Chapter Text
"Watch it" Loki muttered to his accomplice "You're destroying our balance."
His 'partner in crime', a clone of himself, held the ladder steady at his command. It didn't say anything. They were standing inside the great hall where preparations for dinner were about to be made. The doors nearly reached the roof and so did the ladder Loki had stolen. Should he fall, the resulting injury would be spiteful.
Since his return to Asgard, nothing had been the same. He'd been held in the prison longer than he could remember and was returned only when Odin stepped down.
That had been two hundred years ago. Whatever havoc he had wreaked on Earth had long had been confined to history books and more or less forgotten. What crimes he had committed were not. Therefore, after his initial sentence ended and he was released, his shackles remained on his wrists, binding his magic. Or most of it. Loki had managed to cast a few harmless spells about but he wasn't about to tell anyone.
Loki held the thick sack of cement over the door and held on to it, muttering the small spell he discovered the shackles failed to extinguish. The sack began to levitate, slowly lifting from his grasp.
The clone flickered and Loki looked down at it, concentrating. It faltered to life again.
"That's better" Loki said "Now hand me..." he cut off abruptly as the door swung open and his unfinished trap was triggered. Loki cursed and tried to catch the sack he had been positioning on the door but it was too heavy for him to stop, leaning off the ladder as he was.
There was a soft thud as the cement sack collided and a louder thud as the unfortunate soul slumped to the floor.
"I told you to lock the door!" Loki muttered and slid down the sides of the ladder to see his victim. His clone vanished in a flicker and he was alone again.
The Trickster peered down at his cement covered and unconscious victim.
"By Odin's beard" Loki muttered "I think I killed him."
***
"So he doesn't remember anything?" Sif asked
"No, I do not" the man they called Thor replied in an annoyed voice. They had been talking about him as if he wasn't there.
Well you can't blame us, you're almost not.
Loki glanced at him then back at the healer "It is temporary is it not?"
"Perhaps, my Prince. His majesty just needs to have his memory triggered by something. A sight, smell, touch or taste." The healer said. "Or it may simply wear off with time. Physically, he is fine there is nothing more I can do for him."
"How about a spell?" Sif asked, pointedly ignoring Loki "is there nothing our sorcerers can do?"
The healer glanced at Loki before speaking "There are a few spells that tamper with the mind, but our sorcerers have not advanced to that level yet. The only one who can is...."
"Currently disabled" Loki provided, smiling humorlessly "How quaint."
"Thank you" Sif said, turning to face Thor.
Thor looked impatient. He had his arms crossed and was leaning against the wall in a way that reminded her of the old Thor. The one before Loki's betrayals. As she watched him, he gave her a smile that could have melted half of Jotunhiem.
"Well" she said when the healer left them in privacy "I guess we have to reacquaint you, our King your life."
"We?" Loki asked, standing from the bed he was leaning against "There is no 'we', my lady. But you can attempt it."
"It's your fault he's in this mess, Loki" Sif broke her apparent vow of silence against him "You wiped his memory clean."
Loki stopped and turned, arms crossed over his chest. "Is it?"
"Yes" she walked over to him "You made this mess, you fix it. I am otherwise preoccupied or I would have done it myself today. Help him."
"Why should I?" Loki challenged "You can't make me."
Sif looked like she was about to hit him when Thor spoke.
"I can"
They both turned to him.
"What?" Loki asked
"I gathered that I am king" Thor explained "And as such, I can command you. So I order you to help me."
Loki narrowed his eyes slightly "But…"
"Excellent" Sif smiled suddenly, before Loki put his silver tongue to good use "Then his majesty is yours for the day."
Her smile vanished when she turned to Loki "No dirty tricks, my prince."
She left before he could reply to that and that left him and Thor alone.
He turned to his king.
"So," Thor smiled "Let us start with you."
"Me?" Loki asked dryly.
