A/N: Whale hello there! Sea what I did there? I'm shore you did! Ahem, yeah sorry I'll stop now. So hey, I'm back exactly one week later and, as promised, I have a new fanfic. Now to those who didn't know I've started writing a series called 'Do you love me brother?' where I write a story each week featuring different brothers from different fandoms. If you have any ideas/prompts/requests for me please feel free to share. It's my birthday so pretty please review? (Yeah I know I've stooped low but desperate times call for desperate measures!)

Disclaimer: I am coming up with less and less creative and funny ways to do this. Muse why have thou forsaken me?! Anyway, I don't own anything in this story but the plot line.

Thor didn't know how it happened. It had been an ordinary day at Avengers Tower, well as ordinary as you can get with a temperamental green rage monster, a 90 year old super soldier, two very skilled SHIELD assassins, a genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist and two Norse Gods (one of whom happened to be a reformed megalomaniac super-villain). So perhaps it hadn't been very ordinary. Still.

They had a received a distress call from Fury informing them that Dr Von Doom (or as Tony had taken to calling him, Dr Gloom Vacuum) had staged an attack near New York Harbor and their services were required. The call promptly ended, as all communication between SHIELD and the Avengers (or rather Loki and Tony) now did, with a snarky jab from Stark, followed by a sarcastic comment from Loki and finally a glare and some heated swearing and threats about 'not making him come down there' from Director Fury.

After that it was mostly smooth sailing as the team suited up, with surprisingly minimal amounts of teasing from Tony about Loki 'taking out the reindeer Christmas costume too early.' The Avengers arrived just as Doom was half-way through making a speech about the 'dawn of the planet of the AI' (which was quickly met with a substantial amount of hate and booing due to one particularly pissed off civilian pointing out how that was 'copyright infringement') on top of the Statue of Liberty. Iron Man instantly began to whine about the 'good 'ole days when villains would kill them with weapons instead of words,' this was followed by a glare from Loki and a monologue from Steve about 'dirty rascals defacing America's symbols of liberty.' So it really was of no surprise that it wasn't long before the Avengers and Dr Doom were locked in battle.

The next few events were a complete blur. One second Loki was fighting beside Thor, throwing fireballs and twirling daggers like some lethal ballet dancer, and the next he had jumped in front of the Thunder God and subsequently been tossed backwards about 30 feet, crashing into a dilapidated building like a broken rag doll, debris raining down all around him.

(So really, Thor knew how it happened, he just didn't know how he could have let it happen. If he'd seen the burst of magic being sent his way and moved out of the way…)

In an instant Thor was at his unconscious brother's side, carefully cradling his bruised and battered form. The noise of his fellow team mates fighting Doombots was almost deafening (and by the sound of it they were winning) but Thor couldn't bring himself to care.

Finally the Avengers crowded round and for a moment (though it felt like a century) everything was still and silent. The shock was almost palpable in the air as everyone stared at the ever-growing pool of crimson blood flowing from a gash on the trickster's chest. No one but Thor had known that gods could bleed. But there was nothing any of them could do, they would have to wait until SHIELD arrived with doctors and back up. Though in his current condition, it was doubtful if Loki could manage to stay alive for that long.

The grim silence was broken as Loki's eyes snapped open and the Avengers sagged in obvious relief. Thor gasped and his arms twitched as if he wished to squeeze Loki's body in one of crushing hugs but knew better than to do so in his younger brother's current state.

"T-Thor…"

The strangled sound had the god in question shushing Loki and stroking his hair gently, huge tears dripping down and mixing with the blood pooling around them.

"It's alright brother, it will be fine, I have you, I'm here, we'll heal you, you won't…" Thor's next words were cut off as he tried to stifle a sob. In response Loki only smiled, it was a small, sad sort of smile that made Thor feel as if someone had used his heart as a test subject for a cheese grater.

"I-it's alright Thor… it's not… you don't… just please do one last thing for me."

Thor shook his head vehemently, choked sobs escaping him, "No, don't speak like that brother, you'll be fine, you will survive-"

Thor's rapid stream of words was cut off as a weak hand gripped his wrist, "Please brother, please, for me." Loki pleaded. Thor opened his mouth to say that Loki was nowhere near death and therefore shouldn't be talking like he was but stopped dead in his tracks when he looked into his brother's rapidly dimming eyes. He never could deny those eyes anything. Thor swallowed, a lump forming in his throat.

"A-alright Loki… alright…" The Thunderer agreed finally, "What do you need?"

