Forum Block
Stacked With: MC4A (Shipping War; SI(N); StL; BAON; ER; SF; Star; FR); Hogwarts
Individual Challenges: In a Flash; Yellow Ribbon; Yellow Ribbon Redux; Flags & Ribbons; Bloomin' Time; Marvelous Cinema; Old Shoes; Pre-Columbian Times (Y); Shipmas; Two Cakes! (Y); Themes & Things A (Y); Themes & Things B (Y); Themes & Things C (Y); Location, Location, Location; Chilled Iron Bribery (Y)
Representations: Loki/Bucky Barnes; Artist Loki
Bonus Challenges: Lovely Coconuts; Chorus (Machismo)
Tertiary Bonus Challenges: Satisfaction
Word count: 954
"You will do this," Odin hissed into his ear as Loki tried to break away.
"Will I?" Loki argued back, already knowing he would have a bruise from his father's grip. "And what will you do if I don't?"
"You'll never leave these walls again. I know you sneak out to be among the common people, I know you think you're better than us, I know that you believe you know best, but you don't. You will do as I say."
Odin let go as Loki wrenched his arm away. "You know nothing."
He stormed away from his father, angry beyond belief at the latest measure the man had decided to take in order to control Loki. The old man never cared about Loki; it was always about Thor, Loki's older and perfect brother—the brother that was allowed to marry for love and not political gain, no matter that it was generally the younger siblings that were granted that freedom.
Loki would not accept being sent off to live quietly as the Lady Freya's husband just because his own family didn't like him and prefer he stay in the shadows—so long as those shadows weren't too deep and able to swallow up their family's pristine reputation. Loki growled to himself as he thought of the demands placed on him and the lack of demands placed on Thor. He loved his brother, but the man was spoiled and arrogant and their parents didn't see anything wrong with that while they saw everything wrong with Loki.
He took a sharp turn to the left into a corridor before slipping into the secret passage that opened there. The palace was riddled with passages and many of them had been forgotten by everyone except the boy who had spent his childhood exploring the place he grew up in when his parents and brother were too busy for him.
There was one place that he could vent and be provided comfort, and it was not within the palace walls.
The house was empty when he arrived, but he expected that. Bucky would be working out in the fields with the rest of the harvesters. Loki let out a sigh of relief as he closed the door behind him—this small house was more home to him than the large palace he had grown up in. The sturdy, ungilded but intricately carved wooden furniture was more comfortable than the plush furniture that filled the palace.
He collapsed on one of the rocking chairs in front of the dark fireplace and curled his legs up. There was another rocking chair next to him, a small table sat behind him with two chairs tucked under and a pitcher of water covered by a thin piece of muslin cloth. One of the walls was covered in various flowers that Loki himself had painted and added to when he couldn't sleep.
He smiled at the wall while he rocked in the chair. Bucky had caught him drawing on the table in charcoal and, far from being upset, had offered his wall for Loki's use. He had said Loki's art brought more life into his home; it was a far cry from his family's reaction to Loki being talented at drawing and painting.
The small paint tins sitting against the wall invited him to pick them up and start painting—an invitation he quickly accepted. He crossed the short distance and folded down onto the floor, brushing his fingers over the dried paint that was already on the wall before picking up one of the brushes laying nearby.
Bucky found him sitting in front of the wall several hours later staring at the tulips that now adorned it. He gave Loki a kiss on the top of his head before he went to light the oil lamp hanging at the entrance. He returned a few seconds later, sitting down next to Loki and pulling him into a sideways hug.
"You need anything?" he asked quietly.
Loki smiled; that was Bucky—offering but never demanding. He curled into Bucky's side, "I'm good."
"Okay." He was silent for a bit before saying, "I am kind of hungry though, if you think you're good to follow me around."
"Yeah," Loki said after some assessment. "I can do that."
They stood up, Loki holding one of Bucky's wrists lightly as they moved to the small pantry and Bucky started pulling out the stuff for sandwiches. They moved in silence, used to each other's patterns and not needing to talk.
It was after dinner and when they were sitting in the rocking chairs in front of the crackling fire that Loki spoke up. "Odin has arranged a marriage between me and the Lady Freya from Vanaheim."
"And Thor?" Bucky asked.
Loki snorted derisively. "Thor is free to do whatever he wants with no consequences as per usual. He does not require being shipped out to another kingdom in a diplomatic marriage."
"There's room here for two people, we've proven that over the years."
"Are you…" Loki trailed off. The offer was far more than Loki staying a night or a few days when the atmosphere of the palace became too much. This was Bucky saying that Loki could fully leave his toxic family and have somewhere safe to go if he did.
Bucky smiled at him, squeezing the hand that Loki still had circled around his wrist. "My place is always open to you, has been since you threw an apple at me."
"You are far too good to me, Bucky."
"Wrong. This is your home as soon as you decide it is." Bucky stood up and pulled gently on Loki's arm. "Now come on, time for bed."