"Yes, what is our scenario?" Thor inquired
Loki bowed "You are my king. I am nothing but a faithful subject"
"He called you Prince" Thor pointed to where the healer had stood
Loki smiled, but it didn't reached his eyes "Among many things, I am that."
Thor frowned at the response, but let it go. If there was something important there, he would know about it later.
He straightened and walked past Loki, into the hall. "Then let us get reacquainted, Prince Loki."
***
"Who is she?"
"You don't remember her?"
Thor looked at the woman in the picture and a sad feeling tugged at his heart. Her brown hair and eyes smiled at him from the frail paper he held in his hands. The feeling was not pleasant and Thor struggled to understand why he felt this way.
It had been a day since the accident and he remembered nothing. Even with Loki helping him, he got nothing but pangs of guilt and sadness when he glanced at certain things. Like this woman, for example.
"What's her name?" Thor turned to the other person in his chambers.
Loki was seated on a stool, hands loosely clasped between his knees as he watched his brother. "Jane" he replied "I don't know her last name."
"Jane" Thor went back to the picture.
He moved to other things in the room, furniture, lamps, and his mighty hammer, but his mind wandered elsewhere.
Loki wasn't happy with the situation, Thor knew. Apart from his own command, Sif had revealed that the business which had kept her occupied was a direct order from the former king and the queen themselves that Loki fix the damage that had been done to Thor.
Loki had paled in either anger or disbelief when the dark haired beauty told them the news but had been able to do nothing. It was a royal order, one that he had to obey.
"Where is she?" Thor asked, waving the picture over his shoulder.
Loki glanced at him briefly "Dead, probably."
Thor turned abruptly at his answer "What?"
Loki rolled his eyes "She was a mortal, Thor. She couldn't have lived this long."
Thor frowned at the irritated response but made nothing of it. His eyes instead, went to the shackles around Loki's wrists.
"What about those?" Thor asked, pointing to the confines.
Loki followed his gaze and pulled his arms closer to his chest "They are not your concern."
There was a snicker from their side and Loki's head turned to glare at the laughing guard. He was here on Odin's , or rather Sif's orders, to make sure Loki didn't try and manipulate Thor.
When Thor saw his brother's furious face, he frowned.
"Is something amusing you, soldier?" he addressed the man.
The guard stopped laughing "No, my king"
"It certainly seems that way" Thor continued, ignoring the way Loki was staring at him "Do share it with us."
The guard looked at the ground, suddenly terrified of his king's wrath.
"No?" Thor asked "Then do your duties as you are told."
"Yes, my king" the guard muttered.
Thor glanced at Loki, expecting something akin to gratitude, but the shorter man was ignoring him, his hands still held to his chest as he glared out of the window.
Thor sighed but let it go. Again, if it was something he should know, he would.
***
Sif had Thor for the whole day next day and she was trying her hardest to make him remember.
"Do you remember who this is?" she asked, pointing to Fandral.
The man in question smiled charmingly at him.
"Yes" Thor smiled
"From before I mentioned who he is" Sif asked
"No"
Fandral's smile vanished.
Sif sighed "This is harder than it looks."
Thor laughed, "My lady, you tire yourself with this. Why not take a rest before you attempt to go along further than this?"
"Because she is Sif" Volstagg said through a mouthful of fruit "She doesn't renounce anything till she had tried everything to make it work."
"Really?" Thor looked at her with more interest than before "What else does the lady plan on doing with me?"
Fandral whistled as Sif narrowed her eyes, but a smile played on her lips "I stabbed you once and left you bloody. Mayhap that might bring your memory back."
Volstagg laughed as Thor stepped back.
But the thunder god merely smiled "Perhaps a hunt? Should we try that?"
The Warriors Three shrugged. There was no harm in it.
"Good" Thor said, turning to run into the castle "I shall fetch Loki."
He was surprised when his four friends suddenly stopped him.
"What is the matter?" he asked, confused "Has he done something that I should know of?"
