~ Before the Curtains ~
By: Monkan
Warnings: Slash, Jealousy, Diva Sif
Rating: M (for languish and kissing)
Pairing: Thor/Loki
Type: One-Shot
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this story. The characters belong to Marvel and the Norse Mythology. Or any other products that may be mentioned.
A/N: The idea for this story came from the thought that I royally wanted to piss Odin off. I were looking at some information about an actor on Wiki and thought that acting would be perfect as setting and this little baby was born. Hope you like it and don't forget to review.
Summary: Five years in the same theater group; Asgard, and Loki still hasn't gotten any major roles despite his superior acting. Why? Odin, the founder and owner, hates his guts. Despite being reduced to a errand boy, Loki doesn't give up. Then one day, out of frustration because of the sets diva, the director puts Loki in her role to teach her a lesson. His part? The lover of Thor's character.
~ Building: Asgards Theater Group ~
Loki was there first of all. Once again.
It wasn't really that surprising since he was in charge of checking their costumes and talking to the seamstress on adjustments. Out of habit, Loki didn't even put on the lights until he had crossed the scene and reached the main circuits for the spot lights.
With one flip of a button, the front row lighted up.
With an other, the second row.
And so it went on until the whole room was filled with light.
He let out a frustrated sigh as he stretched his arms above his head and looked longingly at the scene.
A scene he would never stand on and make success. Five years he had spent here and he had known since the first week that it would never happen.
Why? Because the owner of this group hated him with a passion for admiring his golden son.
Five years of humiliation and anger. He couldn't leave the group because Asgard was the biggest and most promising theater group in the country. If you made it in, your success would be set. If you were discharged for any reason you would be banned from the theater world until you died.
That was how much influence Odin Allfather had.
Despite all that, Loki still loved acting and wanted nothing more than to stand in the lime light in front of an audience.
But that would never happen.
With another sigh of frustration he walked backstage and checked on the clothes that hang on the rackets, checked the size and form against his clip board of the performers size to make sure they would fit perfectly.
One thing he had perfected thanks to being an errand boy was that his eyes caught the little details. He could easily see what was missing or needed to be done. He could even make a rough, but correct, estimate of a performers size. So he knew when the divas gained a pound of three.
He pulled out a silver buttoned jacket with lace trimming and blue velvet and took a look, then wrote down the adjustment that needed to be done on the lace.
Next, he started the coffee machine. Since he cleaned the machine the night before, he just needed to fill it up and push the button. Another thing that he could do because he was always the last one to leave.
"I'm like a fucking Cinderella." he cursed to himself.
But no matter how much he hated his lack of real acting, he loved it for many reasons. His mother had been a famous actor before she married his father and left the industry. Loki was their only son and had grown up with a family that loved acting and theater. Even his father. When he made the decision to move out and move here he thought he could make it. He had rented a rat hole of an apartment that the rats didn't even want to live in, thinking it would only be for the time being.
Oh, what a fool he had been.
The next thing on his agenda was to clean the stage. He took out the wide, full body brush and some towels. He soaked the towels in water before wrapping them around the wide head of the brush and started to clean the polished floor. Even with only a few hours during the night, dust collected easily on floor and it could cause problem if left there.
A stage was an actors life after all.
The towels caught and held onto what dust there was and not before long he had cleaned the stage and jumped off to let it dry.
Next he checked on the seats to make sure nothing had been damaged by any of the idiots in the group.
Yes, idiots. He dared to admit it to anyone who asked him. While his group had once been famous for its acting, it was now the home of rich kids that couldn't act even if they were playing a rock.
Well, he guessed they were famous in their own way since their reputation put aside any carp acting they did. Money is everything after all.
When he spotted the empty can he almost frizzled in anger.
"Stupid, arrogant, idiotic, selfish, bitch." he cursed as he snatched it up and bent to check for any stains.
"Just wait until I cram this can down your throat, Sif." he growled.
"Good morning." came a loud yell and Loki's stomach flipped.
Out on the scene walked Thor Odinson. The new star and his source of misfortune. The man was a living specimen of A-grade hunk. He was everything Loki wanted in a man. Blond hair and a slight beard. Muscles that could hold him in the bedroom and push him down when he was being ravished. Long lean legs and big hands. An amazing voice that he wanted would whisper dirty little things to him, and promise him big things. Also not to forget the amazing dick he owned below a six pack of iron.
All right. So he peeked in the changing room once in a while. So what? If he was being punished for looking then he would damn well do it.
"Morning." he called to the blond God who turned a brilliant smile to him.
"Still keeping ahead of us, Loki?"
He trembled at the sound of that voice saying his name.
"Some one has to." it came out more clipped than he intended. Thor however didn't seem to notice.
"Is there coffee?" the blond actor asked while walking in the direction of the backstage.
"Yes." Loki called after him. "Strong and rising."
