BlackBird

by MerrickBelle

Prompt Theme: (SLASH, MENTIONS OF MPREG) May/December Romance: relationships, in which there's a big age gap between the partners, can be rewarding - and also challenging. The good news is those issues can be handled, just like any other relationship issue - regardless of age. You just have to know how.

Prompt Theme: May/December Romance: relationships, in which there's a big age gap between the partners, can be rewarding - and also challenging. The good news is those issues can be handled, just like any other relationship issue - regardless of age. You just have to know how.

(Try writing a one-shot with your OTP or whatever Pairing you decide. The theme is older man with a younger man. Or older woman with a younger woman. Meet, fall in love quickly and live happily ever after.)

Fandom: HP/Avengers/Sentinel (Because I'm incapable of doing anything simple)

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Warnings/Tags: SLASH, MENTIONS OF MPREG, Crossover AU, One-Shot, Switching POVs, Slight A/B/O World Setting, Romance, Fluff, Soulmates, Love at First Sight, Master of Death, Norse Mythos, Post-Avengers, Guide!Omega!Harry, Submissive!Harry, Sentinel!Alpha!Loki, Dominate!Loki, Hurt/Comfort, Hel is NOT Loki's daughter, Anal sex, These boys have dirty mouths, Dirty talk, Blow jobs, rough sex, D/S inherent to the Verse, Biting kink, Breeding kink, mentions of marathon sex.

Italics: **Thoughts, Memories, Flashbacks, Dreams**

Norse Glossary:

Sváss - Beloved

Svarttrost - Blackbird

Vænn- Beautiful

A/N: I'm going to state from the get go that I enjoy some of the work that is in the OmegaVerse. Some of those stories are the hottest things I've ever read. That said, this is my own version. I wanted to do something a little bit different with the typical OmegaVerse rules. It sometimes really bothers me how quickly characters in this setting jump into bed (or anywhere else) with zero consideration, consent or even a vague sense of self control. I understand the whole Primal Mating/ Domination/ Breeding kink. Really I do, and when written correctly, its frankly scorching hot.

I'm not even going to TOUCH the issues of CONSENT in this Verse. That is a whole other issue I'm not getting on my soapbox for at the moment. Suffice to say that too many stories are straight up glorified rape, with a side dish of brainwashing and victim blaming.

So in my version, everyone is still hot and heavy horny, they just have what I feel is more realistic common freaking sense about it. Enjoy.

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Blackbird singing in the dead of night.

Take these broken wings and learn to fly.

Take these sunken eyes and learn to see.

Blackbird fly into the light of the dark black night.

All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise.

All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to be free.

Sing, Blackbird sing.

~ Originally by the Beatles ~

Rearranged for this story by MerrickBelle.

"The stars are brightest in the chilled Northern skies of Midgard." A lonely figure perched on a frozen outcropping of stone whispered into the still dark air. The words hung there heavily, as though in anticipation, before dissolving away into nothing. There was no one else there to hear them.

In spite of the bitterly frozen temperature, this wild forbidding far flung place was one of Harry's favorite locations on this new version of Earth. Especially at night. The vast black void above him was liberally speckled with glinting balls of fire, billions of miles away in any direction his eyes might turn to look. Deep snow gleamed on the rolling hills, that swiftly grew into tall mountains around him in an endless reaching blanket. All glowing enchantingly under the pale silvery luminescence of full moonlight. Viewed at just the correct angle of the light cast of by the large lunar orb, it was very much like standing amid a vast field of minuscule glittering diamonds. A glacial, deceptive treasury laid down beneath one's feet.

It was the deepest part of Winter now, but Harry was unbothered by the frigidity. Even dressed as he was in light, comfortable black cotton pants, more sensibly found worn in one's own warm home. Sturdy dark brown boots that were worn and scuffed from years of use and love adorned his feet. Without any protective gloves, hat, scarf or jacket to speak of and only a simple pullover hoodie in dark forest green, sans graphic.

The hood was tossed back, leaving pale, youthful appearing features bare to the chill air. Hands scarred from Quills, Quidditch and hazards from learning wandcraft were tucked away into the soft pockets of the Muggle garment for comfort, rather than warmth. Untamable dark hair was still cropped short at the sides, with a longer length ruffled on the top. His athletic, Quidditch toned build was still the wiry strength and slenderness of late teenage youth and was unlikely ever to change.

The only noticeable physical change to his visage was to be found in the lack of once bright green eyes. A proud namesake once held in loving reverence now darkened to a fathomless black hue. Gone was the last obvious physical link to his departed mother. Ironically, those same eyes were also the only outwardly visible marker of his now altered nature. In truth, everything now, about Harry's appearance was a bold lie. The picture portrayed, easily belied his true age of twenty and one years.

"Still just a babe in the grand scheme of things moving in the Universe." He mused in a soft murmured to the unresponsive sky.

It had become a hard to swallow truth in his life. Harry Potter seemed not to age any longer. Frozen in time at the physical age of seventeen years, at the singular moment all three pieces of the Deathly Hallows called him Master. At first, it wasn't noticeable, but this leeway time did not last more than a couple of years. It very soon became apparent that his opinion on the situation didn't seem to hold any value. Nor did it matter that the Hallows still be in his possession. What was done, could not be undone. It was both Blessing and Curse. As all things of power seem to end up being.

They were a part of him now, and would always come when he had need of them. It was why he had eventually let go of his stubbornness and finally called upon Death, now known to him as Hela, to take him far away from the world he had been born into. Harry had pushed himself so close to the emotional breaking point that he had been willing to get up on his knees and pitifully beg her to take him away from the only home he had ever known. To place him somewhere else. Anywhere else. Where he could grow and thrive in his new vastly extended life.

"Turn pain into power. Harness fear, utilize anger. Forge them into your armor. Turn an enemy's weapons against them, make them your own. Shatter the foundation beneath their feet. Leave nothing in your wake. In the end, only you will remain." Harry sighs out through velvet lips, mind wandering deeper into the rabbit hole of his previous life's memories.

They were words he had taken to heart. Hela had been pitiless to Harry's plight, but she had given him the mental tools in which to free himself. His Goddess was not one for those who were not willing to help themselves. And so Harry, always a fighter, and with something to battle for once again. Went to metaphorical war with those who imprisoned him, and called themselves his family.

Harry had known for some time, that things were different with him after the defeat of Voldemort. However, Harry had chosen to ignore it to the best of his abilities. He was bone tired after the war with the Dark Lord and was bent on taking rest and solace in his life without the monster haunting his every weary step. So he had purposefully dismissed, and sometimes blatantly denied, the alarming changes he noticed within himself as time went on. At that point in events, Harry's eyes had yet to change their beautiful viridian appearance. This change didn't take place until after Hela had accepted him as her Heir. But there had begun an aching restlessness deep in the marrow of his bones starting only days after the Hallows acceptance of him as Master. It was the first small step of many

One that had nothing to do with his secondary Omega gender, despite everyone around him assumptions, and empty reassurances. They dismissed his concerns when he had attempted to describe the feeling to anyone. They seemed determined to turn a very real physical sensation into a sort of romantic flight of fancy. Harry was told again and again that now he was of an age where it was time to find an appropriate mate to satisfy his urges. He'd known that his so-called 'urges' had nothing to do with it, but no one had listened.

Instead, they encouraged him closer to the Beta Ginny. Harry hadn't put up much resistance to the notion at first. Ginny was sweet and supportive. Pretty and approachable. They shared common interests and got along well. He'd thought she had understood what the war had done to him. Since the both of them have gone through, such harrowing experiences because if it. Her family, of course, welcomed him with open arms. Something he'd desperately wanted since childhood. Marrying Ginny eventually, with her ready made family behind her, had seemed like an oasis in a desert.

At the time, Harry had been oblivious to just how much the remnants of the Order had purposefully narrowed his options in potential life partners. Weasleys, as the youngest Order members, made up the vast majority of his apparent selection. Each time Harry showed the slightest curiosity in someone outside of that tight knit circle, he was gently manipulated back into line.

Classmates and friends from Dumbledore's Army slowly faded out of his life. Neville left to study plants abroad in exotic locales. Luna similarly chose to travel, the intent of tracking down mythical and imaginary creatures alike. Dean, Seamus, the Creevey brothers, and so many others, were so gradually weeded out of his social life. Harry didn't even notice their missing presence after a time. He passed it all off in his mind as everyone growing up, moving on with their lives.

"But, in light of everything else going on at the time, it was no wonder I didn't notice." He explained sadly to the stars. They twinkled back at him without pity or sympathy.

Foods Harry had once enjoyed tasted like bland ashes in his mouth. Their flavor was unappealing, and he decided to forego eating. Avoiding it as often as he could get away with. Much to the initial displeasure and protests of his unhappy stomach. No amount of drink, alcoholic beverages or otherwise, would satisfy the thirst itching relentlessly at his throat. Plain water, he found, soothed it for a short time, but still tasted wrong, nor matter where he got it from.

Harry didn't lose weight. A fact no one paid enough attention to note. But Harry did. He noticed. He even stopped eating and drinking for nearly a month, and still, he lived. It was then, that he began to be afraid. He hid his fears from everyone that cared about him. Living with the frightening paranoia that he might be becoming something that resembled the monster Voldemort was.

As he spiraled quietly into depression, Harry soon lost all interest in the competitive sport of Quidditch. Much to Ron's, and Ginny's horror, but he had still enjoyed soaring through the air on his broom. Flying would always represent freedom to Harry. But Quidditch was out. There was too large of a chance that Harry might do something 'freakish' while playing. Something he couldn't explain. So he stopped participating in the sport altogether. Ron and Ginny, angry over his refusals, never once stopped to ask him why.

Other physical activities he once enjoyed followed much the same pattern over time. Until Harry had grown largely apathetic to most everything, and everyone around himself. He withdrew from much of life outside of Grimmauld Place and the Burrow. The only thing that didn't bore him to tears, and seemed safe enough from revealing his shifting nature, was reading. Hermione, brilliant, bookish Witch that she had been was the only individual to find this newest development acceptable. Including Harry himself. He felt as though his entire identity was being slowly stripped away from him.

The Order both alternately encouraged his isolation from the public and insisted he trot himself out for events they deemed crucially important. It was confusing, and disheartening. Harry didn't know what to do about it. He had little will to fight against the loved ones he called his family. And he had little desire to call more attention to himself than ever before. He was growing in physical strength, as well as mental.

Hermione appreciated the mental growth, and attributed it to more time spent with herself in the Black library doing 'intellectual things Harry was rather annoyed that the Witch basically told everyone who would sit still long enough to listen that she was the reason Harry was so much more 'well rounded.' Like he was some Niffler she'd trained to do something particularly tricky for a shiny bauble. Her hubris had grown in leaps since the fall of Voldemort.

"Small secrets, building into bigger secrets, and it was sex, of all things, that was the catalyst to it all. Such is the strangeness that was my life." Harry's mouth twisted into a wry, bitter smile.

In spite of his redhead girlfriend's misplaced jealousy over time spent with Hermione. His relationship with Ginny slowly progressed into the physical. Until it unexpectedly screeched to a grinding halt after clothes hit the bedroom floor, and their bodies had tangled in the bed. Harry discovered a devastating truth. Sex was decisively lackluster at best, repulsive at worst. Harry had easily gotten aroused for her, but couldn't bring himself to climax. He found intercourse with her profoundly distressing, and didn't at first, understand why. He'd had no issues with climax when she's given him hand jobs, or blow jobs, previously. But everything about this encounter had felt, wrong. On a fundamental level. Eventually, under both his own distress and her increasing upset, he's gone completely soft. Leaving them both humiliated and awkward.

