Title: I was thinking of a son

Fandom: Glee/Avengers movieverse(Norse mythology)

Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Anne Sexton

Warnings: mentions of violence/bullying; self-fulfilling prophecies; Asgard's asshattery

Pairings: Loki/Angrboða

Rating: PGish

Wordcount: 630

Point of view: third

First: Loki No-one's-son is not a supervillain. Well, he is a villain, and he is super – but he has no plans to conquer Midgard. And he'd rather not trigger the apocalypse, either, but one doesn't' always get what one wants, does one?

"You're talking pretentiously again," Vali mutters without looking up from his McGriddle.

Loki rolls his eyes.

.

Second: The worst thing Loki has done on Midgard is blow up a few buildings, rearrange the constellations (he put them back after), and kill three hundred humans. Not at the same time, of course. And it's not like the humans couldn't use some culling – they are far past a safe population for their little rock.

He regularly battles the Avengers, his brother's latest band of fellows, but his heart isn't in it. He likes them better than Sif and the Warriors 3, anyway.

Not that that's difficult. He likes-liked Laufey more than he likes the Warriors 3 and Sif. A thousand years of imagined slights will do that to a fellow.

You're brooding again, Sleipnir says, gently butting Loki in the side with his nose.

Loki pats his shoulder and focuses on pleasanter things.

.

Third: Loki, late of Asgard, never of Jotunheimr, will return to Asgard only to burn it.

The only thing from that golden cage he cares about currently resides on Midgard and protects the little rock most vigorously.

Loki does not like being played for a fool. And he should have realized when Angrboða bore a serpent instead of an infant –

Magic can only explain so much.

Loki has thought of himself as a monster. But his children? Never.

You're angry, Papa, Fenrir murmurs, brushing against Loki's legs.

Loki gently rubs at his son's ears and turns back to plotting.

.

Fourth: Loki loves each of his children. Each of them is special and beautiful and amazing in a way that only one aesir has ever learned to appreciate.

Outcasts and unwanted, the lot of them. Cursed, too.

Gifted. So very gifted.

Loki doesn't want to destroy anything except the so-called Realm Eternal, and that is entirely personal. The rest of the universe holds no interest for him. He has walked and mapped every road, learned secrets and moved on.

But Asgard... he has business there.

"You're smiling creepily again," Nari tells him, handing over a mug of coffee.

Loki's smile widens, so sharp it'll cut a realm to pieces.

.

Fifth: From the moment Loki brought Jörmungandr home and saw the courtiers' reactions (and Father's apprehension, and Mother's well-hidden disgust), Loki knew how things would end. Unlike the favored, golden prince, Loki studied history. Loki memorized everything the prophecies forgotten at the back of the library said.

When Angrboða bore Hel, Loki visited the Norns an asked a simple question: is it too late for things to be undone?

The Norns answered in one voice, Yggsdrasil towering over them: never.

Loki returned home and kissed his daughter.

"You're worrying," Hel says, patting his hand with her living one.

Loki pulls her in for a hug, as ever unafraid.

.

Sixth: The first person to ever tell Loki he was less, he was wrong, he was nothing, had been one of Thor's friends. He was a warrior, one of Asgard's best. He also made time, every day, to stalk and terrorize Fenrir.

Fenrir had been so small, then. Just a pup. And everyone thought it such a fine game. He was just an animal, after all. What did it matter if he were the son of the second prince?

(Oh, yes, Loki learned many lessons in Father's golden halls.)

Loki did his best, but finally, he couldn't take it anymore. He told Angrboða to take their children and go somewhere far away, somewhere hidden, somewhere safe.

(Nowhere is safe for the children of the Ragnarök-bringer.)

And five hundred years later, when Fenrir was grown and magnificent, when Tyr hunted him without recognizing him, Loki led everyone else away astray so Fenrir could finally have vengeance.

You're plotting, Jörmungandr muses, shrinking down enough to twine around Loki.

Loki chuckles, shifting into a serpent so they can race across the oceans.

.

Seventh: Loki has had many children. Those that didn't inherit his magic either grew old and died or died young from the myriad of ways mortals can find to die.

Each of them was special. Each of them was loved.

Each of them died, all the same.

Only seven have some of Loki's magic.

Only seven will live to see Asgard burn.

"You haven't fully healed yet, have you?" Kurt asks, but his eyes are tired, and it's not a question.

Loki stares up at the sky and replies softly, "Have you?"