"I-I need to know if… if it is possible to… if you could perhaps…" Loki took a deep ragged breath, as if trying to compose himself and find the right words, "Can you… do you forgive me brother?"

Thor laughed a low, empty laugh, not anything like his usual deep, heartfelt chuckle, and nodded his head up and down, "Y-yes, yes of course brother, of course I forgive you."

At that Loki smiled, as if an unbearable weight had been lifted from his chest and his eyes fluttered shut, breathing considerably slower than normal. Thor clenched his eyes shut and pressed his forehead against his brother's, bittersweet memories resurfacing without permission.

"Thor," Frigga said softly, placing a hand on her oldest son's shoulder and leading him towards a small crib, "This is your new brother, Loki."

Standing on tiptoes to peer over the edge of the golden cradle, a young Thor watched as his baby brother slept peacefully. With a gentleness no one knew he possessed the young prince of Asgard rubbed his smaller brother's hand gently, smiling widely when Loki giggled in his sleep and grabbed his finger in a vice-like grip.

"Loki…" murmured Thor, as if trying the new word out, "Hello Loki… I'm your big brother." Thor said, waving his free hand even though he knew the infant could not see it, "And I'll take care of you." Thor vowed quietly but with firm purpose as he tucked a green blanket around the tiny dozing figure.

Looking back up at his parents with wide, electric blue eyes Thor announced firmly, "I want to stay here and watch him."

Odin and Frigga exchanged surprised but proud looks, a single thought running through both their minds: Thor would grow up to be very protective of Loki, and hopefully the gesture would be returned. Then making their minds up at the same time, they turned too their eldest son and nodded their consent, watching with fondness as the young thunder God took his place next to his baby brother's cot.

"I will always protect you." Thor stated, "I promise."

That had been the first promise he had made to his brother. One, he realised as he stared with vacant eyes at Loki's injured body, he had not been able to keep.

The second promise he'd made had come not much later.

Thor couldn't sleep. He turned left. Nothing. Then he turned right. Again, nothing. He fidgeted about and shut his eyes tightly but no matter what he did, sleep just refused to come. Finally
Thor sighed dejectedly and gave up on the notion of sleep; all of a sudden he heard a small scuffling sound. Immediately on full alert, Thor sat up straight in bed and surveyed the room quickly, squinting his eyes into the darkness.

"T-Thor?" Squeaked a small voice.

Thor scrambled to untangle himself from his blankets and quickly lit a candle, holding it up to reveal his younger brother standing at the foot of his bed, a frightened expression on his face.
Thor frowned, Loki very rarely got scared, and when he did he never admitted it. Even as a small child he had the pride and grace of a true Asgardian prince.

"Is something wrong Lo? Are you alright?" asked Thor, not even bothering to hide the worry coloring his words. Loki swallowed nervously and looked at the ground, fingering his shirt and ducking his head, with obvious discomfort he mumbled something incoherent under his breath.

"What was that brother? I didn't quite catch it."

The younger God scowled with embarrassment before finally blurting out, "I had a nightmare!"

Thor blinked in surprise as he looked at Loki, his younger brother was staring intensely at the floor as if it somehow held the answer to all the questions in the universe. Thor continued to gaze at his brother for a few more seconds before stepping out of bed and pulling Loki into a firm hug. Loki stiffened at the contact, he had expected Thor to laugh and brush him off for being silly and immature, but when it became clear this wasn't the case he relaxed and returned the embrace.

"Do you want to tell me?" Thor whispered the question quietly as he gently guided Loki towards his bed.

Loki gave Thor a pained look (one that was much too old and much too unpleasant to belong to such a young host) as he sat down while his brother waited patiently. Taking a deep breath the young prankster began to speak, "We were in Jotunheim… I think. We were being attacked by- by frost giants. And- and you were fighting loads of them all at once. Then they- they… you got really hurt and I… I couldn't do anything! I was just stuck there and I couldn't move to help you and you-"

Abruptly Loki trailed off, squeezing his eyes shut as his brother rubbed his back soothingly.

Thor opened his mouth to comfort his younger sibling but was interrupted by Loki, "You won't… you won't ever leave me alone will you?" the younger prince questioned tentatively, an apprehensive expression clouding his features.

"Never! I would never do that to you Loki!" Thor declared in a strong voice, then in a more friendly and jovial tone he added, "I'll always be around to annoy you, little brother!" Thor gave Loki a crooked smile and ruffled his onyx black hair, causing Loki to whine in indignation and shove the older God away playfully, his nervous expression was now gone, replaced by a beaming smile. Just as Thor had intended.

