Lesser Gods

“Have I ever told you just how radiant you are, love?”

The night was warm and the stars and moon shone brilliantly through the many windows. Had Raeyn not been lying down, she could have seen the city span out under her for miles and miles, and then the wild sea past that more many more. An icy hand wrapped around Raeyn’s waist, but instead of being frightened as one would expect, she relaxed into his touch. She closed her eyes, letting him pull her towards his cold, bare chest where she curled against him in content.

“I have not seen much of you recently,” she breathed into his skin. “I’ve missed you.”

One hand still wrapped around her, the other delicately traced her cheek and slowly turned her to face him so he could kiss her tenderly. “But that goes without saying!” he whispered in reply, the hand once caressing her face now running through her hair of gold. “Where have you been? A cellar with some rebels all drinking and smoking?”

Raeyn’s eyes shot open and her heart stopped. “No! Why would you think of such a thing after all this time?”

Loki laughed calmly. “It was only a jest, no need to be frightened.” Raeyn looked up into her husband’s eyes and saw such a light, carefree man reflecting in them; how could this possibly be the tortured soul she and Thor spoke about so often?

His lips kissed her cheek, her lips, her jaw, her neck. “Why do you have so little faith in me?” he murmured, his voice deep and husky, sending chills up Raeyn’s spine. “Why do you not see how much I love you?”

Raeyn did not respond, but placed her delicate hands on either side of Loki’s handsome face, pulling his lips onto hers and herself closer to him until her legs were wrapped tight around him. Her eyes fluttered closed, letting him take control and letting all her worries fade away into the night.



Raeyn visited Thor many times after that particular encounter, but both avoided such heavy topics adamantly. Instead, they found themselves immersing one another in beautiful subjects — she spoke of the great cities of Rome and the jungles of South America while he spoke of the wild lands in Alfheim and the cities and mines of Nidavellir.

“You speak of the flowers that you find in the fields of America fondly, My Lady, but if I ever find the means to I would bring you a field full of flowering plants of the Light Elves, which never wilt nor die, and are the most complexly beautiful plants I have ever laid eyes on. I meant to give some to Sif when we were children, but she would have none of it and threw them back at me. Did I mention that the more alluring types also had rather unforgiving thorns?”

The two Asgardians laughed lightly, happier to be in each other’s company than because of the topic of which they were speaking. Suddenly, their chortles were interrupted by a voice Raeyn had not heard in weeks.

“Mrs. Raeyn,” JARVIS called calmly over his intercom. Thor straighten up, unable to locate the source of the voice and growing distressed and defensive. With a light smile, Raeyn motioned for him to relax.

“JARVIS, I have not heard from you in quite some time!” Raeyn said cheerfully. “Where have you been?”

JARVIS sounded just as slightly condescending as ever. “I have been here this entire time, Ms. Raeyn, since it is virtually impossible for me to leave. However, I thought you and your Odinson friend may find it useful to know that Master Loki is not only here, but looking for you, Raeyn, and on his way down here as we speak. I was under the impression that you two were keeping your meetings secret…”

A pang of guilt formed in the pit of Raeyn’s stomach as she and Thor stood.

“My thanks, Invisible Man, for the warning,” Thor said grandly to the air above him before he turned to look at Raeyn. “I will slip away to my quarters and act as if we have never made contact, sister, if you would do the same. It would be best if my brother did not know of our knowings of each other, for the both of us. I will protect you if you are willing to protect me.”

Raeyn gave a curt nod before waving him away. “Thank you!” she breathed, both to JARVIS and to Thor. Across the floor, the elevator opened and closed quietly, and although Raeyn did not hear Loki walk in, she knew he was on his way. Thor slipped around the corner back into his quarters, and Raeyn rose slowly, pretending to curiously look into the glass domed room.

After a moment, Loki came into view, his gaze confused and slightly suspicious. She turned to face him with her curious gaze.

“What is it?” she asked lightly, nodding to the enclosed room.

Loki gave a small smile that did not reach his raven eyes. “It is a cage, one that has not been used in quite some time.”

She felt his stare calculating her reaction as he wrapped an arm around her waist so she hardly gave one. “Who was it for? The monster? Or the soldier with super strength?”

“It was for whoever I needed it to be for.”

Raeyn sighed. No matter what she said, no matter what guise she put up, he was still just as suspecting. She almost wished to do the simple thing, to give in and tell Loki of her innocent encounters with his brother, but while she did not fear the consequences for herself, the ones brought out on Thor could be deadly. I will protect you if you are willing to protect me. She knew what could be done for Thor.

Even in the circumstances, a genuine smile of pride, excitement, and joy could not be contained from spreading across her lips as she took Loki’s wrist and gently pulled his arms off hers, moving out of his grasp.

“Loki, there is something I need to tell you,” she said softly, her gaze only flicking up to his confused and suspicious eyes once. Still holding one of his wrists in her tiny hands, and pulled the other into her grip and slowly placed them both on her middle, cradling her stomach. Slowly, realization entered his expression and all other emotions fled. “I’m with child, Loki. We’re going to have a baby,” she laughed softly, biting her lip and smiling from ear to ear.

His jaw fell, his raven eyes wide with shock. Raeyn had never seen her husband look so vulnerable, but after a moment a disbelieving smile crept over his face as he gently held his wife’s belly.

“A baby,” he breathed, joyous wonder filling his voice and features. “Our baby.”

She laughed nervously, pulling his lips down to hers as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. They remained like that, she resting against his chest and his chin resting on top of her head. They fit together perfectly, their unborn child held between them lovingly, even if it was still months away from even resembling a child.

“Would you mind meeting me on our floor?” Loki finally asked after a long moment. He pulled away from her briefly to look her in the eye as she nodded. His huge grin spread across his pale face thoughtlessly as he kissed her once more and she made her way to the elevator.

As the elevator doors slid closed, part of the joy that shone in Loki’s eyes diminished. He turned slowly to face the “unused” cage.

“I know you are just there, Odinson.”

Thor emerged from the doorway where he had hid these past few moments. His scowl was present once more, but his eyes lacked the anger that had once consumed him.

“Have you revealed yourself to her?” Loki asked, a menacing tone lying under his words.

“And what do you think, brother, I would even say to her?” Thor growled.

Loki glared right back. “It has never seemed to… sit well with you when I possess something you cannot or do not have.”

At this, Thor was taken aback. “Your Lady is beautiful of course, much more so on the inside than yourself. And you think it of me to try and tear your family apart?”

Loki’s gaze hardened. “I would not put much past you anymore, Odinson.”

“You do not deserve her,” Thor growled menacingly, glaring at Loki through the glass and towering over him. “She is kind, innocent, and misguided, but you are cruel and do not deserve her love.”

The color drained from Loki’s face instantly. His face softened and his lips formed a thin line. “And you think I do not already realize that?” he whispered, his voice thick. “You do not think that I have not been telling myself the same thing ever since she stepped foot in my life?”

And with this, Loki strode out of the room, leaving Thor with his mouth agape and regretting his harsh words, but unable to take them back. It was in that moment that Thor realized that all Raeyn had said to him had not been her imagination: Loki loved her, more than anything else in the nine realms. And the man that Thor grew up with as his brother was truly still there — but only for her.