Chapter Eleven

Have you ever been touched so gently you had to cry?

Things begin to change in the Odinson house hold. A couple of days after the revealing of Loki's history, the color began to return to his still pale face, the bruises and bags began to fade away. Even a gentle smile began to show on his slender lips when ever his older "brother" entered a room. Frigg took it as a good sign that her boys were returning back to their normal state of closeness. When they thought no one was around, she noticed playful shoves and childish banter. They ceased when people around, only sharing muffled laughter and up-to-no-good smiles.

They continued to share a bedroom, spending most of their time together when Jane and Sigyn left to go on shopping sprees in the outlet malls close by. They would spend their mornings in each other's company, lazily lounging in their sleepwear. Loki would read parts of Hamlet as they sat on Loki's bed, the window letting a small breeze through. Thor played with the other's black hair as he watched delicate lips read what seemed like ancient texts. When Loki noticed that the blonde was growing bored, he would place the book down and roll over so that their chests were facing one another. They wouldn't say anything; just stare until one of them gathered the courage to place a gentle kiss against soft lips. Loki's hands found blonde hair while Thor's finger tips memorized every curve and contour of his brother's body.

They never went any farther than simple kisses, but they were always full of need and desire. Loki's years of wanting were put into every kiss; it almost seemed that his very life depended on it. He didn't want to scare his brother away, but Thor was so innocent and kind that it nearly drove him insane. He loved it, but he wanted so much more.

And one morning, he had it. Loki had just gotten out of the shower when Thor surprised him and grabbed him, lifting him over his broad shoulder and carrying him across the room. Loki laughed heavily as he begged to be released; his bare chest still wet slipping against the other's shoulder. "Brother, please!" he said between laughs. Thor didn't oblige until they were at the bed where he gently flung Loki off onto the mattress. The covers puffed up and Loki's impact, his hair spreading around his head as he landed. He went to lean up to playfully scold the older man but found his mouth being taken over. Thor's lips gently crushed against Loki's, but slowly faded away into something much deeper. Their mouths opened to allow their tongues to fight each other, breathless gasps leaving the younger man's lips. Their arms struggle to untangle themselves as they reach for each other. Loki's hands tugged at the clothing blocking his way to his brother's skin so he continued to tug until his hands were able to graze the chiseled abs beneath.

Loki's tight jeans made it hard to get his legs up around the other's hips, but he forced it until he thought he was going to rip them. Just as both men seemed comfortable in a gentle rocking motion, a knock came from the door. Thor ripped away from his brother and nearly flew to the other side of the room. He preoccupied himself with things on Loki's dresser, knick-knacks of all sorts which would catch anyone attention. The younger man stayed still on the bed, still slightly confused on how fast his brother could move. He pushed himself up and stood quickly while calling out "Come in." He continued to dry his hair with a towel he left at the foot of the bed, trying to make it look like the slight haze of sweat was actually just droplets from the shower. When Jane and Sigyn walked in, he relaxed slightly before smiling. They were taking the girls out to walk around the gardens that the family home held.

With some scolding from Jane, Loki hurried to get ready so that he wouldn't have to hear her complain anymore. But he made sure to take his time while blow drying his hair, claiming that he didn't want to catch pneumonia because of her impatience. Thor merely chuckled behind her.

As they walked around the snowy garden, Loki noticed that Thor seemed slightly off. He couldn't tell what it was, they had both eaten plenty so he should be full, he slept well since he was in deep sleep by the time Loki had finished reading act three of Hamlet. And they were all bundled up quite well so that the chilled air wouldn't sneak in between their cloths and their skin. But as he squinted his eyes a bit, he could see a slight blush over his brother's face. Thor glanced over at his brother but quickly looked away, more heat traveling to his face. Loki had to use all the energy he could muster to not laugh. He could clearly read what was traveling through his brother's mind, what happened only half an hour before was still taking its toll on Thor's body. It was lucky that his shirt covered it other wise Jane would have noticed the sudden change in her boyfriend's pants.

With Sigyn's arm wrapped around his, he speed their walk a bit as he past by Thor, "are you feeling alright, brother?" He said with an over concerned tone, "The cold isn't too much for you is it?" With his free hand, he reached out and gently tapped Thor's behind with his finger tips. The blonde tensed up and quickly snapped his head towards Loki, a small glare directed at him as he walked by.

The rest of the day, they spent it with out further interaction. Only a few glances and mischievous smiles as they past each other, but it was hard for both of them not to just drag each other away and recreate the moment they shared in their bedroom. So the next time Thor looked at him, Loki gave him a wink before running of with Sigyn to the lush flower gardens. He anted to know how things would turn out once they returned back to their dorms. He was certain that he would still be with Jane even though it was obvious her constant nagging was wearing on Thor. It made him nervous that there might not be another moment like earlier since they would resume normal life. He wanted things to stay how they were at that very moment, even if they weren't the most simple of circumstances, he still loved them.

And as they packed that night, he couldn't help but to want to stay at his family home forever. It no longer held painful memories of how he was rejected in the past, but held new ones of how he finally earned the affection he had been crying for. He turned and watched his brother as he sat on top of his suitcase in attempt to zip it closed. It was packed to the brim of unfolded clothes and misplaced shoes. Loki squeezed the shirt in his hands slightly before looking down at all the neatly folded clothes in his own suitcase.

Even if they finally shared a moment, they were still so different. So he couldn't help that this would be the end of their kisses, the gentle caresses and heart felt laughs. Thor would go back to being his devoted big brother and he would go back to being the silent writer. Now that he had it, he couldn't imagine what it would be like to loose love. But he had gone through it before, even if it was a little bumpy, he could get through it again. This time, he would be strong and wouldn't be the rejected Odinson, but the proud Laufyson. He didn't want to think that he was rejected by both his fathers so he thought of himself as his own person. Just simply, Loki. It made him smile as he closed his suitcase.

Thor walked up next to him and ruffled his black hair "You seem up to something. Should I be worried?" He laughed as he lay on the bed. Loki's smile widened as he shook his head before crawling next to his brother and lying on his stomach.

"Nothing, dear brother. Just thinking to myself" Loki said keeping his gaze away. Thor didn't argue since he had fallen asleep already. The younger man sighed and rolled over, they were already returning back to normal. Thor never fell asleep while he was talking unless he was drunk and Loki didn't see him drink anything at dinner so he just assumed that he was just boring.

The next morning, the brother's bid there parents farewell, Frigg trying not to cry. She always did when they left to go back to school; she rarely saw them unless she went to the campus which was only to take Odin something. Sigyn said goodbye and said that she'd see them at school in a few more weeks. Loki wasn't sure if he should be happy or sad about that she would be joining them. Jane certainly was happy; she finally had another female friend besides Sif who she didn't get along with too well.

Loki shifted in the back of his seat to look out the rear window of the moving car, seeing Frigg waving while Odin turned to go back inside. But as she turned to leave, he could see two little boys running in the snow, one with blonde hair and the other in black. They tossed snow at one another before turning their heads back to the house and running in. They disappeared before they reached the door, which made Loki shake his head. He had to come to terms with it; he was leaving his childish dreams behind. He couldn't lock him and his brother away forever just to keep hope that they would end up together. He had to move forward, regardless if Thor was there as a lover, or his brother.

~LaLa