Thor walked down the halls of Asgard's pales and down the many stairs to the prison, where his brother was locked away. The thunder god marched straight ahead and didn't let anyone stop him. His farther had for a long time advised against it, but after what his mother had just told him, there was nothing that could prevent him from seeing his brother. Thor gritted his teeth in anger. This anger was not for Loki or even his father, no this anger was towards himself. How could he have been so blind? It was so obvious what Loki had done for him and he had never asked for anything in return and yet Thor had never looked over his shoulder to look at what was really going on. The wine red cape flapped behind him as he almost ran down the halls with cells on each side of him. He paid no attention toward these prisoners. He turned a sharp corner and his cape fanned out behind him. After walking a bit more he slowed down to a clam walk and allowed his clothes to finally catch up to him and the cape fell calmly down his back as he came to a stop in front of the cell he had been looking for.
The raven was sitting in a chair and was reading a book. At first it didn't seem like he had noticed Thor's presence, but Thor knew better. In all their years of growing up, one of the only things he could never do was sneaking up behind Loki. The raven seemed to have some kind of sixth sense for that kind of things, but then again he was the god of mischief and something as simple as that was the first kind of mischief a child learns. True enough soon after a smirk sneaked onto Loki's face and he closed the book before turning to look at his brother. He placed the book on a small table and walked over to the edge of his cage.
"Hello brother" Loki greeted with mockery in his voice and Thor couldn't help but turn his nose up at the tone "and what do you wish of me?" Loki asked as he turned his back on his brother.
"Loki" Thor called his brother's name firmly to get his attention. Loki looked over his shoulder with what seemed like a mix of curiosity and eagerness "It must have been cold there in my shadow"
The reaction from Loki was instant. Even with all the practice he had had throughout his entire life, nothing would be able to prepare him for this. Shock spread like wild fire over his face and the god with the silver tongue was for once speechless. The raven starred at his adoptive brother in a state of shock, but soon recomposed himself. "To never have sunlight on your faceā¦" Thor continued, but the sentence was never completed and he looked down. Shame was starting to creep up in his heart and was most likely already showing on his face.
"You have no idea" Loki snarled. The sentence was dripping with poison and Thor dared to look at the man he called brother and the hatred and bitterness was showing so clearly that any other man would have run back to hide. Loki looked like a beast ready to strike its natural enemy down and now Thor was happy that there was something to separate them, but he knew that it was only a mask and it would no longer fool him.
"You were content to let me shine. You always walked a step behind" Thor continued as if Loki hadn't spoken. Since returning to Asgard he had been wondering again and again why Loki seemed to hate him so much. He would lay sleepless all night trying to figure it out, but today he had been phasing the pales and without really thinking about it he had walked to Loki's old room where he had found his mother.
Flashback:
She had been there for some time and was looking at the many books Loki kept in his room. She absently let her fingers run over the back of the many books of magic. Thor had never been good with magic and especially not with sitting still and doing nothing.
"I never understood why he didn't just move his bed into the library" Thor said from the doorway. The sudden voice made Frigga jump and let out a small gasp of surprise. She turned to her oldest son with a loving look only a mother could make "I am sorry mother. I did not mean to startle you" Thor apologized and walked over to her.
"It matters not" she sat down on the couch and signaled for her son to join her "it there something on your mind my dear?" Frigga asked the second she sensed something was troubling her son. Thor looked up from his hands and looked at his mother. He turned to look at the wide open door and quickly got up and closed it before rejoining his mother.
"It's Loki. I don't understand why it is that he hates me so" Thor said honestly. He knew his mother would be able to help him. He had tried to talk to his father, but the man had gone cold when it concerned Loki and simply stated that it was in his nature to hate and never be loved, but Thor didn't believe that for a second. He remembered all the times he had come to Loki seeking advice on what to do. Loki may be younger, but he was much smarter and Thor had depended on it so many times. He remembered how they grew up as equals and how they shared everything. At one point they had almost been attached by the hip. They were always seen together and never went anywhere without the other, but most of all he remembered Loki's smile. It had been so many years since he had seen Loki smile from the bottom of his heart. Something broke him a long time ago, something that couldn't be taken back or redone. A scar that would never heal.
"If you only knew how much he has sacrificed for you, just because he loves you. You would never doubt him" Frigga said and ran her fingers through Thor's golden locks. Thor looked at his mother unable to understand what she was referring to, but she just smiled and stood.
"Where are you going mother?" Thor asked and thought he sounded like a little child afraid to sleep in his own bed.
"I was just looking for some new books for your brother and I should return to him shortly" she said and kissed her son on the forehead. "If you want I'm sure your brother won't mind if you read some of his collection" Frigga said as she walked to the door. This caused Thor to be even more confused than he already was. Frigga knew better than anyone that he never had any interest in books. There had to be something else sticking under. "I found the book in his nightstand to be very fascinating reading" and with that she left the room and closed the door behind her.
Thor sat back, lost in his own thoughts. He slowly walked over to the side of his brother's old bed and sure enough there it was. A little black book was placed on the nightstand. It had to hold the answers he was looking for, otherwise his mother wouldn't have practically handed it to him, but when he was about to pick it up he got in doubt. What if his mother had been wrong and he was about to read all the thing Loki hated about him and what he thought was their family? He shook his head to clear his mind. He knew they were not really related. He knew who Loki's real father was, but just couldn't find it in his heart to really care. It just didn't matter; they were still brothers were they not? They had still grown up together.
