As Loki sat on the All-father's throne, he contemplated his brother's exile.
Thor had needed it, the kingdom had needed it. It was what was best. And yet..
Thor frowned at his friends' hesitance. "You're not going to let my brother and me get all the glory, will you?"
"...what?" Loki whispered, disbelieving.
"Well you are coming with me, aren't you?" Thor replied to him, like it was a completely natural assumption to make.
Loki felt happiness well up inside him. His brother wanted for him to join them on their quest.
Thor had not asked him along on any battles for decades.
"Yes, of course. I won't let my brother match into Jotunheim alone."
Thor had trusted him... Had he betrayed that trust, even if it ended up saving all of their lives?
It was honestly a miracle he hadn't collapsed yet. It was completely random, yes, but knowing the Norns it was bound to happen. And Loki knew the Norns. He used to have tea parties with them every weekend.
Loki had been on autopilot as he took on the role of king. Another responsibility to take, another character to play.
However unforseen the Allfather's early sleep was, it had left Loki with an opportunity. An opportunity to destroy the realm of monsters once and for all.
He had the chance to prove to Father he was not and never would be one of them. He was different from those soulless monsters.
He remembered blue skin, covering his hand, then his arm, slowly creeping to his heart- did that not make him a monster like it did them?
Maybe so. He was a monster. But he could rectify it, he could prove that he did not care for his supposed race.
When Loki went down to Midgard to visit Thor, it was not solely to check he was healthy. There were necessary lies to be told, to make sure his brother did not return.
Loki did not truly think Thor would stop him, however Thor's friends might. If he kept them occupied on Earth, which they were about to visit right at that moment, all would be well. And they would not go back without Thor.
"This is farewell, Brother."
Loki realized the slip of the tongue too late, but did not let the unexpected bitterness show on his face. Thor was not- he had never been his brother.
He did not waste any time in going to Jotunheim. The way between worlds from Midgard to Jotunheim was after all much easier to travel than the one from Asgard to the Frost Giants' home.
Jotunheim was cold as ever, barren and empty except for the endless ice and occasional beasts.
"Kill him.
"After all I've done for you?"
He longed, more than anything, to strike the monster in the throne of ice down where he sat. Alas, on the Frost Giants own lands he would not survive the attack it would provoke.
"I will conceal you and a handful of your soldiers... Lead you into Odin's chambers and you can slay him where he lies."
"I... accept.
There was another problem lying in wait as Loki was transported back through the Bifrost.
"What troubles you, Gatekeeper?"
"I turned my gaze upon you in Jotunheim but could neither see nor hear you."
Heimdall had never liked Loki. He had tried to hide it, but Loki overheard him voice his worries to his old friend Odin; how Loki's image and presence kept flickering out of Heimdall's sight. And that had been before Loki found a spell to conceal himself and others.
However, Heimdall had always been loyal- to Odin. He would let Thor's friends to Midgard because he suspected Loki of treason, and all Loki had to do was keep them there.
Even sooner than he expected, the Bifrost activated. Loki made for the Weapons Vault. There was only one foe strong enough to hold Asgard's finest warriors off.
"Ensure my brother does not return."
Then, a split second decision. "Destroy everything."
Thor would be so busy saving those fleeting mortal lives, if only for the praise and glory of it, that he would not think about walking away from it.
And now, it was the final chapter. The end of the line. Destroying Jotunheim and proving himself worthy was the only thing left he had to do.
"Tell me, Loki, how did you get the Jötnar into Asgard?"
"You think the Bifrost is the only way in and out of this realm?" Loki's voice was low as he came to a halt. "There are secret paths between the Realms to which even you, with all your gifts, are blind."
Loki felt angry, unexplainably so. There was no logical reason for him to be, he was used to being dismissed as a trickster and a liar. He would need to get used to being called a monster, too.
"But I have need if them no longer, now that I am king, and I say for this act of treason you are relieved of your duties as Gatekeeper, and no longer citizen of Asgard."
"Then I need no longer obey you."
In a twist, Loki had pulled the Casket of Winters out of a rip in the fabric of space and in an instant, Heimdall was frozen solid. The point of his sword was barely seperate from Loki's neck.
Destroying the realm of beasts took priority. First to kill Laufey, to behead the kingdom, and for that he needed to make haste so the Jötnar would not back out of their agreement.
A thought flashed through his mind as Loki carefully stepped around the frozen figure, but Loki pushed it aside immediately. Nevertheless it still lingered there, in the back of his mind.
If you'd embraced your heritage as a monster and a beast, you could have frozen him by yourself and prevented the danger of wasting time.
Loki paused, just for a moment.
