"YOU WERE ALWAYSFATHER'S FAVORITE. EVRYTHING YOU DID WAS PERFECT, FIT FOR A KING. EVERYTHING I DID… WAS NEVER ENOUGH. NEVER!" Yelled Loki, occasionally ripping the air with his hands as if it was the reason his father loved Thor more than he.
"Everything I did was to try and make father proud. If I should even call him that." Loki said, and that seemed to send Thor over the edge.
"HE IS YOUR FATHER AS WELL AS MINE AND YOU KNOW IT. MAYBE NOT BY BIRTH BUT HE HAS CARED AND LOVED AND PROTECTED YOU JUST LIKE HE DID ALL OF US." Thor shouted back at Loki. The anger grew in him and you could see it on his face as clear as day. His face was red. A bright, blood red. But his ears and neck were the reddest. His nostrils flared as he took in deep, heavy, jagged breaths. His eyes were wild. They couldn't settle on one thing. Not for too long at least. But when they did settle, it was on Loki.
"I was always so envious of you Thor. I knew, I felt this..this.. tension in the air whenever we were alone. Like there was something he had to say. And we both know he never did." He said, his voice lowered, ashamed almost, completely ignoring what Thor had just said. He looked at Thor the same way Thor was looking at him.
"Where, brother, did this come from? What has happened to you? This is not the Loki I know." Said Thor, his voice almost trembling as he asked, reaching his giant hand forward to rest it on his brother's cheek but having it barely brush against it instead as Loki jerked away. His skin was colder to the touch than what it used to be. It was much warmer but after his finding out about his being Laufey's son and his father having lied to him, he turned cold and out of reach. Thor had always loved his brother. Always. When they were younger and their father made them train and battle each other, Thor would let Loki defeat him. Loki was never as strong and as coordinated as Thor and he knew that father would be disappointed if Loki could not succeed in over throwing him once in a while. So, he would let Loki defeat him. With Thor on the floor and a sword at his chest or neck, Loki's face lighting up as he said "AH HA!" and smiling like a small child who finally received the small dog they wanted, Thor felt a strong love towards his brother. Loki's green eyes shimmering with happiness and a sense of pride for himself. Putting his sword down -not bothering to bend his knees- letting the sword fall just barely with a wood on metal sound, he reached his hand out to Thor. With a smile, Thor took Loki's warm hand and his brother helped him to his feet. Thinking back to this, Thor really did wonder what had happened to the little brother that had always been so happy to see him when he came back from going out with their father. He missed that Loki. He wished that he hadn't changed within the past year or so. Loki laughed then, snapping Thor back to the present instead of the long time past.
"Oh, Thor. You were always so naïve in the fact that you never really could read past the childish smile. All that," said Loki, so evilly you could practically see acid drip from his mouth "came from in here." He explained, putting a flat hand down on his chest, right where his heart is. "I've held all this in. and now it's all coming out. Thor, you have always been my best friend, my brother, but-" Loki's train of thought was cut off by a Chitauri aircraft zooming by the open floor of the Stark tower. Snapping him back to the war at hand. It had been a long, long time since Loki had thought back to the past but this time, he couldn't help it. Somehow, through all of this chaos, Loki's mind had been able to make him think back that far. As if thinking that far back would change and fix everything or even put this war to an end. Loki looked around, somewhat startled by that memory and did everything he could to banish it, not to the back of his mind like the previous time but completely out. But before he could, he made notice that his face was oddly cooler that the rest of him was. There was little wind so there was no reason for his face to be cold unless nerves was the reason. But when he reached up and touched his face, to his surprise, it was wet. He pulled his hand away and looked at it. It glistened lightly in the sunlight. Try as hard as he might, he couldn't help but feel sad and slightly ashamed of everything he was doing. He missed the times he had with his brother. The brother who had protected him and been with him through everything. But it was already too late. He could not stop what was already happening.
By the time that the imprudent and rash green giant finished tossing Loki around like a rag doll, Loki had had enough. He was scratched and bruised and the only thing that he could do was let out a high pitched wince. His eyes wide with surprise and fear, he laid in a small trench that was created when he was thrown around. Small gravel pieces fell from the perimeter and onto Loki's pants and top half. All this reminded Loki of something that happened quite a time ago, but at the moment he couldn't remember what it was. Seeing as to he had nothing to do at that very instant, he allowed his mind to go back, to try and recall a time he had purposely forgotten. And then it hit him. It was oh, four years ago that this happened. Thor had gone to Jotunheim (for a reason that was still unknown to Loki) and he had gone with him.
