We arrive at the ice cream shop at the perfect time: only a few people are in line. I order my usual: mint chocolate chip, and my brother orders his: strawberry. This particular ice cream shop is our favorite because it is one of the few that offers an ice cream cone in an extra extra large size. It's a bit hard to balance, but when you've been getting it for as long as we have, you become an expert. The people who work at the ice cream shop are also really good at their jobs; it only takes a few minutes for them to whip up our ice cream. They even have a special window that's taller than the others so they can hand it out safely!

After collecting our ice cream we head to our usual spot: the park bench underneath the giant Oak tree. We used to joke it was the only Oak tree in the city before we realized there were like 20 of them in the park. It's still our Oak tree though, no matter how many others there are. This is where we have our deep talks.

I quickly lick the drops of ice cream running down my cone. I have always eaten ice cream slow, and the large size of the ice cream doesn't help. It's hard to talk while eating ice cream, but Thomas and I have a system. We eat our ice cream in silence until we both have just one scoop left on our cones. Now the talking begins.

I lean back on the bench, still surveying my ice cream for any drips. "So... what's going on?"

Thomas glances at me, but he focuses back on his ice cream as well. "There's nothing going on, why would you think that?"

I smile. "You're right; I shouldn't be asking what is going on, I should be asking who." I steal a glance away from my ice cream, trying to catch my brother's eye.

"Shut up." He pushes me slightly, but his smile gives it all away.

"It is a girl!" I grin and turn towards him, tucking my feet under me as I do so. "So.. what's her name?" I lean forward, my ice cream temporarily forgotten.

"Whoah there, sis." He points at my ice cream, which I have now positioned dangerously close to his nice shirt. "Better back up there before you ruin something important."

I roll my eyes. He probably has a dozen of these shirts. This one isn't any more important than the rest of them. I lean back, casually taking a big lick of my ice cream. Fine then, if he doesn't want to tell me anything, then I won't either. There's nothing really I wanted to tell him anyways... I'm not really sure how I could explain Loki to him. I know I could make up some sort of story, but I don't want to lie. Not to him. He'd see through me in a second anyways, just like how I can do with him.

We finish our ice cream in silence, my brother still not speaking to me about this new person in his life. I sigh. Maybe I should tell him a bit about Loki. Enough that it's still the truth, but vague enough to not give everything away. That's not lying, right? I grin slightly. Loki really is rubbing off on me.

"So..." I start, just as Thomas says the exact same thing. We make eye contact and immediately burst out laughing.

Once our laughter dies down, Thomas turns to me, our knees touching. "So you have something to tell me now, is that it?" He asks, still grinning. "Don't tell me it's a guy."

I blush and turn away from him so that our knees no longer touch. "What are you talking about? There's nothing going on." I wince internally at the so obvious lie.

He catches it. "Aha now Cameron, you know better than that." He mock scolds me. He brings his legs down and scootches closer to me so that I'm trapped between him and the side of the bench. I try to push him away, but he doesn't budge. Why does he have to be so fit!?

I scowl at him. "Alright maybe..." My scowl turns into a smirk as a new idea pops into my head. "But you have to tell me about your girl first."

He sighs dramatically. "Look at my little sister, growing up so fast already. It feels like only yesterday you were exclaiming all guys have cooties and vowing to never touch them."

I lean over, lying my head on his shoulder. "All guys still do have cooties. Some are just more manageable than others."

He chuckles. "Like me?"

I smile. "You're my brother, it's different. I have to love you."

"Yeah and you know you do." Thomas suddenly grabs my head, giving me a noogie. I squeal and jerk free, jumping from the bench.

I glare at him. "You jerk! You're just trying to distract me!" I run my fingers through my hair, trying to calm it down.

He's grinning, but then he sighs, clasping his hands together. "Fine, you caught me." He moves back to his original position on the bench, patting next to him. "I'll tell you about her."

My eyes light up triumphantly, but I eye the seat warily. Is he going to noogie me again?

He must see my expression, because he laughs slightly. "I won't noogie you anymore." He raises his hands in surrender. "I promise."

I relax and nod. I move back to my original spot, criss-crossing my legs under me. I lean forward again, now no longer restricted by an ice cream cone. "So.. what's her name?"

He smiles slightly. "Jackson."

"Jackson?" I lean back, eyeing my brother incredulously. "That's not a girl's name." Is it possible... that my brother is interested in a guy? I decide to wait before I continue that thinking process.

He shakes his head. "Usually that's true yes, but not in this case." His eyes shine when he meets my gaze. "It just fits her."

In that moment, it hits me just how much he likes this girl. I can see it in the way he talks about her, and the look in his eyes. It makes me briefly wonder... would I look that way if I talked about Loki? I smile softly, brushing away my thoughts. I need to focus on my brother right now. "What's she like?"

He scoots closer to me so that our shoulders are touching. He looks up, pointing up at the stars that are now starting to shine through the tree branches. I look up as well, feeling myself relax just looking at them. This is what we do, my brother and I. We look up at the stars and we talk, reveling in the beauty of it all.