When they hesitated, Thor's gaze turned dark "As your king, I demand that you tell me everything."
His voice didn't raise itself, but that left the Warriors and Sif with little choice other than telling him everything.
***
Loki rubbed his eyes as he watched the scene before him. Even when he had no recollection of who he was, Thor was a rash, pig headed, arrogant show off, as he was setting himself out to prove.
Watching Thor exchange a rather colorful invective with a soldier, Loki glanced around at the larger crowd that had gathered around the pub they had chosen to drink at.
Loki should have known better, he did know better, but when Thor played rank, he had no choice but to follow. It had gone smoothly for a while until a drunken soldier made a – rather inappropriate - comment regarding Loki's heritage, Thor had seen no alternative other than making the man apologize. Had he not been drinking, the brute would have realized who he was talking to, but now that he had taken on his king, backing down seemed cowardly to him.
What kind of idiot takes on Thor anyway?
Loki knew the answer to that. The bully hadn't expected Thor to react, after all, Loki was insulted everyday and Thor had done nothing about it. But now that he had taken Thor on, the man would look cowardly backing down. However, as Thor kept batting his insults away, the man became more agitated as he lost the battle.
Thor saw the blow when the man snapped. He dodged the blow purely on instinct, bending his body low, and in the same movement, launched a fist in the man's face. The unfortunate drunk cut through the crowd and flew through the window, outside in the Asgard street.
As his mind caught up with what he had done, amid the baffled crowd, Loki grabbed his arm and pulled him away, outside the bar and into the dark alleys across the street.
***
"I don't know why you're chastising me" Thor said "It wasn't that big of an incident."
They were in Thor's room now. Loki was pacing around "You shouldn't have done that, Thor. You're a king, not some commoner. Your people look up to you. They expect a certain amount of decorum" he glanced at his brother "But that may be easier said than done."
Thor ignored the jibe "So you expect me to let him insult you?"
Loki spun around and leaned against the dressing table "You've been doing it so well for so long, I would make it a second nature to you."
His words were cavalier, but Thor sensed the underlying tone. "I am seriously starting to dislike who I was, then."
Loki looked at him, but remained silent.
"What else is there for me to know?" he asked, changing the topic
"Nothing much" Loki answered "You're a king and you rule over this realm."
"I don't feel like a king" Thor said. He glanced at the hammer "What of that?"
Loki looked at the hammer with shuttered eyes "That's your weapon. You wield it and its might. It is a symbol of your royalty."
"Hand it to me" Thor extended his hand for the weapon.
Loki scoffed "I can't. Only you can lift it."
Thor was about to laugh but the look on Loki's face stopped him "You tell the truth."
Loki smiled sarcastically and straightened "If there is nothing else your majesty requires, I shall leave"
"No, wait" Thor stood too "I have a question."
"Yes?" Loki turned with a humoring aura. "What would you like to know? Your favorite color?"
"No" Thor asked, his face serious "Why do you hate me so much?"
He saw Loki pale and his eyes widen in surprise a second before the younger man masked it.
"I think" Loki spoke eventually "You already know the answer to that."
"No, I don't" Thor said "At least not from my own mind. I have been told by others and I hold little value of their thoughts over mine. But I sense you have a better idea of what I feel."
"Fine" Loki shrugged "I hate you because you are better than me. I hate you because you destroyed my right to gain a kingdom and to rule over the world and I hate you because you are stupider than me and still became king."
His voice was normal, almost light and Thor didn't believe it for a second. So when Loki made to go past him, he grabbed his arm and pulled him close.
"You're lying" Thor said simply "There is more to it than what you say. Yes, you nearly destroyed our kingdom and you killed innocents but I sense there is more to you than you are telling me. I feel not only hatred but hurt in your eyes. And in that pain, you lashed out at everything and everyone around you. Am I not right?"