And so the man was out of sight.
"Strong and rising." he spat at himself. "Fucking idiot."
He finished his round as more and more people came in. Most were actors but there were also some of the backstage personnel. Loki talked to some of them and went through the agenda of the day, so they would be finished in time to the grand opening of the new play.
Everything were going smoothly when the doors opened and his day turned rotten. In walked the biggest diva in the group, no the world. Lady Sif as she liked to call herself.
Zero talent in acting. No money of her own. Zero for her face since she covered it in what he thought was 20 layers of make-up. More hairspray in her hair than in the whole movie Hairspray.
200% Bitch. And 100% Diva.
"Fuck. I thought she wouldn't be here today." one of the helpers said. "I need coffee."
"There's no coffee strong enough in the world to help us." Loki whispered back.
Sif walked by in her high heels that looked more like weapons than shoes, without even acknowledging anyone.
However, when Thor walked out from backstage it all changed.
"Thor." she said in a fake and over the top loud voice. Like her happiness was the only thing that mattered and it could be measured in her loudness. "I'm so glad to see you." she threw her arms around him, her fingers not touching Thor since she didn't want to ruin her nails. She kissed him on the cheek before stepping back and made a show of look him over.
"You look good today too."
Loki couldn't stop the snort as he walked by on his way for coffee. "Still haven't found another sentence?" he said coldly.
Sif's eyes narrowed. "Oh, are you here too. I thought it was just some statics in the air."
Loki gave her a smile so fake that even his mother who valued honesty would compliment him. "Sadly, that was only the residue to your hairspray. How much did we use today? Five? Ten cans?"
He didn't stay to listen to her spurting rude words at him. He simply walked backstage and saw to his dismay that the coffee were empty. All others had gotten to it before him.
"This day just keep on getting better and better." he muttered darkly to himself.
And so the day progressed.
Loki did his best in maintaining the place and his day did go a little better. He watched from the sideline how the main cast rehearsed. There were no doubt that Thor was the big star.
His charisma alone could lighten up a whole stage. Sadly, the others had to struggle to just be noticed. It wasn't Thor's fault. His father demanded that he play the main role because Thor was his son and he would always stand in the center. Loki had seen how Thor wanted to play other roles. Not only the hero or stunning prince, but also evil and minor roles.
"Give me a break!" screamed the director.
Loki looked over at the sound of the voice of the angry man.
Sif stood with her manicured hands in front of her and looked like she didn't know what she had done wrong.
"Have you even read the script? You character doesn't even say that. And your actions are too bold. You are not a hooker." the man said straight from the heart and Loki struggled to hide his laughter that wanted to escape. He loved this new director.
"Why can't she? I think my version of her is much better than the one in the script." Sif said, trying to hide the fact that she was miffed at being compared to a hooker.
"I don't care." the director spelled out each word. "If it weren't for your parents, you wouldn't even be on this stage. No stage would be so stupid as to take on someone like you. You have no talent. Nothing at all."
"Wha- How dare you!" Sif spat at the man.
"Oh, I dare and I will say it." The director returned on equal level. "You are spoiled, worthless, boring, and ugly. An infant can act better than you."
Oh, how he wanted to applaud the man. If he wasn't so smitten with Thor he would have kissed the man and taken him home.
Then came the fake tears. Big crocodile tears that didn't come from her eyes or heart. If someone excelled in being fake then Sif would win the Nobel Price for the rest of her life.
The man didn't buy it either and he looked around before pointing to Loki. "You there."
Loki raised his own finger to himself.
"Yes, you. C'mere."
Everyone's attention was on him, even Sif who glared murder at him.
He made his way over to the group and stood in front of the director while hiding his unease. This was the first time since his acceptance here that he stood on this spot.
"Are you an actor?" the man asked him.
Loki wasn't sure if he should answer. "Yes."
"You are?" came Thor's surprised voice and it hurt.
"Can you act?"
"Yes."
The director handed him a script. "Then do the pink highlighted part."
Loki took the script in his hand and felt his heart flutter in happiness. He was about to act.
The man went back to talking to the group about their performance when Loki handed him the script three minutes later.
"What is it? Questions?" the man asked while eying the script.
"No. I'm done." Was it bad that he had a photographic memory?
"You're done?" the man asked, not sure if he should believe Loki. "All right. Let's do scene thirteen."
Thor looked at the man like he wasn't sure he had heard right. Because that was a scene between two lovers.
Loki breathed deeply before moving to the middle of the stage. Thor stood where he did because that's where he should stand. All else backed away.
"Whenever you are ready." the director said.
Loki closed his eyes for a moment before opening them and looking at Thor. It was like he was a completely different person.
"We can't meet like this anymore." Loki said in a sorrowful voice.
"Don't say that." Thor said with a hint of desperation in his voice. "We can find a way."
