hapter 3

"We shall be the warriors and defenders of the nine realms, forever and always!" the young blond prince called out proudly as he stood upon a boulder in the forest behind the palace, brandishing a branch as a sword.

"Forever, fighting side by side?!" the raven-haired prince asked excitedly, climbing up to join him. Young Thor nodded proudly, swishing his 'sword' through the air, making random yells and noises that he thought were appropriate and needed when sword-fighting.

"For Asgard!" Thor thrust his 'sword' in the air, smiling widely.

Loki chuckled, calling out the same, but he had raised his hand only to have water from the nearby flowing lake float and hit Thor in the face, soaking his hair.

Thor grumbled at that and turned a glare at Loki.

"Ehehehe…!" he giggled to himself, almost bent over with laughter, a wide smile upon that pale face.

Such a smile could have lighted the darkest corners of the cosmos, had it not been poisoned.

With that thought, Thor stirred in his bed. Thor's mind surrounded the images he'd just experienced in slumber. Those days, so innocent and full of goals, dreams and fun. Of expectations and hopes. Of possibilities.

Now…dark clouds seem to surround them, their harsh rain changing all it pours upon.
But Thor so wished the clouds could be pushed away. As he climbed out of his bed, dressing for the day in his clothing in armor, he saw those smiles within his mind. Such smiles on Loki's face had been so wide, his eyes full of peace, and his chuckle only showing glee.
Now? His eyes shown dark amusement and pain, those lips pulling into a pained mock of a grin, and his chuckle was jaded and malevolent.

Thor secured his vembrace upon his forearm and looked down upon it—the emblem of Loki's helmet was still upon it, created upon his wishes some time after Loki's fall into the abyss, when Thor had thought him dead. It was a symbol of Loki being a falling comrade…a fallen brother…truly missed.

He looked around the room then, dressed, and within his mind, he made a decision. He would insure Loki would smile his true smile once again. He would bring such a smile to his brother face once again. He would insure his brother was brought happiness after all of this.

He left his chambers then, his path leading him through the dungeons. This was becoming such a familiar path to tread, rather than one neglected as it had been years before.

As his feet led him on, Thor's mind took him through the days that had passed. A whole weak had gone by. The punishment hadn't gotten any easier. Thor found himself having to looking away throughout most of it, if not all. And each minute was one of pain for Loki. But over the days, he was already growing stronger. It still agonized him, but he fought it better and it did not break him. Thor wondered if anything could anymore.

Loki did not let the pain consume him; he simply shut it off in his mind as best he could until he was healed again. Thor was thankful his brother was able to do such, but another part of his mind felt sorrow…that his brother had dealt with such pain or despair before that he had even LEARNED how to do that.

He would insure Loki never came across another situation where such must be essential. He would live peacefully, Thor would insure it.

Thor reached the cell then, and opened the door carefully, not wishing to disturb his brother if he was asleep. He moved in slowly, shutting the door and he scanned the room to find Loki lying against the wall, head lying back and eyes shut. Maybe now was not the best time… Thor turned to leave, he could simply return later.

**You visit me only to leave, brother? How rude, and I've been waiting all morning. **

Thor chuckled softly, hearing his brothers' voice in his head and he turned. Loki's eyes were opened slightly, watching his brother as he still lay comfortably against the wall.
Thor walked over to Loki slowly, coming to sit beside him. "I thought you might be resting, I did not wish to disturb you."

**I'd rather be awake with you here, Thor, than trying to sleep only to be woken harshly by those guards. ** Loki thought. He took a deep breath through his nose and sighed. **Are you going to remove this damned thing from my mouth any time soon? **

Thor nodded and moved to remove it, unlatching it in the back and placing it between them. Loki adjusted his mouth, opening and closing it to get used to the freedom again.

"Much better…" he sounded relieved.

