Loki’s face is a mixture of fear and HOPEFULNESS. Thor has been exhibiting surly disregard ever since their return to Asgard. Now at last, he’s touching Loki, looking DIRECTLY into his FACE, and TAKING HIM SERIOUSLY. Classic “negative attention is preferable to no attention.” Since Odin conditioned Thor and Loki to be helplessly codependent, in a scenario in which Loki is fated to be thought the “bad” and “losing” half of a dichotomy, Loki has decided in THOR’S CASE ALONE, it is worth being the bad guy to not be forgotten utterly. Better to be hated than erased, even in a dysfunctional relationship.
Look how goddamn eager his face is. “Yes hit me, rage at me. Anything, I’ve finally got your attention again.”
And not an ounce of that is manipulation. it’s desperation.
in the Thorki fandom we don’t say “I do” we say “you still don’t trust me brother?” and “if you were in my place, would you?” – and i think that’s beautiful
Loki is the Philosopher King 