A/N: I hope you all had a wonderful holiday/Monday! As usual, I do not own the rights, though I would be a very wealthy woman if I did. Enjoy :-)
I could not have gotten a better understanding of Thor and Loki if I had been in their minds. Their sleeping positions said it all: the way they saw the world, themselves, others around them, even their innermost natures. I was always fond of sleep studies. People always managed to find a way to hide the truth when they were awake, but they were entirely defenseless in their sleep.
Thor displayed the qualities of the favored child. He slept on his back, arms sprawled wide in either direction, also known as the royal position; this was indicative of being confident and open to the world. Based on his particular posture, I went so far as to say he was likely brash. However, despite the appearance of nerves of steel, he could be easily hurt. None of these surprised me in the least.
Then again, neither did Loki. He slept curled tightly into himself or, in simpler terms, the fetal position. Granted, this sleeping position accounts for a majority of the human population and could be assumed to be quite common elsewhere, as well. Still, it was interesting to know for certain that, despite his attempts to the contrary, he was a rather anxious soul. Lacking in genuine self-confidence. Less open and friendly, even more cynical and secretly sensitive.
I was still musing over my observations when Thor finally stirred. His brow furrowed in thought, he slowly raised onto his forearms. He looked around in alarm, checking to see if Loki was still present. "We're fine, Thor." I stated with amusement.
He had clearly forgotten I had come along, because his first reaction was one of surprise. Then, ever so slowly, his facial muscles relaxed as he remembered. "Olivia, I am grateful to you for staying awake. I am normally not so careless."
I shrugged my shoulders. "I would have woken you if something were to happen. Or if someone were to try anything." The twinges of a smile pulled on my lips. The mere thought of Thor pursuing Loki was amusing, simply because the outcome was predictable every time: Loki didn't stand a chance.
"I will not allow myself to sleep again. Please, go to sleep."
"I'd rather not, if that's alright with you." I tucked my legs into my chest and rested my chin on my knees, staring at the ever burning fire.
"I only thought to make the journey tomorrow easier for you."
"I know. Thank you. But I don't sleep much." A small laugh erupted from my throat. "I have to take medication, actually. If I want to sleep. So, I couldn't even if I wanted to. Seeing as, you know, my home got destroyed."
He shot me a sympathetic look. "I am truly sorry for the destruction of your home. And of your planet."
"The person, or people, who did this," I had wondered who could have done it. With Loki having no involvement, my mind had turned the situation over and over again, searching for some clue. "We will find them, right?"
Thor nodded. "We will find them. And we will stop them."
The question of exactly what I was doing there returned. I was a psychologist, an academic, not a warrior. I knew nothing about tracking and pursuing, let alone battling a being that was far more powerful than I ever was. I was out of my element and I ground my teeth in irritation. "I wish I could help, instead of being sent to babysit your brother. I feel like more of a burden than anything."
"It is good that you came. You seem to understand my brother in a way that I do not. That no else does. I so wish-" He trailed off, deciding against sharing whatever intimate desire he had.
"Your instincts about your brother are right, you know." I felt the need to assure this man, this mighty being, that his brother was not entirely evil. His face showed hope, then suddenly, despair.
"I fear that I am wrong. That he is too far gone to come back." His voice cracked. "Olivia, you must understand that this is the not the Loki I know. We were raised together, played together. He was my very best friend as a child."
It was with great consideration that I chose my words. While I didn't want to give him false hope, I also knew nothing was set in stone. "I can't say anything without knowing the full extent of your childhood or what exactly caused his pain, but I don't think anything can ever be lost for good. Not so long as there is still hope." I smiled reassuringly at him, a gesture he returned. Not wanting to linger on the subject, I abruptly changed my tone. "So I take it that Jane is your girlfriend?"
The smile became an absolute beam. "I love Jane very much."
"She has to be from Earth. I can't see any of you being named 'Jane' or 'John'."
"Yes. Her name is Jane Foster. I met her when-" His expression changed to one of sadness again and I coughed nervously.
"I heard about New Mexico. I take it she's safe?"
His jaw hardened. "She is safe. My friend in Asgard has abilities, he watches her for me. When the shockwave hit London, she was there. I left immediately and brought her to my home. She will be safe there, far from the reach of whatever foe is doing this."
The night passed after that, the two of us hardly uttering another word. Eventually, Loki woke and it was time to leave, the three of us venturing into the ruins. Much to my chagrin, I followed behind Loki, Thor behind me. We travelled through narrow, crooked places, deep in the earth. Tunnels spread out in all directions, creating a labyrinth. I was very thankful I had decided to wait.
I was beginning to think we were lost when a distant shout erupted from somewhere before us. I looked to Thor, feeling the fear rise in my chest. He was the muscle and I would much rather stand behind him. Thor motioned for Loki and I to continue ahead and I began to feel sick.
My desperate desire to return home had never been stronger. What am I doing here? What am I even doing here? The closer we got to whatever it was, the more noticeable the voices became. Eventually, I became aware that two men were speaking, though the exact words could not be made out. An eerie blue light shone from an opening in the tunnel before us and I felt a cold shiver run up my spine.
The voices became somewhat more distinct, enough to make out the words. "I've already searched the depths of Parnicissus! It isn't there!"
"Well, search it again! I did not save your pathetic existence so that you could disappoint me!"
I heard an angry stomp, followed by a 'whoosh!' The next sight my eyes took in would haunt me in dreams to come. The form was that of a giant half-man, half-insect. From the waist down, he was normal in appearance, with the exception of the hairy scales attached to his skin. His upper half, however, was terrible. Eight sets of eyes set in his twin heads, four pincers protruding from what was his mouth. Six, insect legs were in the place of arms. I shivered despite myself. Thor moved to pull me behind him, but my foot slid in the dirt, the sound thunderous in the perfect stillness. Crap!
He heard, all too well, and instantly looked down our tunnel. Thor moved past me as the creature moved. Upon noticing Thor, I watched in horror as he split himself, directly down the middle. In an instant, the missing half regrew on each separate part, causing the two forms to be identical. One ran to the left, the other, to the right. Thor began after the one that went left, calling for Loki to follow him. I steeled myself and ran to the right, through a tight, narrow corridor. The walls seemed to close in on me the farther I went and I sent my concern to the back of my mind.
It was far too dark for me to see where I was going. My pursuit was based on the sounds of running feet. After some distance, my foot stomped a pressure plate. I was going too fast to stop, continuing to run along. Faint hissing emerged from around me but I kept on. The fear that something was pursuing me gave me the strength to continue.
Not long after, I smacked into a solid wall. The hissing grew louder and louder in my ears, the creature's movements getting further and further away. I began to cough wildly, clutching my chest, as a noxious scent filled my nostrils. I tried to move, to get away, but found breathing to be difficult.
Then, from the corner of my eye, I saw them. Ghostly, white hands. Thousands of them. They pursued me with full force and I turned to run. Faster and faster they came, the dark keeping me blind. I heard a crowd of menacing laughter from behind as I continued sprinting forward. "No!" I screamed. "Please, no!"
My ankle turned beneath me and I collapsed on the ground, my body too weak to continue. The hands engulfed me, the laughter blaring in my ears, as I let out one last scream. Then my world faded to nothingness, my lasts thoughts filled with terror.
