Loki awoke with a start. Thor was curled up around him, holding him and he couldn't breathe. His stomach turned and a wave a nausea overcame him. He kicked and shoved his way free, waking Thor as he fled to the bathroom, naked.

"Loki?" Thor called after him, but Loki locked the door. He wretched into the toilet. What had they done? He couldn't deny Thor's pungent smell, the pheromones that called to his instincts. But that chemical assault had mixed up with his platonic affections for his brother, and had confused him.

Loki went to the sink to wash out his mouth. He'd acted without thinking, yet again. This time no one had stepped in to stop him from making a terrible mistake. The same could be said of Thor, he realized. How many times had the Warriors Three rescued the rash princes of Asgard from their own foolishness?

"Loki?" Thor knocked on the door. Loki took a deep breath. They couldn't pretend it didn't happen. For the rest of their lives they would have the memory of having lain with one another. It would be a personal failing that would haunt them both forever. Loki unlocked the door to face Thor.

"Are you alright love?" Thor asked. Loki winced. NO. Oh Norns no.

"Thor, surely you do not think this can progress further than it already has?"

"Well, yes. We made love. I claimed you. We are mated."

"We are NOT mated. I am not in heat."

"So? It is merely a technicality. Besides, once we tell mother and father of our decision to marry, it won't matter."

"Marry?! Have you lost your mind? I am your brother! Are you not horrified by what we have done?" Loki asked. Thor scowled at him, as a storm filled his eyes.

"It is you that has lost your mind. We share no blood. What is to stop us from being together?"

"Me! You idiot! It didn't even occur to you that I might not want this, did it? You are my brother. We shouldn't have done this Thor. I don't feel that way about you. And I know you don't feel that way about me. Think about it. Do you really want to be married to me? I wasn't thinking clearly before, but I am now. You need to wake up!" Loki said.

"You are mine! I will settle for no other." Thor said.

"That is your Alpha dick talking! Listen to yourself. Saying words like 'mine' and 'claim'. Those are the words of an Alpha in rut."

"They are the words of YOUR Alpha. You belong to me."

"Oh fuck." Loki balled his hand up into a fist and aimed for Thor's nose. He had no illusions of besting him with his strength. He just needed to make Thor's eyes tear up so he could make a hasty escape. Thor's hands flew to his nose as the blood gushed down his chin. Loki slipped by him and ran.

"AHH! LOKI!" Thor ran after him. They burst out of Thor's chambers, naked and covered in sweat, seed, and blood. Each man sprinting down the palace corridors in broad daylight as servants and soldiers gawked. Loki ran to his chambers and sealed the doors behind him.

"Loki! Loki!" Thor called Mjolnir to him and pummeled Loki's door with it. More guards came, but they stood back. None of them knew what to do. It was just as well. They would have gotten hurt anyway.

Frigga came running, both because of the commotion and because of the servants summoning her. She got an eyeful of Thor's bare backside as he hammered away at the wood on Loki's door.

"Thor!" She cried. Thor's head whipped around at the sound of her voice. His eyes were clouded and vacant of reason. He growled at her and then returned his attention to Loki's door. Frigga turned to a servant girl.

"Run to the healer's wing and fetch a vial of ether." Frigga said. The girl nodded and took off as fast as her legs could carry her. Frigga watched her son, gone berserk, rage at the magically reinforced door. The girl returned and Frigga pulled out her handkerchief and wet it with the drug. She leapt onto her son's back and smothered her son with it, until he was on the ground unconscious.

XxXxXxXxXx

Thor blinked hard. His head was pounding and the light in his eyes did not help.

"Easy son. You cracked your head on the marble floor when you fell." Odin said.

"I fell?"

"Why didn't you talk to me?"

"What?"

"Thor, do you even remember what you did to Loki?"

"Loki!" Thor tried to sit up but got dizzy.

"Stay down." Odin said. He huffed, looking at his son with his one judging eye. "I suppose I can't blame you for not speaking up. I wasn't exactly forthcoming with discussing Loki's condition or how it was affecting me. Don't tell your mother, but ever since Loki's first heat, I've been taking a potion to wither my knot." Odin said.

"You have?"

"Aye. I had the healers feed it to you while you were asleep. You feel better yes?"

"Yes." Thor choked. "Father, Loki and I…we…"

"I know." Odin said. "I failed you both. I didn't see the danger festering right in front of me." Odin sounding sad. He got up from his spot next to Thor's bed and paced a bit.

"Thor, you have harmed your brother in an unspeakable way. What's more, you made a public spectacle of yourselves, making handling this scandal discreetly impossible."

"I need to leave Asgard." Thor said. Odin stopped pacing and looked at him. "I need time and some space to collect my thoughts."

"I am glad we are in agreement."

"Where will you send me?" Thor asked. Odin shrugged his shoulders.

"The destination is unimportant. But, I think 100 years of wandering the nine realms would be good for you. It'll help you mature."

"I'm not ready to marry."

"No. No you certainly are not. I am sorry. I should not have pushed you into something you were not ready to do."

"I am sorry." Thor said. "I lost control."

"That you acknowledge that shortcoming is the first step. I know your friends will want to accompany you. The Lady Sif will be keen to go with you, but I am forbidding it. It is time you suffered the consequences of your mistakes alone."

"What of Loki?" Thor asked.

"Loki has said that your coupling was consensual, but that he regretted it immediately after. He has asked me to punish him, but I have refused him. He has endured enough this day." Odin said.

"Stark's trial?"

"It's in a few hours. I am barring Loki from attending."

"How long do I have?" Thor asked.

"Until you are recovered. Then, you will pack, and you will leave. You'll not receive any aid while you are away."

"I understand." Thor said.