Disclaimer: Yada Yada you know the drill

Prose 14:

If Yui were to look back on this Christmas, she would've felt the warmth and love that one associated with the winter holiday, making her feel cozy. It was a grand Christmas, great, despite her not spending it with her own family. But she spent it with a family. She had seen the beauty of winter and come to understand it more.

But whatever magic that gripped them for the festivities quickly took a dark turn.

Yui laid in Balder's bed that Christmas night, staring out the window at the clear white moon in the sky, shining like the night sun. She tossed on the mattress, thinking about how to adjust going back to classes and if the others would be up for it. She remembered what it was like going back to school after break. The dread, the adjustment period. And some of these gods were stubborn. It would probably be rough.

She heard a door open outside in the hall. From what she could tell, it was from Loki's room. It had to be either Balder or Loki, but she could tell by the light cadence in the creaking footsteps that it was the smaller Loki who was descending the stairs.

Yui thought that perhaps Loki was getting a glass of water. Or had to use the restroom. But why go all the way downstairs? Then she heard deep muffled voices of two or three males speaking lowly.

Yui snuck over to her door and stuck her head out, just to check on who was talking.

She couldn't help but hear an argument. It sounded calm, still, but it was obvious they were discussing something very, very, very grave.

"-I should do it!" she heard Hödr's calm whisper, rise with determination. Yui peaked around the corner down the stairs to watch Thor, Loki, and Hödr have an intense conversation. Hödr was still sitting on the couch, his head forward as he leaned against his staff. "It is necessary—"

Loki scoffed and folded his arms over his chest, "No."

"Loki—"

"Shut up, Hödr. You do not have the privilege or the right to complete the task," Loki's voice was hurtful, almost spiteful, as if he hated Hödr for even offering to do whatever they were discussing.

Hödr's grip tightened on his staff, his voice shaky as he could only respond, "Loki, do you not know what will happen when you finish the task? All the gods—my family—will go after you, and this time no one can defend you. Not even Thor. Blood for blood, Loki. Then the Jötunn will want to avenge your punishment and it will go on and on and on, with no end in sight. If it were me, only I will be punished for my sin. I have no allies, no loved ones to avenge me. It stops there."

Yui's heart thumped. What where they planning? What were they going to do that would call for such devastation?

Thor glanced at his red-headed friend, "I think we must consider this option-"

"NO!" Loki barked. "Hödr, you are truly a feeble and insensitive punk. You would hurt your family again with being forced to kill their own kin?"

"I am only thinking of the aftermath. I do not think Balder would want to see this bloodshed after—"

"Shut up," Loki stared daggers at the blind god. And yet Hödr did not need to see to know what Loki was feeling.

"I don't want to hear anything from you," Loki spat.

"That's enough, Loki," Thor said giving Hödr's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

Loki shook his head in defiance, "You can't pretend you are doing this because you care about Balder. How am I supposed to believe that? You never gave a damn. You were never there for him. Never! You just holed yourself up, like a coward! And you think you have the nerve—no—the balls to insinuate that you should do this?"

"I should do this," Hödr's voice stopped shaking and became hard, as if he gathered all the resolve he needed. "I have already fashioned the mistletoe weapon. I can see it through."

"Go back to bed, Hödr. I don't want to see your self-pitying face again and I hope your departure tomorrow is quick," Loki seethed once again.

Thor's jaw was set tight as he uttered forcefully, "Get over yourself, Loki. He's just trying to help."

Hödr stood instead, not at all phased. It was like he was used to such verbal abuse. "It's okay, Thor. I am tired. I'll…I don't know. I'll leave as soon as I can tomorrow. I'm sorry."

Yui tried to find a way to quickly and silently get scarce. There was no way she could dive back into Balder's room without causing a ruckus. Instead she flattened her back against the wall and held her breath, hoping that Hödr wouldn't notice her eavesdropping.

She heard the clunking of his staff and watched with bated breath as he passed her frozen frame without a word. She was about to breathe a sigh of relief before he stopped and murmured.

