Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/ works/1850281. Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence, Underage Category: M/M Fandom: Thor_(Movies) Relationship: Loki/Thor Character: Loki_(Marvel), Thor_(Marvel), Odin_(Marvel), Frigga_(Marvel), Laufey_ (Marvel), Farbauti_(Marvel), Eir_(Marvel) Additional Tags: Intersex_Loki, Mating_Cycles/In_Heat, Angst, Anal_Sex, Vaginal_Sex, Oral Sex, Lots_of_Sex, Mpreg, semi-graphic_birth, Lactation, Pseudo-Incest, Kidnapping, dubcon Series: Part 1 of Sleeping_Beauty Stats: Published: 2014-06-26 Completed: 2014-07-01 Chapters: 6/6 Words: 15937 ****** Dark Mirror, Golden Mirror ****** by needleyecandy Summary Loki is abducted from Jotunheim as a baby and raised Aesir. So when his first heat comes when he is alone with Thor, on a camping trip celebrating his eighteenth birthday, he is horrified and overwhelmed, and determined to find the source of the curse that has befallen him. Thor just wants him to come home. Notes Notes on tags and warnings - all underage activity is post-pubescent, and almost but not completely entirely between teenagers. The dubcon is limited to the heat scenes where characters lose control of themselves, it's not coercive. I'll be following this story with a crack version, because every time something horrible happened, I kept thinking, "wouldn't it be funny if x happened instead?" ***** Taken ***** Chapter Summary Loki is abducted from Jotunheim as a baby and raised Aesir. So when his first heat comes when he is alone with Thor, on a camping trip celebrating his eighteenth birthday, he is horrified and overwhelmed, and determined to find the source of the curse that has befallen him. Thor just wants him to come home. Chapter Notes Notes on tags and warnings - all underage activity is post-pubescent, and almost but not completely entirely between teenagers. The dubcon is limited to the heat scenes where characters lose control of themselves, it's not coercive. I'll be following this story with a crack version, because every time something horrible happened, I kept thinking, "wouldn't it be funny if x happened instead?" The jotun army were making encampment in the positions for their final defense. They had been driven from Midgard, and they were tired and beaten, but they were home at last, and the cold air of Jotunheim would help them as much as it would hinder the Aesir. Their hopes of expanding to other realms were gone, now, but hope still remained to remain free in their own lands. The troops nearest the royal complex looked at each other anxiously as they listened to the argument that spilled out through the crisp air. “You must return to  the keep, Farbauti! You just gave birth three days ago, you’re still weakened, and Loki needs milk. The battle could last days!” “Others can nurse him as well as I, Laufey. And you’re right, I am still weakened, so I should not be the last defense for our son and the temple. He should be protected by someone at full strength if the Aesir manage to break through the outer defenses.” “If the Aesir get that far, mercy for a mother and child is more likely to guarantee his survival than one final warrior.” Farbauti had no answer that the troops could hear. An hour later, a chariot departed the camp, thundering in the direction of the castle. ***** The Aesir attacked at dawn, legion upon legion pouring from the Bifrost with weapons blazing in the morning sun. They died more easily than did the Jotnar, but they had reinforcements where Laufey’s army had none. The fighting raged through the day and into the night, lit by the two moons that hung full and forboding just above the horizon. By noon of the second day, the Jotnar army was in tatters. Laufey’s personal troops had slowly shifted to the east, so slowly that they did not realize their position until a scout climbed through the piles of bodies to grab the arm of the king and give him the terrible news. The bulk of the Jotnar troops had collapsed; only Laufey’s legion were still fighting the Aesir. Odin was charging the castle. Laufey barked swift orders at Thrym before setting off in pursuit. Farbauti’s heart broke as he heard the sound of horse hooves approach the castle. Odin. Odin would not be here unless Laufey was dead and Jotunheim had fallen. It took every ounce of self-control to take up his child rather than his weapons, but he remembered Laufey’s words and knew them to be true. A mother and baby were more likely to survive than a single armed jotun, and he had to live for Loki, now. Their miracle, born so long after the others that they thought their time for children was over. He stood, holding the tiny boy clasped to his chest, facing the door into the keep, as Odin came riding in. He drew up short in front of them and swung down to the ground. Farbauti huddled around the tiny bundle in his arms, trying to protect his child with his own body. With three long strides, Odin stood before them. “Please,” Farbauti said. “My little Loki-” But Odin did not wait for him to finish. In a single gesture, he grabbed the child by his swaddling while his other hand brought a sword down, cleaving Farbauti’s head in two. The baby, shocked by the sudden movement and the spatter of blood across his face, began screaming. Odin remounted his horse and galloped for the Bifrost. The battle was won, and as long as Asgard had a jotun prince for a hostage, Jotunheim would keep their peace. This child was valuable, indeed. Laufey raced towards the castle, his speed increasing as he heard his son’s cries echoing across the ice. A moment later, Odin, astride a gleaming gray horse, rode into view, with a small bundle tucked under one arm. Laufey turned sharply, hoping to intercept them. Odin reined in his horse as he saw Laufey running towards him, and rose up in his stirrups, holding the baby high on display. “I have your son, Laufey,” he shouted. “He will be raised in my court, and will be kept safe and happy as long as Jotunheim remembers its place.” “For mercy’s sake, Odin…” Laufey managed to gasp out. He was too late to save his son from abduction, but there were things the Aesir would need to know to care for him. He thought of his own youth, how it had felt the first time he called the ice to his fingertips, his first heat, the odd feel of his skin the first time he managed to shift forms. These things had been terrifying, nearly paralyzing, and he had been taught about them throughout his childhood, had the support of friends and teachers to help him prepare for them. The thought of Loki encountering such moments in his life, with no guidance and no understanding, was unbearable. “There are things he must know, that I must tell you-” “I will allow him to keep the name of Loki,” Odin growled. “Whatever else he is to know, I will be the one to decide.” “But-” Laufey’s words were cut off abruptly by an arrow sinking into the back of his neck. Odin gave a brisk nod to the archer, and clicked to his horse to ride for home.   ***** “My dear, are you sure? Asgard has never before hidden the identity of hostage children from them,” Frigga said in her most persuasive tone. “Surely he has the right to know where he comes from.” “Do you remember as hard a peace as this one? Our losses are unmatched by any other war in our history. There is no one in Asgard who has not suffered a loss at the hands of Jotunheim. How can we raise him as a jotun, when he will be met with anger in every face? His parents were responsible for our greatest tragedy, but the child is innocent. It is in my power to spare him the hatred he would face as a jotun, and I will do it.” Frigga sighed, reluctant. “And I robbed an innocent child of his parents,” Odin added, more quietly. “Is it so wrong to give him new ones? I did what was needed to end the war, but it was at a high cost to this boy.” She still disagreed, but at least he was acting in what he believed were the boy’s best interests. “How will you do it?” she asked quietly. “A glamor, for his skin and eyes. He is so small, I may never need to slow his growth, but I will watch for it. And a memory spell, that all Aesir will remember celebrating the birth of the second prince. He is only a year younger than Thor, seeing them grow up as brothers will serve to bolster the false memory.” “All Aesir?” “Except you and I. In case the time ever comes that he must learn the truth, we alone will remember.” She nodded. “Best be done with it, then.” ***** Frigga and Odin were pleased to see the way Thor doted on his younger brother. They were nearly inseparable as they wandered through the halls of Gladsheim, Thor always keeping a firm hold on his brother’s small fist, ensuring that his toddling steps were even and safe. Loki in turn held on to his small bear as though emulating Thor. Frigga took to bathing the boys outside. They always made such a mess of splashing each other in the small bathtub that it was easier to simply let them water the flowerbeds. Thor’s splashes were large and boisterous; Loki’s were smaller, more cautious as he retaliated, but their laughter was equally open and infectious. ***** For Thor’s eighth birthday, he received a horse. Odin had gotten his first horse when he was that age, and it seemed like a fine tradition to maintain. Thor disagreed. “Where is Loki’s horse?” he demanded. “Loki will get a horse when he turns eight,” Odin explained gently. “It’s not fair,” Thor insisted. “It will be the same amount of time each of you has to wait before getting a horse,” Odin answered. “Well, if it’s my horse, I can do what I want with it, and I say that it’s mine and Loki’s.” The next year, when Loki turned eight, he said the same thing about the horse he received. ***** When Thor turned twelve, he was given a staff, and told he was to begin learning to fight. He cast a guilty look at Loki, but said nothing. It was the first time Loki had been made to feel their difference. Frigga held him as he fought back the tears that he was sure he was now too old to shed. “My sweet Loki,” she said as she hugged him close. “When people grow older, they feel the need to be different, more individual. You’ll feel the same thing, in time. It doesn’t mean that your brother loves you any less.” And so began Loki’s new life, the one in which he became Thor’s shadow, the second son, obscured by the golden glory of the crown prince. Once he fell into this place, it was easy to see that, outside his immediate family, it was how he had always been viewed. It made things simple for Loki; he just had to lower himself to meet expectations. After awhile, it nearly quit hurting. Except that Thor never even noticed the change. That still hurt. ***** For Thor’s sixteenth birthday, he received the hammer Mjolnir, taken from the castle treasury. This time he did not even look at Loki. He looked to his friends, winking at Sif and smiling at the others. That hurt too. ***** When Thor hefted Mjolnir, he felt the power that hummed within her, and an answering power leapt up within himself. It made him feel invincible, like he could simply take anything he wanted. He didn’t dare look at Loki with such feelings coursing through his body, not until he had grown more accustomed to them. With a heavy heart, Thor watched Loki walk stiffly away from the celebrations. How could he possibly explain himself?   