It was only a complaint filled week until Thor and Fandral were finally released. It would have been sooner, Frigga had scolded them, had they not insisted on trying to get up and about before they'd healed and re-broken a few things in the process. Sif and Volstagg had, as requested, been told and were there to meet the two, although they had spent most of the past few days in there visiting as it was.

There was still tension between Thor and Fandral, but they were much more back to their old selves. If nothing else, they had re-bonded over lamenting on the tortures of being stuck in bed to heal when they could be going off on any number of increasingly more outlandish adventures. Sif and Volstagg, when there, had joined in eagerly in the planning of these exploits, and the four would occasionally stop and wonder about how long it would be until they could properly go out on adventures to the other worlds, fighting frost giants and astounding mortals and winning wars like the heroes they'd learned so much about.

"What adventures do you want to try first, then?" Volstagg asked with a smirk as they made their way to the door.

"None- you know perfectly well that you two need to be careful for the next week at minimum," Frigga called sternly from where she was talking with Eir, causing Volstagg to shrink into himself slightly. They made their way out with much promising to be careful, which the Queen of Asgard rolled her eyes at with a soft smile. As if she didn't know her own son better than that.

"Do either of you know where my brother is?" Thor asked uncertainly after they had left the healing room.

"No- why would we?" Sif asked with a snort, "He won't have anything to do with us outside of class."

"He has been to class, then?"

"Of course- why wouldn't he?" she asked, confused. Fandral and Thor both glanced away uncomfortably and Sif raised an eyebrow, "He hasn't been to visit you?"

"Not for some time, no," Thor muttered, "Mother said something about him being barred from visiting me, but wouldn't say why. I thought he'd gotten into trouble."

"If we'd heard anything, you'd be the first to know," Volstagg said, shaking his head.

Sif rolled her eyes, "He hates that place- she's probably just saying that instead of admitting Loki doesn't want to visit his own brother when he's hurt."

"I doubt that's the case," Fandral said quietly, not meeting the questioning glance of either of his two friends.

"It isn't- my mother would have told me if it were," Thor said harshly, causing Sif to shrink back slightly.

"Of course, my apologies," she said quietly.

Thor smiled broadly at her before glancing at the hallway they were coming up on. He turned to his friends with a more serious look on his face, "I shall have to find out myself. I'm afraid that means I'll leave you here- but we shall have to make plans to go on that adventure very soon." He grins at them with that last bit, earning appreciative chuckles.

Fandral shifted nervously as Thor left, wanting to go with him but not yet ready to tell his friends why, but grinned broadly at them when they turned to him.

"What about it, then? Shall we go on those adventures without him?" Volstagg asked with a chuckle, "Three warriors are more than enough- we can manage without Thor for a day!"

"I would, friend!" Fandral replied with a genuine laugh before sighing wistfully, "Alas, I have not recovered my strength quite as much as Thor. Our plans indeed must wait for another day."

"No matter, we'll find other ways to amuse ourselves," Volstagg replied with a nod.

"Certainly, what sort of things have you wanted to do while cooped up in there?" Sif asked with a smile, gently nudging Fandral to lead the way.

Thor did not bother knocking when he reached his brother's chambers, he very rarely did. Loki barely bothered glancing up from the book he was reading at first, although his head jolted up as he realized who had entered his room.

"Brother!" He said, somewhat shocked to see him, he smirked slightly, "I do hope you were allowed to leave and haven't just given Eir the slip."

"I tried," he said solemnly, "But she was simply too fast for me." He bit his lip for a moment, "Mother told me that you were banned from seeing us- what happened?"

Loki turned back to his book, eyes not focusing on the page in front of him. Without looking up he said gently, "I attempted some magic that one is not supposed to use, trying to help Fandral to heal. It took several days to recover and they forbade me from seeing either of you in case I tried again."

Thor's eyes darkened for a moment but he managed a slight chuckle, "Trying to heal Fandral but not your own brother? I'm hurt."

Loki sniffed haughtily, "Well if I wasn't certain it was your fault perhaps I would have." Thor stared at him for a moment before he laughed softly, "I had planned to heal you as well, before I passed out."

Thor nodded, smiling slightly, "I'm glad that you're okay, you shouldn't have done what you did."

"If you could, you would have done the same."

The two sat in a comfortable silence for a moment. Eventually Loki again looked at his book, biting his lip uncertainly before asking, "Is Fandral well enough to leave the healing room as well?"

"Yes," Thor said with a nod. Loki's shoulders fell slightly at this. "He would have come with me, but our friends had come to see us out."

