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He was young, forever feeling the darkness of his brother’s shadow. What else to do but to lash out?
She was convenient—had agendas of her own—that did not stop him using her as she used him.
He was powerful. She was powerful. The destruction they caused would hold no comparison.
He would finally be able to show his father how truly strong he could be.
Those names together would haunt those on Asgard for a very long time.
Loki and Amora.
Who knew it could end so wrong?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
His heritage was discovered by him, by everyone. Amora had no quarrels keeping that from general knowledge, angry that her chance to be with the prince was no chance with a “true prince” at all.
She had left swiftly, escaping the wrath of Odin.
Loki, however, was not as lucky.
Odin wanted his punishment to be swift and unforgettable. Frigga interfered.
Loki paid his dues, but nothing would ever be the same again. The damage was done. With the exception of his “family,” no one looked at him the same,--not as an Asgardian, but as an outsider.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It wasn’t until many years later that he ran into Amora again. He could see the glint in her eye. He gave her one moment of smugness, before his hand was around her neck, squeezing as tight as he could.
She struggled both physically and with her magic, but he easily held her at bay.
Almost breathless, she gasped out, “You wouldn’t kill the mother of your child, would you?”
Another ploy, a last grasp at trying to survive…or so he thought. Then, he remembered, what she was after all those years ago.
A way into the royal family. A child would have been perfect, he would have been forced to marry her if things had been different.
If he was a true Asgardian.
“You lie,” Loki sneered, even though he quite didn’t believe it himself.
Loosening his grip, he let her take a deep breath.
“Would I do that?” She smirked. “I’m not the God of lies, am I?”
His grip tightened. “If you speak the truth, prove it. Bring me to the child.”
“And then what, you won’t kill me? I doubt it Prince Loki.”
“Tell me! Where do you keep the child?”
Smirking, she shifted slightly out of his grasp. “I don’t keep him anywhere. I pawned off that abomination the second I could.”
Rage built in Loki, his guard dropped for a moment allowing her to teleport away. He didn’t care.
He had someone to find.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Loki found him. He had dark hair just like his own. Loki looked upon him in amazement and anger. Not anger at the child, but anger at the people he was left with. He did not know if his son ended up with these monsters on purpose or by chance, but either way, he would make them pay.
Loki watched them, studying them, learning about them. The child looked unfed, unkempt and ignored. The female neglected him. At times, the older male treated him as he didn’t exist. At other times, mainly when he had too much ale, he would pay attention then. He would verbally abuse the child, and then, he would strike him.
When his son left for his room, Loki changed his form and killed those who dared to mistreat his son.
That night, those named Maria and Howard ceased to exist.
It was neither quick nor painless.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
He brought the child back to the palace after placing him under a sleeping enchantment. Loki confessed all to his mother. He, for once, was at a loss at what to do.
Frigga smiled, and took the child in her arms. “I’m a grandmother. I have waited for this day for so long.” She stroked the child’s hair out of his eye, as she watched him sleep. “What is he called?”
“He answered to Tony” Loki answered, looking younger than he had in years.
“We will tell your father, then we will make an announcement to the courts at the acceptance of a new prince.”
Loki’s heart jumped, he loved his mother more than any other family member, and he loved her immediate acceptance of his son. But, fear washed over his form.
“No,” he gasped out.
Frigga looked startled at his outburst. “Why? What is wrong?”
“No, no one must know!” He shook his head. “I will not have the stigma of my heritage follow my son! If he is to live on Asgard, he will be fully Asgardian. And no one will ever know different.”
“Loki, I don’t think…”
Loki took a step forward. “Please mother, please. I have never asked you for anything. Please do this for me, for him.”
Her face fell, looking resigned, she shifted the young boy in her arms. “I know what we can do.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Tony was told his “parents” died and that he would be under the care of friends. He grew under the watchful eyes of Loki and Frigga. He had tutors, trainers and anything he could have asked for.
Loki watched as he went from a wary, young, reserved child to an outgoing, sarcastic, intelligent young man.
Loki never revealed who he truly was, but made himself available to be the friend and mentor his son needed.
He saw him excel at magic. Something Loki had no doubt Tony would be exceptional at due to his parents.
Loki had not run into Amora again, but that was a loose end he would have to tie up at some point.
Everything went better than Loki could have imagined. He was able to spend time with his son, without Tony ever being the wiser of his true origins. He could bond and, maybe, Tony will become even more powerful than he ever was.
That was, until he met that stupid, inferior boy.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Bucky stole Tony’s heart. Loki witnessed as Tony’s attention drew away from magic, and in turn, Loki himself, and focused more on fight and weapon training…and, of course, Bucky.
What a stupid, inferior name.
They started spending more and more time together. Tony, Bucky and all of their friends training to be a part of his brother’s warriors. Off to do his father’s biding.
Loki hadn’t hated another human being so much in such a long time.
He watched them spar from a distance, Bucky was showing his son improvements on his defense training.
He saw Bucky roughly pin Tony underneath him, straddling his hips, holding his arms above his head, leaning in, lips coming closer together…
Loki sneered, taking a step forward, about to stop them when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned quickly, to find his mother staring patiently at him with a smile in her lips.
“Loki, he is in love, do not interfere.”
“He is not good enough for him,” he stated, gesturing toward the room.
“We will never think that someone is for our own children,” she stated, smiling at him. “Come, let them be. We can only let our children make their own choices and hope that they will not get hurt in the process.”
Loki walked away from the room, vowing he would not let his child suffer as he did.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
That stupid, inferior being. He let my son get hurt!
Many years had passed. He watched his son grow, fall in love with that…imbecile. But, left the situation be when Tony seemed happy. Tony still came to him for advice, he still considered Loki his closest friend, due to him being there for most of his life.
Loki will never forget the image of his brother holding his son, rushing toward him from battle to see if there was anything that could be done. Following Thor, was the rest of the warriors, Bucky was leaning on Steve, looking for comfort.
All Loki could see was the person who didn’t protect his son.
Loki worked furiously against the dark magic eating away at his son’s heart. He called for his mother. The red-haired she-devil moved quickly, returned shortly with Frigga. They combined their magic, trying to combat the work of the dark elf. It was something he had never seen before. He didn’t know if they would be able stop it.
It wasn’t until he felt something combine with his mother’s and his efforts that he looked down and saw a blue glow form in his son’s chest.
He cocked his head, studying his son, sharing a quick glance with him mother, he knew they alone didn’t save Tony. Tony himself helped. Unconscious, close to death Tony, help save his own life with magic without even knowing he had.
Loki had never been more proud.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
They had started fighting. Tony was pulling away, feeling useless and unneeded. Bucky didn’t know how to act around him, not knowing the reasons for Tony’s behavior.
They were drifting apart. The relationship hanging on by a thread.
Who was there to pick up the pieces?
A father of course.