"Come on brother." Said Thor, "Don't be a coward." Thor did not mean it of course. All he wanted to do was press enough of Loki's buttons so that Loki would agree and he would not have to go to Jotunheim alone.
"I am NOT a coward. I have gone through every battle with you. Don't you think that maybe I deserve a day of peace?" asked Loki. And it was true. Every battle that Thor had ever done, Loki was by his side fighting with him. He did just want one day to do what he felt like doing. To go and hunt, or stay in the palace and look for secret places like he used to. He never felt that he had found them all. For one day, he just wanted to be Loki and not the partner in crime.
"Please brother. Just this last battle and I promise, you can have a day for yourself. We could do whatever came to your mind." Thor flashed his eyes at Loki. Ice blue and puppy like. But only when he wanted something from Loki brother. Loki didn't remember a time when he had used to same look with mother or father. All he could recall was that whenever that expression came up, it was with him. Loki sighed and felt as if he were the older brother.
"Alright. Just this once more. Just this once." He said and Thor smiled. Thor was all the family that Loki ever needed and of course he would go to battle with him. He would die for him. But it just seems that Thor battles everything that walks past him. Most of the fights he got himself into were unnecessary. But he still went. Walking over to place a hand on Loki's shoulder, Thor said in a soft voice thank you. And just like that, they were on their way to the Bifröst Bridge to be transported to Jotunheim. The brothers rode -Thor on a beautiful pure black horse and Loki on a magnificent white one- until they reached the Rainbow Bridge. The brothers dismounted their horses when they reached the near end of the bridge. Heimdall waited, like always, at the opening of the Bifröst.
"Here come Odin's sons." Said Heimdall as if talking to himself.
"Heimdall." Said Thor.
"I presume you want me to grant to access you to go to Jotunheim." Heimdall stated flatly as if he read Thor's mind. Thor laughed. It wasn't a laugh that Loki was used to. It was nervous and hoarse.
"Of course, if you wouldn't find it too much trouble." Replied Thor.
"Does Odin know about your plans to go to Jotunheim and battle the Frost Giants?" Heimdall questioned. Next to Loki, Thor grew tense and nervous.
"Father does not have to know about this." Said Thor, "It can stay between the three of us." Heimdall was silent. His eyes staring straight, looking past Thor and Loki and into nothingness.
"If I suspect that your return will put the safety of Asgard in jeopardy, I will not bring you back. Is that clear?" inquired Heimdall, his voice stern and unchanging.
"We understand Heimdall. We would never ask you to put Asgard and its citizens in danger." Thor acknowledged with the same sternness.
"Then step forward." Was all Heimdall said as he turned and walked into the Bifröst, Loki and Thor at his heels. Heimdall walked to the center of the Bifröst and stood waiting as Thor and Loki made their way to the farthest side.
"Keep in your minds what I have said." Warned Heimdall and with that, he put his giant sword into the Bifröst's center and the rest followed. It was a quick transport but while it was happening, it felt like it took centuries. Their bodies seemed to have separated themselves from their souls. It felt like they were emptied. But before the two of them could really think anything of it, they were standing in Jotunheim. The very edge of it to be exact. The atmosphere was darker and much more ominous than that of Asgard. It was much colder as well. But Thor and Loki could not dwell on those facts, for if they did, they would not accomplish what they needed (maybe not the best word) to get done. Thor and Loki exchanged glances and before they knew it, they we making their way forward. The two of them did not get very far before they were attacked from their flanks. A fairly large group of Frost Giants had surrounded them and one, with just a single swipe of his cold hand, threw Loki into Thor and the both of them flew through the air only to land on the hard ice below. They landed in a heap on the ice about fifteen feet from where they stood. They untangled themselves and helped each other up to fight the oncoming group of giants.
Both Loki and Thor drew their swords. Both ready to fight. Throwing a glance at each other, they ran forward to meet the giants with a loud battle cry. They met head on and they fought. Each in charge of half the giants; swords clashing with ice. They were thrown and hit and stomped into the hard, cold earth. It was only a few moments into the battle yet both brothers were already wounded and hurting. Loki fighting one giant and after slaying him, moved onto another. He had no trouble at the moment but his brother, on the other hand, was not having as much ease with his giants. Before Loki could help him, Thor was grabbed by one of the giants and was thrown like a bag of flour up into the air, down to meet the ice and back up to be thrown back down again.
