The wine is in their heads when they head into the bedroom and Loki actually bumps into Thor as he gets in Loki's way when Loki makes a turn for the bath.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm going to bathe."
"No, I am."
"Loki, I need to be up at dawn. I won't wait until you've soaked to your heart's desire. You take too much time."
Loki stabs a finger into Thor's chest. "You are only saying this because you know what the most reasonable solution is and it just happens to be a suitable one for you."
Thor shrugs and grins and Loki could just slap that expression from his face.
"You can just wait."
It's laughably easy to take revenge on Thor for challenging Loki like this. Inside the bathing chamber, Loki undresses slowly while never taking his eyes off Thor, who just shucks his clothes off hastily and starts filling the tub, sitting at the edge and lowering his legs in, soaping himself. Loki walks past him, ankle brushing Thor's knee and swaying his behind right in Thor's view as he descends to the bottom of the tub.
He sprawls at the opposite end, stretching out, and floats lazily.
"We bathed together countless times," Loki notes. "Was it a temptation?"
"Always," Thor admits simply, lathering himself. Loki thinks for a moment, trying to put himself into Thor's situation. What would he do if their places were reversed?
"Did you ever spy on me?"
"What makes you think I would confess to that?"
Loki kicks his foot out and splashes him.
Then he has to grasp the edge of the tub to stop himself from sinking under when Thor launches for him and grabs his ankle.
"Do not be making a mess, Loki." He holds up a bar of soap in his other hand. "May I?"
"I like it when you are brave."
Loki watches Thor wash his feet and he fights against groaning in appreciation – it's basically a massage and he does love those. Thor seems focused and relaxed, never taking his eyes away from what he's doing.
"You were determined to dance with me tonight," he mentions carelessly, head thrown back as he savours the sensation.
"Yes and it was as lovely as I hoped it would be." Thor's tone is collected – a simple compliment falling from his lips. It makes Loki think about the celebration.
"You asked me if I've forgiven you, but I'm more interested in whether you have forgiven yourself."
"In a way, I will never forgive myself, but I feel regret less and less keenly with every day you spend breathing."
And Loki thinks there is strength in that and he admires it almost against his will. He wants to reward it.
His limbs are shaky, but the water thankfully hides that when he pulls his leg gently from Thor's hold and swims forward in one stroke, slipping into Thor's lap, winding his legs around his hips. Thor leans back and turns his head away, but otherwise stays still.
"I see you'll never forgive me either," he murmurs.
And if Loki didn't know better, if he didn't need at least some sort of leverage over Thor, he might have told Thor right there and then that all was forgiven. He winds his fingers in Thor's damp hair and tilts his head, staring down at him from his perch on his lap.
"You are terribly unappreciative of my gestures of good will."
"They tend to come with a price," Thor says and tries to push Loki off. Loki just tightens his grip, unable to tear his eyes from the planes of Thor's face. He's been looking at this face for a thousand of year, he knows how handsome Thor is, but now he seems to somewhat... see more of him. The depth of Thor's thoughts is openly reflected in the tense frown of his brows. Loki thinks he sees Thor's lower lip quivering almost imperceptibly. The hair in his hand is smooth and pleasant to touch. The thighs on which he sits are strong and tense.
He leans forward and silences Thor's pleading whimper with his mouth. He wraps his lips around Thor's, nuzzling to make him open up and Thor's resistance only lasts for a couple of seconds – then he gives in to the tug of Loki's hand and leans into him, opening his mouth and finding Loki's tongue with his own. In a blink of an eye, Loki is pressed against Thor's chest – and he loves that particular feeling – and his mouth is being thoroughly worshipped. Loki jerks in shock of pleasure when he tightens his legs around Thor and his hips slot against Thor's, their cocks touching. It seems to jolt Thor too and he tears himself away from Loki, panting and wide eyed.
"Loki-"
"Yes, yes!" Loki hisses before Thor can continue. He can't lose this right now. He will leave thinking for later – there was the vague plan of trapping Thor even deeper than he already dug himself, but he feels removed from the idea.
He is merely hopelessly attracted to the depth of Thor's want and despair and guilt and need – all mixed into one delicious cocktail. Loki was the one who created it all and it seems wasteful and ungrateful not to taste it.
Thor welcomes his mouth back with a low growl that resonates in his chest and it only makes Loki rub himself against the muscular planes harder. His hips are almost shyly grinding down on Thor and he doesn't remember the last time when he was this aroused. He opens his eyes to watch the open myriad of emotions that play on Thor's face. He's not really surprised to find desperation battling unadulterated bliss there.
He means for bliss to win.
Thor's arms have long since circled Loki's torso and he is gliding his palms over the plane of Loki's back and flanks, often dipping underwater to bring the warmth up and spread it all over Loki's skin and there is a feeling of reverence in the action.
