Tumblr teaches you many things. And having watched Avengers some time ago, I had read something about Loki which called him pragmatic, and morally ambiguous (at the time I did not know what pragmatic meant). In writing this, and the entire story, I think, my intention was to examine Loki as a person... not a villain... and if situations were different, would he have done the things he did?

Contemplations. Contemplations.

CHAPTER EIGHT:

THE EVER-PRAGMATIC HEART

"Even the most pragmatic person fell victim at times to a longing for something other."
― Kate Morton (The Forgotten Garden)

JÖTUNHEIM

DUSK (BY MIDGARD STANDARDS)

Laufey regarded the Giant knelt at the foot of his throne with cold uncertainty. The Asgardians had raided his world mere hours before, and yet the warrior had chosen now to bring news of a curious development.

"What brings you here at this hour?" Laufey asked, not bothering to withhold the annoyance in his tone.

"My king," he replied, and the king of the Jötuns saw the quiver in his hands, "I come with strange news."

"I have been told. The details of which have been uncharacteristically blurry."

"The Asgardians came…"

"And we sent them off, did we not. I seek not any war with Odin… whether I initially intended to due to his son's impudence," cutting across him.

"And I respect your judgement," the Giant replied, though his tone indicated otherwise. It was the many pains of ruling a kingdom such as this. Many were bloodthirsty, war-hungry creatures, and it took all in his power to make them see reason that their time to rise against Asgard had not come yet.

"So your purpose?" Laufey asked.

"There was a boy… one who stood at the side of Thor… who attempted to make him see reason…"

"I remember."

"He did not fight like the others. While he seemed quite capable with a sword, he opted to wield magic."

Laufey chuckled. "A highly feminine skill set he possesses, does he not? But what of it? I doubt you have come to speak of what Asgardians learn nowadays."

"I do not. I personally jousted with him. He bears the mark of an Odinson…"

"Really?" Nonchalence prominent.

"And I managed to wrap my hand around his wrist to prevent him from calling on his powers."

"And did it work?" Laufey didn't bother hiding his sarcasm.

"His skin turned blue."

Now, the king didn't bother hiding his surprise. He stood suddenly, scarlet eyes flashing.

"A Jötun trait… Odin could not… would not…"

"I had thought it was an illusion, cast forth by the boy. But he seemed just as surprised as I."

But Laufey didn't seem to be listening anymore. His mind flashed through the countless possibilities.

In the last Cold War… what if Odin had taken his runt child, raised it as his own? What if?

He looked down at the Giant. "I am going to Asgard."

MIDGARD

7:30 p.m.

"What you must understand Loki is that fighting, while valued highly where you've come from no doubt, is not something that we here take kindly to. You can hurt someone."

"I understand," the boy replied, sitting cross-legged on the floor while the elderly couple attempted to discipline him.

Director Fury had not been bluffing when he had said he was sending letters, and briefly Loki wondered if Tony was facing something similar at home.

Maintaining his forlorn look while they rambled on, he recounted his last memory of Stark: They were forced to sit apart. Mr. Coulson tried his best to keep Tony under manners, but he might as well been trying to train a Bilgesnipe. He made… what Loki came to know as spitballs- lethal projectiles that he directed at the teacher. He maintained horrible posture. And while Loki tried his best to tune him out, it was a seemingly impossible task.

Stark had him in stitches. No… they hadn't gotten to talking about the Tesseract. But, and Loki felt bad about it when he remembered Bruce's concerned look, he wanted to get to know Tony Stark a bit better.

Beneath that exterior, who was he really? Loki knew better than to assume his careless attitude meant a carefree home. Quite the opposite.

And it made the spoilt little rich boy all the more intriguing.

"Loki… are you even listening?"

"Yes… It's just that I had a long day," he sighed.

"I hope that you would not do something like this again."

"As long as there is no immediate threat to my person, nor anyone else I care about… then no."

"That's all we need. Thank you son."

Loki bit his tongue. I'm not your son, he wanted to say, but thought better of it. In the end, he knew it was the thought that counted.

MIDGARD

8:00 p.m.

"Oh brother. She really is something, you know."

"Uh huh," Loki replied, without turning to face his brother on the bed.

"While you were incarcerated, she and I took a stroll around the grounds…"

That's why you didn't stand up with me. You were thinking of impressing the girl with your self-control.

"And we kissed."

"That's lovely."

"Not like on Asgard, brother. The way they represent it on the talking screen."

"The television, Thor."

Thor shook him off. "It was so… wonderful."

"I would presume."

"Why do you not share in my revelry?"

"It's just that…" now Loki spun around, "It's just that I do not see the sense in sentiment."

"You care about your friend. When Stark was berating him…."

"Yes. But I seek not to kiss him."

"Why the theatrics, brother? Couldn't you have simply ignored today?" Thor asked, changing the topic.

Loki pretended that he did not notice. "I could have. But it did not call for it. Tony distressed Bruce, and I would have none of it."

"But…"

"Why did you not say anything? You left me out there, at the expense of my dignity."

"No… you were fine. I trusted that you could kick Stark's butt to…"

"Jötunheim," Loki completed for him, "But sometimes I wish for your support, you know."

"I know. But today was your day. Your day to fight, and prove that something was important to you. I needed you to see that."

"I am pragmatic, not sentimental."

Thor chuckled. "You hope for it, brother. You lie to yourself. And in turn, begin to believe it. No. Your heart is not pragmatic, and nor would it ever be. You protecting your friend today proved that."

"And Stark?"

"What of him?"

"He apologized in detention this afternoon."

"Did you accept?"

"I said that I'd think about it."

"So you said yes," Thor concluded with a small smile. But it was gone quickly. "Might I ask why?"

"He's funny, albeit annoying. And he knows something about the Tesseract."

A pause.

"Wait, FATHER'S Tesseract?!"

Loki smiled at the recognition. "That's what I thought. Assumedly it had been lost for millennia, until Tony's father found it."

"Do you think…?" Thor couldn't complete the thought.

"If it is what I think it is, then yes. The Tesseract can take us home."

"What of our friends? And Natasha?"

"I…" Loki looked up at Thor's distraught face. "We don't have to make any decision now. But it is an option… if we choose to act upon it."

Loki saw Thor nod in approval and as he turned back around to finish their homework, he began to wonder what was happening.

Life on Midgard.

He rolled the idea around. No, it was no longer unfathomable.