Thor found himself quite amazed with Anthony, he could be so insightful at times. With a couple of observations he found himself noticing a lot more. He had never really noticed how strenuous Asgard's relationship between other realms were, dwarves had closed up and the frost giants had bad blood with them. Not to mention several other realms that endured invasions from Asgard. Loki was one of the only people who could travel between realms without causing battle, who could bring back goods as he did because of that.
Anthony pointed out things so cleverly that Thor hardly even noticed that he was pointing them out, he did so in a manner that Thor quite confused them for entirely his own conclusions.
When Thor had offered to spar with him Anthony had agreed. Anthony's suit had absorbed Mjolnir's blast and Thor marvelled, as had Sif and the warrior three. Anthony did not seem fazed by their praise nor did he seem to care much. He did value Loki's opinion however. Thor found himself emulating Anthony's seeking Loki's opinion and advice, Thor was rather quite astounded with how much good advice Loki could give out if he took the time to listen.
How had he missed it?
Anthony had become a regular in Asgard but he came and went with ease. Thor had become used to him being there but Anthony was not there enough for him to lose his awe and mystery.
So caught in his musing was he, that Thor startled when he saw the two people in the corridor before him.
Thor was both astounded and a little disturbed to see Loki with his back against the wall whilst Anthony had his arms thrust either side of him, pinning him. It was slightly odd to see Loki pinned by a far shorter man, he wouldn't have figured it likely but here it was. He was tempted to either throw himself into battle mode to defend Loki or to scold Loki for doing nothing when the warrior way was to do anything but. He refrained for some quiet feeling that told him to watch and wait. When he took time to pay attention he could tell that Loki was in no way distressed and seemed rather pleased at the turn of events which puzzled Thor.
It was when Anthony's leg slowly raised up in its position between Loki's legs and the manner in which Loki's green eyes, dilated and wide, shuttered shut before his mouth reached down to meet with Anthony's eager one that Thor understood. As his brother's hips jerked forward in an arching roll and an almost purr left his lips, Thor understood far too much.
Thor hurried away and took a long bath trying to wash himself clean of the dirty feeling he felt encasing him upon seeing such a scene, to drown the memory and thoughts of what they were doing out of his head. He soaked for an age and when he heard their muffled groans he considered drowning himself. Evidently they had decided to continue in Loki's adjoining bathhouse.
They had requested to have their bath-houses between the long stretch that lead to their rooms when they younger, just so they could be closer when they were told they were much to old to share a room and they would tap secret messages to each other through the walls. Thor found he missed the simpler times to an extent, the brothers had been a lot closer. He also found that he wished the walls were a lot thicker now, he felt quite traumatized at hearing a tell tale thudding and he really did not need to know that his baby brother was quite the dirty talker.
He all but skidded away from the bathhouse, half convinced he should ask his mother to scrounge his memories of what he had witnessed and heard. Instead he settled for attempting to smother himself with a pillow. Something telling him that if Frigga peered into the memories scrounged that she would not be as understanding as he was. He would not let Frigga think any less of Loki, he would just have to bear it.
The next morning Thor felt terrible as a pregnant bilgesnipe. As Frigga so thoughtfully remarked, he looked as terrible as he felt. Anthony and Loki both looked as if they slept as little as he had, but they looked awfully smug about it. Thor shuddered and wondered if he could fall upon Hogun's mace or Volstagg's axe.
As much as he was traumatized, he could not bring himself to disapprove of them, even now the knowledge twisted their every action into something tender and a private secret between them. His memories contorted his to new knowledge and simple touches took new meaning. He felt scandalized but wholly protective of their relationship as he liked to see Loki happy.
It did not stop him wanting to scream as unwanted memories sprung forth when Loki's knee nudged Anthony's under the table or when their hands lingered too long on each other when they 'accidentally' reached for something at the same time. How could anyone, especially himself, have missed it when their arms were comfortably pressed together (just touching) like they were.
He was still wondering how no one had realised when Loki escorted Anthony to the bridge, shoulders lightly touching all the way there. It was a matter of ceremony using the bridge when neither of them needed to gathering by the way Anthony appeared unannounced.
Heimdall could not follow Anthony in his sights and he hid himself as readily as Loki himself did against his all seeing eyes. Thor began to wonder if Anthony had been the teacher of these ways or had Loki. For Anthony to be able to do so was amazing for he had no magic.
Thor found himself quite awed by Anthony often and wondered if he was a true god. Heimdall was angered, but Thor wondered if it really mattered all that much or whether Heimdall was so angered merely because it was Loki (and by extension Anthony) who was defying him.
Thor figured Heimdall was offended that his gifts could be thwarted in such a manner, one so dismissive and as if it took not much effort. Uneasily Thor recognized an emotion within Heimdall. Jealousy. He recognized it as he saw it in himself, in others, as he had too felt jealous of Loki's power. They were jealous of the way he could with ease, do something they could not do with ten times the effort. So they called it the easy way out and mocked it. Thor himself had been jealous in the way Frigga seemed just more of Loki's mother than his own the way they had magic to link them. He had felt jealous in the childish way of Loki having something from their mother that he had not.
He did not quite know what that made him suddenly recognize it or what had really brought it to his attention, but now he noticed.
In fact he did know, it was within Loki's face. With Anthony a crease within Loki's brow straightened out and Loki just seemed to be finally filling all his outlines as if he had not been before. He looked looser and more comfortable with himself, and it was simple.
Anthony had praised and been appropriately awed at all of Loki's little tricks – no – well practiced and clever illusions, rather than belittled them out of scorn, jealousy or fear. Thor had unconsciously followed Anthony's example and stopped calling them the easy way out and began offering compliments that he had always held back as it was womanly work. It was easier to criticise than praise.
It was hard to see the rot in system when you lived on it and it was second nature. It took an outsider to make him notice, the bad thing was if it had been anyone other than Anthony or if Anthony had told him outright he would have been outraged. Not at Asgard, but at the outsider for thinking Asgard was anything but perfect. Now he just felt a dull horror at how he missed it.