But it's even better when Thor finds the courage to palm and squeeze Loki's ass. Loki moans into Thor's mouth appreciatively and sneaks a hand down between them, even if it means giving up some of the friction. His nipples are hard and peaked from rubbing them over Thor's chest.
He tries to wrap his palm around both of their cocks, but the angle isn't perfect and he ends up only making a sort of cavern in which the heads can meet and rub against each other. It's enough.
Thor is choking on sounds that he isn't willing to let out and he abandons kissing Loki's mouth in favour of sucking on his neck and the edge of his jaw. Then his lips find their way to Loki's earlobe and Loki cries out unwittingly when Thor teases it with his teeth and breathes into Loki's ear at the same time – it makes the most needy sound Loki's ever heard.
"Oh fuck, Thor-" he pants, squeezing their cocks harder and Thor's arms around him tighten hard enough to push all breath from him and Thor goes rigid save for the jerking motions of his hips as he comes. Loki works his hand mindlessly, feeling the little spasms of Thor's orgasm resonate through his own loins until he is joining his brother and panting into his cheek.
The water around them slowly calms and quietens and their breaths try to follow its example. Loki straightens even as his relaxed muscles protest and smooths Thor's hair back. Thor is looking everywhere but at him and Loki grasps his chin firmly and makes him meet Loki's gaze.
"Any annoying comments?"
And Thor's face cracks in a genuine, if a little tired smile and he takes Loki by the wrist, pressing a kiss to his palm before pulling both their hands away and leaning his forehead against Loki's.
Eventually they get out of the bath, swaying a little while drying off and walking to bed, both from the wine and the shocking relief of climax.
"Good luck waking up at dawn," Loki snickers when they crawl under the sheets, shoulders touching.
"I knew you had ulterior motives."
"Ruin of Asgard via the sleep deprivation of her crown prince. My best one yet."
The only response he gets is the sound of steady breathing. It doesn't take him long to follow.
The morning finds him with a clear mind.
He vaguely remembers half-waking when Thor heaved himself from bed at first light and squeezing his arm in wordless good-morning.
He feels somehow changed. Like something has broken free in his blood, a clot that was slowing his motions and thoughts. For the first time, he sees his situation clearly.
He's the spouse of the future king of Asgard, debatably one of the most powerful beings in the whole Nine realms. There is nothing stopping him from drawing advantage from that – hadn't he his whole life used the name Odinson? He sees little difference.
And said spouse is willing to knock himself over trying to please him.
Which, as it turns out, he is more than capable of doing.
Loki stretches, remembering lazily the intensity of his orgasm last night. And what we did was little more than rushed humping.
Then he tries to recall the feeling of Thor's fingers and cock in his ass on their wedding night and grimaces. The anger and disgust were real. He couldn't stand the idea of Thor getting what he wanted. He couldn't stand the idea of being played like this, shipped into something much worse than he was anticipating.
He frowns when he realizes that almost all of the assumptions he made when Thor revealed the nature of his love were proven wrong.
He thought that Thor's duplicity went right down to his core. That there was a wholly different man standing in front of him. That the husband would have nothing in common with the brother save for the face he wore. And Loki has to admit that that's not true at all. Thor remains Thor. The only tangible novelty Loki was faced with was Thor's vulnerability.
And after last night, he understands. He was drawn to Thor. He was aroused. He's enjoyed himself. He still thinks there is something slightly wrong with both of them (didn't he just make the discovery that Thor still felt like his brother and found that pleasing?), but cannot find it within himself to mind. He's who he was, only a bit more centred. He thinks it comes from the comprehension.
And with all pieces in his hands, it's easy to imagine how all this could play to his favour.
A smile tugs at his lips the whole day and a twinge of excitement comes when the sun begins to set.
This is going to be so much fun.
He keeps an ear cocked and when he hears Thor approaching, he flattens himself against the wall by the door and waits. Thor enters, his back turned to Loki and Loki pounces, his fist finding its target – Thor's ear. Then he kicks the back of Thor's knee and Thor goes down ungracefully, stunned with the hit to the head and his footing lost.
Loki is on him immediately, forcing him to turn over and grabbing his wrists before leaning down to bite his lower lip until he tastes blood.
"Hello, brother," he murmurs in between sharply nicking at Thor's soft lips. "Missed me?"
Thor looks shocked for a second but then his eyes narrow and he licks his bloody lip.
"Very much."
Thor doesn't fight him, he merely arches up to drag his hips over Loki's and leans in for a kiss, which turns out to be little more than a battle of teeth, flavoured by copper.
Loki can feel Thor flexing his fists as the tendons in his wrists strain, but he doesn't try to break the hold. Loki was right to anticipate this. Thor will take anything Loki gives him. Still, he needs to be sure.