"I'm sorry Kusanagi, that you had to hear that. Whatever questions you may have, you will have to take up with Loki."

And with that the blind god clunked over to Thor's bedroom where he was staying the night.

Sure enough, Hödr was set to leave the next morning. He seemed anxious to leave, but Balder, Thor and Apollo were chatting him up. Yui stood on the porch watching carefully, lips tight. She couldn't sleep last night after what she heard, wondering all the details of what they were discussing. Whatever it was, it was severe, and obviously something they did not want to tell Balder. She had a severe idea what they wanted to do. The mistletoe weapon the biggest clue.

She already knew that Balder's immortality was not extended to mistletoe, but never could she have ever seriously imagined that mistletoe could be weaponized. Did she really want to bring all of this up now?

Of course she did. It was her job to have them all graduate, but people really needed to cut the bullshit if having them all graduate was going to be a futile task.

No one seemed to notice her severe frown as she stared on, seeing Balder speak excitedly to his twin. That was until she felt a presence beside her.

"Balder is sure keeping him," Loki said deeply under his breath. He was not looking upon the blind god with his telltale smirk or conniving gleam.

"What's your problem?" he half-snarled seeing her disappointed gaze.

Yui refused to look at Loki, though she knew she had to get answers from him. She set her teeth and answered quite bluntly, "I over heard your conversation with Hödr and Thor last night…"

Loki's head whipped in her direction, his mouth agape in horror. He quickly tried to cover it up, "Just giving the blind dumbass a hard time, you know, been a long while since I've seen—"

"Cut the crap, Loki," Yui hissed under her breath so as not to draw Balder's attention. She turned to face the red-haired god fixing him a fiery gaze, "What the hell is going on?"

There was a pause as Loki seemed to try to figure out a way out of this one. His grey eyes flitted towards Balder, as the blond god laughed aloud at something.

"None of your business frankly," he said finally, bluntly.

"It is my business," she countered, "I'm here to help you guys out and I sure as heck can't do that if you guys are plotting to murder my classmate."

That seemed to set Loki off. Yui could see that inside he was twisting with rage at the insult, but he was smart enough not to lose his temper in front of everyone.

"You cannot possibly understand…"

"Then explain. Trust me. I am very good at listening," Yui replied with a hint of desperation.

With a sigh Loki leaned on the wooden railing of the balcony, the wood creaking as if the weight on his mind were also weighing his body. He stared out at the snowy front lawn at his friends.

He spoke, his voice soft, almost below a whisper as if even speaking the admission could cause dire consequences, "Balder will kill you."

Yui could only mouth "What?" her face full of confusion. Unless it was for food, Balder didn't seem like someone who would harm anyone.

"You, me, and everything he loves because that is his fate. He doesn't know it. But that is what the threads have woven for him. And that is why he is here. His traumatic history with humans only exacerbating the larger problem."

Yui didn't have a choice but to believe whatever Loki was saying, but her bewildered look didn't do much to convince Loki that she understood what he was saying.

"Why the hell do you think I don't like you hanging around him?" he asked, looking back over his shoulder.

Yui shrugged and answered honestly, "I just thought you didn't like me or was jealous."

Both had been true. Loki was jealous and he wasn't particularly fond of the human girl when they first met, but if she was something Balder cared about and he destroyed her…it would…be to painful for him to watch the aftermath.

Loki sighed and turned his face back to the wind, keeping them in silence once again as he thought carefully how to give this human a better understanding of what was going on.

A long distant memory emerged of when Loki first found out about Balder's hidden power. They were children then, Balder himself just a little godling, small and seemingly frail, despite his rather Herculean strength for his small size. Children, god or human or otherwise, should live their lives in innocence free for just a short moment in their lives to do the impossible and not be weighed down by logic of adults.

But for Norse gods and Norse humans alike, innocence was thrown out the window once a blade was pointed in your direction.

And for sweet little Balder, that happened at too young of an age.

"Have you ever seen a father try to kill his son?" Loki whispered, his voice cracking at the memory in his head.

