Summer is early, cloying the air with moisture and pressing in on her in a way that already she cannot stand. It is only made worse by the swell in her belly and the way that her back aches with its weight, hair sticking to the back of her neck with sweat.
She paces, as she often does. He is surprised she does not wear a path in the floor and says so. The woman snaps something at him that she does not remember a few moments later, and stops to look out of the window at the sea of lights below, remembering for the third time that day that this is taking too long.
What if the babe is a monster?
His arms are sure as he surrounds her with them, and she rests her head against one of the windows, relishing that it is cool, but knowing her forehead will warm it in a moment and it will offer relief no more.
"We have air conditioning," he reminds her, "I could turn it up." She wonders what good it will do, and he mutters something uncharitable under his breath as he wanders over to the thermostat. She pretends she doesn't hear what he says, and continues to stare out at the humid night.
He is back a moment later, pressing a hot mouth to the back of her neck where her hair still sticks to sweat, and she knows as his hands slide over her belly that he loves the child and he hasn't even been born yet.
She knows, too, that he does not love her. She doesn't blame him. She is the one who came along and ruined things for him; for all of them. He still tells her he loves her though.
The honesty in his gaze makes her uncomfortable.
Loki cannot believe him; does not. Still, the only thing keeping his colleagues and all of Asgard at bay is Clint. She needs him whether she likes it or not.
Loki feels like she's drowning in the summer air, and she tries not to show it. Below, in the street, she can hear car horns wailing up into the New York skyline.