After giving it some serious thought, and seeking through the Black library like a man on a life or death mission, Harry came to the conclusion that the disaster of that night with Ginny had nothing to do with anything wrong with the two of them. And everything to do with his choosing the wrong sex partner in his ignorance. Males had never crossed his mind as an option, despite his knowing full well about Alpha/Omega relations. Growing up in his Aunt's home, he'd had it compounded in his mind from an early age that attraction to males was not acceptable. And maybe it wasn't as much in the Muggle world. However, with his eyes now opened, Harry realized that he saw same-sex pairings nearly everywhere in the Wizarding World. He'd just been, somehow, blind to it.

In this new life, he'd discovered that males were indeed a million times more fun, and scratched that Omega itch residing within him a million times better than Ginny, or any female afterwards ever had. Regardless of what their Secondary Gender was. Males just did it for him. His attraction to women was purely on an emotional bonding level, not the physical. It was a relief to him, to finally understand the root of the issue.

It was not, so much, a relief to Ginny. Much to his redhead girlfriend's dismay, Harry soon broke their pending engagement off. The backlash of these actions was decidedly hostile at first. Luckily some cooler heads in the Order stepped in before tempers could escalate too far. When Harry had been finally coaxed into shyly admitting that he had a difficult time with the sexual aspect of the relationship between himself and Ginny, her siblings, (and a few other eligible males within the Order's ranks) were promptly put on offer. Much to Ginny's towering fiery rage.

However, with the apparent issue tolerably resolved, no one listened or gave much notice to her tantrums. Even Molly, normally always in her daughter's corner, merely patted her head comfortingly and indirectly told the girl to suck it up. Harry was Omega, and some things just could not be forced. His instincts demanded a male mate, and no female on earth was going to alter that. Instead, she funneled her efforts into trying to set Harry up with Charlie discretely. Saying, rather old fashioned and condescendingly, that he needed a steady older gentleman Alpha to help him settle a home, and perhaps when the time was right, raise a few pups.

With bafflement, he realized in short order that, somehow, with Harry's open admission for a preference in males, he was shunted into the role of 'woman with a penis' category in Molly's mind. It was a rather traditionalist and bigoted view of male inclined Omegas, and Harry was confused, shocked and hurt by the abrupt change towards him, by many. Hermione was alternately trying to hide her amusement, and furious on his behalf. It wasn't helpful.

When Harry had firmly rejected any and all offers en masse, everyone lost their collective mind. No one cared that Harry simply wanted to some time to himself. He wanted to live his life a little bit before tying himself to a Mate. Harry wasn't at that moment in time, entirely certain what he wanted in a Mate to begin with. He had never considered the issue outside of Ginny before then and had felt overwhelmed with everyone pushing at him. Suddenly everyone's concern was that Harry settle down with someone who was 'appropriate' for him, could 'protect' him, and keep his 'reputation.' It was as if, everything he had done in his life before, was suddenly invalidated.

Because he liked cock. It was mind boggling.

All of this sexist bullshit aside, no one had felt right. He couldn't connect with any of them that way. And just considering the notion of trying to force a connection had had Harry instinctively flinching away from the idea in revulsion. No. He was not going to Mate just to please the wishes of those around him. None of the male candidates were acceptable, Order approved or not. There was simply something within Harry himself that flatly rejected each and every one.

"It was only then that I began to wonder at the motives and actions of those around me. To question my own judgment about those I called 'Family.' Harry lowered his eyes from the heavens, gazing down at the gleaming snow to give his aching neck a break as he came back to the present.

In the end, none of it had ultimately mattered. Little Harry Potter, once a wide-eyed relatively innocent, child of the Magical World was no more. Battered by his Aunt's family, then broken by the events of his childhood within the Wizarding World, Harry had perhaps naively looked forward to the notion of a peaceful family life. Eventually with pups and a Mate, or possibly two. None of that, it seemed, was in the cards the three Fates had dealt him.

Instead, he was the so-called 'Master of Death.' a vastly misleading title to be sure. Harry currently had no mastery over Death in the least. He was, however, the actual wielder of the Deathly Hallows. Three enormously powerful magical artifacts, and because if this mastery, was named Hela's official Crowned Heir to the throne in the Norse version of the Underworld. Hela, being a born and bred incarnate Goddess of Death, was incapable of bearing children of her own, and so, had fashioned another way to seek out a worthy child to claim as her own. The Deathly Hallows were created by her own hands, eons ago, and then magically sent away to seek the individual that fulfilled her sought after requirements.

Luckily Harry, having once been something entirely different from Hela, and still partially retaining that part of himself, was found to not be barren like his adoptive mother. A through magical check up and healing of his body had confirmed this. Though Harry often wondered if he would become so once he took up her mantle, and the extensive powers that came with it. Hela did not know, and so was unable to answer him.

A bank of clouds briefly covering the waning moon gently brought Harry the rest of the way from his lingering memories and back fully to his surroundings. The stillness and silence here was near absolute, and often provoked his mind to drift. The peace was broken only by the occasional frigid breeze slicing through whatever vegetation was tenacious enough to insist on eeking out a living in this harshest of environments.

Most of the animals naturally living here were hiding away in their dens and nests at this time of year. Burrowed down into the deepest and warmest parts of their homes to sleep away the world above them. Only the hungry wolves seemed to be out this night. Howling their beautiful, mournful songs in the far distance as they sought out any hint of an unwary animal for a meal to fill their aching bellies. Like most creatures, they avoided Harry and the territory he had claimed as his own.

He shuffled his feet forward and stood precariously balanced on a bare outcropping of slick ice rock jutting some ten feet out of the snow below. He tilted back again to gaze upwards at the night sky, now that the ache in his muscles had dissipated, letting the universe above him obscure anything else from his vision. He left his pale throat exposed and vulnerable without a second thought. It wasn't like a tumble from this perch would do anything to hinder him. Harry often stood this way when he came out here, just looking at the stars. Until the bones and tendons in his neck ached too much to be placated or ignored any longer, and his shoulders cramped viciously in protest of his long bouts of complete stillness. This peace was why Harry had chosen to make his home here. Earth would always reside within a corner of his heart.

Curious emerald eyes peeked out from the prickly cover of a thick Fir tree bough. Loki intently watched the shadowed figure in the distance with wariness from his lofty perch in one of the many large needle trees clumped by a small hill. He had been sitting there on the broken branch for hours already, just observing the odd sight before him. It was all rather dull. The silhouetted being hardly moved in all the time that Loki had sequestered himself in his hiding spot. Still, caution demanded that he observe and determine whether or not this individual was going to be a problem. He didn't need an addition to the ones he already had on his plate.

Loki had in fact, been watching his perplexing guest on and off for many days now, wondering at the strangeness of the little mortal's present actions. It was a miracle that the Midgardian hadn't frozen to death already, having remained unmoving for so long. This environment was not particularly friendly to even its own natural residents, nevermind foolish humans who mistakenly wandered into it. Still, this...boy...had appeared near the previously presumed unlivable log cabin in the middle of the big wide frozen nowhere, (He had no inkling of the name of this place.) and apparently proceeded to make himself at home. In spite of all odds and nature's efforts to persuade him otherwise. "Unbelievable," Loki muttered disgruntledly under his breath as he petulantly stewed in his thoughts.

Loki had chosen to take refuge in a small cave long abandoned by whatever animal had lived there last. It wasn't large, and it wasn't particularly warm, but it kept him out of the weather, and gave him a hidden spot with walls to guard him in which to sleep when he needed to. He was immune to the cold this planet produced, and so had no fear of freezing. But being soaking wet as well as dirty, was still unpleasant. Plus there were the occasional desperate animals to consider. So, the cave.

This human's complete lack of shelter utterly baffled him. Which highly irritated him. He absolutely hated not understanding things, especially when those things could potentially be problematic or indirectly threatening. He didn't consider the other being to remotely be a physical threat to his person. But he could be in other ways. There were too many questions surrounding his presence already.

The fallen Prince didn't know how this human had gotten out here to this remote area in the first place. He had seen none of the mechanical modes of transportation that Midgardians typically used. Nor did Loki know how he was surviving by himself. He had been observing for several days now, and was no closer to unraveling the truth.

The boy did not eat, as far as Loki had thus far observed. At least not outside. Though, he had noticed traps for wild game in the forest. So the Midgardian had to be consuming sustenance at some point. The sad excuse for a cabin was not any sort of protection from the bitter weather, or a warm shelter for sleeping. It was little more than burnt timbers and fallen stone. And yet, Loki knew for certain that was exactly where this odd being was staying when taking his slumber. Obviously, there was more to this situation than he saw on the surface.

"There must be something here. He couldn't manage otherwise. Pathetic Midgardians." He huffed, put out that he had thus far been unable to discover exactly how this person was surviving.

During the dim and very brief daylight hours, the mortal rarely emerged from his hideaway. When he did, he always wore a dark pair of, what Loki could only assume were goggles of some kind, to protect his eyes from the glare of the sun off of the white snow. Despite the eyewear, the boy never wore the warm clothing humans typically donned to keep the chill from killing them. It was very peculiar. His guest seemed to be mostly nocturnal in his activities. It made spying on him somewhat of a pain in the ass. Loki's night vision was better than most, but even he could not see in complete darkness. Something that this person apparently did not have issues with. A rather unusual trait for a human to possess.

These strange pieces of information wove the beginnings of what he could only assume would turn into a lovely unique puzzle in the end, but for the moment, the Asgardian was simply frustrated, and angry about said frustration. Loki was determined to find out what was going on. Curiosity, and a more than healthy lust for knowledge, were among his most driving personality traits. Ones which often got him into trouble over his long, thousand year lifespan. As such, these same characteristics led Loki into the current hideaway in the trees. "Peeping at some lowly Midgardian." Loki scoffed in dry disgust. He felt vaguely like a creeper. "How low I've fallen."

Over the last couple of days, Loki had discretely crept closer. Moving only when he was fairly certain that his unwelcome intruder was sleeping in the day time. Until he'd ended up lurking here in this copse of trees like a particularly awkward vulture spying. This was the closest Loki could get to the demolished cabin without being exposed and out in the open. Normally Loki wouldn't have bothered to be this cautious. He would simply have confronted, and likely slain the presumptuous mortal invading the privacy of what he considered to be his own claimed territory. No one needed to know he was here.

However, tearing himself away from his false sibling and the Tesseract mid-transport had severely wounded Loki, and drained his magical resources badly. What puny amount he'd been able to reserve. The cuffs around his wrists prevented him from accessing anything substantial. It left him severely handicapped in some ways. The Asgardian had to reluctantly admit to himself that he was in no position to fend off a half-dead butterfly. Never mind a potentially more powerful than average human. If the little odd breadcrumbs meant anything. He didn't think the man was a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, but they weren't the only dangerous persons on Midgard.

In light of that, he was unwilling to tempt the Fates with a bold encounter with what could possibly be a human of Avenger caliber. The five of them, excluding his former brother, were already more than enough of a problem. The fallen Prince was fairly confident that he didn't have much time before they would be looking for him. Thor certainly would be in short order, whether or not he immediately informed the other Avengers was up to debate. No need to add another unnecessary enemy to that group because he felt like being moody and impatient.

"More troublesome than it would be worth…" He grumbled under his breath.