Yui shook her head, her eyes wide. She gave Loki her full attention, her heart pounding hoping that this story wasn't as bad as she expected. Yet, she knew, based on the close and intimate bond the Norse had, this story would only end in heartbreak.

"I have," the muscle in Loki's jaw twitched as he recalled the memory. "I never knew my father and my mother had enough trouble trying to raise me, but because of Thor and Balder I knew what family was. I wasn't alone, and even if the Aesir wanted nothing to do with me, I still lived among them under their watch and care. And Odin…"

He paused, the name hanging deep in his throat. Yui hadn't heard much about Odin. The Norse rarely mentioned his name unless it was necessary. Yet the way they spoke of him, even uttering his name with a tone of deathly ferocity, she figured the Supreme Norse God was someone to fear, respect, and never ever tempt or tease.

Loki puffed out a small bit of laughter, "They don't call him 'All-Father' for nothing. Whether or not he approved of me was moot. He was my ward and I was his charge as much as everyone else. You see Odin thinks of his Aesir as a whole embodiment. He would be willing to make sacrifices to protect the many...from the one."

He had been working on the trap for a while now. It took him a good half a day and he was sure it was set up to perfection. Oh he'd get Balder this time. The runt. Perfect little runt. Loki rubbed his hands together as he placed the trap into a hole in the trunk of a tree.

He quickly ran out of the woods finding a small godling in the grassy field touching some flowers, watching the bees buzz away onto another flower. He WAS small. Some would say sickly. As if he was the weakling little runt of a litter of wolves.

But everyone on Asgard called him "perfect". Perfect ray of beauty on such a small body. It attracted everyone and everything.

Even now, the little boy's companion pet, Litlbursti, a young boar sired by Freyr's legendary Gullinbursti, stuck by him, both completely unaware of Loki's antics. Loki snickered behind the trunk of a tree, seeing the little god's blond head dip down as his little legs squatted to observe the bee more closely.

Loki came rushing out, "Hey~! Balder. Wanna play a game? A scavenger hunt?"

Balder turned his head back at him, "A scavenger hunt?"

Loki nodded, "Uh-huh, I hid a surprise for you somewhere in the forest. If you find it you win, it's yours. If you don't, I win for kicks!"

As expected, Balder's smile broadened into wide smile that was like looking into the fresh morning sun.

"I'll find it for you, Loki!" Balder scampered to towards the woods with Litlbursti at his heels. He tripped and fell a few times. Loki had a half-fear that Balder would get hurt, but the little lad just picked himself up and continued his race to find his surprise.

Loki followed Balder close behind, hiding behind bushes and trees, watching his trusting friend closely as looked under boulders, uprooted trees and hollowed logs. Balder and Litlbursti finally reached the clearing where Loki hid the trap. The boar's snout stuck to the ground as if it were trying to sniff out the surprise, while Balder shuffled through a thicket.

Loki hid a snicker as Litlbursti seemed very interested in the very tree where Loki hid the trap.

"Did you find something, Litlbursti?" Balder glanced over at his animal friend.

Litlburst jumped on his hind legs, his cloven feet connecting with bark as he stretched up to poke his head into the hollowed hole in the trunk. No doubt finding the surprise and springing the trap…

Loki was sure that this trap was perfect. It would explode smoke and dirt into the faces of whomever touched it. But it wasn't perfect. And it exploded alright.

The trap literally backfired, causing a small explosion, blasting through the tree, causing Loki and Balder to fly backwards.

When Loki recovered, he learned the error of his ways in a very horrid way. Balder was okay and was shuffling his way to his feet. But there near the tree lay Litlbursti on his side. Unmoving.

Instead of noticing the picture of the aftermath, Loki got to his own feet laughing, "Ha-ha~ Balder! I nearly got you this time…"

He stopped, noticing that Balder wasn't paying attention to him. Instead the young god went to his companion's side.

To Loki's horror, the boar didn't seem to be breathing. Loki was still considered a young god, but he knew when something was dead. Poor Litlbursti.

Gently shaking the body, Balder said softly, "Litlbursti? Get up. Get up, Litlbursti."

