It was a fine Asgardian summer afternoon. The sun was shining high, the grass was green and lush, the birds were chirping merrily from their perches in the trees, and a group of six rambunctious little fivehundred-year-olds were gathered together in the fields.

"Throw the ball, Loki!" Thor was saying.

"Yes, just do it already!" called Sif from the left, clearly fed up with Loki's hesitance.

Loki shied away.

"I can't," he cried. "It won't reach, and you'll all just tease me for being a weakling again." He scowled.

Fandral huffed from across the way, "Don't be such a big baby, Loki. Just throw it! You're holding up the game."

"Loki," Thor tried again, raising his hands in a gesture of good will. "We won't make fun of you, I promise. Right guys?" He turned to glare at his friends, who reluctantly sighed.

"Oh, alright," groaned Hogun, rolling his eyes. "Just this once."

Loki beamed. He turned back to the ball and, determined not to let everyone down, infused his throw with a little energy spell that Mama had been teaching him the other day.

The ball sailed across beautifully. Loki smirked at the stunned look on everyone's faces, and for a moment it looked like it would land perfectly in Thor's hands.

Until it missed, and conked his brother on the head instead.

Thor shrieked and toppled over. With a loud cry of "BROTHER!" Loki raced over from across the field, concern plastered all over his tiny face. But when he got there, Thor was laughing.

Loki scrunched up his face. "It's not funny."

Thor shook his head, still laughing, and sat up. "No, no, of course not, little brother." He tousled Loki's hair. "I am grateful for your concern."

Loki turned bright red and sputtered. "Wha- That's not- Don't get the wrong idea!" He jumped indignantly. "It's not like I was worried or anything! I just didn't want to get in trouble."

And with that, he turned around and stomped off the field. He was about halfway when he spun around again.

"And don't call me little!"

Thor started laughing again, which made Loki turn even redder. He let out a screech of frustration and scampered away to splash cold water on his cheeks and calm his stuttering heart.