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[dothelokimotion]

( you can reach Loki here )

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[rebuildyourruins]

[Thor makes a face, uncorking the bottle and filling his glass. He passes it to Loki when he's finished.]

Fine? Okay. I feel as though we had this discussion just yesterday.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki pokes his shoulder. ]

Yes, but you're slow on the uptake.

[rebuildyourruins]

What was it you said on Sakaar? 'It varies from moment to moment'? It's like that.

[Which is a more honest assessment on Thor's part, yet it still explains why he just can't... answer it properly. It does change by the day, by the hour.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ he frowns at that, but loki lets it slide. ]

I suppose that's not terrible.

[rebuildyourruins]

[Thor snorts. Not terrible is about as good as it gets, really.]

And what about you?

[dothelokimotion]

Me? I'm fine, of course. Why would I not be?

[ what does he have to dwell on? his demise is inevitable, his ending assured. he's not fussed about it. ]

[rebuildyourruins]

I can think of many reasons, Loki.

[Not to put too fine a point on it. He lifts his glass and sips from it, watching Loki as he does so.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ his expression flickers. it's an opening but loki is loathe to take it. when he looks at thor, all he can see are the cracks. and it scares him. it scares him like nothing else ever has.

so he shrugs, running a finger over the rim of his glass, idle and lazy. ]

Oh, no doubt, but nothing is weighing on me.

[rebuildyourruins]

[Thor sees the falter in Loki's expression. He sees it, but he hears Loki say the opposite, and isn't that just like him? Just like they have been, over and over again. With a sigh, he sets his glass down, staring into it.]

Is that a lie?

[dothelokimotion]

[ his face is rueful. thor is far more perceptive these days. ]

It's not a complete lie.

[rebuildyourruins]

[It's the cost of all the time they've spent together, growing and changing. Thor just knows better. Ordinarily he wouldn't push, hasn't done much to prompt Loki in the aftermath of their memories because it's too painful to do so. But ... he's tired of it. This is all they have, and they spend all their time skirting around things they should look dead in the eye.]

Of course not. [It's not so surprising.] Only part of one.

[dothelokimotion]

You carry enough burdens, brother.

[ to kill thanos, to save the universe. heroic duties, written in scars. loki tilts his glass. ]

I rather not be one of them.

[rebuildyourruins]

Not that I don't appreciate the thought. [He shakes his head.] But I don't think it matters at this point. I'm not going to think of you as one.

[dothelokimotion]

Oh?

[ loki smiles faintly. ]

So what do you think of me as?

[rebuildyourruins]

Family.

[That's all he says. It's all he needs to say.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ damn sentimentality. damn that it keeps him here, even now. damn the impulse to hope, even now. hasn't he learned better? ]

You truly are hopeless, brother.

[rebuildyourruins]

You saying it over and over doesn't make it true.

[Not yet, at least.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ a small huff as he takes a sip. ]

No, I suppose not. I've come to expect it anyway.

[ softer. ]

Perhaps I need it to exist.

[rebuildyourruins]

You do?

[It's not the kind of sentiment Loki usually admits to.]

[dothelokimotion]

[ he's dead. at this point, what harm would sentiment do to him? that being said, there's still a thread of embarrassment that comes from saying so out loud and loki immediately slides his gaze away, nervous. ]

Don't look so surprised, Thor. Have some confidence.

[rebuildyourruins]

[Thor huffs a laugh, familiar enough with Loki's discomfort.]

Sorry. I don't doubt you! It's just a force of habit.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki scowls which eventually devolves into a pout. ]

[rebuildyourruins]

[Thor sips at his drink to hide his smile.]

Perhaps if you said it more often, I would grow used to it.

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki shoots him a dirty look. ]

Don't push your luck.

[rebuildyourruins]

[All Loki gets in response is a chuckle, low and familiar.]