Actions

Work Header

Where is Home

Summary:

After an unexpected encounter with a wizard in New-York, Sylvie finds herself living with Thor and Love in New-Asgard. Now among her people, she gets to know her family and makes some new friends. The problem? None of this really feels like it’s hers, and the only person who could make it better is stuck in a tree, refusing to budge. How will she convince him to finally let go?

Chapter 1

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Dr. Strange had just finished making himself a cup of tea, when the Undesirable Entity spell alarm went off. That meant that the protection spell he had cast over New-York City had caught some dangerous visitor in its net.

He had cast the spell years ago, after a bet with Wong. It was designed to protect the city from dangerous intruders, namely of the sort seeking world-domination. Unfortunately, there were so many of them that it was hard to keep track. Also unfortunately, the spell was not able to read minds, so it only caught individuals that had been named in advance. That was how it got Loki years ago, but not any of the members of the Black Order when they dropped in for a visit.

Dr. Strange sighed. He had the impulse to ignore the alarm and just drink his tea, but curiosity got the better of him.

“Ugh,” he said eventually, and cast the spell that would reveal the identity of the prisoner. When the answer appeared, he just stared at it.

“It couldn’t be…” he mumbled to himself, and cast the spell again.

He got the same result.

“Loki?” Strange asked himself, perplexed. “But how…?”

I thought he was dead.

After a few moments deep in thoughts, Dr. Strange straightened his back.

“Come on,” he told the cloak, which flew immediately to wrap itself around his shoulders. “We need to pop off to Norway for a while.”

*

Thor was making dinner. At least, he was trying to. The kitchen looked like a bomb went off in it, spraying tomato sauce everywhere. A loud rock song was playing in the background, and Thor was humming to himself while stirring the sauce. Love was at the kitchen table, doing her homework. She was chewing the end of her pencil, bobbing her head up and down to the rhythm. She looked almost like a normal kid, except for the brown tattoos around her eyes. A gigantic axe was leaned against the chair she was sitting in.

All of a sudden, a glowing portal appeared in the middle of the dining room. Immediately, Thor flexed his hand, summoning Mjolnir. Love jumped to her feet, swinging Stormbreaker with one hand.

“Whoa, whoa, relax, it’s ok, it’s me!” said the wizard who stepped out of the portal. Thor and Love lowered their weapons. Love gave Thor a questioning look.

“It’s ok, Love. He’s a friend,” Thor said, and Love shrugged.

“Ok,” she said shortly and laid down the axe.

“Hello, wizard, nice of you to come for a visit,” Thor said jovially. “Have you met Love? She’s my adopted daughter.”

Love waved noncommittally.

“And Just in time for dinner, too!” Thor said. “Would you like to join us?”

Dr. Strange looked from Thor to Love, taking in the homework strewn all over the table and the general chaos in the room.

“Er, no thank you,” he said. “Listen, Thor. I come here on business. I need your advice with something back in New-York.”

“New-York?” Love perked up in her seat. “Can we go, Uncle Thor?”

“How urgent is it?” Thor asked. “Because the pasta is almost ready.”

“Very,” Dr. Strange said, fighting not to roll his eyes. “How soon can you come?”

“Oh, well. I suppose we could join you for a moment,” Thor said. “Come on, Love.”

“Wait, you’re bringing the kid?!” Strange asked. “It could be dangerous.”

“Well, I can’t very well leave her here without a babysitter, can I? On second thought, I also can’t leave here with a babysitter. She nearly killed the last one.”

“I did not!” Love said, getting out of her seat and grabbing hold of Stormbreaker. “I only singed off some of her hair. She really overacted, I swear.”

“Er, ok…” Strange mumbled to himself. “I take it you have powers?”

Love shrugged.

“Don’t be modest, Love!” Thor said, enthusiastic. “Of course she has powers, she has great powers! I have seen grown men cower in fear at her feet! The cries of her enemies –“

“Uncle Thor, let’s go already!” Love cut him off, impatient.

“Ok, ok,” Thor said, putting up his hands. “Just wear your boots, Love.”

*

After Thor turned off the stove, Love put on her boots (and Strange cast a quick cleaning spell on the kitchen) the three of them crossed a portal back to the Sanctum.

“Oh, hey!” Love said, excited. “What it this place?”

“This is the Sanctum Sanctorum,” Strange answered, puffing up in pride. “It protects the world against invasions from the Dark Dimention.”

“Cool,” Love said.

“So…” Thor said, “you said you had an urgent matter to discuss?”

“Oh, yeah,” strange said. “I don’t know how to tell you this, but…um, remember a few years ago, when you came to New-York together with your brother?”

“Yes, of course,” Thor said, “we were looking for our father. You caught Loki in the most amusing falling spell, if I remember correctly.”

“That’s right,” strange said. “And this morning it happened again.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“The spell. This morning. It caught Loki in New-York,” Strange repeated.

“That’s impossible,” Thor said.

“That’s what I said,” Strange agreed.

“My brother is dead,” Thor insisted. “He was murdered by Thanos right in front of my eyes. Er, eye. So, it couldn’t be him.”

“The spell says it is,” Strange insisted.

