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ONE STEP FORWARD, FOUR STEPS BACK
A THOR/AVENGERS FANFICTION
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: Imaginary Friend

Loki had no desire in the morning to leave the woods.  Thor had to result to extreme measures and threaten to keep the turtle in the woods.  Loki didn't want that of course, so he quickly modified his behavior in order to keep the turtle.  He still wasn't sure what he wanted to name it and was throwing ideas around when Thor handed him the light back pack to carry.  Thor grabbed his own bag and took Loki's free hand.  The two left the forest together, the little bucket containing the turtle swaying back and forth.
"So, have you decided on a name yet?" Thor asked.
"D' you know that green squishy stuff on trees?" Loki replied.
"You mean moss?" Thor questioned.  Loki nodded.
"Uh-huh.  Well, he's the same green as moss, so I think his name is Moss." Loki told him.  Thor smiled fondly.
"That's a wonderful name Loki," Thor said.  Loki giggled.
"Do you think Miss Foster will like him?" Loki asked.
"Of course she will," Thor said.  Loki walked closer to Thor, peering anxiously back into the forest.  He couldn't put his finger on it, but he had a strange sense of foreboding.  Loki felt like someone was following him.  It was silly and he knew it, but he walked closer to Thor nonetheless.
The two arrived back in time for lunch, Jane scowling about the turtle.  After some begging, pouting and tears, she finally agreed that Moss could stay, much to Loki's delight.  He wanted the turtle to sit on the table while they ate, but Jane refused.  She made Loki put it back in the room he was staying in.  Loki agreed, grumbling about it.  Half way down the hallway, he bumped in to someone.  Loki glanced up to see whom it was and blinked; he didn't recognize this person.  The person, a man, was tall and pale with dark hair and bright green eyes.  He was wearing the same clothes as Loki.  Loki smiled at him.
"Hi!" Loki said cheerfully.  The man smiled, but didn't speak.  Loki cocked his head to the side in confusion.
"Can' you talk?" Loki asked.  The man shook his head.  "Tha's too bad.  I love talking." Loki told him.  The man nodded.
"Well, 'm gonna go put my turtle away.  You can come if you wan'." Loki said.  The man nodded mutely and followed behind the little boy.  Loki placed his turtle in the bucket and patted the little animal's head.  He then turned to the man and smiled.
"Come on!  'M gonna let you meet Thor!" Loki said brightly.  The man allowed Loki to take his hand and the boy led him from the room.  Loki skipped happily to the kitchenette to eat with the nameless man in his grasp.
"Thor!" Loki got Thor's attention quickly.  Thor smiled at him.
"Did you wash your hands?" Thor asked.  Loki shook his head and gestured to the man.
"No, I met a new friend," Loki said happily.  Thor's brow knitted together in confusion.  He was about to say something when Jane gestured for him.
"Thor, I need your help with something," she said.
"Alright," Thor replied, standing.  Jane led him out of Loki's hearing and turned to face him.
"He has an imaginary friend, Thor.  It's completely normal.  Eventually, he'll stop but just indulge it for now.  It won't hurt anything." Jane explained.  Thor glanced back over to Loki then back at Jane.
"Imaginary?  That's odd." Thor commented.
"Kids don't do that on Asgard?" Jane asked.  Thor shrugged.
"Only the lonely ones I guess," Thor replied.  He never had any close childhood friends who had imaginary companions, so Thor only could assume that very lonely children had them.  It would make sense-to a certain extent-that Loki was lonely.  He had no children to play with and Thor couldn't spend every waking moment with him.  It was just the sad reality that Loki was a lonely child.  Jane and Thor walked back to the kitchenette and sat down.
"So, what's your friend's name?" Thor asked.  Loki's brow lowered and he glanced up at what Thor could only assume was his friend's face.
"I dunno, Thor.  He can' talk." Loki said.
"Oh.  I guess we'll have to call him something." Thor said.  Loki nodded.
"Yeah.  Wha's a good name, Thor?" Loki asked.
"What about Bjarte?" Thor suggested.
"I like that," Loki replied, climbing into a chair.  Thor smiled fondly at him and Loki smiled back, pure happiness radiating off of the boy.
"Miss Foster?" Loki asked.
"Yeah?" Jane replied.
"Can you give Bjarte some food too?  I think he's hungry." Loki said.  Jane nodded.
"Of course," Jane said with a smile.  Loki glanced over to Bjarte, who had a weird sort of grimace on his face.
"Don' worry, Jane cooks good," Loki told him.  Bjarte glanced down at the little boy and gave a weak smile and nod.  Jane served everyone and they all began eating, Bjarte included.  Thor and Jane didn't take much notice to the plate at the empty seat, but it was slowly being eaten.  Loki found it hard to include Bjarte in the meal since he didn't speak at all.  He chatted with Thor and Jane, but gave nervous looks to Bjarte who was wearing an anxious look on his pale face.  Loki knew better than to ask since he couldn't respond, but was worried about him.  He didn't want Bjarte to be sad.
When dinner had been eaten by all, Thor noticed that the plate for Bjarte was empty.  As he and Jane prepared dessert, he told Jane about it.  She shrugged it off and deduced that Loki had either eaten it or vanished it with magic so it looked like Bjarte was real.  When Thor asked if Loki should be served dessert, Jane said it was his decision to make.  There was no proof that Loki had eaten the food for Bjarte, so why punish the boy by not giving him dessert.  Besides, if he really did eat it, he would pay for it later.
"Here you go Loki," Jane said, setting the warm brownie down in front of him, "and one for you too, Bjarte." Loki grinned at her.
"Thanks Miss Foster.  'M sure that if Bjarte coul' talk, he'd say thanks too." Loki told her.  Jane patted his head.
