The Souls

The country of Wakanda went through hell when Thanos and his army came to their land, leaving death and destruction in their wake. They lost half their people, half their armies. And their beloved King and Princess.

It had taken long for the small country to get back on it's feet. But they had recovered. It wasn't the same. It would never be the same without those that had been lost, but they were making it.

After five years, Wakanda was once again a stable nation.

And then, once again, the impossible happened.

General Okoye had been standing guard in the Throne room, behind M'Baku who sat on the Throne.

It didn't matter how much time passed, or what a fine job the man was doing, or how surprisingly well the two of them got along, it would always be hard for Okoye to refer to him as her King.

But her duty was to protect the throne, and so she did. She stood guard on his right side as he spoke to an Ambassador. And that's when they heard the screams.

Immediately, Okoye sprung to action, holding her spear in front of her, ready to fight and defend.

It was a while until she realized that what she was hearing was not screams of pain, or of fear. No, these shouts were laced with shock. Surprise.

And dare she say... joy?

With her weapon still ready, Okoye dared walk towards the huge window that looked out to their land. Her eyes were as wide as saucers when she saw.

Way down below, people we appearing as if out of thin air. One by one. They kept coming, as if out of nowhere. But these were not just people.

No, these were her people. The people that had been dead for five years. Soldiers, and warriors, and civilians alike. Her head turned to the side, where stood M'Baku, his eyes just as wide as hers. The two looked back out the window, frozen with shock. She couldn't believe this.

They were back. They were back.

All the people that had been lost to Thanos's Snap... they were coming back.

Which... which meant that-

The loud sound of the Throne room doors opening cut into her thoughts. Okoye spun around in time to see the doors swing open, and striding in with his head held high, was T'Challa.

His grinning sister stood next to him, and the two were followed by a cohort of heroes. Heroes that had been dead for five years.

Heroes that were back.

Okoye could not believe her eyes.

Not able to help herself, she stumbled back, all but collapsing onto a chair by the window. They were back.

He was back.

"Kumkani," she breathed in disbelief.

T'Challa's eyes landed on his friend, and a smile graced his lips.

"Up, General," he smiled, "I need you for one more battle."

:::

Sam found himself suddenly in a living room he didn't recognise. He didn't have much time to look around, because only moments later, Bucky was next to him with a gasp. Sam sighed his relief.

"Where's Nat?" he asked. And Bucky just took a deep breath, shaking his head. The two looked at each other worriedly, and then they just waited.

And waited. And wai-

"Well come on boys, we don't have much time."

The two spun around in shock, and then immense relief when they saw a smirking Nat at the doorway.

"Oh thank god," Sam heaved a sigh.

Nat jerked her head, "Come on, I'll show you where to get your stuff."

The two didn't have time to look around as they followed Natasha through the unfamiliar apartment. She showed them to a door before hurrying off to another part of the apartment, leaving the two to scavenge Steve Rogers' bedroom.

When Bucky saw his favourite gun on Steve's desk, clean and polished and loaded, just the way he liked it, he couldn't help his huge smile. Forgetting their haste only for a few seconds, he just stared at it.

His moment, of course, was ruined by Sam's loud whooping as he dove to the pack next to the desk.

"Wings!" he grinned, "New and improved," He shrugged off the pack on his back and replaced it with the new one by Steve's desk. But not before giving the old redwing an affectionate kiss and a promise to come back for him. Bucky couldn't help but roll his eyes with a smirk. Sam sighed deeply as he felt the unfurled wings on his back shape to his body.

"God I love the future," he moaned, "now I know how you and Rogers always feel."

Bucky scoffed, "Five years and seventy years are two very different things, Wilson."

"Yeah yeah whatever." he chuckled. He stopped a bit to look at Bucky who had finally stopped caressing his gun and was bustling around the room, going to the most obscure places and somehow coming out with more guns and more ammo.

"How the hell do you know where to find all that?" he asked.

Bucky shrugged as he pulled a gun out from under a floorboard, "It doesn't matter how much time passes, I know Steve Rogers." He told him, "And he always used the same hiding places."

