Hidden Troubles

Chapter 36

Loki and Thor ran swiftly through the palace, leaving their old tutor in the dust. They giggled and laughed, giddy with freedom from that afternoon's studying. The two princes rounded the corner, running into some servants and causing them to drop their trays. But the boys didn't care to stop, they only hurried past the now angry maids.

After a few minutes of running, they stopped to catch their breath. They both paused and looked at each other. A tense, silent second filled the air before they both burst out laughing once more. "Brother! You are most skilled! How did you make that illusion?" The young Thor asked incredulously.

Loki grinned, blue eyes shining bright. "Mother taught me how!" Loki said proudly.

Thor looked utterly disappointed. "Why does she teach you all the cool stuff?" He whined.

"You said just yesterday that magic was for girls."

Thor laughed, punching his brother's arm. "It is! That's why you learned it from mother! Father says magic is for girls! You must be a girl!"

Loki glared childishly at his elder brother. Soon, they were both on the floor, fists swinging at each other clumsily. "Take that back!"

Thor was laughing hysterically. One moment, the brothers were laughing and scheming together, the next they were fighting and hurting each other. "Loki's a girl! Loki's a girl! You'll never be strong like me!" Thor chanted.

Loki charged at Thor, but Thor clumsily dodged, sending Loki flying past him. Thor was still laughing, not realizing that his brother was now on the floor crying.

After a moment, Thor finally noticed. He knelt down next to the younger boy. "Stop being so sensitive, brother!" Thor said heartily. Loki looked at him with a broken look that Thor would remember for the rest of his life. "What is wrong this time?" Thor asked, slightly impatient.

"I want to be like you! I want to be strong!" Loki said, tears sliding down his cheeks.

Thor's brotherly compassion finally kicked in. "I am sorry for what I said, brother. I didn't mean it...."

"Everyone else does! They all say I'm small... and you're so strong! Father likes you more than me because you're stronger."

"Father doesn't like me more!" Thor protested.

"Father has always favored you... Even mother favors you. She only spends time with me to make me feel better. I'm nobody's favorite." Loki sniffled.

Thor wrapped his arms around the younger boy. "You're my favorite." He said, patting Loki's back. "And I will slay any who say that you aren't!"

Loki tried being happy about that. He smiled, genuine enough for Thor to grin back, before running off ahead. But a part of Loki wanted more; he was happy he was Thor's favourite, but he wanted to be Father's as well. He just wanted his father to see him as he saw Thor.

***

Loki wheeled himself over to the balcony edge, head resting against the lowered bannister for him to comfortably peer up to the midnight azure. Damp hair hung about him in tendrils, curling softly just at the ends. Another nightmare had woken him, and his new privilege of being able to leave the medilab whenever he wished was one he'd been most eager to use.

He inhaled deeply, allowing the cold freshness of the chilly night's air to fill his lungs. He'd heard Tony complain about how the whole city smelt "worse than Clint's Saturday lasagna", but Loki found it to be almost refreshing. Then again, several weeks stuck in a stupid lab would do that to someone.