ALL GOOD THINGS

"Sigyn awake?" Thor speaks into his stein of ale.

He needn't even turn around to sense his brother approaching. Loki has the same feel of a tornado just around the bend. That ungodly calm before all Hel breaks loose. A threat too ominous to ignore. And yet the God of Storms feels not at all threatened. Not this day. Not ever.

"Aye." Loki pulls out a barstool beside Thor and orders himself a drink. "She'll join us shortly. Just enjoying the luxuries of a hot bath and the like to their utmost and fullest."

The innkeeper-slash-bartender, an unusually rugged and broad-shouldered Elven fellow, serves up Loki's order, though the Prince of Lies seems less than pleased, eying the dirty goblet with that of disdain.

"If you can call what they offer here a luxury..." He grimaces, using his thumb to rub the tarnish clean.

Thor grins at him whilst taking another swig.

"What? Are these amenities not befitting of the King of Asgard?" He jests.

"This barn is hardly befitting cattle." His brother groans. "But it beats sleeping on the ground, sooo..."

"See? What did I tell you?" The Odinson raises his stein slightly, a toast to good health. "You're moving up in the world!"

"Always a bright side with you, isn't there?"

"Aye. And speaking of looking on the bright side... I see you and Sigyn are getting on nicely." Thor returns his stein to his lips. "I take it she hasn't killed you for removing her from the line of battle?"

The last they had shared a brotherly heart to heart, Loki was down in the dumps, stuck in the dog house, so to speak. He'd only ever seen his brother so low after the death of their mother. But now? Though he tries to hide it behind a mask of jaded indifference, Thor can see quite clear, Loki's positively beaming.

"I would have said 'for rescuing her', but tom-AY-to, tom-AH-to." Loki shrugs, taking a sip of his rich, Elven wine. "And nay, we've come to a... mutual agreement. I think she was more than pleased with the outcome."

And by mutual agreement, the Mischief God means to say they'd screwed so hard, one of the bedposts snapped in half. Something of which both he and Sigyn laughed about after for a good hour or so.

"Oh, I'm sure she was verily pleased."

Thor smirks at Loki knowingly, which totally weirds his brother out to be looked at in such a way.

"Why are you doing that?" Loki asks, a trifle repulsed.

"Doing what?" Thor grins wider.

"You've got this... odd look on your face. Are you unwell?"

"Oh, I've never been better." Thor beams. "And neither have you, by the look of things."

Loki begins to shrink back in his seat for fear the oversized oaf may very well lean over and hug him for some godsforsaken reason.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means love suits you."

Love suits you...

The God of Mischief cringes at his brother's sentiment. Tis the same words that she-witch Amora had spoken.

As hard as he tries, Loki just can't strike the image of her sister, Lorelei, from out of his mind. That self-righteously smug look of victory as he and Sigyn stole away through the portal. Like he's merely a mouse in her treacherous maze and the only reason he'd escaped with their lives is because she'd allowed it.

What is their game, anyway? They've taken control of Asgard, so why go through all the trouble in tracking them down from one realm to the next? Thor and his crew pose no true threat. Even if they do restore Odin to full power, they've still got a snowballs chance in Hell of winning. So why even bother? Unless it was personal.

But Loki and Lorelei were hardly an item. Sure they'd dabbled in all sorts of unseemly business, but she in no way held a torch for him. Not even a candle. And even if she had, then why would Amora get herself involved? The Enchantress had made it awful clear that she cares not for what her sister does. Or who. So what the Hel are those two playing at?

"That's it..." Thor slams down his empty stein, calling the barkeep's attention. "I'm buying you a drink!"

Loki groans and rolls his eyes.

"I already have a drink." He sighs, motioning to his barely touched wine. "Besides, I'm not sixteen anymore. I don't need you to procure alcoholic beverages for me. I'm quite alright on my own, thank you."

Not that Thor ever ordered anything for him that he remotely even liked, anyway. Always with the terribly bitter ales or spirits so strong, one would mistake them for starship fuel. Or mayhap it verily was. As a lad, it certainly burned well enough going down. And coming back up. Which Thor would always find quite entertaining.

"Ach... None of that girly wine." Thor balks at Loki's choice of beverage.

Tis little wonder they're not at all related. Loki's love of the grape almost rivals that of Thor's thirst for barley and hops. They couldn't be any more different if they tried. Not even of the same species. Both figuratively and literally, of course.

"A man's drink!" The Odinson bellows, puffing out his ample pectoral muscles. "Something to put hair on your chest!"

"I believe my chest is fine the way it is." The Laufeyson declines.

Which causes Thor's mighty chest to deflate in defeat.

