It had been a long time since Thor had been up before sunrise. He had always been keen on sleeping in, getting as much rest as possible before battle or his grueling training regimen. So as he sat at one of the palace's long tables at a quarter after four in the morning, sipping on a large mug of coffee, he was far from thrilled to be awake. But since there was a crisis at hand, there wasn't a whole lot he could do about it. They needed to come up with a plan, and fast.
Steve had called Layla about thirty minutes ago, waking them up to tell her of Tony and Spencer's disappearance and the arrival of Thanos' forces. She, understandably, hadn't taken the news very well. After getting dressed in something other than her pajamas, Layla decided to go check on Anja while Thor waited for Loki to meet him in the dining hall. He was sure they needed to have some very serious conversations.
Thor didn't have to wait long before Loki strode into the room, a grim look upon his face. His brother sat down at the table across from him and sighed. Thor took one more sip of coffee before he set the mug down and looked at Loki.
"I'm assuming that you know what's going on," Thor started.
"I do," Loki answered simply.
Thor nodded. One less thing he had to explain. "Is Layla with Anja?"
Loki nodded as well. "She made it to our room a few moments before I left."
"How's Anja taking it?" Thor asked, although he was sure he knew the answer already.
His brother frowned. "Not well, but that's to be expected, I think. Two of her closest friends have been abducted by Thanos, and there's admittedly a high chance she'll never see them again," he replied, shaking his head. "She also said she felt sick. I'm not sure if it's out of grief or an actual illness, but there's that too."
Thor was silent for a moment, taking in what Loki had just said. It was unfortunate that Anja was feeling ill on top of all of this. "I hope she feels better soon," Thor said. "With this new development, we need to formulate a plan, and put it in action immediately."
"I agree," Loki sighed. "Rogers told Anja that a group of them were going to intercept Maximoff and Vision before a rendezvous in Wakanda." He paused for a moment, glancing at the floor and then back at Thor. "I think one of us should alert the other realms and await their arrival before joining the other in Wakanda."
"Funny, I was going to suggest the same plan," Thor retorted.
Loki raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
Thor picked up his mug again to take another long sip of coffee. "Yes, really," he mused as he sat the cup back down. "I think you and Anja ought to be the ones to go to Wakanda. It will be a big boost to your trustworthiness with the rest of the team, I think."
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather have me rally the other realms?" Loki asked. "You think Rogers and the others would be accepting of me?"
"They don't have a choice now," Thor retorted. "I trust you will make the right decisions. For all of us and our new home."
Loki nodded silently, seemingly thinking over his words carefully. "So that settles it then. You, Layla, and the rest of our allies will join us later in Wakanda," he decided.
Thor noticed the hesitation in his brother's voice, and it concerned him a bit. "What's bothering you, Loki?"
The God of Mischief glanced away from him for a few moments before he made eye contact again. "I think it may be wise for us to leave someone here during the impending battle. Someone who can protect our citizens and... someone who could lead them if- heaven forbid- something happened to us," he explained grimly.
Thor hated to admit it, but Loki had a very good point. With both kings present on the battlefield, there was the very real possibility something would happen to one or both of them. Despite them both being skilled warriors, anything could happen; one mistake could cost them their lives. They both had seen many great fighters lose their lives to silly mistakes, let alone to actual skilled opponents. Thor didn't want to assign back up, but he knew it was the safe thing to do.
"I think Brunnhilde and Heimdall should stay here," he decided without any hesitation. "And perhaps Korg and Miek as well."
"She's not going to be happy about that," Loki cautioned, "but that's exactly what I was thinking as well. Both she and Heimdall have the ability to take over if worst comes to worst."
Thor nodded. "It is what is best for Asgard, and she will understand that even if she doesn't exactly like it." He paused for a moment before adding, "Glad we are on the same page about all of this. I was not expecting this chat to go so well."
Loki huffed indignantly. "We have been on the same page before, and throughout most of this little endeavor. Why does it surprise you now?"
He picked up his mug again to take another drink, thinking his words over carefully. Loki had made another good point. "I suppose I am still not quite used to this new and improved version of you," Thor replied. "Old habits die hard, I suppose. I'm still used to the version of you who turns into a snake and stabs me."
That got a smile and a laugh out of his brother. "Ah, good times," Loki said.
"Good for you, perhaps," Thor countered.
Loki shrugged. "I thought it was pretty damn funny. I can always go back to that, if you prefer me that way."
"No, that won't be necessary," Thor replied with a laugh. "You caused enough chaotic antics in our youth to last me a lifetime."
Loki raised an eyebrow curiously. "Such as what?"
"Like that time when you pushed me down the staircase as a distraction to get freshly baked cinnamon buns," Thor pointed out. "We were supposed to fake it, but you legitimately pushed me."
"You and I remember that very differently," Loki answered with a shrug.
Loki looked to his left, and casually waved his hand. The once empty space at the end of the table slowly transformed into the scene from that particular incident. A young Thor sat at the bottom of a staircase, clutching his right elbow in his left hand as he uncharacteristically bawled his eyes out. A small Loki stood a few feet away from the small Thor, holding onto a woven basket of cinnamon buns, steam still rising off of them.
"Shhh! Stop crying," the tiny Loki hushed, glancing between the little Thor and the imaginary room's doorways. "You're going to attract attention we don't need. I already got the cinnamon buns. See?"
He held the basket out for Thor to see, and while the child God of Thunder took one from the basket, he did not stop crying, much to his younger brother's chagrin. The younger Loki plucked a bun from the basket before setting it down on the floor in front of his brother. He sat down as well, obviously more than content to eat the delectable baked good while his brother sobbed. The younger Thor did eventually stop crying and start to eat his cinnamon bun as well, but not before he attracted the very attention the younger Loki had been worried about.
