abstractborders | A Quiet Place Meme

Loki freezes as Thor startles, holding his hands up quickly in a calming gesture, prepared just in case the other lashes out on instinct. (And really he should have been more careful and should have alerted Thor that he was coming back over somehow.)

Thankfully his brother relaxes and Loki sinks down to settle on the bed, not all that surprised that Thor rolls over like he does. Nor is he all that surprised by the hand that comes to rest over his heart. In fact, he welcomes it, lifting one of his own to rest it over Thor's and grip his brother's hand just the slightest. It felt like ages since he'd shared space with another living being and while he was normally a much more closed off person, not overly tactile...right now he welcomed it. Needed it to remind himself that he wasn't alone anymore.

Sleep came easier than it had in sometime that night, Loki drifting off still gripping Thor's hand, breathing softly as the night passed without incident.

This time.

It was a good thing nothing exciting happened that night or a few days. Thor appreciated the opportunities to rest, always ending up in the same spot with his hand over Loki's chest to feel his brother's heartbeat and breathing as he fell asleep. It made rest far easier to achieve, knowing that his brother was alive and well.

He felt comfortable enough to venture on his own in the small town. It was eerie, how silent the little suburb was. Thor had been in suburbs, in cities before the fall. The noise and bustle of the world had seemed so natural after living it for so long. Now it was just empty.

The sound of birds over his head caught his attention. One of the few nature sounds that were left really. He smiles slightly, eyes following them before they notice a movement out of the corner of his eye. A shape on a roof. His expression fell and he starts to back up slowly.

The creature was moving across the rooves, face plates lifting and moving as it listened to every sound on the wind, its head raised as it followed the sounds of the birds.

Loki had been out and about as well, securing supplies that they'd need while they were traveling and even going as far as to seek out some of the others that he knew were in the area to give them some of the perishable goods that he had. Some he and his brother would take on the road but the others? There was no reason to let them go to waste.

He was on his way back from trading with an older woman that had been in the area as long as he had when he spots the creature first then his brother. Almost immediately he goes still and slowly sinks into a crouch, fingertips brushing the ground as he tries not to let himself panic.

This wasn't the first time he'd encountered one of them. Hopefully it wasn't Thor's first time either.

The hand not touching the ground is held against his chest as he stares across the stretch of street at Thor, willing him to meet his gaze so he can sign at him.

Don't move. Stay there.

Thor had gone still. His brow had furrowed hard and his hands were in tight fists. His head turned slowly, slightly to look towards the small movement at the corner of his eye. It was Loki. He makes a barely perceptible nod to acknowledge he saw the sign.

He startles at the sound of the creature slipping on the tile as it makes a leap to the next house, closer to where they were on the street. It clicks in irritation, searching the air for the sound of the birds again.

A clicking sound from the side draws Thor's attention and he sees it. A second creature, lurking from between the houses behind Loki. His lips part, looking ready to shout in alarm to Loki but he catches himself.

Behind

A wave of fear goes through Loki at what his brother signs but he manages to keep himself still, moving the hand he had signed with slowly--oh so slowly to pull one of his knives from where it was tucked into a one of the inside pockets of his jacket. His movements were slow and he paused as he listened for the creature behind him, finally getting the knife free.

The fingers he had against the ground curled and a few rocks were carefully picked up as he looked across at his brother again.

'Run' he mouthed before dropping a knee to the ground to steady himself and swinging his arm to throw the rocks, hitting a nearby sign with them and causing an echoing ring to fill the air.

A sound that was quickly echoed by the shrill cries of the creatures.

The twang of stone against metal was a death knell at any other time. It may be their salvation this time though. Thor turns to break into a run, deviating into the grass to silence any sound of his feet on the pavement. He needed to get to the house.

He needed to hope Loki was behind him or at least finding his own way. If he looked back he could miss a step.

The sight of the house and more importantly the sledge was a relief. The sounds of the creatures screaming behind him left his heart pounding in his chest.

His hand closes around the handle of the sledgehammer. He grasps it in both hands before deviating his path back towards the sidewalk. He swings it down hard onto the fire hydrant there. It only took two hard, desperate swings to smash the side off, the sound drawing the monsters towards him but the blast of water would be what met them first.