Mouth still hanging open, Loki took a step closer, hoping that the boar would at least take a breath. Take a breath for Balder.

"Loki…why won't Litlbursti get up? He won't move."

He didn't think Balder could be so sensitive, and yet so naïve. But the more Balder stared at Loki's grim face, the more Balder became upset, staring back at Litlbursti, painting the dots together with his clueless little mind.

"He won't wake up," tears started forming in Balder's wide blue eyes.

With a shaky breath, Loki did his best to try to explain to Balder why Litlbursti wasn't going to wake up. It was like explaining the concept of colors to a blind man. And with Balder' fragile mind, who knows how much he would have been scarred. Gods rarely died, and Balder was too young to understand death or of being harmed.

Balder whispered his companion's name over and over again, while his perfect little world shattered.

"Balder, I'm sorry," Loki choked, "Litlbursti…he ain't coming back. He's gone…"

"Gone…" Balder whispered weakly, as his little body started shake with sobs. His beloved pet was never ever going to wake up. All because of the explosion.

Loki watched as the crying Balder stood and turn around. His face was red, tears streaming down his face, struggling to talk through the sobs.

It was obvious that Loki was older than Balder and the fire Jotunn was a good size bigger than he was. Plus given Balder's special nature, it was safe to say that Loki had never ever once felt threatened by the blond god. How could anyone be threatened by a godling small enough to drop kick?

And yet, as the air around the entire clearing changed, Loki took a few steps back, bracing for whatever fury Balder was about to unleash.

"Why d'ya do dat for Loki!" Balder screeched, his well mannered speechcraft lapsing into lazy pronunciations. "Why'd you make it so Litlbursti won't come back to me!"

"Balder, it was an accident—"

"Because of you, I've lost a friend!" Balder yelled through his tears taking heavy steps towards Loki, and the bigger godling felt fear as a flash erupted from Balder's blue eyes, turning them gold.

Loki didn't have time brace himself as he was violently flung back, cracking his head against stone and losing consciousness…

Loki never knew how long he was unconscious, but when he came round he weakly turned his head up from the dirt, his head throbbing violently. The air was cold, the forest uncomfortably dim.

There in the clearing, Loki could see a massive squared black figure, the furs making the giant figure look more like a monster than man. It was squarely arched over and hunched, staring directly down at a tiny figure on the ground.

To Loki's horror, the figure had pinned an unconscious Balder to the ground with his giant boot pressed over his tiny body, his giant silver spear pointed directly at the young god, poised to strike.

A shout of "no!" hung in Loki's throat, but no matter what, Loki couldn't will it to come out. Just the image of Balder before he blasted him hung in his head, stilling his tongue. And Odin…Odin would gut his son and not once did Loki doubt that we would do it.

Loki held his breath, preparing to close his eyes at the moment Odin would strike, but he could hear whimpering.

Balder had started crying in his unconscious stupor and Odin's grip on his spear tightened and the spear started to shake. Never had he seen Odin hesitate and actually fear of his actions.

The Supreme god let out a growling breath and lowered his spear, bringing his half-ton foot off his son's fragile body. He bent down and gathered Balder into his arm—Balder was small enough to fit in the juncture of Odin's elbow—carry him away.

The All-Father's deep thunderous voice pierced Loki's very body, "Loki, pick yourself up. We're going home. And let all that had happened here be only our knowledge."

"So you see now, Kusanagi," Loki said finally after telling his tale. "Odin was this close, this close to ridding the world of Balder and the destruction he carries deep inside. And even he couldn't finish the job. And I know you—thankfully—haven't met Odin Allfather, but hear it from me, he is all business. And even he couldn't develop the ice, the guts to just…"

He couldn't finish his statement, but his face turned red and he slammed his fist on the railing. "I also didn't have the guts to say no to killing him. My only friend. If Odin finished the deed—if he could—I would've watched him get kabobed without a sound."

Similarly Yui didn't make a sound. Loki turned around and leaned back against the railing.

"But I can't trust anyone else to put Balder out of his misery. I can only trust myself, lest he truly hurts people."

