this chapter is because of the elevator scene conversation between Thor & Loki. how i linked that with this, i don't know either. possible spoilers, you've been warned.

enjoy


Thor glanced surreptitiously from the paper he was reading, his remaining eye finding his brother on the other side of the makeshift office of the ship that used to function as a storage room before. For numerous times within the past hour, his gaze kept finding Loki who appeared deeply occupied with the parchment he has been writing on and reading from, completely missing Thor's glances.

At least, Thor thought he was being secretive about them.

"What is it?" Loki asked flat out, getting tired of his brother's attempt on trying to be sneaky.

"Nothing," Thor answered, almost begrudgingly after getting caught.

"You wouldn't stare at me like that if you don't have something in mind." Loki looked at him sharply. "Is this about the leaking pipes?"

"What leaking pipes?"

The trickster shrugged. "Something not a prank of mine, I assure you."

Except that whenever Loki assured him, he definitely meant the other way around. Typical of his brother. Thor decided to let it slide. For now. "What are you doing?"

"Drafting possible policies you might want to implement while we're in this ship," he stated. "We're not exactly vast in number, but the population is composed of multiple races. Sooner or later, our people will be divided when conflicting parties rise up. We don't want that to happen." Loki pulled out another sheet of paper from the book it was tucked in, showing it to Thor. "And this one has the list of potential allies you might want to get ahold of and make peace treaties with once we get a land. It's a good impression that we appear independent, but us and our people are back to starting level. We need any help and allies we can get."

Thor stared at Loki, as if critically figuring out his brother through silent inquisitiveness.

The latter cleared his throat. "I mean, your people."

"They're as much as yours as they are mine." Thor gave him a half smile, eyebrows shooting up in mild amusement. "You're good at this."

He recalled the way Loki herded the occupants of the ship—the Asgardians and some of Sakaar's people who joined them—to a foreign planet they landed to gather supplies and provisions that should last for a month, purchasing them through the few wealth the people scrapped together, and Brunnhilde's charity. But the most effective way was Loki's brilliance in negotiating prices and knowledge of the market. What was supposed to be only for the month became applicable for up to three.

Which brought Thor back to his puzzlement. Loki caught the slight frown, lips tugging to a slight smirk at the interpretation of it.

"You're curious why I'm good at this when I've been terrible as Odin," Loki said, as-a-matter-of-factly.

"Terrible is not the word I would use. Neglectful, maybe."

"Which made me a terrible ruler," Loki pointed out. He turned to Thor fully, making room for the settee for his brother to sit on. "Does it ever occur to you that maybe Odin is not the kind of ruler I wanted to be?"

"Maybe not," Thor relented. "But he did make a good example."

Odin, for all his faults as a father, was a successful leader, which Loki never denied as he hummed in agreement. "Though it doesn't mean that his ways alone are the right ways to rule. Rulers vary with their own distinct traits of leadership."

"And how do you plan to be?"

The question was hanging on the air, with Loki taking his time to answer. Thor observed him playing with the edge of the paper on hand.

"This is enough," Loki admitted, almost inaudible if not for the proximity. "Don't you think?"

Thor was familiar with his brother's way of avoiding answering questions. "Do you remember when we were children, when father said that there's only one of us who can ascend the throne, but we're both born to be kings?"

"And you feel like you're living it now as if some kind of prophecy," Loki finished for him with indifference.

Thor surprised him by laughing. "Of course not, brother. I think that's impossible now. No throne and no kingdom." His expression turned soft, fonder in nature. "What I want to say is that king or no, there's no other place I'd rather be now. Especially if it meant you being on my side. Us, ruling together after the end of Asgard despite… these past years."

Loki stifled his amusement, but there was a note of agreement.

"And I'd like to keep it that way for the years to come. If you would allow it?"

Loki pursed his lips at the earnest expression. He would have to teach his oaf of a brother on toning the benevolence down (Loki suspected it was because of Thor's predecessor), and perhaps reconsider his way of easily forgiving the likes of Loki, because he wasn't the worst of them yet. Thor still has a lot to learn.

"We won't be having this conversation now if I plan on bailing." Not when his brother was a novice in this particular field. It was a different kind of purpose, but definitely more worthwhile than planning domination or bringing Midgardians on their knees (even now he internally blames it on the scepter for convoluting his ideals). It would be like before, where he was more learned of the subject and would simplify it for Thor, who would deem him a better instructor than their tutors.

The familiarity of their current setup was astounding. Perhaps within the premises of each other, things hardly changed at all, while the outside come and go figuratively and literally. By the end of the day, they would share their experiences and would sleep the night away as Loki and Thor, brothers.

Loki secretly likes the simplicity of it.

"And I suppose I'll know by now whether I'm talking to an illusion," Thor replied good-naturedly, giving Loki a rather hard smack on the back, assuring him that he was real. But if he was to be honest, he preferred giving him a hug. It was more reassuring, so to speak. The trickster seemed to have an idea what was going on in Thor's mind, rolling his eyes at the absurdity (for him) of it.

"Oh, you will not. Next time."

Thor matched the smirk with a grin that made him look decades younger. "Surprise me."


TBC


thanks, i guess