Songbirds sing and winter turns to spring. ((for Harley))

[coldsong]

Loki was being playful when he suggested a "love nest" near his cottage for Harley and himself, but the idea made her smile, and if there's one thing he enjoys in all of his relationships, it's earning a smile or laugh from the other party involved.

There is plenty of space around the cottage, in the meadow beyond, in the nearby woods. He's going to need to break ground for a place for Megatron eventually, too, but Harley was the first to welcome him into her home, and there is a kind of fitting symmetry in building a place for her now.

Thus, he's taken the nest concept and run with it, hiring an architect, consulting on plans, and even going so far as to select the perfect nearby plot of land to build upon. But Harley needs the final say in the design, if she's going to live there, and he wants to make sure he didn't get too whimsical.

So, on a windy day in early spring, a small fluffy bird with russet flanks and bright green eyes lands boldly on Harley's shoulder at the edge of the Plaza. There's an envelope in its beak that's bigger than it is, which begs the question of how the hell it carried it so far in the breeze--except there's something pretty familiar about said bird. And the seal on the envelope is in the distinctive pattern of a twin-horned helmet.

Comments

[sweetcandygirl]

Harley looks at the bird with a smile. And takes the envelope from its beak. "Ya'know, when people say you should get a Twitter account, this is not what they meant."

"Is this a secret mission type of envelope. Let's not ruffle any feathers with a possible explosion."

[coldsong]

The bird makes a pretty chirping noise, then laughs with a familiar voice. "Two puns for the price of one, dearest?"

A feathery little head bonks against her cheek, nuzzling. "Don't worry, there is nothing explosive in the envelope. They're plans I had an architect draw up for you. For us, really, but the building will be yours first and foremost."

"Have a look and see what you think? The builders are all set up to go if you like the plans."

When she opens the envelope, some delicate green leaves and pink petals will fall out like confetti, but the blueprints within are the actual point of the gift. The building is designed to look like a huge tree, with a wide, asymmetrical trunk. There are five stories, and the top is an open patio or balcony, with space for a garden or greenhouse. Inside, beams like branches are a major design feature, fanning out in a spiral pattern, and they and the high ceilings seem to be meant for her to hang her aerial silks wherever she likes.

There is a floor underground, as well, with a more conventional pattern of rooms and storage. "I can create a passage between it and my cottage that's already there," Loki says. "Either underground, or a walkway with simple canopies."

[sweetcandygirl]

Harley will do her best to catch the green leaves and pink petals (for keepsakes), before looking at the blueprints proper.

"Did you consult with Red, or something. This looks awesome...." Harley traces her fingers over the lines of the beams. And the spiral pattern.

"Is this a place for you and me? I like the thought of walkway canopies."

"OH! How about a zipline?"

[coldsong]

"I didn't, actually, but I thought perhaps she'd have input on the top-level patio. Whether you want greenhouses or a fountain or something less flashy."

Have more bird-nuzzles, Harley. "It's a place for me and you, and also for you to play and practice whenever you like, and to invite your other friends, and possibly, if you're willing, to invite the children at times. Though you'd better never leave Una unsupervised; she will absolutely climb everything in the place."

He chirps, thinking. "I wouldn't want to disrupt the natural surroundings but so much, but a walkway would be charming--a zip...Harley, what's a zipline?"

[sweetcandygirl]

"A fountain in the middle of the garden. That would be perfect." Harley decides.

She laughs at the bird nuzzles. "I will always supervise Una... to climb everything in the place in a safe and careful manner."

Another hearty laugh when he asks her that question. For this, Harley brings out her PINpoint, using the technology on it to call up some ziplining videos from her dimension. "As you can see where it got its name. You tie onto the pulley, and zip.... all the way to the other end."

[coldsong]

Despite his avian form, there is something in Loki's face that suggests a fond smile. "Then a fountain you shall have, and we'll fill it with snow in the winter for me to bathe in."

"That's fair," he adds with a laugh. "I do worry about her, ah, adventurous nature, but I trust you to keep an eye on her. Perhaps Ian would let you show Kelly some climbing tricks, as well, once everything's built."

Loki hops on her shoulder lightly and down her arm a little, tilting his head this way and that at the videos. He's quiet for a moment, then says, "I want one. Yes, let's build that!"

[sweetcandygirl]

"Speaking of baths... we better make sure the bath by the main bedroom is large enough for the both of us. And bubbles." Harley grins. She will make her dreams of a champagne-bubble gum bath happen.