"I bet he would," she agreed, sitting down.  Loki looked up at Bjarte and nodded at him, inviting him to the brownie in front of him.  Bjarte glanced down at it and picked it up, taking a small bite.  He instantly fell in love with it, devouring it so quickly that Jane and Thor never noticed a mysterious floating brownie.  Loki giggled as Bjarte wiped the warm fudge from his fingers and face.
"I guess you like chocolate as much as I do," Loki commented.  Bjarte nodded mutely.  This nod was more energetic than the others thus far and that made Loki smile.  He only wanted Bjarte to be happy.
When dinner had officially come to a close, Loki played with Bjarte until his bath.  Bjarte was good at the games Loki wanted to play.  It was almost as if Bjarte knew all the rules already.  Loki didn't really care how Bjarte knew.  That just meant that Loki didn't have to teach him the rules.  When it was bath time, Bjarte disappeared and Loki pouted.  He didn't want Bjarte to leave.  Thor helped the boy undress and asked how his night was.  Loki told him about it and Thor smiled.  He put the boy in the bath and washed him, Loki initiating the splashing.  Thor grinned and splashed back, Loki giggling happily.  Thor rinsed the suds away and wrapped Loki in a warm towel. The boy yawned and Thor picked him up.  Loki relished in the closeness and snuggled deeply into Thor's chest.  Thor helped Loki dress, Loki protesting about his nightly undergarments.  Thor scolded him lightly and Loki obeyed, not wishing to get in trouble.  Loki crawled into bed and gasped as he saw Bjarte standing awkwardly in the corner of the room.
"What?  What is it?  What's wrong?" Thor asked frantically.  Loki glanced up at Thor and giggled at his brother's urgency.
"Nothin' Thor.  Bjarte came back!" Loki said happily.  Thor chuckled lightly and sat down on the bed.
"Perhaps he wanted to hear a story as well," Thor replied.  Loki laughed and curled up into Thor, who was holding a copy of the children's book, The Velveteen Rabbit.  Thor cleared his throat and began, Bjarte inching closer slowly.
"There was once a velveteen rabbit, and in the beginning he was really splendid. He was fat and bunchy, as a rabbit should be; his coat was spotted brown and white, he had real thread whiskers, and his ears were lined with pink sateen. On Christmas morning, when he sat wedged in the top of the Boy's stocking, with a sprig of holly between his paws, the effect was charming.
There were other things in the stocking, nuts and oranges and a toy engine, and chocolate almonds and a clockwork mouse, but the Rabbit was quite the best of all. For at least two hours the Boy loved him, and then Aunts and Uncles came to dinner, and there was a great rustling of tissue paper and unwrapping of parcels, and in the excitement of looking at all the new presents the Velveteen Rabbit was forgotten." Thor began.  Loki's brow knitted together in confusion.
"Christmas?  Wha's Christmas Thor?" Loki asked.
"It's like Yule Tide Festival on Asgard.  It happens in the winter time and people put up trees and give each other gifts.  Some of them celebrate the birth of a man called Jesus as well.  It is a lot of peoples' favorite times of years on Midgard, much like Yule Tide Festival is on Asgard." Thor explained, based on the explanations of other people.  Loki wiggled in excitement.
"I wanna celebrate Christmas too, Thor!  Can we?" Loki asked.  Thor laughed.
"If we remain on Asgard until then, we shall," Thor told him.
"Can we celebrate it with Miss Foster, Mr. and Mrs. Foster, Mr. Banner, Mr. Stark, and Miss Potts?" Loki asked.  Outwardly Thor smiled but inwardly he was grimacing.  There was no guarantee that Bruce, Tony and Pepper would be out of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s radar by Christmas.  He didn't want to lie to Loki but he also didn't want to dampen Loki's optimistic spirit.
"Perhaps.  Shall we continue?" Thor asked, changing the subject.  Loki nodded.
"Uh-huh," Loki replied, snuggling closer.

"For a long time he lived in the toy cupboard or on the nursery floor, and no one thought very much about him. He was naturally shy, and being only made of velveteen, some of the more expensive toys quite snubbed him. The mechanical toys were very superior, and looked down upon everyone else; they were full of modern ideas, and pretended they were real. The model boat, who had lived through two seasons and lost most of his paint, caught the tone from them and never missed an opportunity of referring to his rigging in technical terms. The Rabbit could not claim to be a model of anything, for he didn't know that real rabbits existed; he thought they were all stuffed with sawdust like himself, and he understood that sawdust was quite out-of-date and should never be mentioned in modern circles. Even Timothy, the jointed wooden lion, who was made by the disabled soldiers, and should have had broader views, put on airs and pretended he was connected with Government. Between them all the poor little Rabbit was made to feel himself very insignificant and commonplace, and the only person who was kind to him at all was the Skin Horse." Thor said, showing Loki all the pictures as he read.  As the story continued, Loki felt bad for the rabbit.  The Boy loved him so much, but the doctors wanted to burn him!  It just wasn't fair!
"Thor, they aren' goin' t' burn the bunny, right?" Loki asked.  Thor shrugged.
"I'm not sure, Loki.  Let's keep reading to find out." Thor replied.  Thor continued to read and when the little rabbit became real, Loki began to cry in happiness.  Bjarte sat quietly on the edge of the bed, a solemn look on his face.  Thor cuddled the sobbing boy close and the happy cries slowly became little "I love you"s and gentle breaths.  Thor stood and tucked the boy in, Bjarte invisible to him.  He kissed Loki's forehead and smiled.
"I love you Loki," Thor said softly, turning the light off and leaving Bjarte alone in the darkness.
