as soft grey ash falls on dark lashes

Thor has been given a second chance by his brother, and he will do anything to keep this younger version of him happy and safe. Even if it means giving up everyone else.---“Loki!” a voice snaps and Thor jumps in surprise. The young warrior had not evaded his notice, but the runt was so weak he hardly made a blip. What caught the former Crown Prince off guard was that someone with so little authority would say, no- spit, the prince’s name without his title.  Thor’s hands clench into fists. How dare-They are in an old, abandoned, empty training ground. Thor is high in a tree, a small bird perched on his knee, but it flies away with a chirp that chants danger, danger, danger when he sees Loki hunch his shoulders as he recognizes the voice.   The daggers in his hands vanish as he straightens his shoulders and raises his chin, smirking at the boy across the dusty clearing. Thor knows this expression, but he has never before noticed how it wobbles; as if one phrase could dismantle it like a ball of unruly yarn and mince Loki’s soul to shreds alongside it.

I recommend reading the first work in the series first because this is a direct continuation (it's short!) but if not-Thor thinks Loki is dead-Loki sent back him back in time with "gifts"Other context-this story diverges right after Thanos murders Loki (21), but Thor (24) already has Stormbreaker-ages are funky. I've decided that Asgardians use "cycles" (50 earth years) and celebrate their bday's every cycle. When Thor says Loki is twelve, he's 12 cycles=600 years old. There is a three cycle gap between them originally (it'll mostly just be referred as a 'three year gap') but compared to young!Loki he is 12 mental cycles older. This will be eventual thorki, but I don't plan on tagging this as underage since they're already centuries old and 15 is my age of consent. Also, yes, there is a short scene between fics that repeats. Enjoy!