A/N: Two quick filler chapters coming up just to get them out of my head and out there.

This is happening.

Taylor had allowed Thor to say goodbye to Loki at the gate as long as he promised not to make a break for it. So, there they stood.

Loki was wearing dark blue jeans and a white t-shirt that was slightly too big for him and it somehow made him look younger. He had a bag over his shoulder containing the few possessions he owns and his grandfather was still in the building signing him out for the last time.

Thor was wearing his usual institute-provided clothes and Taylor was stood a few steps behind him. He'd already said a quick goodbye to Loki and playfully told him to watch his attitude and he on his best behaviour.

"Can you write to me?" Thor asked.

Loki shrugged, staring at the floor. "If my Grandfather lets me…"

Thor nodded. "Will you try?"

"Of course." Loki rolled his eyes. Anthony came out and told them he was going to drive the car round before strutting out of the iron gates.

Thor took Loki's hands and pulled him closer to kiss him. Loki responded immediately and kissed back, draping his arms over Thor's shoulders while Thor wrapped his around Loki's waist.

"I love you." Thor muttered, resting his forehead against Loki's.

Loki closed his eyes and nodded a little. "I love you too. I always will."

"Ditto." Thor smiled at him and kissed him again. They heard the sound of someone clearing their throat and looked up to see Anthony stood glaring at them in distain, a sleek black Limo parked behind him. He was leaning against it with his arms crossed over the chest of his tailored suit and his ankles crossed too.

Thor sighed but didn't let go of Loki. He hugged him tight and whispered in his ear. "Don't forget me…"

Loki nodded against his shoulder. "Never…"

They finally separated and Loki stepped back and gave a little wave. "Bye… I hope you get better soon so you can return to your life. And be happy."

"I will." Thor smiled. "As soon as I turn twenty-one and earn enough money for a one way ticket to London. Then I'll be happy."

Loki smiled back and ducked his head then waved to Taylor, who waved back then claimed there was something in his eye before turning away quickly.

Thor smiled at that but it soon evaporated when he watched Loki walk backwards to the car, not looking away from him.

"Smile." Loki ordered. "I don't want to remember you all grumpy."

Thor couldn't help laughing at that and smiled at him as bright as he could. Loki smiled back but it didn't reach his eyes, which remained sad and a little… scared?

Thor frowned at that once Loki turned away. A man in a black suit and a hat got out of the driver's side and opened the back door for Anthony to slide in. It remained open as the man looked expectantly to Loki who sighed and slipped in. The man took Loki's bag to put it in the boot and his and Thor's eyes connected one last time before the door was slammed shut, the black tinted glass impossible to see through but Thor guessed Loki would still be watching so he waved and thought he could see movement inside like Loki was waving back.

The man got back into the driver's seat and the Limo step off, making a crunching sound as the wheels rolled over the gravel and away.

Thor stared after the car for a long time before Taylor's hand landed on his shoulder, shocking him out of his paralysis.

They made their way back to the building and, since Thor didn't want to be alone with his feelings just yet, he went to the rec room.

Oliver and Romey approached him straight away with bright smiles.

"Hi Thor." They said in unison.

"You guys know how creepy that is, right?" He tried to laugh but it sounded a little strained and Oliver and Romey could tell.

"Are you okay?" Oliver asked as Romey looked around.

"Where's Loki?" The girl frowned.

Thor sighed and explained everything. Oliver and Romey exchanged a look and both hugged Thor, which he welcomed and returned.

They dragged him over to the new foosball table that had been recently installed to distract him and it worked.

But that night when he returned to his room, he was tired and fell straight into bed without getting changed, he laid on his back with his eyes closed and one arm behind his head. The other was open expectantly, waiting for a thin, cool body to fall into it and snuggle against his chest and side. His nose twitched in anticipation of the dark locks of hair that would tickle his nostrils.

He sat up and looked around then pouted when he realised why that body wasn't beside him anymore.

