#loki!reader

Not a "You didn't have to" not even a "You shouldn't have to prove yourself to me" just a "No, Loki." Odin couldn't even call you by name- you can't remember the last time he did- maybe before your mother's death? Did you even interact with the man then?

A title. That's all you were to him. A nuisance he probably put up with for too long because he couldn't kill you when he had a chance. You didn't understand why he took you in, and now you didn't care to know or try to vie for his affection and acceptance. You let go. Both physically and mentally. What use was it to hold onto a man who didn't want anything to do with you?

It wouldn't kill you, maybe it'll hurt, but not even drifting through all nine realms' space, shifting through time and space, freezing and unfreezing wouldn't hurt a god, a Jotun. So for a while, you just hibernated.

You weren't sure for how long, but when you did wake up, you woke up in the arms of the sun and to the voice of a drunk brit. Okay, that was an exaggeration, but you were groggy and the man who was carrying you shone too bright- or did you just get used to the vast darkness of space? The comment on the brit was true, however.

You also didn't expect all these faces, heroes, or whatever they wanted to be called. Pompous really, and maybe you'd have said something about it, but you simply didn't have it in you. And when they asked who you were, it was so easy to say Loki- but you didn't, stopping as soon as the title was on the tip of your tongue. You gave them your true name instead.

John had a lot to comment on it, mainly that he didn't believe you because he's never heard of such a god, and he knew you were that. No one reeks of that much power without being a powerful entity, and holy water didn't work on you. "If you want to go by titles, Laughing Magician- or do you prefer Worldwalker? Perhaps Hellblazer?-we can. But I have no use for my title anymore. Retired...."

It shut him up with a pout. Not like you were lying. Wonder Woman's lasso was wrapped around your ankle, just in case you woke up early and were a threat. And you had no reason to lie anyway. You had no will to fight for anything anymore, and everyone saw it.

They still decided you had to be supervised, so when you weren't in the station, you were either with Diana or John. Mostly John, he was fun to annoy, and Klarion believed so too. He knew who you were, but the witch boy enjoyed seeing the others squirm with unease.

And maybe he enjoyed you teaming up with him too much to be the reason you're put on lockdown. I mean- what better teacher to have for chaos than a god of mischief?

John hated it. For a while. He rolled over after his tenth fuck up where you didn't leave, sticking by his side and being the push he needed to keep going. Like you knew how it felt to try to do good and fail every time. "At least you fixed it... I could only have made it worse." He doubted your words, you made him better- well, as better as someone could make him, stubborn bastard that he was.

And slowly, you got out of the depressive stupor you fell into. Klarion takes all the credit, fuck you John. You started being your usual half-lying but not really self, sarcasm and arrogance dripping from your comments, and amusement twinkling in your eyes. You... started to understand why Thor liked humans so much.

Speaking of- you weren't prepared to see him again- no- not him, but this universe's version of him. Taller, bigger, longer beard- You both were frozen when you first met. Both of you knew you weren't the other's Loki or Thor, but the magical signature was close enough. This Thor didn't know how to feel- he bound his Loki in the underworld, he's still there, but here, in front of his eyes, is another version of him- one who seemed to have lost the spark of pure discord his Loki had running through his veins.

Both of you ignored John and his word vomit as he tried to placate the Thunder God. But you just frowned. "You're a ginger." Your words made Thor snort, and John stumble on his words as his head snapped back to you. "What else would I be? A blond?"

You gave him a simple yes as he laughed, loud, boisterous, straight from the gut. So similar yet so different from your brother... You didn't miss him. You couldn't- you refused to. And yet you let this version handle you like an old friend.

John didn't tell the league you were Loki, or a variant of him from a faraway dimension. He had a list of reasons he could spew on why he's justified in not informing them, but really, he was just as selfish as Klarion. Besides, you've been just fine by his side.

And when a man came knocking on the door of some motel you two were at while you were "meditating", (sleeping really, but you'd rather eat dirt than admit you liked dreaming- something you couldn't do in your world-)John did what he did best. Lie and redirect.

“Sirs,” Jarvis got the princes’ attention. “The promenade.”

When the brothers went out onto the balcony, they were perplexed to see Exxo standing alone. She seemed very upset and anxious, causing Loki’s mind to race. 

“Something’s wrong,” he murmured to Thor. “Where’s my son, Exxo?”

