Chapter 7
"What?"
"You're going to have a son... Well, you already have a son... I... I didn't know how to tell you earlier and... Gods... He was just like you already... Wouldn't let me fucking sleep because he was busy doing backflips and shit..." He laughs at that and coughs because he laughed. "He's gonna need you... So you have to be OK! Because we're supposed to be growing older with each other and watching the kids grow up together..."
"Rogue... You will be amazing with him... Thor will help you..."
"But he'll need his father, Loki... Not his uncle..."
"My Treasure, everything will be OK... I love you..."
"No... No... Don't say that... Not now..." He lifts his hand and gently cups my cheek, brushing tears away with his thumb.
"I love you, My Treasure... My Dear Captain..."
"Well... I hate you... And... I love you... Cuz... I can't help it..." He smiles gently at me and pulls my head down so our foreheads rest against each other.
"Duly noted... We will see each other again, Captain... Don't let it be too soon... Alright, my Stars?" I squeeze my eyes shut and nod slightly. "I love you... My Treasure..."
"I love you too... My Harmonius Solar System," I whisper and he brushes our lips together before he goes limp in my arms. I clench my jaw slightly as I pull away and gently check his pulse, trying to keep it together as I close his eyes.
"Dada?" Quill asks as she toddles over to us and gently pushes on his chest. "Dada? Mama, wha' Dada doin'?" She asks me slowly and I look at her.
"Your Daddy..." I stop talking to try to keep control and Gamora swoops in to save me.
"Your Daddy did something really brave to keep us all safe. And now it's time for him to rest because he's earned it and he deserves it. So, let's give Mom some time alone with him, yeah?"
"Kay... Dada... Happy?" I feel the others watching me but I can't manage to react and hold Loki tightly, lifting him slightly to hold him against my chest.
"He doesn't hurt anymore, sweetheart. Come on. Why don't we go talk to Odin and Frigga, huh?" She picks her up and goes over to the others with the rest of the kids. I hold him against my chest and hang my head to rest it against his shoulder, breaking down.
"I'm saying baby please have mercy on me... Take it easy on my heart... Even if you don't mean to hurt me... You keep tearing me apart... Would you please have mercy... Mercy... On my heart... Would you please have mercy... Mercy... On my heart... I'm begging you for mercy... Mercy... Mercy..." I sing softly through the tears and rock slightly. "Hasn't even been a whole solar cycle and I already broke my damn promise..." I clench my fingers in his duster and finally feel my tears start to slow. "As long as we both do love," I whisper and simply lift him into my arms as I stand.
"What are you doing, Rogue?"
"Rest bed needs to be prepared, right?" They don't respond and I board the Shadowblade with him, going to get a rest bed prepared. Thor comes in and watches me as I lay him on the rest bed, gently pushing his hair away from his head. "Quill wants you to be happy... And I want you to be at peace now... Because... Gamora's right... You've earned it and you sure as Hell deserve it... I love you, Loki, my Harmonious Solar System, my stars, my love..." I gently press my lips to his forehead and kneel next to his rest bed, gently playing with his hair.
"I'm going to name him after you, y'know? And I'm going to make sure Quill never forgets about you and that she always knows how much her Daddy loved her... And... I'm going to try to find a way to forgive you... But... I don't know if I'll ever be able to... Eternity is a long time... And it'll be even longer without you by my side..." I run my fingers through his hair and look at his hand, gently taking his ring. "May we be reunited in the stars one day..." I stand and leave, not noticing Thor standing right outside the doorway as I pocket Loki's ring. The others were boarding the ship and I let them, disembarking to grab my ale.
"Captain? I... I wanted to apologize... For breaking my oath..."
"You can't protect somebody from themselves, Neb. You can try, but you'll fail. You did nothing wrong. You wanna get us out of here so we can send him into the stars?"
"Of course, Captain." She waits for everyone to board that was coming with us and the Captains and First Mates board too, leaving their Lead Navs in charge of piloting their ships for the time being. She pilots us off of the planet and looks at me. "What should we be close to, Captain?"
"Close to Contraxia."
"Aye, Captain." She sets a course to Contraxia and I lean against a wall, drinking my ale. The adults in my family, minus my crew, were looking at me in concern and I ignore them. "Um, Captain... If you don't mind me asking... Where is Loki's son?"
"A friend on Xandar is watching him. Where else do you think I disappeared to for nine lunar cycles after Quill was born but before we landed on Terra again? Narnia?"
"What is Narnia?"
"Never mind. We'll be stopping to pick him up after we're done with Loki."
"Alright, Captain." I finish my bottle of ale and toss it to Thor. He catches it easily and looks at me as I watch out the window with a blank face, arms crossed.
"What are you planning to do with Loki's ring?" Thor asks and they look at him, shocked.
"Give it to Quill or our son. You following me now, Odinson?"