Sam smiled as he picked up a gun, already loaded for some reason, and shoved it into a hip holster. Bucky did the same, sheeting more and more guns into holsters Sam couldn't even see.

In those few moments of silence, Sam knew that it was time. Time to do what he knew he was supposed to do, but was avoiding like the plague.

He had to... oh god... he had to apologize.

Sam took a deep breath.

"Uh. Hey, Bucky?"

"Yeah?" he replied, slinging a big gun across his back.

"I was... I just... uh," Sam cleared his throat, "About... about what happened before. When we were in the soul realm. What I said."

"You mean, you telling everyone how I was the assassin who killed Tony Stark's parents?"

Sam winced, "Yeah. Yeah, that."

Bucky looked up for the first time, cocking the gun in his hand. He smiled, a smile that really didn't meet his eyes, "Don't worry about it. It's all good."

Sam frowned, "Now you see I'd believe you a lot more if that was a real smile. And. and if you weren't holding that gun like that."

"You scared I'll shoot you?" Bucky gave a cold chuckle, "Come on Wilson, I know you don't think much of me, but I don't just kill for shits and giggles. I never did."

Sam felt a pang of guilt in his chest, "Come on Barnes, you know that's not... I don't really think-" he sighed, running over his head, "I was irritated and bored and pissed off at the world and... and picking on each other, that's what we do. That's... that's our thing, right? Now I know this time... this time I might have taken a little too far-"

He stopped at the sharp look Bucky shot him.

"Alright," he held his hands up, "alright I took it a lot too far. I know that. And I'm... I'm sorry. Really."

Bucky looked at him and shrugged, "I told you, it's fine." he nodded and made his way out the door. Sam followed quickly after him.

"See now, I don't think you mean that."

"Good. I don't."

"Okay, what do you want me to do?" Sam asked, "You want me to beg for forgiveness? Repent? Admit that you're Steve's best friend? Just tell me what to do."

"Just leave it, Sam. It doesn't matter."

"Yeah, it does!" Sam grabbed at Bucky's arm, stopping him and turning him around to face him, "I did a shitty thing. It was a dick move, I know that. I know that ain't who you are, I know that wasn't you back then. That ain't who you are. And as you saw from everyone's reactions, they don't see you that way. And I don't see you that way. "

Bucky scoffed.

"But I can see how it might have looked like... like I still think that, but really man, I don't. And I'm sorry that I brought that up. I know how much you hate that part of your life, and I was a dick for bringing it back at you like that. I… I don't know what I was thinking. And I'm… I'm real sorry. "

Bucky face never changed as he looked at Sam, and as Sam looked back, waiting. Bucky finally shrugged again, and turned to keep walking "I told you its fine."

Sam almost groaned, following after him, "Okay, but I still don't think you mean that."

"What do you want me to say, Sam?" Bucky said, starting down the stairs, "You said what you wanted to say, and I said its fine. Why are we still having this conversation?"

"Because I don't want you to fucking hate me!" he exclaimed.

"Now why on earth would you think I hate you?"

"Well, you can hardy look at me for one thing." Sam said, jogging down the stairs after him, "And well, we both know you don't like me right now, and honestly, I can't blame you for that. But friends do that sometimes, you know? They hate each other. And then... then they forgive each other. Like this right now. I fucked up, and now, you forgive me." Sam almost bumped into him as Bucky come to an abrupt stop at the bottom of the stairs.

"So what do you say?" he asked as Bucky finally looked at him, "We good yet?"

Before Bucky could reply, Natasha appeared from the other room.

"Hate to interrupt boys," she said, "But you're gonna have to finish this spat later." The two followed her slowly into the living room, and there stood the huge yellow, sparkling ring that they had come to know as the magic of Doctor Strange. The boys stood on either side of the Black Widow as they saw the darkness on the other side of the ring. All their thoughts left their heads, as the battle ahead took them over.

Natasha reached out, lightly brushing the hands of the boys on either side of her... And then her hands clenched into fists.

"It's time."

