"Did you know that there are ice crystals from Jotunheim that never melt? They're said to be part of the very heart of the realm. Even when taken to the center of Muspelheim, they remain cold enough to give instant frostbite on contact." Loki suddenly announced. Fandral looked up from his own book: something Loki had recommended for him.

"Interesting… have they some special use?" The blond rolled over onto his back, hoisting his own book up above his face. Loki paused and blinked at him for a moment.

"By the say of the dwarfs: they have no use. They are but courting gifts between frost giants." Silence settled again until Fandral lowered his book to his chest and stared at the ceiling for a moment before flipping over to his stomach and squirming over to Loki.

"Lo, fair prince, that reminds me. I was considering the term 'frost giant.' I must confess, I an curious as to how that name came to be." Fandral propped his head up on his bent wrist. Loki looked over with half lidded eyes.

"Because they are frosted and quite large in size." Loki offered unhelpfully. Fandral huffed and dropped his head face-down on the bed. Loki smiled to himself and then rolled over onto his back next to the blond warrior. "They are so named because of the realm they dwell in, frozen and cold, and for their power to… collect ice and frost on their arms to use as weapons in fights. As for the term 'giant': you will be disappointed to know that it is merely a reference to their great stature." Loki concluded with a soft nod. Fandral hummed curiously and popped his head up.

"But you are a Jotunheimr. And, frankly, you are quite small." Fandral laughed at Loki's bristling energy as it pricked at his skin. "Do you deny it?" Loki huffed and rolled over, turning his back to the blunt swordsman.

Sighing and staring at the ceiling until he got an idea, Fandral rolled over too, so he was effectively spooning Loki.

"So what makes this frost giant giant, hm?" Fandral purred softly in the shell of Loki's ear, feeling the mage tense to suppress a shudder. Loki shrugged his shoulders.

"Perhaps my ears are larger than Aesir standards." Loki offered coyly, know what Fandral was getting at. Fandral brought his fingers to Loki's ear and thoroughly brushed it with soft touches.

"Hm. No, not that."

"Well then, perhaps my hands?" Fandral slipped his hand over Loki's stomach and reached out to grab the small hand, weaving his own fingers with the Mage's lithe ones.

"Definitely not! Look ate these tiny digits!" Fandral said lowly, knowing his chest would rumble and that Loki would feel it in his bones, since they were pressed together. And Loki's shudder did not go unnoticed before he snuffed it out.

"Then maybe it's my feet." Loki sounded very relaxed, as if he may fall asleep, judging by the soft murmur of his voice. Fandral moved his own feet to wrap around Loki's ankles, chuckling a bit when Loki wiggled his own feet and put up a play fight.

"No, tis not these dainty feet that lend to the name." Fandral affirmed. Loki hummed thoughtfully.

"No? Well I can't imagine what it could be, then." Loki had closed his eyes, and Fandral could hear the smile in his faux-surprised comment. Fandral moved his hand from Loki's and splayed his fingers over Loki's stomach, rubbing softly.

"The great mage is stumped?" Loki hummed agreement at Fandral's pause. "Well perhaps I, humble Asgardian that I am, will give this mystery a try." Fandral smirked into Loki's neck as he rubbed his hand lower and lower down Loki's front. He could feel Loki's pulse racing in his veins. Fandral played lightly with the waist of Loki's pants before pulling his hand back up to Loki's stomach. Loki whined instinctually before biting off his noise of disappointment. Fandral smiled harder, not allowing himself to laugh. He let his stroking dip back down to the waist-line of Loki's black suede pants. He let his hand continue, but off to the left, so that he rubbed down Loki's hip, kneading his thigh and the yielding flesh there. Loki let out a guttural huff as Fandral slowly trailed his hand back up to Loki's stomach, knowing he was driving the mage mad. He circled his hand slowly back down to the waist of Loki's pants, running his fingers along the line where fabric met skin. Finally, slipping his hand between the fabric and skin, keeping his painfully slow pace of movement, Fandral yielded a released sigh from Loki. Smiling again, Fandral could see that Loki's eyes were tightly screwed shut, and he could feel Loki's breathing was rougher than before. Fandral slid his hand down further, already knowing what he was now stroking. Loki's breathing became even more ragged. Fandral's other arms slid under the faintly twitching mage and wrapped around his abdomen. Loki's hands were fisted in the bed cover, clenching and unclenching periodically. But Fandral found he could not tear his eyes away from Loki's face. His heart and groin both heated at the sight of Loki's face: mouth parted slightly, jaw clenching occasionally, eyes alternating from tightly squinched shut to almost open and back again.

Fandral loved the look of pleasure. It wasn't the same pleasure as when he surprised Loki with a gift or with a 1 am walk in the garden. It was darker. It was dirtier. It was needier. Fandral felt Loki's body convulse, and he returned his attention to his hands. Loki didn't always show his need for Fandral, or his desire for him, but when he did, it made Fandral feel that much fond of Loki.
Loki's hands moved quickly, one to dig five nails into Fandral's arm, and the other to Fandral's groin. But Fandral hissed and used his shoulder to shoo Loki's hand away. Loki took the hint and then there were ten sharp nails cutting into Fandral's arm.

Moments like that, when Loki showed that he did care about Fandral, wanting their mutual pleasure too, made Fandral feel even more adamant about taking care of Loki.

Loki's grip tightened and he whined Fandral's name, conveying his need to his lover. Fandral obliged and nearly shattered his teeth, gritting them so hard so as not to yelp about the ten daggers that managed to burry themselves in his arms even further than before.

Holding Loki tightly to him, Fandral shooed away Loki's hand from his crotch again.

"Share." Loki panted, trying again.

"No, no. All you today." Fandral was panting too, but he didn't mind. Loki grumbled halfheartedly as Fandral removed his hand, wiping it smoothly on his pants before letting it join his other arm in wrapping around Loki. Fandral tugged Loki closer, wincing as his arm burned where Loki's nails had been. Loki brushed a hand over the cuts and they were healed in a cool blue magic. Fandral sighed into Loki's neck, and Loki let out his own shuddering sigh.

"I think I found it." Fandral commented.

"Flattery will-"

"Get me everywhere." Fandral chuckled. Loki nodded reluctantly.

"Only you, Fandral. Only you." Loki wiggled backwards into Fandral's chest and crossed his own arms over Fandral's, unconsciously rubbing soft circles in Fandral's arm as he began to drift off.

And on Loki's face was another kind of pleasure. A pleasure that Fandral never saw when there were others around. A lighter pleasure. A cleaner pleasure. A content pleasure.

And Fandral fell in love.

Again.