oOo

Chapter 21

Clint was still sitting on his chair while Natasha and Steve were whispering by his side. Clint was pissed, because not only did they stop the movie, but because the team had fallen apart with all the drama. He wasn't just pissed, he was aggravated and completely unhappy.

From the corner of his eye, Thor was leaning on the wall in the corner, moping. Bruce had left a few minutes ago to get something to drink and to calm down, while Tony sat on the table next to Loki.

Both of them were opposite Thor, and Clint just hated being in the middle of things.

Literally in the middle.

Clint bit his lips, trying to recall what happened.

Loki had lashed out and broke down to tears, and when Thor was trying to make amends with him, Loki had pushed him away and retreated to the corner table. Bruce told Tony to talk to Loki if he really wanted to be a friend, and what were Steve, Natasha and him were doing?

Clint didn't know.

Natasha noticed some of his inner turmoil from knowing him for years, and from her experience, she knew that Clint shouldn't bottle it all up in one sitting. She saw how thinking and over complicating things affected her partner, and she wasn't about to have any of it.

"Hey Clint, you okay?" Natasha nudged her silently.

"No." He frowned. "All the drama is annoying."

"This was bound to happen sooner or later." Steve mumbled. "We have to try and get used to it."

"It's been an hour." Clint pouted. "I just want this to end."

"We'll continue the movie once Bruce returns and not a second longer," Natasha said. "Just try and keep yourself occupied."

"What did Fury say about the investigation?"

"They woke up." Steve supplied.

"Nothing yet." Natasha intervened. "Just the usual interrogation routine."

"Great." Clint huffed. "Hydra my ass."

Clint really hated that everyone else was so calm about it, but Loki topped the list of the crazy going on. He observed the trickster from moment one of his rage quit down to his emotional princess break down. The younger god had stopped caring and talking to anyone that Thor gave up his coaxing and retreated to his little comfort corner by the door.

An hour!

An hour and nobody tried to talk to any of them except for Tony. And he's the one talking to Loki. Nobody even wanted to touch Thor, because hell, they were all frightened of his silence.

"I'm surrounded by crazy people." Clint muttered to himself.

"Do you think Tony has any luck with Loki?" Steve glanced at the two. "They're awfully quiet."

"That's because they haven't talked yet." Natasha nudged him. "Stop staring, Steve."

"I'm worried."

"It's getting harder and harder to hate him." Clint said, crossing his arms. "We were suspicious, but when he blurted out about his rape, it just made sense."

"As much as it's heartbreaking, we can't let it get to us." Natasha knew her duty. "We have to keep everything in mind, not just him. We've all made mistakes, he's not one for excemption."

"A little harsh, don't you think?"

Natasha shrugged. "I try to be realistic." She turned to Loki, who was staring heavily on the floor while Tony tried to get his attention. "I think Tony's the best one to talk to him. If it's any one of us, he'll just be pissed."

"And Thor?" Steve asked.

"Why bother with the big guy?" Clint scoffed. "The big guy isn't even here and Thor's the next big one and hell, you want to have a bro-talk with him, Steve?"

"I wouldn't know what to say." Steve lowered his gaze.

"It won't help with the drama."

With that the three gave up and stayed silent, trying to occupy themselves with other menial things, like questioning how the weather was or something.

But hey, who were they kidding?

This wasn't working out too well.

Clint, Natasha and Steve decided to just talk about Loki's case as well as the case of Hydra. They were lost in their conversation and Tony took the distraction as an advantage and allowed himself to fully focus on Loki. He didn't want to talk at first, because he knew that the three stooges were listening, but now that their attention was elsewhere, Tony had a chance at freedom.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Tony whispered.

Loki just clutched the pillow tighter to his chest as he swayed his legs carelessly. Tony was trying so hard, but he was failing rather embarrassingly and miserably, and on his first try too.

"Loki?"

Silence.

"Come on, Princess."

Still nothing.

Tony grunted, and kept grunting just to catch Loki's attention. He could remember Bruce telling him to be friendly and he had wantonly sat on the table beside Loki without so much as the courtesy of asking.

