Summary:

Loki writes treaties
Thor is feeling low
Darcy likes eggs

Notes:

No beta
Thanks for all the comments. I appreciate them all.
This one has a suggestion of half a cuss word. You've been warned.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Drafting a treaty that made three realms happy was difficult but only because all three realms refused to compromise about anything. Loki suddenly realized why Odin was always so upset. Dealing with these mewling quims day in and say out was exhausting.

And these were King and Queens he was dealing with; these were supposed to be the wisest people of their Realms and yet they would start fights over the smallest things. For the past month, he had written over 25 different treaties. The Jotuns wanted to keep the casket, the Vanir still wanted Laufey dead and Asgard couldn't care less if Laufey was dead, they just wanted the casket back.

The first few meetings, Loki was passive, trying to let those who were supposed to be older and wiser than him figure it out. But as Loki listened to yet another speech he had enough. It was bad enough he couldn't go home until the treaty was made and they were no better off than when he arrived several months ago.

It wasn't that he didn't like Jotunheim. Once construction started up, the Realm does look much better. He had learned a lot about his ice magic and just as he excelled in Asgard, he excelled here. But Jotunheim was not his home.

"ENOUGH!" Loki screamed. "If everyone would just shut up for two seconds you would see we have a perfectly good treaty already."

Freya huffed. "I am the…"

"Yes, yes the queen of Vanaheim you've said it a hundred times in the last sixty minutes." Everyone laughed. "To be honest, your highness, Vanaheim has nothing to do with Asgard's decision to give Laufey the casket. It is not yours, it has never been yours and so all of your suggestions are unwanted. As far as killing Laufey that is not going to happen and if you wage war against Jotunheim, Asgard will take that opportunity to take over Vanaheim and most likely Jotunheim so really all of this yelling is for nothing."

Everyone seemed to cool off so Loki took a few steadying breaths. "Here is what Asgard is going to do. The Casket will remain in Jotunheim until this realm can repair itself fully. Queen Freya, to ensure that Jotunheim does nothing of the offensive nature to Vanaheim, 500 of your soldiers will be stationed here. Asgard will reclaim the Casket in a year's time and the Vanaheim soldiers are to be recalled."

Laufey huffed. "The casket is ours!"

Freya jumped to her feet. "500 hundred soldiers will not be enough!"

Oh for the love of the Norns! "The casket is mine, as first born to you Laufey I am it's keeper and since I reside in Asgard, that is where the Casket will be. 500 soldiers are enough Freya, Asgard will place soldiers here as well. There was a time that all Nine Realms were diversified and integrated. Trade flowed easily and we had no worry of one Realm invading the other. Is that not what we all want?"

Freya huffed but relented and took her seat. "Agreed."

Laufey rolled his eyes. "Agreed. And stay out the library! I wish not for you to use our own laws against us."

Laufey hadn't needed to worry, as soon as the treaties were signed, Loki was in Asgard.

000

"You didn't claim the throne?" Frigga was surprised.

Loki looked up from his book. "What do you mean mother?"

"As first born of Jotunheim, it is your right to have the throne." She informed him, though she knew he already knew that.

Loki smiled sadly. "Mother I never wanted a throne."

She knew that. All he ever really wanted was for Odin to tell Loki is was as good of a son as Thor, so she changed the subject. "The trades have reopened with Jotunheim."

"I admit mother that was a selfish stipulation. I love the fish of Jotunheim."

Frigga laughed. "I tell you son, you've done in a few months what neither of your father's have been able to do in hundreds of years."

Loki gave a small smile. "How are things here? How's Father?"

"He still sleeps. I believe he will be proud of you for what you've done." She also believed he would never tell Loki that, but he would be proud.

Loki wasn't sure how much he cared about Odin's approval any more. "Mother, I… what of Thor? Surely his banishment is not permanent."

Frigga sighed as she sat in the chair next to him. "Thor has failed in learning humility and patience. He has yet to be worthy of his powers."

Loki swallowed. "Perhaps I can go to Midgard and assist him."

Frigga smiled. "Miss your brother, do you?"

Lok's shoulders slumped. "It was kind of a little bit, my fault. Mostly. I'm sure Sif, The Warriors Three and I can assist him…"

"No. I'm afraid Sif is otherwise engaged setting up her and Fandral's new apartments. Hogun has shut himself away and Volstagg has lost over a hundred pounds. Can you believe it?" She said it as if he chose to lose the weight.

Loki swallowed.

"You can go and see if you can be of some assistance to your brother. Hopefully he will be able to return before your father wakes." She stood up and kissed his forehead. "Good night love."

He watched her walk towards the door but stopped her before she leave. "Mother, I'm… grateful for what you've done for me."

She turned and smiled. "I know baby."

Loki nodded and gathered somethings to take to Midgard.

000

Loki watched, bored out of his mind as the man they called Coulson questioned and threatened Thor. His poor brother looked so broken, so alone. It seemed he came just in time.

"One way or another, we find out what we want to know. We're good at that." Coulson left the room and Thor lowered his head in defeat.

Loki let out a sigh of relief. "I thought he'd never leave."

Thor looked up, shocked to find Loki standing there dressed in a suit and a long green scarf.

"Loki, what are you doing here?"

Loki gave a sad smile. "I had to see you."

"What's happened? Tell me! Is it Jotunheim? Let me explain to…"

"Father is dead." Loki cut in.

Thor looked at him stunned. "What?"

Loki waited a few beats before a smile cracked open his face. "I jest."

Thor sighed in relief. "I see you are as ever, a jerk."

"Somethings don't change brother."

"I cannot lift Mjolnir." Thor told him. "I have tried."

"Yes I know. Mother says you must be worthy of it but she has allowed me to stay with you to help you through this. But first we must get you out of here."

"There is a woman, named Jane who has been helping me." Thor informed him. "Find them, they will help."

Loki nodded. The door handle jiggled and Loki disappeared.

Coulson returned to the room. "Now, where did we leave off?"

Before Coulson could continue his interrogation, another agent knocked on the door and walked in. "Sir, he's got a visitor."

Coulson along with a few others go to greet the visitor. "Can we help you?"

The older man smiled. "I… I'm here to explain something about my friend in there."

Coulson raised a brow. "What's his name?"

Eric Selvig did not hesitate to answer. "Doctor Donald Blake."

"He's a doctor?"

"He's part of our team."

"You have dangerous coworkers, Dr. Selvig."

"Troubled, not dangerous. He was distraught when he found out that you'd taken all of our research. It was a year of his life gone! He got all depressed and started drinking. You know how it is."

Coulson regarded Selvig cautiously. "Right… You mind if we take a moment to verify his identity?"

Selvig waited a tense moment before speaking. "You can understand how man could go off like that. I mean a big, faceless organization like yours, coming in with their jack-booted thugs and stealing private property… at least that's how he described it."

Coulson nodded. "Still doesn't explain how he managed to tear through our security."

Selvig scoffed. "Steroids. He's a fitness nut."

"It says here he's an M.D."

Selvig nodded. "Oh yes, he was. He switched careers and became a physicist. He's brilliant really. If you just release him to me, I'll keep an eye on him.

Coulson sized him up and then turned to one of the other agents. "Release Doctor Blake." He turned back to Selvig. "Make sure he stays in town for the next few days in case we need to talk to him again."

Selvig nodded. "Of course. Thank you." Selvig followed behind the agents who were showing him where Thor was. "Donny, Donny, Donny! There you are!"

Thor looked up confused and surprised as Selvig wrapped his arms around him.

"It's all right my dear friend. I'm taking you home."

Thor allowed himself to be led out the facility. While walking he noticed Janes note book and snatched it up before anyone could see him. He slid into Selvig's car and looked at the older man. "Where are we going?"

Selvig turned to Thor, looking momentarily dazed then sighed. "I couldn't believe it until I saw it."

Thor blinked.

Selvig's eyes opened wide. "Your brother can control minds."

Thor smiled. "Loki found you!"

"Oh yes, but I was dreadfully scared to go in there myself. Loki said he would take over and he sure did." Eric started the car. "You really are Thor of Asgard."

Thor nodded. "I am."

"This is unreal."

000

Thor looked around the place, peeking into cabinets. "These are your chambers?"

Jane was still trying to wrap her mind around the alien warlock sleeping on the couch, as his magic depleted controlling Selvig for so long, and the beautiful alien warrior rummaging through her things. She was busying herself with cleaning feeling a bit embarrassed about the mess. "Well it's more of a temporary living space really. I've never had visitors." After picking up a sock from under the couch she sighed. "Can we go outside?"

Thor followed Jane up onto the roof where there was a red and black telescope and a couple of chairs set up. "You come up here often?"

"I come up here sometimes." Jane admitted. "When I can't sleep or you know… when Darcy drives me crazy,"

Thor smiled and gazed up at the stars. He missed home.