“She needs you,” Exxo replied, near tears. “Wyatt...is taken.”

“What?” Loki demanded.

“The ship is near, and Samel waits to transport us back,” she replied. “Will you come?”

Loki strode to her side, daring Thor to refuse him. 

“I’ll come with you, as well,” Thor told him. “Jarvis, please tell Stark that we’ll be back once this is taken care of.”

— — —

When they arrived on the Corsair, they were greeted by Samel and several other crew members, who quietly nodded at them. The atmosphere on the ship was heavy with sorrow and anguish, which affected every crew member. Loki immediately recognized that you were broadcasting your emotions, and that something terrible had happened. 

“Where is she?”

“I’ll take you.”

“How long has he been gone?” Thor asked, while following your first mate. 

“Two weeks-“

“And you’re just now coming for me?” Loki interrupted. 

“We chased them when he was first taken,” she replied. “I tried to convince her that we needed help, but she was determined to find him on her own.”

Her explanation didn’t cool Loki’s temper at all, and she knew it. 

“I have mutinied in order to come for you. I trust you will remember that once she finds out what I’ve done.”

If Exxo was telling him that you had no idea what was going on, then things were bad. He grew uneasy when they were led toward one of the cargo bays and not your quarters or the bridge. 

“She has not eaten or slept since he’s been gone,” Exxo continued.

The closer they got to the bay, the worse the mental effects were. Samel had accompanied them as far as the bay door, and then waited outside. After entering and closing the door, Exxo motioned with her hand. 

The bay was large and mostly empty, leaving you plenty of room to pace. The few items in there levitated in place, and Loki was shocked to see that you still had the Sparrow onboard, and that it also floated several feet from the deck. 

The brothers watched for several minutes before Loki finally walked forward. He called your name gently then tried one of his pet names when you didn’t acknowledge him. You continued to pace, while lightning surrounded you like a personal tornado, and your hands tore at your hair. 

Loki said your name again once he got closer, and this time you stopped to look at him. The lightning faded but your eyes continued to glow purple. Now that he’d gotten a clear look at you, his concern grew. It was obvious that you were weak from the strain, and from the lack of sleep and food. 

“I will deal with you later,” you snarled at Exxo. 

Loki took that moment to grasp you by the arms and shake you firmly. You tried to shrug free, but lacked the strength. 

“She only did something that you should have done from the start,” he said, firmly. 

“I c-can’t find him, I can’t find him…” you whispered, brokenly. 

“I will help you,” he responded, before pulling you close and holding you against his chest. His hand gently caressed your head, then before you could react, he cast a spell that knocked you unconscious. The heavy atmosphere on the ship immediately lightened, giving the crew relief. 

The items that had been floating hit the deck with a crash; when the Sparrow settled heavily on the flooring, Exxo feared that the damage would extend to the Corsair’s outer hull. When she opened the bay door for Loki, she also told Samel to inspect the floor and to get help to make any needed repairs. 

Loki lifted you into his arms, then followed Exxo when she led him and Thor back to your stateroom. When he placed you on the bed, he reinforced his spell to ease you into a deep sleep that would last for at least a day. After removing your boots, he covered you up before retreating to the main room where Thor and Exxo waited. 

“I am glad you’re here,” Exxo told him quietly. “Not just for Wyatt, but for her. She is very close to losing control, and I’m afraid of what will happen then. She’s already destroyed two ships during her hunt, and that’s not like her at all.”

Loki poured wine for himself, then the others before sitting back in his chair. Exxo had a tray with food delivered, in hopes that you could be coaxed into eating something. 

“Now, tell us what happened,” Loki said.

Before she could begin, though, they all heard a noise from the other room, and then were shocked to see you stagger to the doorway. Loki’s spell should have put you out cold, but here you were, glaring while leaning against the door jamb. 

Loki swore softly while he got to his feet in order to stop you. He ignored it when you tried to push him away, then you fought when he pulled you against him again. Your hands clawed at his back in an attempt to make him release you, causing Exxo to jump to her feet when your fingertips started to glow. 

“No! Don’t you - don’t you…” your voice faded as he once again put you under. 

“Exxo, please set course back to where Wyatt went missing. I’ll have to stay with her to make sure she sleeps. Thor, will you have her fill you in?”

“Of course, Brother,” Thor replied.

