Note: You know what they say, some things are worth the wait... Though I would tell you this story isn't one of them.

On an unrelated note: Let's earn that rating!

Boundaries

Loki reached up to find the flower where Thor had placed it in his hair and readjusted it, to keep it from falling out and getting lost. As they were once again walking further along their path, he divided his attention between looking for a way through the forest and changing his hair-style to accommodate for the accessory. Using his imagination to find a creative and good-looking style was a pleasant challenge for him.

Thor silently walked by his side and watched him, smiling to himself. He couldn't even count all the way in which seeing Loki like this made him happy. The care and attention that Loki put into the task showed that it truly meant something to him. He was glad that Loki was happy and that he managed to find a way past all the defenses that he had set up to make him happy.

But the dark shadow of the knowledge that Loki had had every intention of tailoring himself to Thor's liking was only slowly fading away. He didn't know what to make of it or how he should even understand the fact that Loki was so resolved to lie and pretend. He also wasn't sure if the fact that it had been about something as trivial as liking flowers was a good sign or bad. Could it mean that Loki only lied about non-important matters? Or that he would be more than capable of something far bigger and uglier if he wanted?

The more he thought about it, the more a strange certainty settled in his heart that this was only the beginning; that Loki still had countless secrets hidden away and he uncovered only one piece of the puzzle. It wouldn't be Loki if he hadn't; Thor had known him for a secretive liar for the longest time. The only remaining question was the nature of his secrets.

He had managed to stir him on the right track and all was well, he told himself. It was only somewhere deep inside that he feared; knowing that he barely knew what he has done at all and failure had been just as possible as success. It was only the light of Loki's smile, his real smile, what soothed his fears.

Loki finished a small braid that he hoped would be strong enough to hold and his eyes met Thor's. Trying to somehow create a mirror with his magic would be useless since it wouldn't actually have the ability to reflect. For a second he felt a spark of doubt, but it soon completely melted away in his glee.

"Does it look good?" he asked confidently as if he knew the answer already.

"You look radiant," answered Thor.

It created a strange fluttering feeling in his stomach to have his looks complimented. It wasn't unusual exactly, but it seemed that his emotions saw a clear difference between being considered 'attractive' and 'beautiful'.

"Thank you," he said. And then, just to see Thor's reaction, he feigned a sign and said: "But I do wish my clothes could match its color better. Perhaps if we went back to Asgard so I could change..."

He watched the horror flicker across Thor's face, since far too many women were infamous for their endless crusades to the wardrobe, just to emerge for mere seconds before deciding something was not right and diving right back in.

"I'm joking, of course," he clarified and tutted in feigned dissatisfaction. "You weren't about to start calling me 'sister', I hope?"

Thor laughed; the idea hadn't even crossed his mind. Even though he sometimes tended to think of Loki as his lady, he was still his brother. To his mind the two terms weren't mutually exclusive - though he could imagine why others could find the very same context inconceivable.

"There is nothing, in all worlds and universes, nothing at all you could do that would make me stop calling you brother," he stated calmly, sincerely and watched the laughter in Loki's eyes melt into something softer and fonder.

Loki moved closer towards him, cupped his cheeks and kissed him, slowly and gently, communicating all of his affection by light brushes of his tongue. After that he only held Thor's gaze for a moment, the green eyes meeting sky-blue ones. Neither of them said anything and after a moment they set back on their way.

As they were walking, as one moment their hands brushed against each other. The next thing they knew, they were holding hands. Neither commented on how childish it seemed, both silently savoring the warm touch.

Sunlight shimmered through the trees ahead and when they reached it, they discovered that the forest was cut in two by a gorge, several hundreds of feet wide and deep. At the bottom lazily flowed a river, glittering in the sun. Up ahead, above the treetops of the forest that covered the other side, they could clearly recognize the mountains that were their destination. The sky above was clear, spotted only by occasional small cloud and two planets that shone the brightest in the daylight. They stopped and dropped each other's hand as if nothing ever happened.

"We are going to have to fly across, aren't we?" asked Loki with a hint of annoyance.