For the next few days, Loki spent a lot of time with his silent new friend.  Loki noticed that whatever he was wearing, Bjarte would wear too.  He shrugged it off as nothing, as his imagination.  But by the fifth day, it was really getting bizarre.  Bjarte was hovering over him in the morning, the full grown man sporting Loki's favorite cow-printed pajamas.  Loki rubbed his sleepy eyes in bewilderment and sat up.  Bjarte blinked at the boy and took a few steps back so that Loki could get out of bed.
"Good morning, Bjarte," Loki said slowly, still eyeing his friend.  It was odd how he always wore what Loki wore, no matter what.  Bjarte gave Loki a shy wave and disappeared as he always did when it was time for Loki to dress.  Thor wasn't in the room, so Loki had to dress himself.  He wasn't happy about that, but didn't want to make Thor mad by complaining about it.  Loki toddled over to his dresser and he began rummaging through his many outfit choices.  He finally picked one out and dressed himself, leaving his dirty clothes (including the Pull-Up) in the middle of the room.  He then when to brush his teeth and as soon as he was done with that, Bjarte reappeared.  Loki jumped, startled at his sudden appearance.
"You scared me," Loki told him.  Bjarte looked at him apologetically and outstretched his hand.  Loki took it and he and Bjarte went to the kitchenette.  Bjarte seemed stiff and Loki was worried.  Bjarte was never this uptight.  Loki didn't have time to think on it, though, because Thor called him over a soon as he entered the kitchenette.
"You dressed yourself?  Good job!" Thor praised.  Loki beamed and glanced back at Bjarte whose face was unreadable.  Thor noticed Loki's worried gaze and picked the boy up and placed him on his lap.
"Is something wrong?" Thor asked.  Loki bit his lip.
"I think Bjarte is sick," Loki replied.
"Sick?" Thor prompted.  Loki nodded, his eyes still fixed on Bjarte.
"Yeah.  He hasn' been himself t'day, Thor." Loki explained.
"That's too bad," Thor commented, adjusting the boy on his lap.  Loki nodded mutely.
"Yeah," Loki replied.  Bjarte just stood there, staring at Loki and Thor, a weird sort of look on his face.  Loki tried to ignore him, but found it hard to.  Bjarte's green eyes were burning the back of Loki's head, the gaze to intense to ignore.
The rest of the morning consisted of Loki trying to avoid Bjarte.  He was unsuccessful, Bjarte sneaking up on him and finding him where ever he went.  Loki was beginning to dread seeing his new found friend, a strange sense of anxiety filling him when he thought about Bjarte.  What happened?  Bjarte was such a good friend the days pervious.  Now Loki didn't even want to be in the same room as him.  Jane and Thor were worried because Loki wasn't talking to or about Bjarte.  The past four days had been filled with Loki's excited chatter about his new friend.  Now the boy wouldn't even talk about him.  Jane asked if they were still friends and Loki hesitantly answered yes.  Perhaps Bjarte was just sick and that's why he was acting strange.  That had to be it.  After lunch, Loki played for a while with Thor, but it was time for the boy to take a nap.  Loki was hesitant at first, unwilling to leave Thor's side.  After threatening time-out, however, Loki quickly scurried to the room.  He forgot (this time it was genuine) to put a Pull-Up on and crawled into bed, still trying to ignore Bjarte's gaze.  Loki fell into a fitful sleep, having dreams of his elder-self.
When Loki awoke, he found himself staring into Bjarte's intense green gaze.  Loki blushed instantly, the reality of urine-soaked sheets and his friend now knowing his secret hitting him.  He hadn't told Bjarte about his bed-wetting.  Loki was just wishing it wouldn't come up.  Tears of shame filled his eyes and his lip trembled.  Bjarte put a gentle finger to Loki's lip, a gesture of silent comfort.  Loki patted Bjarte's hand miserably and stood.  He had to tell Thor about it.  He was worried about getting in trouble for it.  Loki sulked out of the room and found Thor sitting on the couch watching television.  Loki glanced back and saw that Bjarte was still following him at a distance.
"T-Thor?" Loki called timidly.  Thor turned and a smile broke out on his face.
"Did you sleep well?" Thor asked happily.  Loki shook his head miserably.
"N-no.  I…uh…I wet my bed, Thor." Loki admitted.  Confusion spread across Thor's face.
"I don't understand," Thor replied slowly.  Loki stared down at his feet.
"'M s'rry, Thor, but I forgot t' put one of those things on.  I didn' mean to…" Loki trailed off, not meeting Thor's eyes.  He really expected Thor to get angry.  Loki didn't expect what happened at all.
"Loki, it's alright," Thor said gently, standing up and kneeling to Loki's level.  Loki's head shot up.
"It is?" Loki asked.
"Of course.  We all forget things some times.  I'm not angry." Thor assured him.  Loki wiped his nose on the back of his hand.
"You sure?" Loki pressed.  Thor nodded.
"I'm sure," Thor said.  Loki glanced back and his eyes widened; Bjarte was gone.  Thor took Loki's tiny hand and the boy sighed.  He wished Bjarte hadn't have gone away.  Loki liked Bjarte.
The evening consisted of Loki silently mourning the loss of Bjarte.  He missed him, even if Bjarte was beginning to creep him out.  He still had Jane make a plate for Bjarte at dinner in case he came back.  Loki was severely disappointed when Bjarte did not return for dinner and had to fight to keep the tears away.  After dinner, Loki skipped dessert and sulked back to his room.  He was planning on crying when he got there, but bumped into someone before he reached the room.  He glanced up and saw Bjarte staring down at him.  Instead of feeling happy, Loki felt dread.  When he had first met Bjarte, the man's face didn't look similar at all.  Loki still wasn't sure that he recognized the man at all...or did he?  Loki gasped and staggered on his feet as harsh reality coursed through him like poison.  Bjarte was that man from a vision he had had.  Bjarte was the man who had been haunting his thoughts and dreams for over a week.  Bjarte was more familiar than Loki ever wanted him to be; Bjarte was his elder-self.  Loki began to shake and whimper but Bjarte-or elder-Loki rather- shushed him gently.