However, Tony was glad that Loki didn't bother to shoo him away, and when he found the right moment, he gave him his cheekiest grin, but Loki just ignored him.

"At least try to pretend to listen to me." Tony whined. "I'm looking like the bad person here."

Nothing.

"Great." Tony thought and blurted out. "Come on, while they aren't listening. Say something stupid? Okay, I'll say something stupid. Pizza. I'm already acting stupid. Loki..."

Loki really wanted to punch Tony right, but deemed against it.

The man was being annoying, but Loki praised his constant determination to get him to talk, and it was bordering on being ridiculous. Thor was never this persistent with him and knew when the line was crossed, but Tony just wouldn't stop.

"Hey... psst."

Loki wondered who the child was between the two of them. If he was considered a young adult and scholar in Asgard, and Tony was considered an adult and genius on Midgard, then it proves quite a lot on his theory.

"Lokes- 'lo'!"

That Tony was indeed the childish and stupid one among the two of them. Oh, the irony and many insults Loki could make just by knowing Tony's capacity to be aggravatingly dense.

"Come on, Bambi!" Tony tapped.

Loki wondered where he got the tolerance from.

Then he thought about Thor. Maybe that was the reason why he could keep up with Tony's constant bothering, because Thor was just the same way when he wanted to attract his attention.

"LOookkkiii-" Tony imitated a whale.

Loki felt a smile tug on his lips and forced himself to stop.

He could already imagine the outcome if he began to burst into laughter. If he did, they'll all look at him as if he'd gone mad and Tony would just give him a stupid look of triumph in his face. No, Loki wasn't going to allow that.

He still had the dignity of a prince.

"I saw that!" Tony preened. "I knew I'm getting through you."

"Keep telling yourself that, mortal." Loki thought.

Loki continued to stay silent and stared at the floor, trying his best to make the impression of not wanting to talk to somebody despite truly wishing to speak his heart out.

Loki just had too much pride left in him.

However, Tony wasn't going to have any of that. Tony took a deep breath and decided he had to try and be as snarky as possible just to get a reaction from the depressed god. Of course he knew it wouldn't be easy, but hell, you won't know until you try.

"This is like poking a cat with a stick." Tony grumbled through his thoughts. "Nothing good comes out of it."

"Wow, Loki." Tony frowned. "You know, it's going to start burning if you do that."

Loki turned to him.

That was unexpected.

"Oh, now you look at me." Tony said, rather offended. "Here I am trying to say something nice and you turn to me when I mock you?"

Loki scoffed at that and tried to turn his attention back to the floor, all while flinching at Tony's touch when he reached out for him. He stared back with widened eyes as Tony all but retracted his hands and raised it high in defense.

"Come on, don't do that." Tony whispered. "I'm trying to help you out here."

"How could this be considered helping?" Loki scowled.

"Trying to cheer you up?"

Loki rolled his eyes when Tony answered a question with a question.

"Truly?" Loki huffed. "Do you even understand that the way of your approach is beyond that of any normal circumstances?"

Tony shrugged. "What can I say, I try to make it amusing."

"Do I look amused?"

"You look like a cat ready to rip me to shreds."

"Not far from it actually."

"Great." Tony pouted and winked. "Don't bite me, it might turn me on."

"I am appalled with your shameless flirting." Loki said dryly.

"It's a joke."

"Hmmm."

"Come on, I was joking! Have some humor."

"I don't like your jokes." Loki spoke softly.

He was hurt deep inside, and Tony could see it showing on Loki's features. Tony now felt guilty when he realized what his jokes meant to the younger one.

Loki looked away.

"I'm sorry if it offended you." Tony apologized when he got the message. "It took courage to say what happened to you in the past, but I'll tell you now that I won't judge. And that I'm sorry."

Loki clenched his fists and bit his lips, turning to Tony again with a little bit of effort to try and talk his frustrations away. Tony knew that Loki was making an effort, so he waited for the younger god to gather up the courage to spit it out. Tony figured if now was the best time for Loki to snap, well, he just wished he wouldn't be the test dummy.

