Attack of the Night Snuggles

       Loki hated sleeping alone. He didn't mind the actual being alone part, he was just one who enjoyed having his arms around someone (something) as he slept. Odin had been willing to indulge him when was young, but as he aged and entered manhood Odin had lost his patience. Loki had been forced to give up the hand crafted wolf that Thor had given him when they were younger, and to the eleven-year-old no fate could have been worse.
       He hadn't sobbed-he was too old to sob- but that didn't keep him from curling into a tight ball on his bed and letting a tear (or two, or three, or several) escape. He fell asleep in that position, the occasional tear sliding down his face, his thin body curled into an even thinner ball.
       "Loki?" Thor's voice cut through Loki's dreamless sleep.
       Loki sat straight up, his heart leaping into his throat. "Thor?" He hissed, struggling to see the speaker
       As his eyes adjusted to the light, he could see the familiar outline of his older brother. Thor was kneeling above him, the white outline of his broad smile unmistakable. "Yes, brother?" Thor smiled, forcing his way under the blankets.
       "What are you doing here?" Loki tried to push Thor away from him. "Father will-"
       Thor brushed off Loki's concern, pulling his brother back down beside him. "Father is nothing. You are my little brother. It is my duty to see that you are well taken care of." He smiled again, rolling onto his back and looking up at the ceiling of Loki's room.
       Loki was touched. Thor was his idol, the one person in the entire Asgardian realm that he would do anything for. He all but worshipped the ground his older brother walked on, and this? Sneaking in, breaking all of their father's rules, knowing that he would be punished? Thor did all this for Loki, Thor was willing to be disciplined by Odin, just because Loki hated sleeping alone. Loki could feel tears forming in his eyes, but he blinked them back. Thor couldn't know just how pleased Loki was. "So you decide that waking me up in the middle of the night will be beneficial to my health?"
       Thor smiled, rolling onto his back and putting his head on his arms. "You'll be asleep again soon enough." He turned his face to Loki. "I know how you hate to sleep alone, brother."
       Loki smiled in return, rolling onto his side, facing his brother. "Thank you, Thor." He put his arms around Thor's waist, his head resting on Thor's shoulder. He couldn't push down the swell of emotion that arose in him. It was love. Pure, simple, love.
       "I love you, brother," Thor smiled at Loki, letting his head fall back on Loki's pillow.
       Loki snuggled tighter to his brother, letting the pure love warm his heart, hoping that somehow Thor could feel it, that Thor would know that the way he felt wasn't strong enough for words. "I love you too, Thor."