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Chapter Text

"Run back home little Princess." A Jotun said.

"Damn." Loki whispered to himself.

Mjolnir was swished and took down the Jotun that made the comment. Thor had the battle adrenaline rush running through him. At least his friends were seeing how the battle was quickly being bad for him.

At the edge of a cliff, Loki stood and had a frightened look on his face. If anyone who knew Loki saw him now, they would not believe their eyes. But the Jotun didn't know that Loki always had a multiple of tricks up his sleeve.

When the Jotun went to attack, he passed through Loki's body and fell over the cliff. Loki appeared behind an ice boulder and removed his illusion.

Loki vaguely heard Volstagg warning them about not letting the frost giants touch them before one got a hold of his arm. Loki braced himself for the pain and the frost bite, but that never happened.

His arm turned Blue. Both Loki and the frost giant looked at each other confused like, 'huh?'. Loki was quick to act and broke free from the hold before stabbing him to death. Loki watched as the blue receeded and he kept turning over his arm and rapidly blinking to make sure he saw what he thinks he saw.

Loki got unfocused as he fought. He never got lost in a fight. The fact that his skin turned blue heavily weighed upon him. He somehow looked for a way in which this could be false, but it already happened.

He dodged a blow going up to his head before disappearing and letting the frost giant fight his illusions.

He already sort of accepted that he did in fact turn blue, but he needed a reason why. He kept going over the possible reasons why, but none made sense. Only one made sense, but he didn't want to acknowledge it.

In a daze during a next fight, he was knocked out and before blacking out his last thoughts were,

'Am I Jotun?'

And somehow that made the most sense to him.

At a secluded place of the battle hidden from everything the second prince of Jotunheim watched this interaction with his eyes wide. He also had to blink a couple of times to make sure his brain is not making this up.

As Byleistr was not of age yet, anything involving real combat was forbidden. He has heard of the golden realm and the Asgardians, but had never seen one in person.

After seeing the rainbow bridge he escaped from his personal guards who were placed there to keep him from wanting to see the Asgardians.

And it wasn't really his fault for wanting to see some small creatures, who apparently are calling them the beast because of their height. In Byleistr's logic, the bigger your brain the more knowledgeable you are so they cannotbe the beasts.

So when he saw that one of the Asgardian's arm turned blue instead of getting a frostbite he was locked on his spot.

It's what they have been taught as they grew up that their extremely cold temperatures gives other creatures frostbite. Frostbite is when you're skin is in contact with the extreme cold that it freezes and becomes hard. Jotuns harness their ice mage as that gives them an advantage against a fight. If they touch a certain area for as long as five to ten seconds, then the person may have to resort to amputation.

So he was deeply shocked with the Asgardian ability to survive the Jotun's touch. Byleistr could tell that the Asgardian was a powerful mage, he can't even count how many times he had used his illusions and to even hold up some sort of barrier over their skin whilst in a fight, then he was an excellent mage.

At this point he was even rooting for the Asgardian and couldn't help, but want to meet him.

Whilst busy fanboying, the Asgardian got knocked down and his companions didn't even notice him.

Byleistr called out his ice magic and carried the Asgardian to where he was at without anyone noticing. He picked him up so he could bring him to safety.

As soon as Byleistr's skin got in contact with Loki, Loki's skin quickly turned a shade of blue spreading out to his whole body. Interestingly Loki's body had the same marks as him.

Byleistr didn't think much of it, his reasoning being that he touched Loki, so it is only logic that the Asgardian will be copying his skin.

Byleistr held loki close to his chest as he mounted on one of the Jotun beasts the Steinnbjorn. The beast trotted through the plains and left the battle area.

Byleistr had one task in mind, bring the Asgardian to his mother, Farbauti. The Queen was usually outside, but even she knew that this group of Asgardians was just a mere skirmish.

Byleistr got at the cabin and climbed down from the Steinnbjorn with Loki on his arm. He sent the beast away to roam the forest.

"You know your father will be mad at you for going there." A voice called out inside as Byleistr approached the door.

Farbauti opened the door before Byleistr could and gasped as she saw the figure on her son's arm. Disbelief is what Byleistr saw on her face as his mother fell on her knees tears falling down on her face.

