((I know this isn't what's going to happen, but my head went there. I can always indulge myself, right? Also, up until this movie I didn't ship this. It didn't even occur to me. But then there was that hug scene, and a fuse blew in my head. Now I'm ruined.

Overall title comes from the song with the same name by Serj Tankian. The song even spawned the story, since this came to me listening to it the day after I watched Thor 3. Chapter heading is a Lacuna Coil song.))

1. Heir of a Dying Day

Travelling through space on what was, in fact, an enormous commandeered vessel sounded more fun than it was. Add to that the doubts how to feed so many refugees and where to resettle them. Loki's half-hearted suggestion of Vanaheim was met with a mere shake of Thor's head. They'd take them to earth. Thor liked the idea. Loki, for a million reasons, didn't, and Thor couldn't find it in himself to blame him.

The God of Mischief had been astoundingly quiet. After he had first made his presence known, Thor had failed to do as he had said. He hadn't, in fact, hugged his brother. Instead, he'd stared at him until Loki had snorted, rolled his eyes and walked from the room. Since that, they hadn't had the chance to talk without other people listening. Loki was going to leave. That much was clear from his behaviour, from the way he avoided Thor. He wasn't going to settle on earth. Human memory was short, Thor knew, and they wouldn't send a host of murderers doomed to fail. The Avengers … they wouldn't be delighted, to say the least, but even they wouldn't attack him if he didn't give them cause. And somehow, Thor was very sure that he wasn't going to.

It was only a matter of time before he lost his brother. Before he truly would never see him again. Not for the first time since the destruction of Asgard, Thor thought of something his mother had once said to him, an eternity ago, when he had been a frustrated adolescent. There is something you don't know. I can't tell you, but once the truth finds you, a whole new world will open before you.

'Here I thought you only lost an eye, but apparently your hearing has suffered severely, too.' Thor jumped and turned. Loki stood in the doorway with a highly disapproving expression. He clicked his tongue. 'Someone might try to assassinate you. People sometimes do that to kings. You want to be more attentive, brother.'

'I never wanted to be your brother.' Thor had no idea where that statement came from, and he only realised how horrible that sounded all by itself when Loki's face went from disapproving to stone-cold. 'That came out wrong.'

'You made yourself abundantly clear on Sakaar. I wanted to tell you that when we dock to pick up supplies, I will leave the ship.'

'That's in an hour!' Even Thor heard the shock in his voice, but Loki didn't. Either that or he ignored it. Or worse, mistook it for relief. 'Don't do this.'

Loki shook his head. 'This is no place for me. You're their king, and I am the one who always stood in your way. Well, I won't keep doing it.'

'I don't want you gone, Loki. If you really need to leave, I'm not going to stop you, but … take more time to consider this. I thought our diverging paths might finally meet again. Was I that wrong?'

Loki looked at his hands. 'I don't see why you'd want me here.'

'Because I need someone who can say no to me.'

The other man's mouth fell open. 'What?'

'You heard me. I need someone who doesn't agree because he thinks he's got to.'

Loki laughed. 'Then I should do just that: Say no to you and go.' He swore under his breath. 'Fine. I'll stay until we get to earth. Then I'll vanish. I won't watch you hunt down Jane and pathetically whine at her until she takes you back.'

'I won't do that.'

'Maybe she will, then. Humans get like that. At any rate, I refuse to witness it. So, my king, is there anything you need?'

Thor looked at him. Again, his mother's voice echoed in his head. I can also assure you that there is one thing your brother shies from, even though he needs it. Ah, child. I cannot tell you more than this. But the future hold so many possibilities. Never banish your dreams. Never. 'Yes,' he said. 'I need you to stay here a bit and talk to me. Can you do that?'

'What in all the world would you want to talk about with me, brother?'

'Stop calling me that, I hate it.'

Loki's face was a rigid mask. 'You know what? Talk to someone you actually like. Banner comes to mind. At the moment, he's less likely to hurt you than I am if I stay in your presence for one more minute. Even in his current state.' Loki all but fled, leaving Thor feeling more drained than he had been immediately after the battle.