Odin looked down at Loki who was lying in the bed in his lair. The liar was nice. It was a nice mix of Asgardian drapery, with a Midgardian layout and a Jotun inspired ice throne which Doom was keeping cold.
It was something so uniquely Loki.
He looked so innocent when asleep but he knew better. He, single handed robbed his son of his innocence.
Despite what people thought about him as far as being a father, he knew his son. He knew what he was capable of and what he could take. And he couldn't take another run in with Thanos.
Loki was always a little snot. Even for a Jotun, he was never quite right.
He remembered when he first saw Loki. It was the cries that drew him to the temple. The scared, hungry, desperate cry of a child abandoned, stared for affection and attention. And then he saw him, chubby and fussy. It should have seemed repulsive, but no. He thought the child was beautiful and though a runt for a Jotun, his magic was strong. As soon as he held him, the child changed his form to please him.
When he took him home, and the doctors tended to him, Frigga took to the child quickly but Loki cried constantly unless being held by Odin. It was endearing. Thor took to the child as well and they named him Loki.
The child was a little too knowing. There was something in his eyes that Thor didn't have. It was as if he could read people and based on what he saw, was the type of Loki the person got. If he didn't like you, you got a hand full of poop or spit. Poor Heimdall never looked at children the same way again.
Once the child was able to move, he was everywhere, ever curious and interested in what was around him. If he wanted a treat, and he was denied, he would cause people to trip or tables would suddenly blow up so he could get the treat.
And was he ever in search for entertainment. While Thor was more interested in building things, he was more into destroying things. His favorite pass time was undoing whatever cleaning Frigga did. He would wait for her to realize, all attention on her reaction, and laugh hysterically when she saw it.
He would make his dolls come to life and chase Thor around. Odin the father thought it was hilarious. Odin the King had to at least attempt to put a stop to it.
When he was able to talk, there was no stopping him. The stories he would tell to get him and Thor got in trouble was so convoluted and outlandish it was hard not to believe him. People never knew if they should believe him or not and as a result what started happening was people just stopped listening to Loki.
In hindsight that was a terrible thing to do. Taking away his voice, which was his most powerful tool, was cruel. They, collectively, told Loki was he said didn't matter and that left him only with actions to communicate.
Loki was very different from Thor. It wasn't that he favored Thor, it was that he didn't understand Loki. It had nothing to do with his lies, truth be told, Frigga was a good trickster as well. She taught Loki everything he knew and Odin was proud of his son. But Thor embodied Asgard, and no matter how he tried to steer Loki into Asgardian ways, he was still very different and different was bad in Asgard and reflected that he and Frigga in some way failed as parents.
Hindsight again. He should have listened to Frigga, told him of his parentage but showed him that he was still one of them.
His fondness for curvy women and his aversion to petite lady-like women was proof of his Jotun ways. And his thirst for adventure was very Asgardian. But there were other things that confused Loki. Asgardian males had magic, but not as strong as Loki's. Asgardian men, even Jotun men, were bigger and he seemed to appear more Dark Elf stature.
Dark Elves are private people, so is Loki. Dark Elves are quicker to use their words than actions to solve problems. And if he was in fact half Dark Elvin, that made him twice the enemy of Asgardians.
But Odin never saw Loki as an enemy. Loki was his child and he intended to give Loki a kingdom, but his child was right. It would not have been an Asgardian Throne. That was always going to be given to his first born.
Once Loki became of age, he appealed to Dark Elvin women. He actually had more requests for Loki's hand than Thor's. More than likely, it was because people knew Thor didn't have to married to sleep with a woman. Loki was more choosey. He was harder to get and Elves, whether dark or light, liked privacy.
The rage he felt Thor took him to Jotunhiem was unreal. It's what propelled him to send Thor to Midgard. This wasn't the first time betraying his commands. Thor was always brash, but all Odin could think about, was what Laufey would do when he realized what happened to his child. Would they come for him? Would they try to kill him as they felt he deserved. Why would he put his younger brother in such danger?
He knew what was going to happen to Loki had he not taken him. Loki would have been left there to die and with his magic being as it was, it would have taken a lot longer, because Loki was a fighter in a way that Thor wasn't. Thor would never have been able to survive what Thanos did to Loki.
And then there was Loki, crying and breaking apart in front of him. If only he could have pushed away Odinsleep another day. If only he could have finished that conversation, he would have made Loki understand and see that he never was never beneath Thor. He was the other half of Thor. Where Thor had physical strength, he had mental. They would have been side by side, ruling both Asgardians and the Dark Elves and maybe together rule Jotunheim and then peace would follow.
But every word he had said to the boy Loki twisted around. He was already so hurt that there was no convincing him with words and Odin was never very good with words. Yes, Odin took the boy because he had thought to unite the two kingdoms, but there was no way, after 1000 years of Loki hiding his crown, taking needle point lessons with Frigga so the women would fawn over him, and generally being able to put Thor in his place, did he still regard Loki in that way. Why couldn't' he just let those words out.