On top of being battered, exhausted and magically drained, Loki was still dragging around the weighty and cumbersome manacles with the attached chains. For now, he'd casually looped and draped around his body, to make moving around easier. His face was still adorned with that humiliating mask over the lower half of his features. In spite of vigorous attempts having been made to remove both from his person, they stubbornly remained, much to his fury. It didn't prevent him from speaking, but it was painful to do so, and it certainly prevented him from eating. Drinking was nearly impossible unless he wanted to dunk his face entirely into whatever source of water he had found, half drowning himself in the process. Despite his hearty alien constitution, after nearly two weeks out here in the wilds, Loki was starting to feel the effects. Something would have to change, or he would slowly waste away here in the cold, snowy wilderness.

"Soon." He sighed in resignation.

Eventually, Harry grew tired of his observations of the night sky, and weary of his brooding over painful memories. Carefully he jumped down from his rocky ledge into the snow below, starting a trek towards the shelter of the fir trees in the distance. There were a few traps he wanted to check before settling down for the night. Harry knew he truly should have done this chore before in the pale winter waning daylight hours. But he could see well enough in the dark, and he had felt particularly lazy earlier. He was on vacation out here. The whole point was for him to unwind and do as little as necessary. So he had pushed the task off further and further until night had well and fully fallen around him.

Harry didn't bother to pay much attention to his surrounding as he entered the copse of ancient fir trees, outside of making sure none of the branches smacked him in the face. This area was intimately familiar to him, and he knew nothing substantial lived this close to his vacation home. He had grown comfortable with his mostly empty surroundings. He'd become overconfident, lacking in attention, careless and unguarded.

The sharp creaking groan of protesting branches overhead was Harry's only warning. Instinctively he dodged to the left, rolling through the snow and partly into a scraggly bush. Which promptly scratched him viciously across the face in vengeance for the disturbance of its branches. Behind him, Harry heard a heavy 'whump,' and a cloud of icy white powder burst violently into the air where he had just been walking, not a heartbeat before. For a moment, Harry thought part of the tree had come down, overburdened or damaged by the snow and ice It had happened before. Such occurrences could easily kill a man, if they were unlucky enough to be caught underneath the resulting collapse. Small broken branches rained down, littering the snow in green needles. There was a rattling gasp, then a pained muffled moan and some rasped words in a foreign language that Harry could only assume were colorful swearing.

Branches did not speak. Or curse like a pissy sailor, to be more exact.

Harry quickly scrambled up to his knees, the Elder wand dropping securely into his palm as he gathered his bearings and pointed the weapon at whoever had come out of the trees at him. In his isolated home, Harry would have normally been expecting his opponent to be a starving cougar, a pissed off, a territorial wolverine, or even a rabid bear. Hell, Harry wouldn't have been overly surprised about a large injured bird which had fallen out of the tree.

He was certainly not expecting a man.

"Shit! Who the hell are you?!" There was, of course, no answer. For what seemed like a long moment, Harry simply stared at the crumpled figure before him, suddenly at a loss. There was a handsome man just sitting disheveled in the cold went snow, squinting green eyes at him like it was Harry's fault he'd somehow fallen out of the tree. The expression on the other's face brought to Harry's mind a rather startling image of a disgruntled soaking wet cat. Forcing him to suppress a snort of ill-placed amusement viciously. Now was most certainly not the time for his bizarre sense of humor to perk up. Harry, for an idle second, wondered how this stranger had gotten up into the slippery tree in the first place.

As baffling as the whole situation with a strange man covered in Fir needles and snow was. It was the chains and half mask which ultimately captured his attention, and which Harry was most perplexed by. Harry blinked unsettling black eyes, then tilted his head inquisitively to the right. "What the hell did you get into to earn those?"

Both men blinked at each other. Loki chose to remained silent and not move. However, his eyes shifted every now and then keeping Harry's wand and face in his line of sight. The realization surprised Harry. As far as he knew, this version of Earth did not have Wizards or other magic users.

Well, that is unexpected. This man knows what a wand is. "Okay then. Obviously, you know what that is." Harry's wand hand twitched, and he watched the other man flinch minutely in reaction.

Yes, this man definitely knew what a wand was.

"I would appreciate if you didn't do anything stupid to make me have to use it," Harry spoke with calm control, thinking that he could perhaps de-escalate the heavy tension between them from the jarring introduction fate had chosen to bestow.

Loki snorted at him in clear derision and lifted his chin in a blatantly haughty expression, causing Harry to roll his eyes. "Yea well, just sit still for a minute then. Grumpy."

The glare flung his way for that was nothing short of blistering, reminding him briefly of a furious Snape during fifth year. But the other man didn't move, and that was all the young Omega cared about at the moment. The Elder wand in Harry's hand wavered again, just slightly, as he refocused his attention now that he felt the majority of danger had passed. He frowned as he quickly took in the other's appearance now that his heart rate was slowing down to normal.

He certainly didn't appear to be much of a threat at first glance. However, Harry's past experienced warned him to remain cautious and take in any information he could get for the time being. This man didn't earn those complex looking chains without reason. He could feel the magic pouring off of them, even from a distance between them. Still, Harry felt distracted again and again by the other man in small carnal ways.

Focus Harry. Remember your training for Merlin's sake! Don't get distracted by pretty eyes! What information is readily available just from looking at him?

Let's see...

Dirty clothes that have seen better days. Clearly of rich cloth, with what looks like fashionings for armor. Somewhat frayed at the edges. Torn in spots. Be that must be driving him barmy. They don't look very warm either. Sitting in that wet snow can't be helping any. He must be freezing!

What else? Oh! Some nasty looking bruising, old and new, blooming in ugly, blotchy flowers across his face, neck, and wrists. The skin around the wrists is rubbed raw and painful looking. The possibility of bleeding there. Will have to check if he'll permit it.

Ooooh...He's glaring at me again.

Back on task Harry! Dark hair, limp and tangled, clearly unwashed, now with twigs and Fir needles as adorning headwear. Definitely in need of a brush, but looked very silky. I wonder if he would let me? No, Harry! Not important!

Overall, he's a rather sorry looking case. No visible weapons, though the chain itself could be used to strangle. It's certainly long enough. How in the hell is he still alive out here?

The stranger's body was coiled and tense, his chest hardly moving to take air into the lungs. Waiting. Assessing. Glaring eyes were gleaming like hard polish gemstones, watching Harry with a barely veiled promise of violence. He was poised for a fight. Which, considering the situation, Harry didn't blame him for. However, aside from his own startle reflex, honed by years of training and battle, Harry had no interest in threatening or actually harming the other unless forced to do so.

The pieces restraining Loki were of strong, elegant craftsmanship. The metal wasn't something that Harry recognized, but he wasn't really familiar enough with metal working in general for him to do more than guess anyhow. Whoever had created them was clearly an artist. There were leaves and swirls that Harry assumed were meant to be vines etched into the metalwork, oddly enough. They were also utterly foreign in design to anything Harry had seen before. He couldn't make heads or tails of the locking mechanism from where he still knelt in the wet, cold snow. He rather doubted the other man would let him any closer at the moment either so that he could examine it.

"Are you alright?" Harry tried instead, in a softer voice. Wondering as he did so, if this stranger could even speak through the mask attached to the lower half of his face. There did seem to be small slits in the front, but Harry wasn't certain how it was staying on his face in the first place, nevermind if those slits indicated a speaking function to the piece. Loki glanced sideways at him, but didn't appear inclined to answer.

"Are you not able to speak?" Harry inquired, making sure to keep his wand at the ready, just in case. Loki's eyes flicked over to it before locking his gaze with Harry's once more. The Wizard got a distinct impression that he was being silently mocked.

He sighed. "So, just not wanting to speak to me then. Great. You know you could be slightly helpful here? Other than glaring at me, that is."

Again, there was no response, beyond the slight arching of a slim eyebrow. In spite of the hostile look, Harry was still on the receiving end of, he had the instinctive feeling that this individual was in more of the mindset of an angry, wounded animal than a man of evil-seeking intent.

Must be pretty embarrassing, tumbling out of a tree and all trussed up like that. Harry mused to himself. Admittedly, he was more amused by the stranger's attitude than anything else right now. Even if he was being purposely unhelpful.

It reminded Harry rather painfully of Sirius. Stubborn, mocking, playful and full of mischievous spirit. The Omega could see that same spirit reflecting back at him from jeweled eyes. It hurt his heart in a dull way. An old ache that would never fully heal. Knowing it might be a very bad idea, Harry decided to take a chance. He had rather a soft spot in his for ex-convicts. Escapees. Whichever. Harry was leaning heavily towards escapee from the looks of this guy.

Slowly, with visible caution, Harry shifted the point of his wand away from the man. Green eyes flicked briefly to the weapon at the slight movement. Tracking exactly where the end of it was directed, and while he did not relax, some of the hostility hanging in the air lessened.

Yea, no doubt about it now. Somehow he is familiar with wands. Not too surprising, now, that I think about it. Those chains are certainly magical. Perhaps mages of some sort imprisoned him? Which brought up a whole host of new questions in Harry's already turbulent mind.

Unconsciously, Harry tilted his head to the side as he pondered the implications of a new magical society. Instantly, green eyes were fixed back on his person. It had become abundantly clear that this man could see Harry in the dark. Another oddity. Most could not see very well in this level of darkness. Not enough to lock gazes with his own, and not enough to glare at Harry the way he had been so far. Harry knew very well that a normal person would not be able to see him as clearly as this man apparently could. It made him wonder if he was even human.

The trees above them swayed with heavy groans of protest, their creaking causing Harry to glance up nervously at the large branches. The last thing they needed was more to fall down on them. Seeing nothing to alarm him immediately, Harry turned his attention back towards the stranger. Unable to resist now that the bitterly cold air was blowing in the correct direction, Harry tried to take a discreet sniff of the air. Being Omega has heightened his senses drastically. One of the few perks that Harry found extremely useful. He failed in his endeavor, of course, the clearly escaped prisoner was watching Harry far too closely for him to get away with it.

Regardless of the watching audience, the feedback that he received was shocking enough that he no longer cared what the other was thinking or doing. Harry's senses reeled, his brain overloaded with sensory information. He frantically tried to break it down into more manageable pieces. Unaware his black eyes fluttered closed.

The faint metallic scent of metal, likely from the chains. The sticky pine scent from broken branches and Fir needles hanging in the air. A musty whiff of damp clothing. The dull coppery smell of blood, possibly from wounds already healing.

Under that first scent layer, closer to the skin, there was the burning nip of deep frost. Distinctly different from the snow-scent surrounding them. Somehow registering as foreign in his brain. With it was a lingering scent of seductive woodsmoke, similar to that of a campfire. Warm spices, reminding him of mulled wine. Then the sharp, almost ozone like scent that Harry associated with magic users in the past. Though it was muted. Indicating that he was either a weak mage, or severely drained. It was distinctly different from the magic woven into the restraints.

Harry's whole world shifted axis violently, leaving him breathless as a chill ran rampant down his spine. The little hairs all over his body stood on end as everything within him, everything that he was, cried out in fierce exuberant recognition. Unconsciously, the Elder wand dropped from his hand, forgotten, into the snow. Leaving Harry unarmed and vulnerable. Harry's body swiftly lost its defensive crouch and sunk lower into a considerably more relaxed, loose-limbed pose. Unable to repress it, he let slip an near silent supplicating whine deep in his throat, much too low for normal human hearing. Harry's head instinctively shifted to the side, submissively offering his throat to the stranger before him. Harry's eyes slit back open to watch Loki's reaction from one corner, now gleaming omega gold in the darkness.