Thor turned to look at him. Normally he would disregard such comments, giving then next to no thought. Loki always snarked and complained whenever the circumstances forced them to make use of Thor's flying abilities. It made sense before that Loki would try to save face and act insulted because he had to take up the position of the lady.

But at this point it didn't make sense anymore. His thoughts ran in several directions, searching for an explanation. It definitely didn't sound like a joke. Maybe Loki only did it out of habit? He really couldn't tell whether he was lying or not. But he hoped that Loki hadn't intended on playing difficult. As much as he loved him, he couldn't be sure how long his patience could stand more of his games.

"Well, if you see a bridge that I overlooked..." he responded sarcastically, eventually deciding that Loki probably only had to learn to speak honestly about how he felt about things.

"Actually, I think I could teleport across," suggested Loki and moved past him towards the edge of the cliff. He measured the two separate cliffs, absentmindedly rocking on his tiptoes as he did.

It could have been just an innocent suggestion, after all there was no reason why Loki couldn't use his magic but Thor felt a wave of displeasure rising inside of him all the same. It no longer seemed like a game, more like a rejection. But he had no idea what he did wrong.

"Is something the matter?" he asked, frowning at Loki's back.

His younger brother turned towards him. It took him a moment before he seemed to understand what Thor was asking about. "No, everything's fine. Honestly, there just happens to be a number of annoying problems with clinging to you in midair."

Just when he thought he finally knew when Loki was lying, his younger brother started telling the truth. How typical. It was like playing chess with him - Loki always changed his strategy the moment Thor came too close to figuring it out. But it couldn't annoy him, not really. He knew he ought to be glad that Loki didn't feel like he needs to lie.

"You tend to fly in a horizontal position. While it makes perfect sense for you alone it just doesn't work when I'm with you. I'm dangling in the air, flapping behind you like your cape. You support me only with one arm and I should hold onto you, knowing that my grip is the only thing keeping me from falling. The only reason why it works is because you move fast. Unfortunately, this very same momentum efficiently helps you get me killed when you try to slow down or - nornir forbid - stop. As long as it's not absolutely necessary I'd prefer to avoid all of that."

It shouldn't have surprised him, Thor realized, as he listened to Loki's explanation. Loki always preferred safety. And maybe he had a good reason for it. After all, they had had their share of accidents and there had been times when Loki was injured as a result of Thor's actions. He hadn't really been giving it much thought back then. Getting in trouble and getting themselves hurt hadn't exactly been rare occurrence. It was only now that he felt responsible for Loki's happiness and safety.

He shrugged instead of an answer, even though his brother wasn't looking at him.

Loki was standing at the very edge of the cliff, with only halves of his feet still on solid ground, reaching out with his magic and mentally checking how far he could teleport. His range was limited and the gap was too wide, he could see that clearly. He would have to teleport in quick succession. The creation of wormholes was relatively demanding in terms of his energy and high amount of teleportation in a small amount of time was usually discouraged. He hoped that if he teleported to the very edge of his field of range, he could get on the other side right with the second jump.

With that settled, he called over his shoulder playfully: "Race you to the other side!"

He had only enough time to catch a glimpse of the look Thor shoot him in response, both knowing full well that Loki had to win a challenge like that. Then he triggered the spell and the ground under his feet disappeared.

Gravity wasn't going to wait for him and by the time his conscious mind even acknowledged that there was no longer any support for his feet, he had already fallen about a yard and continued to descend rapidly. Once again he reached out with his magic...

Loki vanished, as if he never even existed, cold air taking his place. Thor spun Mjölnir and took into the air. He could see Loki appear in midair, about a dozen yards away from both sides of the ravine and watched as he began falling. With Mjölnir held firmly in his right hand, he set on his way towards him, knowing that Loki would teleport again before he managed to reach him.

Then, a strange rumbling sound registered somewhere at the edge of his consciousness, like a small earthquake. Splashing of waves reached his ears, though he would have sworn the river at the bottom of the gorge was calm. He looked down.

The waters have opened up like gates of Helheim and from them sprang up a huge serpent, jaws wide open, its teeth glittering in the sun. It obviously aimed for Loki who was falling down towards it.