"How is it possible that after everything that has happened, you are still by my side?" Loki sneered, not meaning to.

"You don't want me to be?"

"It's not that." Loki played the words in his head. "Will you leave if I tell you I might snap your neck accidentally and blame it on my insanity?"

"If you keep making derogatory remarks, I just might." Tony smiled. "But I won't."

"You are a stubborn man, Stark."

"And you're one aggravating kid." Tony leaned back on his hands. "Listen, I know you're angry and you're depressed and hurt, I know, but the future can still change."

"If it doesn't?"

"It will."

"How can you be so sure?"

"You've bounced back from depression numerous times, haven't you?" Tony gave him a look. "Think of your breakdown with Thor, and the next was with the Other, and now this. You've bounced back from it. The future can change, you know."

"I don't see any sense to what you are saying."

"Because nothing is ever that simple." Tony explained nicely. "Think about it, will you really allow your mother to go to Valhalla?"

Loki shook his head.

"There you have it." He pointed out. "Your main problem is now solved."

"My main problem is in the corner over there." Loki eyed Thor.

"Your brother looks like a wounded puppy with that stunt you pulled earlier."

"He's not the one wounded beyond belief."

"Thor's making an effort to put things behind him, but you're making it hard on the guy." Tony saw Loki flinch. "Thor's already guilty enough for giving up on you, and he wants to make an effort to change the future. Think of it as a second chance that you might never get again."

"You are making me feel guilty."

"Is it working?"

"To a degree."

"Then good." Tony smiled. "As least my efforts aren't in vain."

"Would you talk to Thor if I told you to?"

"That depends."

"What is your condition?"

"If you stop being a whiny little kid and bounce back up from your depression and start interacting with us again, I might just consider talking to your brother."

Loki eyed him, trying to see his plan.

There was none.

Tony's words were genuine at best.

"Why are you being so friendly, Tony?" Loki innocently asked. "Why are you so bent on making me feel comfortable when I am your enemy?"

"You called me Tony." He thought, snapping out of his daze.

"What did you say, Bambi?"

"Why are you so kind when you know your efforts would be fleeting?"

"Maybe it's because I just know how you feel." Tony shrugged.

"Do you really?"

"I helped you haven't I? Maybe it's time you helped yourself."

Tony jumped off the table and just in time, Bruce came with five cups of coffee for everyone excluding himself. Clint, Natasha and Steve turned their direction to Bruce, who gave a cup to each of them.

Tony saw Bruce question him with a look, which Tony replied with a shrug. He walked over to Thor, who continued to sulk by his corner. Tony gave Loki one last look to make sure that their agreement still stands. He gave Loki and wink and Tony turned to Thor, poking his side.

"What?" Thor growled lowly.

"Let me cut it short, your brother regrets what he did."

"And you managed to make him talk?" Thor raised an eyebrow. "You wish to tell me he feels sorry for lashing out and blaming me for the future?"

"You can't blame him." Tony shrugged. "You kinda gave him the impression that you would give up on him so easily that he hates you for it. Hell Thor, this movie is about you replacing him with Jane."

"That is not true."

"Well, that's the impression I'm getting from him."

"Does he truly think that?"

"He wants to make amends, but isn't sure how to approach it."

"Neither do I."

"Okay big guy, just wanted to tell you."

"Loki coaxed you into talking to me, didn't he?" Thor frowned.

"Maybe."

Tony shrugged, walking away to give Bruce a warm hug, which Bruce backed away from making Tony pout. Clint shouted "Gay" and earned a whack on the head from Natasha and a nudge from Steve.

Thor didn't bother to say anything else as he glanced at Loki, catching his eye. Loki froze then and there, and Thor decided not to make it hard on both of them as he casually walked back to his own seat without a word, ready to watch the movie. Loki was disappointed to say the least. So he stayed in his corner, sitting still on the table and hugged his pillow.

