A/N: This will probably be a three-parter showing Loki's encounters with the 9th, 10th, and 11th Doctor. This chapter takes place before the new series began, but keeping in with the continuity of series 1-6. There will be a sequel in works~!

In the Midst of Liars

Everyone remembers the first time they meet the Doctor, the strange man with a funny blue box. Loki thinks he remembers the first time he met the man, but time happens to be very wibbly wobbly.

Chapter One: Of Magic and Words

A cool chill swept across the Palace of Asgard as the moon rose. All but one resident fell to slumber. Loki climbed out of bed, careful not to awake his slightly snoring brother. The night called to him. The darkness singing a melody far greater than the sun's light could provide.

He took one last glance at the sleeping form of Thor; to make certain his snore were true. Even now, as children, his older brother dwarfed him. Before he could let a smirk, a sudden crash shook the palace.

Thor immediately leapt out of bed, already in battle stance. His eyes blinked sleepily at the sight of his brother already being out of bed and dressed. "Brother! Have the forces of Jotunheim struck? What was that crash?"

"Nary a clue," replied Loki. "Let us investigate, brother."

The two children ran as quietly as they could down the twisting hallways. Loki grabbed Thor's hand to stop him from turning. He placed his finger on his lips and mouthed: I hear Father. Loki knelt to peak around the corner while his brother stood above.

The hallway they were staring down was not often used. Except for a few getaways after pranks, but Loki wasn't about to grace his brother with such information. There was a large hole gaping of the walls of the room that Loki could never enter. No matter the spells or tricks he employed, nothing would grant him access to that room. Odin and a stranger walked out of the rubble, neither appearing fazed by it. Odin meets their curious eyes, and halts midsentence.

"Come hither, boys! Meet an old friend of mine from years pass!"

Thor ran to their father while Loki trailed behind. They both bowed in respect to the guest, yet only one meant it. The stranger noticed this and paid no mind. Thor grinned, a bear who stumbled upon honey. Whenever a friend of his father's visited, it usually entailed tales of shared battles and exploits.

Before Thor could open his mouth with endless questions, Odin patted the wincing stranger heartily on the shoulders. "Sons, the great man who stands before you is known as the Doctor!" He grinned. "We go centauries back, the Doctor and I."

Loki studied the man curiously. He differed from the other men his father acquainted himself with; the slender frame and lacked long hair. The only emotion the boy could pull from the stranger was ancient weariness. The question rose to mind: how old was the Doctor?

"He will be staying with us for the next week. Longer if he wishes."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to intrude. Times to go, places to see."

Loki raised a brow, a question teetering on his lips. And then his father's loud voice interrupted.

"Nonsense, old friend, you are free to stay as long as you wish. Tomorrow morning, we feast for your return! My servant will show you to your old chamber!"

And like that, the Doctor was whisked off, leaving Thor and Loki behind.

"He saunters off like this is completely normal," Loki muttered.

-(/)-

Before the War, the Doctor could release his senses, reach out and feel the presence of his kin. He breathed and opened his mind. Emptiness was the only response. He swallowed the loneliness in his throat and walked out to the balcony of his guestroom. To any other, the stars would seem alive and glittering.

The Doctor knew the ones missing; the stars and life stolen from innocent people. Wicked knowledge to those who can read the stars. He brought upon himself this isolation, the nagging loneliness in his core. Most of all, he deserved this.

He wished the TARDIS was beside him, not still lying in the crashed room. He wanted nothing more to patch her up and leave this world.

Why did you bring me here, old girl?

Stretched out beneath the stars thrived Asgard. Their life sustained from previous conquests and the spoils of war. His sorrow bubbled to quiet rage in the pit of his belly. His mind drifted back to before the Time War, back to when Asgard and Jotunheim fought. In that bleak, desolate Winter, did he choose the wrong side?

He chuckled bitterly. Perhaps this place should burn as well. He sucked in a sharp breath. No good in thinking those thoughts.

He felt a presence behind him, regal and familiar. He waited for the gentle voice to speak.

"Your old room is now fixed, Doctor."

"Thank you, Frigga. Tell me, how are your two sons?"

-(/)-

Odin smelled trouble brewing. His esteemed guest and old friend not arriving at the dining hall gave him no grief. The Doctor had come from recent battle after all. The king may be a warrior, yet he accepted that his friend was not. Loki wasn't to be seen in his seat either. Odin reminded himself that the Doctor dealt with far worse than his trickster son.