"THOR!" Cried Loki. Upon seeing his brother being tossed like nothing, Loki fought harder and harder. He took down the giants faster and easier with the anger and concern that filled him to the brim. The giant that had beaten Thor had left him in the ground and moved to try and defeat Loki, seeing that his brothers were not getting very far in completing the job. Loki, like he did the other giants, defeated this one with ease. The rest came just as easy. After just a few moments, it was just Loki and Thor surrounded by a group of fallen Frost Giants. Loki looked at Thor who seemed to be in quite an amount of pain. Thor lay in a small, shallow grave, if you will. An ice grave. It made chills ripple through Loki like volts of electricity. Small chunks of ice felt from the small edge onto Thor.
"Oh, brother." whispered Loki.
"I'm fine, Loki." Thor winced through clenched teeth. He did not sound angry, but in pain. There was a long gash across his face starting from the right side of his forehead and down diagonally just under his left eye to stop close to his ear. His upper lip was bleeding and other parts of him were bleeding as well. Loki was also injured but not like Thor was. His lips bled and he had three deep cuts on his right arm from a giant trying to grab him, but Loki turned away in time only to get those gashes. Loki walked swiftly to his wounded brother and took his arm gently in his hand when he reached him.
"Come on," Loki grunted. "Up. Before reinforcements come." Thor did what he could to help his brother help him, but when he put his hand down on the ice to push himself up, his arm gave out and he fell back.
"Come on. Don't do that." Loki ordered as he pulled Thor up onto his feet. He put Thor's arm around his shoulder and practically supported his entire body weight.
"HEIMDALL." Loki called out loudly. When there was no answer, Loki tried again. "HEIMDALL!" and before any of the two brothers could say anything, they were being transported back to Asgard. It seemed a faster transport than last. Maybe Heimdall was hasty about getting the two back before the other Frost Giants could come. They landed on their feet but just barely. Thor's head was lolling slightly forward.
"No. None of that, Thor." commanded Loki using his free hand to push Thor's head up and having to slap his cheek lightly when he saw his eyes were closed.
"You have successfully kept the safety of Asgard complete but have put yours in danger." Spoke Heimdall. "What will you tell Odin?"
"Nothing." Said Loki. "We… we went hunting. The horses were scared and threw us off. Unfortunately down a hill. Thor landed into a fallen tree." Loki looked at Heimdall to see if he would give any sign that maybe his father would not believe the false story, and like always, gave no sign that this had even happened. Instead, Loki looked at Thor who looked no better and without saying anything, he took Thor and they got back onto their horses and rode to the palace. Loki helped Thor dismount his horse when they reached the stables and helped him inside.
"Thor. Thor stand straight. If mother and father are inside you need to look fairly alright." Stated Loki to his brother. Thor did his best to stand straighter and managed to do so, but so that instead he looked like he hurt his leg. And that would be fine because that would help to give some credibility to their story. Loki did his best to sneak them through the palace and went quite far until their mother showed up.
"Oh my lord! What happened to the both of you?" their mother stammered completely concerned for her sons. She placed a hand on each of her sons' cheeks.
"We are ok, mother." said Thor, trembling slightly.
"We went hunting and the horses became scared of something we could not see. They threw us off and we went down a hill. Thor hit a fallen tree and injured his leg." Loki finished.
"My sons. My precious boys." their mother stuttered, stroking their cheeks gently and starting to cry.
"No. Don't. Don't cry mother. Please don't cry." Thor whimpered, pain in his voice. "Just please, mother. Please, please."
"Loki, take your brother. Get him cleaned up. Go to the infirmary." Said mother sniffling and wiping her eyes.
"Ok mother." answered Loki and he walked off with Thor to his room. He would take Thor to the infirmary after he was cleaned a bit.
"I'm sorry, Thor. I'm sorry my brother." Muttered Loki cutting his memory off. He now clearly remembered why he decided to forget everything. It was all too painful. He lay in his recently made crater and cried. Loki felt pathetic. He didn't care nor did he ever want to. All he knew was that he had lost his brother the day he betrayed Odin, Asgard and more importantly, himself.
"He killed 80 people in two days." Said the woman with the red hair. Natasha is her name but at the moment, Thor was angry with her. With Mr. Stark, Mr. Rogers, all of them. Mostly with himself. He couldn't stand that he did nothing to stop his brother from all of this.
"He's adopted." Thor said when he felt he could speak. He's adopted. He's adopted. He's adopted. He's adopted. Those words where the only ones Thor could hear. They played round and round nonstop like those people that run on the strange machines that let them run but they get nowhere. No reaction. But they keep going. He looked off into the distance, and with the two words still circling his mind; he could not help but think more about them. About the day father brought him home.