"Alpha…" He breathed out in a longing whisper.

This man was undeniably his. At long last.

Mate.

Loki watched with growing alarm as the young man moved closer and closer to his hidden position in the pine foliage. Even with the young man not paying any apparent attention to his surroundings, the fallen Prince was still easily exposed sitting where he was. From a distance, he would remain unseen, but his current cover would not hold up under closer inspection. Unfortunately, he was stuck right where he was. Already the human was too close for Loki to move to a different, higher or more sheltered branch. It was likely the sudden movements would garner notice. Getting down out of the tree was not an option either, he would most certainly draw attention to himself this way as well. With the chains wrapped around his chest and torso, Loki was not exactly quiet or graceful when he moved about. The links clinked and rattled together with nearly each motion of his body. The only thing he could do was carefully shift himself further back under cover of the branches he was perched in, stay very still while the young human passed under his tree, and hope the Midgardian didn't sense him or look upwards.

Narrowing his eyes to thin slits of displeasure, Loki flattened himself as discreetly as possible to the bark of the branch he was clinging to. It was intensely uncomfortable with the chains pressed between the wood and his chest and abdomen. He had to cautiously draw in each breath, so as to not risk the metal making any untimely noise and giving his hidden position away. It was going to be a gamble at best, Loki's piss poor grip because his hands were bound so closely together, did not inspire confidence. The only thing truly holding him to the thick branch was the grip his thighs held on the icy cold limb. Unfortunately, right as the mop of messy short hair passed under his tree, the Asgardian's hand slipped on the rough wood. The skin of his palms tore as he overbalanced. His right foot, sliding with the weight shift and he was unable to correct himself in that half second heartbeat.

Then Loki was falling.

The impact with the ice solid ground beneath the crunch of snow knocked the breath out of his body in a sharp bone-rattling jolt. For several moments that seemed to stretch on into eternity, Loki could not breathe. His lungs refused to expand to draw in oxygen. On top of that, he clearly felt the effects of the collision radiate throughout his entire form. Loki's mind blanked at the shock of pain that drove up his spine from his lower back. Aggravating previously healing wounds and bruises. Snow powder and fir needles showered down around him in a mockery of rainfall. Unheard by his stunned, ringing ears, he managed to gasp out several guttural, descriptive and colorful epithets in his native tongue. By the time Loki was able to draw in a shallow breath to feed his lungs normally, and gather his wits about him, the human was half buried in the bare branches of a bush some feet away from where he'd landed at the base of the tree.

"Shit! Who the hell are you?!" A shout of startlement.

Loki squinted his eyes, trying to see through the pain that was interfering with the clarity of his vision. With things around him a bit blurred in and out of focus, he kept still and watchful. He knew where the human was crouched, but until Loki blinked his eyesight clear, he knew little else. When he could finally see again, he was faced with another unexpected development. In the darkness, he could just make out in the moonlight the gleaming tip of a surprising weapon pointed, clearly with experience and with a battle steady hand, in his direction. When his brain recognized what the human held in his hand, it took everything Loki had to bite back a foul curse. Trying to antagonize this person wouldn't do him any favors in the least.

There was a wand pointed at his face.

While Asgardian spellcasters did not use this particular tool in conjunction with their abilities, Loki knew that other mage cultures found in the Realms did. He was certainly knowledgeable enough to keep most of his focus on the threat directly in front of him, though not quite blocking out peripheral possibilities. It wouldn't be the first time a mage attacked Loki from the side, from behind, from over his head, or even from underneath his own feet while his attention was focused on the more apparent frontal threat. Wands were mainly a two-point focus weapon. One had to watch for the minute twitches of the focus tool itself, the mage's body language, and also the facial expressions of the wielder. Their physical tells would give their next move away just a clearly as any warrior with a sword.

However, a very skilled mage could and would attack their opponent from virtually any direction. Using anything in sight to disable, maim or kill. Very clever and powerful ones could even turn one's own allies against you. Or your own body, or own mind. Loki had seen it done before. Soldiers on the battlefield were turning on their own comrades, or turning their weapons on themselves. The presence of this particular item both confirmed Loki's fear that this being was more than the average Midgardian, and also confirmed that such a magic user was well able to survive the harsh winter weather in the ramshackle ruins of the log cabin. With skilled magic craft, after all, many things were possible that would not be otherwise.

Loki kept himself braced instinctively for an attack, but none came. Instead, he found black eyes simply staring at him, examining him closely. Another detail in a rapidly lengthening list of things making him question whether or not this being was in actuality human at all. Unsettled, in pain, and not overly keen on moving right at that moment if he did not absolutely have to, Loki watched back. Admittedly, the black eyes were fascinating in their own right. He had never seen such a pair before, and could not place them in the face of any race he had yet encountered on his travels throughout the Nine Realms. It made sense now, why he rarely saw the other man in daylight without the goggles. Those eyes must be extremely sensitive to light levels though it was impossible to tell exactly where he was focusing his gaze. Loki was only certain that they were locked on himself because of the situation at hand.

"What the hell did you get into to earn those?"

Loki is brought sharply out of his thoughts by the young man's voice. Apparently, the other had been looking him over just as intent as Loki had been examining him. Unlike him, however, Loki had no intention of speaking at this time. Harry's query was in reference to the mask and restraints of course. The story of which the fallen Prince had absolutely no intention of sharing, even if he had felt inclined to speak.

After several long moments of just staring at one another, the young man cautiously shifted the tip of his wand so that it was not directly pointed at Loki. However, there was no question that the weapon would be swiftly used should the Asgardian make any threatening overtures. Several more attempts were made by the other to start the conversation, but each time Loki merely raised a brow, mocked him with facial expressions or blatantly ignored him. Eventually, the other seemed to get the hint and stopped trying for few moments. But it was not to last.

Despite himself, Loki felt some of the tension seep out of his frame. Nothing of what he had previously observed led him to believe that this person would attack him without reason, and he had every intention of making such a reason did not come to pass. Loki, who could now observe Harry at a much closer distance, found his heightened senses, lately dormant because of recent injuries and exhaustion, steadily ramping up beyond the levels in which he normally kept them. He could hear the other man's heartbeat. The steady thump- thump rhythm growing louder in his ears as his hearing zoned into this one particular sound above all others in spite practiced efforts to call it back. His field of vision narrowed down so that this strange human was at the center of his attention. All else gently faded into the background, ultimately dismissed by his scrambling brain. His focus became so intense, that Loki could nearly count the young man's individual eyelashes.

Slower than the others to make itself known, was his sharpening sense of smell.

The common smells of fresh clothing. Sandalwood and some other unknown but pleasant herb. Surface scents, likely from bathing soaps and lotions. Nice, but not important. Environmental smells. Pine. Snow smells. Again unimportant.

These scents were not what his nose was subconsciously searching for. Loki hadn't felt this strong a drive to read another person's unique personal odor in many, many years. He could not say what was driving him now. Most everyone's personal smell he found unpleasant or outright repulsive. He'd trained himself not to use this sense unless there were no other options. However, his hard-won control over his Sentinel abilities seems to have now completely deserted him. For no reason that he could discern.

Petrichor. Ozone. The smell of a magic user. Like Thor's, but distinct. It produced a different flavor on the tongue. Autumn forest and, strangely, sweet peppermint.

Loki was struggling to keep himself focused even a little bit in the here and now. Distantly, he made a note of that the mage was sniffing the air and him. It startled him enough to get a few of his brain cells back online. Such an action was common to other Sentinels. But this person wasn't one. All of Loki's senses confirmed this for him. It had to be something else.

The rush of sticky-heavy-tingling heat suddenly rushing through the blood in his veins blindsided him. Recognition. But of what? Something was happening. His body was reacting independently of his mind. There are pieces here that his cognitive functions are missing. It was an unfamiliar sensation to him. Not since he was young and seemingly incapable of any reasonable level of self-control. The Asgardian was no stranger to lust in its many forms. But the timing confused the hell out of him.

And then Loki was watching deep black eyes flutter closed. The image was producing a burning ache in his chest. Watched as surprised bliss slowly suffused the young man's face as he sucked in a deep inhalation of the air around him. Like he suddenly couldn't get enough.

Felt, more than heard the subvocal whine from his throat brush against his own skin. It was this simple, pleading noise that clicked everything together in his brain like a lightning strike to his nervous system. He could feel the little hairs all over his body stand on end. Heard Harry's breathy voice, pressing out that one word with such deep, naked longing.

"Alpha…"

Felt it all sink deep into the very marrow of his bones like a fiery brand of complete ownership, both painful and delicious. Watched with widened green eyes, pupils were blown, as the other man tilts his chin up and away, revealing a vulnerable slender throat. Offering submission. Watched those eyelids crack open, revealing swirling orbs of fetching gold have replaced the black.

Omega gold.

Before Loki had fully realized what his brain was telling him, he found that he had already closed the distance between them. Heavy chains were forgotten, wounds dismissed as inconsequential. Things like motivations of harm no longer registered in his thoughts. He pressed himself up against the Omega's side, his nose brushing an intimate caress along the offered throat. He couldn't nip or bite that soft flesh; the mask was preventing him from doing so. But the Omega didn't seem to mind. Without Loki's permission, a comforting, soothing rumbling noise spilled from somewhere in his chest.

"Mine." The fallen Prince growled out in soft awe, speaking for the first time. The Omega pressed tighter to his side in acknowledgment of his verbal claim. There was no protest rising to Harry's lips, and none to be found in his body language. He had waited too long for this. So few found their true mates, and ended up settling for a convenient one. Or sold into a marriage that benefited their families rather than themselves.

Just as Harry had zero intention of turning this Alpha away, there was no chance of Loki denying what was right before him. His senses told him without question the truth of the matter. This Midgardian was his, in every sense of the word. The young man's body language indicated submissive willingness. The psychic tickles edging along the shields of his mind indicated that his mate was a complimentary Guide to his Sentinel. It was a miracle in and of itself. Because of his mixed blood, he was an Alpha and a Sentinel. It had mate finding a suitable mate a seemingly insurmountable task. The gentle mental push oozed cautious joy, curiosity and a myriad of other faded emotions he couldn't pinpoint at this time.

It still nearly stunned him stupid that this sublime creature was Loki's mate. The Asgardian very much doubted there was another in the whole of the vast Universe made of such a perfect combination to suit his own mixed up needs. This young man was truly a unique treasure. There would never be another. Of value beyond measure, and Loki fully intended to keep hold of his mate until the last ragged breath left his body.

It was strange, how events sometimes played out in his life. The one being he'd long ago given up any hope of finding, was now pressed happily against his side. It had never occurred to him that his mate could be residing on earth. Humans were well known to be a Null race. Midgardians did not have Omegas, Betas or Alphas like Asgardians did. Nor did they have Sentinels or Guides, as they were purely a Jotun racial feature. Neither did they produce magic users like some of the other cultures of the Realms.

Or so he had thought.

Loki's Little One carried all three of these traits, just like he did. It made the fallen Prince wonder at his mate's parentage, his Ancestry. Was his mate of mixed blood, like Loki himself was? He didn't think so. That conclusion didn't feel correct. He suspected that his mate was something else. A beautiful creature of a race he had never seen before. And all his own.

