Thor eventually mastered himself enough to release his hold on Loki. It was something of a surprise that his brother had allowed the embrace to go on so long, let alone initiated it, but it had gone a long way towards removing any doubts he still had that he was truly back in his own past with a chance to prevent the many calamities he'd lived through. It also gave him hope that things were not so broken between them already that they could not be mended.

Loki was watching him with his brows furrowed slightly in concern. It was hard to believe how much younger he looked. Had it really only been eight years since this moment? He shifted under Thor's gaze, fidgeting with his hands as he often did when anxious about something. "Well, shall we go to Father, then, or are you going to stand there all night?"

Thor frowned. "On second thought," he said slowly, "it might be best to wait until after the Odinsleep. As I have no intention of starting a war today, there is no immediate threat."

"You? Second thoughts?" said Loki with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. "You'll have me doubting your identity again if you keep this up."

Thor gave a rueful chuckle. "I'm sorry I cannot put you at ease by blundering my way forward like I always have. There is far too much at stake." Including his relationship with his brother. He would not settle for merely preventing his death, and he would not make the same mistake he had apparently made all his life—that of assuming that everything was fine just because Loki voiced no discontentment. It had taken him quite a while after the destruction of the Bifrost to understand that his little brother had not simply gone mad over the course of three days. Happy people did not try to destroy entire planets just because they found out they were adopted.

"You don't even want to show off your sudden maturity to Father so that he will change his mind about cancelling your coronation?"

"No, Mother can be regent as usual. One more time will make little difference. Though perhaps I should recommend you for the throne instead."

Loki's mouth fell open in a rather comical fashion, but he quickly snapped it shut again, his face reddening and his fists clenching. "If that was a jest, it was not an amusing one."

"It wasn't a jest!" said Thor, hastily stepping out of stabbing range, just in case. "You are far more skilled than I in every area of statecraft. Politics, diplomacy, economics, strategy, negotiation."

"That is not the point. Even if I wanted the throne, Asgard wouldn't have me!"

"Why not? You're as much a prince as I am."

Loki gave him a look that was equal parts incredulous and withering. "Perhaps you haven't gained any wisdom from your dark future after all, if you think the people would be just as content with the silver-tongued trickster ruling over them as their golden warrior prince, especially right after they turned out over a hundred thousand strong just to see you begin your first turn as regent. They would think I had used my 'cowardly sorcery' to usurp your place."

Thor suppressed a wince. Loki's tone was one of disdain and indifference, but now that he knew to listen for it, he could hear the hurt it masked—the longing for recognition and approval he kept buried deep. Words full of bitterness, rage, and despair echoed through Thor's mind from another time. "I never wanted the throne! I only ever wanted to be your equal." Well, he'd just have to show him that he was.

He laid his hand on Loki's shoulder. He hoped he wasn't making him uncomfortable with the overflow of affection, but after what he'd been through, he wasn't likely to be able to contain himself any time soon. "Brother, any who fails to see your worth is a fool, and I am ashamed that there were times when I was such a fool, even though it's been your sorcery saving my and our friends' lives every other adventure we've ever gone on. I might be the king our people think they want, but you are much closer to being the sort of king they need."

Loki scowled and shrugged Thor's hand away, but the blush on his pale cheeks told him that he had taken his words to heart, no matter how begrudgingly. "Pretty words, particularly coming from you, but you're still the firstborn, so don't think you can just dump your responsibilities onto me just because you're finally aware of how unprepared you are to shoulder them."

They began walking in the direction of the family wing of the palace. The first few minutes passed in comfortable silence. Thor continued to drink in every detail of their surroundings, torn between utter joy that it was still here and anguish over his memories of its destruction.

"Do you truly no longer desire the throne?" Loki asked eventually. Thor looked at him, and Loki raised his hands. "What? All our lives, it's been 'when I'm king' this and 'when I'm king' that, and now you're not even bothered that I brought Frost Giants to Asgard to sabotage your first regency, and you'd rather Mother or I sit on Hlidskjalf in your stead. Forgive me if I'm having trouble wrapping my head around that."