Thor looked to Loki, observing his face, his thoughts from before returning to him. Loki seemed content enough in this moment, mainly like he was dealing with a small frustration. But the tired look in his eyes, barely noticeable, withheld more of his emotion. It withheld the anger, weariness, hurt…that hurt was hard to decipher, hard to know just how deep it ran and how severely. Loki was good at hiding it.

Loki glanced up at Thor and raised a brow. "You watch me so intensely, Thor, it makes me uncomfortable…"

Thor dropped his gaze. "My apologies, my mind was running away from me."

"And where was it running, might I ask?" Loki said. He cared little, mainly he was curious. He tended to be very curious of his brother. He confused him still. He questioned why Thor would be doing anything for him, but he was growing to accept it. But…he still wondered why…why would Thor care so much? Why would Thor be so comfortable in his presence after how Loki threatened his life in the past? And why did he himself even accept Thor with him now…? …Did he truly feel he needed such company?

Did he actually want it…?

"…Places of worry and memories long past, that is all…" Thor gave a weak smile, leaving it at that.

Loki raised a brow. "Well, that's informative, your state of mind is much more clear to me now."

Thor did not wish to reveal to Loki how he wondered and worried about his weaker state of mind, how he wondered when Loki would break. He only wished he could keep his brother together in such a moment.

Loki was irritated. For a liar such as he, he could not seem to tolerate lies or truth kept from him by others. It seemed that when others' lied, he was either amused by it, had to point it out for how weak it was, or strive to figure out just what truth they were hiding with lies. Then again, had the lies told to him not made him the liar he was now? Loki did not like Thor's silence, so with the same magic he used to communicate through their minds, he tried to search Thor's mind and thoughts. It was a struggle, with his magic restricted and weak, but he still tried.

Thor felt his thoughts, and the dream being pulled to the forefront of his mind without his even thinking of it and he became confused, only to realize what was happening. "Loki what are you doing?!"

"You keep truth from me, brother." Loki accused. "I've had enough of that in my life." He looked through the thoughts and memories, before sighing. "So sentimental…" he rolled his eyes, turning his face away. "It doesn't suit you."

"You mean such unnerves you, to know I wonder and think such of you. You don't like being thought of as weak or possible of breaking." Thor responded.

Loki glared, "I am not weak!"

"I did not say you were, I just stated that you do not like being thought of as such."

"You believe it of me, don't you?! You think I'm a weakling, don't you?!" Loki accused standing and moving away.

Thor stood as well. "No, brother… You are far stronger than many I know of…sometimes, in some ways, I feel you are stronger than me." He corrected him. "But we all have our weak moments, Loki, where we finally break and give our all away. I simply worry when that shall be for you…and I hope to be there…"

"I will not break…" Loki glared away.

Thor stayed silent. Loki hated the idea of such weakness, but with all Thor had been blind with his brother with, he knew Loki would have his moment. In the past, his weak moments have been small and fleeting. But it would not be when the time came again.

"…I can't break…" were the next words that came from Loki's mouth, an angry and defensive tone.

Thor looked to him at that. "…You can, Loki… No matter how you might not wish for it…how much you might even fear it, you can. And I shall be there for you. I promise I shall."

"I fear nothing." Loki turned his glare upon Thor. "…And why should such words comfort me…?" he looked away again, questioning the worth of Thor's ability to comfort him, as a jab against his brother. But he hated how he felt that…he wished for that comfort. Why should he wish for anything from Thor?! Was he truly letting his brother affect him?! He sighed. …Did he truly miss him so much deep down?

Loki's entire being denied the words when thought, but some part of him deep down knew better…

Thor watched him sadly. "…Because…I wish to be the rock, the one whom must stay strong for you, in your darkest moments. In your most vulnerable…I…" Thor saw it with his mind. He wished to embrace Loki in his tight embrace, telling promises of peace and love and worth in his future. Of no failure, of no hate or pain. He wished…for more, but would not say it.

He saw the look in Loki's eyes, the curiosity, and so he stood. "I see I have angered you, brother… I will return to escort you later today…" he gave a bow, wishing to leave before Loki could pull such a thought as he just had.