He quickly grabbed the book and opened on the first page before he got cold feet, but it wasn't just any book. He had expected it to be a book of magic or a story where the Jotuns had been wronged in some way and had been what caused the burning hatred in Loki, but it wasn't anything like that. It was a diary. The letters was convoluted and definitely handwritten. Sometimes it was light and delicate and other times it was rough and almost impossible to read, it was an outlet of pure emotions. The lines were almost always straight witch indicated it was a calm and steady hand that had written it. It showed patience Thor could never have and he only knew one person in the world how would ever dedicate so much time to reading and writing. Thor could at any time recognize his brother's handwriting.
"What are you hiding for me brother?" Thor asked, but the lonely room didn't give an answer. The thunder god sat down on the bed and started reading his first book since finishing his school times.
End flashback
Loki had backed away from the golden wail that separated his from the rest of the world and Thor took the chance to enter the cell. A guard had come over to see what was going on and Thor ordered him to open the cell so he could enter. The blonde steeped into the cage and the wail was closed behind him.
"Leave" Thor ordered the guard. He reluctantly bowed and walked away. Thor turned back to the raven man who had backed all the way up against the wall and for the first time in many years Thor saw fear in his eyes. His face was as blank as ever, but the fear was shining brightly in his eyes. The blonde had no memories of ever seeing so much fear come off his brother in such strong waves. He only faintly remembered how uneasy Loki sometimes could be if they were in for a lecture from Odin for having caused trouble, but other than that Loki was as fearless as his brother. It made the thunder god every sad to realize that his brother in reality had a completely different up bring than himself. They had never been equals in his father's eyes, well eye. Thor had always been favored and Loki cast aside. Thor wondered just how many times Loki had been sitting alone in his room crying or being terrified and no one ever came to comfort him other than their mother. To be hated without even having any idea why. It must have been such a relief for the raven to finally discover his true heritage. Thor couldn't even begin to imagine how, both frustrating and relieving it was to finally know why he was hated so much by a man he called father.
"What do you want from me?" Loki asked and glided down to the floor where he hid his face in his hands, and tried to block the rest of the world out.
"It must have been so hard and frightening for you my brother. To make it so I was the one with all the glory, while you were the one with all the strength" Thor walked over to his brother and kneeled in front of him. The blond calmly ran his fingers through Loki's hair and pushed a stray bang behind his ear. "Just a beautiful face without a name"
"NO leave me alone" Loki cried, but the rest turned into desperate whisper. Thor knew Loki was slowly braking under his words and the blond hated to see his usually untouchable brother reduced to nothing more than a frightened child. Even as children it seemed like nothing could ever harm Loki emotionally. Thor knew he often had given Loki bruises when they tussled as children, but no matter what anyone said it seemed like his silver trough could get him through. Loki had always seemed in control of his emptions and others for that matter. Loki had so often been able to manipulate everyone to feel or think whatever he wanted them to.
"To always fake a beautiful smile to hide the pain" Thor knew he had just called his brother beautiful twice, but he wouldn't lie. Loki was very charming, elegant and beautiful. Most men in Asgard were brute with, hard, rough edges and big mussels to show off, but Loki was much more subdued. Loki was much more about the words and he was good at using them. He was not strong like Thor but he was much smarter and able to read into a situation on a level Thor never could, and he had often relied on his brother abilities with magic and logic, but now that he thought about it he probably never really appreciated or thanked his brother for all he had done for Thor.
"I want you to leave" Loki said and suddenly stood up and walked past Thor to stand with his back to the blonde. The sudden movement caused Thor to fall backwards and he almost missed how Loki moved his hand up to his face for a moment before it fell down at his side. "I have nothing to say to you and I don't want to see you either, now leave" Loki snarled at his brother. Thor bid his lip and was debating on what to do or say next. Suddenly a calming feeling spread through his body and he knew what to say and it was something he should have said a long time ago, before he lost his brother.
"Did you ever know that you're my hero?" Thor asked calmly. Loki spun around and this time Thor had no doubt that it was real anger and hatred that was shining in his brother's green eyes.
"I will not stand here and take your mocking" once again Loki's words were dripping with hatred and poison. Thor really wished he was outside this tiny little cage with the golden wail separating them, but he would not run from this.
"You're everything I could like to be" Thor said calmly. He knew he was walking on thin ice. It would take much patience before he would reach Loki and get him to listen.
"GUARDS" Loki roared at the top of his lunges and soon after five guards came marching downs the halls and stopped in front of the cell. When they sensed the tension between the two inside the prison they reached for their weapons, just in case. This seemed to please Loki and the raven turned back to his brother. "Leave before I make them separate us" Loki warned and Thor had no doubt that his brother would attack if he was provoked much more. Thor had no other choice but to leave for now, but now that he knew what Loki was keeping in, he was not going to give up on his brother. He finally understood his mother's hope and Thor was sharing it more and more with every passing moment and he wouldn't lose sight of it.
"I can fly higher than an eagle" Thor stopped in front of the golden wail as he waited for the guards to make an opening for him. The thunder god was well aware of the danger behind him but the wail was now open and he quickly stepped out, but kept his back turned to his brother.
"BE QUIET" Loki yelled like a little child throwing a temper tantrum. Thor should be happy that Loki was so open, but it only made the blonde's heart act to hear all that distress come from someone like the raven.
"For you are the wind beneath my wing" Thor finished, completely ignoring his brothers comment. Thor tuned om his heel and walked away, never looking at Loki or over his shoulder until he was so far away he just faintly would hear his brothers scream of frustration. Thor squeezed his eyes shot at the sound of lightning sparks. He knew Loki had let out a wave of magic along with his cry and his otherwise nice cell was probably reduced to ashes. It took all his willpower to not turn back and take his brother in an embrace and tell him how everything was going to be alright.
