Title: Legacy of the Father

Fandom: Thor/The Avengers Movies

Rating: PG-15

Prompt: "227. Starved for affection." with Loki or Thor from 500 prompts for hearts_blood.

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I gaining any money for this work. I'm just trying to enjoy myself.

Summary: Post-Avengers, Loki gets a visitor after the battle.

Legacy of the Father

Loki was playing with a ball.

Only someone who nearly destroyed the world could make that look threatening.

Also… where did the ball come from? It was a baseball. Why did he have it?

"Y'know, I will give your brother this," Tony Stark said, hands in his pockets, "He's probably nuts, but… he does have some style."

Thor looked away from the monitor which showed Loki in his cell, to the Iron Man. "Style?"

"Yeah, style. Flair… kinda… nonchalant style." Tony tilts his head in thought, "I mean, like, he coulda done the usual Shakespearian villain shtick and gone out in a blaze of glory or something. But, no. Instead he has the balls to ask me for a drink after throwing me out the window."

"Don't forget almost destroying New York." said Steve Rogers with a small, exasperated smile.

"Yeah, that too, but that comes second for me."

"Says the man who came closest to dying defending it." Bruce Banner chuckled quietly.

"Hey I never said I was smart –well, actually, no I have, many, many times because it's the exact truth, but I never said I couldn't be stupid. And that's what that was. Very stupid. But beneficial in terms of real estate. Wouldn't have liked my tower to be flattened." Tony looked back at the screen, and frowned, "Where'd he get the ball anyway?"

"I have no idea." Thor was eyeing it suspiciously. "I have used the rope my father gave me to bind his magic, so he did not conjure it."

"Erm… I may have given it to him." said Steve, looking sheepish. As one they all turned to look at him. He shrugged, scratching the back of his head, "I thought it might keep him occupied until you take him home. He can't do magic, but he's still dangerous."

"Hence the muzzle." said Natasha.

"Which I have to say, I'm a big fan of." Tony piped up.

"Yeah well, even so, Thor said Loki's best weapon is his mind, so… I thought maybe the ball would keep him… busy." Steve is unabashed about his decision. "I don't like the idea of an idle enemy. Can only lead to trouble. He did give me the weirdest look when I dropped it off."

"What kind of look?" asked Thor sharply.

"Honestly? Just… surprised. Not angry or suspicious, just surprised."

"He wasn't expecting anything I am sure. When we return to Asguard, I am uncertain what will happen to him."

"Execution?" Clint asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

"Perhaps, but I doubt it. My father would see Loki suffer equal to the pain he has caused."

"Sounds good to me." Clint growled. Natasha threw him a careful look, but no one felt too worried or offended by Clint's vindictive tone, not after what Loki had done to him. Then, Bruce looked up and went pale.

"Uh… Thor? Didn't you say you bound Loki's magic?"

"I did."

Tony looked at the screen at once, and sighed, "You may want a lesson in the double knot buddy."

Thor whirled around. Loki was sitting crossed legged on the floor of his cell. Sitting across from him was… himself. And they were playing catch. Thor scattered paper he ran so fast out of the room.

"Loki!" he bellowed as he burst into the cell and tackled his brother without thinking. He realised halfway through the jump he might have fallen for his illusions once again. But no, this time Thor collided with Loki and they landed in a heap, Loki letting out a pained grunt from behind the muzzle. Thor grabbed Loki's wrists in a panic, and held them up.

They were still bound by the magical rope.

Thor boggled at it for a moment, then looked past it to look at Loki's face. All Loki did was raise his eyebrows at him,

-"See! Now that is style." Tony declared as they watched the screen. Bruce shook his head at him-

And then a hand grabbed Thor's shoulder and pulled him off Loki.

Thor whirled around raising his fist, but paused. The doppelganger was not quite a doppelganger. He looked very like Loki, but there were distinct differences. He was much younger, and there was streaks of white-blonde in his hair, while his eyes were a different shape, even if they were the same green.

The boy, he really was only a boy, scowled at Thor, "Do not harm my father, unless you are that much without honour you cannot resist the idea of assaulting someone who is bound and defenceless."

Thor goggled at him.

-"Did he say Father?" Steve asked aloud, looking around for confirmation. The other Avengers all nodded, suddenly very wary and very curious. Clint was already drawing his next arrow-

"You are… You are one of Loki's children?" Thor repeated slowly.

"Father was right, you are the slow brother." said the boy with a sneer, walking around and kneeling next to Loki, who had resumed his lotus flower stance and looked very calm and composed for someone bound and gagged. His green eyes were dagger sharp.

"Who are you?" barked Thor, "I do not believe you to be one of Loki's children. Everyone knows they are beasts and monsters."