Brother, your skin looks like silk spun of moonbeams. Brother, the waves of your hair are like the sea at night. Brother, you looked so exquisite in the baths today that I nearly spilled in the water. Brother, your eyes are like the first leaves in spring. Brother, when you smile at me, I would die for you.   Such things were not unknown, though they were more common among their Vanir cousins than they were on Asgard. But Thor had never been more aware of the difference in their ages than he was that day a few months ago when he first became conscious of Loki. Loki had been taking too long to dress for dinner, and Thor barged into his room to hurry him along and saw his brother nearly finished, just bending to slip on a shoe. How many times they had been carelessly naked together before then, and yet Thor had never seen. The beauty in that supple figure, the impossible grace, they took his breath away, and everything changed. The year difference between them that had never mattered before became a hated barrier. Loki had followed Thor everywhere from the moment he could walk. Thor might open this door to his brother, but he would not be able to know whether Loki truly wanted it, or whether he was simply following as he always did. So he focused his attention elsewhere, as best he could. Drew away, to break Loki of following him. If they were to love as Thor wanted, it had to be Loki’s choice, rather than habit. And Thor had to wait until they were older. Wait until Loki was eighteen, he decided. It was only right. ***** Thor hadn’t abandoned his brother, of course. They still had lessons together, their shared hall still sometimes rang with laughter as Loki regaled Thor with stories he had found in the forbidden section of the library. Loki still went on adventures with Thor and his friends - they were Thor’s friends, not his, but he didn’t have anyone else - and they still sparred. Loki had an undeserved reputation for being a weak fighter. It was only because he prefered sparring with Thor to other partners, and so he was generally witnessed losing. What was not so easy to see, but what Thor knew, was that Loki was one of the very few who could give Thor any real challenge. Thor tried to convince Loki to spar more often with others, but Loki refused, saying that he learned best by losing. He didn’t lose this particular match as quickly as expected, though. He had already decided that this would be his last one for the day, and when Thor gave him the choice of weapon, he instead picked grappling. Loki had been aware of the heavy weight of Thor’s gaze on his body for years now, and he was having a delectable time manipulating his brother in his guise of innocence. It was a long game, but one that would prove well worth it when he had his full revenge. So in choosing wrestling, Loki had not rejected a weapon. He had chosen his two most powerful weapons: his body, and Thor’s hunger for it. They both circled the ring, slowly tightening the circle as they kept their eyes locked on the others. Thor was slightly taller than Loki, but Loki’s limbs were longer, so it was always a draw who would attack first like this. Just as they drew near enough to lunge, Loki licked his lips. Thor’s eyes were drawn away, watching the shell-pink tongue, and he nearly groaned as he felt a stirring in his cock. Loki obviously had no idea what he did to Thor; his sweet, quiet brother would never knowingly torture him like this. It distracted him long enough that Loki took the chance to leap forward, slamming his body into Thor’s right side and knocking him off balance. Thor staggered a moment while Loki pivoted to grab the broad left shoulder and yank it forward. He’d planned out this tactic the night before, and was glad to see that it worked perfectly. It had the dual advantages of keeping Thor destabilized and of pressing his own face into Thor’s neck. He held on, panting across his brother’s skin, thrilling at the sudden tension in the muscles beneath him as Thor fought for control of both the match and his rising lust. It was absolutely maddening for Thor, having the feel of Loki’s hot breath searing across his skin, Loki’s body clinging to his own. He wanted to abandon the ring, carry him back to one of their chambers, and drive himself, hard and wild, into him. Thor forced himself to focus on sparring, grabbing Loki’s wrists and trying to throw them to the ground, but Loki hooked one leg around Thor’s waist, planting the other foot, and shoved hard against Thor’s hip with his inner thigh, torquing him off balance. Their groins were pressed together, and Thor couldn’t help stealing a brief moment to savor it. “You’re usually on top of me by now, brother,” Loki panted. “I must be making it extra hard for you today.” That was it. Thor had to finish this match while he still had some semblance of self-control. He forced Loki’s hands together, trapping both slender wrists in one of his own broad hands, and let them simply fall forward. His free hand caught them just before they hit the ground, and he lowered Loki carefully before sprawling out to pin him.  Loki tried to throw him off, face screwed in concentration, but he finally relaxed and nodded to indicate his loss. Thor had placed himself so carefully on the smaller body, making sure that his erection would not press against Loki, and he rose just as carefully, tugging at his tunic to make sure it hung strategically. “I think that’s enough for me,” Loki said. “I’m off for the baths.” “You’ve earned it, brother,” Thor said, voice carefully controlled. “This was excellent sport.” “I’ll fight you, Thor,” Sif said as she entered the ring, tossing him a staff. Thor desperately wanted to return to his chambers and ease his insistent need, but the match with Loki, though relatively long for their grappling, fell far short of an excuse for exhaustion. He fought hard, wanting to simply get the match over with, and he quickly had her weapon knocked out of her hands and his own raised to her head. Then everyone was agreeing that they were done for the day, though Sif cast him a strange look for his unusual brutality. He was too consumed to care. Thor was on his hurried way back to his rooms when he heard an odd sound from one of the smaller side halls, and he turned to investigate, unable to resist his curiosity. There, in one of the shaded alcoves, Loki was standing pressed against the wall, breeches puddled on the floor, his face a mask of concentration. His hands ran helplessly over the head of the einherjar who knelt before him, lips gliding up and down Loki’s cock while Loki panted and mewled in need. Thor hid behind a pillar, head angled just enough to watch with one eye. He knew he should leave, give them their privacy, but now that he was finally seeing Loki like this, instead of only imagining, there was no chance he could tear himself away. “More,” Loki gasped, shaking the shoulder of the kneeling figure before him. The einherjar held one hand up to Loki, who opened his mouth and worked his tongue obscenely over one of the fingers, before the man lowered it and reached around Loki. A moment later, his brother stiffened and curled forward, fists now clenched in the hair of the bobbing head. Thor’s eyes widened as he watched the armor-clad arm slowly moving, and Thor realized suddenly why his brother had wetted one of his fingers. Loki’s climax came quickly once his body was pierced. His head was thrown against the wall, sweat making strands of black hair cling to his face as he tugged harshly on the einherjar’s head. Thor fled to the sounds of his brother muttering, “yes, fuck, fuck…” Loki peeled one eye open, a sly look of triumph passing over his face as he watched his brother go. It was truly amazing to Loki that Thor sincerely believed his attraction was a secret. He managed to keep it hidden from their parents, of course, and his friends were nearly as thick as Thor himself was, but when you spend your life as someone’s clouded mirror, how could you not know how they feel? How could you not reflect those feelings back? He wanted Thor, just as desperately as Thor wanted him, but he was enjoying this game too much to let it end so soon. And although Thor was now ogling him, he still at times was casually dismissive of Loki, joining in laughter at his expense, happily attending parties to which Loki was not invited. Loki was going to make him suffer, and he did not intend it to end quickly. He let the einherjar - Erik, he thought - pull his breeches back up and tie them as he savored the moment. His eighteenth birthday was in a month. After the way Thor reacted to today’s little display, it would be delightful to make Thor think it was his idea to do something special together. Just being a good brother. That’s all. ***** “Thor,” Loki groaned, flopping dramatically back on his brother’s bed. “I’m bored. I want to do something.” He quelled his pleasure at the way his brother’s pupils dilated at the sight of Loki sprawled on his messy sheets. Best to keep his face petulant. “What do you want to do?” Thor asked.   “I don’t know, something different. It’s almost my birthday, and it’s going to be the same celebrations as every year. Shouldn’t there be something special for becoming an adult? You know, adult things,” he moaned, “not just the same cake and party games as always.” Oh, yes. Thor liked the mention of adult things, all right. Or maybe he just liked Loki moaning it. "Cake and party games are what mother and father have for their birthdays.” Loki huffed impatiently. “Perhaps,” Thor offered cautiously, “we might go hunting? Just us, no guards?” “Oh, Thor,” Loki purred, rolling to his side to fix his eyes on his brother’s, “that does sound exciting.” Thor swallowed hard.   ***** The Curse ***** Chapter Summary The camping trip does not go as planned. Chapter Notes I am overwhelmed at the response to this! I'm so glad you're enjoying my story. :)   “Loki! Wake up!” Loki woke to Thor’s loud voice outside his door, and reluctantly rose from his soft bed to open it. “Thor, it’s barely dawn,” he protested. “We must have an early start,” Thor said. “If we’re to ride to the high lake in a single day, we need to leave Gladsheim within the hour. Idid warn you that I'd be waking you early.” “Mmmpf,” Loki grunted. He felt Thor’s eyes on his skin as he tugged off his soft sleeping tunic, rummaging through a drawer for something to wear that day. He usually slept without a shirt, but he had suspected that the sight of him undressing might prove more effective on his brother than if he had opened the door bare-chested. From the quiet inhale Thor made, he was right. It didn’t make the early hour entirely better, but it did help. Loki had packed his things the night before, making sure to include a bottle of his favored skin lotion, one much bigger than would be necessary for mere skin care for the few days they would be gone. In the course of his experimenting, it had proven most satisfactory for an enjoyable variety of needs. He looked forward to bringing the bottle home empty. ***** They stopped at midday to eat from the basket of provisions the cook had sent along with them, but Loki’s appetite seemed off. Thor also worried at the odd glitter in Loki’s eyes. It reminded him, too vividly, of the time when Loki was nine and had a fever for three weeks, so bad he didn’t know where he was. “Are you well, Loki?” Thor asked, leaning over to press his hand on his forehead. Loki slapped at him irritably. “Of course I’m well,” he snapped. As they rode on, though, he did begin to feel strange. The day was cool, but he kept breaking out into sweat, and his body felt shaky. By the time they arrived at the shore of the lake and began to pitch their tent, Loki’s skin felt like it might burn right off him. ***** He woke in the middle of the night, to find that the fire on his skin had crept deep within him. His cock was rigid against his belly, desperate for attention. He tried to ignore it and go back to sleep, painfully aware of his brother on the other side of the tent, but it was hopeless. He had definite plans for what he wanted to accomplish on this trip, but a quick fumble in the middle of the night was not how he wanted them to start. So instead he slid his hands down and began to stroke, struggling to keep his breath quiet as his need built. But as he worked and worked, it became increasingly, frustratingly, clear that this alone was not going to bring him to completion. Thor lay still, trying to ignore the sounds of his brother pleasuring himself. He desperately wanted to offer his assistance, but this was hardly the way he wished to begin their activities, if, indeed, Loki would even welcome them. He must have been drinking, Thor thought, the tent had a heady fragrance of mead seasoned with clove and oak that definitely hadn’t been there earlier. The noises and the scent combined to attack his cock, making it throb traitorously as he tried in vain to order it back down. Loki was still trying to be quiet, but his need was rapidly growing overwhelming.  He wetted a finger in his mouth and brought it down, hoping to reach the spot that Erik always hit so well, but he was brought up cold. Just behind his balls, before the tight entrance that he was reaching for, he found a cleft. It was slightly swollen, it was wet, and it was definitely not there yesterday. His need was forgotten in his sudden terror. Was this a curse? An illness? Some sort of injury from his saddle? “Thor!” He grabbed at his brother’s shoulder. “Thor, wake up! There’s something wrong.” “I knew it, Loki, I said we should have gone home after lunch,” he grumbled, trying his best to sound like he was half asleep. “No, it’s not that, it’s…” Loki’s voice trailed off. He flicked a finger to light one of the lamps and, hand shaking, drew it close to him as he spread his legs open. Thor’s eyes widened impossibly. Even in his most hopeful dreams, Loki had not been so bold. His imaginings were full of furtive gropings in dark corners, bodies tangled in unlit rooms. He couldn’t fathom what would bring Loki to such an act out of nowhere, but he was not going to question his good fortune, and his eyes were hungry as he crawled across the tent to place himself between the slender legs. He got halfway there and froze. “Loki…” “What, Thor? What is it?” Thor’s eyes barely managed to take in the thin sheen of sweat that covered his brother, the way his body was shaking. “Loki… you have a cunt,” he said numbly. “What? How can I? That’s impossible,” Loki pleaded. “That’s what it looks like,” Thor said, his hand starting to reach out, hesitantly. “May I?” Loki nodded. His eyes were wide with terror, but they were also glittering again, stronger now. As Thor’s finger ran lightly through the cleft, he threw his head back and gasped. “Do that again,” he whispered. Thor hesitated a moment. Part of him realized that something was very wrong here, that men didn’t simply grow cunts overnight, but Loki was beginning to whimper, and that damned scent was becoming richer and deeper, and the questioning part of his mind was overwhelmed as he brought his hand back to his brother. Thor stroked gently, watching in awe as the lips grew more swollen and blossomed, petals kissed with trembling dew. He leaned forward, wondering dazedly if it tasted like flowers, and sank his tongue inside. Loki cried out, drawing his legs over Thor’s back, holding him in place. It didn’t taste like flowers. It tasted like spiced mead, and Thor was instantly, helplessly drunk. Loki’s own fears were licked away by Thor’s light, probing tongue. It teased the delicate folds before delving deeper, exploring within, while Loki whined and twisted. Thor grinned as he slid a finger into Loki’s quim and rapidly found a delicate spot of tissue that had Loki making little gasping whimpers. “Inside me, Thor,” Loki panted. “You have to, now, you don’t understand…” Thor was hopelessly torn. Here was his delectable brother, finally laid out before him, pleading for Thor to take him, and it was everything he’d ever wanted, everything he would ever want. Yet even in the depths of his own intoxication, he knew that things weren’t right, somehow, though he would be hard-pressed to be able to name, now, just what was wrong. “Please, Thor,” Loki begged, even as his frame was wracked helplessly with his orgasm. “I need it.” It was all he could do just to formulate the speech now, as his mind became consumed with the same need that was savaging his body. “Please…” Thor watched as the writhing that contorted Loki’s body slowly condensed into itself, until he simply lay there, trembling helplessly. He had stopped moaning, stopped making any noises beyond the spastic panting. The sweat that bloomed across his body grew heavier, and when Thor put a hand on Loki’s forehead, it was frighteningly hot. “Loki.” Thor shook him. “Loki!” There was perhaps a flutter of eyelids to show that he had heard Thor. Fear overcame his need and he threw his head back and roared for Heimdall, calling for the Bifrost. He went hoarse with yelling, to no avail. Loki must have shielded them from view, and now he might die for it. Thor was terrified of losing Loki; he had never known life without him, and didn’t want to. He regretted, now, the way he had let his mind drift during his lessons on basic medical care, though he doubted that battlefield first aid would be of much use here. He had only one thing to guide him: Loki’s own words. “I need it.” He settled back between Loki’s legs, this time letting the heady nectar intoxicate him until his fears were lost. Loki was dimly aware of Thor shaking him and yelling for Heimdall, but he could not bring himself to swim up to the surface of this hunger that threatened to drown him. Could not gather the strength to lower the shields he had thoughtlessly raised as they set up the tent. He was aware, though, of Thor’s tongue returning. Loki wanted to cry out, to buck up against Thor, but he was trapped inside his own body, unable to do anything but feel the need surging through him for more.   Thor rose up over the prone body, bringing his cock into place against Loki’s new cunt, and leaned down to press a kiss against his trembling lips. “I didn’t want our first time to be like this, brother,” he whispered, hoping that Loki could still hear him. “But I don’t know what else to do. I can’t lose you.” Loki’s body gave way easily, welcoming Thor as he thrust inside, and it was so hot, so wet and welcoming as he slid in to the hilt. And then Loki’s eyes flew open, Thor’s name on his lips. Thor drew nearly out and drove back in again, harder, watching Loki’s face respond beautifully, chest heaving as he gasped harshly. Loki wrapped his legs around Thor’s waist and clenched his hands on Thor’s ass, urging him to move faster, deeper. It took all Thor’s self-control to hold himself back as Loki writhed and pleaded beneath him, to keep his pace smooth and measured even as his breathing sped up and grew ragged. Loki felt his pleasure building almost painfully, so dense and tight in his core, before it exploded outward in a blinding rush, and his hands were scrabbling helplessly on Thor’s back as he panted and mewled. Even then it wasn’t really over, the tension was still there, coiled within him, and as Thor kept sliding into him it was growing again. To the extent that he could think, he thought it seemed strange to have a climax and still be ready for another, but even weak thoughts were soon drowned in waves of need and pleasure so strong he could barely distinguish one from the other. Thor watched in awe as his brother came again and again, gritting his teeth and resisting the velvet heat of Loki’s cunt as it grasped at him in the throes of each climax, before finally he couldn’t resist it any more and with a groan, gave a final drive into Loki and tensed as his own pleasure poured out. They collapsed together, sweating and panting. Thor wanted to just hold Loki in his arms and recover, but so, so soon Loki was grabbing at him, begging again, and his desperate words and naked need and intoxicating scent drove Thor’s body on where his mind would have rested. The night passed in a blur of pleasure, Loki spending over and over each time Thor took him, with him riding Thor, Thor above him, Thor behind him. Loki’s burning need finally cooled, and near dawn, when he fell forward onto Thor, it proved to be his final release for the night, and they both collapsed into dreamless sleep. ***** Loki woke the next morning in horror, reaching between his legs to find the cleft completely gone. It might have been a dream but for Thor’s body draped over his own, or the stiff crust of dried seed on his skin. He managed to slide free and clawed his way out of the tent, running for the lake. His mind raced as he tried to think of who might be capable of such a curse. It had to be a curse. He laughed, sickened, as he remembered the Midgardian fairy tale of the beauty who was cursed to fall into sleep until she was awoken by a prince. I don’t even know how to spin, he thought wildly. ***** Thor woke to a stiff neck and an empty bed. The gorgeous scent of Loki’s body still hung in the air, so he hadn’t been gone too long. He rose from the pile of bedding and crawled out of the tent, to see his brother standing, waist-deep in the lake, scrubbing frantically at himself. “Loki,” he called, starting to walk towards the lake. “Stay there, Thor,” Loki spat at him. Thor stopped, stunned. Did Loki blame him for what had happened? What else could he have done, when he couldn’t call the Bifrost? When Loki finally returned to the tent, shaking with cold, Thor silently wrapped him in furs and built up the fire. They sat, staring into the flames. Thor finally spoke. “Loki, please talk to me,” he said. “If I was in the wrong, I beg your forgiveness. I do not deny my feelings for you, but I would not have acted on them in this way if I felt I had any choice. I did not know what else to do.” Loki lowered his head. “You were not in the wrong,” he said quietly. ***** Loki was still shaking after an hour in front of the fire, unable to determine if it was from cold or the remnants of the shock he had been through. He finally settled on shock, and set aside the robe to dress and begin packing. He couldn’t remember the events of the previous night very clearly, and his mind struggled to gather together the memories. He had felt odd, and hot, and then he woke filled with fierce desire and that… thing upon him. That was where Thor had caressed him and taken him. Had it begun gently? Had it hurt? The memories were too dim. All he remembered of being taken was the feel of Thor driving into him, the way it seemed to last for hours before they had collapsed into sleep. “We are returning home?” Thor asked quietly. Loki started; Thor had sat so quietly that it seemed most likely he had fallen asleep. It was not like him to show such patience and stillness. “I am. What you choose to do is up to you.” “I am coming with you, of course,” Thor said, sounding hurt. “I don’t have time for your feelings, Thor,” Loki said, roughly shoving his belongs into his bag,“You can come with me or not, but I’m leaving as soon as I’m packed.” Thor caught him by the arm. “Loki, we need to talk about what happened.” Loki whirled on him. “Nothing happened, Thor,” he hissed. Whatever this curse was, Loki could best solve it by himself. The last thing he needed was his brother’s presence as he worked, forcing him to remember the swirling heat that had enveloped and overtaken him. He needed to be cold to do his research, analytical and precise. Thor opened his mouth to protest but closed it wordlessly when he saw the glare that Loki shot him. They rode home in complete silence. When they returned to Gladsheim, Thor begged Loki to visit the healers, but Loki refused. “It’s got to be a curse, Thor,” he muttered. “I’ll figure it out myself.” Thor had his doubts, but he respected his brother’s privacy.  