Loki had it all.
Or so, it seemed.
He was now the heir to the throne of Asgard, had taken over Earth, as well as avenged the death of his brother Thor Odinson. He would be king soon, he was practically the ruler of Asgard, Jotunheim and now even Midgard.
He should be happy, shouldn't he?
Loki had never felt so empty and lifeless before. Even when he was neglected by Odin, overlooked by Thor's friends, or when he found out his true heritage.
Everywhere he went, there was only one thing, or perhaps one person that clouded his thoughts.
His Prince.
His dead Prince. He was gone.
Loki had lost his mind when he found out. First thing he did was almost kill Odin. It was his fault. His fault for stripping Thor of his powers and stranding him alone on that goddamned planet. Had Thor stayed here, or had his powers with him, this day wouldn't have arrived.
He would be alive.
He didn't give a fuck, he had stranded Odin on a random part of Earth after putting a spell on him. The same thing he did to Thor, which led to his untimely death.
Casting an illusion, he smiled at the faint memory of him and Thor before his coronation.
"Sometimes, I'm envious but never doubt that I love you." Loki smiled softly and sincerely.
He was the god of lies, but he wasn't capable of lying about how he felt about people he loved.
"Thank you." Thor beamed at him, and placed his hand on the side of his neck.
It was their very own sweet and protective gesture for each other.
"Give us a kiss." He half joked, grinning.
Thor laughed, his eyes crinkling by the sides. "Stop it!"
They both stared in front of them.
The vision faded away.
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Loki gasped, choking on a sob. Oh how he would give his life in a heartbeat in exchange for Thor's. His chest squeezed painfully at the thought of never seeing Thor's smile, brighter than the literal sunshine. Ever again.
A piercing scream so loud that it shattered mirrors, escaped his mouth. It made him feel a little better, but then he broke down completely, collapsing on the floor.
He didn't know how long he cried, only lifting his head when he felt his mother's hand on his shoulder in a comforting way.
"Oh Loki." Frigga felt awful. She couldn't withstand to see her younger son in such a state.
"Mum.... He..." Loki stuttered between his not so comprehendable sobs, but Frigga understood anyway.
"We need to be strong for him, sweetheart. I'm sure he's looking at us from Valhalla." She spoke carefully, trying to console her broken son.
Even Thor's name seemed to trigger Loki these days, so she avoided using it in front of him.
However, that twisted something in Loki's head as he stood up with a look of determination upon his face.
"What sort of a sorcerer am I when I can't even bring him back?" He laughed humorlessly, throwing his hands around. "No, he cannot leave me. Not leave you. He has to return. I'll make sure of it." He wiped his tears and gathered his scepter.
Frigga frowned. "Lo, what is it you're thinking?"
"I'm sorry mother, I'm about to defy your first ever rule." Loki summoned his helmet and put it on.
"Loki... No." She tried but there was no stopping him.
"Even if it means my life, so it be. But I shall not return without Thor by my side, mother. I assure you."
He didn't wait for a reply, vanishing into thin air.
----
Loki tried his hand at the darkest of magic. He read several books of various spells to bring back the dead. He glanced at Thor's body in the casket, dead and unmoving.
He had taken Thor to Jotunheim, as the cold temperature would refrain his body from rotting.
"You know, this glorious life I have right now. I don't want it." He whispered to Thor as the dark green flow in his hand kept intensifying. It was burning his hand, but he didn't care.
"I don't wish to live a life without you. You hear that, you stupid oaf?"
Loki felt such intense and unbearable pain as the dark magic flooded through him and went to Thor, where Loki's hand was placed on his chest. Life from his own body was transferring itself to Thor's lifeless corpse, but the process was one of the most excruciating pains in all the nine realms.
With tears in his eyes, he still smiled a little. "If you death means I get the throne, then to hell with it. You better get up and come handle your responsibilities, you idiot. You think you can get rid of me so easily? I do what I want, Thor. You know that. And right now, the only thing I want is you." He gasped as he found it difficult to stay awake, the main increasing with every passing moment.
Loki smiled widely when he saw Thor's finger twitch. Any moment now. His Prince was back.
But the pain reached its peak, and he felt himself losing consciousness.
However, before he could close his eyes, the deep, husky voice his ears had strained to hear, called out to him .
"Loki?!"
And he could rest easy.
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The majestic palace of Asgard was gloomy with the eery feeling of death lingering around. The oldest Prince's return did not lessen the blow that was caused by the sacrifice of the youngest.
"Wasn't I supposed to be the stupid one? Why did he...." Thor trailed off, unable to utter another word. The cold, almost lifeless body of the Jotun Prince laid unmoving before him.
"He pretended to be strong and unaffected in front of the Midgardians and other Aesirs. Only I know how truly broken he was."
Loki was always a mother's boy. And seeing both of her sons lay on the verge of death before her, caused a rage within Frigga.
There was a reason why dark magic was forbidden.
"I was a fool..." Thor gasped, hiccupping on his own breath. "A fool to even think Loki hated me."
"The process he went through, to resurrect you...." Frigga looked away, blinking back unshed tears.
"What is it, mother?" Thor froze, fearing the worst.