“This way.” Exxo was more than willing to get out of the way and let Loki deal with you. 

After they had left, Loki took his wine glass with him into the bedroom to check on you. Unbelievably, you were beginning to move again as you fought against his spell. He finished his drink, then laid down beside you and pulled you close. 

“It’s alright,” he whispered softly before kissing your temple. “Rest now, we’ll find our son.”

At his reassurance, you trembled, but then began to relax as Loki continued to speak to you while again strengthening his spell. 

Wyatt….my son...my son…

Your mental voice was soft in Loki’s head, and the anguish he felt from you made him tighten his hold. He was able to keep the spell strong for several hours, until he dozed. He woke later when you started moving again. You had escaped his embrace and were trying to get up, but he pulled you back against him. 

“No, please don’t...please…” you begged as he arranged himself against the headboard and put you between his legs so that he could hold you against his chest. 

Loki could hear the seams in his shirt sleeve popping as you twisted the material in your fist while trying to break free.

“I won’t if you will be still and rest,” he murmured, once again caressing your head. “Just be still.”

He ran his hand up and down your arm to sooth your trembling; you finally let go and sobbed against his neck, releasing control for the moment. Loki continued to speak softly, his hands gentle, until you did go to sleep.  

Just as he laid his head back against the wall, he was slightly startled when an animal jumped on the bed. They stared at each other for a few minutes. 

“Hello, Boo,” Loki said, cautiously.

Boo meowed softly before walking along Loki’s leg so that he could look into your face. He then started purring quite loudly after he crawled into your arms where he could curl up on you and partially on Loki. Once he was settled, your hand instinctively reached out to touch him. 

After the Flerkin got still, Loki could feel the vibrations from the purring; he found the sound soothing and knew that it would help you to relax. Boo angled his head so that he could shift his gaze from you to Loki, and his eyes were half closed. 

Loki conjured a small pillow so that he didn’t disturb you or Boo and put it behind his head. He soon drifted off to sleep with Boo keeping watch. 

— — 

The next morning, Loki woke to find that no one had moved at all, other than now both your hands circled his bicep as if you were afraid of losing him. Boo moved once Loki stirred, and he padded to the foot of the bed before curling up. 

When Loki’s hand caressed your head, you woke with a start, your breath catching with a soft shudder. He didn’t release you, just held on until you had your wits about you. 

“It’s alright,” he said, softly. 

He put his hand over yours when you reached up to touch his cheek, then turned his face slightly so he could kiss your palm. 

“Why don’t you go shower while I have food brought? You need to eat,” he asked.

“Not hungry,” you replied, closing your eyes. 

You didn’t want to face the day without Wyatt, knowing that your son was in danger and that you couldn’t get to him. Loki held you for a while longer before scooping you up to carry you to the bathroom. 

He set you onto your feet, then reached into the shower with one hand while keeping you steady; once the water was warm enough, he undressed you since you wouldn’t do it yourself. You swayed unsteadily, with your head hanging down.

“Step in, you’ll feel much better.”

You gave a small shake of your head before Loki cupped your chin in order to look into your eyes. He could see that you were near exhaustion, despite having slept for several hours. 

Finally, he took matters into his own hands. You barely stirred when his clothes disappeared, but you did resist slightly when he pushed you into the stall, then forced you under the spray of warm water. 

Loki wet your hair thoroughly before gently shampooing it, then rinsed it while taking care not to get the lather in your eyes. When he soaped your skin, his fingers found and released the tension in your neck, shoulders and back. 

Once finished, he wrapped a warm towel around your body before toweling your hair. He dressed himself, dried you off, then helped you into a fresh gown. You staggered slightly when he led you back into the bedroom, then into the living area. 

Loki pulled you into his lap as he sat at the dining table, which held a tray of fresh food. He surmised that Exxo must have monitored your stateroom so that she could have it ready. 

“I don’t want it,” you told him. 

“Then sit still while I eat,” he replied, while pouring wine for you both. 

You accepted the glass that he put into your hand but didn’t drink, then you simply ignored him. 

“You’re not going to be in any shape to help Wyatt if you don’t keep your strength up,” he finally commented, with a sigh. 

He felt you shudder before your shoulders started trembling. Your hands tightened on the wineglass, threatening to crush it before he quickly took it away. 