"Get your hand off me, before you regret it, Thor" Loki rasped "I am not some maiden you can manhandle. Shamed or not, I am still a prince."
"And I your king" Thor said, his face close to Loki's "So when I ask a question, I expect you to answer it or - " he broke off suddenly, gasping in pain.
He unhanded Loki and looked at his hand that had turned blue. His eyes turned to Loki.
The raven haired god was returning his arm from its Jotun from and glaring at Thor.
"Like I said," Loki smiled "Before you regret it."
Thor didn't stop his from leaving this time.
***
Even Hogun revealed a smile at what he saw before him.
True to her word, Sif was trying everything she could to help Thor gain his memory back.
After the incident in the pub, which the man thankfully survived, the Warriors Three decided to keep a closer watch on their king. It had been a week since he lost his memories and he had still to gain them back.
Loki had vanished somewhere and no one had seen him for the past few days. It seemed he had ignored his king's command and was doing exactly as he pleased.
Thor was battling Sif at the moment and was having a hard time keeping up with her. Normally, he could counter every move she made but in his current state, he couldn't remember any of his own moves, much less hers.
Volstagg laughed as Thor landed on his back once again.
Sif stood next to him, breathing heavily "Anything?"
"No" Thor ignored the hand she extended "Other than the pain."
"Sorry" she breathed, sounding the exact opposite.
Thor rolled his eyes "Are we finished?"
"Why?" Sif asked "You tired?"
"Of course not" Thor smiled "Just seeing if you are"
That was all the warning Sif got before he attacked again. This time, he had memorized some of her moves and countered them better and she ended up on the ground.
"You remembered?" she asked hopefully.
"No" Thor breathed "Just learnt."
A servant walked over with two glasses of wine. Thor grabbed one and drank it in one gulp.
"More" he breathed.
The servant nodded and left without comment. Thor glanced at his friends and raised a brow.
"What?"
"This is how you ask for more, Thor" Volstagg replied, slamming his glass into the ground "Another!"
A vague memory flitted through his mind. Someone telling him it was rude to do so. But he made nothing of it. If it wasn't a proper memory, it didn't matter.
But sadness settled over him and he found himself asking his friends who Jane was.
"You met her when you were banished to Earth" Fandral told him "we met her, she was wonderful."
"Yes" Sif added "She had almost nothing, no training and she was ready to stand up to anyone."
Thor listened to them but somewhere in between, his thoughts went to Loki.
"What of Loki?" he suddenly asked "What happened after he was brought back?"
Sif hesitated only slightly but spoke strong "He was sentenced to two hundred years in isolation. A special dungeon was constructed for him underneath the castle. It was enchanted to make sure he didn't use his powers and so are the shackles around his wrists. He was to remain there for two hundred years and then…"
When she broke off, Thor looked at her "Then what?"
"He was to be executed" Fandral said
Thor paled
"But by that time, Odin had named you king" Sif said "and the first thing you did was to cancel that order. You convinced the council to let him live on but he had to wear those shackles till he repented." She sighed "As you can see, he has yet to do that."
"You saved him" Volstagg said "an order many in Asgard are against."
"They are?" Thor asked "Why?"
"The fate of a traitor is sealed" Volstagg said "many think that your leniency was…unjust."
"People want him dead?" Thor asked
"Yes" Sif stated "That's why you ordered him to remain inside the castle. Or not to go out without armed guards. Your start as king was slightly fragile. But you gained peoples trust. You deserve it."
"All of them?" Thor asked.
"Not all" Sif sighed "But most of them. They haven't accepted Loki, but they accept you. They believe you will lead them like your father did before."
"And if Loki fits into everything, then so be it" Fandral added "Nothing they can say."
Thor sighed "So Loki resents me?"
"He resents everyone" Sif said dismissively "it's his nature."
Thor frowned but didn't say anything. Something inside him told him it wasn't his nature. That Loki was not unconcerned with the people around him and what they said. He could pretend to do so, but it mattered to him. It was probably his pride that got in the way.