Odin and Frigga entered the illusioned room, concerned looks plastered to their faces. Their mother rushed over to the boys, kneeling down to check over her young sons. Thor would've been lying if he said he was ready to hear his late mother's voice for the first time in years. "Is everything alright, loves? We heard crying," she asked.
"He pushed me down the stairs!" young Thor answered immediately, wiping tears from his cheeks with the sleeve of his tunic.
The younger Loki was not deterred. "I did not," he insisted, taking a bite from his cinnamon roll.
"Liar!" the small Thor spat.
"Boys, that's enough," Frigga calmed. She reached over and gently took Thor's arm in her hands, turning and bending it to make sure it wasn't broken. "It seems fine, love. We will keep an eye on it and see if you'll need to see the medics."
The young Thor nodded as Odin walked over to the rest of the family. His expression was not as forgiving as Frigga's, yet he didn't seem super angry either. "And why, dare I ask, were you boys playing on the stairs?"
Both boys hid the cinnamon buns behind their backs, trying to hide the reason Thor had been allegedly pushed down the stairs as if their parents hadn't already seen the contraband in their small hands or the basket still sitting in front of them.
"Ummmm," they chorused, failing horribly to hide their guilt.
"Was this some trick gone wrong?" Frigga inquired. "In an attempt to obtain sweets before dinner?"
"Yes," small Thor answered, causing the younger Loki to shoot him a glare.
"You boys know better," Odin scolded. "There is to be no thievery. It is an activity most unbecoming of Asgard's princes-"
"That's enough of that," the adult Loki interrupted, waving his hand towards the massive illusion, causing it to slowly dissipate. "See, I didn't push you."
"Oh? Conveniently you didn't show us standing at the top of the stairs though," Thor countered. "You left out the part that would show your innocence or guilt."
"Details, details," Loki replied, waving him off. "I'm the God of Honesty. I would never lie to you."
"God of Honesty, my ass," Thor laughed.
Loki huffed. "Your favorite."
Thor couldn't deny that, so he said nothing. He took another long sip from his mug. Despite the laughs they just had, he couldn't shake feeling a tad solemn. Seeing their parents- even though just clever illusions- made his heart ache, and he was sure Loki likely felt similarly, even despite his often rocky relationship with them.
"I miss them," he admitted, breaking the silence.
He watched as the expression on Loki's face softened. His younger brother was quiet for a moment before he answered quietly, "I miss them too."
Thor sighed. "I know you and father did not always see eye-to-eye, but I know he would be proud of us both. And of course mother would be- without a doubt."
"Would he though?" Loki asked.
Thor nodded. "Definitely. Your lawless nature, the storms within you... you inherited all that from him; you are his son. Regardless of how things went, I know father would be proud of the man you have become," he assured. "And mother..."
"I know she would be. She always told me I could do anything," Loki continued. He glanced up to the ceiling, avoiding eye contact. Not that it mattered; Thor could still see his eyes were on the edge of spilling over in tears. As much as Loki tried to hide it, he was an emotional man. "She believed in me when no one else did."
"I know," Thor answered. "I'm sorry I wasn't better at being the big brother until now. I'm doing my best to correct that. I know it will not make up for the past, but I'm trying."
"I suppose I haven't always been a good brother either," Loki admitted sheepishly, looking back at him.
"Perhaps not, but you're getting better too," Thor assured. "Together- with our future queens- we will make New Asgard prosperous again. As soon as we get through this Thanos shit."
Loki nodded. "That we shall."
Thor opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by the quiet sounds of chatter coming from the hallway. He and Loki both turned their attention to the corridor. The whispers grew louder as their sources grew closer. A few moments later, Anja and Layla came into view. The melancholy looks upon their faces didn't surprise Thor even the slightest. Even though Loki had mentioned Anja hadn't been feeling well that morning, she appeared to look relatively normal, all things considered.
His brother stood, rushing immediately over to the women and wrapping an arm around Anja as he led her and Layla over to the table. Once the three of them had taken their seats at the table, Thor turned to Layla and placed a kiss on her forehead.
"Everything okay?" he asked, even though he knew the answer already.
"As okay as it can be," Layla answered. "Did you talk about the plan?"
Thor nodded. "We did. You and I will be staying here temporarily to rally the allied realms, and Loki and Anja will join Rogers and the others in Wakanda. Once we have gathered our allies, we will be joining them."
Layla was silent for a moment as she slowly nodded. "Alright. Sounds good."
Thor didn't believe that. "It doesn't sound like you agree."
"It's not that I don't agree," Layla assured. "It's just... the situation is daunting, at best. I think we're all feeling a little trepidation."
He glanced between his family, and knew by the looks upon their faces that that was factual. "That's fair."
"Hey, it's okay, it's okay... we're dead soon," Layla sang quietly.
Anja narrowed her eyes. "If that quote wasn't so appropriate I'd tell you it is not the time to be quoting Moana, but... I can't disagree with it."
"No one is going to die," Thor replied, trying to be optimistic. "Everything is going to be fine."
If only he truly believed those words.
*****
Hey everyone. Sorry for the long wait for the new chapter. I've been busy with work and life in general, as well as dealing with a bit of writer's block. I finally got this chapter done late last night, but I wanted to make sure I read it over again with a fresh mind. I'm still not 100% happy with it, but it's done. I'm hoping I've shaken the writer's block and can maybe get something out sooner rather than later. As always, I appreciate your patience with me and my often slow writing process.
Ultimately, I hope all of you are staying safe in these troubling times.
~arty_writes