At least now he was acknowledging that something had happened. Loki abandoned the sparring ring, spending all his time in the library, reading magical texts, magical-medical texts, even children’s books with different versions of the story of the cursed princess. Anything that might offer a clue. When Thor tried to touch Loki, his hands were slapped away. “I don’t have time, Thor,” he snapped. Thor’s heart was heavy. He had hoped that their time away, whatever else had happened, was the beginning of something. He wanted to shower Loki with affection, let his love soothe the prickliness that had arisen in the past few years. But now Loki was more caustic than ever. ***** Thor woke to his shoulder being shaken roughly, struggling into consciousness. “Thor,” Loki hissed. “Thor, it’s happening again.” He came to with a start, taking in Loki’s burning skin, the spiced-honeyed scent of his body, the eerie way his eyes shone in the dark. And while his memory of that night was fuzzy, as though he really had been drunk, his body remembered perfectly. He surged up from the bed, grabbing his brother’s slender torso in his arms and falling back onto the soft mattress with him. Loki wore only soft sleeping pants, so Thor had him undressed quickly and threw aside the blankets to slide out of his own pyjamas. The room had a chill, but the heat radiating from Loki’s body was guaranteed to keep both of them warm, if not too warm. Then they were both drowning, languid kisses and dreamy caresses giving way to demanding lips and promising hands, the air rich and heavy as they moved against each other, Thor plunging and Loki begging, soft cries urging the other on as they came, over and over, their bed and bodies a slick mess as joy after joy spilled across hot skin and cool sheets, pooled slowly from where Loki was filled beyond his body’s capacity to receive. ***** When Loki opened his eyes the next morning, Thor was already awake, looking at him with his jaw fixed in determination. “Brother,” he said firmly, “you must leave. And if this curse is the only reason you seek my bed, I ask you to not return. You know my feelings for you, and if you do not share them, it is unkind of you to take advantage of them while this fever is upon you.” Loki froze. An apology burned on his tongue, but he could not open his lips to free it. Could not ignore everything that had happened, everything that made him so willing to sacrifice his own happiness in order to deprive Thor of his. So he rose without a word and was gone. The morning-after was both easier and harder this time. Easier in that the initial terror had worn down into a constant throb in the back of his mind. He didn’t feel the need to scrub his skin off this time. Harder in that he had never, in all his planning, thought that Thor might send him away.   ***** Hopes ***** Chapter Summary They finally get what they'd hoped to start with. A little out of order, it's still good. Loki held firm the first week, and the second. On the third, he knocked on Thor’s door. Thor opened it. “Loki,” he said, surprised. “Ask me, Thor,” Loki muttered, his stomach in knots as pride and want wrestled within it. “What?” “I’ve come this far. Just… ask me.” And Thor suddenly understood. All the flirting and teasing, all the suggestive jokes and oh-so-casual touches, all their seduction had been stolen from them by that strange fever, by the odd glitter in Loki’s eyes and the delirious scent that rose from his body. His haughty brother had indeed come far in crossing the hall to Thor’s door, to make such an offer of himself. His chest tightened. He would make it up to Loki, as much as he could. “Loki,” he said again, holding out his hand this time, “will you come talk with me?” It was much more than Loki had expected, and better. He hadn’t really anticipated anything much beyond a “Please, Loki, come to bed.” And Thor didn’t take him to bed, but to the long sofa that stood in front of his fire. They sat for hours talking, slowly sipping wine. Loki’s heart sped when Thor reached out to idly twirl a dark curl around his fingers. He suppressed a gasp when Thor brushed an eyelash off his cheek. His skin became electric where Thor lightly brushed his hand over Loki’s as they laughed. Thor dragged it out for hours, allowing Loki to become both relaxed and aroused at the same time, before he finally leaned forward and brushed his lips against Loki’s. Loki reached up to put one hand against Thor’s face as the kiss deepened. He only half-remembered how this had felt, his memories blurred by the fevers that had engulfed him. But now he was completely present, taking in every detail.The contrast between Thor’s rough beard and his surprisingly soft cheek. The dizzying crush of Thor’s lips against his own. The heady sweep of Thor’s tongue in his mouth. The way Thor tasted not only of wine, but of oranges, and cinnamon. Thor’s broad hands crept up his back and crushed him to his chest. Loki moaned in response before breaking their kiss to ease himself astride Thor’s lap. He took a moment to savor the raw need that covered Thor’s face, the way his pupils were blown wide with desire, before he lowered his lips back to his brother’s. Thor’s hands were underneath his tunic, running all over his back, taking in the lean muscles. The want was building in Loki’s belly, like a void ravenous for satisfaction. Loki ground himself against Thor and was gratified as they gasped in unison. Thor tugged Loki’s shirt off and lowered his head to the pale chest, leaving reddened bites all over the smooth skin before finally, finally, taking a nipple into his mouth, holding it lightly with his teeth while teasing it with the tip of his tongue. Loki tangled his fingers in Thor’s hair as his own head fell back, glazed eyes half-closed in pleasure. Loki’s hips began moving helplessly, rutting against Thor, delighting in the growl it provoked. Thor clasped his hands firmly under Loki’s ass and stood, still teasing with his lips and tongue as he carried Loki to his bed. He laid Loki on his back and began to work, slowly, on Loki’s beautifully fitted breeches. He carefully peeled them down the long legs, thrilling at the sight of black leather giving way to alabaster skin. Loki watched him from between lust-heavy lashes as Thor undressed himself more quickly before joining his brother in bed. They moved together, kissing, licking, touching everywhere, finally doing all the exploring that they had missed before. Thor smiled at Loki, tender, hungry, as he dipped his fingers into the reservoir of the oil lamp that stood at his bedside, and brought his hand gently between his brother’s legs, reaching carefully downward to the nervously fluttering ring of muscle. Loki froze. “Is it a letdown?” he asked stiffly. Thor stared at him, confused. “Is what a letdown?” he asked. “That,” he spat. “You’ve never even touched me there before, and normally it’s all I’ve got.” Thor was stunned. “Loki,” he said uncertainly, “I have desired you for years, and this is exactly what I always expected. In our times before, that was… I do not know. It just happened that way, I think. I do not think I had much more control over myself than you did, when the fevers were upon you. Please believe that whatever brings you pleasure is no letdown to me.” Loki’s body relaxed underneath him, though his face still bore traces of suspicion. “All right, then,” he said. Thor relaxed the pressure against Loki’s entrance as he leaned down to press his lips against Loki’s delicate ear. “And it’s not all you’ve got,” he breathed, before kissing his way slowly down his chest, down the firm belly, carefully avoiding the throbbing cock resting against it, kissing down into the black curls, before trailing a tighter line of kisses up the underside of Loki’s cock until he reached the head. “You’ve also got this, and it, too, is far from a letdown,” he murmured, lips brushing across the tip as he spoke, before sliding his mouth down. Thor sucked, and licked, and kissed, making Loki arch helplessly, hands scrambling at the sheets. And when Thor finally pressed his finger in, Loki was too far gone to harbor any further suspicions, could barely process the way it felt stretching him, so much thicker than Erik’s fingers. Thor kept adding, twisting and stretching Loki to receive him, and Loki was getting close, so close, when suddenly Thor’s body was up over him again, muscular arms and spilling hair making a shield for them against the rest of the world, and then Thor was sliding into him. The look on Thor’s face was one of awe and wonder as he felt his brother’s body close around him, and Loki ran his hands all over Thor’s arms, his back, feeling the way the muscles worked as Thor moved slowly, easing back and sliding deep again. It was this coiled strength, so carefully controlled and dedicated to Loki’s own pleasure, that had him moaning, just as much as the feel of Thor deep inside him. Thor was murmuring in his ear, telling Loki how perfect he looked like this, how tight and hot he felt, how Thor had never wanted anyone the way he wanted Loki, never loved anyone the way he loved Loki. It was then, when Thor spoke of love, that Loki finally began to move with him, curling his hips upwards to meet Thor’s thrusts, letting them drop as Thor eased back, and Thor growled in response. He slid his hand between them to stroke Loki’s cock, feeling his own climax growing near and wanting to bring his brother with him into that explosion of pleasure. Loki whimpered at how perfect this felt, the way Thor filled him just so, the expert way Thor’s hand was coaxing him higher and higher, and then he was falling, crying out as his vision gave way to blinding stars, and he felt Thor’s wet heat spilling into him as his own spattered across his stomach. Thor left Loki’s body reluctantly, hating to lose this intimacy. He had taken Loki so many times before, but this was still gloriously new, to have their