"We're in the middle of a thunderstorm and you wanna stop and feel the rain?" Thor shouted over the sound of rain. Thor crossed his arms. He tried in vain to shake the wet from his red hair. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled, echoing Thor's annoyance.
"Yes. Shut up." Loki tilted his head up, closed his eyes, and opened his mouth. Thor gave Loki the look and turned to leave. Loki's hand snaked out and grabbed Thor's wrist. Seemed like Thor wasn't going to go anywhere any time soon.
"OK," Thor conceded, "What are you up to now? What kind of hare-brained scheme are you going to get me into now? Why does it involve standing in the rain and using your mouth to catch flies?"
"One, you're taller than me, so the lightning will hit you instead of me," Loki replied. Thor could not tell whether the trickster was being sarcastic. That was kind of the norm. Loki continued, "Two, my schemes are never hare-brained. You, not the dwarves, have Mjölner, yes? Also, do I look like a bunny?" Loki glared at Thor. "Three, I'm catching rain, not flies. No fly would fly in this weather." He resumed his original position, wiggling his tongue to catch raindrops.
Thor opened his mouth to warn Loki about Midgard pollution and acid rain but realized that Loki probably knew that. (Also, Loki probably shape-shifted himself shorter. That twerp! But lightning never bothered Thor anyway.) This must be something else, Thor thought, as his eyes narrowed. Loki was always lies and misdirection.
He certainly didn't look it, lithe (serpent-like, a distant corner of Thor's mind whispered, reminded of Jörmungand) and shivering in the rain. Loki's grip on Thor's wrist was not vice-like, Thor realized, but shaky and desperate. He was wincing as the drops fell in his eyes and nose and mouth, and Loki wasn't shivering from cold; it was fear. Thor would bet his chariot, goats, and Mjölner that the rivulets down Loki's cheeks were not rainwater. (Thor wouldn't actually bet. Loki would never admit it. Also, Loki had a track record with bets. He'd never let Thor live it down if the thunder god lost Mjölner again.)
Loki was probably remembering his imprisonment and Sigyn and - Thor winced - Ragnarok. After which they had, somehow, found themselves in Midgard without any means to leave or any clue on how they got there. Loki had found a stash of Apples in an abandoned mailbox (that was bigger on the inside? Don't ask.), but they were quickly running out and…
Thor shook his head. What had happened had happened. That's all, folks, time to go home. Thor lifted Loki in a fireman's carry, and Loki squeaked. (Ha! Thor had surprised the great trickster!) Ignoring Loki's yelps of "let me down, you ignorant oaf!" and the kicking and screaming, Thor said, "That's enough of that, you dunderhead. I better not catch a cold because of you."
(Never mind that the Æsir didn't catch colds.)
Originally posted on my Tumblr, nuttysaladtree. Thanks to hellnonocturnal for the prompt, helping me with research, and putting up with all my shenanigans. And to readers like you. Thank you!