"Mother what's wrong?" Byleistr rushed alarmed as well as the Queen's handmaid rushed to her Queen.

Both Byleistr and the handmaid helped Farbauti sit on one of the cushions as she trembled and breath coming out shakily.

"Andudr you may be dismissed."

"Yes my Queen." She bowed and left.

After the door closes Farbauti held out her opens so she can be passed Loki. Even though Byleistr was weirded out he gave Loki to his mother.

Farbauti held Loki close and cradled his small body. The action came almost naturally to her. Byleistr watched everything confusion on his face.

"You might want to sit down for this." His mother told him knowing he was wanting answers for her strange behaviour. 

"During our last war against the Asgardians, I was pregnant then. I didn't know I was pregnant as the baby was too small for a Jotun. Loptr was delivered during the war and for his safety and nourishment we placed him in our sacred temple not far from Utgard. We thought he would be safe there. We thought Odin will have the decency to respect our gods as he seemed to worship them so much. We never knew he would bring bloodshed on our temple and kill our new-born child."

At this point Farbauti was crying. Her tears falling on Loki and soaking him wet. Byleistr was quick to take Loki into his arms and used his magic to dry him.

He looked at his mother and went on to embrace him. He never knew that he had another brother. One thing he did know was that Asgardians were murderers. Should he ever encounter one, he should run and make sure he never gets found.

"I'm sorry mother." Byleistr tried comforting her.

A time later when Farbauti had collected herself she gestured for Loki to be passed back to her.

"Where did you find him?" She asked. "With his markings so recognisable, many Jotun would have brought him to us immediately."

"Well.....he was with the Asgardians." Byleistr scratched the back of his head. He understood the whole 'dead not so dead' brother, but what still baffles him was how was his skin so pale.

"Asgardians? Why? How? Was he part of those who snuck away?" Farbauti was scared. Her son she just met had already committed a serious crime.

"No no no. He was with the Asgardians. He looked Aesir, but everytime you touch him, he turns blue. I thought because I had touched him, he mimicked my skin color and up to my markings, but if he is my not so dead brother, then I don't know." Byleistr explained to his mother.

Farbauti still looked confused. "What?"

"Put him down and don't touch him." He said to her.

After hesitantly putting him down, Loki's blue skin faded away and his pale skin showed, looking very much Aesir. Farbauti gasped with eyes wide and stumbled as if she got pushed back.

"That's Loki!" She said in alarm.

"What?!" It was Byleistr's turn to be dumbfounded. Of course he knew who Loki was. He was a well known magician. He was Loki Odinson, the second prince of Asgard.

Byleistr physically facepalmed for being an idiot. Of course the blonde one was Thor Odinson. And when he called the jet back haired one brother, that should mean it's Loki.

So Asgard had a Jotun right under their noses and called him prince, bowing down to him, 'Huh the irony. I wanna see their faces when they find that one out.' Byleistr chuckled lightly to himself

Loki stirred awake and saw two Jotuns staring at him. He jumped up in surprise and backed away with his daggers already in his hands.

"We don't wish you harm." Byleistr said with his hands raised.

"What did you do to me you mindless beast." Loki said enraged. He knew that he passed out and waking up in an unfamiliar setting was not doing anything to calm his nerves.

"We aren't carrying any weapons, so you can relax." Farbauti tried to step in.

"Frost giants can make weapons with ice and this place is sure surrounded by it!" Loki snapped.

"Be mindless how you speak with the Queen." Byleistr took two strides towards Loki before Loki panicked and stabbed his arm.

"Byleistr!" Farbauti rushed up to her son. The cut was neither small or big, but Farbauti had heard of Loki, the second Prince of Asgard who was a well known sorcerer and trickster. If one person could fatally injure a Jotun and succeed was someone like Loki. 

"Don't worry mother, I'm fine." Byleistr stood there as his mother concentrated in healing the small wound. 

Loki watched them two seeming as if they have forgotten about him. Loki was puzzled. He didn't know why the frost giant took him here. He doesn't even have know where he is! He needed to get back to Thor before he got himself. 

Loki suspected that it has something to do with his arm turning blue. He had an answer as to why that happened, but he didn't want to admit to it. He wasn't ready to hear the truth. 