He just wanted to crawl into a corner, and die.

Maybe Thor would care then. What was he saying? Loki clenched his fists and realized that he was being overly dramatic about it.

"Hey Lo, you coming or what?" Tony called for him. "Might as well finish this bad baby."

"Damn mortal." Loki cursed, getting off the table and pulling it towards them.

SCCREEACChhh...

"Ouch!" Clint shouted, covering his ears. "That hurts."

Natasha, Bruce, Tony and Steve winced at the sound.

The screech that came from the sound of metal against metal was ear piercing to them, but Loki didn't care. He just grinned it off on the inside and gave them the cold shoulder. He went back to sitting on the table with his pillow. Must be his comfort zone, and Thor didn't even bother with the sound, let alone look at Loki, which made Loki even more angry that he should be.

Tension was obviously clear.

"Here." Bruce gave Loki the cup. "It'll dehydrate you a little, but it helps keep you awake. It's a bit bitter and hot, so be careful."

Loki accepted it without so much as a thank you and carefully brought it to his lips, liking the smell, but not favoring the taste. But he could get used to it if he tried. Bruce gave the other cup to Thor, who kindly declined it without uttering a single word.

Bruce gave the cup to Tony instead.

"All right, I'll make the rules." Clint cracked his knuckles. "No unessesary outbursts!"

"Oh please." Loki rolled his eyes.

Thor grunted, feeling displeased and sharing a mutual understanding with Loki. Both of them knew that the archer was talking about the two of them.

"Since when are you team captain?" Tony scoffed.

"I second that argument." Natasha nodded.

"Since you stepped down, metal man and don't encourage him, Nat." Clint retorted with a smile. "Besides, I'm the injured one here and being a bit disabled means I have an advantage. And I want this done and over it so I could sleep this day off."

"Too much drama." Natasha added.

"And argument." Thor muttered

"And chaos." Loki added softly.

"In one day." Steve said.

"And too many comments." Bruce sighed. "Let's continue this, shall we? And please, if any of you are going to lash out, wait for me to leave the room."

With that, Clint took the Stark-pad and pressed play.

"Jane Foster, you need to come with us."

While it played, Loki couldn't help but look at his brother. Thor was sitting there, crossed arms and eyes glued to the screen playing before them. In those blue hardened eyes, Loki could see hurt, despair and regret. His mother was right, he was perceptive to others, but not to himself.

Loki lowered his gaze, and eyed the smoke coming from the coffee. It was so warm, and Loki found himself missing his brother's touch.

His embrace, and more so, his love.

oOo

The lights were closed, and they were all eying the window now turned into a screen. Loki continued to glance at Thor as he sat alone with the cup slowly getting cold. Loki hated when Thor was silent, because it meant he was offended and seriously hurt.

"We are still unable to restore the palace shields." Fandral frowned. "Our artillery cannot detect them, even Heimdall cannot see them."

"My king," He took a dramatic pause. "We are all but defenseless."

The doors opened and Thor came in with his brown cloak wrapped around his body, hiding his armor. His features were hardened, angry but manageable.

"She's your prisoner now?" Thor shouted, looking for answers.

"Jane was called by Odin, right?" Tony questioned as he sat on the floor.

"Yeah." Clint nodded.

Odin looked at Thor and turned away. Thor allowed his friends and the guards to leave him and Odin alone in the throne room. Odin was looking worse for wear, and Thor was just the same.

"I do not wish to fight you." Odin muttered.

"Nor I with you." Thor replied. "But I intend to pursue Malekith."

"We possess the Aether, Malekith will come to us."

"Yes and you will destroy us."

"So Thor's having an argument with Odin." Natasha crossed her arms. "I'm not surprised there, but I am surprised by Odin's lack of sternness."

"You think this is lack of being stern?" Steve gave her a look.

"Just keep watching, Cap."

"You over estimate the power of these creatures." Odin raised his chin.

"No." Thor grunted. "I value our people's lives. I'll take Jane to the Dark world and draw the enemy away from Asgard. When Malekith pulls the Aether from Jane, it will be exposed and vulnerable, and I will destroy it and him."

