Hello!

I'm so so so sorry for this huge late! :(

to 1WeirdGinger: LOL about everything you said. But yeah.. you put me under pressure about this chapter, hope I'll pass the test XD

warning: there's plenty of crazy stuff! XD Hope you'll have fun ^^

Chapter IV II : Douts, prizes and jealousy

Time goes by and, with great relief from both of the young gods, there haven't been any awkward situations anymore that risked to give their mutual self-control a very hard time.

One day Odin calls Thor in the presence of him; as the king waits for him, sitting on his throne, the same throne that is going to become Thor's, pretty soon.

"My dear son, it's been several months since Loki's captivity. Do you have any news to share with me?" the wise king starts.

"Everything is going on in the biggest quiet, every day goes by with the same routine and Loki is proving himself to be really worthy of your forgiveness. I've already forgiven him, a long time ago." the god of Thunder declares, as he bows in front of his father, respectfully.

"So do you confirm that he didn't try to escape in any possible way?"

Thor shakes his head negatively, with pride.

"Nope, he hasn't even tried. How could he do that?"

The king smiles.

"Good. Very good. What about you? How does he behave? Is he hostile to you?"

It takes Thor some minutes to think about it.

Since Loki has sworn that he would have made Thor's existence impossible, he definitely kept his word. Thor recalls all the times that he set up an ambush for him, beyond the threshold; making him stumble inside his pitch dark room; or that particular time, when Loki had managed to hide a fork left from a meal beneath the sheets, inviting warmly Thor t keep company to him, sitting beside him… and the pain Thor felt is anything but a long lost memory! And there's even that time when, using the Midgardian lamp at his disposal, Loki had even managed to make Thor burn himself, somewhat.

But save these little mischievous tricks, Thor also recalls more serene and pleasant nights.

"Nope, father. Save some witty jokes of his, since it's Loki's nature; my brother is behaving flawlessly with me, as well." his son asserts very convincing.

"Sonny, you have no idea of how your words bring joy to me." Odin comments satisfied, while he takes something behind his throne. "I think it's time that Loki receives a little distraction that can entertain him!" he concludes, throwing a book to Thor.

"You're allowed to give it to him, when you see your brother tonight!" he instructs him.

"So be it!" Thor beams; before taking advantage of the fact of being in Odin's presence, his own father, to talk about a certain issue that is beginning to put him under pressure.

"Father, I was wondering… my coronation is incoming. " he commences. "So, in order to make the event even more sumptuous, wouldn't it be proper to consider the eventuality of giving some other titles to me?" he hazards.

"I'm afraid I didn't comprehend." the All father narrows his eye.

"Yeah, I mean… Loki is the god of so many things; I'm just the god of Thunder… or of the Flashes, there's no so much difference. But you could name me… I don't know, god of Braveness, of Fairness, the protector of Midgard … " Thor tries to persuade him.

"No, absolutely no! I don't like at all those dull and frivolous requests, which makes you look too greedy for glory!" Odin rejects his proposal, harshly.

Thor caresses his chin, thoughtfully.

"Well… it doesn't sound so bad … the god of Greed for Glory!"

Odin rubs his face with a hand, exasperatedly.

"Thor, at least can I know who put all this foolishness in your head, about the fact that if a god has more titles it means that his value is bigger?" he questions him.

"Well, Loki did!" Thor babbles.

"As I supposed. After that, I should name you the god of Easily Subjugated Mind!" Odin teases him, good-humouredly.

Thor nods eagerly.

"I accept. Deal!" he asserts, thrilled.

The All father's patience has a limit … and Thor has just exceeded it.

"GO AWAY! NOW! And don't make me doubtful about my decisions for the second time!" he sends his son away, very enraged.

/

" …. and at the end he kicked me away, as furious as ever!" Thor reports woefully to Loki, after the sunset.

Loki chuckles, clearly amused.

"Really? Did he do that? The old man starts to earn scores from me!" he comments between laughter.

"And he's going to score even more, since he asked me to give you this!" Thor informs him, showing him the book.

Loki stares at it very excited.

"It's a book … right? I mean, a real book? A book that can be read?" Loki wonders inconsequent, as happy as a child.

"Why? Do you even know books that can't be read?" Thor teases him.

"I don't even know what I'm saying anymore, this isolation is exasperating!" the brunet justifies.

"However, yes, you won't believe me, but it's a real book that can be read!" Thor makes fun of him again, chuckling and earning a glacial glare from Loki. "But don't thrill yourself too much, it's not a magic book, I told you so. It's only Midgardian literature!" he informs him.

"I know, but I don't mind!" Loki beams, before observing that book better. " 'Crime and Punishment' ? What is that? Is Odin making fun of me?" he grumbles, grumpy.

"Father says that you can learn a lot from that book!" the blond replies.

/

The night after, Loki welcomes Thor very enthusiastically.

