st_ratagem | (no subject)

Entry tags:

loki,
thor

(no subject)

It had been a while since the brothers had spent time together; it was possible that Loki had been avoiding Thor somewhat since their message conversation about his... involvement with Valkyrie. Further conversation was something he both did and didn’t want to have, which was a good sign of an unintended fight ab It to happen. But things had been quiet enough for long enough that it didn’t seem like something worth worrying about.

So Loki sent a quick message to Thor, inviting him up to see the fish tank and mostly-Valkyrie’s collection of goldfish swimming around inside it.

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“And you think I’d hand the throne back to you in that case?” He probably would, but it was worth asking.

Thor's answer comes without hesitation: "Yes."

"Sentimental ass." It wasn't a disagreement, at all, which was why Loki continued, "I suppose the Valkyrie would be around to keep an eye on me, at that."

"Probably," he says. He can't imagine Valkyrie won't be. "So, short pit-stop on Earth, and then Vanaheim."

It was a pretty enough fantasy. Pleasant to think of being home again in some way, of keeping the bonds he’d somehow managed to build. Honestly, it was pleasant even if he had to re-learn solitude and watch Thor and Valkyrie settle into happiness that didn’t include him. Pleasant, pretty, and very unlikely.

Thor knew it as well as he did, Loki was sure, so he didn’t bother to point it out. Unlikely wasn’t impossible, after all, and if his brother could believe that there was a decent future waiting for him he might actually try for it. “I’ll do my best to catch up, then.”

Thor abruptly shoots up from where he sits. Mirror still in hand, he throws his arms around Loki and pulls him tight. "Thank you." Thor knows better than anyone that his brother is resistant to any sort of happy ending. The fact he was even acknowledging it as a possibility, however faint --

It means the world to Thor.

Loki sighed and let himself be hugged. “It would be nice to see you and Valkyrie settled happily, so I do hope I get to see it.”

Thor gives Loki one final squeeze before finally relinquishing control. "And you there with us," he reminds Loki, gesturing at him with the mirror.

“I'd have to be, to see anything at all. I’m not that good at scrying.” Loki shrugged. “Don’t expect me to be happy myself, brother. That’s never really been a possibility and I don’t think I’m built for it, but I do think I can manage passable contentment in the happiness of people I care for.”

"You're going to be happy, too," Thor says, continuing to gesture with the mirror. "I'll make sure of it."

“It’s not a possibility for me,” Loki repeated. “You and the Valkyrie will be, two out of three isn’t bad. Take the passable contentment you can get.”

"You, settled down with Valkyrie in a little house together. I live next door and there's always two or three little Lokis running about," Thor continues, ignoring his brother. "I bring them souvenirs from Earth and teach them how to fight using a hammer."

“Never going to happen, brother. She’s not interested in anything even remotely close to that.” It was odd, also, how readily Thor came up with bizarre domestic scenarios.

"What do you think she's interested in, then?"

“How would I know? I don’t know her type.” Loki moved to stash the bowl, rum, and matches back over there, as something to do.

"Brother, brother, brother..." Thor loops an arm around Loki. "Has it never occurred to you that her type might be you?"

“Of course not.” Loki shoved at the companionable arm. “I’m not anyone’s type. I don’t inspire that kind of feeling.”

"You looked like a couple when I saw you there at the fair," he says, more seriously. "Have you tried talking about it?"

“She’s just tactile in general, I think.” And he didn’t mind, because he was a sad case that knew better but would take what he could get. “And god, no, why would I do that to myself?”

"Because you enjoy torturing yourself."

“Only in some ways!” Why deny it? “But I assure you, inviting certain rejection at the very least is not one of those ways.”

"Do you want me to ask her about it?" he asks. "I'll ask her about it."

“That’s almost as bad.” He paused to consider, then continued, “Regardless of who does the speaking, it forces her to realize she’s involved with me, which is all the reason anyone needs to run screaming. Metaphorically speaking.”

"So you do like her then." This conversation was enough evidence for Thor to come to that particular conclusion.

“Yes.” No point denying that, either, at this point. “I’m deeply annoyed at myself, of course, as I really should know better, but... yes.”