Loki was surprised by the sudden leave, but let him go after Thor had latched the muzzle back on his mouth. With him gone, Loki was now full of conflicted feelings. His time on Asgard, with only Thor as company, was getting to him.

He wished he was not here, back in a place he had come to detest. He wished he was not damned to only be comforted by Thor, the brother who had wronged him and whom he had wronged in return. Why was there any care left in their relationship, from either of them!? They should hate each other; they should have killed each other by now. Loki considered it in his mind, if only he had killed Thor one of the many times he had a chance before.

But when he felt his heart skip a beat, his eyes widened. No, he could not care… No! Thor had wronged him! He did not need him, Thor had failed him! He had left him; he had to act so foolishly and start a war, only to bring Loki to the worst realization of his life! And he was not there to help him through it, as he had been there for Thor so many times in the past when he needed comfort, or kind or needed words! He had no reason to care for his brother, nor should he feel the need for his comfort any longer! He has grown, grown far past the need of help from another! He is alone, and in that loneliness, he is safe, secure and content! He needed no other way of life!

The silence of the cell was too unnerving, Loki's thoughts and anger echoing in his mind. But he tried to calm his mind, and began wondering when he would be brought breakfast. It came soon enough, and just like with the timing of which it was brought, the food was not pleasing. But what other choice did Loki have? To starve himself? He just sighed and ate what he was given, as quickly as he could. He knew the guards would tear his food away from him before he was done if he took his time.

They stood in wait, watching or glaring at him. Loki swore internally, the day he was free, the two of them would know his wrath. So fully that they would regret every action they took against him. He matched their glares with his own as his food was taken, mostly finished. He was taking a big gulp from his bowl of water when it was snatched away.

"You're done, Laufeyson." The guard grumbled.

Loki raised a brow, his mouth unmoving, before he suddenly puckered his lips and spat, a spew of water hitting the guard in the face.

He growled in anger and raised his hand, bringing it down to smack Loki across the face. With that, and after replacing the muzzle, they left him be, slamming his cell door shut.