"I understand," Loki said quietly before shaking his head and glancing up at his brother, smiling gently. "Thank you for coming to see if I was alright- I know you would have preferred to stay with them."

Thor chuckled slightly and sat down next to his brother. "Ah, I have seen my friends a great deal while there- it's my brother who I wish to catch up with now." He gestured to the book that Loki was so eager to hide behind, "Come- tell me what this is about."

Loki rolled his eyes with a smile, "I can guarantee that this is nothing you have any interest in, Thor."

"Try me anyways," he replied with a gentle smile, peering over his brother's shoulder.

It took several hours for Fandral to tear himself away from his friends. This was mostly because, they were right, there were a number of things that he'd deeply missed out on being able to do while stuck in the healing room and was all too eager to go out and get into the harmless bits of trouble that they tended to fall into together. Eventually his wounds made it known that he was not quite as healed as he'd liked and he had to stop, and the three parted ways. At which point, Fandral started on the way to see Loki rather than to his own room.

As luck would have it, he reached the corridor at about the same time that Thor was leaving. The two noticed each other gladly, although Fandral had tensed up slightly. He had no interest in ending up in the healing room again, and only just realized that that might be what happened. Thor, noticing this, simply laughed.

"I won't begrudge you seeing him," he said with a knowing glance that made Fandral's face heat up slightly, although he smirked back. Thor glanced at the door he'd just exited and a more serious look took its place, "My brother may not be happy with me for saying this, but I would like to tell you why Loki was banned from seeing us before you go in."

Fandral raised an eyebrow at that but nodded. He listened to the explanation and ran a hand through his hair when it was done, "I can't believe he would do something so reckless."

"Can't you?" Thor asked with a chuckle, "Wouldn't you do something just as much so were you in his place?"

Fandral's face went stony for a moment but eventually he sighed and nodded, "Yes- but I wish he hadn't endangered himself. I would have preferred to see him..."

Thor sighed slightly, "Yes, as would I." He smiled gently, "You can now, though."

Fandral smiled, glad to more or less have his friend's blessing on this. He paused for a moment, "Why did you want to tell me first?"

Thor glanced away slightly, "Because you are one for dramatics and thought that if you were prone to them now, I would prefer you get them out of the way with me than risk hurting him."

"I don't think he's as fragile as you act," Fandral said gently, trying to sound comforting rather than cruel.

Thor smiled, "Perhaps, but still he is my little brother and I'll always want to protect him if I can."

"I understand," Fandral replied before knocking on the door.

Loki jumped slightly at the knock on the door. The number of people who knocked that he actually wanted to see was very, very small. In fact, it was just one person. With that thought he rushed to the door before timidly opening it.

"I'm glad to see you're well," Loki said gently, smiling nervously as he moved aside to let Fandral in.

Fandral smiled back, "And you." He rubbed his neck slightly, "I just saw Thor and he told me what you did, why you couldn't come to see us."

"Oh," Loki said gently before glancing away, "I apologize, I didn't expect them to ban me completely." He glanced back at Fandral uncertainly, "I did want to see you."

"I thought you might," Fandral said with a soft laugh, placing a hand on Loki's cheek, "I understand why you did it- but please never put yourself in danger for me again."

Loki laughed at that, leaning into the touch and smirking slightly, "Do you really expect me to keep that promise?"

"No," Fandral chuckled, "No more than I could." He pulled his hand away gently, a pang of guilt hitting him, "I should have come to see you sooner."

"You wanted to spend time with your friends, I understand that," Loki said softly, mostly meaning it. He smiled at Fandral, "I was glad to have some time with my brother alone, I feel like we haven't been able to do that very often."

"I did want to see them, but I wanted to see you more," Fandral said with a sigh, "I'm just not ready to tell them." He glanced at Loki uncertainly, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Loki said with a gentle laugh, "We weren't even able to tell Thor- and he loves us both. I can't blame you for not wanting to tell them." His face darkened slightly, "I do not want to know Sif's response."

Fandral groaned and laughed at the same time, a hand to his forehead, "Neither do I! If it were only Volstagg I would have a much easier time, but I will get Hel from her."

The two smiled at each other for a long moment.

"Things are alright, then?" Fandral asked gently.

Loki quirked an eyebrow and smiled uncertainly, "That would seem to be the case. Where you expecting otherwise?"

Fandral shook his head, "No, and I'm glad to be correct."

A/N: Sorry for taking so ridiculously long to get this up. I couldn't work on it for awhile and when I could, I forgot where I was going with it and haven't been able to remember. If I ever do I'll make a sequel or another story, or I may find something better to do with it. Thank you to everyone who has read it and for all of the wonderful reviews.