Thor watched it, completely stunned. He wanted to shout out, but his voice refused to obey him. He was too far and not moving fast enough to help. All he could do was watch as the teeth closed in on his brother...

As he was falling and working on the spell, Loki also heard strange sounds. He felt tempted to shot a quick glance downwards where the sounds where coming from, but he resisted it. He didn't stop working on the spell and didn't spare as much as a glance to his surrounding. Getting distracted was number one among deadly mistakes; the surest way to get killed.

He fell about three or four more yards before he managed to trigger the second teleportation. He only felt a strange sensation of rushing air before he moved, completely oblivious to the serpentine mouth that snapped shut in his wake.

Thor saw the green cape disappear before the teeth made contact. His relief was overwhelming. Then it was replaced by righteous fury that all his dread had transformed into. His voice returned, screaming something along the lines of "You won't hurt my brother!", but the wind was stealing the words from his lips and no one - not even himself – would be able to understand them even if they tried.

The serpent faltered when its jaws met without any prey caught between them. Its nostrils flared angrily and it spun around in search for something else to catch. Before it even had the time to register the incoming attack, Thor slammed right into it, hitting it under the chin and bringing them both crashing against the side of the cliff.

Loki's feet hit the ground and his body automatically moved to reduce the momentum like after a jump. He was standing at the very edge of the cliff with open void just a step behind him and turned to look what was going on. He heard Thor's voice, though the words were indistinguishable.

He saw a serpent, falling backwards towards the cliff he was standing on. His mind flew through several stages of shock and confusion, one of his very first observations being 'I can't see Thor!' Then he realized that it made sense that Thor probably attacked the serpent from an angle that hid him from Loki's gaze, though the actual reason for attacking wasn't immediately obvious to him...

His thoughts cut off abruptly when the giant snake crashed against the cliff and the ground under his feet trembled with a terrifying rumble that sounded very much like thunder but evoked far less fond feelings. There was a second when the world seemed to hold its breath in anticipation – then a part of the cliff tore off and fell, giving out right under his feet.

Once again he found himself in freefall and he felt panic grip him. Almost without thinking he reached out, tearing at the cosmic power in his control to open up a wormhole to escape through.

When he tried to trigger the spell, nothing happened. He hadn't had time to pick his destination properly, aiming only roughly for the forest at the top of the cliff. It was far too probable that his spell clashed with a tree. The wormhole couldn't open as long as the wood refused to move out of the way for him and teleportation couldn't occur.

The rocks rained down on the serpent which shook violently, letting them shatter against its scales. All Loki knew was that he needed to get out of there. In desperation, he reached out in the other direction.

He was welcomed by a slap of cold wind in his face. Both cliffs were far away, out of his reach, and he was still falling down the ravine, only now he was in no immediate danger in a safe distance from the serpent. He was falling limply, breathing heavily, the endured shock and adrenalin leaving him lethargic. It was only a short while later that he gathered enough willpower to at least teleport as far as he could downwards to reduce the fallen distance and thus the damage upon impact.

It still hurt when he crashed against the surface of the raging river. The waves swallowed him up and the sounds from above became muffled. He was badly bruised and didn't move for some time, while his magic healed his body. The stream toyed with him and he felt tired, wishing he could fall asleep in the heavy silence.

The serpent slid down the cliff-side, retreating from the falling rocks and falling back down into the river. It disappeared under the surface shortly. Thor had to shield himself with his arms and Mjölnir, occasionally shattering the bigger rocks that threatened to hit him. He barely had enough time to look around before the leviathan once again sprung up, its powerful muscles serving to keep the upper side of its body erect.

Once again, it tried to catch him in its mouth, but Thor only moved to avoid its wide open maw and struck it right in the nose. The beast recoiled momentarily before recomposing its posture; it hissed threateningly, the scales around its neck shifting with surprising mobility and bristling to appear intimidating.