"It's alright.  I cannot hurt you." elder-Loki said softly.
"H-how?  How are you here?  And why are you talkin'?  You couldn' b'fore." Loki asked, scared and confused.
"That is a good question, little one.  I do not hold the answer." elder-Loki replied softly.  Loki scowled at him.
"'M gonna tell Thor you're here," Loki threatened.  His Bjarte laughed that same cold laugh that haunted his nightmares.
"And do what?  He cannot see or hear me.  Only you can.  It's an empty threat." elder-Loki retorted.
"What do you wan' from me?" Loki asked.
"To finally die in peace.  I technically should not exist." his elder-self replied.  Loki's brow knitted together in confusion.
"I don' understand, Bjarte," Loki said, unwilling to call elder-Loki anything else.
"I don't expect you to.  I myself don't understand.  Look, you can't be rid of me, so we might as well be on good terms.  I won't hurt anyone and who knows; maybe I'll disappear eventually." Loki frowned; he didn't trust elder-Loki in the slightest.  But he had two burning questions to ask and hoped that his Bjarte would answer them truthfully.  The boy knew that his elder-self spoke only in lies and trickery.
"Are you 'not-Thor'?" Loki asked.  Elder-Loki scowled.
"Do not insult me so!  Besides, I didn't exist then." elder-Loki snapped.  Loki flinched, but managed to build up enough courage to ask his next question.
"Bjarte, why did you do it?" Loki asked innocently.  The man sighed and slid down the length of the wall.  He gripped his head and buried his face in his knees.
"I'm not going to have that discussion with you.  The sooner I disappear, the better." Loki's brow furrowed.
"Then you can't e'er be me again?" Loki asked.
"If you mean that you cannot return to your adult form, then yes.  As soon as I disappear, I cease to exist.  And believe me, that's for the best." elder-Loki explained.  Loki frowned, confused beyond words.  How long had this maniac been following him?
"How long have you been followin' me?" Loki questioned.
"A while.  Look, it doesn't matter.  If you don't want to interact with me, you don't have to.  Perhaps if you ignore me I'll leave." elder-Loki explained.  Loki shrugged.
"If you're not bad, I don' mind," Loki said.  Elder-Loki rolled his eyes.
"So naïve…Yes, Loki, I'm not 'bad'.  You just have to keep referring to me as Bjarte and tell no one of me.  If they discovered that you were talking with your elder-self…well, let's just say it won't be pleasant." elder-Loki told him.
"Not pleasant?  Wha' d' you mean?" Loki asked.
"They'll stop trusting you, kid." Loki's eyes widened.  Elder-Loki threatened his relationship with everyone around him.  Loki groaned and plopped down on the floor.  After more thought, Loki quickly realized that his advanced spell-casting may be due to Bjarte.  The man was much more advanced that he and it would make sense.
"Have you been messin' with my magic?" Loki asked.
"No.  Well, maybe.  I have no idea.  I won't deny it's possible." his elder-self replied.
"You don' know much d' you?" Loki asked.  Elder-Loki scowled at him.
"And how is it people get so attached to you again?" the man teased.  Loki stuck his tongue out and giggled lightly.
"You promise not to hurt anybody?" Loki asked anxiously.
"I swear.  No harm will come to these people." Loki didn't really believe him, but there was no escaping him.  No matter what he did, elder-Loki would always haunt him, even when he wasn't physically there.  Loki decided to heed elder-Loki's advice and be on speaking terms with him.  It would make everything less awkward.
"Bjarte?  Sometimes you disappear and I don' see you for a while.  D' you pick when you leave?" Loki asked, still trying to make sense of all this nonsense.
"Yes, but I cannot just disappear completely.  I can just become invisible or leave for a few hours.  So if you get sick of me, tell me and I'll leave you alone." elder-Loki explained.
"Tha's good.  We may not get along all the time, Bjarte." Loki commented.  Elder-Loki chuckled lightly.
"I'm glad we agree on something little one," elder-Loki said.  Loki giggled softly and averted his gaze.
"Tha's wha' Thor calls me," Loki informed him.
Yes, I know," elder-Loki said, "he used to call me that too, you know." Loki met his Bjarte's eyes.
"Really?" Loki asked.  Elder-Loki nodded, a faint blush filling his cheeks.
"Yes.  It…comforted me when I was reaching puberty and he had already entered it.  You don't remember, of course, but it's true.  I grew out of it eventually, but for some time he called me that." elder-Loki explained, rambling slightly near the end.  Loki smiled.
"That's nice.  'M glad we're friends, Bjarte." Loki told him.  Elder-Loki smirked.
"Still friends are we?" he teased lightly.  Loki stuck his tongue out at the man.
"Unless you don' wanna be," Loki said quietly.  Elder-Loki blinked and put his hand on Loki's shoulder.
"I shall be until you order me away.  The last thing I want is for you to be alone." the man said.  Loki shot him a confused look.
"Why d' you care so much?  You're bad." Loki asked.  Elder-Loki sighed deeply.
"I know that I appear that way.  Don't get me wrong; I'm no saint.  However, I do care about you.  You seem to intoxicate people.  It's strange how you draw others to yourself.  Not even I am immune to it." elder-Loki explained.
"So," Loki began, trying to work through what his Bjarte had told him, "e'en though you're bad, you still care 'bout me?" Elder-Loki nodded.
"You're just as bright as I remember being at your age," elder-Loki said fondly.  Loki beamed at the praise and stood.
"Wanna go do somethin'?" Loki asked.  Elder-Loki nodded and stood.
"Lead the way," And so Loki led his Bjarte to his bed room where they played until Loki fell asleep.

