Loki forced himself not to react as Thor got to his feet, despite the tidal wave of emotions coursing through him.

(Hate, anger, remorse, jealousy, longing, hate- hate- hate-)

(I know I seem envious at times, but never doubt that I love you.)

Loki almost smiled at the memory. Almost. His body still refused to catch up with his mind.

Thor was staring at him with a strange expression- (What is that emotion in those blue eyes? Does he hate me? I would hate me. He should hate me.)- as he approached.

"If this is an illusion, Sigyn-"

"Thor," Loki rasped out before Thor could finish or the She-Elf could reply.

Thor inhaled sharply and swallowed. "... Loki?"

The God of Mischief was vaguely aware of Sigyn getting to her feet and leaving the house, but he only had eyes for the Thunderer at this time.

He smiled weakly. "I hear you've been looking for me."

Thor did not return his smile- (Good. Maybe the oaf has finally learnt his lesson. Maybe he finally hates me). "I searched all over the Realms for you..." He shook his head. "Why?"

"Do you really not know?" Loki returned softly, unable to bring back any of the old malice that once poisoned his voice.

"It was you on the throne that day, so do not tell me that it was because of your desire to be King, for I know it to be a lie," Thor said, frowning.

"Not quite so dull as I remember..." Loki mumbled, lost in his own mind.

"You let me mourn- again," he said accusingly.

Loki laughed, but it was bitter and humourless. "Seems I cannot even die right."

"Don't say that. When I heard you were alive, I-"

"Wanted to smash my head in with Mjolnir? Yes, I though you might."

"No- well, yes. But originally I was glad. Glad that at least my brother was alive and well, somewhere in the Nine Worlds. But, from what Sigyn tells me, you are not at all well."

(Is it even worth lying when Sigyn has told him the truth?)

(She didn't tell him everything.)

(And neither will I. Not now, not ever.)

Thor must have taken Loki's silence as agreeing with his words, for he said, "Let me help you."

Loki scoffed. "Help me with what? Eating and sleeping enough? If I remember correctly, you tried- and failed- to do that even before I betrayed you."

"Do not pass this off as something as small as loss of sleep and appetite. Even with your glamour I can see the exhaustion on your face, in your bones."

"When did you get so perceptive? Did you fall over Mjolnir?"

"Don't try and change the subject, Loki, it will not work."

Silence.

Loki glared at Thor, a shadow of his old self coming through in this eyes, the green glinting dangerously. Lowly, his voice a venomous hiss, he said, "And how exactly do you plan on helping me? Will you pat me on the back and say 'There, there, it will all be better by morning'? Will you place Mjolnir on my chest again, let each of my ribs crack, and teach me a lesson in good manners and morality? Or perhaps you will drag me down to Midgard itself and have me apologise to the mortals?"

"I will do whatever it takes! I know my brother is not dead- I saw him in the man who pushed Jane out of the way of the Dark Elves! In the man who saved me from Kurse! In the man who died in my arms and apologised for his wrongdoings! Even now, Loki, for all your lies and trickery, I see him in you. I will help you."

"I am beyond help!"

"No! While I still breathe, there will always be a chance of bringing you home."

(While I am still alive, there will always be a chance of saving Thor.)

"I don't want your pity, your help, your forgiveness-"

"Then what do you want, Loki?"

"I want you to hate me!"

Thor blinked in surprise, staring at Loki as though he had finally gone mad. ('Finally'? I went mad long ago, brother.) His expression shifted then, turning to one of such complete and utter sorrow that Loki would have preferred it if Thor was beating him to a pulp with his hammer. "You are your own worst enemy, Loki. I know my brother is in there somewhere, no matter how deep you have him buried. I will find him, and all will be well once more."

Loki shook his head, completely drained of all anger, hate- drained of all emotion. He was left exhausted, and he heavily sat in his chair, staring out of the window and into the meadow. "You should hate me for all I have done to you," he murmured.

"And you are right to hate me for all I have done to you."

Loki scoffed weakly. "You cannot simply wash away a thousand years of pain with well-meaning apologies."

"Then let me give you more than that; let me give you a chance to redeem yourself well and truly."

"No one can give me that chance."

"Is it true, what Sigyn said?" Thor asked softly, coming to sit in the chair opposite him.

Loki was silent for a long time, staring at his ex-wife as she sat by the bank of the lake, weaving flowers into her long, snowy hair.

(Tell him.)

(And then what? Let him drag me back to Asgard, to the Allfather?)

(No. Tell him and let him help you.)

"Mostly," he murmured, so quietly that he almost hoped Thor had not heard him.

"What is it that torments you so much?"

"It is of no concern of yours, Odinson-"

"Don't give me that. I know damn well that there is something amiss- I can see it in your-" Thor cut himself off, and Loki's head snapped back to him. Thor was staring intently at Loki with a frown, seeming to search for something. "...Your eyes."

Loki frowned. What in the Nine was the oaf on about this time? "Care to share? And do stop gaping- you look as though you've been struck by your own lightning."

"Your eyes. They're green," Thor breathed, dawning realisation in his voice.

"Really, Thor, I knew you were dull, but after a thousand years, I'd expect you to-"

"On Midgard, they were blue."

Loki stiffened. (Thanos promised him pain. Thanos would find him. Even Thor would not be able to protect him. Loki was alone in this, always.)

"Must be the lighting from their sun-"

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm not stupid, contrary to what you might believe. You eyes are, and always have been, green- except on Midgard. They were blue. Exactly like the-"

(Don't say it. Please don't say it.)

"-Tesseract."

Loki's mouth went dry as memories assaulted him. Memories of hours of endless torture, of cruel taunts and jibes, of pain and pain and more and more pain. He forced himself to scoff derisively. "And you say I'm mad-"

"If you are, then it is because something has made you that way. Something other than years of neglect."

Loki smirked, hiding his unease behind his usual, taunting demeanor. "And, pray tell, dearest brother, what- ah- theory have you drawn from this?" (Please, please, please don't let him know.)

Thor narrowed his eyes, and Loki knew he was searching for any sign of a lie in his face. "That you were under the same control as Selvig."

Loki laughed. "You really can't help yourself, can you? You always have to try and find 'the best in me'. Well, I hate to disappoint you, but there really isn't anything good about me. Not anymore."

"You're lying."

"Oh? Am I?"

"Yes. I don't know what exactly you're lying about, but there is something more to what happened on Earth. And I intend to find out."

"Have fun with that. You can see yourself out, thank you."

"Oh, no. I'm not going anywhere without you, Loki."

Loki froze, sharp green eyes narrowing. "You said you wouldn't force me to return to Asgard."

"That doesn't mean I'm just going to leave you here. You forget that you are a wanted criminal."

(Damn.)

A/N: So, so sorry for the late update. Real life sucks. I can't say I'm happy with this chapter, but... I hope it's okay for you guys. I just can't believe so many people are following my story. Once again, so sorry.