"You really are the worst brother ever", he had said.
In the dust of battles fought and lost, all he could remember was his last words to his brother, the brother lost to the Void and its madness for so long, and returned to him for so short.
His brother, who fussed over him every time he came back from training, even with minuscule scrapes, and who with a wave of his hand, healed whatever injury he had managed to collect in his overzealousness to win, to come out ahead.
His brother, who worried for him every time an inkling of battle trickled in, knowing that he would rush out to lead, headless of any danger.
His brother, who fought by his side against any folly he stirred up with his hotheadedness, and only chided him after the fight had finished, and only if they were alone in the room.
His brother, whom he lost to the Void, and who came back a changed man, world-weary with centuries of suffering compacted onto his shoulders.
His brother, who renounced Asgard in realization of the pain, ignorance, judgement, isolation, the plentiful of hurt they inflicted upon him for not following the norms,
and yet returned in her darkest hour, determined to save her people from certain death and destruction.
And succeeded.
His brother, who fell, became captive and tortured, sent on a suicide mission, again captured, imprisoned, judged, silenced, who mourned the loss of his only supporter in the world - their mother - alone, who schemed for him, fought for him, took the Kurse's blade for him, and almost died for him.
His brother, who returned from the depths of Hel in his own mind, to stand by him in Asgard's most unceremonious crowning ceremony, to take the place of the advisor, the co-ruler, now that Asgard has deemed him ready and worthy of the throne.
His brother, whom Thanos murdered and tossed aside as if he was mere garbage,
who would always remember that the last person in the world, no, the entire universe, who was supposed to love him no matter what, effectively told him he was unworthy.
His brother, whom he failed, time and again,
and time and again forgave him, without a word.
His brother, whom he failed, and to whom he couldn't even apologize now, for he went down with their escape ship,
lost in space forevermore just like the first time.
His brother, to whom the only worthy apology after the fact, is Thanos' complete, final, and irreversible destruction,
to right all but one wrong.
His brother, who couldn't see him now – or maybe he could? – as he gripped the handle of his weapon, bit down the tears that threatened to fall, and fell apart into a million pieces
inside,
as he whispered, with blood on his mind, and murder in his remaining eye,
"trust my rage".