((Will be mentions of Thor/Sif in this chapter!))
He dreamed of green. Green threaded through Asgard's golden hallways. Green on his father's throne and green braided though his own hair. A deathly green that seeped through the land and consumed them all.
Thor woke with a start, the sun streaming though the red curtains that had been drawn over the window in an attempt to stop the sun from waking Asgard's only prince. His breath was labored as he rubbed at his eyes and glanced around his chambers, feeling startled and shaken for no apparent fear. Thor held his hand up and watched it tremor, his eyes narrowed. He could feel the fear buried in his chest, but the excitement layered around it. With a shake to the head, Thor stood and stretched. Signing as his back popped and the fear drifted back to the darkness it had appeared from to seek out the prince.
He went through his day blindly. He ate, he drank, and he fought but the green layered the back of his mind. Every time he blinked he swore he saw green.
"Thor!" Sif snapped at him as she slapped him upside the head with the flat of her sword. Thor tossed his head and looked towards her. She held his sword at his throat. Far enough away to be easily seen as sparring but close enough that Thor knew he had been defeated.
"What?" He asked, his voice deep as he looked down at the much shorter warrior. She pulled her sword away from his neck and tucked it into the belt around her waist.
"You're fighting like a girl," She sneered walking towards the exit to the dirt training grounds they sparred on. Thor followed in step of her.
"You're one to talk," He joked, placing an arm around her shoulders. They walked into Asgard's golden halls, their laughs echoing about. Sif snorted,
"Then you just got beat by a girl," She laughed, and Thor felt like he should kiss her. Their love for each other drifted quite often, and at that moment it was quite far out at sea. Sensing the tension Sif's smile disappeared. She began to open her mouth to saw something, stepping closer to Thor slightly. He blinked and the green flashed bright.
"Thor, Prince of Asgard," He heard the silk voice before he saw the form appear on the other side of the hallway. Loki, draped in furs and blacks moved towards him. Thor felt his jaw stiffen, Sif's pose faded into defense and her hand went to rest on the hilt of her sword. Loki sauntered gently towards them, a grin plastered to his pale face.
"Loki," Thor breathed, dipping his head in respect. Loki did the same. Thor knew the Queen would be proud of him. "Sif, this is Loki, of Jotunheim. He's the newest addition to the court," Thor said gruffly, "And Loki, this is Sif, the lady warrior of Asgard. A dear friend of mine." He added the last part timidly, and he saw Sif's back tense as the word sunk into her skin. Friend.
"Well, Loki, it's quite nice to meet you, but I really must be going," She blurted out suddenly. Thor looked at her in shock, trying to convey his feelings of not wanting to be left alone with Loki. "Farwell Thor," She waved and started off down the hall. Thor watched her go before he looked to Loki who had moved closer to him. The green blinded him every time he blinked.
"Walk with me Thor," Loki invited him starting down the hall. The prince of Asgard looked to his receding friend and then to Loki, unhappily jogging a few steps to catch up with the Jotun. "We must be on our way to the court anyway. It would be quite in court fashion to arrive together," Loki looked towards Thor, his eyes staring Thor down. Those green eyes, the exact green that had been haunting him all day long, watched him, "Don't you think Thor?" Thor only nodded, finding himself unable to place words as he made sense of his haunting today. It was Loki. He blinked and the green flashed and he felt himself becoming dizzy. Thor's foot caught on a crack in the stone and he stumbled. Loki reached out his right hand to steady Thor. His skin was cold. All Thor could see was green. "Are you alright?" Loki managed to ask, but they were already in front of the door to the court. Thor had to get away. The green was consuming him.
"I have to go," He managed to blurt out as he turned quickly and moved towards his seat. Struggling to breathe and not be showered in green. He didn't see Loki's frown of confusion as he watched the prince retreat into his seat.
Thor felt sick for a week after his small walk with Loki. He stayed in, avoided the court meetings with complaints of sickness, and try not to leave his room. The green flashes failed to leave his conscious and all he could think of was Loki. This must be some part of his grand evil scheme. Thor could feel it in his bones. Drive the prince mad with the color green. Sounded ingenious to him. He sat in the large chair in his room by his window which overlooked the court yard. He sat and thought, watched the figures go to and fro, knowing some and not knowing others. Sif emerged some time in his watching, Fandral on her arm and he felt a fit of jealousy inside his stomach.
With a grunt he stood and turned before he saw any more of what was unfolding between the two of his best friends. When he blinked the green flashed brighter than ever. Thor grunted in pain, rubbing at his eyes and looking around the room. Loki was nowhere to be seen. The prince turned around quick enough to see Loki and Helblindi enter the courtyard before they disappeared into another door. With every blink he felt the pain sear though his eyelids.
Loki, that damned frost giant was doing this to him. He was disgusted and his lip curled unhappily. This had to be stopped. Thor lunged for the door, ripping it open and fumbling down the stairs, desperate to intercept the two sons of Layfey. The prince ran from one hallway to the other ducking through doors before he stopped the two giants.
