14565/Discordants: Children of Asgard

Discordants: Children of Asgard
Date of Scene:	31 March 2023
Location:	The Starport, After the Battle
Synopsis:	Thor and Loki after the battle of the Starport.
Cast of Characters:	Thor, Loki

---

Thor has posed:
    "I've got the brace set, just take the pressure off, man."
    Warrant Officer Greg Frakes was dirty, bloody, grimy, and had seen better days. He hadn't swept for two days, and the way things were breaking it felt like he wouldn't sleep for another two years. But he kept at it, his uniform and body armor torn and rent by a few near misses from Svartalfar weaponry. But he'd survived. Now, though, as he knelt in the mud under the superstructure of a fallen building... was the time to try and make sure as many people as possible would too.
    "You are ready?" The tall man's voice was heard, and a grunt of effort as he held the building's twisted internal structure.
    "As I'll ever be, push it to the right... now."
    And as the sailor for the navy said, Thor moved the heavy weight of the building's remains to the side, arms tensing and shoulders shifting the heavy material to the side. There was a cascade of debris and falling hiss of shattered concrete turned to dust as the Asgardian moved that wreckage out of the way. Warrant Officer Frakes had secured the emergency bulwarks that led to the basement underneath it, made it so the shift of the wreckage wouldn't crush the entryway and now...
    A heavy grunt as the last of the superstructure was moved to the side, landing with a rough thud.
    "That's it, man. You got it." The team of rescue workers moved in quickly now that the entrance was clear. Hopefully there'd be good news from within.
    "You need me, call out." Thor said as he stood up, brushing as much of the dust off his outworlder gear as he could. That curious armor from far off in the galaxy on its best day was already raggedy. Now it just seemed grungy. He turned, extending a hand to the side as the silvered axe he had left to the side leapt into his hand with a faint /wom/ of sound.
    "I am needed elsewhere."
    "Sure thing, man." Frakes straightened up, dusting his hands, looking after that man that had been helping them. They said he was Thor. But the Thor he remembered from the lunchbox he had when he was a kid... didn't look anything like that guy.

Loki has posed:
There's a lot of news, but the main important piece is simple enough.

Thor is alive.

And even more mixed feelings all over that piece of information, for sure, for someone such as Loki. He had gone through various stages in his own grief and confusion around the subject. Some people thought he'd wanted to kill Thor himself, and that made him upset. Or that he was enjoying being King since Thor was gone. Others remembered it was indeed his brother, so there was bound to be some impact. Still others thought Loki barely batted an eye over the whole thing, and THAT was a problem... But really, Loki felt all of those things at different times. There's no ONE given way to deal with loss, to go through grief. And Loki, more than many people, has always been a bag of conflicting emotions and chaos. So he can feel more than one way about something. He can be angry that Thor put him through this. He can be excited and happy that his brother still lives. He can be uncertain and concerned over the future or what happened to cause everything. He can put blame on himself, Thor, the enemy... but right now, all of that has to backseat. Because for now, it's simple enough.

Thor is alive.

And Loki himself couldn't predict how he'd react once he got to see the truth of it. With the news, he'd taken a bit of time to gather himself and his resources needed, but now, he has appeared. Invisibly watching, to see if it IS true. He invisibly observes Thor lifting the wreckage, doing his own tests. Loki is very distrustful, and this could all be fake. He won't get caught in a lie, not Loki!

But things seem correct. And Loki makes a choice, adapting. He turns visible, in just a twist of golden magic, as if he'd just portaled in, ahead and to Thor's left. Loki is dressed in a sleek garb appropriate for a battlefield wherein he doesn't intend to attract attention. Black and green, an off-shoulder black furred half-cloak to one side. His hair is all back, ponytailed loose but short, no crown at all. It's bizarrely /understated/, really.

"Brother. What do you need?" Loki asks, simply. There's something else there, Loki is really holding a lot back, but the biggest tell that Loki IS very impacted by the reunion is the... directness.