Description
ONE STEP FORWARD, FOUR STEPS BACK
A THOR/AVENGERS FANFICTION
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: Imaginary Friend

Loki had no desire in the morning to leave the woods.  Thor had to result to extreme measures and threaten to keep the turtle in the woods.  Loki didn't want that of course, so he quickly modified his behavior in order to keep the turtle.  He still wasn't sure what he wanted to name it and was throwing ideas around when Thor handed him the light back pack to carry.  Thor grabbed his own bag and took Loki's free hand.  The two left the forest together, the little bucket containing the turtle swaying back and forth.
"So, have you decided on a name yet?" Thor asked.
"D' you know that green squishy stuff on trees?" Loki replied.
"You mean moss?" Thor questioned.  Loki nodded.
"Uh-huh.  Well, he's the same green as moss, so I think his name is Moss." Loki told him.  Thor smiled fondly.
"That's a wonderful name Loki," Thor said.  Loki giggled.
"Do you think Miss Foster will like him?" Loki asked.
"Of course she will," Thor said.  Loki walked closer to Thor, peering anxiously back into the forest.  He couldn't put his finger on it, but he had a strange sense of foreboding.  Loki felt like someone was following him.  It was silly and he knew it, but he walked closer to Thor nonetheless.
The two arrived back in time for lunch, Jane scowling about the turtle.  After some begging, pouting and tears, she finally agreed that Moss could stay, much to Loki's delight.  He wanted the turtle to sit on the table while they ate, but Jane refused.  She made Loki put it back in the room he was staying in.  Loki agreed, grumbling about it.  Half way down the hallway, he bumped in to someone.  Loki glanced up to see whom it was and blinked; he didn't recognize this person.  The person, a man, was tall and pale with dark hair and bright green eyes.  He was wearing the same clothes as Loki.  Loki smiled at him.
"Hi!" Loki said cheerfully.  The man smiled, but didn't speak.  Loki cocked his head to the side in confusion.
"Can' you talk?" Loki asked.  The man shook his head.  "Tha's too bad.  I love talking." Loki told him.  The man nodded.
"Well, 'm gonna go put my turtle away.  You can come if you wan'." Loki said.  The man nodded mutely and followed behind the little boy.  Loki placed his turtle in the bucket and patted the little animal's head.  He then turned to the man and smiled.
"Come on!  'M gonna let you meet Thor!" Loki said brightly.  The man allowed Loki to take his hand and the boy led him from the room.  Loki skipped happily to the kitchenette to eat with the nameless man in his grasp.
"Thor!" Loki got Thor's attention quickly.  Thor smiled at him.
"Did you wash your hands?" Thor asked.  Loki shook his head and gestured to the man.
"No, I met a new friend," Loki said happily.  Thor's brow knitted together in confusion.  He was about to say something when Jane gestured for him.
"Thor, I need your help with something," she said.
"Alright," Thor replied, standing.  Jane led him out of Loki's hearing and turned to face him.
"He has an imaginary friend, Thor.  It's completely normal.  Eventually, he'll stop but just indulge it for now.  It won't hurt anything." Jane explained.  Thor glanced back over to Loki then back at Jane.
"Imaginary?  That's odd." Thor commented.
"Kids don't do that on Asgard?" Jane asked.  Thor shrugged.
"Only the lonely ones I guess," Thor replied.  He never had any close childhood friends who had imaginary companions, so Thor only could assume that very lonely children had them.  It would make sense-to a certain extent-that Loki was lonely.  He had no children to play with and Thor couldn't spend every waking moment with him.  It was just the sad reality that Loki was a lonely child.  Jane and Thor walked back to the kitchenette and sat down.
"So, what's your friend's name?" Thor asked.  Loki's brow lowered and he glanced up at what Thor could only assume was his friend's face.
"I dunno, Thor.  He can' talk." Loki said.
"Oh.  I guess we'll have to call him something." Thor said.  Loki nodded.
"Yeah.  Wha's a good name, Thor?" Loki asked.
"What about Bjarte?" Thor suggested.
"I like that," Loki replied, climbing into a chair.  Thor smiled fondly at him and Loki smiled back, pure happiness radiating off of the boy.
"Miss Foster?" Loki asked.
"Yeah?" Jane replied.
"Can you give Bjarte some food too?  I think he's hungry." Loki said.  Jane nodded.
"Of course," Jane said with a smile.  Loki glanced over to Bjarte, who had a weird sort of grimace on his face.
"Don' worry, Jane cooks good," Loki told him.  Bjarte glanced down at the little boy and gave a weak smile and nod.  Jane served everyone and they all began eating, Bjarte included.  Thor and Jane didn't take much notice to the plate at the empty seat, but it was slowly being eaten.  Loki found it hard to include Bjarte in the meal since he didn't speak at all.  He chatted with Thor and Jane, but gave nervous looks to Bjarte who was wearing an anxious look on his pale face.  Loki knew better than to ask since he couldn't respond, but was worried about him.  He didn't want Bjarte to be sad.
When dinner had been eaten by all, Thor noticed that the plate for Bjarte was empty.  As he and Jane prepared dessert, he told Jane about it.  She shrugged it off and deduced that Loki had either eaten it or vanished it with magic so it looked like Bjarte was real.  When Thor asked if Loki should be served dessert, Jane said it was his decision to make.  There was no proof that Loki had eaten the food for Bjarte, so why punish the boy by not giving him dessert.  Besides, if he really did eat it, he would pay for it later.
"Here you go Loki," Jane said, setting the warm brownie down in front of him, "and one for you too, Bjarte." Loki grinned at her.
"Thanks Miss Foster.  'M sure that if Bjarte coul' talk, he'd say thanks too." Loki told her.  Jane patted his head.