"Come on, Loki." He implores, his voice touched with sadness. "My brother became a married man and I didn't even know it! I never got the chance to take you out for one final hurrah."

"Which is probably for the best considering the last hurrah you'd coerced me to endure, I was blackout drunk for near three days."

"And you loved every minute of it!"

"I truly don't remember." Loki groans, rubbing at his temple as if recalling the throbbing pain of the hangover which followed. "What I do remember is that of the loo for the next three days more."

With tender eyes, Thor looks at his brother with a heart full of nostalgia. Even if the wiry runt of a Giant is being a bit of a grump at the moment. But really, when is he never?

"I've mourned you twice, now." Often loud and booming, the God of Storms settles into a calm rumble. "Let me celebrate your triumphant rebirth, brother. This happy new life in which you've forged. Let me celebrate this."

Thor motions with his hand between he and Loki.

"We're sitting at a tavern together." He points out the obvious, though the meaning is far greater. "Having a drink rather than at each other's throats."

Loki purses his thin lips, staring down into his drink. From out of the crimson elixir, his reflection stares back.

"You and I, we make a pretty great team, you know?" Thor continues to wear Loki down. "We're far greater fighting together than against each other."

Matching his brother, Thor turns his gaze inward. Eyes set on the bottom of his empty stein.

"Let us celebrate before..."

An oaf he may be, but Thor is no fool. Loki knows exactly what his brother means. He just had no idea that Thor felt the same way.

This little excursion that they've found themselves on. This quest to restore Odin to the throne... Loki doesn't ever want it to end. And neither does his brother.

This trip down memory lane has been a joyous reprieve, but once it's all over...

All good things must come to an end.

Looking up from his cup, Loki meets his eyes with Thor and smiles. Not a grin or a smirk nor anything in between, but a real and true, genuine smile.

"So..." He gives in gently. "That drink, then."

"Aye!" Thor replies with great enthusiasm, smacking his hands excitedly against the bar.

Many a happy customer have come through these doors and sat at this bar, wooden and worn from the years of constant use and age. As is the land of Light Elves nothing if not happy and bright. To the east of Ljosalfgard, the capital city of this enchanted land, great candied forests grow natural and wild. Trees of sugar and gumdrops (no lie) sprout along spritely springs of bubbling champagne. Upon meadows of candy floss, children pick bouquets of lollipops (seriously) as they skip hand in hand. Tis a land of wonder and magic. Of whimsy and all things separate from their Dark Elven counterparts. Just like its people, Alfheim is a land of light. A paradise of happiness and pure indulgence.

In all its existence, never has this little Inn known a day's worth of worry or sorrow. So why start now?

Thor and Loki have much seriousness to discuss. Both of Odin and Asgard. The fate of their realm and of each other. When all of this is good and over, what will become of this fragile truce that they've created? What will become of Loki? Even Thor knows what happens to those who devise such treason against the crown. Forget being stripped of his powers and tossed unto Midgard. Loki will be lucky if Odin doesn't just throw him to the pits of Hel. And worse, what is to become of Sigyn? The bride of such a traitor would be bound to share in the same fate. She'll surely join him in his punishment. Valkyrie or not.

But none of that matters right now. Right now, Thor's right. They have very much to celebrate. Such as being alive, for starters. They'd escaped the wrath of a hoard of angry Trolls barely by the skin of their teeth. Not an accomplishment many can boast about.

They also have each other. This is the most Thor and Loki have spoken in years. Without trying to kill each other, at least. Sharing a pint and each other's company. Drinking away the burden of both the battle behind them and the one that lies yet ahead.

To this, they toast. Not as enemies or even allies, but as brothers. Thor and Loki hold their steins up high.

"To family." The Odinson salutes boldly. "May we always be more than our blood."

And the Laufeyson follows.

"To family." He agrees in a more subdued tone than that of his boisterous older brother. "Skål."

The two clink steins and throw their heads back, allowing the frothy amber brew to flow freely down the backs of their throats. For when one finds themselves in Alfheim, do as the Elves do. Drink and be merry! Within this beer hall, all are equal. There be no need for fighting here. Or competing.

Wellllll...

Both at war and at play, mayhap a little healthy competition is always in order when the boys of Asgard are in town.

Eyes to Valhalla, Thor chugs like he has never chugged before, finishing his stein in record time. As does Loki, determined not to be outdone.

In unison, the pair lay down their mugs and shout,

"ANOTHER!"


"I never stopped trying, I never stopped feeling like family is much more than blood"

A/N: So I've got the Slipknot song 'Til We Die stuck in my head. I think it's so perfect for our band of brothers right now. Give it a listen!