:::

Loki knew where he was immediately. He could recognise this view anywhere.

This was the hill where he had watched Odin die.

Where he had seen his father perish right in front of him.

Fitting that this would be where Thor would settle New Asgard.

Loki finally turned away from the view of the ocean, and there it was. New Asgard. He and Thor had talked about this. It seemed like years ago, now.

Well... in a way, he guessed it was. Loki would have loved to stay on this hill and just... look. But he was here for a reason. He had a mission. At the blink of an eye, Loki was off the hill and at the entrance of Asgard. He smiled when he saw exactly who he had been looking for. She had a barrel over her shoulder, and another in her hand, and she heaved them onto a wagon. She slapped the rear of the horse in front of the wagon and watched it trot away before she turned around. And froze.

Loki smiled. She did not.

"Valkyrie," he grinned his eerie grin, "Looking splendid as always."

Valkyrie did not move. Loki just kept smiling, giving her time to take it all in.

"Surpriiise," he sang, "It really has been too long hasn't it. But I see that you're doing quite well here without-" Loki was cut off as a flying fist landed him straight in the nose.

He blinked rapidly, trying to get his sight back. "Alright, I will allow-" he was cut off one again, as another, harder punch caused him to stumble back.

"Now hold on, Valkyrie and let me-" Another punch, this time, almost landing him on the floor.

"Stop!" He held out one hand, the other shielding his already throbbing nose, "Would you just stop and let me-"

"You slimy bastard," her voice was venom as she growled at a hunched over Loki, "You hateful, cruel, disgusting excuse of a man."

Loki blinked at the onslaught.

"Valkyrie-"

"You're alive." she hissed, "You're alive!"

"Yes. I am, thank you very much for noticing."

Valkyrie was seeing red as she advanced, throwing another fist at him, but this time, Loki was behind her before it could connect.

"Would you stop trying to hit and just let me-"

"Do you have any idea what you've done to him?" Valkyrie said through gritted teeth. She was far too angry to shout, "Do you have a clue what you've done to your brother?"

"I haven't done an-"

"You bastard!" she repeated, "You weasley, disgusting, un-"

"Would you stop with the pubescent name calling and allow me to-"

"He waited for you." her eyes were stone, and her words burned through Loki like fire. "For so long, he waited for you to return. Told me every day that this was one of your tricks. That you would come back when you were ready. That you were just waiting for the right time."

The smirk on Loki's face was fading fast.

"He set up a memorial for all those lost when Thanos seized our ship. For every single Asgardian lost to his Snap. All except for you. Because your brother refused to believe that you were dead."

Loki swallowed, "Valkyrie-"

"He waited for you!" she hissed, walking closer and closer to him, "drinking himself into stupor every day, waiting for you. And you, you evil son of a bitch, you just let him wait, until he finally gave up. He gave up waiting for you, Loki, and it broke him. You broke your brother, and for what? For a trick? A bloody trick?! You vile, loathsome, evil little-"

"It was no trick," Loki was finally able to find his voice, "I did die. I was killed by Thanos right before my brother's eyes. I've seen how my tricks affected him before, and I swore I'd never do that again." he never looked away from the woman that wouldn't stop fuming at him.

"I am the god of lies and mischief, but my word is my honour, Valkyrie. And I swear to you, this was no trick. I wouldn't do that to him. Not again."

"Well then how are you back?" she demanded, "The dead do not just suddenly come back to life, Loki."

Just as she said it, there was a commotion in the distance. The two turned away from each other, and towards the small village,

Valkyrie's eyes widened at what she saw. Everywhere, people were appearing, out of thin air. Screams and exclamations were heard all around as faces that had been lost for five years were suddenly right there again.

Valkyrie stared over the village in shock. Five years ago she had landed a small ship of Asgardians on this land, and not a minute after landing, half of those people had disappeared into dust. Gone.

Just gone.

And now... somehow... they were coming back.

She turned slowly to Loki, who was already looking at her, "I was dead." he said, "And just like these people I have returned. And I need your help, Valkyrie."