“They will all pay...I will make them burn,” you whispered, as tears brimmed in your eyes. 

“And I will help you,” he murmured, his voice hardening. “As will Thor and Exxo.”

“Exxo…” your voice trailed off as a tear slowly slid down your cheek. “I’ve mistreated her...and my crew…”

“I’m sure they will forgive you. You know that they will fight to the death for both you and Wyatt, don’t you?”

“I don’t know why they should.”

“I can think of many reasons why they would,” Loki replied, his hand running up and down your back soothingly.

“Thor’s here?”

“Yes, he’s with Exxo on the bridge. She tells me that it will take several days to reach the planet where our son went missing, so I want you to spend the time resting and eating.”

— — —

You agreed to stay in your stateroom for the next few days, while Loki remained with you to make sure that you ate adequately and rested. You couldn’t turn your thoughts off, though, and found yourself reaching out to listen for any trace of Wyatt’s presence. 

The action did keep you from fully regaining your strength, but there wasn’t much that Loki could do about that. He couldn’t keep you under a spell that was intended to make you sleep as you kept breaking out of it. He also didn’t want to antagonize you by continuing an attempt to control you that way. 

While Loki was otherwise occupied, Thor stayed on the bridge with Exxo. She had told him what happened with Wyatt and Emmi, who was with him when he disappeared. 

During one of the few times that you allowed your son to leave the ship, he and Emmi went missing. Wyatt had begged to go to a candy shop that was only a block away from where you and Exxo were conducting a business arrangement. So you had agreed to it, and sent a couple of men with them as protection. 

Your client had insisted on meeting you face to face, something which you rarely did, in order to discuss the terms of a bounty that had been offered to you. Exxo normally handled these, but you were going to be at the space port anyway, so you thought it might be a good opportunity to give the man an opportunity to say that he had met personally with “Kepptinn.”

He was disappointed of course when you never removed the mask or spoke to him directly. Exxo was amused as always, since so many had tried to get a good look at you or to hear your voice. 

During the meeting, you’d suddenly felt a stab of terror from Wyatt and Emmi, and had jumped to your feet in a panic. You grabbed Exxo’s arm and teleported with her to their location; they weren’t there but the bodies of the two crewmen who had escorted them were. 

You then teleported with her directly to the bridge of the Corsair, after recalling the few crew members who were still planet side.

You heard Wyatt calling for you, then nothing. You could tell that he was getting further away until he went quiet, making you realize that he had been silenced. 

You could just barely feel him once you started after them, then they were gone. You chased them through several jump points, but couldn’t catch up before you lost touch with Wyatt. 

That was when Exxo took command, because you simply lost it. You furiously destroyed two ships that got in the way of your search after they had challenged you for entering their territories. 

After that, you took to roaming the ship, not sleeping, not eating, and showing up in places that you rarely visited, until you ended up in the cargo bay with the Sparrow.

You never knew that Exxo had set course for Earth and Loki until he was on the ship. 

— — —

You were asleep when the ship reached the port of the planet from where Wyatt was taken. Loki watched over you, kept the stateroom quiet, and the lights dimmed while Boo slept curled up against your neck. 

Loki sat in a corner, waiting for you to wake up on your own. The last few days had been rough, with you fighting sleep and not wanting to eat. Your powers had gained strength over the last several years, making him aware that you could be very dangerous if pushed. 

When you stirred enough to wake Boo, Loki silently walked toward the bed to sit beside you. After a couple of minutes, you took a deep breath and sat up slowly. 

“We’re here,” you whispered, while rubbing your eyes. 

“Yes,” Loki replied. “After you’ve showered and eaten, we will go to the bridge and get an update from Exxo and Thor.”

You surprised him when you nodded without argument. 

— —

Later, when Loki brought you to the bridge, Exxo waited for an explosion of your temper. She stood and moved away from the captain’s chair, while she watched you warily. 

“Exxo.” You motioned with your hand for her to follow you to a spot where you could speak privately to her. 

“Kepptinn?” She asked, when you said nothing for a couple of minutes. 

“I ask your forgiveness for the way I’ve treated you...you were right to get Loki,” you said, softly. “And the crew...I will understand if anyone wants to leave the ship.”

“No one wants to leave you, Kepptinn,” she replied, firmly. “We are going to help you find your son. All of us.”

You hastily wiped tears away before pressing your forehead against hers briefly. She laid her hand on your forearm and squeezed gently. 

“Alright, let’s find the trail,” Loki said, when you and Exxo returned. 

“We should start down there,” you replied, motioning to the planet. 

“You are going to stay on the ship,” Loki told you. “Exxo and I, and some of the crew will go down and start asking around. We can't have you losing control and killing everyone.”

“I could do that from here if I wanted,” you responded, angrily. 

“That may be so, but you won’t,” Loki replied. “If anyone down there knows where Wyatt is or who took him, they may panic and do something drastic.”

“Exxo has already put out feelers to some of her contacts from the Ravagers.” Thor joined the conversation. “Messages are starting to come in, so we will go through them from here.”

You wanted to fight them all on this, but you saw their logic. The people on the planet had never seen Loki, and were less likely to be guarded in his presence, and would not know that he was capable of seeing through lies. 

“Alright.” You finally gave in with a nod. 

“Stay here,” Loki told you one final time before he and Exxo left the bridge. 

You sank into the captain’s seat tiredly, then smoothed Boo’s fur when he jumped into your lap. He stretched out, all the while purring loudly. 

“Play the messages.” 

— — — 

After Loki and Exxo left the Corsair to go planet-side, you and Thor sorted through the messages that had come in. No one had any concrete information, just a few hints of rumors, but they swore to pass anything forward if they felt it was important. Ravagers didn’t tolerate anyone that dealt in children and they would help in any way possible. 

Stakar Ogord had taken a liking to you even though you hadn’t yet joined the Ravagers’ ranks. He had an immense network of contacts and informants who were put to the task of listening out for any word of a child stolen from his bounty hunter mother. 

“Nothing,” you murmured, near tears. 

Boo meowed softly at you before resuming his nap in the crook of your arm, where he had stayed for the entire time. You ran your hand along his back several times to soothe him and you. 

“We’ll find him,” Thor assured you, softly. “Loki will not give up, nor will I.”

While waiting on Loki and Exxo, you stared at the large screen in front of you that displayed the planet below. Idly, you mentally reached out to the vast population just to listen and to pass the time. It was difficult controlling the noise from the thoughts of so many inhabitants, but you’d practiced enough that the act no longer gave you severe headaches. 

Thor watched, noting that your eyes were closed but you would move your head slightly from side to side as if following something. The fingers on one hand rubbed the arm of your chair, causing Thor to realize that you’d done that so often that you had worn grooves into it. 

While you were quiet and still, your thoughts turned back to the day that Wyatt and Emmi had been taken. Something about it felt wrong, but you couldn’t put your finger on it. 

You were still listening when Loki and Exxo returned to the bridge. Exxo motioned for Loki to be quiet, as did Thor. Silently, Loki watched until you took a deep breath. 

“Exxo.”

“Kepptinn?”

“That day, when we were discussing that bounty...how long ago was that?”

“Almost three weeks now, Kepptinn,” she replied. 

“We never made an arrangement, since we left so suddenly. Has he contacted us since?”

“No,” she said. 

“And it was so urgent that I had to meet him in person, wasn’t it?”

“Yes,” she responded. 

Your chair turned slowly so that you could look at her and at the brothers. 

“I rarely leave the ship,” you told Loki. “When I do, I keep Wyatt with me, or very close by, along with Emmi. Except on this day. He wanted to go to a sweets shop, and I let him.”

Exxo gasped as she realized what you were getting at. “A pretense?”

You looked toward the screen again, thoughtfully. Then your fist came down hard enough on the chair’s arm to jar Boo, who complained loudly. You immediately soothed him again while looking back at Loki. 

“He’s no longer on the planet. I didn’t read his thoughts, except on the surface, and that was a mistake,” you told him, your voice breaking. “Your son is missing because of me.”

Boo meowed again when you moved him off your lap in order to stand. When Loki reached for you, you sidled away with a shake of your head. 

“Exxo, find that man.”

Before Loki could say anything, you teleported off the bridge. He looked at Exxo in alarm while she quickly drew up a computer screen. 

“She’s in her cabin,” she said. 

The Flerkin gave a low growl before he, too, disappeared. Exxo sighed, relieved to have just a little piece of the puzzle, but she also knew that you held on by a thread, and if that thread broke, there wasn’t much that could be done to stop you. 

“Does he always do that?” Thor asked. 

