"I severely doubt this is going to go well." Henrietta heard Loki's voice sound as she came downstairs. "I am trying, don't get the wrong idea, but you just can't change the course of the future, nor can you change the nature of a wild animal."
"Well, thank the Allfather you aren't a wild animal, Loki of Asgard." She said, reaching for her coat. "Although, I don't know. Are you?"
She turned just as he entered and tilted her head.
"What is it?" He said as she bit her lip, his eyes flickering to hers.
He was dressed in his usual black suit, shirt and tie, with a dark expression to match. Henrietta shook her head and smiled.
"You look like you're going to a funeral."
"Perhaps that's just as well." He grumbled, turning to look at his reflection in a mirror. "Somebody we know may very well have died, possibly by my hand, once we make our excuses for the night."
He softened and sighed at her touch as she put his collar and hair right.
"I suppose you're right. What do you propose I wear, so that I don't appear as hostile as I feel? And no, I'm not in the mood for green, not today. I'm already feeling sick at the thought of food."
She opened her mouth to speak, but he clicked his fingers in a triumphant move.
"A-ha!"
There was a flash, and he was standing in Asgardian clothes the colour of blood with accents of gold and black.
"Not too bad for a change, hm?"
She rolled her eyes, then picked up a lock of his hair, frowning.
"Did you curl this?"
He turned and gave her a look of offended disbelief.
"Do I look like a namby-pamby to you, Henrietta?" He snapped. "No, I haven't done anything with it. Against the assumptions everybody makes, I don't spend hours in front of the mirror. I just happen to look magnificent without effort… At least that's what everybody used to say."
"Alright, alright. I know. I was just asking, because it always used to be spikey. Now it looks nice. Softer. I like it."
That seemed to cheer him up. He nodded and stood straighter, his chest swelling a little.
"Then let us go and get this ridiculous visit over and done with."
They arrived at Stark Tower sooner than expected, for there was very little traffic on the road. Stark met them on the porch.
"Well, well." He muttered, nodding, his expression as stark and sarcastic as ever. "Glad you both made it in one piece."
"Lies." Loki muttered, then straightened and gave a small bow with his head, raising his voice. "I'm surprised at the speed this building has been put back to normal. Congratulations. It usually takes months after I've been in contact with one."
Stark extended his hand rather stiffly.
"Incredibly pleased." He grunted as they shook hands forcefully. "As is Thor. He's joining us for dinner."
"That's great." Henrietta piped up, before an argument could erupt. "Did Jarvis cook?"
Stark broke the glaring eye contact with the god of lies and turned to her.
"We ordered take-out. I hope that's not a problem?"
Loki rolled his eyes.
"No, of course not. Not if it's the best you could do."
"Let's go and join Thor." Henrietta said, firmly. "I've not seen him since I was hit by a truck. Is it true that he was the one who managed to catch it?"
"Yep. Saved your life."
"I'm glad. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to attend this dinner." She smiled, taking Loki's arm. "Aren't you glad, Loki?"
"More than words can express, darling."
The recipients ignored the sarcasm dripping from that statement as they stepped into the lift. Stark and Loki both pretended they were interested in the wonky jazz music playing in the elevator enough to not look at one another. Both had clenched jaws and fists.
"Jarvis," Henrietta called with a smile, "How are you today?"
"Splendid and in perfect health, Miss Knott." The AI replied. "Thank you for asking."
"Oh, no problem. Please inform Mr. Stark and Mr. Laufeyson how they could improve on their relationship-"
"No, don't do that, Jarvis." Stark snorted, struggling to keep his poker face in place. "Tell Thor we'll be up in a minute instead."
"Yes Sir."
The lift dinged and they all stepped out just as Thor rose from the chair in the corner of the room. He had his armour on, although his hammer was tucked behind a chair out of sight.
"Hattie!" His face broke out into a grin. "You're alive."
"I am." She smiled, bowing her head. "Thanks to you."
"Ah, don't mention it. It's my job. Evening, brother."
Loki nodded, peering into his eyes.
"Evening, Thor. You look well."
"I always do." He chuckled.
Hattie appreciated the effort they were making. Loki was biting his tongue and Thor was averting his eyes every few minutes, as though to call off any form of challenge. Stark didn't help, looking from one brother to the other expectantly, as though waiting for sparks to start flying.
