Of Greater Sires

Eight hundred some years in the present, Raeyn writhed on the couch, whimpering and crying as she watched her parents die once more. It was at this hour that Loki slipped into their home, preparing to head to his quarters for a few hours’ sleep. His business elsewhere had ended rather suddenly, and he came back as soon as he was able. However, instead of heading straight to his room, he heard Raeyn in the living room. Slowly, carefully, he entered silently so she wouldn't notice him yet. Then realizing that she was fast asleep, locked in her own nightmare, he moved more quickly to her side and knelt next to the couch.

It took him a moment to decide what to do. His instinct told him to wake her, while his mind told him to leave her be. Instead, he wrapped his icy arms around her small body and held her to him as she slowly woke up. Even when her sniffles became few and far between and her arms regained their strength enough to hold him in return, he did not leave. Instead, he slowly drew away from her until he could look in her puffy green as jade eyes. One moment of eye contact with him, though, sent her into another attack of hysterics, borderline panic attack. Not knowing what else he could possibly do for the girl, he simply drew her closer once more and let her grip him and sob and try to calm herself down for however long she needed.

Eventually, he untangled one of his arms from her waist and wrapped it under her legs. He lifted her easily, and as she gripped him and cried, he carried her to her quarters and tucked her under the covers. By then she was breathing steadily and only hiccupping every so often. However, when he tried to pull away from her grip and let her finally rest, her fingers dug into his cold, pale skin and when he looked up into her eyes worriedly, her expression pleaded with him.

"Stay," she croaked. "Please. I'm scared."

Loki blinked, his face softening as he sat on her bed. She clutched his hand in a death grip, but it did not bother him. While she had her Asgardian strength, he was still stronger than she. Realizing that in their last two encounters, his companion had revealed quite a bit to him and left herself vulnerable, guilt began to gnaw at the pit of his stomach.

"Would you like to speak about it?" he asked, his words gentle and kind.

After a moment of hesitation, the girl nodded. Hiccupping, she wiped at her tears before speaking. "I -- I had a mare about my parents. The night they died," she took a deep breath before continuing. "I never liked remembering... but it was so must more real and terrifying than I recalled." She fell silent as the screams, hers included, reverberated in her mind.

Loki, with all his magic, heard them as well. His pitying eyes gazed down at her as he too lived the nightmares she had witnessed at such a young age. Where fear and panic filled her, anger filled him. Surely someone could have done something, whether her parents, or Heimdall who must have seen, or Odin, the Allfather. Someone should have done something. No one should have to live on their own with that kind of past for this long.

He didn't realize that he was now gripping her as fiercely as she had held him until he had come back to the present. His face pale and dangerous, he still could gaze down on the weak girl below him fondly.

"You are not alone anymore," he whispered fiercely. "No matter what foolish thing I do or say, we are no longer alone anymore. Those days of pain, and loneliness, and self-loathing are behind us. Because we are together, and we can face the nine realms with one another. Never forget that."

Raeyn nodded meekly, not truly understanding his words as she slowly fell asleep in his arms. Loki stayed by her side for quite a bit longer, simply holding her and making sure she knew that she was not alone. Only when the sun peeked through the curtains did Loki take his leave.