I guess sometime when I was lying there I had fallen asleep against his chest again, I didn't mean to but I was so comfortable and Loki was still as a board. A shift from Loki from behind me had me squinting my eyes to find the faintly glowing room that was almost completely black. I felt Loki's arms tighten around me when I tried to stand. His groan of protest carried in my ears, I hesitantly settled back against his chest, turning my head slightly toward him. I could barely see him in the dim lighting, but I could see the tired expression there.

"Don't go,"

His voice was broken, like a child scared to be alone for the first time, my heart broke and its contents spilled all over my feet. I hated seeing him this way, knew that he hated me seeing him like this, so I wedged my nose in the crook of his neck and lightly pressed my lips to his skin in a brief kiss. "I'm not going anywhere,"

Loki stiffened slightly, but then quickly relaxed, and I allowed myself to do the same. I snuggled my face in the crevice between his shoulder and neck, turning so I was facing him and I could wrap my arms around him. My heart was a roar inside my ears, I was suddenly aware of how long it's been since we've been this close, since we put aside our differences and held each other. Loki's breath was suddenly quicker as if he had the same realization, his hand crawled up my backside and held the small of my back and pulled me closer, every inch of space that was closed between us made my heart speed a little faster.

I pulled my head away from his shoulder and met his eyes, daring to crawl closer so I was practically sitting in his lap, his fingers curled around my chin and my arms were suddenly locked around his neck, our lips a hairs breadth away. Our breaths mingled and I felt his eyes boring into mine, as if debating if it be worth it to close this final distance between us. His fingers were practically shaking with restraint as they made their way up my spine and to my waist, snaking up my front. My lips quivered with the need to taste him, to hold the one I love so dearly despite all he's done.

He literally read my mind.

And then his lips met mine, softly, so slow and tender I melted under his touch. His hands ran slowly up from my stomach and all the way up my chest, up my neck, in my hair, tangling his fingers with my chocolate brown hair. He broke apart briefly, connecting our foreheads, I pressed myself against him, not okay with the sudden separation and feeling this impulsive need to feel him-

Loki, probably reading my thoughts again, sudden tugged me closer with ferocity; the months we've been always ten feet apart catching up in a short span of a few seconds, our lips colliding and his hands leaving my hair and back on my torso, bringing me so close that almost every inch of me was pressing against him, my fingers locked around his neck and I searched every inch of his mouth with my own. His lips trailed from my mouth and to my jaw, gently moving down and leaving trails of kisses from my chin and to my nape, bringing one hand to my jaw and tilting my head back with his thumb, my breath hitch in my throat as kissed my skin, my eyes hooded and I arched my back and tilted my head back further, my breathing turning ragged.

His lips found my collarbone, trailed a little lower and seemed disappointed to find my clothes forbid him from going any lower, but he didn't make any move to change that. And then he was just staring at me, as if it was the last time he would ever look at me, see the smile that was in my lips. "By the Gods, Lyra," He rasped, running his thumb over my lips, then gripping my chin and angling my head as if to kiss me again, but to my surprise, he didn't. He connected our foreheads lightly, hugging me tightly, and I never wanted to let go again.

"You destroy me," he said so quietly I barely heard it, it was barely a whisper. I brought myself away from him, staring at his face with a sad smile on my face. Then, trailing my eyes all over him, I saw it.

The nasty welt on his shoulder, exposed because of his unbuttoned tunic. I touched his chest, moving the fabric to the side a little, and examining it more thoroughly. Sure enough, the large mark I saw in the dream all those months ago,  scarred skin in an eccentric, abnormal shape that peaked from beneath his green shirt. My face paled, it wasn't a welt like I thought before, it was a burn mark or a lash mark of some kind, scarred as if it was never taken care of. "Loki, what happened!" I breathed, touching the scar tenderly and then looking at him again. He held a pained expression, he took my hand gently. "Do we have to talk about it?" He asked weakly, like he was so tired, and I sighed, sympathy tugging me into submission. "No, we don't," I said softly, before kissing his chin softly, but we both beheld the unspoken words there.

