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Title: to have written the truth in a lightning flash
Fandom: Supernatural/Avengers movieverse
Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Adrienne Rich
Warnings: pre-Thor - AU for Thor and everything that follows; AU during or after season 5 of Supernatural (or, possibly, before that)
Pairings: none
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 2075
Point of view: third
Prompt: Supernatural/Thor (2011), Dean + pre-movie!Thor, "You should be protecting your brother, not dragging him into trouble."
They're on Midgard, Thor and Sif and the Warriors 3 and Loki. They're on Midgard and Thor cannot believe how it has evolved since the last time - has it truly been long enough for the humans to change horses into metal beasts?
Apparently so. No matter.
Hogun finds the trail of their quarry, and the hunt is rejoined.
.
The hunt goes badly. There is no physical body for Thor to fight; Mjölnir does not even slow the monster, and Loki is everywhere, trying spell after spell. Only Loki can even slow the beast, of shadow and spirit, and he finally gets in the death blow - and he goes down with it, hard, without any warning.
No matter how loudly, how desperately, Thor shouts to the sky, Heimdallr does not open the Bifrost.
.
Loki worsens. Volstagg and Hogun, almost evenly matched with regards to battle wounds, do what they can, but it is not enough. Thor screams threats to the heavens, hefting Mjölnir, swearing vengeance, and Heimdallr does not respond.
Sif finally vanishes into the woods, going after a Midgardian healer. Fandral follows, promising Thor to find the best.
Loki’s eyes are closed, his breathing shallow, and he is far too cold. “I cannot find a wound,” Hogun solemnly tells Thor. Volstagg shrugs and shakes his head.
Thor kneels beside his brother, dropping Mjölnir, and whispers, “Heimdallr, please. Bring us home. Loki is dying.”
The way remains shut. Loki’s breath catches and he whimpers, low and sharp, and he flickers, for a moment, before he turns into a miniature frost giant.
“What?” Thor roars, lunging to his feet. “What sorcery is this - what curse?” He grabs Mjölnir, needing the reassurance of his hammer in his hand.
Hogun and Volstagg exchange glances. Loki - is it Loki? - still doesn’t move.
.
Thor has progressed to pacing around Loki’s prone form, Hogun and Volstagg still beside him, when Sif and Fandral return with two mortals. Both mortals seem young (of course) and carry weapons. The shorter looks over to the other, raising an eyebrow, and the other nods.
“So, y’all found the revenant?” the shorter asks, keeping his weapon in easy access.
“Is that what it’s called?” Volstagg says, looking down at Loki. “It turned him - blue. And he hasn’t moved.”
The shorter man’s other eyebrow raises as he follows Volstagg’s gaze. “That’s not normally what it does,” he says. “Sammy, any ideas?”
Sammy’s forehead wrinkles. He says, “That’s… odd,” tilting his head. He glances from Sif and Fandral, who have positioned themselves so that one blow cannot take them and the others, to Thor, then down to Loki, Volstagg, and Hogun, who is now standing, and also away from the rest. Then he looks back to Thor. “Can I get closer?” he asks. “I need to look him over. Revenants don’t usually do this.”
Thor looks from Loki to Sammy, and nods, shifting his grip on Mjölnir. Sammy’s companion pins him in place with a warning look, his own grip on his weapon shifting. But Thor holds his peace as Sammy crouches down, setting his weapon on the ground next to him.
“Dean,” he calls, “do you have any reception?”
Without looking away from Thor, Dean slowly reaches into his jacket. Thor can see Sif preparing herself, but Dean simply pulls out a small box and flips it open. “Nope,” he says, popping the P sound. “Surprise, surprise.”
Thor turns to watch Sammy, who has undone Loki’s shirt and is touching his chest. “You dare!” he shouts, hefting Mjölnir.
“Hey!” Dean shouts in return, and his weapon roars, and something throws Thor back.