"Brilliant plan," Loki fidgeted while he thought of ideas. "Except for the loopholes in it."

"It would have been easier had Loki thought of the plan." Thor frowned, sighing heavily on his burdened thoughts. "But it look as if my future is being on my own."

"And if you fail?" His father questioned. "You risk this weapon falling into the hands of our enemies."

"The risk is far greater if we do nothing. His ship could be over our heads right now and we'd never even know it."

"Is this how you usually argue?" Bruce softly asked Thor.

Thor shook his head. "No, I was more verbal and loud." Thor sighed, giving Loki a glance when the younger one wasn't looking. "I find myself confused at the lack of shouting, we were more physical back then."

"I like it this way." Tony shrugged from the floor. "It's quiet-ish."

"Isn't it cold down there?" Bruce asked.

"I like it." The billionaire shrugged.

Suddenly Tony felt a quick breeze move past him, he rubbed his eyes in the darkness and tried to make out what he felt.

Oh well, must be his imagination.

Thor had long since noticed Loki's glances towards him, and he was so sure that Loki wanted to make amends, but Thor did not want to be gullible. He would have to wait this out and see what would happen next. He didn't want to offend Loki any further by dismissing their early bout.

"If and when he comes, his men will fall on ten thousand Asgardian blades."

"And how many of our men should fall on theirs."

Odin shouted. "As many as we need!"

Loki felt his hand shaking as he held the now cold cup of coffee. He hadn't realized that he had already frozen it by mistake with his worry. Odin's words had gotten to him, and he could see that it also got to Thor and the others.

"I don't like this." Steve muttered. "His way isn't right."

"Most of the time it isn't." Loki answered. "But who are we to question the All-father. His word is law and he is King."

Nobody else spoke, they just let Loki's words sink in. And Thor didn't even bother to argue with that, because deep inside, Thor knew it was true. Only now did he fully thought on the burden of being a king and then he knew he wasn't ready at all.

Odin leaned on his staff, over exerted himself and regained his composure when Thor walked forward to help him. "We will fight! To the last Asgardian breath. And the last drop of Asgardian blood."

"And how are you different from Malekith?"

Odin laughed.

Everyone in the room shuddered at his laugh. Loki and Thor weren't amused by it, they knew Odin and his words were forced, stern, while he was overtaken by grief.

Clint felt a breeze move from behind, and faintly turned his direction there.

"What is it?" Natasha asked.

"Nothing." Clint shrugged, turning his attention back from the screen.

He could have sworn he saw something move.

"The difference, my son, is that I will win."

Odin walked away and the scene changed from Darcy and Ian talking about contacting shield.

"Who gave the girl our number?" Clint scowled, which they all shrugged at.

"I'm not worried about that, I'm worried about Selvig." Tony pointed at the man on the news. "His future seems bleak."

"None of that concerns me." Thor grunted. "I fear that even Odin's future would fall because of his inability to see sense."

"Much like your director is unable to see much sense." Loki added.

The Avengers felt the wide gap of silence when Loki responded to Thor's words, but even Thor was shocked that Loki was trying. Again, they did not address each other after that.

They watched as Thor and Heimdall talked about the war council and how Heimdall was useless at this point. They sat together, engaged in a heavy conversation when Thor suddenly gave an option.

"What do you require of me?" Heimdall raised his chin.

"What I'm about to ask you is treason of the highest order." Thor said. "Success will bring us exile and failure shall mean our death. Malekith knew the Aether was here, he can sense its power. If we do nothing, he will come for it again, but this time, lay waste to all of Asgard."

"Great." Loki rolled his eyes. "Another one of your brilliant ideas."

"I apologize but where were you in any of this to give me an opinion?" Thor half glared. Loki scowled at him and looked away, Thor frowned at this."I did not mean to say that."

"You do not mean half the things you say." Loki muttered, looking at the floor.

Thor didn't mean that, did he?

