rebuildyourruins | Drift Fleet

[ Loki snaps, blunt and fed up. ]

I already gave my warning. Do not leave those stones on Earth or it will suffer for it. Mortals cannot wield those stones effectively enough to fight back.

You are the king of Asgard, not Earth.

[Thor's expression darkens, and there's a long moment of silence that threatens to break like glass.]

Yes, I am. And as king I seek advice from those around me.

[Not for the first time, he wishes Heimdall was here to offer his own counsel.

Thor turns around and walks back to his desk. Planting both hands on it, he exhales roughly, staring into the grain of the wood. Katara's words from a few weeks ago linger at the back of his memory. "When what you're doing doesn't work, try something else." So too does the misty illusion of a ship empty of people, abandoned and dim.

Without turning around he speaks again, wearier than before.]

You know those dangers better than most. I wish you'd say more, but that's your choice to make. [Thor curls one finger under his hand, digging a nail into the wood.] You say not to settle on Earth: what do you propose as an alternative?

[ Loki blinks, visibly surprised at the turn of conversation. He had half expected Thor to dismiss him. After all, what worth does Loki's words hold compared to the "Avengers"? Loki watches him warily, not sure what to make of this turn. ]

We have time. I can make the most of it compiling what I remember of our star charts. I will find us an alternative.

[ Briefly, he hesitates, feeling a little guilty. ]

. . . The Mind Stone was never mine. And I have debts to pay.

[Though Thor doesn't see it, the startled silence says enough. He pulls over one of the notebooks on his desk, flipping open a random page that he knows is full of supply notes. Alternatives are hard to come by if a ship is running on empty. It's not clear to Thor yet whether avoiding Earth is a good idea regardless of the danger of the stones. He has to make do with the information he has.

Thor raises his head when Loki talks of debts, frowning at the wall before he turns around to face his brother once more. He wasn't expecting to hear anything more about Loki's use of the stone, given how intractable he had already been.]

The stone, and the army - you got them from the same place?

[Or person. More likely to claim a debt, he thinks.]

[ Loki scowls, looking away. ]

I did.

[And Loki lost them both. Thor doubts that the army was just sitting around without a commander when Loki happened across them. Armies belong to nations, or people. Those things aren't given up lightly.]

Was it in the Void?

[ He stiffens briefly. It's one thing when he casually mentions it and it is another when other people do it. The Void is difficult to explain and Loki tends to turn away from it or turn it into a joke. ]

Where else? It's not as though I keep armies and infinity stones in my pocket.

I don't know where else, Loki, that's why I asked.

I didn't have anything. No family, no name, nothing. No one was coming for me.

So I made do.

[Thor's jaw tightens and even though he's said this before, even though he knows saying it again changes nothing--]

We thought you dead. The instant I found out otherwise... [Well, they both know what happened next. Frustration still boils under his skin but he ignores it to focus on what Loki is saying instead.] So you made do and now you have debts to pay.

I didn't deliver.

[ And it's best to leave out the part where he'll die for it. ]

They don't take kindly to that.

[What a mess. And yet it slots into place, a missing piece that Thor hadn't known the shape of until now. He had suspected from the first he'd found Loki again on Earth that something wasn't right, that someone else was involved in all of this. It doesn't absolve what Loki did, only more firmly sketches out the why.

It also sets Thor on edge against any future attempts by this person to collect on his brother. Right or wrong, he's not about that.]

I don't doubt it. [He taps a finger against his arm, connecting it all back to what's been said.] I also have no intention of it being paid.

[ Loki stares, lips parted. ]

Thor . . .

[Thor shakes his head.]

That's how it is.

. . . It scares me. They scare me.

[ It's the closest he'll get. Loki looks away. ]

[That much was apparent from the way Loki had immediately slammed the brakes on returning to Earth when he realised who was likely to follow. Only Loki doesn't voice his fears. Not like this. Consternation flickers over Thor's face to hear it said so baldly. He settles into something more resolute though, as it doesn't change what he's already said.]

Okay. [It's just one word, but it's acknowledgement. He wants to know exactly what happened to terrify Loki so, just what this person does, only he thinks it better to focus on what can be done now. Thor moves to clap a hand to Loki's shoulder.] All the more reason to work on what we do next.

[ Loki nods, even as he fidgets with his hands, his fingers rubbing over his skin nervously. They'll work it out. Away from the stones, away from Thanos' reach. Thanos has a singular vision after all and Loki has gotten away so far. Surely, such a thing like revenge would not cross his mind.

Would not follow him. ]

As I said, I will look into it as well.

[Well, there's still one stone present in the Fleet. Thor doesn't think it's a risk given they're clearly far from any part of their known universe. They have time enough to consider all these things while they're stuck here. It brings the original argument back to mind, like a sinking rock.]

All right - I'll look at what you have once you're done with the charts.

[He makes no promises right now. Earth still seems the best choice from their limited options, looming danger or not.]

[ Loki purses his lips, but he says nothing else as he turns to leave. There's little else he can say here. He doesn't want to speak of Thanos, of the rest. It's too much, too difficult to put into words. And now he feels robbed, as if they've passed through the crucible only to fail.

He can't stay on Asgard. It was stupid of him to think he could. There was never a future with him there. ]

[As Loki turns to go, Thor speaks up again.]

Loki - thank you.

[ A pause. ]

Don't thank me for that.

Too late. I already have.

[Unfortunately, Loki will have to deal with it.]

[ Loki huffs, shaking his head as he departs. ]

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