"Dinner is ready, Sir. I brought it up and it is on the table." Jarvis informed, unconsciously breaking the tension. Tony clapped his hands sharply.
"Fantastic. Let's eat. We're not ourselves when we're hungry." He muttered, drifting towards the table. "Anyone got a problem with chinese?"
"Nope."
"No."
Loki pressed his lips together in reply, although he went a little pale at the sight of it. Still, he managed not to say anything. He slid out Henrietta's chair for her then sat beside her, stiff and upright.
They ate in silence. Thor kept glancing at Loki, then at Henrietta, then at Stark and back down at the plate, shovelling everything in with stunning efficiency. Henrietta was biting her lip, a little giddy, for the air was charging very noticeably between the three men. Loki was pretending he was eating, manoeuvring the rice around on his plate with his fork, weakly.
"So." Thor said, after swallowing. "Should we start talking?"
"About what?" Stark said, reaching for a glass of whisky. "Oh, yeah. About Reindeer-Games considering his options and kindly restraining himself from tearing buildings down in his spare time."
"Pardon me." Loki said, smiling dangerously. "Would you care to repeat that? I can't hear what you're trying to say over the sound of the sanctimonious warbling coming out of your mouth."
"He means to ask whether you're planning to take over Midgard again." Thor said bluntly through a mouthful of roasted duck. "You know." He swallowed and loaded his mouth repeatedly. "Since you exploded quite a few places over the past couple of weeks."
"Perhaps I wouldn't have done so if you hadn't started swinging your lightning hammer at me, you lummox."
"Doesn't change the fact though, does it, Stag Beetle?"
Loki scoffed, laughing grittily, then gestured towards Stark with an open palm.
"I'm sorry. You are literally working with someone very creatively calling himself Iron Man, looking like he smashed his face into a red gasoline canister for his armour inspiration and I'm the one getting criticism because my helmet has horns?"
"Do you really want us to analyse your fashion sense right now?" Stark's eyes flashed, although the rest of his face was in poker-mode. "Maybe you do. Or maybe you want us to tell the story of how you got your fashionista face smashed into the concrete by a hulk, in front of Henrietta?"
Thor paused mid-action of shovelling down a mountain of rice and glanced at Hattie as Loki and Stark stood, scraping their chairs back, fists clenched and jaws tight.
"Oh, I get it. You're asking for me to throw you out of the window again. You're begging on your knees." Loki hissed, green flickers dancing around his hands. "Keep propelling that mouth of yours, go on, and I'll listen to you."
There was a nasty silence. Henrietta propped her head on her cupped palms and sighed.
"Boys. The food is getting cold. Settle down please. Loki, your helmet isn't stupid. Nor is Tony's suit."
That seemed to jar them out of their staring contest a little. Loki sat slowly, still looking at Stark.
"I apologise for my behaviour, Hattie, dear. You're right. Let us eat."
Stark got the impression of cold daggers shooting in his direction from Loki's dark eyes, so he stayed standing a little longer to assert his dominance, then lowered himself into his chair.
"That's right. We don't want the food getting cold, or it'll be a waste of money."
It took them a while to speak again, the awkward silence broken by the sound of cutlery clinking against the plates. Thor was more intent on eating with gusto than solving any problems. After a while, though, he spoke.
"Let's pretend that we don't hate each other." He wiped his mouth with the tablecloth, swallowing, then leaned back, folding his arms. "That we have come here to discuss the possibility of peace."
"Of course, god of thunder and war." Loki managed to swallow and spoke. "We'll all listen as you teach us about it."
"I know more about peace than you do."
"Really? Because as far as I remember, your solution to every problem thus far has been to kill everything that moves."
Thor snorted, then grinned.
"Very well, then I'll let you tell us about how to seek peace, brother, god of lies, chaos and trickery. After all, you have all the experience, don't you?"
Loki opened his mouth to retort, but had some trouble after glancing at Hattie. After a moment, he bit down on his tongue, swallowed, then gave an empty sort of chuckle and sighed.