They talked well into the night and only returned to the palace when dinner was announced.
***
As usual, Loki was eating in his room. He had been doing so for so long and he intended on doing it tonight, too. His favored dishes were brought up and he sat on the balcony, watching Asgard beneath him as he ate his assorted fruits.
A cool breeze flitted around, playing with his hair and he nibbled on a grape.
His mind wandered to his current predicament.
So far, he had kept his feeling locked as firmly as ever, but last night when Thor demanded the truth from him, he found the feelings surface, if only a ripple and that was dangerous.
He didn't want to admit it, but Thor had been right. Who knew losing his memory would make him sharper? He had been hurt and had lashed out in pain. His world had been torn apart and no one but he himself was going to pull it back together. How and why was his business. If he wanted to mend after taking over a world, they had no right to stop him. If he wanted to destroy the evidence of his true heritage, they should have let him. Why did they stop him? Why did they punish him after damned near making him do everything in the first place.
They were nothing to him now. Less than nothing. They were ash and dust. All of them.
Loki sighed. That wasn't true.
Thor mattered to him. He mattered to him more than all of them combined and he knew it. His brother was the only thing that had made sense and in his mad bid to heal, he had nearly destroyed him. He had almost killed his friends as if determined to show Asgard he was the Jotun monster they all feared. But Thor had stopped him again. He forgave him and that destroyed Loki.
Two hundred years he spent in the cell without complaint because he knew he deserved it. He almost welcomed it if it meant he was going to stay away from Thor and the shame he felt whenever the thunder god was near. He knew Thor had called off his execution and he was the one who was most angered by that fact.
He should have let him die. It was better than living like this, anyway, guilt and humiliation mixing together whenever he saw Thor. He knew Thor had ordered the guards to stay with him in case someone tried to harm him. Even that crushed him.
Loki picked up another fruit.
The incident at the bar came to mind. The man had called him a Jotun whore and Thor had attacked him. It reminded Loki of the good times when Thor always did that. Now, it only came when his memory was lost.
Loki scoffed. He was used to such comments. They didn't matter to him. What did matter was the warm feeling inside him when Thor had defended him.
It rose again.
Angry, Loki shook his head. There was nothing in that path anymore. Nothing was the same and it wouldn't ever be the same.
***
Halfway through the middle of the second week of his memory loss, Thor found himself alone. His friends had gone on a hunt after he declined their invitation so he went to the only thing that was making sense to him at the moment.
Loki was in the library when he asked about him and dismissed the guards that went everywhere Loki did.
He didn't need protection from him.
The library was empty and it was a slight task locating his brother but eventually Thor found him sitting cross legged against a wall.
"Brother" Thor greeted.
Loki looked up in annoyance then went back to his book "Thor"
"What distracts you from your king's presence?" Thor asked, not knowing how arrogant he sounded.
Loki didn't glance up from his book, which was larger than anything Thor had seen and covered half of Loki's body "Something a bit more worthy."
Thor sat opposite him and glanced at the cover of the book. the language was beyond him.
"What book is this?" Thor asked
"An ancient text" Loki replied without taking his eyes off what he was reading "one I am sure even your whole mind cannot digest."
Thor ignored the thinly veiled insult "Then explain it to me."
Loki looked up at him "What?"
"Explain the text to me" Thor repeated "in a language my half mind can understand."
An unwilling smirk tugged at Loki's lips but he continued reading "it is not of your caliber, Thor. Why don't you go smash a few things about?"
"I don't want to" Thor said simply, leaning next to Loki on the wall "I want to hear you read. Maybe it will bring my memory back"
Loki rolled his eyes "You are a child, my king."
Thor smiled and paid attention as Loki read.