Because that body was – Thor looked at his watch – currently on a one-way flight to England, sat beside an old man and probably resisting the urge to burn something. That dark hair was probably being raked back off his pale skin by tense fingers. Thor got up and got the pillows from Loki's bed, they smelt like cheap cleaning products. His own, however, smelt like Loki. Like apples. He wasn't sure why Loki smelt like apples but he didn't care.

He moved his own pillows and placed one of Loki's in its place then piled his own up next to him end-to-end with the pillow that smelt like him at the top. Thor pulled the blankets over himself and the pillows and snuggled against them as if it was Loki, burying his face in the pillow and inhaling Loki's scent.

It occurred to him, somewhere in the back of his head, that this was a little creepy and if Loki could see him he'd probably mock him. But he didn't care. He just needed to feel as close to Loki as he could despite the fact the younger boy was currently on his way across the ocean. He fell asleep as tears started to wet the pillow beneath his face.

Loki's POV

I hate him. He glares at the old man beside him in the Limo with his arms tight across his chest.

The one good thing in his life since his mother died and the man who he hadn't seen in years was now ripping him away from that to return him to a country of nothing but ghosts. Distant, painful memories.

Anthony eventually looked over at Loki and rolled his eyes. "If the wind changes your face will stick like that, you know."

It might as well because this is the only face I'll be using for the foreseeable future. Loki thought but didn't say, he wasn't going to give Anthony the satisfaction of having Loki interact with him.

Anthony rolled his eyes again and turned his attention to the iPad on his lap, showing plane times. He was checking there were no delays or problems with their flight, which was leaving in a few hours.

The airport was too clean and boring. The women working there were too smiley, they were trying too hard to look happy with their pathetic, mediocre lives.

Loki glared at anyone who dared look in his direction which seemed to encourage one of the women at the bag check.

"Ooh, is this is first flight?" She asked Anthony, smiling sympathetically at Loki, assuming he just didn't like flying.

Anthony shook his head. "Nah, he just doesn't want to leave his little friends," He chuckled, playing the lovely grandfather as if he was just taking him on holiday and Loki was just being an ungrateful teenager.

"Would you like a magazine for the flight?" The woman asked him with a too-wide smile that showed off her big teeth and gums. The bright red lipstick didn't help much either.

Loki just glared in silence but she held out a magazine to him anyway, which he refused to take. Anthony took the magazine from the woman and smiled his thanks at her before rolling it up and putting it under his arm to grab their bags.

After an hour of plotting the death of every man, woman and child in sight individually in shocking detail, they were finally allowed to board the plane. Loki got the window seat and Anthony put the bags in the overhead compartment before sitting gracefully beside Loki.

"So, you and Blondie." He started and Loki rolled his eyes with such force it's a surprise it didn't wrench his head from his shoulders.

"Were you together?" He asked quietly and Loki ignored him, favouring his fingernails over the conversation.

Anthony looked around briefly before grabbing Loki's wrist in a bruising grip that Loki didn't think the old man was capable of. He winced at the force and tried to twist out of his grip.

"Answer the question." Anthony's voice was dangerously quiet.

Loki nodded and Anthony released his wrist with a grimace.

"Disgusting."

Loki didn't comment on that, not exactly surprised. Anthony dumped the magazine in Loki's lap and Loki reluctantly picked it up, flicking through the pages of stick-thin women covered in fake tan and wearing more make up than clothes and men with immaculate hair and pristine suits. He groaned and closed the magazine again, finding not one thing of interest in the whole thing.

He looked out the window as a woman came round handing out pillows. Anthony dropped one on Loki's lap but Loki didn't react.

He looked down at his watch. Back at the institute everyone would be just going to bed. He would be curled up against Thor's side, listening to his strong heartbeat against his cheek and feeling himself raise and lower with Thor's breathing.

He sighed and closed his eyes, propping the pillow against the window, and tried to get some sleep.