Thor ran a hand through his hair, still not used to having it at this length again. "I'll take it if I must, and I'll do my best to rule our people well and protect them, but the thought gives me little joy." He smiled, thinking back to his memories of this day. "I remember you asking me if I was nervous before the coronation."

"Yes, and you laughed me off."

"I did," he agreed, "but I should have told you why. Part of it was arrogance and my lack of a true understanding of what it means to rule, but the small part of me wise enough to be nervous was still at ease because I knew I'd have you by my side to make up for the ways in which I might fall short. I may have done a poor job of showing it, but I have always been proud to have you as my brother and my friend."

"Dear Brother, what has happened to turn you so soft?" Loki said it in a tone of mock disgust, and the pleased blush was back, but Thor felt a pang, remembering when he had hurled almost identical words at him in scathing disdain and rage.

"All those times I spoke of what I'd do as king, I pictured you there as my closest advisor, but I don't think I've ever asked you if that's what you wanted."

Loki grimaced and shrugged. "What would be the point? How much freedom does either of us really have to determine what roles we'll play? You're for the throne and I'm for whatever advantageous political marriage Mother and Father can arrange."

"I suppose," said Thor. "But I can at least see to it you aren't shipped off to Alfheim or Vanaheim or whatever realm it is to live with your in-laws forever, if you'd rather stay on Asgard."

Loki frowned at him in a way that reminded him of the elevator on Sakaar, which he took as a good sign. "Are you suggesting that whether or not you lobby to keep me here as your advisor would be up to me?"

"Of course," said Thor. "I'd love to have you here always, but I wouldn't force you to stay if it wasn't what you wanted."

Loki appeared too stunned by this to form a reply. So instead of waiting until the silence could get awkward, Thor changed the subject. "Hey, what do you say we go to Midgard in the morning?"

Loki's brow furrowed in confusion and perhaps distaste. "Midgard? Why would you want to go there? Isn't that where you said Father banished you the first time around? I'd have thought you'd never want to go back after that."

"Of course I want to go back. I made many excellent friends there and we'll be needing their help, and they ours, if we are to thwart many of the dangers the next few years will hold."

Loki gave him a rather condescending stare. "The mortals are barely capable of making it to their own moon. What possible help could they be at thwarting dangers like Ragnarok?"

Thor grinned. "I suppose you'll just have to find out when we get to Midgard, won't you?"

Loki glared at him. Thor continued to smile brightly, and after a few seconds, Loki rolled his eyes and gave a protracted groan. "Oh, very well, I'll go with you."

"Wonderful!" said Thor, thumping Loki on the back hard enough to make him stagger. The prospect of introducing Loki to the Avengers as an ally had him feeling positively giddy. He was sure that Loki and Stark would get on famously, and Loki would be much more use to Jane and Erik in their work than he'd ever been.

The thought of Jane dampened his excitement somewhat as he entered his chambers. He wasn't sure what he should do where she was concerned. Should he try to court her again? Avoiding the same pitfalls that drove them apart the first time around would not be the same as getting the jump on enemies he knew were coming. None of those factors had changed. His responsibilities to the nine realms would still keep him away from Earth more often than not. The periods of separation that had felt quite brief to him had been much harder for her. He simply hadn't been free to prioritize her the way she deserved, and though he gladly would have brought her with him to any realm where she would be reasonably safe, she couldn't leave the groundbreaking work she was doing behind. In the end, just before he left for Muspelheim, they'd come to the unhappy conclusion that it would be for the best if they went their separate ways.

Thor did not think it would be right to start something with Jane that would most likely have to end, but he also thought it was unfair that only he held the memories of their time together. Perhaps it would be easier to decide when he saw her.

X

Thor's musings on everything he needed to do to make sure things turned out right this time were cut short by a soft knock on his door. "Thor? May I enter?"

His heart seemed to freeze in his chest, and he abruptly ceased his endless pacing. "Yes, Mother."

The door opened, and Frigga walked in. The mere sight of her alive and whole made him feel like a mortal again, or perhaps like a child. He was powerless to do anything but stare. She was so beautiful.