"It has been said that the people of ancient Asgard had technologies beyond our own." Loki translated the ancient script "That their ships sailed through sky, not water and their weapons destroyed at a mere touch of a hand. This could be a reference to the power of the Bifrost. No sky sailing ships have been…"
But Thor was a long way off. Almost as soon as Loki had began reading, his attention had moved to how calm and suddenly relaxed he was feeling. He enjoyed time with his friends, but with Loki, he felt a peace that wasn't there. He didn't care that his memory was gone and he didn't feel a loss.
According to him, he had Loki figured out and that was a comfort he didn't want to leave. He wanted Loki to help him understand him, not himself. He wanted to understand the younger god and what made him do what he did. He had a feeling that before he was downed by a sack, he wouldn't have understood him as well as he felt he could now.
Thor watched the man read on and noticed the difference immediately. The scowl in his face was gone and his eyes shown in a way he didn't remember seeing. His intelligent features were lit up as he read on, unaware that Thor wasn't listening.
To Thor, he looked mesmerizing. He looked happy.
"When challenged," Loki translated, "it is said that these kings unleashed a strong war machine against their enemies. Thor, maybe you could..." he looked up and broke off when he realized Thor was much closer than he remembered.
Loki froze as Thor gently touched his cheek and planted a kiss full on his mouth.
Thor slid a hand around his waist and pulled him closer, closing his eyes as he kissed him. Then he suddenly found the sharp point of a dagger pressed against his chest. Loki slipped away from him, his knife still aimed at him as he backed away.
"You are not yourself, so I will let this slide" Loki rasped "Try that again and I will cut you. Do I make myself clear?"
Thor's expression was unreadable "Crystal"
Loki was far more disturbed than he let on. His cheeks were flaming and his hand was shivering as he rose to his feet. Thor met his eyes and he knew he had noticed. Loki backed up till his back came up against a shelf.
Thor stood slowly, as if he was facing a cornered animal and didn't want to appear a threat. Loki sheathed his weapon and Thor watched him.
"I am leaving" Loki said "Don't you dare follow me."
Thor raised his hands "As you wish."
Loki kept him in sight as he backed away, then gave into the impulse and ran.
***
It had been an eventful night and the two guards due for their shift were drunk.
When they arrived at Loki's doors, they were laughing and giggling like little girls as they took their posts.
They straightened a little when Thor walked into his room next to his brother's but resumed their pointless giggling afterwards.
Loki emerged from the corner, back proud, head high as they opened the doors to his chambers. They moaned shut behind him.
"Proud ass" one of them said.
"Ssh," the other giggled "Not so loud"
"But he is" the other insisted "He should be groveling at our feet after what he does. Instead, he walks around like he own the palace."
"He does" the other said after a while
"No, our king does. He is just a little bitch that dwells in it."
"Proud little bitch" the other whispered.
The first smiled "You know what they say about proud bitches right? They become wildcats in bed."
"Ssh!" the other giggled "He'll hear you."
"We could have been with beautiful maidens tonight" the first complained
"instead we guard the bitch inside" the other agreed.
There was silence and then the two glanced at each other. It was clear they both had the same twisted idea at once.
***
Loki was sprawled on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His light robes were the only adornment he had as he mulled over the previous days' events.
He had managed to spark a few more spells out of his confines and scared the cook by making a snake appear in the broth. It was entertaining how he went about telling everyone not to eat the poisoned food later at dinner and Loki had a hard time keeping a straight face. His meeting with Sif had been an unwelcome thing. But it was the same old thing; her accusing eyes and words just rolled of his back. Then there was Thor.
His smile vanished.
That kiss..
Loki put his head in his hands and sat up. Why did that keep coming back? Why did he think about it so much in the past three days? He wasn't himself or he wouldn't have done that. Try as he might, Loki couldn't put the image out of his mind.
He was confused and there was no feeling behind it.
But why did he feel that ember of excitement in his own chest when the golden haired god touched him why?
He faintly heard a door lock somewhere outside his heavily draped bed.
