Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Wailing sirens echoed through the alleyways as aliens came in steady waves from a blue portal overhead. Smoke filtered through the streets, not nice smoke from wood; no, this smoke was a bitter variety from burning plastic and metal. Astrid ran, her armor making it difficult to avoid large piles of debris and groups of Chitauri. How the Chitauri ended up in New York, Astrid didn’t know, but she knew she would struggle to hold her own out here. As a Chitauri spotted her, it emitted a shriek and gave chase.

Astrid scampered away, trying to summon something, anything, but she was too drained. She skidded around a corner and dashed down an alleyway, emerging onto a wide street only a block from the epicenter. The Chitauri was gaining on her. Astrid tried to move faster, but in her panic, she tripped and fell, spraying rubble in all directions. Her helmet had flown off and landed a few feet from where she lay. The monster loomed over her, raising its weapon. She scrambled backward into a wall, the rocky gravel poking her hands making every move hurt. She was cornered.

——ᛈᚱᛁᚾᚲᛖᛊᛊ ᛟᚠ ᛁᚾᛊᛖᚲᛏᛊ——

Steve waded through the battle, taking down monster after monster. He’d finally caught a break in the waves of Chitauri when a shriek echoed from twenty meters away. A Chitauri stood over a girl, its weapon raised, ready to kill. Steve didn’t even need to think; in a matter of seconds, he cut the monster into pieces with his shield. 

The girl had backed herself against a wall and was staring in shock. Her raven hair cascaded down her shoulders, framing her wide, green eyes perfectly. Steve offered her a hand, and she gladly took it. She stood brushing herself off. It was then that Steve noticed she wore a set of armor that almost resembled a beetle shell. It was a greenish-gray shell that was hard as a rock and most likely tougher. As she bent down to retrieve her helm, Steve spoke, “You ok?”

The girl slipped her helmet over her head as she answered, muffling her voice, “Yeah, I’ve been through worse.” The bloodred eyes of the helm seemed to glint with rage as she looked toward him, and the mouth near the bottom was open in an unsettling scream of war. “Thank you,” she nodded.

“You’re welcome,” he paused, thinking, “What’s your name, kid?”

“Astrid.” With a small green flash, a horn appeared in her hand. Magic perhaps? Steve was still new to this whole ‘Gods are Real!’ thing, so he wasn’t very adept at spotting magic. Astrid had just enough strength to summon her horn. Hopefully, she could escape with this. She lifted the horn to her lips and blew. A low earth-shaking note sounded from the horn and echoed throughout the city. Moments later, the flapping of wings approached. Steve prepared for an incoming attack but was confused when a giant flat centipede-like creature descended from the sky. Astrid walked toward it and rubbed its scales lovingly. “I guess I’ll see you around; what was your name again?”

“Steve.”

She nodded, “See you around then, Steve.” With that, she mounted the great insect and took off, weaving through the city streets, not paying any mind to the terrified screams from civilians below. Steve quickly forgot about the girl as Tony called for backup. And she did not cross his mind again until the fight was over.

——ᛈᚱᛁᚾᚲᛖᛊᛊ ᛟᚠ ᛁᚾᛊᛖᚲᛏᛊ——

The shawarma restaurant smelled strongly of spices and meat. It was a warm and cozy little shop with a few tables, many of which were missing chairs. The entire Avengers team had gathered around, each seated in a chair, engrossed in deep conversation. “Ya know-” Steve said, swallowing his food, “-I saw the strangest thing today.”

“You mean apart from the invading alien army and our golden-horned freak,” Tony jabbed.

Thor’s face soured; he hated when people made jokes about his brother behind his back. 

“I saw a girl, she-”

“That’s not really weird, Capsicle. Then again, I guess you haven’t seen many girls recently.”

“I hadn’t finished,” Steve grumbled,” She had armor that looked like a beetle shell. The helmet-” Steve shuddered, “-Its eyes were blood red, and the mouth was in a silent scream. That’s not even the weirdest part! She blew a horn, and it summoned a giant flying centipede!”

“Two days ago, I would have asked if you were hallucinating, but after today, I believe you. Did you get a name?”

“Yeah, said her name was Astrid.”

Thor perked up, suddenly very invested in the conversation, “Did she have black hair and green eyes, perchance?”

“Uh, yeah, how’d you know?” Steve answered.

Thor’s eyes widened, “Shit.”

“Whoa! I think that’s the first time I’ve heard you swear, Pointbreak.”

Thor stood, pushing past Tony to get to the door. Without a word, he left. Thor strode through the damaged streets quickly, lightning flickering around his fists; he needed to find Loki. A crowd of paparazzi swarmed around him as he pushed his way toward Stark Tower, snapping picture after picture, camera flashes flickering like lightning. “Mr. Odinson has Loki been detained? Where will he go next? Should people worry about him escaping?”

