A/N: In the process of writing a companion fic that can 100% stand alone from this work. I don't want to spoil it but it's a Lady Loki story more or less with a lot more focus on Thor and Loki's relationship. So, keep your eye out if you like that sort of thing.
Please submit a review! I like em and they keep me motivated for sure. Enjoy :)
As it turned out, they did not leave the next morning. Or even the morning after that one. Frigga was quite taken with her grandsons, and Odin seemed to relish the time together surprisingly. Thor would be returning that very afternoon, and Frigga insisted they stay so that Thor could properly meet his nephews.
Sigyn was obliging in front of them, kind and excitable even. Get her alone for two seconds, however, and she made no attempt to hide her disdain for her in laws.
"They dubbed you the God of Lies, and yet you have no problem crawling right back to them." said Sigyn from her place in the wash room.
It was early morning and the pair of them had spent the past few nights in his old bedroom. A part of Loki knew she was right to be concerned, to want to shield him from further ridicule.
Yet another part of him resisted.
They were his parents, after all. A part of them must believe he was being truthful now. Right? Even if they didn't say it out loud. It's not as if open communication came easily for any of them.
Loki ceased his absentminded combing of his hair and sat up a bit straighter in bed as he listened to Sigyn continue to prattle on. This time with a toothbrush in her mouth.
"I mean... you under-'tand why I am con-'turned, right?"
Loki rolled his eyes, tossing the old comb on the nightstand and leaving the warmth of the covers at last. Pulling on a robe, he joined her next to the sink, hands finding their way into her messy mop of hair. They made a brief moment of eye contact in the mirror before she spit in the sink, leaving the familiar spearmint aroma lingering in the air as she rinsed her mouth out thoroughly.
Sigyn sighed heavily, relaxing a bit into his touch.
She taught him to braid her hair years ago, and though he grumbled and heaved whenever she asked for his help, he really did not mind the task at all. Fingers moved deftly, creating an elaborate fish tail braid in a matter of seconds. He pulled and tugged at loose strands, determined to make her hair behave. It was her soft giggling that broke his concentration.
She spun on her heels and faced him head on, the laughter still dancing on her lips. Loki felt his eyes bulge slightly when she stood on tippy toes to plant a sloppy kiss on his lips. He dabbed a bit of spit from his lower lip, feeling odd after their lips brushed together so briefly. She was rarely one to initiate any sort of intimacy, so the kiss was no doubt a bit of a shock.
"You're sweet." said Sigyn, trailing her thumb across his lower lip. It was as if she read in his mind the question of, 'what was that for?'
The admission from her made his stomach hurt. Any time Sigyn so much as hugged him now, his mind wandered back to Amora's hands all over him in the Healing Room.
True enough, he had fantasized about that moment for years and years. That didn't make it any easier to swallow down the realization that Amora apparently wanted him just as badly.
His mind swam with questions. Amora was all too eager to make her intentions crystal clear, and Loki had not exactly protested. But why? After years and years of no contact, not even so much as a letter... was it the pure animal attraction? The hot and heavy hunger that seemed to swell inside of his body? She'd made a reputation for herself. Not exactly a liar, but she was known to be manipulative.
What was the catch?
These questions and more were what kept him from seeing her again. He pointedly asked that the palace guards to not allow visitors, saying he valued his family's privacy above all else. Only once did a visitor come knocking, Idunn, and the guards turned her away without hesitation.
More than likely, this was why Loki practically shouted in surprise when he opened his bedroom door to find her standing right outside.
"Amora, hu-um, what are you doing here?" asked Loki, his cheeks flushing a deep crimson.
It was the first words he'd spoken all day, preferring to stay silent and observe around most people - including Sigyn.
Amora smiled, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"Came to see how Sigyn was fairing with everything. Guards said family only and seeing as how I am married to your half brother," said Amora, gliding effortlessly into the room, eyes sweeping about like a hawk seeking out its prey.
Sigyn popped her head out from the washroom, quirking her brow in confusion. She and Amora never got on as children, and Loki's practical obsession over the famed enchantress was no secret. There was certainly nothing resembling friendliness between the two women.