"I bet he would," she agreed, sitting down.  Loki looked up at Bjarte and nodded at him, inviting him to the brownie in front of him.  Bjarte glanced down at it and picked it up, taking a small bite.  He instantly fell in love with it, devouring it so quickly that Jane and Thor never noticed a mysterious floating brownie.  Loki giggled as Bjarte wiped the warm fudge from his fingers and face.
"I guess you like chocolate as much as I do," Loki commented.  Bjarte nodded mutely.  This nod was more energetic than the others thus far and that made Loki smile.  He only wanted Bjarte to be happy.
When dinner had officially come to a close, Loki played with Bjarte until his bath.  Bjarte was good at the games Loki wanted to play.  It was almost as if Bjarte knew all the rules already.  Loki didn't really care how Bjarte knew.  That just meant that Loki didn't have to teach him the rules.  When it was bath time, Bjarte disappeared and Loki pouted.  He didn't want Bjarte to leave.  Thor helped the boy undress and asked how his night was.  Loki told him about it and Thor smiled.  He put the boy in the bath and washed him, Loki initiating the splashing.  Thor grinned and splashed back, Loki giggling happily.  Thor rinsed the suds away and wrapped Loki in a warm towel. The boy yawned and Thor picked him up.  Loki relished in the closeness and snuggled deeply into Thor's chest.  Thor helped Loki dress, Loki protesting about his nightly undergarments.  Thor scolded him lightly and Loki obeyed, not wishing to get in trouble.  Loki crawled into bed and gasped as he saw Bjarte standing awkwardly in the corner of the room.
"What?  What is it?  What's wrong?" Thor asked frantically.  Loki glanced up at Thor and giggled at his brother's urgency.
"Nothin' Thor.  Bjarte came back!" Loki said happily.  Thor chuckled lightly and sat down on the bed.
"Perhaps he wanted to hear a story as well," Thor replied.  Loki laughed and curled up into Thor, who was holding a copy of the children's book, The Velveteen Rabbit.  Thor cleared his throat and began, Bjarte inching closer slowly.
"There was once a velveteen rabbit, and in the beginning he was really splendid. He was fat and bunchy, as a rabbit should be; his coat was spotted brown and white, he had real thread whiskers, and his ears were lined with pink sateen. On Christmas morning, when he sat wedged in the top of the Boy's stocking, with a sprig of holly between his paws, the effect was charming.
There were other things in the stocking, nuts and oranges and a toy engine, and chocolate almonds and a clockwork mouse, but the Rabbit was quite the best of all. For at least two hours the Boy loved him, and then Aunts and Uncles came to dinner, and there was a great rustling of tissue paper and unwrapping of parcels, and in the excitement of looking at all the new presents the Velveteen Rabbit was forgotten." Thor began.  Loki's brow knitted together in confusion.
"Christmas?  Wha's Christmas Thor?" Loki asked.
"It's like Yule Tide Festival on Asgard.  It happens in the winter time and people put up trees and give each other gifts.  Some of them celebrate the birth of a man called Jesus as well.  It is a lot of peoples' favorite times of years on Midgard, much like Yule Tide Festival is on Asgard." Thor explained, based on the explanations of other people.  Loki wiggled in excitement.
"I wanna celebrate Christmas too, Thor!  Can we?" Loki asked.  Thor laughed.
"If we remain on Asgard until then, we shall," Thor told him.
"Can we celebrate it with Miss Foster, Mr. and Mrs. Foster, Mr. Banner, Mr. Stark, and Miss Potts?" Loki asked.  Outwardly Thor smiled but inwardly he was grimacing.  There was no guarantee that Bruce, Tony and Pepper would be out of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s radar by Christmas.  He didn't want to lie to Loki but he also didn't want to dampen Loki's optimistic spirit.
"Perhaps.  Shall we continue?" Thor asked, changing the subject.  Loki nodded.
"Uh-huh," Loki replied, snuggling closer.

"For a long time he lived in the toy cupboard or on the nursery floor, and no one thought very much about him. He was naturally shy, and being only made of velveteen, some of the more expensive toys quite snubbed him. The mechanical toys were very superior, and looked down upon everyone else; they were full of modern ideas, and pretended they were real. The model boat, who had lived through two seasons and lost most of his paint, caught the tone from them and never missed an opportunity of referring to his rigging in technical terms. The Rabbit could not claim to be a model of anything, for he didn't know that real rabbits existed; he thought they were all stuffed with sawdust like himself, and he understood that sawdust was quite out-of-date and should never be mentioned in modern circles. Even Timothy, the jointed wooden lion, who was made by the disabled soldiers, and should have had broader views, put on airs and pretended he was connected with Government. Between them all the poor little Rabbit was made to feel himself very insignificant and commonplace, and the only person who was kind to him at all was the Skin Horse." Thor said, showing Loki all the pictures as he read.  As the story continued, Loki felt bad for the rabbit.  The Boy loved him so much, but the doctors wanted to burn him!  It just wasn't fair!
"Thor, they aren' goin' t' burn the bunny, right?" Loki asked.  Thor shrugged.
"I'm not sure, Loki.  Let's keep reading to find out." Thor replied.  Thor continued to read and when the little rabbit became real, Loki began to cry in happiness.  Bjarte sat quietly on the edge of the bed, a solemn look on his face.  Thor cuddled the sobbing boy close and the happy cries slowly became little "I love you"s and gentle breaths.  Thor stood and tucked the boy in, Bjarte invisible to him.  He kissed Loki's forehead and smiled.
"I love you Loki," Thor said softly, turning the light off and leaving Bjarte alone in the darkness.