Loki did a fantastic job of conveying his complete disdain and exasperation for that statement, without making a sound. His son did likewise.

"Yes, because my father, a noted shapeshifter, could not possibly have given us those powers as well."

"The All-Father said-"

"The All-Father said my father was Æsir… until it turned out he was lying."

Thor had to admit he had a point there. "Very well, what is your name?"

"I am Jörmungandr."

"The World Serpent?"

"That's me." Jörmungandr gave a mock bow and rested his hand on Loki's shoulder. "I haven't seen my father in several hundred years. I sensed his magic across the Midguard and travelled to see him. I have recently reacquired my ability to shape-shift. So, when I realised where my father was, I teleported in here."

"Why did you not free him?"

"Because then he would leave." said Jörmungandr. "He would run because there would be no other choice. And I have missed him."

Loki finally made a noise and it conveyed a sense of 'I have missed you too' surprisingly well. He was looking up at his son. Thor regarded the two with some confusion, but also some sadness. He had never been that caring about Loki's offspring, accepting Odin's word that they were dangerous monsters that needed to be sent away. Loki had never made much of a fuss when the children were taken away, so Thor had never thought it might have upset him. But the pain in his brother's face suggested he had been blind to the truth. Again.

"My brother, Fenris, how is he?" Jörmungandr asked Thor, sitting at his father's side.

"Uh… still as father left him as far as I am aware."

Loki's eyes narrowed and he clenched his fists.

"So, still bound to a rock in Jötunheimr with a sword in his mouth to keep him quiet." were the cool words of Jörmungandr. "Does it amuse you, Æsir, to know how much a child is suffering?"

"He is a giant wolf, he is hardly a child."

"In body, maybe. But he is younger than I, and how old do I appear?"

"I…" Thor was struggling for words. He knew better than to trust a child of Loki's. After all, Loki was the God of Lies and all his children were sure to have inherited it. And yet…

Jörmungandr regarded him coldly, then turned to his father. "Leave us now Æsir. I will not free my father, but I have been too long without him. I will not be denied his comfort."

Thor found himself moving to obey before he caught himself. "No! You are not staying here, Loki is a criminal who tried to take over the world-"

"Took you long enough to try father." Jörmungandr said with a smirk that made Loki's eyes twinkle in amusement.

"-and you are not going to remain here with him. Now out!" Thor was fully prepared to summon Mjölnir to make his point. Even if it was in the face of his own nephew who just wanted to be with his father.

Jörmungandr glowered up at him, but Loki lifted his hands and cupped the boy's face gently. He brought their brows together and they closed their eyes. Thor watched warily, certain they were using magic to communicate, but not sure what they could possibly be planning. Then a single tear rolled down Jörmungandr's cheek. Loki wiped it away with a deft thumb and his hands smoothed down to rest on Jörmungandr's shoulder, squeezing them before pulling away. The God of Mischief went and sat on his bed, leaning back and watching as Jörmungandr slowly left the cell with Thor, his green eyes the only indication of his pain.

Jörmungandr did not vanish as Thor expected, rather he followed him to the other Avengers who eyed him warily. Jörmungandr snorted, pushing his white streaked hair out of his face. He really did look so much like Loki.

"So what now? Mighty Thor will strike down his nephew with his hammer? Or shall you leave it to some other, like the Captain, or the Man of Iron? Just like the last time?"

"The last time?"

"You could have swayed Odin, you know it. You could have stopped him from taking me from my father, stopped him from binding me up inside the form of a giant serpent! I'm sick of swimming!" Jörmungandr looked bitter, hateful, just like Loki.

"So wait, Odin just took you from Loki?" asked Steve, "But you look about ten."

"I was just a child when Odin took me from my father. But my brothers and sister were even younger. Odin got better at catching us. And more creative about how to punish us for existing."

"Father did what he did to prevent harm! You are all fated to bring about chaos?" Thor snapped.

"Oh really? Did you ever stop to think my father may not have done what he did these past days, if your father had shown any sort of regard for him?"

"Our father loves him!"

Jörmungandr snarled, "Loves him enough to steal away his children. Father howled and screamed for Odin to give me back. But the All-Father turned away and threw me into the oceans of the world, until father freed me with the Tesseract!"

"Wait –whoa there Mini-Loki! Loki used the Tesseract to free you from some magical whozit?" Tony asked, waving his hand to gain the two's attention. Jörmungandr's face closed up and he pulled back.

"I've nothing more to say to you. Any of you. If I cannot sit with my father in peace, I'm leaving."

Thor reached out, but Jörmungandr twisted on his heel and vanished before them, leaving a stunned silence behind him. Thor swallowed, and looked at his comrades, who were now looking at him warily.