"I'm so sorry the coronation didn't go as you hoped, ástin mín." She walked gracefully up to him and lifted a hand to his cheek. "Are you terribly disappointed?"

"No, I am well, Mother," he said hoarsely, covering her hand with his own. He wanted to hold on and never let go. "I know that under the circumstances, it is best if you act as regent as you have always done before. The Jotnar are less likely to attempt another assault if an experienced ruler sits on Hlidskjalf."

Her brows drew together and concern filled her eyes. "What is this pain and sorrow I see in you?" she asked.

"It is nothing," he said. He would destroy Malekith and his Kursed beast before they could so much as lay eyes on her this time.

"It is not," she replied firmly.

"It is nothing you need worry over," he amended, catching her other hand too giving both of them a reassuring squeeze. "I swear it. There is much I need to discuss with you and Father, but it would be better to wait until he wakes. I beg you not to trouble yourself."

She did not look entirely satisfied by that, but she nodded and squeezed his hands back. "Very well. But what will you be doing while your father sleeps? I want to be sure you don't harbor any wild notions of retribution against the Jotnar or something equally reckless."

Thor smiled, but it was a little bitter. She certainly knew him well. "Nothing like that. I was actually thinking of going to Midgard tomorrow. Loki too."

"Midgard?" she said, looking intrigued. "It's certainly been a while since you last went there."

He seized upon that for his excuse. "Exactly. Heimdall has said that the mortals have made great advancements since my last visit. I would like to see them for myself. Perhaps they are close to a point where we could start engaging them in trade and building an alliance. It would be good to begin laying the foundations for that, would it not?"

"You needn't worry that I will object," said Frigga, laughing. "It does seem an excellent idea. Perhaps you will still get something valuable out of this regency even if you aren't on the throne yourself."

He beamed at her, relieved. "Thank you, Mother."

"Well then, I will leave you to get your rest before you go." She stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek, and he pulled her to him in a tight hug. Some of the worry returned to her face when they drew apart, but she didn't press it this time, and left the room.

X

Loki occupied himself with a book until he was sure Thor was asleep (the thunderous snores took far longer to start up than they usually did, but they were rather difficult to miss), then crept down the corridor and into his chambers. For the second time today, he was about to do something he probably shouldn't, but his curiosity was too strong to ignore. He simply had to know more about this future Thor had lived and which had wrought such profound changes in him.

Thor was sprawled diagonally across his bed on his stomach, arms stuck out to either side, the covers all askew. Loki snorted. He was just as much of a bed-hog now as he had been when they were children sneaking into each other's rooms because they weren't used to being out of their shared nursery yet. Loki had woken up on the floor on more than one occasion after going to his big brother's room for protection from the monsters in his nightmares.

He hesitated for a moment. Breaking into someone else's mind was one of the darker applications of seidr. It was supposed to be reserved for use against enemies, to expose their weaknesses or gain valuable information. To do it to one's sleeping brother without his knowledge was a serious breach of trust. But surely the circumstances justified it? If everything truly had gone to Hel in the future Thor had come back from, then he was going to need all the help he could get to save it, and how could Loki help him if he didn't know any details?

Resolve firming, he crouched beside the bed and pressed the heel of his hand to Thor's forehead.

Looks like I figured out more stuff I could do with this fic after all! I still can't promise anything when it comes to overall length or number of chapters, but I guess I'll be updating it when the inspiration strikes. "Interventionism" and "My Brother's Keeper" will probably take priority because I'm getting to some fun stuff in the former and the latter has really short chapters that are easy to crank out.

"Know your place" is one of the least pleasant lines Thor has in any of the movies, so I liked the idea of using it as a chapter title in this fic, where Thor will be doing his best to convey to Loki that his place is right at his side, not in his shadow.

Now that Thor has had a moment to process the reality of having a second chance, he's getting more strategic, so he won't just infodump about the future, but he's definitely still going to be a much more proactive time traveler than most.

"Ástin mín" is an Old Norse endearment like "my darling." Originally I just had Frigga using the English version, but I thought something like this would be better if I could find it, and I did! Yay!