"To bring back a loved one, the person doing the ritual has to go through a tremendous amount of pain for an indefinite period of time. It could be a minute to eternity. It's worse than being burned alive, and if the process is abandoned, both of them can never be brought back."
Thor felt his heart sinking at the thought. He felt sick, at the thought of his baby brother suffering, only to bring his reckless self back.
"Will he.... Ever wake up?" His hands were shaking badly, as he tucked a lock of Loki's hair behind his hair, as he laid pale and unmoving.
"I... I am not sure, Thor. The fact that he is still alive after undergoing the demands of the resurrection dark art..." She made a vague hand gesture, as if she was astonished. "Very few sorcerers have succeeded. This makes him the most powerful wizard in all the nine realms."
Thor smiled sadly, clutching Loki's hand in his. "You hear that, Lolo?" This is all Loki had ever wanted.
Just a little love and admiration from his family.
"Where is father?" Thor added as an afterthought, frowning. Surely Odin wouldn't be that heartless?
Frigga's face twitched with annoyance at his mention. "Loki did what your father did to you."
Thor squinted, what?
Seeing his reaction, she sighed. "He was enraged, blaming him for your demise. He put a spell on him and banished him somewhere on Midgard."
Even after everything, Thor felt bad. "That's a little harsh, but knowing Loki..."
Thor glanced at the wound on his chest, caused by Clint Barton's arrow. It was starting to heal, and he could feel his strength and powers returning.
"I feel I have betrayed Loki." Thor said after a while. "I've known all along about his heritage, but didn't mention it to him. He deserved to know."
"You did?" Frigga was surprised. She didn't expect Thor to remember.
"I did." He smiled, reminiscing about the day they met. "I was a child, running about when father brought him in. He was so scared, of everyone. The first time he smiled was when I picked him up in my arms."
"Indeed. His feelings for you are really intense and real. The very reason why he was able to bring you back so quickly." She smiled, but gasped as Loki's nose scrunched up a little.
Thor noticed it too and immediately pulled him up in his arms, into a sitting position.
"Lolo, look at me please? I'm here, mother is here..." He gently shook him, a wide smile forming on his face as he noticed Loki coming back to consciousness.
After what seemed like an eternity, Loki finally opened his eyes. As soon as he registered it was Thor holding, he gasped, clutching his arm.
"Thor, is... Is this Valhalla?" His voice such held fear and uncertainty, he didn't seem like himself anymore.
"My sons.." Frigga smiled tearfully but didn't approach them, allowing the brothers to have their moment.
"Mum..." Loki smiled in relief. So this was real. It worked. Both him and Thor were here.
They were with each other. And that was all that mattered to him.
Thor wanted to say so many things, as he hanged onto Loki for dear life. He gently caressed his greasy black hair, the one he always teased him for.
"You fool...." He tried but Loki gave him a bored look.
"Yeah, you're welcome Thor." He smirked, and for the first time in a while, it wasn't ill intentioned.
"Loki, baby what had I said about dark magic?" Frigga asked after a few moments.
Loki stared at the ground, he knew what he did was rather unconventional and dangerous. The circumstances could be disastrous but he was never one to play it safe.
Thor grabbed the side of his neck, making him look into his eyes. "How bad was it?"
"What?"
"The pain. To.... Bring me back." He had trouble saying that out loud.
Loki smiled lazily, glancing at his mother and then at Thor. "Nothing I wouldn't endure for you."
"Promise me." Thor tightened his grip, shaking him roughly. "Promise me you'll do no such thing ever again."
Loki grinned. "Taking the word of the god of lies?"
"You're not, at least to me." Thor replied. He finally let go, feeling ounces better now that Loki was awake and interactive.
"How do you feel?" Loki asked experimently, his eyes flicking towards Thor's chest where the arrow had hit him.
"Never been better." He shrugged.
Loki's jaw tightened as he remembered Thor's assassin. "I avenged you brother. Your killer rots in Helheim."
"I know, Lolo."
"You haven't called me that since centuries." Loki looked so young in that moment, Thor thought it was an illusion.
"Have I offended you, your majesty?" Thor teased. Loki then frowned, remembering he was the king now.
He shook his head, and summoned the crown of Asgard, handing it to Thor who stared at it with an unreadable expression.
"I don't want Midgard. I don't want the throne. I just want you to be okay." He sighed. "You're the King Asgard deserves. Take your rightful place, brother."
"Loki...." Thor was speechless, he wasn't sure anymore this was the same brother he grew up with.
He really gave Loki too little credit.
"Go on, get ready for your coronation. I'll myself do it. And no frost giants this time, I promise." He winked playfully in the end.
Thor laughed heartily, before remembering something. Loki has changed so much, perhaps?
"Brother, if I may ask. Please forgive father. Bring him back." He said hesitantly at the murderous look on Loki's face at the mention of Odin.
"Brother, I know you are the better person. Let it go, please. I understand you're still upset about what happened, but perhaps we can put it behind us?" He tried again.
Loki didn't say anything, but he looked like was considering it.
"I need some time." He replied, before teleporting away.
Thor blinked, staring at the now empty space, hoping Loki wasn't back to his old ways.