Thor has posed:
    He had watched him. Had watched his brother. Saw the way he moved. This Thor was short of hair with that strapless eyepatch settled over his right eye. He had a beard, but it wasn't the well kept thing that the Thunderer took such pride in at times. His armor was a hodge-podge mish-mash of equipment from half a dozen worlds, and he had the smears of ichor and grime on his form from the battles, from the death. At his side was the cracked form of Mjolnir, its subtle bluish glow of magic not discernible easily to mortal eyes, but Loki would see it. The weapon that Jane Foster had held in his absence...
    And the silver axe that rested upon his back seemed a thing akin to the mystical hammer, obvious to the gaze of one so skilled in magic.
    The trickster could see that so much seemed to weigh on the brow of his brother. On the broad shoulders of the man who moved across the strewn wreckage and detritus of the battle. His expression was distant, that single blue eye thoughtful as he looked from place to place. To see what aid his strength could be. And finding whatever he could do, whatever he could offer... to be just so lacking.
    It was only when he espied Loki that his features changed. It came in waves. The turn of his head. Their eyes meeting. His brow knitting slightly as his lips part in an impulse to smile. Loki knew that was... the first rush of feeling. Then as quick as that breath was drawn it is released with a soft exhale. And that is when everything seems to just hang upon him. When the import of what has passed. The loss of so much. The fallen about them. But this. The possible loss of this. Family. Brother. Mother. Father. Life. Love. He can almost see each wave wash over Thor's features as he then says, choking back a hint of... a deep voiced laugh that might almost be a sob.
    Yet he recovers instantly, straightening a little, giving another small hint of a laugh as if playing off that first sound as laughter even though it feels torn from him. He says.
    "Now that you are here, brother? So little else."

Loki has posed:
"You /know/ I don't generally do any restorative magic," Loki says, entirely deadpan, using his voice and this patter to ... actually pretend he didn't notice any of Thor's shifting features or reaction to him. Loki doesn't necessarily trust his own emotions or covering those at this moment, but he DOES entirely trust his ability to sense how Thor's feeling and... move neatly to cover /that/. Loki adjusts one of the smooth leather black bracers on one forearm, as he moves across some of the battered rubble, directly up to Thor. Loki is healthy, willowy as always, though he has a tension to him, like a cat that's been alarmed one too many times, and is very aggressively watchful ... yet confident all the same.

"But as it's not every day my brother rises from the dead, I'll make some exception here," Loki adds, mock-huffy. He's watchful of Thor, trying to judge exactly where their relationship has fallen or lands now, after ... all that has happened. Loki isn't entirely going back into old jabs or old rapport, there's some openness here if Thor wants to embrace this shift, or this change, or ...go back into old ways.

"--As I'd prefer to get you home."

Thor has posed:
    Thor is so often the effusive one, the one who rushes to show his feelings. Yet now... he does not close that distance. Loki walks toward him, and it's only as he draws near that the one-eyed Asgardian steps in...
    There's a brief look into each others eyes, then Thor draws his brother into a one-armed embrace. It's all there set to be... a distant thing. To give the sign of familial love. Devotion. Loki will feel Thor take a deep breath, and as he exhales the embrace turns stronger, more real. Then both arms, albeit briefly. As if to make sure that what is before him is not some dream. He steps back, hands resting on Loki's shoulders, and there is... grief in the man's good eye. Grief, but also warmth that reaches that blue iris.
    "There is so much to do." He says softly, those first words given. Thor smiles, his eyes glistening slightly but then he shakes his head and looks away. Blinking a little he murmurs, "Damned, dust."
    He rests his hands on his hips and says with a hint of a smile, "So much to tell." Some emphasis on that last word.
    "It is good to see you."

Loki has posed:
Loki is ... a little uncomfortable when hugged close, but however uncomfortable being tightly hugged makes him, is surpassed by the relief of Thor being /alive/. So in a case where Loki might usually feel really pinned or grabbed, he's put that tension on the shelf here, and there isn't really any for Thor to encounter. Loki, always the cat: tolerance with it, just since he does love his brother.

When Thor pulls back, Loki does adjust it into a forearm clasp, which is more of what Loki's speed is to offer in terms of 'embrace'. That's Loki-speak for a tight hug, and it doesn't make it less 'real'. They communicate differently: Loki accepted Thor's, and then responded in his own manner with the same message, in the end.

Loki lifts both eyebrows at the 'dust' comment but just hooks a smile. If he's suffering dust, he's using illusion to hide it! So he doesn't draw attention to the 'dust', lest Thor see through that. "Asgard and her people are safe. Father... has been in Odinsleep, but I expect he'll rouse for you," Loki observes. "I intend to help here some, and after I have seen what is needed, assign any additional support to come and follow your lead." A very king statement, sort of automatic now -- Loki came personally to see Thor, but also is looking at this from the lens of how he'll direct Asgard's assets in this matter.

"I'm glad we'll have time for all that telling," Loki gives, which is 'it is good to see you' from Loki.