For the next few days, Loki spent a lot of time with his silent new friend.  Loki noticed that whatever he was wearing, Bjarte would wear too.  He shrugged it off as nothing, as his imagination.  But by the fifth day, it was really getting bizarre.  Bjarte was hovering over him in the morning, the full grown man sporting Loki's favorite cow-printed pajamas.  Loki rubbed his sleepy eyes in bewilderment and sat up.  Bjarte blinked at the boy and took a few steps back so that Loki could get out of bed.
"Good morning, Bjarte," Loki said slowly, still eyeing his friend.  It was odd how he always wore what Loki wore, no matter what.  Bjarte gave Loki a shy wave and disappeared as he always did when it was time for Loki to dress.  Thor wasn't in the room, so Loki had to dress himself.  He wasn't happy about that, but didn't want to make Thor mad by complaining about it.  Loki toddled over to his dresser and he began rummaging through his many outfit choices.  He finally picked one out and dressed himself, leaving his dirty clothes (including the Pull-Up) in the middle of the room.  He then when to brush his teeth and as soon as he was done with that, Bjarte reappeared.  Loki jumped, startled at his sudden appearance.
"You scared me," Loki told him.  Bjarte looked at him apologetically and outstretched his hand.  Loki took it and he and Bjarte went to the kitchenette.  Bjarte seemed stiff and Loki was worried.  Bjarte was never this uptight.  Loki didn't have time to think on it, though, because Thor called him over a soon as he entered the kitchenette.
"You dressed yourself?  Good job!" Thor praised.  Loki beamed and glanced back at Bjarte whose face was unreadable.  Thor noticed Loki's worried gaze and picked the boy up and placed him on his lap.
"Is something wrong?" Thor asked.  Loki bit his lip.
"I think Bjarte is sick," Loki replied.
"Sick?" Thor prompted.  Loki nodded, his eyes still fixed on Bjarte.
"Yeah.  He hasn' been himself t'day, Thor." Loki explained.
"That's too bad," Thor commented, adjusting the boy on his lap.  Loki nodded mutely.
"Yeah," Loki replied.  Bjarte just stood there, staring at Loki and Thor, a weird sort of look on his face.  Loki tried to ignore him, but found it hard to.  Bjarte's green eyes were burning the back of Loki's head, the gaze to intense to ignore.
The rest of the morning consisted of Loki trying to avoid Bjarte.  He was unsuccessful, Bjarte sneaking up on him and finding him where ever he went.  Loki was beginning to dread seeing his new found friend, a strange sense of anxiety filling him when he thought about Bjarte.  What happened?  Bjarte was such a good friend the days pervious.  Now Loki didn't even want to be in the same room as him.  Jane and Thor were worried because Loki wasn't talking to or about Bjarte.  The past four days had been filled with Loki's excited chatter about his new friend.  Now the boy wouldn't even talk about him.  Jane asked if they were still friends and Loki hesitantly answered yes.  Perhaps Bjarte was just sick and that's why he was acting strange.  That had to be it.  After lunch, Loki played for a while with Thor, but it was time for the boy to take a nap.  Loki was hesitant at first, unwilling to leave Thor's side.  After threatening time-out, however, Loki quickly scurried to the room.  He forgot (this time it was genuine) to put a Pull-Up on and crawled into bed, still trying to ignore Bjarte's gaze.  Loki fell into a fitful sleep, having dreams of his elder-self.
When Loki awoke, he found himself staring into Bjarte's intense green gaze.  Loki blushed instantly, the reality of urine-soaked sheets and his friend now knowing his secret hitting him.  He hadn't told Bjarte about his bed-wetting.  Loki was just wishing it wouldn't come up.  Tears of shame filled his eyes and his lip trembled.  Bjarte put a gentle finger to Loki's lip, a gesture of silent comfort.  Loki patted Bjarte's hand miserably and stood.  He had to tell Thor about it.  He was worried about getting in trouble for it.  Loki sulked out of the room and found Thor sitting on the couch watching television.  Loki glanced back and saw that Bjarte was still following him at a distance.
"T-Thor?" Loki called timidly.  Thor turned and a smile broke out on his face.
"Did you sleep well?" Thor asked happily.  Loki shook his head miserably.
"N-no.  I…uh…I wet my bed, Thor." Loki admitted.  Confusion spread across Thor's face.
"I don't understand," Thor replied slowly.  Loki stared down at his feet.
"'M s'rry, Thor, but I forgot t' put one of those things on.  I didn' mean to…" Loki trailed off, not meeting Thor's eyes.  He really expected Thor to get angry.  Loki didn't expect what happened at all.
"Loki, it's alright," Thor said gently, standing up and kneeling to Loki's level.  Loki's head shot up.
"It is?" Loki asked.
"Of course.  We all forget things some times.  I'm not angry." Thor assured him.  Loki wiped his nose on the back of his hand.
"You sure?" Loki pressed.  Thor nodded.
"I'm sure," Thor said.  Loki glanced back and his eyes widened; Bjarte was gone.  Thor took Loki's tiny hand and the boy sighed.  He wished Bjarte hadn't have gone away.  Loki liked Bjarte.
The evening consisted of Loki silently mourning the loss of Bjarte.  He missed him, even if Bjarte was beginning to creep him out.  He still had Jane make a plate for Bjarte at dinner in case he came back.  Loki was severely disappointed when Bjarte did not return for dinner and had to fight to keep the tears away.  After dinner, Loki skipped dessert and sulked back to his room.  He was planning on crying when he got there, but bumped into someone before he reached the room.  He glanced up and saw Bjarte staring down at him.  Instead of feeling happy, Loki felt dread.  When he had first met Bjarte, the man's face didn't look similar at all.  Loki still wasn't sure that he recognized the man at all...or did he?  Loki gasped and staggered on his feet as harsh reality coursed through him like poison.  Bjarte was that man from a vision he had had.  Bjarte was the man who had been haunting his thoughts and dreams for over a week.  Bjarte was more familiar than Loki ever wanted him to be; Bjarte was his elder-self.  Loki began to shake and whimper but Bjarte-or elder-Loki rather- shushed him gently.