"I get your point." He managed, pushing his barely-touched plate away. "Let's cut to the chase. As much as I enjoyed having you two as my nemeses as well as all your wonderful friends-"
Here, Loki changed into Captain America, the Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, finally coming back to his own shape.
"-I don't plan on repeating letting off steam like that again. You can thank Henrietta for that. It wasn't my own choice. And, ah, yes. You'll probably-"
Loki clenched his fist and jaw, his nostrils flaring, then made a mad sort of move with his hands and rested them on his knees.
"-you'll probably be wanting an apology." He blew out a sigh. "Well, I apologise. I won't do it again. Voila. Thanks for the dinner."
Stark and Thor looked completely and utterly nonplussed.
"Did he just say sorry?" Stark muttered, probably to himself.
"He did, Sir." Jarvis sounded.
Stark nodded slowly, pulling a "Not too bad, I was expecting him to punch me in the gob instead" face.
"One minute, that's not you." Thor managed after a second, neglecting his food in favour of staring him down. "No, it is. Wow. Are you sick, or something? You do look sort of pale."
Henrietta hid a smile behind a glass of weak red wine and stood along with Loki. Loki rolled his eyes.
"Spare it, Thor. I'm going, if Henrietta is."
But Thor grinned widely, nudging Tony.
"What do you think, Stark? You reckon he means it?"
"You tell me." Came the stiff reply. "You're the one who told us not to kill him because you reckoned you can talk him out of that madness."
Thor stood, clapped Loki on the arm, then chortled as he stumbled indignantly.
"I'm surprised, I really am. I wasn't going to tell you that father called me back to Asgard, but now I am. I'm going for a few days."
Loki furrowed his brows, offering an arm to Henrietta.
"Why's that?"
Thor shrugged.
"Dunno. Some trouble with the jotuns, apparently, or something. I was going to keep it from you, so you thought I was still roaming New York. Listen."
He put a huge hand on his shoulder.
"I'm not going to tell Father where you are. Not unless he asks directly. I'll do everything in my power to keep you out of the centre of attention, brother. You have my word."
Henrietta saw a sliver of emotion cross Loki's face at those words. He bit on his lower lip and nodded.
"I appreciate it. I don't really fancy seeing the dungeons again."
"None of us want you to. Mother hated it. So did I. Who knows, though - you're supposed to be in there as long as you remained who you were, Father said, even though your sentence said otherwise. I reckon if you were to be captured again, you might not face imprisonment. Or get a reduction in the length of time."
"Good to know." Loki said, backing away emotionally again. "Tell everyone I said hello when you get there. Goodbye, Tony Stark. It's been a pleasure." He added airly as he stepped into the lift.
"Thanks, Tony." Hattie added, waving at the billionaire. "I'll call you later. Bye Thor."
Thor raised a hand in farewell with a grin. Stark managed to raise a hand and nod stiffly, although he did look quite pleased that it worked out that way in the end.
As soon as the elevator doors closed, Henrietta stood on her tiptoes and kissed Loki on the cheek.
He broke out of his dark musing and raised an eyebrow, although sour mood was written all over his face.
"What was that?"
"Affection." She replied smoothly, biting on the inside of her cheek.
He scoffed.
"Disgusting."
Henrietta took him under the arm and hugged it tight, waiting. After a few more moments of the rumbling lift enhancing the silence, he sighed.
"Do it again, sweet, please."
It was a cool night, but it was lovely, crisp and bright, so they walked home, arm in arm. Loki kept muttering to himself along the way - something about helmets and insipid judgements of mortal and immortal creatures.
"-but who gives a damnation." He finished with a sigh. "I honestly do not care anymore. Not unless you were the one who told me my helmet looks stupid, Hattie."
He turned to her, as though waiting for her to confirm or deny it. She nodded.
"I told you, I don't think it looks stupid. I believe I used the word magnificent to describe it at some point."
That seemed to satisfy him and eagerness crept into his step.
"Exactly."
They walked along in silence for a moment, before he sucked in a breath purposefully.
"Ah. By the way." Loki dropped his voice and leaned down to whisper into her ear, so that she shivered. "Don't jump or react, but we're being followed."
Henrietta felt her heart give a strange flip; Loki felt as though the blood circulation was suddenly cut off his arm.
