AN: Hi again! sorry for not updating in a few days, but there was stuff I had to do. Like a load of colored laundry that turned mostly pink now. Yeah. I have a pair of pink pants now. Woo hoo.

Anyway, hope you enjoy this new story, it's a continuation of the same plot line of my other two Thor stories, which you are welcome to either read or ignore, because this one could probably stand alone.

I love Thor more dearly than any of you.

Loki's words seemed true to Sif, even long after his treachery against Thor was revealed and repeated. She couldn't understand how such a seemingly heartfelt confession could be so painfully wrung from him if it was untrue. Now, just to be clear, Sif was no fool for emotional displays from any man. She had seen men attempt to court both herself and other women, only to disappear by the end of the night. But she would swear on her place beside Thor in battle that Loki had shown real, true emotion in his words.

One day, Sif decided to find the answers to her questions. Had Loki lied in regards to his love for Thor? If he hadn't, why did he betray someone he cared so greatly for? In her quest for answers, her first and only stop was Loki's cell. In order to keep Loki inside - and all outside citizens of Asgard safe - there were entire corridors between each of eight gates that separated Loki from the outside words. Sif spared a brief thought to how lonely it must've been, living in the cell alone, and decided that even if he had hated his brother with a passion equivalent to the fire of every star in every galaxy before, Loki must have come to love him simply because it would have made keeping his company so much easier.

The last door before Loki's cell didn't have any guards like the others had, and Sif wanted to smack someone for the tactical error. With all the guards out of earshot of Loki, he could escape using magic and they might now know until he began wreaking havoc. As she got closer to his cell, Sif began hearing a voice from inside, one that couldn't have possibly come from Loki's stitched-up mouth. Her footing became lighter as she swiftly crossed the corridor. When she reached the door, she could only make out the sound of the voice and none of the words. She thought that Loki had cast a soundproofing sound perhaps, one that was weakened by his inability to move either his lips or his hands.

There was a sharp moan from inside the cell, which Sif looked through the frosty window to find the source of. She frantically wiped at the frost obscuring her view, and peered inside. As she looked inside, Thor moved his head away from Loki, his hand coming up from Loki's neck so that his thumb could gently touch his brother's lips. There was a glimmer of sadness in his eyes that, to Sif, made no sense. Shouldn't Loki be the one feeling guilty?

"I am sorry brother," Thor said, "I had forgotten about your stitches. I shall stop if you'd like?" Loki's eyes bugged out humorously and he shook his head. Thor smiled and leaned in close to Loki's ear. He whispered something to Loki that seemed to amuse him, and waited patiently for...something.

That something was apparently a kiss from Loki's stitched lips on his. Thor smiled against his brother's lips and held the crook of his neck in a gesture of affection Sif knew to be purely Thor. Thor's lips traveled down Loki's jaw to the vacant side of his neck and settled there, which caused Loki to throw his head back and moan. Sif quickly turned away from the door and collapsed against the wall.

What?! She mouthed to herself, and shook her head in an attempt to clear it. The sound of something hitting stone snapped her from her attempts to understand Thor's relationship with his brother(lover), and when she turned back to the door to the cell she saw Thor sprawled on the floor and attempting to get up, confusion and hurt on his face.

"Loki? What-?" Thor cut himself short when he saw his lover(brother) shaking, sobbing and whimpering in pain. Acid dripped from a small crack between stones in the ceiling and hissed as it hit Loki on his tender lips and a place on his chest that, had Thor still sat where he used to be, would have been protected by Thor's own bare arm. Thor scrambled over and placed a kiss on his brother(lover)'s temple in an attempt to soothe him.

"Oh, Loki. You tried to make sure I was unharmed," Thor worked a hand through Loki's hair as he licked at the pulse point in his neck. "Such a sweet little lover you are, Loki," Thor murmured in his ear, "always so good to me. Always trying to stay so strong for me." Once the acid stopped, Thor sat down between his lover's legs and held him close. "Never feel that you have to be brave for me, Loki. I will always love you, whether you are suffering or joyous. You never need hide from me." Loki whimpered into his lover's neck, and Sif stepped away from the door, refusing to invade on such an intimate moment whether the two behind the door knew she was there or not. Her questions were more than answered.

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