"Why am I here?" He asked through gritted teeth.

Both Farbauti and Byleistr looked and him and they shared glance with each other before Farbauti went to sit on her chair.

"A long time ago during the Aesir Jotun war, I was pregnant. I know I shouldn't be fighting, but I found out about my pregnancy when I went into labor. The baby was very small for a Jotuns offspring. Since we were in the height of the war, I left my child at the temple to be guarded there. I didn't know that Odin will murder everyone and even my child. I didn't even know he will go into the temple. It is a well know courtesy that it is forbidden to shed blood at a temple even in enemy lands. Odin may be the keeper of peace across the nine realms, but he still cannot defy our gods Ymir and his the Norns.

Every Jotun bears marking of what we call ancestral markings. These are acquired during birth when a babe bears the marks of both their father and mother. And now, Byleistr has brought you to me. Loki I belive you are our Loptr who we thought died during the Aesir Jotun war a long time ago. Till this day we never stopped mourning our child. Whom I never got to watch grow. Whom I never got hear him cry. Whom I never got to see him taking his first steps towards me. Loki I belive that you a our Loptr."

Loki looked at them as if they had grown two heads. If he was Loptr then he was the Prince, because the male Jotun had said the woman is the Queen.

Loki looked at them both, the male Byleistr looked just as puzzled, but also determined and the Queen, Farbauti looked sad and also hopeful. Of course Loki knew why. A child she had thought  was dead was right here in front of her eyes.

Loki felt as if he couldn't breathe. He closed his eyes and held his breathe for three seconds before releasing for five and repeating.

He had already suspected that it was the only explanation as to why he didn't get a frostbite, he is Jotun. Memories of living in Asgard with the heat being one of the things that bothered him. He always hated the heat, but in order for the Aesir to not judge him or find any more faults with him he just put up with it.

Thinking about it, everything that made him uncomfortable on Asgard from the weather to garments, food, choice of weapons and even his physical appearance wasn't because he was the 'black sheep'. It was because he didn't even belong in the family.

"So you're saying that I'm Jotun?" Loki's voice was a bit strained with all his emotions bottled up. He badly wanted to cry or scream or do anything to release his frustration. He can see his eyesight getting blury, but he didn't care.

The hardships he faced at Asgard. The ridicule he had to put up with. Always in his brother's shadow. No one even respected him as a prince and that was because Thor found fault with him in everything, even the king didn't put a stop to the mistreatment. It was clear to the people of Asgard that Thor will be king and him as the second brother was not even favoured so why will people even bother being close to him. 

After sometime Loki realised he had been crying onto Farbauti's shoulders. He lifted his head and looked at his arm and saw the blue skin. It didn't hurt or anything. In fact it felt right. His body got so used to it automatically that he felt like crying again. 

His musing was cut short when the fluorescent lights of the Bifrost came down. He jumped and looked through the door with Farbauti by his side. Loki wanted to go back to Asgard and maybe forget the whole ordeal, but he found himself rooted at his place. He didn't find a place with no judgements here, he found his family, his people, a place to belong and he isn't willing to go back to Asgard anytime soon. 

"I can understand if you want to go back to Asgard." Farbauti said behind him. She must have sensed his inner conflict, something that Frigga always seemed to have a keen eye on stuff like that. Loki guesses that it must be a mothers intuition. 

"No, I'm not ready yet." Loki turned to Farbauti and hugged her his head reaching up at her stomach. His skin immediately turned blue.

"I don't want to leave." Loki said as he turned to Bury his face in his mother's stomach. Farbauti held her son close and brushed his head.

A third body joined them. Byleistr hugged them from the side and Loki didn't shy away from his touch. 

Their moment was interrupted by two sets of footsteps from outside. The door opened just at the moment when Loki was letting go of Farbauti and Laufey entered followed by Helblindi. 

"Loptr." Laufey gasped. 

Chapter Text

"Loptr!"

Laufey stood shocked staring at the now pale skinned Loptr. Soon after he was filled with confusion. He was sure that the person who hugged his wife had his lineage marks and was shorter in height. Loptr was the only one born smaller in Jotunheim in a long time and he died without seeing the world. The person who was hugging his wife was smaller and had his and his wife's markings. Laufey as a father couldn't have mistaken his own son.

