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You huddled closer to him, eyes not willing to open yet. His arm wrapped around you, pulling you closer, your legs tangling together as he grunted softly.
"Are you insinuating something, darling?" He purred, voice tired and therefore less devious than his usual.
You grunted back. Laziness and lethargy seemed to be running amok in the air this morning.
"No... 's cold."
"And you come to me, love? I'm not the best solution, I'm afraid."
You huffed.
"You're warm."
"Tepid."
"Warmer than what I'd find outside of these blankets."
"... Fair enough." He agreed finally, kissing your head.
"Why is it so cold?" You muttered, voice muffled against his neck.
He sighed, as if annoyed (though not really) by your repeated question. You felt him turn his head towards the windows in your bedroom.
"Probably because snow seems to be covering everything outside, darling."
You looked at him in disbelief, pulling away slightly and sitting up so you could take a look outside yourself. The first snow of the year was always a sight to behold, everything getting covered in a fresh, marshmallowy white.
"I knew it would snow, but I wasn't expecting this much..."
"Mm. A wintery surprise, then." Loki replied, clearly barely interested in your fascination with the first snow of the year.
As you laid back next to him again with a sigh, annoyed at his nonchalance, you found yourself relaxing nonetheless, his hand finding your back and gently caressing it at a soothing speed.
The patter of feet against the hallway floor broke the peaceful quiet. Then, even more of a disturbance came in the gentle creaking of your door as it opened eerily slowly, a tired sigh coming from the culprit as they caught their breath.
"Sweeping?" Came a tiny whisper from the door, likely unable to see your forms on the bed due to her height.
"No, darling. We're both awake." Loki replied softly, voice immediately warmed by affection, his free arm moving to the edge of the bed so his hand could hang off it aimlessly, encouraging Freyja to come closer.
She let out a sound of glee at the news that both her parents were awake as she stomped over to Loki's side of the bed, curling herself around his hand as she hugged it. Loki grinned down at her, moving his other arm from around you so he could pull her onto your bed.
“Mornin’…” Freyja said, settling happily onto Loki’s chest.
Loki grinned up at her, petting her head and gently caressing her black curls.
“I do believe you mean ‘good morning’, my sweet darling.” He cooed, pinching her cheek ever so gently.
She giggled at the gesture, nuzzling her cheek into his fingers.
“Funny.” She announced before turning to look down at you, still curled into Loki’s side.
She smiled wide, extending her hand out towards you and waving excitedly with her hand only a few inches from your face.
“Hi, mama!” Freyja said, now bouncing slightly on Loki’s chest and making him let out a grunt of discomfort.
“Hello, baby,” You greeted your daughter lovingly, sitting up just enough to place a kiss to the palm of her hand.
Freyja suddenly gasped as if remembering something important.
“Snow out!” She squealed, pointing clumsily out the window.
“Yes, my sweet. Is that why you’ve woken up so early?” Loki rubbed her back calmly.
Freyja nodded, so excited she couldn’t stand still. She moved again, little hands now squeezing his cheeks together.
“Snow!” She repeated, bursting into shrill laughter once she noticed the face Loki was now making because of her.
Loki grinned at her laughter, his eyes swimming with warmth and love. He pulled another face at her, sticking his tongue out, which only made her laugh harder before mimicking him as best as she could. You watched on, smiling at the sight. It was something you never thought you’d be able to give Freyja; the three of you, together, like you’d always hoped for. Loki had become so different with her. Because of her. Never before had he truly and genuinely seemed so light, his heart evidently softened from having such pure love surrounding him every day now that he was finally a permanent fixture in his daughter’s life. And yours, too, naturally.
The two eventually stopped, Freyja struggling for a bit to catch her breath from her laughter as she rested her head against his chest, giggles still leaving her occasionally. Loki seemed to have a smile stuck to his face, too.
“You wish for us to go play in the snow, is that it, my darling?” Loki asked, encouraging her to voice her desires clearly and with pride.
She shook her head adamantly, making her curls bounce gently.
“Oh? Well, then what do you wish for, my princess? Anything you would like.”
“’Cakes!” She told him, looking down her nose at him. Truly, if her looks weren’t enough, that exact expression instantly proved who her father was.
It only seemed to make him prouder of her, though. If anyone else had tried that with him, he likely would’ve had a few choice words for them, but for her, he would only spew the sweetest of praises.
