He could hear Odin's boots from a mile away. He knew that sound all too well. Loki, trapped in a prison cell on Asgard, having failed in taking over Earth, having lost almost everything - simply turned onto his side, staring at the wall.
He didn't want to see him. Not now. Not ever. But of course he came, shuffling his way into a situation he had no part in.
"Loki."
Loki stirred, drawing his knees closer to his stomach.
"I know you have commited unfathomable crimes and killed helpless people in the process, and you will serve for you crimes."
Loki let out an annoyed growl. Odin sighed.
"Yet...I can not help but feel this was my fault." Loki's eyes widened, but he did not get up. "You were right. I should have told you you were a monster from the start. Except you are not a monster, Loki. The way those around you - and I'll admit, sometimes I - spoke of the Jotuns when you and Thor were growing up was...ill advised. If I ever hoped to make them our allies, I would never had allowed such things to be said. Instead of hope, anger and fear was planted in your minds. For this I am truly sorry.
"But please understand one thing. There may be many who disagree with the Jotun's ways, and while I may not think of them in the brightest light, know that if there was one, injured and helpless in my presence...then I am no man to turn away. I would not be able to let a helpless man - or giant, I suppose - perish in my sights. It was the same with you. You were only a child, Loki. No more than a few months old, I suppose. It was in your ruby eyes I realized that Jotuns are not monsters. That some are raised to be cruel and cold hearted. And others are not.
"When I let you fall over the side of the Rainbow bridge that day I knew I had done something wrong. You had become angry and confused and hopeless, because of me, and I just let you slip out of my hands. And I want you to know that, no matter what happens in the future, I am sorry. And I love you as my son, without question." Loki shifted. Slowly he sat up, though not yet looking at Odin. His gaze was cast at the ground.
"Do you mean all that? Or is Thor trying to get us to make amends?" Odin chuckled, earning a small smile out of Loki.
"Thor does want us on the same page again, yes, but it was I who decided to come and speak with you. I felt it necessary to say what I had to. I had so many regrets when you dropped off that bridge, Loki. I realized so many things and I haven't gotten the chance to say them until now. In the end I should have been there for you." Loki smiled, shaking his head.
"And look where that ended me. In my time of desolation I put all my trust in Thanos and the Chitauri. I want to rule, Odin, I want power, I want to be king, at whatever cost - but in this game to be ruler I am but Thanos's pawn. Whether I had succeeded in retrieving the Tesseract or not he'd kill me. A shame I only see that now. Perhaps if I had won, however..." Loki trailed off, turning his eyes to the wall and thinking. Plotting.
"Ah. I see. And now he is hunting you down."
"Could be any where in this room, really..."
"So whatever decision is made tomorrow doesn't mean anything." Loki nodded, slowly.
"I'm afraid Thanos is one to hold a grudge."
"Are you afraid?" Loki hesitated, thinking over his answer. He shifted into sitting cross-legged, his hands in his lap.
"Perhaps. I was threatened with something worse than the most unimaginable pain if I failed. I suppose I will be punished as so. Unless I can try to reason with him." Loki's eyes flowed back to the ground.
"Don't." Loki looked back up at his father, who paused a moment. "Please. Despite your crimes I do not think death is plausible. And we both know Thor would go mad if he knew that to be your fate." At this Loki only laughed.
"And what other plan do you have in mind?" Odin leaned against the bars of Loki's cell.
"...Jotunheim." Loki's devilish smile faded away, but he said nothing. "To my knowledge you are the first born, and Laufey has passed. You could be their king and have a formidable army against-"
"No. No, that's just it. I don't want to be their king. Not their's."
"And why not?" Odin seemed tired of their planning already.
"I...I don't know. I may be of Jotun blood, but truthfully I am more Aesir than anything. I talk like you, I walk like you, I look too much like you even in my true colors. I don't deserve to be their king. And I feel more comfortable like this." Loki shrugged. "Besides, isn't that why I was left to die? Obviously not good enough for the king. So not fit to rule."
"Don't you think, perhaps now...?" Loki again shook his head.
"No." He sighed, standing slowly. "But all of this aside..." He walked straight up to Odin, only bars seperating them now. "You truly mean what you said before? You are not lying to me?" Odin surprised even Loki by smiling warmly at him.
"I feel I have kept enough secrets from you. I thought that now that we have some time together I should take advantage of the fact. And in return, I only ask you still consider me as something of importance in your life." Loki stared, thinking this over.
"You mean...you want me to consider you my father?"
"As much as you still consider Frigga your mother. And perhaps, Thor your brother?" Loki smiled, hiding it from the All-Father.
"Perhaps. If I could have something in return."
"Oh?"
"Tell me. My...real mother. Tell me of her. And anyone else I should know of." Odin straightened.
"Very well. Let me think..." He stroked his beard in thought. "Your mother...yes, I seem to recall. Farbauti, lady of the wilds. Fire and lightning. In fact I believe Laufey told me in a meeting that one of his sons was born in a flurry of wildfire. The first son."
Loki listened, eye's gleaming in wonder. He repeated silently her name, trying to commit it to memory.
"She passed, however. Not long after the birth of Byleistr, the youngest of Laufey's sons, Helblindi being the middle child. Both still live." Loki was stunned.
"I have...brothers? Blood brothers? And both younger than me, of all things..." He breathed out. His eyes darted along the ground. Finally he looked back to Odin.
"..Thank you. Thank you father. Perhaps there is still a way to make peace between the Jotuns and Aesir, for I would love to meet them on good terms..." Odin smiled, reaching through the bars and placing his hand on the side of Loki's head.
"Perhaps, because I now see you in a different light."
"I have not changed my mind, nor my ways."
"I'm not asking you to. All I want is for you to know that you are not alone."
"I do. Now, thanks to you."