A few minutes later, Loki stood at the door that Valkyrie had told him led to Thor's chambers. It was rather unimpressive, but Loki just shook his head. Thor was never one to care much for luxury anyway.

Loki sighed as he kept looking at the door. He realised that his caution of this door was perhaps just him stalling. Knowing that his brother was just on the other side… it excited him. And it frightened him. He had no clue what to expect. But from what he had heard from agent Romanoff and now from Valkyrie... he knew that it couldn't be good.

It didn't help that both women had made it quite clear that Thor's current state had a great deal to do with Loki. For once, the trickster wasn't keen to see how much damage he had caused.

But he couldn't stall forever. He had a mission, dammit. And he wanted to see his brother.

Finally, Loki lifted his fist to knock, and then a loud gasp sounded behind him.

"Oh, my god."

Loki whipped around, just in time to see a blur of blue rocks charging at him.

"Piss off ghost!" he yelled, a heavy fist swinging at Loki's head. Loki moved away just in time, causing Korg to stumble to a stop. He whipped around again, his small eyes open wide.

Fighting the urge to roll his eyes, Loki held up a hand, freezing the Kronan to a stop just as he started charging again.

"Now Korg," Loki sighed, "I assure you, I am no ghost."

Korg just kept blinking wide eyes.

"Now if I let you go, will you refrain from attacking me?"

Korg seemed to think it over, and then nodded his head. Loki dropped his hand, releasing the rock creature from his spell.

Now that it had been established that Loki was not a ghost, Korg was staring at him in shock, his rock mouth open as wide as it would go.

"Oh my god." he gasped again.

"Yes Korg, you said that, already."

"Oh Loki! You're alive!" he exclaimed, "Miek look, Loki's alive!"

The insect by his side squeaked his reply, and Loki tried not to make a face.

"Hey man! Where have you been? I suspect you just came back with all the others then? Everyone just poofed back, did you see? Scared the pebbles off me when I almost stepped on a little girl who appeared in front of me." Korg let out a little laugh, "I didn't stomp on her though, don't you worry. She's perfectly fine."

"That's wonderful, Korg. Now if you don't mind-"

"Oh I bet you came to see Thor! Oh he'll be right pleased to see you after so long. He's been quite sad, you see. It would do him good, seeing you."

"Well alright then," Loki turned back to the door.

"But here's the thing-" Korg stopped him.

Loki sighed deeply, "What is it?"

"Well, Thor just came back from a very important mission, and he's asked me to make sure that no one interrupts him at the moment. He doesn't want to see anyone. Even me, unfortunately. But he's put me as his head of security, see. So I'm afraid, you can't go in."

Loki blinked. For the love of the gods...

"As his brother, and as your prince, I highly doubt that that applies to me."

Korg seemed to think about it for a little while, and then nodded firmly, "Well you're absolutely right of course. Go on then. Tell Thor I said hello, yeah?"

Korg grinned at Loki, and then thumped away to where he was 'standing guard'.

Rolling his eyes, Loki tuned back to the door, and unfortunately, he could not stall any longer. He turned the doorknob quickly, before he could lose his nerve, and went inside.

The first thing that hit him was the smell. His eyes almost watered at the heavy stench of mead and ale and food and other ghastly things that Loki was afraid to name.

Despite his instinct to turn around, Loki forced himself forward, shutting the door behind him. He went further into the room, seeing a mess that made him itch. Empty bottles and half eaten meals were littered all around. Clothes strewn about all over any piece of available furniture.

How on earth could any living being survive in this awful-

"Korg!"

The voice made Loki freeze, and his eyes widen.

"Korg I asked you to wait outside-" the sentence was followed by a burp,"-until I've rested. You're supposed to be head of royal security, aren't you?"

Loki moved, walking slowly towards the voice. He turned a final corner and...

"Oh dear gods."

His horrified whisper went unnoticed by the man in front of him.

His back was to Loki. His very naked back. Long hair, that looked as if it hadn't touched water in months, came from a head tilted back as it gulped something down from a bottle. The pants he wore were tight around ample hips, tucked under rolls of flesh that engulfed the belt holding them up.

