Loki knew he was tired, because he was in one of those moods where he didn't actually care what people thought of him.

Or the fact that he had just made himself a nice new ice cave outside of New Asgard. He needed the cold to calm his body, to sooth him.

He made a bed for himself of soft snow inside of his dark cave, the darkness was so nice. Bright light would sting his eyes and make his head ache after the melt worse… Darkness like this, cold… Darn it felt so nice.

It was nice, people were there for him. Valkyrie, Tony… Frigga of course has been stroking his hair and asked if he was all right.

But right now Loki just wanted to be alone… He wanted to drift away and…

No barren moon… No stone would be un turned… There will be no escape.

Lokis eyes opened wide and he felt it… He remembered, the feeling of a hand around his throat. The knowledge that this was the end, there was no escape… No escape.

Loki squinted his eyes as he grabbed his head.

So you're my replacements… You look just like him. And you, you sound just like him.

Dammit dammit dammit! That isn't me! … But it was… It was me… It was me.


Loki didn't feel like he had been sleeping at all, but he had to, there was a presence standing above him. A presence that had to have entered while he slept, standing in the dark.

Loki breathed in the air and was offered the scent of metallic soil, rain in stormy weather and electricity… Thunder.. Thor.

Slowly Loki opened his eyes and rolled over to look up to see the god standing next to him, it was indeed Thor. Now wearing a heavy jacket to shield him from the cold. With each breath he took a cloud of mist escaped him.

One eye was bright blue as the sky, the other golden and mechanical, both looking at Loki.

"The eye is new." Loki commented.

Thor nodded. "It was a gift, from this space rabbit." he informed. "People said you weren't doing well. Are you Hale?" he asked.

Loki groaned. "Please say they didn't make a big deal out of it, I'm fine."

"They're worried." Thor informed then sat down on the ground next to Loki. "And so am I, the melt has been harder on some than others."

"Well you seem to be doing better." Loki sighed as he turned to his back and looked up at his snowy ceiling.

"Aye, thank you for handling things yesterday. I got it now." Thor assured.

"Well you should, you're king." Loki commented.

"Well… I only acted like a king in one time line. The one where you were there." Thor admitted. "In the original one… I was no king at all. Honestly. I really owe you… I hope you know that."

"Njah." Loki replied his eyes still on the ceiling. "If anyone owe anyone..." he sighed. "I remember now. I know of either outcome so I know… You saved me. And mostly from myself."

Thor was quiet as Loki laid on his back looking up.

"Loki..." Thor breathed then shook his head. "How about this then." he suggested. "No body owes anyone anything! We are brothers, so we help each other as it is needed regardless of things! It's just what we do! No reason needed. We're brothers, we want each other to do well, and that's that."

Loki smirked lightly though he didn't move.

"Loki listen." Thor tried. "I know… You've been through horrible things. Things I probably can't even imagine." he stated. "And you did things… Which are considered crimes. But as far as I am concerned, you more than proved yourself worthy. In either timeline. And I am just glad you're here!"

"Heh, I actually don't doubt that." Loki admitted, then he swallowed. And he couldn't help it, his eyes turning wet, and then he sniffed.

"Brother." Thor breathed.

"New York." Loki swallowed. "At the time, I didn't care. I only felt that rage… I hurt them. Even before that, I tried to kill you… And then I tried to kill you again. The dark elves, it was me. I pointed them in the right direction, I just wanted to hurt the people in the castle up above…. I took Odins place, fathers place. I had plans to banish you but this time with no chance of return. You just caught me by surprise returning so abruptly…"

Thor was quiet.

"I am two people..." Loki breathed. "One who went through it but put it all behind him… Another who has yet to even grasp any of it."

"It's okay." Thor assured. "You never made fun of me for my tears."

"That's not true Thor." Loki pointed out.

"Okay, you stopped making fun of it ones you realized how serious it was and that I wasn't an impostor." Thor sighed deeply. "Thanos… He did horrible things to you. Didn't he?"

Loki closed his eyes.

Thor took in a deep breath. "He send you to earth… And if you didn't succeed he would..."

"He promised me a fate worse than death." Loki admitted. "Guess I lucked out, he granted me a quick death after all."

Thor didn't look amused, he looked heart broken.

"You know Thor..." Loki then said. "I am really glad I could be granted a second chance like this. I wish to make up for the things I did. And I wish to become greater, become better. Not many are offered a chance like that, to rectify their own wrongs. I shan't complain. Instead I will merely say this. Thank you."

Thor smirked lightly. "We went over this, neither of us owes the other a thing." he stated.

"Or rather we owe each other everything." Loki pondered. "Which does put us as equals still, so that's good."

Amused Thor shook his head. "You do have a way to find the right description." he admitted. Then he reached out a hand, offering it to Loki.

And Loki reached back and took it making Thor smile.

"I really do love the new Loki of the new timeline." Thor informed. "But I also really missed the old one. I do cherish having you with me ones more."

"Missing the guy who tried to kill you in your moments of weakness?" Loki asked. "Then tried to take over Midgard in seeming act of spite? And was only to happy to leave you in a lurch at the battle against the dark elves. My Thor, you truly are a foolish man still."

"Can't deny that." Thor smirked.

"Well, some things never change I suppose." Loki sighed deeply. "No matter what time line you are in."

"Afraid so." Thor said amused and Loki shook his head though neither had let go of the others hand yet.

Ones again, they were just drawing comfort from the fact that they were there and they were together as brothers.