"How many?" She whispered, after they had crossed the road.
"About four. Maybe five. Simple guys with crowbars. They probably think we're carrying money."
He stopped, throwing up his arms, then cupped his hands around his mouth.
"We're not carrying any money, you dim-wits. Get gone!"
Five people did in fact emerge from the shadows. They crossed the road after them, then slowed as they approached them, their silhouettes menacing in the dim light of the street lamps.
Loki had his hands in his pockets and was leaning back jauntily with a vein going off in his temple.
"I really wouldn't." He said softly. "For your own good."
"Loki," Henrietta whispered into his ear, putting a hand on his chest, "No murder, okay?"
"Not even a little bit?"
"No. It's rather impolite."
"Not where I come from." He chuckled, as the figures drew closer. "If you stab someone, it's an alternative method to saying go away. It's a very clear and surprisingly efficient way of getting your point across. "
"But it makes your hands blacker, and I don't want you to be sad."
Loki sucked in a breath and placed a kiss on her temple.
"Darling sweet," he breathed, "what would I be without you?"
The air was very suddenly filled with a sharp sound which usually accompanies electric shocks, five screams and five thumps, followed by a sharp sigh.
Loki made a tutting sound with his tongue.
"You know, Hattie," he replied to her questioning look, "I reckon if you don't put someone out the first time, they'll come back and do it again. Think. If it hadn't been for me, you would have probably gotten your beautiful brow split open with a metal rod, and I don't think any creature finds that sort of notion desirable."
Hattie got her voice back.
"Are they… dead?"
"Unfortunately not. Probably addled in the brain from the shock, but not dead."
He put a finger to her lips before she could hiss at him.
"Not now, sweet. Be a good girl and call the police, hm?"
Hattie sighed and pulled out her phone, dialling 911. Before she could open her mouth to answer, however, Loki plucked the phone from her hand and placed it against his own ear. He had shapeshifted, and so the voice which spoke did not belong to him.
"Hello? Police? Fabulous. There are five knocked-out fellows on the floor right beside me as a result of them trying to crowbar our heads open. Would you mind popping over to detain them? Sorry?" He frowned, then glanced at her. "The address?"
She mouthed it at him. He repeated it, then sighed.
"Yes, I can hear you. No, I won't be here when you arrive. It's been a long day and I'm going home. Yes. No, nobody is hurt but the assailants. What happened to them? Well, you'll just have to come and take a look, won't you?"
He ended the call with a flourish and held out the phone to her.
"Problem solved. Let's go, dear. It's cold out."
Hattie took his arm and they waltzed off home without a backward glance. After a moment, she spoke.
"Listen, Loki…" She clutched his hand. "I wanted to tell you that I really appreciated the effort you made in Stark Tower. You surprised me."
Loki gave something that could have been a happy sigh, then stood still and shifted back to his own form with a hum.
"I don't know what to say to that." He whispered, running a finger gently down the side of her face. "Thank you? You're welcome?"
"You don't have to say anything."
She hugged him tight in the street light, pressing her head against his chest. He returned it without hesitation.
"You know, I forget that I can do this as long as I like and as many times as I like." He said gently, holding her. "And yet I feel as though it is something that I should pay you for. An embrace from you, sweetheart, shouldn't come for free, for none deserve it. Especially not me."
"You are paying me." She laughed. "By returning it. I could say the same about you."
"Surely not." He murmured, as she looked up at him. "Surely it feels different."
"Different, but not lesser in value." Hattie studied him in the light. "Loki. Have I told you you look wonderful today?"
"I don't think so."
"Well, you do. You don't look as ill as you did. There's some colour here…"
She kissed his left cheek.
"And here." She kissed his right. "And a smile along these."
She ran a finger across his lips and received a sigh in reply.
"Hattie, you're torturing me with this vow of yours." He breathed, his eyes soft and demanding. When he spoke next, it was fast, breathless.
"Let's pretend we're married. Let's pretend our wedding was just a few minutes before, that you are mine, wholly mine and let me-"
He leaned down slowly as he spoke, his eyes shutting, but, as usual, she blocked his mouth with her hands and a giggle.
"I'm not pretending anything." She laughed, as he sighed. "Let's go home, Mr. Laufeyson, because you are right. It is quite cold out."