“The Flerkin?” She said. “He usually stays with Wyatt, but now...he follows her. We should hope that Boo isn’t present when we find out who took Wyatt.”

“Why’s that?” Loki asked. 

“Because he will eat them.”

— — —

When Loki entered your stateroom, you were pacing again, making him concerned about your state of mind. Exxo had conveyed her worry about you, and he could see her point. Boo watched from the foot of the bed and meowed periodically.

“Pet…” he blocked your path while he reached for you.

He was caught by surprise when you slammed both fists into his chest with enough force to stagger him two steps backwards. 

“You should have been here!” You shouted, angrily, then slammed your fists into him again. 

You then started throwing punches, causing him to move quickly to pin your arms down even as he pulled you against him. He was grateful that you weren’t throwing lightning around and he now knew that you were far stronger than he suspected. 

“You should have been here!” You screamed, while twisting in his grip, determined to break free. 

He tried to hold on without hurting you, but you were fighting so hard that he was sure you’d have bruises. 

Your nails raked any part of him that you could reach: the backs of his arms, his ribs, and his back. His shirt gave way in places, so he quickly changed into his light chest plate with leathers to protect his back. 

“Easy,” he whispered in your ear. 

“You should have been here,” you told him, before breaking down and sobbing against his neck. 

He put one hand on the back of your head and held you tightly when the strength left you. When your tears were spent, you attempted to pull away but he wouldn’t let go. Instead, he sat down on the bed and pulled you close. 

“I-I’m sorry - that wasn’t fair to you..” 

“It’s alright, I understand,” he murmured.

“No, it’s not fair to say that to you. I had no right, since I put you back on Earth and left you there.”

You slowly raised a hand so that you could stroke his cheek. Loki smiled softly when your thumb ran across his mouth, then leaned in when you pressed your lips to his. 

“Forgive me,” you whispered. 

“There is nothing to forgive,” he responded. 

“I’ve missed you,” you said then. 

“I have missed you as well, pet,” he replied, before kissing you again. “Now, did you hurt your hands?”

You shook your head even though he carefully checked to be certain that you hadn’t broken anything. When finished, he stood before kneeling at your feet to pull your boots off. You nearly balked when he motioned for you to lay down, but obeyed when he joined you. 

“I don’t think you need this right now.” You tapped lightly on the armor he still wore. 

“Right.” Loki quickly exchanged it for a dark green silk shirt. “Better?”

“Much.”

Once you were comfortably settled against him, you took his hand and interlaced your fingers with his. His other hand caressed your shoulder while you both remained silent. 

“Now, tell me about this meeting, and the man that you spoke to.”

After you told him what happened and what you knew about the man, Loki squeezed your hand before raising it to his lips. He continued to hold it until you pulled away so that you could undo the top two buttons of his shirt. 

Then you stroked his throat before sliding your hand into the opening and across his collarbone. Your eyes drifted closed as you felt and heard Loki’s breathing, along with his heartbeat, under your cheek. 

I love you.

He’d never reciprocated the sentiment, and had only told you a couple of times that he cared for you, although you knew that he loved Wyatt. So you weren’t expecting any type of response; you were content to have his affection. 

You were almost asleep when he spoke so softly that you barely heard him. 

“I love you, too.”

He’d said it: he loved you. It surprised you so much that it took more than a few seconds for your brain to completely register his words.

He also called you by your true name, which you hadn’t heard in a long while. No one on the Corsair knew it, nor did any of the Ravagers’ bosses. Loki rarely used it, opting instead for his pet names for you. You found yourself wishing that he’d say it more often. 

— — —

While you and Loki were resting, Exxo had Thor help her send out messages asking for the whereabouts of the man that had met with you regarding that bounty. She also sent a message directly to him, apologizing for the abrupt departure and asked if he still needed to hire someone. 

Boo appeared back on the bridge and promptly curled up in the captain’s chair, all the while giving Exxo the side-eye. She snorted softly but let him be. 

“You know that I’m second in command,” she told the Flerkin, while pointing a finger at him. 

Boo chirped softly while he stretched before curling up again. The tip of his tail flicked slowly until his eyes closed. 

Exxo shook her head as she returned to her computer station. “He’s an insolent thing.”

Thor glanced back at Boo. “How would such a small creature eat something more than double his size?”