At that same moment, Loki snuck pass the guards. He took pleasure in it, knowing he was better at something than his thundering brother. According to the information he charmed out of a servant, their mysterious guest resided in the furthest room in the eastern corridor—the same he could not enter.

Unlike last night, the walls stood erect without a hint of crumbling.

A soft blue light glowed from the beneath the door. He clicked his tongue and wished he mastered the spell that made him intangible. He whispered in the incantation to make his small frame invisible and tested to see if the door was unlocked. It opened without a screech.

Well, that saved him the trouble of scaling the palace walls and breaking the windows.

The Doctor sat hunched over a desk, tinkering with wires with a strange device. A cup of barely touched barely sat in the corner. The wires led to the blue box in the middle of the room, its door slightly open for the wires to pass into. The box looked entirely too small to be of that much importance, but Loki quickly stopped that thought process. Small could be good, he reminded himself. His body felt drawn towards the box, something so old; ancient. Like the Doctor.

It sung a song, reminding Loki of the short winter days that graced Asgard; familiar and forbidden.

He stepped closer, his feet moving carefully not to alert the Doctor. The room was grand; a high ceiling, and balcony, murals on the walls of creatures that Loki never even read of. This stranger must be of importance to elicit such comfort from his parents. He noted the untouched bed, the man hasn't slept.

"You're invisible, not silent."

The bundle of chords morphed into snakes. His glowing device, cylindrical in shape, dropped. The man turned in his chair, not paying the least bit attention to the hissing noises behind him.

"I can't say how many times I said that to thin air."

Unlike last night, darkness and tired eyes did not obstruct Loki's view of the man. Once more, he found himself entranced. Any thoughts of running vanished.

What was that terrible proverb Mother mutters? Ah, curiosity kills the cat.

The Doctor looked straight at invisible child. The man held no grin, but the amusement twinkling in his eyes calmed the child's nerves. Besides, curiosity ringed throughout Loki's core and ignored the possibility of danger. He decided to remain out of sight and walked to a new area. Closer to the box.

"Father calls you the Doctor. The wires and contraption speaks more of a mad man than any medic I know."

The man shifted his gaze, once again locking onto Loki. "Well, mad is certainly one of adjectives people use to describe me. A mad man with a box would be an accurate description."

The readily admittance stirred something inside Loki. The Doctor embraced the title of madness, a word oft used to describe Loki's actions.

"You are not attending the breakfast that my father has prepared in your honor."

The Doctor snorted. "You looked terribly distraught over this. Or sound like it, should I say."

"Well, I am certain that I will be able to see the look of displeasure on my brother's face later tonight. He eagerly awaits tales of battle that my father's friends bring."

The child awaited the Doctor's response. Was the man like others who spun tales of problems that could easily be sidestepped with a few choice words?

"He's not missing much. I'm more of a runner and thinker than a warrior. Mind you, I have had my fair share of adventures."

Although the Doctor could not see it, Loki tilted his head in interest. "Just what are you a doctor of?"

"If I gave out all my stories to children who visit unannounced, where's the fun in that?"

Loki's brows knitted together. A prince did not take kindly to being referred to as a child by a stranger. A snake began coiling around the Doctor's arm before popping into smoke.

"Fantastic," murmured the man. "I can never get over Asgard's magic."

This piqued Loki's curiosity even further, and he popped back in sight. "You do not have magic where you are from?" He watched the man shake his head. "If you tell me more, perhaps I can show you my craft?"

A deal was struck.

Loki decided that even without knowing much about his father's friend, he likes him anyways.

Left alone once more, the Doctor leaned back in his chair and tilted his head toward his oldest companion. The vision of the child did not escape his mind. "I see, so that's why."

-(/)-

Loki spoke the passcode. The door opened, and then closed behind him. In the middle of the almost entirely white room, a large book was propped up on a spiraling black stand. The pages were blank and empty.

Earlier, the mischievous child had to pry himself away from the Doctor. The man expressed his weariness of recent travels, but would gladly carry on a discussion the next days to come. With so many questions to enquire, Loki felt the need to prepare himself. Thus he toted himself to his favorite place: the library. More specifically, the library's archive room.

"Archive," Loki commanded in a princely voice, "give me information on the individual known as the "Doctor." What is his true name?"

Color began to seep into the no longer white pages. Nine individuals materialized, and the child only recognized the last one.

