Disclaimer: All non-original characters, plot points, quotes, and information belongs to Marvel and Marvel Studios, and anyone else that may own any part of it. The story plot and dialogue belongs to me. I'm not making any money from the posting of this story.

Thanks to xxDustnight88 for looking this over.

Warnings: War Prize Loki, Suggestive Themes, Angst.

Written for satanssyn-n-things as part of the Thorki Valentine Exchange 2018 hosted by thorkievents on tumblr! Happy belated Valentine's Day!

Claimed

Thor wasn't quite sure how they ended up in this situation. He narrowed his eyes at Loki… emotions swirling within him. He wanted to be angry, but the sight of his brother in chains made his heart ache in a way that made him entirely too uncomfortable.

Closing his eyes, he recalled the whirlwind of most recent events.

They had recovered the tesseract, saved the world, and he had brought both the tesseract and Loki home.

He had expected his father to be furious, but he had been shocked to his core when his father had pronounced Loki's sentence.

Death .

Odin had spoken the words so unfeeling and uncaring, that Thor couldn't have believed it. It was his mother's anguished cry that awoke him from his state of frozen shock.

"No," Thor said, so softly he hadn't been sure he had spoken.

Odin had been angry with both his sons then - angry that Loki had disappointed him so and angry that Thor had dared to interfere with his punishment.

What happened next was so unexpected, Thor still couldn't believe that he did it.

"I claim Loki as my war prize ."

The words floated around in his mind.

He said that. Loudly. Claimed Loki as his own in front of the entire court.

Odin had been shocked into silence, but even the great king could not deny the power of the words that Thor had spoken.

Thor had bested Loki in combat - in what was best described as a war on the planet Earth. He was within every right to claim Loki as his.

He didn't know what possessed him to do it, but the words could no longer be undone. Loki was his.

"So, brother, what now?" Loki asked from his place on the edge of Thor's bed. He shifted, the chains wrapped around him rattling.

"I will release you, Loki, as you know there is no escaping your fate." Thor narrowed his eyes at Loki. "Killing me would be futile."

"Yes, I know," Loki scowled. "You've bound our souls in an irreversible way."

Thor ignored his adopted-brother.

"Let me out of these cursed chains."

"You could ask me nicer," Thor retorted angrily.

"I didn't ask for this!" Loki spat angrily.

"Excuse me for saving your life," Thor said. In his anger, he grabbed Loki's chain and pulled hard, causing them to snap and fall away. Loki backed away, rubbing his arms as he tried to stretch.

"Why did you do it?" Loki asked after a moment.

Thor looked at him before moving towards the balcony. He overlooked it, his gaze roaming what he could see of Asgard. "I don't know."

"Do you regret it?" Loki asked quietly, taking a few steps towards Thor. His movements were slow, showing that he was clearly unsure of himself.

"No," Thor answered softly. "I could not let you die. Despite your crimes, I could not bear your death on my conscious." He turned to face Loki. "Nevermind what pain that would have caused Mother."

Loki's expression softened. "I've always known that Odin hated me."

"Father doesn't hate you," Thor answered, though he wasn't quite sure anymore. The anger in his father's eyes had been surprising.

"He regrets saving me - that much is clear." Loki brushed past Thor to the railing of the balcony. "Somedays, I wish he had left me on Jotunheim."

"Loki," Thor said softly. "Why?"

"Why, what?" Loki retorted.

"Why?" Thor said angrily. "Why would you wish that after I just saved your life?" When Loki didn't answer, Thor became angry once more. "Why would you ruin everything by stealing the tesseract? What could you have gained? You destroyed everything we had, Loki! Why?!" He could feel the jolt of electricity across his skin as he clenched his hands into fists. "Why, Loki?" he demanded loudly.

"For you!" Loki retorted angrily, whirling around to face Thor. Tears in his eyes. "It was all for you!"

Thor's eyes widened in shock. "What do you mean, brother?"

"You're not truly my brother, Thor. When we were younger, I loved you so, but as we grew, I realized that I loved you differently." Loki let out a shaky breath, his eyes full of hurt. "You were going to be the king of Asgard. I had nothing to offer you, I knew Odin would not accept what I could give you."

"I don't understand," Thor said, shaking his head. "Loki?"

"If I had conquered Midgard, my request for your hand would not have been so easily objected."

Thor was shocked to his core. "What?" he whispered.

"I've only ever wanted you, Thor. Everything I did was for you."

"Innocent people died, Loki," Thor said, horrified. "I… I don't understand."

"I've only ever wanted your love," Loki admitted in a soft voice. "Now, I wish you had let Odin kill me."

"No," Thor said firmly. He moved towards Loki quickly, taking his hands into his own. "We've always been bound together, Loki."

"By circumstance, not choice."

"This," Thor said firmly, squeezing Loki's hands. "I chose this. I claimed you, Loki. You are my war prize… Mine, and mine alone. This was my choice."

"One made in a moment of distress, not clarity."

Thor narrowed his eyes. "Must you argue with me, so?"

Loki couldn't help the small pull at the corner of his mouth. He smirked. "I can't help it, brother… Or should I call you master now?"

"Stop that," Thor said, looking into Loki's eyes. He wasn't sure what possessed him to do it, but he leant in and pressed a kiss to Loki's forehead. "You're not my slave."

"Then what am I to you?" Loki pressed, his question loaded and dangerous.

"I don't know," Thor answered. "You need to give me time to figure that out."

Loki nodded, knowing that he needed to give Thor time to process everything. "Thank you," he said after a moment.

"I couldn't let you die, Loki, even after everything." Thor's stomach still flipped at the very thought of Loki dying.

Their new relationship would be difficult and complicated to navigate, but Thor was confident they would figure it out. They had to - their souls were irrevocably bound.

He was Loki's, and Loki was his.

That was how they would always be.