Hi! Welcome to the first chapter of my story. It is basically Loki's origin story, based on the comic books. It will cover the time between Loki's adoption to his transformation into a God, therefore it won't be a very long story.

I don't own Marvel, only my copy of the Avengers DVD.

Anyway, I hope you'll still like it. Enjoy!

The Jotun Child

Everything happened the way the sorcerer told him.

After Laufey had been killed by Odin, the young Jotun child ran towards his father's corpse, crying as he was told to do. After that, and still following the sorcerer's advice, the child tried to attack Odin, only to be swiftly kicked to the side by other Asgardian.

When one of Odin's warriors was about to kill him, the boy thought that he had made a terrible mistake and that he should have stayed hidden in the ice, like he had always been. However, to his surprise, the All-Father ordered his warrior to stop and told him that they were going to take the boy with them, much to their dismay.

Thus, the young Frost Giant left Jotunheim and marched along the All-Father's horse towards the glorious land known as Asgard.

The boy's red eyes avoided looking at Odin or his warriors. He didn't know how to act from now on, the sorcerer never told him what was going to happen next. He had been told of a way to leave Jotunheim forever and escape his cruel peers and his abusive and hated father, so he took it.

All his young life, the boy had known nothing but hatred and violence. His father hated him so deeply that he had hidden him away, ashamed that his first-born child had been born a runt. His mother never intervened; she hated the boy almost as much as Laufey because she had been brutally punished for bringing "such a pathetic creature" to the world. Therefore, she gladly never saw her son again.

The boy was an outrage in the Jotuns' eyes, small, weak and with no fighting skills whatsoever. He had no future with the Frost Giants. Sooner or later, was going to be killed by his own people and his small bones were going to become another Jotun's necklace, like his father liked to remind him.

The child had faked his love, tears and anger for his father's death, the father who had refused to name him. He hated his own father as much as Laufey had hated him. When the sorcerer told him of a way to escape, he went through his plan without thinking. A life with the Aesir couldn't be worse than the frozen hell he was used to.

At least, he hoped it would be better. They had travelled for hours and his feet were killing him, but nobody said anything about what Odin was going to him. He faked his love for Laufey because the sorcerer told him the All-Father valued family loyalty and, despite his ridiculous small size, he was still the son of a King killed in honorable battle. It had to mean something!

"You have been silent for a long time, boy" the All-Father said suddenly, surprising the Jotun.

The child looked at the King of Asgard, but quickly lowered his eyes. The truth was that he was terrified. The hatred between Asgard and Jotunheim were as old as time itself. What could they possibly want from him? A hostage? A pet?

"Don't you have anything to say?" Odin went on.

The young Jotun felt his mouth dry and remembered the many times his father had beaten him because he had opened his mouth so easily. But the All-Father looked like he wanted to talk, so maybe he should answer him.

"A prisoner should be quiet. I don't wish to anger the Lord of Asgard" the child said, his fearful red eyes facing the king his people had cursed for centuries.

Surprisingly, Odin chuckled and the boy couldn't help but frown in confusion. Did he say something stupid?

"Your words are wise, child" the All-Father said smiling, he seemed amused. "How old are you?"

The Jotun was so surprised that the King of Asgard was talking to him, that he almost tripped over a rock.

"Five winters, King Odin" he said.

Odin's single eye widened. "Is that so? I thought you were younger. You look small for a Giant's offspring."

The boy felt the familiar ache of shame and fear running through his body. His small size had been his curse and no amount of cleverness could make it better in his people's eyes.

"I meant no disrespect, boy" Odin said quickly, seeing the Jotun's sad expression. "I've battled Frost Giants for ages and I've only seen your tallest warriors."

The boy shook his head. "I am… unusually small. I wasn't blessed with the right body for a Giant."

Odin's horse slowed down and he stared once more at the young boy. He could be small for a Frost Giant, but his height was completely normal for an Asgardian. He also talked very eloquently, which was something he never saw a Jotun do aside from Laufey in his war speeches. The boy talked better than Thor despite being taught by the best scholars and being two years older than him.