"Real name unknown," the voice stemmed from the book as text appeared simultaneously. "The man is only known as the Doctor."

"Who are these men?"

"The Doctor."

"They cannot all be the Doctor. Is the title Doctor a namesake?"

"They all are the Doctor."

Loki growled in frustration. "Fine. Does the Doctor have any unique abilities? Where does this man originate from?"

"The Doctor has the ability to regenerate. He hails from the planet Gallifrey. Species: Time Lord."

A wide eyed Loki stood there in shock. This little jackpot was greater than the time he tricked Thor to wearing their mother's dress! "Tell me everything about Gallifrey, the Time Lords, and the Doctor."

"The Doctor travels through time in a blue box known as the TARDIS. No other information available."

Loki rubbed his temple as he exited the room. So much for jackpot. Still, it was enough for him to base his questions off of.

-(/)-

Loki skipped all lessons to lay lazily on the Doctor's bed. He propped up his feet atop a mound of pillows as he watched the Doctor tinker away. His eyesight drifted to the man's formidable ears to the humming blue box. Many, many questions swirled inside Loki's mind. In the end, he decided to pursue knowledge from the Doctor similar to how he learned spells: start with the basics.

"What is your name?"

"The Doctor. Or just Doctor, if you like."

"But your real name. The one your parents gave you."

"Next question, Odinson."

Loki huffed. One does not simply brush off a prince. He dug feet in the pillows, hoping the man enjoyed the smell of whatever he walked in. He clicked his tongue, the next question rolling of easily.

"How old are you?"

"I suppose I'll be hitting my ninth century soon. I expect a cake. Or perhaps banana pudding. Imagine, fitting 900 candles in pudding?"

Did he regenerate after a certain length of time, or perhaps… Before he had a chance to voice the query, the Doctor cracked his knuckles.

"Tell me more about magic," the Doctor said without looking up from his desk.

"Such as?"

"Assume I know nothing."

Loki sighed. He breathed in deeply, thinking back to his previous mentor—before insanity struck him.

"Each person's core holds the ability to use magic. You can manipulate what is inside or what strands of magic are in the air. It takes many hours of training and practicing the right sequence of words. A true master sorcerer, however, can yield magic without words."

"Sounds useful. From the looks of things, most Asgardians don't practice magic."

"Hah!" His bark of laughter was equal parts bitter, devious, and humor. "The variables are many. The amount in your core, the access to it, your mind… More oft than not, it depends on how willing the individual. As you can see, my culture is built on the strength of muscle and blades."

The sheets were gripped tightly in his hands as Loki thought about his mentor.

"Magic is tricky subject; it will destroy those of the weaker mind."

-(/)-

Loki idly watched the Doctor tinker with wires and gadgets. The intense focus on the man's face expressed such compassion for this machine, this blue box. It had been a month since the crash the brought the Doctor tumbling to the palace walls, a month of skipped meals and long nights in favor of the Doctor's company. Tonight, however, seemed important to the Doctor, as if he were on the verge of fixing whatever needed to be fixed.

The hum of the sonic screwdriver filled the lofty room. Once more, Loki felt drawn to the TARDIS.

TARDIS, he repeated to himself, that's what the Doctor calls her. Time And Relative…

Oh, how jealous Thor would be if he were to know. The child's hand patted the blue wood.

"What lies beyond Asgard?" Loki whispered. If the question was directed to the machine or the Doctor, Loki knew not. "What worlds and realms are amidst the stars?"

"Countless, more than you can possibly imagine. In the future, planets and cultures will interlock and mingle. Enemies will become friends; some allies will turn against each other. Nature of the beast, I suppose. It's all truly fantastic."

The night lingered on. The Doctor spun tales of his travels. Loki slumped on the Doctor's bed, vaguely noting that hadn't been tidied up since his last stay. His words were sweet honey on Loki's ears, lulling him into a comfortable night's rest. He dreamed of exploring the stars with the Doctor.

Humming from the TARDIS and Loki's soft snores accompanied the Doctor through the night.

-(/)-

They were both outside, perched comfortably atop the balcony from the Doctor's room. The man laid himself out on what he called a beach chair, and Loki hadn't a clue where it came from. Still, the man managed to reason with him, and Loki found himself lying languidly in the shade.

"How did you meet my father?" Loki tilted his head to look at the man next to him.

