Fatherhood
@vali-and-narfi
It had been a very strange day.
Not that any day within his memory was what one could quantify as normal. The arrival of the smaller Asgardian ship to Earth, the Commodore, that which carried those who’d been smuggled away during Thanos’ attack, had finally given him the opportunity to track down Thor. With a great deal of shouting and laughter on Thor’s part and a great deal of insistence from Loki that he truly, honestly could not explain anything past the last week, he’d finally gotten his brother (apparently) to sit down and help him piece together the fragments of a past he’d been remembering. And that which he had not - a prince-hood, a wife, sons. Sigyn, he’d learned, with a strange pang of mourning for someone he didn’t even remember, had been among the Culled. But the boys, Thor had told him, clapping a hand against his shoulder, the boys yet lived!
“You can not simply hide from them,“ Thor was saying, as they stood by the door to the room where the last of the Asgardian race, after having been flocked over by the Midgardian healers, were being held whilst arrangements were made for them.
“I’m not.” Loki said, eyes fixed against the door as if it might explain how to be a father to sons he couldn’t even remember, “What am I to say? They expect a father and I... I did not know they existed until you told me.“
“You’ll think of something brother, you always do. I would stay, but I left a room full of diplomats and they are certain to be arguing by now. On most days, you are much better at this - diplomacy, negotiations.“
“Good to know, thank you,“ Loki said, as Thor gave him another pat to the back and headed away. “Um... Thor...? Vali’s the eldest, Narfi’s the youngest, yes?“
“You’ll know then when you see them. You knew me, did you not? It is good to have you back, brother, but right now they need you more.“ He gave a nod in the direction of the door, then turned sharply and strode off down the hall, cape fluttering behind him.
Taking a deep breath, Loki put a hand to the door and pushed it open with a creak. Heads turned towards him, whispers spreading through the crowd. Some looked shocked. Some shook their heads, as if his reappearance wasn’t really a great surprise. Loki gave those he happened to make eye contact with a small smile of greeting, then moved past, eyes moving over the huddled crowd. There couldn’t be more than two hundred, women and children mostly. This was truly all that remained of an entire people?
Moving around the edge of the room, he came to a stop when he saw the two boys sitting together. Thor was right about one thing, he did know them, somewhere deep and buried inside his mind of his heart, he knew them. But, Thor had lied - he had absolutely no idea of what to say. A short breath out. Say something! He smoothed out the front of the Midgardian shirt he wore, clearing his throat.
“Vali? Narfi? Thor, um, he told me what happened to your mother. I’m so sorry.”