And just like that, everything was fine again. Loki knew he had nothing to worry about. Thor had promised him, he had promised he would never leave. And Thor always kept his promises.

Later, as Loki slept soundly, Thor smiled down at his sibling's peaceful form.

"I will never leave you, brother, I'll always be there for you… I promise…"

He hadn't been able to keep that promise either. Because each time Loki needed him, he hadn't been there.

His third promise had come too late.

"No, Loki."

Thor had never been good at reading people, not like Loki who could see through anyone and everyone in an instant. Loki had always been the one to understand and manipulate emotions. To play the tune and watch as everyone else danced to it. To twist and warp words with his silver tongue and make people do what he wanted, often leaving chaos and mayhem in his wake.

Yes, Thor had never been good at reading emotions. But when his father said those two words the effect they had on Loki was all too clear. Gazing into emerald green eyes Thor could sense Loki's pain, he could how the statement had torn through him like a hurricane, he could see the self-loathing his younger brother felt for not being good enough, the pain and anger at being tossed aside for far too many times and the bitter hatred he had for Odin. He could finally see it all. He wished that he didn't.

Then just like that the prankster's eyes were blank again, walls up and face a blank mask, though Thor could sense something tearing at the edges, something dark and toxic. Thor was so caught up trying to make some sense of what his brother's emotions that he didn't notice Loki's grip slacken on Gungnir. He didn't notice the way Loki slipped several inches as his fingers slid further down the handle. He didn't notice anything until it was too late.

Loki let go. He fell.

"NO!" Thor's anguished yell continued long after Loki disappeared into the abyss.

After he had endured his mother's heart breaking sobs and the pitying looks his friends sent him and the polite apologies from strangers about Loki's death even though they knew nothing of what he felt, Thor was finally left alone. And then, on his own with nothing but the silence and his thoughts, then he broke down. Holding his heads in his hands he cried. Thor cried for Loki, he cried because he was alone without his brother, he cried for the memories they shared and he cried because he had failed him.

What felt like hours later Thor finally stopped. Staring into the distance he made his decision. He stood up, eyes hard and knuckles clenched around Mjolnir, and silently vowed not to give up on his brother. He knew it was a foolish notion, but still he hoped; if there was a chance, any chance no matter how slim, that his brother was still alive, then Thor would gladly take it. And if not… if not, then the least he could do was offer his brother a proper funeral.

I will save you brother, I promise.

The fourth promise had been there all along really, but there had been a lot of miscommunication between the two brothers so it took some time for the message to get through.

"Brother, please, you have to stop this." Thor begged, one hand clasping his brother's shoulder and the other one gripping Mjolnir. Fires raged all around them and the heavy dust from crumbled buildings hung to their clothes limply.

In response Loki sneered, "I find it arduous to perceive how it has not imbued within your thick skull yet Thor, for I have used very unpretentious language which even you should be able to comprehend, but I am not and never will be your brother!"

Thor was silent. Loki grinned, his smile all teeth and no feeling. Finally the oaf had come to his senses. But then Thor spoke up again.

"Say what you will Loki, but I will always consider you my brother."

Loki's smile dropped and he all but screamed in frustration. When would the imbecile realise that they did not share any relation? Suddenly an idea formed in his mind and Loki smirked triumphantly, a feral look in his eyes. Thor noticed the sudden change and eyed the mischief god wearily.

"Is that so Odinson? We shall see if you feel the same when you see my true origins." spat Loki with contempt. Then the trickster willed his glamour to fall, revealing ice blue skin and crimson red eyes. As his Aesir form melted away Loki shut his eyes tightly, he may wish to discourage Thor from the foolish notion that they were or ever had been siblings but he still couldn't bear to see the look of disgusted horror on the thunder god's face once he realised the truth. So he waited for the appalled gasp or repulsed scoff.

Nothing happened. Instead Loki felt strong arms wrap around him, seemingly uncaring of his freezing body temperature. Loki's eyes snapped open in shock, "What are you doing?!" he managed to gasp out as Thor smiled brightly down at him.

"Hugging you." replied Thor calmly, as if he were simply talking about the weather.

"You- but I'm in my Jotun form!"

"Yes. So?"

"So?! So I'm a monster! A- a- an abomination! I'm- I'm hideous! I hate this form, it's ugly and beastly and you should hate it- me too! I mean look at me Thor! Look at me!"

"I am."

"…"

"And you want to know what I see?"