"Through a friend of a friend," the Doctor answered vaguely. "Meeting so many new people, it becomes a chore to keep track."

The relentless sun bore through the clouds. Loki pondered if he should learn magic that controlled the weather. No sweat was visible on the Doctor's skin, and he seemed to be enjoying the sun. Loki fanned himself desperately.

"I would imagine so, being a Time Lord."

The Doctor quirked an eyebrow. "When did the clever boy figure this out?" He chuckled at the silence. "Perhaps the magician will give away some other secrets?"

Loki smirked. "Perhaps, perhaps. Yet I find your answer to be vague and secretive. Surely knowledge of the Mystic Arts is worth a few more words."

In the hot breeze of Asgard's summer, the Doctor's words were dark and offered little comfort.

"Through war," he said without a trace of former humor.

Words bring power to incantations and magic. They were just as deadly in the hands of a man who possessed no such abilities. If the Doctor spoke the whole truth, the answer would surely squander any hope.

Those simple words brought an end to the exchange of words between the Doctor and Loki; their little game. The Doctor's gazed stretched out to Asgard, and did not see the devious smirk planted on Loki's face. If one game ended, he would simply start another.

-(/)-

Time etched on as the pranks between the Doctor and Loki grew. Rarely did they exchange knowledge, but Loki found this just as enjoyable.

One morning, Loki awoke to Thor's rambunctious laughter. Very peculiar considering he fell asleep in the Doctor's chambers.

"Brother, your hair! Tis the color of the sky!"

Loki knew to blame the Doctor. He returned the favor spiking the Doctor's drink. For the first time, the child got to see a sleeping Time Lord. He resisted the humming TARDIS, fearing the Doctor's disapproving gaze. If he entered unwanted, without permission, would it be betrayal? Loki opted to stay awake, occasionally singing a soft lullaby beneath his breath.

-(/)-

Autumn wind rolled through Asgard, whistling outside the Doctor's window. He pressed his hands against the glass, admiring the cooler seasons of this planet. The cooler weather never stayed long, but he learned to savor the sweetness of such things. The door to his room opened behind, and the Doctor did not turn. By the sound of the loud footsteps, the individual was not Loki and could therefore wait.

Peace on one's birthday should not be too much to ask for.

He admired the Queen for skipping to the point, bypassing any regal formality.

"He is not one for you to sweep off in one of your adventures, Doctor. Take sail back to Midgard, entertain a mortal, but do not taint my son."

He spun on his heels to meet her stare. "A son you did not birth?"

"He is my son! Blood matters not."

Any sense of cruelty left the Doctor's face, and offered an apologetic smile. "I don't take children with me," he said softly.

His words did nothing to satisfy her. "We are all children to you," Frigga stated simply. "Even my husband, countless ages older, and still a child before the Doctor." She circled his still form. "How are old are you truly? You wear a new skin. Did you lose your old one in battle? Before it, perhaps?"

"You ask too much." He took in a calming breath. "I will not take your child on any adventures. I promise. Now please leave. I won't stay longer than needed. I know your husband can't be too thrilled with someone he fought against living in his quarters."

She placed a warm hand on his shoulder. "In the end, you did what was right. My king cannot fault you for what Laufey did to you." She went to make her leave and paused at the door. "We are at peace with Jotunheim now. Of all of us, you desired it most."

-(/)-

The day began like the others.

Loki skipped breakfast and found the Doctor, who this time appeared in the garden. It was a strange sight, the Doctor munching on an apple nonchalantly. In the daylight hour, he looked almost normal. The Doctor tossed Loki an apple before carrying on a conversation with one his mother's blushing maidens.

The two adults stayed near the rose bushes while Loki stayed beneath the shade of towering tree.

Loki observed the two talking and felt a pinged of jealousy. It never occurred to him before now that the Doctor perhaps also enjoyed the company of others. The child bit harshly, the juice of the apple dripping down his lips. He quieted all senses minus his hearing.

"My Queen would also like to remind you of last night's words."

With a curtsy, the maiden left.

The Doctor turned to the scowling child. "It seems my stay is becoming unwelcomed." He took a bite of his apple. "It's a shame you do not have bananas. Come, I'm off to the market square today."

