"Hey Buddy! How are you feeling?" Tony says sounding overly nice. Loki glares at Tony and gives a small shake of the head. This too sweet, coddling tone is the exact thing that Thor was dreading. His friends, in their effort to show concern and give comfort are going to make this situation worse. People always do. It's human nature.

Thor doesn't reply. He doesn't even look up. He does not want to see their pity reflected in their eyes. Can't they all pretend they have no idea this happened? It would be easier.

"Hey Thor, Valeria is dying to go to the park and play in her new yellow rain coat and goulashes, aren't you baby girl?" Clint asks.

"Yea!" She squeals.

"You need to resume regular activities. You've wallowed for three days. You need to start moving again. Going outside will be good for you." Loki says as he gently places a hand on Thor's left shoulder. "I'll grab the coats."

The rain outside is light as little Valeria swings back and forth between Mommy and Daddy. She holds their hands and giggles as she stomps into puddles. The happy sound brings a small smile to Thor's face, the first he's had in days. They make it to the playground and Valeria goes wild as she is the only child there and has full reign over the swing set and sandbox. Her interest in these things wanes after only a few minutes as she is drawn back to the puddles of ever thickening mud.

"Valeria darling try not to get too dirty." Loki calls after her.

"Daddy come play with me! I want dirty Daddy!" She says.

"Dirty daddy. She really does enjoy those outings with you." Loki says.

"Clint takes me and Valeria out to his home every now and again. He has a farm a couple hour's drive from here. Sometimes we'll go out there to play in the mud or ride horses."

"Why did you not tell me before?" Loki asks.

"I knew you wouldn't approve. Valeria and I will strip down to our underwear, or in her case completely naked and we'll get absolutely filthy from head to toe. You always get so angry so easily over little things. It's not always easy to talk to you, especially if I know we will disagree." Thor says.

"For a long time stinging words were my only weapon. Even after I learned how to defend myself with magic and daggers the habit remained. I will endeavor to fight more fairly with you in the future." Loki says. They watch their daughter prance about in the water as if joy were a tangle object she held in her hands.

"I'm not angry with you anymore, and as horrific as the road has been for the both of us I don't regret it either. I won't take any of it back. Not now. Not if it meant losing her. She was worth all of it." Loki says.

"Do you forgive me for hurting you?" Thor asks.

"For raping me? Or for everything before as well?"

"All of it."

"Yes. Do you forgive me for trying to kill you and for all the lies and betrayal?"

"I'm trying Loki. I'm not angry anymore. I still love you. I have a dream inside of my head of a life we could have, still…after everything."

"But?"

"But my instinct not to trust you still remains."

"Then we shall proceed slowly, if you'll let me."

"Proceed in what way?"

"We're two fools that have been in love with each other since boyhood. Despite all the hurt we've inflicted upon each other we still cannot shake this pull we feel for one another. We should court each other Thor. We should court each other in the manner of our ancestors. Slow, drawn out, taking decades. We need time. The both of us need time to forget old grievances and create new memories that are more pleasant."

"Do you think that wise given all the bitterness between us?"

"We couldn't possibly make this situation any worse, besides it would be good for Valeria to see us be loving to one another."

"Is that your only reason for wanting this?" Thor asks.

"No." Loki leans in and kisses Thor on the cheek. It is chaste and quick. "Let us begin again."

XxXxXxXxXx

"Daddy!" Valeria screeches at her father.

"Don't you take that tone with me young lady! I said NO!" Thor bellows at his daughter.

"But I want to ride the Ferris Wheel again!"

"You've already ridden it a dozen times and tomorrow is a school day. It is getting late and we have not had dinner yet."

"But Daddy!" Valeria pouts and stomps her feet. She's making a scene. Lightning streaks across an otherwise blue sky and thunder booms loud from a small dark cloud that is growing in size.

"Oh, so now you think you can call the lightning on me?" Thor says as he glares at his impudent six year old. He picks her up with one hand and spanks her right there in public. Her wails of pain and humiliation draw further attention to them as every stranger in the immediate vicinity stops and stares at them. It is in moments like this when Thor really misses Mjolnir. He'd give anything to fly off and away from these people. He tosses her over his shoulder and carries her kicking and screaming all the way back to the car. Her holly roller melt down is not earning her points with her father. She doesn't stop until she is strapped in and the car is out of the parking lot, with the County Fair shrinking in the back window.

Valeria sobs quietly during the drive back to the tower. Thor has not calmed much by the time they get to the top of the tower. Thor finds Loki leaning over a blueprint of a new green energy source that Tony is developing. Loki is picking apart its flaws.

