrily. "What is the meaning of this? How dare you bring her down here!"

He's seething with anger. He knows the danger you're in, and the punishment you could face for venturing into a forbidden space.

"I forced him to bring me here," you say forcefully, in no mood for his 'I know best' attitude.

Loki's glare softens, and he once more holds out his arms. "My love," he exhales in a shattered breathe. You fall into his embrace as he holds you close. "Kærasta," he whispers, tilting your chin up to him and kissing you deeply, before pulling away and holding you by both shoulders, as if inspecting you. "I am so relieved to see you well," he says. "The baby?" he says, a deep concern etched across his face. "Where's our child? Is the baby safe?"

"Yes," you breathe out. "We-."

"Our child hasn't been discovered?" Loki presses, almost frantic as he takes you by the shoulders. "Please, darling, it's very important."

"No, Lo, the baby is-."

"Hidden? With who? Herkja?"

"No, I-."

"Eir?"

"No, Loki, he's-."

"He?" Loki inhales sharply. "He?" he repeats, any remaining color draining from his face.

"Yes," you say quietly, a smile on your face as you pull aside your long, heavy cloak , revealing the bundle in your arms. "He's right here."

Loki stops breathing, holding the air in his lungs as you pull away the swaddling from the baby's round, flushed cheeks.

"Loki," you whisper. "Would you like to meet your son?"