nine_realms | Welcome To Asgard

Giving an appeasing gesture, Loki laughed out, "How would I know what is different? When I have seen but a few hallways of yours."

"Indeed... Do you even know the reason why you came here? By accident or otherwise..."

Loki was becoming more suspicious about this again. Was this twin here to replace him?

The alternate spread his hands in a gesture of confusion. "I've no idea. I was halfway across the palace from here. I walked through a doorway, and... here I was."

"So you were on Asgard? Your Asgard?"

Loki's Asgard. It was, wasn't it? Before, that idea may have brought him joy. Now the thought was an aggravating one.

Before, the power of the throne had allowed him a sense of control, even as matters in his familial life had begun to deteriorate. He had been Regent, and in that, he'd had control over Asgard. Theoretically. Because in actuality, it seemed to him that his orders had been occasionally followed, and rarely respected.

Now, though... Now, being the Allfather was an annoyance. It was responsibility and a strangely-crowded isolation. If any spoke well of his deeds, Loki would be left to wonder whether their love was for Odin or himself. No one spoke to him as Loki. No one spoke to him, at all. Just to Odin. Odin, whose patience was supposedly stronger than that which Loki had felt, when assuming his role.

Then there was Thor. Now, bearing Odin's face, Thor heeded Loki's words. Now words the Thunderer had once considered folly, were now thought wisdom. Loki's aggravation had been continually repressed, and it was building.

So yes, Asgard was his. Yet not. Because for all of Loki's efforts, he felt that Asgard would never truly want him.

Nodding, Loki responded, "I was."

If those thoughts had been voiced, Loki would have understood and had to agree. There were differences between what he wanted and what he would ultimately get, and his dissatisfaction would surely grow. Especially since there would be no acknowledgement of his own wisdom in the form of Odin. Having the burden of the throne either way was very limiting.

And Loki had never liked to be limited.

"So simply stepping through a door... I expect if Heimdall had spotted you, he would already have sent guards to report on the anomaly. You are clearly not an illusion."

Heimdall... was on Loki's side? For more than just their short little adventure together? Confused, Loki silently regarded his alternate for a moment.

"I am not. But if you wish to prove the notion, I assure you I am solid enough."

"Obviously. I had already gathered as much, although whether you are actually also me is yet to be determined. Tell me something... Tell me something that only you and I would know."

Tilting his head, Loki considered. How much might be the same, in this alternate universe? Certainly, the more recent events appeared to have played out differently. Though their rooms were in the same place. Something of their childhood, then. Something hidden.

"I always preferred the cooler weather."

Should he risk mentioning it? Perhaps he could hint at it, without fully alighting on the subject. Just in case his alternate was yet unaware. "I suppose I felt more like myself, there. Less... burdened."

"More like yourself in the early morning... frost?" Loki gave his double a wary but pointed look.

He could not keep the troubled look from his own face, and instead had to illusion it away. To his alternate, he would merely seem as though he had become sad for half a moment, before smiling with understanding.

"Indeed." He paused, unsure of whether to continue. Eventually, he added, "So you know."

"Of course," he wasn't giving away how he felt about that himself. "And as evasive as I would be too."

"Glad to impress." Loki responded, with a tone of amused sharpness. He felt almost obligated to snark and be silly, right now; it covered up the hurt.

"It is less impressed and more that you have proven that you know something that very few do," Loki said in return.

Not wanting to discuss that 'something' in any further detail, Loki cast about for any other subject, to talk about in its stead.

"Shall we stand in the hallway all day?" he laughed out.

"So you want somewhere more private," Loki ushered him the little way further to his room. "Here we are."

And he closed the door.

No. No, not really; he hadn't wished to speak on the subject at all...

But then they were back in the room, and Loki's nostalgia upon seeing it, was piercing. Some items were in different places, some furnishings slightly different. And yet this room was his. He felt it. Knew the style as his own. He missed it. He missed the life he'd once had.

He... was showing emotion. The illusion Loki momentarily used before, had long since faded. Such a display of open hurt would cause his alternate to question him further, so Loki had to quickly consider what else to talk about. Dammit. Only one subject came to mind quickly enough...

"I thank you, but I have no wish to speak of certain subjects."

"Not even with yourself? What is wrong? Do you not trust me?" Loki was watching him closely enough that he did notice the subtle emotions.

"N-not everything is the same," Loki supplied, caught.

"So it is not the same as speaking to myself. Besides, of course I don't trust you."

With a laugh, he added, "If we are anything alike, I shouldn't."

He chuckled.

"But of course... Although it is a sad state of affairs when one cannot even trust oneself, isn't it?"

"It is," Loki agreed, laughing with amused embarrassment.

He wanted to trust his alternate with the truth. But he restrained himself, as this other version of Loki seemed to be no enemy of Asgard.

"So!" He glanced around then waved to a chair. "Take a seat. Make yourself at home..."

He eyed Loki, before lounging on a chair himself. What to discuss... Either the silence would grow or the other Loki would speak about... something.

Choosing to do as his alternate had requested, Loki sprawled a little in the chair. Despite the pain of seeing it all again, it was somehow good to be home. To be sitting again, upon his own chairs.

"Where is everyone? You'd mentioned it was quiet."

"This place is... well, special. But I cannot explain it. People come and go. People not from Asgard... They do not know how they get here, or why... Such as yourself. It is very... random."

His voice is measured and careful, watching his twin.

A long pause, then. Concern was the most visible of the myriad responses that Loki had, for that explanation. "Can you not leave it?"

It would be a terrible curse, to be trapped in a land of his past, without anyone there for very long. And to mention it having been quiet...

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject