#ok............

loki,   the child,   dislike leaving the void.    it is a place of death and destruction and betrayal,   true   —   but it has been his home for many years.   even the shadow of asgards is nothing but a blur,   and something only the elderly loki talks of so fondly.   had it truly been his home ?   the child does not know:   in the wake of what he has done,   there is very little doubt that he would ever be welcomed back.

(    the child does not think of the allmother’s face.   what sort of crumpled expression frigga would have worn when she’d found thor’s body   —   ?    what sort of curses she would have laid at his feet should she know that it was her second son’s doing ?   would she still call him her son ?   or is he the face of a foreigner,   the unwanted child odin had robbed so haphazardly ?   )

not that it matters.    the timeline has been reset :    thor did not die.   and,   as punishment,   he will not live.

but the child says nothing of that.   he merely tips up his chin,  defiant,   but his eyes sharp.  accusing.    ❛    you’ve taken not only the elderly loki from my company,   but your absence have forced mobius to enlist our help just because you were not able to find your way back.   i do not belong in the timeline anymore,   if you haven’t noticed.    ❜