Thor and kittens. Let the madness of adorables ensue. :)

[hamm3rtime]

[Thor enters, carrying a large, cushioned pet carrier which appears to be mewling. In his other hand is a sack with a plethora of items. He sets the pet carrier down on the floor first, only opening its door when he has removed kitten feed from the sack and filled five puny glass bowls with it. The kittens, black shorthairs all, go for the food immediately, though some attempt to move around their bowls, fending off their food from each other.]

[He seems to consider the fuzzies toddling about on the floor, as he asks a query of his mundane.]

You are sure, mun, that Lokis will be drawn here? This is an odd method, for contacting him.

[The kittens, now done with their meal, are a handful, and Thor has to work to get them all back into the carrier. Some attempt to scale his shirt instead. He lets them do so, as he gets the more energetic ones back into their carrier first.]

I shall hope it works, for it would do well, to have good news in this time.

Comments

All the icons apparently. Sorry. Thor emotes wildly, when stressed...

[hamm3rtime]

[Surprised, both by the strength of the hug, and by there no longer being kittens in its way, Thor swallows a sob, looking around to find the kittens playing with each other on the floor.]

[He clasps Loki to himself, trying without success to quell his own tears. It had all just ended up so badly. At least his own Loki wasn't dead, but eking out an existence in the dungeons for who-knew-how-long was not exactly the most comfortable way to live, either. No, Thor couldn't help but think, The mistakes were not all Loki's. These were mine.]



[It was impossible for Thor to hear "Mother wouldn't want things to be like this," without crying harder. She wouldn't. He'd failed to save her in time, and he'd failed her at her funeral and he was failing her now, again, as her youngest was left in the dungeon while their family fell apart. Perhaps this Loki was right. Perhaps he could at least save another version of her.]

You're stronger, [Thor noted with a broken chuckle.] Stronger than you were before. Yet you take on too much. You cannot fight them alone. Not an army such as theirs. Swear to me, you will have help.

Nothing to apologize for. It's Thor, it's in-character.

[prince_psychopath]

It is best if there is no help. To cripple an army you do not diminish their ranks, you break their spirits by taking out as many leaders as possible. Stealth in, and a display of power after that. For this I not only need no help, but it will be best if Asgard and my allies can claim plausible deniability. Everyone needs to be able to put the blame on me and no one else, so no one else gets hurt.

I am the clever one. I will find ways to do this. I always find ways. Trust in me if you can, Thor; I will make this right.

[His thin frame belies the still godly strength he has; he can hold Thor to him despite his reduced strength and manage not to tremble. It is the thought of losing his family, however broken and dysfunctional they are, that makes him uneasy.]

[hamm3rtime]

That "display of power" could get you killed, [Thor snaps back, clearly desperate. The kittens react to the anger in the tone, scampering away a little before he carefully crouches down and calls out to them.]



Little ones~. Little ones, come here. I meant not to scare you. [They should be placed back in their carrier, Thor decided, scooping them up. He knew which one Loki had picked, for the cats' eyes, paws and whiskers were different, even if their fur coloration wasn't. Somehow, he managed to get them all back into the carrier. Perhaps they had been frightened by the noise.]

[He turns back towards Loki, with a sigh.] Your strength, both of heart and body, is impressive, brother. And never have I doubted your stealth. But saving her, by risking you, or so risking both of you is not something I will allow.

I... thought I had lost Loki -- my own version... of Loki -- after she died. [Thor shakes his head, clearly still devastated by the thought.]



Do not do that to my alternate. He will not bear it well. [Indeed, breathing had just become a somewhat difficult task. Thor had to remind himself that his own version of Loki yet lived.]

There is no reason to risk this, by that display of force, being only your own. No reason to draw everyone's wrath upon yourself in such a way.

[And with that, Thor promptly lost it. This conversation was far too painful, all at once, and he had clearly reached the limits of his self-restraint.] Brother, you cannot.

[He still hadn't forgotten what Loki had said about proving himself, and Thor meant to go back to that topic later, but for now...]