Hello ! This is my first stab at a fic in close to five years, so I'm probably a bit rusty, but here goes nothing! ﾠ This will probably be a fairly short fic, but I'm looking forward to writing more in the future.

If you have the time to drop a comment, I'd very much appreciate it!

This story will also be published under my wattpad account, EllieWilbury.

BACKGROUND:

This fic takes place after the events of Avengers: Endgame (and most likely will conform to what the movies did but miiiiight not). Loki was thought to be dead after Thanos killed him in Endgame, but— in his Loki way— has managed to survive.

Loki was unable to return to Earth for several years. When he did, he found Thor in bad shape; he had gained weight, grown his hair and beard out and neglected to care for them, and had begun spending all of his time closed in his house, drinking and playing video games.

Shaken and unable to face this new version of Thor, who was not like the older brother that Loki remembered, Loki left and ran into Dr. Stephen Strange. Strange, recognizing him as something of a kindred spirit, offered his home to the distressed Loki.

Over the next few months, Strange filled Loki in on what had happened during and after Endgame. Loki and Strange became friends during this time.

Strange plans to leave to visit another planet but before he departs, Thor asks to come along. Strange agrees.

Loki, bored without him, contacts Strange and asks to join him. Strange, fully aware that neither Thor nor Loki knows that their brother is with him, agrees. Since the size of the party has grown, Strange borrows a ship from his good friend Tony Stark.

Strange tells Thor to stay put and teleports to bring Loki there with them. However, mere moments after Loki joins the party, explosions start around them; Loki and Thor are shoved into the ship and Thor engages the hyperdrive. Strange, panicked, opens a portal and vanishes, leaving the brothers alone in the ship.

The ship comes out of hyperspace seven days from Earth. Loki tries to engage the hyperdrive again, but it has broken; Thor and Loki have no choice but to wait for seven days.

(if y'all can't tell, my only experience in space or spaceships was given to me by Star Wars)

Day One:

If there was one thing in the worlds that Loki hated more than being ignored, it was being surprised. He had always hated being unprepared for things— even surprise birthday parties had left him flexing his fingers, shoulders tense, a forced smile on his face.

This was far worse than any surprise birthday party.

Thor was sitting across from Loki, his hands on his knees, apparently in too much shock to speak. For his part, Loki was not as taken aback by his brother's appearance as he had been the first time that he had seen Thor after Thanos's catastrophe. Still, the image of Loki's brother— who had always been taller, stronger, more muscular, well-groomed and handsome— overweight and unkempt was a jarring one. Thor was wearing a grey hoodie and grey plaid pajama pants, and his hands were clenched into fists on his knees. His face was partially obscured by his bushy, uncut bread, which was wild and tangled and looked as though Thor hadn't bothered to look after it since he started growing it— which, Loki reflected, was probably true. His hair had grown long as well, spilling over his shoulders in a dark-blond mess of knots and tangles. What of his face Loki could see was weathered and his jaw was clenched. But what most struck Loki was his eyes. Thor's blue eyes, which had always been so full of rebellious joy, so filled with laughter and light, sparkling like a lake in the sunshine— were profoundly sad. Strange had explained to Loki at length what had happened to Thor, and cautioned him that his brother would probably never fully heal from his losses. It had not prepared Loki for the sheer depth of despair that he saw now; Thor had always been like fire, either alight with joy or rage, and Loki saw neither. Thor drew in a deep breath, and Loki felt a swelling of sorrow for his brother.

"Loki," Thor rumbled, in his powerful voice. "Brother."

Loki held out his hands, palm outward. "I'm here," he said, and his muscles were tense, waiting for Thor's response.

For his part, Thor was still taking stock of Loki. The fact that Loki had come back wasn't really the most surprising; it was still a shock, but Loki had died and come back before. What was surprising were the lines next to his eyes, the sharpness of his cheekbones— Loki looked as taut as a bowstring. Otherwise, Loki didn't look very different from the last time that Thor had seen him. He was tall and thin and wiry, with his long, black hair slicked back and smiling his sinister smile that somehow still managed to look sincere, and Thor was suddenly awash with memories of Loki when they were younger, and full of life, and full of love. Then, before Thor was quite aware of what he was doing, he had gotten to his feet and pulled Loki into an enormous bear hug, and the shock in his brother's brilliant green eyes nearly made him smile.