Thor wasn't frightened by the sight. Loki sometimes joked that he lacked any self-preservation instinct but to him it was more because he never understood why he should worry about his own life when there was so much more to care for, so many things that held bigger worth. Bards would have you believe that such selflessness was a trait found only in true heroes, but Thor personally couldn't imagine why anyone wouldn't reason this way.

"For Asgard!" he shouted; less as a battle cry and more to have the animal react to the sound. As expected it startled and immediately went on the offensive, lashing out at him. Thor threw Mjölnir, falling out of the serpents aim while the hammer hit its jaw and shattered some of its teeth. It was sent staggering back while Mjölnir swiftly returned to Thor's hand; halting his fall and helping him ascend again.

But the leviathan refused to give up so easily and they fell upon each other again and again, exchanging blows, while the gorge echoed with the heavy noise of their fight.

He moved, resurfaced and gasped for air. His wet dark hair lay plastered over his face and he had to stroke it back to get it out of his eyes. The flower from his hair was long gone by then, carried away by the stream. He didn't have time to mourn for it. He checked his surroundings. The body of the snake was a short distance away from him, jerking aggressively, the waves crushing against it. Its scales glittered in the sun. Aside from that, all he could see where the two stony walls of the ravine. He swam to the closer one and held onto the rock to steady himself against the waves.

His thoughts automatically ran to his next curse of action. He moved his hands over the rock. He could try climbing at the top, he would probably succeed, but it would take time. Much more time then it probably took for Thor to defeat the serpent alone. Waiting down here couldn't be much more dangerous than up on the steep wall. Arguably, it was safer.

His body rocked with the waves, feeling comfortably numb in the cold water. The longer he lingered, the less practical his thought seemed to grow. Eventually he caught himself remembering a story he once heard told. Some of their subjects obviously found it amusing to make up stories about them. The particular story he remembered had said that the mighty Thor would die after fighting a giant sea-serpent. They said he would kill the serpent first, but only manage to walk a few steps away before falling dead due to the snake's poison.

When Thor had heard the story, he laughed. He said that it would please him to die knowing he had won. To die in battle meant accepting that there was someone better than you. If they both died, they could be considered equal. Loki had acidly pointed out that he didn't see the difference as long as both opinions involved dying.

He tried to suppress the memory, reminding himself that it was just a story, but it was obvious why it was on his mind. This serpent isn't poisonous, he reminded himself. Thor was going to be fine.

Maybe you should help him. Maybe he will be fine if you just stop hiding here like a coward, whispered his spiteful inner voice.

There's nothing I can do which would be of any significant help, he reminded himself. I would just needlessly endanger myself or got in Thor's way... Waves crushed against his chest, rocking him back and forth. Before he even finished the thought, another came to him.

There was something he could do. Actually, the place was perfect for it. With all the water everywhere, he wouldn't have to rely purely on the humidity of the environment. The power was inside of him, waiting for his command. He knew how to use it and what to do with it, even though he never practiced it, because next to the art of teleportation, elemental magic was simplicity itself. He could probably freeze the serpent solid in a matter of seconds.

No, don't go down that road! You are taking advantage of being a monster!

The thought startled him. He shrank back from the magic he had been reaching for.

He had already used the power once before, when he needed to rid Thor's blood of poison. He hardly stopped to think about it then, because he was running out of time. He would have done anything at that moment if it would save Thor; anything at all. Morals didn't come into question.

I'm being practical, argued his rational side. Its voice was calm and clear and icy cold. There was something comforting about its operative harshness, despite how ruthless it was. It was the part of him that always knew what to do, even when he was panicking or dying of terror. And there was only one criterion potential plans needed to meet: feasibility.

It's wrong, insisted every part of him that had the capability to feel emotion. I hate Frost Giants, I hate their powers and I'm nothing like them! He looked up to where he could see red cape flapping in the wind. Perhaps there was something symbolic about it that while Thor soared high and fought battles that mattered, he stayed in the shadows, fighting only against himself.

The story he had overheard echoed in his ears and he couldn't make it go away, even though he knew it was nonsense. Thor could fight alone; it was only that having a group of warriors on one's side always made a difference in fight. Lingering inactively, without at least being able to predict the result of the battle or provide subtle influence to tilt it the right way, didn't feel right. He was supposed to be doing something.

