Loki led Thor into the next room which was, thankfully, deserted.

"What did you want to speak to me about?" Loki asked.

"I wanted to say that I am glad to see you happy, after all this time. You deserve to be happy, Loki."

Loki was ashamed to admit that his eyes felt a little watery. Thor chuckled nervously.

"I am not very good at this kind of thing. Having a civil conversation, speaking peacefully."

"I've noticed," Loki remarked drily and both brothers laughed.

Thor sighed.

"I have not been a brilliant brother," Thor admitted regretfully.

Loki stayed silent.

"I could not find you for years and then, when I did, I treated you with hostility. I had not known what you had gone through, that you had suffered, but I was uncivil nonetheless. I should have been a brother who could assist you in getting through this."

"You know I'm not too comfortable with emotions, Thor," Loki said, with a hint of amusement.

Thor smiled, albeit sadly.

"Perhaps I wouldn't have opened up to you anyway. I do not blame you for being angered. To you, it looked as if I had merely faked my death in order to live in chaos somewhere else."

There was a pause. Loki tried to work out what to say.

"I thought I would die, Thor. When I... Let go, that was what I presumed would happen. But I ended up surviving. Something I had never even considered. What happened next is due to the Norns and it was a torturous time I endured but then I fell to Midgard and met all these wonderful people."

Loki smiled but it was a pained smile and Thor saw right through him.

"I am so sorry, Loki," Thor said heavily. "You are my only brother, the best brother I could ever ask for, and I failed you. Please forgive me."

He hugged Loki close to his chest. Loki cherished the warmth of the embrace and a few tears slipped, unbidden, down his cheeks.

"Oh, Thor, I already have."

*

"Mother will be delighted to hear that you are alive," Thor told Loki after they'd broken apart and wiped away their tears. "She has missed you a lot, spending time in the library only to find books you once read and weep over them. I think you should visit her."

"I am sorry that I have caused her so much grief," Loki said uncomfortably. "I will visit her soon but I have no wish to speak to Odin."

"I know," said Thor, choosing to ignore Loki's blatant disrespect for his adopted father.

Odin had, after all, been the cause of Loki's fall, both from grace and from Asgard.

"Keep well, Loki," Thor smiled, patting his younger brother on the shoulder. "I shall return to Asgard later but know that I will always be at your side. The sun is shining on our reunion, brother."

Loki smiled back.

"I will miss you, Thor," he replied, surprised at his own admission. "I shall visit Asgard after the repercussions of this battle have blown over. S&W Industries have a lot to take responsibility for."

"I am impressed by all you have done here, Loki," Thor grinned. "It is more than I could have ever done."

"My, you have grown wise!" Loki teased.

"Only for you," Thor chuckled, clasping the back of his brother's neck. "I needed to learn in order to speak with you again. Your words are too long for me."

"I am surprised you can even pronounce Mjölnir," Loki grinned.

Thor shoved Loki playfully and Loki pushed him back.

"We should return to the festivites," Thor declared.

"They will be wondering where we have gone," Loki agreed, "And I am sure Jane wants a dance with you."

"Which one is Jane?"

"Jane is a wonderful woman I met when I first arrived on Midgard. She's an astronomer and a leader in her field. I think you and she would really get on, especially since..."

*

After pointing out Jane to Thor, Loki decided to make Bruce and Steve feel more comfortable. The two sat awkwardly on a sofa at the edge of the room and had been so far left undisturbed as it looked like they were in conversation with each other.

"Unused to the superhero lifestyle?" Loki asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Certainly unused to the twenty-first century superhero lifestyle," Steve replied.

Bruce nodded frantically, eyes darting between each party-goer. 

"Well, we can't have this," Loki declared. 

He pulled both men up from the sofa in a surprising show of godlike strength.

"Rhodey!" He called.

The man appeared instantly.

"Yes, Lokes?"

Loki was beginning to quite like the nickname.

"Would you please make Steve more comfortable?"

Steve blushed.

"Of course," Rhodey promised, and whisked Steve away.

Loki turned to Bruce.

"I hate parties," the scientist murmured.

"Is that so?" Loki muttered.

He seemingly conjured up a beautiful woman from mid-air.

"Hello," Bruce said starstruck.

"Hiya," the woman replied sweetly.

Loki quickly constructed a very complex spell, unseen by anyone, and then wove it over the two of them. It ensured that, when Bruce began talking about physics, his companion would appear to be engrossed and understand completely, responding in kind. For the woman, her attempts at flirting and pleas for compliments would not go unnoticed and Bruce would apparently respond with all the things a man should say to please a woman. It was a win-win for all involved.

Natasha appeared at his elbow.

"Care to dance, your majesty?" She asked, curtsying.

She now wore a stunning black dress and simple makeup which nevertheless managed to expertly enhance her features.

"Of course, my dear lady," Loki smiled, taking her hand and spinning her onto the dance floor.

They passed Tony and Pepper dancing too. Tony had apparently sobered up a bit since Loki had last seen him.

"How are the two introverts?" Tony asked as they came to a momentary standstill.

"Steve is regaling Rhodey with his war stories and Bruce is under a spell. He is speaking physics to a woman who apparently understands and she is asking for compliments from a man who, for once in his life, knows what to say to a beautiful woman."

"I wish you'd told me about the magic sooner," Tony grumbled.

"I would have asked for a raise if you did," Loki pointed out.

The two couples spun away from each other.

"Prepared to waltz, Natasha?" Loki inquired charmingly, looking down at his graceful companion.

"I'm as ready as you are," she promised.

As they twirled away into the night, Loki caught sight of Thor and Jane slow dancing in the corner and smiled. For once in Loki's busy life, all was well.

*****

A.N. Thor and Loki are on good terms once again. I don't think I ever clarified this but it's probably quite obvious - Thor was never exiled to earth and so Loki never attempted to kill him.

Also, please don't kill me for the abundance of Harry Potter and Marvel references in this! xD

Thank you so much for reading!