"Loki did volunteer me to help you."
"With the kids. Not my life. I've got that handled."
"Clearly."
"If you're trying to say something, come out and say it." I was still staring out the window and he doesn't respond for a moment.
"You have watched the two men that swore to always stay by your side die slowly and painfully. No one would have their life handled after that. Especially not someone with numerous children to care for."
"That's why I have my life handled so easily. I've got kids to take care of. Doesn't leave much time for me to feel sorry for myself. Does it?"
"I suppose it does not." I push off of the wall when we go through the final jump and are hovering outside of Contraxia's atmosphere, messaging someone on my wrist com.
"They'll be bringing the kid here so we don't have to go out that way," I tell Nebula and she nods as we head to the funeral room where the kids were already waiting. Quill was confused and the other kids weren't holding it together that great since Loki had become their father figure.
"Daddy Loki died?" Leta asks and I look at her.
"Yeah, kiddo. He did. He died protecting everyone."
"Like a hero, Mommy?"
"Exactly like a hero. Know why?" She shakes her head and I gently pat her head. "Because that's what he was. He was a hero. You understand that?" She nods and hugs my leg gently. I pat her head gently and look at Loki's body silently for a moment. "Neb."
"On it, Captain." She loads the chamber he'll go through and I watch slightly, hand resting on Leta's head gently. "Who is going to push his rest bed through, Captain?"
"Thor?" He looks at me and I motion toward the rest bed. He nods and goes toward it with Frigga and Odin.
"Goodbye, my Son..." Frigga gently kisses Loki's forehead and Odin hangs his head slightly before gently pulling Frigga back. She composes herself with a slow breath and Thor says something by Loki's ear before pushing the rest bed into the chamber.
"Captain?"
"May the stars welcome you graciously and may you hear the Horns of Freedom as we release you into eternal peace. May you find everyone that you have lost along the way." I gently tap my right fist over my heart and the others do the same after a moment. "And may we find a way to live without you," I whisper to myself and gently ruffle Leta's hair. "Come on. We've got to meet somebody planetside."
"OK." Nebula contacts Avu and I feel us go through the atmosphere before we land.
"Come on." I lead them to the ladder that leads planetside and I slide down it first, seeing an inconspicuous ship land next to us. "Let's go, guys. They're here." They slide down too and Gamora holds Quill on her back as she climbs down. The rest of my family follows as I go toward the ship and a little guy crawls off. "Hey, buddy." I pick him up before he can hit the snow and Frigga gasps when she sees him.
"He looks just like Loki..." I look at the person who was caring for him and hug her gently.
"Thank you, Irani..."
"Of course, Rogue. I will miss him. His name is...?"
"Loki Laufeyson."
"Where is Loki?" I don't respond and hold our son closer. "Oh... I'm sorry..."
"It's fine..." Frigga had come over and looks at Loki or Junior.
"May I?"
"Yeah..." I gently pass him to her and the kids were crowded around to look at him.
"Mommy. He looks like Daddy Loki."
"That's why his name is also Loki, kiddo."
"Oh. OK. Can we go to the game place?"
"Sure, kiddo. Get some people to go with you guys."
"OK. Stucky, you guys come with us, please?" I snort slightly at the name she uses and Steve rolls his eyes.
"Sure, kid. We'll come with you. Come on, Punk." Bucky wraps his flesh arm around his head and leads him to the arcade bar with the kids, Nebula, Odin, Frigga, Laura, Michelle, and Pepper while Gamora and Petey hang back.
"What's up?"
"Can we stay with you?" They look at me and I'd have to be blinder than what I am and deaf to not see and hear that they're worried about me.
"Sure. Why not?" I smile slightly at them and look toward the place that gives private areas, remembering my date with Loki there.
"Mom?" I look at Petey and he looks more worried. "You OK?"
"Hm... I'm not going to give a solid answer to that. Why?"
"They've been trying to get your attention for a couple of minutes now." He points to the Ogords and they were looking at me with slight pity.
"Don't look at me like that. I was caught up in memories, alright? What did you want?"
"Where are we going to go?"
"That place has good food," Tony suggests carefully as he points at the place and I nod my agreement.
"Gives private areas and has good booze."
"But... Didn't you and Loki go there for a date?" Gamora asks and I look at her. "I saw you both come out of there and go back in when Indri got grabbed by that creepy guy."
"Yeah. We did. It'll be fine. I'm not going to shatter into billions of tiny pieces. Have some faith in me and my composure."
"What about after you get alcohol in you?"
"Good question. We're about to find out. Let's go." I lead the way into the place and the host looks at us.
"Captains. One private area?"
"Yup."
"Up those stairs. Menus will be waiting for you all on the table." I nod and lead the way to the area, looking around slightly. I notice Irani had come as well and was in simple clothes as we sit.
