Loki wasn't sure his lungs were working properly because he was pretty sure he'd stopped breathing. At least it felt like he did. The entire world had narrowed down to nothing but the deep feeling of betrayal.

All this time it had been a lie. He didn't have to actually be this cold, uncaring monster, not really. He just had to play one on TV. That wasn't so bad, he could do that job (even if he wouldn't enjoy it as much as working in Toys) and be happy in his off hours. He wasn't inherently someone evil.

His world expanded back out when his Sylvie took his hand and gave it a light squeeze. "Are you okay?" she asked him softly, concerned.

"It's just…a lot to process," he told her, giving her hand a grateful squeeze in return.

"I'm sorry, kid. I really am," Uncle Owen said genuinely, patting his shoulder again. "I wanted to tell you, but I couldn't deal with never seeing my nephews again."

Loki met his uncle's eyes for a long moment before stepping forward and giving him a long hug. "It's not your fault."

"I love you too," Uncle Owen answered, hugging him back tightly.

Loki was just pulling away from the hug when Thor spoke up for the first time, shaking his head. "I don't believe this," he muttered.

All eyes turned to Thor as he looked from Loki and Uncle Owen to Odin at the head of the table. "I can't believe you'd do this," he glared accusingly at his dad. "All this time you've let everyone think Loki was going to be some monster! How could you?"

"That's not what-" Odin started but Thor shut him up.

"It is!" he boomed, jumping out of his seat so fast it sent his chair flying. "It's your fault everyone's treated my brother like shit for years! No matter how much I told them they were wrong, that Loki is wonderful, it didn't matter because of you!"

"In his defense, our dad did the same thing," Uncle Owen said. "Asshole."

"Well not anymore. If I ever do have kids, they're going to know the truth. The whole North Pole is," Thor declared.

Loki felt a tear drop down onto his cheek, not even having realized that he was tearing up. His mouth hung open slightly, not knowing what to even begin to say.

Thor saw and instead of saying anything marched over and hugged his brother so tight it hurt. Normally Loki would protest, but at that moment he was glad for the reminder that this wasn't a dream.

"You're not mad?" Loki finally blurted when Thor let him go.

"Mad about what?" Thor asked, bewildered at the question.

"That I kinda…stole Mrs. Claus?"

Thor let out a laugh that echoed throughout the room. "Brother, Sylvie is lovely, but I don't think she would have ever been Mrs. Claus."

"I don't understand," Frigga said. "I asked the magic snow globe who the perfect wife for my son would be, and it gave me her. It's never been wrong before!"

Sylvie turned to her with an eyebrow raised. "Did you specify which son?"

Frigga's head turned slowly to give her attention to Sylvie. "What?"

"Did you specify which son?" Sylvie repeated.

"Well-well…no. But I shouldn't have had to, only Thor gets a wife. That's just part of the myth."

"Mother, I don't need you to magically find me a wife," Thor said. "I'm going to marry Jane."

"Who?" Everyone in the room asked at once.

"Jane. Head of Slay and Reindeer. We've been together for almost a year now, I was going to propose on Christmas Eve," he blushed slightly as he said it.

"But she's brilliant," Loki blurted before he could stop himself. He'd blame it on the emotional roller coaster he was still on.

"Yeah, she is," Thor said with a warm smile, missing the implied insult.

"But Mrs. Claus is a human, not an elf!" Odin finally spoke up again, coming out of his stunned silence.

"That's why I didn't say anything," Thor shrugged. "But she's the one."

"No!" Odin boomed so loud Loki felt it in his bones. "You all seem to have forgotten! You seem to have forgotten, so allow me to remind you: our family gets its magic from myths. If we do not stick to the myths, then we all die. All of this goes away! It doesn't matter what you want, or what I want, or what any of us want. If you boys choose to be selfish like this then every single person in this North Pole is gone," he growled out. "Make me the villain if you will, but I won't let hundreds die for nothing!"

Of course. The joy that had taken root in Loki's chest shriveled. This wasn't just about them and their wants. It was about hundreds of elfs and reindeer, all those people whose lives were based on myth magic. Who didn't have a choice to go somewhere else if this job fell through. Their blood would be on his and Thor's hands if they continued down this path, no matter how much they wanted it.

"Myths can change," said a voice that Loki treasured more than anything else in the world, the one that belonged to his Sylvie.

"What?" Odin snapped, his eyes zeroing in on her in a way that would make anyone cower in fear.

But not his Sylvie. Not his brave, amazing, wonderful, beautiful, strong Sylvie. She met Odin's eyes without a shred of fear. She reached out and took Loki's hand firmly. "Myths change all the time."

There was a round of gasps, but Loki could only smile as he watched the glitter of magic glimmer around Sylvie's head as two curly horns appeared.

"A Lady Krampus," Uncle Owen gasped quietly.

Following their gazes, Sylvie reached up to feel the horns and grinned up at her Loki. "I guess now would be a good time to show them the tail too?"