"Come in."
Loki was beyond nervous as he pushed open the door to his brother's chambers. It was the one they had shared when they were younger until Odin decided that Thor and Loki needed their own rooms apart.
"Brother, I came to apologise, I am so very sor-"
"Sit, Loki," Thor laughed amicably and motioned to the bed. Reluctantly he sat down and waited for Thor to scold him.
"Has father ever spoken to you about…well, about," he gestured vaguely. "Courtship?"
Loki shook his head. "But I've read about it," he said, desperately wanting to show he wasn't completely ignorant.
"That's- good," Thor said quietly and swung his legs up onto the bed. "But there are many things you cannot learn from books."
"Like what?"
Thor laughed and raised his eyes to the heavens.
"You will not be learning them from me, Loki. There are, others. People who would be willing to teach you I am sure. But you are much too young."
"I'm not much younger than you," he said hopefully. He knew he could persuade Thor to tell him.
"No, you're not. But to me you are. You are in such haste to lose all that is childish about you when it is a quality we all love you for," he said somewhat sadly.
"But the girls you court. They love you in a different way. A better way," Loki said in a way he hoped didn't sound childish. Thor seemed confused a moment and looked down at his hands.
"That isn't love, Loki. That is one thing you come to learn when you grow older. Not everyone can or will love you in the way you want them to."
"Like Father," he said without thinking.
"Father," Thor asked quietly. "What does that mean," he said, his face lined with worry that was unfamiliar to his features.
"Nothing. I must go to bed now before mother becomes angry. I only came to say I was sorry. I never meant to spy, I just-"
"I understand," Thor told him. "Promise me you won't do it again. It's uncomfortable thinking you're watching me."
"I promise."
"Goodnight Loki."
"Goodnight."