Explanations
Thor walked towards his brother who was sitting ever so gracefully on the couch. Thor sat down next to Loki and placed Mjolnir on the glass coffee table in front of them.
"Brother," Thor began but paused when Loki shot him a glare. He cleared his throat and continued.
"What happened?"
"Didn't mother tell you?" Loki asked non chalantly petting the head of his second eldest son.
"She didn't give me details..."
"And what makes you think I will?"
"Loki......you've been hurt. As-as someone that cares about you.....I'd like to know the extent. What happened?"
"Nothing that you ought to concern yourself with." Loki stated. Annoyance clear in his tone.
"Brother, please, talk to me." Thor pleaded. He needed to know what wrong was done to his brother. Loki sighed and massaged his temples.
"Fine. I will only answer a select few of your questions so do not expect anything." Despite Loki's constant denial of their relationship Loki couldn't help but melt everytime Thor called him brother. He loved Thor. He couldn't help but want to tell Thor everything. And for Thor to do the same. To care and love him back. But he was the son of Odin. And an Asgardian. He couldn't love or care for him. He was a frost giant. His enemy. The same people he wanted to murder in cold blood. This whole 'Brother' thing. It was an act. That's all.
"It's better than nothing..." Thor mumbled to himself. "Who are they?" He asked softly.
"My children of course." Loki said non-chalantly. Thor had a look of confusion. Besides the fact that all four of his kids were of a different breed, Thor knew nothing of Loki having a lover. Before Thor could open his mouth to ask follow up questions, Loki began to explain the whole situation.
"Mother took care of them while I couldn't. I've had them for around ten years. As you can imagine your father wasn't very pleased with the new discovery. Sleipnir's my first. He's ten this year.-" Loki said fondly smiling down at his children.
"Brother....." Thor whispered, hurt and concern laced in his voice. He couldn't stand to hear that his own father didn't accept his grandchildren. It hurt him. Broke his heart. Loki, not caring about what Thor had to say, ignored Thor and continued.
"His father is Sadilfari. It was quite a turn of events." Loki chuckled darkly and sadly. As for Thor. He zoned out. He'd heard that name before. He'd know that....being....he just couldn't pin who it was.
"Then I had Fenrir, Jormungand and Hela with Angrboda.-"
"Who-?"
"Fenrir is the wolf. He's the kindest, sweetest and most attention needing of my children. Sleipnir is the horse...of sorts. He's responsible and childish at the same time. Jormungand is the snake. He's stubborn and confident. He's a troublemaker to death. As for Hela. Well she's the smartest one of all. There's nothing she isn't willing to learn. And she can put her sibling in their place quite nicely. A born leader. " Loki explained lovingly as he stared down at the children in his lap with nothing but love. Thor watched his brother. The way his eyes lit up when he spoke about his kids. The way he couldn't hide the love for them. It reminded him of the old, younger Loki. He missed that Loki. The Loki he'd play with. And prank. And play pranks with. The one that always got him out of trouble. He knew that Loki was still there. But he was being hidden. Shielded. Buried.
"What did father do?" He asked not expecting the glare and growl that was shot his way. But that was all he got. No answer. Just the glare and growl and a deafening silence afterwards. He cleared his throat awkwardly before moving on to other questions.
"If Sadilfari is the father...-"
"Yes Thor. I birthed Sleipnir."
"How?"
"Magic." Loki stated dryly and sarcastically. Although there was some truth to that statement. You can't shapeshift into a horse with science afterall.
"How do you...feed them?" Thor asked quietly. Loki groaned and rolled his eyes.
"Sleipnir is old enough to eat solid food so he does. Jormungand is big enough to eat solid food but he prefers not to. Therefore he only eats small pieces of meat and large amounts of blood. Hela doesn't need to eat. But she, like mortal babies, prefers milk. As for Fenrir. He eats any and everything." Loki chuckled at the end remembering when Fenrir was first born and attempted to eat Sleipnir.
"Why couldn't there....other parents take care of them?" Thor asked putting much consideration into the words he used. He wasn't usually like this. He was always blunt and insensitive. But he'd grown. And the way he saw Loki was like glass. Breakable. Fragile. Loki said nothing instead continuing to stare at his children lovingly. As though nothing else mattered. Nothing else existed but the four children laying in his lap. Once again, sensing Loki wasn't going to answer, Thor moved on.
"Do they have magic like you?" He asked somewhat worried.
"Do not fret, Thor. They are of no danger to you and your team. Magic or no." Loki said not answering Thor question at all. Thor sat awkwardly. He had many more questions. But they all seemed to slip his mind when he was given the opportunity to ask. He opened his mouth to ask something else but closed it when he noticed the others walking in the room. He watched as the Avengers silently filled the room all eyes on the two gods. Loki closed his eyes and rocked back enjoying the silence and serenity. There were still noises like the tapping of feet and the rustling of clothes but it was bearable. Loki had always appreciated the silence. And after being stuck in a cell along with other prisoners yelling and crying for attention he'd take what he could get. Slowly but surely he started to drift off into sleep. The last thing his mind processed was the subtle shifting of his children on his lap.