Notes: Bye, bye vacations.

He had decided. Since there was nothing that could be done with Jane except having a fantastic friendship, he should be going back home. He had had a long vacation from his responsibilities and sooner or later he would need to go back. So why had he stalled it for so long? Maybe in fear that Loki would decide to stay by Svadilfari's side, since the man was mortal, but he had put his own personal needs before his duty for too long, and as much as he would like to snatch Loki from the human's arms time was in his favour. It was a bittersweet feeling, knowing that he just needed to wait for the competition to disappear. It felt unfair and Thor hated it, as if he was the winner all along. Though... All that wouldn't matter if Loki never saw him as a possible partner, so he would need to break through his uncle's skull that he wasn't just his nephew but a very good partner: he could provide shelter, food and protection and... Loki too, he realized. In fact, it was possible that at the moment, Loki was more powerful than him.

Thor let a heavy sight out, slumping on the nearest chair. What to do? How to do it? During last night's feast he had noticed that from time to time Strange and Loki spoke in hushed tones with grave faces to switch into gleeful smirks and condescending smiles whenever they were interrupted. Could it be that Loki was already selecting his next lover? Dread squeezed his innards. He breathed deep once again.

If he was going to leave the human world, he should tell Jane first so he went to her room, but she wasn't there. He caught the attention of one servant and asked. She as at a study given to her by the prince. Following the instructions, and after getting lost twice, he finally reached his destination. He knocked on the half closed door.

"Come in!" came the reply.

"Hello, Jane. Are you busy?" he said as he entered and saw her sitting by the desk sorting through some papers. She looked up and smiled.

"No, don't worry. Take a seat, just give me a moment," she said, taking her pen and writing a few things in several documents.

"Are you sure you are not busy? I can come later or..."

"No, no. Really. Don't worry, Thor," she smiled at him, reassuringly. "It's just that you caught me with the reports," she laughed. "It seems that as long as post reaches where you are, work will follow," she sighed. "Okay. The rest can wait. Tell me," she said, straigthening her papers and putting the pen aside.

"Well... I have decided to go back to my... work," he said, wincing at the word. Really. He had been on vacation from his dutys for almost a year now. He hoped his people would forgive him. If he was to work towards being a good king the first thing he needed to know is being in said kingdom and do his duties as Crown Prince. And seeing how Jane was still working even while in vacation made him self-conscious. He truly was a brat.

"Oh! That's fantastic! Are you going to try and make that sword that was comissioned?" she asked, brightly. Thor looked at her, confused. Then he remembered. He had another work. He blushed, how could have he forgotten about that?

"No... I mean... My birthright work. I am going back to Asgard, my kingdom," he said, looking down, ashamed.

"Ah... Eh... Well... I think that's good," she sounded uncertain. "I suppose that's better than going back to being a blacksmith, right?"

"I've been putting my duties aside and... Well.. You haven't," he took a deep breath before speaking again. "Even Svadilfari is doing his work while we are here," he grumbled. That a fake prince was taking more seriously his job of regent hurt Thor's pride to no end. When he looked at her, Jane was grinning, knowingly.

"Oh... Jealous," she purred in a way must too close as Loki did while mocking or seducing. Thor's eyes widened fractionally. Loki's ways were truly rubbing off on Jane and that was disconcerting. She looked different, too. Her posture was straighter and her movements held more grace. Thor knew she had been attending swordmanship classes with Stark and that Loki was with her almost everytime he wasn't plastered to Svadilfari or doing mischief here and there, correcting her speech when she didn't speak correctly or her posture. Jane was being honed, to what purpose, Thor didn't know, but it suited her.

"No. Not jealous. Just... I think I am disappointed in myself. The lives of my people will rest on my shoulders one day. Maybe not next year, nor the next... But in a couple of centuries. I still have yet to learn how to read the currents as my father does. You see? If you can read the currents, you know when to expect the shoal to appear, you know what kind of storm is happening above water and prepare accordingly," he said and after that he started an excited explanation of several more things. Jane laughed here and there and asked pointed questions. Time for lunch came and they were surprised to have been caught up so much.

"Oh! But I know what you mean," she was saying as they entered the hall. "I mean, Loki knows all of that and he had been talking non-stop about this and that. He also likes to criticise whatever your father says. You know? He is basically bitching about how bad his little brother is at his job and how people should fire him and hire someone else. I once, jokingly, said that if he knew so much why didn't he become the king and he-"

"I said that I am a great advisor but as king I would be terribly unfair and would bring the kingdom to the ground, yes," Loki interrupted her, appearing right beind them, making them jump. He grinned. "How adorable, you two." He patted both of them on the head and walked past them to sit on Svadilfari's chair. They sat on their own.