"When I'm king, I'll hunt the monsters down and slay them all!"
No. He would not accept being just another savage creature for Thor to smash. He would not.
Before he could open the Bifrost, though, it seemed the Destroyer had arrived and it was up to Loki to oversee it. A shift in space and Loki was back on his throne, concentrating on the connection to the machine.
It was indeed not doing much to Sif and the Warriors Three, and Thor was not even in sight. This puzzled Loki, he knew his brother well enough to know Thor would never forsake the glory of battle.
Then, without warning, there was Thor, walking towards the Destroyer without fear or even an indication of violence. "Brother, whatever I have done to wrong you, whatever I have done to lead you to do this, I am truly sorry."
Loki did not understand. What was Thor trying to accomplish by pretending he cared at all?
"But these people are innocent. Taking their lives will gain you nothing."
Ah, so it was about the mortals? Loki had glimpsed a few people with Thor- one woman, especially, who seemed close to him. No doubt Thor had decided to take her as wife in the future and did not want her to be killed before then.
"So take mine. And end this."
What?
There was a few moments of nothing as Loki looked down at Midgard in a stupor. Thor was willing to sacrifice his life for this woman? For these insignificant mortals?
The Destroyer backhanded Thor, who went flying across the pavement, and then turned and walked away. Loki decided that would be enough to put Thor in the healers wing for a few days, more than enough time to destroy Jotunheim.
Suddenly, there was a flash and a boom of lightning crashing down, and the Destroyer was blinded. When it had regained sight, Thor was in full armor, holding Mjolnir, thunder in his eyes.
A few seconds later, Loki's connection to the Destroyer disappeared. He was not sure what had happened, but it was safe to assume it was not useful anymore. Now was really the time to make haste.
Loki stood up from his throne again and in an instant appeared before the Bifrost to open it to Jotunheim.
"Welcome to Asgard."
As promised, Loki lead Laufey into the palace, towards Odin's chamber. Rather conveniently the soldiers Laufey had brought stayed behind to watch the Rainbow Bridge, which may or may not have had to do with Loki's rather convincing magic.
As Laufey barged into the room which held Odin and threw his mother aside, Loki saw red, but had to wait just a moment. Just until Laufey was completely distracted...
"...so that you may know your death came at the hand of Laufey."
As Laufey raised the stake of ice, Loki raised the sceptre faster and shot the brute in the back. King of the Frost Giants or not, at this range no one could withstand a shot as powerful as that.
"And your death came by the son of Odin." Loki said coldly, and when the other looked up, in pain, Loki shot again.
His mother pulled herself up and hurried to Loki. "Loki! You saved him."
Loki accepted her hug, then pulled away, staring her in the eyes. "I swear to you Mother, that they will pay for what they've done today."
They will pay with the destruction of their realm.
"Loki!" Thor's voice sounded from the hall, and the younger looked up to see him standing in the door opening. Loki inwardly cursed. He thought he'd have time, as Heimdall had been frozen.
Thor kept his angry eyes on Loki while Frigga hugged him, protectively shielding her with his body as if Loki would ever do anything to hurt her.
"Why don't you tell her," Thor began, walking down the steps to the side of the room like to divert Loki's attention from Mother- which was ridiculous- "how you sent the Destroyer to kill our friends, to kill me-"
"What?" Frigga asked alarmed, echoing Loki's thoughts.
Why would Thor ever think that? Loki loved him, he had told his brother- he had told Thor, hadn't he?
"It must've been enforcing Father's last command." Loki lied calmly, despite his hurt at Thor's assumption that Loki would so easily foresake his brother's life.
"You're a talented liar, brother, always have been."
"It's good to have you back." And Loki meant it, despite it hindering the destruction of the Monsters' realm. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to destroy Jotunheim."
With that, Loki shot a low-powered blast focused mostly on the wall behind Thor, which grazed him and sent him flying. It would have been much more serious if Thor could not fly himself.
He would have let Thor watch as the Frost Giants were destroyed, but the other was clearly angry with him about the Destroyer, and Loki feared he might attack and accidentally ruin the attack on the beasts.
He raced on his steed to the Bifrost and activated it, watching confidently as it began decimating the cities of Jotunheim. He could not wait for father to see this.
The Bifrost's lightning turned to beautiful yet terrible ice as its power built and more destruction was created.
Loki saw Thor land, and snarled at him. "You can't stop it," he said, recognizing that look in his brother's eyes. For some reason Thor did not want this to happen. "The Bifrost will build until it rips Jotunheim apart."
Thor lunged with Mjolnir to smash it, but Loki fired another low-powered shot to deter him. Thor stood up from where he'd crashed, but did not attack again.
