I haven't bothered editing this one, I'm not feeling particularly up to it. Besides, I have an essay to write and I'm already behind the schedule I set for this. Try to enjoy it though.

And please review.

Despite the Feast of Valhalla being prepared at his home as he trained, Thor was reluctant to return, not when Loki would be there. That was somewhat of a new emotion for him, especially when the Feast usually involved the greatest Norse chefs in the area coming to the home of whoever hosted the night long event. His old friends, family he didn't usually get to see, women; Thor loved the Feast more than anything and always looked forward to it.

But, he couldn't stand seeing Loki. Not now.

So he continued beating the punching bag as hard as he could, until even he began to grow tired from the exertion. His body glistened with sweat, his arms shook and his breathing sounded haggard. Thor had never managed to feel like that before, not even with his wrestling matches with Steve. He'd never pushed himself that far, he'd never needed to, and it worried him, far more than he liked to admit.

But he didn't dwell on it for long. After a quick shower in the men's locker room, he brought a Gatorade, drained the whole bottle in two minutes, and walked to his car, a large Jeep which he had borrowed from his father. He couldn't really afford to drive on his salary, but his father always kept his car's fueled up.

And Thor always managed to sneak them out without anyone knowing. It was a good thing too. Thor may have had a license, but considering how he drove his parents would never knowingly let him drive them. And Loki would never let him-

Bad subject.

He wanted to put it off, maybe go and see Tony about working tonight. He said he had a religious holiday but he could probably get out of it. Tony didn't really care what you did as long as you came in for shifts.

But no, he couldn't. He'd promised Tony he'd talk to Loki about this. To his father as well. Loki would respect his father's decision surely.

He'd just have to convince his father...

Thor grimaced internally at the thought. If Loki had already discussed this with father than there was very little Thor would be able to do to get him on his side. He was extremely stubborn.

Arriving home at quarter past five, he quickly parked the car, dropped the keys into the intricately carved bowl, showing the Battle of Ragnarok, and hurried to his room to change his clothes. His house was divided three sections each connected to the others by large walkways. Although the guest section, located next to the garage, was usually used for quests, and contained an extremely large lounge room and four bedrooms as a result, his father had demanded that the Feast be hosted in his section.

Surprised he didn't meet any of the guests, he could always ready hear the commotion the gathering was making from his father's section, Thor hurried off towards the heir's section, reserved for himself and Loki. It was the furthest away from his father's wing, something Loki had often mused over with Thor when they were children, and was remarkably undamaged considering who lived there. As a teenager, Thor had almost burnt it down after attempting to replicate an experiment from High School. Loki had only just managed to put the fires out before their father had arrived.

And not to mention the time Loki tried to raise a horse there, Sleipnir he called it, he raised it from a fowl. He actually grew to become quite a good steed, so good that Odin had him shipped off to race for him. He actually won quite a few races, apparently, which became awkward when Loki found out. He'd told Loki, after much pestering, what he thought happened to Sleipnir. The fact was, Thor believed his father had sent it off to a dog food factory, something which caused Loki more than a few sleepless nights. He'd actually crawled into his brother's bed a couple of times that month, just needing to know his brother was there. Loki really loved that horse and it had pained him to see his brother so sad.

Loki always was the sensitive one as a child which slowly turned to snark as his brother grew older. But Thor always saw something good in his brother, always saw their friendship keeping them close. And while his brother was by no means evil, Thor fault wounded by his actions. Everything he'd ever done for him and Loki was just going to turn against him, taking away one of the few things he loved doing. Even if he wasn't particularly good at it.

Dressed up in blue jeans and a tight black shirt, Thor left his room, walking in an uncomfortable silence through the long halls of his home. The music and merriment of the feast could be heard off in his father's walls but it seemed far off, somehow divorced from the present. He supposed Loki felt something similar to this when he lost Sleipnir, not that that was really the sort of thought he wanted at the moment.

"Son!" Yelled a deep voice from up ahead, "I was starting to get worried."

Thor looked up from his thoughts to see his father, dressed almost regally in an expensively cut, crisp, black suit. "Father!" Thor yelled, forgetting for one moment his brother's actions, overjoyed to see his father home again. He broke into jog, and almost barreled the man over with his hug.

"Easy there, my son," Odin chuckled, as he patted him on the back, his beard brushing against Thor's neck. "Age is starting to take it's toll, I'm afraid."

"Forgive me, father." Thor let go of Odin and took two steps back. "It's just been so long since we last spoke."

"It would have been sooner," Odin said sternly, "If you had arrived on time, son."

Thor felt mildly upset, caught between trying to avoid his father's gaze and meeting it bravely. "I was merely training at the gym, I did not mean to offend you with my absce..."

Odin began to laugh, a hearty laugh possessed only by the few who cared little for the opinion's of others.

"What is funny, fat-"

"That was a joke, Thor."

"Oh," Said Thor, breaking drifting awkward silence.

Odin let out one more booming laugh, clapped Thor by the shoulders and led him back into the hall, "Lighten up, Thor. Ragnarok is years off and I was just about to tell the tale of how I lost my eye." Odin's eye-patch glistened vaguely as it was washed in the light of the Feasting Hall. "You may have the seat of honour beside me, if you wish."

Thor scanned the tumultuous crowd looking for any sign of his brother in the crowds. Although he spotted numerous faces he recognised, none of them were Loki's. "Maybe soon, father." He had to raise his voice to be heard above the bustling crowd as they let loose voices howling with humour, mead and the occasional orgasm. "But right now, I need to speak to my brother."