Because if he did, Loki's heart just wouldn't be able to take the pain any longer. He just couldn't stomach that thought again. It was too much, too soon.

"I sense an argument brewing." The Other laughed in the corner.

Loki raised his head to the side and looked at the Other with wide eyes. The Other stood in the dark corner of the room, his blue cloak illuminated by the screen, and his golden armor wrapped around his skin and mouth, his grey skin melted with the darkness.

Loki turned to the Avengers, who were paying close attention to the screen, for aid but were too focused to notice. Loki questioned yet again why the Other chose now out of all the moments to show up.

Bad timing.

Why now?

Why not before?

"Do not bother, they do not see me." He hissed happily. "Only you can, child."

"Why are you here?" Loki mouthed, knowing the Other could hear him in his head because of their mental connection. Loki had to break that soon to prevent anymore encounters like this.

"Entertainment."

"You know you cannot seek one from me."

"I am patient, I wait for when the time comes that I will be alone with you once more. You've seen me, felt me, embraced my existence near you. You draw me to you."

"Leave me alone." Loki trembled on his seat, clenching the glass. "Again with this constant torture. Find someone else to sway with your control you damn creature."

"I cannot leave you. Lord Thanos wants what is his and I need the tesseract, and I grow tired of hiding."

"Find another to do it." Loki breathed, looking for help. "I am no toy of yours."

"I will stop the torture, if you give me the tesseract." The Other walked closer, but more slowly. Lust was in his eyes as he licked his lips, trying to make Loki fear him.

Loki considered if he should listen.

No.

No, he won't.

But what if he did?

"We must move Jane off world." Thor muttered as Sif intervened.

"The Bifrost has been shut down-"

Loki looked at Thor for help, but his brother was too occupied watching him and his friends scheme to try and escape Asgard. They were all too distracted to notice Loki's distress. Because of Loki's shaking hands, with enough effort, the icy cup of coffee shattered on his palm and the pieces fell on the floor.

"I-" Loki's hand began to bleed. "That was-"

Now he had their attention.

Bruce was the nearest to the door and opened the lights, flooding their eyes with bright whiteness.

"Loki?" Steve whispered. "You okay?"

"I- I- just-"

Loki looked at the corner and the Other was gone again, like a ghost, he was trying to haunt Loki and make him break before them. The Avengers had paused the movie again and they all noticed Loki look at the corner and back to them without so much as saying a word of what happened.

Something happened that they knew nothing of.

"I'm sorry." Loki mouthed. "I was just- just-"

"What's wrong?" Clint raised an eyebrow, feeling suspicious. "Nothing happened in the movie yet to make you so anxious."

"It's n-not the movie." He voiced. "It's just- I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"You don't need to apologize." Tony stood up from the floor.

"Let me help you." Bruce said, pointing at his bleeding hands. "That must hurt."

"This coffee is cold." Natasha touched the icy cube on the floor.

"It's icy." Clint scrunched his nose.

"I apologize, I didn't know my own strength." Loki chuckled forcefully and that is where Thor drew the line and stood up, grabbing his wrist and winced. "I- what- T-thor? W-what are you doing?"

"A word with you."

"Honestly, I'm fine."

"Nonsense." Thor said sternly.

That got Loki to shut up.

As soon as Thor walked over to him, he pulled Loki off the table and towards the door, grabbing tissues and bandages on his way out. "Where are you two going?" Steve asked as Bruce and Natasha cleaned up Loki's mess. No answer came as the door shut.

"Bro talk." Tony said, and palmed his chin. "What happened?"

"I saw him look at us numerous times." Natasha placed a hand on her hip. "But the reason, I don't know. It was too random."

"Nothing is too random."

"Do you think that bastard the Other is the reason?" Clint voiced. "Maybe he's haunting Loki again, because I could have sworn I saw something."

"You felt that!?" Tony felt chills. "I felt a breeze pass by."

"Shit." Natasha cursed.

"That could be a possibility." Bruce rubbed his chin. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I thought it was the air conditioning." Tony jabbed, feeling his spine tingle. "Aw man, that is creepy. I feel violated."

