Author's Note:I am just going to start with a friendly reminder: I have taken creative liberty with this story regarding both the film and the original Norse mythology. I am well aware that Hel is actually Loki's daughter, but I have decided to change this in my series of oneshot, so that they are not related. Her heritage is that her father is one of the inhabitants of Asgard, while her mother's identity is a slight mystery.
The cave was very long and twisted into multiple paths. It actually took him a very long time to reach to the very end. There was no light or sound to guide him at all.
It was only when he was right outside did he hear the sound of his children: scales rustling and furs ruffling.
"Hel, why do this?" he began as he picked up one son in each hand. The scale a contrast to the furs, but they were both their children.
He then lit the torch and he was certainly shocked at the result.
Hel had always been very proud and vain of her hair, but it was now completely tangled and in disarray.
"…I saw their expression." She whispered, hiding her face behind her hands. "I am a freak! My children…our children…because of me…"
The two children must have sensed her distress as they immediately struggled out of his hold to be beside their mother.
"How can you be so certain that it is you? Maybe it is me." he told her, kneeling in front of her collapsed form.
"Who else could it be?" she cried out before she slapped his hold off so that she could embrace their children. "I am sorry. Because of me, you two are like this."
"Are you ashamed of them?" he demanded, his voice very harsh.
"Of course not!" she yelled back. "But the rest of the world…"
"Who care about the rest of the world? They would never accept us anyway." He reminded her. "I am really happy with them. I love them just as I love you."
"You think that would be enough?" she raised her head and even though the tears were still there, it seemed that she was no longer crying.
"It is not ideal," he admitted as he thought of his own problems with his family. "But I think it could be enough. Your father accepted them…he was happy at his grandchildren."
"Yours?"
"I do not know about my father or my brother, but my mother is happy and told me that she want to see her first grandchildren."
"But I don't feel like going back yet." She finally said. "Can we stay here for a while?"
The cave brought up too many memories of bad adventure with Thor but he decided to agree. It was not just due to Hel, but their children too. It would be better for them to grow up without so much prejudice.
"We will change here into our home." He vowed as he crouched down so that he had his arms around them. It was an unconventional family but it was a family that he was in the centre of instead of just being on the side.
"Fenrir." He announced as he picked up his elder borne before he exchanged him for the younger. "Jormungandr."
A wolf and a snake, but they were his children. No, not just his children. Their children.
The cave actually became their home and they were actually very happy there. Hel would deal with the day-to-day chores and nursing of their children while he studied, as well as interacting with the villagers of a considerable distance and finding food in various ways.
Unlike before, they were alone due to the fact that there were no people around them, instead of being the ones that nobody wanted to approach.
They were happier that way.
Hel's father came and he was honest by admitting that he had been a bit bewildered but was now completely happy with his grandchildren in the same way that he loved his daughter.
His parents could not come so easily due to their position, but his brother could bring their words for them and it seemed that they were at the stage of accepting their grandchildren that were not human.
As for his brother…Thor loved him and would have loved his brother's children, but the other was not a good actor at all. What he felt would immediately be displayed.
The expression from his four friends then made it worse.
"Brother, perhaps it is best if you come alone." He suggested, as Hela was in the cave with their children, all three refusing to come out. "You have to understand, my children are very special and not even you seemed to realise that."
"But Sif and the others understand that they are my nephews and they would treat them so, even if they are – " Thor began, but was interrupted.
"Don't. Just don't. Don't say what it is that you plan to say." Loki said quickly before he decided to attack the argument in a different way. "But Thor, my children are all still very young, so too many people could scare them."
"But Loki, you cannot just spend the rest of your life here." Thor protested. "Brother, I have missed you greatly."
"I know this, but for now, I will be here by my children." Although he had to admit that he was quite touched at this display of affection. However, he actually did not miss being on these adventures. He actually thought that this current arrangement might be better. The visits of his brother would be something that he could look forward to instead of being something that he dreaded, as there were no foolish adventures that he had to participate in.
Fenrir and Jormungandr actually grew up very fast as they were soon able to hunt themselves. He would usually shift into the form of a bird to keep an eye on them, although this was probably not necessary.
Yet the two of them were still boys as they liked nothing better then to lie on the head of their mother and tell her of their achievements by the fire, or listen to the tale of the outside world that he would spin for them.
It was true that Fenrir's teeth were getting sharp, while Jormungandr's coil were tight. However, did that actually matter when the former would remain immobile to let him and Hel check his teeth while the latter would curl around them for the sake of warmth.
Most of all, a lecture from their mother would cause both to lower their head in shame, and even throw him a look pleading for help.