And now, what he couldn't understand was why his son looked exactly like Loki Odinson, Second Prince of Asgard. Even if someone claimed he wasn't as they've never met the Asgardians in a long time especially the Royal family. He saw the young man with Thor Odinson, Thor called Loki brother and now Loki was possibly his dead son?

His confusion must have been clear on his face that Farbauti took a step forward and touched Loki's head slightly brushing his hair as her hand rested on Loki's shoulder as Loki pressed on her side in a side hug. Almsot immediately Loki's skin turned the color blue, nails tuning black and eyes turned ruby red. His face held Laufey and Farbauti's markings and the baby face that has haunted him all this time seemed to have grown.

Laufey was quick to kneel in front of his lost son and hugged him. He felt Loptr's tears on his shoulder immediately and soon heard his sobs and he couldn't help but hold him tighter. The son that he always thought he had failed. All these years have mourned a son and a brother. All to find out he was alive. 

Laufey was even surprised that Loki was taking it so well. Laufey knew first hand what the Asgardians said about them. It was a surprise that Loki was different. Thinking back, even back with Thor Odinson, Loki was trying to avoid a brawl breaking out, of course he was different. 

"Mother?" Laufey could hear his first son's questioning tone. His youngest Byleistr jumped up to answer his question. 

"Brother this is Loptr, our Loptr. He has been staying in Asgard this whole time. Brother they even raised him as the second Prince of Asgard. He has decided to stay here for some time. And I don't even know why no one told me about another brother." Byleistr was definitely sulking.

Helblindi looked at his mother for conformation. The Jotun Queen just nodded at his son her tearful smile bare for them to see. Helblindi felt a slight shake to his hands and his heart beating fast like it will jump out of his heart. His brother all along was so close to them yet too far. Of course he knows the story about his brother, but they had decided to not tell Byleistr as he is still young and didn't want to open old wounds.

Helblindi also knows of Loki the second prince of Asgard. Since a young age they learnt of royalties and also about other realms, especially Asgard their enemies. So who would have thought that a Prince from their enemy kingdom was actually their Prince. Jotunheim and Asgard were sure going to have a field day because of these news, the former actually being a good cause for them.

Laufey pulled Loptr away and looked at his face. He traced his markings and looked at his ruby eyes that perfectly matched his. All this time his son was on Asgard. At the moment his feelings were complicated. Did Odin even know this was his son? Did Frigga even know that she was raising a stolen babe? Did Asgard know that they were bowing to an enemy Prince? And the most important question is, what was Odin's plans for Loki? 

"Loptr, my son. You're alive." Laufey said looking him up and down, not willing to let him go for even a second. 

"Yes. Yes I am." Loki's voice was shaky tears still going down his face. He couldn't even remember the last time Odin had genuinely hugged. Everything made sense now. Odin wouldn't love an enemy's son no matter what.

"Loptr." Farbauti called out and she was visibly happy when her son responded to the name immediately by turning to her. "What would you like us to call you?" At this moment she was unsure which name he preferred, Loki or Loptr. 

"Whatever name is fine. I-" Laufey looked back at his family before turning to face Loptr again. "We understand if you choose Loki. It is a name you have been using for over a thousand years. Whichever name you would like it is fine with." Laufey believed he was talking for his family also. The one thing that they clearly cared about was that their son and brother was with them.

"I love the name Loptr more. It's not even that different from Loki. I won't get it confused." Loptr said lighting up the room as the now complete family chuckled along with him. 

"Loptr this is your older brother Helblindi." Farbauti pushed the awkward giant forward. 

"Nice to meet, I'm Loptr your brother."

"And I'm Helblindi."

"Heard about you."

"Me too.........Can I at least embrace you?" 

"Sure."

Helblindi also went down to Loptr's level to hug him. Loptr felt like he would die in all the affections he is getting.

At dinner the new found family shared a very silent and intimate dinner. Byleistr was on a mission to let Loptr try out their foods and mostly gave him his own favourite foods. The others at the table couldn't help but chuckle at Byleistr's antics. But, when they saw Loptr enjoying Jotunheim food they also joined in and gave Loptr their own favourite foods to try. 