Loki could do nothing but blink as the bottle finally emptied, and another long belch was released.

He lumbered forward, the bottle falling to the floor, as he reached the table in front of him, pulling another from the pack. On the side of the table, leaned an axe.

The craftsmanship was undoubtedly of Nidavellir. So this was Stormbreaker. Groot had spoken of it, but his descriptions did not come close to capturing its magnificence. But the real surprise, was the hammer that sat atop the table. It was moved aside to gain better access to the drink, and Loki heard it sing as it moved.

Mjolnir.

Thor's most prized possession. His favourite thing in the world. Pushed aside for a beer.

This was unacceptable.

"Thor."

He froze. Moments passed in silence. And then Thor let out a rumbling laugh. He snapped the bottle against Stormbreaker, letting the cap pop off.

"Goodness Korg, for a moment there you sounded very much like... well..." he laughed again as he lifted the drink to his lips.

"Thor." Loki said again.

He shook his head again, his back still turned, "How are you doing that?" he chuckled quietly. "It's a very good trick, Korg. But I'd... I'd like you to stop it now, please."

"Thor. Turn around."

His head only shook harder, "No." His hand was suddenly shaking as the bottle fell away from his lips, "No, no no no, stop it."

"Look at me, Thor." Loki all but whispered.

Thor let in a long breath, his head still shaking from side to side. He was silent for a long time. And so Loki waited.

And then Thor turned around, the bottle was clutched tightly in his hand, his knuckles white around it.

His eyes were closed.

"Korg," his voice was uncertain, "I swear to you now, if you don't stop-"

"Brother." Loki's voice was closer as he moved towards him, "It is me."

Thor's eyes flew open, and the still full bottle in his hand fell to the grown with a clang, the liquid flowing freely out of it. Neither man cared.

His eyes were blinking as he stared. Stared at the face he had finally convinced himself he would never see. He would later realise that he feared that if he blinked, he would go away. That if he moved, he would disappear.

When Thor spoke again, it was with a whisper, "Perhaps this Midgardian drink is stronger than I thought."

Loki couldn't help the small smile that sprung on his lips, "Tis not this drink, brother," he said quietly, "It is truly me. I am here."

Still Thor could do nothing but continue to stare. And his brother let him.

"Loki." he finally whispered after some time, "Loki?"

"Yes, Thor."

Thor's still shaking hand rose slowly. Cautiously. Until it was hovering over Loki's shoulder. As if afraid to touch him. In case he truly wasn't there.

Suddenly, with a sharp inhale, Thor snatched his hand away, stumbling back as if stung.

"No." he shook his head rapidly, "No, no, stop it. Whatever this is, stop it now,"

"Thor."

"You are not my brother. Loki is dead. He's dead." he swallowed hard, his eyes scrunching shut as his back hit the wall, "I saw him die. I watched him die. You're not my brother, you cannot be-"

"Thor look at me." Loki hushed as he approached him slowly.

His head was shaking rapidly, "Loki's dead. H's dead. Y... you're dead. You're-"

Thor stopped, letting in a gasp when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Thor. Look at me." he whispered.

His eyes flew open at the touch, and he stared with wide, leaking eyes at the face in front of him.

Illusions couldn't touch.

Thor had had this dream far too many times to count. He had dreamt of Loki coming back, alive and whole. And in those dreams, Loki would disappear as soon as he touched him.

But now... now Loki's hand was on his shoulder and... and he was still here.

He was still here because… because illusions did not touch.

"Loki?" he whispered.

Loki could only nod, finding it hard to find his voice at the moment. And then Thor's heavy hand finally griped at his shoulder, and Loki wasn't expecting the surge of relief that passed through him. The sense of his brother. If it felt this way for him, after only days, he did not wish to know what Thor was feeling.

The grip on his shoulder tightened as Thor breathed heavily, "Are you alive?" he demanded in a whisper, "Tell me Loki, is this true?"

