[closed]

[rebuildyourruins]

Who: Thor and Loki
Broadcast: no
Action: somewhere on Drade
When: now

[There's only so long Thor can stand a mutinous silence. Even if he's the one who started it. A part of him had been hoping that Loki would come to his senses and come talk to him about their confrontation. After so many attempts to reach out over the years, Thor's been burned many times and a certain exhaustion with it settled into his bones. But that had been before Hela, before Sakaar. Before Ragnarok. Regardless of how maddening his brother can be, this endless frustration needs to stop.

Only a visit to the First Breath finds Loki absent. Really, he should have expected that. New system and all. It wouldn't surprise him if Loki had his feet kicked up in one of the theatres with a drink in hand.

He tries calling Loki instead. No good. Well, if he's at the theatre, he won't respond. It's only later when another call fails to connect that Thor starts to worry. Surely he wasn't being ignored that thoroughly. (Wouldn't be the first time.) A few random enquiries in the market square later finally turns up an answer: "Oh, that shady looking guy with the dirty hair? He took a ship off north. Heard there's some good treasure in the mists, the maniac."

Thor takes a few seconds to curse before sprinting back through the markets, stopping only to buy two masks. Who knows if Loki already has one; Thor will gladly throw a spare at his head just to make a point. A few (admittedly stupid) ventures into the mists himself without a mask had already taught Thor that he shouldn't have scoffed at the tales the locals tell.

He grabs his shuttle and sets off for the island: small, isolated, half-sunken below the mist line.]

Comments

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki shrugs, taking another sip of his drink. ]

It's not supposed. Grief doesn't go away. And rarely does it get easier.

[rebuildyourruins]

[The brief span of time they've had to grieve is nothing at all. Even half a year of inertia in the Fleet hasn't stretched out interminably, not when held up against Thor's life so far. Yet it seems to him that these are losses that will mark him forever more.

As he watches Loki, he knows that for a fact. His being alive again doesn't fully negate the grief Thor had felt those times he thought his brother dead.]

No, it doesn't. It just has to be worked past when there are other things to be done.

[dothelokimotion]

You were always good at that.

[ Loki never had the ability to set things aside. They just consumed him. ]

I didn't mean to make you mourn.

[rebuildyourruins]

[There's a long pause where Thor just stares at Loki. Letting him go four years without telling him that Loki was actually alive certainly feels like it was intentional. How could it not be? Even if Loki had thought he was dying at first he ultimately didn't. There was plenty of time to rectify that.]

Well, it happened.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki grimaces. ]

Yes, so you've said. I just . . . didn't think you would.

[rebuildyourruins]

[This seems to be a running theme tonight. It's immensely frustrating in its way, being told over and over that his own feelings towards Loki were something to doubt. Thor picks up his glass and finishes it, mulling that over.]

I did, both times. And I would again, only I don't want to test that. I can't.

[The very idea freezes his insides. Thor pushes the empty glass away, recalling what he'd said to Katara.]

I don't expect you to tell me everything you do, Loki. [He's fairly sure that would drive them both insane in short order. And trust is not in bountiful supply.] But when it comes to something like the Marsiva, I want to know. ...I'd prefer it.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki looks at Thor for a long time before dropping his gaze. ]

I know. I know that.

[ A quiet exhale, as he fidgets with the glass. ]

I suppose I am still chasing Odin's approval. Not that it'll ever come, but I need to know that someday, something inside me will be fixed. I have to believe that.

[ A bitter smile. ]

I don't want to be like this forever.

[rebuildyourruins]

[It's hard for Thor to know what Loki refers to, what he thinks is broken. It isn't that Thor didn't see the cracks appear or the results of that. It had slapped him in the face abruptly enough when he returned from Midgard the first time. What he does know is what he said to Loki back on Sakaar: he can be more than what he is. He's not about to say anything is out of reach.]

Forever is a long time. If you keep trying, I don't think you will be.

[dothelokimotion]

[ The faintest smile drifts by his face. ]

Perhaps.

[rebuildyourruins]

[Thor smiles back before glancing at the windows.]

Speaking of forever, I think the sun is starting to come up.

[The darkness outside is definitely growing lighter.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki's nose crinkles. ]

Make it go away.

[rebuildyourruins]

[He snorts back a laugh.]

Sure, I'll go beat it back below the horizon. [Shaking his head, he taps Loki's glass with a finger.] No, time to finish I think.

[dothelokimotion]

[ He whines. ]

No, I don't want to.

[rebuildyourruins]

Really, you want to keep going.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki flaps his hand. ]

I wouldn't mind. But I also don't want to move.

[rebuildyourruins]

Ah, I see. You're Loki, God of This Specific Bar.

[This has no right being as funny as it is. Thor turns to the waiter who's been hovering near them all night, raising two fingers.]

You heard him! Another round of tribute.

[dothelokimotion]

Yes.

[ Loki nods drunkenly before slumping back on the table. ]

This is my bar now.

[rebuildyourruins]

[Thor leans back in his seat, casting a vague look around.]

You're slacking. I haven't seen a single pair of horns in here.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki's brow furrows, stuck on this before flicking his fingers vaguely in the direction of the bar.

Now everyone has horned helmets on. ]

[rebuildyourruins]

[Thor blinks before he bursts out laughing, the confusion and consternation on the unsuspecting patrons' faces just making it worse. The waiter sweeps by and deposits their drinks, not betraying even an irritated twitch as he moves off again while removing his helmet. Truly a professional.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki slurs, grabbing for his glass. ]

Mine.

[rebuildyourruins]

You should be proud. Captain and business owner.

[It all seems perfectly valid right now. Thor fetches up his own glass and takes a large sip.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Proud. Loki smiles again, despite himself. ]

[rebuildyourruins]

That will be useful when it comes time to pay for my room.

[Because Thor has just been charging all his drinks to his room, and somewhere in a hazy corner of his mind he thinks this might look ugly on his final bill. Maybe.]

[dothelokimotion]

I'm sure you can afford it.