"The boy twists the truth, my father did what had to be done. Loki's children are all fated to bring destruction and chaos. He had to ensure they wouldn't do anything."

Natasha looked faintly angry, which was a sure sign she was livid. "So he took the children away from their father-"

"Yes, because suddenly Loki's Parent of the Year who likes to smash cities!" Tony snarked, and was rewarded by Natasha giving him a cold look. "Just sayin', whatever his crazy-ass dad did, doesn't mean he's any less crazy-ass himself."

"Watch your words!" snapped Thor, "I will not tolerate slights against my father."

"Yeah well…"

"Enough!" Steve ordered, "Whatever your family's issues, they are yours to deal with."

"Indeed, and deal with them we shall when I return Loki to Asguard." Thor declared striding out of the room, mostly to cool his irritation. It would not do to lash out at his friends so soon after victory.

He turned a corner and stopped dead. Jörmungandr was leaning on the wall, regarding him with sharp eyes.

"Do you know why my father kept having us?" he asked quietly.

"What?"

"Why did my father keep having children even though Odin took every one of them away?"

"I know not. I always assumed Loki was just careless."

Jörmungandr snorted. "My father is a powerful sorcerer. He could have prevented conception if he chose. But instead he wanted to have us. You know why?"

"Enlighten me."

Jörmungandr smiled, a genuine, sweet smile. Just like Loki's used to be when they were younger. "Because he loved us. Because he wanted us. But also… I think because he hoped that we would love him enough to never be disappointed in his perceived weaknesses. Like you all were."

"Are you trying to sway me into pardoning him?"

Jörmungandr shook his head, "I wouldn't waste my breath on your pig-headed belligerence. No. I just wanted to know if you really believed my father felt no pain when we were taken from him, or if you just didn't care enough to waste time being bothered by it. To be bothered by the idea that, even garbed as I was in the flesh of a giant serpent, I wailed for my father's arms."

That had never crossed Thor's mind, but now the idea troubled him deeply. He had never seen the children when they were born, in fact he had only ever seen Sleipnir. All the others had been sent away for the safety of Asguard. But before him now, he really only saw an angry boy, someone who craved his father's affection and consideration.

And, it seemed, Loki had given him some.

"How often did Loki come see you?"

"When he could. He tried to divide his time between me, Fenrir, Hel, when he wasn't with you. But since Odin forbid it, he had to be careful. So not as often as I would have liked."

"And why have you not aged?"

"The spell Odin put on us to keep us contained in our monstrous forms, it kept us as we were the day he banished us. Except Hel, but that's because father was able to install her as presider of the dead. He was unable to help me or Fenrir the same way. Odin's magic was too strong for him… until he gained the Tesseract at least."

Jörmungandr's face softened into a pained smile.

"You have no idea how good it was when he embraced me again. It had been so long since anyone…" The boy swallowed, "But, as I'm sure you know, my father is well able to survive alone… and we were 'fortunate' enough to discover the same in ourselves."

Thor stared at the boy. Like Loki, he was good at rendering him speechless.

Jörmungandr stepped forward and glared up at Thor.

"Take my father to your father. But do not think this is the end of things… my father has never been beaten by you and your kind, and never will be."

"You mistake my feelings. I love Loki, he is my brother, whatever he may say or do. I will protect him, should he need it."

Jörmungandr smirked, "Then you understand how I feel for my siblings."

"In that case why does Loki not believe my father loves him if he loves you?"

"Because my father never lied to us and made us feel lesser for any reason."

"My father never meant for Loki to feel that way."

"But never took the time to make sure he did not."

Thor sighed, frustrated with the obstinate child. "If you are going to be gone, be gone. I will otherwise take you with me."

"Do that and see my father's real wrath." But Jörmungandr did as commanded, turning on his heel and disappearing. Thor wondered if he was back in the ocean, swimming in his serpent form. He wandered back in to the room holding Loki's cell and watched his brother idly playing with the baseball.

"Did you only take the Tesseract to free your children? Or were they a part of the master plan to take over Earth?"

If it was a case that Loki had only wanted to take the Tesseract for the sake of freeing his children, and somehow the World Domination element was a side effect. Perhaps the Chintari were the ones who wanted the domination and Loki had gone along with it. Thor longed to see such a sense of desperate love in Loki's eyes instead of bitter rage.

But Loki, as always, refused to give Thor anything at all.

I think I've been reading too many stories about Odin being a dick and stealing away Loki's children –but since I know it's a part of the myths, I figured I could get away with it. Otherwise this was written pretty much without any plan as a first attempt at writing these characters and this world. Hopefully it was ok.

Night's Darkness