Chapter 25

They spent the rest of the day in bed. Only pausing to rest, to talk to each other as they both lay there exhausted, spent from making love before they committed the act again. Loki wondered if a part of him did not feel guilty. Enjoying his last hours of freedom with the human before mounting him again. At first there were mistakes as both of them tried to figure the other out. Asking with silent caresses whether the unfamiliar touch brought desire or not.

It was late before they finally stopped. Remy slipping into an easy, dreamless sleep nuzzled against the demi-god. Loki continued to rain kisses along the Cajun's shoulders and back as the mortal fell asleep. He stroked Remy's hair, watching the slight rise and fall of the mortal's chest. In his chest Loki felt his heart fluttering as if he could barely breathe.

Across the room he heard a gentle knock at the door. Loki frowned; wondering who would disturb his peaceful moment as he rose from the bed. Reaching out to grab his pants and a green robe, he hastily pulled the pants on and wrapped the robe around his bare shoulders before he answered the door.

Standing there was Thor, slightly breathless as if he had run a great distance. The thunderer stared at his step brother, his eyes traveling to the figure on the bed. His eyes widened comically as he slowly came to the realization of the scene. When he tried to back up, muttering apologies, Loki reached out and snagged him by his armor; dragging him into the room before he closed the door and locked it. He all but threw Thor in the direction of the fireplace as he walked after him, glaring at his brother whose face had begun to steadily redden.

"Loki, I don't think this is a good time. Let me come back later when you don't have company." Thor pleaded, glancing at the sleeping form of Remy. He had felt his heart sink to his boots when he had laid eyes on the human. This could only end in blood if the feral human on Midgard had his way.

"Well, you seem to find it necessary to disturb me. So you are going to stay here. Sit, Thor." Loki hissed, pointing at a chair. Seeing he had no other choice, Thor sighed in defeat, falling into the chair. They spoke in hushed tones so as to not wake the slumbering mortal.

"I'm not a hound to be ordered around, brother. So don't treat me as such." Thor growled, but there was little heat behind the threat. Loki sank into the chair opposite him, smoothing back his mussed hair as he shot his brother another glare.

"If it's any consolation; you not only act like a mutt, you stink like one as well."

"I bathe!"

"Barely."

Thor shook his head as Loki sneered at him. He hated it when his brother was in a mood. Loki could be completely unwavering in an argument, refusing to hear any other side but his own. In a way his stubbornness was the exact same as the thunderer's. Thor did not bring this up however. Loki would only vehemently deny it and blame him for his problems.

"Have you spoken with father and mother since you've been back?" Thor asked quietly. Loki frowned, studying the flames as he talked.

"Odin and I came to a disagreement. I did not see mother when I came to my room. I assumed she was dealing with informing the servants I had finally come back." Loki answered, propping his chin up with his hand. He glanced at the bed, making sure his lover still rested.

No, not his lover. His betrothed. He had given Remy the ring.

Thor coughed; uneasy as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Loki appeared to take no notice, simply turning to fix his gaze on him. He still had not bothered to bring back the illusion Odin had cast upon him. Of green eyes and pale milky skin which his children appeared to have inherited; the magic seeping into them to change their forms as well. Thor had never seen him in his true form as Remy had, but he knew him to be a frost giant.

"You don't like my appearance, do you?" Loki asked. Thor glanced nervously at his brother, unsure of what to say. It had been a shock to see Loki in his true form, but he could not deny it did not help the situation. Though the way Loki said it was as if he genuinely wished to know.

"A bit yes, I'm sorry to admit Loki. What did Remy say when you showed him?" Thor asked, his curiosity peeking despite himself. He saw the corner of Loki's mouth twitch as if the trickster were suppressing the urge to grin.

"He demanded to know why I had not revealed myself to him before. He said I was beautiful." Loki said, studying his hand. He was still not used to seeing the intricate markings on his skin. Yet Remy had traced each one, following its path down his entire body.

"I'm happy for you." Thor said. And he meant it. He had never expected Loki to fall in love with Remy, but his plan had worked better than he had hoped. In the process of healing Remy, Loki had somehow been able to come to terms with his own demons. Remembering how Logan had attacked him though made Thor's mood sour. A sense of guilt weighed heavy in his chest.

Logan had suffered for so long searching for Remy. Now here he was, the god of thunder, hiding the Cajun away from the person who truly loved him. Yet gazing at the peaceful look on Loki's face, Thor was once again faced with a difficult choice. Was it his right to take away what made Loki happy? It was not as if Remy did not have the same feelings for the trickster. In fact, it appeared as if they had been returned quite happily on the Cajun's part.

"Strange you say that, brother. I find myself pleased as well with my new situation." Loki mused, glancing at his brother.

"You know this entire time I've been wondering why I ever wanted to rule Asgard? Unlike you, I'm not tied down. I can go wherever I please. Not that being king doesn't have its merits." Loki said when Thor scowled at him.

"But being a person of my own agenda has its conveniences. I can pursue my passions as I please rather than having to wait to do so. I think I shall be ready for what is to come." Loki mused, stealing another glance at Remy. Thor coughed, still unsure of what he may have done.

"Loki, there is something I have to confess. You may not like it. Actually, I can guarantee you will want to kill me afterward." Thor said nervously. Loki raised an eyebrow at his brother as if this were no new information.