Sif, Fandral, and Hogun should all be on Dean for that, but none of them move. Once Thor regains his feet, he demands, “What sorcery are you wielding?”
Dean smirks. “My brother’s helpin’ your blue friend,” he says. “Be grateful and let him.”
“That blue beast was my brother,” Thor says after a moment, and another glance at his friends, who all look panicked about the eyes and can't seem to move. Not even Loki, at his most angry, could hold them all at the same time. One of the humans is a truly powerful sorcerer. “The monster did something - ”
“No, actually, it didn’t,” Sammy interrupts him. “Or, well, not exactly.”
Volstagg clears his throat. “Could you perhaps explain that?”
“Yeah,” Sammy mutters, not looking at him. “Give me a moment.” Sammy’s eyes seem to be white, for just a moment, like the snow-covered ground of Jötunheimr, and unlike any sorcerer Thor has ever encountered.
“Huh,” Sammy finally says, settling back on his haunches. “Dean, can you call Castiel? I need him to check something for me.”
Thor glances over in time to see Dean roll his eyes. “The two’a ya really should work out your differences,” he mutters, before lifting his head and addressing the sky. “Hey, Cas! We could use your expertise for a sec. Could you pop over, please?”
Suddenly, there is something else in the forest with them. It appears to be a mid-sized human male, pale skinned, dark hair, blue eyes, but that is wrong. It is so much bigger than that, older and powerful, and Thor wants to cower back, for one humiliating instant he truly does, and instead he throws himself between his brother and the monster, and the monster smiles.
“Do not be afraid, Thor, Son of Odin,” the monster says gently. “I am not here for you.”
Thor shudders.
“Come look at this,” Sammy calls, and the monster - Castiel? - walks over silently, kneeling down next to Sammy. He pushes the weapon away, and Volstagg shrinks back.
Thor and his friends have withstood monsters in five realms; these Midgardians cannot be mortals. Sammy is too powerful a sorcerer, and Dean commands - whatever the beast is.
“It looks like the revenant tore through something,” Sammy says. “It’s still draining him. If I sever it, he might die. Do you - ”
“I see,” Castiel murmurs. He reaches out and Thor cannot help his instinctive move. He also doesn’t see Dean dart forward, but he feels Dean’s strong, unyielding grip on the arm holding Mjölnir.
“Hey,” Dean says. “I get that he’s your brother. Little, right? Don’t worry. We’re really not here to hurt you. We actually owe the little guy.”
Thor considers his words very carefully, taking his time to gather his thoughts. Whoever, whatever, these beings are, they clearly have the upper hand. “I thank you for whatever assistance you can give,” he says. “I am Thor, Prince of Asgard. We hunted a beast - I know not if it is the thing that cursed my brother.”
“Your brother is not cursed,” Castiel tells him; Thor turns to see Castiel with fingers spread across Loki’s face. “The revenant ripped a glamour from him, one he has worn for a thousand years.” Light, brilliant and pure, flares beneath his palm and into Loki, pulsing from the top of his head to his feet, and Loki’s body arches up, eyes flying open as he screams.
Thor cannot do nothing, not while Loki is in such pain. He wrenches away from Dean and lunges for Castiel - but before he can grab the creature, something pulls him back, and to his knees, and holds him there. Thor struggles with everything he has; he summons Mjölnir, but Mjölnir does not answer, and Loki screams and screams -
And falls silent, again unmoving on the dirt. Still blue.
Volstagg is pale and shaking, but he reaches out to touch Loki’s hand. “He warms,” Volstagg whispers, something between awe and fear in his voice.
Castiel stands and turns to look down at Thor. “He is your brother, Son of Odin, Prince of Asgard,” the creature says. “There was a powerful glamour on him, but not of his making. He will be fine, but his magic will be slow in returning.”
“Why… why is he blue?” Thor asks, eyes darting between Castiel and his brother, so still, so silent.