There could never be good enough reason to ignore a powerful skill that could work to his advantage if only he cared to use it. As long as he didn't consider it vital or essential, merely useful... This was a unique situation that would never repeat itself anyway and he was only doing it because there was nothing else he could do.

So you have good reasons to do this, right? said sarcastically that part of him which had his heart ablaze with self-loathing and hatred. It's not because you enjoy having a new and great power? It's not because it's part of you and you are comfortable with it because you are a Frost Giant?

He didn't know what to think. He could have sworn that he wasn't turning into a Jotun, that he had nothing to do with them and would never be one of them... But what made him different if he were to possess all the characteristics of a Jotun? Was wearing an illusion instead of his face enough to make him Aesir? Was he smart enough, civilized enough, elegant or beautiful enough to prove his worth?

His education and morals weren't satisfactory proof here, since the Frost Giants didn't differ all that much from Aesir in that regard. After all, they killed their enemies and protected their own (at least in most cases) and their allies. To certain degree, they had domesticated animals. They were capable of speech. They build houses, castles and cathedrals, even ice sculptures – which were, as a matter of fact, destroyed by the Aesir during the war. They had a monarchy. It could even be argued that their obedience codex to their King made them far more cultivated than Aesir who had no such thing and rebelled as much as they dared.

Culture came to mind. Crafts, philosophy, artistry... He couldn't think of any song written or picture drawn by a Frost Giant. But magic was also considered art. And Frost Giants probably had no other art than their race-specific elemental magic. If he wanted to prove he was Aesir, he shouldn't be using it.

That's ridiculous, snarled his rationality. All it proves is that you are impractical. No wonder Odin has you wrapped around his little-finger. There is no invisible border that you would cross if you did this. Why should you let some pesky feelings get in the way of your strategy?

But isn't this exactly what would it be like if I were turning into a monster? Wouldn't it seem tempting? What do you think Thor would do, if he had a choice like this? The questions kept coming, but he had no answers.

The storm inside his mind was interrupted only when the serpent body fell flat against the river's surface, creating a loud snapping sound and sending up high waves that crashed against the rocks and over his head. When Loki resurfaced there was no sight of the huge scaled body to be seen. Everything calmed down and stilled in complete silence.

Thor hovered in place, ready for another strike but no more came. The giant snake stayed down, hidden in the unknown depths of the river. Perhaps it had an underwater cave there somewhere to hide in.

With the column of the serpentine body gone, the shadowy place that Loki had been waiting in filled with light of the afternoon sun. He squirmed against it for a moment before his eyes readjusted.

Thor looked around. With the battle won, all of his attention was once again focused on Loki. It didn't take him long to spot him at the bottom of the ravine. He flew down towards him, slowing down once he was at the bottom and hovering over the water. Feeling playful he allowed his feet to touch the surface, staying aloft just enough to keep from sinking.

This way, creating the impression of walking on water, he slowly made his way towards Loki, who looked up to him with a mixture of emotion on his face. Thor would be lying if he claimed that it didn't provide him with a strange but wonderful feeling. It was almost arousing, the awe that flickered though those green eyes that were rarely so impressed.

With the light all around him like a golden halo the mighty Thor stood in the wake of a won battle. His hair glittered like real gold in the brilliant light and his long red cape flapped behind him in the wind like a blood-red shadow. With Mjölnir held firmly in one hand, walking across the surface of a river like no ordinary being could, he looked exactly like all storytellers always imagined him; a living legend, a god.

The sight stirred up something in Loki. He felt a strange pressure building up in his chest. He let his hand drop from the rock into the water - it hurt a little after having stayed in that position for so long, - and swam closer to Thor. The righteousness and might and the protection they promised where intoxicating. His brother's light allowed all of his dark thoughts and doubts to dissolve and its touch healed all pains.