“Well, it isn’t,” Thor said. “You’ve caught someone else. Sorry. Now please, take me home.”

“Just in case,” Strange said, and opened the portal to the spell space.

A person fell out of the portal, slamming down on the floor of the Sanctum lobby. Surprisingly enough, that person was a woman. She was of slight build, wearing a large overcoat, and had curly blond hair that flew over her head as she flipped it. She had the most murderous look Strange had ever seen.

“I have been falling for thirty minutes!!” she screamed, jumping to her feet and drawing a rather intimidating machete. She gave them all a menacing look, growling. Love, in her perch on the stairs, perked up.

“See?” Thor asked, triumphant. “Told you.”

Strange just stared, open mouthed.

“What’s going on?” the woman asked. She still hadn’t lowered her sword.

“Many apologies,” Thor said, suddenly a lot more princely. “It seems that the wizard here made a mistake.”

“I did not make a mistake!” Strange insisted. He turned to the woman and, rather accusingly, asked “Who are you?”

“Me?” the woman replied, snarling. “Who are you?”

“Dr. Strange,” Strange said. “This is my house.”

“Am I supposed to believe that’s your real name?” the woman asked.

Strange rolled his eyes.

“Every fucking time,” he mumbled.

The woman turned her attention back to Thor.

“What am I doing here?” she asked.

“The wizard thought you were my brother,” Thor said. “Which couldn’t be,” he added, giving Strange and accusatory look, “because he’s dead.”

Lowering her sword, the woman gave Thor a rather pointed look.

“And you are…” she asked eventually.

“Thor, son of Odin,” Thor said.

The woman grew pale.

“Thor?” she asked weakly.

“Yes. You’ve heard of me? I’m an avenger. Quite famous, really. I fought in the battle of New-York…er, that was against my brother, actually. He was, eh…working through some feelings.”

“I’ve heard of you,” the woman said. She seemed shocked.

“What I’m trying to figure out,” Strange tried to reel in the conversation, “is why did my spell catch you?”

“No idea,” the woman said. “I was walking down the street, minding my own business, when all of a sudden a portal appeared under me, and I fell through; and then I just kept falling. For half an hour,” she added pointedly, giving Strange a homicidal look.

“And your name is?” Strange asked.

“What’s it to you?” she asked defensively.

“Just trying to figure out why the spell picked you up,” Strange explained.

“Sylvie,” the woman said reluctantly, “and I’m clearly not the person you’re looking for, so I’m gonna go now.”

Strange narrowed his eyes, but nevertheless stepped out of the way.

“Of course,” he said with excessive politeness. “You’re free to go. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

She gave him a suspicious look through narrowed eyes. Then she nodded and marched purposefully towards the door, not giving Thor and Love a single glance.

“She seemed nice,” Love said glumly after the door slammed behind her.

“Come on, Love,” Thor said, sounding a bit sad. “Let’s go home.”

“Wait,” Strange said.

Thor and Love gave him curious looks.

Strange lifted a finger in the air for emphasis.

“Three…Two…One…”

The alarm went off. Triumphant, Strange again opened a portal to the magic space, and the woman fell out of it, hitting the floor with a resolute thud.

“Arrg!” She growled, obviously furious. “Why does it keep doing that!”

“Because it thinks you are Loki,” Strange said, smug. “Care to tell me why that is?”

“I already told you, I have no idea!” the woman insisted.

“Remind me, what was your name again?” Strange asked.

The woman rolled her eyes, clearly exasperated.

“Sylvie,” She repeated, her voice acidic.

“Sylvie what?”

Sylvie took a deep breath and, shuffling her feet, turned her gaze back to Thor.

“Laufydottir,” she said quietly.

“Laufy…? King of Jotunheim? Are you Loki’s sister?!”

“No!” the woman scoffed. “Loki’s sister, please.”

“Wait!” Dr. Strange cut in, suddenly understanding. “Of course she isn’t Loki’s sister. She is Loki!”

Thor scoffed.

“Don’t be ridiculous, wizard. She obviously isn’t Loki, I mean, look at her!”

“Excuse me?” Sylvie asked, indignant.

“I mean no offence,” Thor said, laying a hand over his heart. “It’s just that my brother had a sense for the theatrics. If he were to come back as a woman, I suspect he’ll pick a look that’s a bit more dramatic.”

Sylvie looked down at herself, perplexed.

“I think you look great,” Love piped up. “Love the boots!”

“Oh, thanks!” Sylvie said, brightening up. “They’re really comfortable, you know?”

“I bet they’re really good for kicking people,” Love said.

“Yeah, they are, actually,” Sylvie agreed. “They’re great kicking boots.”

Strange, baffled by the turn in the conversation, tried to rein everyone in.

“I didn’t mean she was literally Loki,” he tried to explain. “I meant she’s a Loki. You are, aren’t you? You’re his variant!”

“Please,” the woman scoffed. “If anyone is anyone’s variant, then he’s mine.”

 “What’s a variant?” Thor asked, perplexed.

“She’s Loki from another universe,” Strange explained. “They’re called variants.”

“Another universe?” Thor asked, clearly confused. “Since when are there more then one?”