Svadilfari entered a second later, reading a report and went straight to his chair sitting on top of Loki who instantly circled his waist with his hands. Svadilfari jumped and looked at his uncle, surprised.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, nothing. It's always me the one on top, sometimes I enjoy being the bottom," Loki said winking.

Thor tried very, very hard not to imagine his uncle at the bottom... Not now when he had enough memories of him on the floor, panting from exertion and damp. Nop! He was not going to think about that.

"So, Jane! Where are you going after this?" he asked, turning towards Jane, the pitch alightly higher than normal. Jane stiffled a laughter before answering.

"I am going to the capital with prince Sigurd," she said, taking a bite of her meal. At Thor's confused look, she continued. "Well, he promissed me at least one ship and the best shipyard in the kingdom is at the capital. There are, also, several matters I need to sort personally. It seems people are starting to think that I disappeared and some of my associates think they can take the reins. I'd rather die, to be honest. As long as I am alive, it's all mine to work with and I am not letting them getting their dirty paws on what my father built with so much effort."

Thor nodded. Now, with something to focus on, he all but forgets about his uncle. He wasn't sure if he would like to see in detail the pirate sitting sideways on Loki's lap. Nor imagine himself sitting on his uncle's lap. When the end of the meal approached, Thor cleared his throat.

"I have decided to go back to Asgard. In two days time," he said, not quite looking at the rest. He heard a squeal and fowned. Loki looked ecstatic, his smile was open wide, teeth and all and his eyes shone full of happiness. He then jumped on Svadilfari who almost fell down before gripping the back of a chair to steady himself.

"Oh, yes!" Loki exclaimed then climbed down and went to Thor to grab his hands. "We don't need to wait two days, idiot! We can go tomorrow. No! We can leave right now!" he said extremely fast. Thor was utterly confused.

"We?"

00000

Loki wasn't just happy. He was the happiest! He had feared he would need to stay for at least ten years in the human world and had done his peace with it but to hear that Thor wanted to go back now? Oh! He couldn't wait to shed the stupid legs and feel the cold water on his skin. He would miss Svad, that was true, but damn! He could always come back later to meet with him

Taking a last look around the room to see if he could take any bauble with him for further enchantments he surmissed that he had everything he needed which was: himself and the clothes he was currently wearing. He could always get more later on if he came back.

Spring on his step, he walked towards the stables. Thor was already there, petting one of the horses. The pup seemed so engrossed touching the muzzle of the animal and being afectionate to it that he didn't notice Loki. Well, not that he ever noticed Loki, right? He could sneak upon his nephew whenever he wanted. And so he approached silently and was about to tap him on the shoulder but he stopped. That he knew, this was the first time he had seen his nephew this close without being noticed and it wasn't as if he spent time looking at him so he took his time. He did have hair like Frigga, though Thor's was more golden like than hers. His nose looked slightly like Odin's and the chin may remind him of his uncle Gunnar.

Loki took a step closer and inhaled deeping: he also smelt familiar. It was reassuring that Thor was foreing and familiar at the same time. It made it easier for Loki to think of him as family as well as to trust him, while being able to tease him and think of him as his own person. Luckily for Thor, he had demonstrated time and again that he wasn't like his father –not even like Odin when he had been a pup– which helped Loki to like him better. He must have made a sound because Thor suddenly moved, turning towards him. They were too close and Loki lost his balance while trying to take a step back but instead of falling a strong hand gripped is arm and he found himself plastered to his nephew's chest.

To say that he was surprised was an understatement. And thought it was hard to admit, he hated that he kept acting so clumsy around his nephew. Thor must think him incapable of living and surviving on his own. How outrageous! His own internal lashing against himself was cut short when he felt Thor's lips on the side of his neck. What? A shiver ran down through his spine. Huh?

"I'm sorry! You startled me," Thor said, pushing him away, hands gripping both his shoulders, but not letting go of him. The pup was flustered, his hands were trembling slightly and he was looking everywhere save to Loki's face. Well, wasn't this strange? And awkward. What was going on?

"Yes. Well, in that case I should be the one apologizing. I wanted to see how long would it take you to notice me," he said, laughing nervously. He could feel the warmth of his nephew's breath on his skin still. "Well, nephew dearest, do you have everything? We will be taking a short trip to the nearest river and from there we will follow the current to the ocean. One of Svad's friends will acompany us to take the horses back when we don't need them anymore." He waited for his nephew to release him, but Thor only nodded, still not looking at him and still gripping him at arm distance: not wanting him closer yet not wanting him farther. Interesting. If it wasn't so unsetting. "You can let go, I won't fall," he tried with a crocked smile and a wink. Thor blushed so ferociously that even Loki felt embarrassed.

But, that also had the effect of Thor taking his hands away from his shoulders. Loki felt cold where they had been mere seconds ago.

"Sorry," Thor muttered. Loki nodded.