"Oh please, I would not waste my time killing you. I would have you tied up and locked in the dungeon to humiliate you for the rest of your life. After going through all the trouble of bringing you down, I want to enjoy my victory." Loki said. Thor wasn't sure if his brother was joking or not.

"How gracious of you." Thor said sarcastically. Loki waved his hand in dismissal as if his brother were naught but a servant to him.

"Confess, then, if you must. There is little I can do to threaten your health at this point. No doubt the Warrior Three will be coming after me once they hear word I am here." Loki said with a shake of his head. When he saw Thor blush, he raised an eyebrow.

"They already know, don't they?"

"Well, that is… I told them you were with your betrothed at the moment. A human from Midgard you had saved who had befriended you while you were hiding up in the mountains. It was the truth. I just didn't tell them it was another man you were in love with." Thor explained hurriedly.

It was not unusual for two men to be as close as brothers in Asgard. Nor for them to work side by side as they constantly went into battle in pairs. Such partnerships became blurred though when love entered the picture. Thor had seen one or two such couplings. Both men were fiercer than any other warriors perhaps because their lover fought by their side. Once a victory had been achieved, they retired to their shared room to celebrate in private. So Loki's choice of a betrothed was unusual, but not unheard of. Since he was not in line to rule the throne anymore there was no reason to worry about having to produce an heir either. Even if there was, Loki always had the choice of producing one through a concubine if he so chose.

"And that alone did not have them coming to tear down my door? How fascinating you have a brain!" Loki exclaimed. Thor frowned, shaking his head.

"It took a bit of persuading on my part to calm them, but they agreed to leave you be. I told them Remy had helped me on a number of occasions. So at the very least they will not be out for blood if they happen upon him." Thor said carefully. Loki raised an eyebrow at his step brother, surprised he had lied to his friends for his part. Glancing at the bed, Loki wondered how he would protect Remy from the Warrior Three.

"No doubt they will come sniffing at my door soon enough. I wonder what they will make of my wife when they meet him." Loki mused, smiling to himself at the thought. It would be strange indeed when they were faced with the Cajun. Remy tended to not care whatsoever what others thought of him. He usually chose to go his own way rather than to stand their awaiting judgment.

"Mother is happy you have finally returned. She's missed you, ever since you left." Thor mentioned suddenly. At this, Loki's eyes focused on him, unsettling due to their true color.

"Mother? And what does she think of Remy?" Loki asked quietly. Father he hated, but Mother… He could not bring himself to even so much as scoff at her. The woman had always treated him with love despite him not being her true child. Somehow that seemed like a greater sacrifice to him than what Odin had done.

"Mother said you have good taste. She thinks he's handsome." Thor said with a tired sigh. Loki's grin widened at that; a look of mischief glinting in his eye. Thor had often wondered if Mother preferred Loki over him but did not say so. No reason to give his brother a bigger ego then he already had.

"And what of you, Thor? Do you think Remy is quite delicious for a human? You never have told me what you thought of my relationship to him." Loki said, steepleing his fingers in front of him. He enjoyed watching his step brother squirm as Thor appeared to be struggling to say something to please the Trickster, but yet remain truthful.

"I, um, that is I think… Why must you know? Is there any particular reason?"

"I simply want to know your opinion. Is that so bad?"

"You never cared to hear it before!"

"I care now, don't I?"

"Well, he is quite ah, beautiful in his way I suppose. He certainly compliments your personality. I've never known anyone in the nine realms could quite as devious, nor as frustrating, as you are, Loki." Thor said with a shake of his head. Loki narrowed his eyes when his step brother began to smile at the idea. A glance at Remy, however, had the wheels in the trickster's mind rolling as he considered it.

"Yes, well, perhaps I've finally met my match in that regard. More so than I would have ever expected when I went to Midgard." Loki said quietly, his eyes softening at the thought.

"I rather think it was unexpected." Thor said honestly. His heart began to pound in his chest as he licked his lips. Trying to dig up the courage to tell Loki he had to take Remy back. To return him to Logan.

"Loki? Cher, if you is goin' t' keep talkin' t' yo' brother; keep it down. Remy's back hurts an' he is tryin' t' sleep." Complained a soft, thickly accented voice from the bed. Thor saw Loki's expression soften as the sound of his lover's voice as he rose up, waving his hand for his brother to leave as he went back to the bed.

"I'm sorry, peu diable, did we wake you? Thor was just leaving. We apparently had to discuss a few matters before I could take my rest. Go back to sleep. I'll join you in a bit." Loki's voice answered, gentle in tone. Thor froze when he heard the way his brother talked to the mortal. This did not bode well with him as Loki turned back around; scowling at the warrior as he pushed him out of his room back into the hallway.

"Loki, I need to-"

"Another time, brother, but I'm tired. I must rest and Remy is exhausted as well. Go save the world or defeat some miscreant beast! If you bother me again I will turn you into a toad and father can ask why an amphibian has your likeness." Loki threatened, shutting the door in the thunderer's face. Thor was left standing in the hallway; gaping at the door and wondering why he had not simply come out and said what needed to be said. Yet now it seemed he had no other choice but to turn around and trudge back the way he had come.

Tomorrow, perhaps, he could confess his brother. Then make funeral arrangements afterwards as Loki tortured him to death.