At that moment Yui gave a disgruntled snort of disgust, "Why does anybody have to kill anybody?"

"I told you—"

"Yeah, I know. He's going to destroy everything. I got that. But perhaps you're pulling the trigger a little quick? I mean surely there's another solution."

"There isn't—"

Yui did her best to keep her voice in check. Balder after all was just a few feet away. "Then why is he here to learn about humans? If it's not going to help him, then why bother? And for that matter, if Odin couldn't just put the killing blow, what makes you so certain you will be able to execute him?"

"Kusanagi…" Loki felt too exhausted to argue, so he let her continue.

"He's your best friend, right? You care for him deeply, correct?"

"Of course I-what are you getting at?" Loki wished he had a way to hide the flush on his cheeks.

"If you think you care so much about Balder are you so sure you will be able to kill him-?"

"It is because I care for him that I know I can do it. I rather him die peacefully by my hand, than for him to endure what the bitches of Fate wove for him."

She was sure she couldn't begin to know the relationship Balder and Loki had, and she didn't want to carry on as if she had a clue. That would be insulting. And yet, to just continue pursuing on ending Balder's life without even considering ways to stop Balder from destroying everything, just didn't seem right.

So she thought of the only most cliché dorky line that her older brother liked to say, "I find your lack of faith disturbing*."

Loki shot her a glare that clearly said, "Yeah, I know what you just said." He had been subjected to Apollon's read along of scripts of human films. So, yes, he knew that reference very well.

"I mean. Think if the situation were reversed. Do you think Balder would just throw down the gauntlet and not seek other options?"

"No, but that's because he's Balder," Loki replied folding his arms across his chest. "And in the process of him stumbling around trying in vain to sway the threads of Fate, he would be responsible for letting me destroy the worlds, just as much as I would be."

"You're not getting the point—"

He waved his hand in annoyance, "I get the point."

"Do you?" she folded her arms over her chest, remaining all the more skeptical. "Because I would think you would have a little more faith in your best friend to believe that he can graduate. I mean I believe he can, and we haven't known each other as long as you two have."

At that, Loki pursed his lips tightly, but he didn't argue. Yui's lips turned up in a victorious smirk. "I'm right aren't I? Admit it."

Loki grumbled.

"I'm sorry? What was that?" Yui laughed, "Come on and admit that I'm right. Look me in the eye and confess."

She could hear his jaw clicking as he ground his teeth, facing her dead on, "You're right."

"Both eyes," she joked and Loki frowned. He apparently could dish it, but couldn't take it.

He pointed his slender finger at her, "Watch it little lady. I'll get my revenge."

Yui restrained herself from rolling her eyes at his threat, but as she turned to head back inside, she felt his hand grab her shoulder and turn her around. Before she could protest, Loki crushed his lips to hers.

"What the…"

Her body went completely rigid, taken off guard.

Out on the front lawn, Balder had caught the movement from the corner of his eye. He turned his head to find Loki kissing Yui, coupled with the feeling of horrid ice dropping into his gut. He didn't say anything. He just stared on with a look of abject defeat.

"Balder?" Hödr called, snapping Balder out of his reverie.

Her slowly turned back to his brother, "Sorry, brother. I didn't want to keep you so long."

Back on the porch, Loki broke away laughing, nearly doubling over, "I said I'd get my revenge. And you should see your face."

Sure enough, Yui's face was caught in an odd snarling expression of confusion, disbelief, and annoyance.

Loki had his arms stretched out at his sides, walking backwards into the dorm with a victory swagger, "Loki wins every time, foolish human."

Yui kept her lips shut tight finally rolling her eyes at the trickster god.

Hödr had taken the cat chariot back to his home and the other gods of the school were gathering themselves to head back to their respective dorms. Tomorrow classes started again and staying any longer could result in another Tsukito incident.

After the last guest left, Loki turned back to the now empty-looking dorm. It was a mess with things arranged awkwardly to suit their houseguests. He put his hands on his hips and sighed, bending down to pull a coffee table back to its original place. It was harder to move than it seemed.