Loki couldn't remember the last time Thor had hugged him. For a moment he was too surprised to move; then he wrapped his arms around his older brother, though he couldn't quite reach, and he relaxed in Thor's embrace.

"I've missed you," Thor mumbled, and at that moment it didn't matter that Loki had lied to him again and played him for a fool, again, because Thor remembered the deep, heart-wrenching grief that had become his friend over the past few years— since he had lost his brother, his family, his friends, his home, everything— and it only mattered that Loki was here and he was alive and Thor could hold him and talk to him and love him like they were children again.

"Why?" Loki asked.

For a moment Thor didn't know what he meant. Then he understood; the bitterness in Loki's tone was unmistakable. Thor released him and stepped back. Old pains were coming back— to both brothers.

"You're my brother," he answered, even though he knew that his response would mean nothing to Loki. "I missed you every day you were gone."

Loki did not reply. This was familiar to Thor. Loki would retreat within his own shell, once again. Once again, he would be unreachable. Thor felt a welling of distaste about the whole matter. He realized, then, that they never would be the way that they had been as children; there was too much history between them, too much conflict. Tainted, Thor thought. That was the word. They were tainted by blood. The child is grown; the dream is gone. And Loki was watching him, now, with his green eyes, but those eyes didn't look brilliant to Thor anymore. They looked cold.

"It's been nice re-meeting you, brother, but I suggest we take a look at this ship," Loki told him, and turned away.

And just like that, their reunion was over. Loki was distant again. Thor closed his eyes briefly. He felt as though he should be angry with Loki for his selfishness and pride, but he couldn't seem to find the energy. A mild irritation was all that Thor could muster.

Loki checked the console, but he was reading and rereading the numbers over and over again without them settling into his mind; he was too distracted by what had just occurred to pay attention to the ship. Seeing Thor overweight and disheveled had nearly convinced Loki that the man across from him could not possibly be his brother, for his brother cared about his appearance and would never look so slovenly; and yet, Thor had hugged him. Thor had hugged him and told him he missed him the same way that he had accepted his returns over and over again, acting like an enormous teddy bear instead of a god of thunder. Even when Thor was in the worst shape of his life, he was still the older brother to Loki. He was the same big brother that he had always been.

And yet, he was completely different, because the old Thor would have spoken to him rather than allowing Loki to retreat. Loki was well aware that this new Thor was damaged— perhaps beyond repair— and it hurt and confused him to think that Thor would never be how he was before. As much as Loki was bitter about his childhood and how Thor had always been there, like a golden statue, next to his adopted little brother who could never quite reach high enough— how could he handle the new Thor? Somewhere along the line Thor had fallen off of his pedestal and Loki did not know how he was supposed to push against, if not that.

Loki breathed out sharply and ordered himself to get a grip. He checked the numbers; they were seven days' flight from Earth. Loki tried the hyperdrive. As he'd suspected, it was offline.

"Thor?" he called.

"Yes?" came the answer, and his voice sounded the same, deep and resonant, as if he were speaking with his entire chest.

"Our hyperdrive is offline," Loki replied, and Thor came into the room.

"What does that mean?" Thor asked, one hand on the doorframe, one in his hoodie pocket, and he was as muscular as ever— merely with extra weight on top— and Loki couldn't help but admire that. Then he grew irritated with himself, because apparently Loki was unable to decide whether to be bitter about Thor still being strong and godly even though he looked like he had never seen a haircut, or to be impressed with the fact that Thor's golden self was still shining through— Loki cut off that train of thought.

"It means that we're not going anywhere anytime soon," Loki snapped, more sharply than he'd intended.

Thor didn't react to Loki's irritation, except to raise one bushy eyebrow. Loki flinched.

"So we're stuck out here?" Thor wanted to know.

"The engines are still functional," Loki responded. "We're still moving. According to the ship's calculations, we'll reach Earth in about a week." He kept his tone purposefully light.

To his surprise, Thor chuckled. It was a humorless chuckle, but a chuckle nonetheless. "That's a bit different than 'not going anywhere.' I don't think seven days with you will kill me." The gibe came to Thor's lips and slipped past on impulse. He almost immediately regretted saying it; then, he thought to himself, Loki isn't ten years old anymore. He can handle it.

Loki's slim black eyebrows contracted together slightly in a frown, and he stepped back from the console. "Seven days," he repeated. "Seven days, Thor, and then you'll be back on Earth." With that, Loki swept out of the room.