Loki just looked the ground, where his head had snapped after such a smack. And he simply smirked.

~~~

Loki knelt upon his knees once more, as he was growing accustomed to doing. Even with the healing Thor gave him, the less severe, but still present pains were neglected. And with that, they were left. His fingers' stung from their scrapping against the wood, his knees pained from so much time on the ground, with extra weight and the jerking of his pained body not helping at all. But he withstood it all.

CRACK!

Loki gasped through his nose. That strike had slashed across three other wounds and Loki felt the sting, burn and stabbing cold overlap and double across his back. He breathed deeply through his nose, trying to gain control of his senses. His rough and slightly bloodied fingers gripped the wood upon his shoulders.

And with the next CRACK, he heard a chuckle follow afterwards from behind him.

…The punisher…was laughing. He was enjoying this pain he was causing. Loki knew that amusement well enough. This Aesir was delighted to be causing this pain.

Yet another soul Loki owed wrath to. Loki's eyes blazed. He seemed to be growing that list more and more. The Avengers, the Aesir, the guards, this Punisher. He shot a glare up to the Allfather then, narrowing his eyes. Odin…yes, even him. They would all know his wrath, they would know-

CRACK!

Loki arched his back, before curling forward, feeling so weak and tired. From the extra pain, possibly, that the Punisher was giving in his enjoyment, Loki felt as if this time of punishment was lasting far longer than the others. But he could push through it, still… He's done so with each punishment so far in the days that had passed, he could go on. He could push through. He could-

CRACK, CRACK!

The double lash jolted his body back up, his scream muffled by the muzzle as he fell backwards on his back. The wood crushed his hands to the ground, his back stinging and aching as the opened wounds hit the dirt. He writhed on the ground, struggling to get his pained back off the ground. Gods, it hurt!

The Punisher chuckled and, taking the wooden log in his hands, he lifted it and with it, Loki. He was back on his knees, but nearly falling forward, his shoulders rising rapidly with his struggle for breath. Thor was making his way closer, angered.

There was a crack, but it was not one of the whip. Instead, it was the crack of Odin's staff upon the floor which he stood.

"Enough. He has received his just punishments for this day." He spoke to the Punisher and he turned, leading Frigga out of the stadium as the rest of the crowd of Aesir rose to leave.

Loki's eyes were shut tight, his anger and pain and hurt coursing through him in this moment, gripping his entire being in such a negative energy. Always, he had been the outcast. Never had these damned beings showed care for him, and learning of his true heritage, that gave them a more justifiable reason for their actions. And now, they had their chance to enjoy his downfall, his agony. His 'parents' thought this was a punishment he rightly deserved. The only one who even showed a care? The same one Loki blamed the most, and hated… The one he felt he hated so deeply…

Loki felt the chains being unlatched from the log, and the log soon removed, the air hitting scratches on his shoulders he had not even realized he had. The one Loki felt he hated the most, then took him in his arms carefully and lead him from the stadium. All the while, Loki wanted to run; from any and all here. To run from the Aesir, from Asgard, from Thor. He hated them all!

They finally arrived at the cell. Loki dragged himself within, moving to the middle of the room only to drop on his aching knees like a dead, but still moving soul. His shoulders hung low, his head dropped and hair falling to cover his face a bit. Sweat upon his skin made the strands cling. He was still taking deep breaths, but they were more to calm his rush of emotions then to catch his breath. Thor removed the muzzle, before taking a few steps back and he observed.

Thor's heart ached more than ever at the sight of his brother's back. It was covered in skin red from the roughened red skin and blue from the stain of his blood, which still flowed from his back. Loki fell forward, catching himself as he was now on his hands and knees. He huffed in and out, his shoulders and back rising and falling. He felt a bit weakened from such loss of blood.

"Gods, brother…" Thor sighed, coming forward with a new healing stone. He had brought a bowl of warm water and a rag when they had returned, and set it to the side. He dabbed the rag in the water, but he hesitated and swallowed. "…This will call for more pressure, to clean your wounds." He informed Loki reluctantly.

Loki said nothing, he just continued his breathing. He folded his arms, resting with his elbows, his head laid upon the cold, rough ground. His body shook slightly, slightly moving back and forth with each breath in and out.

