Thor and Loki What: Odin gives his decision, Loki doesn't like it, Thor does what he wants, and the Major of Las Vegas gets a very interesting interruption.
Some time passed between their last journal communication and when Loki finally joined Thor in the hall outside the bedroom. He was washed and dressed and kept his hands loose at his sides, for all they wanted to ball into fists. "Shall we, then?"
Thor pushed himself off the wall, looking over his brother. They hadn't had much time together despite Loki being in his room and Thor was worried. "We shall we be okay."
"There is no 'we'. There is 'I'."
Thor ignored it, assuming Loki just needed to let out his frustrations. "Come then, brother."
Loki walked, ignoring Thor, and Thor led him through the halls, ignoring any servants who tried to stare at them. When they got to the doors of the hall, Thor hesitated and turned to Loki. "Are you ready?"
No. "Of course." He stepped ahead of Thor, throwing open the doors and striding into Odin's hall. He ignored the stares and servants and walked straight to Odin's throne, offering a low bow once he was there. "My king."
Thor followed him and, when Loki bowed, he took a defensive position next to him. It would be enough to tell their father where he stood.
There were murmurs in the hall, and Odin let them continue for just a moment before tapping Gungnir against the floor. The noise echoed in the hall and, when it faded, all eyes were turned to the throne and all tongues were silent.
All tongues save Loki's, of course. "I understand I've been a matter of some debate in your court these long days."
Thor placed a hand on Loki's shoulder briefly, trying to remind him to behave without actually saying it. "He is here for your decision."
Loki shrugged off Thor's hand, moving almost imperceptibly. "I am," he agreed regardless. "I am dying to know what fate you've planned for your false, traitor son. Surely the great, wise Odin will have arrived at a just verdict."
"Loki," Thor hissed, frowning at him. "Do not push him."
Gungnir echoed again. Odin's good eye fell on Loki, never wavering. "Loki, you are charged with threatening and laying seige against Midgard, unprovoked. With allying yourself with the Chitauri army, and with Thanos. You deny none of this?"
Loki spread his hands. "I deny nothing."
Thor clenched his fists and eyed his father. He hardly called it completely unprovoked, but he kept his mouth shut. He could argue with his father later.
"And Thanos pursues you."
"It is likely."
"Father, having him answer questions that you already know the answers to is cruel." Thor kept his voice as low as he could, wanting no one but Odin and Loki to hear.
Loki shot Thor a look. "It is a continuation of the trial, you oaf," he muttered to him.
"It is ridiculous. You already gave him these answers." Thor looked away, shifting on his feet. Loki frowned at him and Thor kept silent, eventually looking back up to Odin.
Odin frowned at Loki. "You are hereby banished to Midgard."
"Ah. Of course."
"...and will be stripped of your sorcery."
Thor glanced to Loki, preparing to reach out and hold him back should his brother do something against that part of the banishment.
Loki stiffened at that and grit his teeth, but he only set his jaw and smoothed his hands against his sides. "You would leave me defenseless in a realm where I am a known criminal? Against Thanos, should he seek me there?"
"You will not be defenseless," Thor said beside him.
Loki ignored Thor, and he scowled. "If you wanted me dead, you could at least render the sentence yourself rather than leave it to a monster's discretion."
"There will be restrictions to your magics. You will not be barred from it."
"There is no difference!"
Gungnir echoed in the hall again, and Odin looked to Thor. "Take him from here. Loki, you will use your own tricks to bring you to Midgard. You've time for that before the sentence hinders them."
Thor bowed to his father and took Loki's arm. "Come, there are things we need to prepare."
Loki shook off Thor's grip and schooled his face before he turned smartly on his heel and strode out of the hall.
Thor stepped closer to Odin. "You know where I will be," he told his father before turning and following Loki out. They walked in silence back to Thor's room. Thor closed the door to his room softly before looking to his brother. He was just glad the whole trial was over with, even if it ended up with Loki's banishment. Though Thor had gone through the same thing (with a shorter trial and only Loki as a witness), he wasn't completely sure how to respond. So he leaned against the door and just watched Loki.
Loki had nothing he cared to bring with him and immediately upon entering the room started weaving the spell that would let him step between worlds and into Midgard. He ignored Thor, concentrating solely on the spell.
After a moment, Thor sighed and stepped next to his brother. "Do you need to pack?"