Loki's eyebrows receded to his hairline at the thought of the Doctor interacting with the masses of Asgard. Accompanied with his appearance, his manner of speech differed. Loki attributed it to the man's travels and home planet. Perhaps the prince would sound just as odd among new cultures. He toyed with the idea of traveling the worlds, but kept that dream at bay. Royalty came with certain duties, traveling and adventures were out of question, at least in the same manner as the Doctor.

He walked beside the Doctor and asked him of his journeys. The autumn breeze shifted, blowing through Loki's ebony locks. He appeared as a china doll next to his ruffian companion. The Doctor moved his limbs animatedly as he described the tale of fifty feet tale giants who lost an eye contact. Needless to say, it was up to the Doctor to locate it else an interplanetary war might've occurred.

Throughout the day in the dark corners of the market, among the gawks and stares, Loki's brain told him that this day wouldn't end like the others. He didn't fully believe until he sat down at the dining table next to the Doctor.

Loki sat beside the man, an inch closer than normal—not that anyone noticed. So accustomed now to listening to the man speak, it felt odd to sit beside him and hardly hear a word.

Queen Frigga sipped honey-wine from her jeweled chalice. "I see it takes three seasons for our esteemed guest to join us. Even back in the old days with that absurd scarf, you still showed up for a decent meal."

Finishing a swig of mead, King Odin patted his wife's hand. "Now dear, we must let our friend repair his ship." He chuckled and perked a brow. "I also hear you have been entertaining one of my sons."

"Yes," included Frigga, "the little stint in the market place reached my ears as well. Was it truly necessary to string all of Helge's jewelry from one end of the Smithery to the other?" She swatted away her husband, and her glare ceased his laughter.

In truth, she loved her son and felt reassured that he found someone to connect with now that Thor's time was spent with the Warriors Three. She knew the Doctor, his power of words and actions, both in stories and first hand. She had witnessed the results of his actions during the war against Jotunheim, how her men returned nearly ready for Valhalla. But the war would have been much worse if it won't for his reasoning, bargaining, and stubbornness to end the tragedy with the least blood spilled. In the end, peace was made thanks to him.

She won't lose her son to the danger that follows his footsteps.

"I thought it to be a fine display of her overpriced wares," responded the Doctor without a hint of guilt on display. He smiled at his partner in crime, and Loki reveled in their private joke.

Thor merely darted his attention between the trouble makers. What came out was not the sweet jealousy that Loki yearned for. "I did not know you and the Doctor were good friends, Brother!" He raised his mug of watered down mead. "A toast!"

Everyone else at the table raised their glasses, mugs, and chalices in agreement. Hesitantly, Loki followed the Doctor's actions.

"To a fantastic companion!"

The Doctor's words rang through the room like a beautiful echo. No one noticed how still the queen became for she knew the consequences behind that word. It meant death, tragedy, being left behind.

Companion.

The table reverberated when Odin slammed his mug on the table after finishing off its contents. He let out a loud belch, and the Doctor could see the mental high five between Odin and Thor. "Let me tell you about the Doctor," he said finally to all the silent on-lookers. He grinned widely, showing no malice in his words to follow. "I have fought against this man."

Loki stilled. They met through war. He remained silent and picked at his meet, unable to look anyone in the eyes.

"In the land of eternal Winter, amongst towering monsters, this man stood above them all. Fire! Ice!" The great king slammed his palm against the table for emphasis. "The man who does not belong to the Nine Realms was the best Jotunheim offered to our warriors! His actions were swift and his words deadly." He dramatically leaned forward. His alcohol ridden breath swooped across the table, and Loki wished for silence. "In fact, I believe that even the Terrible Jotun King Laufey feared him."

Feared him. Twisted him.

"My friend," the Doctor interjected, nearly hissed. Odin halted his speech. "Do not continue, 'lest you wish to bare the truth for your subjects to hear as well."

Let it not be said that Odin was an unwise man. Let it not be said he could not cut down without a keen blade. Let it not be said Odin forgave and forgot.

"Oh good friend o' mine, how fairs the Time War?"

In all his life, Loki has never felt as cold as he did now as if the Doctor radiated ice. He instinctively scooted away in his seat.

"What's the Time War?" whispered Thor.

"A war between the two of the oldest races in all the universes, existing before Yggridsil itself—the Daleks and the Time Lords," Odin explained in the voice often used to convey his tales of battle. "They say Daleks only know hatred and anger, a need to control and destroy. Fear comes in the form of the Doctor, the Oncoming Storm!"