Thor reached out an offering palm and bended down, so Loki could reach up and put his arms around his neck. It still wasn't comfortable, but it hardly mattered anymore. When Thor straightened up and pulled him out of the water, he snuggled to his chest and entangled his legs around Thor's. Thor was fantastically warm and he wanted to be as close to him as he could. He hadn't realized how cold he was. His body had a great tolerance for cold and didn't usually register it as a problem as it did with fierce heat. It only acknowledged the difference between cold and normal when it was forced to.

The chilly touch of Loki's wet clothes was a bit shocking to Thor's warmed up skin, but he didn't say anything. He knew far better than to mention something like that, knowing what would be the conclusion Loki would inevitably reach. Instead, he allowed him to press closer, hoping to provide as much comfort for him as possible.

They took off, ascending quickly through the ravine and the air that rushed past them tore at their clothes. They were holding onto each other with strength that would bend Midgardian steel.

When their feet touched down in the forest atop the cliff, they gently relaxed their hold, Loki loosening his legs so he could stand on his own. But they didn't let go of each other.

The pressure in Loki's chest wasn't going away. He kissed Thor's neck and heard his brother groan quietly. He wished he could let go of himself and simply merge with Thor, killing even the slightest memories of shadows with the brilliant light of the golden Prince. Only doubt that lingered in his mind was whether Thor wanted it and was ready for it as well. He lifted his leg and wrapped it around Thor's hip. His brother reached for it without the slightest hesitation, caressed it with his fingers and then helped held it up to allow them to press even closer to each other.

He almost subconsciously made a decision then. He proceeded to make his way up towards Thor's ear and then down his cheek bone until their lips met. Once they made their way past them, their tongues greeted hungrily. They immersed as if trying to drown and pulled away only when they were both completely out of breath. Then they eased off a little, their tongues playing hide and seek, making the touches more brief and that much more exciting.

Their bodies pressed close together in a desperate, almost animalish urge to touch. The rough leather was slowly outgrowing its welcome and its concealment was changing from exciting to unbearable.

It was an indescribable feeling to have Loki so close, clinging to him as if Thor were the only thing in the universe. His lips were so soft and sweet, his skin so smooth. It made Thor want to touch him all over and make him his own, forever binding them together, so he could make sure that Loki would always be safe, with him.

But even with all the wonderful sensations hitting his senses, he made sure not to cross the line. A true noble knight would never, ever demand anything from his lady. Not even in an indirect way that would make her or, in this case him, feel obliged to please him. His job was to always be there, helping and protecting and let them decide the right time to make the next step.

A smile played across Loki's face and his fingers brushed over Thor's cheek. The smile held a promise and just the sight of it was enough to send a shiver through Thor's whole body. Then the younger Prince let his leg drop down from where it rested on Thor's hip and made a short brisk step away.

Every nerve in Thor's body cried out at once in a desperate need to get him back, but he didn't move. He was a knight. Instead he only watched as Loki ran a hand though his dark hair, exposing his neck suggestively and then gave him a meaningful look from under half-lid eyes.

"You know," said his younger brother smoothly and ran one hand down his hip. It was only then that Thor noticed how the damp cloth clung to his body, making every muscle visible. His mouth went dry. "I think I might take the wet clothes off so I'm not cold tonight."

The cue was loud and clear. Thor felt energy rushing through him that felt like electricity, his fingers twitching anxiously to reach out and claim what was being offered and free the beautiful pale skin.

But knowing that Loki tends to speak in riddles, he hesitated for a few more seconds. He would never forgive himself if he made a mistake with Loki and he didn't want to overlook something just because he was overcome with yearning.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice husky with the desire that was burning him from inside out. His eyes had to communicate all the sincere concern and understanding that his tone failed to.

For the briefest moment, Loki seemed surprised. Perhaps he expected Thor to jump at the opportunity without question. Perhaps he simply wasn't used to receiving so much earnest attention. Whatever it was, it helped soften up his confident posture. He smiled; a true smile that lit up his eyes like embers. And although it kept a note of decisiveness when he answered, the whisper was soft like a prayer.

"Yes."