lovemaking be driven by themselves alone. He lowered himself to the mattress and pulled his brother into his embrace, pressing kiss after kiss over the inky hair, the pale cheek. Loki gave a contented sigh and wiggled himself more firmly against Thor. His body slowly relaxed into sleep, and Thor soon followed, still holding him close. Thor woke first the next morning. He was hungry, but Loki’s hand was wrapped loosely around his broad wrist, so he ignored his stomach and watched his sleeping brother as the room slowly grew light. A growl from his belly finally woke Loki, and he watched, entranced, as long black lashes fluttered open to devastatingly green eyes. Which quickly turned to glare at him. “I was not done sleeping, Thor,” he said, annoyed. “I beg your pardon, brother,” Thor teased. “Next time I will await your permission before I develop a bodily need.” Loki arched an eyebrow. “Somehow, I doubt that,” he answered. “You eat, I want to bathe.” Thor’s heart fell, then. He had hoped they might spend the morning together. Loki was so prickly in the mornings, though, that he didn’t dare protest. So when he watched the graceful, lean figure go towards Thor’s own bath chambers, hips swaying seductively, he could scarcely believe it. Loki threw a flirtatious glance over his shoulder just before he disappeared. Thor grabbed a handful of dried fruit and ate it faster than he had ever eaten in his life. By the time he got to the bath chambers, the huge tub was already nearly half- filled, and the room was steamy, fragrant with the scent of the wooden planks that lined the room. “Might I join you?” he asked. Loki didn’t say anything, but his smile looked pleased as he inclined his head. They lowered themselves together into the hot water, Thor settling on one of the submerged benches as Loki climbed into his lap, straddling his powerful thighs, and began kissing him frantically. His hands were insistent and demanding, all over Thor, and he rose up on his knees, head tilted down to hold their kiss as he began rutting himself against Thor’s chest. Thor’s hands gripped Loki’s buttocks, pulling them apart as he pulled Loki harder against him, as he began to caress all through the glorious, delicious cleft between them. His entrance resisted Thor’s attempts at probing and exploring inside him, though. “Thor,” Loki gasped, “I think we need something other than water.” Of course, he realized. He stood, clasping Loki against him, thrilling at the way the long legs wrapped themselves tightly around his waist. He carried him to the opposite side of the tub, to the shelf that held his soaps and things to tend his hair. He stretched up to grab the after-shampooing lotion and set it conveniently at hand. Loki twisted to watch what he was doing, and when he saw, he uncoiled his legs so that Thor could set his feet on the floor of the tub, firm hands turning him around and bending him forwards over the edge. The marble was cold against Loki’s stomach, but he wanted this too badly to care. It was seldom that desire and machination matched so perfectly in his life, and he was going to savor every second of this. He purred and thrust himself on Thor’s fingers as he carefully worked Loki open. When he was suddenly left empty he jutted himself back, whining his need, not wanting to be left empty for one second, knowing how gloriously he was about to be filled. There were slick sounds behind him as Thor slathered his cock with the lotion, and then he was entering Loki, faster than he had last night, now that he knew Loki could take it and love it. “Yes, Thor,” he hissed in ecstasy, eyes squeezing tightly shut at the intensity of the stretch. Thor had one hand pressed on his lower back, holding him in place, and Loki’s hands splayed across the stone, fingers tense and grasping helplessly.  Thor drove into him, and his need was beginning to coil low in his belly, when suddenly he was empty again, trying to twist and glare at his brother, but trapped under his strong hand. Thor smiled as his brother fought him, failing to stand, failing even to speak. He added more lotion to his cock and slid back in, pumping his hips furiously into Loki, who had once again gone limp before him, gasping Thor’s name. Thor repeated it twice more, Loki snarling at him each time he withdrew. Thor brought his fingers back to Loki’s opening, feeling as far inside as he could. Still not really wet enough for what he wanted to do; he would have this be enjoyable for both of them. His own frustration finally taking over, Thor put the bottle of lotion to Loki’s entrance, settling the opening just inside, and gave it a squeeze. Loki’s body jolted at the sudden coldness that flooded him, but then Thor was back inside him, hands on his hips to hold him still as Thor shoved, so hard, so deep into Loki, and held them there. At Loki’s moan of protest at the stillness, Thor carefully lifted his brother, holding them together, and moved back through the tub to the low bench, and sat down carefully, setting Loki in his lap. They had enough, now, to lose some to the water without discomfort. Loki curled his head back onto Thor’s shoulder, then, and they were kissing hard, desperately, as Thor rocked them together. It was frustrating, maddening, this slow, easy pace, and Loki tried to buck his hips downward, but his feet couldn’t quite reach the floor, and he was writhing and begging. Thor loved his brother like this, utterly wrecked, body moving helplessly. He had to fight himself to keep this rhythm; his body wanted to stab, harsh and brutal, into the yielding form above him, but he was determined to drag this out as long as he possibly could. When his own need at last grew too strong to resist, he reached forward to tug at Loki’s legs, pulling them up to plant his feet on the bench on either side of Thor’s knees. At that, the moment he could move, Loki became a snarling wild thing, slamming himself down, harder and harder each time, and he was so, so close, and he could even feel how close Thor was from the way the blood thundered through his cock as it speared Loki so intimately, and he grabbed his brother’s hand, wrapping it around his own cock and dragging it up and down in the way he liked best. They strove against each other, their need so tense and desperate that the air felt thick as honey, and then Thor came with a hoarse gasp, body convulsing forward, bending Loki double and sinking his teeth into his brother’s shoulder. The surge of pain was the last thing Loki knew before he was spilling, bucking helplessly against Thor’s hand as he cried out his own pleasure. They ran a second bath to actually get clean. Loki stayed on Thor’s lap for much of that as well, as they gently washed each other, their cuddling and kissing making the whole thing drag out forever. Finally, as the water grew cool, Loki stood with a reluctant sigh. “I must go dress, Thor,” he said sadly. “I am expected in the library in half an hour.” Thor nodded quietly and watched Loki climb out. Just before he stepped away from the tub, though, Thor grabbed his hand and pressed a soft kiss against it. Loki smiled at him happily. ***** Loki kept the triumph off his face until he was safely behind the closed door of his own chambers. Thor really thought he’d won so easily, that his magical healing cock could in one night of fucking erase years of unhappiness. Well, as long as he believed that, it would make the next step of Loki’s plan even more fun. And Loki did need fun in his life. He would enjoy every minute of this. Thor really was an excellent lover. What fun it would be to break his heart. Loki would smash it to shards and rebuild it with no room for anyone else. ***** The next time the strange fever took Loki, it seemed easier for both of them to maintain some level of self-control. Perhaps because they were not fighting it entirely, Loki thought. Thor didn’t question, merely setting himself about the task of keeping his brother well enough satisfied to remain in relative health and comfort. A delightful task it was proving to be, too, now that they were learning how to deal with it. Thor found himself wondering, sometime in the night as Loki’s body writhed wantonly beneath his own, whether this truly were a curse, as his brother thought. It brought them both delirious pleasure, and after that initial fright, Loki seemed to take no harm from it. It was a wonder to explore the changing shape, bring it to trembling heights in so many different ways as it shifted and closed and opened. The morning after the third of the fevers, they were loving and gentle. Loki showed no hesitance now about the way Thor adjusted to the change in his body, moving happily from one entrance to another. He moaned and keened as he rode his brother, inky locks tossing each time Thor rose up into him, eyes squeezed shut in concentration. Things between them finally were at peace, and Thor was content. As they sprawled together afterwards, Thor’s thumb rubbing idle circles around Loki’s belly button (Loki had loved that as a child, he remembered, hoping he still did), his mind wandered. It would not be many years now before he would be expected to marry and secure an heir, and he could not imagine that with anyone but Loki, now. There would be objections, of course, but Thor had answers. There had been sibling-spouses on the throne before, and childless kings who had named rather than produced heirs. They had never been the same people before, but no one could deny the precedents were there. He fell asleep to happy thoughts of being Loki’s, and Loki being his, forever. That made it all the more painful, then, when he woke and found his brother had fled Asgard.     ***** Flight ***** Chapter Summary Loki didn't leave *just* to torment Thor. Though that didn't hurt. Chapter Notes Enjoy. “He has shielded himself from my sight,” Heimdall said. “I cannot help you.” “He took no horses,” said the stable master. “I cannot help you.” “Nothing here is missing,” said the weapons master. “I cannot help you.” Thor began to despair of ever finding a clue to lead him towards his brother, until the librarian from the children’s room, of all people, requested an audience with him. “He took a book,” said the librarian. “Perhaps I can help you.” ***** As Loki was planning his departure, he searched everywhere for a clue to this curse, and found that his first horrified thought, the story of the sleeping princess, was the closest he could find. He combed through countless versions of the old fairy tale, reading them in every Midgardian language he knew, finally reading in ones he only half-knew. And then there it was, a glimmer of possibility. An old text, from before English was truly English, and in it the curse-caster was called, not a fairy, but an Alf. He knew where he needed to go, yet he found himself reluctant to leave, wanting to savor the exquisite pleasures Thor roused in him. Until the day he felt a spark, tiny but unmistakable, deep in his belly. If it weren’t for his seidr, he wouldn’t have noticed for months. He almost wished he hadn’t. But it was there. And it was time to go. **** “Alfheim,” said the librarian. “I believe that is where Loki has gone.” Thor packed his bags. He did not ask his father’s permission to leave court. His friends offered to accompany him, but he refused. “Whatever is going on, I believe it to be between Loki and me. I thank you, my friends, but I must go alone.” It was weeks of hiking from town to town before he heard a rumor, just a the faintest hint, that someone may have seen Loki, two long days’ walk to the west. It took one day at a run. Loki was not there when Thor arrived, of course, but he talked to the locals and became more convinced that it was indeed his brother whom they saw. He was still there, resting, when he heard that Loki was seen bathing in the river just past the first village to the north. By the fourth time Thor exhausted himself running after sightings of Loki, he was determined that his brother was playing tricks on him, but he could do nothing else but continue. His face grew thinner. Even his arms, now that Mjolnir hung from his hip rather than flew from his hand, began to shrink. And none of that mattered one whit the day he finally saw Loki. He was running, as usual, chasing after another rumor, when his brother stepped out of the woods that lined the road. “Loki,” Thor said. “Thor,” Loki answered quietly. Thor swallowed hard. “Brother, please come home,” he begged, holding out one hand. Loki looked at it for a moment before he brought his eyes to Thor’s. He laughed and disappeared. ***** The next time they met, Loki allowed more conversation. “Why are you doing this, brother?” Thor asked. “I have to find the answer to the curse, Thor. You know that.” “But why like this? Why alone? Surely you knew I’d come with you?” “Would you really do that, just for little old me?” Loki asked in a mockery of flirting. “Of course,” Thor swore. “Anything.” Loki’s laughter this time was harsher, more bitter. It rang in Thor’s ears long after his brother was gone. ***** The third time they met, Loki stayed in the shadows, only his pale face and glowing eyes shining in the darkness. “Please, Loki. Tell me what I have done to lose your trust, and I will do anything to regain it.” Loki paused a moment. “Apologize for how you treated me, you and your friends,” he said. “They were never mine, and you shared in their laughter at me. You drew away from me and towards them without a word of explanation. I never knew what I had done, and the worst thing is, I don’t think you even cared enough to notice it happen.” Thor’s heart shattered at the words. He knew very well that he had pulled away, but had he really joined in laughter? Yes, perhaps he had. The cruel, unthinking laughter of a spoiled boy who did not know what to do with his feelings. But he had grown up, these past months in Alfheim. He knew now what he wanted, what mattered, and he was willing to beg for it. “I apologize with my whole being for every pain I have caused you, Loki. Come back to Asgard with me and I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I will reject them before your eyes, if you wish it. Just please come home.” Yes, Loki wanted that, wanted that more than anything. To have his brother’s love turned back to him, to have Thor scoop him up and carry him back home. Wanted Thor to love him with the same simple whole-heartedness as when they were children. Wanted Thor to love him with the passion he showed on those nights they were together without the curse ruling their bodies. “I can’t, Thor,” Loki breathed, lashes damp. “I have to break this curse.” ***** The fourth time Thor found Loki, he spied him from afar, a slender white figure with lush dark curls, standing in a lake. In his wanderings, Loki had stopped trying to fight his hair into submission. It was the only good thing about being here, and Thor’s eyes drank in the sight, greedy for consolation. Loki turned and watched as Thor drew close. “Why, brother? Why will you tell no one, and make this search alone? There are many strong seidr workers who may be able to help you.” “Why?” Loki’s laughs were harsh shrieks that sounded as though they could turn into sobs at any moment. He walked out of the lake, and Thor saw what he had been hiding, in the water, in the shadows. While Thor was growing thin and ragged, Loki’s body was swelling with child. “Loki,” he breathed. “Please, you must come home. I love you, and I want to help you.” “You love me?” he echoed. “I do. Name the proof you want and it is yours.” Loki mused a moment. “Your hand.” Thor’s heart lit up. “Of course,” he said. “We will announce our engagement the moment we return.” “No, not that,” Loki snapped. “I mean, I want your hand. Cut it off.” Thor paled, but pulled out his dagger without hesitation. He set his left hand on a rock and gritted his teeth, bracing himself. Just as he was about to crush it through, though, Loki stopped him. “I don’t want your hand,” he said. “Just your willingness to give it.” It was true, but even more than that, Loki wanted Thor to know his own willingness. To realize how much Loki meant to him. Loki let him get close this time. Thor held out a hand, about to brush the wet hair out of his face, when he was gone. This time, though, instead of laughing or crying, Loki had smiled. At last, thought Thor. ***** A cold rain fell. Thor was too weary to send away the storm, and he made his slow way towards the foothills of the mountains, hoping he might find a cave where he could take shelter. He did. He also found his brother, and a fire, and food. This time, Loki did not disappear. They stayed there for a week, Thor tending to Loki as best he could. Loki could barely move, his time having grown close - “as best I can guess,” he said wryly - but he could still provide them with food and warmth and a dry bed with a twist of his fingers. Thor did not want to press anything more on his brother, not after everything he had already put him through, and for three days and nights he kept his hands chastely to himself. One the fourth day, Loki glanced at him through his eyelashes. Flirtatious. Hungry. Loki does not like to ask for what he wants. He likes to be asked. Thor sank to his knees between the long legs. “May I?” he breathed. Loki nodded. Despite the chill in the air, Loki wore only a long tunic to more easily accommodate his belly. It was forest green, trimmed with black and gold, and it reminded Thor of Loki’s armor. Thor could not decide if it was in mockery or in memory. He did not know how to ask, and Loki did not say. So he just slid it upwards, kissing each bit of skin as it was exposed. Loki had not gained much weight outside his torso, but his thighs were ever so slightly fuller, lusher, and Thor couldn’t help sinking his teeth into them. Loki gasped and shifted slightly, moving his half-stiffened cock closer to his brother’s mouth. Thor caught it and swallowed it down, luxuriating in the feel of it thickening with each pass of his tongue, thrilling at the way Loki’s breath hitched and his head fell back. Loki had had nothing but his own hand for months, and recently, even that was more bother than it was worth, with the awkward way he had to reach around his swollen stomach. So his needs had gone untended until this heady moment. He pressed a hand to the back of Thor’s head, urging him onwards. He could feel Thor try to smile, the lips growing tighter around his cock, as Thor moved faster, sliding up and down, twisting, drawing dizzying circles over the head each time he drew back. Loki’s desire grew with each pass, until he could feel it about to pour forth. “Thor… now…” he gasped, expecting Thor to move off and away, but instead he slid down, as far as he could, lips nestled in the soft black hair as Loki’s cock eased into his throat, and Loki was spilling, straight down into the tight throat that constricted around him. Loki collapsed, his breaths ragged as he tried to get them under control. Thor nuzzled his thigh before moving up to lay down next to Loki, carefully moving black curls away so as not to tug them when he set his head on the grassy pillow. “You look so gorgeous, little brother, spent and gasping like this,” he murmured into Loki’s ear. “And pregnant?” Loki tried to snap at him, but he hadn’t quite caught his breath enough to sound anything more than sated and delectable. “And pregnant,” Thor agreed. “I promise you, whatever happens, I will look out for you. For both of you.” ***** Loki had been fidgeting restlessly for hours, his hands wandering over his stomach, his face a mask of anxiety. A shiver ran through him, and Thor pulled the blanket more tightly around his shoulders. “You seem unwell, brother,” Thor said hesitantly. Loki’s tongue had been growing harsher all day, but he was willing to risk it if there was some way for him to help. “Is there anything I might do for you?” “Of course I’m unwell, Thor,” Loki snapped. “I want this over with, and out, and I want my body back, and I don’t want to go through the only thing that will get me what I want.” Thor certainly couldn’t fault him for that, and it made his sharp words easier to bear. Once, when they were small, Thor wanted to show off for his brother by climbing a tree. He went higher and higher, laughing at Loki’s words of caution - had it started that early, him laughing at his brother? yes, he realized sadly, it had - and all was well until he ventured onto a dying branch. There was a sharp crack of wood and then Thor was tumbling down, down, unable to get a secure grip on the branches as they slammed against him, until finally he smashed into the ground. He had not been severely harmed, but someone out for a stroll had seen him fall and insisted on carrying him to the healers, with Loki close on their heels. Strangely, they were seen to not by Eir, as was usual, but one of her assistants, Ragnald. As he ran his hands carefully over Thor, checking for broken bones and head injuries, they heard a woman screaming. The boys looked at Ragnald, who smiled at them reassuringly. “Astrid, one of your mother’s ladies, is having her baby today,” he explained. “That is why Eir is not here to look after you.” Loki’s eyes were wide, concern and worry fighting on his face. “Don’t worry, Loki,” Thor had told him. “Be glad you’re a boy. Women are the ones who have babies, not us.” And now here they were, Loki having to face labor and birth himself. He has ever reacted to fear with anger, lashing out rather than seeking comfort. That, like love and lust, he wants offered to him without him having to ask. “May I hold you?” Thor asked gently. Loki nodded wordlessly, and Thor sank down onto the thick pile of grasses, pulling Loki to his chest. Loki gathered the neck of Thor’s shirt into his fist and held tight. Hours passed as they laid there unmoving, watching the light shift on the ceiling as the sun lowered. Thor was just beginning to drift off to sleep when he felt Loki’s body go tense. “Thor?” he whispered. “I think it’s time to go home.” ***** Return ***** Chapter Summary Everything comes out today. Babies. Secrets. No one likes it. Chapter Notes Enjoy! This was the first time Loki had been awake to feel his cunt opening. It was an odd, wet sensation, a sudden strange awareness of space where previously there had been only skin. It might almost be interesting, if only he didn’t know why it was happening, this time. He let down the ward blocking him from Heimdall’s view, and told Thor to take him home. Thor scooped him up in his arms and roared for the Bifrost, which appeared almost