Peter's five years old when he first starts hearing the name "Loki" around the house, usually when Uncle Thor was over, sometimes with Aunt Jane.
The very first time was when both Uncle Thor and Aunt Jane were over, so Dad and Aunt Jane can build a bridge together. They're taking a break in the kitchen, with Peter playing with his blocks on the floor.
"So is your brother Loki running amok again?" Tony asks, voice taunting. Thor frowns, and then gives a smile that Peter kind of thinks doesn't look right on his Uncle's face.
"He is alright, my dear friend," Thor says, before excusing himself from both Jane and Tony, putting down his pop tarts. Peter blinks and follows his Uncle to the balcony, vaguely noticing Jane glaring at his dad.
"Uncle Thor?" Peter asks softly, looking up at his Uncle, whose body is really big. Bigger than Pops, which is insane because Pops is Captain America. Thor turns and looks down, blinking at him, before smiling bigger, and Peter thinks it's the right smile this time. "Hello there, little one."
Thor crouches and takes Peter into his arms in a swift and practiced movement, making him giggle. Immediately, Peter cuddles close to his Uncle, pressing his cheek against Thor' he pulls away and presses his small hands against Thor's face, much to the demi-god's amusement.
"What can I do for you, young Peter?" Thor asks, valiantly ignoring Peter's sticky palms against his beard.
"Sad," Peter says, pulling at his cheeks. "You smile, but it's sad." He knows the difference, just like how he can tell the difference if Dad's "mad" at Pops or really mad; he scrunches up his face and sticks out his tongue at Pops, but gets really quiet, and then yelling at Mr. Fury.
Immediately Thor's face saddens even further and it makes Peter whimper. "No," he says, pulling at his Uncle's cheeks. "No sad," he says, leaning again for a hug, which Thor gladly accepts.
"Someone as small as you should not burden yourself with my slights," Thor whispers, his nose in Peter's hair, breathing shakily. "But I appreciate it, young Peter."
He cuddles his Uncle further, and smiles when Thor lets out a boisterous chuckle, his whole body shaking. "Who's Loki?" Peter asks innocently, curious.
Thor doesn't say anything for a bit, before pulling away. "He is my little brother," he says, looking at Peter. Peter blinks, eyes widening.
"Little? Like me?" he asks, in awe. Thor smiles again, and it looks right, but still a bit sad.
"He was once like you," Thor says softly. "Little like you, yes." He turns his head slightly and looks out the balcony and into the city. Peter turns too, blinking at all the buildings and noise he hears. "Like I was, but he is now a grown man."
"But still little brother," Peter says, and Thor gives him a teary, sad smile.
"Yes. Always."
"What's he like?" Peter asks, and Thor grins, looking down at him, before going on a tale about a smart, sometimes sad little boy, who was very cunning and resourceful. Still is very smart and resourceful, and still very sad.
By the end of it, the child wonders if Loki would ever come visit.
The second time Peter hears someone asks for Loki, it's Uncle Clint, sitting at the table with his dads, Uncle Bruce, Uncle Thor and Aunt Natasha.
"Loki kill anyone lately?" he says, nonchalantly. Uncle Thor, whose been helping Peter eat this whole time, pauses, looking at Clint with the same look that's starting to look familiar on his Uncle's face and he doesn't like it.
"No he has not," Thor says, voice soft and so not his Uncle. He knows everyone else noticed because they all blink, except for Aunt Natasha because she never blinks."He is still in Asgard, keeping my mother company in its halls…"
"Wait, he's not imprisoned?!" Clint asks, his eyes widening, and voice raising, making Peter blink. Everyone else is looking at Uncle Thor now. "He wreaked havoc everywhere, and hurt so many. He deserves to be in prison."
"My father has taken away his powers," Thor reasons, dropping Peter's spoon completely, who takes it in his hand and shakily eats the rest of the food on it. "He will not do any ha—"
"How would you know!? He nearly destroyed—he's an abomination," Clint interjects, growling. Steve glances at Peter and stands up. "Clint—"
"Careful what you say," Thor says, his voice now getting louder. "He is an Asgardian, like me. Loki is still my brother—"
"Oh but unlike you, he's evil and horrific and creepy because he's adopted," Tony says mockingly, and Steve glares at him. "Tony—"
"ENOUGH!" Thor yells, growling and slamming his fist on the table. Peter jumps and whimpers, dropping his spoon. Thor blinks and looks at him, his face very sad, and so does everyone else. Steve growls, walking over to Peter and taking him into his arms. Peter gladly cuddles closer to his Pops, as Uncle Thor keeps looking at him with a sad, sad face.
"If you're going to fight, take it outside!" Pops hisses, glaring at everyone. Uncle Bruce shakes his head and stands up from the table without a word, and Uncle Thor pulls his fist away from the table. That's when Peter notices that Aunt Natasha's not even in the room anymore.
"I must return to Asgard…" Thor says, before turning to Peter. "My sincerest apologies, Little One."