And then he fell. No… he let go. Not because of Thor, or Frigga or even because of his true parentage, but because of his own words. Why couldn't he just say something loving? Why did he always have to be so emotionally stilted? How he wanted to take that back. He had told his son no, "Loki No" was his exact words. He wanted to say no, he hadn't needed to destroy a planet to be loved. That is not at all what came out. Right then, he was so disappointed with himself but he could see why Loki thought his father was disappointed at him. Watching Loki fall, not knowing where his son would land and if he'd be alive, kept him up at night.
And then New York happened. And he thought Loki was just being a brat. He thought he just wanted to hurt him by hurting what Loki thought Odin loved the most. If only he knew. Thor was given to him, but he chose Loki.
When Loki returned to Asgard he was so cocky. So full of hatred and Odin was so angry he said some of the worse things he could have said to his son. In truth, Frigga didn't need to fight hard to keep him alive and he knew Frigga wouldn't stay away from her prodigy. He just wanted Loki to snap out of it. To realize that he was home and there was no reason to keep fighting. He wanted Loki to see the intent behind his actions were wrong. Maybe he should have just said that instead of always being a king first and father second.
But then Frigga died and all he wanted was blood. When the guards came to ask if they should tell Loki, he wanted to continue to be angry with him, but the truth was, even though Thor was her blood, Loki was more like Frigga and a reminder of her. Loki's temperament, abilities, word choices, where all Frigga. He was all Odin had left her.
He told the guard not to tell him that the Queen died but that he mother died. Yes, Loki was still family. Without Frigga there, there was no one to translate his words for him. He would have to do it himself.
And then they broke Loki out, and he knew they were going to face danger and part of him was happy they were side by side again, but he worried. And when the guard came and told him Loki was dead, he realized he could never make it better. He failed them all by thinking being a king was more important.
And then it happened. The little snot locked him away in a cell and put a cloak of invisibility over it. And then sat on his throne, leaning to side, OWNING it! And what was wrong with Thor! Couldn't he tell from the bored look on his face when he sat down that wasn't him? Odin would never slouch on the throne. A thousand years together and Thor couldn't tell?
He could see why Loki would get frustrated dealing with him. He loved his son to pieces but he could be so dense.
When he got out that cell, he was going to blast him with his staff. Not a powerful one, just one that would knock him on his butt and remind him he was still a child! Frigga would never let him beat him as a kid no matter how Loki acted out. He wished on this one he would have given Loki the thumping he needed follow by a healthy dose of, you're a jerk but I love you because of it not despite it.
And then he had a dream, given to him by Frigga, which showed what Thanos did to him and how close he was to finding him. Odin wouldn't let it happen again. He would make things right with Loki.
As if that wasn't bad enough, he knew Loki was approaching the age when Frost Giants start their sleeping in. They would eat and store up food and sleep for a few days, maybe a week and then awaken refreshed and energetic. It happened mostly to Giants that lived in warmer climates to get them ready for summer. And he knew Thanos knew and would strike then.
So despite the danger he put his realm in, he hunted Thanos and killed him. For once, he chose his family over being a king.
Now he lay sleeping, storing up energy for the Midgardian summer that would take a lot of energy to keep him cool. And he had a slew of superheroes watching over him and a Midgardian woman who was not only pretty but didn't seem particularly disturbed by his sudden blueness.
And don't get him started on Doom. It would make sense he would befriend Loki. He didn't have to be evil all day with a guy who just wanted to be noticed.
He sighed as he left his son's side determined to repair that relationship.
000
"So…. Anyone want to talk about how Loki's blue?" Tony had no tact and everyone knew it but it still caught them by surprise every so often.
"I want to talk about how freaked out he was about it." Natasha pointed out. "I mean he looked really freaked out."
Thor sighed. "Yes. Being a Frost Giant is like being a monster on Asgard. I have never seen him in this form."
"And does it change anything?" Bruce asked fresh from his flight and happy Thanos was taken care of. "I mean, that is the whole reason why Loki went crazy."
"It changes nothing. I don't know why I never had him show me before."
"Because it's weird." Tony stated.
"Well he is an alien." Natasha rolled her eyes.
"Still weird."
"I've seen worse." Doom pointed out. "Being blue sure beats being silver."
"Oh yeah." Tony agreed. "Is he always naked? Or is the silver like his armor?"
Nat punched his arm. "You are such an idiot."
000
It had been over three days and Darcy was getting antsy. She wanted him to wake up, look at her, and give her that smile that makes her heart skip a beat and her stomach flutter.
He was still blue and she was happy about that because she knew he would never willingly change back to his natural form again and she wanted to memorize every line that decorated his body. She wondered if it was a generic form or if his lines were unique. She touched them thinking they were softer than she thought they'd be. And his skin was cold, like a freezer.
He looked so peaceful. She wondered if he were dreaming of anything. She wondered if she'd be in them.
She was worried. Earth was never Loki's first choice to live. No, he wanted to go back to Asgard, everyone knew it. Earth was just the least likely place where he'd be killed. Now Odin was here singing songs of forgiveness. Would Loki go back home? Would he leave her?