It was ridiculous, impossible, preposterous, insane.
He groaned and put his head on his pillow. It felt amazing.
Suddenly, his drapes were pulled apart and Loki sat up, startled.
A guard loomed there, looking down at him.
"What are you doing here?" Loki demanded "How dare you enter my room without asking permission. Get out."
"You don't get to order me, bitch" the guard showed him a thin dagger "Not tonight"
Loki's eyes widened as his intention set in and he scrambled off the other side of the bed.
Only to have the other guard grab him around the waist and pin him back on the bed. Loki struggled, but the guards soon pinned him down.
"Get off me!" he bucked, trying to dislodge them, knocking the drapes down in the process.
"Fiesty, isn't he?" the first said and placed the dagger's tip to Loki's throat "Calm down."
The other put a hand over his mouth and began to undo his robe.
Loki kicked out and caught a lucky hit. The man was momentarily knocked off.
"No!" Loki yelled, but was pushed flat again and the knife shown on his face.
"Let me explain" he said "You scream, I slice."
He started pulling his robe down.
***
Thor was lying back in his bed, thinking.
He was sure he had destroyed everything he had with Loki. But for some reason, even as he thought it, he doubted it.
He believed Loki was going to forgive him because he had decided he wasn't going to accept anything else.
His thoughts were broken slightly by a yell in the distance, but he ignored it. But the second scream, louder and cut off, got his attention. He suddenly jumped out of bed, heart in his throat.
Loki!
***
Loki screamed as the man forced his touch on him while the other held him down.
The doors to his room crashed open and Thor ran inside with a wordless roar of anger.
His hammer flew from his grasp and attacked the man on top of his precious brother. The weapon hit him with a sickening crack and sent him flying through the wall.
The other, Thor assaulted with his bare hands. His neck was nothing more than a toothpick breaking in his fingers.
Thor let his lifeless body hit the floor. He looked around for Loki.
The younger god had pulled his robe shut and was watching the ground with wide eyes.
"Loki..." Thor moved towards him and froze when he backed up. He raised his hands to show he meant no harm "It's okay, I won't hurt you."
He looked terrible. There was a gash on his forehead that was leaking blood and his lips were bloody and swollen. There were bruises on his pale skin where the man had held him down but his eyes were the worst. Scared and vulnerable as he watched Thor.
He hadn't ever seen his eyes like that.
"Loki, it me" Thor said "I'll help you. It's okay."
When Loki didn't move, he lifted him into his arms and carried him back to his room because he knew he hated the attention doctors would give him.
***
"For everything we did" Sif said "His memory came back itself."
Fandral shook his head "And we didn't have any fun."
"Speak for yourself" Sif said "I haven't beaten him in years. My victory was sweet."
"And unjust" Volstagg added.
"Really?" Sif began in a challenging tone.
Their banter was lost on Thor. All he could think of was how close he had come to losing Loki. Had he been a few seconds late...
He shuddered. His food was untouched and all he wanted was to go back to Loki and give him protection.
But the life of a king was demanding. He had to stay here till the feast was over.
He had stationed two guards at his door and ordered Loki to keep it locked from inside.
Whether the younger god did or not, he didn't know. All he knew now was that nothing was going to matter to him anymore than Loki. Not even his rule, should it come to that. He had pushed him back once, he wouldn't do that again, even if Loki insisted. Nothing else was more important anymore.
After he had tended to Loki, Thor had ordered two other guards to take away the dead bodies. Word had spread that someone had finally attacked the prince. Thor didn't give any details other than lies Loki told him to say. After the bodies were dumped at sea, too shameful to be buried at Asgard, the hostility against Loki became silent. It didn't vanish, Thor knew that much, but it wasn't as verbal as before.
It was a start, Thor thought as he stood to leave. That was something.
He went to his chambers and found them locked. Knocking, he waited for Loki to open them before he went in to try and gain a sleep that he knew wouldn't come.