"Of course," Odin stepped aside and gestured to the kitchen. "He's down there, making ready his plant-based foods. Sad to say that I will not be joining him in that meal." He said with a warm smile.

"Loki doesn't wish to hurt animals if he doesn't have to." Thor tried to explain as he had with Odin dozens of times.

"I respect his decision whatever his reasoning." Odin turned to leave and detained himself for one moment. "As long as I am not forced to agree with him." Odin returned to the cascading rows of applause to hear his story, bottles of beer thrown raised high to the air, along with chicken wings, steaks, and occasionally food on forks.

Thor had to suppress a chuckle at that. Hopefully he'd be able to sort out this whole business with Loki early, get him to call off his attack of the store. He still wanted to enjoy this feast, and to have some worry clawing away at the back of his mind would not help him in that task.

He headed off at once, making idle chat with a few of his old friends as they passed by, promising that they'd talk more when they met back at the table.

The first thing one noticed as they entered the kitchens was how different they were to the main hall. Whereas the main hall was quite warmly lit, the light bulbs produced a nice, orange glow which always made Thor feel at ease, the kitchens were much more starkly lit, all white and shiny, almost sterile. No wooden floors, no warm paneling, just a hospital-like interior, only slightly remedied by the aromas coming wafting from them.

Thor found Loki standing bent over a frying pan, blazer and scarf gone, sleeves of his white shirt rolled up his arms, his green tie dangling down beneath him. He breathed in the fragrance of his stir fry and then began to stir once more.

"You look like you're from Slytherin, brother." Thor said, watching with some amusement as his brother leapt away from his dish, spun on the spot and held a spoon out to him, in a manner which suggested he was trying to be threatening.

Seeing who it was, Loki relaxed, shoulders slumping as he leant back on the bench. "Jesus Christ, Thor. You gave me a fright."

"You'd use the name of the Christian God in our house?" Thor asked, astounded.

Loki glared at him, "It's an expression, Thor. I haven't turned convert."

"Well, just don't let father hear you. He would not be pleased."

"No," Said Loki, turning back towards his stir fry. "I don't suppose he would."

An awkward silence followed, as Loki continued to stir his dish and Thor just stood there, not knowing what he was hoping for.

"So, Harry Potter, huh?" Said Loki, breaking the silence.

"What?" Thor asked, unsure for the moment, what Loki was speaking about.

"You said I looked like a Slytherin," He laughed as he pulled a large bowl from the cupboard. "I didn't know you read." Loki looked up at Thor expectantly as he placed the bowl on the bench.

After a moment, Thor shrugged and said, "I saw the movies with Bruce." He watched Loki pour the contents of the frying pan into the bowl before continuing. "I didn't understand why he cried so much while watching it."

"No," Loki through the pan into the sinking, "You wouldn't."

"Loki-"

"Nope, I don't want to hear this." Said Loki, with great authority. He grabbed his bowl off the table and went to leave the kitchen.

Thor blocked him. "We need to discuss this."

"No, Thor, we don't." Loki responded, trying to move past the bulk of his brother. "This is the Feast of Valhalla. It would be disrespectful to-"

"Loki," Thor said gently, "I need you to not do this."

Loki sighed, and put his dinner down. "Why? Tell me that, why?"

"It's my job."

"At present. And it will be my job in the future when it's a cafe / bookstore."

Thor shook his head, "And what will I do then?"

"Well," Explained Loki, taking a few steps back from his brother, "You could easily get a job at father's company. You are going to inherent it one day, you should probably know how it works."

Thor stared at Loki, "Is that what this is?" He asked.

"Why do you care so much about this?" Loki asked, looking a little angry, "You only took the job because father threatened to cut off your allowance."

"It's more than that now?"

"Is it, brother?" Said Loki, defensively. "That must be so nice for you?"

He picked up his bowl and went to get out of the kitchen, but Thor pushed him back in. "Brother, if this is about father, then we discuss it with him. Together. He loves you, your his -"

"I'm not, you know." Loki spat, looking ready to strike his brother, "I'm adopted, did you forget that?"

To Thor, this was worse the anger and the feeling of betrayal. "Brother-"

"Again, adopted. Try to remember that!"

"Now you go too far, brother!" Growled Thor.

"No, I'm pretty sure I went too far when I approached Fury with the proposal." The sly smile appeared on his lips but it didn't quite reach his eyes. Loki looked down. "It can't be stopped."

"It can, brother." Said Thor, feeling like there was a way out of this, the anger and hurt washing away. He approached his brother, ready to embrace him. Loki seemed to reciprocate, stepping closer towards him. "It can, if we do it together-"

Loki shoved himself under Thor's arm, and walked out of the kitchens. "I'm tired of your sentiment, brother." He threw back at Thor, before heading off towards the feast.

Thor stood there and watched his brother retreat down into the Feasting Hall. Throughout their life, he and Loki could always count on each other, always trust each with secrets. He'd never known Loki to lie to him before, let alone manipulate him. Was this a new? Was he going through something painful? But there was the another possibility, one deep inside Thor which was causing him so much pain.

Had Loki always been doing this? Had he always been manipulating him. If that was true then he was going to have to change his approach if he wanted to save the shop. But right now, he just wanted to stay there, to let the world pass by him.

But there was still one last thing he could try. Maybe, just maybe, Loki would be convinced by their mother.