When he's had his fill of kissing, he sits astride Thor, not quite in his lap, but rather on his stomach, making it hard for him to breathe. He lets go of Thor's hands as well and they immediately find their way to Loki's waist, stroking and urging. He tugs off his tunic and unlaces his trousers, rucking up Thor's shirt and opening his trousers as well. Thor's hands aim for Loki's cock, but he hesitates at the last moment.
"May I?"
"No," Loki laughs. "I have something better in mind."
And just because he can, he bends down and licks at Thor's lips some more, humming in appreciation when Thor entwines his fingers in Loki's hair. Then he backs up again and shuffles on his knees until his hips are at the level of Thor's face. He leans on his forearms on the ground, far above Thor's head and puts his weight on one knee only as to not suffocate Thor completely. His other leg is thrown alongside Thor's shoulder.
Thor's chuckle spills over the v of Loki's hips and the chilling sensation is soon replaced by wet, open-mouthed kisses that slowly trail towards his cock.
So. It seems Thor has no problem with lying on his back and having his face full of Loki's crotch. It's a ridiculous position and Loki gets a thrill from that. Thor nuzzles his hipbone and licks his way to the root of Loki's cock and then upwards towards the head and damn if that doesn't feel good. He is already enveloped in warmth, merely from Thor's breathing and he is pretty eager to find out what his mouth will feel like.
He gets his wish. Thor wraps both of his arms around Loki's thighs, just under his ass in a parody of hug and holds him firmly while guiding Loki's cock into his mouth.
"Shit," Loki groans, looking down between his arms to see his cock disappearing between Thor's lips and down his throat. He would like to have a little more control of the thrusting, but Thor, curse him, has a smart hold on Loki and slowly heaves him up and down, his tongue and lips never stopping their busy work even as he takes Loki far down. Loki enjoys this lovely torture until he can't stand for it anymore and forcibly bucks. Even with the lack of leverage it gets him a reaction – Thor chokes slightly under him and tightens his hold, stubbornly continuing as before.
Loki tries a different tactic.
"Thor, please," he moans and while he has an agenda, the words come easily. "Please, I need-"
He bites his words off as Thor sucks on the tip of his cock and then lowers Loki slowly, his lips never easing off from their tight 'o'. Again. And again.
The speed of his ministration increases ever so slightly until Loki feels like his body now has a momentum of its own and he would just continue rocking like a pendulum should Thor let him go. Thoughts trickle from his mind as the tension of his muscles grows and he feels himself tumbling towards the edge. He barely notices that one of Thor's arms has abandoned its hold; it makes no difference anyway; Thor is capable of manoeuvring him single-handedly.
He complies with what Loki's body is asking of him and his sucking intensifies until Loki is groaning and jerking against Thor's face. He shivers violently when his sensitive cock, still trapped in Thor's mouth, is teased by the vibration of Thor's groans.
He came too, Loki realizes smugly. And it's true; when he finally rolls off Thor to sprawl on the floor, he sees that one of Thor's hands is wrapped around his own cock, streaked with come.
There is a bruise where on Thor's cheek right by his ear, his lips are bitten through and heavily swollen, their natural pinkness enhanced and spilling onto his complexion as a testament of rough treatment. And there is a shiny spot on Thor's chin – stray seed that he couldn't swallow.
Loki feels feral satisfaction at this.
He's filled with elation and not all of it is coming from the sex. Seeing Thor like this – he thinks he is a fool for not figuring it out sooner.
Then Thor looks up at him and smiles, completely oblivious and uncaring of the damage to his face (and pride, Loki would add, if it wasn't already crystal clear to him that Thor sees what they just did as merely mutually pleasurable) and there is an odd tug in Loki's belly. But he simply returns the smile and curls from his position so that he can press a kiss to Thor's hairline.
Thor's fingers trail over whatever bared skin he can reach and Loki lets him do it for a while.
"Come on. You look ready to fall asleep on the floor."
"I wouldn't be surprised if I did."
So they pick themselves and stagger to their feet, holding up their disarrayed, unlaced clothing. Thor follows Loki's lead into the bathroom and they wash up in silence.
In bed, Loki scoots into Thor's arms and gently touches his lips with the tip of his finger. Thor washed his face with cool water and the swelling is a little less for it, but he still looks ruffled. The blissful look in his eyes belies it.
"Why?" he murmurs into Loki's fingers.
"I don't know."
And Thor goes a little tense; it's probably not the answer he wanted, but Loki knows he would like the truth even less.
"We are in a quite unparalleled situation," he continues to appease Thor. "You will have to forgive me if I don't have all the answers."
"But you wanted this, yes? And you enjoyed it?"
"Yes."
"Then that's what's important."