"It's alright.  I cannot hurt you." elder-Loki said softly.
"H-how?  How are you here?  And why are you talkin'?  You couldn' b'fore." Loki asked, scared and confused.
"That is a good question, little one.  I do not hold the answer." elder-Loki replied softly.  Loki scowled at him.
"'M gonna tell Thor you're here," Loki threatened.  His Bjarte laughed that same cold laugh that haunted his nightmares.
"And do what?  He cannot see or hear me.  Only you can.  It's an empty threat." elder-Loki retorted.
"What do you wan' from me?" Loki asked.
"To finally die in peace.  I technically should not exist." his elder-self replied.  Loki's brow knitted together in confusion.
"I don' understand, Bjarte," Loki said, unwilling to call elder-Loki anything else.
"I don't expect you to.  I myself don't understand.  Look, you can't be rid of me, so we might as well be on good terms.  I won't hurt anyone and who knows; maybe I'll disappear eventually." Loki frowned; he didn't trust elder-Loki in the slightest.  But he had two burning questions to ask and hoped that his Bjarte would answer them truthfully.  The boy knew that his elder-self spoke only in lies and trickery.
"Are you 'not-Thor'?" Loki asked.  Elder-Loki scowled.
"Do not insult me so!  Besides, I didn't exist then." elder-Loki snapped.  Loki flinched, but managed to build up enough courage to ask his next question.
"Bjarte, why did you do it?" Loki asked innocently.  The man sighed and slid down the length of the wall.  He gripped his head and buried his face in his knees.
"I'm not going to have that discussion with you.  The sooner I disappear, the better." Loki's brow furrowed.
"Then you can't e'er be me again?" Loki asked.
"If you mean that you cannot return to your adult form, then yes.  As soon as I disappear, I cease to exist.  And believe me, that's for the best." elder-Loki explained.  Loki frowned, confused beyond words.  How long had this maniac been following him?
"How long have you been followin' me?" Loki questioned.
"A while.  Look, it doesn't matter.  If you don't want to interact with me, you don't have to.  Perhaps if you ignore me I'll leave." elder-Loki explained.  Loki shrugged.
"If you're not bad, I don' mind," Loki said.  Elder-Loki rolled his eyes.
"So naïve…Yes, Loki, I'm not 'bad'.  You just have to keep referring to me as Bjarte and tell no one of me.  If they discovered that you were talking with your elder-self…well, let's just say it won't be pleasant." elder-Loki told him.
"Not pleasant?  Wha' d' you mean?" Loki asked.
"They'll stop trusting you, kid." Loki's eyes widened.  Elder-Loki threatened his relationship with everyone around him.  Loki groaned and plopped down on the floor.  After more thought, Loki quickly realized that his advanced spell-casting may be due to Bjarte.  The man was much more advanced that he and it would make sense.
"Have you been messin' with my magic?" Loki asked.
"No.  Well, maybe.  I have no idea.  I won't deny it's possible." his elder-self replied.
"You don' know much d' you?" Loki asked.  Elder-Loki scowled at him.
"And how is it people get so attached to you again?" the man teased.  Loki stuck his tongue out and giggled lightly.
"You promise not to hurt anybody?" Loki asked anxiously.
"I swear.  No harm will come to these people." Loki didn't really believe him, but there was no escaping him.  No matter what he did, elder-Loki would always haunt him, even when he wasn't physically there.  Loki decided to heed elder-Loki's advice and be on speaking terms with him.  It would make everything less awkward.
"Bjarte?  Sometimes you disappear and I don' see you for a while.  D' you pick when you leave?" Loki asked, still trying to make sense of all this nonsense.
"Yes, but I cannot just disappear completely.  I can just become invisible or leave for a few hours.  So if you get sick of me, tell me and I'll leave you alone." elder-Loki explained.
"Tha's good.  We may not get along all the time, Bjarte." Loki commented.  Elder-Loki chuckled lightly.
"I'm glad we agree on something little one," elder-Loki said.  Loki giggled softly and averted his gaze.
"Tha's wha' Thor calls me," Loki informed him.
Yes, I know," elder-Loki said, "he used to call me that too, you know." Loki met his Bjarte's eyes.
"Really?" Loki asked.  Elder-Loki nodded, a faint blush filling his cheeks.
"Yes.  It…comforted me when I was reaching puberty and he had already entered it.  You don't remember, of course, but it's true.  I grew out of it eventually, but for some time he called me that." elder-Loki explained, rambling slightly near the end.  Loki smiled.
"That's nice.  'M glad we're friends, Bjarte." Loki told him.  Elder-Loki smirked.
"Still friends are we?" he teased lightly.  Loki stuck his tongue out at the man.
"Unless you don' wanna be," Loki said quietly.  Elder-Loki blinked and put his hand on Loki's shoulder.
"I shall be until you order me away.  The last thing I want is for you to be alone." the man said.  Loki shot him a confused look.
"Why d' you care so much?  You're bad." Loki asked.  Elder-Loki sighed deeply.
"I know that I appear that way.  Don't get me wrong; I'm no saint.  However, I do care about you.  You seem to intoxicate people.  It's strange how you draw others to yourself.  Not even I am immune to it." elder-Loki explained.
"So," Loki began, trying to work through what his Bjarte had told him, "e'en though you're bad, you still care 'bout me?" Elder-Loki nodded.
"You're just as bright as I remember being at your age," elder-Loki said fondly.  Loki beamed at the praise and stood.
"Wanna go do somethin'?" Loki asked.  Elder-Loki nodded and stood.
"Lead the way," And so Loki led his Bjarte to his bed room where they played until Loki fell asleep.