"…What?"

"I don't see a monster or an abomination. Because you aren't one. I see you Loki. Intelligent, powerful, compassionate and amazing. Inside and out. I see a prince, a warrior, and my friend and brother."

For a moment nothing happened as Loki stared at Thor with unmasked bewilderment. Then he vanished in a swirl of chilly wind. Thor sighed and let his arms fall to his side.

"You will always be my brother, Loki. Jotun or Aesir, I will always accept you just as you are, no matter what." Thor promised the thin air where Loki had been standing a moment ago, he knew the sorcerer couldn't hear him, but he said it out loud anyway.

The final promise technically wasn't even a promise. It was more of a statement. A fact. One that had been denied and doubted fairly often sure, but had always been clear nonetheless.

They had come again. And Loki couldn't stop the shiver of fear that went down his spine as he saw their blurred figures gather around him. They had promised him unimaginable punishment if he failed to take over Midgard.

"You think you know pain? We will make you long for something as sweet as pain…"

He had failed. And they had more than kept their word.

"Speak liesmith."

The Chitauri jeered at the frost giant who lay trembling and helpless before them. One stepped forward and kicked Loki viciously in the side, the armored boot making excruciatingly painful contact with his exposed skin. Loki squeezed his eyes shut and bit his tongue in order to stop himself from screaming as two of his ribs cracked and his form shook with near unbearable pain. But he didn't make a single sound.

"Scream, little Jotun runt. Cry and beg for mercy! But you don't deserve it do you?"

Loki curled into himself as the Chitauri beat him again and again, until his whole body was bruised and battered and most of his bones were broken and cracked from being bent at unnatural angles. But despite the agonising abuse Loki stayed silent, he knew what awaited him if he did otherwise. He had stopped fighting as the days stretched on, with nothing but pain and fear to accompany him through this seemingly endless nightmare. At first he had fought tooth and nail, lashing out at guards and spitting snide remarks in their faces. But as the horror and hopelessness of his situation dawned on him, Loki found himself caving to his oppressor's demands more and more. He learned to fulfill expectations, to keep his head down, accept the pain and not make any noise. Because the punishment for defying those expectations was something he never wanted to relive.

Finally, after what seemed like eons, they finally stopped and Loki shakily drew himself up into a sitting position, before realising that the Chitauri weren't finished yet. The apparent leader of this particular group pulled a knife, the jagged blade dripping with a vile green substance that Loki's weary mind recognised as acid. He grabbed the cowering god's arm in a vice like grip and Loki knew better than to flinch back, any show of weakness would only lead to more pain. The Chitauri leader smirked as he stabbed the blade into Loki's forearm.

The poison burnt through the god's skin, invading his veins and worming its way into his bloodstream, coursing through his weakened body in a harrowing mix of, what felt like, boiling hot lava and liquid electricity. Loki gnashed his teeth together in a desperate attempt no to make any noise, but just as the pain was becoming too much the doors to his cell were thrown off their hinges and a familiar caped figure came into view.

"Get away from my brother!" the god of thunder snarled with nigh animalistic rage.

Immediately the petrified Chitauri scrambled away, tripping over themselves to rush out of the gaping hole in the wall where the doors had once been.

As Thor knelt next to his brother his entire demeanor changed, "Loki…" he whispered softly, eyes sad and downcast as he gathered his shaking brother into his arms, "Brother… all is well Loki, you need not fear, I am here now, you are safe."

"Th-Thor?" came the broken whisper, Loki's voice was raspy and quiet but the tinge of awe, wonder and shock in his tone was still very much clear, "Thor… you came…"

"Oh brother… of course I came. I'll always come for you."

At that Loki frowned, a stray tear escaping him as he clutched his arms tightly around his brother, "I called for you to come save me. I screamed and begged for you but you never came," confessed the youngest Asgardian prince quietly, "I thought you had forgotten me, I did not think you cared for me anymore," then with a bitter edge to his tone he added, "For who could ever care for a frost giant?"

"Do not talk so lowly of yourself Loki," Thor chided gently, "I have told you before, Asgardian or no it matters not. You are my brother and I will always- always- come for you. Because I love you. Forever. I promise."

The beeping of the machines currently responsible for keeping his brother alive had managed to lull Thor into a calmer state. He was no longer frantically pacing up and down the room (shaking half the building in the process) but had opted instead for sitting next to Loki's too-pale form and clutching his hand tightly while humming an old Norse lullaby their mother Frigga had sang to them when they were little under his breath.

