Prologue
Setting: Post-Avengers, Asgard.
Summary: Loki is to be sentenced to death following his destructive actions in New York, but Thor saves him by imprisoning them both a chamber where not even Heimdall can see them. Loki reveals an underlying frustration that desperately needs Thor's attention. Thor/Loki (explicit)
A/N: Please consider this is my first time writing a fic, enjoy :)
Flashes of thunder and a bright glow of the Tesseract hailed the return of two figures from Midgard. Thor stepped through the shroud of smoke with Loki trailing behind him in chains, his silver tongue bound by a complicated metal mouthpiece. The walls of Asgard welcomed the thunderer with a golden hue, the unchanging majestic landscape almost mocking his conflicted heart. His eyes narrowed in silent agony as he marched towards the throne room. Today was the day that his brother, Loki, was to be sentenced to death.
A flourish of brass instruments greeted Thor as he entered his father's presence, and the royal guards who surrounded a chained Loki, followed closely. They parted slightly for the Allfather to regard the dangerous war criminal, removing his mouthpiece at a motion of Odin's wrinkled hands. Loki straightened his stance, and looked Odin in the eye with a contemplative tilt in the head.
"You dare return to Asgard with your head held high, Loki?" Odin's authoritative voice boomed through the throne room.
Loki lowered his head and let out a stifled snicker. He raised his eyes at the Allfather with a glimmer in his eyes, "I've come to repent, father."
Eyes around the room widened at the words uttered by the trickster, not believing his suddenly submissive behaviour before the Allfather. Thor only stiffened. Loki shifted his glance towards Thor, who had frozen in a wary stance against his traitorous brother. Thor swallowed tentatively as his eyes met Loki's, hurting with betrayal.
"Father," he continues cajolingly.
He began to pace towards Odin as far as his chains would allow him. His eyes twinkled with mischief.
"I only wish to repeal my wrongdoings. Am I so far gone that you will not allow me to negotiate some terms we can agree on?"
"Enough! You have yet to realise that your reckless ambitious have almost caused the destruction of two realms. No amount of negotiating will change my mind now."
Odin stood from his elevated throne and glowered at Loki.
"You will die for your crimes, Loki Laufeyson."
"No!" Roared Thor from beside Loki. He jumped up and stood protectively in front of his brother.
"Please, allow me to speak on his behalf." He looked sincerely at the Allfather who sat stunned.
"Father, no matter what he's done to Jotenheim or Midgard, and no matter how much he's betrayed us, I feel there is still hope to rescue him from the depths of his darkened heart." He continued to stare pleadingly at his father.
"I will endeavor to change his heart as long as we're both alive. So please, give us time." Thor glanced reassuringly at his brother, who gave a tentative curve of the lips in return.
Odin sighed deeply at his eldest son, and knew that it was nearly impossible to change his stubborn mind once he had dedicated himself to a task. He nodded to them reluctantly, with closed eyes and a hand massaging his temples.
"There is but one condition."
"Remind me again brother," Loki asked exasperatedly while throwing his hands in the air. "Why must I share a room with you?"
He glared at Thor who was already swiftly removing his heavy armour.
"Watch how you speak, Loki. I just saved your life." He was still intently folding his garments away as Loki shot him a disbelieving look.
"Saved my life?" the trickster scoffed. "Thanks to you we're both caged like pitiful beasts in this hideous chamber. Look at us!" He pointed at the surrounding walls that flickered with magical energy. To Thor, the room seemed like any other sleeping chamber in his Asgardian palace.
Several hours after their confinement, Loki grew restless and was pacing from one end of the room to the other. Occasionally he would throw an annoyed scowl at his brother while he stormed around the humble room. It didn't matter how many times Thor tried to explain his intentions, Loki remained restless to the point of almost ripping his hair out.
It wasn't Thor himself that caused Loki discomfort, it was his fear of Thor spending every living hour with him. Loki would rather die than let Thor find out about the compromising situation he knew he was about to experience. Loki was born of Jotenheim, after all.
"Brother, please understand that I'm only trying to help you." Thor pleaded with his gleaming blue eyes.
"I don't need your help!" He continued to storm around the room, increasingly frustrated at his dormant powers. Even his illusions could not be conjured within these magic barriers. He desperately needed to escape, or rather, he simply desired to be by himself.
"I don't understand why you're so eager to avoid me when I'm only trying to help," Thor grabbed Loki by the wrist and pulled him close. The way he stared at Loki almost made the trickster's façade falter, and he turned away in an attempt to hide his increasing discomfort. Loki's eyes fell to the space on the ancient tiles between his feet.
"Let me help you," Thor whispered gently into his ear, as he pulled their bodies closer.
Loki jerked his arm back at the sudden proximity, eyes darting from his fixed glare at the floor and his brother's icy blue eyes.
"L-let go of me," he commanded uncertainly, still staring at the cracks on the floor. "You cannot help me... not in this state."
Thor relaxed his grip on the smaller figure and inched his face away slowly with a quizzical expression.
"What state do you speak of? The only state I'm concerned with, is your current state of repentance." Thor searched Loki's downcast eyes for any sign of denial.
"We did not agree on this, Thor. I was to ask for the Allfather's mercy and you were only to help me persuade him, not end up in the same cage as me!" Loki finally met his brothers eyes. He couldn't believe the imbecile Thor was.
"Father said it was only temporary. I hope that is the case for you too." Thor slid his hand down to meet his brother's slender palms, squeezing them reassuringly.
Loki's heart skipped a beat as he tried to comprehend the act of affection, stunned by his brother's endless bounds of forgiveness and determination to save him. Loki intertwined his fingers with Thor's in return, and Thor did not miss the faint trace of redness in his cheeks.
Thor cupped his warm cheek with his other hand, and this time the trickster flinched, but otherwise didn't attempt to resist.
"Loki, tell me what ails you. Do not be afraid to confide in me." He spoke softly with a familiar tenderness, hinting at the nearly-forgotten memories of their childhood together.
"Not a soul in Asgard can see nor hear us here, not with these barriers." reassured Thor.
Loki's eyes widened at that prospect. Perhaps Thor really could help the Jotun. His slender fingers picked at the fraying hem of Thor's garment, occasionally brushing the sun-kissed skin beneath. He sighed as he leaned his forehead against Thor's chest, tentatively clenching the soft fabric of his casual garments beneath his chin.
Thor was more than slightly bewildered by Loki's act of weakness, so small and vulnerable against his own strong frame. He waited apprehensively for Loki to speak, but when the smaller man did not stop trembling against him, Thor leaned in for a crushing embrace.
Loki gasped, but did not betray any signs of fear, nor did he look cold, and Thor began to wonder why the tremors that shook his brother's body did not cease. Instead, Thor noted how the colour in Loki's cheeks darkened, how his breath quickened, and the loud pounding was in the chest pressed against him.
"Wait, I... haven't explained anything yet." the flustered Jotun muttered. He could feel his face burning.
The thunderer remained in his position, still holding Loki in the embrace of his strong arms. Perhaps he was ill with a condition exclusive to his kind, or maybe he was cursed by the Chitauri. He waited for him to continue.
"If you know my true parentage, I doubt you will be surprised that my body does not function exactly like yours." He buried his face deeper into Thor's firm chest. His eyes were fixated on the slow rise and fall of his brother's chest as he struggled to formulate his next sentence.
"Thor, I am in heat."
A/N: Well, that was more long-winded than I anticipated. Expect plenty of smut to follow ;)