Things would change but the future was very distant. Their family would just continue to be like this and they were happy.
The home was lost because the family was separated. However, this was not the choice of any of the members in the family, but that of another.
Loki thought that his father was actually a bit apologetic but he then bitterly wondered what good that did as the decision was still the same.
Fenrir and Jormungandr were both too dangerous.
"Father, please! My children would not harm anyone." he pleaded, his arm intertwined with Jormungandr as Hel was holding onto Fenrir. "They have never hurt anyone."
"They are too dangerous." The all father said simply. "You know this."
"They could be but they would never be so." Hel cried out. "Please! Let us remain the way that we are!"
Perhaps deep down, he already realised that things would end up like this. After all, he has seen how efficient and deadly his children were in hunting. The truth was that if they sought to destroy, they could excel in it.
He knew that they would not but this would be dismissed as a father's blind love.
"What would you do with them?" he whispered and this was like admitting defeat.
"They cannot run wild." Odin said sternly. "They must be kept under security."
"Bu they are your grandchildren!" Hel yelled out as she let go of their son so that she could kneel in front of him. "Please! They will never harm anyone! Please do not punish them when they have done no wrong!"
"Father, my children would never harm anyone." Loki added. "They are not beasts, they can speak!"
"And that is why they are dangerous." Was his father's reply and there were sorrow in it.
The other gods that came, however, were completely indifferent, that was probably even the better solution as some probably think that the children need to be destroyed.
"No! Not my children!" Hel screamed out as she embraced their children tightly once more.
Someone made a move toward her and it was one of his sons that acted. Jormungandr was always rasher then his brother, striking while the other waited.
It was he that was punished first.
Picked up by the tail, he was thrown into the ocean.
Then it was Fenrir, his brother's fate a clear indication of what must be. Barring his teeth, he took a few down before he was chained.
A kick was given, and this earned a punch from Loki. He simply acted without thinking at what they dared to do: not even a fight but that of bullying.
"Loki, I – " his father began but he did not want to hear an explanation. There could be none. He could only go to his sobbing wife, who slapped his hand away as he choose to side with the others by not fighting for their children.
He could not defend himself as this was the truth.
Many years later, he was in a cell too, the last member of this scattered family was in a jail too.
The younger son was in the very depth of the ocean with the elder son chained at the gate, while his wife chooses to be bond to the underworld. Not a ruler but a prisoner, as she was bound to her duty and could not leave the realm.
It was something he accepted a long time ago. He did not doubt it, perhaps he lost the ability of doing so.
The memory where the four of them were together would only be a memory.
Then, it happened.
At first, it was merely the glance of the guards, then it was followed by whispers and display of uneasiness.
The result was only known when he was brought to the all father.
"…Hal refuse to take away death." Odin said simply.
"Is that not good then? We have the immortality that the others believe we have." He said lightly, but this was interrupted by his mother.
"Loki, the pain of dying is here without death to end it. These people are suffering!"
"As much as a mother who lost both sons?" he yelled out. "They were only two children who never did anything wrong, yet they were imprisoned!"
"Is this your doing then?" The all father began and the absurdity of all this actually caused him to chuckle.
"Hel has not talked to me since that day she left here. Even then, the only thing that she said was that she would not forgive me."
"But only you can talk to her and put a stop to all this." Frigga said as she took hold of his hand. "And this must end."
"…why?" it was a soft whisper but it startled everyone.
"Why? What have I to lose? What have I to gain? I am a prisoner like my children…the rest of the family."
Despite the situation, he was actually inwardly applauding the antic of his wife. Not only did she manage to create such a chaos, she used what was meant to chain her. Initially, no one thought that to control what was already gone could actually be dangerous.
"I know Hel." He said slowly. "And I think what she wants it to be with our children. That is all."
He could not deny that he also hoped for this due to his own self interest. If they were with him then he'd have a higher chance of being forgiven. Perhaps he would be included.
For the first time, he was experiencing doubt again instead of just a matter of fact existence, as he had something he truly wanted again.
Author's Note:I actually had the idea for this story for a while but I didn't get around to writing it. Due to watching the avengers, I suddenly had the idea of doing this.
The idea of this story is that it ended up showing the life he had with his family. I wanted to include the happy ending but it actually didn't feel right. But the idea is that due to all that happened, Hel had a slight breakdown and decided to deny death to everyone unless they let the family reunite. Again and it is actually mainly due to him.
At the end of the story, there is this whole issue of doubt and the idea is that Loki has just ended up accepting and did not even consider about failing or succeeding or whether something is right or wrong. He feels that things happen and that is it.