Authors Note: This Kid Loki is not the same as the Kid Loki from the Loki series. He is from a different multi-verse.
Thank you to Harliquinn for beta reading and editing
Happy Reading
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The next day, Skye was getting dressed. She was trying to put on a necklace, but her hands were shaking too much, and she couldn't.
Steve noticed she was struggling. "Need help?"
Skye sighed and nodded.
Steve went over and took the necklace from her. "What's got you so shaky?"
"I don't know," she lied as she moved her hair out of the way as he put it around her neck.
"Skye, I can't help you if you aren't honest with me," he said as he clipped the necklace behind her neck.
"I don't have complete control of my abilities. What if I can't make them work today? In front of everyone," Skye said.
"Why didn't you tell me you were nervous when I brought it up last night?" Steve asked turning her around to look at him.
"I didn't want to let you down," she said softly.
"Skye, did you agree to demonstrate your abilities because you think that's what I wanted?" Steve asked as he moved her to sit on the bed.
"Yes and no," Skye said.
"Skye, I don't want you to do anything with your abilities that you don't want to do," Steve said.
"But you became who you are to be a showpiece," Skye said.
Steve chuckled. "I became a super soldier because I wanted to find some way into the army, and it was the only way I could."
Skye shrugged. "You wanted to fight for your country."
"Yes, I wanted to," Steve said. "I made that choice. You didn't get to choose your DNA. You didn't get to choose to have these abilities. I want you to choose how you handle them. How you use them is your choice. Which means you get to choose if you demonstrate them today."
"I just don't know," Skye said. "I don't know what I want to do, other than make you proud of me."
Steve wrapped her in a hug. "Skye, I am proud of you. Unbelievably proud. And not because of your abilities. But because of who you are. You have been through more than anyone should ever go through in an entire lifetime, and you're only fourteen. And despite that, you are kind, you have a big heart, you're smart and so strong."
Skye nodded a little.
"I don't want you to think that your abilities are what makes you who you are. It's the person you are regardless of those abilities that makes you who you are. You don't need to do anything with your abilities to make me proud," Steve said.
Skye smiled and nodded again.
"Do you want to demonstrate your abilities today?" Steve asked.
"I do. I'm just scared I'll get up there and freeze," Skye said.
"You've never frozen when using them before have you?" Steve asked.
"No," Skye said.
"Then where is this fear coming from?" he asked.
"I- I," Skye said.
"I can only help you if you tell me what's going on," Steve said.
"I've never had to demonstrate them before in front of people I didn't already know, except for Dr. Strange. But he was one person. Now I will demonstrate in front of a crowd of people, including others my age who probably have complete control of their abilities," Skye said.
"Skye, you have more control of your abilities than you think you do," Steve said.
Skye sighed.
"Why do I have more faith in you than you do?" Steve asked.
Skye shrugged.
Steve looked at his watch. "We have to go; you have to make a decision."
"I just don't know," Skye said.
"Do you want me to decide for you?" Steve asked.
"No," Skye said. "I'll decide by the time I need to."
"You need to decide by the time we get down there," Steve said.
Skye nodded. "Okay."
The two got up from the bed, left the room they were staying in at the school, and went to a training room in the school.
"I'll do it," Skye said.
"Okay," Steve said and led her to the man running the event.
"Skye, this is Professor Xavier. This is his school," Steve said.
"Hello, sir," Skye said with a smile.
"Nice to meet you, Skye," Charles said.
"I'm looking forward to demonstrating my abilities today," she told him.
Charles smiled and nodded. "I'm looking forward to seeing what you can do," he said before his attention was pulled to something else and he excused himself.
Skye let out a breath.
"You will be fine," Steve told her softly.
Skye nodded.
The second day started with each gifted youth showing their abilities. When it was Loki's turn, he got up and started to show his abilities. Eventually, he cast a spell and changed his appearance to look like Skye.
Skye was taken aback, and she remembered that someone had pretended to be her recently. She was angry. But before she could even react Loki turned himself back to his own face, and she was called up for her turn.
Skye took a breath and started to show her abilities. And she was doing well. She was demonstrating her ability to control air and focused her attention on Loki, lifting him from the ground.
"What the fuck," Loki said.
Skye continued to lift him from the ground.
"Skye, put him down," Steve said, shaking his head.
"Loki, admit it was you pretending to be me with my old group," Skye said, ignoring her dad.
"What?" Thor asked confused.
"I do not know what you are talking about," Loki said loudly.
"Bullshit," Skye said raising him even higher.
"Skyler, you stop this right now," Steve said loudly.
"I will as soon as he admits it," Skye said.
"This is not the way to handle this," Steve said.
"Did you know he could do this?" Skye asked her dad.
"I did," Steve said.
"And you didn't think to tell me?" Skye asked in tears.
"Skye, just put him down, and we can talk about it," Steve said.
Skye released him letting him fall hard to the ground.