We'll speak of it later.

And then we were against the wall against, my head against his chest and our legs tangled and our bodies still pressed together. And eventually, with one lasting kiss, we both drifted in each others embrace.

-

I jerked awake to the sound of people conversing, I opened my eyes and noticed I was still pulled against Loki, I turned and look at him and pulled away, confused of why the room looked neat again, and how their was another Loki in the center of the room staring at Thor. It took me second to realize that was an illusion. I saw another me standing against the corner of the room, the illusion paying no mind to the two brothers.

"Thor," The illusion said, I looked at the real Loki with curiosity and confusion in my eyes, but he just looked straight forward, his eyes sharp and brilliant and putting his energy into the illusion before us. It became evident that Thor could not see me sitting against the wall.

Thor approached the field and stared at Loki through the orange hue. "After all this time and now you come to visit," He said with dry humor in his tone, I could see Thor's face in the faint light provided from where I was sitting.

"Why?" The illusion scowled, leaning forward. "Have you come to gloat? To mock?" He seethed. "Loki enough," Thor interrupted, he took a step closer and I could see he had a shawl covering his armor, as if he was trying to keep a low profile, which was unlike the god of thunder.

"No more illusions." Thor said. A sigh was heard from the lips of the clone, its head cast downward. A green mist spreads across the room and the destruction that occurred here showed itself, the neat and tidy furniture turned over on its side, pieces of wood scattered from the ones that broke. I quickly rubbed my red eyes as the illusion showed me as well, sitting next to Loki.

"Now you see me, brother," Loki said. "And apparently me too," I said under my breath, making sure Loki and I were a few feet apart.

Thor went to the part of the cell to where he could see and speak to Loki more easily, approaching the cell once again. "Did she suffer?" Loki questioned, his eyes squinting with a grimace at his question. My expression softened. "Loki," I scolded gently, putting my hand on his arm. "I did not come here to share grief, brother." Thor said, straightening the shawl and acknowledged me. "Hello, Lyra," He said, I pursed my lips and waved smally.

"I instead offer you a chance to a far better sacrament." Thor finished, tearing his attention away from me. Loki straightened with interest to Thor's proclamation. "Go on." He said, I took my hand from his shoulder and also tuned my ears to hear what Thor would offer Loki.

"I know you seek vengeance as much as I do, you help me escape Asgard and I will grant it to you, vengeance, and after with this cell." Thor said, I narrowed my eyes and I suddenly felt offended, maybe it's a little stupid of me to think so. "Hey, I can help too, why didn't you ask me?" I asked, frowning. His lip tugged upward in a small smile. "I figured you would help either way, you hate the way Asgard is ruled." Thor said, I nodded in agreement, smiling a little at his wordplay. "Damn right," I said under my breath.

"You must be truly desperate to come to me for help." Loki sneered, his head lulling back into the wall. He chuckled humorlessly. He looked back at Thor, his coldness hiding behind the pain that I could feel off of him, my heart twisted with ache.

"What makes you think you can trust me?" Loki inquired. "I don't." Thor said quickly, I know Loki would never admit it but I saw a flash of hurt in his eyes. "Mother did. And so does Lyra, and I may not trust you but I trust both of them. And you should know when we fought in the past I did so with a glimmer of hope that my brother was still in there somewhere. Now Lyra still may hold that hope but that doesn't exist within me to protect you." Thor sneered, making himself completely clear. His harsh tone didn't surprise me at all, he had the right to be pissed off. I had to admit I wasn't completely over being pissed off, either.

A smile spread upon Loki's lips, he got a mischievous glint in his eyes that I could recognize even from before he hurdled himself into the unknown. "When do we start?" He said, liveliness coming into his voice. Thor straightened up and crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, I would say right now but you look like rubbish. And so does your, apartment." Thor said, grimacing at the word. "You can call it a cell, brother." Loki said with a roll of his eyes, I couldn't help but smile smugly to myself, Loki called him brother, whether or not he realized it or not, it still brought a smile to my face.

