"Thor?" Loki called as stepped off the elevator and onto a floor that looked the same as the one he dwelled in. There was the same kitchen, different couches, but still mostly the same. So he figured the bedroom would be the same as well, "Thor?" Loki asked, opening the bedroom door. He saw Thor lying forlornly on his bed, his large body spread across the plush comforter.
"What?" Thor grumbled, his face buried in a pillow, resembling a very large child.
"I was talking to Mr. Stark and… well-"
"I know you were!" Thor snapped, sitting up and glaring at him, "I was growing concerned when you did not return from your chambers. Then the man of iron went to check on you and never came out! I was worried! So I asked the invisible one to show me what you two were doing!"
"What?" Loki asked, more confused than angry.
"Mr. Stark has cameras in every room, so the invisible one showed me."
"This whole time, you were spying on Mr. Stark and myself?" Loki asked, his eyebrows furrowed.
"Yes," Thor huffed.
"There is nothing I said to Mr. Stark that I would not have said to you..." Loki stated calmly, it was true. However much Loki wanted it not to be true, the resentment for his brother, though shrinking considerably, remained. There seemed to be nothing within Loki's own power to dissolve the matter completely, it remained insoluble and collected at the pit of his stomach like a poorly shaken tonic.
"I..." Thor began, unprepared for Loki's calm, "I know," Loki watched as his brother visibly deflated, looking sheepish and small.
"Thor, what ails you?" Loki asked quietly, sitting beside Thor. He wanted, oh did he ever want, to love his brother as he had before. He wanted to smile and laugh and call him his brother without the word tasting like sulfur in his mouth.
"Was I truly such a terrible brother to you?" Thor was looking at Loki with those large puppy-dog eyes that seemed to be solely reserved for when the frost giant had truly hurt him. This pain, this gut wrenching, agonizing pain was unbearable to the large Asgardian. Thor could deal with cuts, bruises, broken bones and torn muscles. What Thor could not deal with, was seeing his brother, his baby brother, shrink away from him like he expected him to snatch him up and haul him back to his prison cell in Asgard. The pain and betrayal in the eyes of the person he would protect with his very life was something Thor could not live with.
Loki paused, considering lying, but decided Thor knew the truth already. What was the point in lying to him? What would he gain? Would it make the pain in his soul lessen? Would it reverse the years upon years of hating himself? No, it would not resolve a single thing. "Yes," Loki replied, not wanting to look at Thor, who looked like he had been slapped, "do not give me that look, Thor. You know better than anyone how we were as children."
Thor's lower lip trembled, tears welling in his eyes, "I am aware."
"But, if you were truly listening, you would know that the entire story wasn't bad," Loki smiled slightly. Oh how he longed to genuinely smile for his brother.
"What does it matter?" Thor said, not looking at the god.
"Brother, do you remember when we were small? When one of us was plagued with nightmares, we would sneak into the other's room," Loki asked, almost desperately. He wanted; he needed some kind of inclination that they could fix this. He wanted to know that some sort of progress could be made.
"And request to lay with the other," Thor said with a shadow of a smile on his face.
"Then the one in bed would pretend it was a bother, griping and muttering, like it was a great burden upon them," Loki chuckled.
"I remember fondly, your small figure like a phantom at the foot of my bed," Thor smiled, but then it slipped from his face, "I felt obligated to protect you when you came to me in the dead of night. Why did I not feel as such when it was day?"
"You did protect me, once you knew I was in danger," Loki defended; he was so close, so close to breaking their barrier, the barrier that Loki had worked so hard to build up.
"I was usually the reason you were in danger," Thor whimpered with guilt and self-pity marring his usual joyous expression.
"I am the god as mischief and lies, who am I without trouble and danger?" Loki smiled.
Thor smiled back weakly, "Brother, there is no doubt in my mind that you are a god, so believe me when I tell you that you are not a monster. You are just the opposite."
Loki smiled at him, a warm smile that Thor had not seen on his brother's face in years. Thor felt a heavy weight lift off his heart as he pulled his brother into a hug.
"Brother, you shall crush me," Loki chuckled, but he didn't care. He had had done it. This was the hairline fracture in the glass that separated Loki from the happy life he once knew. Even if it was just a hairline, at least it was something.
"It matters not," Thor blubbered, tears streaming down his cheeks. The joy that filled his very soul to the point of bursting was more overwhelming than anything Thor had ever known. The joy that flowed through his bloodstream overpowered all his memories of his brother's hatred and sadness. The feeling coursing through Thor could only be described as pure jubilation. Loki, however, was simply happy. But being simply happy was enough to overwhelm the frost giant just slightly. Loki was unsure as to how he was supposed to deal with his situation, was he expected to embrace his brother, or was it acceptable for him to simply relish in receiving it? After a moment, Thor released him.