And he says it with a sort of finally, immediately closing his eyes and clearly settling to fall asleep that Loki is left a little surprised. He thought Thor would press a little more, ask for something. A reassurance. A promise.
He looks at Thor's sleeping face and it occurs to him that he maybe isn't the only one the Norns like to laugh at.
The next day, Loki joins Thor on the training grounds. They walk there silently side by side and it seems relaxed, except for the sidelong glance Thor gives him just before they arrive, but he never follows it up with speech.
Loki seats himself and watches Thor go through some exercises with young soldiers. He almost starts dozing off when the sun comes from behind a pillar and starts warming him up pleasantly.
"Loki!" Thor's call jolts him. He is standing in the middle of the field, grinning. "Would you join me for a bout?"
Loki rolls his eyes, but takes his jacket off and jumps down into the arena.
Thor hands him a training staff with a smile. Loki takes advantage of their closeness and speaks in a low tone, making sure none of the observers can hear. "Eager for a repeat of last night?"
Thor's smile grows a bit sharper and his eyes flash appreciatively over Loki's body.
"Ready? One, two, three-" Loki says rapidly, catching Thor off guard and going on the offensive, hard. Thor barely manages to deflect the first couple of Loki's blow and then they're off, letting themselves fall into the dance of dodging, striking and spinning.
Two hours later, they lean against the railing up on the arena's over walk, breathing deeply and watching a new bout take place.
"Well fought," Thor teases. "You almost beat me."
"Please. I had you more times than you had me."
Thor coughs and Loki smirks.
And later, with muscles slightly aching and his body pleasantly tired, Loki realizes how good it felt to get the exercise.
Which is why the following afternoon, he puts on older tunic and looser trousers and heads for the training grounds again.
Fandral and Hogun are there and he nods in greeting, approaching them.
"Loki!" Fandral drawls cheerily. "Looking for Thor?"
"Quite. We need a rematch."
"Well, he should be here soon," Fandral smiles. "I believe he has a meeting with Spaki."
Spaki is a diplomat that Loki knows well.
"Would you like to spar with me for now?"
Loki is tempted to accept Fandral's offer, but he also wants to save his strength for Thor. "No, thank you."
Fandral wanders off to coach sword fighting and Loki is left there standing with Hogun.
"Thor seems in good spirits."
Loki looks at Hogun from the corner of his eye and searches for an answer.
"I hope it stays that way," Hogun adds and walks away. Loki can't even find it in himself to be annoyed.
He lounges alone then, eyes scanning idly the cluster about until he does a double take and realizes something odd.
There stands Spaki, talking to a young man, probably his son. By the looks of it, he is asking about his progress and they chatter and smile lightly.
But no sign of Thor. He doesn't think much about it, even if it seems odd to him that Thor would linger elsewhere instead of coming to clear his head on the training grounds right away if his lesson is finished. Until he catches Fandral looking at him.
He averts his eyes hastily when he sees Loki returning his gaze and turns quickly away. Suspicion blooms in Loki's mind – something is clearly off. He stalks away from the training grounds and strides through the palace, heading towards the war chambers and libraries. He finds the wing mostly empty, save for one old scholar scribing something slowly, but there is a guard.
"Was prince Thor here?"
"Yes, my lord, he is in the main library."
Loki's eyebrows ascend and he nods his thanks.
There is nothing stopping him from simply going into the library and seeing what Thor is doing. But the guilty slump of Fandral's shoulders is fresh in his mind and he trusts his instincts – and they are telling him to act with caution. That this is no mere matter of schedule misunderstanding.
He slips through the open library door, keeping his steps light. He passes many shelves without any sight of Thor. The diplomacy department is empty and it only strengthens his conviction that Thor is up to something. He isn't doing Spaki's homework. He walks further and further, until he is at the most removed (but no less huge) part of the library and his confusion grows.
This is where seidr books are kept. He slinks by the walls, hidden from view and is thankful for his soft clothing that makes almost no noise.
Thor is seated at a reading area, at least ten large tomes spread on the table in front of him. He isn't reading, he is searching – paging quickly through the thin pages, occasionally stopping to peruse a part with more care, but ultimately discarding it. Loki watches him through a sliver between shelves, unnoticed. Thor works his way through all the books he has taken out, then sighs and rubs his face. For a few moments, he merely stares off into space, a hint of frown creasing his forehead. Then he stands and begins clearing the books away. Loki tries his best to remember their appearance and where Thor puts them, then backs away to make sure Thor won't see him as he leaves.
When Thor's steps finally fade, Loki comes out from his hiding and manages to pull out six tomes he is certain that Thor was looking at.
A sick feeling settles at the bottom of his stomach as he looks at the titles. Each of them on their own would seem innocuous – rites, curse breaking, blood magic – but when combined, they put out a clear message.
Thor is looking for a way out of this marriage.