Loki sat at the edge of the boat heavily breathing after the close call in the cliffs. They had just passed through Loki's secret passageway to Svartalfheim… him, Thor, and Jane. She had collapsed not too far into the journey and Thor was now gently positioning her on the seats at the front of the boat. Loki glared at Jane although she was too out of it to notice. She had gotten noticeably paler and her eyes were far off somewhere else. She was still breathing however.
"She will be well then?" Loki asked. Thor froze as he was gently pushing Jane's hair away from her face. Obviously something about Loki's question caught him off guard.
"Probably to your dismay, yes… I hope so." Thor said. Loki scowled at the back of Thor's head since he refused to turn around to look at Loki. The God of Thunder continued to gently run his hand through Jane's hair. She just barely reacted to his contact.
"You've got it wrong, brother." Loki said bitterly. "I don't wish death upon anyone… only when it needs to be done and they deserve it." Apparently Loki had once again caught Thor off guard. Loki saw his muscles tense up in his back and arm as he turned slowly to narrow his eyes at Loki with a look so full of hate that Loki was almost proud of him.
"So all of those innocent mortals in New York 'deserved' to die, Loki?" Thor asked through his clenched teeth. Loki who was quite amused by his brother's attempt to keep his temper, stretched out his legs and leaned back on the edge of the boat.
"If that's what it took to control their pathetic realm, then yes… some of them had to be sacrificed in order for it to happen." Loki said calmly as if it was just common sense. He looked up at his brother with a casual smile that seemed to tick Thor off even more.
"It didn't happen, though." Thor said. Loki still hated himself for it too. He had failed at taking over the pettiest of realms. Humans. How had he not been able to crush the pathetic race of intolerable creatures? He despised every single one of the Avengers… especially the one standing a few feet from him in that moment.
"It should have. It's in their natural behavior to be ruled. They are too stupid to think for themselves anyway." Loki said. Thor looked as if he would lunge at him at any second. "With the exception…" Loki quickly added holding out his hands in a defensive position. "…of a few." As he said this, Loki nodded over to Jane. Thor seemed to let go of his temper, but only a little. He narrowed his eyes at Loki and Loki stared straight back. Two years ago they were the closest of brothers that Loki has ever seen, and now the looks they exchanged were so full of hate that every trace of those days was gone.
Finally, Thor shook his head and went to sit next to Jane. They sat there in silence for a while. Thor watched Jane sleep and Loki looked over the empty plains of Svartalfheim. There were mounds and mounds of the same rocky, dusty soil that covered the entire realm. The skies were a dark shade of brewing green with thick clouds of gray. There was no trace of happiness or light for as far as Loki could see, and he liked it that way.
Finally, Thor spoke up. "You're wrong about them Loki… the humans."
Loki looked over to Thor, eyebrows raised. "Thor, I'm not the only one who thinks this way. It is just the common understanding of Asgardians and other realms. You are the one alone here." Loki retorted.
"So if they're so pathetic, how did they defeat you 'Oh Great One'" Thor asked sarcastically. Loki felt the flare in his chest rise but pushed it down. No, he could control his temper and Thor couldn't. It was just one of the many things Loki had over him.
"You really like them don't you… your Avenger freaks?" Loki asked, ignoring Thor's earlier remark.
"They have their hearts in the right place, and they helped me defeat you." Thor said as he gazed at the ground as if thinking back to his times with his human so-called superheroes.
"Even that Tony guy?" Loki asked.
"Why do you care, Loki?" Thor asked as he looked his brother in the eyes. Loki through his hands up in frustration.
"I am just making friendly banter!" he remarked. Thor opened his mouth to say something back but his half-formed words turned into a slight smile. Loki couldn't help but try to hold back a smile at that too. Thor finally chuckled and shook his head.
"There's nothing friendly about it."
"Oh come on… Just say it, brother." Loki said suddenly sitting up to go to the edge of his seat. He leaned forwards as if Thor was about to tell some really big secret.
"Say what?" Thor asked slapping his hands on his knees and shrugging. Loki smirked at how easily he could irritate his brother.
"You miss me." Loki plainly said. As he said it, he knew it was true too. He could see it in everything that Thor did when Loki was around. He also knew because if Loki sometimes had the slightest flickers of longing to have things to go back to the way it was, then Thor had to miss it even more. Loki didn't need admittance from him though, he just wanted it to have something else over him.
Thor didn't say anything. He just rolled his eyes in response and went back to looking Jane. Loki smiled. He had gotten his answer.