It was for the best in any case. Loki would not wish the curse of his mixed Asgardian/Jotun blood on anyone else. The Jotun people had a wilder warrior culture than their Asgardian conquerors. Leading them to often be viewed as not particularly intelligent, cruel, and savage. Loki had had to learn to repress much as he was growing up, feeding into his anger and frustrations. That his mate hadn't even been born yet at the time, he was frantically searching the Realms for him hadn't occurred to him. Normally such a large age gap did not occur between Alpha/Omega mates, nor Sentinel/Guide pairs. What Loki had here, was truly an anomaly.

Little of that mattered now. Loki had found his much sought after balance, finally.

Harry felt the Alpha's warm, heavy body weight press gently up against his side and nearly slumped onto his face in the snow with relief. He didn't know what he would have done if his mate had rejected him. A soft rumbling sound emerged from the other's chest in reassurance, calming most of his lingering anxiety. The sound eased the rest of the building tension in him and allowed Harry to push his Omega self to the back burner for a few moments to think a bit more rationally. His cautious overture to the other was not being rejected. Positive point. Whatever violence the other had harboured upon their first meeting was gone now from his body. Instead, the long lines of his frame spoke of possessiveness, protectiveness, and reassuring coaxing. The Alpha had no interest in hurting Harry, despite their unsettling and jarring meeting face to face.

Still cautious, and being extremely gentle as he tried not to startle or harm his mate, Harry reached out mentally to brush against the Sentinel's mental shields. It was flexible but sturdy. Well made, and old. Clearly, they had been in place for a very long time. The layering was intricately woven. He wasn't able to make an accurate guess at this time how long they might have been up, but he could clearly sense extensive damage to several areas where someone had viciously shredded his mate's defenses to bloody furrows that still pulsed with deep pain.

It made him nearly reeled back in horror. These were merely surface wounds. It made him fear for what he might find underneath. His mate was still clearly in anguish. Here and there were places where the Alpha had tried to patch the rending, but they were barely holding. They made Harry's instincts flare brightly between wanting to shield and mend his mate, and hunting down the one who had hurt him so. It made him indecisive, but the choice was taken from him when Loki brushed up against Harry in greeting, and then prodded him away. Harry was not welcomed in beyond the shield at this time, but he wasn't attacked either. Instead, he felt only a sense that his mate was acknowledging his presence, and then ignoring it for the moment.

Reluctant, but obedient for the time being, Harry pulled back. Now was not the time to initiate a deeper mental bonding. Especially with wounds like that. It couldn't be put off for long, but it nearly killed any enthusiasm Harry might have for the event. It would be agony for his Alpha to integrate Harry into his mind in his wounded state. Still, fretting about it would not help either. It was his Alpha's choice, and not one Harry could make for him.

The Wizard watched the other man gently nuzzle his neck from the corner of one golden eye, and his lips twisted in a slight frown. That terrible mask was preventing his mate from introducing himself properly. While he now knew that his mate could speak through it, he detested its presence. His man was also in need of a bath, food, and removal of those chains, not necessarily in that order. Wounds needed to be looked at, assuming the Alpha would permit Harry to treat them before trying to pin Harry down and claim him. From what he had so far seen, Harry didn't think his Alpha was that type, but one never knew. Alpha's had their pride after all, and the Omega didn't know his mate. Whatever destined connection they shared.

Decision made up in his mind, Harry slowly straightened his spine out of the low submissive pose he had adopted. He watched closely, uncertain of his new Alpha's tolerance of Harry's movements at this time. Luckily, it seemed that this stranger was a calmer, more laid back dominant. He merely watched with open curiosity as Harry picked himself up onto his feet, dusted the snow off of himself, and then held out his hand to help the Alpha up. After a moment, Loki just smiled at him, and scooped the forgotten wand out of the snow.

To Harry's surprise, the Alpha willingly took his hand and let himself be tugged onto his feet. The more Harry observed, the more that ball of uncertainty and nervousness within him uncoiled and relaxed. So far, his Alpha didn't seem overly aggressive, domineering, or insecure enough to need to bully his Omega to assert his place. Time would tell of course, but thus far, His green-eyed man seemed pretty self-confident in a healthy way. Even if he was intently watchful of every twitch of Harry's body. Not that he minded the scrutiny. Frankly, Harry rather liked the attention. It boosted his Omega ego to know his mate couldn't keep his eyes off of his form. With careful steps, and still holding the Alpha's hand Harry led them towards the ruins of the old hunting cabin.

As they tramped through the snow, at some point, they reached an invisible ward line where Loki felt a heavy tingle brush over his skin. Instant recognition seized his brain. It made him shiver involuntarily, and caused his attention to divert from watching the gentle sway of Harry's bottom. He glanced around, but saw nothing immediately dangerous. Though there was no threat his eyes did notice a distinct change in his surroundings that took his breath away in surprise.

Harry paused, letting his mate have a few moments to absorb the sight before him. Now Loki was able to see what Harry's magic had been hiding from any wayward muggles or their overhead cameras in the occasional helicopter or bush plane. The cabin was massive, and obviously built over where the other one had burnt down. The snow surrounding them had been carefully cleared away, and it was significantly warmer within the wards than standing outside of it, permitting grass to grow. In defiance of winter, Harry had wildflowers growing in his yard, along with what looked like from a distance, a small vegetable patch, which was currently fallow and awaiting seeding.

Harry watched as Loki's green eyes greedily devoured the sight of his admittedly extravagant vacation home. This was one of his favorite places, and the use of his money reflected that preference. His inner Omega preened at the clear appreciation and approval in Loki's expression. Harry had yet to settle down permanently anywhere really, but if his Alpha liked this place enough, Harry was more than willing to make this particular building their main Den. The beauty and privacy certainly rivaled anywhere else. With a happy smile, Harry gently tugged on his mate's hand to garner his attention. Then led them inside to get warmed up and see to his new mate's needs.

Quickly Harry settled his new mate down in a plush armchair next to the crackling fireplace in the living room, before rushing off to fetch them both a few towels. He came back with a bowl of warm water, a cloth and one of the first aid kits that he kept in the bathrooms. Without a word, Harry knelt down onto the floor in front of his Alpha. He dipped the pale blue cloth into the warm water and set about gently cleaning his new mate's hands and face.

Harry kept his eyes on his task, but felt the weight of Loki's eyes watching him intently. For the moment, he ignored it, concentrating on getting the surface and treating the shallow scrapes and cuts. Eventually, he got used to the attention, and forgot about it. Twice he had to move to change the dirty water to fresh heated water, but by the time he was finished, Loki was somewhat clean, and his small injuries were taken care of. Now Harry could move onto his larger concerns.

Flicking black eyes up, he noted that green eyes were once again fixed on him. "My name is Harry." He murmured into the quiet room. There was no immediate verbal reply, but Loki slipped one of his hands loose from Harry's grasp and lightly cupped the Omega's cheek in an answer. Harry's teeth gleamed in the dim room as he smiled, and nuzzled his mate's palm affectionately. It was becoming more and more apparent, that this Alpha wasn't the chatty sort. Perhaps that would change as they got to know one another better, perhaps not. Either way, Harry was unbothered. He had grown to quite like comfortable silences.

"Once I've cleaned you up a little bit more, I'll see what I can do to get these awful things off of you." Harry narrowed his eyes on the chains as his fingers plucked at one of the links. "I'm sure there is quite a story behind these." Loki nodded and dropped his hand back into his lap. Harry didn't press further. His past experiences from dealing with Sirius Black in the aftermath of Azkaban had taught him that Loki would speak about his trauma only when he was ready to do so. Some things needed their own time to settle in his mind and were not easily spoken of. Whatever his mate had been through, it was clear that it would be no light-hearted tale. Instead, Harry turned his attention to figuring out what could be done about the restraints.

The removal of the face mask and chains ended up being shockingly, and insultingly simple. Loki himself could not do it, as the pieces were meant to drain and severely restrict his magical abilities. However, after a few hours of his little Omega studying them and asking Loki carefully worded yes or no questions, it was a simple matter of furnishing the correct sequence of spells to weaken and then shatter the ones on the metalwork.

The magic should have been well beyond the capabilities of a Midgardian mage, rare as they were. Clever Harry had figured it out. Loki watched as he had expertly peeled back the foreign magic layer by tricky layer with a seemingly effortless ability and pinpoint sharp precision. Loki could not see what was being done, but he could certainly feel it in the air and on his skin. Magic was thick in the air as the spellwork on the chains and mask resisted in their own way to being broken. But in the end, it was not enough. Harry was relentless. When all was said and done, the pieces simply snicked open and fell off, the magic in them completely ruined. The recent most bane of Loki's existence, reduced to little more than pretty decoration scattered on the wooden floor.

Loki felt a fierce grin stretch across his sore and aching lips. It was too sharp of an expression to be pretty, a wild light making his eyes glow in appreciation of his freedom. Free of Thanos mind tricks, free of Asgard's chains, free of his false brother and his human pet Avengers. Just free as he hadn't felt for years. His little mate watched him with bemusement, not in the least put off by his manic expression. Loki felt his heart flutter, something he would vehemently deny if asked. He knew he could be a frightening visage, but there was no fear in his Harry.

It made him immensely proud to have such a gifted and powerful mage for a mate. The first thing he did, once free of his shackles, was to sweep the smaller man up into his arms, and rain down sweet little kisses all over his face in gratitude. The black eyed Omega gave a small yip of surprise at the gesture, but quickly relaxed and began to purr under Loki's attention. After a few minutes of simply kissing and nuzzling his little mate, basking in his scent and presence, Loki reluctant drew back. Things needed to be seen to. He was terribly thirsty and ravenous; he desperately needed a better bath than the cold snow had provided.

But first.

Loki gazed down into Harry's content face and rumbled softly before opening his mouth to speak. His voice, when it came, was rough with dryness and infrequent use.

"Hello, little Harry. My name is Loki."

While Loki lounged in the bath, now clean and simply enjoying the hot water on his stiff muscles, Harry was puttering about the kitchen whipping up something for the both of them to eat for dinner. The young Wizard hummed nonsensically under his breath as he worked the fresh pizza dough under his hands. Flour covered the front of his apron, and dusted over his nose and cheek where he had thoughtlessly touched his face. Now relaxed and barefoot in his kitchen, Harry was settled and peaceful for the first time in many years.

Since his Alpha didn't seem to be in a rush to pull Harry into bed right away, the Omega was determined to keep his attention on feeding the man instead. Hence, the flattening of the pizza dough he'd made for himself hours earlier. He was now glad that he'd accidentally made too much. Now there was plenty for the two of them to have their personal mini pizza.

Harry loved to cook, in spite of old scars and memories from living with his Aunt's family. He enjoyed the process and the creativity in creating new dishes. It was soothing and gave him something on which to focus his whole concentration on. This time his thought was to keep the food rich but lightweight on the stomach. Loki needed the extra calories, but Harry doubted the man had eaten in quite some time, and didn't want to overwhelm his system. It would be a complete waste of food and effort on Harry's part if the menu only accomplished making the Alpha sick.

A fragrant French onion soup was simmering away on the stovetop. A homemade deep dish apple pie was baking in one of the double ovens filling the air with a cinnamon and sugar scent. It mingled surprisingly well with the soup. Harry had already cut some of the crusty bread he had made the day before for dipping. Carefully laid out on the countertop were a variety of toppings to put on their personal pizzas.

"Assuming Loki crawls his butt out of that giant tub any time soon." Harry murmured to himself as he spooned the red sauce onto both of the pizza dough. He made a mental note to go and check on his mate. He didn't want to risk the other man falling asleep in the tub and drowning. He didn't think Loki was that exhausted, but it was better to be sure.

