~ Chapter 1 ~
When they arrived to breakfast, Thor couldn't help but give his younger brother a friendly hug across the shoulders and give him a big smile before they took their seats at the table. Most of the others was already there, while a few still dropped in to fill the last seats.
As soon as the brother's was seated, food began to pass around and Thor happily began to fill his plate and cup. Ready to forget the nightmare he had and move on from it.
Thor's hand froze in the air as his mind got stuck on what was happening, or more precise, what was being said not far down the table. The juice from the meat dripped down his fingers onto his plate as he watched Loki being subtly verbally harassed from behind his back.
A strong sense of deja vu hit him and he was pushed back to his dream where the same thing happened. The memory of Loki's face as he had only made everything worse, and finding him hanging made the air unable to reach his lungs. The anguish rushed him and the food tasted bad on his tongue.
And just as in his dream the underhanded jokes didn't stop as more and more warriors joined those who had started, poking a joke out of Loki who was looking like he didn't want to be there but unable to leave.
His mind continued to overlap his dream and what was happening. Matching word for word, sound to sound; and his heartbeat grew louder with each deja vu he was hit with.
Like torture, the image of Loki hanging dead against the wall was repeating over and over in his mind like it was broken, until he couldn't take it any more.
Without a warning, Thor's fist hit them like thunder.
There was no stopping him as he shut out everything else and just continued to beat everyone who dared to taunt his brother in an almost berserk like trance. Not even the guards who tried to stop them could get between Thor and his victims.
It didn't take long until Thor was standing on top of a table, one of the main bullies in his grip as he glared down at the man; hair half covering his face.
"The next time you say something against my brother... I will break every bone in your body."
A hand clasped his arm and the faint voice of Loki reached him through his hazy mind. Looking down at the pale face, Thor noticed the trace of something in the green eyes.
Just like someone had opened an enormous gate inside him, his anger and rage disappeared.
Thor dropped the man, jumped down from the table, took Loki by his hand and pulled him out before anyone could stop them.
He walked on with no real goal in mind until he realized they had reached the secret area they used to hide in and play as children.
The harshness of his breath filled his ears until he became aware of Loki clutching his arm, shaking as he stayed silent by his side. Thor looked down at his younger brother and for a slight moment he feared it was because of him that Loki was shaking. That it was out of fear. But he realized in the next that Loki was actually happy. So happy that he was close to crying.
Still feeling muddled in his head, Thor kissed Loki on the forehead and gave him a smile.
Loki looked up and returned the smile through tear clouded eyes.
For the rest of the day, until it was time for dinner, Thor stayed with Loki in their secret corner. They talked and playfully kept each other company like they used to when they were children.
Then, when the bell rang for dinner, Thor felt much more at ease.
The anxiety he felt had all but disappeared as they walked side by side. All through the dinner hour, Thor stayed seated by Loki's side.
None of those who dared anything after having witnessed Thor's rage just this morning.
Once the hour passed, Thor and Loki parted ways by the corridor which lead to their rooms. Loki said he wanted to go get something in his room and asked Thor to go on without him, that he would catch up with him later.
Having passed the time limit of his dream, Thor agreed readily and walked lazily ahead. He walked on until he came to stand by the main gate to the Palace. Paying little attention to the guards on duty, Thor looked ahead at the sun which was on the way down. It was still a few hours until it would be gone completely and the moon would rise, but it gave him a sense of completion.
He didn't know why he had had that dream, if it had been a premonition or his head conjuring up the worst that could happen just for fun. Either way, he was happy that it didn't come to pass.
A loud snap cut through the mellow air like a guillotine. A shadow was now hanging, swaying back and forth, in front of Thor who felt his whole world break into tiny pieces with every movement the shadow cast over him made as the shape blocked the sun.
Unable to say a single word, inside he was screaming the name of the one hanging in front of him.
Thor snapped out of his reverie and startled not only himself but also the person kneeling over him.
"Sorry brother! I didn't mean to startle you so." a smooth voice said with a hint of breathless fright in it. "I-"
Thor's hand grabbed Loki's neck hard, cutting his words off, and turned his head to the side so that he could see the unblemished white neck.
"Thor! What are you doing?" Loki asked as he tried to fight the uncomfortable grip. "Take your hands off me.
Not listening, Thor stared at the neck before turning it around to make sure nothing was marked on the other side as well. Unable to believe what he was seeing he traced his fingers down the length of the neck to feel for anything out of place.
Thor's face snapped to the side from the force of Loki's slap.
He felt the skin on his cheek grow hot and sting. Looking up at his brother he was stunned to see the other glare at him as Loki cradled the hand he had used.
"Never touch me again." and he turned around and left without a word.
Thor didn't know what to do or what was going on. Touching his cheek as he tried to understand what was going on.
Not only once but twice had he seen Loki die; and now the day had started all over again.
TBC
