HEY.

All those people who've been reading, reviewing, recommending, Following, or Favouriting any of my stories or PM-ing me since I'd last been on Fanfiction: thank you, again. Don't know how else to say it. Every notification in my inbox that says someone's PM-ed or enjoyed my stories has been such a comforting nod from the good old days.

It's been way longer than I would have preferred since I'd last been on here. It feels good to be back, however briefly. For the past few months I'd been trying to work on a certain one-shot as a break from gloomier life business. Then, considering that that one-shot is about death, I decided recently to take a break from it to write some easier, more cheerful stuff. I picked three story prompts out of a figurative hat and wrote this trio of Loki-and-Thor drabbles. Then realised afterwards one of them still has death in it, but oh well. The three prompts used are in the Author's Notes at the end of the third story. (My list of prompts just comes from viewing various blogs, movies, books, conversations, and the like). Hope you like at least one of these. Sorry the post is so short :/

Hoping to get that other 'death' inspired one-shot up sometime soon (no promises on the timeframe, but I'm determined it'll go up eventually). Also, I may add to this series of prompt-inspired drabbles whenever I'm in the mood for some directionless creativity.

Also, I'm really sorry for the title of this post :/

xoxox or something similarly affectionate with much less body contact

"For Hel's sake, Thor, stop shoving – !"

A quiet, unassuming bump.

Thor looked up.

"Oh, no…"

(Loki managed a little sigh. The kind he reserved for those moments during which he foresaw the ensuing cataclysm with painful clarity, and yet decided the consequential fun outweighed the utter hell he would pay for it).

Despite evidently having time to register the disastrous nature of the bump, Thor also simply stared.

And so the fragile, painstakingly detailed (and no doubt expensive) sculpture of Bor teetered upon its dais, rocking just past the point of no return –

(So gently, as if time had slowed to dramatise their misstep even more)

– before toppling away from them –

(So they had little hope of catching it before it hit the floor; this was to form part of Thor's defence of their blunder, before Loki reminded him Frigga and Odin had already stated the two of them specifically were banned from entering that chamber whilst the statue was kept there)

– and –

the bump metamorphosed into an out-and-out CRASH!

Loki even managed to squeeze in a good eye-roll.

Thousands of stars of splintered crystal sprayed across the polished grey-black floor. It was like witnessing the abrupt birth of a miniature night sky. The sound became almost musical as the last shards skidded their way to a tinkling stop.

"Uh…" Thor seemed stunned at the notion of his celebrated grandfather (albeit a mere glass rendition of) being brought down around their feet.

"Well said," Loki nodded with mock thoughtfulness.

Thor peered at Loki with a sidelong glance. "This is to be the high table's centerpiece at the banquet tomorrow. Correct, Brother?"

"Well, no…"

Relief suffused Thor's expression.

"…Not anymore," Loki finished. Thor winced.

"And how long did it take them to fashion this, again?"

Loki shrugged. "A little over a year, perhaps. I'm struggling to remember exactly, I'm getting distracted by this inexplicable vision of Mother flailing the living daylights out of us. Are you seeing it too?"

Thor scratched his stubbly cheek.

"What do you think we should do now?" Loki asked, offhandedly.

"…Uh…"

"You've proposed that one already."

"Then why don't you think of something clever instantaneously?" Thor jabbed.

"The right thing to do would be to inform the sculptors as soon as possible, and then aid the resourcing of a new centerpiece."

The sound of quick footsteps and distressed voices began echoing through the entryway they had used earlier. They looked at each other.

Thor shoved Loki towards the chamber's opposite end – the second doorway welcomed them like arms of a friend spread open widely. They sprinted, trying to be silent though not bothering to avoid crunching a few larger chunks of the dead sculpture beneath their thick boots.

They were streaming through their third corridor in the palace's eastern quarter when Loki started laughing breathlessly. Thor glanced over to toss a "shut up, Brother!" over his shoulder.

"The great prince flees instead of professing his offence!"

"That crime was on the both of us, and you are running too!"

"But you expect it of me!" Loki grinned. "We should have simply stayed and let me lie through it!"

"This way they have no link to us!"

"Honestly, I doubt our parents will have much trouble guessing."