Life went on. Each night, Henrietta went to bed carried in Loki's arms and they spent more time than they ought to lying next to one another, Hattie under the covers, Loki on top of the covers, holding one another's hands and gazes.
Some days after the dinner, Loki had woken up first. Unable to disturb his queen from sleeping - she had looked too peaceful, even if he did long to hear her voice - he got himself ready for the day and went downstairs to perhaps surprise her with breakfast.
He didn't expect to go past a mirror, but he did. As he did a few weeks before, he stopped and stared, incredulous.
Hattie had been right - some colour had returned to his face. His eyes, although still tired and empty, at times, now glittered at each turn. True, it was a very faint spark, and it disappeared as soon as he thought he had caught it, but it was there.
Perhaps now…
He clenched his fists, took a deep breath and tried to force a smile.
Still, he could not. His face looked distorted, though, so he stopped and sighed, making his way to the original destination, although with his spirits minutely lifted.
He just set foot inside the kitchens when there was a knock on the door.
Loki turned, his temper spiking, for the knock had been loud and Hattie still slept, then swept towards it and opened it.
Thor stood on the doorstep, grinning broadly.
"Hello, brother-!"
"Shhh!" He put a finger to his lips stiffly. "Henrietta is sleeping!"
Thor covered his mouth and raised a hand in apology.
"Sorry, sorry. Can I come in?"
Loki furrowed his brows. Thor was dressed in his court armour, meaning he had just returned from Asgard.
"Why would you want to do that?"
"Can't I visit my brother and his wife when I wish to?"
"Hattie is not my wife, Thor. At least not yet." He added softly, turning.
"But she will be." Thor clapped him on the shoulder and steered him in with force. "As soon as you are out of prison. Where are the kitchens?"
Loki rolled his eyes and shut the door, knowing it was futile to steer his brother off course when he had set his mind on something.
Thor was opening the cupboards with a frown.
"I suppose she doesn't have any mead. Or ale."
"Correct."
"Really? Nothing?"
"Not a single drop."
Thor rose. They exchanged glances. Loki rolled his eyes, disappeared with a flash, then reappeared half a minute later with a small barrel beside him on the countertop.
Thor rubbed his hands together and laughed.
"You have some use, don't you, brother, for all your green sparks?"
Loki pretended he didn't hear the taunt, for Henrietta was still sleeping upstairs and his outbursts with Thor around always ended up with a building's foundations being tested.
"What brings you here? What did Odin want?"
They sat. Thor slammed the barrel on the dining room table and poured them both drinks.
"As I said. Some unrest. Might be war. It's a shame you've broken out of prison, as far as the military generals are concerned, you know?" Thor made a short pause to empty the entire mug in one go, then wiped his lips and continued. "You could have acted as a uniter."
Loki began to drum his fingers on the desk and bite his tongue. Knottie is asleep, Knottie is asleep, Knottie is asleep…
"So you have come all this way to tell me this." He said coldly. "That I can finally fulfil the purpose your father had for me from the very beginning."
"He's our father, Loki. You're my brother."
"I'm adopted, Thor. An adopted jotun."
Thor raided his eyebrows then slid the mug of Mead closer to his sibling. Loki scoffed.
"Drink my sorrows away at the hour of eight. I don't think I ought to do that."
"You didn't have a problem with that when Lord Aggelson had a party that day, about a month before my birthday, do you remember?"
"Yes, but that party lasted over two weeks and it was perfectly acceptable to do so."
"Oh, come on…" Thor slid the mug closer. "Henrietta will understand."
"I really don't think so."
"Did you promise? Did you promise her you won't drink at the late hour of eight in the morning?"
Loki paused, his eyes flashing, then shook his head in disbelief.
"You dare use my own tricks against me, Odinson?"
"Ha! There you go then." Thor chuckled into the mug and gulped down another as Loki stared down the barrel with a poker face.
Henrietta stirred upstairs just as Loki picked up the mug. He rose and went to the stairs, gesturing at Thor to keep his mouth shut.
"Henrietta, dear?" He called. "Are you awake?"
"I am!" Came the reply. "What's all the racket downstairs?"
Loki sent a death glare at his idiot brother.
