Once Loki was tended and dressed, he clambered up onto Thor's bed, careful not to jostle him.
"Thor?" he murmured. He reached to brush a limp strand of hair from Thor's face. It was damp; Otnoa had washed the blood out and changed Thor's clothes. There was a bandage around his head.
Loki felt better, seeing him, but not entirely. He was so still. Loki reached hesitantly and took Thor's hand in his own. It was rough on the palms and warm. Thor usually didn't like Loki holding his hand now that they were bigger because men didn't hold hands, but Loki hoped he wouldn't mind, given the circumstances.
After a few moments, Loki looked away from his brother to the others in the room. Otnoa was watching her patient from a distance, standing over by one of the shelves. Frigga had come to sit beside Odin, who was straight-backed in an uncomfortable-looking wooden chair. As Loki met his father's one-eyed gaze, he swiftly looked away. He could feel himself beginning to tremble again.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. Don't cry. The voice in his head was not as encouraging now as it had been in the stables. Thor wouldn't cry. Don't be stupid.
He managed to hold the tears back, swallowing hard.
"What happened, Loki?" Frigga asked. Her voice was kind, but tired.
"We were cleaning," Loki said slowly, struggling to keep his voice steady. You sound pathetic. He spoke louder. "And I…got distracted. I knocked over the barrel by accident, and it scared the horse. Thor was closer because he was sweeping."
"The horse bucked," Otnoa said, understanding lacing her tone. Loki nodded mutely. He shuddered as he remembered Thor falling, sudden and sharp like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
"I never would've expected it from one of our horses," Frigga murmured, more to herself than anyone else. She looked to Odin, and Loki followed her gaze. Odin was still staring at him intently, like he was something strange that needed to be figured out, and Loki met his faze for a few moments longer this time and then continued his story.
"And I went over to him. It hit my back. It didn't hurt that much when it happened, not really. And I reached up and grabbed the horse's neck and sent some magic to try and calm it down. It left us alone after that. And I remembered Otnoa had said to put pressure when something's bleeding. So I put my hands over Thor's head and I just held them there. And I called for Heimdall to get you, Mother." He looked to her.
"I'm sorry." Don't cry. "I swear I didn't mean to. I swear it."
There was a moment of silence, Loki's face twisting as he thought he must've said something wrong.
"You did very well, Loki." It was Odin's voice. Loki's gaze shot to him.
Something inside him warmed with pride; Odin was never one to declare himself proud of either son very often at all, and Loki less often than Thor. But the pride was soon overcome by confusion.
"But I—"
"Accidents happen, little one," Frigga said. She reached across Thor's prone body to grasp Loki's free hand in her own and squeeze. "And we can only do what we can to remedy such situations as best we can. You did well to stay calm enough to use your magic." She was smiling a smile so bright and proud that the guild almost stopped gnawing at Loki's stomach. Almost.
"And I am glad you remembered what I told you, my prince," Otnoa added. "Wounds to the head often bleed a lot, so I am sure it was very frightening for you. But you remembered what I told you and by the time I got there, the bleeding had already stopped. If you had not remembered what to do and kept a steady hand, the wound could've been worse."
Loki shoved the guilt somewhere deep to fester until he could deal with it later. He forced a small smile. After a moment, he spoke hesitantly, to distract himself and them.
"I remembered what you said, Mother, last time when I was frightened. You said, 'You can do this, Loki, just breathe. In, out, in out…'. I tried to say that to myself in my head and it was very helpful."
Frigga chuckled, and she came forward to the bed to wrap her arms around him. She held his head to her breast, kissing the top of it. Loki let her hold him there, closing his eyes and deflating against her chest. She held him tighter.
"We love you, little one. You did very well today."
A/N: Please answer my survey about what fic I should write next here (remove underscores): https_:_/_/_www_._surveymonkey_._com_/_r_/_NDFCBP5