"See that star over there?" He points directly at one star.

My gaze travels to it, noting the constellations on the way. "I see it." It's one of the brighter stars in the sky, slightly blue tinted.

"See how bright it is, but it flickers? Like it's still so beautiful when it's dimmer, but even then it's still very bright?"

I rest my head on his shoulder again, still staring up at the stars. "Mmmhmm"

He sighs, one of quiet happiness. "That's Jackson. She's just so amazing and beautiful."

I can feel myself starting to get drowsy, my mind fogging up. "That's great, bro."

He reaches over and tousles my hair slightly. "Thanks Cam." We stare up at the stars for a few more minutes before he speaks again. "I can't wait for you to meet her."

"I get to?" I manage to dredge up in my drowsy state. I'm just really tired. It's like all the contents of the day to make me tired have dumped on me at once.

He chuckles, and I can feel it through his shoulder. "Of course."

"Does she like cats?" I close my eyes, taking a very long blink.

I can't see him, but I know he's smiling. "She loves cats, Cameron. She has two."

I like this girl even more now. Cats are the best. I nod, yawning sleepily.

"Does your guy like cats?"

I look back up at the stars, racking my brain. Does Loki like cats? I honestly don't know. I feel like he would, but he might also be really annoyed by them. They are pretty annoying creatures.

You are correct in your second assumption. A voice in my head says suddenly. It's Loki. I gasp and sit up, looking around in the darkness. Was he here?

Thomas looks at me in confusion. "What's going on?"

I shake my head. Loki's not here. He's just in my head. "I'm good. I just thought I heard something." I settle back next to my brother, leaning on him again. Mentally, I try to glare at Loki. I'm kind of busy right now.

Thomas wraps an arm around my shoulder. "You spook too easily."

"Haven't I always?" I murmur, my heartbeat relaxing again.

He chuckles. "Good point. So, what's the verdict on the guy and cats?"

I smile. "They would annoy him too much."

He gasps in disbelief. "And you still like him?!"

I chuckle. "Of course." My eyelids are growing heavy again. "There's more to him than whether or not he likes cats or not."

"Like...?"

"He's really mischievous, but super sweet." I start. "He can be dark and mysterious but then he'll get a twinkle in his eye and the whole day will suddenly become much more fun." I smile. "He's actually really cute when he's upset, even if he's a little scary too."

"Cute and scary, huh." My brother intones. "He sounds like quite the charmer."

I turn and punch him slightly. "Shut up! I'm trying to talk here."

"What, you can't do a cool analogy about a star like me?" He sounds smug.

I punch him again. "I'm not a hopeless romantic like you!"

He grabs my hand, causing me to meet his gaze. "If he's scary, that might not be the best thing." He says seriously.

I roll my eyes. "You don't know him like I do. He just is very protective, that's all."

Thomas relaxes. "Okay." He squeezes my hand once, then lets it go. "If he does anything too scary though, you let me know, okay? Then he and I can have a little chat." He smiles grimly. I sigh internally. He's going all "protective older brother" on me.

I resist the urge to roll my eyes, and instead yawn. "Okay Tommy, whatever you say." I don't know how he and Loki could have a chat since Loki is in Asgard, but whatever makes him happy.

My brother smiles and then quickly gets up, scooping me up in his arms as he does so. I want to protest, but I just decide to accept it, snuggling closer to his chest. This is another thing that happens when we get together.

"Time to go to bed, Cam. You've been half asleep for the past half-hour." He starts walking towards where we parked the truck.

"I'm not tired...!" I weakly protest, though my eyelids are getting heavier by the second. I yawn again.

"Yeah and that yawn says otherwise." He chuckles again, and I can feel it through his chest. He lowers his head down so he's whispering in my ear. "Go ahead and sleep Cameron, I've got you."

His words have an immediate calming effect on me, and I almost fall asleep right there. This always happens too, and I fight against it every time. Because as soon as I fall asleep, I know it'll be the last I see of my brother for that trip. He always escapes as soon as I'm safely tucked in bed.

"You need to tell me more about Jackson." My words are slurring, heavy with sleep.

"No I don't. Next time I come, I'll bring her so you can meet her, okay?" We've reached the truck. He sets me down on my feet, gripping my shoulders with one arm so he can open the passenger door. Once the door's open, he picks me up again and places me in, buckling me in.

I bat at his hands. "Please Thomas, I don't want to go to bed." My tired gaze meets his.

He smiles sadly, shaking his head. "It's time Cameron, I need to go."

"When will I see you again?" I reach a hand to him, grabbing his arm so he can't close the door. I can feel the impending darkness of sleep pulling me in. As soon as that door shuts, I know I'll be out.

He sighs. "Sometime, Cameron. The answer is still the same." He gently takes my hand and moves it into my lap. His gaze meets mine for a last time. "Goodnight, sis."

"Goodnight, bro." I whisper.

He shuts the door, and the tendrils of sleep swarm my head, engulfing me in sweet darkness. I'm asleep.