"I'm alive Thor. I am here. I-"

Before another word could be spoken, Thor had surged forward, engulfing Loki in a hug that almost stopped him from breathing. Loki had no complaint, as slowly and reluctantly, his own arms wrapped around Thor's ample waist, only causing Thor's grip to tighten.

"You're alive." Loki heard a wet whisper by his ear, "You're alive. You're alive. Loki's alive."

Loki only nodded into his brother's shoulder, not saying a word. Not quite trusting himself to speak just yet. Thor's shoulders were shaking under Loki, and for an awful second, he thought he was crying, but suddenly Thor let him go, holding him at arm's length, and Loki saw that he was laughing.

"You're alive, Loki. You're alive!" Although he laughed, Loki did not miss the tears that fell from his eyes, disappearing quickly into his beard.

"I did not deceive you Thor," he said quickly. It was suddenly very important that he knew that, "This was no trick. My death was true, but then I was-"

"I don't care!" Thor laughed, "You're alive! I don't care about anything else Loki. Trick or not, it does not matter. All that matters is that my brother is alive. You're alive!" he laughed gain, the tears not stopping their flow, and then his arms were once again clutching Loki as close to himself as possible.

Loki could do nothing but return the brutal hug. He would deny this to his dying breath, but at that moment, Loki would have gladly stayed right where he was. Reuniting with his brother and allowing him to hug him as much as he wanted.

This is really the only place he wanted to be.

But Loki knew that this was not where he needed to be.

"Thor," he said reluctantly, "Thor we have to go."

Thor sniffed next to Loki's ear, "What?"

"We must go. There is a battle, Thor, and we need to fight. The Avengers-"

"No."

Loki's words stuck in his throat, He tried to pull away, but only succeeded in tightening Thor's grip around him, "Thor-"

"No." he said again, "I've done my part. I got them the Aether, and now I'm finished. That was the deal."

Loki frowned, struggling further against the grip, until he was finally released, although a hand stayed clamped to his shoulder.

"What on earth do you mean by 'no'?"

"I'm done fighting, Loki." he told him, "We don't have to anymore. The Avengers have acquired the infinity gems and the world is whole again. I've done my part. And now... now my brother is alive again. And so we will stay here."

Loki blinked at him, "What on earth has gotten into you?"

Thor's laughing mouth turned down, and he moved away from Loki, back to the table. Back to the beer.

"Thor." he said, his voice firm, "A threat comes once again for the Universe. In fact, I'm quite sure it's already arrived. You will not sit here and drink while the earth is in danger."

"I can, and I will." Thor nodded to himself as he cracked the beer open on the axe. "I will not fight."

Loki's eyes narrowed on his brother as he lifted the beer to his lips. He took a few gulps before he realised that something was wrong. He frowned at the bottle, and then glared at his brother, "Do not turn my drink into water!"

"Water is what you need as you prepare for a battle.

"No, Loki."

"Thor!" Loki scolded as his brother sat heavily, sinking into his armchair, "Get up!'

"No," he took another gulp, before making face as he remembered it was still water, "You've ruined my drink, Loki."

Loki took a deep breath, gathering his strength, "I have never known the mighty Thor to say no to a realm in need."

He just shrugged, picking up the beer that had fallen earlier, glad to see some liquid still inside. He drank, but alas, it was water.

"Loki stop it!"

"What has gotten into you?" Loki crossed his arms, "We must go, Thor. You know very well the cost of losing this war."

"I will not fight, brother. Do not ask me to."

"Oh I am not asking, brother. I am telling you to get up and-"

"No!"

Loki couldn't hide his shock, "What in Valhalla's name... Thor."

"I will not fight." he growled, "I cannot. Now can you not ruin this joyous day by asking me to."

Loki just shook his head, "I do not believe this." he said, "The brother I knew-"

"I am not the brother you knew." Thor shot back, "Surely that is painfully obvious."

"You are my brother." he said through tightly clenched teeth. The king of Asgard. The son of Odin. The mighty Thor-"

"Oh do not make me laugh!" his voice boomed, "The Mighty Thor!" he laughed humourlessly, "You are the most intelligent being I know, Loki. Surely you can see that the mighty Thor is no more."