He grunted but got up, and Thor grabbed him before he could retaliate, dragging him outside the room. "Do you know what she is talking about?" Thor asked his brother.
"No," Loki said.
"He is lying!" Skye said as she was led out of the room as well.
Thor looked at Steve. "What happened?"
"Someone took some photos of the group Skye used to hang out and get into trouble with. Skye was with them. Except it wasn't Skye. It was someone pretending to be her," Steve said.
"And he changed his appearance to look like me today," Skye said.
"Yes, but what reason would he have to pretend to be you with your old friends?" Thor asked.
"To set me up, the pictures were sent to Tony to get me in trouble," Skye said.
"Why would Loki want to get you in trouble?" Thor asked.
"I don't know. Ask him!" Skye said.
"Skye, take a breath," Steve said.
Skye did so. "He has already said he doesn't like me, before I even knew who he was. He knows me."
"Yeah, from my universe," Loki said.
"You never told me that," Thor said.
"Whatever," Loki said.
"What did my variant do to you?" Skye asked.
"Doesn't matter," Loki said.
"It does if you hate me so much for it that you set me up," Skye said.
"I did not set you up!" Loki said.
"I don't believe you," Skye said. "Why the hell don't you just send him back to his universe?" Skye asked Thor.
"It's not that simple," Thor said.
"There is a girl in there who can open a portal to other universes. Dr Strange can do it, too. I'm sure either will do it," Skye said before she walked away.
Steve looked at Thor. "if he did it, I want to know," he said before he went to go after his daughter.
Thor took Loki back to the room they were staying in. "Tell me what Skye's variant did that is so bad that you hate this one."
"She manipulated me," Loki mumbled.
"How? And how did you even know her? You told me you never left Asgard," Thor said.
"I lied. And I'm not sure exactly how, but she's the one who sent me here," Kid Loki said as he sat on the bed.
"She does not have that ability," Thor said.
"She must have been working with someone who did. Maybe that girl who can open portals," Loki said.
"Okay. And how did she manipulate you?" Loki asked.
"She told me we could come to this universe together, that here we could be together," Loki mumbled.
Thor let out a breath and sat next to his brother. "Matters of the heart are hard, little brother. I'm sorry."
Loki nodded.
"I do not know this other Skye, but I do know this Skye. She would not do that," Thor said. "Why did she?"
"In my universe, Skye is not a good person. She is not on the side of what you would call good," Loki said.
"And you are?" Thor asked.
"She was going after you in my world, and I did not want that to happen," Loki said.
"You were protecting your brother," Thor said.
Loki nodded. "She and I were on the same side until then."
"This universe's Skye does not want to hurt me," Thor said.
"I don't believe that," Loki said.
"Loki, I would not tell you that if I was unsure. And I would never expect or let her, but I believe that if I was in harm's way she would put herself in the way to protect me," Thor said.
"I do not believe that," Loki said.
"Okay, well maybe in time you will. I will ask you just one more time. And I will believe your answer. Did you pretend to be Skye to set her up?" Thor asked.
Loki looked down.
"How did you find out about these friends? How did you leave Asgard long enough to do this without my knowledge?" Thor asked.
"Her name came up after I found you and you were telling me all about the Avengers. I knew who she was. I asked you enough questions to figure out where I could find her, and I followed her. I saw her talking with some guy. I followed him and saw him arguing with some other guy, who said something about Skye turning on them and that she would turn on this other guy eventually. After following the guy for a while, I got caught. I explained that I hated Skye, too, and we worked together to set her up," Loki admitted. "And you are easy to trick for long enough that I can use my magic to get around when I want to."
Thor shook his head. "You need to tell Skye and Captain Rogers the truth. And you need to stop breaking the rules with me."
"Are you going to send me back if that girl can make it happen?" Loki asked.
"Don't you want to go back?" Thor asked.
"If my Skye got her way, there would be no one left for me there. But that is not my universe, you have a Loki here," Loki said.
Thor nodded. "I think we will talk to Dr. Strange to see what he thinks is the best next step."
Loki nodded.
"But first, you need to tell the truth. Let's go," Thor said.
They both got up and went and found Steve and Skye back in the training room, listening to the professor talking. Thor and Loki leaned against the wall and listened as well, waiting until the end of the lecture.
As they were all leaving to go to lunch Thor got Steve and Skye to follow them out and found an empty room where they could talk.
"Loki, tell them," Thor said.
Loki explained how he knew Skye in his universe, what she had done to him, and how he had gotten close to her former friends and set her up to get back at her.
Skye nodded. "For the record, I would never turn my back on Thor. I would never hurt him. And I'm sorry my variant hurt you, but that's not me."
Loki nodded.
"And if you had bothered to get to know me, you would know that. But you just assumed I was the same as some other version of me," Skye said.
"I'm sorry I misjudged you," Loki said.
"You didn't just misjudge me. You put me in the line of fire. If the police were to find the pictures and assume it was me, I would be going to jail. Because of your choices, someone I value the opinion of greatly assumed that I left his six-year-old home alone," Skye said, getting angrier.