Suddenly, the king's mind began racing. Could he do it? Was this boy the answer to appease his father's spirit? The wandering, snow ghost that he never saved because he knew he would never follow his own dreams if he was around?

"Take the child of a fallen king and raise him as your own" Bor had said. "Do this and I will bother you no more, son of mine."

The Jotun felt Odin's eye piercing through him and he shivered at the thought that maybe he could be reading his mind. The All-Father was known in all realms for his unbelievable powers, he could do all sorts of magic and sorcery. If he saw that the boy had been lying, he would crush his skull in a heartbeat.

Odin suddenly stopped his horse, forcing the child to stop walking as well. He felt his legs trembling with fear as the Asgardian King jumped from his white steed and moved towards him with a solemn gaze.

"This is it! He found out" the child though, petrified. "He is going to kill me for what I did. I don't want to die… Please, I don't want to die."

The Jotun closed his eyes and waited for the pain, but it never came. Instead, he felt something odd and warm in his head. When he opened his eyes again, he saw Odin kneeled in front of him, stroking his cold and bare head with his giant hand.

The boy gaped, too shocked to say anything or flee. No one had ever touched him except to cause him harm or to push him out of the way. He had never known care in his young life and yet…

"What is your name, child?" the King of Asgard asked kindly.

"I… I… I was to be named after Utgard-Loki, one of our ancestors" the boy mumbled, shocked, confused and ashamed. He had no name. His father had hated him so deeply that he didn't even deserve a name.

"Aye, I've heard about him" Odin said. "His strength was famous through all the Nine Realms. Why do say you were to be named?"

The Jotun child lowered his head, tears behind his red eyes. "Father said I was unworthy of that name."

Odin's expression softened and his heart ached with pity for the small child. A king's offspring reflected his power and virility. Like most kings, Laufey was very proud and his son's small size must have brought him a lot of shame, but to the point of not giving him a name? Even pets and objects had the right to a name.

This poor, nameless boy didn't belong in Jotunheim, Odin realized. There was nothing for him in this frozen place but death.

"Every child is worthy of a name" the All-Father said with a smile and pulling the boy's chin so he could face him. "Yes, you lack the physique of a Frost Giant warrior, but you have a good head on your shoulders and knowledge beyond your young age" the Jotun child's widened even more when Odin picked him up softly and sat him in front of him, in his horse. "I am aware that I took your father from you today, but I hope that in time you can find a place in your heart to forgive me."

"I don't… understand" as the horse started walking again, the baffled child could only stare at Odin in both awe and confusion. "Why are you asking for my forgiveness, Lord Odin? Why are you being so kind to a prisoner?"

"You are no prisoner, boy" Odin said with a laugh. "In fact, I believe that it's about time for you to have a name, yes? I don't wish to call you boy forever."

"A name? Will you name me?" the Jotun asked, increasingly surprised by this turn of events. He couldn't understand. He was nobody, a runt, an embarrassment to his Father and his people and the King of Asgard going to name him and take him?

Odin looked in deep thought for a moment, thought completely aware of the child staring at him in his lap. Finally, the Asgardian looked at young Jotun with a smile.

"Loki… Yes, I believe your father's first choice was a good one" Odin said. "I shall name you Loki."

"Loki" the child murmured quietly, the name sounding strange in his tongue. His name. He finally had a name. Odin, the King of Asgard, had named him.

As hours went by and the snow started to disappear, Loki finally allowed himself to lean against Odin's warm body, staring at him from time to time, his eyes filled with wonder and admiration for the glorious King who had taken him from the dark ice. In that moment, all he wanted was to make him proud.

Loki wondered if what he was feeling was the sentiment known as love.

In case you are wondering, the Sorcerer was actually future-Loki who travelled into the past to arrange his own adoption. This happened in the comics along with Bor, Odin's father, turning into snow (again, Future-Loki's doing). Having Odin naming Loki, that was me though.

I've checked. In the comics, when Loki is taken to Asgard, he's still in his Jotun form.

Next chapter: meeting Thor. Do you think he was pleased to see his father return from Jotunheim with a kid Jotun? Or that he was going to be his brother from now on?

Thanks for reading.