A Meter Distance

Journal Entry No. 7

"May I ask... what are you doing here?"

Luthor closed his observation journal and looked coldly at his younger brother. Loki's equally dull, questioning gray eyes stared back at him before he roamed them around the entrance of the forest.

"My my, I never knew you were hands-on with your occult rituals and demonic sacrifices, older brother."

Luthor ignored his remark. Instead, he turned his back on him, crossed his arms behind his back, and started treading further into the forest.

"If you have nothing of importance to tell me, you may leave."

"And miss the chance of seeing what sort of monkey business you've been up to for weeks?" Luthor heard faint footsteps behind him. "No can do."

Luthor halted, his patience growing thinner by the second. He sighed and then faced his younger brother.

"Loki-"

"Listen," Loki's bored voice cut him off. "If you think I'm doing this because I wanted to annoy you... No. I'm here because Maggie and Rhea asked me to check on you and investigate this 'weird behavior' of yours as they liked to call it."

Luthor was about to speak again but Loki didn't let him. "Yes, they know you've been going out weekly to who-knows-where. The thing is... you're constant and boring. For your schedule to have significantly changed the past few weeks, I certainly understand why they got worried."

He paused, then clicked his tongue. "That enough explanation for you?"

Silence.

"I appreciate you're concerned for me—"

"I would've puked my lunch already if only I ate one."

"—but best believe that I am fine and what I am doing is entirely harmless to you or this forest."

Luthor walked closer to his younger brother, his towering figure casting a shadow over him. Loki crossed his arms as he gazed up at him with his trademark deadpan stare.

"I know I won't be able to make you leave considering your thickheaded nature," Luthor continued, his voice laced in cold seriousness. "That is why I want you to promise me one thing."

There was a momentary pause.

"Whatever you do, do not touch LoReLeI."

Loki's face scrunched up in annoyance. "Do you think I'm the type of person to harass women—"

"Do. Not. Touch. Her." Luthor repeated. "Not even a graze of a hand or a bump on the shoulder. Do not do anything that'll put her into a situation that will require physical contact. Are we clear?"

Loki blinked his eyes a few times, obviously taken aback by Luthor's stern behavior. He might not like his older brother but he knows when the latter is being serious serious.

Sighing, Loki straightened his back as he answered Luthor's words with equal seriousness. "Fine, I will be extremely careful and keep my distance from her."

Luthor stared down at him a bit longer before stepping away and nodding approvingly. They may not have the best sibling relationship but he knows Loki keeps his promises, regardless of who it's directed to.

Turning his back on him, Luthor trekked his way towards the farthest right of the forest's entrance.

"Still, I didn't expect that you're the type of man to date people secretly," Loki whispered a 'this is why i hate trekking' when he almost stepped on a huge caterpillar.