Hello friends!

Thank you guys for reading. I might rewrite this when I'm done. It started out as an experiment to get more AU's on here for Thor, but I'm really loving this storyline. Thank you guys!

Loki showed Thor into his penthouse, "Come on in." He had stopped on the way up to check his mail and sorted through it while Thor drank in his impressive surroundings. To say it was large was an understatement. The living room was massive with wide windows expanding across. It was a perfect view of New York.

Loki glanced up suddenly as if waking up from a daydream, "Forgive me… you must want to see your room."

Thor snapped back to attention and nodded with a grateful smile. The younger man waved for him to follow. They went down a long hallway while passing abstract art on the walls, and stopped at a room at the end.

"Here it is. Make yourself at home. When you're ready, we can order take out." Loki ran a hand through his dark hair. He retraced his footsteps back to the living room after a moment of awkwardness.

After he left, Thor placed his bag on the ridiculously large bed in the middle of the ridiculously large room. After he unpacked his belongings, he inspected the rest of the house. He memorized doors and closets in case they needed to make a quick exit or hide. He checked the alarm system to make sure it was working properly. After he was satisfied, he made his way to find Loki.

"Loki?" Thor glanced around.

"Just a minute…" He heard faintly. After a few moments, Loki emerged from a room connected to the living room through another shorter hallway, "I was just changing out my bandages."

Thor watched as Loki pulled a larger sized bandaid across his palm to make sure it was on tightly enough. He decided against questioning him tonight about the incident. The younger man walked into the kitchen and opened a drawer. He pulled a stack of menus out and plopped them down on the counter.

"Okay, we have sushi, Italian, thai, organic, Korean... What do you feel like eating tonight?" Loki asked.

Thor's brow was furrowed in a fashion that a child would protest against eating his dinner, "Seriously? I know we just met, and I don't mean to be rude, but sushi? Organic? Wouldn't you rather have a burger?"

Loki's eyes flickered, "Well, I suppose. I haven't had one in quite a while." Thor gaped at this, "I could look up restaurants that deliver hamburgers…"

"No need." Thor smiled, "Let's go out and find one."

"I don't know if that's such a good idea…"

"Why not?" Thor raised his arms in a questioning gesture.

"Well, for starters I was almost kidnapped yesterday…"

The older man feigned shock, "Do you think I'm useless? That's hurtful."

"No, it's just… no offense but I'm slightly embarrassed to have a bodyguard following me around the city. Normal people don't require protection." Loki looked ashamed.

Thor offered a small smile and rested his hand on Loki's shoulder, "My friend, I hate to tell you but you're not normal." He saw the flash of surprise come across the young heir's face, "And that's okay. Your upbringing was different from others but look at how you managed to keep a level head on your shoulders. Any other normal person would have spit in my face in that elevator but you immediately opened your home to me."

Loki chanced a look at him and seemed to study Thor's face for any deception. After realizing he was being sincere, he smiled back, "Do they teach psychology in the academy?"

Thor bellowed in laughter. He reminded Loki of a muscle bound, blonde haired Santa Claus. Joy just seemed to emit from his core, "Come on… grab your jacket. Let's go on a quest across New York for a decent burger."

Loki seemed to hesitate with a weary stance.

"Just think of me as a really protective friend." He grinned cheekily.

The younger man rolled his eyes with a smile, "Fine, but I'm warning you. The paparazzi are crazy right now. That means cameras being shoved in your face and embarrassing questions asked."

"I think I can handle it."

Loki thought it over carefully. Even before this whole mess, he was more of a home body, preferring to keep to himself over trying to figure out if people sought his company just to get close to his father. He learned that lesson the hard way during his later teenage years. It seemed that anytime he made a friend, they would begin disappearing once they got in his father's good graces. He thought of Fandral who had wormed his way from being an intern and his friend to a top advisor for Odin that hardly paid him notice.

But Thor seemed different. He was there for a purpose and there didn't appear to be any ulterior motives other than to be his protector. So, with a heap of courage, Loki did something he hadn't done in ages. He put on his leather jacket and followed Thor out the front door.

Loki regretted the decision almost immediately when the paparazzi noticed him set foot on the sidewalk. They put out their cigarettes and readied their cameras all while swarming around him. He felt himself being pushed and pulled in different ways that disturbingly reminded him of the park.

"Give him room, guys! Give him room!" Loki heard from behind and felt himself being freed from the confinement. Thor had created a small bubble in the midst of the chaos and guided him toward the street. He waved above the crowd and miraculously managed to hail a cab over to them.