Giving everything a quick check over, Harry slipped up the stairs and headed down the hall towards the master bedroom. There he found Loki's clothes scattered across the floor. Clucking his tongue, Harry bent over to pick the items up before depositing them into a chair in the corner of the room. He would see them washed later. Quickly he crossed to his spare dresser and pulled out some soft clothes he found in there. Normally these clothes were used as extras for any guest he might have. Which were very few and far between, but with utmost care he laid them on the bed. Now satisfied, he padded on soft feet over to crack the bathroom door and a thick cloud of steam billowed out. Peeking in, he saw that Loki was indeed awake, and was just enjoying the hot water. Noting that his new mate had not yet noticed him, Harry took a moment to observe the delightful view before him.

His breath caught in his chest at the sight of those planes of pale skin laid out with only steam and bath water as barriers to his sight. Loki was battered and colorfully bruised. Most of the bruises were discolored and old, but a couple were fresh. Harry supposed that they were most a result of the tumble out of the Fir tree outside. Under them, Harry could easily make out the silvery lines of scars crisscrossed over the other mage's body from old battles. They didn't detract in the least from the beauty Harry found in his mate. On the contrary, they very much intrigued him. He could easily picture slowly mapping them out with lips or tongue.

Everything about his mate made an attractive picture as far as Harry was concerned. Loki's head was tipped back, resting on the back edge of the tub, exposing the column of his throat. Dark hair was ruffled and shiny with dampness from the hot water. His eyes were closed, but Harry could see the orbs under the lids moving lazily and knew his mate wasn't sleeping. He seemed to be only lost in his thoughts. His Sentinel was a little on the thin side, ribs just beginning to show through his pale skin. But Loki was finely muscled, if lean, in both the chest and stomach. It was clear his mate was a trained warrior, and he wondered what weapons Loki wielded in battle. Harry hadn't seen a physique like this anywhere else. No gym workout could produce quite the same muscle structure. No matter how dedicated the gym rat might be. Loki was surprisingly hairless over all, with Harry only being able to see a peek of dark hair between his thighs and down the rest of his legs. Unfortunately, Harry was at the wrong angle to get any sort of view of his mate's cock.

Shaking himself from his ogling, Harry reminded himself why he came up here in the first place. It certainly wasn't to pounce upon his man in the bath tub. No matter how tempting those now smirking lips might be.

I am not a slave to my hormones. Harry told himself sternly. Though, that might be an interesting endeavor at a later date to be sure.

Gingerly he knocked on the door so as to not startle his mate. Green eyes instantly snapped in his direction and locked on the Omega's lithe form as Harry stepped a foot just inside the bathroom door. Instinctive tension uncoiled slowly from his body. Even though Loki had known that Harry was standing there, some habits took some time to break. An elegant eyebrow arched as the former Prince took in the sight of Harry's kitchen apron, and the flour that covered the front of it. Noted the smudges on the Omega's face and found himself charmed at the untidy picture. White teeth flashed in soft amusement, while little wrinkles appeared in the corner of his eyes.

Loki's initial reaction made Harry frown a little bit in concern. It unsettled him that his Alpha didn't feel fully at ease in their own Den. But he mentally reminded himself that it would take a bit of time for the Sentinel to feel like this was his own territory, and so he chose not to comment on it at this time. Instead, Harry gave him a gentle smile. "Dinner will be ready shortly. When you are done, I need you for a few moments in the kitchen, Alpha."

With a low hum of agreement Loki nodded, and carefully sat up to begin washing his hair. Without thinking, Harry stepped further into the room, causing the other man to pause in his ministrations and give him a questioning look. Harry shifted nervously on his bare feet before gathering his courage and continuing forward towards his mate. Gently he plucked the shampoo from his fingers. He flashed Loki a playful grin and knelt down at the edge of the tub behind him. Quickly catching on to the idea, the Asgardian made a pleased little noise in his chest and leaned back once again, letting Harry wash his hair in peaceful silence.

They didn't speak. Neither in any rush to discuss the past, present, or future at this time. Both were content to enjoy the bonding moment for what it was simply was. Harry permitted himself one sweeping look over his mate's body, unable to rein in his curiosity about his mate's sexual organ. He found himself having to stifle a startled noise as his eyes settled between those pale thighs. He hadn't been sure what he was looking for or expecting, but it certainly wasn't what he found.

Well, then. Harry swallowed a bit nervously and had to remind his lungs to function properly. Turning his eyes away, Harry focused his attention back on washing his mate's lovely, if filthy, hair.

From the glimpse Harry had permitted himself, he could safely say that Loki was more than adequately endowed. He wasn't monstrously large, thank goodness, or Harry would have been concerned about his ability to satisfy his Alpha properly. However, the man was certainly not lacking in any way. Large in girth. Generous in length. Certainly well formed from what he had seen. Harry had absolutely zero complaints. Though he did wonder, if this was his mate's member at rest, what would it be once it was filled with blood? Would it be even larger? Harry reluctantly admitted to himself that he hoped it wouldn't. The idea might be exciting, but he thought the execution would certainly be painful. What about his knot? He couldn't see anything of it at the moment, and so could only speculate. However, if Loki's penis was this large, it only stood to reason that his knot would be formidable as well.

It made him squirm in a mixture of primal lust and trepidation. As the Omega felt arousal spike thickly in his veins, he forcibly turned his thoughts elsewhere and concentrated on what he had come in here to do. Firmly, Harry ignored the feel of slick his body started to produce and the faint telltale scent of his excitement perfuming the humid bathroom air. Truthfully, after seeing what Loki had to work with, he was as much intimidated as he was pleased.

Suddenly inhaling a deep breath, Loki let loose a pleased but questioning rumble as he started to sit back up. Swiftly Harry gripped his shoulders and gently, but firmly, pushed him back down into a laying position. Mentally berating himself for disturbing Loki's peace, he cooed softly into calm Loki. "Later, darling. There are other things to be seen to first. Getting you clean for one, and then something to eat. Ignore it for the moment. It will keep until we are both ready. Neither of us is going anywhere."

To his surprise, Loki easily subsided at his words, confirming without a doubt in Harry's mind that he was in no condition to cater to a hormonal Omega. Harry couldn't fathom a randy Alpha settling so willingly. Especially after just now finding their bond mate after years of searching, if they were well. He needed to keep himself under better control.

When the Loki settled again, Harry continued his self-appointed task. Carefully taking his time to massage the shampoo through limp hair and into Loki's scalp. In short order, he had the man purring under his hands. A deeper, more graveled sound than what Harry produced. When finished with the first part, he tapped Loki's shoulder in a signal for him to duck and rinse the soap out. When his mate came back up, Harry started on the conditioner with the same leisurely precision. After a time, Loki was tapped once again to rinse off, and the Wizard climbed back onto his feet after dropping a chaste kiss onto the other man's forehead.

Harry left his mate to dry off and headed back downstairs to finish his preparations for dinner. He stirred the onion soup, and peeked into the oven to check on the apple pie. He tried very hard not to think overly much about what may or may not happen later. That was for Loki to decide, not himself, regardless of his inner Omega's petulant protests. Selfish, greedy creature that it was. It cared little for anything other than tumbling into bed with its Alpha counterpart, and getting bred as soon as possible. It caused Harry to roll his eyes at himself in a mixture of exasperated frustration. Right now, his logical mind's main concern was the health of his new mate. Their mating and permanent bonding could come later, after his man had recouped some energy from his ordeal and decided he was sufficiently rested enough. Still, Harry could freely admit to himself that he was very pleased with how very delicious his mate was.

Perhaps tomorrow, or in the next coming days, he would ask his mate about how he had gotten to the point of hiding up a tree. For now, though, Harry was not of a mind to push him. He was certainly curious about the chains, how could he not be? But truthfully, Harry had stopped caring about things like Good and Evil a long time ago.

His new life as the Master of Death, and wielder of the Hallows, very much prevented Harry from being anything except Neutral anymore. Death equalized everyone and all things in the end. Loki could be Voldemort reincarnate, and so long as the man didn't raise a hand against himself or their pups, Harry decidedly did not give a damn.

It was actually rather a relief to not have to puff up his chest and charge into battle for the sake of all things 'Good' in the universe. The price of doing so was much more than Harry was willing to pay any longer. He had spilled gallons of blood for the cause of "Good" over his single lifetime. Both his own, and those of people he loved. He was tired. The rest of the so called "Good" brigade could go fuck themselves right in the arse. Preferably with something particularly sharp, spiky, and rusty, sans lube.

Alright, so I'm already a wee bit sort of intensely protective and possessive of my Sentinel mate. It's normal, dammit. He's MINE!

Questioning his Alpha about past events would only be about sating Harry own personal nosiness with the situation that led to Loki's imprisonment and getting more familiar his mate's life before they met. Knowing of potential enemies was going to be important information to have. Especially if Loki was planning on Harry breeding for him right away. The idea caused a shudder of intense longing to rush through his body. Before he could help it, he was slick again, his body primed and ready to be mounted almost the moment he'd scented his mate in the forest, and realized that Alpha sitting in front of him was his.

Ruthlessly he repressed it, irritated with his lack of self control. With a huff, he turned his thoughts once again away before his hormones could stink up the kitchen too badly. He was not going to push his mate. As an Alpha, Loki was hard wired to respond to his Omega in need. Whether it was sexual need, emotional distress, or physical danger. His scent cues were not something Loki could ignore for long if Harry flooded the room with them. The Alpha would completely ignore his physical state to satisfy his Omega.

Harry was not that selfish. He wasn't.

By the time Loki came downstairs dressed in the spare clothes that Harry had set out on the bed for him, the Wizard already had the dining table set with the sliced homemade crusty bread, French onion soup, and two glasses of wine. Upon seeing the offering set out, the Alpha serenely strode over to his little mate and wrapped his arms around his middle, giving no thought to the damp flour covered apron. He gave the Omega a little squeeze with a happy content sound escaping his lips as he nuzzled the mop of dark hair atop Harry's head and pressed a kiss to his temple.

"What was it that you needed my little Svarttrost?" He murmured affectionately.

Harry smiled at him and gestured with a free hand to the toppings on the countertop, before wrapping them back around the arms holding him. "I just wanted to know what you liked on your pizza."

"Hmm…" Loki's eyes swept over the offerings in lazy contemplation, not familiar with most of them. "Just a mixture of meat and vegetable would be fine Sváss. Whatever you believe would blend well together."

Harry tilted his head back on the Alpha's shoulder to peer up at his taller mate. "What do those words mean?"

Loki reached out to steal a red pepper from the pile of vegetables, nibbling on a corner in curiosity. "What does what mean?"

"Sváss? Svarttrost?"

A smile crinkled the corner of Loki's eyes again. "Sváss? It means Beloved. Svarttrost means blackbird." Harry's black eyes gleamed brightly for a moment, and Loki briefly wondered how they managed to do that before he continued. "I believe you Midgardians call the ancient language Norse. It's the tongue of the people I was raised by. I can teach you a bit more later, if you'd like?" Harry made an affirming noise before snatching the half eaten pepper slice from Loki's fingers and popping into his own mouth. Raising a brow and smirking at his mate's indignant protest. "Not for snacking. They go on the pizzas."

"You just ate it yourself!" Loki huffed, amused more than anything.

Harry lifted his chin defiantly. "You had already ruined it. It needed to be disposed of. It wasn't fit to be on either of the pizzas. Now pick something Alpha, so that I can put them into the oven!"