"Well... thank you Amora, that is very kind. We are doing just fine. Looking for our privacy during this time, in fact." said Sigyn, her tone flat and almost uncaring.
Amora smirked, her eyes drinking in Sigyn's comparatively plain appearance. She ventured a few steps closer to the younger goddess, tossing her blonde curls behind her shoulders.
"How trim you are, Sigyn. Two children... at such a young age. I am impressed that you were able to retain your shape. What are you on Midgard? Nineteen?" asked Amora. Loki felt his blush deepen. Norns this is just what he needed. Two women fighting over -
Wait.
Fighting? Over him? He wasn't exactly stupid, but the idea of anyone fighting for his attention seemed absurd. Sure, they didn't exactly like one another. But fighting over him? The thought sent butterflies fluttering through his chest. This had to be a dream.
"Twenty three." Sigyn spat. Her eyes darted furiously between Amora and Loki, lip curled into a sneer.
"If you will excuse us, my husband and I have much to prepare for the journey home." said Sigyn, slamming the wash room door hard. Loki could take a hint. He ushered Amora from the room, closing the door behind him. They stood alone in the hall, his heart beating in his ears.
"What in the Nine bloody Realms-?" Loki began to whisper loudly and furiously before Amora pressed her pointer finger to his lips, shushing him.
"Meet me in the orchards tonight. Wait until she's fallen asleep and then come out. I'll be there." she whispered quickly, eyes scanning the hall for any incoming guards or people. She removed her pointer finger and pressed a kiss to his cheek, taking off swiftly without another word.
"Amora!" Loki hissed, following her a few steps down the hall. She halted and turned, biting her lower lip in anticipation.
"Which orchard?" asked Loki, his voice low and soft.
"You know which one."
Thor returned earlier than expected. He reacted to his nephews just as Loki always imagined; total elation. Within minutes the trio was out in the courtyard, sparring playfully with wooden swords. Thor was a natural with children, even going so far as to let them whack him in the legs with the swords while he feigned defeat and fell dramatically to the ground.
"Oh Norns! You've defeated me sons of Loki!" Thor cried playfully, clutching at his chest and writhing about on the ground. Frigga and Odin joined them in the yard, looking on amusedly.
Loki smiled warmly watching them all interact. He suddenly felt a pang of guilt when he thought about his original plan to ruin Thor's healthy mind for no other real purpose than just to watch him squirm a bit.
He told Sigyn it was for personal gain, for the throne. Truthfully he just wanted someone to recognize him as more than just, 'that younger troublemaking Odinson.' With the focus shifted he could start anew and prove himself worthy to the people of Asgard.
Perhaps this was the reason Sigyn was so keen to leave early. She'd all but begged him to go home the minute they arrived, saying that all they would do is poison his mind once again. Loki waved this off, saying he could fend for his own mind, thank you.
Narvi and Vali abandoned their little game, each taking one of Odin's hands as he lead them towards the grounds, already telling a glorious tale of battle and victory. Thor pulled himself from the ground, dusting off his attire with his hands. Frigga and Sigyn retreated inside, leaving the brothers alone in the courtyard.
"Your boys are strong, brother. They will make mighty warriors one day." said Thor, clapping Loki on the shoulder.
Loki hummed his agreement, unsure of how to start a conversation with the dolt. A moment of silence and then, Thor spoke.
"Sigyn told me of your plotting, brother."
The gnawing guilt grew in the pit of his stomach. He certainly had not expected Thor to be so forthcoming. Now that he stood face to face with him, he was losing his nerve. Sighing quietly, Loki started to walk toward the orchards. He watched the boys laugh and skip about with Odin hot on their heels.
"Do not fret brother..." said Loki, his voice trailing off.
It was all he could manage to get out, not knowing what to say in his defense. Especially considering he had no such murder plot in the first place. Mephisto was growing old. Even if he wished to toy with the old bastard, he more than likely wouldn't waste his time.
"Come with me, Loki. The Warriors Three and Sif are planning to join me on a hunt in Vanaheim. We leave at sun down."
Loki hesitated, his eyes never leaving his children. He knew what he should have said, no Thor I must attend to my family and put away such childish adventures. He felt a twinge of annoyance as he answered, saying things he knew he ought keep to himself.