Loki was gently pushed in by Thor who climbed in after him. Once the door was shut, it drowned out the photo shutters and aggressive voices. He felt himself physically relax and his shoulders loosened a bit. They both breathed heavily as the cab pulled away from the curb.

He looked over at Thor who seemed to have melted back into his original cheery self and laughed, "Thanks for that. I was beginning to develop a case of claustrophobia."

Thor waved and made a nonchalant face, "No problem." He glanced over at the cab driver who seemed to be glancing through the rear view mirror trying to figure out what celebrity he was driving, "Do you know of a good burger joint?"

The much older man nodded and answered in a thick New Jersey accent, "Course I do. Best in the city."

Thor and Loki exchanged glances and nodded their compromise.

"Sounds great!" Thor laughed.

The cab driver dipped his head in understanding and made his way across New York.

"Oh my… this is great!" Loki moaned with his mouth full.

Thor had just devoured another bite of his burger, "I know, right! It's like a party in my mouth!"

The younger man laughed through his nose, attempting to keep the food in his mouth. He gulped it down and took a drink from the Styrofoam cup next to the basket, "From now on, we're requesting Volstagg as our cab driver."

"No joke. The man is a food genius!"

The two fell silent while finishing their burgers and moving on to the perfectly crisp french fries. They were taken to a hole in the wall restaurant across town. It was run down and they were considering making a run for it just when an elderly woman came in from the storage area and warmed their hearts into trying the food. They thanked the Lord in Heaven for that chance encounter that led them to their delicious dinner. There was a tv that looked like it belonged to the 80's in the corner.

"…In political news, polls taken online today have shown that Odin's approval rating has skyrocketed overnight. The governor's son was a victim of a failed kidnapping attempt yesterday which garners sympathy from voters. The terrible crime may just aid Odin in achieving the Senate seat…"

Loki looked down at his food and swallowed the remaining fries in his mouth, no longer having an appetite after accidentally hearing his father's name on the news. It sickened him to think that the horrific ordeal he went through was actually being looked on as a positive thing.

Thor seemed to notice his stillness. He stopped eating his food as well and rubbed his hands on his napkins, "Don't listen to that garbage, man."

The dark haired heir looked up shamefully, "Am I that transparent?"

"Well yeah, but who wouldn't feel like you do? It's disgraceful the way they're using you. It's like you're a pawn in some big game to them." Thor looked unsettled.

Loki did a double take after hearing this. No one understood or even attempted to understand what he went through on a daily basis, but Thor hit it straight on the head. He had just begun to believe that his whole life was only meant to improve the polls but now he felt like a sledgehammer had struck a hole in the subconscious wall he had built up throughout his life.

"Thanks." Loki nodded his appreciation.

The side of Thor's mouth quirked up in a small expression of understanding, "Hey don't thank me. I'm just an over opinionated bodyguard with a conscience."

They laughed and slowly continued eating their fries in silence until a generic ringtone split the air. Thor looked confused but then remembered he was given a cell phone for Odin to contact him. He dug in his pockets and found the IPhone.

"Yes sir?"

Loki looked up at him and noticed Thor's face turn to stone as he continued talking to his father, "…What? When did this happen…"

Thor listened to the other side.

"…. I understand… yes sir, we just went out for a bite to eat…"

Silence and the bodyguard tensed, "Yes, I'll text you the address, sir…"

More silence, "…of course…. No one gets near him. Thank you, sir."

With that, Thor ended the call then quickly texted the address and returned the phone to his pocket. With a purpose, he took a few strides to the front of the restaurant and locked the door. He then closed the blinds and checked the back, pulling the elderly owner to the front.

"What's going on?" Loki stood out of fear.

Thor exhaled and finally turned his attention to the younger man, "A letter has been delivered to your Father's office."

"A letter?"

The blonde dipped his head, "It was from the men in the park. They demanded money from Odin. And if he decides not to comply, they threatened to finish what they started."

Loki felt the air leave him and his hand shot to his forehead in panic. He backed away and grasped onto a chair to steady himself. Thor stepped in front of him and grabbed his shoulders, "Hey listen to me, okay… you're going to be fine. Odin is sending a car to pick us up and take us to the police department. No one is getting past me, okay."

Loki slowly focused his vision on Thor and finally he felt his heart calming down. He nodded and watched the older man cross to the front of the restaurant to look for the car through a slit in the blinds. One thought ran through his mind, 'What I wouldn't give to live a normal life…'

Thank you guys! Please review and tell me what you think. Thanks and goodnight!