Once, when Loki had been a young boy, Thor had dragged him out into the woods on the outskirts of Asgard, claiming that they were going to slay a dragon. They wandered around the familiar forest for hours on end, never losing their way as this was something they had done many times in the past. What they certainly did not expect was for them to encounter a real dragon. It had been a young Firedrake, barely even old enough to breath fire, but its body was still over twenty feet long, with a tail that was twice that. Loki had used his magic to douse the flames in its chest with a jet of water, hoping it would buy them time to escape. While it worked, the dragon had caught Loki in the chest with its whip-like, spiked tail, cutting into his skin and knocking the air right out of his lungs.
That was rather what he felt like now as he watched Thor's cape flutter in the breeze as the Thunder God stood at the edge of the meadow, examining the house.
"Loki?"
The God of Mischief was vaguely aware of Sigyn calling his name, but he found that he could not reply. He could not move. Thor was here. Thor would see him. Thor would know. Loki would have to explain everything and go back to Asgard and see Odin and go back to that blasted cell and be faced with the torturous memories of Frigga forever.
Norns, he felt like he was going to be sick.
"Loki!" Sigyn hissed, and finally Loki snapped out of his reverie.
Doing his best to conceal his shaking limbs, Loki stood abruptly from the armchair. He felt like he would collapse straight after standing, but he forced himself to go to the stairs. Sigyn, with all her Elvish speed and grace, beat him to it, placing one hand on either wall to block his path.
"Where do you think you're going? You can't just back out now!" She exclaimed.
"Sigyn, move," he hissed, trying to shove past her.
She sent him back with a blast of magic. Loki clenched his fists and forced himself to remain calm. (Thor is here.)
"No. You are going to answer that door, Loki whether I have to force you to do it or not," she said adamantly. While, at any other time, Loki would have admired her spirit, he really did feel lightheaded enough to collapse.
"Sigyn-"
Loki was cut off by three heavy knocks on the door.
Green eyes widened and he spun around to face the door, half expecting Thor to already be inside. Had he not been a God, Loki was sure he would have had a heart attack then and there. Turning once more to Sigyn, he pleaded quietly, "Please."
The She-Elf appraised him for a moment, before sighing. "Make yourself invisible. If you don't come out in two minutes, I'm telling him everything myself- including where you're hiding in the room."
Only slightly relieved, Loki made himself invisible as Sigyn strode past him to the door. He knew Sigyn would be able to see past the invisibility, much like she could with his glamour, but at least Thor would not.
Oh, Norns, Thor.
Sigyn opened the door, a pleasant smile on her face that brightened when she saw Thor on the other side. "Thor! I was about to set out to find you today! Please, come inside." She moved aside to let the God of Thunder in.
"How are you, Sigyn?" Thor asked as he entered, his broad shoulders just fitting through the door. He shut the door behind him and looked around with a small smile. Loki tensed as Thor looked straight at him, though his eyes moved away just as quickly.
"I am well, thank you. And you? Any luck with the search?" She asked, the very picture of a worried friend. She sat in Loki's chair and gestured for Thor to sit in the one she had previously occupied.
Thor sighed as he sat down. "I have searched the forest up until this point. I admit, I was hopeful when I found this house. I thought you lived in Frey's palace?"
"Oh, I do. This is the house of my friend, Anguem. You met him at the party, remember?"
"I do not mean to intrude-"
"Nonsense! Anguem welcomes you in his house, I am sure."
Loki glared halfheartedly at Sigyn. Time was ticking, and Sigyn would begin to reveal Loki's presence very soon.
There was a brief lull in the conversation, befroe Thor said, "Have you heard anything?"
Loki held his breath, his stomach clenching uncomfortably.
Sigyn looked Thor dead in the eye, a solemn look on her face. "I have."
Loki hated the hopefulness on Thor's face.
"Do you know where Loki is? Have you spoken with him? Is he well?" Thor asked in one breath.
(Damn you, Thor. Damn you for making me care.)
"I know where he is and I have indeed spoken with him. But no, he is not well," Sigyn said.
Loki glared at her, internally screaming at himself for not making himself visible and stopping her from saying another word.
"Where is- What do you mean 'He is not well'?" Thor asked warily, worriedly.
Loki's heart wrenched and twisted and did all manner of uncomfortable things as he stared into the swirling blue pools of emotion that were his brother's eyes.
Sigyn shot the barest of satisfied looks in Loki's direction. "He suffers from nightmares and memories. They plague him constantly-"
(Stop- Stop- Please, stop.)
"-And he barely gets any sleep. He does not eat, he stares at his own reflection for hours on end-"
(Coward, reveal yourself! Do not let her say another word!)
(I cannot show him now... Not when he knows... Not when- Not when she has told him everything!)
(But she hasn't told him everything yet.)
"And he is terrified of you taking him back to Asgard. Is that what you wish to do?"
Once more, Loki waited for Thor's response with baited breath, his heart hammering in his chest.
Thor shook his head. "I wish for him to come home-" Loki held back a scoff. "-but I know he no longer sees Asgard as his home. If... If he does not wish to return, I will not force him."
Loki glared at Thor. (How can you be so damned honest and forgiving? All I have done is lie, kill and hurt!)
(Show him. Show him now! Tell him yourself!)
(No- I can't.)
"Sigyn, please, I beg of you, tell me where I can find him," Thor pleaded.
Loki was vaguely aware of his hands shaking, and his breath out in short, trembling gasps.
"I saw him today-"
(Show him.)
(No.)
"-And yesterday-"
(She'll tell him!)
(I can't!)
"-Quite close to here."
(Please, please, please stop-)
"I told him that if he did not reveal himself to you, then I would tell him..."
(Oh, Norns, please make it stop.)
(I can't take it anymore.)
(I can't do this.)
(I can't.)
(I-)
(I can't-)
Thor let out a sound that was a mixture of a moan and a gasp. Loki blinked and realised, with a sickening jolt, that he was staring straight at him.
And he was perfectly visible.
A/N: So, you got Loki's reaction to Thor, but not Thor's reaction to Loki. That comes next chapter, as well as Loki explaining some things. We're getting into the good stuff soon, I promise. By about Chapter 20, I imagine we'll have reintroduced some other characters from canon.