"Thor, can I ask you something?"
"Aye, brother! Walk with me." said Thor, smiling widely. Loki repressed the urge to roll his eyes at his brothers optimistic nature.
"Amora has propositioned me." said Loki, his voice coming out rather shaky. Thor's look of concern lasted for a few seconds before he composed himself and asked the obvious question.
"Have you accepted?"
Loki felt his ears redden for about the hundredth time that week. He wanted to accept. Oh to feel her burning touch on his cool skin.
"Of course not!" He put on an affronted expression but his eyes betrayed him in seconds, the green mask creeping over his normally cerulean irises.
He wore masks of all kinds, and yet somehow he could not control the simplest of masks. It was the fastest way to catch him in a lie, though mostly it only happened when he was emotionally charged or upset with himself.
"Why would she do such a thing? Is she not happy with Balder?" asked Loki, expression still a picture of mock offense.
Thor's face was something between surprise and frustration, as if he was hiding some capital secret. Loki noticed, with frustration, how Thor seemed to avoid his gaze when they spoke.
"Thor?" Loki implored, lowering his voice slightly as a small group of people walked past. He waved at the passerby's, trying and failing to appear friendly and interested. Thor slowed his pace to a halt, his expression now pure concern.
"Amora will speak of her marriage if she wishes. Are you happy with Sigyn, brother?" said Thor.
Well.
That was not the answer he expected. Nor was it an answer he wanted to hear. Thor did not keep secrets from him. It simply wasn't in his character to be secretive or sneaky. On the contrary, Thor seemed to wear his feelings on his sleeve and proclaim any disdain for, anything really, loudly and proudly.
"She asked that I meet her in Idunn's orchard tonight when everyone is asleep. If I ventured with you and the Warriors..." said Loki, his mind racing with how he could convince Sigyn to allow him to go with them. He had completely ignored the question about being happy with Sigyn.
A beat, and then Thor nodded curtly.
"She will wait for you, brother. One more night will make no difference." said Thor, patting Loki's shoulder again.
The older god turned to leave briskly, nearly smacking into the Warriors Three themselves. They shared a fond chuckle, relieved to have not run into one another, literally. Loki scoffed, really not in the mood to deal with their nonsense.
Had time made him more pessimistic? He seemed to remember fond adventures with the Warriors when he was a kid. Though, when he thought of how his time was spent (magic training or hunts with Thor), his time with the Warriors would always feel happier in comparison.
Come to think of it... the warriors teased him quite a bit growing up.
Loki scowled, his irritated eyes cast to the ground. The four men chortled to themselves for a few moments before Thor even thought to call Loki over to speak.
"So you will be venturing with us tomorrow?" Volstagg asked, crossing his large arms over his larger chest. Loki swallowed his groan of annoyance and nodded swiftly, a forced smile on his face.
"Excellent!" Hogun cried, clapping his hands together once.
"We are hunting a special plant." said Fandral, excitedly. The Warriors laughed amongst themselves, Thor smirking at them all. Loki quirked a brow in confusion. Had he missed something?
"Oh brother, I am sorry. Well, Mother was worried about Balder. Said she saw in the stars that he was going to be murdered. So, Mother made a deal with all creatures alive and dead that nothing can harm him. We have been tossing him in fires and spike pits, things of that nature." said Thor, his face alight with excitement.
Loki bristled slightly at the violent imagery. Nothing? Nothing harmed him?
"Well she made the deal with everything but the mistletoe plant, saying the plant was unassuming and harmless. We are on our way to find one, and see if we can at least give him a paper cut!" Hogun exclaimed excitedly.
Loki opened his mouth, prepared to ask how on Midgard did they know all of this, when Volstagg spoke again.
"We are lucky Amora has a big mouth. She tells us all kinds of things that take us on great adventures!"
Loki's ears perked up slightly, hearing her name. Interesting to think that she was feeding the Warriors grand and interesting tales to take them on all sorts of wild adventures. Perhaps she really was that bored.
"Now do not forget, dear Hogun, Lady Amora has asked that we bring her a bundle of mistletoe as well. She uses it in protection rituals and love spells." said Thor.
Or perhaps, Loki thought with a sinking feeling in his chest, she was plotting something sinister and orchestrating it perfectly.
