Hey! Look whose back! I'm not dead!

Okay, I am sooooooooo terribly sorry that I haven't written in so long!!! Between school, and my recently precarious mental health, I haven't had much time to write.

This is also a warning that I might not update regularly, and it may take me quite a while between stories to write and publish. I've been going through a bunch lately and it's been taking up all my time.

Also, if you check the 'Conversations' tab of my profile, there is a bit of sad news that I need to get out to y'all, so I would appreciate you going and taking a look at that.

On a happier note: IM ACTUALLY WRITING MULTIPLE THINGS RIGHT NOW AND I MIGHT GET THEM PUBLISHED SOON!

I'm actually extremely excited about this because that might get me back into the swing of writing. That and I just saw Thor: Ragnarok!!!!! (Which was amazing by the way!) Ragnarok has given me so many ideas, which means I'm probably going to be writing more!

THE LOKI PICTURE ABOVE... I MEAN.... I JUST... WOW. I LOVE IT! Credit to the Artist!
(This is the one I was talking about hungergames36 )

SLIGHT RAGNAROK SPOILERS FROM HERE ON OUT!!!

Also, this isn't like my usual xReader stories. This is a cute prompt I received from hungergames36 . It just made me feel so happy and fuzzy inside, that I HAD to write it!
So, this is an AU where there isn't a threat of Infinity War. Thanos doesn't show up or anything. The Asgardians make it to Earth just fine, and the world is all happy dandy!

(Also, also: A Note for Later On: I am fully aware of who Sleipnir is in Norse Mythology, but that was the only name I could think of. I'm sorry.)

Anyway, that's enough of this long-ass A/N! On with the story!
-Red
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It was a few weeks after the ship had landed on Earth. Most of the Asgardian population was out and about, exploring Earth and finding new places to settle down. Meanwhile, Thor and Loki we're sitting in the compound lounge, thinking of what next to do, while brewing over their left-over dinners. Valkyrie had already found herself a place in Brooklyn, near Manhattan, and, with Thor's help, she was moved in in a few days.
Bruce had gone to Tony to see what he could do about controlling the Hulk, and Korg had gone with him to find somewhere that he could live peacefully.

"I think it's about time we head for bed." Loki suggested, seeing the starlight twinkle through the windows.

"Agreed." Thor replied, taking his empty plate, along with Loki's, to the sink, placing them there.

The two headed down the hallway in silence. They were currently staying in a couple spare rooms that Tony had let them use until they could find places to live.

Thor had already found his own place, but he wanted to stay with Loki until his brother had a place to call home. This, in turn, would come sooner than Loki thought.

Just before they parted, Thor caught Loki's attention, by landing a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Yes Thor?" For once in a long time, this response wasn't annoyed or perturbed; rather, it was curious about what Thor was going to say.

"Meet me in front of the compound,
tomorrow morning around nine."

"Dare I ask why?" Loki quizzed jokingly, with a little chuckle.

"You'll see. Just be there alright?"

"Alright." Loki threw over his shoulder amusedly, just wanting to get to bed at the moment.

Once the conversation ended the two brothers parted ways for the night.

~

The sun was bright the next morning as Loki dragged himself out of bed.

When he looked in the mirror, he saw a mop of hair that had gone askew, and pajamas that were so twisted, he didn't know if they were even on the right way.

Looking at the clock, he saw that it was eight thirty. His eyes widened, and, with a slightly panicked air, he dressed himself and tamed his messy hair.

By that time it was two till nine, so Loki rushed out to the front of the compound where he saw Thor waiting for him.

"So, what's this big surprise you've got for me?" Loki queried as he came up to Thor.

"Just follow me and close your eyes when I say so."

The grin on Thor's face was enough to pull one from Loki. And with a smirk, the trickster answered: "I'm trusting you. This better not be a prank."

The two chuckled as Thor began to lead them to a car, and there on, to the middle of New York City.

~

It didn't take Loki long to realize where he was.

It was Manhattan. Around the area of his attack.  In his mind, there was no telling why Thor had brought him here, but he kept his trust in his brother and went along with the ride.

~

The car stopped in front of a newer-looking building that was a few blocks from the newly-rebuilt Avengers Tower.

"Doesn't look half bad" Loki mumbled to himself at the sight of the tower that was visible through the car window.

"Alright brother. Here we are. From here on out, until I tell you, I need you to keep your eyes closed." Thor's voice interrupted Loki's thoughts, and brought a few questions to his mind.

"You're absolutely positive this isn't a prank to get back at me for something?"

"Certainly."

"Alright then."

Putting as much faith as he had into Thor, Loki closed his eyes and allowed Thor to guide him.

~

"Okay, theres an elevator here. Watch your step." 

Loki stepped onto the elevator and promptly heard the beeping of the button, and felt the gravitational, swaying pull of the ascending machine.

