Author's Note: Mahal is the Dwarves' God and what they call the Vala Tulkas who invented them in The Silmarillion, though it was Eru who gave them life.
Common
Gimli finished the braid in the, by now, sleeping man's shoulder-length black-hair. As he smiled down at Loki he remembered thinking that they would never work.
After all, they belonged in different worlds, but Gandalf had gifted them with spelled pendants that allowed inter-world travel. When asked who had made the pendants Gandalf had just smiled and said someone who wanted them happy.
Also, there was that he and Loki were so different - of course, there was the height difference he was, at least, two feet some shorter than Loki. Where he was hot-blooded and didn't, normally, like plans, Loki preferred having plans and back-up plans. Where he said nearly whatever popped into his head, Loki weighed his words carefully. He preferred his axes and close-range combat, while Loki liked using his magic and long-range icy warfare. Lastly, he was merely homely and Loki was simply the most gorgeous jotun he'd ever seen.
His gaze drifted around the warm, grey-stone and jewel-flecked walls of the master bedroom of the Glittering Caves with a soft chuckle. Yes, the first time he'd seen Loki he'd thought the jotun was a strange, red-eyed Orc; then he'd thought Loki was a strange elf wizard without ear-tips who could summon ice. Either way, it hadn't mattered as he'd come to appreciate his love's, to him, rather unusual beauty.
Loki had said that he was, "Passionate, fierce, majestic and furry like a miniature brown bear." Well that, and that all his hair was helpful during sex because it kept the cold of Loki's skin, which unconsciously increased with high emotion, from touching him right away so he could tell the jotun.
In turn, he'd said that Loki was, "Sly, graceful and had a good tongue like a snake." Which had made Loki burst into laughter at his un-intentioned meaning before he'd started laughing too.
A few things they had in common - up until they met each other, after he'd ended up pulled from nearly drowning in Helm's Deep into that lake where the Crown Prince had saved him, they had almost always stuck to their traditional ways and values; when they'd met they had found out that love was a strange creature and they'd had to fight to be together. Mahal knew he'd nearly cleaved Laufey's head off one time for saying they couldn't be together and insulting his heritage. Another thing that they had in common, they were always proud of who they were even when it caused fights.
Sleepily, Loki murmured, "I'm sorry, love. I didn't mean to fall asleep on you." as the jotun stretched slowly.
He replied, "Aye, I know you didn't, but you've had a rough few days and you're lovely any time." Before picking up the silver and sapphire-gilt mirror and handing it to Loki.
"I am not." Loki angled the mirror and then gasped when he saw the intricate braid. "Oh my, t-this is far more beautiful than I could ever be. Thank-you so much, Gimli."
After a brief kiss, he said, "You're welcome, Loki."
Loki smiled, "We should get ready to leave for Minas Tirith. Aragorn's coronation is in a few days is it not ?"
"Oh, I nearly forgot 'bout that. Yes, yes it is, indeed we should."
So, they got dressed and left their bedroom. The last thing they had in common ? Great love for their friends.