His face did not betray the feelings of worry and desperation; instead, it held a mask of composure and politeness. “Unfortunately, I don’t have time for an official statement, sorry.” They relentlessly pressed him for information no matter how he tried to turn them away. Suddenly, the frantic newsmen's cameras began to malfunction, their screens flickering and going black. In the chaos, Thor seized the opportunity and swiftly made his escape, leaving the bewildered reporters behind. Thor was thankful for his control of lighting and to an extent, electricity. It was instances like these where it really came in handy.

Loki was being held in a secure facility underneath Stark Tower until they could safely transport him back to Asgard. He paced back and forth in his cell, restless. He was in terrible shape, but he wouldn’t, couldn’t show weakness. He was on full alert, searching for a way out, but this cell seemed specially crafted for him; there was no way out. He felt Thor’s presence in the room but made no attempt to speak to him.

“Brother,” Thor spoke, prompting Loki to stop pacing.

Loki's gaze turned upon him with the intensity of a cornered animal, his voice laced with venom. “What do want, oaf?” he spat out, his words dripping with disdain.

Thor was disheartened to see his brother with so much malice. Even if he wasn’t his biological brother, he still loved him. “Astrid,” he stated.

Loki’s mask of hate slipped, and his voice wavered, “What?”

“There was a citing of Astrid.”

Chapter Text

Loki’s brows furrowed in confusion and worry. He hadn’t seen Astrid for almost a century now; Odin said she had run away. Some part of Loki had always known she was out there; some part of him hoped that she hadn’t left on her own accord, but he hadn’t let it gain any traction. “What do you mean there was a sighting?”

“I mean, Rodgers saw her fighting the Chitauri.”

“Are you certain?”

“The Captain said she summoned some sort of giant bug and flew off on it.”

Loki was shocked. When he last saw her, Astrid was still struggling to summon small bugs, and now she was summoning a giant one. “A Hebikera… Did he see where she went?”

“Unfortunately, he lost her in the chaos of the fight,” Thor sighed.

Loki punched the wall of his cell in frustration. 

“I know. It’s frustrating, but at least we know she’s here, on Midgard.”

“Yes, but where. This is a small planet, but that doesn’t mean it would be any easier to search.”

“Perhaps if we just waited…”

“Really, Thor? That’s your plan? Just wait for my daughter to show up? She hasn’t shown herself in a century, what makes you think we’ll see her before we’re dead?!” He was raising his voice now, his mask melting away even as he desperately attempted to claw it back. “W-what if I never see her again…”

“Loki… You will, I promise that.”

“You can’t promise that. For all we know, I’ll be in a cell for the rest of my life,” Loki huffed quietly, sitting against the wall of his cage. It felt nice to have Thor try to reassure him for once, but for the life of him, he couldn’t fully escape the doubt and worry. There was a long silence, but it was a comfortable one. “You know father’s punishment will be harsh…”

“Yes. That doesn’t mean you’ll never see her again… right?” 

Loki sighed. Sometimes Thor seemed a little too naïve for a prince who had seen countless wars and atrocities. “Let’s just–” Loki sighed.

“–focus on finding her, right?” Thor finished for him.

“Did you… tell them anything?”

“No, I–I was more preoccupied with telling you first.”

“Which means they’ll come looking for answers, great.”

——ᛈᚱᛁᚾᚲᛖᛊᛊ ᛟᚠ ᛁᚾᛊᛖᚲᛏᛊ——

“Ok, ok, ok. You’re telling me that this kid… Astrid was it? Is his kid?” Tony raised a brow, gesturing vaguely to Loki. 

“Yes,” Thor muttered.

“And you expect us to just… help you find her?” Steve crossed his arms.

“Well-”

“What he means to say is it would be in your best interest to do so,” Loki muttered, his voice indifferent to the harsh words. Nothing could be worse than a lecture from Odin.

“And why’s that Reindeer Games?”

The rest of the team- well, one couldn’t exactly call them a team yet, they weren’t official -nodded in agreement. They were all rather skeptical of any sort of reasoning he gave out, especially after yesterday. It had been all too easy for them to catch up with Thor after he ran out earlier. With the help of JARVIS, of course.

Sighing in frustration, Loki pinched the bridge of his nose. Why did I ever think the mortals would help… He took a moment to collect himself. Mortals could be so difficult. “Because she could wreak more havoc than I ever could.”

“He’s kidding, right?” Clint almost laughed.

“I assure you I am not, archer.”

“How? I mean, she’s not even an adult, right? How could she be more powerful than either of you?” Nat asked, her brows furrowed slightly. “Not to mention, if she’s been here for a century now, how hasn’t SHIELD noticed?”

Loki shrugged indifferently.

Thor sighed, “She’s always had a lot of power… her mother- never mind.” He knew full well that Loki wouldn’t appreciate him introducing that particular topic. “Astrid has always been very good at concealing her magic. It wouldn’t surprise me if she’s been hiding in plain sight all this time.”

“But why?” Steve asked. “I mean, come on. Why would an Asgardian kid be here, of all places? Don’t most of you never leave?”

“That… requires much more explanation…”