Thor abandons the hammer where it was, darting away from the new, much louder source of sound to the porch of the home. One firm kick knocked the side of the slats out and he slides himself beneath the porch floor. The space was tight and he felt a nail dig against his shoulder but he could see what was going on from here.

He could look out for Loki.

Being as close to the initial source of the noise as he was Loki couldn't bolt towards his brother and follow him like he wanted to. Instead he had to take off behind some of the houses as the creatures attacked the sign, ducking around one of them before bolting through backyards as swiftly and silently as he could towards his house.

He was almost there when he heard the hard ring of metal against metal and then the sound of rushing water--the screams of the monsters as they were blasted.

Good thinking, Thor.

Loki pressed his back to the side of a house across the street from his safe house, scanning the area quickly for any sign of his brother as the monsters thrashed and attacked the broken hydrant wildly. Thor wasn't visible to him but the fact that the monsters didn't have him was a good sign. A hopeful one that he was more than willing to cling to.

Knife still clutched in his hand, Loki took a breath and steeled himself, securing his bag tighter to his back before he made a break across the street.

Silent. Stay silent. Get to the backyard. Get into the--

A piece of the now destroyed hydrant hits him as one of the creatures flings it wildly and Loki chokes back a sound as pain shoots through his head, blood blurring his vision as thee knife he was holding clatters to the ground. He staggers, barely keeping upright as the world spins around him and one of the creatures turns its head towards him, the plate-like skin on its head shifting as it listens for the new sound it just heard.

Thor had shifted across the expanse of the porch, squeezing out the opposite side to avoid being too close to the creatures. He gets himself out, shifting carefully over the grass to get his line of sight back. He could see Loki now, making the break for the house. Then he saw the piece of metal fly towards his brother.

He has to clamp his hand over his mouth as he sees Loki stagger. Even he could faintly hear the knife hit the ground. Metal against asphalt at that range, even the rushing water--

And it was immediately proven as the creature turns its head towards Loki.

Thor knew he would have once chance, while the water was still loud enough. He puts his fingers into his mouth and a piercing whistle cut through the air. Louder than the water.

He scrambles along the wall of the house towards the backyard. He grasps the edge of the neighboring house's fence, swinging over it which caused it to rattle faintly. He didn't hesitate, making a sharp turn to move across the backyard. The above ground pool still stood, though empty.

The briefest of bends got him the rubber dog toy left behind into his hand. He gives it a mighty heave towards the next house's windows to shatter it. A turn on a dime sent him barreling back towards the pool.

He grasped the ladder, yanking himself up. He was certain he hadn't touched a single ladder rung before he dropped down into the pool. Thor couldn't deny the flash of creature he saw but he couldn't stop. He had to keep moving.

His landing was nearly silent but the walls were a risk. He closes his eyes tightly, pressing his back against the wall of the pool with both hands over his mouth.

He needed to hope Loki could make it to the house. If not to the house then perhaps the injury would cause him to collapse near the hydrant. Thor could find him there and take him to safety. As long as his brother stayed silent.

That sharp whistle makes Loki's head ring but he knows immediately what's going on even as his vision swims more.

Thor.

The knows is enough to get both creatures taking off after the blonde, shrieks and clicks leaving both of them as they bolt after the source of the noise barreling along without any hesitation.

Loki's breathing is frantic and unsteady as panic grips him and he staggers again, a part of him wanting to find his brother but he knows better. What good is he like this?

He's a risk. That's what he is.

Despite his vision still swimming Loki manages to slowly start for the house, hands out to steady himself on whatever he can grasp. He finds the porch railing and slowly guides himself up the steps, several boards creaking this time due to his steps not being as carefully placed. The rushing water behind him, though getting weaker, is still good enough cover and Loki manages to get inside the door, stumbling into the stairs leading to the second floor--

And that's where he crumples, finally blacking out.

Back at the pool, one of the creatures crept to the edge now as it doubled back, the plating around it's head splitting to reveal it's ears as it turned its head and focused. Soft clicks could be heard as it tried to find a sound, any sound--

From somewhere, a few houses down? Something--a garbage can--toppled over and the creature immediately bolted, its companion already taking to the rooftops to go after their new target.