"I saw lightning and thunder in the distance." Loki says.

"You need to have a word with your daughter about her spoiled princess behavior." Thor says in a dark angry tone.

"My daughter? The last time I checked she's your daughter too." Loki says.

"She made a scene! She's a stubborn arrogant child!"

"I wonder where she gets that from." Loki says.

"We spoil her too much! If we were back on Asgard she'd be strapped to a post and flogged."

"You spanked her didn't you?"

"Yes I did."

"Thor, we've talked about this. We agreed not to spank."

"You agreed."

"You can't lose your temper like that every time she acts like a child."

"You weren't there Loki! She…she…" Thor runs his hands through his hair, exasperated. Loki looks down at his little girl. She's looking up at him with sad pitiful innocent eyes. He doesn't buy that bullshit for a minute.

"To bed with you." Loki orders.

"But it's still light outside Mommy!"

"NOW young lady!" Loki says. Unlike Thor, Valeria is intimidated by Loki. She whimpers and scampers off to her room with her tail between her legs.

"How do you get her to do that?" Thor asks. "I swear the girl has no fear of me at all."

"It was the same with us and Frigga was it not? Odin would scream at us and threaten us with torture but it was always mother that brought us to heel."

"You mean you. Father's threats always worked on me, but you'd convince me to carry on with your schemes and get me into trouble."

"Be grateful she's an only child then." Loki smiles. Thor does look at wits end. Loki is angry with Thor about the spanking thing but lets it go. Thor is not the patient man he used to be. He is much less tolerant of constant badgering and abuse, which of course is Loki's doing.

"So aside from Valeria's insubordinate behavior, how was the fair?" Loki asks.

"Fun. I wish Asgard had such amusements where we were children." Thor says.

"I wish I had gone with you, but I promised Anthony I would get this finished by the end of this week."

"I'm glad to see you working again. You seem happier." Thor says.

"As fulfilling as motherhood is, it can be rather dull, and it is long past time I repay my debts in earnest." Loki says as he looks at a diagram. Thor smiles.

"I got something for you." Thor reaches into his pocket. He pulls out a little box which contains a necklace. He pendant is made out of glass but it is green and full of sparkly little inclusions that catch the light like a cat's eye, or in this case, Loki's eyes.

"Oh Thor. This is lovely." Loki admires it for a moment and then puts it on. Loki's hair is shorter these days, to about his chin. His black slacks, and green sweater are form fitting and he looks very trim.

"I was thinking about what you said the other night. I was thinking we could try tonight." Thor says low. Loki swallows hard. He knows it needs to be done and frankly both he and Thor have needs they have been ignoring. Loki nods his head.

"Alright. Tonight then." Loki says.

XxXxXxXxX

Thor and Loki both prepare for bed like they always do. They've been sleeping in the same bed for some time now. Sleeping, and nothing more. Tonight will be different though. Tonight they will both take part in a trust exercise. A naked trust exercise. It will be hard for them both. Thor and Loki stand on opposite sides of the bed and stare at each other's naked bodies.

"Right. So…I suppose one of us should go first." Loki says. His heart is beating rapidly as a mixture of excitement and panic floods through him. He wants to run and he wants to fuck. It has been a long time since he addressed his carnal needs. He hasn't masturbated in years, let alone allow another to touch him. The last person to touch him so intimately had been…

"I'll go first." Thor says breathless. Loki can tell he is panicked as well. He lies down on the bed keeping his eyes on Loki, looking frightened and nervous.

"We can stop anytime you want." Loki says. Thor nods. Loki opens up the nightstand drawer and pulls out the lube and a very skinny little vibrator. The packaging says it is a clit rocket. Loki takes it out of the box and puts in the little batteries.

"Spread your legs and bend your knees for me Thor." Loki says almost at a whisper. Thor's face flushes and he gulps down a lungful of air. He breaks into a sweat as he exposes himself to Loki's view. Thor's cock is still flaccid and Loki knows that arousal is not going to be something that comes easy the first time around. Loki kneels between Thor's spread legs and places one hand on the inside of Thor's thigh.

"Are you alright?" Loki asks. Thor nods but his eyes are full of fear. "Breathe Thor. I won't harm you. I swear it darling. It won't hurt." Loki continues to rub small circles into Thor's thighs until his breathing steadies and Thor's body relaxes. Loki twists the little dial on the vibrator and turns it to max. The sound sets Thor rigid again and Loki presses the little pleasure wand to the inside of Thor's thigh.