"Why have you done this?" Thor asked, desperation leaking into his voice.
What sort of question was that? Were you not wanting to do the same not long ago?
"To prove to Father that I am a worthy son." Loki snapped back. "When he wakes, I will have saved his life. I will have destroyed that race of monsters and I will be true heir to the throne."
"You can't kill an entire race!" Thor protested.
"..Why not?" Loki laughed slightly, confused, half expecting Thor to laugh too and say he was merely jesting. When he did not, Loki's smile fell away. "And what is this new found love for the Frost Giants?"
Loki slowly walked down the steps from the centre platform, closer to Thor. "You could've killed them all with your bare hands!"
"I've changed." Thor said angrily.
"So have I," Loki responded lightly, then hitting Thor's face hard with the sceptre. "Now fight me."
Loki hit Thor again, sending him sprawling onto the ground. Why was he not fighting back? "I never wanted the throne!"
He stalked around the centre to get to Thor, growling the words, "I only ever wanted to be your equal."
Thor pushed himself up, yelling. "I will not fight you Brother!"
"I'm not your brother." Loki's eyes were dark as he spoke. "I never was."
"Loki, this is madness!" Thor argued, voice wavering.
"Is it madness?" Somewhere in his brain Loki registered he was shaking. Thor did not answer.
"Is it? Is it?!" Only silence greeted Loki's demands.
"I don't know what happened to you on earth that turned you so soft. Don't tell me it was that woman!"
What changed you when I could not?
Loki wanted Thor to fight him. He wanted some reason to hate the one who never was his brother, who was only another lie in Loki's lie of a life.
"Oh, it was." Loki taunted. "Well maybe, when we're done here, I'll pay her a visit myself!"
Thor lunged and Loki met him midway, attacking with a hatred he did not know he had. But it wasn't hatred for Thor, not truly. It was hatred for the monsters who had created and ultimately destroyed his life. It was hatred for himself.
They burst out onto the bridge leading to the palace, and Loki let an illusion of himself fall off the bridge but keep hanging on by a hand. He pushed himself up behind Thor, concealed from sight.
"Brother, please." Loki did not expect that, and cursed himself. He was doing this subconsciously, having trained to be a master at this, the term had slipped by.
But it seemed to convince Thor as he reached down and was attacked from behind as the double disappeared.
Loki could help but laugh while he conjured up an army of himselves. Thor had never failed to fall for his tricks, whatever they had been.
But then a surge of lightning hit the army of Lokis, and the copies disintegrated while Loki was thrown backwards with force.
He blinked his eyes open and was greeted by Thor's angry face, one he was very familiar with. Then a weight came to be settled on his chest.
It was not crushing him, but he could not lift it off. It was only a bitter reminder that Loki wasn't good enough for some stupid hammer.
He began shouting nonsense at Thor, and some part of his brain registered he probably had a concussion, but Loki put it aside.
Suddenly Thor summoned his hammer and began smashing.
What was he doing? Why was he-
No. No no no what was he doing! He'd going to ruin it, ruin everything!
"What are you doing?" Loki asked breathlessly, barely noticed he was sitting up now.
"If you destroy that bridge you'll never see her again!" Loki screamed at Thor, his voice raw.
He was running now, towards Thor, and lunging-
"Forgive me, Jane." Loki heard Thor utter, and with a last smash the Bifrost exploded.
There was a huge crash and a blinding light and when Loki became aware of the ringing in his ears he was falling and screaming-
Something reached out to him, and he grabbed onto it- his sceptre?- as the ringing subsided. He was hanging above the endless abyss, only still there because Thor was holding onto him and Father was holding onto Thor.
"I could've done it, Father!" Loki shouted desperately. "I could've done it! For you! For all of us."
Loki could read the expression on the All-father's face clear as day. His face fell as Odin spoke two words only, words he had heard so many times but never like this.
"No, Loki."
Father thought him a monster, too. What, for wanting to destroy a race of monsters?
There was no point in going back to Asgard. Not as the outcast, the evil one, the monster. Loki had no home, he didn't belong anywhere.
"Loki, no." Thor warned, panicked, sounding weirdly distant. A haze was over his eyes and he felt his had slipping. He did not want to go back.
"NOOOO!!" Thor's cry sounded in his ears and he was falling, falling and falling.
He did not stop falling before it all went dark.
A/N Yes, I know, about ten thousand words and still just sounds like a regular Thor fic and not a crossover. It'll come. I swear.
Also this is still rated T even though it should probably be rated K or something, but whatever. I think the only T rated thing in swearing in the Author's Notes. Well then.