Once the desired floor was hit, the elevator jerked to a stop, and set Loki on his toes, rocking back to his heels. The familiar, pinging beep announced the arrival, not leaving a doubt in anyone's mind that they were on the right floor.

'I guess being unable to see does make a difference when I comes to the other senses.' The trickster thought to himself as he felt Thor's hand on his upper arm start to guide him down a hallway that seemed almost never ending.

Once they did finally come to a stop, a sweet jingling sound rung in Loki's ears. It was the jingle that came from small, delicate keys to a house, or perhaps, an apartment.

The only sound he heard afterward was the whoosh from the creakless door as it opened.

Loki was slightly pushed into what he guessed was a doorframe, given the ridges he felt from where a doorframe might be.

"Alright. You can open your eyes now." Thor said with a grin to his voice from behind Loki.

Fluttering his eyes open, and allowing them to adjust the the newly blinding light, Loki saw an adorable, new, apartment.

Upon entering the room, he was face to face with the fully-furnished living room. To the left was the kitchen, and on the right was a hallway.

The curiosity of the green and gold god got the best of him, and he followed the hallway to find a bathroom, and two bedrooms. One of which had its own master suite. Every room was furnished and move-in-ready, which surprised Loki.

In this, the larger of two rooms, was the master suite, with a jet tub and a shower. A porcelain sink which had been crafted heavenly to show swirling depictions of angels and the clouds of heaven.

The king sized bed, in the middle of the room, was draped in a deep forest green comforter with soft pewter sheets, and the drapery of the windows was a gentler, but darker grey that complimented the room.

But none of that caught Loki's eyes.

What he saw first was a framed photo of the royal family of Asgard. Odin, Thor, Frigga...and him. Immense memories of that time and place when things were simpler and Asgard was still around flooded Loki's mind as a new yearning for his home filled his heart and made his chest ache.

Next to the family picture, whose frame was unlike any other in its intricate craftsmanship, was something that wrenched Loki's heart in his chest.

Small tears decorated the eyelids of Loki's foresty green eyes as he saw a picture of a younger Thor, holding him all swaddled up in a baby's blanket. 

"Thor....where did you get these?" Loki questioned in a voice that was like a sad, soft, winter wind.

With a tone more serious than before, Thor looked to Loki, then to the side, near the bed, and then back to Loki.

"I managed to nick them from the palace before Asgard fell.  I thought that maybe, well, hopefully they would help you to adjust to living here, on earth now."

Thor looked down and rubbed the back of his neck. Slight fear was rooting itself deep inside the thunderer.
What if Loki rejected it all?
What if he refused to adjust?
What if he turned for the worst once again?

What if?

What if?

What if?

What if he didn't?

Who knows what would happen.

Amidst his thoughts Thor heard a quiet voice from in front of him.

"I'm sorry brother. What did you say?"

Thor looked up to see Loki facing the bed, where a small, hand-sewn, white horse lay. The stuffed animal had a few seams undone here and there where a bit of stuffing was peeking through, and there were marks and stains from where it had been played with and loved thoroughly, for years and years.

"Sleippie." Loki barely whispered the name in disbelief as he picked up the soft plush horse.

"I managed to pick that out too. If I'm right, that was your favorite when we were younger wasn't it?" Thor reminisced as the memories of their childhood came back to him.

"Yeah. It was-is." Loki corrected himself, as he pulled the tangible memory to his chest and buried his nose in it, taking in the old smell of the palace, and the palace's library; their favorite hideout.

Nostalgia and sorrow filled Loki's heart, it was unbearable.

"Loki? Are you alright?" Thor asked, placing a gentle hand on his brother's shoulder.

In one swift motion, Loki threw his arms around his brother, and let sobs shake his body uncontrollably. Tears streamed down his face like torrents, as his clutch on Sleipnir, the white horse, tightened. 

"Thank you Thor. For this, for everything." This was all Loki could manage to say before everything he had held back for years came to surface.

Thor reacted immediately and hugged his brother back, allowing his own tears to fall onto Loki's green-clad shoulders.

"It's alright Loki. You're home." Thor whispered to his baby brother as their grips on one another tightened, and tears shed onto either's shoulder.

"Home?" Loki questioned, taking a breath to tame a sob, growling in the back of his throat. He was thinking not of the apartment, but rather, of Earth. There was no Asgard to go back to. Not even a dungeon cell left for him. Nothing.

"Yes. Home. And you've got your family here with you, to help you whenever you need it." Thor reassured Loki, pulling away and looking him in the eye.

"This is where we belong now. This is where Asgard belongs now. And as long as we are here, with the Avengers, you, me, and the people we care about, this is where we will always belong. Okay?"

More tears flooded Loki's eyelids as he nodded, once again hugging his brother and radiating in the hope it gave him.