Peter blinks at him, and grapples to grab a hug from his Uncle, only to have him walk out to the balcony and disappear with a flash. He hopes Loki gives his Uncle a hug, instead.
The next time Uncle Thor comes, he's with Aunt Jane and Aunt Darcy. Aunt Jane's over because she needs to talk to Dad and Uncle Bruce about her research. Aunt Darcy pinches his cheeks a lot, but it's OK because he likes her and gives him a lot of sweets behind his dads backs. When he sees Uncle Thor, instead of going to hug Peter immediately, he stays away.
"Uncle Thor mad at me?" Peter asks, making Thor's eyes widen.
"Of course not!" Thor says, walking over and taking the child into his arms, who cuddles into him. "I am very sorry for making you think that, but after last time, I scared you."
"Don't like yelling," Peter says, and it's true. He hates yelling, from everyone. Not just Uncle Thor. "No more yelling."
"Awwww," Darcy says, before motioning to take Peter in her arms. Peter concedes and goes to his aunt. "They were yelling? Can you tell me what about?" Darcy asks softly, poking his nose.
"Loki," Peter says, blinking. Darcy blinks as well, looking up at Thor, who sighs.
"It is true," Thor mutters and Peter nods. "Adopted!" he says, repeating the word he heard his Dad say. Then he blinks. "What's it mean?"
Aunt Darcy stares at him for a bit, before smiling. "It's when first, you have one set of parents, and then the next, you have another!" she says, brightly. "Like me. I'm adopted."
"You are?" Peter says softly. "You evil, too?"
Darcy's eyes widen and Thor visibly deflates beside her as she glares.
"What in the world have you been telling this child?!"
Peter didn't realize why Aunt Darcy got mad about it, until he gets to kindergarten for the first time, a couple of weeks later. They had to introduce themselves and tell everyone about their family, with the help of their parents. Of course, Peter's proud, telling everyone of all his uncles and his aunts, and most of all his two dads. After he's done, Ms. James smiles at him, then turns to the class.
"Does anyone have any questions?" she asks, and a couple of hands come up. "Jacob?"
"Thank you, Ms. James," the boy says, before turning to Peter. "You live in the Avengers Tower?!"
"Yeah!" Peter says, grinning. Jacob looks amazed, grinning back. Ms. James shakes her head and nods towards Suzie.
Suzie puts down her hand and thanks Ms. James as well. "How come you have two dads?" she asks Peter, curiously. "I got a mommy and a daddy. Why do you have two daddies?"
Peter frowns, tilting his head slightly. He's always had two daddies. "I just do…"
"Oh!" Suzie says, nodding. "So you're like my friend Jamie," she starts. "You're adopted! That's cool! You're just like him, but he has two mommies."
At the word adopted, Peter blinks, and looks up at Ms. James, who's looking at him worriedly. Then he remembers. All the yelling, Uncle Thor's sad face when he talks about Loki, Aunt Darcy getting mad and bites his lip.
Oh, he thinks, before nodding his head. "Yeah…"
Before he gets picked up by Happy, Ms. James gives him a letter to give his parents. He looks at it worriedly and blinks. "Am I in trouble?" he asks softly, already sniffling.
"Oh no," Ms. James says softly, smiling at him. "I just wanted to talk to them about how you're doing so far, and tell them what a great job you did during your introduction."
Peter stares at her for a while and then nods, looking down at the envelope again. "OK, Ms. James."
"Have a good the rest of your day, Peter," Ms. James says, as he walks towards the car, where Happy's waiting.
"What's up little man?" Happy asks, stopping when Peter shrugs. He doesn't see Happy looking at him worriedly, through the rearview mirror, as he keeps staring down at the envelope.
When he gives the envelope to his Pops, Peter gulps, afraid of what it'd say. He sits in front of his milk and his cookies, nibbling on one, as Pops reads the letter, a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey sport," Tony says, walking in. "Happy says you're not fee—what are you reading Steve?"
Peter blinks and looks up, before biting his lips. "Am I adopted…?"
Tony and Steve freezes, before Steve nods his head slowly, putting the letter down. Apparently, they didn't have to bring it up at all. "Yes, Peter."
"We were going to tell you as—" Tony starts, pausing, however, when Peter's eyes starts pooling with tears. "Woah, sport. Being adopted isn't bad! We still love you!"
"I know," Peter wails out, clinging to Steve now, as his Pops pulls him into his arms in panic.
"Then what is it?" Tony asks, at a loss. "Why are you crying?"
"Because I'll turn evil," Peter sobs out. "I don't want to turn evil. You'll hate me!"
"What?" Steve asks in horror, looking so confused. "What in the world are you talking about?" Peter buries his face into his father's chest, wiping his nose on his shirt, but Pops doesn't even care. "Peter?"
"Loki," Peter says, his shoulders shaking. "Loki's adopted too, and you said he's evil because he's adopted," he reasons, tears streaming down his cheeks. Tony flinches and sighs, wiping away Peter's tears and pointedly ignoring Steve's glare.