Loki scowled, pressing his palms together to hold the spell. "There's no need."
"There is nothing here that you wish to bring?"
"I've gone without long enough to know that the things here mean nothing. Now, if you do not mind, I've been left with enough sorcery to whisk myself away to the mortal plane. I'd rather not squander it."
Thor took hold of Loki's arm. "At least let me have a few moments to gather my things."
Loki stepped away from Thor's grip. "What need have you to do that?"
Thor didn't let him get far. He rested his hand on Loki's shoulder, though Loki tried to swat him away, and his thumb ghosted across his neck. "I have a few things I wish to take with us."
"There is no 'us' in this, Thor."
"Of course there is." Thor smiled and pressed their foreheads together. "There has always been an us."
Loki hesitated, searching Thor's face. But soon his features turned hard and he pulled away. "You want to see your mortal friends. And that woman."
"I admit the thought crossed my mind, but I assumed you would not want to find them despite our current situation. I would go where you wanted."
"You continue saying 'us' and 'our'. There is no 'us' in this. You are not the one who is banished."
"Perhaps, but I will not let you do this alone. Midgard is... difficult alone."
He scowled. "I do not need your pity."
"And you do not have it, I assure you."
"And I do not need your companionship. I navigated Midgard before. You may recall it."
"This is different. You know it is."
It would be: this time, he might very possibly have Thanos to contend with, and he would not be at full capacity to evade him. Not without full access to his magics. And it was no secret that the entirety of Midgard bore him some ill will. Loki frowned, considering Thor in silence.
Thor tightened his grip on Loki's shoulder a little. "All that I need is in this room. Five minutes, Loki."
"And then? With no Bifrost, how do you propose to follow me to Midgard?"
He shrugged and said, as if it were the most obvious answer, "I will have no need to follow since you will take me with you.
"And what after that? What purpose will you serve on Midgard?"
"I will protect you. Or I will just be there." Thor sighed, staring down at the spot between them. "I want to keep you safe, Loki."
"I can protect myself. I do not need you to keep me safe." Except it was very possible that he did. And it would certainly be the biggest insult to Asgard, if Odin's golden son trotted to Midgard at the traitor's heels. Loki sighed, pushing Thor away from him. "Hurry up then, and get your things. I'll need to rework this entire spell. I've never had to make it accomodate another person."
Thor couldn't help the smile that spread across his face, or the quick press of a kiss he put on Loki's forehead. He turned and went to gather the few things he wanted. Loki rolled his eyes and sat, trying to re-weave the spell.
Thor packed everything in a single bag, grabbed his hammer, and then stood next to Loki. "I'm ready."
"About time." He stood again and flicked his wrist, causing the air in front of them to tear a little. He spread his hands and it widened. "If this goes as planned, we will arrive in the desert somewhere. Somewhere unpopulated, with luck."
"Like the new Mexico? Or perhaps the old one?"
"We shall see."
"It will be hot there, brother."
"No matter. We will not be there long."
"Where will we go?"
He shrugged. "We'll see."
Thor smiled and took hold of Loki's arm again. Loki only allowed it because they needed some connection to get them both through the portal. He silently led Thor through. It wasn't the most comfortable way to travel and Thor made a face as they did so. When they landed, his stomach felt a little uneasy and he kept his eyes closed.
Loki took in the scene very quickly, his knees already buckling from the effort. "Well," he said, and hated the way his voice wavered, "this didn't go as I planned it."
Thor ignored the rolling in his stomach to look around. This was not a desert, this wasn't even outside, and they were not alone. There was a bed in front of them with two people enjoying themselves. Thor was no stranger to things like this, but he thought Earth was different. "Loki...?"
"You botched it," Loki explained. Or, well, tried to, but the exertion of taking them both from Asgard to this (this whatever it was. A sex chamber? Did Midgard have those?) room caught up with him and he pitched forward, falling unconscious.
Thor caught him. "Loki!" He ignored what was going on with whomever shared the bed. His brother was more important. He shook him lightly. "Loki, wake up!"
Meanwhile, the man in the bed was scrambling for a telephone and threatening the strange men in his hotel room with police action if they didn't get out immediately, so help him!
Thor looked up from Loki and pointed his hammer at the man. "Quiet, good sir! My brother is hurt and he does not need your yelling."
Sure enough, it didn't take long for the police to arrive and handle the situation.