"Shall we?"

00000

The trip had been so boring. Three hours later they were saying good bye to Svad's friend number forty eight... Or maybe forty seven, he didn't really care. The thing was that Thor had been so quiet during the whole trip. Even though Loki had tried to engage him into a conversation several times, Thor had only responded with monosyllabes, nods and the occasional look.

He wondered what was wrong. Maybe his nephew didn't like him as much as he showed before? Maybe now that he was going back home he would become distant? Oh! He knew what was going on, then. Thor was just too far above Loki, now. He was the Crown Prince while loki was just the Sea Witch, with no name to his person nor power except that of his own creation. The realization was bittersweet. Well, it shouldn't hurt that much though, he was used to being betrayed, after all. What was another family member backstabbing him? Just add him to the list of people you won't be inviting to important ceremonies and be done with it, he thought, bitterly.

They walked until they were by the river bank and Loki started taking off his clothes. He heard Thor inhale sharply. What now?

"U-uncle?" he heard him ask, uncertainly.

"What?" he snapped back, without turning around as he took off his boots and started to unlace his breeches.

"Um... What... What are you doing?"

Loki stopped and counted to ten.

"Do you plan on using your tail while being restricted by human clothes?" he asked, still not turning around. Why was he so angry? Ah, yes. Betrayal. Though he didn't have all the facts yet. Loki knew he had jumped to the conclusion, but he prefered to think the worst first and then go up from there. Safer that way, less nasty surprises, really.

"Em, no. I was just surprised that... I mean, it's nothing weird or anything but it is a bit..."

At this, Loki turned around, fully naked now and quite annoyed. The retort died on his tongue when he looked at his nephew. He was red trom the root of his hair to well below his shirt and he was fidgeting, not looking at him at all. Huh? He walked and stood in front of him, Thor was uncomfortable. Lifting a hand he made Thor look him into his face.

"What is going on?" he asked. Thor opened his mouth to say something but then his eyes dropped down for a second before darting upwards, panicked and he shut it up. Something is going on and Loki didn't want to think about it now. He wanted his tail back and to be away for a while and to stop thinking that it hurts that Thor didn't want him as family anymore now that he is going back home. "I don't know what's going on, but you better start getting naked because I want to take this off!" he said, shoving Thor by the face and rising his other arm to show the bracelet.

"Oh... Yes... Sorry... How?"

"Get naked!" he snapped again and Thor got into motion. Huffing Loki went back to his discarded clothes and took a leather strap then proceeded to braid his hair into a tight plait that would keep his hair in check. Most mer wore their hairs like that under the water but Loki had always liked to wear it free. It was inconvenient for hunting or fighting, though, so he only did it when he was sure he wouldn't run into a problem. Here, though, he didn't know what could happen.

Loki remembered this river. It had been so shallow in the past, but now it was deep and dark enough for them to swim to the ocean. It would be faster this way than riding there or going by foot. And yes, if Loki prepared a spell they could be transported to the ocean in mere minutes, an hour at most, but he wanted his tail back now.

When he was done he turned around and saw that Thor was already naked and walking towards him, not looking at him at all. Okay, fine!

"Now what?" Thor asked.

"Now we have to perform a little ritual. It's just saying some words."

He directed Thor on how to answer his ritualistic questions and when they were done the bracelet fell off his arm on its own. Then, Loki took the ring off of Thor's hand –he still didn't know why his nephew hadn't done it himself– and they head to the water. Loki couldn't help the loud moan of satisfaction when the water lapped at his feet, making them grow some scales. Without waiting another second he jumped into the water and let himself sink. The reversing of the human form was uncomfortable and he hated the feeling of his bones and internal organs movement but it was just a relief to be able to be himself again.

Through the transformation he kept his eyes closed and let the underwater currents caress his skin.

When he opened his eyes, though, he found that Thor was looking at him from a distance, red and gold tail completely done. Loki frowned. How long had he been staring?

"Uncle," Thor started.

"No. We have a long way to go. We will stop at my cave first and then go to Asgard. I want to meassure the number done to your core and seidr, lest you call something on to the kingdom. Remember that you are still unstable." Thor nodded and swam at his side, still not saying a word. When they reached the ocean, several hours later, Loki was fed up. "Speak up, pup! I know you don't want to be near me anymore, but if you are going to be like this I'd rather know in advance," he snapped. Thor grabbed him by the wrist and looked at him in the eye.

"Who said I don't want to have anything to do with you?" he exclaimed.

"You did! With your distant form and giving the cold shoulder. Look, I know that I am not the best company but if you were going to toss me aside anyways it would have been kinder to-"

Loki was cut off by Thor's mouth. Not by his words, sailing away from his mouth, but his mouth. His pup nephew was kissing him.

More Notes: :D