He looked at me and narrowed his eyes at me. "What are you smiling about?" He asked, scoffing. I shook my head and dismissed it, standing up and materializing my Asgardian armor, my loose curls forming into a single braid. "You can do that? I thought your magic is disabled in these walls," Thor said, examining the wrecked cell. "Hmm, me too," I said in mock confusion, winking at him, I sighed and looked at the jail cell. With a swipe of my hand the furniture picks off the floor and gathers back to where it originally was, an amber mist surrounding it as it returns to its previous state.

I turned around to see Loki, his hair slicked back once again and his armor also on, he had a grin spread upon his lips, but I knew him better than anyone and I knew he was in pain still, that this tough façade wouldn't hold for long. I wanted to say something, but I ended up turning away toward Thor. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

-

"This is so unlike you brother," Loki said, we turned the corner at a quick pace, my keen eyes observing for someone that could see Loki and I not in our cells. I might not be the issue, Loki although is a different story. "So clandestine, are you sure you wouldn't rather just punch your way out?" Loki snickered, I rolled my eyes at him. Thor glared at him, "If you keep speaking I just might," Thor replied sharply.

"Fine, as you wish. I'm not even here." Loki said, there was a green hue that spread over Loki's body, gold armor and a traditional asgardian helmet taking place of his usual garments. He took form of the guard Calman, Thor sighed heavily and I had to suppress a giggle by putting a hand over my mouth. "Is this better?" Loki inquired, Thor rolled his eyes. "Better company at least," He snapped, I had to turn my head to hide my undeniable amusement. Call me naive, I had a good sense of humor. "Still," loki started. "We could be less conspicuous," He said with a simple shrug, the emerald green glow happened once again and Loki took on his normal form.

"Brother, you look ravishing," Loki said, I turned my head toward Thor with a raised eyebrow, I snorted when I saw Thor in Sif form. Thor looked down at his armor that resembled mine a lot (image, except with a gold color palette) except silver and red. "It will hurt no less when I kill you in this form," Thor scowled. He laughed, smiling his handsome devilish smile. "Very well, perhaps you'd prefer one of your new companions given that you seem to like them so much." Another flash of green mist and Thor returned to his normal bulky self.

"Oh this is much better!" I turned to see Steve, no, Loki taking Steve's form. He had his uniform and his shield and everything. "Costume's a bit much, so tight!" He exclaimed. "But the confidence, I can feel the righteousness surging. Hey, wanna have a rousing discussion about truth? Honor? Patriotism? God bless America!" Loki exclaimed. I couldn't help myself but burst into a fit of laughter, throwing my hand over my face. "Really Lyra?" Thor asked, I shrugged. I heard voices coming down the hall and Thor and I exchanged a glance at the same time. "Thor," I said in an urgent tone.

He grabbed Loki roughly and pressed him against the pillar quickly, his hand over his mouth to get him to shut up. Loki turned back into himself in milliseconds. I ducked behind Thor, hearing the guards coming closer. Loki shook Thor's hand off of his mouth. "What?" He grunted, glaring at Thor. I motioned my head to the two guards that almost walked past us on the other end of the gallant halls. Loki looked at Thor, "You could at least furnish me with a weapon, my daggers, something!" Loki exclaimed, I scoffed. Not even I would be stupid enough to trust him into that.

Thor sighed, reached into his sheath and I heard the clank of the steel, I gasped. "Oh Thor, you've got to be kidding me." I said, I trusted Loki with my life but not a dagger. He handed the dagger to Loki, who glared at me. "Your unconditional support amazes me," Loki said dully. I glared at him, "You're one to talk." I said, my eyes narrowed into slits. He turned back to Thor and grabbed the weapon.

"At last, some common sense..." the dagger turned out to be cuffs that fastened around his wrists, I snorted and patted Thor's arm. Loki held his wrists up and glared at him, and if looks could kill...

"I thought you liked tricks, brother." Thor said with a chuckle, patting his arm briefly and starting once again to what may very well be the death of us all.