Without even glancing back at Balder, he said, "Help me out with this."

Balder didn't respond. Loki turned to glance over his shoulder and said, "Are you missing a brain cell? Help me out."

Balder's face was stony, his mouth open, as if he were prepared to respond. His eyes, however, were glazed over. Balder spoke, his voice monotone, low and definitely not his usual voice, "Why do you lie?"

Loki immediately straightened, not at all liking the look Balder had in his cold eyes, "What are you talking about?"

"I asked if you loved Yui. You said 'no.' And yet I saw you kissing her on the balcony," as Balder moved towards his friend, his steps were slow and heavy, a heady dangerous weight in each step.

"That!? I didn't mean nothing by it!" Loki explained frantically. Balder was talking in rushed gasps, as if he labored to even form words, almost hard of breathing.

"I can't believe you. I can't-"

Loki knew what was about to happen, and immediately, with fear in his eyes he called in a long warning voice, "Thor!"

In an instant, Balder went completely silent, his hands shot forward and grabbed Loki's collar, lifting him up easily. Loki held onto Balder's strong arms for dear life and cried out, "Balder, get a hold of yourself!"

His cries unheard, Loki felt himself being thrown, crashing into the coffee table, knocking the wind out of his lungs. Loki never had time to react when Balder was on him, his dense weight giving Loki no room to wriggle out from underneath him.

Balder brought his fist back and gave Loki a harsh hook across the face. It was as painful as it sound as a sickening crunch filled the room. Another crunch and spatter, as Balder punched Loki again. Just as Loki was about to pass out from the pain, he felt himself being lifted by the neck, Balder's hands tightening around his throat. He was lifted off the ground, staring directly into Balder's cold eyes. They were no longer blue, but a fogged and glazed gold.

Loki gagged and coughed, unable to breathe as the hand around his neck grew tighter and tighter. He clawed at Balder's arm in futility, trying to at least get him to loosen his grip.

Thankfully, Thor came in at that point. It only took him a split second to take in the situation, before he raced over, taking a wooden chair with him and slammed it against Balder's head.

He didn't budge. Not even a bit as the wood from the chair splintered into pieces. Thor wasn't out to do the impossible and try to hurt Balder. He was the Mighty God of Thunder, protector of the weak, and it was his role that he sought live by, even if it meant distracting a deadly Balder.

Balder turned slowly, his hold on Loki loosening enough for the red-haired god to crumble to the ground, coughing and sputtering. It was then that Thor knew without a doubt he wasn't dealing with Balder anymore. At least not the one he knew. His soft, kind blue eyes were stone-set, a cloudy gold, as if they didn't actually see. He was silent, with no voice of his own. Balder's consciousness turned off completely. He was all machine now.

Thor prayed in his throat that there was still time to get Balder back, as he hadn't turned to his god mode completely. Thor rocked back on his feet and pounced. Balder made no sound as Thor attacked, wrapping his arms around his body and trying to bring him to the ground. It was harder than it seemed for Balder had a tremendous amount of dense strength and weight, as if the power of a hundred of the strongest and mightiest gods were crammed into his body.

Balder grabbed the arm that was around his neck and quite easily threw Thor into the far wall opposite him. He didn't let up as he dragged Thor by the throat into the middle of the room to finish him off, but Thor got a handle on his waist and lifted him with all his might and slammed Balder onto the floor.

If Thor looked back on this incident, it would've pained him. He didn't like having to stomp on his own half-sibling repeatedly, or kicking him in the ribs a few times, but that he did. All in an attempt to perhaps wake Balder from his destructive stupor.

Meanwhile, Loki had collected himself, face swollen and bloody. He glanced over to see Thor viciously stomping on Balder's body. Thor's temperament was also slowly going out of control with each brutal hit.

"Thor stop!" he yelled and the tall god halted, glancing over at his beaten friend, stopping his assault.

No sooner as he planted his kicking leg to the ground, when partial god-mode Balder sprang up, tackling Thor to the ground. The larger of the two gods grunted as he hit the floor, before it felt like his lungs plummeted to his gut, feeling momentarily weightless.