“Believe me, you don’t want to know. Let’s just say it’s a messy affair,” she replied. 

“But Wyatt is safe with him?”

“Yes, otherwise Samel wouldn’t have brought him onboard when he was a kitten. Wyatt was taught to be careful, and Boo has not so much as hissed at him.”

“That’s good to know,” Thor said, relieved. 

Before Exxo could comment further, the computer gave an alert that someone was hailing them. She put the call onto the larger forward screen, then was surprised to see that it was Stakar Ogord. 

“Exxo,” he nodded slightly. 

“Stakar,” she replied. “Any news?”

“We may have something; where’s Kyrie?”

“She’s resting right now. Wyatt’s father is here with us. This is Thor, his uncle.”

The men nodded slightly to each other before Stakar continued with the purpose of the call. 

“We haven’t found Wyatt yet, however, we do have the location of the person you met regarding the bounty,” he told her. “Currently he’s on Reumion. I have several small ships keeping an eye on him. If he leaves the planet, they will follow as best they can and report back.”

“We will set course immediately,” she replied. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” Stakar replied. “How is she?”

Exxo paused before answering. “Not good. The sooner we find Wyatt, the better.”

“Agreed,” Stakar responded. “Several of us will meet you there.”

With that, the screen went blank.  Exxo sighed deeply, going limp in her seat after she ordered the pilot to set the new course. She debated calling your stateroom to advise of the news, but felt that you likely needed the rest, and she didn’t want you to get keyed up again. 

“Let her rest,” Thor said, as if reading her mind. “So, ‘Kyrie?’”

Exxo smiled at his confusion. “She took that name when Stakar pushed her during their first meeting. He refused to call her ‘Kepptinn.’”

Thor grinned when she laughed softly. He’d always had a soft spot for you, even before the lab accident with the Power Stone. He’d taken up for you several times when he felt that the SHIELD scientists were mistreating you. 

They were silent for a while, then Exxo had some food brought to the bridge. She wouldn’t leave until she was able to inform you of Stakar’s report, and she thought that Thor might also be hungry. 

— — —

While you slept against his side, Loki remained awake. When you moved restlessly or whimpered, he would occasionally rub your arm or neck soothingly so that you would settle. 

Once Wyatt was returned to the ship, he considered what would happen next. He wasn’t certain whether Wyatt would still be safe, and he knew that you were unlikely to return to Earth voluntarily. 

If he left Earth, it would be considered an escape since he hadn’t finished the terms of his exile from Asgard, although that concerned him not at all. He didn’t have a way to escape, unless he was able to convince you to liberate him again. 

You had brought him back after the first excursion due to the fact that he’d chosen to save his own skin rather than keep you with him. He regretted that immensely, and would change what he’d done if given a chance to undo it. 

Loki especially regretted the fact that neither of you had known about Wyatt beforehand. He hadn’t thought that the two of you were compatible enough to have offspring, and he also assumed that the Power Stone mishap would have made you incapable of having children. 

So much for that, he mused. 

He also knew that bringing him back to Earth was the only thing that you could have done at the time. It was punishment for abandoning you, but also was to keep him safe and so that you would know where he was. Loki saw the wisdom in that, even though he didn’t like it. 

Once you had put him back in the Tower, SHIELD agents questioned him until he stopped cooperating. They wanted to know where you were, and whether he could lure you back. 

Loki was relieved that SHIELD couldn’t get to you or his son, and that you wouldn’t be returning to Earth anytime soon. He was okay with that and he trusted you to keep Wyatt safe. 

He glanced toward the window, and watched the stars for several minutes until it dawned on him that the ship was moving. Loki started to get up, but stopped before he woke you. He wanted an update, but didn’t want to disturb you, since it was hard to convince you to sleep. 

You woke a while later, sitting up groggily while rubbing your eyes. When you glanced over at Loki, you found that he was asleep. Although you didn’t want to wake him, you did have to get up, so you were careful when crawling off the bed. Once you left the bathroom, you went to the table for something to drink, and did a double take when you realized that the ship was moving. 

“Exxo?” You activated a communication screen and spoke softly. 

“Kepptinn,” she acknowledged. “While you were sleeping, Stakar contacted us. They’ve found Fayard’s ship at Reumion, and have it under surveillance. I’ve set a course, and Stakar will meet us there.”