"I'm glad you're ok." She tells him softly.

"You've been very kind." Thor tells her. "I've been far less grateful than you deserve."

Jane smiled. "I also hit you with my car a couple of times, so it kind of evens out."

He breathed out a laugh before digging her notebook out his pocket and handing it to her.

Jane's eyes widen in surprise. "I don't believe it." She took it from his hands and cradled it.

"It was all I could get back. I am sorry it is not as much as I promised."

"No this is good! Thank you so much."

"I've looked through the notebook. Your ancestors called it magic. You call it science but as you can tell from my brother, they are very much the same thing. There are Nine Realms and your world is just one of them…"

They speak well into the night until eventually, Jane drifted off to sleep on his shoulder.

000

"So tell me how is Asgard?"

Loki was sitting at the table watching Thor scramble eggs. "You've missed a lot Thor."

Loki and Thor were the only ones awake. Jane was sleeping in and Darcy and Eric hadn't come in yet. "Inform me?"

"Where do I even begin? Sif and Fandral married! Volstagg lost 100 pounds, Heimdall is deaf, oh and apparently I'm Jotun and not your real brother."

Thor starred at his brother opened mouthed for a couple of minutes until his eggs started popping from overheating. He quickly pulled the eggs on the fire and then looked back at his brother with a look of disbelief. After a few beats he laughed. "You almost got me that time brother! Is this the game where I am to pick out the truth in the midst of lies? Let's see, I believe Heimdall fell ill and lost his hearing."

Loki could understand his brother's desire not to want to believe him. "Brother I jest not."

So now Loki was lying about lying huh? "There is no way you are Jotun."

"Mother confirmed it. I've been on Jotunheim for the last few months designing a peace treaty. My birth father is Laufey and Frigga is more of a cousin than mother. By blood anyway. I suppose when you make good on your promise to slay all the Jotuns down you'll have to slay me as well."

A look of outrage passed over Thor's face. "How could you say such a thing?"

"How could I not?"

"This is no laughing matter."

"Tell me about it." For once, he agreed with his brother. "I am both your mortal enemy and your brother and your cousin. Well actually when I say it like that it does make me chuckle a bit."

"I must get back home."

"Then you must realize where you've gone wrong."

Thor platted the slightly overdone eggs and put them in front of Loki with a bottle of ketchup looking depressed.

Loki focused on his eggs for a while before sighing. "Brother, fret not. You are not alone in your suffering. Fandral and Sif have been forced to marry as punishment. I think it says a lot that our mother thinks marriage is a punishment."

Thor took a moment but then smiled. "Well, being with Father is trying. And why has Volstagg lost weight."

"Mother took away his taste buds, along with Hogun's speech and Heimdall's hearing."

"Mother has always been stricter than father."

Loki nodded. "Eggs are good."

"Indeed! There are so many delicious Midgardian foods." Loki ate in silence for a while before Thor spoke again. "Loki…"

Loki peered up.

"I care not of blood relation. You are my brother today, just as you were yesterday and so shall you be tomorrow."

Loki regarded Thor for a moment. "How sweet. Now give us a kiss."

"Gah, Stop it!" Thor laughed as Jane's front door opened.

Loki looked up and saw Eric walk in with a busty pretty woman behind him. Loki arched a brow and gave her an appreciative glance over.

"Good morning intergalactic aliens." Eric was in a good mood it seemed. "What adventures are we set to have today?"

Loki wasn't at all interested in adventures. She was interested in girl with the black glasses eating his eggs right off his plate. "I'm Loki, Thor's brother, cousin, enemy. Who are you?"

"Darcy. Jane's assistant slash friend." She said. "These eggs are so good. Wait… brother, cousin, enemy? What kind of backwards society do you guys come from?"

Loki smiled. "Perhaps you can come visit someday. You can see it for yourself."

Darcy nodded. "Jane would love that."

Loki tilted his head. "I'm not inviting Jane." In a low seductive voice that left no room for suggestion.

Thor sharply turned to his brother. "I believe we have things to do today. Am I right brother?"

Loki smiled. "As you are always."

Thor stood up. "Come let me show you to Mjolnir."

When Thor left the room Loki looked to Darcy and Eric. "Elder brothers. Always the blockers of coc…"

"BROTHER!" Thor yelled when Loki wasn't quick to follow.

Darcy laughed while admiring Loki's retreating form.

Notes:

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