Loki whispered a slew of astonished curses as Balder lifted Thor's body up over his head and threw the God of Thunder across the room. Thor crashed into the wall, leaving cracks in the wood and plaster, and yet, Thor bounded right back to his feet.

"Oh it's on now," Thor growled through his teeth, letting his temper and fighting spirit take the best of him. He pulled off his sweatshirt, revealing his bare torso, and twirled his shirt over his head, like a helicopter, a few times before throwing it to the side. The god set himself in a mock wrestling stance.

For Loki, it reminded him of the times in Asgard where warriors would spontaneously brawl in the halls to flash their might. It could be dangerous, but all in good fun at watching a perfectly nice evening erupt into a frat house of roughhousing gods. Thor rarely participated, but every once in a while, at the God of War, Tyr's urging, he'd get that fighter's gleam in his eye and fling himself into the foray.

But this wasn't just some play fight or wrestling match. This was deadly. Thor could show his muscles all he wanted, but that would not intimidate this Balder.

Thor roared and went straight after Balder, trying to place a good elbow to the side of his head. He managed to pin Balder against the kitchen bar, but with a rush of raw unrestrained power, Thor was flung back by what seemed to be an invisible force field.

Again, Thor hopped right back up, growling in frustration as he charged again, but this time Balder caught him and sent Thor crashing over the bar and on the kitchenette side, dirty dishes and utensils crashing on top of him. This time, Thor lay unmoving.

Loki wasted no time and tried to tackle Balder. Not his brightest idea, seeing as he already saw Balder lift and throw big Thor with ease, but it was enough to stagger him. He held on for dear life, no matter how much Balder tried of pry him off, all the while trying to get his friend to calm down,

"Come on, Balder. No need to get upset," Loki whined, feeling like he just mounted a bucking bronco. "I mean what would Yui say if she saw all this!"

Balder had given up trying to pull or maneuver Loki off his body. Instead, he ran to the nearest wall, slamming his body against it, pining Loki between him and the wall.

SLAM! Balder rammed his body against the wall, Loki taking the brunt of the force, feeling the air leave his lungs. Still, Loki managed to hang on, not matter how many times Balder tried to crush him like this.

"Come on Balder, you've got to wake up!" Loki cried out.

"Loki," Thor, woozy with blood streaming from a gash in his forehead, managed to stand up from behind the bar, watching as Balder's attempts to crush his best friend became more frenzied. "Get out of there!"

SLAM! Cracks appeared in the plaster. CRASH! The back of Loki's head felt wet with blood. RAM! Oh he hoped that wasn't a rib he heard shatter.

Loki managed to tangle his thin dexterous fingers in Balder's hair, wrap his legs around Balder's midsection and laugh, "Come on Balder. Is that all you got? You ain't getting rid of me that easily."

He tried to make light of everything, but even Loki couldn't withhold a few cries of pain. "It'll be okay Balder-AH! Damn!—See? I'm on ya like a leech—GAH! Sweet Nine Mothers of Heimdall—Yeah! We'll always be with you, just wake up for me."

The violent thrashing against the wall subsided slowly. Balder's breathing returned to labored breaths, as all the savage strength ebbed away, until his body collapsed against the wall, slowly sliding down to the floor, taking Loki with him until Loki found himself on his back on the floor. Balder's head was on his chest, body completely limp, nearly lifeless.

As Balder lay still as stone, Loki lay there partially underneath him, desperately trying to catch his breath, fingers still tangled in his friend's hair. He lifted his head, to see Thor standing amongst the destruction of their living room, catching his breath too, his hands on his knees, his green head shaking in dismay.

Loki knew what that head shake meant, but he didn't have time to discuss it any further. He simply let his head fall back against the floor thinking to himself, "This is all going to really hurt in the morning."

*Yeah this is a quote from Star Wars. It seemed appropriate at the time.

A/N: Finally an update. I'd say we're beyond the half-way point and I do plan this to be a two-parter story. That's if I can get my act together and start updating more frequently. Anyway, you know the drill.