Thor has posed:
    "Father has been..."
    Thor catches that and the concern is clear, then he takes a deep breath as he listens further, not interrupting Loki again. His gaze follows the other man's words and he nods slowly. He remains there at arm's length, chewing his lower lip as he looks thoughtfully at the other prince. He nods a little faster at the statement of providing additional support.
    "I have... not been myself for some time. Only recently..." His head lifts and his gaze distances further, he looks around at the wreckage about them. "It's only been... a few hours for me. I came here immediately as soon as I recovered myself."
    Curious words to use, but no less truthful.
    He starts to walk a little with his brother at his side. "I'm sure you've handled things well. I..." He looks across the starport. "There are people I need to see off. Others I need to speak with. Then the Embassy."
    One hand lifts to rest on the back of his neck, "The prisoners here. The fallen. Then home. Mother. Father." He shakes his head.
    Then finally he looks at Loki and says quietly, "Jane. She fell. Malekith's last act..."

Loki has posed:
Loki moves along with Thor, taking in the silent request naturally. He crosses his arms at the information of it only being a few hours. "Obviously I want all of the information from your ...perspective," Loki continues. "But it's not critical to get it now. As I said-- Asgard and the family -- which includes me-- is safe, and can wait a little bit longer."

Loki pauses. "But not /too/ much longer. Mother's /so/ impatient," Loki says, with a soft-ended little joke. Still, Frigga does deserve to see Thor, and Loki will always defend and push for the queen to feel better.

"//You// fell as well. Perhaps it isn't the end for her, either," Loki says simply. "I've learned to be a bit more optimistic." Loki narrows his eyes, as if blaming Thor for that, but then laughs softly, and smirks.

Thor has posed:
    The smile returns, though it's a gentle one. As if it's... one he gives hesitantly, then he looks about them. The carnage about them, the fallen ships, the many prisoners and warriors. The destruction. He seems... almost embarrassed to be feeling good about the safety of his family when so many others will never see their loved ones. And Thor is not like Loki. He has no poker face. Not in this moment at least. It can be seen as plain as day.
    He looks back to his brother and says, "I'm sure you did an amazing job. And father will be pleased with your reign in his absence."
    Then he mentions Frigga and his good eye widens somewhat. "Mother." He says, as if knowing what she must have gone through as well.
    Yet he nods as Loki mentions that he fell as did Jane. "Indeed, you speak truly."
    A moment of silence passes between them as they walk. Until the space of a few heartbeats give them enough time for him to say anew. "I am so glad to see you." In such a tone that it might spark the fear of another embrace. Yet he turns and says, "We will speak at length. With mother. I must see to Sif. And Brunnhilde returned." He stops and turns, facing Loki directly.
    "I'm sorry, Loki. Sorry that I put you in such a situation. Sorry to..." He shakes his head slightly, smiling faintly. Then he settles on a term that makes him smile a little as he tells his brother with a hint of humor to it.
    "Sorry to have inconvenienced you so."

Loki has posed:
"Just see that your death does not inconvenience me /again/," Loki says, abruptly with a very pompus, put upon SNIFF of arrogance. It entirely hits as fully honest and TRUE, though, from this expert of expert liars. Because he doesn't tarnish it with any REAL sarcasm. ...And in fact, doesn't break that arrogant character he's putting upon, he scans the area around.

While with right hand, he extends and places the hand on Thor's upper arm. A magical channel, a spell, is then fired: a bolster, a temporary empowerment. Yes, there's a cost to lend potent strength, but if so, Loki shows zero of it. Or perhaps it is that Loki did channel something from Asgard, something out of a vault... but who can really tell, with Loki.

There's then a look of 'don't you dare even awknowledge that I did that just now', and he drops his hand. "Get to work, then. I'll accept more apologies only after you're back." So there.

Thor has posed:
    A slight snort is given, just an exhale of breath that might have been a laugh if he gave it just a little more effort. Yet he shakes his head slightly as he walks and murmurs, "I shall endeavor to not so inconvenience you again. I know how trying it must have been."
    Though his smile broadens a little at the sniff of arrogance.
    Yet when Loki rests his hand on Thor's arm and that subtle spell plays out, infusing him with that hint of... recovery, for the fatigue weighs less upon him in that moment... he gives his thanks. Silently, however. With just a nod.
    "I'll be about it, and will make sure to return to Asgard directly. Tell mother not to worry." He gives another nod as he steps back, granting that room needed to make whatever exit he so chooses. "Until then, brother."
    Which is the moment when the two brothers take their leave of each other. For now.