Well fuck.
Some things never changed and one thing was for certain. Thor and his Warrior pals sure did get themselves into some deep shit.
Between his labored gasping for air and the aching pain in his side from where the arrow grazed him, Loki was ready to collapse on the floor and let the enemy bring him into custody.
They ran, the six of them, through an ornate looking palace in Vanaheim. What started as a quest for mistletoe took a turn for the worst when Volstagg (bless him) decided he was rather hungry and might like to try his hand at stealing something from the palace kitchens.
"We have not the time to trek our way all the way up to the palace!" Loki had protested when they walked in the forest, growing bored of their quest.
He recalled the way Sigyn whined at him for wanting to "run off" with Thor rather than return home with her earlier that day.
The hour was late and the guards were hot on their heels. With every pounding footstep on the marbled floor, Loki felt his heart pounding equally hard in his ears. He felt a searing rush of pain in his side, making him gasp out loud and clutch at the tender spot.
"Do not delay, brother! With haste!" Thor shouted, encouraging Loki to keep on track towards the nearest exit. A faint dizziness fogged Loki's brain for a moment. Lack of proper oxygen, he guessed.
Volstagg and Sif trailed behind the rest of the group, shouting nasty insults at the guards with delight. Loki surpressed the urge to roll his eyes at their childish chortling. He began to pick up speed, matching Thor's impressive pace.
"Your friends are lunatics!" Loki gasped out, his voice low and snarling. He glanced at Thor who's only response was a chuckle and shake of his head. Great buffoons!
"Why is it always about food with you lot?!" Loki shouted behind him, earning a laugh from the small collection of warriors. He bristled, unsure if the laughter was with him or at him.
He dodged around a corner, slipping quietly into what appeared to be a small storage room. In the corner was a small stool next to massive shelves of cured meats and herbs. Just what Volstagg was after. Loki pocketed a small bit of jerky, hoping to gain some favor from the warriors.
For a moment, he considered slipping into the comfortable safety of an invisibility spell. The thought was here and gone in a flash when he considered the danger of being too far separated from the rest of the group. Where to go next? What to do?
A loud bang outside the door jolted him from his thoughts. Loki hissed loudly at his body's sudden movement and the subsequent sharp pain that ripped through his body from his injury. Norns, it was only a graze! How on Midgard—?
It was with a shock of surprise that Loki realized the full extend of his injury. He laughed shakily when he realized there was a fragment of arrow sticking out from his ribcage. Damnit. The blood was seeping through his clothes fast and he had to make a judgement call. Move or stay?
He threw open the door only to have Thor barge his way in, shoving Loki roughly in his good side. He opened his mouth to protest as Thor slammed the door shut behind them.
"Ow ow! Listen, you dull witted—"
Thor covered Loki's mouth with one of his massive hands, making Loki's eyes twist into an expression of disgust. Grubby, dirty hands all over his face. Yuck! He wrenched the hand away with considerable force, pulling Thor in close by his collar.
"Your friends got us into this, now they are responsible for getting us out!" said Loki in a hushed tone, straining to listen for any movement outside.
"They have lured the others away onto the grounds. We will convene in the forest. There are but three men left to deal with. We take them out, you teleport us back." said Thor, breathless and flushed in the face.
He barely made eye contact with Loki, keeping his eyes planted squarely at shoulder level.
"Thor I don't know if I can teleport... I mean to say, I'm really not familiar enough with the area." said Loki, tone still hushed and breathing still shallow. He swallowed hard, eyes beginning to unfocus. Blinking hard several times, Loki concentrated all of his efforts on steadying his breathing.
"Listen brother, I am the warrior here, not you. Do well to learn your place. You will help me defeat these three guards and then we will make haste for the forest. You can teleport us there just fine."
The last sentence Thor spoke to him sounded less harsh than the rest of the gruff little speech. Nonetheless, Loki couldn't keep the hurt off his face.
"How do we get past them?" asked Loki, peeking through a crack in the door. The three guards stood just outside the door in the narrow corridor. No doubt they would either give up their quest or force their way into the storage room in search of them.
Thor snapped his finger excitedly, his eyes alight with what Loki assumed was a "good" idea.
