A/N: I really didn't expect to get this written today. It was super crazy at work and it's pub night with Gabrielle Day tonight. Celebrating 20 years of friendship. Awesome times! :)

Part Two.

Slipping out of the palace was easier than it should have been for two princes. Loki's magic made it simple and the brothers crept through a door that was meant to have been locked deep in the bowels of the palace. It led them to an exit at the base of the wall, opening into the forest just beyond to the west.

They didn't speak as they moved and Loki couldn't help but think about the fact that they really didn't need to. For all of Thor's off-handed comments in regards to his little brother's weakness, they worked well together, offsetting each other's shortcomings and boosting strengths. They fit well, though better when it was just the two of them. If he had thought that he would regret his decision as soon as they made it beyond the walls, he found himself happily surprised. There was a sense of freedom that rarely came with one of the blond prince's celebration outings and he found, as of that moment, nothing to complain about.

They'd reached the edge of the treeline when Thor glanced back and laughed outright.

"What?" the younger prince demanded.

"The look on your face. I didn't realize that this meant so much to you, brother. A bit of water makes you very happy?"

Loki felt his face flush. "It's not…" He stopped, realizing that the truth of the matter was more embarrassing to say out loud than allowing the elder prince to continue to think that it was just their goal. They were not children anymore and he knew that he couldn't be seen holding to Thor in such a manner. After all, he spent so much time trying to convince the thunderer that he didn't want anything to do with his wild adventures that to be so keen on being out on one with him now - even after all of his complaints no less than an hour or two before - simply because Thor's friends had been washed from the picture, leaving just the brothers to go… Well it didn't seem like something that the mighty Thor would understand. Loki wasn't sure he thought it made too much sense.

Thor grinned even broader, reaching around to sling his arm around the younger god's thin shoulders. "It's good to be just the two of us," he said heartily, all but pulling Loki along. "It's been some time."

"You're always off with the others," Loki murmured, trying not to sound too put out by it.

"We invite you along."

"I don't want to go with them."

This stopped the blond and he turned to look at his brother, head cocked to the side in question. "No wonder they talk about you as they do, if you act like that to them."

"If I act in some way?" the dark haired trickster demanded, even as the large arm encircled him again and they continued through the woods. "It isn't I that laughs when one of them loses to a physically stronger opponent because their skill is not allowed and I certainly don't pick at their every shortcoming to use as a knife to dig a bit deeper."

Thor rolled his eyes. "Don't be so dramatic, Loki. They don't do that, and when you think that they do they are most likely trying to encourage you to do better."

"Some encouragement."

"You've just got to try a bit harder, that's all. Take your swing-"

"I don't want to talk about this."

"Well you've got to-"

"Thor!" he snapped, coming to a complete halt and forcing the taller prince to do the same or drag him along if he were to keep his arm around him as he had. "You said this was my day. I don't want to bicker with you."

"Then stop bickering."

"Then stop being such a brute!"

"Brute?" He released his brother at this point, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "Stop acting like a little girl sniffling at every word spoken," Thor huffed. If he noticed how the temperature had dropped around them or how Loki's eyes were just a bit greener as his magic pulsed around him, he didn't give it much care. "We are warriors, brother. It would do you some good to listen to our advice now and again. You may think you have all the answers with your studies and your knowledge, but it's kept you from becoming a true son of Asgard."

Loki stood still now, his spine rigidly straight and his shoulders squared. He still held his book in his hand and he gripped it tightly enough that his hands were shaking even as bits of ice crept along the leather cover. Without warning he threw it, catching his brother square in the face and sending him stumbling back. Thor looked started at the sudden outburst, and when the younger prince spoke his voice was barely above a whisper, chilled as the leather that covered the book was. "At least I'm not a bully, beating others down to pull myself up." He turned on his heel and started off ahead in the direction that they'd been going.

"Loki!" Thor yelled.

The trickster ignored him, even as he continued shouting. His green eyes were glaring straight forward and he cared little for the lightness of his step. He stormed forward, even as his brother's anger built in the form of violent clouds above the trees, lighting flashing above. Loki continued on.

"Don't you dare walk away from me after that!" the blond prince screamed, any control he'd had leaving him entirely.

The lighting struck close by, charring leaves and a fallen log. Loki jumped, a small sound of surprise escaping him as he barely missed being hit by the next bolt. He turned, eyes blazing with anger. "See! You don't get your way and you'd burn me!"

"You attacked me first!"

"I threw a book! That's hardly-" The next bolt hit so close that it actually threw Loki from his feet and he rolled through the dirt. After a moment he sat up, eyes wide. The anger returned as soon as the smug look on Thor's face told him it had been intentional. "You are a bully," he hissed, picking himself up. He could feel the tears building and he swallowed hard to try to push it all back. "And a brute. You're cruel and you care nothing for me. Perhaps it would have been best if I'd never been born your brother so that you wouldn't have the embarrassment of it all!"

Something flickered across the elder brother's face at the last words.

"You only care for yourself."

Thor sniffed, trying to regain the upper-hand in the battle of words. "At least I don't wear my feelings out in the open for anyone to trample over!" He snorted, tilting his head up and using his height, even with the distance between them. It was in his stance. He was the first born of Odin, the unspoken heir, the perfect, golden prince. It was there and there was no need to speak the next words, but they were spoken anyway. "You are my brother and a prince of Asgard, Loki. Perhaps you should remember that and there'd be no need for me to be embarrassed." He turned, ready to leave his younger brother to go off and cry the rest of his celebration day away by himself. Like a child, Thor thought, but the burst of power caught him unawares and he was thrown forward, slamming hard into a tree. He sunk to the ground, dazed.

"If I'm so weak, if I hold nothing of our lineage in me then why will you never fight me at my best?" Loki's voice rose and Thor had the sense to remain on the forest floor. He'd seen his brother's power before, and while he wouldn't say it frightened him, exactly - of course he wouldn't say that - as a warrior he had to know his limits. Loki was well studied in magic, but there were times when even he lost control of it, and with tears streaming down his cheeks he looked as if he might be bordering on one of those moments.

"Brother," Thor called out.

"You're afraid," the younger prince growled. "Just admit it! You're afraid that I could best you with my tricks."

Both brothers' eyes widened at a strange cracking sound coming from beneath them and they looked at each other.

"You must stop it," Thor managed.

Loki looked at his feet, green eyes panicked. "I… I'm not sure what I've done," he admitted.

The blond reached out a hand, easing to his feet. "Just… peace, brother. Don't-"

And then the cracking sound came again and they saw it. The ground was opening up below them and none of the angry words mattered anymore. Loki called for his brother as he tried to reach out for him and the forest floor opened wide and dropped them both into it.

TBC

A/N: So... That was not actually the plan. Apparently Thor and Loki needed to yell at each other. Who knew? :P