"Father was right, it was such an illuminating reading!" the brunet exclaims.

Thor sees him so thrilled that he doesn't even dare to make him notice what he has just said, but he's silently pleased by that.

"Does it mean that you already finished to read it?" Thor asks him astonished.

Loki nods proudly.

"Well, it's not that I have so much to do here!" Loki shrugs. "Do you think that it's possible for me to have another book?" he asks him, very politely.

"Yes, I'm sure that father won't disagree!" Thor smiles. "By the way, tomorrow I have a meeting on Midgard, with the other Avengers. I'll take advantage of that to bring other books to you!" the blond informs him.

"A meeting with the Avengers, huh? Is there another big villain who threatens your beloved, precious Earth?" Loki questions him, amused.

"Nope, it's only a routine meeting. You're still our number one big villain!" Thor smirks.

"Oh. You're flattering me!" Loki smirks.

"So you're going to see even the pompous millionaire … Tony, if I recall properly, is it right?" he adds, immediately after.

- Hey! Since when does he even recall his name? – Thor grimaces in disappointment.

"Yep, why?"

"I'd like to let him know about my newest plan. I've been think about it for a while." Loki admits.

"Which plan?" Thor questions him, even more disappointed.

"It's about a Midgardian invention that you would love. It's the hairdryer. Do you know? That sort of tube with a handle that blows hot air?" the brunet explains to him.

"Huh, right! I guess I saw Jane using one of those tools once!" Thor recalls.

Hearing that hated name, Loki snorts and grimaces, but he tries not to mind at that.

"Right. So now imagine one of those inventions, but with a giant size. It could be the perfect weapon to melt Jotunheim down and Tony could help me create it … if only I managed to persuade him that Jotuns are our common enemies. Otherwise, to convince someone about something to me it's easier and more natural than… to breathe!" the overblown god of Mischief.

Loki is just joking about that, but Thor jumps to another conclusion.

- Sure! Why didn't I figure out before? Obviously, Loki is fascinated to clever and brilliant minds, like his, because they challenge his intellect. So it's more than normal that he feels attracted by Tony or Bruce . What could I ever offer to him, me, who do nothing but talking about my hammer? – the blond grows upset.

"Hey, are you okay? Look, I was kidding. I'm not planning to destroy Jotunheim … not yet, at least!" Loki giggles.

Thor confines himself to putting a brave face on things.

/

Thor keeps his word. Once he's back from Midgard, after he analyzed the current situation with the other Avengers; he brings Loki not only books, but also Midgardian food: hamburgers and French fries.

The god of Lies hadn't any chance to eat that stuff while he was on that realm.

Loki seems to be addicted to those funny yellow sticks, so salty and crunchy.

Once the dinner is done, he washes his hands, not to make the book he loves so much greasy, and starts to examine them, one by one.

"Well, let's see … the Grimm Brothers' biography, the Wright Brothers' biography, the Lumiere 's biography… Thor! Are you trying to give me a message?" Loki rolls his eyes.

"Is it so evident?" the blond asks him awkwardly.

"You're as unpredictable as clever!" the brunet states.

"Thank you!" Thor beams, but then his face darkens, as he reflect about those words a little better. "Hey! Wait a minute. You insulted me!" he pouts.

"It just goes to show!" Loki chuckles, before his look falls on another book "What is this?" he questions the other, showing him the book.

"It's the story of two brothers ." Thor explains.

"But they are two tigers!" Loki makes him notice, exasperated.

"Yep, but the other told me it's such a beautiful story!" the blond justifies.

"You have a serious problem!" the trickster rolls his eyes again.

/

The day after, at afternoon, Sif observes Thor intensely, while he works out, engrossed in a fake battle with Volstagg and Fandral.

"Did you decide to talk with him, finally?" Hogun approaches her, since he's the only one who knows her secret.

"Yep, I don't think that I can hold on any longer!" the fascinating warrior asserts.

"I know, you've been keeping telling yourself for months that you have to talk with him, but there's always something that makes you change your mind!" the warrior with oriental features comments.

"It's not easy!" the brunette protests.

"I can imagine that; but you can't go on like this. You must face this issue and be prepared for any consequences. If you keep remaining with this doubt it will wear yourself out!" her interlocutor advises her.

"Yeah, you're right, my friend. But this time I'm very intentioned to tell him everything; there's no point of return!" Sif smiles, very thrilled. "I'll wait for the training to be over and then I'll speak to him!" she announces, eagerly.

TBC

Yep, it's been months… and yet those two gods haven't jumped on each other's bones yet. Do you believe it? I hardly do, but it's so! XD

How long can they still hold on? Uhmmm….

a little note: there's no need to put a disclaimer for all those biography. About the story of the two tigers, it's from a movie called 'Two brothers'… and probably there's no book about that, but let's pretend there is, okay? ^^

Hope you'll still like it, pleeeeeease, let me know, it's the best way to prove me you still care ^^