Thor did not wish to do this. In this moment, he did not want to be the one with this task to heal his brother. He knew the process of cleaning would cause so much pain, and he did not wish that. He hated the thought of causing his brother pain. But who else did Loki have here? And would Thor himself really be willing to allow any other to offer assistance?

Thor made sure the rag was soaked well enough in the warm water, wringing it out a bit before he lifted it to Loki's back. He hovered it over his brother's back as he felt hesitant, but as water droplets fell onto Loki's back and he flinched at the contact, he knew he must begin. And he did, starting at Loki's left shoulder, enough pressure to rub of the dirt and he ran the rag down Loki's back.

There was a hiss and a near-whimper as Loki gritted his teeth, his fists clenching. Gods, the pain….it seared through him. Yes, he'd known far worse, but that was only a memory now…and the experience had never lasted as this one had, nor had he had to truly actually have to experience it over and over. His hands moved to grip at the ground, his rough fingers becoming rougher.

When Thor finished that side of Loki's body, it was pale and slightly reddened with hints of blue still there on Loki's still open wounds. But that was only a small course, a small line down Loki's back, as Thor gazed at the rest, covered in darkened dirt, blue blood and pale reddened skin. He began again, moving to the next dirtied section of Loki's back. It was closer to the middle of his back and contained more of the overlapping wounds. So with the pressure there, Loki let out an angry, pained cry.

Thor winced at the sound, nearly stopping, but he continued his job. He could not stop, for it would only prolong the pain. He continued down, despite his brothers' twitches of pain. "Stay as still as you are able, brother, if you can."

"You think such a task is easy?!" Loki spat, his voice breaking with pain-brought emotion.

Thor sighed. "No, I do not…" he rubbed a little harder on the crusted blood, coated in dirt.

"Ggg-gah…nnn…" Loki groaned at the pain, gripping his fists tighter.

Finally, Thor had finished another section. And he began again, after cleaning the rag. He ran the warm, wet cloth down Loki's back as the prince wince as it ran over each of the wounds, even more on the overlapping wounds.

He cleaned yet another section, before beginning down the very middle of his brothers' back. He made sure the rag was cleaned and warm, before he began running it down his back.

"Nnn…g-gah…!" Loki cried out, twitching even more.

"Still, brother, I am halfway finished." Thor tried to comfort him with his soft tone.
He continued, only to have Loki twitch and fall away, trying to crawl from his brother.

"Enough!"

"Loki, your wounds must be cleaned befor-"

"NO! I will not take it any longer!" his voice broke as he defied his brother. "The pain…is too much, I can't…can't take it!" he was shaking, his eyes shut tight and Thor knew he was witnessing his brother slowly breaking. "I will not take the pain you damned Aesir cause me!"

"I am not doing this to you, brother! I'm trying to help you!" Thor remarked.

"What help are you!?" Loki yelled at him, his reddened, wet eyes opening to glare at Thor. "You stand by and watch as crack after crack, I am caused pain! You're far too worried about pleasing father, you can't truly worry for me as you claim you actually do! Because in that kind of care, you would have to defy Odin and that is nearly impossible of you now!"

Thor stayed silent at Loki's accusations, trying to calm his anger at such.

"Funny…how defying father so foolishly before, for no needed reason did not guilt you in the slightest back then. And yet now, when it is I who is at stake, you cannot bring yourself to do so…and you say you care for me!?"

"Do not question my care, Loki! There is nothing I can do without making it worse for you! You know Odin would make it worse upon you, if we attempted any sort of defiance against his word! I am not risking your punishment being worsened, when all we must do is last through this. That is all you must do, brother, and then you will have paid for your sins! I know you can fight through this, you are strong!" Thor spoke to Loki, his tone intense as he wished to convey all he said to him.

"You know nothing of me, you damned fool! Leave me be!" Loki yelled at Thor. His voice broke so, from the yelling of pain during his punishment; it had strained his voice.

"And you know nothing of me, brother!" Thor responded. It took him a moment, glaring at Loki who glared back, before he took deep breaths to calm himself. He looked at Loki once more. "…Truly, we do not know one another as we should. But we can change that, my brother. It does not have to be this way."

"Of course it does!" Loki retorted. "So why keep faking such care for me? Just go along with your dear Odin's orders and leave the traitor to be punished!"

"Enough, I will not listen to you question my care, Loki." Thor said, for it truly wounded him when he did so. For his feelings to be so questioned… Thought of as so insignificant by this one person…it caused him pain he could not fully understand himself.

"There's no care to truly question, Thor! You're not my brother, and never were you my brother! Our lives have been a jest, the love a weak lie!"

