Signe's pregnancy was one month short of what was typical in Asgard, likely due to their baby's Frost Giant heritage. Birth lasted a grueling thirteen hours, during which Loki refused to eat or sleep. He stayed at Signe's side, crooning to her and offering his hand to grip when it came time to push. Listening to her screams was agonizing, and he instructed her to squeeze his hand with all her might. Unfortunately for his phalanges, Signe had quite a grip. Even when he felt the crack of bone Loki steadfastly stayed next to her, ignoring the pain radiating through his fingers. When Njall finally entered the world, his father's eyes didn't stray from his son for a second.

Once the newborn was cleaned, swaddled and in his mother's arms, the healers advanced upon Loki to tend to the Prince's battered hand. The severe look Loki shot them made both women reel him, and shortly after they excused themselves to give the family privacy.

The Prince couldn't take his eyes from the baby nursing at Signe's breast. His skin was fairer than either of theirs with just the slightest undertone of blue which contrasted beautifully with his ebony tuft of hair. When his hazel eyes began to close, his mother rocked him until she was certain he was asleep and murmured for Loki to take him.

The look on Loki's face was one of terror. She looked at him sternly, refusing to let his self-doubt keep her husband from bonding with their child.

"Hold his head," he nodded, tenderly cupping his hand with her own, "Yes, just like that," she murmured with a sleepy smile. His face was contorted with fear as he surveyed his sleeping son, as if waiting for the child to reject him. After several moments when no such thing happened, the man relaxed.

As Signe's eyes slid shut, Loki cautiously walked with Njall to the window and crooning to the sleeping baby how one day the little Prince would become the greatest ruler Asgard had ever seen.

Twenty minutes passed, during which Loki toured the room with Njall, whispering praise and promising to one day teach him to read, to become the best swordsman in the realm and to play tricks on his dull uncle.

Loki surrendered his child only when Njall began to wail, turning an unattractive shade of red. Loki, the poor dear, appeared more inconsolable than the infant when he was unable to comfort his son.

Smiling tiredly, Signe managed to make room for Loki on her bed and patted the empty space.

"There are some things only a mother can provide, my love," she gently reminded him, unfastening the top of her gown and holding her arms open. When the fabric fell from her chest, revealing her swollen breasts, Loki's eyes glazed over. If it weren't for her delicate state and the presence of their child, she was certain he'd have been on her before she could blink.

"Loki," she chided fondly. He shook himself out of his breast-induced stupor and strode forward, offering Njall to Signe.

"Sit with me," she urged him.

He slid behind her and she reclined against him, immediately comforted by his confident hold on her and the feeling of his hard, muscled chest against her back. Her head dropped against his shoulder as the baby nursed greedily, his face eventually returning to its normal shade of icy porcelain.

Once fed, Signe leaned forward to delicately place the baby in the swiveling bedside bassinette only for Loki to intercept him.

"You sleep, I'll hold him," he reassured her.

Nodding, she smiled proudly, conveying the confidence she had in her husband's parenting skills. She drifted to sleep dreaming of Loki one day laughing and playing with their child.

x

Thank the Nornir Loki was the attentive helicopter parent of the two, because Signe simply didn't have the energy. Often it was her husband who brought the fussy baby to her in the middle of the night, helping him attach to her breast before insistently slipping behind mother and son, holding them both until they fell back asleep.

During his checkups, Loki was reluctant to hand his child over to the healers. Signe couldn't help but find it adorably endearing. He huffed and puffed, trying to scare them off.

"Loki, stop bullying her and let them see him," she laughed.

Her husband glared at her, irritated that his wife found humor in such a situation. His son should only by himself or his mother. Not these imbecilic strangers.

"Loki," she warned.

The Prince sighed in resignation and pursed his lips before tenderly depositing his son's tiny form into the capable hands of the healer.

x

Signe was entirely indifferent to her residual pregnancy curves. Loki most certainly was not. Once she healed, he demonstrated his appreciation on a nightly basis. They fell into a pattern of Loki creating a glowing, green, one-way soundproof dome over their son, allowing him to sleep deeply to the sound of a quiet lullaby crooned in Loki's voice.

His parents, on the other hand, spent a good portion of their free time—be it during day or night—reacquainting their bodies with one another.

Loki was fascinated by her breasts, the exaggerated swell of her hip and her pillowed tummy. When her body started slimming naturally from breastfeeding, he insisted she eat more, claiming that she was beginning to get too thin and would soon be inadequate at feeding their son.

Signe rolled her eyes and soon Loki forgot all about plumping her back up as he instead found himself preoccupied cataloguing each new noise and expression Njall made. Though his enthusiasm never waned, his fierce instinct to protect did—to an extent, at least—and eventually Loki allowed even Odin to hold his beloved son.

x

Baby Njall cooed and grabbed the air with his little fists as Loki stroked an elegant hand over his son's dark downy hair. Frigga spoke quietly with Signe near the door to the Queen's rooms.

"I don't think I should leave hi—."

Signe cut him off.

"My Prince, if you don't retire to our quarters with me for several hours of quality alone time, I will take Njall on a visit to my parents' alone."

She knew Loki would never allow such a thing. The instances in which he had to leave his son were miserable for all involved. When visiting other realms on behalf of the royal family, Loki was apparently intolerable; sour, sullen and cross until he finally returned home to his family and held his son and wife in his arms.

Signe chuckled at his glare and slipped her arm in his as he turned to his mother.

"Don't let the servants touch him," Loki ordered.

"Of course, my son. Now, away with you both," she said, shooing them from her rooms.

After an hour or so, the Queen was forced to close the doors to her wing of the castle; it appeared as if the noises coming from her son and daughter-in-law's chambers were echoing throughout the entire palace. She smiled. Finally, his heart had returned and her son was content.

x

Thank you to everyone that read this far! Signe and Loki are not done, keep an eye out for a sequel. :)