Proposition

Loki's Library

Considering the size of the palace, Loki hadn't been particularly hard to find.

In fact, the main thing that slowed me down was the awkward leaning back waddle I had adapted to walking with, boy was that going to look attractive by the end of this ride.

I found him with a group of fighters I vaguely recognized facially but didn't recall the names of, laughing and joking amongst themselves.

Luckily, as I neared, they dispersed, them going one way and Loki another, his face instantly dropping and his eyes rolling when he knew they couldn't see.

"Don't look too thrilled to see me."

Loki jolted as if just being brought back to Asgard and looked at me, blinking his stupor away.

"Oh, I do apologise," he smiled, "I didn't even realize you were there."

"Well yeah," I laughed with a shrug, "I mean, I'm easily missed."

He laughed softly as he checked me over, not too secretly either, until his eyes stopped at my stomach.

"You're quite big," he said.

I huffed a laugh through my nose and nodded slowly.

"Yeah, to put it lightly."

"Are you here for your check-up?"

"I was, I just finished it."

"Really? And how did it go?"

"That is actually why I am this deep into the palace," I smiled unsurely, suddenly feeling uneasy, "usually I would just leave as quickly as I can so no one will see me, but Frigga suggested that I come to speak to you."

"Mother did?"

I nodded, tapping a light tune onto my bump as a means of comfort.

"Yes, she came to see me and said you should be who I talked to about my questions."

Loki regarded me for a minute and then smiled, dipping his head.

"I would love to answer your questions, let us find somewhere more private."

Loki stepped up beside me and placed a hand on the small of my back, leading me down the hall.

The coldness of his hand almost immediately seeped through my clothes, at first it startled me before it started to feel like a comfort on my warm skin.

I'd forgotten just how chilled his skin was, by this point I would have believed that I'd remember as it wasn't too long ago that we had slept together again, but I decided to chalk it down to baby brain and leave it at that.

We walked for what felt like an eternity, mostly due to all my aches and the additional weight, before Loki opened a door and gently nudged me inside.

I wasn't sure how I hadn't noticed, but Loki had been leading me to his infamous library.

The one that only a select few people could enter.

"Please," he said as the doors banged shut and he locked them behind him, "get comfortable."

I glanced at him then moved towards the steps that led down to the aisles, noticing the slight cold bite in the air.

Holding onto the wooden rail, I carefully made my way down while admiring the rows upon rows of ridiculously tall and seemingly never-ending bookshelves.

At the bottom of the stairs I stepped into to a patterned, green and black tiled circle, a thick gold trim rimming the outside before leading down to the long path down the middle of the bookshelves.