"You won't be evil, Peter," Tony says, taking Peter into his arms. Peter shakes his head furiously, sniffling.
"You said so!" he sobs out, hiccuping. "Uncle—Uncle Thor tells me L—Loki's not evil! He's just sad…and mad and—and lonely and scared, that's why Uncle Thor tries to be there for him. But—But you said it's 'cause he's adopted!" Tony pulls Peter closer and sighs, kissing his hair.
"I'm sorry," Tony whispers, rocking Peter back and forth. "I was wrong. I am wrong. Being adopted doesn't make you evil…" he says, and he repeats it, over and over until Peter calms down, Steve rubbing his son's back, looking at Tony.
"But you said—" Peter murmurs, but Tony shakes his head, looking down at Peter, kissing his forehead.
"Shhhh," Tony sighs, blinking rapidly and wiping the tears from his son's cheeks. "Baby, Daddy can be wrong sometimes too, Peter. And Daddy is very wrong…"
"He's right," Steve says, leaning over and pressing a kiss on Peter's forehead. "On both accounts," he adds, with a smirk, making Tony glare at him. Peter doesn't say anything, he just cuddles closer to his dad and presses his nose against his chest, sighing softly at the arc reactor.
The next time Thor visits, he's by himself. Peter beams and barrels over him, running and hugging him tight. The demi-god meets with a stride, laughing softly.
"My, you are quite energetic today!" Thor comments, glancing at Steve and Tony, who are both shaking their heads. Peter giggles and pulls back, handing him a piece of paper. Thor takes it, confusedly.
Looking down, he finds that it's a letter, written in Steve's hand writing:
Dear Mr. Loki,
Please feel better! I'll make sure Uncle Thor gives you lots of hugs from me and my dads. They love me, just like how Uncle Thor loves you, even if you're adopted! Because you're smart and awesome. Please don't be sad anymore.
Peter
Age 5 and ⅓
Thor laughs, shaking his head as he reads it, now looking at the picture at the bottom. It is clearly Peter's work, where a green blob with two yellow horns is being smothered red blob, a grey blob and a blue blob. A much tinier blob of made up of red and blue is there as well, right at the very top.
"Is this us?" Thor asks, and he finds that his voice is a bit choked, looking back at Peter. Peter nods, grinning. "Yeah! Me and dads and you! Giving Loki a hug! Dad help me picked out the colours."
Peter leans in and hugs Thor once again, and he gladly accepts it. He smiles and lets the child down. "This is absolutely wonderful, young Peter. I'll be sure my brother gets it."
"OK!" Peter says, before running off, with Tony following him, sparing Thor a soft nod. Steve then looks at Thor unsurely.
"Are you alright?" Steve asks, looking at how Thor's eyes are tearing up, looking down at the drawing.
"My brother is not well, Captain," Thor whispers after a bit, looking up now. "It seems that there were things that transpired that we knew nothing of…between my brother and the Chautari." He shakes his head and takes a deep breath. "His mind was poisoned, will and body weakened and sull—" he stops, seemingly unable to continue.
"Thor…" Steve says, worriedly, but Thor shakes his head, putting a hand up.
"It is fine," Thor smiles weakly. "It is the matters of Asgard. Do not burden yourself. I shall return home and give this to my brother. Your son has a very good heart, Captain. I'm afraid that he's more likely to teach me things, than I him in the future…"
Steve stares after Thor until the demi-god disappears, reminding himself to tell Tony what Thor shared, or didn't share, about Loki.
Frigga smiles as she sees Thor enter the halls where she's sitting with Loki, her hand carressing her son's hair as he stares blankly into the pages of the book she's been reading.
"Hello, Thor," she says softly, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it. When she lets go, she looks back at Loki and presses a kiss on his forehead. "Loki, your brother has returned."
Loki glances at Thor, and his gaze immediately hardens, but he doesn't say a word. Thor saddens at the sight, and Frigga, seeing that Thor is there for a reason, stands up. "I'll leave you two alone," she says, kissing Thor's forehead as well, before leaving her sons behind.
Thor stands over his brother for a while, before taking the drawing that Peter gave him and laying it in front of his brother. Loki, again, ignores his actions, avoiding his gaze.
"Remember the young Midgardian who has been curious about you?" Thor says softly. Ever since he started telling Peter about Loki, he's been coming back and recapping all their conversations to Loki, who never gave any indication that he was curious at all. But that never stopped him.
"Peter? He made you this…" he adds, motioning towards the paper. Loki doesn't move at all and Thor sighs.
"I hope it serves you well, brother," he whispers, before turning around and walking towards the door. However, before he gets there, he hears a faint shuffle, and glances back to find Loki, holding the drawing delicately, and staring at it.
Thor swears he can see the faintest sign of a sincere smile on his face, fingers tracing against the paper slowly, his hands shaking.