"Come to my cabin. We need to talk."
As soon as Loki closed the door of Thor's cabin, the newly appointed king began talking.
"You shouldn't be rendering yourself invisible to spy on our people." Thor said, eyeing Loki strictly.
Loki decided against asking how Thor was able to see him in his invisible state, mainly because he didn't want to admit neither to himself nor to his brother that Thor was able to get better at seeing through his tricks.
"I will not be ordered around as some kind of common dog." Loki countered.
Thor frowned. "I asked you to come to my cabin."
"You commanded me to come here."
"There is no difference. Now you're here."
"There is all the difference in the universe, Thor."
"Loki, stop." Thor urged.
"Another command."
"Why do you twist my words?"
Loki blinked quickly. "I shouldn't be here." He said and turned to leave.
"Where do you think you are going?" Thor's hand shot to grab Loki's arm.
"What business of yours is it?" Loki hissed, becoming clearly agitated.
"Father's degree still applies. You are supposed to be in prison. I am responsible for you and your actions now."
"Funny, isn't it. You didn't seem particularly interested in keeping me within your proximity on Sakaar, have you." Loki's voice was filled with venom.
"I was not the king then. And I don't care for Sakaar. Were you to cause any mischief there, it wasn't my concern."
Loki sneaked out of Thor's touch.
"I see." Loki commented. "The corruptive side of power is taking its toll already."
Thor's face showed a quick confusion followed by a hurt expression.
"Loki." Thor pronounced his brother's name with extra care as his hands began to sparkle.
"What do you want, brother?" Loki spit the last word as if it was a cruel joke.
Thor hesitated for a second. "Look at us, Loki. We worked together so well to save Asgard. Why are we back to fighting so quickly?"
Loki gave a bitter, little laugh. "That's not an answer to my question."
"Maybe it could be."
"How do you expect me to have a conversation with you if you imply that its content will determine the extent of my future freedom?" Loki challenged.
"Loki."
"What do you want, Thor?" Loki stood his ground.
Thor answered. "Frankly, I want you by my side. But I want the real you, not the pretender you chose to disguise yourself in for the past years. If I cannot have the real you, my brother, I'd rather not have you around at all so that the reminder of what I lost would not be on my eyes every single day."
"What if the real me that you're talking about isn't available anymore? What would you try to do to the fake me?" Loki asked.
"Don't try to make some pre-battle negotiations out of this, Loki."
"Answer me."
"You also owe me an answer, brother." Thor would not back down.
"We are fighting again already because we cannot function like this. We cannot be together if we are not equal. And we can never be equal." Loki said. He was truthful but his eyes betrayed no sentiment.
"We were fighting already when we were equal before…" Thor began but Loki interrupted him.
"We were never equal. We both know it."
Thor weighted his next words carefully. "In my eyes, we are equal."
"I am afraid that is not enough for me." Loki replied.
"What would you have me do to change this?" Thor asked, his voice resigned but his tone not disclosing any will to give up his crown.
Loki looked Thor in the eye. "I haven't said it is your fault, Thor." Loki meant his words. "I am just saying that it will not work like this. It's this simple."
"Loki, I…"
"I answered your question. Now you answer mine." Loki said before Thor could formulate his thoughts.
"I don't know." Thor said finally. Loki looked at him suspiciously. "I truly don't know, Loki. I don't want to see you imprisoned again. I think that the past transgressions were dealt with. And this…ending of all that we have known feels like a fresh leaf, a new beginning. But some people are complaining about you on the board. They haven't forgiven you."
"I don't need their forgiveness."
"That's what I told them." Thor replied.
"What?"
"I said that they do not know the full extent of neither your crimes nor your punishments. It's not up to them to pronounce the judgement."
"Right. Because it is up to you. The king." Loki retorted sarcastically.
"No, brother." Thor said quietly. "It is up to you."
"That doesn't make any sense."
"I said; past is past. I wished I could trust you. Can I? Can I trust you now?" Thor asked, his blue eyes shining with sincerity, but not hope.
Loki took a moment to answer. He wanted to lie, to be the witty, manipulative lie-smith that he was. In the end, he couldn't bring himself to do it.
"No, Thor You can't."
"Why not?" Thor asked and for the first time in the whole discussion, an emotion was creeping into his voice.
"I can't do this. I wasn't born to be an advisor, a sidekick of a sort. I wish it was enough, but no matter how hard I try, I don't think it will ever be." Loki said.
"Do you want to leave and try to reclaim your rightful position as the King of Jotunheim?" Thor asked.
"No."
"Do you want to stay here?" Thor continued questioning.
"Yes." Loki replied. "But I can't. Not like this." His own words were causing him pain.
"Can't you let go of your damn pride just for once, Loki?" Thor asked genuinely.
"Could you?" Loki asked silently.
Thor took a step back.
"Loki." The Thunderer began finally. "Are you telling me the truth?"
Loki nodded.
"I might have a solution, brother." Thor said finally, his sight focused on his younger sibling.