"Pretend you're hurt!" Thor whispered harshly, loudly even.
Loki quirked a brow as if to say, 'really?' motioning to his injured ribcage. Thor furrowed his brows for a brief moment when he caught sight of the arrow fragment. He faltered a moment then explained himself properly.
"I will call for the guards and explain you are injured. When they come running they will not be prepared for us. They will come ready to aid, not fight."
Loki let the idea sink in for a moment.
Simplistic.
Not at all clever.
Yet somehow he surmised, it could possibly work.
He peeked through the door again, seeing that the guards had moved on to another corridor. Without further hesitation, he threw an arm around Thor's shoulder and feigned a limp. He rested his head on Thor's humongous shoulder, breathing in the familiar musky scent. Sweet orange.
Thor burst through the door, eyes darting about wildly. Loki seized the opportunity, fisting his hand in Thor's hair and tugging hard. He felt Thor tense a bit but managed to pocket a few strands all the same.
Mission accomplished.
A rush of glee filled him as he realized how pleased Sigyn would be with him when he returned with the hair for the spell.
"Get help! My brother is injured, please! Someone get help!" Thor called out, supporting Loki's weight easily.
The guards came hurtling around the corner, and what happened next was nothing short of cartoonish.
With one mighty swing of his arms, Thor hoisted Loki above his head and sent him hurtling towards the guards. Loki felt his eyes bulge when he realized he was essentially being used as a human torpedo. He let out a strangled sort of yelping noise and landed squarely in the middle of the guards, sending them all crashing to the ground.
The sheer centrifugal force appeared to have rendered them unconscious. Loki stood, nursing his ever bloodier wound.
"What the Hel was that?!" Loki hissed, rubbing a tender spot on his lower back.
"Improvisation." Thor retorted, a twinkle in his eye.
They made their way outside, managing to avoid any more guards or chaos. Loki felt a little surge of delight when he pulled the jerky from his pocket, eliciting a fit of laughter from the Thunder God. He smiled sheepishly, handing over the cured meat. He'd forgotten how much fun he always had on these little adventures.
The rush of unpredictability was unlike anything else he'd ever known.
"Now hold tight to me, brother for I need to concentrate well on this spell." said Loki, feeling Thor wrap his arms around his middle. He drew in a deep breath, concentrating all his energy on the forest. The trees. The brook with the smooth stones lining the edges. He'd never teleported somewhere so unfamiliar.
There was not a familiar popping noise.
Instead, a nasty squelching noise filled the forest canopy. Like walking through a thick trail of mud. Loki knew almost immediately that something was wrong when he heard Sif gasp and slap a hand over her mouth.
"Oh."
Loki only managed to let that slip out before dropping to his knees and assessing the damage.
"Bloody Hel! What's happened to him?" Fandral cried out, rushing forward.
"Splinched." said Loki gravely, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket and applying pressure to the wound.
There, across Thor's chest, a massive open wound that gushed blood and soaked his clothes. He was shaking violently, his eyes rolled into the back of his head. Loki tried to remain calm, wracking his brain for the counter spell to such an issue. He'd only splinched himself once before. A minor cut on his upper lip that left a small scar. This was decidedly more serious.
"Will Bifrost travel make it worse?" asked Sif, her concern apparent on her face.
Loki paused a moment to consider. He had no definite answer.
"I can heal him." said Loki calmly, though he said it more to reassure himself than anyone else.
"I can do this." Loki whispered quietly to himself. He made an 'X' with his pointer fingers, as was customary when healing these types of wounds, and let his hands hover above the affected flesh.
It took him a solid twenty minutes, but when the wound was closed they called for Heimdall to return them to Asgard. Loki heaved Thor to his feet, supporting his weight as best he could manage.
"You're amazing, you know." said Thor in a gravelly voice. Loki felt his eyes turn their familiar shade of green, wanting so badly to hide behind his mask in embarrassment. It was bad enough he splinched his brother. Now he just felt like he was being patronized.
But when he turned his head to get a better look at Thor, the green irises faded instantaneously back to blue.
For once in the past hundred years, Thor was looking him right in the eyes.
Yeah, yeah... I like Harry Potter LOL
