A Second Chance, Chap. 1 - LIFE

He was falling... Zillions of stars passed through him as his body became useless into the wilderness of the dark and cold. There was no one to save him: He was lost within himself, it was only him and his madness taking over of the last bit of sanity that remained safe inside... But even that was fading now.

He tried to scream, but it was as if there was no sound and nothing came out of his mouth. His head started hurting, a insane will to throw up falling over him. Please, stop...
"Brother", a voice called. It sounded familiar but it was so far away... Trying to answer, the man tried screaming again in vain - No one would hear him. There was no one here.

"Brother, hey...!"

"Damn voices inside of my head", he thought to himself. It seemed he had gone mad, after all. Nothing would take away the terrible feeling of being watched, yet there was nothing nor no one here to see him. "Death would have been better", he thought, holding his hands against his head as it felt about to explode, "Please, stop it!".

"Loki!!!"

Loki opened his eyes only to find white teeth smiling to him. Godammit, what with these blue eyes staring at him? Did he finally find what was hidden into the darkness, after all? It wasn't that menacing after all, since-

                                            Oh, right. That was his stupid brother.

"C'mon, prince! It's time to wake up!" _Thor said with a cheerful voice and a big smile, his hair falling over his back with a outstanding grace. Not that it mattered to a sleepy sorcerer, of course.

"Who gave you permission to come into my room?" Loki asked with an annoyed glance, his whole body dragging him back to sleep.

"Well, I knocked a few times. Since you didn't asnwer, I decided to check if you were still alive so I just came in", Thor answered, smiling even bigger now that he saw how annoyed his little bro was.

"Well, I'm alive. So, please..." Loki covered himself with his bed blanket and turned his back to his brother. "Get out of here before I curse you."

"You should be thanking me!" The God of Thunder laughed, decided to piss him off. "As always, you slept while reading so I was the one to take the book off your face today!"
"Ohhhh, such an heroic deed..." Loki murmured, angry.

"Besiides..." Thor turned around, ready to leave the room. "I thought it wouldn't be wise making you lose 'Sleipnir's Race' tod-"

The God of Mischief almost threw his blanket away as he sat straight, eyes widened. "S... Sleipnir's Race?"

"I told you not to drink too much..."

In mere seconds, the half-frost giant changed clothes, washed his face, settled his hair - On a whole, got ready -, mumbling and cursing while doing so.

"Why didn't you call me earlier, you- " He said, wiping his face.

"And have you cursing me because you woke up too soon? Nah, I'd rather have you getting ready as a madman than hearing you saying bullshit."

"You're gonna pay for that, brother! Mark my words!"

Ten minutes later, the sons of Odin were heading towards the garden where Sif and The Warriors Three would be waiting along with their horses. The "Sleipnir's Race", as they called it, was something they had kept doing since they were kids. Each one had its own horse and even though Sleipnir didn't actually participate, its name was the perfect for a race! Yes, a simple race between friends had become more than important after all this time, happening once in a year. After everything that happened a month ago they didn't think it would be happening this year but it was and Thor was dragging Loki with him no matter what.

"I hope you have trained Hela, brother!", Thor said, smiling maliciously, "I wouldn't want you to lose in last place again..."

"Oh, we'll see who's going to lose this time...", Loki said smiling and bit a bread Thor had got him. In fact, he had used his everyday night times to practice with Hela since two weeks ago. It was peaceful and there was no one to bother him with their disapproving or suspicious looks.

A month had passed since it all happened. He still remembered every single detail... The last three weeks hadn't been easy for Loki. As much as he tried to change, no one would believe him. It had already been a month and people still stared at him as he was some sort of aberration – Even if he was, no one other than his parents and Thor knew about it. Loki knew it wasn't going to be easy to be forgiven – No even he could forgive himself, after all – but sometimes he wondered if it wouldn't have been better to fall that one time... Thor stood with him since then and always tried to comfort him.

He liked to be with his brother, of course. Yet, he couldn't help but think it was only disturbing him.

"What's wrong?" _ Thor asked, bringing Loki back from his obscure thoughts. He blinked a few times and smiled.

"Nothing. I just... Think I should have practiced harder", Loki said and Thor smiled. Of course he knew that wasn't the reason but he just laughed and they continued.
"Oh, there you are!", Volstagg greeted them and approached with a big smile. The warrior was an optimist guy and didn't mind joining Loki after what he had done. He was a great friend of Thor and believed in his words so he was ready to help the trickster get back to his place _ I thought you wouldn't wake up after drinking so much, Loki! Awesome, that was! Drank like a God!

"Nah, it would take more to bring me down!". Loki played, hoping Thor wouldn't tell about having to wake him up. Gladly, he didn't - He wasn't drunk after all.

"So, where are we going today?", Thor asked and Fandral turned to him.

"We were deciding that right now. We should make it a real challenge this year and the best way to have that is to go somewhere we've never been before."

"And where would that be?"

"Beyond the mountains, maybe?"

"But we've already been there!"

"Not for a race!" Fandral finished, getting on his horse and riding him to the mountains, Hogun right after him.

"Ho ho, he never knows when to stop, does he?". Volstagg laughed and went after them.

Loki had just got on Hela when Sif approached the brothers – Thor was ready. She had a suspicious look and her voice sounded as if filled with venom when she spoke.

"So, the little sorcerer decided to come with us after all he has done?"

"Stop it, Sif!", Thor said before Loki had the chance to answer, "I told him to come."
"So you better watch your back. Who knows what he's capable of doing to win…"

"I will do nothing harmful, if that's what you think!", Loki said, tired of the same lack of belief, over and over again. Sif gave him a menacing smile and said, leaving after The Warriors Three:

"I don't think, Loki… I am sure of that."

Thor closed his eyes in disapproval as she left. Sif not only didn't believe him but she also challenged him to act menacingly again only to prove he would never be able to change. He tried talking to her but she just wouldn't give him attention and things were only getting harder and harder to forget.

He sighed and looked to his younger brother next to him. Loki had his head slightly down, apparently thinking of something, something that hurt him deeply byt his look. If only Thor knew what it was…

"Hey!", The God of Thunder called, caring_ "Ignore her, ok? I am sure you will do nothing wrong."

Loki gave him a false smile...

"I doesn't matter. C'mon, we're late!"
       
                                                   ... He wish he felt that sure.