The single word broke all the reins. A blissful smile to match Loki's spread across Thor's face as he moved forward, reclaiming his lover. He cupped Loki's cheeks in his hands and kissed him first, but then his fingers already moved down and began working on the leather strips holding his armor in place. Loki too reached out and began loosening Thor's armor. They tried to keep kissing as they worked but it resulted only in very clumsy attempts.

They paused for a proper kiss when the armor was all gone and only the clothes remained. Loki was quicker to slip under Thor's, running his fingers over his muscles and was rewarded with short silent gasps. Thor was in this regard much more reserved, moving almost painfully slowly for Loki's standards and savoring every step of the revelation. If it wasn't for Loki's impatient grunts, he would have probably proceeded to kiss every new inch of skin he uncovered.

The trees around them hid their naked bodies from the outside world, even though neither of them would probably care or even notice if they didn't. Thor's patience finally gave way and he fell upon his younger brother with all the fierceness of a tiger. While Loki was aroused by the slow and attentive approach, in the end it was always the show of strength that drove him wild, pumping his blood with adrenaline and making him weak in the knees. He gasped out Thor's name and Thor responded with a satisfied groan. Their touches were like fire and the pleasure that raged through their bodies like firework.

"You're good," Thor praised him in between groans and gasps. Somehow Loki always succeeded in hitting exactly the right spot with little to none guidance, never failing to apply the right amount of pressure. His movements spoke of high confidence.

"What can I say?" The green eyes sparkled from beneath long lashes. "Some of us do battles and others just do tricks."

Thor laughed, then buried his face in Loki's neck, kissing and licking before rising up to his ear. He gently bit him to get his attention, knowing exactly what he wanted to do next. His voice was deep and heavy with all of his need when he purred in Loki's ear a very simple command: "Turn."

The word, or rather the idea behind the word, felt like fire and ice clashing and erupting through Loki's whole body. There was nothing considered so demeaning, so unbecoming of a real warrior. Of course he knew the world wasn't so black and white - there were many who laughed at such ideas and actively performed it without shame. But Loki had never been so brave and spent most of his life obsessing over his "manliness". He lied to his lovers that he didn't like it and only ever did it to them. He knew how to dominate them, he could play the role. And he made sure that he was extremely good at it. It was only somewhere deep inside that he doubted and wondered.

None of them ever questioned his lies. He never let anyone peek under his mask. And he never would if it wasn't for Thor. It was only Thor who saw the real him and not only understood, but loved it. Everything was different with Thor, which only seemed to show that it wasn't just an ordinary affair that would blow over with time. And it was now, he realized, when he really ought to admit what it was he really wanted.

He began to turn, obediently, but Thor's arms stopped him. His brother had noticed the short hesitation. "Only if you want," he clarified. "Don't do it for me."

"I want it," he whispered, the truest words he ever uttered. Thor looked a bit conflicted then and Loki quickly realized he was wondering if Loki would lie. To reassure him, he explained: "I just thought... you know, what they say about it."

Thor knew. He knew of the cruel taunts, laughter, even threats against those who took part in it, though that was usually from the side of weak cowardly unmanly fools who most likely secretly yearned for it themselves. He heard numerous stories about it. Some were just plain strange; others were morbid tales, where men turned into women in the most painful ways imaginable. But everyone knew such things weren't to be taken seriously.

"Last time I heard, they were saying that it strengthens your magic. Tomorrow they will be saying that it makes you fly," he said sardonically. He wanted to be sure that Loki was comfortable and not bothered by it.

"I know," said Loki with a soft laugh. "Do it," he commanded and with a series of quick, skilled caresses brought Thor's mind back in the right mood. Then he turned and Thor, his passion quickly regaining control of him, pushed him up against the nearest tree. Loki submitted to his touch, his fingers digging into the bark while intense pleasure blurred his vision and his voice echoed through the woods. The rhythm of their love overtook everything, wiping out thoughts, rationality, borders and limitations. They were the only thing in the universe, the only single thing, merged together as one body, one heart and one soul.

By the time the two gods rested, any mortal would have probably long passed out from exhaustion. They were dripped with sweat, their hair disheveled and a bit sore here and there, but practically glowing with delight. They snuggled up close and fell asleep, dreaming of nothing but each other.