'Just touch it, I dare you.'
The three children stood around the artefact, the young girl grinning at the older boy. His younger brother was sat further off, thinking they were bound to be caught.
'C'mon Thor, just one hand. Anyone else would do it.' Sif teased the prince. A sudden thought struck her and she smirked. 'Loki would do it.'
The dark haired prince's head whipped up. 'What?'
Thor, grabbing the opportunity to turn it away from him, grinned at his brother. 'Yeah, Loki. Touch the Casket.'
Loki looked up at the Jötunn relic, before shaking his head, not opening his lips.
'Go on, it's not hard.' Sif chuckled. 'Like I said, anyone else.'
By now, both of them were standing barely a foot away from him. The youngest of the three looked scared, an emotion he rarely allowed on his face.
'I don't...can't.'
'Do it.' The friends said at once, smirking.
Loki looked from the casket, to his brother, and back again. He reached out a hand and touched the Casket of Ancient Winters.
Screaming was heard from the Hall of Artefacts. The loudest coming from the youngest prince.

Loki was in his room, curled up on his bed, doors locked, covers over his head, tying to ignore his father, no, adopted father's shouts.
'Loki!' Odin shouted through the door, trying to open it. He had tried to used the key but the boys untrained magic was keeping him out. 'Loki, let me in!'
'Go away! I'm a monster.' The child shouted, trying not to look at his skin. It had faded to Asgardian but his mind, barely over ten years old, was still completely scared. He had grown up hearing stories of the monstrous Jötunns and listening to Thor say how he would take them all down.
The window, which Loki had ignored due to it being so high up, opened slowly and Thor crept inside his brother's room. The older prince frowned when he saw his brother cocooned in blankets, not allowing an inch of his skin to show. His eyes were the only thing showing and they were closed tightly. The young boy was shivering, whispering words in a language Thor didn't understand but did recognise. These were Loki's magic words, what he said to make things happen that no one else could. The object in his room, including the bed he was lying on, were floating slightly above ground, the lighter ones hovering nearer the surface.
'Loki?' The future god of Thunder almost whispered. For a second, Loki's voice faltered and the objects began to fall but he caught them before they hit the ground, muttering quicker and more urgently.
'No one cares.' The blond said, raising his voice to normal. 'The whole palace knows and-'
This time everything did hit the ground, smashing into the floor with such a force that Loki bounced slightly as his bed landed. His head came out of the covers, eyes wide and Thor almost started when he realised they still had flecks of red in them, although they were fading.
'The whole palace?' The Jötunn's, for that was what he was, no point denying it, voice was heartbreaking, sounding like his entire world had ended.
'Yeah.' Thor was embarrassed now. He didn't realise how much of an effect this would have on his brother. 'But no one cares, that's the important thing. Mother explained all about how Father found you and who your real father is...'
'My real father?' Loki had thrown the covers away completely now, staring at Thor with wide eyes.
Thor froze. He didn't want to be the one to tell the younger prince this but he didn't want to lie. 'Laufey. Your real father is Laufey.'
Loki let out a noise like a wounded animal, sobbing and burying his face again. Thor shifted from foot to foot, wondering if he should let their father, who was still knocking on the door, shouting, in. Eventually, he moved to the bed, wrapping his brother up in a hug.
'You're still my brother, you know.' He whispered as Loki cried into his shoulder. The younger boy usually refused to show emotion so Thor was unpractised with looking after a crying brother. 'Doesn't matter how blue your skin is, your skin Loki Odinson, prince of Asgard.'
Loki chuckled and hugged his brother back. 'You're sure no one cares?'
'Certain. And if they say anything, I'll knock them out and you can...I don't know...turn them into rodent.' He smirked, feeling very smart for thinking of that.'
Loki rolled his eyes. 'When have I ever been able to turn someone into a rodent?'
Thor blushed slightly. 'Well, I didn't know you could lift a bed, with you on it.'
Loki laughed. 'Oh that's easy. I bet I can lift it with both of us.'
Thor laughed along with his brother. 'Go on then.'
Loki began whispering, trying to ignore his brothers distractions. It was nice to know nothing had changed.

Many years later, the two princes stood facing the Jötunn king, the younger of the two smirking. He was used to begin sent to his home world on peace missions but now, along with their friends, the Gods of Thunder and Mischief, were going to bring down the people who had upstaged the newly crowned King.
'I do not wish for a war with Asgard.' Laufey said, scowling. The blond prince had been crowned and his first act as King was to bring down Jötunnheim. The frost giant spoke directly to his own son. 'Loki, do not end the peace we had spent so long creating. Don't kill your own people.'
Loki smirked and glanced at his adopted brother. Thor nodded and moved out of his brothers way. 'Your people have already ended the peace and brought their deaths upon themselves.'
From within his robes, the Asgardian and Jötunn Prince pulled out an old relic, his smirk widening as his skin turned blue and his eyes red. 'Sorry, father.' He said the word like it was an insult. 'But I'm a son of Odin.'
And Loki Odinson, God of Mischief and Lies, commander of the Asgardian Military, activated the Casket as his brother and the rest of the army charged in. Laufey was literally frozen where he sat, one last look of shock covering his face for eternity.
Loki smiled and joined the battle.