With a chuckle, Loki untangled himself from around his little one, and together they placed their chosen toppings on their personal pizzas. In short time Harry popped them into the second oven. He then checked on the apple pie once more before the both of them sat down at the dining room table to start on the first course. The pizzas wouldn't take long to cook, but in the meantime, they could enjoy a glass of wine and the soup while they waited.

They started a conversation with simple getting to know each other questions and slowly delved into deeper subjects from there. Normally Harry found himself feeling shy around new people in a romantic sense, but with Loki it was different. There was no pressure to impress, no fear of causing serious offense. This was his Mate. They were already fated for one another, and Harry found that things fell into place between them without effort. It was frictionless and comfortable.

Loki nearly inhaled his French onion soup barely within the standards of polite table manners. Not that Harry gave a damn in any case. He was just pleased that his mate was enjoying the meal and finally having something to put in his stomach after a clear starvation period. Harry didn't mind having to rise from his chair to cut more bread for his very famished mate and fetch him another bowl. With ease, they were smiling comfortably at one another, both sharing childhood triumphs and embarrassments.

Stories Harry would never have pulled out on a 'first date,' or a second, or even down the road after twenty or so. Simply because there was too much hurt living inside of him to relive his past life. However, with Loki sitting across from him, he found himself wanting to share. Harry wanted his mate to know every little thing about him, just as much as he wanted to know every little thing about his Alpha.

The best part was, Loki understood.

Harry didn't have to explain his pains, his frustrations. The Alpha easily understood Harry's perspective of events while he was growing up. Was, in fact, in equal turns sympathetic, angry, and betrayed on Harry's behalf. Loki plainly stated more than once that he thought Harry had been too lenient with some people. He didn't criticize any of his little mate's actions or judgments but was honest about how he would have reacted much differently. Harry had never experienced anything like it before. He didn't have to defend his decisions. He didn't have to justify his emotional responses. Harry could just be. He had never experienced that before. It baffled him a little bit as much as it pleased him.

His understanding became more clear as Loki shared things from his younger childhood, even though he stayed away from anything about the last few years. Harry picked up easily on the underlying tension each time his mate mentioned Thor and his friends. It seemed, as the years in the stories went on, that the gulf between the two of them widened, became darker. Loki was filled with unresolved hurt feelings. It was clear neither of them had stopped to actually speak to one another about any of it. At least, from the information, Harry was currently being given. He suspected something much uglier happened later, that Loki was holding back. Harry didn't push him. It would come in time.

Somehow, they ended up on the subject of magic and its various forms and incarnations across the Nine Realms. The conversation adamantly flowed from there with only a short pause for Harry to clean up soup bowls, pull the pizzas and the apple pie from the ovens to cool for a few minutes, and pour more wine for the two of them. Harry absolutely glowed with domestic pleasure as he watched Loki tentatively try his pizza, before wolfing it down with the same enthusiasm as he had the French onion soup. He smiled as green eyes nearly glowed in pleasure, the Alpha subconsciously making soft, happy noises as he consumed half of his pizza in record time. Harry ate his own at a more sedate pace, content with watching his man eat, his inner Omega preened with his mate's obvious enjoyment of the food.

By the time their meal was finished, the dishes cleared away and set into the sink to be washed later, Loki was lounging contentedly in his chair watching his mate in clear relaxation. With a sappy smile adorning his face, Harry sliced the apple pie, poured more wine in their glasses before setting it all on a little serving tray and taking into the living room to be enjoyed by the warm fireplace. They curled up together under the throw Harry kept over the back of the couch.

They continued to speak softly, now about the house itself, and Harry answered everything he could remember to satisfy his mate's curiosity. As he talked, Loki pulled him in close, nearly into his lap, casually going about scenting and nuzzling the little Omega. Committing his unique smell to memory, and mapping what he could with his other enhanced senses. Harry submitted to this without protest, recognizing the Sentinel was taking the beginning steps in bonding them mentally. Though he was privately worried about Loki causing himself pain. His mate's mental shields were deeply damaged after all, but Loki showed no sign of discomfort, and after a while, Harry let go of his concern.

Surely if it were going to be a problem, Loki would desist?

Harry permitted himself to be slowly stripped as his mate nosed and scented every inch of his skin. While the process itself was erotic to an outsider's perspective, sex was not the goal here. Loki was learning his mate's smell, the texture of his skin, his heart's rhythms, each blemish, and scar. Familiarizing himself with his Guide from each hair on his head, to the tips of his toes. While Loki was learning this physical map, he reached out to touch Harry's mental shields. Without question, Harry slowly dropped all of his barriers, letting his Sentinel borrow himself deep into Harry's psyche to his contentment.

Unlike what most would assume, this did not allow them to read each other's minds, or access their memories and view them, like a slide show. It did, however, bond them in such a way as to know where each other was if they were well, and to communicate both emphatically and with limited range telepathy. This bonding also allowed Harry, as Loki's Guide, to center the Sentinel and in extreme cases, control his mate's extended senses if needed. Loki would never lose himself in an uncontrolled zoning incident again. These skills would take the time to hone, but now that they were bound, both were ultimately safer.

Aside from the practical applications of Sentinel/Guide bond, there was also the emotional aspect to take into consideration. Never again would either one of them feel alone, so long as their mate lived. There would always be a warm glow in the back of their mind to remind them that there was always at least one person in existence that would be on their side. No matter what. There would always be someone to put them first. It was something few other types of bonds could boast. Even an Alpha/Omega bond sometimes ended in tragedy. Usually with the Alpha harming or overwhelming their own mates, selfish in their needs and demands, while disregarding the needs or wants of their Omega. A Sentinel/Guide bond prevented such neglect or abuses from happening.

During the leisurely bonding, process arousal was a slow building heat between the two of them, but it was low burning and sweet, with neither having the intention of taking it further. Eventually, Loki turned his attention to his Guide's flushed and erect cock. With no reservations he proceeded to scent, nuzzle and lightly mouth every inch of those most intimate places, not stopping with only his mate's erection, but also being sure to include Harry's lightly haired scrotum in his intense attention. In helpless submission, the Omega let his Sentinel spread his slim thighs with only a soft noise of encouragement.

By now Harry was soaked from his own slick and squirming in frustration with each touch. He tangled his fingers in Loki's hair and just barely restrained himself from yanking that dark head exactly there he wanted it to be. His hormones had been roaring to go for hours, and each time they reared their demanding head Harry had repressed them. Now Harry was barely hanging on. Only the knowledge that Loki was only semi erect against his calf let Harry keep his head. His Sentinel was lost in the bonding process, and his Alpha nature was, for the time being, pushed to the backseat. Harry knew full well that this bonding would end with him being completely unsatisfied, but he couldn't stop himself from naturally reacting. It was unbelievably hot having his mate torment him like this. He'd never before experienced such gentle dominance. However, Loki ignored every breathless, pleading whimper from Harry's lips, intent on his own goals.

When Loki's hands unexpectedly spread Harry's cheeks to expose his most intimate treasure, and then licked firmly over his wet hole, Harry couldn't suppress a strangled moan. From there, the Omega lost track of events as Loki set to thoroughly mapping this part of his mate with lips and tongue. It shocked Harry to his core. This was not part of Sentinel/Guide Bonding. He had only a moment to wonder if their dual Alpha/Omega nature had so significantly changed things before he was lost in an overwhelming haze.

When asked later, he would only recall vaguely that Loki had reduced him to a mewing, quivering pile of lust before permitting the Omega to come with his tongue still inside of him. Harry would remember dazedly watching Loki as he leaned up to contently lap up Harry's semen where it had spilled across his trembling belly. All the while watching him with burning green eyes. He would remember that Loki hadn't come, and didn't seem interested in doing so. His half-mast arousal quickly fading. He would remember Loki gathering his tired mate up into his arms.

By then Harry's brain had been pleasantly buzzy from wine, a full belly, and a spectacular, if unexpected, orgasm. Fully relaxed with his mate in a Den he knew to be safe, a soft contented sigh escaped him. He ended up snuggled into Loki's side, and remembered nothing more.

When Harry stirred awake sometime later, he found himself in the master bedroom tucked under the fluffy warm covers. Blinking a few times in sleepy confusion, he glanced around. Surely, he hadn't slept that hard? He didn't have to look far to find his mate. The sexy man was right beside him, curled up bare-chested in the same blankets that Harry was. He was reading a book by the soft light of the bedside lamp on the nightstand. Long fingers were carding gently through Harry's mussed hair, leaving it partially standing on end. Everything in Harry warmed. He could feel the Sentinel/Guide bond growing steady and strong in the back of his mind. A soft purr of contented pleasure escaped Harry's throat before he could stifle it from disturbing the other. Loki's only response was a quirk of his lips upward in happiness. He seemed perfectly nonplussed to let Harry watch him adoringly while he read. This was when Harry's brain woke up enough to realize he was still nude. They both were if the bare skin pressed against his side was any indication. Nothing was blocking the potential caress of their skin touching. Idly Harry wondered how long he had slept because Loki looked well rested now. It must have been hours for the bond to settle fully between them. For now, he was content to bask in the glow of his new bond, and his mate's warm, reassuring presence.

Once Loki noticed finished the passage he was reading, he marked the page and set the book aside carelessly. Dimly the Wizard heard it clatter off of the nightstand and thump onto the floor, but he couldn't be bothered to care about any damage. The smile that his mate was giving him was all sharp heat and naughty promises. Much more interesting than the condition of some book that could be picked up later.

Instead, Harry's attention was on Loki, who leaned lover with a sweet searing kiss that stole Harry's breath away so deliciously. Loki shifted them both and laid himself down light over the Omega. He placed his elbows on either side of Harry's head and used to body weight to trap the other man under him. Not that Harry was attempting to flee, or even protesting in the slightest. Though, a brief fantasy flitted through his mind of Loki hunting him through the winter forest like prey. Trapping Harry, pinning him down, then ripping his pants down just enough to mount him roughly. The images had Harry's breath catching in his throat, and arousal burning in his blood.

Loki arched his brow with a tilt of his head in silent inquiry, and Harry just smiled with a quick shake of his head. "Later." He murmured, leaning up to brush his mouth over his mate's, sneaking in a little playful nip at Loki's plush bottom lip. Loki growled softly and leaned down to nibble on his mate's neck in retaliation, his teeth creating a sharp little point of pleasure. It caused goosebumps to prickle all over Harry's skin. The scent of aroused Omega swiftly perfumed the air. Loki took a deep inhalation of it and chuckled softly in warm, Alpha smugness. Harry rolled his eyes and just smiled.

It wasn't long before his mate's Alpha hormones responded, the scent rising to hang thick in the bedroom air as well. Together they mingled, the pheromones spurning the mates on with each inhaled. Harry's body had already been at a low thrumming burn nearly since the first moment he'd laid eyes on Loki. Their brief rendezvous in the living room had only served to whet Harry's appetite for his mate. The added chemical cocktail sparked in his brain from their combined pheromones simply pushed his body into overdrive. It was a vicious, compounding cycle for the both of them, demanding and relentless. Now, finally, it seemed like his Alpha was intending to stake an irrefutable claim, to bond them together as mated for life.

Harry might have been embarrassed with how little time it took his cock to became hard, and his passage dripping wet, just from a little aggressive making out, if he still retained the capacity to give a damn. Harry was quickly discovering that he was pretty much shameless when it came to his mate.