The Avengers watched sadly from outside the room as the thunder god broke down more and more. They could see that his brother's rapidly deteriorating state had left Thor much worse for wear, his tear stained face had lost it's glow, his stormy sapphire eyes had dulled to pale blue and his entire frame seemed smaller somehow, as if it had folded in on itself. The eldest prince of Asgard no longer carried himself with the confident authority of a warrior and prince but trudged around slowly with a glum air of defeat, as if he had been forced to take on the weight of the whole world. But as worn out and devastatingly beaten as Thor looked, Loki was worse. Far worse. His bruised face was an ashen gray and his entire body looked so frail that Thor was afraid if he touched him, he would break. Loki's chest seemed almost unmoving, barely managing to push itself up and he was covered in so many layers of blood-stained bandages that he now resembled a ghostly skeleton mummy Halloween decoration more then the proud god of mischief.

By now Thor knew that it wouldn't be long before the doctor would come in and, with a politely sympathetic look on his face, ask Thor to leave. He would, of course, refuse and then a fight would ensue, making one of the Avengers (usually Steve) step in and herd Thor out the door.

Knowing it was utterly pointless but not caring the thunder god began pleading with his brother again, "Brother please... please don't leave me. I can not go on without you. I will not."

He paused. There was no response. Thor sighed, it was to be expected. He knew that Loki couldn't hear him, he was in a coma, one he might not wake from, but Thor still tried, still insisted, he had never been one to lose hope.

"Please Loki, you can't... I refuse to let you go, not like this, not when I just got you back."

Unbeknown to Thor the line on the machine monitoring Loki's heart suddenly spiked up.

"Please don't do this to me, brother. It can not end like this. I won't allow it. I am the one that is meant to protect you."

Loki's hand gave a small twitch.

"Brother... please... come back to me."

For a moment nothing happened and Thor bowed his head in dejection. Then suddenly Loki's eyes fluttered open and he jolted upright in bed. Loki was obviously disorientated and looked around him in confusion until he spotted Thor and the memories of the fight and his injury came flooding back. Meanwhile the god in question was gaping at the trickster and making breathy noises that could be identified as weird interpretations of his name, though they seemed more akin to the noises of a deranged leopard seal with asthma.

"Thor?" questioned Loki, beginning to get seriously worried for his maybe-not-so-not brother's health. The way his eyes were bugging out of his head could not be at all safe or natural.

Thor's only response was a shocked gasp as he stared at Loki with hopeful disbelief, his mind still trying to get around the fact that his brother was alive and awake. Though still injured and half asleep Loki still managed to look at his brother with a disapproving glare, "Really Thor, imitating goldfish? Please do stop, it is most unbecoming for a-" Loki was cut off as his older brother pulled him into a bone crushing hug.

"Thor! Let go of me you big oaf! You are crushing me! Thor! Can't... breathe!"

Thor loosened his grip slightly but didn't let go. He buried his head in his brother's neck muttering, "Loki, Loki, Loki, brother, you're back." over and over like a prayer. Soon enough he was crying again and blubbering unintelligibly as Loki huffed with disdain at having to endure his brother's suffocating affection. After a while Loki relaxed slightly, letting a small smile grace his lips; he would never admit it to anyone, least of all Thor, but he rather enjoyed the attention.

"Do not ever do that to me again, you hear brother? You scared me Loki! I thought... I thought I was going to lose you."

Loki sighed, features softening, "You're not going to lose me, Thor. But I would do it all again if it meant saving you," Thor frowned at the answer but Loki continued on regardless, "Oh come now, Thor. Don't be so glum, I really am sorry for causing you distress..." Loki pauses, a serious note creeping into his tone, "Do you forgive me brother?"

Thor can sense the deeper meaning behind the question, so he smiles and nods, "Of course I do brother."

To no surprise Thor and Loki's (as dubbed by Stark) 'BB Time' (brotherly bonding time) was soon interrupted by a certain group of overly excited and relieved Avengers who suddenly burst in like a hurricane to hug (Steve), lecture (Bruce and Natasha) and high-five (Tony and Clint) Loki. Of course the warm and friendly atmosphere did not last very long in the presence of Iron Man who almost immediately asked, "So who wants shwarma?" with an all too familiar sassy smirk (in hindsight, perhaps making the genius befriend the Norse god of trickery and lies had not been such a fabulous idea).

In response everyone groaned.

A/N: I'm actually very proud of this fanfic, it's literally the longest story I've ever written. So yeah, I hope you enjoyed it. Nyx out.