Brothers

A/N: Much love to you guys. Your reviews are some of the sweetest I have ever read. Thank you so much.

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"I will never understand you and your brother's obsession with long hair," Frigga commented, snipping at Loki's hair with her shears. Loki watched mutedly as long locks fell away from his face. "I keep telling Thor that he will soon look like a young maiden if he keeps letting it grow out, but he will not listen to a word I say. I believed he would look stunning with a cut like Fandral's."

Loki grimaced. "With all due respect, Mother, Thor would look ridiculous with Fandral's hairstyle."

Frigga hummed thoughtfully, mulling over the thought. In the reflection of the mirror he sat before, Loki noticed the gleam of joy in Frigga's eyes and the small smile upon her lips. Not long after his talk with Thor on the beach, Loki approached her while she was reading in the library. They spoke for a long time, and by the end of it, Frigga had tears glistening in her eyes and her arms wrapped around Loki's shoulders. Her embrace warmed his heart, and he couldn't resist hugging her in return. It was wonderful to see the mother of his heart happy once again.

Yet, as he watched his appearance take on the innocent look he wore when he called Asgard home, he couldn't help but notice the hollow look in his eyes. It was less noticeable than before, but the look still lingered. His hurt still lingered. Late into the previous night, Loki laid awake upon his bed, staring up at the dark ceiling, rehashing the words he had spoken to his brother. A part of him wanted to believe that it was all the truth. Everything he did, he had done for Thor. Yet, the dark part of his mind reminded him that, regardless of how desperately he wished for it to be so, his motives for his actions bloomed from a much darker, more selfish, part of him. Even as he spoke his thoughts to his brother, the half-spoken lie lingered sourly upon his lips.

"There," Frigga announced, leaning down to smooth Loki's hair back. "You look like your old self now."

He stared at his reflection, seeing a resemblance to the man he once was, yet every time he looked at his own green eyes, he could only see the deep pool of guilt, anger and sadness that still stewed within him. His eyes still had tired, purple circles dancing beneath them. His mouth naturally held itself in a tense line. No matter where he looked, he couldn't see the man he once was within his reflection. Not anymore. He averted his eyes.

"Thank you, Mother," he said softly, rising from his seat.

"You're welcome, Loki," Frigga responded, lying a hand upon his arm. "What is it you plan for the day?"

"A walk, perhaps," he said. He stared distantly out towards the window in the room. "I could use some time to clear my head."

"Yes, of course," his mother said quickly, dropping her hand. "I wouldn't want to keep you from that." She began to clean up her supplies distractedly. Loki let a small sigh pass by his lips. He gently placed a hand over her fretting ones, stilling them with his slight touch.

"I will not be gone for long. Perhaps we could partake in a glass of warm milk by the hearth later tonight?" he inquired. Hopeful, glistening eyes met him as she recalled doing similar actions when Loki couldn't sleep much at night as a child.

"I would like that very much," she said softly. She lifted her free hand to gently touch Loki's cheek. "Thank you, my child."

Unable to produce a proper response, Loki just nodded.

. . . . . . . . .

For most of the afternoon, Loki walked the halls of the great castle, lost in thought. He lingered in places that struck up the most vivid memories, reliving them as if they happened just the day before. He remained for a long time at the festivities hall where Thor had flipped a table in frustration after his coronation had failed. The place where it all began to spiral downhill. He stepped away from hall, walking absentmindedly down the hallways. Without realizing it, he found himself standing before a doorway, Thor's deep voice resonating from within. He considered entering the room but hesitated when a sharp feminine voice answered him.

Sif.

A curl of doubt settled uncomfortably within his stomach. His own family was one thing; Sif and the Warriors Three wouldn't be nearly as gracious about his return. He wouldn't doubt that the dark haired warrior Goddess pulled for his permanent incarceration. She had not bothered to hide her distrust for him throughout the years, and he had given her a legitimate reason to do so.

Loki took a few steps backwards, intending on heading back to his room, but froze, sensing a presence behind him. He spun on his heel, warily eying his new unwanted company. The Warriors Three stood awkwardly behind him, uncertain how to proceed such a chance encounter. Usually, Loki would make an excuse to leave before things got exponentially worse, but he waited this time. Fandral shifted uncomfortably.

"Er… Loki," he said. "Funny seeing you here…" He avoided eye contact. Loki narrowed his eyes.

"Charmed," he said flatly. He warily took in Hogun's tense stance behind Fandral's shoulder and Volstagg's worried shifting. He wasn't sure why he bothered to linger for their responses. These were Thor's friends. They always were. It was useless worrying over how they might view him after everything that had transpired.

"Pardon me," he said shortly, turning his back to leave. He took three measured steps before the door he previously stood before opened.

"Friends!" Thor called out, loudly giving Volstagg a hug. "Brother!"

Loki hesitated a step, turning to look over his shoulder. Thor had a wide grin upon his face and a big hand set upon Fandral's shoulder. Sif stood silently beside him, eyebrows drawn down in distain.

"Where are you going?" Thor asked lightheartedly.

A small twinge of guilt shot through Loki's chest. "Elsewhere."

"We plan to spar in the training grounds soon," Thor continued. "Join us!"

Surprise filtered across the faces of Sif and the Warriors Three.

"Thor," Sif said shortly. The God of thunder glanced at her questioningly. Loki caught the wary looks shot his way.

"Perhaps another time," he said quietly.

Thor's smile fell a bit. "Are you certain?"

Loki met Sif's eyes. "Quite."

Thor let his disappointment show at bit as he dropped his hand from Fandral's shoulder. "I see," he said. "Then, I shall see you later, brother?"

"Perhaps," Loki responded shortly. He turned heel, feeling less than wanted at the moment. A part of him longed to follow Thor to the battlefield. It had been too long since they met arms on a neutral field, and Loki was feeling a little soft from all the time he spent just walking the halls of the great castle. Yet, a part of him still couldn't reach up to face the others yet. He was coming to realize that the hardest things to do in life was to hope for forgiveness from those that once mattered most.

He turned the corner that led back to his rooms, but slowed down a bit when he heard swift footsteps following in pursuit. He briefly considered phasing out of sight to avoid the oncoming confrontation, but yet again, he hesitated to act.

Strong fingers dug into his shoulder, whipping him around with surprising force. The warrior Goddess forced Loki against the nearest wall with little sympathy, digging her forearm against his collarbone to keep him in place. Loki winced at the pain, but Sif's hold was unrelenting. She glared up at him.

"You may have Thor fooled by your 'redemption' act," she growled. "But you're not fooling me. I know what you really are, and I don't trust you for even a second. Step even one toe out of line and it will be your last. I swear it." She gave him a final shove before releasing him roughly, stalking away without another glance.

Loki took a deep shaky breath, lightly touching the base of his throbbing throat. A dark chuckle bubbled up from within him, passing by his lips unbidden. His chest hurt in a darkly familiar way, a tightening that brought back memories of a painful time that he barely put into his past. He pressed his eyes closed, letting his chuckle die away. How strange it felt to actually welcome the hate aimed toward him. Hate was something he understood. Forgiveness and acceptance, on the other hand…

Loki pushed himself away from the wall, and straightened his clothes. He calmly continued his walk back to his rooms as if nothing happened. Yet, his stomach churned uncomfortably and he paused in his steps, changing his destination. After such an encounter, he was starting to crave a bit of warm milk with a dash of forgiveness to settle the dark thoughts wandering through his mind.