It was a colder day. The wind whipped silently through the open windows. It pierced the skin like millions of microscopic needles. Thor sat in his giant room. Too much space for such a young child. He lay on his bed for a moment, staring at the gold ceiling, thinking of what he and father could do when he arrived home. Thor grew impatient as he thought. He stood and leaped lightly onto the floor and paced the entire room. He watched his feet and kicked the corners of the giant rug that took its place in the center of the room. Thor sighed gently and became bored of the pacing. He looked at the window. Enormous, and beautifully crafted. There was a long bench just under the window where Thor would sit cross legged and play with his toy warriors. This time, Thor sat and stared out the window, looking out to the Bifröst to watch for his father and his men if they happened to come through. Thor watched for hours, never leaving his post or removing his gaze. He would look past the Bifröst just for the briefest moment, just to give his eyes a moment to rest, and then he would look back again. Thor looked for another hour before he fell into a deep slumber. He slept for hours before anything happened. All the while, Asgard was silent. Too quiet and too still to be considered normal. It was in the latest hour of night when Frigga came into Thor's room and gently shook his shoulders.
"Thor." She whispered. "Thor, dear. Wake up love. Your father is home. There is something you should see." Thor stirred and rubbed his eyes. A yawn escaped his small pink lips.
"Mother?" Thor groaned.
"Hello dear. Did you fall asleep waiting for your Father?" Frigga asked. Thor nodded. He blinked rapidly, trying to focus his eyes. Frigga gave her small son a chance to wake up. "Come." She said, holding her gentle hand out for Thor to take. "Father is here. We have something to show you." Thor took his mother's hand and she helped him down off his bench. Hand in hand, they walked together to the main room to meet Odin. The mild walk lasted only a minute or so. Then they were in the main room. Odin stood in the center, his back to his wife and son. His silky cape billowed softly in the gentle breeze.
"Odin." Frigga said gently. She was the only one Odin let call him by his name. Odin turned slowly to face them. When he did, something was off about him. He had his arms wrapped around something. Thor did not notice.
"Father!" Thor exclaimed. He took his hand from his mother's and ran to his father.
"Thor!" Frigga cried out, concerned about the precious object in her husband's arms. Odin only shook his head at her.
"Do not worry my dear." He said. Thor reached his father and wrapped his arms tightly around his legs. He clung to his father.
"I waited for you. But fell sleep." Thor said. He felt ashamed of falling asleep while waiting for his father.
"Do not fret my son. I have something to show you." Odin said soothingly. "Come. Sit with me." Thor moved with his father and sat on the long sofa. Odin took a seat in the corner and Thor sat right up next to him, bringing his small knees to his chest. Odin shifted so that he was facing Thor. Thor caught a glimpse of the bundle in his father's arms.
"Father?" asked Thor. Odin knew that his son had seen the bundle.
"Thor. Be very gentle and very quiet. Can you do that for me my boy?" He asked. Thor nodded, showing how quiet he could be. "Good boy. Thor, I would like you to meet your young brother, Loki." Odin took his giant hand and moved it gingerly to the bundle. He gently moved some of the fabric away to reveal a small baby. Pale skin, pursed lips, a hand full of black hair upon his little head.
"Brother?" Thor whispered and stared at the baby in wonder.
"That's right my son. Your young brother. Would you like to hold him?" Odin offered. Frigga looked worriedly at Odin. It's not that she did not trust her son with the baby, she just thought he was too young to understand. Thor nodded at his father.
"Put your arms up like I have mine. Be very gentle." Odin ordered pleasantly. Thor did as told and when Odin saw fit, he placed little Loki in Thor's arms. Thor held the small child as gently as he could without letting him slip to the ground. Thor stared at Loki. It was all he could do. He looked at every feature on Loki's pale face. The way his eyebrows furrowed slightly together as he slept. The way his small lips twitched ever so little as he dreamt. After a moment, Loki stirred and Thor looked to his father for guidance. Odin just nodded back to Loki. Thor looked back to his brother. Loki stirred again, gave a little moan, and opened his eyes. They were a brilliant green. Like the leaves on the trees in spring. Or the grass by the river. Loki looked up at Thor. He knew not that Thor was his brother. He knew nothing yet. But he will learn. He will learn so much. Thor watched as Loki's eyes darted to different places, trying to take everything in. Thor felt his heart warm at the sight of this little baby. He didn't know why. After a minute, Loki's eyes settled on Thor. Loki looked deep into Thor's eyes and then did something unexpected. As Thor watched Loki, a smile spread across his baby face. It was a toothless smile. All gums. Loki gargled a little and made Thor laugh. Thor laughed and laughed. He decided, even though he didn't know exactly what it meant, that he would protect his brother. That he would do anything and everything for him. He would love him more than his parents would. He would never betray him and he would always be there for him. To keep the monsters away.