"Thor's downstairs, sweet. He's barged in uninvited."
"Oh, I see. I'll be down in a moment!"
Thor made an "I told you she wouldn't mind" face then leaned back in his chair, emptying the mug. Loki followed suit.
"I was going to ask." Thor said as downed it. "Brother. Do you love her?"
It took a while before he could reply, for he had descended into the madness of his mind for a moment and it took quite a few seconds to emerge from its depths. His eyes flickered to him.
"What do you think?"
"I don't know, that's why I'm asking."
"Do you doubt?"
Thor placed the mug down, then folded his huge hands on top of his stomach and fixed his eyes on him.
"Do you know why I ask?"
"Enlighten me." Loki replied grimly.
Thor shrugged, easing off the tension of such confrontation, then spoke.
"It's just… They say love makes a man a fool for a reason, yet you… You don't look happy."
Again, Loki submerged himself into the whirlwind inside his mind. He tried to pick at the pieces flying around to create an opinion of himself, his own emotions, but the slips of paper kept slipping through his fingers; they were pulled out from his fingers by the wind.
Thor observed his brother's face with well-hidden uneasiness. Loki's face became broken once more, as it had been when he found him beside Henrietta's bed in the hospital. He was struggling like a drowning man who had nothing to grasp, his eyes almost in shards, his skin becoming translucent. Thor was no medic, but he noticed that something was clearly wrong - something to do with whatever he kept inside him.
"Brother?"
Loki came back with some difficulty, his breath a little ragged, his words imprecise.
"Happy? Perhaps… Maybe. I don't know. I'm not capable of…"
He raised his hands and dropped them, so they were lying on his knees.
"Bother." He finished, then picked up and raised his mug in a toast and downed the whole thing at once, filling himself up to the brim. Thankfully, the mead was thick, and so it stilled the whirlwind for a moment. He gave a shaky sigh, turning back to the present.
"I haven't cared for anybody like I care for her."
"I'm guessing you haven't tried to kill her yet as you have me."
"No, never, never. Never will. Not her."
The conversation was momentarily stopped by the sound of mead sloshing into two mugs. They toasted one another and drank on. Thor, as usual, was unaffected. It took barrels for him to struggle with perception and more than that for him to pass out. Loki's eyes, however, began to glaze over after his third drink - he blew out a sigh and leaned his forehead against his palm, rubbing his eyes.
"How was Asgard?"
"What did you say?"
"Asgard, Thor." He leaned back and fixed his gaze on the ceiling. "How was it?"
Thor studied him with a frown.
"Great. It's home. It doesn't rain. Family. It-"
He broke off, because Loki's face grew so sad it was only missing tears. Thor stared, truly surprised.
"You miss it. You miss it, don't you?"
Loki leaned over to the barrel, his usually elegant movements now sluggish as he refilled the mug.
"I don't know anymore, Thor." He said weakly. "Recently, I've been wishing time and time again to go back, but…"
He made a helpless gesture with his hands, followed by one of slitting his own throat.
"That's what will happen if I go back. We both know it, and it's not what I want. Not now. You may not believe it, but I can't face those years again. I can't, Thor, brother mine. Not if I wish to remain…"
He broke off, biting his tongue, fear in his eyes.
"Remain what?" Thor muttered, not taking his eyes off him. Loki looked up at him and pressed his lips together, swallowing.
"Sane."
The silence that followed was a heavy one. Thor, although his senses weren't affected easily, his heart was, and tears began to fill his eyes, his face becoming blotchy.
"I'm sorry, brother." He said hoarsely, abandoning his mug with force. "I should have persuaded father to go easy on you. Hattie was right."
"About what?" Loki muttered as he leaned his head on the table. "What was she right about?"
"I should have done something about it earlier." Thor wept, huge tears running freely down his face now. "Odin, I shouldn't have thought about myself so much. Forgive me, forgive me."
Loki's eyes flicked towards his brother's face. Too drunk to react or push away, he merely sighed.
"Stop blubbering, brother. There's nothing you can do about it now."
"There must be something!" The god of thunder cried, thumping the table so that Loki's skull rattled. "I can't just let you waste away!"