“You should ask your father,” Castiel says, in that same gentle tone from when he first appeared. “But it is not Loki’s fault.” Castiel reaches out, and though Thor tries to dodge, tries with every muscle in his body, Castiel’s hand alights softly on Thor’s brow. “Be calm, young prince,” Castiel murmurs. “All is well.”
Something pulses through Thor, something cold and bright, and then -
Then he is in Father’s throne room, with his friends and his brother - still blue - and Father is gaping at them. “What is this?” he demands, standing, Gungnir in hand.
“We found ‘em,” Dean says, sounding so flippant, so daring. “You should tell your kids to be more aware of what they hunt - and whose sacred places they follow it to.” He pauses, and Thor can hardly dare to look at him, still on his knees, but Dean is smirking, such an insouciant smirk, and he adds, “You should also explain why one of ‘em is blue.”
Thor cannot look up, cannot meet his father’s eyes. Cannot glance over, cannot check on his friends.
But he can look at Loki, who is finally - oh, finally, at long last - beginning to stir. Volstagg staggers to his feet before bowing, stumbling to the Warriors and Sif, still frozen by Dean, or Sammy, or Castiel. And Sammy places a hand on Loki’s chest, leans over to murmur, and Loki ceases all movement, registering that an unknown threat is present.
And, according to Castiel, Loki’s magic is gone. Will it come back?
“Hello, Odin,” Castiel says. “Your children and their companions are returned to you.”
“I thank you,” Father replies, after a long pause.
“Oh, don’t be too grateful,” Dean says, still smirking, but it’s sharp now. Like Loki’s, when someone has gone a step too far, unaware that offense has been caused. Thor has come to know that smirk well, and regrets each time it appears.
“All-Father,” Sammy says as he stands, and he’s so large for a Midgardian. He might even be taller than Thor.
Thor glances up, watches in horror and wonder as Father actually lowers his head to the strange Midgardians.
Sammy’s eyes are white again. A quick glance at Dean reveals his are yellow, for a moment, before he blinks and they’re hazel.
Castiel steps away from Thor, going to Dean’s side. Sammy joins them on Dean’s other side. “We’ll be heading out now,” Dean says. “But you.” He points at Thor. “You, take better care of that kid, y’hear? He’s a good kid.” He glances over at Loki, and Thor wants to look, make sure Loki’s better, healing, but Dean meets his eyes again. “Watch his back, Thor. He’s your little brother. He’s yours to protect.”
Thor nods. “I swear that I will not squander the gift you have given me,” he says.
Dean smiles, and the three of them are gone.
“Thor?” Loki whispers, and Thor is at his side in a moment, checking him for any hurt, any wound, anything at all. He doesn’t even care Loki is blue. “What happened?” Loki asks, eyes on Thor’s face.
“You saved us,” Thor tells him. “And when you - you fell, Loki, you fell and something was wrong, something was stealing your strength, and, I don’t know who or what they were, but-”
“Thor,” Father’s voice rings out. “I must speak to your brother. You and your friends are dismissed.”
Loki’s fingers clench in Thor’s sleeve. Thor can see both their breaths. Oh, Loki, he realizes. My brother. A jötunn.
He’s your little brother. He’s yours to protect.
“No, Father,” Thor says without looking away from his brother. “My friends will depart - but I am where I need to be.”
Father growls. Thor does not care.
Loki nearly died tonight. And if Father is about to reveal such a terrible secret - well. Loki must know Thor still loves him.
He can almost hear that strange Midgardian say, Good boy, but Loki has just realized his hands are blue, and Thor can see the panic rising. A panicked Loki is never good for anyone.
“Loki,” Thor says, ignoring the Warriors 3 and Sif as they leave. “Loki, look at me.”
Loki’s eyes are red, his skin almost too cold to touch and the same blue as Castiel’s fathomless gaze. “Thor,” he says, “What - ”
“Loki,” Thor says again. “You are my brother. I am yours. What matters but that?”
Loki’s eyes are red, but he is still Loki. And what matters but that?