"My love for you is no lie, Loki!"

"Then what more is it?!"

"It's more than I can take!" Thor yelled back, having enough. "My love for you is something I hold as a blessing and a burden, for I worry it is not nearly enough to save you! Yet still, Loki, I…."

Loki's eyes narrowed, his brows furrowed with confusion. "You what?"

"…I love you so."

There was silence between the two of them, as Loki stared into Thor's pained, gentle blue eyes. And soon, he looked within Thor's minds. And his eyes went wide as he saw just how Thor loved him.

"…Loki..I have failed you, I have wronged you. You have wronged me in return, and we've come to a war between each other… But please, I no longer wish that. I have never wished that. Never, in all our long lives together, have I ever wanted you anywhere but at my side." Thor told him in his softest tone.

Loki looked away, glaring, not wanting to hear Thor's words. Yet some part of him listened.

"My brother…my friend…my equal… I have only ever wished to be by your side. I have only ever wanted to protect you, fight with you… show you the love that we so neglected in you before. I wish to show you…the love I have for you, the love that pushes me to keep fighting for you, that tells me that there is hope for you to find your light again."

"My light?" Loki laughed, disbelieving. "What is light and love to a God of Mischief and Chaos?!"

"Something he is lacking and craves in his deepest of hearts, but will not allow himself to admit." Thor said and Loki glared at him in anger at such words. "Loki…hear me now, when I say this… You thought yourself less favored…shunned, unloved… But never shall I shun you. I shall hold you by my side for the years to come. Never have you or will you be less favored. You thought you were not favored by Odin all these years, brother? …Yet you seem not to notice, that all this time… I have favored you above all. You were my best warrior, my fiercest intellect in battle. Never did I wish to go into any battle or on any adventure if you were not at my side. I care not for what the warriors or even Sif had to offer on our ventures...for none of them compared to you. You were favored by me."

"You found another to favor, brother, you forget that." Loki spat.

Thor looked to him in confusion.

"That woman…the one, who over a span of THREE DAYS with you powerless in her world, was somehow able to break through that hard skull of yours and bring you to the change you needed to be king. And yet over our many years together, never did you open yourself to me like that…! That woman, that damned WOMAN was able to reach you…was able to do what I always tried to do, so easily!" Loki accused, venom in his voice each time he said woman. He harbored such hate for Jane.

"Brother…I…"

Loki just laughed. "You confess favoritism and love to me, yet you have her, brother. And she's done so much good for you, has she not?"

"Loki, I care for her, but not as I care for you."

Loki laughed at that, disbelieving.

"Do not laugh at my words, brother, when I speak them true. She is a dear friend…and yes, I had grown fond of her. She was unlike any maiden I'd known here upon Asgard."

Loki looked away, not wishing to hear this.

"But brother, she does not hold my feelings… I learned that, over my time away from her. The more I was away from her, the more the feelings weakened and the less strongly I felt."

"You tell me this why?"

"The longer you were gone, the longer I thought you to be lost or dead, my heart ached in the worst sort of pain I have ever felt. When father told me of your return by arriving on Midgard…I was angered by how you returned…but Loki, my soul…has never be pulled to higher heights knowing that you were still alive…." Thor raised a hand to Loki's face and his voice became soft and shaky at the memory as he said, "I thought I'd lost you…"

Loki watched his eyes, trying to deny the love that he could see in his brothers' mind. He swatted his hand away. "You DID lose me. Your brother is long gone…"

"No…he still lives within…" he touched Loki's chest when he said this. "Within, he has grown, has been forced to change, but I know you are there… Loki, I know you are there."

Loki's brows furrowed, his spirits seeming to lift strangely at Thor's words. No…they weren't brothers…they weren't equals…they were nothing, and they would always be nothing…

"You think I still love Jane, but you are wrong." Thor said.

"I am?" Loki laughed, barely listening to or caring for Thor's words.

"You think she holds such strong, unbreakable and powerful feelings. Of love, longing and protection." Thor said, seeing that his were right when Loki glared away, trying to ignore him. "But she does not hold such feelings… Loki, you do."

Loki shut his eyes tight, shaking his head.

"…Loki…" Thor sighed, wishing the truth he spoke would comfort Loki. Wishing his confessions of his true feelings, his true love would affect Loki. But it seemed to only anger him.

