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Loki is sitting on the porch steps. It’s warm, but comfortably so. He’s never had a porch before. Only balconies. He misses the balconies. Thor turned out to be a good builder after all - maybe he could build Loki one.
No. He’s asked too much of Thor already. Besides, that wouldn’t solve the problem, the longing, the yearning… the homesickness. It’s the view he misses. Of Asgard. Home.
The front door swings open, loudly, with a creak and a shake to the foundation. Loki cranes his head upward and back to look, but he already knows who it is.
Thor has two mugs in his hands. Steam rises up and out of them, into the wind. Loki idly watches the mist fade, waiting for Thor to provoke him. Thor comes closer, then sits gently on the step, next to Loki. Thor holds his breath as he does, cautiously easing himself into the spot, careful not to let the contents of the mugs spill.
Thor takes up about an entire step more than Loki. He spreads himself out, large, imposing and commanding like a lion, but warm, welcoming. Loki, meanwhile, curls himself as small as he can, arms wrapped around his knees, cold and uninviting. As always.
Once Thor is sitting and the drinks are safe, he turns to Loki and holds out a mug. Loki unfurls himself to receive it. Thor’s holding the mug by the rim so that Loki can grab the handle. He does, then cups his other hand around the outside of the mug as Thor releases it. It’s hot, but not unbearably so.
“I brought you a drink,” Thor says. He sounds nervous. Does Loki make him nervous?
“I noticed,” Loki replies easily, already bringing his beverage to his lips. His voice reverberates in the mug.
“Careful, it’s hot,” Thor warns apprehensively, unaware he’s too late. Loki’s already burned his tongue in his eagerness. Fitting. He covers it up well enough, though. “Thought you might be cold.”
Loki tenses, lowering the cup and looking out to the horizon. “You know I don’t get cold, brother.”
He feels mocked. He tries to mask it with indifference, but it comes out a bitter symphony of melancholy and self-pity. Still turned away, he glances, at Thor, expecting to meet his eyes when he does - but Thor isn’t looking at him. Figures.
Thor doesn’t give him a response, and instead takes a swig of his drink, staring off into the horizon Loki found so interesting just a moment prior. Now, Loki can’t take his eyes off Thor as his expression shifts to a glare. Thor’s drinking much too loudly.
Loki finds himself infuriatingly annoyed with his brother - and why? All Thor has done is be kind to him. Check on him, come back for him… All Thor has ever done is love Loki, even after all his screwups, and despite all that Loki sits here and stews in his anger and jealousy. Why?
Because he’s not angry with Thor. He’s angry with himself.
Loki looks down into his mug, and it’s hard to meet his own eyes for reasons beyond the rippling and shifting of the liquid.
“Thor?” He begins, uncertain, still staring into his reflection. It’s still hard, but he makes himself.
“Yes, Loki? Oh, and you’re welcome for the tea, by the way,” Thor says, entirely too smug. He’s expecting some kind of apology or shame on Loki’s part.
Well, he’s not going to get it.
“Thank you,” Loki murmurs. He’s not going to apologize - he hasn’t done anything, not today, not yet - but a thank you is in order. It’s only polite. And Loki didn’t spend all that time studying negotiations and customs and diplomacy only to turn out an uncivilized brute. Thor had that covered.
“You’re welcome again,” Thor replies, accompanied by a smile and pleased head shake that Loki turns just in time to see.
An uncivilized brute who just brought you tea, Loki, he scolds himself, be diplomatic.
Loki clears his throat and looks away to sip at his drink. He glances at Thor as he does - if his mouth gets burned again, he’s blaming Thor. As usual.
“Thor, I was wondering,” Loki starts again, louder and a bit more forceful - but still very much reserved - and Thor looks over to him. “Do you think we could add a balcony? To the house.”
Thor’s quiet as he mulls it over, and Loki does his best not to squirm under the assumed judgement. He watches Thor, unable to read his expression. It makes him uncomfortable to be so oblivious, to be ‘left in the dark’, as it were.
Thor repeats, “A balcony?”
Loki nods, keeping his mouth shut. If he doesn’t, he’ll give voice to his thoughts, and right now, most of them are something along the lines of “It’s not that complicated, you overgrown oaf.”
Thor smiles, and smacks Loki on the shoulder. Loki fights back a scowl as he keeps his drink from spilling. He turns back to Thor, who is just beaming , and Loki can’t help but smile back. Thor gives him a shake, and Loki chuckles quietly, looking down. He’s ridiculous, his brother, and Loki loves him for it, no matter how much he protests his antics.
“That a yes, then?” Loki asks, head still ducked down as he looks up to Thor.
“Of course it’s a yes,” Thor shakes Loki again, “but only if you help, ” Thor adds, giving Loki an enthusiastic point. Loki’s mildly worried Thor’s going to smack him in the face by accident.
“Oh, yes. Of course,” Loki says, the two fully aware that he’s going to be no help at all. And that’s okay.
Loki and Thor, together, look out into that horizon. The sun is just beginning to set. There’s kids playing, which Loki hadn’t noticed before. They’re laughing, and they’re happy, and they’re safe. And so is Loki, and so is Thor. Loki reaches for his brother’s hand, which readily grasps his, and he holds it tight.
Just for once, right here, right now, in New Asgard, everything is okay. They’re home.