All of them came back in a flood of bitter memories that made him crave tears that he could not afford to shed.
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The boys played in the garden merrily, their friends tagging along in festive children's games. They sang out tunes and rolled in the grass, their clothes becoming dirtied as they went along in their play. The children galloped like horses around the garden, adventured out to the very edges of the place they were allowed to roam, and eventually stopped to eat a mid-afternoon snack of berries and cheese. On they continued with their games, their melodic laughter filling the air.
Later that evening, when it was time to retire back to the palace, Thor picked up his then-sleeping sibling, a smile adorning his lips as the quiet snores filled his ears. He carried Loki back to their chambers and laid him to rest, cuddling up next to him once the first boy was settled. The blond child wrapped his arms securely around the ravenette child, his sworn oath to protect Loki from any monsters still holding strong.
Loki loved Thor for that.
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The once-young boys were now young men, growing stronger and more handsome every day. Thor and Loki still laughed and played, though now they practiced battle together instead of pretend games of war. Each one had their own unique talent, and each one was respected for their talents. Loki knew not many truly admired his talent in using magic in battle, but they were clever at hiding their distaste for it in front of Loki. Even Odin, his own father, held a mild hatred for the practice of such acts by the young princeling, but Loki was fine with that.
The only thing that did matter to Loki was that Thor enjoyed his magic, which the older teen did. He would laugh jovially and watch with rapt attention as the other teen performed tricks and such that could put the best royal jester to shame. Loki was proud of this talent, and he used it with pristine arrogance, regardless what others said about it. And no matter what, Thor always cheered him on, ever encouraging of his mastering of incantations and magic.
Loki loved Thor for that.
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The teens had now grown into men, with Thor in his 22nd season and Loki in his 20th, both sporting admirable muscles and intelligence, though the two of them of course had an uneven distribution of the qualities. Thor had more brawn to him, though he still contained a fair amount of clever intellect. Loki had more brains than brawn, though he still could fight off an attacker without the need for magic. He and Thor used their physical and mental traits to their advantage, overpowering any enemy that might challenge them and overcoming any challenging puzzle that faced them. Together, they were nearly unstoppable and completely inseparable. And that was for one major reason besides the useful qualities they shared, and that was the fact that they were lovers.
It had happened one brisk autumn eve, the atmosphere a mix of happiness and melancholy. Another war had just been won and a grand feast had been held with enough mead and food to supply a starving nation for at least 3 years. Everyone drank and recounted stories, all having a merry time. Sometimes the room would burst with boisterous laughter, and other times it would be deathly quiet as the story became more serious. All had their fill of tales and meals by the ending of the evening, and soon, the room was empty save for Thor and Loki.
Loki had just finished performing a small trick for the Warriors 3 and the Lady Sif when they had all excused themselves to retire to bed. The princes bid the adieu and watched them leave with mild interest. Loki soon admitted that he was going to retire as well, but not before Thor seized his wrist in a vice-like grip. The ravenette raised an eyebrow at his sibling, wondering why he would stop him.
"Loki, I must admit something to you." Thor spoke softly, almost as if he was trying to coax Loki into something. The Trickster gave the Thunderer an incredulous stare before saying exasperatedly, "Well go on then. I need my rest, brother." Loki noticed Thor gulp, his brother seemingly gathering courage for something rather important. "Loki...I...I wish…I wish to be your lover. I don't know how or when, but these emotions I hold for you are nothing like the kind of love you show to family. I understand if you loathe me for this, and I will leave you forever alone if need be, but I knew I at least had to try." Thor admitted, his cheeks dusted in a rosy pink from his combined inebriation and the racing of his heart. Loki stared at Thor in disbelief, wondering how they had ended up in a situation as such. His wildest dream and darkest desire had finally come true. Without so much as a second thought, Loki pulled his hand free and grabbed Thor's face, tugging him in for a sloppy, albeit wonderful kiss. They stood there, locked in each other's embrace with their lips connected in a now sweeter, more controlled kiss. Once they broke for air, Loki pulled Thor's face close to his again and whispered for them to meet back in Thor's room in exactly 15 minutes. The Thunderer nodded eagerly in agreement and pressed one more kiss to Loki's nose before dashing off to his room. Loki trailed after and headed to his room, deciding to dress in something more appeasing before going to Thor's room.
That night, they laid together, Thor rutting into and stroking the moaning mess that was Loki. They had both driven over the edge plenty of times, though they would start up again soon after, a new chorus of gasps and mewls and cries of pleasure dancing throughout the room. And every time Thor brought Loki to his climax, he would whisper sweet words of approval and compliments into Loki's ear as his essence covered their chests. It was more than amazing, more than marvelous, it was an absolutely stupendous evening filled with everything Loki could have ever wanted, and that was Thor. Every sweet noise, word, and raggedy breath of Thor's filled Loki's ear until they had both drifted to sleep.
Loki loved Thor for that.
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Now, Loki stood with his arms bound above him, his toes just barely scraping the ground. He had prepared for this day; he had known it was inevitable. The young man just wished it didn't have to happen now, the 1st anniversary of them becoming lovers. It burned to think about it, it made Loki want to sob, but he could not afford to do so in front of all these people. He would die with defiance, never letting his eyes break contact with Thor's.
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Their father had found out about their taboo relations, and in belief that Loki had cast some sort of spell on Thor, demanded that he pay the death sentence. Knowing Thor would do everything in his power to save Loki, Odin had cast his own incantation upon Thor that made him heartless and cruel when it came to Loki. The young man would be spared no last sentiment before he met his end; he would just have to stare into Thor's cold, menacing eyes and pray that by some miracle he would recognize him at the last minute.
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Loki sucked in a sharp breath when he heard the final trumpets blow, knowing his time had come. The Trickster watched with hidden fear as the Thunderer ascended the steps, seeing the glint of the metal claws that had been attached to Thor's fingertips. With one proud glance back at the crowd, who cheered for the older prince, Thor turned to face Loki, pure hatred covering his features. Walking to stand in front of the ravenette, Thor snarled, "You disgust me, you wretched being. May you suffer for all eternity." With that, Thor raised his clawed hand and dug it into Loki's chest, squeezing until blood began to gush. Loki glared intensely at Thor, not making a sound as the claws dug through him. Only when he felt the scrape of the metal contraptions against his heart did he let his glare relax into a pitiful gaze, a single tear dripping from his eyes. With that, his heart was yanked out of his chest, Loki dying instantly. He hung there, tangling in the wind like the broken little boy he was, his heart dropped to the ground with a thud and stepped on by a silent Thor. But the one thing Loki noticed before his death was that Thor had been quietly crying; several tears escaping him as the older sibling ripped out the younger's heart. Loki's cold gaze had broken Odin's spell. The tears had streamed down Thor's face, a never-ending river of unspoken emotions.
Loki hated him for that.