instantly at the mouth of the cave. Thor ran past Heimdall, feet pounding against the ground, to the healer’s hall. They were halfway there when Loki felt a tightening in his belly. It eased after a minute, and he was just starting to relax, when a rush of hot wetness poured from him. He whimpered and buried his face in Thor’s shoulder, too frightened to even shield himself with his cloak of anger. Thor ran faster, shouting for Eir. They must be close now, Loki thought, unwilling to look up to see where they were. Then Thor stopped, and laid Loki down upon a soft bed, a real bed, the first one Loki had been on in nearly a year, and he would have been grateful for it were it not for the reason he was there. Eir’s eyes grew wide as she looked at Loki, but she moved as briskly and efficiently as ever. “My prince,” she said, “I would welcome you home, but I expect you are not overly glad for the reason you are here just this moment.” Loki shook his head no, and she continued. “I need to examine you now, to see how to proceed. All right?” Loki squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head away, pressing it into Thor’s waist. It was certainly not all right, nothing was all right, but he knew she must do her work. “Go on,” he whispered. She slid his tunic up about his waist and gently parted his legs, heaving a sigh of relief at what she found. “What is it?” Thor asked her nervously. He was holding Loki’s hand and stroking the black ringlets that fell over his pinched face. So far, Loki was allowing it. “I was afraid I might have to do surgery to deliver the child,” she said, “but it looks like everything will be able to progress naturally.” Loki snorted at that. “As naturally as one might hope,” she amended. He tensed as two slicked fingers reached inside him, searching for something. She touched something deep inside him for a moment before withdrawing them. “You’re just starting to dilate,” she said. “How often are the contractions?” “I’ve only had one so far,” he said. “Why? How should they be?” “One is fine,” she said, patting his arm and pulling his tunic back down. “I’d say you’ve got several hours before I need you back here. I’d like you to stay close, so I can keep an eye on you, but if you’d like to go out to the gardens or perhaps have a bath, that’s fine. Just find me when they’re five minutes apart.” Loki nodded. “I think I’d like a bath,” he said. He was still refusing to look at anything, but a moment later he heard water running in the distance. “Loki? Would you like to walk, or shall I carry you?” Loki was about to snap that he was still capable of walking when another contraction hit, this one stronger, and he decided that Thor could do some work. “Carry me,” he said. Thor scooped him up again, and followed one of Eir’s assistants who was showing him the way to the baths. He set Loki gently on his feet and undressed them both as quickly as he could after she left them alone in the room, and carried him down the steps into the water. “Would you like me to stay here with you, or would you prefer it to yourself?” Thor asked, hesitant. “Stay,” Loki said. He needed to cling to Thor, to feel the rock-solid assurance that his firm body always seemed to offer. They spend hours in the huge tub, Thor periodically refilling it as it cooled. Eir popped her head in the door from time to time, reaching into the bath to feel inside Loki and nodding her satisfaction each time. Loki tried to hide the contractions from Thor, but he couldn’t help inhaling sharply as they grew stronger and sharper, and finally Thor said gently that they were only five minutes apart, that they must go back. “No!” Loki said, desperately. “It’s… it’s not time, Thor, not yet…” “I’m sorry, Loki,” he said, placing a gentle kiss on the sweating forehead, “I think we must.” Thor toweled him off - not well, he knew, he was suddenly terrified of touching near Loki’s stomach, as though he might damage something at the last minute - and took him back to where Eir was waiting for them. The next few hours were a blur for Loki, the pains growing worse and more frequent. Thor busied himself feeding him ice chips, rubbing his feet, stroking his hair. Finally, after Eir felt inside more times than either of them cared to count, she nodded. “It’s time, now, Loki,” she said. “I need you to push when I tell you.” Loki nodded, panting, though whether in pain or fear or both, neither he nor Thor could tell. Thor held on to his hand, whispering encouragement in his ear each time Eir had him bear down. He tried to brace himself but the pains came too quickly, one upon another, and he was screaming and pushing as his body felt like it was being torn in half, tears pouring down his face. “Almost there now,” Eir told him. “This will be the worst part, but it is over quickest.” “No,” Loki whimpered. Surely it couldn’t get worse, he couldn’t do this, he wasn’t ready, but his treasonous body continued without him, and he was screaming continuously, the world fallen away so that there was nothing left but fear and blood and pain, this white-hot pain, surely no one can survive such- and then he was free. The pain wasn’t gone, but it had eased enough that Loki could breathe and think and know he wouldn’t die. By the end, Thor’s ears were ringing and he was pretty sure there were several broken bones in his hand, and he was so, so frightened for Loki, there had been so much blood. So much blood. But then Eir was holding a baby in her hands, and Thor smiled down at Loki, his eyes wet. Their happiness was cut short, though, as Eir was suddenly yelling for her assistants, running with the baby to another examination table, grabbing all sorts of hard, cold instruments that looked much too menacing for such a tiny baby, and Thor tried to look but an assistant shoved him back. Eir barked orders full of words he didn’t know. Loki barely whimpered as he passed the afterbirth, uncaring, now, of his own body. “Get the queen,” Eir yelled to the room at large. “Now.” Thor wanted to help look for her, but Frigga came running quickly in, and he realized she must have been waiting outside. She shook her head at him, no, before turning away to help with the baby. Loki struggled to sit up, looking over anxiously. “What’s happening?” he demanded. Thor could only stare helplessly. “Her color, nothing is helping…” Eir said helplessly. Loki and Thor watched Frigga’s shoulders fall. Loki’s tears, which were just beginning to dry, poured down again. Thor wanted to join him, but stayed strong to support his brother. He would weep in silence, after Loki had exhausted himself into sleep. “She is well,” Frigga said quietly. “Your majesty,” Eir protested. “She’s-” But then Frigga picks up the baby and turned to her sons, and they saw what Eir was going to say. She’s blue. A light, icy blue. She placed the tiny girl on Loki’s heaving chest, rested her hand on his arm. “Loki,” she said gently, “your daughter is well.” He couldn’t possibly see how she could be well, looking this way, but Frigga was wise and strong, and he was too exhausted to reach out with his own seidr to confirm her words. She pulled the sheets up to cover his depleted body. “I’m going to bring in your father,” she said. “There are things he must tell you, and then I’ll show you how to nurse.” Frigga left, returning a minute later with Odin trailing behind her. His jaw was clenched, and he seemed unwilling to look at either of his sons. Or, even worse, at his granddaughter. Loki stared at him, eyes widening in suspicion. “The curse…” he said slowly. “Was it you?” Odin shook his head, finally looking at Loki. “You are not cursed.” “What then? Tell me!” he demanded. “It happened in the aftermath of the battle on Jotunheim,” he said. “I went into the temple, and found a jotun holding a baby. He was unarmed, but powerful, and his sword stood by his hand. I slew him before he had a chance to take it up.” “And the baby…” Loki said, realization dawning upon him. Thor looked between them, confused, but said nothing. “He was small, newborn… and he bore Laufey’s kinlines. I thought if I reared him, kept him on Asgard, I might bring about a permanent peace.” “So I’m nothing but a stolen relic to you?” Loki’s anger flared despite his physical exhaustion. “You are my son,” Odin answered. “You could have told me from the beginning… why didn’t you?” “The war had caused so much suffering. How could I tell you, tell anyone, that you were of the people that had brought that sadness to Asgard? I wanted to protect you.” Odin’s voice was pleading. “Oh, no,” Loki laughed bitterly. “It’s clear now, why you always favored Thor. You claimed to love me, but you could never really consider putting a monster on the throne.” “You’re no monster, Loki, but a jotun.” “The difference?” Loki’s fury had risen to the point where he was spitting his words. “You think I would not allow a jotun on the throne. Look at your daughter. As soon as you are well, she will be confirmed Thor’s heir, as Thor is mine. And remember who my mother was.” Loki looked down at her, the tiny person he had created, and she opened her eyes suddenly to meet his own. They were a delicate, enchanting lilac. She really was quite lovely, he realized, the most perfect person there had ever been. And one day she would be ruler of Asgard. If Loki played his cards right, that would make him very powerful indeed. He remembered his grandmother Bestla, how much Odin did to keep her happy, how deeply he listened to her counsel. He smiled at Odin. “I think perhaps I understand. I… I forgive you.” ***** Happiness ***** Chapter Summary Loki's version of 'happy ever after.' Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes “What shall we name her, Loki?” Thor asked once the three of them were finally left alone. Loki looked down at the baby sleeping sprawled out on his chest. “Lokhild,” he said. “Lokhild. Lokhild?” Thor said, his voice tinged with disbelief. “Loki’s battle” seemed a little much for such a tiny child, he thought. Loki stared at him. “Lokhild.” Thor knew the tone in his brother’s voice, knew he has already been pushed farther than could be safely done in a day, and nodded his head. “It is a lovely name,” he volunteered. “She just seems so small to bear it.” “She will grow into it,” Loki said. “While she is small, we can call her Loka.” In the morning, when Loki had rested, they would send an envoy to Jotunheim to request a visit from a healer. He was surprised to discover that he was glad his changeable body was not the result of a curse, but he still had little information about it. Loki always likes to know everything. Everything like how to avoid another pregnancy, in particular. One day, when he has managed to forget the worst of the pain, they might give their daughter a little sister. That one Loki would name Thora. He knew very well what his brother wanted to call this baby, but after everything Loki has been through to get her, she could have no other name. ***** Thor and Loki walked back to their hall together, Thor hurrying ahead to open doors for Loki, whose arms were filled with their sleepy daughter. They went together into Loki’s chambers, where he sank down into his plush nursing chair with a grateful sigh. The confirmation ceremony had taken four hours, and his feet and legs were still slightly sore from his pregnancy. “You are weary,” Thor said, sitting on the floor at Loki’s feet and beginning to rub his ankles. “I am. Glad to sit,” Loki answered. He was about to say more when the swaddled bundle began to fidget and wail. “And she’s hungry,” he added. Thor watched in awe as Loki eased open his shirt and put her mouth to his nipple. His chest was ever so slightly swollen, ready to nurse. Thor had wondered if Loki would develop breasts to feed their child, but it seemed he didn’t need them. Thor loved looking at his brother when he was heavy with milk, the delicate curve and swell that disappeared as the baby drank her fill. Loki sat with his face turned towards his daughter, but with his eyes carefully watching Thor. The way Thor watched Lokhild nurse, the way Thor’s pupils responded to the lush sight of his milk-laden chest as he opened his shirt. The baby finally put up a tiny fist to shove herself away from him, and Thor stood to put her on his shoulder and coax a quiet pop out of her. Her breathing was slow and even, and he tucked her gently in her crib before returning to sit again at Loki’s feet. He took them in his lap, rubbing again, making Loki moan in pleasure. Loki could feel him beginning to stiffen and moaned ever so slightly louder, stifling a smirk. Thor shifted, his snug breeches growing uncomfortable, but he kept rubbing gentle circles until Loki took his feet back with a pleased sigh. He tried to will away his arousal; Eir had warned him that Loki might not have any interest for a while, and he didn’t want to press anything, not when things were better between them than they had been in years. Now, he told himself sternly. He’d been carrying it around for days, always backing out at the last second, but he was determined to do it now. He shifted to his knees, reaching into his pocket and taking hold of the small ring within. With a deep breath that didn’t calm him nearly as much as he’d hoped it would, he clenched his fist around it and looked Loki in the eyes. “Loki,” he began hesitantly. Damn. He really should have planned this better. “Loki, I have loved you my whole life,” he said. “I cannot remember life without you, and I never wish to know it. You are my brother, my life, my heart. I have no greater desire in life than to be your husband. Loki…” he continued, pulling the ring out of his pocket, “will you marry me?” Thor’s heart swelled as Loki smiled down at him happily, eyelashes glistening as he said yes. It was all worth it, Thor thought. All the pain, all the fear, those months wandering through Alfheim, it was all worth it for this yes. Loki was pleased with himself. It only took six days of carefully dropped hints to make Thor think this was his idea. With Thor’s malleability, Loki, as prince consort, would have even more influence over the future king than Frigga had over Odin. And Loki did love Thor, he knew that perfectly well, despite how hard he had tried to deny it. He still couldn’t help being Thor’s dark mirror, reflecting Thor’s emotions back on him. All things considered, his life would be better if their interests were aligned. I’ve got you, he thought to himself. Finally, finally, I have you as much as you have always had me. ***** The day of the wedding dawned gray and overcast, a cold drizzle putting the entire realm in a bad mood. “Not at all the sort of day for a wedding,” Loki pointed out peevishly. Thor didn’t take the hint, and Loki glared at him. “I’m sure it will clear up soon, brother!” Thor said. It had been three weeks since Lokhild was born, three weeks since Loki had gotten to sleep more for than two hours in a row, and Thor was far too cheerful for his taste. During the wedding, their hall would be rearranged so that they shared a single bedchamber, and then Thor would have to be woken by their daughter’s hungry cries as well. Loki couldn’t wait. Loki sent Thor back to his own chamber, muttering after him something like most pathetic weather god, ever. Thor smiled. The ceremony was outdoors. All the guests were uncomfortable, clad in unseasonably warm wool to repel the damp. The actual vows took little time, and Thor was only half-aware of them, he was so focused on the ending. Odin completed the ceremony with the words, “...and thus you are wed.” As he said it, Loki slid an emerald crusted ring onto Thor’s finger and Thor a matching one with rubies onto Loki’s, and Thor flicked his glance to the sky. In an instant, the clouds were gone and the sun was shining upon them, catching the jewels in their new rings and making them sparkle dazzlingly. Loki realized with a surge of warmth in his chest why Thor had dodged his hints about the weather; this truly was beautifully planned and executed. In return, he subtly enhanced the effect of the natural light, making sure the gleaming rings could be seen even in the very back of the assembled crowd. The crowd gasped at the sight and bursts into a flurry of flag-waving that intensified as Thor and Loki shared their first kiss as husbands. Loki half expected Thor to lift him and carry him away to their chambers, as was done with brides, but instead Thor took his hand and they walked out together. He liked this, how they were once again walking the way they did as children, before his days of sadness started. And now they were over.  It made him feel tender inside, like his heart was made of velvet. Frigga followed them, carrying Lokhild, and she handed the sleeping baby to Thor after they were through the doors into the boys’ hall - she’d have to start calling it something else now, she realized, though to her they would always be her boys - and rested her hands on their heads briefly in blessing before excusing herself and slipping away quietly. Thor straightened from tucking Lokhild into her cradle to find Loki eying him speculatively, and his cock began to stir hopefully. He was across the room in quick strides and pressed his lips against Loki’s. Thor’s hand ghosted low over Loki’s groin, below where his cock was throbbing, trapped between his breeches and his belly. “How are you feeling here?” he asked gingerly. Loki made a face. “Still healing. It doesn’t hurt anymore, but it’s still… odd. Too odd,” he added. “And here?” Thor raised his hand, caresses the bulge, fingers trying to wrap around it despite the interfering fabric. Loki hummed, raising a suggestive eyebrow. “Perhaps some consummation might be in order?” Thor asked. Loki looked pointedly over at their sleeping daughter and snorted. “Yes, I know, but… it’s different, now, isn’t it?” Maybe it was. Loki brought his hand to Thor’s jaw and pulled him back for more kisses. They were languid as they undressed each other, the layers of ceremonial armor taking considerable attention to remove, until finally they were both nude. Thor hadn't seen Loki naked since the day Lokhild was born, and that day all his attention had been focused on his brother’s well-being. His belly was soft and pliant, now, and his slightly swollen chest took Thor’s breath away. He put his hand to one nipple, reverently. “May I?” he breathed. Loki swallowed, hard, and nodded. “Just a little,” he said, voice slightly shaky. He shifted nervously as Thor lowered his head, unsure how a lover’s mouth would feel once he had adjusted to a baby’s. Just as wonderful as ever, it turned out, and with a gasp he pressed Thor’s head harder against his chest. Thor teased the tip with his tongue just a moment before clamping his lips against Loki’s skin and sucking. It took a moment, and then his mouth was flooded with rich sweetness. He savored the taste, the feel, rolling it around on his tongue before finally, reluctantly, swallowing. “Was that all right?” he asked. Loki nodded, his eyes warm and soft despite the need that was flaring up within him. He took Thor’s hand and led him to the bed - their bed, now. “You know how this will have to be?” he asked. “Of course,” Thor said softly. He had not been the receiving partner in their lovemaking, but that had been inadvertent. Loki’s heats had determined the nature of their first encounters, and those seemed to simply set the pattern for the rest, without any conscious intent. Thor’s words were the last soft thing. Loki was on him, then, all grabbing hands and biting teeth and hard fingers stretching him and hard cock inside him. Loki had put him on his hands and knees before entering him, and he held on to Thor’s hips with biting fingers, pulling them together in sharp, deep thrusts. Thor’s head drooped helplessly as he moaned, louder and lower each time Loki drove into him, the intensity falling just short of pain. Loki’s eyes glittered as he looked down at his brother’s massive, gorgeous body, loved how perfect it looked speared on Loki’s cock. Thor felt so tight around him, muscles clenching and gripping, demanding Loki’s pleasure. His breath hitched as he grew close, going deeper and harder, and Thor’s moans gave way to desperate panting. Loki clasped his fist around Thor’s cock and stroked it in time with his thrusts, until Thor’s upper body gave way and collapsed onto the bed, his climax pulsing out in thick white ropes under Loki’s hand as he gasped his brother’s name. It was glorious to shower Thor in such ecstasy, to hear his name said this way. Loki took hold of his hips again and lost any pretense of rhythm as he shoved once, twice more, before he came with a groan, deep inside Thor. Thor moved to shift away but Loki held onto him, holding them together as his cock slowly softened inside his brother. Thor found it uncomfortable against his oversensitized nerves, once he had spent himself, but he acquiesced silently. Loki smirked at his submission. Thor had done this to him many times - “I just want us to stay together, brother,” he would protest - and it was about time he learned how it felt. Once he had made his point he let go, and Thor sank down to his side, carefully avoiding the damp patch that he had left on the sheets. Loki curled himself around him, pressing affectionate kisses on the nape of his neck, all over his shoulders, his upper back, holding him close.     And this is how Loki’s long plan will play out. He may be a dark mirror, but that makes Thor a golden one. Their love for each other will reflect and grow over the years. Loki will keep making little gifts, like sharing his milk, and mixing them with small demands, like making Thor accept slight discomforts, until Thor is helpless before him. He will bear more children, he knows that now; Thor’s love for them, and his own terrible suffering in the face of Loki’s pain, will make them potent tools. When his position is strong enough, he will bring about the downfall of all who mocked him, see them sent away in disgrace to far-off colonies or clapped in chains in the dungeons. And then, finally, he will force Odin into never-ending sleep and put Thor on the throne, and he will rule the king. Loki gently strokes Thor’s hair and whispers in his ear. “I love you, brother. Husband. I will make you happy,” he says. He means every word.     Chapter End Notes Thank you for reading, everyone! I truly appreciated all the feedback, and I'm glad you enjoyed my story. The crack version that I promised will start tomorrow - watch for "Birthdays" if you're interested. :) Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!