Thor listened as closely as he could with the blood in his ears pounding. He waited. He forced himself to wait even when he was certain the creatures had gone. He couldn't risk assumption. It felt like hours though it was doubtful that it was that long. The sun hadn't even moved much across the sky.

He turns carefully, moving to stand slowly. His muscles ached from holding the position for so long. The ladder was a little unsteady but was against grass. He just needed to get to the top and drop off to avoid any twangs against the metal siding.

Once successful he creeps back towards the fence. His height allows him to get over the fence quietly enough but he crouches beside it for some time, listening carefully for any movements. Only when he was certain did he move back towards the shelter he had with Loki.

Finding his brother lying at the base of the stairs send his heart into his throat. He gathers him quickly, carrying him to the bedroom. The small set of first aid supplies were fetched and he takes a moment to wash his hands before touching the wound.

He gave his brother a shake periodically, trying to get him to wake back up. Sleeping right now wasn't a good idea. He needed to get him conscious again.

Honestly Loki didn't even remember Thor returning. Wasn't aware of his brother picking him up and carrying him into the bedroom. Didn't realize he'd left to get supplies. Everything was just sort of silent static that felt like a sort of strange dream.

The shaking is what actually gets a response from him, a faint, faint noise of protest escaping Loki as he tries to get away from Thor though he really doesn't go all that far. He just wants to sleep. Why can't he sleep?

Blood caked the right side of his face, the cut on the side of his head narrowly missing his temple though his ear had caught most of the blow. Loki's eyes opened as Thor continued to shake him but they were glazed, hardly seeing and he stared up at the ceiling for a long moment before turning his head slightly.

"Th.." When his brain's not firing on all cylinders, mistakes will be made. Sign language? What's that?

Thor was thankful where the cut was. Loki's ear was certainly going to look terrible for a while but it was better than the temple being crushed in. The first thing to do was get it cleaned up and see if it would need stitches but Loki was waking up.

His hand closes over Loki's mouth quickly, his head shaking. No talking, not after how hard they'd worked to get those creatures away from here. Loki had almost died in the process and there was no way he would be going anywhere right now.

He lifts his hand slowly so he could gently tilt his brother's head. It would definitely need stitches. It may at least help Loki stay awake.

The hand over his mouth stops anything else he might have said from escaping, Loki taking the cue for what it was. It doesn't stop him from lifting a hand to grip his brother's in a slightly weak hold, though, a questioning--confused look on his face.

What was going on? What happened? Everything was a blur..

His hand falls to rest on his chest and Loki can't help but wince as his head is lifted, breath hitching despite his best efforts to stay quiet. That stung. A lot.

What he managed to sign with his other hand, eyes still a bit hazy.

Hit in head.

Thor signed it in short quick signs. He was obviously very tense. This was the type of injury that should require an actual doctor's care but Thor was far from one. At most he just knew basic medic practice He needed to hope Loki's skull wasn't cracked or that his brain was going to swell.

What would he do if Loki's brain did swell? What could he possibly do? He would probably be stuck watching his brother die. It wasn't something he was interested in. So he focused on cleaning the wound with as gentle a touch as he could do so he could begin stitching it. He used very light pressure to check for any cracked bone.

Lucky for them, Loki's skull wasn't cracked. Bruised, yes. And the cut was deep but he'd managed to come out of it without any severe damage. It was just going to take some time for him to be steady on his feet again.

As Thor cleans the wound the younger man flinches a bit, turning his head away from prodding fingers with a faint noise of protest.

Danger? he signed, tensing as he asked and looking blearily around the room. He was starting to remember bits and pieces and there had been two creatures--where were they now?

Thor made a shush face but he didn't try to cover Loki's mouth again. He doubted such a soft noise would draw attention. There weren't any sounds from outside either. They were safe, for now, though wouldn't be able to travel for some time due to this wound.

Not now. Safe.

He made a walking motion with his fingers and waved his hand off in the direction the creatures had gone. They had left, but still might be in the area. Still better to stay cautious.