"Loki!" He called across the arch roofed hallway that lead to the court room. Helblindi and Loki turned to look at him, the door the court half open. Thor gasped, out of breath from the sickness. Green buzzed behind his eyelids. "Loki, Loki Layfeyson you have cursed me!" He yelled, gripping his forehead and trying to keep his eyes open long enough to keep his gaze on Loki. Loki's expression held nothing but surprise but Thor could hear the gasps from the others from inside of the court. Such an insult coming from one royal to another was something not to be toyed with. "You have cursed me and I will not take it any longer!" Thor yelled, bending over in the pain that the green was causing him. He heard the clicking of Loki's boots as one prince ran towards the other. Helblindi watched in shock as the prince of Asgard swayed from side to side, clutching his forehead in pain as he left the court room door slam shut. Thor felt himself begin to fall backwards as the sound of Loki's boot grew nearer. The pain was unbearable. Green consumed him and his mind and all he could see was green. Loki reached the prince as he began to fall and with lean arms caught him and held him against his chest. All Thor could feel was the cold.
"Call for the Queen!" Loki yelled to his brother, lowering Thor to the ground and pressing the back of his hand against the Asgardian's forehead. His hand snapped back from the heat admitting from Thor.
"You have cursed me!" Thor accused once more, "All I see is green,"
"I have done no such thing!" Loki exclaimed, kneeling next to the prince. Loki seemed frantic, which only lead to add to Thor's confusion.
"But, how," Thor mumbled, blinking quickly. Loki's head above his swayed and blurred.
"I did not cause whatever has infested you," The son of Layfey said proudly. Thor felt his stomach twisting and turning and nausea waved over him. He turned his head to the side and felt himself retching the contents of his stomach up. Frigga was upon them by now. She was yelling something to the others but all Thor could focus on was Loki's face above him. "But I have a feeling I know who did," Loki mumbled before Thor felt his world fall dark.
The green did not haunt him in his sleep, and when he awoke it seem to have all but disappeared. Confused and bewildered his blue eyes snapped open. Thor clambered to sit up, he was in his room. Red and gold surrounded him and the smell of his sheets comforted him. He felt his heart rate subside.
"You're awake," His head snapped around to find Loki Layfeyson sitting in his favorite chair. His lip twisted in disgust.
"You," He breathed, swinging himself out of the bed and rushing towards the giant. Loki stood and as Thor raised his arm to punch that knowing smirk right about the giant's face he felt himself blocked. Loki's hand was raised in front of his body, green sparks filtered through the air. Magic Thor thought as he pounded his fist against the invisible force in front of him. Loki's smirk had disappeared and Thor glared at him. He knows he has seen Loki before he entered the court, and the nagging feeling of knowing the prince pranced back into his mind. Thor shook his head and with a roar pounded the force field before he felt himself being blown backwards against the wall. He felt it crack.
"Don't ever do that again," Loki breathed, his hands clasped in front of his body. Thor felt shocked. He had been assaulted, Loki had used magic on him. But even though these facts where true he felt his anger subside as he pushed himself to his feet. Loki ducked his head slightly, and Thor could see he was ashamed of what he had done.
"I'm sorry," Thor felt the words tumble from his lips before he could stop them. He approached Loki and the giant tensed slightly. Loki looked towards him, his eyebrows pinched together. Thor watched as Loki's expression changed to a small forced smile. That was the first time he noticed Loki's sharp features and felt a flip in his stomach as the smile the giant had given him.
"No, I am sorry," Loki stated, "I didn't mean to throw you so hard," Loki's expression turned to one of right confusion, "You aren't retaliating?"
Thor shook his head and turned from Loki. He was ashamed of how color had risen to his cheeks at the smile Loki had given him. He put a frown on his golden features and turned back to Loki. He knew in his heart he was disgusted by Loki. A frost giant, in his favorite chair by the window. A son of Layfey had tossed him across the room as if he was a ragdoll. A disgusting monster was in his room. But as he turned back to Loki all he felt was forgiveness.
"I'm sorry," The prince of Asgard whispered again. He scratched the back of his head, "I should not have blamed you for cursing me if I had no evidence to back my opinion. And I should not have tried to punch you," Thor added. Loki opened his mouth to say something but Thor stopped him, "But I think you need to leave," Loki's jaw stiffened.
"I was trying to help you Odinson," Loki murmured as he turned towards the door, the giant's movements where stiff as he whisked out into the hallway, closing the door behind him. Thor's teeth clenched and he felt like yelling. What right did Loki have to speak to him like that? What right did Thor feelings have to be so unsure of what to feel of Loki. Thor shook his head. No, he hated Loki, he hated Loki for who he was. A frost giant should not have enough rights to even speak to the Prince of Asgard left alone be allowed into his chambers. Thor felt as if he should curse his mother for how much she fought for them. Deep down, beneath all these feeling of hate he had for the giants, he knew he had no reason to hate them. They had done little to harm him. The war was so long ago. They should have accepted each other by now.
Thor grunted and turned on his heel, finding his clothing for the court before stalking down to the room.
He paid to attention to the men who came to talk for the court and tried to not look at Loki every time he raised his head. When they reached each other in line to shake hands Loki refused him with bitter eyes and Thor realized he had made a mistake.