"Mom. We can't read this," Petey says and I open their menus before looking at mine.
"You'd be able to if you kept up with your studies. Or should I start putting time limits on when I want them done so that you do them?"
"How would we learn if we're rushing through it?"
"All of the holopad lessons have tests and quizzes on them. You'd know that if you studied them."
"We've been busy..."
"You've been busy crushing on the other kids on the crew, namely Tex."
"What? No, we haven't!" I glance at them with a raised eyebrow and Petey was blushing while Gamora looked grossed out. I go back to looking at the menu and turn the page.
"Uh-huh. Look, crush on whoever you want to. Date whoever you want to. But, know this. If they ever dare to hurt you, I will kill them and nothing you say or do can stop me."
"And if we hurt them?" I fold my hands on top of my menu and look at them calmly, leaning forward slightly.
"You hurt your significant other and you won't be able to sit comfortably for at least a fucking annual cycle because I'll make sure your asses are tanned every damned day. You don't beat on someone who trusts and cares about you. That's called being a dickweed asshole person. Got it?"
"Got it," They say quickly and I narrow my eyes at them slightly before nodding.
"Good. Now... Tell me what this part says." I point to the top left corner of the menu and they look at it, thinking.
"Um... It says beverages at the end of it..."
"OK. Beginning?"
"We don't know, Mom. Can't we borrow a visor?"
"Nope."
"Come on!"
"No. Come on. Look at the letters individually. You know the alphabet, right?"
"Yeah..."
"Then piece the letters together to form the words. You got this." They look at it and take it to figure it out together while I go back to looking through mine, watching them a bit.
"Um... Non-alcoholic beverages?" Gamora tries and I look at the place I pointed to in my menu, turning the page afterward.
"You asking or telling?"
"Telling?"
"Asking or telling, guys?"
"Telling...?"
"Sounds like you're asking, to me."
"Kinda?"
"Asking. Or. Telling?"
"We're telling, Mom."
"So what is it?"
"Non-alcoholic beverages," They say and I nod.
"Good job. What're you getting to drink?"
"What? We have to decipher more words?" I look at them as I pause in turning a page of the menu and they look back at me.
"Well, I ain't reading it to you. Neither are they."
"The Kree language is easier to read," Gamora grumbles and I fold my arms on the table, looking at her.
"Sorry to break it to you, doll, but what you're reading is Standard Xandarian. Know what that means?"
"No..."
"It means that every shop, restaurant, and anything that will have signs, will use it. Because everyone knows it."
"But... This is hard!"
"So's life. You get used to it. Now... Quit whining and get to figuring out what you want."
"But-"
"Gamora. I promise you it is not as hard as you think it is. Is it difficult to learn another language in reading and writing after being taught one alone? Yes. Is it doable? Yes. So, what're you gonna do?"
"Suck it up, buttercup, and get it done."
"Good girl. If you're truly stuck, I'll help you out a bit. Alright?"
"OK..."
"Just... Try?"
"OK..." I gently ruffle her hair and she fixes it with a grumble, going back to trying to read it with Petey while they talk quietly.
"Mom? What are you getting?" I look at the menu and gently pull the menu out of Gamora's hands to point to the purple bleeding steak and angel devil's food cake baby.
"This stuff."
"Is it good?"
"No. I get it because it tastes like rubber."
"Got it. Delicious. Can we get that too?"
"Depends."
"On what?"
"Got a drink decided? And are you just using it as a way to get out of having to read the menu?"
"Whaaaat? We'd never do thaaaat!" They say together and I look at them plainly for a moment before going back to looking through the menu.
"Your voices got higher and you stretched out your a's. You guys suck at lying. You should work on your tells."
"Man... Can we still have that stuff?"
"What are you getting to drink first?"
"Mom, come on!"
"Drama check, your highness." She huffs slightly and I look at the non-alcoholic beverages. "How about this? I'll read the description of six of these drinks. If each of you gets three out of six right, you get... Your choice of two desserts or an extra hour of your favorite training. Sound good?"
"Really?"
"Yup."
"Deal!"
"Hold up."
"What?"
"You don't get to brag to your siblings about it and if you do you forfeit whatever you chose. Got it?" They nod and I look at the menu. "Green, fizzy, and sweet with purple ice." They look at the menu together and I wait for them to figure it out.
"The... Gorgon," Gamora says and I look at the name of the drink.
"Yup. Purple, flat, and sour." They look and I wait.
"The Rojam," Petey says and I quirk the corner of my mouth up slightly.
"Good. Let's see... Pink, bubbly, and kind of plain taste."
"The Egar," Gamora says at the same time as Petey and they glare at each other slightly, competitive sides out now.
"Nice. Two and two. This one tastes bubbly, is blue, and has red leaves in it."
"The Netlom," They say together and I smile slightly.
"How hard was that?" I smirk and they look at me, narrowing their eyes slightly. "What you two want?"