Which would make sewing this wound up a tense few minutes.

Loki frowned slightly but nodded after taking a moment to process the information Thor was conveying, managing not to utter a sound in the meantime. They had to be careful. The beasts could still be around.

There was something else though. Even in his current state he could tell that Thor was far more tense for the sole reason to be a couple of monsters about.

How bad? He motioned weakly to his head, already knowing the answer but he just wanted confirmation. Loki was already tensing a bit in preparation for what he had a feeling was coming.

This wasn't going to end well.

Thor didn't respond right away, staying focused on the wound. He saw the question, indicating that he did with a small flick of his eyes towards Loki's moving hands. But he didn't want to answer right away. He only answered after the wound was stitched well enough together.

Bad cut. Concussion. Can't leave.

He wouldn't let Loki try to make this journey while injured. Not with a head injury. It wasn't safe. They still needed to watch if there were any brain swelling.

As much as he wanted to press for answers Loki didn't, closing his eyes as he felt Thor start to work and gods was it hard not to cry out from the initial burst of pain. His body tensed and he almost jerked away, managing not to as his brother stitched the wound shut, Loki biting down on his hand to keep from crying out and to keep from biting through his tongue.

He saw Thor's response and nodded weakly as he let his hand slip from his mouth, his entire body trembling from the restraint it took not to react.

It took a moment but he managed to settle down, lifting his hands after a moment. Sleep?

Thor felt for Loki through the process. He knew how painful it could be. He wished it didn't have to be painful but he had nothing really to use. He would have to find some painkillers that would be appropriate for him. The headache would surely be terrible. Unfortunately Thor couldn't leave just yet to try and find any additional medication.

Not yet. Need to be sure.

If Loki fell asleep and Thor couldn't get him to wake up... No, he didn't want to imagine losing Loki this soon after finding him.

let's talk a little..?

Loki gave his brother a distraught look but he knew it was for the best. If he fell asleep and didn't wake up...

About? he managed to sign, shifting and attempting to prop himself up a bit though he stopped as soon as he started, his head swimming. Oh that wasn't pleasant. He closed his eyes and choked back a soft sound, his entire body protesting the action as he instinctively lifted a hand to touch his head.

Loki would be able to sleep soon enough. IT would feel like forever but once Thor was comfortable with Loki sleeping he would be more than happy to let his brother sleep for as long as he wanted. He just wanted to be sure that he would wake up from it.

Thor shifts to carefully help Loki prop up, moving so he could rest against his chest. He set his arms down on either side of Loki so he could sign in return around his brother where he could see.

Job. City life. Friends.

Of course, it was all gone down but it was something to talk about.

Resting back against his brother, Loki sighed softly, the barest of breaths escaping him as he just sort of let his body sag against Thor's. His limbs felt like lead now and gods did he just want to go to sleep for the next several hours but he couldn't. He had to stay awake.

You would hate the city. Too busy. Too secluded. No one has time. he signed, eyes lidded as he tipped his head slightly to rest it against his brother's. Didn't have many friends but a couple that I was close to. No idea if they made it.

Amora. Sigyn. William. Theodore.

He had no idea what had happened to any of them.

Job was terrible but paid the bills.

Thor adjusted a little so Loki would be most comfortable as he watches his brother sign about the life he had been living. He regretted not staying in better contact. He should have called more. Wrote letters and emails. He tried but always seemed to just miss Loki with the phone calls or would get pulled away too soon.

Mine did not.

His friends were military though. They were there at the front lines. It was to be expected. Thor was lucky to have gotten away with his life.

You liked city though?

They had both grown up in the same place but they were so different. Thor had no doubt he would have hated living in the city. He was tired of it with just the few days he visited the city.

They were both at fault for not staying in contact, Loki more than Thor. At least there had been reasons that Thor had been unable to stay in touch. Loki had simply tried to distance himself on purpose.

I'm sorry.

After he signs it he reaches out to grasp one of Thor's hands and give it a light squeeze, still feeling too weak for anything more than that. His hand slips away when Thor asks another question and Loki shrugs.

It was alright. Kept me busy. Distracted.

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