“Look, I go by Sylvie now,” Sylvie cut in. “And I’m clearly not the guy you were worried about, so I think I’ll just…”

“No way,” Strange said, hovering down to block the sanctum door. “You’re not going anywhere.”

“Try and stop me.”

“Don’t have to,” Strange said. “The spell will just pick you up again.”

The woman scoffed. “You know I can go wherever I want,” she said.

“Can you?” Strange asked.

“Don’t,” Thor said quietly. “Please. Stay a while…sister.”

The woman gave him a peculiar look. For a second it looked like she was about to cry.

“I’m not your sister,” she said gently. “And I’m definitely not your brother.”

“I know,” Thor said, “I’m sorry. Just…stay, ok? We’ll have drinks. Wizard, magic us drinks.”

Strange rolled his eyes, but waved his hands and all of a sudden the four of them were in another room. They were sitting on four plush chairs, each with a drink in their hand. Strange had his tea, magically reheated; Thor and Sylvie had mugs full of ale; and Love had hot cocoa with whipped cream and marshmallows.

“Oh, yay!” she said happily, sipping from the drink and giving herself a foamy mustache.

“Cheers,” Strange said, taking a sip from his tea. Thor lugged half the mug of ale, while Sylvie laid hers down on the table, untouched. She seemed uncomfortable.

“So,” Strange said eventually, “how did you get into this universe, and is it possible you caused an incursion?”

“Tempad,” the woman said absentmindedly. “They don’t cause incursions.”

“What’s a tempad?” Love asked.

“It’s a device that lets you travel through space and time,” Sylvie said. “Without damaging the timeline,” she added, giving Strange a pointed look.

“Why New York?” Strange asked.

“Heard the pizza was good,” Sylvie said.

“Seriously.”

“What, it isn’t?” she asked innocently, and Thor laughed.

“But how are you Loki?” he asked.

“Sylvie,” she corrected mechanically.

“But you are a variant of Loki, aren’t you?” Strange asked.

“Yes,” Sylvie said reluctantly. She looked sad again. “But it’s been a long time since I went by that name.”

“Why?” Thor asked. “Don’t you like it? Or were you just trying to annoy mother?”

“I haven’t seen my parents since I was a little girl,” Sylvie said shortly. “Or my Thor.”

“Wait, was your Thor a girl too?” Love asked, interested.

Sylvie chuckled. “No,” she said.

“What happened?” Thor asked.

“Doesn’t matter,” Sylvie said.

“You know, my Loki was much chattier,” Thor said.

“Yeah,” Sylvie scoffed. “It’s getting him to shut up that’s the problem, isn’t it?”

Both Thor and Strange froze. Sylvie, realizing what she’d said, bit her lower lip nervously.

“You’ve…met Loki?” Thor asked eventually. “My Loki?”

“No,” Sylvie said, resolute.

“You know, I do have enough experience to recognize when Loki is lying,” Thor said, serious.

“Ok, you got me, Sherlock,” Sylvie spat. “Yes, I know…knew Loki. So what?”

“So, he’s dead,” Thor said patiently.

“I’m aware,” She replied.

“And you’re from another universe,” he added.

“Well, technically,” she said. “I usually refer to them as timelines, but ok.”

“Timelines?” Strange asked. “And you travel between them with a device called a…I want to say tampon, but that seems wrong.”

“Tempad,” Sylvie corrected.

“But when did you meet Loki?” Thor asked. “And how?”

“A few years ago, and it wasn’t exactly your Loki,” Sylvie said.

“Another variant?” Strange asked.

“Infinite timelines, infinite number of variants,” Sylvie said, impatient. “Look, I’ve really done nothing wrong, ok? I was just walking down the street. And I’d really like to get back to that now.”

“No can do, I’m afraid,” Strange said. “The spell is automatic, you see. You set a foot out there, it’ll grab you again.”

The woman growled.

“Fine,” she said, swiping the bracelet on her left wrist. “Then I’ll go home.”

A glowing orange portal, about the size of a door, sprang to life beside her. She got up to go through it, but Thor stopped her.

“Sylvie, wait, don’t go,” he asked. “Please. We’ve only just met.”

“It’s not you I’m trying to get away from,” she said, giving Strange a look.

“Come to New Asgard with us, then.” Love suggested. “No spell will catch you there.”

“Yeah, and he’s not invited,” Thor added cheerfully. “No offence, wizard.”

“None taken,” Strange said. He was actually relieved that the problem was about to be taken out of his hands. “I’m happy as long as there isn’t a single Loki in New York,” he added.

“That’s racist,” Love said accusingly.

Sylvie sighed, and swiped her wrist again. The strange glowing door vanished.

“Wizard, please send us home,” Thor asked. Strange, only happy to oblige, opened a portal back to Thor’s dining room.

“Good luck,” Strange said as the three of them left through the portal. It wasn’t clear which of them it was aimed at.

Notes:

I got the name of this fic from the song Where is Home by Rich Jacques. The words remind me a lot of Loki and his journey and the fact that he ended up in a lonely throne makes it all rather bittersweet. You can listen to it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htJsgf24xcY