"Two desserts," Gamora says and I nod.
"Extra hour of pilot training, please."
"Alright. I can do that."
"Thanks." They smile and I smile slightly back.
"Can I have two slices of that cake you're getting instead of the meal? It'll still be the balanced diet Tex wants me to have."
"How's that?"
"Well, there's Terran chocolate on it, right?"
"Yeah..."
"And chocolate comes from a bean which is a vegetable? And it has grains for bread and all the other health crap Tex said we had to eat."
"You bring fair points."
"Yes!"
"But, no."
"What? Why?"
"None of that has any health crap backing it up. Also, Doc would kill me. You're still going to get two slices, but you're going to get a meal too. What do you want?"
"Can we just have what you get?"
"Sure. Drinks?"
"The Gorgon," They say together and I chuckle softly.
"Sure thing."
"Thanks." I notice the waiters come in and take the drink orders, coming back with them quickly. Most of the adults ordered alcohol, except for Irani, Tony, and Peter, and I had gotten the strongest one they had. They take the food orders and I listen to them talk, smiling slightly as I sip on my drink.
"So I got the space equivalent of vegetable doughnuts, right?" Peter asks and I look at him, thinking a bit.
"Yeah."
"I'm sorry. Of what?" Tony looks between us and I smirk slightly behind my glass.
"Vegetable doughnuts...?"
"What are those?"
"Onion rings," I tell him and he looks so confused. "They're deep-fried onions, which are vegetables. Doughnuts are deep-fried dough. Vegetable doughnuts."
"Yeah. It's right. Kinda like how your stomach thinks all potatoes are mashed," Peter adds and I nod.
"And lasagna is spaghetti flavored cake."
"Oh, God... There's another one..." Tony looked like he was about to cry and Peter and I look at each other.
"Should we tell him about lobsters?" I ask and he puts his head in his hands.
"What about lobsters? No, wait... Stop, please..."
"No, please. Continue," Irani says, fascinated, and Tony groans softly.
"They're mermaids to scorpions," We say together and he drops his head on the table.
"I hate my life..."
"You should." I sip my drink and Peter looks at him worried.
"Mr. Stark? Are you OK?" He doesn't respond and Peter looks at me. "I think we broke him..."
"I got this. Tony."
"What?"
"Rocket gave your suit some updates." His head shoots up and he glares at Rocket.
"You did what?"
"Fixed him."
"I hate you."
"Everyone does at this point. I don't blame them."
"We don't hate you that much," Doc says reassuringly and I look at them.
"Hey, Peter. If your leg got cut off, would it hurt?"
"Duh."
"How though?"
"Your leg got cut off."
"OK, yeah. But... Where would you feel the pain?"
"In your leg... Wait..."
"Exactly. How are you gonna feel the pain in your leg if your leg is gone?" He says the last five words with me and I had maintained eye contact with Doc the whole time.
"OK. You've proved your point."
"Are you two just fucking high all the damn time?" Tony asks and I look at him.
"I fucking wish!"
"How do you come up with this shit?"
"Memes," We say together and he covers his face with his hands.
"Maybe if I pretend they're sane for a while it'll happen..."
"Have fun with that. Wanna tap out with Pepper?"
"I can do that?"
"Will she eat what you ordered?"
"Yes."
"Have at it." He zooms out of the building and I shake my head slightly, taking a sip of my drink.
"Won't he break a hip if he goes that fast?" Petey asks and I inhale my drink as I start laughing before I start coughing. "Are you OK?"
"Yeah... What the fuck, dude?" I laugh and he shrugs a bit. "The suddenness of that statement was perfect timing... Good job, good job." I pat his head gently and he rolls his eyes slightly but had a small smile on his lips. "How's it going in your teams?"
"It's awesome. The pilot team is fun."
"Del's the Lead, right?" He nods and I nod back.
"He's been having me train a lot to make sure I'm good. But it's fun. He lets me do tricks and stuff."
"That's because the tricks you're doing will pay off in a fight with other ships. What about you, Gamora?"
"I'd rather work in Med than the Designer's Area."
"Then talk to the Med Team Leads and the team and see who would be willing to switch teams with you. We go through a lot of Leathers so we need to make sure the team has the same number it does."
"So that it isn't just two people struggling, it's at least five people working smoothly for each shift," She recites and I look at her. "You say it a lot."
"I am so sorry that I say that a lot."
"No, you aren't."
"You're right, I'm not," I smirk at her and she rolls her eyes. "Nobody's going to push themselves to the brink of death by exhaustion because other crewmembers can't pull their weight. Got it?"
"I get it."
"Good. Talk to the Med Team Leads tomorrow to see if they're cool with it then find someone willing to switch."
"I will." The food comes out as Pepper comes up and we all eat and talk. I smile a bit and mainly listen to the conversations.