After dinner, the family retreated at the living room with blankets laid down as they all sat down huddled together. Loptr was on his mothers lap getting his hair braided by his father who sat adjacent to them. Byleistr and Helblindi were lying down facing the ceiling that was decorated with crystals that served as the light source for the room. 

"Now that I think about it. How did Loptr get here at this place?" Helblindi asked earning himself a jab in the stomach from Byleistr. Helblindi made sure to make a dramatic 'Ow'. 

Laufey saw his wife and Loptr look at Byleistr and looked at his youngest. Byleistr tried hiding underneath his big brother. 

"Byleistr Laufeyson." Laufey said and he didn't even raise his voice. "Father." Byleistr said holding Helblindi's arm over his face in an attempt to hide himself. 

"Come here." Laufey said voice authoritative and Byleistr complied and was slung over his father. His lower body dragged on the floor with his upper body on his fathers lap. 

"I know you're very curios and don't have a sense of danger." Laufey started off with Helblindi pitching in with a "That's true!" And Byleistr replying with a "Shut up, and don't add fuel to the fire." Byleistr said pointing at Helblindi.

"Shh. You have zero sense of danger, but next time don't do that again okay. At least after you've successfully completed your training and being of the right age. I will let this one slide as it brought us good news." Laufey said whilst caressing Byleistr's face. Byleistr nodded happily as he intertwined his fingers with his fathers. 

"Why did you bring me here by the way?" Loptr's voiced ringed out. Everyone else perked up, intrigued.

"Well- I may or may not have rooted for you to win... wait hear me out. The way you did magic and the illusions you cast, I've never seem such powerful magic on live combat before. I know I wasn't even suppose to be there, but I was really really curious. At Jotunheim we mostly have ice magic, you seemed to have all kinds and an unlimited number of spells on hand. And when you didn't burn of frostbite I thought you were interesting. You were knocked out and I didn't want you to die, so...I took you here to mother." Byleistr chipped happily at his recount. The whole family was deadpanned.

Laufey didn't know werether to scold his son or be happy that he rooted for the Asgardian. And Helblindi couldn't help but face palm at his brother's idiocy. But Farbauti saw that his son was one who isn't quick to judge people. He recognised talent when he saw it and even appreciated it. 

"I guess I should thank you for not killing me?" Loptr said unsure. From Byleistr's retelling, he was clearly intrigued by him. And Loptr found it comforting to have someone who is masculine and brutal looking to appreciate his magic. 

"I might even teach you a thing or two. Mostly to prank others." Loptr suggested and Byleistr lit up as he went to hug Loptr and spin him around. Loptr didn't miss the few groans his family had and knew that Byleistr was just as mischievous as he were. 

The family of five all sat together with Loptr joining his brothers and being at the middle. They looked at the crystals as some of them twinkled. Loki even showed Byleistr some fireworks from his palm in which the youngest said it was 'very cool' and wanted to learn. And Loptr taught his younger brother how to make them.

This whole time, Byleistr moved to be head to head with Loptr as Helblindi moved up to allow himself to brush Loptr's head as a means to have his Jotun blue skin this whole time. 

Laufey and Farbauti looked at their sons and couldn't help but feel happy. Loptr was home and the holes in their chests have been filled in. The casket wasn't even the most valuable thing Odin stole, it was their son Loptr and now he was back with them. 

They knew challenges will arise, but right now they have their family together as a whole. Whatever happens from now on, they will take it on as a family. Because both Farbauti and Laufey had found their new strengths to keep pushing and trying and they will not disappoint their children.

They both leaned in their foreheads together enjoying each others touches. Their moment was broken by Byleistr's whoops and shouts of joy as he finally managed to learn the spell. 

Loki was laughing whilst looking at him and Helblindi had a small fond smile on his face. 

Nothing warms a parents heart than seeing their children happy. Genuinely happy. 

And nothing warmed the five hearts than being with their Family.

And for a long time Loptr knew what was family and what family felt like. He was ready to head on this new journey and he knew that he isn't going through it alone, but with his Family.

And he was finally Home at Last.