She sighed and placed a kiss on his forehead. She would miss him when he goes.
000
Tony and Thor sat eating everything they could that was on the brunch table. Pepper and Jane just sat there shaking their heads. It had been a quiet morning. Banner went back to wherever it was he stayed and Nat and Barton went to their love nest, wherever that was. Darcy finally went to sleep in a real bed instead of that chair and they talked Doom into letting the shield he kept around Loki go so he could rest.
Odin for the most part had been solitary, coming and going from Asgard as he needed. So it was a bit of a surprised when he walked in holding his stomach. "What is this Midgardian feast?"
"It's brunch father!" Thor answered. "It is most delicious."
Odin sat in a vacant chair picking at the food. "This is disgusting. Look at all this disgusting Midgardian food. It is not suitable for a king."
"Father…" Thor tried to start. But Odin cut him off.
"Silence! I demand one of you goats go prepare a meal fit for a king." Odin yelled pointing at Jane and Pepper.
Tony was not going to allow Odin, even if he was a king, to disrespect Pepper. Before he could speak a bright light appeared at the door way and a blast of energy swooshed through the room hitting Odin and knocking him on his butt.
They all looked at the door to see… Odin.
Well that wasn't right. They looked back at the Odin on the floor and saw that familiar green flash and the Odin on the floor turned into Loki on the grinning wildly.
"You little snot balling, piss taking, intolerable twit!" Odin yelled down to his son. "That is the last time you lock me up!"
"You shot me!" Loki did look generally surprised. "I'm your son!"
"Ha!" Tony laughed. He seems to pull that card only when he needed it.
Loki stood up. He looked taller, leaner, his eyes greener. He looked good.
The noise of Loki hitting the floor woke Darcy who made her way to the kitchen. She squealed in delight at the site of Loki standing there looking like a maniac at Odin who was holding his staff and shaking his head.
Upon Darcy's squeal, Loki turned and held out his arms. "Little Mortal!"
Darcy jumped into his arms so relieved to see him up and happy. "You're awake!"
"I am and I am ready to take over the world. Figuratively speaking? Of course, sure. Right. Not literally. Or maybe literally."
Darcy laughed.
She released his neck and with a snap of his fingers she was dressed in a green ball gown and a crown with green gems.
"Brother, we think it best if we speak…"
"I have no time to speak. "Come my queen, let us rule!"
Tony sighed as they disappeared. "Should we be concerned that he said he's going to take over the world?"
Odin snorted. "He didn't say which world. Let's hope he's gone to rule the dwarves." Odin looked at the spread before him rubbing his stomach. "What is this Midgardian feast?"
000
She knew he seemed to be a bit energetic. They were teleporting everywhere and anywhere she requested. She actually felt like a queen! He fed her until she could barely take another bite and then whisked her to the most romantic places around the world where they took selfies.
By midday she was hankering for a snack. "Let's get ice cream cones."
"If my Little Mortal Queen wants ice cream, then she will get the finest ice cream! And no cone will suffice!" With a flick of his wrist, Central Park turned into one large ice cream sundae. The trees were long cones, the benches were like ice cream sandwhiches.
She knew she should tell him to stop, but the people in the park seemed perfectly fine with this. They were eating the ice cream! At his encouragement, Darcy licked at trees along with the other people. Bringing joy to people all over central park couldn't possibly a villainous thing could it?
Fury was the deciding factor in that when he sent The Avengers to capture Loki. It didn't help the Avenger's cause though when Iron Man starts licking at benches and Doom added syrup on the grass.
Captain throws his hands up. "Loki, you can't just turn Central Park into ice cream!"
"Why not?" Valid question.
"Because it's disruptive! And Darcy, you are supposed to be…"
"Don't you dare speak to the Queen this way! If you wish to speak to her you should kneel before her."
"Are you back on that kneeling thing again? Seriously what are you guys even ruling? There is no kingdom. Where is your kingdom?"
Loki and Darcy glanced at each other trying to find something that they could rule. With pride, Darcy placed a hand on her hip. "The Yodeling Yogurts!"
Loki smiled brilliantly. "Yes! The Yodeling Yogurts."
Steve though it was official; Loki had pulled Darcy into the dark side. Maybe it was more accurate to say he pulled her into the dark side with lamps for occasional goodness. That didn't make sense either. Did he pull her into the light where there were shades of darkness where they could do no so great things? Gees, was Loki even an enemy?
Full of ice cream Tony shook his head and wiping his lips. "You guys are nuts."
"That just might be." Loki admitted. "But it is irrelevant. I hope you guys are rested because today is officially the day of the Yodeling Yogurts!"
"I wanna come!" Doom came running over and the three of them disappeared.
The Avengers realized he was going to have them chasing him all day.
Tony shrugged. "At least he turned everything back to normal."
Steve looked around at the sad faces of the people who were eating the ice cream. He suddenly felt like party pooper.