"This is as powerful as it gets. It is already at its maximum setting. There won't be any surprises." Loki says. Loki rubs Thor's thighs for a few more moments. His circles get lower and lower until his fingers and the vibrator are teasing at Thor's entrance. Loki places the pulsing device over Thor's rim and lets the vibration relax the ring of muscle. Thor groans from the pleasure and squeezes his eyes shut.

"We can stop any time you want." Loki says. "I'm going to breach you now. I'll go slow and make gentle movements. You tell me if you feel any pain or discomfort." Loki says. Loki puts more lube on the vibrator and presses it to Thor's entrance until the tight ring of muscle gives and the bulbous tip slides in. Thor gasps. Thor's cock finally stirs.

"Shh. A little deeper now." Loki pushes the device in a little more.

"Loki! Ah! They laughed at me! They laughed at me and watched me come. They made me come and all I could think about was you. And it felt so powerful and painful. But it felt good too. I think about it sometimes. I think about the device and how it felt inside me!" Thor has tears coming out of his eyes as he confesses his shame.

"Had you ever been penetrated like that before?" Loki asks.

"No. No never. I've fucked other men in secret but I've never been taken before. It felt strangely pleasurable and all I could think about was that it wasn't you!" Thor sobs. His body jerks then as Loki strokes the vibrator against his prostate.

"Oh! Oh Loki!" Thor's back arches and he keens. Thor's hard cock pulses with an impending orgasm. "Ah…ah! Loki! Loki I'm afraid!" Thor's toes curl as his release wracks through his body. Come splashes across Thor's belly and he makes a sound in his throat that is a mixture of pain, pleasure, and fear. Loki quickly removes the device and switches it off. Thor's whimpering sounds soften as he comes back to reality.

"How do you feel?" Loki asks.

"Relieved. I thought it was going to hurt. I thought, when I came, it would feel like my insides were on fire." Thor says and he takes slow calming breaths and wipes the tears from his eyes. "Thank you."

"Thank you for trusting me." Loki says. Loki's chest swells with trepidation. It is his turn now. Thor sits up and places his palm on Loki's cheek.

"I'll get the massage oil." Thor says. Loki takes a deep breath and lies down on his stomach. It is the most vulnerable position he could be in. Thor returns and climbs back onto the bed and straddles Loki's thighs.

"I'm not going to penetrate you. I'm just going to pleasure you with my hands. If you want to me to stop or give you space, tell me." Thor says. Loki nods. Thor pours a generous amount of oil into one hand and sets the bottle down before rubbing them together. His big strong hands grab Loki's shoulders and press, making circles in the muscles. Loki breath hitches and it is his turn to panic.

"Breathe Loki. Breathe." Thor says.

"Tell me you love me." Loki sobs.

"I love you Loki." Thor leans down and rains kisses on Loki's back. Loki sobs at the gentle contact. "I love you…I love you." Loki sniffles and his chin trembles. Thor lies down on top of Loki then pressing his chest to Loki's back. He kisses the back of Loki's neck and shoulder.

"Stop!" Loki yells. Thor dives off him to give him space. Loki sits ups and gasps for air.

"I'm sorry…" Thor starts to apologize.

"I just…I just need to catch my breath." Loki smacks his thigh in frustration. He know Thor isn't going to hurt him, but his instincts…he just needs more time.

"We went too fast. This is our first round. We should have started out with a less compromising position for you." Thor says.

"Agreed." Loki says.

"I still want to pleasure you Loki, if you are up to it."

Loki pants but incrementally his breathing is slowing down. "What did you have in mind?"

"You could lay on your back and I could lay on my stomach between your legs and I could pleasure you with my mouth. I would very much like to taste you Loki."

"Alright." Loki says. His eyes are wide and he looks very much like a doe caught by a hunter. He feels so vulnerable. Thor moves towards the bottom of the bed and Loki spreads his legs to accommodate Thor's broad massive shoulders.

"Here, drape your legs over me." Thor instructs. The pads of Loki's feet rest on Thor's back. Loki expects Thor to wraps his lips around his cock and gasps when he feels the flat of Thor's tongue lick at his rim.

"Thor?!"

"Was that good?"

"I…I don't know. I've never had that done to me before."

"Oh Loki. Let me give you something wonderful." Thor laps at Loki's hole again making a moan break out of Loki's throat.

"Oh…" For several minutes the only sound in the room is of Thor's smacking lips. Thor kisses up Loki's testicles and licks Loki's shaft. Loki screams in surprise as he comes. Thor had not expected it either. Thor takes the tip into his mouth to clean it and then licks the seed off of Loki's belly.

"Thank you for trusting me." Thor says.