All eyes settled on the man. Loki's heart thudded erratically beneath his chest, threatening to burst out. In all the days spent together, the long hours and talks, the man did not give off the same battle ready aura common as the sun in Asgard. A frown marred his princely face. Perhaps he was wrong. Perhaps he deluded himself into thinking he found a kindred spirit.

The Doctor set down his utensils and stared directly as his plate. "The Last Great Time War is over. You house the last of the Time Lords." Beside him, Loki could feel the man shaking. "But no longer."

He left.

Loki started to stand, but Frigga's tight grip held her child in place. The king returned to dinner and everyone followed suit in silence.

Later that night, Loki snuck to the Doctor's room. All of the gizmos and wires were gone, including the TARDIS.

-(/)-

A month passed without word from the Doctor. Frigga assured her son that this was normal, that the Doctor always leaves. Loki wished to hear none of it. Each night he gazed out at the stars, aching for the Doctor. Their games of questions and few answers left him wanting. No one in Asgard could stimulate his thirst for knowledge or hunger for mystery.

One night, he discovered a blue letter lying on his pillowcase.

Care to see the stars? Tomorrow at midnight, the old room.
~D

-(/)-

The blue box awaited him.

The man opened the door, offering his hand.

The prince grasped the hand and stepped inside the TARDIS.

"By the treasure of Aegir, she is bigger on the inside," he whispered.

"Quite right."

-(/)-

The constant twirl of the cosmos, twisting and forever expanding. Maroon, violets, and blues. Some colors that Loki had witnessed for the first time. A soft breath escaped his lips in amazement. A new galaxy was being born. New planets. New life. This is old, he reminded himself. Being sped up in front of his very eyes, the child observed the birth of his planet.

The Doctor babbled. Something about an air locked shield around the TARDIS. The words drifted around Loki but he didn't hear. For a long time, the child could only watch. Silence fell, and the Doctor joined.

Loki's hand reached out, spreading his fingers into the vacuum. Desolate. Alone. Empty.

And yet so full with life and mystery. What curious creatures, Time and Space.

"Listen well, Loki," the man said at last. The child's ears perked. "War is a wretched beast. It tears apart civilizations and ruptures families. Avoid it whenever possible."

You speak from experience, Doctor?

Loki scoffed. "War is inevitable. My people are barbarians choking on their own muscles. They crave adrenaline, the glory. War is the blood in their veins. They cease existing without battle."

My brother seeks nothing more than to join their ranks.

"Then it is important for you to become King, Loki. End battles swiftly with the least bloodshed." The Doctor patted him on the shoulder. "You're a clever boy. The cleverest, almost."

"Almost?"

"Not to brag, but I was cleverer."

Is that how you survived?

"Hah."

The moment pushed once more into the quietness of space. The two beings most skilled at speech kept silent and watched from their blue box.

"I will become king," Loki spoke at last to the person beside him. This man, his idol, the Doctor, so different from others; so curious to learn and explore. For the Doctor's sake, he will become king. "I swear on my honor, on these stars, I will attain the crown and lead my people."

For the first time, Loki saw the most brilliant smile on the Doctor.

Do you not know how much that smile is worth, Doctor?

Night crawled on, and the Doctor finally convinced Loki of their need to return to Asgard. He held the tired boy in his arms. The prince looked so tiny, almost like an average earth child who stayed awake far too long. Loki clutched the fabric of the Doctor's shirt.

"You've been to the future," Loki said, "am I great?"

"I do not follow the history of Jotunheim and Asgard as part of the truce," the Doctor explained softly.

They exited the TARDIS and went onto the balcony connected to Loki and Thor's bedchambers. If he were more alert, Loki would marvel at the stars, of how he witnessed their beginnings.

"You will return, will you not?"

The Doctor shifted the child in his arms in order to open the door properly. Once inside, the Doctor whispered. "One must celebrate with the new king, after all."

The green in Loki's eyes become brighter. "Will you visit before then?"

"Perhaps." The Doctor gently set Loki on the bed. Loki's grip did not leave the Doctor's shirt. "I promise."

"A vow," he whispers almost to himself, "in the midst of stars to a mad man in box."

"Yes, I suppose life is funny."

The Doctor shouldn't make promises he can't keep.

A/N: The Doctor has a very long list of things he feels guilty for. Let's add this to it! :D

I'm sure you're wondering why the Doctor sided with Jotunheim instead of Asgard during the war. Fear not, you'll see. :D