Loki shook his head. "My father would never allow it. If he finds out I'm even here, now, with you, then he will kill us both."
Thor walked closer and placed a hand on Loki's shoulder before slowly turning the slender man to face him. There were so much pain in Loki's eyes he unconsciously put his hand to his cheek to comfort him.
"Let's run away. To a place where no one knows us. Where we can live and grow old together. No one has to ever know."
"I wish I could, but as much as I love you, I can't betray my father. He's the only one who ever supported me. Who loved me until you came along. I might be the child of a mistress, and not his real child, but he treated me like it. I can't hurt him."
"Even if it means we will never be together?"
"Please don't make me chose. It would kill me."
Thor cupped Loki's face with his hands and raised it gently. "I could never cause you harm. It would be like hurting my own heart. You are my soul and heart."
And the scene ended.
Both Thor and Loki turned to look at the silent spectators.
"We're done." said Thor and it snapped the director out of his spell.
He clapped his hands. "Well done. That was amazing." he smiled. "Can you do scene 27 too." he asked hopefully.
The men looked at each other before seeing a silent agreement and they moved to their positions.
Thor stood behind Loki with their hands clasped in dance. It was a lovely scene of the lovers stealing a moment together in a magic hour.
Slowly the pair started to move in union and they danced to a music only they could hear. Since it was a scene without any dialogue, the acting needed to be spellbinding to capture the audience and continue tell the story of their love.
It was like a slow waltz the two danced to. It was agonizing and heartbreaking to watch. There were no indecent movement or suggestions. They simply moved together and shut out the world around them.
The scene was actually a good five minutes long, and they completed it in what seemed seconds.
"Scene 20." the director called as soon as he noticed them slowing down to stop.
A few minutes later did the doors to the audience side open and in walked a group of rich looking people with Odin in the lead.
"And as you can see they are already in progress of rehearsing their next play an-" he stopped dead in his tracks and stared at the scene.
On it stood his son and that bastard Loki. Kissing.
"What are-"
"That was magnificent." applauded the director with much vigor. "Simply breath taking. Both of you are amazing." he stepped forward and looked at Loki. "Why haven't I seen you on the group before?"
"I'm usually busy with my other tasks." he answered truthfully.
"Why is that? Someone of your talent and level shouldn't have to do menial things when you belong on the stage."
As long as Loki didn't want to answer with the truth, he kept his mouth shut and just shrugged.
The director turned to a steaming Sif and pointed a finger to Loki.
"That's how you act." he said simply before he caught sight of the group and people.
"Welcome!" he said genially happy. "You came just in time."
"What's going on?" Odin asked as he walked forward slowly, trying to focus on the director and not the bastard behind the man. But he was seeing red just knowing the bastard was standing on the stage beside his son.
The man pulled Loki up beside him with a big smile. "I think I've found a jewel in a disguise." He clapped Loki's shoulder. "This guy is simply amazing. He just played a female role to perfection."
There was a buzz behind Odin and he didn't like it. "Is that so?" his eyes narrowed in on Loki and the man didn't show any sign of having seen it, which he had.
In Loki's mind he was flipping the older man the finger.
"What's your inspiration? Where did you learn acting? Because I can see that your training isn't to be played with."
Loki looked at the man with a neutral expression. "My mother taught me. She was an actress in her younger days and she passed on her love for it to me."
"What's your mother's name?" asked a man in an expensive suit. "You do look familiar."
"Fárbauti, and yes, I take after my mother a lot."
"Fárbauti?" another man exclaimed. "The once-in-a-life-time actress? You are her son? Odin! You didn't tell me you had her son in your theater. You know I'm a long time fan of Fárbauti."
There was a weird reaction on Odin's face. Blood seemed to drain from it at the same time it rushed it.
Loki flipped both his fingers at Odin in his mind.
Loki was going through his list of things to do to keep the staff working functionally.
His day couldn't have gone better. First he got to act with Thor, he even got a kiss out of it. The he got the satisfaction of flipping Odin of in front of everyone. Then Sif had left in a hurry and cloud of curses and rudeness.
Nothing could make his day better.
"Loki?"
He turned around and saw Thor standing there with a nervous expression he wasn't used to see.
"Hey!" he said. Not sure what the main star of his wet dreams wanted.
Thor threw his hand out briefly before slapping it against his thigh. "Good work out there." he said finally. "You were really good."
"Well thank you." he said with a little bit of teasing. "Coming from you that must mean I was brilliant." he smiled at the other which made the man squirm where he stood.
"What are you doing after your finished?" Thor asked carefully. Something which wasn't his big forte.
"Are you asking me out for a drink?" Loki guessed correctly.
Thor made a slight show of trying to decide if that was what he was asking or not.
Loki couldn't help the smile. It was just simply adorable.
"I know a bar we can go to."
Maybe this day would turn out even better.
The End.