"You are-"

"I am not!" Thor leapt to his feet, and a peel of Thunder was heard in the distance, "Look at me! Look at me, Loki and tell me what might is here?"

"All I see is some extra flesh. I don't know what that has to do with-"

"Oh do not play the fool brother, you know what I mean. And you know you see it. Banner and the Rabbit called me back into arms for a simple task. To retrieve the Aether from the past. That was my only job, and I did nothing! The rabbit was far more mighty than I, when all I could do was cry on my mother's shoulder as he was the one to retrieve the gem to restore life in the Universe. I did nothing!"

"Thor-"

"I would have been of much better use going to Vormir and dying at the bottom of a that cliff-"

"Don't you dare say tha-"

"A least that way, Agent Romanoff would be alive. Someone who would have been of some use in this bloody battle. She is a far better warrior than I, and she is dead and I am alive to do nothing but wallow in this room for the rest of my days."

"Thor-"

"I had my time to be a hero Loki. I had my time to be mighty, and I failed miserably."

Loki almost couldn't look at his brothers shining eyes, but he refused to look away from him, "All I have done is fail." Thor's voice broke as he spoke, "I let my father die. I let my planet burn. I failed to kill Thanos when I had the chance. And now that there may be another chance to save this Universe, I will step back before I ruin that too."

Thor turned away from his brother, swallowing through the lump in his throat. He gripped at the edge of the table, Mjolnir vibrating near his hand.

"How did you get that hammer, Thor?" he asked.

Thor looked at him through narrowed eyes, but Loki's stare never faltered.

He sighed, "Mjolnir came to me when I returned to Asgard with the Rabbit."

"Oh is that so? And am I correct in stating that Mjolnir can only be yielded by a worthy warrior?"

"Loki-"

"Answer the question, Thor."

Loki ignored the hard glare sent his way, only accepting Thor's grumbled, "Yes."

"Well if Mjolnir still finds you worthy, Thor, who are we to disagree? I hope you take no offence when I say that I trust a weapon forged from a dying star, much more than I trust your own flawed opinions about yourself.

"Oh for god's sake Loki, stop it!"

"Stop what?"

"Stop acting as if you do not see me!" he thundered, spreading his arms wide, "Look at me," his voice broke, and he slumped against the table.

"Look at me, brother." he sighed, sounding more defeated than Loki had ever heard, "What can I do like this? Of what use am I?"

A silence passed between the brothers, Loki staring at Thor, and Thor looking anywhere but at him. And then Loki smiled.

"You were a fat child."

Thor looked up at him, blinking.

"What."

"Do you remember?" Loki chuckled, "You were a very fat little boy. I was perfectly slim as always, and you were quite jealous of me. Yet you just wouldn't stop eating."

Loki smiled at the distance as the memories returned, "I believe that was the only time the roles were reversed, and it was you, who wanted to be like me. Your scrawny little brother."

Thor smiled, remembering, "I was quite large, wasn't I."

"You were," Loki chuckled, "And yet... every time we played combat, you would destroy anyone who came against you. We were children, not permitted to use anything other than long sticks, but still. You never lost. Fat as you were."

Thor sighed, seeing where he was going with this, "Loki-"

"Why should your extra... build matter anymore now than it did back then, brother. You were the mighty Thor when you were fat. You were the mighty Thor when you traded that fat for muscle. And now you're back to fat. And still mighty, as you have always been."

"Loki-"

"Now I know that you have failed. I have failed more times than you will ever know. We all have. Even all your perfect Avengers. We are all failures in our own rights. But I will be damned if you let your past failures keep you from your future victories. Of which, dear brother, I assure you there will be many."

Before he could continue, a yellow ring of light appeared very suddenly in front of him. Thor's eyes widened as he recognized the magic of doctor Strange.

Loki nodded. It was time.

"And your victories start now, Thor. So please. Get off your fat, mighty arse and come with me. We have a Universe to save."