"Skye, he knows you didn't leave her alone," Steve said.
"I don't believe he fully believes that," Skye said.
"I will tell whomever this is the truth," Loki said.
"Whatever," Skye said as she went to leave the room. She stopped and turned around. "I don't know if my variant had any feelings for you or if it was some trick, but I can promise you I don't and never will," she said, leaving the room and going to find somewhere quiet to sit by herself.
Thor squeezed his kid brother's shoulder.
"Thank you for telling the truth," Steve told him. "Give Skye time. She might come around to forgiving you."
Kid Loki nodded.
Steve left the room to try and find his daughter. When he couldn't find her, he texted her and asked her to come to get some lunch before the afternoon of lectures—and got a response of "no".
Steve sighed and went and found Tony. "Have you seen Skye since the end of the lecture?"
"Not since she left with you, Thor and the Kid Loki," Tony said.
"Skye was right. Loki is the one who pretended to be her," Steve said.
Tony nodded. "I didn't think Skye was wrong."
Steve nodded.
"The kid explain why he did it?" Tony asked.
"Yeah, issues with Skye in his universe," Steve said.
Tony shook his head.
"Yeah, I'm not happy about it either. That kid has a long way to go to gain our trust," Steve said, "if he stays in this universe."
"I think Thor wants him to, even if he won't admit it," Tony said.
Steve texted Skye again.
"You need to come get lunch. Now," Steve sent.
"No," Skye texted back. She was sitting in an empty room with her head buried in her knees.
"Skyler, this is not up for debate," Steve sent.
"There is no debate. I'm not coming," Skye sent.
A woman came into the room Skye was in.
"I don't think you should be in here," the woman said.
Skye sighed. "Sorry."
"You're Skyler, right?" The woman said.
"Yes," Skye said.
"I'm Storm," she said.
Skye smiled a bit. "Is Storm your real name or your super name?"
"Super, but it's what everyone calls me," Storm said with a smile.
Skye nodded. "You can control the weather?"
"Among a few other things, yes," Storm said. "That was pretty impressive what you did in the class today. Even if you were picking on someone with it."
"Thank you, and he deserved it," Skye said.
Storm chuckled softly.
Meanwhile, Steve was shaking his head.
"What's wrong?" Tony asked.
"Skye is refusing to come get lunch," Steve said.
Tony took out his phone and texted Skye.
"I can track you. So you come and get lunch, or I will come to find you. Trust me you do not want me to have to come to find you," Tony sent.
Skye sighed. "I probably should go get some lunch before people start looking for me."
Storm smiled and nodded, going with her into the dining room.
"Skye, are you okay?" Steve asked, noticing she looked upset.
"I'm not hungry, and I am being forced to eat," Skye said.
"Have you checked your numbers?" Steve asked.
"Yes, they are in range," Skye said.
"Okay, well, grab something that you can save for later when you do get hungry before dinner," Steve said.
Skye nodded and did as she was told.
When lunch was over the young gifted all went to a classroom with a professor from the school.
The adults all went and sat in a lounge room to hang out until the class was done.
"So, what is the plan with your kid brother?" Tony asked Thor.
"I was going to talk to Dr. Strange and America to see if they can easily open a portal to his universe," Thor said.
"We both can," Dr. Strange said.
Thor nodded. "I also wonder if maybe another variant of America played a role in bringing him here. "
"Well, as far as she and I know, she has no variants, and I don't think she played a role in it. I think she would have mentioned it if she did," Dr. Strange said.
Thor nodded.
"But, you are free to ask her," Dr. Strange said.
"Do you know if she plans to stay around for a while?" Tony asked.
"I don't know," Dr. Strange said. "She said she goes where she is needed and feels like she is needed here right now."
"Skye and Loki, do they have issues?" Clint asked.
"Loki has an issue with the variant of Skye from his universe," Thor said.
"An issue that he is taking out on our Skye?" Tony asked.
"Yes, he will not continue to do so. I will ensure it," Thor said.
"Loki and Skye were working together until his variant of Skye was trying to kill his Thor, and Loki tried to stop her," Steve said.
"She somehow had him sent to our universe to get him out of the way," Thor said.
"And since Skye does not possess that ability, you think she had help," Dr. Strange said.
"Our Skye doesn't possess it, but we do not know what this other Skye is capable of," Tony said.
"Could be a variant of mine who helped her," Dr. Strange said.
"Come across any who you think would?" Thor asked.
"I haven't come across them all," Strange said.
Thor nodded.
"Does he want to go back?" Steve asked.
"Yes and no, he is worried about what he is going to go back to," Thor said.
"Do you want to send him back?" Tony asked.
"I want to make sure wherever he is t he is safe," Thor said.
"We can ensure he is safe before we leave him," Dr. Strange said.
Thor nodded, his face not convincing the others he was really on board with this. But he did change the subject, so everyone else just dropped it for now.