Thor watched him go.

Loki sat down on the ship's single bed, annoyed by Thor but more vexed by the fact that he had not been able to prepare properly for re-meeting his brother. He knew that he could have conducted himself better— that he could have had a handle on his emotions, instead of letting them direct his course. As that thought struck him, Loki remembered that Strange had brought Thor along, fully aware that Loki planned to join them, and had not thought to mention it; this was immediately followed by concern for Strange, who Loki thought would probably have already opened a portal to transport Thor and Loki back to earth had he been able. Without warning Loki was seized with the sudden fear that Strange was dead.

Loki touched the small console next to the bed. It sprung into life immediately, growing a hazy green. Loki typed in Strange's name and pressed Contact. It was the ship's version of a phone call; it could reach most cell phones, and they were not far enough from Earth that their communications would be blocked.

Loki realized after a moment of silence, except for the low buzzing of the console, that it was highly probable that the communications had been damaged when the hyperdrive was damaged. He clenched his fists, resting one hand on his knee.

Another minute passed, without a reply.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Thor move into view in the doorway. The image of his golden-haired brother gave Loki a sense of relief, followed immediately by indignation that his brother— still— remained a protector in his mind. Loki was not a child. He didn't need protection, particularly not from overweight has-beens who had never heard of a razor.

"Hello?" came Strange's voice.

"Stephen," Loki breathed, jerked out of his thoughts.

Thor, in the doorway, grew tense. After all, Strange had known that Loki was coming— or so Thor assumed— and had not told him.

"Are you all right?" Loki asked, genuine apprehension in his tone.

Thor raised one woolly eyebrow, wondering when Loki and Strange had become friends. Belatedly, he realized that he actually did not have any idea what Loki had been doing for the past five years.

"I'm alive," Strange said, "if that's what you're asking. I feel like I've been run over by a truck, but I'm alive."

Loki stared at him for a moment, then said, "That's good to know, and I am glad that you're all right."

Strange laughed. It was a wheezy sound, as if he were in pain. "But?"

Loki frowned. "Why didn't you tell me that Thor was here?" he asked. Then, immediately after: "Can you open a portal and take me back?"

The way that Loki said "take me back" was not lost on his taller, blonder brother.

Strange sighed, and again Loki heard that dreadful wheezing sound, but he knew that Strange was alive and well enough to speak, and he was too irritated with Strange to properly pity him. "I didn't think you'd come with if you knew Thor was here," he answered. "You'd been avoiding him."

Thor's steady blue gaze burned into Loki's face, but Loki refused to look at his brother— even though his cheeks were flushing red.

"Didn't you think to talk to me beforehand?" Loki asked.

Strange ignored this. "To answer your other question, no. I can't make a portal, and probably won't be able to for the next few days. It has to do with your mental state, and I can't focus right now because I've gotten shaken up. I'll need to re-center my energy."

"That sounds like a load of crap," Thor said from the doorway.

Strange smiled. "Have a good night, Loki."

"And Thor," Thor called.

Loki cut off the sound of Strange's rasping laugh. "I'm going to bed," Loki said shortly, heartily sick of Strange and his meddling ways. "Do you want the bed?" When Thor didn't respond, he added, "Brother?"

Thor looked over at him seemingly snapping out of his thoughts. "Sure. Is it late?"

Loki nodded, and without another word, he walked over to the couch and laid down. It wasn't particularly comfortable, but there was no way that Thor was going to fit on it, so Loki had to take it. Thor bustled around for a few moments, then put out the lights. Loki heard him get into bed.

Loki thought that he would be too upset to sleep, but he must have been tired, for he almost immediately began to drift off. The day had been trying, and despite the uncomfortable couch (and uncomfortable events of the day) he was nearly asleep when Thor's voice jolted him awake.

"Brother?"

Thor's voice sounded like home.

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

There was a pause. Loki didn't quite know what Thor was thanking him for.

"All right," Loki responded.

Thor mumbled something inaudible, turned over onto his side, then promptly began snoring. Loki should have been annoyed about that, but he was too tired to give it much consideration, and soon he, too, found himself fast asleep.

There you have Chapter One! Their dynamic will, of course, be further explored and will change over the course of this work.

If you enjoyed this fic and have the time, I'd much appreciate if you put a comment below!

Thank you for reading !

~Atticus