“Pancakes once more, my princess? You seem to ask for these every week-end.” Loki sighed dramatically, throwing his head back and making her laugh.
She booped his nose, just like he so often did to her, thinking of it as a way to resuscitate him from his ‘collapse’. Loki took in an exaggerated breath and sat up slightly, making her grin proudly at her supposed skills.
“’Cakes now, daddy!” She repeated, not having forgotten, much to his chagrin.
He sighed and turned his head towards you, blinking his lashes innocently at you. You did the same back at him, the two of you finding yourselves very suddenly in a battle of wills.
“She seems to have asked you for pancakes, dad.” You said, your words innocent as you inched him towards doing the work.
He raised a disbelieving brow.
“Are you trying to manipulate me, darling? In front of our perfect daughter?” He gasped for effect (for Freyja’s sake), covering up her eyes with one hand.
“She asked you!”
“Yes, and you’d risk me going at this alone? I’d bloody well burn it all to the ground! A homemade Ragnarok in our very kitchen, if you so wish it, my love. Free of charge and made with love.” He grinned brightly at you, his snark palpable.
You huffed.
“I’ll help.” You announced reluctantly, to which he replied with a pleased grin while Freyja blew spit bubbles (intentionally) against the palm of his hand, trying to irritate him.
“You really are the very best of all, did you know that?” He cooed, that air of false innocence still working overtime to make him see anything but ill-intentioned.
That’s how all three of you found yourselves in the kitchen at 7 in the morning, Freyja dancing circles around the both of you and Loki trying to stop her from getting in the way (too much) whilst you gathered the simple ingredients for pancakes. Freyja had insisted on music, and Loki had obliged by using his magic to make a nearby speaker play all the classic holiday hits at a soft volume.
Loki eventually picked her up, deciding that keeping her in a single spot would be better than letting her tornado around the kitchen.
“I see snow!” She squealed into Loki’s ear, making him wince, as she looked over his shoulder and out the windows, now able to see clearly from being held (much) higher than her usual vantage point.
“Yes, dear, there is still snow outside. Not much can change in mere minutes.” Loki replied calmly as he watched you finish up the batter.
Freyja sighed dreamily, resting her cheek against his shoulder as she watched the snow blowing about gently outside. Loki smiled fondly down at her, rubbing her back, which was a habit he didn’t seem intent on breaking.
As you got to cooking the pancakes, Freyja gasped and pointed at something out the window yet again.
“Santa!!!” She shrieked.
Loki turned his head at her words; eyebrow already cocked in disbelief. He chuckled once he saw what her little hand was waving towards.
“No, my dear. That is simply someone wearing a red coat with their hood on.” He kissed her cheek to ease her pout.
“But Santa…”
“Santa will visit you on Christmas Eve, hm? With all the presents you have wished for, if you’ve been a good girl.” He reminded her patiently.
“Been good!” She announced immediately, looking at him innocently.
He smiled, kissing her head.
“Of course you have, my darling. I am your father, after all. What else could you have been besides good?”
They giggled together, Freyja bumping her forehead against his briefly, before Loki turned his attention towards you.
He wrapped his free hand around your hip while you slowly worked on getting the pancakes done, though you mostly watched their dynamic unfold with a gentle smile.
“Look at mama, hm? She is making us breakfast diligently. She is so very kind and generous with us, Freyja, don’t you agree?” Loki said, kissing your temple. Freyja quickly followed suit, craning her neck to reach you until Loki turned her so she could kiss your temple, too.
“Is she not the nicest mama?” Loki asked Freyja, to which she replied with enthusiastic nodding.
“She deserves all she could ever want for Christmas.” Loki’s eyes twinkled as he spoke, gaze set entirely on you. You rolled your eyes fondly at his incessant innuendos. “Perhaps even a kiss from Santa Claus himself.” He suggested, surely mentioning you guys’ secret plan to have him dress up as Santa for Freyja’s benefit on Christmas in order to have the holiday come alive for her. She was only nearing 4 years old, but she had been talking about Christmas for months and was unbearably excited for it.
Freyja frowned, shaking her head adamantly.
“Daddy kiss mama onwy!” She insisted fiercely, placing one hand on your shoulder and one on Loki’s, keeping you close. “Not Santa!”
Loki laughed at her protectiveness; she was just as fierce as him.
“Of course, my darling. Only daddy kisses mama.” He soothed her, his grin nothing but devious as he looked at you.