Loki was thoroughly dominating with his skillful slide of wet lips, sharp little nips of pearl teeth and dirty caresses of his tongue. His hands tangled roughly in Harry's hair and yanked his head back to that The Alpha could bite down the column of his Omega's neck hard enough to leave red marks that would bloom into colorful bruises later. Harry could do little more than close his eyes with a submissive whimper, gripping his mate tightly around the ribs and shift just enough under him that he had room to spread his thighs in a blatant offering. He was impatient after repressing his needs for so long already. As far as he was concerned, any encouragement he could give to his mate was appropriate.

With a smug growl of amusement, it was an offer Loki ignored. For the moment.

Harry, however, was not as amused, and hissed his displeasure, scratching short nails down Loki's side. Which again, Loki ignored with little more than a smirk of his sensual lips and a hum of acknowledgment. Instead of giving into Harry's demands the Alpha instead, proceeded to nuzzle and kiss every inch of exposed skin before slowly settling again into mapping his new mate with his Sentinel senses once more.

Leaving Harry huffing in a mixture of appreciation and frustration.

To pacify his impatient mate, the Asgardian shifted his position enough to let his hips fall smoothly into the cradle of Harry's thighs. Slowly he rolled his hips against the slick thighs of his Omega. Caressing and rubbing his thick cock against his mate in all the right ways to tease and rile, but not enough to satisfy. The Omega moaned beautifully, deep and throaty, tipping his head down to watch their bodies slide together. Loki's cock large and glistening with Harry's slick, spreading it around with each thrust of his hips until the Omega's arousal was just as shiny. Loki simply watched his mate's expression, enraptured. He was content to take his time making Harry fall apart. He had every intention of getting to know every inch of his mate, and fully intended on driving him insane, multiple times, before he was through.

Loki took his time exploring the body that now belonged solely to him with lips, tongue teeth and bold fingers, taking smug pleasure upon discovering each new way of winding his lover higher and higher without letting him crest that peak. He was in no way shy, delving into each crease and crevice of his lover's body until the Omega was writhing helplessly under his touch. Loki took self-satisfied delight in the loud cries to managed to wring from the Wizard under him.

He bit and sucked sensitive nipples until they pebbled, shiny with saliva and dark red from the sharpness of his teeth. Harry arched and squirmed under his ministrations, clutching Loki tightly to his chest until he could stand it no longer. He left them only when Harry cried out for mercy.

Loki nibbled and tickled over ribs, until Harry couldn't suppress his giggling. He nuzzled his nose into armpits and licked the dip between belly and hipbones, then decided to leave biting bruises there as well. Seamlessly he moved on to Harry's cock, running his tongue up the underside without hesitation. Roughly pinning the Omega's hips down to the bed he took his time enjoying the flushed organ before him. The mingled taste of Harry's slick and his own precome was near intoxicating.

His lover's prick was smaller than his own, but not tiny. About average length and girth for his height and weight. Well formed with a flaring mushroom head, glistening wet at the tip with precome sliding thick down the swollen shaft. Overall, it was a beautiful picture. Enough so, that Loki had to force himself to speak through his lusty haze, voice a rough growl of pure carnality.

"You get so wet for me Harry, even here. So dripping, soaking, filthy wet. I love it." He reached up with a hand and loosely pumped Harry's cock, just to enjoy the strangled moan that erupted from his mate. The unconscious little twitch of his hips under his grip. It was enough that Loki couldn't resist his own low moan in response. Hips grinding down roughly into the bedding below him, just for the relief of some friction on the aching cock he was trying to ignore so he could concentrate on Harry's pleasure first.

"All for you, Alpha," Harry whispered breathlessly, tilting his head down to lock eyes with his lover. Then, with unabashed lust, widening the spread of his legs to reveal more of himself to Loki's gaze. "I've been wet for you this whole time."

Loki growled, turning his head to bite at the inside of one pale thigh, relishing the sharp cry it resulted in. "I know. I could smell you. In the bathroom. In the kitchen. By the fireplace. It was driving me insane. Such an eager, slutty Omega for me, aren't you my Sváss? Can't wait for me to knot you, can you Vænn? Have that belly of yours big and round with my pups."

He licked at the bite mark to soothe it, knowing it would turn into another bruise. These pheromones were causing him difficulties. Already Loki could feel his knot starting to swell a little bit, his body urging him to mount the little Omega and bond them together. Breed him, again and again, full with his seed until there was no question of pregnancy.

Harry whined in response to his words, lifting slim hips from Loki's loosened grasp in a gesture that was meant to entice Loki to slide his cock into him right then, begging shamelessly. "Yes. Please, Alpha. Please. Need your knot. Want you to claim me. Bond with me, breed me. Please! "

The scent of desperately aroused Omega this close seared Loki's senses and was nearly overwhelming, but the Sentinel tightly held onto his self-control with determination. He was not some savage Alpha that would brutalize his mate because he couldn't control himself. He gently stroked a hand down Harry's side to calm and settle him. "Easy little bird. Soon enough I promise, you'll get all of that and more. For now, though, this is what I want. Be a good boy for me now."

Harry took a deep breath and forced himself to relax a bit in Loki's grip, earning a pleased smile from his lover. That relaxation was swift to leave, however when Loki bent intently to his task. He lapped at the weeping head of Harry's cock, tonguing the slit and sucking out the juices until there was, for the moment, nothing left. Then turned his attention away from the head he was licking like it was a sweet treat and moved his mouth down the shaft. Hollowing his cheeks, Loki set out to make his Harry lose his mind. Free hand moving down to squeeze and roll his mate's testicles gently, occasionally stroking a finger over his perineum, just short of where the little wizard really wanted it. He wanted everything Harry had to offer, and he intended to get it.

His eyelids dropped to half mast as Loki concentrated on what he was doing, head bobbing slowly up and down the Omega's cock with gentle suction as he carefully worked his throat open a little bit at a time. With some applied effort, he was able to comfortably deep throat the organ in his mouth. By then, Harry was frantic under him, slender hands tugging on Loki's hair in mindless encouragement, hips arching into his mouth in a stuttering, uneven rhythm that told the fallen Prince that his mate was about to lose it. With wicked intent, Loki retracted the hand that had been fondling Harry's balls and suddenly, with firmness, slid two fingers into the Omega's drenched hole.

Harry jerked with a shrill scream of shocked pleasure. The walls of his passage clamping down like a vice around Loki's intruding fingers. He didn't let this deter him, however. He worked his fingers in and out of Harry's body. Stretching him with swift efficiency. Two fingers quickly turned into three, and then four. He purposely stayed away from the little pleasure button that was Harry's prostate. Knowing that with how aroused his mate already was, it would instantly send the Omega into climax, and Loki had certain plans. Holding Harry off for another minute or so wouldn't hurt anything.

He let Harry continue to use his mouth until a sharp cry of his name warned him. Harry's frame locked up, thrumming with tension, and the salty, bitter tang of his Omega's seed spilled over Loki's tongue. Eagerly he swallowed down everything Harry pumped into him until his mate was trembling and whining with over sensitivity. Only then did he reluctantly release the cock from his lips.

Swiftly, before Harry had a chance to recover his breath, he found himself suddenly flipped onto his belly, right in the area soaked from his own slick, in a graceful show of Loki's more than human strength. Before the Wizard could do more than huff in surprise, his wrists were firmly yanked behind him and pinned at the small of his back in a bruising grip. Harry tried to turn his head but found it pulled back into place by the hair. He yipped, body tensing, only to have the full weight of his Alpha suddenly against his back. Loki's body prevented him from doing more than squirming slightly, but lips near his ear and a snarl in warning stilled him. Instinctively Harry went limp and loose-limbed.

As soon as he did Loki pulled back and straddled the back of his thighs, hooking his legs in such a way that Harry was utterly helpless, unable to move in any way. Harry whined in supplication, uncertain, but hitched his bottom up as much as this position would permit him. Which wasn't much.

Loki rumbled in pleasure behind him, but didn't let go of Harry's wrists or hair. Then he shifted again, and Harry could feel his Alpha's cock slid against his bottom briefly before it entered him in one thick unrelenting thrust of his mate's hips. It burned, even with the excessive slick he'd been producing since they'd started, and the through stretching his mate had given him. It didn't hurt, but Harry definitely felt it. The sensation was a confusing mix of pleasure/pain. Loki was no small man, and with his legs being pinned down this way it made Harry's passage naturally squeeze tighter.

Still, even so, it didn't stop the fireworks going off in Harry's brain, or stop his nerve endings from demanding more. The sound that fell from his lips was positively obscene. It triggered another loud snarl from his mate, and a sharp snap of his hips as Loki began to chase his own pleasure using the Omega's body. The flex of his muscles was powerful, and Harry found himself rocked roughly each time the other slid back in. The sharp slap of skin on skin, the slick echo of two bodies connecting wetly filled the room with a sort of lewd music amid Loki's soft, low grunts of exertion, and Harry's breathy gasping whines and moans. There were no words. Both of them too lost in the physical haze of mating pheromones to be capable of coherency.

Whatever Loki's initial intentions, this wasn't the passionate love making he had planned on. Harry's orgasm had shredded his last tenuous resistance to his primal instincts. This was Rutting, pure and simple. This claiming was pure domination. It was unrelenting and unforgiving. It had Harry fully erect again within only a few short minutes, but the punishing rub of his cock against the sheets wasn't getting him anywhere. Whatever friction he managed from the bedding only managed to tease. It wasn't enough. It served only to frustrate him more.

Harry could feel his lover's huge knot pushing against his rim now, forcing him open a little more with each push of Loki's pelvis. Until suddenly the knot popped all the way in and locked with his body. It hurt. It was a searing pain for just a heartbeat, and then Loki was doing absolutely filthy rolling grind of his hips against Harry's ass. His knot tugging deliciously at Harry's sensitive rim, cock at the perfect angle to press hard against his prostate. Over and over again.

Harry howled as he vaulted over the edge. His climax ripped violently through him. Longer and more intense than the one not long before. His whole body spasmed viciously with the fierceness of it. Automatically, the muscles in his passage began rhythmically squeezing on Loki's knot. Encouraging the Alpha to give up his seed. He could feel Loki grinding harder into his ass, instinctively trying to push his come as deeply into his mate as possible. Harry could feel the thick cock inside him jerking each time it released another gush of his mate's semen deep inside of him.

Distantly he heard Loki shout, and there was a shock of agony on the back of Harry's neck as Loki bit deep with a series of low possessive rumbling growls and snarls. Giving Harry a mark that would scar deep into his flesh, high enough it would always be seen over the collars of his shirts. A sign to everyone, everywhere that he was bonded and owned by this Alpha.

After a while, Loki slowly lets go of his neck, licking soothingly at the wound as he carefully maneuvered the both of them to lay on their side. Both of them were still locked together and would be for some time as Loki's body was far from done pumping load after load into Harry's willing vessel. Both were panting and clinging to one another. Loki brushing light affectionate kisses all over Harry's shoulders and the top of his head. They lay there like that, just drifting on the afterglow of their bonding. The first, Harry knew, of many matings to come this night, hopefully resulting in pregnancy.

Already they could feel the first tendrils of the Alpha/Omega bonding falling into place between them. With the mental bonding between Sentinel and Guide settling somehow more firmly into them almost immediately after. All that was left now, was one last bonding, which they would likely do sometime tomorrow if they were feeling up to it. Harry knew of several ways to bind them together Magically as well. They would be wed in the eyes of every society that truly mattered. Much more deeply than any scrap of useless human paper could prove. They would have a tri-fold Bond. Nothing would be able to tear them apart.

Not even Death.

END.