"…No!" he stood then and began pacing the cell. "It's to late! For all of you, all you wish to do for me! Fathers' attempts at teaching me a lesson, mothers' wishes of me changing and your wishes of me allowing your love—it is all too little, too late! You let me fall, you all let me BELIEVE I was an Odinson! I was destined to have the path of a King! Only to be shunned by my kingdom, and pushed aside by all others! Pushed to the shadows where I belonged, the monster outcast who should have never been allowed to live as an Aesir!"

"Loki, stop-"

"NO!" Loki yelled at the top of his lungs, no matter how it pained him to raise his voice. "I will not be stopped! I will never again be silenced by the likes of Odin OR you, I've had enough! My words mean little to NOTHING, if I am to be shut off and I will not have my words drowned out! You will listen to ALL I have to say, whether it be wisdom or venom, you will TAKE my words! I was left with NO ONE to speak to me what I needed to hear, or listen to what I had to speak of and in that loneliness I realized just what my fate was to be. And that fate has brought me here!"

Loki stood before Thor now, pointing an accusing finger at him as his hands were still chained.

"It is the fault of all you Aesir that I have become what I have become!"

"The fault is not all our own, Loki, YOU made actions that we did not force you to make!" Thor said.

"And where would I be now, had I not been lied to!? Had you not been such an idiot as to go start a war and lead me and leave me to the truth you caused me to discover!?"

"I did not-"

"It was YOU who had us go to Jotunheim and had I not gone, Thor, I never would have known! I wouldn't have known of the lie! You….you are the REASON my world was shattered, and now you expect to pull it back together?!"

"I am not the sole cause of this, of any dark part of your life, Loki! I take blame, but I will not take it all!"

"You will take what I throw at you! If I throw blame, you will take it! If I throw lies, you will take them! If I throw hate….oh, how I HATE YOU! ALL OF YOU!" Loki cried out, gripping his hair in his hands and falling upon his knees.

It was then Thor truly witnessed his brother breaking down. The walls were falling as pain racked Loki's body, anger and hurt rushing through him like ever-lasting emotions, fatigue wearing on him as tears welled in his eyes, a few falling.

Thor moved closer to him as Loki mumbled to himself of his hate for all he knew. It was when Thor heard Loki speak of hate of himself that he stopped him. He took Loki's face in his hands, surprising the dark-haired God. "Don't you fall that low… You have let life darken you so, brother, do not let it cause you to hate yourself."

Loki laughed without humor, his eyes dark as he watched Thor. "You think I haven't fallen so low before, Thor? For so long now, I have harbored a hidden hate for myself. I simply push it aside…"

"Why do you hate yourself?"

"….For living." Loki said, his brows furrowed as he spoke those words as if they were such a painful but obvious truth. "For the disappointment I am, as I live. The failure, the pain, the hate, how I am pushed away…shunned…counted at lesser… This is the life I lead and you think I can love myself for having such a life?"

"That does not have to be your life." Thor said, his thumbs rubbing away the tears.

"It's the only life I have left!" Loki tried to move his face out of Thor's hold.

"No…it's not… I will give you another life, brother, I promise you. I will give you what you need, to live the life you were meant to…just let me…let me show you the life you can live…"

"No, no, no…." Loki shook his head back at forth, trying to pull his face free and he was just doing so.

But Thor took his face in his hands once more. "…Loki…let me show you…" he said so quietly, so softly before suddenly he pulled Loki's face to his and their lips touched.

Thor's were soft, barely moving, and completely tender upon Loki's. Loki's eyes had gone wide, brows furrowed in such confusion and emotion. Another tear fell free from the side of his face. He moved his hand to Thor's neck to pull him away, but as Thor's lips suddenly moved so lovingly against his own, the attempts to pull Thor off of him failed. His hand rested against Thor's neck, nearly massaging it as Loki tried to pull his mind together to decide what action to take. His eyes were nearly shut as he watched Thor's passionate face, seeming as if he truly wished to show Loki.

Loki shut his eyes then… that small part of him which clung to his brother's care, the part of him he fought, seem to awaken. And as it awoke, as it felt Thor's lips upon his, it embraced what Thor was trying to show him. His hand upon Thor's neck suddenly gripped the hair, pushing Thor's lips against his own.

And within this kiss, within Thor's mind which Loki gazed into, there was hope. Something Loki thought foreign and impossible….but there it was. Small, but shining, shining so independently and strongly, he knew it would never go away.

Thor pulled away suddenly, taking deep breath as he opened his eyes to look back at Loki. He felt his spirits rise, noticing the flicker of hope, more than he'd ever seen in his brothers' eyes in a while.

"I will show you." He promised, but Loki smashed his lips upon his once more.