"Just because one is adventurous, does not make that person unsafe. If they know how to handle themselves. And I am all for helping both Una and Kelly learn how to have fun, but be safe at the same time."

"Great!" Harley is very excited now.

[coldsong]

"As a prince, I'm biased," Loki admits, "as well as spoilt. But large baths and large beds are my favorite elements of luxury. Everything else seems like mere vanity after a while."

"All of the children will leave the nest eventually, one way or another," he admits ruefully. "They are Aesir, and Aesir are inherently risk takers. Best to let them learn how to manage risks now, while there are adults to catch them if they fall. Just don't forget how much heavier Una is than a human child!"

Her excitement makes him want to laugh with sheer pleasure, and with a final chirp, he hops off of his perch on her arm, flutters, and shifts into his usual Aesir guise in a cascade of green-gold light. "Have I pleased my Hellequin? Do I get a kiss?"

[sweetcandygirl]

"Good thing I can handle a slightly heavier weight than most people." Harley grins. "But you know I love the kids. And just want the best for them."

"Well you are definitely a lot easier to kiss in this form." Harley stands to wrap her arms around his neck, and pulls him in for a deep kiss.

[coldsong]

"I know." His smile is warm. "I wasn't sure at first how you'd feel about them being so central in my life. When we got to know one another it was as unattached singles, for lack of a better term, and me becoming a parent overnight must have been a bit of a challenge. You didn't bat an eye, though."

For someone who is so often at the center of a tornado, Harley has proven to be a shockingly stable influence in Loki's life. They deserve this place they're building for one another. Mostly, he thinks, she deserves it and he'll come along since she wants him there, but it comes to the same thing.

"Mm, kisses are trickier with a beak," he admits, and puts his arms around her waist to hold her close, allowing himself the moment to enjoy her affection and feel just a bit pleased with himself for making her smile.

[sweetcandygirl]

"I never expected to have children in my life. Honestly. Mostly because my body is not in any shape to carry a child... and my mental state is not stable enough to consider adoption. So they were like a nice little bonus. And I love them dearly. I feel like I play an important part in their lives," Harley smiles.

"The Nexus... and you... have given me so much that I never thought I could have. Sometimes it is scary. And overwhelming. I am afraid that it is all a dream that I am going to wake up from..."

[coldsong]

Loki studies her face for a moment, arms still around her, and kisses her cheek before murmuring, "If you wanted a child, I am capable of carrying one, in my feminine shape. I'm not sure how we would make it work, whether through science or magic, or if you would even want that, but--keep it in mind, at least. In case some time you feel ready for it."

His smile widens. "And in the meantime, you are their protector, and their princess, and they love you."

Nodding, he squeezes her gently in a closer embrace. "I feel that way too, sometimes. That it's going to vanish, or I'm going to destroy it somehow. I understand."

[sweetcandygirl]

"I think... we would both have to think on that situation. Not just for us... but for the children. They have gone through so many changes already. I would want to make sure they were part of the conversation." Harley leans into him.

"Then I am going to just enjoy this dream, as long as I am dreaming it."

[coldsong]

"That is a very responsible conclusion," he says with a blend of warmth and amusement in his voice. "Which is what I needed to hear. Yes. And I would want to wait until Eindrid is a bit older. But we have time. I truly believe you and I have decades together ahead of us. Maybe more than a hundred years, if we're lucky."

"We're dreaming together!" he tells her, and shifts his hold on her so that one arm is around her back, the other hand holding hers as if to lead her in a waltz. "It's hard to enjoy the moment, sometimes, without fearing loss. But you're right. We can enjoy what we have, every second we have it."

[sweetcandygirl]

"If we are lucky." Harley tries not to think about how long her lifespan might be. It doesn't help that she lives a very dangerous life.

Right now, her focus is on the man in her arms.

It is easy to be lead into a waltz. And she laughs softly, leaning up to kiss him gently. "I already feel pretty damn lucky. Having found you."

[coldsong]

"We'll be lucky," he assures her, though he has no way to know that, and optimism is usually not a strength of his. "We've been unlucky so often before, surely it's our turn to be blessed."

There's a green-gold shimmer in his eyes for a moment, and then the sounds of a sweet, slow waltz start to play, born from his magic and memory. He kisses her back and guides her lightly across the grass.

"Likewise," he tells her. "You found me and lured me in with ice cream and sweet words, and I couldn't be happier with the results."