"It is late," Loki smiled, "get some rest."
"Wait, one more thing," Thor said, stopping the smaller god as he stood from the bed, "be cautious with Mr. Stark. He has a tendency to be... Whorish"
Loki let out a laugh, a real laugh that lit up his eyes, "Trust me, I shall not be nothing more than another tick mark on his headboard," Thor erupted in booming laughter, warmth spreading through his body. How long had it been since he had laughed with his brother? How many years since he had seen that light in those emerald eyes?
"Good night," Loki smiled, walking towards the door.
"Brother?" Thor asked, impulse overriding pride, "Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?"
Loki chuckled, "We are men, not children."
"Please, just once?"
Loki tutted and closed the door he had just opened. He turned off the lights and sat in the chair besides the bed. He tried to flush the awkward and unsettling feeling he had acquired with his brother, but it would take more than one talk to completely obtain the brotherly relationship Loki had dreamed of as a child.
"Tell me a story," Thor said.
"Now you are acting like a child," Loki smirked, "but very well."
Loki thought a moment before he decided to tell the story of when Thor and he had been playing in the corridors as children.
They were tossing a hide ball, despite the fact that Frigga had told them countless times not to. It hadn't taken them long to knock over and tear an extremely large and beautiful portrait of their family. Of course, being children, they had panicked. It was Thor who had concocted the genius plan to attempt to replicate it using an art set they had received as a gift. Needless to say, Frigga noticed immediately, but for some reason, she decided not to have it taken down. The brothers had, of course, been punished for their disobedience, but the picture forever remained.
One day, Loki had been walking down the same corridor when he noticed Frigga and the AllFather standing before it. He quickly ducked into an open room and peaked out to listen to their conversation
"Frigga, I do not understand why you insist that this awful painting remains here," Odin said, staring up at the artwork.
"I do not know, but, perhaps it is simply the fact that the boys worked together on it," She smiled in her ever smooth voice.
"They only did it to cover up their own tracks," Odin huffed.
"But, I worry, sometimes, that the boys will never bond. Thor is so hard-headed and rough, Loki is soft-spoken and bright, and they seem too different to be compatible at all. That is why I believe I cannot bring myself to allow this painting to be taken down, because now, whenever I shall pass it I shall be given hope that they can work with one another, even if it is simply to cover their tracks."
"Then, my queen, this painting will forever remain on this wall," Odin stated, giving her a rare smile.
Even to the day, that awful painting of Odin, Frigga, Thor, and Loki remain hanging in the palace of Asgard.
The brothers chuckled during the story, enjoying the nostalgia. Soon, Thor was asleep.
"Good night, big brother," Loki smiled, exiting the room slightly.

---

Shortly afterwards, Loki sat at the island counter on his floor, a glass of water in hand. It was late, so late it was early. Loki had attempted to sleep, but found it impossible, as he had for many nights now. So he sat, shirtless, in Thor's oversized sweat pants, alone with his thoughts. He mentally kicked himself for showing such weaknesses that day. Was he not still a proud god? A god of mischief and lies? What then, had possessed him to be so nauseously nostalgic? What had made him open up and spill his heart out? It was a feeling he was uncomfortable with, it made him feel exposed and vulnerable.
"Hey," a smooth voice said, bring the scent of oil and grease and alcohol that only one man could wear so proudly.
"Hello," Loki said, smiling slightly.
"I figured, maybe now you'd take me up on that drink," Stark smiled, stepping out of the elevator. Loki chuckled coldly at the memory, "You and the big guy have a talk?" Tony asked, standing on the opposite side of the counter.
"Yeah," Loki said, swirling the water in his drink.
"You guys good?"
Loki seemed puzzled slightly by the wording of the question, but understood it all the same, "I believe so. It will take more than a day to repair so many years of damage though."
Tony nodded, staring into the bright green orbs that were concentrated on the water. He hated how infatuated he had become in the god, he hated even more that he knew it was more than infatuation.
"Why are you still awake?" Loki asked suddenly, wrenching Tony from his thoughts.
Tony chuckled slightly, "Unhealthy habit."
Loki nodded, accepted that there were certain things he would never understand about this man.
"So," Tony smirked, his pupils dilating suggestively, "About what you said earlier..."
Loki smirked as the shorter man leaned across the counter to him. No, Loki would not give in so easily. He was a god, a treasure, a prize. He was to be won, fought for. Loki would not be taken so easily. So when the lips of Tony Stark were less than an inch from his own, Loki stood from his stool. Tony grunted as his face hit the smooth, hard surface of Loki's abdomen.
"Hey," Tony said, looking up, annoyed. Loki was simply smirking, enjoying the disappointment on the man's face.
"You did not think me so easily attainable, did you?" Loki said in a smooth, alluring voice, "I am not one of your wenches."
