Jotun Prince

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"What do you mean he's missing?!" boomed Thor's angry voice. He did not take particularly kindly to being knocked out, let alone by someone like Loki. He wondered how long he'd planned that, wondered how much of what he'd said was true. "well??" he urged. But, with a click of his tongue he shook his aching head. "you" he said to one of the soldiers in the room. "get in contact with Heimdall, see if he can locate him." he demanded. "the rest of you spread out, he couldn't have gone far." he said.

Immediately the room burst into action as everyone did what they were told. Guards and soldiers fanned out in all different directions before Thor too went out to search for the missing Jotun.

Heimdall was not hard to contact. Living up to his name, he was already aware of the situation. Everything that went on in the nine realms was his to see... well, almost everything. Unfortunately he could not help track down Loki. When asked how this was possible, his answer was simple: "He's a good student, he's learned how to keep out of my sight."

How was it possible for the Jotun to just disappear completely? Sure, he blended in with the asgardians but to escape Heimdall's vision. It was just another pain in Thor's side at this point. Frustration came in heavy, sharp waves and he hoped for Loki's sake that he wouldn't be the one to find him.

Minutes turned to hours but still Loki was nowhere to be found, until, suddenly, Heimdall finally caught a glimpse of him. It was, he noted, less like he'd tripped up, and more like he was finally ready to be found. Despite being far off in another realm, he alerted Thor immediately.

With no guards in the nearby area, Thor went to find the Jotun himself. When he did finally see him with his own two eyes, he found him sitting right on the edge of Asgard, where land ended and space began. He was just staring off into it, staring into the endless void. Thor proceeded with caution, the sun beginning to set behind the golden landscape that surrounded them. "Loki" Spoke Thor.

Loki did not turn, did not move. His hair flowed in the wind delicately but it was really the only thing about him that stirred.

Thor pressed forward. He was prepared to fight should the Jotun try anything. Surprisingly, even as he got closer, the jotun did not move. Surely he knew this would be the end of whatever freedom he'd had for the past few hours. Thor bent to take his arm but, when he did, his fingers were met with merely air. Something cool and sharp pressed against the back of his neck this was the real Loki no doubt. Everything clicked into place.

Loki, prone to instability and often chaotic behavior had caught Thor off guard not once, but twice that day. He had the asgardian prince sandwiched between his blade and the void. "Did you miss me?" he hissed. His smile was wide, sharp, his eyes wild.

"You're insane" huffed Thor gravely.

"Maybe." Admitted Loki.

      Thor did not like the idea of dying by Loki's hand but he knew better than to make any moves against him. He'd seen the way he'd slain Laufey, he knew Loki wouldn't hesitate to kill him. "Do you know what they'll do to you if you carry through with this madness?"

      "Oh I can imagine" said Loki, the knife pressing threateningly into Thor's skin. He looked down into the void over the prince's broad shoulders. He pushed forward experimentally. "Looks nice down there, what if we took a little dive?" He was just crazy enough to try something like that. He felt Thor tense at his suggestion. "Oh? Not a fan of that idea I guess"

      "Why are you doing this, Loki?" He felt his blood boiling with anger. He felt betrayed and, more than anything, wanted to crush the Jotun's head in his hands.

      "Those things I told you earlier were true you know" he said. It was an indirect answer. "Im so very tired of being someone else's prisoner." He clarified.

      "And this is your way of freeing yourself?" Thor hissed. He couldn't help but laugh.

But much to Thor's surprise Loki's confidence didn't waver for a second.

      "I'll be free when i'm dead" he stated. "I just want to stop pretending."

      His body slid around Thor so they'd swapped places. The knife no longer pressed against the Asgardian's skin. Loki twirled the object in his fingers, revealing it hadn't truly been a knife at all, he'd just made it look like one. Loki had merely been pointing the back end of a spoon into his neck. He'd never had any intention of killing him.

      Thor was filled with immense confusion. What was he supposed to say to this? Was he supposed to believe Loki really only slipped away from him for a few hours of freedom?

      Loki's feet delicately danced about the edge. There was a crazed look in his eyes. He dared Thor to push him off the ledge he stood on though he wouldn't dare jump on his own.

In his body language, a challenge silently presented itself:

No more pretending.

Show me where you really stand.

      Thor grabbed Loki by the collar but he couldn't bring himself to throw him into the void. It would've been so easy but he had too many conflicting feelings.

The sound of approaching guards filled the air.

"I see" said Loki slyly.

"Shut up" Thor huffed, tossing Loki toward the crowd of guards. "Do with him what you will, just make sure he ends up in the dungeon. I'll deal with him properly later."