“Good.” Your eyes glittered, and Exxo could see just the faintest tint of purple. 

“They haven’t seen Wyatt,” she cautioned. “He may not be on that ship.”

“If he knows anything about our son, I will know,” you responded. 

— — —

By the time the Corsair reached the dock at Reumion, Fayard’s ship had left. He hadn’t been gone very long, so Exxo followed the trail provided by Stakar and your ship rapidly gained on him. 

You were in your chair on the bridge, with Boo occupying one of the arm rests. Your fingers anxiously rubbed into the grooves on the other side while waiting on the other ship to come into view. 

When the ship was just a tiny speck on the forward screen, Boo sat up abruptly and hissed. He then disappeared from the bridge, causing Loki and Thor to jump slightly. 

“I-I can sense Emmi,” you told them softly. “But Fayard’s getting ready to hit a jump-point.”

“And Wyatt?” Loki asked, after he came to stand behind you. 

You were silent for several minutes while you carefully reached out to Emmi. You cautioned her not to react when you spoke to her, then asked about Wyatt. 

“He’s there…” you responded, with your voice breaking. “They’ve drugged him.”

Loki’s fury rose, along with yours, that someone would dare to lay a finger on your son. You touched a button on your console, then directed Samel to get the Sparrow ready to launch. It was much faster than the Corsair and could easily follow Fayard’s ship. 

“Loki, you and Thor take the Sparrow and follow him. Boo is already there, Emmi says. He will guard Wyatt until you get there.”

“And what are you planning, pet?” Loki asked, his keen gaze on you.

“I’m going after my child, once I disable that ship.”

“You’re not going alone,” he told you while taking hold of your arm. “Thor can follow in the Sparrow but I’m going with you.”

“Fine,” you replied, knowing that you could leave him behind when you teleported, if you chose to do so. However, you also realized that it wouldn’t be fair to him, plus there would be consequences if you did that.

So you stared at the screen again, listening to the mental thoughts of the other ship’s captain. Then you targeted the ship’s engines by telekinesis, causing them all to fail so that it would slowly grind to a halt. 

“Exxo, have Samel come to the bridge, then you can go with Thor while Loki and I go directly to that ship.”

She looked at you worriedly; she could tell from your stance and expression that you were in a destructive mindset. 

“Stakar is almost here -“ she started, but was interrupted. 

“I’m not waiting on him.”

“As you wish, Kepptinn,” she replied. 

Before you could leave, though, a signal came through from the other ship. 

“Voice only, Exxo, no visual,” you told her. “You speak to him.”

She followed your direction and opened the channel.

“Fayard?”

“Ahh, the first mate of the famed Kepptinn,” the man greeted her, sarcastically. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“You have something aboard that doesn’t belong to you,” she replied. 

“Don’t you mean ‘someone’, my dear?”

Exxo muted the channel as Loki wrapped his arms around you, holding on tightly when your eyes and fingertips started glowing. Thor jumped up to help him, while Exxo and Samel stared at you in consternation.  

“Don’t,” Thor whispered. “Let him talk.”

Thor took your hand when you looked at him with tears brimming your eyes. 

“What do you want?” Exxo asked, opening the channel again. 

“I want to see the face of the bitch that killed my brother, and then appropriated his ship,” was the reply. “With no masks between us. You tell her that, and tell her that I’ll be waiting.”

With that, the transmission was cut. You then struggled to get Loki to release you, but he wouldn’t. 

“Let go! I will kill him!” You screamed in anger and frustration. “Let go of me!!”

“Listen to me,” Loki said, firmly. “Be still and listen or I will knock you out.”

“You wouldn’t!” You sobbed.

“I will. Now listen,” he responded. “I have a plan.”

— — 

When the Sparrow approached Fayard’s ship, Exxo contacted him and let him know that Kepptinn was coming aboard. Exxo piloted the small ship close enough, then you teleported to the other ship to meet Fayard. 

“Ah, Kepptinn, welcome aboard,” Fayard greeted you, still sarcastically. “I’m sure I told your mate that I wanted no masks between us.”

“As you wish,” you replied, before deactivating your mask. 

He studied you silently for a long time, and you met his gaze without fear or unease. When he slowly approached you, you remained still until he felt he was close enough.

“So young,” he commented, eyes skimming over you. “It hardly shows that you’ve had at least one brat.”