Tony was looking up at him with desperate desire, his eyes dark with need. Loki smirked down at the man, mischief in his eyes, "Should've known better than to think it'd be that easy…" Tony grumbled, standing.
Loki chuckled, "You may try again tomorrow," Loki smirked, turning and allowing the waistband of the pants to slip slightly as he walked. Loki could've pumped his fist in victory as a disappointed groan escaped Tony's lips. But he didn't, he maintained his composure as he walked in silent victory to his bedroom.
Tony, on the other hand, scowled at the carelessly swaying hips. He hated being denied, especially when being promised previously as Loki had. He threw his arms up in exasperation and trudged to the elevator then to his room.
"Sir, you seem frustrated," Jarvis said as Tony flopped unceremoniously on his bed.
"As hell, Jay!" Tony groaned into his pillow. He knew he looked like a teenager who had just been shot down for a date to the prom, but right now he didn't care. He was frustrated both with the fact that he was becoming steadily more obsessed with a certain Norse god and that he had been blatantly rejected by said god.
"May I make a quick suggestion?" Jarvis asked.
Was that a mischievous edge to his AI's voice that he heard?
"I'm listening," Tony said, not really sure what exactly to expect.
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, a screen materialized on his wall. Tony stared for a second before coming to the realization that he was, without a doubt, watching Loki. Tony silently praised himself for installing the camera so that he had a full view of the entire room. With unblinking eyes, he watched as the god leaned against his door, one hand in his hair, the other laying limply at his side. He noticed, with rising excitement, that he god's face was slightly pink.
"So, my little Norse god, you were more excited than I thought," Tony smirked, never tearing his eyes from the very object of perfection. Despite every scar, every cut, every bruise, Loki somehow remained looking perfect. Tony's heart began to race and his temperature rise as he was able to stare openly at the body of the god.
"That idiot," Tony heard Loki mutter, "Who does he think he is? Who does he think he is to… affect me so? That audacious, pig-headed, loud mouthed..." Loki continued with his name calling and Tony would've been offended if it were not for the fact that during his rant, Loki's hand had found its way to his chest. With each insult, the hand ghosted further down the expanse of pale chest until it was lingering on the loose waistline of the oversized sweat pants.
"There is a god…" Tony breathed, grinning sadistically. He silently egged on the Norse god, whose face had turned a shade of bright red, breath gotten more rapid, beads of sweat beginning to become visible on his brow-line. The god's fingers were brushing and prodding at the fabric that would be so easy to pull aside, all he had to do was hook his thumb under the band and the god would be visible to Tony in all his glory. Tony hardly breathed as he watched Loki's fingers become braver and braver with each uneven breath of their owner. Tony's breath hitched as Loki broke the invisible wall between the waistline and the pants that were doing nothing to hide the thing both Loki and Tony needed desperately. Loki stifled a moan as the familiar, yet sadly alien, heat erupted from his midsection as he created the first beautiful touch of friction Loki had received in over a year. Loki's jaw went slack as he increased the movement of his hand. Tony willed Loki to remove the fabric barrier as Tony's own hand began the familiar path to his own light-headed heat.
Then there was a knock on Loki's door.
Tony could've screamed as Loki's eyes, who he had not realized had closed, shot open and his hand pulled away from the centimeter expanse that had remained. Loki quickly wiped the condensation from his brow and fixed his pants to cleverly conceal what Tony had so desperately wanted. Tony growled as Loki opened his door to reveal Clint.
"Hey," Clint said, shuffling his feet, "Listen, um, I'm like sorry about like us being on the roof and stuff. I didn't mean for us to, like, you know, ruin some, like, moment."
Loki let out a light-hearted laugh that made Clint look up with a start and Tony's stomach to flip.
"Mr. Barton, it is quite alright."
"Are you sure?" Clint asked, still slightly taken aback by the drastic change in mood, "Like, seriously, I promise I won't make fun of you guys like ever again-"
"Mr. Barton, believe me when I tell you that I will not mind at all if you take every possible opportunity to tease Anthony. On the contrary, I think I will enjoy it," Loki grinned with a little glint in his eyes that looked like it should've been there all along.
Clint returned the grin, "You won't be disappointed then!" Tony smiled slightly as the two men laughed together, even if it was at his expense. "Oh, and Loki," Clint said as he began to turn to leave, "blue is a nice color on you."
Loki seemed slightly frazzled at the friendly statement, unsure as to how to react. Once he recovered, Loki turned, shut the door behind him and turned out the lights. Tony groaned as his visual on the god was gone and he heard the man slip quietly into his bed. Tony soon heard Loki's deep, even breaths that told him the god had fallen asleep.
"I'm a fool," Tony grumbled, falling dejectedly onto his bed.
"Yes. You are, Sir" Jarvis said.
Tony would really have to look into the AI's adopted mischievous edge.

Notes