"There's no point." Loki mumbled, his head spinning. "There's nothing you or I can do. Just visit me from time to time, Thor. You're not as bad as I make you out to be. I even enjoy it as we throw things at one another, to be perfectly honest."
Thor gave a great sob, rose from the chair, knocking it backwards and embraced him, tears dripping like two streams down his face.
"Brother, brother, I'm so sorry!"
"Stop being sorry, that's my job."
"I'll think of something! I'll think!"
"Don't. That's also my job."
Hattie came downstairs to two drunk men, one giant and weeping, the other lean and practically dead on his feet, embracing as though they hadn't seen one another for centuries. She raised her eyebrows in shock, looking from one to the other - usually, they were trying to kill each other.
"Hello?"
Thor gave his brother a last squeeze before setting him down, then knuckled his eyes and turned away, stumbling back to his chair; Loki clutched the table with both hands and shut his eyes, swaying to and fro.
Hattie thought about reprimanding them both for drinking so early, but thought better of it.
"Loki, sit on the couch." She said, taking his shoulders and steering him onto one. "Thor, are you alright?"
"Never better." He said hoarsely, tears still running down his face. "Do you want a drink, Hattie?"
"Not right now. Stay for breakfast, though. It's still early."
Loki Laufeyson gave a soft whimper and rubbed his eyes, sorrow physically choking him and clogging up his arteries.
Henrietta turned towards him, noticing, then sighed and went to sit next to him.
"What's this about?"
He turned and buried his head in her chest in reply, huddling like a baby duck beneath his mother's wings. Perhaps he would have looked a little comical doing so, but there was so much pain upon his face that nobody would have laughed.
"Nothing to worry about." She whispered, her own throat tight, stroking his hair. "I'm sure it will all pass in the end."
"It won't, Hattie." He mouthed, clutching her tight. "It won't."
"It will." She insisted. "There's always a change for the better. The question is when, but it will come."
Death, he thought miserably, mead clouding his senses, death would be a change for the better.
But even a wasted Loki Laufeyson couldn't quite bring himself to say it, because if it just happened to hear her name and come for him, it would mean he would have to leave behind the woman he loved most in the world.
He didn't want that. Not one little bit.
"Hattie, sweet…" He muttered, as he felt sleep come for him instead. "Hattie, love… I…"
Sleep took whatever he was going to say next. Thor was watching with sad eyes, but he gave a wan smile when Henrietta turned to him.
"Perhaps I shouldn't have gotten him wasted." He muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "But it has been such a long time since we shared a drink together without acid between us."
"I understand, Thor." Hattie said, tucking Loki up in a blanket and pillow, detaching his arm from hers with some effort. "I know why you both did so."
"You're so good." He rose, then cast an eye over the empty barrel and mugs. "Sorry, I'll clean this up."
He tried to do so, but got stuck on where to put the barrel, and ended up dropping it on the kitchen floor instead. In the end, however, it managed to land in the garden, or whatever was left of it did so.
"Anyhow." He came into the kitchen, leaning against the fridge, watching her cook. "I've seen you two together a lot and I need to thank you."
"Thank me?" She smiled sadly. "For what?"
"For giving my brother a chance."
She shook her head, fixing her eyes onto the frying pan.
"Don't thank me, Thor. It would pain me as much as it would Loki if I did not. I'm not necessarily doing him a favour."
Thor waved his hand in dismissal.
"It's how love works, doesn't it? Still. You've been very, what's-the-word, considerate. Tactful. You don't shout and stab when you talk, which is precisely what everybody else does."
"I'm glad you think so. I do try." She managed a smile, then handed him a plate filled with six eggs, eight sausages, four hash browns, all covered in baked beans and cheese. "Here. I daresay you'll find this filling."
Thor grinned, his eyes twinkling.
"You learn quickly, Hattie. Thanks."
But none of them knew about the sickness, though they did have a feeling that something was not quite right with Loki Odinson. As a result, none knew that it was now so developed that it covered his mind like a poisonous spider spins a web around its prey, waiting until it will stop struggling and submit to it as food.
He tossed and turned as he slept, sweat standing out on his forehead, struggling, visions sparking through his mind like debris after an explosion, and although the soft blossoms of a new love now fought it, it was not enough.