"If you feel violated, then guess Loki feels much worse." Clint said, and frowned at himself. "But why now?"

"If he is the one that made Loki jump, would we have seen it." Steve interjected.

"Unless he's invisible." Tony shrugged.

"Or he's just too fast." Bruce pointed out. "Like last time."

"Or we can check the feeds and find out." Natasha said. "We're not going to be outsmarted by this bastard any longer. And hell, I want this movie done and over with."

oOo

Thor and Loki stood at the empty hallway just outside the laboratory. Thor pulled Loki to the side of the door and made him sit next to it. Thor took the tissue and started cleaning the cuts on Loki's hand, noticing that it was slowly healing. He continued to clean the injury while he hummed the Asgardian tune he always used to do.

Loki just watched his brother work.

Silence.

Thor did not want to talk.

And Loki did not force him to.

Thor bandaged the rest as Loki quietly sat there. Thor did not utter a single word but he continued being the older brother, and that broke Loki to no end. Despite his previous attempt to push Thor away, he just kept coming back into his life.

When Thor noticed Loki's shoulders moving up and down, he looked up from where he was working. Thor's lips pressed into a thin line and cupped Loki's cheeks when he saw tears fall from his brother's eyes.

"Damn it, Thor." Loki sobbed, feeling the warmth of his brother's hands. "I try to hate you- I try- but you make it so hard to do so."

"Hush." Thor pressed their foreheads together. "Enough."

"I don't want to be alone, Thor." He cried.

"You are not alone."

"I feel like I am." Loki swallowed, moving away. "I do not wish to watch any more pain from that movie, Thor. It is a reminder of your hatred towards me."

"I am angry and offended, but I cannot say I hate you for sure."

"I want to leave this place."

"We cannot, we must finish it."

"I cannot stay."

"Be brave."

"The Other is there."

Thor held Loki's bandaged hands. "What?" He gave Loki a look as his brother tried to wipe his tears furiously. "Since when, Loki? And why have you not spoken?"

"Just before I broke the- the cup." Loki looked at the door, waiting for something to happen. "I just want to leave. Convince them to let me leave that room."

"What did he want from you?"

"I don't know." Loki looked away.

"Stop running from this, Loki. Now what did he want from you?"

"Nothing." Loki lied.

"No more lies. I've tried and I've tried, but please, if you do not wish to be alone then just tell me what it is that the Other is trying to do to you so I may help. Now what did he order you to do that makes you so frightened?"

Loki's life was far from mundane, so Loki just downright blurted what he thought was best for the both of them.

"Nothing. He merely wanted to-" Loki swallowed, saying half the truth. "To take me to Thanos- make me fear him more-"

"He will not touch you again." Thor pulled Loki up to stand.

"But-"

"No more of this." He grimaced. "I am tired of us trying tear at each others throats. Whatever you see in that future, you will not see from ours, do you understand?"

Loki looked away again, but Thor cupped his neck and made him look at him straight in the eye. Dull green eyes stared into piercing determined blue ones and Loki knew that Thor was saying it like it was an oath, or a vow.

That made Loki feel a little safer.

"Whatever you hear from that movie, you will not speak or think ill of what I feel for you, Loki." Thor embraced him, and Loki stilled. "Nothing will ever change, do you hear me?"

Loki bit his lips.

"So stop running away from me, Loki."

Loki felt his heart sink for lying to Thor, but Loki felt it was the best option and mostly because Loki had a plan. An idea that would ensure their return to their world safely. And he wasn't just about to blurt it out. He wanted to prove to Thor that he could be a good brother, and besides, with this plan he had in mind...

Thor wouldn't even think of giving him up to anyone.

"I love you and you are my brother." Thor embraced him tighter. "That will not change."

"Alright." Loki gave up. "I believe you."

oOo

TBC.

I have to cut this short. XD It's too long.

REVIEWS allow you to get in between Thor and Loki's hug.*Wiggles eye brows* You know you want to.