not the family reunion they were expecting

Chapter 2

"So this place — this Void," Thor says slowly, "this is where the TVA sends their Variants."

"That's correct," Classic Loki says.

"But some of their Variants are the TVA and they don't know it," Thor continues.

"Also correct," Loki says. "We don't know a lot about that yet, so don't think too hard."

Kid Loki snorts. "'Yet.'"

Loki shoots him a glare. "Yes, 'yet.' You lot can be as cynical as you'd like, but I will get back to the TVA and get my answers." And hopefully find Sylvie in the process so they can tear the place down together.

"Yeah, sure you will," Kid Loki mutters.

Loki shakes his head and wills himself to ignore that. He's not letting his younger self talk down to him like that — especially considering his younger self that killed Thor (something that has not come up in conversation since this new Thor showed up, thankfully) which Loki is pretty sure makes him the morally superior one.

"And that's why we're heading towards Alioth," Thor says. "Because you think that will somehow get you back to the TVA."

"At the very least," Loki says, "it will buy me time to think without running from the giant murderous cloud."

"And if you get back to the TVA, what will you do?" Thor asks. "Other than 'getting answers.'"

"In a perfect world?" Loki says. "Take down the TVA. Realistically? I'm just trying to find my friend. She'll know where to go from there." He'd never admit it aloud, but she's much better at making plans than he is.

"And if you take down the TVA, then what?" Thor asks.

Loki runs a hand through his hair, exasperated. "I don't know, okay? I do not know. Now will you stop asking questions?"

"Okay, okay." Thor puts his hands up in sarcastic defense. "Sheesh."

They lapse into silence as they continue their seemingly never-ending journey to find Alioth. Every now and then, Loki steals a glance at his alternate-timeline brother. Occasionally, he catches Thor doing the same to him. Neither of them mention it.

Eventually, a Midgardian hoodie appears over Thor's body, and Loki snorts. He's really going to wear Midgardian clothes in the Void, huh? Granted, he's sort of doing the same — his TVA clothes feel like they belong on Midgard — but at least his wasn't a choice.

"Don't do that," Kid Loki snaps with a glance at his alternate-dimension brother.

Thor raises an eyebrow. "Don't do what?"

"Magic."

Thor glances at the other Lokis uncertainly, but they all just shrug (except for Lokigator, but he's obviously no help, either). Thor looks back to Kid Loki. "Why can't I do magic?"

"Because I said so," Kid Loki deadpans.

Thor narrows his eyes. "Since when do you make the rules?"

"Since we wound up in the Void," Kid Loki says. "I'm in charge, and I said no magic."

"Why not?" Thor asks again.

"Ignore him," Classic Loki says. "Use as much magic as you want."

"Oh, I will," Thor says. "I don't take orders from you — any of the yous."

"Believe me, we've noticed," Loki mutters. A thousand years with the guy was enough to prove that to them.

Thor cracks a smile at that. "I just want to know why he doesn't want me to."